This video of a man putting himself through a hay baler… what can I possibly say?!?
Nov 302011
Yesterday, my letter to the editor in support of Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler’s campaign finance reforms was published in the Denver Post. Here’s the letter:
Re: “Gessler pushes rules rewrite,” Nov. 24 news story.I applaud Secretary of State Scott Gessler’s reforms of Colorado’s onerous campaign finance rules, despite his recent loss in court.
As an occasional political activist, I know that Colorado’s campaign finance regulations are burdensome and intimidating. When Ari Armstrong and I wrote policy papers against the “personhood” amendments in 2008 and 2010, I was obliged to report $20 expenditures and contributions, as well as publish the names and addresses of our supporters. I couldn’t afford to hire lawyers or accountants. I struggled to understand and comply with the law, fearing fines of $50 per day per violation.
The current rules strongly discourage ordinary people from speaking out on ballot measures, as the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals recognized. Gessler’s reforms, while limited, are an important step in the direction of greater freedom of speech.
Diana Hsieh, Sedalia
This letter was published in the Nov. 29 edition.
You can go to the web page to leave a comment in support of free speech. I’ve already replied to two early comments. The first comment said, “Money isn’t speech, Diana, and if you have a problem with open elections and full disclosure, you’re in the wrong country.” (Lovely, no?) The next comment attempted to defend me, but wrongly, saying “it sounds as if Diana is a small political activists who is complaining about burdensome laws that are designed for political organizations, not for someone who got $20 to help offset some costs.”
Here’s my comment in reply:
I’m the writer of the letter. In the Secretary of State’s May 2011 hearing about raising the reporting threshold for issue committees, I testified about my experiences — my difficulties, rather — in attempting to comply with the law. That’s posted to my blog here:https://philosophyinaction.com/blogger/…
I support free speech for everyone, not just for small-time activists but for large groups too. However, I am a small-time activist, and the law definitely burdens me disproportionately.
As a matter of free speech, people should be able to support and assist other people to speak with their money, without having their private information posted for all the world to see. To say that “money isn’t speech” is wrong: money enables people to speak and to speak for others, and that is part and parcel of free speech. Otherwise, free speech means nothing more than my power to talk to my dogs while alone in my house.
Finally, mark your calendars:
- Ari Armstrong and I will discuss Colorado’s campaign finance laws on Wednesday, December 7th, at Liberty on the Rocks in Denver. I’ll post a full announcement of this event in a few days.
- Ari and I will also be speaking at the Thursday, December 15th, at the Secretary of State’s campaign finance reform hearing in Denver. You can find details about the meeting and the proposed rule changes in this PDF. I’ll post more about this hearing next week, but I’d very much appreciate anyone willing to attend the hearing in person to testify. If that’s not feasible, you can submit written testimony.
For the Coalition for Secular Government, this election cycle is quickly becoming our busiest ever. The personhood movement is on the march, and to defend abortion rights, we need to defend our right to speak freely too.
Beware Insulting Government Officials on Facebook/Twitter
Nov 292011
Thailand’s government has warned Facebook users they could face criminal prosecution “if they press ‘share’ or ‘like’ on images or articles considered unflattering to the Thai monarchy.”
Even more alarming, this was used against a Thai-born US citizen who wrote a book about the Thai monarchy while living in the US, then was arrested when he visited Thailand for medical reasons. (Via /.)
A few related stories from the NYT:
“American Arrested for Insulting Thai King“, 27 May 2011
“A High-Tech War Against Slights to a Centuries-Old Monarchy“, 2 Oct 2011
“20-Year Sentence for Text Messages Against Thai King“, 23 Nov 2011
The closest I’ve found here in the United States is this story in Forbes: “High School Student Punished For Joking Tweet About Governor Brownback“.
She insulted Kansas governor Brownback saying, “Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked”.
In the Kansas case, the punishment would administered by the school in response to a complaint from Brownback’s office. According to the Forbes piece, she has considered submitting to the school punishment “because she didn’t want a disciplinary action on her transcripts and have it affect her ability to go to college. But she is rightfully unapologetic in real life.”
