I would be quite happy with New England becoming its own nation. We can give northern Maine to Canada, though.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: New England, Thought of the day | 4 Comments »
Vermont gets vaccination bill half-right
Posted on March 4, 2012 by Michael
The Vermont Senate on Friday passed and sent to the House a bill that would end the philosophical exemption from the requirement that parents get their children a series of vaccinations before they enter school.
But a religious exemption would remain in place, and senators and state Health Department officials agreed that there are no standards in Vermont law for what constitutes religious belief.
There are definite pros and cons to this bill. The overwhelming pro is that it sends the message that vaccinations are important to the health of children. This should help to counter some of the anti-vax rhetoric that still pervades much of the Western world as if none of us have ever heard of medicine or science. The biggest con, however, is that the actual implication of the bill is impotent. Vermont does not put itself in the place of determining what constitutes a legitimate religious belief, so anyone can simply lie on a form to exempt their child from good health.
And, of course, there is the issue of giving the religious special rights. This bill creates a divide which says that religious beliefs are more important than philosophical beliefs. It’s reminiscent of the hoops through which the military puts pacifists during a draft versus what they require of, say, the Amish. It’s not only morally and logically abhorrent, but I doubt it’s constitutional.
But there is an upside. Aside from the obvious health benefits, this could be a stepping stone to outlawing the religious from exempting their children, much like DADT acted as a stepping stone to what we have today. It’s probably wishful thinking, but it’s possible. Religious liberty is not unlimited, after all. (If you think it is, try sending your child to school completely nude on the basis that it is part of your religion.)
Filed under: News, Science | Tagged: Vaccination, Vermont | 8 Comments »
Thought of the day
Posted on March 3, 2012 by Michael
It never ceases to amaze me how much historical revisionism conservatives are willing to create. I actually just read an entire thread on Facebook (on YH&C‘s wall) where people tried to blame Democrats and liberals for creating this ‘debate’ over birth control and Rush Limbaugh’s horrible, misogynistic comments. Last time I checked, it was the Republicans who were pretending that employers who get government funding shouldn’t be subject to government regulations, that any employer at all should be able to make up a ‘moral’ objection to something they find inconvenient. (Maybe we should do that with employers who ‘morally’ object to civil rights?) Last time I checked, it was Limbaugh who called all women who have sex prostitutes.
Yep. Looks like the left, once again, is not only in the clear on the bullshit-o-meter, but is also 100% correct on this entire issue. I don’t get why anyone votes Republican.
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Historical revisionism, Thought of the day | 10 Comments »
Kenneth Cuccinelli rebuffed
Posted on March 2, 2012 by Michael
I wrote quite some time ago about Virginia Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli’s global warming witch hunt against Michael Mann. The courts have finally shut him down:
The Virginia Supreme Court says the state’s attorney general does not have the authority to subpoena emails from a global warming researcher.
And why did exotic pasta dish Cuccinelli want those emails? Because he’s a walking conservative caricature.
Filed under: News | Tagged: Global Warming, Kenneth Cuccinelli, Michael Mann | Leave a comment »
A nanosecond
Posted on March 2, 2012 by Michael
Filed under: Science | Tagged: Grace Hopper, Nanoseconds | 1 Comment »
Thought of the day
Posted on March 1, 2012 by Michael
I get really curious when I hear people ignorantly declare that atheists are this or that, that we all hold these or those sort of values. If such a normative statement can be made, then I presume we could also make a statement as to the nature and values of those who don’t believe in leprechauns.
So tell me, theists. Tell me in no uncertain terms just what it is that unites a-leprechaunists. Are they moral? Immoral? Amoral? What common value do they all hold?
Filed under: Misc | Tagged: Leprechauns, Thought of the day | 6 Comments »
For the Sake of Science 