Selected Science Stories Are Silly

But still informative

By M. Farbman Posted 02.24.2009 at 11:47 am 4 Comments

Beluga Stan Shebs (GNU Free Documentation License)

Yes, she's still in the news. This time it's a battle over protecting beluga whales. Erstwhile VP candidate Sarah Palin has filed a notice of intent to sue the federal government over protection for the belugas of Cook Inlet. Her chief of staff wrote the fabulously titled op-ed for the Anchorage Daily News, "Protection Requirements for Cook Inlet Belugas Are Silly."

Also in today's links: lighting the earth's farts, wearing out your brain on Facebook and more.

I'm prone to falling in love with any interesting creature I read about, so maybe it won't carry much weight when I say this is the most fascinating ever: a fish with a transparent head. But it is.
British psychologists are warning that social-networking sites are "infantilizing" young people's brains. And yes, I'm sure somebody will now mock this on their Facebook wall.
As the Arctic temperature increases, thawing the permafrost, bubbles of methane can be released, further contributing to warming. (Be sure to watch the video -- the scientist interviewed describes lighting these escaping methane pockets on fire as fun AND informative. The holy grail!)
Every year I debate whether or not to get a flu shot -- I kind of like the idea of lying at home, watching a lot of TV and drinking ginger ale and eating soup. (Yes, I realize this is a luxury.) Every year, scientists debate how the flu vaccine might have mutated, and how it might appear in that season. However, researchers are closer to a universal flu vaccine, having identified an antibody that combats all strains of the virus. That doesn't necessarily help me out, though.

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4 Comments

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Mike_R

02/24/09 at 9:39 pm

I think Sarah Palin's pretty silly herself. Most Republicans these days have come to realize that some compromises on development to protect the environment and biological diversity can make them more appealing in general elections. Unfortunately, Palin seems to be happy providing a very negative stereotype of the right-wing rampaging against nature. I guess maybe the isolation in Alaska shielded her from any opinions other than those that would be considered fringe in the lower 48. I'm hoping she really doesn't represent the future of the Republican party, or it won't have much of a future. I wonder if she'll be lighting any of that thawing Artic methane for fun, when they run out of wolves to shoot from helicopters?

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ford2go

02/25/09 at 2:09 am

Well, I scanned the op ed article, and it seemed coherent. I don't know enough of the details to judge it, and -- I suspect -- neither does the author of this section.

Anyway, you should also be aware that usually the NEWSPAPER does the title for op ed stuff. So, stop with the cheap shots -- your politics are showing.

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JFrazer1

02/25/09 at 9:53 am

Dear Ford2go,

To quote the author, "Her chief of staff wrote the fabulously titled op-ed for the Anchorage Daily News, "Protection Requirements for Cook Inlet Belugas Are Silly."

Nowhere does Mr. Farbman insinuate that the the op-ed was titled by the chief of staff.

To quote you Ford2go, "I don't know enough of the details to judge it, and -- I suspect -- neither does the author of this section."

This author makes no judgement whatsoever as to the quality of that op-ed piece anywhere within this post. Any perceived political bias exists solely in your own mind. There was no cheap shot. Your defensiveness reeks of a fragile ego, paranoid delusions, and skewed perception of reality. Please refrain from further commentary anywhere, ever.

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ford2go

02/26/09 at 2:22 am

So much for freedom of speech.