Update: Kansas governor Brownback has apologized on behalf of his staff: “My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize… Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms.” The student likely won’t have to submit to the proposed school punishment.
Bonus from Diana, because, as Justin said on Facebook, “the Thai king is a dickhead”:
Update: The Snopes.com website states that the American Association of Neurological Surgeons has investigated this issue and determined that anonymous caller was likely not a neurosurgeon and that the call “contained several factual inaccuracies”. More here.
Original Post
An Illinois neurosurgeon discusses upcoming new guidelines from the Obama administration restricting how doctors can deliver medical care.
A few key points with respect to neurosurgery procedures:
Patients over age 70 with government insurance will receive “comfort care”, but not the full range of aneurysm treatment, stroke therapy, etc.Patients are referred to as “units”, not patients.
Various devices currently approved by the FDA for “humanitarian use” and widely regarded by surgeons as medically safe and appropriate for clinical use will likely have that approval withdrawn to save money.
According to this surgeon, this information is straight from Obama administration HHS officials, although not yet published.
The physician summarizes the issue quite nicely:
You know, we always joke around — ‘it’s not brain surgery’ — but I did nine years after medical school, I’ve been in training ten years, and now I have people who don’t know a thing about what I’m doing telling me when I can and can’t operate.
(Read the full blog post, “Neurosurgeon Briefed by HHS“. Link via @SonoDoc99.)
Anyone who’s read Atlas Shrugged will recognize the similarity between this surgeon’s observations and this quote from the fictional Dr. Hendricks (also a neurosurgeon):
Do you know what it takes to perform a brain operation? Do you know the kind of skill it demands, and the years of passionate, merciless, excruciating devotion that go to acquire that skill? That was what I could not place at the disposal of men whose sole qualification to rule me was their capacity to spout the fraudulent generalities that got them elected to the privilege of enforcing their wishes at the point of a gun. I would not let them dictate the purpose for which my years of study had been spent, or the conditions of my work, or my choice of patients, or the amount of my reward…
Many Americans (including my own and Diana’s parents) are over 70 years old yet in reasonably good health. They’d likely be denied life-saving neurosurgical care in the near future if these guidelines take effect.
But just don’t call it rationing.
[Crossposted from the FIRM blog.]
Podcast #107: Friends with Benefits, Need, Legal Marijuana, and More
Nov 282011
On Sunday’s episode of Philosophy in Action Radio, Greg Perkins and I answered questions on friends with benefits, obligations to help others in need, political compromise on legal marijuana, lying to a dying person, and more. The podcast of that episode is now available for streaming or downloading.
You can automatically download podcasts of Philosophy in Action Radio by subscribing to Philosophy in Action’s Podcast RSS Feed:
- Enhanced M4A Feed: Subscribe via iTunes or another podcast player
- Standard MP3 Feed: Subscribe via iTunes or another podcast player
Whole Podcast: 27 November 2011
Listen or Download:
- Duration: 1:01:47
- Download: Enhanced M4A File (22.4 MB)
- Download: Standard MP3 File (21.2 MB)
Remember the Tip Jar!
The mission of Philosophy in Action is to spread rational principles for real life… far and wide. That’s why the vast majority of my work is available to anyone, free of charge. I love doing the radio show, but each episode requires an investment of time, effort, and money to produce. So if you enjoy and value that work of mine, please contribute to the tip jar. I suggest $5 per episode or $20 per month, but any amount is appreciated. In return, contributors can request that I answer questions from the queue pronto, and regular contributors enjoy free access to premium content and other goodies.
Podcast Segments: 27 November 2011
You can download or listen to my answers to individual questions from this episode below.
Introduction
My News of the Week: Happy Post-Thanksgiving Dieting! Unfortunately, my ancient horse Tara died unexpectedly on Tuesday. Ari Armstrong and I have been busy making the final edits on our paper on abortion rights for The Objective Standard.
