Dear Sirs, It has come to our attention that in the comments to a post dated 2-19-07 on the web log Protein Wisdom, the poster and proprietor of the web log saw fit to compare a ponderous and pointless writer by the name of Glenn Greenwald at the web site Salon with snake oil salespersons.  I take issue with the implied characterization.  The benefits of snake oil, properly derived and

From National Geographic: Is the era of cheap oil really at an end? Or could a glut send prices into a freefall? Should Western countries fear energy blackmail from oil- rich powers? There’s no crystal ball to predict oil’s future, but Leonardo Maugeri believes that much can be learned by looking at the industry’s past. Maugeri is the author of The Age of Oil: The Mythology, History, and Future of

From Bloomberg: Doctors have long known autism runs in families. Now, scientists have scanned DNA from 1,168 families with multiple cases, the largest such group ever assembled, and identified gene variants that could one day spur treatments for a disorder that leaves about 1 in 150 U.S. children uncommunicative, cut off emotionally from the world around them. The findings, announced [yesterday], include a deleted gene, called neurexin 1, that enables

Murtha:  “HOW DARE I QUESTION MY PATRIOTISM!”* **** update:  “Did I really say Okinawa?  Because if so, I blame the bad acid Fonda sold me.”

Dan already wrote eloquently about the absurdity of Glenn Greenwald’s(’s) recent attack on the Victory Caucus, but, after having finally gotten around to reading it myself, I think a few more words are in order.  Luckily, I already wrote them and placed them in the comments to Dan’s original post, so I don’t have to do a whole lot of additional work here—which is fortunate, because Greenwald(s) himself isn’t worth

I read with great satisfaction this story about the NCAA forcing the University of Illinois to drop its racist team mascot, Chief Illiniwek.  This welcome development was mostly due to the tireless work of the same attorney who has been pursuing the Washington Redskins for the past few years.  In the spirit of this important ruling, I offer my own abbreviated list of offensive team mascots that need to be

Go get your coffee, first.  I want you to savor this. From Tom Gilroy at the HuffPo, who is outraged by the Swiftboating of the blogresses hired by Edwards’ staff and who blames Rove, Rove, ROVE! and Donohue, Donohue, DONOHUE! for what’s happened, forgetting the possible role of a certain Democratic campaign staffer in helping to bring the issue to the MSM.  It also turns out that the New Testament

The reason I ask is that the WaPo editorial board disapproves of Rep. Jack Murtha’s “slow-bleed” scheme for Iraq: He would stop the surge by crudely hamstringing the ability of military commanders to deploy troops. In an interview carried Thursday by the Web site MoveCongress.org, Mr. Murtha said he would attach language to a war funding bill that would prohibit the redeployment of units that have been at home for

Vacuity: The final frontier.