Here’s an interesting idea for a short story: The God of the Old Testament looks down on Earth and is not at all happy with what he sees. Mankind, He notes, is overflowing with the sin of hubris. But more than… Continue Reading
First, a concession: My dislike of Edgar Allan Poe’s writing style — the visceral, physical cringing I feel when reading his poems and stories — is likely a testament to that style’s phenomenal success. The dreary, gothic, broad strokes that paint… Continue Reading
Over at Slate Star Codex, Scott Alexander has posted a theory in regards to the origins of religion, and why they are both so ubiquitous and powerful in different cultures. It is not a particular revolutionary theory — and to be… Continue Reading
Though it is 2:00 p.m. on a Tuesday, the Church of Scientology visitors center I am exploring is bustling with activity. It’s so full of people that I have to serpentine my way around bodies to get to my test-taking… Continue Reading
Trigger Warning: This is going to be a long post, so those of you with short attention spans should turn back now. For everyone else, buckle in. Over at Hit Coffee, friend and Ordinary colleague Gabriel Conroy quotes Megan McArdle’s… Continue Reading
Hello, World! My name is Tod, and I am the new Blinded Trials intern. Over the course of the coming weeks, months, and years, I will be fetching coffee, collating various reports, and picking up dry-cleaning for Russell and Elizabeth. I will… Continue Reading
The tension that exists between providing good care for patients and making a profit in the healthcare business is one of my signal preoccupations. In our current fee-for-service model, there exists a seemingly intractable conflict between prioritizing the needs of… Continue Reading
In my own little corner of American medical care, so far I haven’t felt much of a ripple from the Affordable Care Act (or, if you prefer, “Obamacare”). The changes in insurance regulation that have already gone into effect don’t… Continue Reading