Question 1: Friends with Benefits
Question: Are “friends with benefits” relationships a mistake? It is moral and/or wise to pursue sexual relationships with friends, even though you’re not in a romantic relationship? What are some of the benefits and/or pitfalls? If it’s a mistake, what should a person do to avoid such entanglements?My Answer, In Brief: Sex is not some kind of hobby that you can add to friendship. It’s an inherently intimate act; it’s not compatible with mere friendship; and it often results in dishonest with yourself and your friend. The better alternative for people uninterested in a serious relationship is to date unseriously.
Listen or Download:
- Start Time: 3:31
- Duration: 13:42
- Download: MP3 Segment
- Tags: Dating, Ethics, Friendship, Honesty, Romance, Self-Deception, Sex
Links:
- Friends With Benefits, and Stress Too in the New York Times
- The downside of ‘friends with benefits’ on CNN Health
To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.
Question 2: Obligations to Help Others in Need
Question: Do we have an obligation to help others in need? Many people think that the need of others creates an obligation to help. Is that right or wrong? Why? When should a person help others?My Answer, In Brief: All the arguments for moral obligations based on need fail. Every person’s life – and hence, every person’s needs – are his own responsibility. Moral obligations arise from a person’s choices, and ought to be based on shared values and interests, not mere need.
Listen or Download:
- Start Time: 17:13
- Duration: 17:38
- Download: MP3 Segment
- Tags: Altruism, Benevolence, Charity, Egoism, Emergencies, Ethics, Integrity, Self-Interest
Links:
- Altruism: The Morality of Logical Fallacies and The Creed of Sacrifice vs. The Land of Liberty by Craig Biddle
- The Objectivist Ethics in The Virtue of Selfishness and “Causality Versus Duty” in Philosophy: Who Needs It by Ayn Rand
- Famine, Affluence, and Morality by Peter Singer
- Helping a Stranger in an Emergency on Philosophy in Action
- Should you help a man who’s dying in front of you? on Objectivist Answers
To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.
Question 3: Political Compromise on Legal Marijuana
Question: When is it morally right or wrong to support political compromises? The marijuana legalization initiative for the 2012 Colorado ballot also specifies open-ended taxation that circumvents the protections of TABOR (the Taxpayer Bill of Rights). It specifies that the first $40 million raised goes to government schools. Both of these taxation items are compromises added to get voters to accept the marijuana legalization. Is it ethical to support more taxation to get more freedom from drug laws? Is it okay to circulate petitions to get this on the ballot so the voters can decide? More generally, when if ever should a person support political compromises that uphold some rights but violate others?My Answer, In Brief: With mixed legislation, you need to examine the good and the bad, with particular emphasis on precedents set by the law. Sometimes, like with this measure, you should support it because the good hugely outweighs the bad, but that’s not always the case.
Listen or Download:
- Start Time: 34:51
- Duration: 10:31
- Download: MP3 Segment
- Tags: Alcohol/Drugs, Compromise, Drug War, Elections, Ethics, Politics, Voting
Links:
- The Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act of 2012 at End Marijuana Prohibition
- Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act targeted by Douglas Bruce… in Westword
- Driven By Drug War Incentives, Cops Target Pot Smokers, Brush Off Victims Of Violent Crime by Radley Balko
To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.
Question 4: Lying to a Dying Person
Question: Is it wrong to lie to a person on their deathbed? Is lying in such cases justified so that the dying person can “go in peace”? For instance, a man might tell his fellow soldier dying on the battlefield that his heroism helped win a critical victory, even if it actually made no difference. Or a nurse might tell a dying mother desperate to make peace with her long-estranged daughter that the daughter called to tell her she loves her, even if that didn’t happen. Is that wrong? If so, what’s the harm?My Answer, In Brief: Honesty is a virtue, even in dealings with a person dying. To die in peace means to die in harmony with the facts, not in a state of blissful ignorance or blind evasion.
Listen or Download:
- Start Time: 45:23
- Duration: 9:55
- Download: MP3 Segment
- Tags: Conflict, Death, Ethics, Honesty, Relationships
To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.
Rapid Fire Questions
Questions:
- What do you think of the argument that it in a modern society it is wrong to not feed everyone that is starving when we are capable of producing enough food to do so?
