Biblical literalists take another hit.

A good candidate for a natural source of life is found in the mud volcanoes of Greenland.

The Alabama Experiment

So wrong, again.  They were told that sectors of our economy need immigrant labor.  But some people have to learn the hard way.  I look forward to the day when these fools stop wasting money building fences and constructively engage in crafting a solution to our foreign labor needs.

Skeptics no more

Even the skeptical scientists concede that global warming is real.  It only took 20 years.  Maybe in another 20 years they will agree that human activities are a major contributor.

Fusion in California

Break-even fusion has been just around the corner for decades.  But
that corner could be as close as next year.

Did Fannie Cause the Disaster?

In a word, no.  Those who are saying it did can be put in the collection of folks that have a casual relationship with the truth.

Along with many other experts, the nine members pointed to considerable
evidence that, despite large losses, these government-sponsored
enterprises (GSEs), as they are known, bought or guaranteed too few
highly risky loans, and did so too late in the 2000s, to cause the
crisis.

Rabbit-Hole Economics

All the ways the Republican economics narrative is dead wrong.
This recession was caused by too little effective regulation, not too much.
The bad loans were made by the private sector, not the government.
Ben Bernanke has done too little to end the recession, nothing to cause it.
Deliberate inflation could be a remedy for recessions like this, not continued deflation.
Tax cuts didn't work during the Bush era, they won't work now either.

It’s a terrible thing when an individual loses his or her grip on reality. But it’s much worse when the same thing happens to a whole political party, one that already has the power to block anything the president proposes — and which may soon control the whole government.

Richard Hastings Fails

The head of the Natural Resources Committee  has a complete failing grade with the Sierra Club.  I'm sure his constituents are proud, real proud.

Diabetes cured with stem cells

With stem cells extracted from their brains, diabetic rats have been cured.

Alabama Workers Leave State

And the immigrant experiment begins.  Alabama will be the first state to show how jobs and the economy are affected when draconian immigration laws are in effect.  Let's all watch.

Reality Check on Immigration

Janet Napolitano gives an update on the current illegal immigration figures and border security.

...we have seen dramatic declines in illegal immigration and dramatic increases in seizures of illegal weapons, cash, drugs and contraband. This year, we will yet again see a historic drop in illegal crossings, and more and more contraband seized.

So any claim that this border is overrun or out of control is inconsistent with the facts.

Warren shines in debate debut

In her first debate appearance, Elizabeth Warren has a good night.

Russ Feingold on Occupy Wall Street

Russ Feingold's take on Occupy Wall Street is that more and more people are recognizing that the big corporations are in the business of ripping-off the little guys.  When this reaches the tipping point, the TEA Party will look like a tea party.

Alzheimer's might be transmissible

Researchers have been able to induce Alzheimer's by injecting malformed proteins into the brains of mice.  This implies that some of it could be infectious like mad cow disease where prions are the vector.

Reducing Health Care Costs

A study at a figure of  $6.7 billion wasted every year on unnecessary tests and prescriptions.  Eighty-six percent of that was for expensive brand-name statins to do things like lower cholesterol when cheaper generics work just as good.

Universal Influenza Vaccine

By targeting a different part of the flu virus that doesn't change much over time and from strain to strain, they may be able to develop  a vaccine that lasts for many years.

Hispanic Flight

The experiment is on.  Can a state's economy thrive if it kicks out all illegal immigrants?

Phony Fear Factor

Krugman pleads for reason.  But alas, little is to be found on the right.

The bad news: Republicans, aided and abetted by many conservative policy
intellectuals, are fixated on a view about what's blocking job creation
that fits their prejudices and serves the interests of their wealthy
backers, but bears no relationship to reality

Credit Rating Agencies Not Perfect

Not only are they not perfec, they aren't even good.  Our securities world depends on honest assessment of creditworthiness.  Without it, we can expect more financial disruption in the future.