Now if you can get out there and vote in the U.S. Election today, DO IT.

(I voted by in-person absentee last week to avoid the election-day trouble)

Remember, if you don’t vote, you can’t complain!

A listener just sent me a comment about McCain’s statement on autism over a month ago. I answered it, and here’s my response, reproduced so everyone can benefit! (They were probably responding to my comments in Episode 78)

It sounded to me as if McCain was taking

the same position as you, that vaccines

aren't the source of autism.

My response: Read More…

Episode 78 of the Mindcast is up!

Download it here. Or subscribe to the Podcast (iTunes).

Update: 4-11-2008: Science Debate 2008 is hosting an edited copy of the interview, with just the stuff about the debate. You can download it here.

Show topics: Read More…

I sent a message this week to the Clinton campaign, suggesting that during the Thursday night debate, Senator Clinton should bring up the issue of science policy, which has been only barely touched-upon by either her or Obama’s campaign lately. Wouldn’t it be so cool if this moment in the debate was a direct result of reminding them about the political predicament of science? (via onegoodmove)

It really goes to show that it had to be inserted into the debate, instead of being a pre-planned topic…

I just went to my first political rally today. Senator Hillary Clinton made it through the Wisconsin storms to finally host a rally in Madison. The presentation was good, and the spirits of the attendees were up. Just in case there was an opportunity for questions, I prepared one about science policy. It was a long shot, but there was no space for it. I did, however, have my iRiver along, and recorded the talk. Download and listen to it here. (It has also been added to the Mindcast Extras.)

I have a few pictures, but I don’t have the time to edit them tonight. Ariela and I waded up to the front at the end, to shake hands and get close-up pictures, but they left before we were up there. I got a couple good shots of Chelsea Clinton, and Hillary was in the corner of one of them.

Hillary said a few brief things related to science, such as energy independence and global warming. But not enough attention is being paid to it. ScienceDebate2008 hopes to change that.

Politically and socially I would be happy with either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. Their health care positions are similar, their approach to the Iraq War are similar, and they would both be a “first” president of one kind or another. I suspect that their equal popularity will put them on the same party ticket anyway. Then they will be unbeatable. Read More…

Episode 75 of the Mindcast is now up!

Download it here.

Read More…

OK - now I’m fed up. I’ve been getting emails from presidential campaigns for months now, which is on purpose. It’s good to keep tabs on candidates as they’re on the campaign trail, because I don’t always catch the news, and an email that brings up something I haven’t heard about helps me keep up to date. But now I’m officially getting sick - of how eerily personal they’re getting. By far, the Hillary Clinton emails are the funniest!
“Let’s do Lunch” Read More…

Steven Milloy. Science. Two things that are immiscible. One of his latest essays on Fox News.com, It’s the Sun, Stupid. It’s time for some Monday Madness.

Read More…

My friend Jie back in California alerted me last week to news on my own doorstep. Apparently, the Wisconsin State Assembly has been wasting its time this holiday season. Hard up for productive things to do, they proposed, debated, and as of yesterday voted to rename the “Holiday Tree” in the rotunda of the Capital building, the “State of Wisconsin Christmas Tree.” Apparently, 20 years of calling it a fairly religiously-neutral name pissed them off so much that they had to spend their taxpayer-paid time to not only rename it with a specific religious name - but also make sure everyone know’s that it is the State of Wisconsin’s specifically religiously-named decoration. Oy, Madison, this is how my new home makes itself known across the country these days?

I’m surprised at how, even though they decided to spend valuable time on this issue in the state assembly, their arguments for renaming it were weaker than the skin of the ornaments on the tree they were debating. “Most people in Wisconsin are Christians.” “Kids call it the Christmas Tree.” “I thought it was the Christmas Tree when I first joined the assembly.” “We also allow other religious stuff to be displayed.” “They called it the Christmas Tree from 1916 to 1985 when they renamed it - we’re just changing it back.” Simplistic arguments for what is really an involved, nuanced issue. Read More…

Illinois isn’t that far away from where I am, but it still seems really cool that Senator Barack Obama from Illinois is making a visit next Monday. He’ll be at the Monona Terrace Convention Center, doors open at 10:30 AM and the event begins at 11:00.

I submitted an interview request for a tiny 10 minute slice of his time during his visit, to ask him a few questions about his approach to science and science policy. I’ll see if I hear back from them. It’s short notice, but also a short interview, and a timely discussion.

If anyone has an idea for a particular question they think would be good to ask, there’s plenty of room in the comments thread!