June 17, 2011
Science Friday: Lab Test of the Heart
Science Friday: Bioengineering a heart, of course. Here or below.
June 10, 2011
Science Friday: Solar Sights
Science Friday: It’s always sunny (and) hot on summer Fridays. Here or below.
June 8, 2011
Don’t Miss: Institutional Corruption Stories
This past weekend, I was in the backyard painting doors (don’t ask) and listening to “This American Life.” It shortly became clear that Act One of the Old Boys Network program was something special. Beyond being a great distraction from the chore of painting, this expertly reported piece told a tale filled with sordid details, everyday heroics, and even humor. For the entire 28.5 minutes, it had me on the edge of my paintbrush. Listen to the whole thing — you won’t be sorry.
The other story, from the New York Times, is a far sadder account of institutional corruption involving the care of children with disabilities throughout the state. It’s raw, but it’s also the very story that needs to be told to force changes in this highly dysfunctional system.
June 3, 2011
Science Friday: Tongue Twisters
Science Friday: Animals, lapping up life. Here or below.
June 2, 2011
We Already Know Dept.: Global Drug War is a Failure
“The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world.”
Thus begins the June 2011 report by the Global Commission on Drugs — an international body whose charge is to reduce societal and individual harm caused by drugs using science-based methods. The commission, whose members include the former president of Mexico and the previous UN secretary general, recommends in this internationally focused report that societies such as the United States “[b]egin the transformation of the global drug prohibition regime.”
It notes that “vast expenditures on criminalization and repressive measures directed at producers, traffickers and consumers of illegal drugs have clearly failed to effectively curtail supply or consumption,” and it suggests that in established drug markets, law enforcement attempts to reduce the supply of drugs are largely futile.
The full report contains 11 recommendations, which will hopefully be considered by policy makers around the globe.
Read more about the commission online.