by Steve Heilig
Richard Brautigan once observed that “It’s really something to have fame put its feathery crowbar under your rock and then upward to the light to release you, along with seven grubs and a sow bug.” And he would know — Brautigan went from shy, impoverished, unknown struggling writer to world-renowned wealthy counter-cultural icon and back [...]
by Steve Heilig
A lot of Americans are in physical pain. A lot of Americans are addicted to prescription pain medications. The two populations overlap, but are not the same. And therein lies a huge and growing problem. The New York Times recently printed a front-page story titled “Tightening the Lid on Pain Prescriptions.” The Wall Street Journal [...]
by Steve Heilig
Every morning I put about half a teaspoon of sugar in my coffee. Then I usually do that again. And I love it. That is the single use I have for the stuff, although it gets into my mouth and body via many other foods and drinks, as it’s contained, and often hidden, in so [...]
by Steve Heilig
There’s an old sad joke in health policy circles: A bigshot policy wonk, who worked his life away trying to get a good universal health coverage plan in place, dies and goes to heaven where, due to his good intentions, is granted an audience with God. “Nice try,” says God. “Any questions?” The health reformer [...]
by Steve Heilig
When I was a kid in Southern California back in the 1970s, I had a pal up the street whose dad taught chemistry at the local university. That’s all I really knew about the man, other than that he was very tall (6’5”!). He was always welcoming at their home when we did stop in [...]
by Steve Heilig
Despite my better judgment and sometimes sensitive stomach, I caught a bit of the latest Republican candidate debate the other evening. The one benefit was that I finally figured out why an obscure old song by legendary British popsters The Kinks has been circling through my “jukebox head” – it’s the best theme song for [...]
by Steve Heilig
Contraception exploded onto the front pages in February. That might seem strange to most people — what is controversial about contraception at this late date? One headline read “Changes to Contraceptive Coverage Rules Draw Mixed Reaction” and that one wins the ‘understatement’ award on this topic. “Conservatives” seized on the issue as a good wedge [...]
by Steve Heilig
A striking letter just appeared in the Wall Street Journal signed by 38 leading climate scientists from around the world. They strongly protested a previous opinion piece in the same paper titled “No Need to Panic About Global Warming,” signed by other scientists of good repute in their fields — but not in climate science. [...]
by Steve Heilig
Newt Gingrich should enlist Charlie Sheen as his run ning mate.
by Steve Heilig
One of the more depressing experiences related to drug use is being compelled to listen to somebody trying to convey some “cosmic” revelation they had while under the influence. But there are rare exceptions. E.g.: Drug abuse has been called the United States’ worst public health problem, and our government has waged a “war on [...]
