There are several issues this week that attracted multiple bloggers’ attention:

It might sound like a good idea for Medicare to stop paying to treat avoidable complications, but Chris Rangel at RangelMD, N=1 at Universal Health, and
Orac at Respectful Insolence have some concerns about the this rule change.

Matt Madia at Reg Watch alerts us to a proposed rule that will make it easier for companies to engage in destructive mountaintop-removal mining. Meanwhile, Gristmill is featuring reports from Gabriel Pacyniak and Katherine Chandler, who are traveling throughout southern West Virginia – and talking with residents, activists, miners, mine company officials, local reporters, and politicians – to report on mountaintop removal mining (Parts 2-4 here, here, and here). Over at Enviroblog, Jovana explains why the U.S. General Mining Law of 1972 needs to change.

A PLoS One paper entitled “HIV Denial in the Internet Era” by Tara C. Smith (of Aetiology fame) and Steven P. Novella attracted a lot of attention in the blogosphere this week. Dave Munger at Cognitive Daily and Abel Pharmboy at Terra Sigillata share their reactions to it and encourage everyone to go read it – it’s open access, after all.

Elsewhere:

PZ Meyers at Pharyngula explains why bloggers should take over science journalism.

Jake Young at Pure Pedantry is mad at a Times article that gets the facts about new research right but provides the wrong interpretation.

Emily Murgatroyd at DeSmogBlog reports on correlations between Congresspersons’ votes on a bill to eliminate tax loopholes for oil companies and the amount of oil-industry donations received.

Shelley Batts at Retrospectacle reports on the latest good news in Alzheimer’s research: a vaccine that’s effective at preventing tau tangles in mice.

Angry Toxicologist, writing about a study involving green tea capsules, reminds us that “natural” does not equal “safe.”

Jeff at Tort Burger attacks a Forbes story that attacks the legal system.