Insurance Companies have already won the Health Reform battle beating out the Doctors and the Government. Will they take the money and run?

With the Massachusetts Senatorial election going to the man who promised that he would be the 41st vote to make sure that the minority of the Senate could control the Health Reform legislation of the nation, most people believed that the battle was entering a new phase and the winners and losers were yet to be decided. However, over a decade earlier, the real battle had been decided. The American consumers lost; the Government lost; the hospitals lost; the doctors lost. The health insuracne companies won and for the past decade has already ammased the economic fruits of its victory. And while all the other forces, Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, politicians and citizens all fight it out, the one group that has already locked in a winning position for the next decade is the same insurance companies. All the rest of us will fight it out to determine how terrible the health care system will have become before the insurance companies just take the money and run. This article explains some of how all this was allowed to happen.

Apple iPad May Be The E-Reader That We Have Been Waiting For

The iPad that Apple has just announced is, in addition to everything else that is claimed for it, the catylist for the final tranformation of e-books to the dominant reading form for books, newspapers, and magazines.

Human Clones May Be Among Us Now! Who Is Ready?

There may well be human clones living among us and attending our schools. Reproductive human cloning may have aready been accomplished or may be in process at the time of this reading. Dr. Eigen’s article gives us an insight to the many religious, legal, cultural, and civil problems what will ensue unless we strart to consider, debate and make some decsiions of how we will handle human cloning when it is upon us. Eigen argues that it is hopeless to believe that we can prevent cloning and he provides some scenerios that will likely face human society in the next few years. The problems he predicts are if nothing else facinating to contempate and that is his message. We should start now, Human cloning is a matter of when and not if.

Islamic Dialogues: 5 The 100 Million Moslem Minority

This is a dramatization of the difficult position Moslem citizens of India were in when Islamic Pakistan attacked India in 1971. Many Indian Moslems were expeted by their fellow Moslems in Pakistan to support Pakistan if not overtly then at least covertly. Yet the Moslem minority of India had more freedom, a better standard of living, and a more honest government than the Islamic nation on their border. The drama illustrates the tension between loyalty to religion and loyalty to nation that people often face. It also illustrates the fundamentalistic Islamuc concept of religion and nationhood and its difference from most other religions and the views of more contemporary Moslems.

The East Anglia Environnmental Scientists: What About Their Data?

The East Anglia scientists who were accused of adjusting their science data to push their political agenda of remediating man-made global warming have attracted world wide attention. Most commentaries on the subject consider the potential conflict of itnerest issue and whether the scientists and their results are to be trusted. However, the political conflict of interest charge which has recieved almost all the media attention is not the critical one from the scientific point of view. There may have been some more serious transgressions. And if so what should science do with the data and analyses that the trangressers have produced?

Islamic Dialogues: 4 The Arab View of Manual Labor, Reality, and Respect

In this dialogue an Arab immigrant to America–a computer programmer–interacts with a psychologist also of Arabic ethnicity. The dialogue opens the cultural Arab antipathy to manual labor and the view that it is insulting to ask a person to do it. The notion of shame and somce differences between American and Western values and Arab values and norms are dramatically contrasted.

Ladies of the Laboratory 3: The Scientific Slut–Émilie du Châtelet

Written by Lewis D. Eigen

There is one marvelous scientist who, in the 18th century, not only brought the new mathematics and physics of Isaac Newton to much of France, but also found and corrected some errors that Newton had made—overturning erroneous physics principles that then had general scientific concurrence.  The scientist was a woman–Émilie du Châtelet.  And yet even many of the modern feminists who have sought to give female scientists due recognition, tend to avoid using this scientist as an example.  The reason is that by modern contemporary standards, she was a slut—a sexual libertine.  She was a little too liberated.  This article is not only about her, but about the culture that to this day inhibits recognition of a female scientist because of her personal sexual predilections—having nothing to do with science.

Turkish Discrimination Against Christian Schools–Or Is It?

