February 2014 - MyChoice Australia

Give me one diet soft drink or give me death

16 Feb, 201416 Feb, 2014 Lara

It’s only midday, but we’re declaring this the outrageous headline of the day: “Fizzy drink tax could save 67 lives: study” Only in public health is it a revelation that taxing something makes it a bit less attractive to consumers and that by drinking less soft drinks, some people could avoid killing themselves, but it’s the odd specificity of the claim that makes this ‘study’ stand out. So, the headline being what it is, how could a soft drink tax save 67 lives specifically, you might ask? By reducing a…

The Right To Take Even Really Stupid Risks – Reason.com

11 Feb, 2014 admin_ata

A good piece from Reason.com on the right to take risks – if you accept the consequences: But to a large extent, it’s the question itself that matters the most: “What the hellam I doing?” Sooner or later most of us ask that same question. We ask it when we’re doing something foolish, or brave, or unfamiliar, and we especially ask it when the situation goes sour—when we find ourselves airborne in late-morning traffic. And if we don’t ask it of ourselves, somebody else is sure to do us the favor: “What the…