Category Archives: Science

A “New” Monster

Posted on February 22, 2023 by admin

Just over 50 people in Mississippi have tested positive to Candida auris, a fungus that causes bloodstream infections and has an extremely high mortality rate. All infections in Mississippi seem to originate in a long-term care facility (sound familiar?) in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Science | 11 Comments

What’s Real?

Posted on February 6, 2023 by admin

Imagine a classroom where a student gets so sucked into Mech Arena that he doesn’t hear the teacher ask him a question. What’s more real to the student: the classroom, where he’s surrounded by other members of his own species, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Science, Social Media | 14 Comments

And the Winners Are…

Posted on November 11, 2022 by admin

As you know, UComp sections get to select the topics they’ll study for their in-class essays at the end of the semester. The 10:00 section decided to study the ethics of gender affirmation surgery; the noon section will address capital … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Science | 20 Comments

Another Cost of Climate Change

Posted on October 3, 2022 by admin

Dozens of people died during Hurricane Ian last month. Estimates for the repairing the damage the storm did to Florida and South Carolina range from $30 to $65 billion. As Mississippi’s coastal residents know, it will take years for Floridians … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Science | 20 Comments

Two Ideas to Contemplate

Posted on January 17, 2022 by admin

Welcome back to MSMS, my intrepid bloggers. Being quarantined for Covid-19 has given me time today to appreciate two miracles. I’d be remiss if I didn’t express gratitude and wonder to the scientists who found an effective vaccine for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Race in Mississippi, Science | 19 Comments

You Have the Right to Stay Silent

Posted on September 1, 2021 by admin

Last month, a tenured professor of English I know posted the following comment on the social media page of an elected official who wanted public input on Covid-19 vaccination policies. “At this point, as vicious as it sounds,” she wrote, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Pop Culture, Science, Social Media | 22 Comments

The Delta Spike

Posted on August 11, 2021 by admin

Mississippi has run out of Intensive Care Unit beds. Arkansas had only 8 available. Neighboring states are no better off. Incredulity has replaced the optimism I felt after C19 vaccines became available. Why must we continue to deal with this … Continue reading →

Posted in National Politics, Politics, Science | 21 Comments

Zooming into the Future

Posted on February 15, 2021 by admin

This morning, while most high school students in Mississippi slept in because of the weather, MSMS students filed into their Zoom rooms and stayed on track. Technology can seem like a blessing in situations like these, but I am curious: … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Science | 11 Comments

In Search of Common Ground

Posted on January 25, 2021 by admin

Before Biden, the last two men who won the presidency as Democrats made improvements to the health care system foundational to their platforms. Pres. Biden, of course, has the coronavirus to address. However, once that crisis is in the rearview … Continue reading →

Posted in National Politics, Politics, Science | 4 Comments

The Dim Light Near the End of the Tunnel

Posted on January 20, 2021 by admin

Mississippi has been administering coronavirus vaccines since the beginning of the year, but only 100,000 people have gotten their first doses. According to Fortune magazine, roughly 5% of Americans have received their first doses. At that rate, it will take … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Pop Culture, Science | 12 Comments