March 1, 2018 — The numbers are daunting. More than 70 percent of young Americans between 17 and 24 cannot serve in the U.S. military. Why? The soaring prevalence of obesity is at the top of the list. According to a new Heritage Foundation report, this means military readiness goals might be impossible to meet: The U.S. military is […]
February 3, 2018 — Are we enjoying the comfort of our opinions within familiar circles, free from disquieting thought? All too often, the answer is yes. After all, critical thinking can be unpleasant. Perhaps we should note that this concern is nothing new. Consider this excerpt from a commencement address delivered at Yale by President John F. Kennedy. June […]
December 25, 2017 — Words have power. And today, the powerful word that’s on our mind is vulnerable. Many people today are celebrating the birth a vulnerable baby thousands of years ago. A Banned Word? Last week, political reporters were chattering about a list of words to avoid in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The direction […]
June 1, 2017 — Bless his heart. Michael Bloomberg means well. And he’s done a lot of good for the health of New Yorkers. Life expectancy is up. He boldly took on smoking and trans fats. He’s worked tirelessly to nudge New Yorkers toward healthier diets and more active lives. Nibbling on blackberries, grapes, and carrots – artifacts of virtue – he lamented to Frank […]
April 4, 2017 — Affixing blame is an ancient human ritual. Affixing blame helps people make sense of a situation and move on to solving a problem. In the ancient scripture of Leviticus, the community places its sins upon a goat and casts the goat into the desert. It’s the original scapegoat. With sins removed, everyone can get on with […]
September 28, 2013 — We seem to have gone through the looking glass of healthcare into Alice’s Wonderland where nothing makes sense. Consider what’s unfolding before us. One end of the political spectrum is busy selling insurance for an industry hoping to get millions of new customers. An enthusiastic hospital industry is joining the effort because they see a […]