- What do you think of Terry Goodkind’s novels?
- What do you think of the term “anti-choice” to describe people who oppose abortion?
- Have you gleaned any moral lessons from caring for Dr. Gimpy these past few months?
Listen or Download:
- Start Time: 55:19
- Duration: 5:25
- Download: MP3 Segment
To comment on these questions or my answers, visit its comment thread.
Conclusion
Be sure to check out the topics scheduled for upcoming episodes! Don’t forget to submit and vote on questions for future episodes too!
- Start Time: 1:00:42
About Philosophy in Action Radio
Philosophy in Action Radio focuses on the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. It broadcasts live on most Sunday mornings and many Thursday evenings over the internet. For information on upcoming shows, visit the Episodes on Tap. For podcasts of past shows, visit the Show Archives.
Activism Recap
Nov 272011
This week on We Stand FIRM, the blog of FIRM (Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine):
- 21 November 2011: Kurisko on Canada and ObamaCare by Paul Hsieh, MD
- 22 November 2011: Fogoros Explains Drug Shortages by Paul Hsieh, MD
- 23 November 2011: Get Ready For the Feeding Frenzy by Paul Hsieh, MD
- 24 November 2011: Happy Thankgiving! by Paul Hsieh, MD
- 25 November 2011: Quick Links: Life Expectancy, ObamaCare by Paul Hsieh, MD
- 26 November 2011: HHS Restrictions on Neurosurgery: Just Don’t Call It Rationing by Paul Hsieh, MD
This week on Politics without God, the blog of the Coalition for Secular Government:
- 23 November 2011: Happy Thanksgiving by Diana Hsieh
This week on Mother of Exiles:
- 21 November 2011: Personal Note About Posting by Kelly McNulty Valenzuela
- 22 November 2011: Mercedes-Benz Exec Arrested in Alabama by Kelly McNulty Valenzuela
- 23 November 2011: Weekly Quote by Kelly McNulty Valenzuela
- 24 November 2011: Alabama Law Violates Fair Housing Act and the Constitution by Kelly McNulty Valenzuela
- 24 November 2011: The New Yorker’s Thanksgiving Cover by Kelly McNulty Valenzuela
- 25 November 2011: Famous Immigrant of the Week by Kelly McNulty Valenzuela
This week on the blog of Modern Paleo:
- 21 November 2011: Thinking about Thanksgiving by Jenn Casey
- 22 November 2011: On Knitting, CrossFitting, and How I’m Growing as a Person Here by Jenn Casey
- 25 November 2011: Question of the Week: Barefoot Feet by Diana Hsieh
- 25 November 2011: The Paleo Rodeo #088 by Diana Hsieh
- 26 November 2011: Objectivist Links by Diana Hsieh
- 26 November 2011: Video: Reasoning by Facts Rather than Emotions by Diana Hsieh
Open Thread #320
Nov 272011
For anyone wishing to ask a question, make a observation, or share a link with other NoodleFood readers, I hereby open up the comments on this post to any respectable topic. As always, please refrain from posting inappropriate comments such as personal attacks, pornographic material, copyrighted material, and commercial solicitations.
NoodleFood’s Open Threads feature creative commons photographs from Flickr that I find interesting. I hope that you enjoy them!
Nov 252011
I’ve not done any new training with Mae for the past few months, but this inspires me!
Objectivist Roundup
Nov 242011
The Objectivist Roundup is a weekly blog carnival for Objectivists. Contributors must be Objectivists, but posts on any topic are welcome.
Erosophia hosted this week’s Objectivist Roundup. Go take a look!
You can submit your blog article to the next edition of The Objectivist Roundup using this submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found here. If you’re an Objectivist blogger, you can get weekly reminders to submit to the carnival by subscribing to OBloggers @ OList.com.
Also, here are the ten most recent additions to the question queue for the Philosophy in Action Webcast. Please vote for the questions that you’re most interested in hearing me answer!
Join us for the live webcast at www.PhilosophyInAaction.com on Sundays at 8 am PT / 9 am MT / 10 am CT / 11 am ET.
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