Friday Blog Roundup

Bloggers are keeping us up to date on some of the many proposals for spending federal dollars on health and environmental issues:

  • Tom Philpott at Gristmill brings us the latest on the farm bill, which has been delayed due to disputes over subsidy reform.
  • Hank Green at EnviroWonk explains why and how the Department of Energy will be spending $60 million over the next five years on solar thermal technology.
  • Elizabeth Cooney at White Coat Notes conveys advice from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute President Dr. Edward Benz on improving cancer research; increasing NIH funding levels is a crucial step.
  • DrugMoneky rails against the NIH grant-revision process, saying it wastes researchersâ time and NIH dollars.
  • Ed Silverman at Pharmalot reports on a new bill that would provide $200 million annually to research new treatments for nervous system disorders and injuries.

Elsewhere:

Chris Mooney at Science Progress and Robert McClure at Dateline Earth explain the factors that have made Hurricane Nargis such a terrible catastrophe.

RH Reality Check has a special series of posts for Motherâs Day, which range from celebrations of mothers to examinations of the challenges they face and the changes that can help.

Benjamin Cohen at The Worldâs Fair examines Dow Chemicalâs actions around its dioxin-contaminated sites â the issue that evidently cost the head of EPAâs Midwest office her job.

Andrew Schneider at Secret Ingredients reports on a coalitionâs petition asking EPA to use its pesticide-regulating authority to stop the sale of nano-silver products.

Sarah Rubenstein at WSJâs Health Blog notes that some doctors protest that itâs impossible to completely eliminate the âneverâ events that Medicare plans to stop paying to treat.

Revere at Effect Measure considers the problem of waning vaccine effectiveness, evident in recent mumps outbreak.

Greater Greater Washington (via EnviroWonk) has a humorous take on the gas-tax-holiday proposal.

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