It bears repeating

I realize that this news item is over a week old by now, but if you ever run into anyone dumb enough to insist that scientific and medical research are useless, point them in the direction of a PC, Mac, laptop or netbook and have them read this bit of news from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Cretins of the moment (a two-fer!)

Ann Coulter, a co-star in one of the worst "films" in history (among other, equally vomitous pastimes or hers), this time largely for playing kissyface with the eminently forgettable Michael Behe.

And while we're on the subject of Michaels of ill repute, Michael Egnor ends up on the Cretin list again with his attempt to defend the Blonde Thing's collection of spittle-flecked drivel titled Godless from PZ Myers' Coulter Challenge.  

Cretin of the moment

Antivaccination twit "Mr. X" (i.e., Rh*tt S. D*n**ls) for the role he played in silencing science blogger and epidemiologist Rene Najera. Commentary via Orac, PZ Myers and lastly Pranab at Scepticemia, which caused an appearance by the litigious little creep in question in the Comments section.

Cretin of the moment

Part-time Texas governor and full-time clown Rick Perry, for reasons that Joshua Rosenau goes into gory detail about on Thoughts from Kansas here, here and here.

So when do the Theory of Relativity deniers start showing up?

The NCSE has a brief piece on a certain other breed of science denialist who's been showing up in state legislatures as of  late:

"The U.S. political debate over climate change is seeping into K-12 science classrooms, and teachers are feeling the heat," according to a report in Science (August 5, 2011; subscription required). Science educators are increasingly reporting attacks on climate change education: Roberta Johnson, the executive director of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, commented, "Evolution is still the big one, but climate change is catching up."

As for the somewhat jokey title to this post, don't laugh too hard: they actually exist.