I believe the real issue is quality control with the generic. If the generic manufacturer can establish they simply followed the Pfizer specs and forwarded any Pfizer warnings or advisories, there is no reason to hold them responsible, and every reason to go after Pfizer.
Look up "respondeat superior", it will explain this.
Of course, Pfizer may be able to show the generic does not meet their quality standards, or the proper warnings, etc., were not on the generic, and that all changes.
Like the fixation on "violent video games are never bad", the comment:
"While the consequences in the internet era for being awesome are significant, so is the opposite true."
is something we would both LIKE to believe, it just isn't true. I would love it if both were unconditionally true, but they aren't.
In some cases, some violent video games are arguably harmful, and in some cases bad actions have "cachet". Too bad, really, but not something we should ignore "because ..."
Gene Cavanaugh (profile), Jan 26th, 2013 @ 10:44am
Gaming
First, I agree the ignorant should stop finding arbitrary straw men that are "destroying culture", "harming culture", and other trivia.
At the same time, extremist positions "for" are just as much of a turn-off as extremist positions "against".
Guns, games, cars, airplanes ... I could go on and on ... can be good, bad, or indeterminate. I personally prefer games (any games) to guns, but that's just me. However, we need REASONED discussion, as in, "Yes, there are pros and cons", not childish "is - is not - is - is not".
Gene Cavanaugh (profile), Jan 26th, 2013 @ 10:18am
Bragging about law school grades
Okay, I will brag about my grades in law school. I had probably the lowest grade point average of anyone in my law school! REALLY proud of it!
Why? Easy - I didn't have a sugar daddy, or some sort of "cushion" to help me. Working 50 hours a week (and going to night school), helping with the three kids, because "that's what Dads do", long commute - hey, you want dedicated, diligent, capable, or you want someone who goes to school because Daddy wants that and there is nothing else to do.
Well, one semester, after the Dean threatened to expel me for poor grades, I was near the top, and made the highest grades in contracts ever - held the record for six years - but it was a severe strain for my wife, and after that, being a husband and Dad was more important, so ....
I think, other than the initial hire, judging by grades is normally just finding out who had the way "greased" for them. "Every thing should be as simple as possible, but no simpler" - Einstein. Grades are too simple an evaluation.
Gene Cavanaugh (profile), Jan 23rd, 2013 @ 11:50am
Why are there only extreme positions on this?
Any parent can tell you children are susceptible to suggestion, and tend to go along with what they think is the "norm".
So, violent video games DO affect children! So does MacDonald's, though they have more political clout than gaming, and so do a whole host of things we allow (football most definitely comes to mind!).
The question is BALANCE - we need to protect people, especially children, but we don't need totalitarian methods to do it!
Gene Cavanaugh (profile), Jan 23rd, 2013 @ 11:32am
Aaron Swartz persecution
You said: "This kind of prosecutorial overreach impacts everyone in serious ways, generating lots of headlines, but doing little to nothing to actually help stop crime.".
I disagree; it INCREASES crime. Look at Prohibition; law enforcement has never regained the respect they enjoyed before that.
Money can't buy happiness, but it correlates pretty well
No, the article says people who EARN more money are happier, and happier people EARN more money.
I know a lot of people who INHERITED, and generally I perceive them as being less happy than the norm.
Personally, I have nearly always been a pretty happy person, and I made more money than all the rest of my family combined. I didn't find it necessary for happiness, though, and I wanted my kids off to a good start, so I gave it to them, in one form or another.
I no longer have much money, but I am the happiest and healthiest (for my age) person I know.
Further proof of the correctness of the immortal truth!
The closing sentence, "fine, but they should have" - well, with that meaning, anyway, shows there is an immortal truth: "Damned if you do, and damned if you don't".
Well, two comments, one on point, the other ...
1. There is bound to be data on the conduct of, say, mice exposed to lead and mice not so exposed. Seems to me that would be highly relevant.
2. There is bound to be data on how much lead was put into the air. That should be relevant.
3. But the big problem is, that like Techdirt's blindness to data showing a possible correlation between video games and crime, even if it is for a small segment of the population. While it is easy to believe video games are not a significant factor (we just don't know) to say it is NEVER a
factor at all is a massive stretch of "faith", or bias.
Only an idiot would stop Google from scraping their content, and the decision likely will deter less popular sites, since many idiots would stop them - sounds like a huge anti-competitive win for Google!
Gene Cavanaugh (profile), Dec 29th, 2012 @ 12:52pm
First Amendment - unless you don't like the message
I think the public deserves to know what is going on around them, and I applaud the paper for printing it.
Yes, I realize people will pick on them; if they don't like the message, or think the people they relate to don't, they will (obviously) state the paper should/shouldn't have done X, and it was snide to do/not do Y, etc.
COMPLETE disclosure - as Thomas Jefferson said "democracy depends on an informed electorate" (something like that).
As an IP attorney, I can tell you. the examiner was thinking that by meeting the "performance vs. revenue" goals of the USPTO, which generally mean disallowing inventions while allowing anything that is easy and makes a lot of money, the Director will be pleased.
But, and this is important - Manning blew the whistle because he thought he was doing the right thing in exposing government corruption, and I agree with him.
It is really strange that Ellsberg is one of our real heroes, and Manning is a "traitor", etc.
As Einstein said, "only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I am not sure about the universe".
Manning, to me, is a hero.
