The X-files episode "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" aired 1996

For the first few seasons of The X-Files, one episode contained dark humor and a little lighter mood than the rest of the episodes.  In Season 3, that episode was the twentieth, Jose Chung's From Outer Space.  It is one of my favorite episodes of the show.  Charles Nelson Reilly stars as a science fiction writer writing a non-fiction book about an alien abduction.  The accounts from the witnesses seem to differ greatly, so anything could have happened.

Jesse Ventura and Alex Trebek appear as Men in Black.

The Oklahoman Editorial Board: Science leads to dark paths!

We can always count on the Neanderthals on the Oklahoman Editorial Board to provide us with a good laugh every now and then.  An opinion published July 20 was titled: “In policy, debates, bowing to “science” can lead down dark paths.”

The opening sentence states that the use of “science” is an intellectually offensive tactic of some activists to stifle debate.  Reading through the opinion, the Oklahoman Editorial Board talks about how the eugenics, or ethnic cleansing, was declared a science by then associate surgeon general Dr. W. C. Rucker of the U.S. Public Health Service.  The article proceeds to demonstrate how this set a precedence for sterilization of inmates in prisons and mental asylum.  It was even perpetuated into the 1970’s when American Indian women were sterilized at an OKC federal facility.

Read this quote from the article:

“It took the Nazi Holocaust to discredit eugenics. Before then, critics were dismissed as backward, anti-science zealots.”

Leave it to the Oklahoma Editorial Board to say the Holocaust was good for something.  As typical, the OEB does not cite any references that one can follow to read more about these subjects.  What did Rucker show as his evidence to support his eugenics?  Did other doctors or scientists support his findings?  The article does not say.  It implies that once Rucker made his declaration, the rest of the country followed like mindless rats seduced to follow the Pied Piper.

Rather than give other examples of “science leading us to the Dark Side”, the OEB latches on to this one thread and doesn’t let go, as if feeling the need to beat it into our brains to make the point.  And all the examples are limited to Oklahoma.

The intro to the second to last paragraph is the most worrisome and chilling, that this board has a voice that is reaching out to the mindless rats:

“Science is one thing.  People’s interpretation of science is something else.”  Then, “policy proposals based on debatable interpretations of science should certainly be debated.” 

Didn’t they warn us at the beginning about debates with science? 

Although never specified in the article, one can read between the lines and see the inference to the present “debate” over global warming.  Never fans of science, Gov. Failing, Pruitt and other Republicans, in Oklahoma and nation-wide deny climate change and global warming vehemently.  They cling to their faith and beliefs and shun the evils of science. 

Scientists can be wrong, which is why we have peer reviews.  Nobody is ‘debating’ the issue of climate change, i.e. no one has presented data to show our climate is NOT changing.  NASA and NOAA have submitted decades of data that have been researched and reviewed by both sides of the debate and have reached one conclusion: Earth is warming up. 

The OEB has a point that one cannot take one person’s word as proof.  Yes, got it.  We went to a dark place then.  But that has changed.  We’re in the 21^st century now, guys.  People are watching each other like Orwellian Big Brothers.  It’s okay to be skeptical but not to be obstinate and suspicious.

http://newsok.com/in-policy-debates-bowing-to-science-can-lead-down-dark-paths/article/5556929

Trump's EPA does not consider people, only oil and gas industries

The Donald's EPA has taken steps in the past few days to demonstrate its commitment to the oil and gas industry.  And they aren't even trying to hide it.

Monday, TEPA Admin Scott Pruitt appointed Jeff Holmstead, a lobbyist for the oil industry, as his No. 2 man.  Holmstead even testified before Congress last year:

“My biggest clients are utilities, refineries, a coal producer, and several oil and gas companies.”

Holmstead was a top EPA official during Shrub's administration and helped roll back regulations placed on the oil and gas industry to protect our clean water and clean air.  He will continue to pursue The Donald's ruinous agenda, to the detriment of Americans' health.

Tuesday, many of the scientists on advisory boards that their employment will not be renewed.  This comes after last month's dismissal of half the key scientists on 200 advisory panels, leaving the ranks of TEPA frighteningly low of scientists.  With so many seats now available, it is no stretch of the imagination to predict what is coming.  Pruitt and Holmstead, both in the pay of the oil and gas industry, will appoint like-minded people, and ignore the pollution released by these industries and its harmful effects on people.

We are doomed.

https://www.nrdc.org/trump-watch/pruitt-picks-polluter-lobbyist-be-his-no-2-epa?utm_source=tw&utm_medium=tweet&utm_content=socialmedia

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/06/20/trump-administration-to-decline-to-renew-dozens-of-scientists-for-key-epa-advisory-board/?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.6f68871d73c6

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/05/07/epa-dismisses-half-of-its-scientific-advisers-on-key-board-citing-clean-break-with-obama-administration/?utm_term=.7596a4d618a2

Scientists race to save data on climate-change, fearing a Trump dump

The Huffington Post, Business Insider and Inverse Science have reported in the past few days that scientists are racing to protect and save climate data stored at the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration prior to Trump’s inauguration tomorrow.  Trump, a devout climate change-denier, has nominated another global warming denier Scott Pruitt to head the EPA.  Scientists fear this administration could wipe out important data on environmental issues beyond just climate data.  

