What the GOP wants is to make people afraid even to do research that produces conclusions they don’t like. And they don’t stop at trying to undermine the research — they go after the researchers personally. The goal is to create an environment in which analysts and academics are afraid to look into things like… Continue reading Inquiry and Intimidation
Obama’s Bid to End Oil Subsidy Revives Debate
When he releases his new budget in two weeks, President Obama will propose doing away with roughly $4 billion a year in subsidies and tax breaks for oil companies, in his third effort to eliminate federal support for an industry that remains hugely profitable. From Obama’s Bid to End Oil Subsidy Revives Debate – NYTimes.com… Continue reading Obama’s Bid to End Oil Subsidy Revives Debate
Clinton Sees An Early Payoff of U.S. Debt
Mr. Clinton, in an announcement from the White House, called on Republican leaders in Congress to “put politics aside and join me” in a budget proposal that would pay off dollars 3.6 trillion in debt by 2013. This, he said, would leave the United States debt-free for the first time since 1835. “What we’re doing… Continue reading Clinton Sees An Early Payoff of U.S. Debt
2010 Was The Hottest Year Ever
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today announced that “2010 tied with 2005 as the warmest year of the global surface temperature record,” and 2010 is also “the wettest year on record, in terms of global average precipitation.” The year was by far the hottest during a La Niña cycle, during which the equatorial… Continue reading 2010 Was The Hottest Year Ever
Finger Limes
Food Trend Prediction: Finger Limes We’d never heard of finger limes before a few months ago, but now we’re seeing them pop up all over the place. Which seems appropriate since they’re also known as “citrus pop rocks”! The pulp inside these skinny citrus fruits is made of hundreds of tiny balls of juice, edible… Continue reading Finger Limes
Google Ngram Viewer for hitler,jesus,elvis,santa
Too odd not to share. Santa is constantly more popular than Jesus, Elvis or Hitler. And Elvis has never been more popular than Jesus. Adding Cher, The Beatles and Madonna to the mix is also fun. From Google Ngram Viewer for hitler,jesus,elvis,santa
Few Students Show Proficiency in Science
On the most recent nationwide science test, about a third of fourth graders and a fifth of high school seniors scored at or above the level the federal Department of Education calls proficient, according to resultsreleased on Tuesday. Only one or two students out of every 100 displayed the level of science mastery that the… Continue reading Few Students Show Proficiency in Science
13 Health Foods That Aren’t
It’s easy to be swayed by claims like “Fat-free,” “A full serving of vegetables in every ounce,” or the mere suggestion of fruit on a label. But many foods positioned as “healthy” are no more healthy than their “unhealthy” cousins we often label “junk food.” From The Sweet Beet: 13 “Health Foods” That Aren’t
Sharks Seen Swimming Down Australian Streets
As if the flood waters weren’t bad enough for the people of Queensland, it now appears that there are sharks swimming in the streets. Two bull sharks were spotted swimming past a McDonald’s in the city of Goodna, Butcher Steve Bateman saw another making its way past his shop on Williams street. Ipswich councillor for… Continue reading Sharks Seen Swimming Down Australian Streets
Why does Glenn Beck insist on getting Niemoller’s famous poem wrong?
Glenn Beck has a history of appropriating Martin Niemoller’s famous poem, “First They Came…” – one of the most memorable descriptions of the creep of Nazi totalitarianism – for his own purposes, often by way of describing his own self-martyrdom, because of course it’s really about people like him. From Crooks and Liars The simple… Continue reading Why does Glenn Beck insist on getting Niemoller’s famous poem wrong?