Category Archives: Basic Human Decency

Sequestration, Meals on Wheels, and Cancer Drugs: This One Is All on Obama

Posted on May 2, 2013 by

(from here) There has been a backlash by the kinda, not-really lefitsh punditariat about how little Obama can accomplish. Critics of the critics call it the Green Lantern theory of presidential power: the idea that, if Obama only wished harder, … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Cancer, Democrats, Hunger | 2 Comments

Questions Boston City Officials and Representatives Need to Answer

Posted on April 22, 2013 by

I’ve hinted at some of my experiences on Monday here and here.  I realize a lot of people want a happy ending and roll credits. For most, it was basically a TV show.   But the reality, ignored as it … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Boston | 4 Comments

Another Stunning Success For Privatization

Posted on April 12, 2013 by

From Attleboro, MA (boldface mine): Five cents of debt was enough for cafeteria employees at the Coehlo Middle School to instruct kids at least one day this week to dump out the food they would have normally eaten, CNN affiliate … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Bidness, Hunger | 8 Comments

A Question About the HeLa Genome and Privacy

Posted on March 27, 2013 by

Since I’m putatively on vacation, this will be a quick hit, and I’ll admit up front I haven’t been following all of the back and forth. It seems to me the controversy about the release of the HeLa genome without … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Genomics | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day: Concentrating the Mind

Posted on March 22, 2013 by

Charles Pierce: The eagerness of smart young people to join in the circle jerk back in 2002 and 2003 was one of the more disillusioning aspects of the whole business — and not a bad argument for reinstating the military … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Ethics, Fucking Morons, Iraq | 2 Comments

Welcome to the New Drunken Cruelty, Ayn Rand Style

Posted on March 15, 2013 by

As we like to say around here, there are assholes and they walk among us. So as we relate this story of two drunken assholes harassing an elderly, disabled woman, focus on the particular taunt one uttered after stepping out … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency | 1 Comment

“Violence Is a Choice, and It Is a Choice That a Man Makes”

Posted on March 12, 2013 by

Powerful words from Sir Patrick Stewart:

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Feminism

Some Astonishingly Bad Professional Advice

Posted on March 12, 2013 by

So Nick Bilton, NY Times columnist, has some advice regarding etiquette in the era of intertoobz, namely don’t write thank you emails: Some people are so rude. Really, who sends an e-mail or text message that just says “Thank you”? … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency | 3 Comments

How to Permanently Alienate Millions and Millions of American Women

Posted on March 8, 2013 by

No, this is not the Mad Biologist’s guide to dating. It’s about the continual attempt by conservatives to mandate transvaginal probes for women who want to get an abortion. While transvaginal probles do have a legitimate medical role in abortions, … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Blastocyst Liberation, Conservatives | 1 Comment

Wealth and Inequality in America

Posted on March 6, 2013 by

This probably won’t come as news to regular readers of this blog, but it’s a very good presentation, and it’s worth sending to those who might need convincing. It also puts the whole sequestration argument in perspective–if you’re going to … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Economics | 1 Comment