Category Archives: Ethics

Scientific Fraud: Same As It Ever Was

Posted on May 8, 2013 by

From our far-flung network of correspondents, we come across this NYT Magazine article about scientific fraud. While the whole article is worth a read, a couple sections are noteworthy: But while the system rewards priority of discovery, it penalizes with … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, Ethics | 3 Comments

Purchasing Pundits: The Ezra Klein Edition?

Posted on April 11, 2013 by

So this came across the Twitterz recently: How much is the insurance industry paying Ezra Klein? benefitssellingexpo.com/speakertypes/2… Probably $15,000-$25,000 washingtonspeakers.com/speakers/speak…— Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser) April 09, 2013 If you don’t follow the links, Washington Post policy blogger Ezra Klein is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, Ethics, Healthcare, News Media, Progressives, Public Speaking

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

The Overproduction of PhDs and the NIH’s Failure of Governance

Posted on February 7, 2013 by

Last week, I briefly mentioned that the overproduction of PhDs is a failure of governance. As the whole issue of the PhD glut has spread around the intertoobz, one of the points I’ve seen raised in comments sections is that … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Funding, NIH | 2 Comments

If Any PI or IRB Approved This Protocol, They Would Be in Jail

Posted on November 27, 2012 by

I’m guessing I wouldn’t be able to get away with this–nor would I want to (boldface mine): Over the past decade, the EPA has apparently been paying hundreds of people $12 an hour for the privilege of exposing them to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Public Health | 3 Comments

The Republican Party Is Not Full of Racists: It Just Panders to Them

Posted on October 29, 2012 by

And the distinction is very important. Noah Smith recently fired this over the Twitters: Well, WE HAZ DATAZ. And we like sharing. According to a poll by the AP, the Republican Party does contain more racists, but that’s damning with … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Conservatives, Democrats, Ethics, Racism | 5 Comments

Healthcare and the Lesser of Two Evils

Posted on October 24, 2012 by

With Election Day drawing nigh, there is the predictable patter of blogposts from some on the Left arguing that the only ethical choice is to not vote for Obama (it goes without saying that they’re not considering voting for Romney). … Continue reading →

Posted in Democrats, Ethics, Healthcare | 4 Comments

A Yom Kippur Meditation

Posted on September 26, 2012 by

I realize a fair number of my readers aren’t religious, but I think the sentiment behind the following, read in every synagogue today, is pretty universal: To be sure, they seek Me daily, Eager to learn My ways. Like a … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Ethics, Jewish Stuff

We Are All Just Assholes With Blogs

Posted on August 26, 2012 by

Actually, that’s not fair: there are some people who are bona fide experts in certain areas. But most of us, regarding most subjects, are just assholes with blogs, whether that blog be electronic or made from dead plants. And someone … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, Education, Ethics | 3 Comments

What’s Wrong With a Welfare Nation?

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

At The Atlantic, a post by Alex Tabarrok, “The Innovation Nation vs. the Warfare-Welfare State“, has been making its way around the bloggysphere, in part due to the big shout out to science, as embodied by this figure: Tabarrok: We … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Conservatives, Ethics, Funding, Healthcare, Public Health, Social Security | 2 Comments