In New Zealand, prostitution is legal. But that doesn't make it okay with the police.

Heinlein's writings present various views and systems of justice. Here's an article about them. Thanks to ozarque for the link. If you want more info on Baccaria's theory of punishment, which is mentioned in the article, don't follow their link; that article is hard on the eyes and made my brain itch with its garbled syntax and bad spelling. Here's ( Read more... )

Apparently most of the allegedly organic milk out there, including Horizon Organics and Safeway's O Organic, is supplied by a couple of companies that are not measuring up to USDA organic standards. Most of their cows come from farms where they were raised conventionally (hormones, blood & bone meal, chicken litter, and all), and they have almost ( Read more... )

Baby with two equally-developed left arms. Article does say that neither is "fully functional", but doesn't elaborate. Picture looks like they're quite complete. I'd really like to see X-rays, and know more details about sensory & motor function. Doctors are puzzled over which one to remove, since this is the first extra-limb case on record in ( Read more... )

meowse drew this article to my attention ( Read more... )

DSM authors have ties to drug companies

It's illegal in Washington to leave a child in a parked car while you go in a bar, or in a parked car in a public place with the motor running. I did not know that.

A hardline, law-and-order, Republican deputy DA (in Delaware) just stepped down, and, having done so, declared clearly his position that the War on Drugs is a loss, and we need to make drugs less profitable instead. Wish he'd said that while in office.

Michael Crichton on the deranged and unhealthy state of US patent law, including the ability to patent relationships among medical conditions.

Thanks to ozarque for the link.

The House of Representatives has voted to keep states from requiring food safety labeling beyond that required by the federal government. It would strike down about 200 existing state laws requiring such labeling as mercury warnings for certain types of fish, allergen listings, and sulfite warnings. 39 states' attorney generals are against it, ( Read more... )