Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 298
October 9, 2014
Borderism
We have racism (1932), sexism (1936), classism (1971), speciesism (1975), heterosexism (1979), ableism (1981). (See this discussion of “ism.”) Now someone is proposing “borderism,” for discriminating against people based on what side of a border they were born in. From Markus Bergström, Losing the birth lottery – The Washington Post: What’s the difference between a [Read More...]
Both matter and anti-matter
Paradox of nature: a sub-atomic particle has been discovered that acts like both matter and anti-matter. From Elusive Particle that behaves both like Matter and Antimatter discovered | Maine News Online: Physicists at Princeton University claimed to have discovered an elusive particle that behaves both like matter and antimatter. Using a two-story-tall microscope in one [Read More...]
October 8, 2014
Resenting Christian compassion
Ross Douthat has a rather brilliant essay in which he considers whether the church is facing a new pagan society, as in the first century. He thinks not, but he notices that some of the hostility against Christianity is very similar to the resentment against the faith expressed by pagan Romans. He cites a recent [Read More...]
“Vegetative” patients who respond to Hitchcock
Neuroscientist Adrian Owen has been studying the brain activity of people who are in a “vegetative state.” A recent experiment showed a classic episode, “Bang! You’re Dead!” from Alfred Hitchcock’s TV show, directed by the master of suspense himself, to two unresponsive people with brain injuries, as well as two healthy people. One of the [Read More...]
The biggest factor in a child’s educational success
A British study has found that the biggest factor in a child’s educational success is the level of the father’s education. That is, if the father is well-educated, his children are likely to do well in school. And the father’s lack of education also manifests itself in his children not doing well. The mother’s education [Read More...]
October 7, 2014
The Bootlegger/Baptist theory of regulation
Gambling tycoon Sheldon Adelson wants to outlaw online gambling, which threatens his casino industry. So with the help of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R, SC), he has formed an alliance with Southern Baptists, who also oppose online gambling because they oppose gambling in general, including what goes on in Mr. Adelson’s casinos. So we have a [Read More...]
The Supreme Court won’t rule on gay marriage
The Supreme Court has refused to hear gay marriage cases. That means that the lower court rulings legalizing same sex marriage (in Virginia, Oklahoma, Utah, Wisconsin, and Indiana) will stand. Not only that, since these were circuit court rulings, the other states in the circuits must also abide by the lower court rulings. That legalizes [Read More...]
“Mission Accomplished” on the deficit
President Obama has declared victory in the economic sphere, pointing to decreased budget deficits and slowed growth in the cost of health care. We may now, he said, dispense with “mindless austerity” when it comes to government spending. But, as Fred Hiatt points out, such optimism is fine “if your horizon is Jan. 20, 2017.” [Read More...]
October 6, 2014
Catholics begin synod on marriage & sexual morality
The Extraordinary Synod on the Family is underway at the Vatican. Two hundred bishops of the Roman Catholic Church summoned by the Pope will discuss the church’s teachings about marriage, divorce, contraceptives, annullments, and sexual morality. In particular, the bishops will study the pastoral issues such teachings raise, such as whether divorced Catholics should receive [Read More...]
Why do we sleep?
Virtually all living organisms sleep, or its equivalent. But it has been a puzzle why. Surely spending a big part of every day unconscious can’t have much survival value. But scientists have now discovered that sleep is when our bodies repair themselves and when our brain is rejuvenated and, literally, cleansed. Time has a fascinating article [Read More...]
