Short Takes: News From All Over: January 6, 2005

By Staff Utne.Com
Published on January 1, 2005

Toothless Tigers and ‘Tort Reform’
By Robert B. Reich, Prospect.org
The FDA didn’t respond to warning signs that blockbuster painkillers like Celebrex and Vioxx increased the risk of heart attacks. Worse yet, its own drug-safety officer says the agency suppressed his research showing the apparent dangers of Vioxx. At exactly the same time, Republicans are clamoring for what they call ‘tort reform,’ which critics argue is just a nice way of saying that people who are harmed by companies shouldn’t be able to sue them and collect damages. — Marca Bradt
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=8978

License To Bill: Clinton, Late Convert to Climate-Change Cause Now Preaching up a Storm
By Amanda Griscom Little, Grist.org
Even though energy conservation wasn’t his strong suit as president, Bill Clinton is initiating a program to wean the world off fossil fuels. In a recent address at New York University, he told a crowd of 900 students and business executives that ‘the decisions we make or fail to make in this area may have a bigger impact on America and the world than virtually all the things that were debated’ in the recent presidential campaign. — Marca Bradt
http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2004/12/13/little-clinton/

Healing Africa
By Mandy Burrell, Consciouschoice.com
A couple of organic chemists takes on healing Africa as an ambitious retirement project. In reaction to money-motivated pharmaceutical giants and the U.S. refusing to join the United Nations in making AIDS drugs globally available, two organic chemists in Africa have launched a seven million dollar plan to develop pharmaceuticals from start to finish. — Marca Bradt
http://www.consciouschoice.com/cc1801/healingafrica1801.html

Action Alert!
By Staff, Progressive Democrats of America
On January 6, the House and Senate will meet to consider the electoral vote count. At this site, you can urge your elected representatives to challenge the system based on the voting irregularities and recount efforts still underway. — Marca Bradt
http://www.capwiz.com/pdamerica/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=6770366

2004: Things To Forget
By Arianna Huffington, Ariannaonline.com
A list of things we will remember, and try to forget, about 2004.
http://ariannaonline.com/columns/column.php?id=751

Not One Damn Dime Day
Public Forum, Museum of Hoaxes
Many Utne readers may have received the chain e-mail about ‘Not One Damn Dime Day,’ a 24-hour economic sit-in slated for January 20th. In this public forum, activists, cynics, and humorists discuss NODDD — resistance strategy, hoax, or hot air? — Martin Brown
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/forum/forum_comments/2142/

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