Archive for January, 2004

Be Reasonable – Part 2

Posted January 1, 2004 By Dave Thomer

Picking up on our discussion of deductive logic, the five basic operations we discussed last time have certain properties that make one statement identical to another – there are multiple ways to express the same basic idea. This is important because one way of phrasing a statement might suggest or make clear a way of […]

All Natural Is Not Always All Good

Posted January 1, 2004 By Pattie Gillett

Though some might not agree, it cannot be a coincidence that less than a year after the death of Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler, the Food and Drug Administration finally succeeded in doing what it had been trying to do for ten years – getting the herbal supplement ephedra off the market. Bechler’s death from heatstroke […]

Profit and Loss in the Marketplace of Ideas

Posted January 1, 2004 By Dave Thomer

When Dr. Laura Schlessinger made comments that many claimed denigrated and disrespected homosexuals, offended individuals quickly boycotted the show and its advertisers. When Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines made comments that many claimed denigrated and disrespected President George W. Bush, offended individuals quickly boycotted the band, its albums and its concerts. These and other boycotts […]

Better Supplement Controls No Great Loss

Posted January 1, 2004 By Pattie Gillett

The public response to the recent ephedra ban (which is also this subject of this month’s Public Policy article) puzzles me to no end. Reminiscent of the Today sponge episode of Seinfield, people have responded to the FDA’s banning of the potentially dangerous supplement by hoarding the stuff. ABC News reports that health food stores […]