"Democracy becomes a government of bullies tempered by editors." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journals, 1847 The New York Times revealed the day before yesterday that the F.D.A. recently rid itself of disgruntled scientists who took exception to the agency's medical review process. More specifically, the article noted that: "Moving to quell what one memorandum called …
Tag: Science
The Seeker and the Sought
THE QUEST by James H. Cousins They said: ‘She dwelleth in some place apart, Immortal Truth, within whose eyes Who looks may find the secret of the skies And healing for life’s smart!’ I sought Her in loud caverns underground,-- On heights where lightnings flashed and fell; I scaled high Heaven; I stormed the gates of …
Weapons of Mass Construction
It is well-known that fission and fusion, two forms of nuclear reaction, release tremendous amounts of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. Weapons whose explosive energy is generated by fission are commonly known as "atomic bombs," though the name is somewhat misleading as the energy released comes specifically from the nucleus of the atom. …
What’s in a name?
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet..." - William Shakespeare Since the beginning of recorded history, man has been curious about the world around him. His inquiry, fueled by the desire to understand his existence and purpose, is largely confined within two major frameworks: …
The Missing Link
If a scientist names an object, say a star, does it change it's reality in any way? I think not. A star is a star, or as my mother likes to say, "It is what it is," regardless of what some man or woman on earth names it. The words or characters used in any …
Branches and Roots
Every once in a while you hear of unusually creative friendships. Such friendships have the dual effect on my consciousness of restoring my faith in humanity and sparking my imagination relative to our collective future. I stumbled across a lovely passage which describes one such friendship between Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau in …
Truth and Reason
"I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way." ~ Thomas Jefferson Every man, woman and child is called to make acquaintance with truth while navigating the river of life. Some scarcely have the opportunity …
Lost in Translation
I've been digesting a delicious article from yesterday's Sydney Morning Herald, called "Take a Tip from your Tongue," for the last few minutes and like Marcel Proust's madeleine I find myself lost in a dreamy remembrance of a time when perfection was the norm and not the exception. Was there such a time? A time …
Gregory Hake 