The American Spectator : A Few Oddities

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A Few Oddities

By Ben Stein on 2.8.11 @ 6:08AM

They begin — but don’t end — with Mayor Bloomberg.

I am endlessly amazed at how backwards we humans get things in our lives. Just let me give you two very basic examples, one of which is a crime against humanity.

I keep reading in the New York Times that Mayor Bloomberg, a billionaire health nut, is on a campaign against having too much salt in foods in New York City restaurants. His belief is that New Yorkers and visitors shorten their life spans by eating too much salt and therefore raising their blood pressure in a dangerous way. If he took control over the salt content in New York restaurants, he could save a few dozen lives per year, he believes.

But, wait a moment. I also read in the New York Times that New York City is one of the abortion capitals of the nation, with a much higher rate of abortion than most other parts of the nation. And Mayor Bloomberg is a great fan of “…a woman’s right to choose…” to abort her baby.

As I calculate it in a rough way, New York City has about 8 million persons living there, or about (very roughly) 3 per cent of the nation’s population. And New York has a much higher abortion rate than the rest of the nation. So it is possible that New Yorkers have about 50,000 abortions per year, or maybe a lot more.

That is 50,000 killings of totally innocent children every year. Does Mayor Bloomberg think that his anti-salt campaign means much compared with that number? If he wants to save lives, why doesn’t he throw his tiny weight and his huge purse behind right to life? That’s a truly life-saving act.

This whole subject endlessly fascinates and horrifies me. We campaign against obesity — and we should — because it shortens life. But nothing else makes life as short as abortion. We campaign for more exercise — and I heartily agree — because it lengthens life. But, again, no amount of exercise would offset the over 1,000,000 excess American deaths each year caused by abortion of the totally innocent. We want safer cars. We want cleaner air. We want cleaner water. All to save life. But there is nothing we could do that would save more lives than to truly stop abortion in all but the most extreme cases of need.

Why? Why are we so blind to the mass murder of the innocent?

Second interesting issue. Our President, Mr. Obama, and other high pooh-bahs, want us to use more nuclear power to offset the harmful effects of burning coal, oil, and natural gas. These carbon products pollute the air and (supposedly, although no one is buying this any longer except for a few fanatics) are dangerous to human health because they create ”global warming.” Therefore, so the reasoning runs, we should use nuclear power.

But, wait. Nuclear waste is toxic for ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND YEARS! Yes, it is toxic for far longer than civilization has existed. And our President thinks it’s a good idea to generate this lethal waste in mass quantities ? A better idea than to burn oil and coal ? Is he kidding? What the heck is going on here? Toxic for 100,000 YEARS!!! And we choose to create it? Are we insane?

About the Author

Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes “Ben Stein’s Diary” for every issue of The American Spectator.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (72) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

Appleby| 2.8.11 @ 7:06AM

The French have a very good way of disposing of nuclear waste that (unlike most of what they do in France) doesnt involve running in circles, waving their arms and screaming. Perhaps we could check on that before we reject nuclear power out of hand? (They also have some of the best incinerators for generating energy by burning garbage, which here in Kanukistan is viewed with horror too -- better to live in squalor and poverty than burn garbage!)

But you are 100% correct on the matter of abortion, sir. Perhaps we should start teaching the unrestrained generation how women get pregnant, and maybe they could stop it now and then...

Occam's Tool| 2.8.11 @ 4:30PM

Correct. Indeed, all of the nuclear waste France has produced is contained in one building.

Ben has a problem with science.

Will| 2.8.11 @ 7:28AM

And...let's not forget that the sneering, imperious Bloomberg has green-lighted the victory mosque at Ground Zero!
A mullahs right to choose!

P.Smith| 2.8.11 @ 7:50AM

Of course Bloomberg supports abortion. From what I’ve heard about him, he has probably paid for a few of them himself.

Pellligrino| 2.8.11 @ 11:27AM

And this hot-air, all pomp, no substance mayor will look the other way as 1,000+ abortions occur THIS WEEK within the confines of his boroughs. Same in Chicago, Houston, L.A..... just THIS WEEK.

