Anti-Environment = Anti-Human

Some of the global warming deniers have been claiming a pro-environment stance to be "anti-human." This mentality has to go and it has to remain gone. It's not, nor was it ever, humanity against nature. It is humanity with nature. The person who militates against nature...

Hurricane Sandy and Sustainable Economics

The anti-environment people continue to claim that the environmentalists are enemies of technology and market economics. This lie must be addressed now. I am an environmentalist; but I am neither against technology nor against market economics. I've worked in technology...

Confronting Republican Lies

The Republicans claim to be the party of responsibility, family, ethics, patriotism and prosperity. All of these claims are lies. The Republicans have put America's children $10 trillion in the hole - $6 trillion of this under Bush, whose irresponsible and unneeded tax cuts...

Political Correctness and Beautiful Women

One argument that I've heard from the practicioners of political correctness is that a beautiful woman can't also be a good human being. As far as these people are concerned, if someone is not beautiful then nobody else has the right to be beautiful, and someone being...

Conservatism and True Sources of American Democracy

Like liberalism, conservatism has meant different things in different ages and countries. For a long time, conservatism used to mean monarchism, and liberalism used to mean capitalism and democracy. When confronted with someone who self-identifies as conservative, the...

Debt, Health Care and Credibility of Republican Politicians

Again and again we see Republican candidates shout about the federal debt. A typical statement, made by Republican Congressional candidate in California Ben Campos, reads, Stop the deficit spending, eliminate the waste, balance the budget and restore accountability. ...

America's Obesity Problem

When I was writing on the Internet forums about America's obesity problem, I was attacked widely. I was called heartless, I was called shallow, I was called a "fat-basher." But there are bigger problems with obesity than just obesity itself, and one needs to be neither...

Gun Ownership and Delusion

A Republican congressional candidate in California, Gregg Imus, claims that the reason for America never having been invaded by a foreign country is the 2nd Amendment Rights. This is of course laughable. The real reason for America never having had a foreign invasion is...

Teamwork, War, Competition, and Win-Win Scenarios

Different situations are described by different theories and require different approaches. In the competitive situation, the point is to maximize one's own well-being regardless of what it means for the next person; and this situation is described best by classical economics....

Children Abused, Dying Under State Protection

Children still being abused, dying under state's protectionBy Tracy Vedder Story Updated: May 17, 2012  SEATTLE -- In spite of state watchdogs and federal oversight, children are still being abused and dying under the state's protection. And the state could face more...

Open Letter to Eminem

Dear Mr. Mathers,  Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ilya Shambat. My family came from Russia to America when I was 12. I went on a full scholarship to a private school and finished University of Virginia at age 18. In my adult life, I have done everything from...