If you see American Taliban, call them out.

Misogynists hate only those women who are powerful. Misogynists are fond of powerless women. In fact many of them are womanizers and even brag about their philanderer behavior.

Let's face it: Taliban's mistreatment of women started from their faith. They want to keep women powerless so they can easily control them. Christianity in the middle ages has similar sexist attitude. Enlightenment over the past 500 years changed that attitude toward equality. Unfortunately, if you read some of the American religious institution's faith statement, you realize not a small number of people still live in the middle age.

Since the founding of this country our forefathers are beacons of enlightenment. Our declaration of independence is a milestone and testimony of enlightenment thinking. All we need to do is to go back to our glorious tradition and embrace enlightenment once again.


If you see American Taliban, call them out.

Free market principle doesn't work for healthcare

U.S is the country truly believe in free market. In order for market to work, we need buyers sensitive to price and quality. In healthcare patients have limited ability to differentiate quality, and price shopping when a patient has life threatening disease, is, if not fantasy, very very difficult to do. Yes, you can price shop on small things, but for the big ticket surgeries and cancer treatments, how sensitive are you to price difference?

Free market does not work in healthcare. Not in a meaningful way. Add on to the complexity is the insurance market. For profit insurers are avoiding the sick and try very hard to sign up the healthy. Given the high cost of coverage, the young and healthy, if not working for large employer, try to avoid buying health insurance altogether. These behaviors make the US healthcare the most expensive in the world, while the results, judging from premature death rate and life expectancy, lagging OECD countries. What's the point of having a first rate medical research if you don't have access to healthcare?

Reflection of 2017

 T. Rex as chief diplomat

Pit bull in charge of education

ruled by billionaires who

complain about unfair term of trade

building a wall

to keep the newcomers out

oh yes

the thundering roar goes

a nation for the natives only

while the real natives die

on the trail of tears

their numbers dwindle

to almost a disappear

can't even keep their own

drinking water clean

from the pollution of oil

the richest smell of foul

This is the right nation

not always correct, just right

in the sense of self-righteousness

by way of alternative facts

and enhanced interrogation

no longer willing to lead

it's now all about me