Where's the ongoing national outrage about what we learned in Philadelphia just two-three weeks ago?

Jared in Tuscon got lots of coverage and outrage. But the Philly mayor? Boston's mayor? Baltimore's mayor?

And we worry about table salt. Or too salty chips. Oh, right, it's those trans fats.

Steve Ruggles| 2.8.11 @ 8:00AM

Ben Stein is so right on almost everything. But nuclear waste is reprocessable into more energy. It was a Carter decision to stop reprocessing. That nuclear "waste" will someday be a valuable commodity worth reprocessing.

C. S. P. Schofield| 2.8.11 @ 8:54AM

Matter that is radioactively toxic decays. Matter that is chemically toxic just stays toxic. Coal power plants produce many times (Many hundred times) the mass of Nuclear Power's waste, in toxic matter that does not decay.

David W| 2.8.11 @ 9:23AM

waste from coal-fired power plants contains all sorts of nasty things that are now more concentrated - heavy metals, acids, arsenic, and even some radioactive elements (I read many years ago that a coal power plant could not be licensed as a nuclear power plant because it releases too much radioactivity into the air (at least more than what a nuke plant is allowed to)).

The amount of waste from coal is also much greater than from nuclear plants. I wonder how the coal waste is handled? Placed in the same type of container as nuclear waste OR is it buried in unsealed landfills or left in open pits?

I support coal, but I know that without a concerted effort to move to nuclear (with the government getting the heck out of the way) then we are screwed.

Dixie Pixie| 2.8.11 @ 4:14PM

Greetings David
Most coal ash is stored as a slurry in land fills
About 20% of coal ash is sold to concrete plants and used to make concrete.

The coal furnaces are highly oxidizing and the ash has a very high silicon content so the heavy metals are reduced to oxides and bound into silicon oxide glassy compounds.
Those heavy metal compounds are locked into alkaline glass and sealed into concrete when used in concrete products.
The result is, you are probably living and working in or on the results of BTUs long gone.

old white guy| 2.11.11 @ 3:19PM

i like that. something new learned today.

Wayne | 2.8.11 @ 9:03AM

The Left, and I consider Bloomberg part of the Left, lose the moral high ground they fantasize about when it comes to abortion. Thanks for putting this into perspective. 50,000 innocents are slaughtered, but they worry about salt, second hand smoke, carbon dioxide and fat.
I guarantee you it has nothing to do with a love for humanity. Rather it has more to do with a love to tell the rest of us what to do. The Left lives to tell us how to live our lives.

maxumumrandb| 2.8.11 @ 9:21AM

Michael Bloomberg = Mayor McPhee (Nannie McPhee).

Dan Jones| 2.8.11 @ 2:18PM

Except that nanny McPhee used her powers for good, methinks.

Kevin| 2.8.11 @ 9:52AM

The West can rid itself of the anti-nuclear superstition or it can perish. Take your choice.

Stormzeye| 2.8.11 @ 9:54AM

Great to see you writing a "hard hitting" piece Ben. This is the voice I appreciate. Your passion regarding innocent life is appreciated. Though I respect your opinion regarding nuclear waste, I disagree. This material can be re-used and ultimately can be safely stored in glass and concrete as the French have done for decades.

Ken (Old Texican)| 2.8.11 @ 10:01AM

Mr. Stein,
Sir, I very rarely read your columns any more.

The BS you have begun to spout is absolutely insane...or ...perhaps just stubborn ignorance.

Let me 'splain something to you, ignoramus. Exhausted nuclear fuel rods emit radiation. That radiation can be cut in half with every six inches of plain old dirt piled on those rods..... Get it?
6 inches =1/2 12 inches 1/4th 18 inches=1/8th
...and so forth and so on.
Bottom line, we could pitch a tent and live a full life on top of three feet of dirt between us and the fuel rods...and absorb less radiation than working in a building made of granite.

