Neuroscience PhD here, got my master's in neuroendocrinology. If inherited chromosomes determined everything about us, we would never be able to tell the difference between identical twins. There's an entire field of genetics - called epigenetics - that is dedicated to the different things that can happen to an…

The genitals are not the only sexually dimorphic organ. So is the brain. Usually they "match" but sometimes they don't.

PhD in neuroscience here, agreeing with you - I think it helps people too to understand that genitals start to develop much earlier in utero than sexual differentiation of the brain. The processes are related of course but absolutely separable.

Oh, I agree that it's not about states rights and that they just pretend it is. I think many in their base simply don't know any trans people and the issue is ripe for fear-mongering. The elites are the bigots - many in the base are anti-trans bigots of course (as are many in Clinton's base - check out comments to…

Yeah, I agree in the sense that this is a big change for a lot of people, and think that there should be a lot more education and explanation for those everyday people and a lot less screaming "YOU'RE A BIGOT!" I do wish that the conservative push-back was more often as in-good-faith as what you've written here. Most…

American Academy of Pediatrics put out a really great statement today, "These children need acceptance and affirmation, not stigmatization."
www.aap.org/en-us/about-the…

The rights of trans people are up to states, but they plan on enforcing federal marijuana laws even in states that have decriminalized for recreational use.

You're right, and I think for a lot of people "Hillary was unpopular, was the wrong choice in an anti-establishment year, and ran a shit, tone-deaf campaign" is a lot harder work than "PUTIN DID IT!"

Ha ha, I love when a brain can arrive at the conclusion that a billionaire wants communism. Don't they know - after the revolution *ALL* billionaires will get chopped. No such thing as a good billionaire.

I always wondered why more batters didn't at least *try* this move http://i.imgur.com/T0aTSkp….

Totally! Also, there are some kickass examples of pitchers *pretending* to do an intentional walk but then striking the dude out. And there are examples of somebody stealing home or stealing a base during an intentional walk.

My biggest complaint about Maddow is that she can be a real hack for the Democrats (I would say she's liberal and most definitely not leftist) - so I agree with you that she blows stuff from the right out of proportion, but she does the same thing with stuff from the left. Like, Jill Stein was invited to be a panel…

Ha, yeah, Left sectarianism is pretty legendary. Still some conflicts but I think things have gotten a little better. Possibly because the Left was powerful enough years ago to afford more infighting.

I never really find him that funny, his jokes are always so obvious and he constantly punches down. Like there was a bit about how gas/oil execs were paying homeless people to show up to pro-fracking rallies and the butt of Maher's jokes were the homeless people. Maher would say that I am a triggered PC-bot but…

If Bill Maher and Sam Harris were doing something other than putting on a performance of "I am smarter and more moral than most Muslims" THIS would be the entire focus of their energy - getting their own government to stop using their own tax dollars to continue propping up the most regressive, fundamentalist…

Yes, no doubt that I'm in a ton of activist circles, and that means I am surrounded by like-minded people (the kind of crazies who oppose surveillance and imperial war even when Obama is doing it!). The majority of people I work with (in academia) are liberal, not Left. And some liberals spend a whole lot of effort…

Yes, as pointed out above, Richard Nixon wanted a guaranteed minimal income (not just minimum wage) for all citizens, and also wanted universal healthcare. Both of those positions are far to the left of Hillary Clinton, which shows how far the US political spectrum has drifted to the right.

I am one of those people, and I know a whole lot of us!

Honestly, Maddow is like a centrist, PC, Clintonite Democrat to me and most of my friends. For a more like Bernie Sanders level, you should check out Democracy Now or Chapo Trap House podcast and for actual Left politics, you should listen to some podcasts like Black Agenda Report or Delete Your Account or Left…

Is there anything worse though than two smug rich dipshit white males like Bill Maher and Sam Harris talking about how "Moderate Muslims" need to do this or that? Like, hey guys- your government has been propping up the House of Saud for 70 years now, maybe it's up to YOU to get your own government to stop doing that?