On the post: DailyDirt: Hamburgers Gone Wild
BMI >30 associated with longer life
On the post: Harper's Magazine Publisher Shakes Verbal Fist At Google; Romanticizes Own Profession; Quotes Teletubbies
So it is called "Harper's"
On the post: Court Says Pfizer May Be Liable For Side Effects Of Drug, Even Though Man Took Non-Pfizer Generic Version
Suing Pfizer for generic drugs
Look up "respondeat superior", it will explain this.
Of course, Pfizer may be able to show the generic does not meet their quality standards, or the proper warnings, etc., were not on the generic, and that all changes.
On the post: Richard Marx And How Not To Act In The Internet Era
Wrong
"While the consequences in the internet era for being awesome are significant, so is the opposite true."
is something we would both LIKE to believe, it just isn't true. I would love it if both were unconditionally true, but they aren't.
In some cases, some violent video games are arguably harmful, and in some cases bad actions have "cachet". Too bad, really, but not something we should ignore "because ..."
On the post: California Senator Leland Yee Tells Gamers To Shut Up And Let The Grown Ups Talk
Gaming
At the same time, extremist positions "for" are just as much of a turn-off as extremist positions "against".
Guns, games, cars, airplanes ... I could go on and on ... can be good, bad, or indeterminate. I personally prefer games (any games) to guns, but that's just me. However, we need REASONED discussion, as in, "Yes, there are pros and cons", not childish "is - is not - is - is not".
On the post: Should You Brag About Your Law School Grades On Facebook?
Bragging about law school grades
Why? Easy - I didn't have a sugar daddy, or some sort of "cushion" to help me. Working 50 hours a week (and going to night school), helping with the three kids, because "that's what Dads do", long commute - hey, you want dedicated, diligent, capable, or you want someone who goes to school because Daddy wants that and there is nothing else to do.
Well, one semester, after the Dean threatened to expel me for poor grades, I was near the top, and made the highest grades in contracts ever - held the record for six years - but it was a severe strain for my wife, and after that, being a husband and Dad was more important, so ....
I think, other than the initial hire, judging by grades is normally just finding out who had the way "greased" for them. "Every thing should be as simple as possible, but no simpler" - Einstein. Grades are too simple an evaluation.
On the post: Obama Tasks CDC With Study Of Video Games And 'Violent Media'
Why are there only extreme positions on this?
So, violent video games DO affect children! So does MacDonald's, though they have more political clout than gaming, and so do a whole host of things we allow (football most definitely comes to mind!).
The question is BALANCE - we need to protect people, especially children, but we don't need totalitarian methods to do it!
On the post: Carmen Ortiz Refuses To Reflect; Insists Her Office Will Do Everything The Same As Before
Remember Kissinger?
On the post: Aaron Swartz's Death Leads To Public Attention Towards Prosecutorial Overreach
Aaron Swartz persecution
I disagree; it INCREASES crime. Look at Prohibition; law enforcement has never regained the respect they enjoyed before that.
On the post: DailyDirt: Happiness Is...
Money can't buy happiness, but it correlates pretty well
I know a lot of people who INHERITED, and generally I perceive them as being less happy than the norm.
Personally, I have nearly always been a pretty happy person, and I made more money than all the rest of my family combined. I didn't find it necessary for happiness, though, and I wanted my kids off to a good start, so I gave it to them, in one form or another.
I no longer have much money, but I am the happiest and healthiest (for my age) person I know.
On the post: Official White House Position: We're Not Building A Death Star
Further proof of the correctness of the immortal truth!
On the post: Unintended Consequences, Lead And Crime
Leaded gasoline and crime
1. There is bound to be data on the conduct of, say, mice exposed to lead and mice not so exposed. Seems to me that would be highly relevant.
2. There is bound to be data on how much lead was put into the air. That should be relevant.
3. But the big problem is, that like Techdirt's blindness to data showing a possible correlation between video games and crime, even if it is for a small segment of the population. While it is easy to believe video games are not a significant factor (we just don't know) to say it is NEVER a
factor at all is a massive stretch of "faith", or bias.
On the post: One Problem With FTC/Google Settlement: Implies Fair Use Scraping Is An Antitrust Issue
Scraping content and Google
On the post: So, What Didn't Enter The Public Domain This Week, That Should Have
Why unjustified blocking might make sense
On the post: More Post-Newtown Fallout: Gun Owners Vs. Journalists In New York
First Amendment - unless you don't like the message
Yes, I realize people will pick on them; if they don't like the message, or think the people they relate to don't, they will (obviously) state the paper should/shouldn't have done X, and it was snide to do/not do Y, etc.
COMPLETE disclosure - as Thomas Jefferson said "democracy depends on an informed electorate" (something like that).
On the post: The DHS: Selling Fear And Uncertainty; Buying Sno-Cone Machines And Latrines-On-Wheels
Homeland Security boondoggle
On the post: Musician Mike Doughty Offers Unique Copy Of His New Song, Personalized To Each Buyer, For $543.09
Selling a personalized song
Such a deal!
On the post: Remember When You Couldn't Patent Math? Good Times
What was the patent examiner thinking?
On the post: Obama Signs 'Whistleblower Protection Act' The Same Day That Whistleblower Bradley Manning Is In Court
Manning again
On the post: Obama Signs 'Whistleblower Protection Act' The Same Day That Whistleblower Bradley Manning Is In Court
Manning
As Einstein said, "only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I am not sure about the universe".
Manning, to me, is a hero.