The death touch of Dowd This piece by Maureen Dowd lambasts a M.D. who might head a powerful committee at the FDA. Now, the guy sounds kind of kooky to me [1]. But man, the snide manner of Dowd make's me want him to be confirmed to his position. I'm not one to criticize snideness towards what I perceive as excessive supernaturalism in one's world-view, but for god's sake, this is The New York Times. It seems unseemly and petty for the "journal of record" to be publishing this kind of material more fit for a blatantly partisan publication run by a non-profit foundation. The kind of liberals that think Dowd is funny are the mirror-image of conservatives that see Rush Limbaugh as a comic genius [2]. [1] If you read the text of the piece you note that Dr. Hager seems to have qualms about the safety of the birth control pill, though he's not an extremist about it. I wouldn't be surprised if the pill has some deleterious effects, but the key is do the costs justify the benefits? I suspect many young women today would assert yes, a slight increase in the risk of cancer later on in life might very well be worth the peace of mind and the choice to engage in worry-free sex for the 10-20 years of one's youth without a layer of latex between you and your lover. I think those of us who believe in personal freedom should be open about the individual costs freedom comes with, there is no free lunch. Of course, this does not address the issue of the collective social costs of this sort of behavior, rather than the individual ones. I'll leave that for another time..... [2] True humorists like P.J. O'Rourke can make those who don't agree with them politically laugh anyhow.