Octopus vulgaris
Figure from Cephalopods: A World Guide (amzn/b&n/abe/pwll), by Mark Norman.
Pharyngula
Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
Do I believe that George W. Bush stole the last election and that the Republican party is run by criminals and traitors? You betcha. With his record of sloppy analysis, though, I just wish someone more trustworthy than Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. had authored that report.
I also don’t see much in the way of productive suggestions about what to do to prevent it from happening again. If Republican operatives are in a position to commit such sweeping acts of anti-Democratic corruption, what’s to prevent it from happening again this fall? What are we going to do if it does happen again?
Will I sign th’ Pirate’s Compact? Arrr. It be like askin’ Blackbeard if he wants a tot o’ rum before plunderin’ yon fat merchanter.
Which reminds me…on me mission to New York tomorrow, I need to be askin’ about Pirate Mode. Maybe a little proddin’ with the cutlass will help.
I’m glad Sean has cleared that up.
After writing about the dilution of those “dangerous” kids’ chemistry sets, I find that Nature has just published a news article wondering how dangerous chemistry actually is.
My day has not been off to a good start. I’m supposed to fly off to New York tomorrow morning, and just to inspire worry in me, my car had a flat this morning. When just getting to the airport is a three-hour drive, hints of unreliability in the vehicle are not reassuring.
Worse still, I’m having a flare-up of Achilles tendinitis. Every step sends piercing pains shooting up my leg, and unfortunately I know from past experience that not continuing some gentle stretching and exercise will lead to my whole ankle seizing up and rendering me immobile. So, I’m going to be hobbling about New York City in pain this weekend. If any of you New Yorkers notice a guy who reminds you of that irascible gimp, House—only shorter and pudgier—that’s me.
Some days, I just have to get the cephalopod obsession out of my system with a quick purge of links from the mailbag.
Robot tentacles (via Amygdala)
Ancient octopus cartoon (via Holbo)
How about another sample of creationist nonsense from my mailbag? I wrote about Caroline Crocker back in February—she’s the Intelligent Design creationist who was released from her job teaching biology at George Mason University, and I said she had demonstrated incompetence in the discipline, and deserved to be let go. That article seems to elicit regular bursts of outrage from the creationists, who don’t seem to have been able to comprehend it.
This story, if true, is rather sad. 2009 will be a major date for evolutionary biology, both the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth, and the 150th of the publication of the Origin (note to self: must publish earth-shaking treatise on 50th birthday to make future commemorations simpler*.) Apparently, the political issues may mean that American scientific institutions will not mount any major celebrations. And of course, we have to get this news from a British publication.
Even more depressing, G.G. Simpson made this same complaint about the deficiencies of the American public’s education in basic biology 50 years ago, in his essay One Hundred Years without Darwin are Enough. Nothing has changed. The situation may be even worse than in Simpson’s time.
The editorial from The Independent is below the fold.
*100th birthday might work better…that’ll give me time to come up with something.
