Lead, a dense, malleable metal is good for many things. The reason lead was (is) so prevalent in our society is due to its many desirable characteristics. In short, lead is a wonder of nature with many practical uses. It’s abundant and easily shaped. It has a low melting point, requiring less energy to mold. It is resistant to corrosion.
Friday Links
- South Carolina doctors see liberation in the repeal of certificate-of-need law.
- The case against the Schumer/McConnell/Johnson budget deal.
- Canada may not cooperate with Florida’s plan to import Canadian drugs for Floridians.
- Chatbots are beginning to pass the Turing Test.
- The case for psychedelics.
- The global death rate from extreme weather events has dropped by over 99% since 1920.
- Fauci before Congress said “I don’t not recall” more than 100 times.
Thursday Links
- Yglesias: Government regulations and dental insurance scams combine to hurt the dental patients.
- How sick are we? Nearly half of American adults have hypertension, 40 percent have high cholesterol and more than one-third have pre-diabetes.
- Attitude matters: People who score highly on tests of optimism live up to 15 percent longer than people who are more pessimistic.
- Bob Lawson remembers James Gwartney (1940-2024).
- Making dishwashers great again.
Are Dentists too Aggressive? Or not Aggressive Enough with Dental Care?
I’m scheduled to go to the dentist later this week. Years ago, the Wall Street Journal wrote about a dental divide. I searched for the old link but could not find one. The divide is between aggressive dentists who perform more procedures and conservative dentists who recommend fewer treatments. As I recall, the article said that within the dental industry there is friction between the two factions, with little agreement about what constitutes honest, recommended care and what constitutes excessive treatment. Purportedly, even the American Dental Association does not want to weigh-in and take a stand on the topic. It’s up to each dentist to decide.