The EPA’s move against “secret science”

The EPA is fixin to make a policy they say will combat “secret science” and increase transparency in government. I’m here to tell you WTF is up with that, and why this is not about transparency. It’s about resisting efforts to combat climate change in policy. Key context: The Clean Air Act requires the EPA […]

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Part 1: What’s all this, then?

In Part 1, I’ll outline the broad framework and some key provisions of the TPP. In Part 2, I’ll address the secrecy issue, the  corporate make-up of the advisory committees, and offer some brilliant thoughts. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is an international trade agreement under negotiation among 12 member countries/Parties: the US, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, […]

Jen Reads the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act… so you don’t have to!

I’m going to argue that this law does not open up any new paths for Indiana businesses to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. You careful readers will note that this implies Indiana businesses can already discriminate on this basis. That is correct. It’s my contention that this law was passed as groundwork for a much larger, much more evil project. Let’s get to it, shall we?

#4 The difference that makes a difference: Craving

What really makes the difference between the addict and the non-addict is the suffering involved with addiction. For the addict, the most immediately conscious aspect of addiction is craving. This isn’t just a matter of really wanting something. Craving is the most powerful motivational force the brain can marshal. How strong is it? When an […]

#3: Reward and Learning

The most important part of addiction for the addict is the phenomenon widely known as craving. It’s the hardest part about recovery, so it’s what we need to pay the most attention to when we’re thinking about treatment. What I’m about to describe is what occurs in the brain before the phenomenon of craving is […]