Friday Fluff – February 18th, 2011 | Gene Expression

FF3

1) First, a post from the past: A History of Iran: Empire of the Mind.

2) Weird search query of the week: “pictures of a famous woman drinking alcohol.”

3) Comment of the week, in response to D.I.Y. population structure inference, part 1 of many. I won’t quote it since it has a lot of links, but aesthetic suggestions for bar plots which I’ll probably take to heart.

4) And finally, your weekly fluff fix:

I Spy With My Little Eye… [Last Updated On: November 7th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 7th, 2009]
A Crack Opens in the Ethiopian Landscape, Preparing the Way for a New Sea | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
The Politics of Addiction | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Finally! An iPhone App That Lets You Track Your Bathroom Habits | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Don’t Pack Your Bags Yet—New Planet-Finder Hobbled by Electronic Glitch | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
In Controversial Scent Lineups, a Dog’s Nose Picks Out the Perp | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Are You a Cognitive Miser? | Cosmic Variance [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
The Secret Lives and Loves of Great White Sharks | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Britain’s New Protected Minority: Tree-Huggers | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Inspired by Maple Seeds, a Robotic Whirligig Takes To The Skies | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
New Statesman on Accommodationism | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Laser-Powered Robot Climbs to Victory in the Space-Elevator Contest | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Checking Back In With SEAPLEX | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Podcast: An Embarrassment of Genomes | The Loom [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
A Baby Neutron Star, Swaddled in a Carbon Atmosphere | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Butterfliiiies… iiinnnn… SPPPAAAAACCCCEEEEE! | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
My Slate Dialogue with Michael Specter Begins | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Musical, Fahrvergnügen-Inspired Staircase Makes Commuters Less Lazy | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Laser-Etched Fruit Is an Answer in Search of a Problem | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Ares and the carnivals | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Toddler Gets a Telescoping, Prosthetic Arm Bone That Grows With Him | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Neutered HIV Virus Delivers Treatment to Fatally Ill Boys | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Specter’s First Reply: Denialism Kills People | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
LRO sees a Moonslide | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Al Gore’s New Book: A Focus on Solutions | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
The Universe Has Us in Its Crosshairs | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Makers of Universes | Cosmic Variance [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Can Your Pet Catch & Spread Swine Flu? Yes, If Your Pet’s a Ferret | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Droid 2.0 Vs iPhone | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Tangled Bank News: An Excerpt and More | The Loom [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
LHC Shut Down By Wayward Baguette, Dropped by Bird Saboteur | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Careidolia | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Slate Reply to Specter Up–We Need a National Dialogue on Synthetic Biology | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Pray this doesn’t get passed | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up | Cosmic Variance [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Mother Tongue, Indeed: Newborn’s Cries Mimic Mama’s Accent | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Ripped From the Journals: The Biggest Discoveries of the Week | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Alternative Landscapes | The Loom [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Can an iPhone App Decipher Your Baby’s Cries? | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Reminder: Carl Sagan Day | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Are There Pesticides in Your Soup? Dunk a Pollution Dipstick to Find Out. | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Log in and Join the Conference [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Conference Ends [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Conference Archive Opens [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Galaxy Zoo [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
.Astronomy 2009 Dates [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
.Astronomy 2009: Programme and venue details [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
.Astronomy Gets Some IYA Love [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
2009 Posters and Imagery [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
2009 Sponsors [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
When in Holland… [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
The WHAT Cloud? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
The Jewel Box [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Happy Halloween! [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Ares 1-X Launch [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Confessions of an Alien Hunter [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
LRO Spies Apollo 17 Site [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Mercury in Color [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Hubble and M83 [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Cassini Flyby of Enceladus [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
Preserving A Moth [Science Tattoo] | The Loom [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
Another Russian rocket spiral lights up the sky | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
A (Very Gentle) Riddle to Complete Your Saturday [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
Darwin Gets Swine Flu: The YouTube Edition | The Loom [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
Happy Slothy Holidays | The Loom [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
Jetting to Copenhagen | The Intersection [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
Michael Gerson Attempts Thoughtfulness on “ClimateGate,” Then Gives it Up | The Intersection [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
Incredible VISTA of the cosmos | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
Bundle up Sunday Night to Watch the Geminid Meteor Shower | 80beats [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
“ClimateGate” a PR Disaster That Will Be “Taught in University Communications Courses” | The Intersection [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
Is Google the Guardian Angel of Rainforests? | 80beats [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
La ciencia es importante. Una vez mas. | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
Sensenbrenner Pulls an Inhofe, Asserts Global Warming is an “International Conspiracy” | The Intersection [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
Let Kids Eat Dirt: Over-Cleanliness Linked to Heart Disease | 80beats [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
What Are The Best Science Papers Of The Past Decade? | The Intersection [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
Finally! Math Shows How to Cut Evenly Sized Pizza Slices | Discoblog [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
Half-baked math | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
Can “Biological Passports” Save Sports From Doping? | 80beats [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
Aiiiieeee! Slow down! | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
Weekly News Roundup: Bad Headlines, Martian moons, and Rotating Houses | Discoblog [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]