I can't resist either. From a NYT newsletter: "Propose single payer health care and call it 'Trumpcare.' The ID card is gold with his face and signature on it. He won’t be able to resist."— A comment by Kenneth from Alabama

Thom Hartmann interviews Mikey Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. White Christian nationalism - chaplains may not mention Alex Pretti but Charlie Kirk is lionized. www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/2026/02/mrff...

Clever idea: Help Minneapolis Get a Nobel Peace Prize. Too late for this year, and doubt they have "standing," but professors may nominate for Peace Prize. actionnetwork.org/petitions/su...

Good article by Yale student Zachary Clifton notes that Trump endowment tax hurts universities that developed "the most important scientific breakthroughs, including mRNA vaccine technology, MRI machines, pacemakers, and insulin therapy for patients with diabetes." www.thenation.com/article/soci...

Thank God for small mercies. Original reporting by Cassis Tingley suggests that closing NCAR for telling the truth about climate change is only second degree murder, not first. coloradosun.com/2026/01/12/d...

Just ran a short piece, Measles at the Ark, by Dan Phelps, on Panda's Thumb. An unvaccinated person with measles visited the Ark Park, and authorities are warning the public. Phelps is "sad" that "anti-science" is putting people in real danger. So I am I. pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

No, but it shows the silliness of the concept cultural appropriation.

I well remember when Uncle gave the green light to "supplement" manufacturers but was unaware that it had given the same consideration to "organic" food. Quotation marks used advisedly. Love seems to be a columnist for Skeptical Inquirer and well qualified. skepticalinquirer.org/2025/12/orga...

Bit rambling, but he asks, "So which do you think is worse — Trump dismantling NCAR because he can’t stand science or Trump’s dismantling one of the world’s premier climate research institutions simply to show [Colo Gov] Polis who’s boss?" Or that they do not think about or care about consequences?

The hero is a Muslim with no firearms training. Kudos to him.

I am sorry, but you have no religious (or any other) right to put other people's health in danger. For a medical school to agree to equate religious exemptions to medical exemptions is an outrage; religion should not be privileged over public health. coloradosun.com/2025/12/02/c...

Splendid pic, but wondering why the secondary bow is white while the primary is sharp. Normally you see a white bow when the droplets are so small that diffraction exceeds dispersion. But why is the primary so sharp and the secondary white? Anyone know?

My biweekly photograph on Panda's Thumb -- a tiny (few millimeters) unidentified spider about to lunch on a box elder bug, Boisea trivittata. pandasthumb.org/archives/202... I include in the post a dorsal view of a box elder bug from several years ago.

William Trollinger gets it exactly right: rightingamerica.net/whitewashing... The Pilgrims sailed to obtain religious freedom for themselves, not you and me; see e.g. www.thenation.com/article/soci... and ignore the slightly inflammatory (tho accurate) head.

Yes, and repeal the ill-named Tabor Amendment (Taxpayers' Bill of Rights). But I wd suggest several brackets below $500K, not one at $500K. Typical rich guy, Gov Polis will probably not support a fair income tax but wd rather "borrow" from PERA. coloradosun.com/2025/11/25/o...

Post run on Panda's Thumb by Joe Felsenstein about what appears to be a completely unqualified academic who changed his mind (gasp!) and now rejects "Darwinism." pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

My discussion of this book on evolution of organisms adapted to living in cities & towns. Author argues that cities & towns worldwide will ultimately have nearly identical floras & faunas. If they have gained a foothold, may we then plant exotic species deliberately? pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

When Bill Cassidy voted to confirm the world’s most extreme, dangerous anti-vaxx activist as HHS Secretary, he voted to dismantle the US vaccination system. Now Bill has got the sads cuz RFK Jr’s actions are hurting & killing American kids, including in Bill’s own state. Who could have predicted?

Cannot agree more with Nicolais, but Boebert and especially MTG are unfortunately the lunatic fringe of the lunatic fringe. If the Gop abandons him, Trump may become more unhinged or resign and give us Vance when what we will need is a Ford. coloradosun.com/2025/11/16/b...

A nice shot of the aurora the other night by Vivian Dullien, which I posted on Panda's Thumb yesterday. Taken with her cell phone. pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

It is readily apparent that most lawmakers in the United States have never been poor; do not know any poor people; have never actually had a conversation with a poor person; and have no clear understanding of how poverty actually affects people’s health and opportunities.

Interesting photograph by a Panda's Thumb regular, Al Denelsbeck. Not to mention 2 excellent puns in the comments section. pandasthumb.org/archives/202... Denelsbeck is a professional photographer who posts here: wading-in.net

My book report on Mitch Cruzan's book "Looking down the Tree," about human origins, on Panda's Thumb here: pandasthumb.org/archives/202... You may also find Prof Cruzan's preview to his book here: pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

Paul Braterman (@paulbraterman.bsky.social) illuminatingly discusses "Evolution and Creationism in the Age of Trump" for 3 Quarks Daily.

