Obviously the planet is choking! Unfortunately human behavior demonstrates that altruism and fairness are not always baked in. Too often we see the Tragedy of the Commons. Pollution is a great 21st century example: certain stock holders get rich while passing the cost on to the rest of us. CAFO’s (Concentrated animal feeding operations) as the name implies, are industrial livestock factories which cram as many animals together as economically possible. The animals are fed vitamins, antibiotics, various other supplements . . .
Category: Life
Critical Theory vs Discrimination
Garden Variety Casual observation of human nature reveals individuals in any crowd with prejudices. In some cases, these attitudes are benign (which car brand is best) and in others not so much. There will always be someone who disagrees with your heartfelt beliefs. In our current evolutionary state as sapiens, prejudice and discrimination occur in the random chaos of life. Cultural and Structural Another branch of discrimination is more oppressive. It is addressed by the Critical Race Theory movement. A . . .
Time For Metric?
8 ounces in a cup, 12 inches in a foot, 3 feet in a yard,16 ounces in a pound, 4 quarts in a gallon,43,560 square feet in an acre What a Number Stew! The US is the outlier. The other 95% + of the world use the metric system. Canada established a Metric commission in 1971 and over Labor Day weekend in 1977 every speed limit sign in the country was changed from MPH to KPH. US Metric History 1968 . . .
Anti Fascism
Is the US descending into fascism?What would be the indicators? Fascism: authoritarian ultra nationalism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, as well as strong regimentation of society and of the economy which came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe. Chicago Anti Fascism Rally 9-5-20: I wanted to learn more about the current anti-fascist movement which is worried about encroaching authoritarianism in the US. So, I attended an anti fascist rally in Chicago sponsored by a few different organizations. There . . .
Tragedy of the Commons
There are resources which belong to us all, for example, fresh water, clean air and healthy oceans. Unfortunately, human nature has a tendency to exploit these vital resources for selfish and short-term rewards. Although it would be nice and simple, it does no good to exhort individuals to be less selfish. So, what happens? Benefits accrue to the exploiter and the costs are borne by all of us. The resource is eventually depleted or ruined and lost to everyone. There . . .
Cost of Poverty
Poverty Here? A 2017 study by OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) measures the US poverty level at 17.8%, which is worse than Mexico (16.6%),Russia (12.7%), and Denmark (5.8%) . When it comes to child poverty, things are even worse. A UNICEF report found that the United States ranked 34 of 35 developed countries – only Romania had a higher child poverty rate. Inequality? It is interesting that when comparing income inequality before taxes, the US is similar to . . .
Religious Liberty?
Our Justice Department recently held training workshops for its lawyers with a focus on a push to prioritize “religious freedom.” Most zealots think they have the answers to life and dismiss the value of the separation of church and state. In a speech at Notre Dame Law School in October 2019, our AG explained his thinking: “Modern secularists dismiss this idea of morality as other-worldly superstition imposed by a kill-joy clergy. In fact, Judeo-Christian moral standards are the ultimate . . .
Beautiful Buildings?
“Variety’s the spice of life,that gives it all its flavour.” The current administration has drafted an executive order called “Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again” which dictates that new federal buildings mimic ancient Greek and Roman architecture. “For too long architectural elites and bureaucrats have derided the idea of beauty, blatantly ignored public opinions on style, and have quietly spent taxpayer money constructing ugly, expensive, and inefficient buildings” according to the chairwoman for the National Civic Art Society, which seems to . . .
Human Rights Reevaluated?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948 in Paris. The U.S. State Department has something new: a Commission on Unalienable Rights to provide “fresh thinking about human rights discourse where such discourse has departed from our nation’s founding principles of natural law and natural rights.” The Secretary in a recent WSJ op-ed complained that human rights advocates have created “new categories of rights” that “blur the distinction between unalienable rights and . . .
New Tariff on Baseball Stars
Tariff Man Hits Cuban Ball Players! MLB and Cuban Federation Agreement The agreement reached between MLB and the Cuban Federation after three years of negotiation provided Cuban players a safe and legal path to playing professionally in the U.S. In the past some Cuban stars have risked life and limb making their way illegally to U.S. shores Agreement Cancelled The current administration has cancelled the deal because it was based on an “erroneous ruling” by the former Obama administration that . . .