Written by Lewis D. Eigen

 

Christian theological seminaries are currently banned in Turkey. Yet this is a prohibition with which some Westerners and Christians agree, and even those who do not, often understand. The complexity that has resulted from the clash between Islam and modernity is so great that it is almost impossible to tell what is liberal and democratic and what is not. The conflict between Moslem Turkey and Christianity with respect to theological seminaries is a marvelous example of things being in reality very different from what they first appear. This is the story of complexity where up can be down and wrong might be right.

Ladies of the Laboratory 2: How in a Few Months Late in the 19th Century One Man Who Had Little Interest in Gender Equality Hired More Female Astronomers than the World Had Ever Known

The remarkable story of a unique occurance in scientific history where although males were the final controllers, women worked with other women and under female supervision and the science thrived. This one instance a female culture, scientific laboratory was so successful that females produced more science output than all the men in history. The mostly female model succeeded so well that it put itself out of existence. But more females had worked as astronomers in this one instance than in all of prior recorded history.

Islamic Dialogues: 2 The Martyred Son

The Martyred Son, is a tragic playlet of a Palestinian family whose first knowledge of the radicalization of their only son is after his death in the process of murdering 7 Israelis. Their soul searching and recriminations developed while they rethink how such a thing could occur, provides a painful glimpse into the dynamics and impact of the extreme fundamentalists on what otherwise might be a normal society. One critic has observed, “anyone of any religion will tear up reading this poignant, intimate account of what we never usually consider when we hear of another suicide bombing.”

Islamic Dialogues: 3 The Dinner of the Tunisian Politicians

A dialogue of two Tunisian senior government officials, both Western educated, regarding the problem of modernizing the rural, desert South of the country where religious Islamic fundamentalism and the desert cultural tradition are major obstacles. The modernity, and relatively successful development of the country, with no oil or other natural resources, compared to other Arab countries is historically, culturally and politically explained in this insightful dialogue.

Public Health Versus Private Health: The Coming Battle: 1. The Difference Has Little to do With Government and the Private Sector.

There are two groups of professionals in our nation’s health system. They are the medical providers who treat us advise us about our health. Then there are the public health professionals who develop the tools to prevent disease and create the protocols and recomendations for the treating professionals to use. On most issues, the two groups are in synch and each appreciates the other. But more and more, there are conflicts that result from each group looking at the same data and research, but doing so with a different perspective This article explains the differences between the two types of critical health professionals, and explains why they sometimes disagree and why they are BOTH RIGHT. The recent battle of the breast cancer screening recomendations is used to explain this critically imporant conflcit. Additional articles in this series will suggest ways we as health consumers can make sense of these conflicts, and how our political structure can cope with what often appear to be irreconcilable differences but are not really diametrically opposite.

America: The Land of Freedom and Fairness Produces Great Scientific Advantage

America produces the most scientific contributions to the world, but the science is not usually done by Americans.

The United States generates more scientific studies than any country of the world and more than the rest of the world put together. We also produce more of the critical breakthrough research than the rest of the world. However, over half of all the scientists working in America are foreign born. Many become Americans, but they did not start out that way. The main reason is the FAIRNESS of much of the American system of allocating research money–a fiarness as this article will explain that does not take place to the same degree anywhere else in the world.

What About the Family? The Adult Children of Alcoholics Co-Dependent Story.

One out of every 4 Americans has been brought up within a family where one or both parents had a drinking problem. Scientists have, in the last 30 years, learned that these “Children of Alcoholics” (COAs) are at risk for a number of different problems ranging from substance abuse to mental illness. However, when the COAs become adults, there are still a set of risk factors they carry and if they develop sufficient resiliancy, they can thrive. Dr. Tian Dayton, one of the world’s leading psychologists and experts on COAs, and herself a COA, has written this article which is one of the clearest explanations of the problem–an explantion light on jargon and heavy on communication and insight. These results of over 20 years of Dr. Dayton’s research, provide an intelligent layperson with a basic understanding of the problem in society and very often in our family or those of our friends.

