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On Legislating Our Bodies

If you’ve ever said “never again” or quoted that poem that starts, “first they came for,” you should be looking with deep concern at the recent decisions about Caster Semenya (a woman who can run really fast). She was told that if she wants to be called a woman, she needs to harm herself with…

Yet Another Study Shows Why We Really Need to Stop Blaming Mental Illness For Gun Violence

Mostly just posting this to bookmark it: Another new study not only once again shows there’s zero correlation between mental illness and shootings, but it also finds far better predictors for gun violence that are shockingly mundane. … Having a mental health diagnosis – whether it’s a mood disorder, PTSD, borderline personality disorder, or schizophrenia…

On Smirking Cowardice

I don’t really have much to say about the facts of the Covington confrontation. But I will say this: I’m really tired of the shrinking cowardice from the people that provoke these confrontations. These kids took school a bus to attend a counter-protest organized to coincide with a much larger protest. Whether this kid knew…

Earnings v. Wages

A graph is circulating on Facebook that compares wage growth vs. corporate earnings since the recent tax cut. I was curious if the data is accurate, so I did a little research. I learned two things[*]: the data is accurate, and the implication is unfair. As this graph shows, it is true that since the…

I could just ignore this.

I could just ignore this.I’m rich enough to ignore this.I’m old enough to ignore this.I’m white enough to ignore this.I’m male enough to ignore this.Are you? Rich, old, white, male.Does that describe you? No?Too bad; you will be targeted by this government.You should get back in your place. The Republican party is the party of…

My America

Give me (you are not American) Your poor, your (you are not American) Huddled masses yearning to breathe free (you are not American) Give me the wretched refuse (they are not American) (you are not American) of your teeming shore.   We are a melting pot. (you are not American) We are a shining light.…

Monopoly: An Ocean of Analogy

So I recently came across an insightful if overly alarmist article from The American Conservative regarding the question of whether to apply anti-monopoly laws to technology companies. Exploring whether more deliberate anti-monopoly policies for digital technologies are warranted is useful, and many of the points the article makes (about network effects, privacy, etc) are things…

First, they came for…

First they came for the immigrants, and I did not speak out – because I am not an immigrant. Then they came for the sex workers, and I did not speak out – because talking about sex makes me uncomfortable. Then they came for the press, and I did not speak out – because it’s…