One can utilize any material for radiation attenuation. Even water, or even air if we use enough of it.
It is idiots like you talking as if gamma radiation is some sort of supernatural evil power that has so stupidly delayed our energy future.

Folks, gamma radiation is a simple, well understood physical phenomenon. So get radical!
Bury the rods SIX FEET under ground, right on the nuke plant grounds.
Bury the rods in a container impervious to aging, like plastic baby diapers that archeologists will dig up intact in a million years
Or
If you want to go "hi-tech" bury the rods in a series of glass containers, or PVC containers.

Then perhaps, our descendants can dig them up and re-refine the material when that becomes cost effective.

Steve A| 2.8.11 @ 10:15AM

In over 14,000 cumulative reactor years in 32 countries you have had precisely 2 incidents. Chernoby & 3 Mile Island. Safety measures have certainly improved since those incidents. The only "insane" people are those, like Mr. Stein, who launch paranoid attacks with no basis in reality.

Keapon| 2.8.11 @ 3:28PM

Exactly. Heck, in a worst-worst case scenario: If we have too much not-yet-economically-worth-reprocessing 'waste' to comfortably store 'underground' we could always drop it on the bottom of the ocean in a subduction zone and really put it underground.

I hope you were joking about the diapers. :) Anti-plastic hype is part of the general anti-science hype (Thanks Global Warming scam artists!) and the Green Movement. It's all biodegradable folks. Kid last year or so made some bacteria in his garage that ate plastic grocery bags as a science project. Japanese scientists discovered a bacteria that ate nylon 40 years after nylon was invented.

To anyone -still- worried about something like radioactive waste entering the 'biosphere' or some such by burying it underground, uranium eating bacteria have been around for longer than we have guys and they like living underground.

Occam's Tool| 2.8.11 @ 4:34PM

Dear Ken: Ben also doesn't take his psychiatric meds.

beebop| 2.8.11 @ 4:47PM

I have never noticed him talk about meds, but I do understand from reading his posts here that he is a follower of 12 step programs. Disagree all you like, but I would think that you -- before all others -- would think twice befor unleashing the psycho slur. I am really disappointed.

old white guy| 2.11.11 @ 3:22PM

heh, i see ben has stirred up more than a few words today.

Aquanomics| 2.8.11 @ 10:34AM

Mr. Stein,

Right On regarding Mayor Bloomberg's abortion mill, Right Off regarding nuclear energy.

William Tucker is a frequent, fellow American Spectator author. You should read his recent book, "Terrestrial Energy." The book will help you modernize your 1960's views on nuclear power.

Chuck| 2.8.11 @ 10:38AM

Jewish people baffle me. After what these people have suffered since Old Testament days how can any Jew be for abortion. Also, Evangelical Christians are Israel's greatest gentile supporters, Israeli Jews acknowledge this but left wing Jews elsewhere absolutely despise evangelicals and view them as their greatest threat. Some Jewish person who reads these blogs explain please.

Steve A| 2.8.11 @ 10:46AM

Chuck, Liberal first. All else is secondary, especially "religion."

VBMax| 2.8.11 @ 11:07AM

Chuck...No big mystery here. Jews are not a monolithic group as is frequently portrayed. You have your religious Jews and your secular Jews.
You have progressives and conservatives (like me). Some Jews are pro-life, some are pro-abortion. Now you explain to me why there are so many "Christians" who are pro-abortion.

Chuck| 2.8.11 @ 11:21AM

I was asked that question by father long ago and answered him as follows: People who claim to be Christians and pro-abortion cannot possibly be TRUE Christians, meaning those you have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. If Jesus were here today physically my guess is HE would be pro-life and all abortions stopped. Now explain to me why left-wing Jews despise Evangelicals, is it religious, political OR both?

VBMax| 2.8.11 @ 12:05PM

Chuck...I agree with your answer. True Christians would have to be anti-abortion.
As for your question about left-wing Jews hating Evangelicals. Don't know if "hating" is the correct terminology. There are some who "hate", I'm sure, as is the case with those of any religion 0r no religion. It is political, of course. Left-wingers of any religion ( or no religion) are hostile to those Christians of true faith who actually practice their religion.