On January 12, 2017, the Sierra Club filed Freedom of Information Act requests for information held by the EPA and the Department of Energy, while similar efforts are being undertaken elsewhere, such as DataRefuge, at University of Pennsylvania’s Program in Environmental Humanities.  PhD students at Harvard have joined with other scientists and policymakers to form Environmental Data and Governance Initiative, which is working to archive publicly available information and monitor changes in government websites. 

Data purges have been carried out by previous administrations, such as W. for example.  During his regime, EPA shut down some of its research libraries and reduced access to important data.  A Trump advisor has suggested NASA cease its climate research and focus on space exploration.  The Trump team has also asked the Department of Energy to provide names of employees and contractors who have participated in international climate talks and President Obama’s work on regulating carbon emissions, a request the DoE has denied.  Ronald Regan, whom the New York Times said trees cause pollution, appointed two champions of industry, including Anne M. Burford as Administrator for the EPA, but forced to resign after being investigated by Congress in mismanaging toxic waste remediation.

There is no direct promise from the Trump group to purge scientific data or make it vanish, but scientists are taking no chances.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/13/scientists-are-frantically-copying-u-s-climate-data-fearing-it-might-vanish-under-trump/?utm_term=.7f1a53f6ac05

https://envirodatagov.org/

https://www.inverse.com/article/25184-scientists-backup-climate-change-data-donald-trump

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/scientists-save-environmental-data-before-trump_us_58797f6de4b09281d0eb07fa

https://www.wired.com/2017/01/rogue-scientists-race-save-climate-data-trump/

http://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-archiving-government-data-trump-2017-1

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/02/us/reagan-and-environment-to-many-a-stalemate.html?pagewanted=all

Growing crops on Mars

In preparation for sending people to Mars in the 2030’s, NASA partnered with Florida Tech in Melbourne, FL to research how certain crops might grow in a simulated “Martian garden”.  Earth’s soil contains nutrients and organics such as previous plant life, insects, worms, etc.  Mars’s soil doesn’t have any of those.  It is volcanic rock, and contains some toxic chemicals.

Studies are comparing plants growing in potting soil, and two simulated Martian soils, one with nutrients added and the other without.  So far, experiments have shown that lettuce, for example, germinates about 2 or 3 days slower in the nutrient-added simulant.  The lettuce tasted the same as the control but only half of the seeds were successful.  The studies might also include radishes, Swiss chard, kale, Chinese cabbage, tomatoes, snow peas and dwarf peppers.  

Prepackaged food will be available on the round trip which might last up to 2 ½ years, but having fresh food provides extra nutrition and will help boost the morale of the astronauts by providing a little piece of home (millions of miles away).

http://www.nasa.gov/feature/farming-in-martian-gardens

The origin of the 'gay lisp' stereotype

Seth Green in "Party Monster"

We've all seen the depictions of gay men with lisps, limp wrists and effeminate characteristics (and maybe some of us are) but it is still an offensive, negative stereotype.  According to an article on Scencemag.org, studies have not succeeded in finding that a lisp is more prevalent in gay men rather than straight men.

A speech scientist at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities has shown how patterns of speech do correlate with gender and sexual orientation.

Sometimes.

The article talks about how gay men produce a crisper "s" sound, the level of crispiness falling somewhere between straight men and women.  To research this further, Benjamin Munson, the speech scientist studied 34 boys from ages 5 to 13 years old, diagnosed with gender dystopia, a condition in which a child feels a "distressing mismatch between the gender they experienced and the one assigned them at birth."

The delivery doctors see a penis and "assign" the baby as male.  And somehow this is flawed?

Also diagnosing a mental health disorder to a 5-year old because his parents perceive Little Johnny as being less macho than the other kindergarteners is simply tragic.

http://news.sciencemag.org/brain-behavior/2015/11/where-did-gay-lisp-stereotype-come?rss=1

Scientists testing 'designer anti-bodies' to rid body of AIDS virus

One reason HIV has never been eliminated from anyone despite the number of anti-HIV drugs extending the lives of millions is that the virus can integrate its DNA into the chromosomes of white blood cells.  This helps it escape the notice of the body's immune system.

Two separate research groups have designed artificial versions of anti-bodies, molecules produced by the immune system to target pathogens.  With natural anti-bodies in 'Y' shapes, both arms of the 'Y' grab onto the same target, but the arms of the designer version clasp onto unique proteins.  One grabs onto an HIV protein and the other onto a CD3, a receptor on the white blood cell surface.

HIV hides its DNA inside white blood cells that have CD3 receptors.  A killer T cell, which destroys HIV-infected cells, is a second type of "CD3-studded lymphocyte".

The first bispecific antibody, bound to a cell harboring latent HIV, prompts the cell to divide.  This process brings new HIV proteins to the surface.  Then the second bispecific antibody clasps a killer T cell and brings it near the cell with HIV proteins on the surface.

"Come into my parlor," said the spider to the fly.

Tests are still in the laboratory phase but researchers hope to start tests on HIV-infected people in a year or so.

http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2015/10/designer-antibodies-may-rid-body-aids-virus