YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!

This will be getting a lot of play while I count bacterial colonies today!! (hat tip to Marky Mark)

Can I just say w00t1!!!!!!!11!!!11!!!!!11

OMFG

Seriously though, did anyone else get watery-eyed during PRESIDENT-ELECT Obama's acceptance speech? I nearly balled out with tears of joy. Linda and I had to run outside in the run the yell out a big w00t!!! so we didn't wake the kids. I have never been this proud to be an american. I feel a new train a comin'. Its a new dawn. I can once again be proud for my country this moment. THIS IS FRIKKIN LANDSLIDE!! In case you didn't notice.



I can't wait to see North Carolina, Indiana and Montana filled in blue after its all said and done. It'll look even more purdy then.

A Message for Gramma and Grampa

OH NOOOOOOOOEEEZZZZZ!!!!

Say it ain't so! What a horrible nightmare you sent me Eelke!

I vow in front of all 6 of my readers right now that I will NOT forget to vote for Obama on Nov. 4th. Mark my word. You can trust me, I have a beard.

Fruit Fly Research is Wastful Spending?

Apparently, fruit fly research is wasteful spending, along the lines of 3 million Bear "paternity testing" and 3 million dollar "overhead projectors". That sucks for the research being done on autism using the fruit fly model. I wonder if Palin knows anything autism?

UPDATE: Bjorn Brembs takes offense to the attack on his research area. He basically lays the smack-down (not that that is hard to do or anything).

Bug enthusiasts for Obama button

Bug enthusiasts for Obama button, originally uploaded by Colin Purrington.

Hat tip to Michael Barton, FCD

Kay Hagan Pals Around with Atheists

Apparently its really bad to associate with atheists. This video was produced with the aim of exposing North Carolina senate candidate as a supporter of the godless. "Heaven forbid" she actually does not see godless americans as a threat and take every opportunity slander them. This is just so ridiculous and offensive. Its produced in such a slimy way to mislead and direct voters to a false argument of guilt by association. I think it shows she is open minded and welcoming to all philosophies. It is a rare individual in politics to acknowledge the existence of the "nones".

Happy Labour Day!

I'll refer you to Black Commentator's Labour Day message from the decider and chief hawk.

Thanks Dominique!

Crustacean Period

A bit ago Kevin wondered what goes on in some conservatives minds...
Well this certainly won't clear it up.

From the Wright County Republican, Aug 27th, an article entitled "Climate Momentum Shifting: Prominent Scientists Reverse Belief in Man-made Global Warming - Now Skeptics"

'One certainty, however, is that earth has been very much warmer than it is now – “That’s why we find dinosaur bones all the way to the poles,” said Steward. During the Crustacean Period, earth’s average temperature was 80 degrees – compared to the average temperature now of 59 degrees. And, earth has been much colder than it is now. “Ithaca, New York was 1.8 miles under snow and ice just 11,000 years ago,” according to Steward.'

Bush: Contraception is Abortion

Seriously, wtf?? I cannot fathom what goes on in a conservatives mind. It blows me away. Their twisted logic knows no ends. I got this from a facebook friend today.

It seems unbelievable, but the Bush Administration is quietly trying to redefine "abortion" to include birth control. The Houston Chronicle says this could wipe out dozens of state laws that protect women's reproductive freedom and protect rape victims. This "rule change" doesn't need congressional approval.

Can you join over 250,000 others in signing this emergency message to Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, whose department is considering this rule change right now?

Click here to sign:
http://pol.moveon.org/contraception/?rc=fb.cnota

MoveOn and Planned Parenthood will deliver the petition to Secretary Leavitt this coming week.

Petition Text:
"Contraception is NOT abortion. The Bush Administration's proposal to change the definition of abortion and reduce women's access to birth control must be stopped."

I don't know what good these petitions really do, but what do we have to lose, right? It only needs your name and email address. The text is simple and to the point. So there is no excuse. You can also join the facebook group if do such things, already at 43K+ strong.

DNC Delegate Invert Schooling

With the DNC convention descending on Denver, had a Delegate Service Day where many delegates do something to give back to the Denver community. Some lucky delegates got the opportunity to learn about water quality and were trained in some invert identification by kids from the Cole Arts and Science Academy and the FrontRange Earth Force.

“They’ll be doing water quality testing,” Earth Force’s professional development head Tasha Mitchell said while waiting for delegates to arrive. “They are looking for the levels of phosphates in the water” to help indicate toxins.

Delegates were also trained in “macro invertebrate identification” — spotting species of insects and Platte River-dwellers that indicate high or low tolerance of pollutants. Seeing crayfish, for example, means the waters are very clean.

The Truth About Joe Lieberman

It seems like someone made a little slip at AP. This story is being picked up all over the internet *lolz*.

Hat tip to Bora.

Republicans: The Change You Deserve

I like the disclaimer.

See more Adam "Ghost Panther" McKay videos at Funny or Die

Electoral College Calculator

The Wall Street Journal has an interactive electoral college calculator. Its pretty spiffy, but scary to think we are already counting votes when the running mates haven't even been announced yet! I thought North Carolina (my newly adopted state in a few weeks) was a swing state? I am happy to say there will be one more liberal living there who votes religiously!

Haeckel Squid Oil

Working to finish up a deep sea PSA that will hopefully one day be seen by the wider public, so not much time for invert love, but there have been some good online distractions today...

If you haven't been to the Catalogue of Organisms yet today, you might not know that you too can Get Kunstformen! and have Haeckel on you hard drive, an absolute must for any bio-bibliophile (thanks Christopher!). It's hosted at BioLib where they have scanned some 474 biology books gook back to 1545, most from 1800's and early 1900's. Personal favorites include p.237 and 247 (among others) Yours?


Meanwhile in squid news, yesterday Peter brought us some jerky but beautiful video from an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. A Magnapinna spp. squid hangin out 7800' (2.3km) down. Yeah, turns out oil platforms can be a great source of science exploration too. When they send their ROV's down, they are working all the way down, inspecting the platform and the well head etc. Often though, they have no mission on the return trip and they have to do periodic missions just for training and proficiency. These non-oil-rig oriented mission hours can be used with the vehicle turned outward to watch for squid, whales and greenland sharks.


Of course that doesn't mean I support irresponsible expansion of our offshore drilling program. Miriam takes on the propaganda coming from certain quarters to play on the public gas-price pains and fears with a push for increased offshore oil-drilling. After tearing up the main points of McBush Sen. McCain and the GOP's arguments, Miriam adds a compelling new twist - she doesn't want us to give jellies the keys to the liquor cabinet.

This Modern World...

... is sometimes just too true! Here is a sneak peak of today's TMW up at Salon.com by Tom Tomorrow. Click above for the rest.

"I Would Naturally Select You"

In the category of hilariously brilliant science music video of the day. Darwin breaks up with Jesus. In true heartache fashion, it must make a great country song.

Hat tip to the Atheist Media Blog.

Bush or Batman?

Hilarious. Hat Tip to Bora!

I'm Liberally Hip

My Liberal Identity:

You are a New Left Hipster, also known as a MoveOn.org liberal, a Netroots activist, or a Daily Show fanatic. You believe that if we really want to defend American values, conservatives must be exposed, mocked, and assailed for every fanatical, puritanical, warmongering, Constitution-shredding ideal for which they stand.

Take the quiz at www.FightConservatives.com

Because Mike made Bora do it.

Time for Some Campaignin'

via Laelaps.

Supertheory of Supereverything

Thanks to Alex at Myrmecos for turning me on to these hilarious and clever gypsy punks. I particularly like to "philisophical" meandering of this one too.