Seek| 2.8.11 @ 12:15PM

Has it occurred to you that there was plenty of abortion in this country long before it was made legal? I cannot think of a single case in the history of humankind in which criminalizing abortion actually succeeded in eliminating it.

skip| 2.8.11 @ 12:55PM

I cannot think of a single case in the history of humankind in which criminalizing murder actually succeeded in eliminating it.

I cannot think of a single case in the history of humankind in which criminalizing rape actually succeeded in eliminating it.

I cannot think of a single case in the history of humankind in which criminalizing theft actually succeeded in eliminating it.

Has it occurred to you the level of intelligence and honesty required to make your point?

Seek| 2.9.11 @ 12:20PM

There is a social consensus that rape, murder and theft are felonies needing pubishment. There is nothing, however, even resembling a consensus on the legality or morality of abortion. When such a consensus materializes, then maybe you'll get the constitutional amendment you're seeking.

As for me, I'm a pro-life voluntarist. More self-control = less abortion and government intrusion into the bedroom and the examination room.

Seek| 2.9.11 @ 12:22PM

Ah, "punishment." I would not want to be accused of not knowing how to spell.

skip| 2.9.11 @ 1:59PM

Constitutional amendment? WTF?

We need to stop calling up down, right wrong, lies truth, stupidity intelligence, etc.

The constitution does not allow for murder.
Murder is ending an innocent human's life intentionally.
A fetus is alive and is human and is innocent at conception.

I don't give a fig about consensus.

I am pro-choice.
I am for the choice of a woman to abstain from sex.
I am for the choice of a woman to avoid an unwanted pregnancy as a result of sex.
I am for a the choice of a woman to put up for adoption an unwanted baby as a result of an unwanted pregnancy.
I am for the choice of society to put to death anyone found guilty of committing murder.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

The Constititution is completely consistent with the Declaration which provides the basis for the authority of the Constitution.

spinstopper| 2.8.11 @ 1:55PM

every jewish family raises their children to see abortion as an abomination

Pellligrino| 2.8.11 @ 11:17AM

And no American Jewish men join the US Armed Forces. Why?

If you doubt this, just inquire as to how many rabbis are in the US Navy, US Army, and USAF.

FYI: Chaplains are 'integrated' into the US Armed Forces either as commissioned officers (most) or as paid short-term/long-term contract clerics (now done with Roman Catholic priests)

We have lots of Baptists (biggest group), some Lutheran and Methodist and Presbyterian, a lot Protestant non denominational/Evangelical, and not enough Roman Catholic. No need for rabbis as to whom would they minister?

This is NOT denegrating; it is fact.

The chaplaincy reflects the prefered denomination of the soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen.

As as we near the next war in the Middle East against Israel, the US will again defend Israel (technology, cyber, logistics, weapons sales, contractors, drill instructors, special forces, anti-missle equipment, anti-aircraft units....)

So why no Jewish people in the US Armed Forces?

What? Jewish young men cannot see the wisdom and service to the land of 4-5 years of service and then get back to schools, careers, jobs, and family?

Yes, here and there one or two. But nowhere near reflecting the population percentage within the US adult male citizenry.

I agree with Chuck; Jewish American people baffle me.

VBMax| 2.8.11 @ 11:50AM

Jewish Soldiers in Service of their Country"
http://www.jewishmag.com/122ma.....n-army.htm

Ken (Old Texican)| 2.8.11 @ 12:24PM

VBMax
Thank you so much for that link. I knew a lot Jewish men serve and served in the past. Didn't have the numbers.
I have placed that web-site in my book marks...for the next time someone makes that mistake.

VBMax| 2.8.11 @ 12:30PM

Ken...You're quite welcome....I just found that link myself.

