Comments on: A Time for Anger: Fisking the Times http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/02/a-time-for-anger-fisking-the-times/ Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:48:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: CPSIA and children’s jewelry http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/02/a-time-for-anger-fisking-the-times/#comment-2800 CPSIA and children’s jewelry Sun, 08 Mar 2009 04:00:32 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=925#comment-2800 [...] Headmistress, scroll also to comments; Kathleen Fasanella, scroll to third example in her response; Valerie Jacobsen in comments at League of Ordinary Gentlemen. On the adequacy of CPSC’s legal authority to [...] [...] Headmistress, scroll also to comments; Kathleen Fasanella, scroll to third example in her response; Valerie Jacobsen in comments at League of Ordinary Gentlemen. On the adequacy of CPSC’s legal authority to [...]

]]> By: Valerie Jacobsen http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/02/a-time-for-anger-fisking-the-times/#comment-1912 Valerie Jacobsen Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:27:09 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=925#comment-1912 According to the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm55d323a1.htm" rel="nofollow">CDC</a> and the <a href="http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml06/06119.html" rel="nofollow">CPSC</a>, [Jarnell Brown] died on February 22, 2006 after he swallowed a Reebok charm from a children's bracelet that was included free with a pair of children's shoes. This was a children's product. But in terms of risk to our children, it doesn't matter what it was. With two incidents of poisoning from children's metal jewelry and zero recorded incidents of poisoning from children's books, children's clothing, and regular children's toys combined, our 75 million children are simply not at risk from children's products. This was a terrible thing for Jarnell's family, but <a href="http://bookroomblog.com/2009/02/19/toxic-lead-levels/" rel="nofollow">American children are not at high risk of lead poisoning,</a> let alone death from it. Two incidents aren't enough to establish anything, and certainly not enough to excuse the moral tragedy of CPSIA. (Some Americans may not believe it yet, but it's not possible to craft laws that will make fragile humans immortal.) According to the CDC and the CPSC, [Jarnell Brown] died on February 22, 2006 after he swallowed a Reebok charm from a children’s bracelet that was included free with a pair of children’s shoes. This was a children’s product.

But in terms of risk to our children, it doesn’t matter what it was. With two incidents of poisoning from children’s metal jewelry and zero recorded incidents of poisoning from children’s books, children’s clothing, and regular children’s toys combined, our 75 million children are simply not at risk from children’s products.

This was a terrible thing for Jarnell’s family, but American children are not at high risk of lead poisoning, let alone death from it. Two incidents aren’t enough to establish anything, and certainly not enough to excuse the moral tragedy of CPSIA. (Some Americans may not believe it yet, but it’s not possible to craft laws that will make fragile humans immortal.)

]]> By: Mark Thompson http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/02/a-time-for-anger-fisking-the-times/#comment-1866 Mark Thompson Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:56:07 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=925#comment-1866 DH: I have no doubt that you're right. And, I know you've heard this a million times before, but keep up the good work on this! DH: I have no doubt that you’re right. And, I know you’ve heard this a million times before, but keep up the good work on this!

]]> By: DeputyHeadmistress http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/02/a-time-for-anger-fisking-the-times/#comment-1854 DeputyHeadmistress Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:23:45 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=925#comment-1854 Great post! I believe the unsigned editorial in the Times was actually just a rehash of the press releases that have been put out by PIRG, Public Citizen, et al. Great post!
I believe the unsigned editorial in the Times was actually just a rehash of the press releases that have been put out by PIRG, Public Citizen, et al.

]]> By: Antiquated Tory http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/02/a-time-for-anger-fisking-the-times/#comment-1852 Antiquated Tory Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:16:17 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=925#comment-1852 One thing that crosses my mind is the possibility of assembling a database of "he best available, objective, peer-reviewed, scientific evidence" that's already been done. A lot of the requirements sound to me to be at the level of anti-vaxers thimerosol scares. Yes, ppm concentrations of ethyl mercury were higher than EPA requirements in vaccine preservatives. However, when the total mercury is in the microgram range, the concentration really doesn't matter. The dose makes the poison. I expect there is a similar fault in the "book ink" controversy and others. The Times, btw, is clearly going the easy THINK OF THE CHILLLDRENNN! route I commented on in your earlier post. One thing that crosses my mind is the possibility of assembling a database of “he best available, objective, peer-reviewed, scientific evidence” that’s already been done. A lot of the requirements sound to me to be at the level of anti-vaxers thimerosol scares. Yes, ppm concentrations of ethyl mercury were higher than EPA requirements in vaccine preservatives. However, when the total mercury is in the microgram range, the concentration really doesn’t matter. The dose makes the poison. I expect there is a similar fault in the “book ink” controversy and others.
The Times, btw, is clearly going the easy THINK OF THE CHILLLDRENNN! route I commented on in your earlier post.

]]> By: Tristan Benz http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/02/a-time-for-anger-fisking-the-times/#comment-1809 Tristan Benz Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:07:44 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=925#comment-1809 Well said. Don't get me started on the media - even now, with some more coverage than the near black-out prior to Feb. 10, MOST PEOPLE are utterly in the dark about this law. How it could have been born of the will of the people is beyond me. And shame on NYT for failing to do ground-breaking HARD journalism. What on earth are today's college students learning in their journalism classes? If their professors send them out to find "hard hitting news stories," WHAT on earth are they bringing into class? I have to wonder who their heroes will be, when all is said and done. My children will be thanking people like you and Walter - and others who are in there swinging. Thanks, Tristan Benz Well said. Don’t get me started on the media – even now, with some more coverage than the near black-out prior to Feb. 10, MOST PEOPLE are utterly in the dark about this law. How it could have been born of the will of the people is beyond me. And shame on NYT for failing to do ground-breaking HARD journalism. What on earth are today’s college students learning in their journalism classes? If their professors send them out to find “hard hitting news stories,” WHAT on earth are they bringing into class? I have to wonder who their heroes will be, when all is said and done. My children will be thanking people like you and Walter – and others who are in there swinging.

Thanks,
Tristan Benz

]]> By: “A Time for Anger” « Upturned Earth http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/2009/02/a-time-for-anger-fisking-the-times/#comment-1807 “A Time for Anger” « Upturned Earth Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:46:13 +0000 http://www.ordinary-gentlemen.com/?p=925#comment-1807 [...] Time for Anger” Mark fisks the living hell out of that New York Times editorial on toy safety: Any reading of the editorial makes clear that [...] [...] Time for Anger” Mark fisks the living hell out of that New York Times editorial on toy safety: Any reading of the editorial makes clear that [...]

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