Category Archives: Drugs

Medicare And Medicaid Continue To Do A Better Job Controlling Costs Than Private Health Insurers

Posted on August 7, 2012 by reflectionephemeral

 New article in the New England Journal of Medicine: Over the past decade, spending growth per enrollee slowed in Medicare and Medicaid, and per-enrollee growth rates in the next decade are projected to be very close to the expected growth … Continue reading →

Posted in Drugs, Economics, Health Care, News and Current Events, Politics | Leave a comment

The Christie Enigma

Posted on July 10, 2012 by dedc79

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie challenges Republican (and, all too often, Democratic) orthodoxy on drugs: “The war on drugs, while well-intentioned, has been a failure,” Christie said Monday during a speech at The Brookings Institution. “We’re warehousing addicted people everyday … Continue reading →

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Although Of Course You End Up Giving Yourself Away

Posted on January 2, 2012 by reflectionephemeral

David Foster Wallace was profiled in Details magazine in 1995. Two intriguing details, among others: Mary Karr, who last year became something of a famous writer herself with the publication of her grim childhood memoir The Liar’s Club, was Wallace’s snorkel … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Drugs | Leave a comment

Hippie Hating

Posted on December 22, 2011 by dedc79

In the comments to a prior post, there was a discussion regarding the composition of the Republican’s constituency now that they’ve established themselves as the party of “No Taxes (unless it’s a tax on the poor and middle class)”.  It … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012, Drugs | 2 Comments

America’s War in Mexico

Posted on November 11, 2011 by dedc79

For those who still think that winning the “War on Drugs” is a matter of devoting more police and more money to the effort, the situation in Mexico sure must be tough to explain: The “war” is going poorly. Mexico’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Drugs, Foreign Policy, News and Current Events | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Reefer Madness

Posted on September 23, 2011 by dedc79

According to the FBI, last year 750,000 americans were arrested for the “crime” of possessing marijuana.  That’s 750,000 times that this country’s criminal justice system wasted time and money going after people who just wanted to smoke some pot.  That’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Drugs, Law, News and Current Events | Tagged , | 2 Comments

If you’re gonna commit a crime, do it in Venezuela

Posted on June 6, 2011 by dedc79

That seems to be the take away from the NY Times story about Venezuela’s San Antonio prison: Bikini-clad female visitors frolic under the Caribbean sun in an outdoor pool. Marijuana smoke flavors the air. Reggaetón booms from a club filled … Continue reading →

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The Times They are a Changin

Posted on June 2, 2011 by dedc79

The food pyramid is now a food plate.  The major change seems to be the shrinking of the meat/protein portion, the growth in the fruit/vegetables and the alienation of dairy into its own separate satellite plate.  Meat eaters beware, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Drugs, News and Current Events | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Reverse Rapture

Posted on May 24, 2011 by dedc79

So it turns out all the good people aren’t ascending to heaven afterall.  Instead 32,000 sinners are coming back to earth: The Supreme Court ordered California on Monday to release tens of thousands of its prisoners to relieve overcrowding, saying … Continue reading →

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The One Way Dope Can Ruin Your Life

Posted on May 9, 2011 by dedc79

If you get caught with it a fourth time in Louisiana, like Cornell Hood II did: Hood moved from eastern New Orleans to the Slidell area after he admitted to separate charges of distribution of marijuana and possession with intent … Continue reading →

Posted in Drugs, Law | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

I’m shocked, shocked to find entrapment going on here.

Posted on May 8, 2011 by nickgb

Via the Stranger, a wonderful story on efficient use of law enforcement: A lot of these parties happened because Rick’s good friend Bryan T. Owens had money and connections. Not everyone liked Bryan, but because he was Rick’s good friend … Continue reading →

Posted in Drugs, Politics | 3 Comments

Leave a pretty corpse

Posted on March 29, 2011 by nickgb

Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the U.S. That’s bad. Smoking may double your risk of having a stroke.  That’s really bad. And according to a new study, drinking diet soda regularly may increase your risk of … Continue reading →

Posted in Drugs, Law | Leave a comment

File under “If roles were reversed”

Posted on March 7, 2011 by nickgb

Can you imagine what kind of bullshit Arizona would pass if the U.S. could prove Mexico was purposefully allowing guns to get smuggled into the US so they could track them?  Especially if the guns were later proven to have … Continue reading →

Posted in Drugs, Politics | Tagged | 3 Comments