Stuart Davis| 2.8.11 @ 11:54AM

My name is Captain Davis, I served six years in the US Air Force, My brother's name is Major Davis, he is currently a reservist in the US Army and has been for over 20 years. His son is currently in the US Army and is learning how to fire artillery shells. His grandfather, my father, was wounded two times while serving in the Pacific during WWII. We are all Jews.
There are plenty of Jews that have and are proudly defending the freedoms granted by the constitution and our rights giben by G-d. I'm sorry you have not had the honor of meeting any us.
While I find your comments about the lack of Jews in the armed forces ignorant, your comments about a lack of Jewish clergy is, based on my experince, unfotunately accurate. I never saw a rabbi while serving on active duty.

Pelligrino| 2.8.11 @ 1:44PM

Gentlemen, please focus on the following line I wrote above: "But nowhere near reflecting the population percentage within the US adult male citizenry." (today's population -- 2010 decade numbers)

I stand by the core statement of what I tried (probably very poorly) to convey: Our PRESENT-DAY military does not have what one would think would be a sizable representation of Jewish males.

I cannot speak to the past and have no doubts as to great particpation levels in times like World War II. No reason to have doubts, too many good, true and valuable stories of men who faithfully served and accomplished so much for all of us.

Mr. Davis, if you are still current, please be honest with readers here. And your brother might already be getting a little senior with over 20 years. But do get your nephew -- who is where the rubber meets the road -- to tell you just how many fellow Jewish young men serve with him in his unit and those around him. Does he have any Jewish men at all in his chain of command? If he's already had several positions/assignments, how about in previous chains of command?

Unless something is terribly amiss with the chaplaincies of the various service branches (and it could be), there would be rabbis as chaplains to aid with ministry to the troops.

It is supposed to be a requirement to have a good chaplain representation to make sure the spiritual needs of the troops are met. (Even when too many today express no real interest in a personal faith)

Again, please, I mean no harm. I want to raise the issue because it is a question mark, it baffles. We need strong, smart, very capable, very dedicated young men entering our Armed Forces.

And there should be plenty of able-bodied Jewish young men who wish to do this very thing in this PRESENT time period, decade.

Yes, there are some who do volunteer to serve and bully for them. But nowhere near what Jewish young men are as a percentage of our US population for adult males under age 30-35.

Focus: Present tense military service, not past tense/historical.

Please: This is not anti-Jewish or anti-Semetic. NOT at all! It is just pondering why so few when one key component of American international military efforts is the assistance and protection of Israel. (what we should be doing -- most definitely)

And assistance/aid/directly mitary support of Israel is an ongoing effort all the time whether relative peace in the Middle East (very rare) or the potential explosion we now face if/as Egypt's new leadership goes fully radical Islamic like Iran.

Incidentally the web link referenced focuses on the past (good, nothing wrong with solid history) but the web site seems last updated almost 3 years ago.

Mr. Davis, when I was a boy my father was close friends with a senior officer who was Jewish. His only son was one of my close friends. We got on great playing several sports together even though this son was a real trouble in school and later had real problems with alcohol that resulted in his near-death just two years after high school. Simultaneously we knew one very nice, very friendly Chaplain Rabbi then. But that was MANY years ago. And we had known far more Jewish friends and families growing up in the NE -- very close -- before this association with the almost exclusively military community.

Rick| 2.8.11 @ 2:35PM

Pelligrino -

There is a significant shortage of rabbis in the US military.

You attempt to use this to project the number of Jewish service members. .... Service members who feel the lack of religious leadership.

That is not accurate.

Lay Jewish leaders fill some of the shortage. Where available, civilian Jewish synagogues fill religious needs for some.

Further, there are individuals whose heritage and parents are Jewish, but who chose to not actively practice their faith.

In short, you present an incorrect assumption: That the number of rabbis reflect the number of Jewish service members.

About 1 percent of the U.S. military is Jewish, says Rabbi Harold Robinson, director of the Jewish Chaplains Council in New York. Jews are 1.5% of the US population; I do not know the percentage of military age.

