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The Good Life: Suicide: Can We Prevent It?

People in the social services field are focusing attention and spending taxpayer money on “suicide prevention.” Pardon my Libertarian contrariness, but ... Why? If a rational adult chooses to end his/her life via a well thought-out decision, why should government or government-funded agencies interfere? I am not talking about the drunk/drugged zombie whose “I’m gonna kill myself!” screams and actions cause frantic responses by family, friends, police, ambulance crews, etc., out of all proportion to the screamer’s real motive: “Hey, look at me! I need help!” or ...

BOCES Receives Shults Donation

ASHVILLE — Students enrolled in the Automotive Technology Career and Technical Education program at the Hewes Educational Center will have a new vehicle to help hone their skills as technicians. The Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES program was the recipient of a 2014 Ford Fiesta donated ...

Canine Companion: There Is No Right Or Wrong Decision

Today, I am going to discuss something very close to my heart and very difficult to talk to any client about. As you all know, I work closely with canine cancer as it is one of my specializations. Most of the time, I handle the behavioral or homeopathic side of canine cancer (as the dog is undergoing medical treatments), but there are times when a pet parent decides not to treat the cancer medically. This could either mean the pet parent does not want her dog to live out his last days on anti-cancer medication or the cancer has simply gone too far. There’s no right or wrong ...

Wish You Were Here

Even if you’ve been watching gavel-to-gavel television coverage of the Senate’s impeachment trial, there’s little you’ve been able to see beyond Chief Justice John Roberts and individuals talking at a lectern in front of a slab of busy marble. There’s no sight of the senators on the floor. This is unusual, as there are usually multiple cameras in the chamber during Senate proceedings. Normally, you’d see democracy in action, but not this time, when democracy is at stake. This is the Republican strategy, which is clear every time Majority Leader Mitch McConnell fails to ...

Revealing Economic Lies, Tricks

I have been teaching economics since 1967 — 40 years of it at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. During that interval, economic reality has not changed. Just as Galileo’s law about the independent influence of gravity on falling objects has not changed, neither have the fundamental principles of economics. Economics is fun and simple. It’s made complicated by some economics professors — fortunately, not by my colleagues at George Mason University. Let’s apply some simple tools of economics to reveal outright myths, lies and tricks. Who is punished by tariffs on ...

Trump’s Tariffs Continue Faulty Narrative

Attention readers: Mark Shields is off this week. Please enjoy the following column by Veronique De Rugy. The Tariff Man has done it again. President Donald Trump recently announced that he will expand import taxes on American consumers of auto parts, nails and other goods made in the United States with steel and aluminum. Apparently, untaxed imports of these metals put our national security at risk. Under the latest proclamation, some imports of products made with aluminum will be subject to an additional 10% tax, while some steel products will be hit with a 25% one. The decision ...