Pack your bags and take a trip with Tangled Bank #68: The Voyage of Discovery. You’ll find plenty of fascinating sites to see from the science blogosphere.
Circus of the Spineless #15 is now available with plenty of invertebrate news. While you’re there, check out those two macro photos of insect eyes. Wow!
Doubting Thomas would be proud of the 49th Skeptics’ Circle. Watch the video first, and then go to the links for a plethora of great critical thinking.
Some very troubling news regarding global warming, although understanding Earth’s food chain makes this confirmation of what has already been suspected. “Almost ten years of unprecedented color satellite imagery of Earth’s oceans has now made one thing crystal clear: When the water gets warmer, ocean life declines. The orbiting Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) has been collecting data on the colors of the oceans since 1997. That global data, combined with detailed ocean temperature data, shows an undeniable connection between the vibrancy of phytoplankton — the microscopic plants that anchor the ocean food web — and the temperature of the water, scientists announced on Wednesday.” Because phytoplankton represent the foundation of the entire food chain on our planet, all you need to do is think about what would happen if their numbers dwindled catastrophically due to warmer oceans.
Well shiver me timbers! “Leaders of the Conservative Jewish movement opened the door on Wednesday to the ordination of gay rabbis and the recognition of gay marriage, but made it clear the more orthodox in the faith may go on opposing such liberalization.”
You mean they’ll actually have to work like the rest of us? “Forget the minimum wage. Or outsourcing jobs overseas. The labor issue most on the minds of members of Congress yesterday was their own: They will have to work five days a week starting in January. The horror.” And guess who’s complaining about it? Republicans. Get this: “‘Keeping us up here eats away at families,’ said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who typically flies home on Thursdays and returns to Washington on Tuesdays. ‘Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families — that’s what this says.'” Oh, boohoo… Cry me a big ol’ alligator tear while you’re at it, you pathetic, whining, spineless, lazy piece of shit. If you don’t like the hours, find another job, but we the people prefer to see our elected officials actually doing work and putting in hours that represent a serious take on the job and the people’s business. What a bunch of losers. By the way, read the article to get really mad about how little they’ve worked this past year (less than any other Congress in history, and they’ve passed only a tiny fraction of the budget bills necessary to keep the government running). It pisses me off. I’m glad to see the Democrats turning that around and laying down a schedule that puts Congress back to work—instead of on perpetual vacation.