Reporters like to portray themselves as truth tellers who hold the powerful accountable. In reality, many of them are hired guns who publish propaganda under the guise of doing journalism. The good news is that a growing number of Americans are abandoning the legacy media for better sources of information.
Policy & Ethics
The Guardian's August 17 headline, “Drinking Water of Millions of Americans Contaminated with Forever Chemicals”, was based on newly released data from EPA’s Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. Contrary to the headlines blasted in the media, the actual data from this rule shows that Americans have nothing to fear from these chemicals.
Politicians need to seem to be doing SOMETHING, even if it is ill-advised, profligate, and futile, endangers Americans' standard of living and the nation's security. It applies to much of today's policymaking, from mitigation of climate change to the regulation of chemicals and genetic engineering.
There’s something about autism that invites scapegoating. The latest attack was on makers of Lexapro, the anti-depressant medication, when used during pregnancy. Six plaintiffs recruited three experts to testify to a supposed causal connection between the drug and their children’s affliction. The court rejected the expert testimony outright and dismissed the case. Three weeks ago, the Second Circuit affirmed. The decisions, while applaudable, are problematic.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that Affirmative Action in university admissions is discriminatory and unconstitutional. Compulsory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) statements in applications for university faculty positions and graduate school admissions should soon follow.
In the Fall of 2021, the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine announced that “licensees may face disciplinary action should they “generate and spread COVID-19 vaccine misinformation or disinformation.” Meryl J. Nass, MD, a Maine family practitioner, had her license suspended for this in January 2022. She is suing, claiming a first amendment right to her speech.
“Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.” It is a concept entangled in both Chinese and Japanese culture, and while difficult to explain well, especially for a novice understander like myself. It is a way of understanding, a particular lens on life.
“Policymakers embrace the neat, plausible, and wrong explanation for the overdose crisis because it is easier than accepting the inconvenient truth.”
According to the Affordable Care Act, anyone needing emergency care is entitled to treatment. In 1985, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) was enacted to provide federal protection. Even so, insurers have tried to get around covering emergency services. The federal government has now muscled up, suing insurers for denying emergency coverage.
Overdose prevention centers have been saving lives in much of the developed world for more than 35 years. Yet an archaic federal statute blocks them in this country.
A synthetic embryo can now be constructed from very early pre-embryonic cells – without the need for an egg or sperm. These were initially created in mice. In April, Chinese researchers created synthetic monkey embryos. Last month, the first synthetic human models were reportedly created. This development throws a moral monkey-wrench into the current moratoria on embryonic research after 14 days. But there are more problems ahead.
The Golden State instituted a program to reduce carbon emissions to 40% below 1990 levels (the cap), by providing carbon credits to account for those excess carbon emissions (the trade). Economists worried that the job loss associated with industries with excess carbon emissions would not be offset by increasing jobs in “green” industries. A new study reports mixed results.