Shortage of Rabbis causes a void within Jewish overseas Military communities :
http://www.pjvoice.com/v14/14105japan.html

Rick| 2.8.11 @ 1:48PM

http://www.
library.fau.edu/depts/spc/brody_chaplains.pdf

Eight Jewish Chaplains died in service, during World War II. A total of 311 Jewish chaplains served.

The USS Dorchester sank, when torpedoed by a Uboat. Four chaplains then gave their life jackets to soldiers who lacked them. One was Rabbi Alexander Goode. All four chaplains perished.

Rabbis have served in the US military from the Civil War through today.

Pelligrino - your facts are wrong.
Check out the cited webpage. You could also do a web search.
Pelligrino, why did you present a lie, especially one that is so easily refuted.

Pelligrino| 2.8.11 @ 2:11PM

Rick, you are 100% right. I am not trying to question all the terrific merits and truths of our nation's military history and the many who have contributed.

I just ask that you read -- although I did not make it clear enough (my fault) -- my earlier 11:17 A.M. post.

I am using verbs in the present tense, not past.

I have no doubts about the past and the many good who served and suffered so that my generation and thereafter have it so good.

I am just asking -- asking -- about the present.

But, I erred. The base article in this thread is from Mr. Stein on 2 main topics: Abortion & how to handle energy issues and nuclear power plant waste.

I apologize to all. I went way off topic.

I promise, Franco, I will post no more today.

And endeavor to stay on thread topic in the future.

Franco| 2.8.11 @ 12:41PM

Bloomberg isn't Jewish. I think he's a WASP.

Occam's Tool| 2.8.11 @ 4:40PM

Dear Chuck:

as a Jewish graduate of TCU, let me explain this antipathy to you---many Jews have a reflexive anger to anything Christian because of what was done to them in the shtetls. They fail to recognize that people like you and Rev. Hagee are good people. They confuse you with idiots like Clint. In addition, given the 1/3 loss of Jews in the Holocaust, and the fact that we still have not recovered from that, demographically, your statements on abortion are also correct.

We Conservative (politically) Jews have a word for these people. Thay are called "schmucks."

Thank you for your support, Chuck.

fsilber| 2.10.11 @ 12:59PM

"How can any Jew not want to outlaw abortion?" While Jewish law treats abortion as a sin, much like self-mutilation, it is not considered to be murder. This view is derived from Mosaic law in the Old Testament, which states a penalty for accidentally causing a woman to miscarry which is significantly less than the penalty for accidentally killing a born person. As for their view of Evangelicals, many American Jews are as (ir)religious as modern Unitarians -- their leftist politics is their religion. This leftist bent has pretty much disappeared among Orthodox Jews, but seems to be weakening rather slowly among the less religious.

old white guy| 2.11.11 @ 3:24PM

left wing anything despise evangelicals.

chris haynes| 2.8.11 @ 11:26AM

Ben Stein. Thanks for this article.

The correct figure for the mumber of abortions in New York City is 80,000 per year. It is fair to note that Bloomberg has lots of company. Rudy Gulianni also promoted this greatest of all holocausts. And naturally, all the Democrats.

In Battery Park, there is a Holocaust Museum. Their message is "Never Again". How silly, when they have the greatest holocaust in history going on outside their doors, promoted by Governor Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg and most of their Board members.

KRC| 2.8.11 @ 11:30AM

On the other hand------ if only Bloomberg's, and Obama's mothers had engaged in abortion----?

skip| 2.8.11 @ 12:57PM

Imagine a world in which only abortion supporters' mothers had engaged in abortion.

Doug Welty| 2.8.11 @ 2:20PM

But Ben, we can bury nuclear waste under giant mountains, or in the Antarctic wastes, where it can't hurt anybody, and nobody can get to it.

Or we could fire it off into outer space, and finally get something out of our massive Space Pork expenditures besides Tang and Velcro.

