Category Archives: Ethics

Tolerance Is A Peace Treaty And A Social Compact, Nothing More

Posted on January 23, 2017 by mikethemadbiologist

Despite people in the D.C. area being very passionate about politics, there is a ‘cease fire’ when people aren’t on the clock: political figures should be able to go to the grocery store without being heckled. This tolerance is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, Ethics | 1 Comment

Will There Be A Balm In Gilead To Heal The Sin-Sick Soul?

Posted on January 16, 2017 by mikethemadbiologist

This seems more important than it did last year: (from here) These excerpts from a speech Martin Luther King gave to striking sanitation workers in Memphis seems appropriate for the political moment. The speech: My dear friends, my dear friend … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Ethics, Racism, Resistance Rebellion And Death | 1 Comment

Focus On Whether Perpetrators Repent, Not If Victims Forgive

Posted on January 6, 2017 by mikethemadbiologist

The Washington Post ran a recent story that set my teeth on edge, “He was assaulted and called un-American at a Trump rally. Can he forgive the man who did it?” This is an awful story. The issue isn’t whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Ethics | 1 Comment

Ethics And Publication

Posted on January 4, 2017 by mikethemadbiologist

Recently, Drugmonkey noted the following: If the lab head tells the trainees or techs that a specific experimental outcome* must be generated by them, this is scientific misconduct. Which brings us to this NYT article (boldface mine): The bee findings … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, Ethics, Funding | Comments Off on Ethics And Publication

House Republicans To Eliminate Any Meaningful Ethics Oversight

Posted on January 3, 2017 by mikethemadbiologist

Yesterday, the Republican House Caucus voted to eliminate the independent Office of Congressional Ethics (‘OCE’) and replace it with an “Office of Congressional Complaint Review” under the control of the House Ethics committee. This is really bad as it essentially … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, Conservatives, Crime Pays?, Ethics, The Rule of Law | Comments Off on House Republicans To Eliminate Any Meaningful Ethics Oversight

Meet The New Silicon Valley Boss, Same As The Old Economy One

Posted on December 22, 2016 by mikethemadbiologist

In times of crisis, you learn what people are really made of (boldface mine): I’m still coming to terms with seeing Sheryl “Lean In” Sandberg sitting behind her bottle of Trump water, an arms’ reach from a guy who boasted … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Bidness, Ethics, Resistance Rebellion And Death | 4 Comments

Of Course The Clinton Camp Is Sending Out Feelers to Kissinger–They’re Friends

Posted on August 10, 2016 by mikethemadbiologist

Charles Pierce, on hearing that the Clinton campaign is trying to get an endorsement from none other than Henry Fucking Kissinger (boldface mine): If Hillary Clinton actively seeks, or publicly accepts, the endorsement of Henry Kissinger, I will vote for … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Democrats, Ethics | 3 Comments

Chomsky Has Become A Capitalist Stooge!

Posted on August 7, 2016 by mikethemadbiologist

I kid, but this is something anyone thinking about voting Green or sitting out the presidential election should read (boldface mine): 1) Voting should not be viewed as a form of personal self-expression or moral judgement directed in retaliation towards … Continue reading →

Posted in Democrats, Ethics | Comments Off on Chomsky Has Become A Capitalist Stooge!

What Democrats Must Learn From Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel

Posted on May 23, 2016 by mikethemadbiologist

Never trust a bagman–or a New Democrat. And as we’ll see, it’s often really hard to tell the difference. Chicago mayor, former Clinton and Obama apparatchik, and New Democrat has always had a strained relationship with Chicago’s public schools. When … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Bidness, Democrats, Education, Ethics | 1 Comment

Publisher Concerns Over Priority Should Never Trump Learning More About Rape

Posted on May 2, 2016 by mikethemadbiologist

Does posting on PubPeer count as prior publication? Journal says yes, rejects letter rebutting campus sexual assault data Consider this a case study in when publishers’ prerogatives run roughshod over the needs of scientists–and society as a whole (boldface mine): … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Ethics, Publishing, Rape | Comments Off on Publisher Concerns Over Priority Should Never Trump Learning More About Rape