It’s now been established that vaccination may be the last best hope of stemming the tide of increasing COVID-19 infections. We are currently in the 5th round of vaccinations, all of which performed as expected in the laboratory, hence their FDA certifications. However, vaccine effectiveness in the field depends on human elements that are not controllable in a free society.

What’s Science got to do with it? - Science and policy
Luxury surveillance - we willing put on "ankle monitors" and often pay a premium

Ready for some serious idiocy? Hope so because a new feature, The J-Man Chronicles – a demented version of Chuck Dinerstein's "What I'm Reading" – was designed with idiocy in mind. This week it's oversized arse wipes and used (but returnable) diet soda. Don't blame me.

The activist group Friends of the Earth and its cheerleaders at The Guardian say soaring pesticide use is poisoning millions of people and killing thousands. True to form, they have misused the evidence to make their case.

“Anthropomorphism—the tendency to attribute human characteristics to nonhuman objects (Epley et al., 2007)—is a universal phenomenon” It is often used in marketing to strengthen our ties with some products, from Microsoft’s ill-fated Clippy to the widely successful California Raisins. A new study suggests that when we anthropomorphize foods, we may buy more but eat less. Why would that be?

Is marijuana really the low-risk drug that many Americans believe it is? Emergency room physician Dr. Roneet Lev says the popular conception of cannabis—as an all-natural treatment for pain, anxiety, seizures, and so many other ailments—is far too simplistic. She joins us on episode 25 of the Science Dispatch podcast.

Contrary to the story pushed by activist groups and reporters, recent research has shown that genetically engineered crops and the pesticides often paired with them have yielded impressive environmental benefits.

Mandating vaccination isn’t the greatest governmental policy. Catherine the Great knew that back in 1768 – more than two hundred and fifty years ago. Maybe politicians should look to history for ideas on what works when influencing population behavior. Perhaps they should also eschew involving themselves in scientific matters where they are ignorant.

Not that they asked my advice, but if a group is going to pour food on a famous oil painting, in a protest against oil companies, don't you think that they should have at least chosen the right food?

It is that season when the federal government and the health insurers begin to play trick or treat with Medicare plans for those over 65. As a public service, here is the difference between Medicare and Medicare Advantage.