Category Archives: Politics

In which I see through other eyes

Posted on 23 January 2019 by Jennifer Rohn

A few months ago I had a Twitter encounter with an American far-right Trump supporter. Unbeknownst to me, this man had been lurking and – as incongruous as it sounds – apparently enjoying my Twitter feed (which is largely, these … Continue reading →

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Sometimes science needs to take a backseat

Posted on 29 September 2018 by Steve Caplan

Science is based on fundamental, objective truth. So sometimes, in support of science, it is necessary to step back and take a moral stand. Here is my letter to Nebraskan Senator Ben Sasse (republican, Judiciary Committee). Since I have no … Continue reading →

Posted in harassment, Politics, sexual assault, truth, women's rights | Comments Off on Sometimes science needs to take a backseat

Thin slicing a thin-skinned president

Posted on 21 October 2017 by Steve Caplan

A wonderful elementary school friend who I haven’t seen for over 40 years recently drew my attention to a Canadian journalist and author named Malcolm Gladwell. I first read his book “Outliers,” a book that examined how the very most … Continue reading →

Posted in Blink, Gladwell, Outliers, Politics, president, Research, science, thin slicing, Trump | Comments Off on Thin slicing a thin-skinned president

Last Saturday:

Posted on 28 January 2017 by Cath@VWXYNot?

  Photo taken outside the Trump building. I borrowed the sign from a lovely group of people I met at the march Up next: March for Science (the Vancouver chapter)

Posted in activism, Canada, current affairs, feminism, personal, photos, Politics, science | Comments Off on Last Saturday:

Narcissistic Personality Disorder in the White House

Posted on 22 January 2017 by Steve Caplan

Full disclosure: I am not a psychiatrist. But it doesn’t take a board certified psychiatrist to see ominous parallels between the behavior of the recently elected president of the United States and a mental illness known as Narcissistic Personality Disorder … Continue reading →

Posted in crowd size, inauguration, narcissistic personality disorder, Politics, president, presidential elections, Trump, US | Comments Off on Narcissistic Personality Disorder in the White House

Final Comments before (Armageddon?) Nov. 8, 2016

Posted on 6 November 2016 by Steve Caplan

My early vote cast weeks ago; couldn’t rest until the ballot was submitted… On Tuesday Nov. 8, the United States will have one of its most crucial elections in the history of the nation. Yes, I realize that many will … Continue reading →

Posted in 538, Clinton, Democrat, election, mendacious, misogyny, nate silver, NYT, Obama, Politics, prediction, president, princeton election consortium, pundits, racism, Republican, sam wang, science, statistician, statistics, Trump, Upshot, US | Comments Off on Final Comments before (Armageddon?) Nov. 8, 2016

Some words when one is speechless

Posted on 15 November 2015 by Heather

The current use of “no words” in its semaphoric online sense seems to date back to five or ten years ago. To you, there may seem to be a great difference between five and ten years ago. To me, two … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest posts, idealism, intellectual, ivory tower, obscurantism, Paris, Politics, terrorism | Comments Off on Some words when one is speechless

Voting didn’t feel like enough this time

Posted on 18 October 2015 by Cath@VWXYNot?

There’s a federal election in Canada tomorrow. I’ve always been very interested in politics, but this time around I feel more invested than ever before. Specifically, I want Harper out, with extreme prejudice. (If you don’t follow Canadian politics and … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Politics, science | Comments Off on Voting didn’t feel like enough this time

In which we need more lab coats in the Commons

Posted on 11 September 2014 by Jennifer Rohn

Like many commuters serving as a captive audience on the London Underground, I tend to read the free Evening Standard most nights. I enjoy the op ed pieces by Rosamund Urwin, who has always struck me as both light-hearted and … Continue reading →

Posted in Policy, Politics | Comments Off on In which we need more lab coats in the Commons

In which we are inundated: the #ukstorm lingers on

Posted on 17 February 2014 by Jennifer Rohn

Britain is as soggy as a crumpet dunked in tea. (No Brits I know actually dunk their crumpets in tea, but it sounds suitably British, doesn’t it?) Even for a wet, rainy country used to wet, rainy winters, it’s been … Continue reading →

Posted in Lablit, Politics | Comments Off on In which we are inundated: the #ukstorm lingers on