Old Soldier | 2.8.11 @ 2:21PM

Bloomberg salts his salitines (true). That tells all you need know about him. One way for him another for the peons.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09.....bloom.html

Old Soldier| 2.8.11 @ 2:26PM

1. Obama is lying about his support for nuclear power. I'll believe him when I see the new plant.

2. Other people have already commented on the silly nuclear waste disposal problem.

mejamom| 2.8.11 @ 3:27PM

In my experience, most pro abortion people are humanists. I think that's the term. They believe in no soul or afterlife, no benevolent creator, etc. But they believe in helping humankind, which in the issue of abortion is a woman's right to choose whether to become saddled down w/ an unwanted child or not. Those people do not have the gift of faith and whatever God's plan is for creating them is, as many of God's plans, beyond me.
Again, in my experience, those who claim to be of faith and are pro abortion are lazy. They see abortion as a lesser of 2 evils. As if it's better to have a more oppulent(sp?) lifestyle than a child who might cost them that backyard pool or put a dent in their social engagements. To them, killing the unplanned unborn baby would be better than the humiliation of making an adoption plan. Really, I know people like this. And you can't get it through to them how wrong they are.
I know people who've both adopted and placed children and it can be a difficult process. I wonder if we should start with making adoption easier to make it a more positive alternative.

Bob Miller| 2.8.11 @ 3:44PM

Maybe NYC needs the salt for proper snow/ice removal, so people can't just eat it.

PattyMor| 2.8.11 @ 3:50PM

I have come to the conclusion that Liberals are
tunnel visionaries. They hand out food stamp like candy, then decry that people are too fat. Also it the very same government that has overseen the school lunch programs for the last 70 years. They build schools in Africa, but can not see the poor schools in Brooklyn or the south side of Chicago.

chris haynes| 2.8.11 @ 6:20PM

Biology 101 says that a human being is a complete organism with human DNA. So in an abortion, you're killing a human being.

So to condone abortion, you need to deny the equality of all men. You must hold that some men are inferior, and have no inalienable rights whatsoever, not even a right to breathe, and that the state has no duty to protect the innocoent.

Bloomberg, Gulianni, Cuomo, Lieberman, Clinton, Obama, the "big tent" republicans, all the Democrats. They say that abortion should be legal. The biggest mass-murder, the greatest holocaust in in human history.

Thanks, Ben Stein.

Beer (f.m.h.)| 2.8.11 @ 9:48PM

Oh, the irony, the irony of it all...

syd chaden| 2.9.11 @ 12:12AM

In regard to Ben's question, "Are we insane?", the answer is YES!

ReConUSMC| 2.10.11 @ 2:18PM

Ben a far bigger number is .... Blacks are 12.9 % of the Population .Yet account for 62 % of all Abortions in America .
In other words there have been far more Abortions here than all the Slaves shipped to North America .
Where 's that anger ?

Ralph Novy| 2.10.11 @ 4:28PM

What's your exact point here, son?

Are you pointing out how financially/politically oppressed and desperate folks "of color" are in this society?

Or are you attempting to suggest that folks of color are somehow less "moral" or "sensitive to the value of human life" than "white" ("colorless"?) people?

ari| 2.10.11 @ 2:31PM

Why not ask about northerners in the military? Or men and women from white collar families? Or from Ivy League schools? just sayin'. From what I've read, our military is a southern tradition, mostly.

For that matter, it is possible to assist the military without being in the military- weapons designers. Or linguists- like Noam Chomsky, who lives on military grants. It's in Peter Schweizer's research, about Mr. N. Chomsky.

If you are the sort of person who dines out at a fancy restaurant, then the bon vivant Mr Bloomberg might see you. And he'd like to see thin, wealthy, healthy women. If you're the typical seeker of abortion in New York, you are single and most probably black, and possibly hispanic. I don't think he cares if you're thin or not. I doubt he's going to take you to dine.

It's the hardest thing in the world, to have an intelligent compassion for people other than you.

Ralph Novy| 2.10.11 @ 4:22PM

"This whole subject endlessly fascinates and horrifies me."

