Hitler makes a good point about peer review

Orac also has some comments about this.

News From Around The Blogosphere 11.17.09

1. Boyscouts of America to be honored on a stamp – This is very unfortunate because the Boyscouts are notorious for being a discriminatory organization, mostly controlled by Mormons that’s bigoted against gays and atheists.

2. Millions in Portland are good without “God” -

3. High Schooler punished for not standing for Pledge - Inspired by 10-year-old Will Phillips, high schooler Daniel Royston of Wasilla, Alaska (yeah — that Wasilla) for the first time in his life refused to stand for the Pledge. The school violated the law and punished him for it. Royston’s account of what happened can be found in the link above.

4. Is this a joke? I can never tell.

5. Awesome commercial for the Secular Student Alliance:

6. Researchers find the gene for empathy? -

Researchers have discovered a genetic variation that may contribute to how empathetic a human is, and how that person reacts to stress. In the first study of its kind, a variation in the hormone/neurotransmitter oxytocin’s receptor was linked to a person’s ability to infer the mental state of others.

Interestingly, this same genetic variation also related to stress reactivity. These findings could have a significant impact in adding to the body of knowledge about the importance of oxytocin, and its link to conditions such as autism and unhealthy levels of stress.

Urban Legend ER – CollegeHumor video

more about “Urban Legend ER – CollegeHumor video“, posted with vodpod

 

News From Around The Blogosphere 11.13.09

1. Another atheist ad is vandalized – This time it was in Boston. The Boston Coalition of Reason ad read:  “Good without God? 40 Million Americans are.” Sadly, the faith of some Christians is so fragile that even that posed a serious threat to them.

2. Can a plant be altruistic? -

Although plants have the ability to sense and respond to other plants, their ability to recognize kin and act altruistically has been the subject of few studies. The authors explored kin recognition in Impatiens pallida (yellow jewelweed). By moving their resources into leaves, these plants not only positively affected their own growth, but also negatively affected their competitors’ growth. This is the first instance where researchers demonstrated that a plant’s response to an aboveground cue is dependent upon the presence of a belowground cue.

3. If you get vaccinated, unicorns will impale you – Okay, this is a satire. But is there really anyone who thinks the claim is beneath Jenny McCarthy and Generation Rescue?

 

News From Around The Blogosphere 11.11.09

1. Lou Dobbs leaves CNN – Good riddance!

2. Children with autism show slower pupil responses -

Recently, University of Missouri researchers have developed a pupil response test that is 92.5 percent accurate in separating children with autism from those with typical development. In the study, MU scientists found that children with autism have slower pupil responses to light change.

3. Can Earth absorb CO2 much greater than expected? -

New data show that the balance between the airborne and the absorbed fraction of carbon dioxide has stayed approximately constant since 1850, despite emissions of carbon dioxide having risen from about 2 billion tons a year in 1850 to 35 billion tons a year now.

This suggests that terrestrial ecosystems and the oceans have a much greater capacity to absorb CO₂ than had been previously expected.

4. Star Trek-like Replicator Makes Metal Parts -

She admits that, on the surface, EBF3 reminds many people of a Star Trek replicator in which, for example, Captain Picard announces out loud, “Tea, Earl Grey, hot.” Then there is a brief hum, a flash of light and the stimulating drink appears from a nook in the wall.

In reality, EBF3 works in a vacuum chamber, where an electron beam is focused on a constantly feeding source of metal, which is melted and then applied as called for by a drawing — one layer at a time — on top of a rotating surface until the part is complete.

5. Did Glenn Beck rape and murdere a young girl in 1990? – I’m not saying he did, but like a lot of other people, “I’m just asking questions.” And these are apparently questions that Glenn Beck doesn’t want to see asked because he tried to shut down the satirical Beck-mocking site glennbeckrapedandmurderedayounggirlin1990.com. But Beck couldn’t silence the questions and the so mirror sites using this Fark-inspired meme applying Beck’s own “I’m just asking the question” tactic remain on the web. What are you trying to hide, Glenn? And why haven’t you denied that you raped and murdered a young girl in 1990? Huh?

Kiddos to South Park for nailing this particular Beck tactic on tonight’s show.

6. Mormons becoming pro-gay rights? – Last week I blogged about how filmmaker Paul Haggis left $cientology largely because of their unapologetic anti-gay position. Well now the Mormon church is coming out in support of gay rights. Seriously.

7. E.T. phone Rome – The Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences is holding its first ever conference to discuss the possible ramifications for the church should extraterrestrial life be discovered. Maybe they’ll finally pardon Giordano Bruno, an Italian monk, who was put to death by the Inquisition in 1600 for suggesting life might exist somewhere else in the universe.

Mysteries, Magic, and Miricles 11.3.09

MYSTERIES

Is Keanu Reeves immortal?

I don’t know about you but I’m convinced.

MAGIC

MIRACLES

1. Koran verses “appear” on baby in Russia – I have to agree with Phil Plait on this one. It’s not simply pareidolia but seems like a clear case of someone simply writing on the child.

2. Faith healing and other medical quackery in health care reform bill – Senate Bill 1679 currently contains language that would require support for faith healing practices:

The essential benefits provided for in subparagraph (A) shall include a requirement that there be non-discrimination in health care in a manner that, with respect to an individual who is eligible for medical or surgical care under a qualified health plan offered through a Gateway, prohibits the Administrator of the Gateway, or a qualified health plan offered through the Gateway, from denying such individual benefits for religious or spiritual health care, except that such religious or spiritual health care shall be an expense eligible for deduction as a medical care expense as determined by Internal Revenue Service Rulings interpreting section 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as of January 1, 2009.

Here’s another article on it.

3. ‘Miracle’ communion wafer transubstantiates into heart tissue? – In Poland, the Catholic Church is investigating an alleged miracle involving a Eucharist turning into heart tissue. It turns out the secret is to just add water. We’re told this has “dumbfounded sceptics” but I say the heart tissue was there in the water all along, waiting to be picked up after the glorified Ritz cracker was dropped into the water. Case closed.

Adam and Eve Are Just Friends

more about “Adam and Eve Are Just Friends“, posted with vodpod

 

What the anti-vaxers & alt-healthers think mainstream medicine is like

PZ Myers advises Mr. Diety

Sarah Silverman deserves a Nobel Prize

Why does she deserve it? Because on Real Time with Bill Maher, she solved the hunger crisis: