March 20, 2009 The Pump Handle

Sunday is World Water Day, so bloggers are highlighting water issues: Ronnie Cohen at NRDC’s Switchboard and Kevin Ferguson at Gristmill report from the World Water Forum, which is going on this week in Istanbul. Melanie Nakagawa, also at Switchboard, emphasizes the economic benefits that clean water investments yield. Robert Stavins, also at Gristmill, suggests approaching water management […]

March 13, 2009 The Pump Handle 1Comment

Bloggers are reacting to the news of major scientific fraud: Massachusetts anesthesiologist Dr. Scott Reuben falsified data in his published studies for more than a decade. Janet Stemwedel at Adventures in Ethics and Science explores the effects of Dr. Reuben’s duplicity on anesthesiology and surgical patients. Orac at Respectful Insolence considers how Dr. Reuben was […]

March 6, 2009 The Pump Handle

There’s been a lot of news about Obama appointees this week: Mike Dunford at The Questionable Authority is furious about the secret holds placed on the nominations of John Holdren (for Science Advisor) and Jane Lubchenco (to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), and urges readers to “raise more hell over this issue.” Maggie […]

February 27, 2009 The Pump Handle

Bloggers have lots of thoughts on Obama’s budget: Merrill Goozner at GoozNews gives us the big picture Maggie Mahar at Health Beat explores the challenges of the budget’s approach to healthcare Ezra Klein explains how it addresses the question of an individual mandate for health insurance Sarah Rubenstein at WSJ’s Health Blog highlights proposed spending […]

February 20, 2009 The Pump Handle

President Obama’s visit to Canada has several bloggers thinking about tar sands: Ian Austen at Green Inc. gives an overview of our two countries’ positions on this dirty source of oil. Kate Sheppard at Gristmill explores how Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper are explaining their approach to tar sands. Several bloggers at NRDC’s Switchboard […]

February 13, 2009 The Pump Handle

Bloggers help us stay up to date on the stimulus package’s latest permutation: Kate Sheppard at Gristmill gives us the rundown on funding for green priorities Scientists & Engineers for America Action Fund compiles the numbers on science funding Jake Young at Pure Pedantry warns of pitfalls when science funding takes this form Keith Johnson […]

February 6, 2009 The Pump Handle

Bloggers discuss food: Andrew Schneider at Secret Ingredients points out that FDA can’t just shut down the facility responsible for salmonella-tainted peanut paste. Maryn McKenna has more bad news about the drug-resistant bacteria MRSA: now it’s been found in Belgian chickens. Tom Philpott at Gristmill attends the Seafood Summit and makes analogies (between land- and […]

February 6, 2009 The Pump Handle 2Comment

We often link to Ken Ward Jr.’s excellent coverage of mining issues in the Charleston Gazette. He does a fantastic job exploring the many ways that decisions by mining companies and government bureaucrats affect the lives of mineworkers, their families, and mining communities. Celeste summed up our admiration for him a couple of months ago, […]

February 4, 2009 The Pump Handle 1Comment

There’s a new voice in the public health blogosphere: Target Population, a blog by students from the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. The students are enrolled in Blogging Skills for Public Health, a class Celeste and I are teaching this semester. Although the blog is new, it already boasts several […]

January 30, 2009 The Pump Handle 2Comment

Bloggers have a lot of thoughts about the stimulus package: Sarah Rubenstein at WSJ’s Health Blog explains plans to divide extra Medicaid funds among states. Cristina Page at RH Reality Check explains the alleged $200 million for contraceptive coverage. Mike Dunford at The Questionable Authority investigates the Weatherization Assistance Program money and decides it’s a good […]