Me too, Mr. Stein.

"Right to life" sounds just fine and dandy. Ought to be a "liberal" political-banner slogan, don't you think?

But no. It's a "conservative" one.

Huh?

How'd THAT come about?

Ah.........forgot about religious orthodoxy -- specifically MIDDLE-EASTERN religious orthodoxy stemming back some -- what? --- 4,00 years?

Bottom line, in that value system, women are not partners but property. Their offspring must be controlled because of inheritance laws/traditions. You don't want that lecherous, philandering neighbor Levi's biological son, whom you raised as your own, inheriting your shit.

Ahem...........Ben. Yeah abortion is a pretty fucking horrible, desperate thing. But having to raise a child without adequate financial and emotional resources -- and by the mandate of a bunch of middle-aged white European males -- is pretty despicable, don't you think?

Just don't ever call me "pro-abortion," OK? I've NEVER met anyone who was. Pretty much everybody I've ever discussed this with is torn and sad.

OK?

Timothy Norling| 2.10.11 @ 6:20PM

I believe about 70% (?) of France's electricity is generated from nuclear power, and generated without incident.

If the French can do it, surely the United States has a slight chance of building safe secure facilities.

As for coal, as Rush points out, most of the electric cars today are running on electricity generated by... coal.

chris haynes| 2.11.11 @ 3:14PM

Oh yes, you're pro-abortion.
You wont punish murder, that's being a murder enabler. That can be called pro- murder.

You defend it with irrelevancies about "financial resources" and wonderful inanities about "middle age white men".

Everyone you "talked to is torn and sad". Typical liberal, boo-hooing for the poor murderers. How many abortion victims have you talked to? None. They're all dead.

We're talking human beings, innocent defenseless children, are we not? Inferior humans, by liberal decree. No inalienable rights, Not even to a right to breathe, let alone persue those "financial resources" 50,000,000 of them. A 9-11 every day.

An enabler of the greatest holocaust in history. That's what were talking here, are we not.

John S.| 2.12.11 @ 3:53PM

Mr. Stein, you've been lied to.

The radioactivity of a spent nuclear fuel rod drops to 0.1 percent of its original value in less than 40 years.

The 100,000 year value is sheer fiction, designed as a political ploy to control voters using fear.

With re-processing, the total amount of waste drops dramatically, though at the present time, the cost of re-processing (a relatively "closed" fuel cycle) is higher than the "open cycle", the reduction in both exploration and mining costs, plus the reduction in waste management costs, combined with the inevitable reduction in re-processing costs over time, make re-processing the better long term bet.

The history of engineering has almost always been one of increasing productivity over time. Thus, the best bet is that the cost of re-processing will drop to less than half of what it is today in less than 15 years.

Thanks for the articles, I can't help but be as amazed as you are about the moral tension between decrying the Holocaust while supporting abortion as a right.

Iron Sights| 2.12.11 @ 11:17PM

The real problem dealing with nuclear waste stems from the "green" nut jobs who have more money than brains and the uber self assurance that they are smarter than, and know better than, 99.9% of all Americans. They must protect us from our own ignorance and folly and not allow the construction of not even one more nuclear plant in America.
You want to provide jobs, stimulate the economy, and provide for our current and future energy needs? Put up some nuclear power plants.
Solar and wind is not going to cut it folks. Would one of you please tell President Oblahblah?

james domanoski| 3.18.11 @ 8:20AM

excellent point,i would much rather live next to a coal fired electric plant than a nuclear

MsAngeeDepp| 3.25.11 @ 1:03PM

Great Comment:

I agree who heartedly

Here is something I feel sums it up

This is probably not the one you are looking for, but it is one of my favorites. :)For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14

But I better you knew this scripture anyways..

GB Keep fighting for those who cant fight for themselves!

Reebok | 8.11.11 @ 4:05AM

is good

العاب | 4.11.12 @ 4:38PM

Biology 101 says that a human being is a complete organism with human DNA. So in an abortion, you're killing a human being.

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