About me
I am a graduate of Grinnell College with a degree in Biological Chemistry. The name of this blog is derived from the name I use in Chinese, 孟柏民 (Mèng Bómín).
I can be reached by email at:
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Category Archives: Opinions
A breakdown of comity
I was dismayed to hear news of a shooting at a political event in Pima, AZ in which six people were killed and U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot. Giffords has survived, despite a shot to the head and is … Continue reading
Posted in Current events, Opinions, Politics
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Julian Assange and a transparent society
In an interview today with Julian Assange, BBC Radio 4 reporter John Humphrys brought up an issue that’s been buzzing around the media for the past few days regarding the juxtaposition of Assange’s role in facilitating leaks and his indignantion … Continue reading
Posted in Current events, Media, Opinions, Politics
Tagged Assange, BBC Radio 4, Julian Assange, privacy, transparency, WikiLeaks
3 Comments
A positive development from the Vatican
Checking the headlines today, I found a welcome surprise in the Vatican’s new position on using condoms to prevent the spread of HIV, particularly in Africa: After decades of fierce opposition to the use of all contraception, the pontiff will … Continue reading
Posted in Current events, Opinions
Tagged AIDS, Catholic Church, condoms, HIV, pope, Vatican
2 Comments
Congressional elections go as expected. Now what?
As anticipated by various outlets tracking the polls and politics of yesterday’s election, Republicans captured the House and made gains short of a majority in the Senate. From that result, it seems pretty clear that Obama’s age of legislative productivity … Continue reading
Ethnic discourse in the media
I’ve not commented on this blog about the recent firings of media figures for inane and offensive remarks they made during interviews. However, on Facebook, I posted an article by Steven Walt entitled Why Nasr, Thomas, Sanchez and Williams Should … Continue reading
Posted in Current events, Opinions, Politics
Tagged CNN, Facebook, journalism, media, Nasr, Sanchez, Thomas, Walt, Williams
2 Comments
The 55% rule
Of all the proposals put forth by the United Kingdom’s new governing coalition, perhaps one of the most controversial was the new requirement for 55% support in the House of Commons for a dissolution of Parliament to occur. Traditionally, this … Continue reading
Posted in Current events, Opinions, Politics
Tagged 55%, Liberal Democrats, UK election, UK elections
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A Protestant-free Supreme Court
When John Paul Stevens steps down from his post on the Supreme Court, he will be leaving the institution as its last Protestant on the bench, so long as President Obama’s nominee, Elena Kagan, is confirmed by the Senate as … Continue reading
A Big Bad Hung Parliament?
Alex Masse of Britain’s Conservative-leaning Spectator provides a competent rebuttal to Tory talking points on the horrors of a hung parliament and the prospect of proportional representation in Parliament advocated by the Liberal Democrats, as well as a humorous counterpoint … Continue reading
Should we fear alien invasion?
Stephen Hawking has created a new Discovery Channel show called Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking, which covers some of the possibilities of life beyond our own home world. A few excerpts from the British press have lit a storm … Continue reading
A one-way trip to Mars?
In contrast to my post last week about some recently uncovered qualities of lunar craters that will likely make any plans to settle or develop the Moon much more difficult, I am going to focus on Mars and the challenges … Continue reading
Posted in Astronomy, Musings, Opinions, Science
Tagged Lawrence Krauss, Mars, VASIMR
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Meng Bomin 