More on the fluoride debate from Charlie Pierce:

Everything Old is New Again

Not really taking sides, although I probably would have been in the “pro” camp, just thought I’d post this because it relates to the conversation.

Yup, but I think he wants to be there if possible. I don’t mind a long drive, so make it convenient for everyone else and I’ll be there.

Don’t mean to run out on an interesting conversation. I will look up more about fluoride, but the fact that it is an industrial byproduct doesn’t in itself make it bad. But now I have a grocery errand and a docent shift, so I will have to rejoin the conversation later. Have a good morning, [...]

Amen, AppleCanyon2. I am really looking forward to a meetup. Hopefully we’ll be in an area with decent inexpensive motels, because it will be too far for me to drive both ways in one day and still have time for some hours together with everyone.

And yes, if you don’t want to be medicated against your will, I can respect that. I should have said that.

Not meaning to be contentious here, but logically this:

I do not want to drink water ostensibly fluoridated but also laced with heavy metals arsenic and other waste products the EPA will not let into the environment, period.

doesn’t make sense to me. What connection does fluoride in the water have to do with heavy metals, [...]

I don’t use much honey, only a couple of tbsp in honey wheat bread I bake, but last time I bought it I made a point to buy raw honey. And next time I will buy at the Farmer’s Market.

I’m sort of a purist, has to be Weber CHARCOAL grill. I do have one with a propane starter, though…;-)

I guess I don’t get it. I’ve always had fluoridated water, a dental assistant neighbor used to paint my teeth with it when I was little, and my dentist in Grand Rapids offered fluoride treatments. I would vote for fluoride in water if it were on the ballot.

I never fry it, though. I have a couple of good marinade recipes and a Weber charcoal grill. I lurrvves chicken.

Elaborate, please? What was the measure supposed to do?

Ah, no biggie, I just jump right in to the chatter!

Was thinking — somewhat related — that I read (here at FDL or somewhere) that most honey from the grocery has all of the pollen filtered out, so it has lost most of its health benefits. That’s a shame, too.

Don’t you have a local (or not far away) Farmer’s Market? I guess I don’t always realize how fortunate we are to have a big year-around market.

Good morning, friends! Happy to see our TX folks present and accounted for.

Fascinating topic, C-S. I always learn something here!

Post from bgrothus on Facebook, for anyone who wants to donate.

Occupy Norman suggests donations for food here:
Consider texting to donate $10: FOOD to 32333 for Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

I just did that, was asked to confirm by typing “yes” and then got a “thanks” also ack from AT&T.

It is completely enclosed, no outside walls. That’s why they shelter there. Only place in their house that has no outside walls.

My daughter’s family lives in a house with no basement (Indianapolis area) and more than once have crammed two adults, two children, and a big dog into their tiny laundry room that is more a passage between the kitchen and garage than a “room.” I doubt they’d have been well protected there if a tornado [...]

And the money quote from the article:

By insisting that funding for tornado relief be offset by cuts elsewhere in the budget, Coburn representing his ideological purity rather than the needs of his Oklahoma constituents.

And I’m sure he considers himself a Christian, too…

That would be my inclination, except that elections should have consequences, and the OK citizens keep electing these people, probably not understanding that they are voting against their own self interest. Someone needs to say, “Look at how Inhofe and Coburn are speaking and voting, and remember when you have a rather predictable disaster that [...]