Archives for October, 2007
Fleeing the GOP?
Posted by Josh Rosenau on October 26, 2007 The Kansas Democratic Party is curious to learn: “Why are you leaving the GOP?” The Kansas AG, Lieutenant Governor, a Kansas member of Congress and several Kansas state legislators all did it. What made you Flee the GOP?
The Panglossian Paradigm, or as science moves forward, creationists move back
Posted by Josh Rosenau on October 21, 2007 Reposted from the old TfK because it’s fun. In KU’s introductory biology lab about evolution, the students are asked (not my phrasing): In the vertebrate animal clade, jaws have evolved from cartilage-like rods associated with gills. In jawless ancestral vertebrates, as well as extant jawless species such as hagfish and lampreys, the function of these…
Chuck Colson: Being reviewed by Dawkins worse than a shanking
Posted by Josh Rosenau on October 19, 2007 Chuck Colson has had an interesting life. During his years as a Nixon goon/lawyer, he wrote the infamous Enemies List, proposed firebombing the Brookings Institution and stealing documents while firefighters put out the fire, and headed up the plan to steal psychiatric files about the Pentagon Papers’ leaker. He is on tape joining in Nixon’s…
IDC made stupid(er)
Posted by Josh Rosenau on October 19, 2007 The gang at Billy D’s blog really seem to like a website called Science made Stupid. I’m sure you join me in my astonishment that they aren’t suing for trademark infringement.
More good political news
Posted by Josh Rosenau on October 18, 2007 The Kansas Department of Health and Environment denied a permit to Sunflower Electric Power, blocking construction of a massive power plant. “I believe it would be irresponsible to ignore emerging information about the contribution of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to climate change and the potential harm to our environment and health if we…
Vitter earmark spiked: Senator blames “hysterics”
Posted by Josh Rosenau on October 18, 2007 Thanks to all your efforts, Senator Vitter asked that the $100,000 he earmarked for the creationist Lousiana Family Forum be given to someone else. Thank you for your calls and emails to your Senators. If you have time, you might want to call your congresscritters back and offer your heartfelt thanks for helping do the…
Contact your congresscritter: Don’t use taxes to fund creationists
Posted by Josh Rosenau on October 15, 2007 Last month, papers in Louisiana spotted an interesting earmark tacked onto the Senate version of the appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, HHS, and Education. Senator David Vitter (R-LA brothels) had allocated $100,000 for a Dobson-derived group ? Lousiana Family Forum. The money was meant to let them “promote better science education.” Who could…
Changing of the Guard
Posted by Josh Rosenau on October 15, 2007 Just as I was leaving Kansas, I managed to convince the excellent Chris Mooney to head out and give a talk in Hays. He’s arrived safely, and will be talking about climate change out there tonight.
In the muck with Phill Kline
Posted by Josh Rosenau on October 14, 2007 Last year, then-attorney general Phill (the extra ‘l’ is for “lascivious”) Kline was sued over his interpretation of a state law. He claimed that a law requiring doctors and other counselors to report sexual abuse required them to inform his office of any sexual contact with a minor child, even if it were just two…
DonorsChoose goodness
Posted by Josh Rosenau on October 12, 2007 Many of us here at Scienceblogs are participating in this effort to raise funds for teachers who have good ideas about how to improve education. The projects I’m promoting (in the sidebar), aim to get kids out into nature and nature into the classroom. I hope you’ll help these teachers out by giving what you…
Joshua Rosenau spends his days defending the teaching of evolution at the