Linkee-poo for the weekend

Okay, get your geek card out, what's wrong with this Star Trek Picture. (Grokked from John)

Sex (as in male or female) isn't as binary as we think. "In the area of 1 in 2,000 people are born intersex. These individuals may have mixed genitalia, meaning some combination of ovaries and testes. This comes about either because ovarian and testicular tissue grow together in the same organ or because a "male side" and a "female side" develop in the body." And this doesn't count the thousands of ways people don't fall into the black and white categories of male or female (while mostly presenting as female, because it's nature's default, there are at least 4 genetic variations of the 23rd chromosome which may include extra chromosomal material - ie. XXY, XXX, XYY). And all of this is just the physics of sex, this is all before we get to who we identify with and what turns us on (which tends to expand the spectrum by 100x or more).

Seven things to know about antibiotics. Let me add an 8th, antibiotics don't actually kill bacteria. For the most part they defeat the bacterial defense mechanisms (mostly weakening the capsule they build around themselves). You body then is able to effectively battle the bacteria. This is why people who have compromised immune systems need extra protection. (Grokked from Debbie Morrow)

Here we go again. "This week, the House of Representatives voted to help banks and car dealerships discriminate against customers of color. And it wasn't just Republicans -- 88 Democrats, including Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) -- voted in favor of the legislation." Fuckstockings. Yes, the CFPB is doing great work, but because that threatens corporations, they lobby to have laws passed to nullify their rulings. Note, all conservatives voted for this. (Grokked from Julie)

The dangerous secret of biology. Most infectious bacteria still share genetic code (extra-cellular communication of DNA/RNA), specifically the genes to anti-biotic resistance (also to infectious vectors, the handles they use to latch on to cells). Also of note, not many companies are working on new antibiotics these days.

Oh, Canada. For those who say they'll move there. Also note, Canada actually has some pretty strict immigration policies if you want to move there.

Well, so much for any federal funding off the Holocaust Museum. And while some people say having a museum make a statement on current affairs is quite strange, these people don't understand what museums are for.