It's actually pretty easy. Step 1. All you have to do is identify a group or individual and identify something that they do. It could be anything. Really, don't put much thought into it. As you will see in a moment, it is impossible to disprove a conspiracy theory...even one made in five minutes. Step... Continue Reading →
Lieberman, de Tocqueville, Tyranny and Health Care!
In his history defining and seminal work, Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville explored the ins and outs of early nineteenth century American democracy. Of de Tocqueville's concerns about American governance the most famous was a critique that has become known as the Tyranny of the Majority. According to Tocqueville, the majority in America is... Continue Reading →
Debate on the Senate Bill
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Above is Howard Dean on the Rachel Maddow show defending the Senate Health Reform bill he early suggested killing.
What Nobel Peace Prize?
/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} A Plausible, Fictional Scenario Scene: conference room of the Nobel Prize Committee: Committee Person 1: Hey, I have an idea! Why... Continue Reading →
A Sociologist's Take on a Middle School Dance
I had the opportunity to attend a middle school dance last week. I didn't volunteer. Apparently I missed a meeting! I didn't dance. I'm not much of a dancer. But I am pretty good at watching crowds and identifying patterns. I didn't expect to see anything different from this particular dance than any other dance... Continue Reading →
Curing Homosexuality? Why?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640 Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Above is a classic interview conducted by Rachel Maddow with Richard Cohen. Cohen believes that homosexuality can be "cured" if you follow his methods. Rachel does a fantastic job of destroying his logic. My only criticism is that I wish Rachel had... Continue Reading →
A Consensus on Global Warming vs. Climategate
It must be remembered that regardless of how we feel about the flogged and lamented Climategate scandal the scientific consensus on global warming is almost universal. The American Geophysical Union conducted a poll of those in the geoscience community. Of this community 90% agreed that global temperatures have risen and over 80% agree that human... Continue Reading →