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Simple Economic Principles Are Not Simple-Minded

Modern mainstream economics tends to involve complex mathematical models that purport to forecast the future from past results, in close enough detail for politicians to make decisions that affect the economic well-being of an entire nation and even the world. They have, however, proven no better at predicting key turns of events than the average man in the street. The irony is that many economists have forgotten or totally ignore basic economic principles when building the models. Some even consider them quaint, outdated, or simple-minded. Basic economic principles, however, are ...

What’s My Favorite Line? A Movie Game

A popular 50s-70s TV favorite was a show called, “What’s My Line,” where panelists asked questions of guests trying to determine what that guest did for a living. The panel consisted of regulars Dorothy Kilgallen, Journalist; Arlene Francis, Actress, Radio/Television talk show host; a different weekly celebrity guest panelist; and Bennett Cerf, publisher, punster, jokester, who had the honor of introducing the show’s host each week, John Charles Daly. In a twist of that show’s title, the VFTB today poses the question “What’s My Favorite Line,” as in what’s one (or ...

Be Resourceful, Use What Mother Nature Has Provided To You

A few weeks ago, I found a jar of dandelion jelly in my cupboard. I made that a few years back, but it was still good. That got me to thinking about how we used nature to provide. My mother-in-law and her sister always enjoyed eating dandelion salad. When Aunt Lillian celebrated one of her milestone birthdays, there was a party at her daughter’s in her honor. My husband potted a dandelion to give to her. That may seem like a strange gift, but it brought tears to her eyes since he was always the one who picked the dandelions for them. Another thing grandma liked were leeks. My ...

Solitary Confinement, For Us And For Spring Time Birds

While always attentive to the scene that repeats annually, I admit I view it with a great deal more sympathy this time around. The Canada geese return sometime in late February. The lake’s still frozen but I hear them at night and see them circling over during my walks. Two (seldom more) will land, circling around as if to stake out the property as theirs. I have no doubt it’s the same pair returning. I used to feed them and the young goslings from my hand until Henry discovered the kids made a delicious snack. Henry’s gone now so I hope to try again as soon as the weather ...

Let People Try Gelsolin

We need new drugs to fight COVID-19 and other diseases. But our government’s approval process makes that too hard. This year’s pandemic got regulators to say they’ll speed the approval process. The FDA adopted Emergency Use Authorization to speed up approval of some tests, medical equipment and ventilators. But that’s not enough. I know about the FDA’s rules because my older brother, Dr. Thomas Stossel, discovered something that might save a lot of lives. Doing medical research at Harvard, he found a protein in our blood that helps reduce excess inflammation. He named ...

Spring Has Vanquished Winter Again

April is the month when we in this part of the world have a good chance of experiencing the last vestiges of winter, the usual spring, or an early summer. Even when the waters of Lake Erie — the main source of moisture for snow that falls here — completely or nearly completely freeze during the winter, it can still snow in April. Yet when December or January are unseasonably warm, Lake Erie usually remains open, and the chance of the white stuff in February, March, or even April rises significantly. Either way, the arrival of May, one of this region’s more beautiful months, ...