Category: Published
Media Coverage of Smoking Bans – Some Stories Don’t Have “Two” Sides
January 3rd, 2010, No Comments
This New Years saw yet another revival of the ‘personal liberties’ debate about exposure to second-hand smoke in this NY Times article,
“Blowing Smoke at a Ban” by Douglas Quenqua. Once again we have an article showcasing the derision of the public for these bans in the absence of citations of data regarding why these [...]
Getting the Bugs Out: Pesticides and Your Child’s School by Barbara Rubin
January 1st, 2010, No Comments
This article appeared in the Winter, 2002 edition of “Sully’s Living Without” magazine. It should be noted that most of the population in the United States was exposed to the same chemical as the child in this article, prior to the banning of many organophosphate pesticides from use in residences and schools in recent [...]
The Health Care Debate in the Times or “Live from New York – It’s Saturday Night!”
December 20th, 2009, No Comments
How does one debate the subject of life and death? Really, what are we pretending is happening here? Either access to medical care is a basic right of citizens in a civilized society or it’s a privilege restricted to middle and upper income level consumers (until such time as it’s withdrawn by those [...]
Remiss about Violence
October 11th, 2009, No Comments
Several recent articles and a blog have served as powerful reminders that governments cannot be discussed without reference to issues of male dominance and violence. These issues overshadow economic, political and cultural factors often cited as the reason why the intolerable should be accepted. Oppression can never be relegated to the level of a [...]
That’s Show-Biz! President Obama, Health Care and the Media
September 16th, 2009, No Comments
Last Sunday’s Op-Ed column by the usually engaging Frank Rich was typical of the disturbing transition of journalism into just another form of theater. Entitled Obama’s Squandered Summer (NYTimes, 9/12/09), it completely misses the lessons our learned President has been trying to teach his constituency during these past months. Call it Civics 101, in [...]
The Health Care Divide – The Republic versus A Democracy; Which Will We Choose?
August 30th, 2009, No Comments
The Senate appears to be considering the ramifications of pretending we live in a democracy instead of a republic. Tired of the health care battle, in which there will assuredly be no survivors of that old, ‘wheel and deal’ process, there may actually be an old-fashioned vote in which the majority rules.
Fancy that.
The NY Times [...]
Barack Obama’s Op-Ed: Why We Need Health Care Reform
August 16th, 2009, No Comments
It is fitting that my 200th post to this blog be about President Obama’s op-ed column in today’s N.Y. Times regarding health care reform. My submitted comments to that forum were as follows in comment #567. Last time I looked, there were over 700 comments on this article. It is wonderful to see [...]
Healthier Air Quality in Your Home – A Lifestyle Choice Indeed!
August 7th, 2009, No Comments
The American Medical Association informs us that our rates of poor health in this country are highly correlated with ‘life-style’. That message really refers to choices in diet, exercise and personal habits like drinking or smoking. Yet, that is just the tip of the iceberg if we really look at the science and [...]
Injustice in the Appointment of Justices – Brooks on Judge Sotomayor
June 9th, 2009, No Comments
David Brooks voted against John McCain, fearing a continuation of disastrous policies. However, his rhetorical pandering to the sensibilities of the conservatives constitutes a great loss to the public. This major columnist cannot hope to assist in the reformation of a major political party while continuing to spout the precise viewpoints that abuse [...]
David Brooks and Judge Sotomayor – An Emotional Quandary or Political Pandering?
June 1st, 2009, No Comments
Aristotle is probably hiding under his ghostly bed after reading the celebration of illogic in David Brooks’ column, “The Empathy Issue”. It was clearly published in an attempt to encourage the public to see Judge Sotomayor’s candidacy for the Supreme Court as just another bid to place an emotional female in a venue really requiring [...]