From Bosley Crowther's 1964 review of Seven Days in May, which was shown on TCM tonight: "The idea [of a military coup] may seem a bit far‐fetched. Coups d’etat happen elsewhere, not here." What might he write today?

I just ran an appreciation of Veritasium's video, Something Weird Happens When You Simulate Lifeless Molecules, on The Panda's Thumb, here: pandasthumb.org/archives/202... What's weird is that you get (simulated) life.

We're celebrating a birthday today! Happy 80th to NCSE's first executive director, Eugenie Scott! 🧁 https://ncse.ngo/happy-80th-birthday-genie

Joe Felsenstein just posted this link pandasthumb.org/archives/202... to a YouTube video featuring Jason (The Failures of Mathematical Anti-Evolutionism) Rosenhouse, a math professor at James Madison University. Felsenstein calls it, "A demolition of creationist information theory."

From one of our Panda's Thumb Photography Contests a year or so ago, an Honorable Mention, "Aragonite Frostwork," by Alan Rice, posted the other day on PT. pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

Lexicographic enshrinement for Eugenie C. Scott's coinage "Gish Gallop"! @eugeniescott.bsky.social

Just ran on Panda's Thumb: "Building Bridges [between Science and Religion] That Can Bear Scientific Scrutiny," by Jamie Jensen, a biology prof at BYU and self-described member of a "conservative Christian religion." Lots of good insight, good comments. pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

The Colorado Sun this morning. No further comment necessary: Former Republican election official buys Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems coloradosun.com/2025/10/09/d...

2 good articles in Haaretz this morning. Not a peace plan but another cease fire.... www.haaretz.com/israel-news/... www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Another perceptive article by Mike Littwin, in which he notes inter alia that concentrating on health insurance alone may be too slim a reed: A shutdown is dangerous, but for the Trump opposition, it's the only way coloradosun.com/2025/10/05/l...

Another photograph on Panda's Thumb, a sun dog (parhelion) by my cousin Nicky Turner, taken on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, near her house on the western coast of Italy. (Caused by hexagonal ice crystals; see Greenler, Rainbows, Halos, and Glories, Chap. 2.) pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

Agree. The current SCOTUS—openly corrupt (Thomas, Alito), nakedly unrepresentative (last Dem to appoint a Chief Justice=Harry Truman; GOP-appointed majority for 55+ years), cowering to Trump (John "Roger Taney" Roberts)—has failed to stand up for rule of law. Needs to be central issue.

Researchers are relieved at Trump’s likely pick for National Cancer Institute | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

Edward J. Larson offers a characteristically insightful review of a new history of the "intelligent design" movement.

To summarize: a study showing an autism odds ratio of 1.6-4.1 for Tylenol use in pregnancy finally explains why autism rates have gone from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 31.

This afternoon, on the eve of the New Year, we went to see Hamilton. Damme if it did not turn out to be a Disney property! Got home and read www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/b... No idea what Kimmel may have given up, but good to see everyone backpedaling. Maybe freedom of speech hangs on after all.…

If you do not read the Colo Sun, you might consider it. Here is a story about council member Emily Tracy, who had the temerity to quote Charlie Kirk accurately. Carman: The First Amendment is on life support in Cañon City coloradosun.com/2025/09/21/c...

Of course they did! What did you expect? How did Hollywood react to McCarthy? Ought to be powerful enough to stand up to Trump, yet they give cowardice a bad name. www.thenation.com/article/soci...

Full McCarthy? Vance et al. may make McCarthy look positively benign. Another splendid column by Mike Littwin: "After Charlie Kirk’s death, Trump and his MAGA team go full McCarthy." coloradosun.com/2025/09/17/c...

In case there is any doubt

Mike Littwin, Colorado Sun columinst: "Charlie Kirk’s assassination looks like a watershed moment. I fear where we’re headed next." So do I. coloradosun.com/2025/09/14/c...

VAERS data are being weaponized for anti-vax propaganda. It’s a biased data source that is helpful for early detection of potential safety issues, but it can’t prove an adverse event was caused by a vaccine. VAERS signals must be confirmed in a population cohort such as Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD)

Charlie Kirk: • flags at half staff • Presidential Medal of Freedom • President announcing suspect capture on TV • prayer & moment of silence in Congress • calls for body to lie in honor at US Capitol • calls to have a memorial on the National Mall in DC Melissa Hortman: • • • Disgusting.

Times article a while ago, "Where Charlie Kirk Stood on Key Political Issues." ISTM that Kirk was wrong about virtually everything, not least gun control (!), but nothing can justify shooting him. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/u...