You tell us—“That’s a surprise to me. Tell me why it’s not enforced.”—Catherine DeAngelis, editor in chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association, professing ignorance of a 1997 law requiring drug companies to disclose the results of research.

Pass the screwdriver—“Drug makers raised prescription prices by nearly triple rate of inflation in the first three months of this year—just before Medicare began its pharmacy discount card program—negating much of the savings the government promised to seniors…”—Associated Press.

Talk about bitter gall—“After several years of improvement, Delaware’s infant mortality rate is now the worst in the nation because of a lack of money [!] and attention,” says the Delaware News Journal. The state of Delaware is in the vest pocket of DuPont, one of the most powerful chemical dealers in the world.

Bright spot in the economy—“As baby boomers age into retirement, the funeral services industry prepares for a surge in the nation’s death rate —and the increase in opportunities that will bring. The National Center for Health Statistics projects the number of deaths will soar 22 percent in the next two decades.” —Arizona Daily Star.

Not a happy family?—“Faculty and librarians at Eastern Oregon University voted to keep their union. Opponents launched a decertification drive, citing a lack of ‘collegiality’ [?] between faculty and administration since the union was formed in 2003.”—News item.

Stagehands USA—It’s now disclosed that when the Marines marched into Baghdad, a colonel in the Army’s psychological unit rapidly summoned GI’s to topple a massive statue of Saddam Hussein. TV cameras slanted it like it was done by joyous Iraqis. (The U.S. flag that adorned the fallen statue was quickly replaced by an Iraqi flag.) Another deft move was to pack a vehicle with cheering Iraqi children.  
 
 
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