Overnight. Partial Lunar Eclipse – November 18-19, 2021.

Late last night:

F 13.0, 1/640. ISO 200, 400 mm.
Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III

Early this morning.

F 5.6, 1/125. ISO 3200, 400 mm.
Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III

F 5.6, 1/125. ISO 6400, 400 mm.
Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III

Not a harbinger of doom, just science. Not that ancient superstition has changed much in 21st Century America.

Hillary Clinton (D) [2014 file photo].

Yesterday via twitter:

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

The science is clear: The earth is round, the sky is blue, and #vaccineswork. Let’s protect all our kids. #GrandmothersKnowBest 9:45 PM – 2 Feb 2015

Meanwhile:

Paul: Vaccines can cause ‘profound mental disorders’

By Alexandra Jaffe, CNN

Updated 8:15 AM ET, Tue February 3, 2015

Washington (CNN)Sen. Rand Paul raised eyebrows on Monday with a combative interview with a female reporter and controversial comments defending his insistence on voluntary vaccinations….

Health Hypocrite Chris Christie Panders to Anti-Vaccination Idiots

Sam Biddle

New Jersey governor Chris Christie hasn’t yet announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. But why wait for an official candidacy to start pandering to the country’s dumbest elements? Today, just months after trying to imprison an an ebola-exposed nurse, Christie came out against mandatory vaccinations….

Anyone ask Jeb yet?

Yesterday, doubling down via Twitter:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler ‏@RepHartzler

House just passed the Secret Science Reform Act to require EPA to disclose the science used to justify regulations so it can be verified. 2:19 PM – 19 Nov 2014

The responses are the usual priceless:

James McIninch ‏@james_mcininch

@RepHartzler The joke’s on them because if there’s anything Congress can’t stand and consistently ignores, it’s science. #readtheliterature 2:36 PM – 19 Nov 2014

James McIninch ‏@james_mcininch

@RepHartzler Holy crap! Just read the bill! It replaces scientists at the EPA with non-scientist industry “experts”. Morons or traitors? 3:57 PM – 19 Nov 2014

Good question.

Dan Arel ‏@danarel

.@RepHartzler verified by who? You? You dont even know the difference between weather and climate. You’re simply a functioning idiot. 5:37 PM – 19 Nov 2014

Clueless Troll ‏@CluelessTroll

@RepHartzler you don’t believe in or respect science, so what’s the difference… 5:50 PM – 19 Nov 2014

Varuka Salt ‏@Varuka

.@RepHartzler And now you just passed a bill demanding the EPA’s science? Why? You deny science already, how would more help you? 6:45 PM – 19 Nov 2014

Jayelle ‏@GreenEyedLilo

.@RepHartzler How about disclosing which corporations funded the few scientific studies you like, understand, and approve of? 6:50 PM – 19 Nov 2014

We’d be speechless if we were surprised.

Previously:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): Sesame Street is too complicated (November 18, 2014)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): cold warrior in the climate conflict  (November 18, 2014)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): just can’t catch a social media break (November 19, 2014)

Cue the banjos. A bill, introduced yesterday in the General Assembly:

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 291

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES BRATTIN (Sponsor), KOENIG AND BAHR (Co-sponsors).

0506L.01I      D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To amend chapters 170 and 174, RSMo, by adding thereto two new sections relating to standard science instruction.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

           Section A. Chapters 170 and 174, RSMo, are amended by adding thereto two new sections, to be known as sections 170.018 and 174.890, to read as follows:

           170.018. 1. This section shall be known as, and may be cited as, the “Missouri Standard Science Act”….

[….]

(a) The origin of life on earth is inferred to be the result of intelligence directed design and construction. There are no plausible mechanisms or present-day experiments to prove the naturalistic origin of the first independent living organism;

           (b) All original species on earth are inferred to be the result of intelligence directed design and construction. There are no significant mechanisms or present-day experiments to prove the naturalistic development of earth’s species from microscopic organisms

[….]

3. All science taught in Missouri public elementary and secondary schools, including material concerning physics, chemistry, biology, health, physiology, genetics, astronomy, cosmology, geology, paleontology, anthropology, ecology, climatology, or other science topics shall be standard science. All standard science course materials and instruction shall meet the following criteria:

[….]

(c) If scientific theory concerning biological origin is taught in a textbook, the textbook shall give equal treatment to biological evolution and biological intelligent design.

[….]

174.890. 1. Notwithstanding any other law, any introductory science course taught at any public institution of higher education in this state, including material concerning physics, chemistry, biology, health, physiology, genetics, astronomy, cosmology, geology, paleontology, anthropology, ecology, climatology, or other science topics, shall be standard science. All standard science course materials and instruction shall meet the following criteria:

[….]

(b) If scientific theory concerning biological origin is taught in a course of study, biological evolution and biological intelligent design shall be taught. Other scientific theory or theories of origin may be taught. If biological intelligent design is taught, any proposed identity of the intelligence responsible for earth’s biology shall be verifiable by present-day observation or experimentation and teachers shall not question, survey, or otherwise influence student belief in a nonverifiable identity within a science course;

           (c) If scientific theory concerning biological origin is taught in a textbook, the textbook shall give equal treatment to biological evolution and biological intelligent design. Other scientific theory or theories of origin may be taught…

[….]

[emphasis in original]

They need to add teaching the Gish Gallop in debate classes:

Named for the debate tactic created by creationist shill Duane Gish, a Gish Gallop involves spewing so much bullshit in such a short span on that your opponent can’t address let alone counter all of it….