We're running out of water.

Possibly in the next few decades.

"Human beings will definitely have conflicts over this," says David Zhang.

How many years do we have until a civil or global war breaks out over this? How many legislators are trying to come up with policy about water rights? Access to the freshwater in the Great Lakes is already becoming an issue. I'm guessing the number of people in Congress who are worried about this can be counted on two hands.

Now, how many legislators are trying to battle about the contents of your uterus or what kind of people can get married?

I hope I've made my point. (We're all gonna die.)

Oh man.

Honestly, I feel bad for her. It must really suck to go through life believing that you have no power to discover truth on your own. I'm also sad that she doesn't own a dictionary or have access to dictionary.com:

faith (noun): strong or unshakeable belief in something, esp without proof or evidence

Notes on KK

Katherine Kersten's biweekly columns are an important staple for the Star Trib. Strategically positioned on the right side of the right page of the OpEx section, it's clear what role she plays in the editorial dialogue. I'm sure she gets more response letters per capita than any other writer there--this is good for the newspaper. She also generates internet traffic for them--again, a great arrangement for both parties. I say "both" because KK's writing is so formulaic that it would not be accepted for a platform that was not gaining financially from it. It's so formulaic, in fact, that I've written a formula for it.

Using the one column I seemed to have missed from the past couple of years, here are the components:

1. A "hot-button" issue as brought up by one recent poll. Here, it's a survey about the religious landscape in the U.S.

2. Precious little original thought. Kathy dearest will use one source, typically a book from a friend or discredited/outdated pundit, to paraphrase for 3/4ths of the column. The rest is rhetorical questions and cobbled-together quotes. The book in this case is "The Triumph of the Therapeutic" by Philip Rieff.

3. A false inequality that catalyzes the remainder of the column. Here, religion = Christianity.

4. Carefully lobbed barbs at science. (Debating the scientific validity of psychology is another issue :P)

5. Misrepresentation of the words or ideas of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, or a founding father. Katherine quotes James Madison to show that for a successful democracy, there must be virtue in the people. (Note the implicit argument that morals & virtue result only from religion, nay, Christianity.) However, she cuts off the quote at a crucial point (emphases mine):

Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks-no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea, if there be sufficient virtue and intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection of these men. So that we do not depend on their virtue, or put confidence in our rulers, but in the people who are to choose them.

6. Some form of generally degrading or ignoring the existence of women, minority groups, etc. This may be minor in this column, but I still count 11 uses of "man" or "men" compared to 1 "women".

Please feel free to use this handy 6-point list as a reference whenever perusing KK.
Or, do something useful and interesting with your time instead. (Seriously. What's wrong with me.)

Revival

Or, here goes nothing.

The perils of refusing to write an "About" section or proper introductory post include the possibility of an aimless, boring, probably accidentally patronizing (sorry!) blog.

This here post gon' fix all that.
This blog aims to address, with copious use of links:

1. Things relating to medical ethics and education (e.g. this)
2. Things related to people with whom I am past the point of respectfully disagreeing (e.g. Andrew Wakefield and my friend Kathy)
3. Cool science things, especially with regard to brains and guts
4. Webcomics that are sometimes disturbing
5. Complainin'
6. Politix, especially relating to healthcare, women's and LGBTQ rights
7. Sometimes I like TV or music things and will force my opinion on you. Fair warning.
8. Bad jokes

Both more frivolous and less lengthy things will be relegated to my tumblr. Also, I'm going to use tags now! All right.

If you want me to talk about (or not talk about) anything in particular, do let me know.

Broken record

I had a sudden wave of "must. get out. of the midwest" this morning, strange since I've been basically at peace for a couple weeks now. It is also very apparent, now that application season is gearing up and I am watching my friends go through the process, that I have absolutely no right to be complaining. I understand that, I'm very grateful for how everything has turned out and for everyone who has helped me and been supportive, and I'm sorry for sounding like a broken record.

I just can't shake this feeling.

Whoops

I accidentally completely stopped posting here. Here goes the update:

1. KK has morphed into that person who sits in the back of the bus station cackling quietly to themselves. I really found today's column odd--she lists a bunch of things with which she clearly disagrees, but makes absolutely no attempt to refute them. Huh?

2. I started a tumblr in a desperate attempt to reclaim my teenagedom

3. Speaking of teenagedom, I want to go on a legitimate road trip. Anybody up for it?

4. I got into another med school yesterday. This is getting SO OLD you guys (no it's not). Besides, 3 out of 5 ain't bad. And it could still turn into 4 out of 5. Fingers crossed for late May.

5. Can somebody help me get accepted to a fraternity? Thanks in advance.

6. Come see my poster this Wednesday. There will be candy, fluorescent images, and even bar graphs. Spread the word. Bring your friends! Don't ask difficult questions.