The Unspoken Research Evil of Earmarks

The evils of earmarks are widely recognized, but there is one that negatively effects the scientific research of the nation. It is one what has rarely ever been mentioned politically, and most of the media have ignored it or may not realize the problem exists. This article explains and gives examples of this additional critical reason for earmark reform.

It is the negative affect on the scientific researchers themselves and their processes and institutions.

A Solution to the Problem of Consumer Contracts That Cannot be Understood by Consumers Who Sign Them

This study and report shows that the vast majority of consumer contracts in America are written with such complexity that the vast majority of Americans cannot read or understand them. One of the causes of the home mortgage meltdown, the lack of contract readabilty is a threat to our very economy. Dr. Eigen proposes a remarkably simple societal solution that costs virtually no public or private money, requires no additional people to implement, and is essentially self enforcing.

Islamic Dialogues: 1–College in America

A dramatic dialog of an American Moslem father and his son with two imams in Detroit. The boy has been at the Univeristy of Michigan and the father had visited for the first time and was somewhat shocked. He asked his old friend and imam to talk with them as he was not sure that he was being a good father exposing his son to the diverse and non-Islamic culture of a large modern university. The imams view the situation very differently and present a microcosm the range of viewpoints on secular modernism within Islam.

Islamic Dialogues: 0–Preface & Background

This is the preface to a series of dramatic dialogues expressing the diversity of Moslem political, religious, social opinion in a world where the second largest religion is percieved as the largest international socio-political problem for the world. The series of dialogues provides insights into many of the different personalities and viewpoints that go under the name of Islam.

Perspective on the Obama Directive on Science Utilization in Policy Making

President Obama’s memorandum reproduced herein was issued to end and correct the abuses of the previous administration in corrupting the scientific process and imposing political and religious ideology on government scientific decisions. The president’s memo is annotated by Dr. Lewis D. Eigen, providing background and analysis of some of the requirements.

Child Soldiers Are Unfortunately Nothing New

President Abraham Lincoln had recently signed the act of Congress creating the Medal of Honor. Secretary of War William Stanton personally awarded the first medals. On September 16, 1863, it was recieved by Willie Johnston, He was 13 years old and only 5 feet tall. He had enlisted in the army at the age of 11, and was awarded the highest medal for his bravery during the Peninsula Campaign when he was 12.

Keeping the UN and WHO From Internet Control

This is a letter which was submitted to ICANN when the World Health Organization attempted to have a Top Level Domain .health created and they be given control over who can use the domain name. The purpose was to prevent the world from being flooded with inaccurate health information. The letter written by Dr. Lewis D, Eigen was part of what became a successful campaign to deny WHO the control of a Top Level Domain.

Flip-Flop: Political Vice or Scientific Virtue

The difference between scientists and politicians when they are faced with new knowledge and the prospect of possibley changing their positions.

Truth: Politics and Science Have Very Different Perceptions

An article on the difference in the concept of truth between scientists and politicians. They two cultures have almost diametrically opposite norms and concepts of truth. The dilemma of science in a democracy.

Brain Cells and Democracy

New research indicates that some of the neuron cells of the brain may be organized according to the democratic principles of a New England town meeting.

Fillibuster Facts

Historical Facts About the Filibuster.

SOLUTIONS: Gimme That Old Time Filibuster

An innovative solution to the problem of almost constant Senate filibustering by the minority. A solution that preserves the right of all senators to say what they wish, but allows the Senate to move forward. it is to handle filibusters like the Senate did in the old days when there was the right to filibuster but that right was exercised rarely compared to today.

Louisiana Interracial Marriage Incident Has a Positive Aspect

In a strange way, Keith Bardwell, the Louisiana Justice of the Peace who refused to perform an interracial marriage started a wondrous chain of events. As heinous as Bardwell’s dereliction of duty was, there is a positive aspect to this story–The reaction of the rest of the country

Ladies of the Laboratory 1: Challanging the Greats

The story of a young, scientist who was one of a very few female PhDs in Europe during the 1930’s and then found herself in a difficult dilemma as she suspected that the great Enrico Fermi had made a mistake in one of his major publications. Her fears and feelings as she developed the courage to “go public”, and the results are all described.