Richard L. Hess wrote:
" if there is an increase over other counties in New York State in heart disease, AND IT IS SUSTAINED .... then, perhaps there is a cause of it. "
And perhaps it isn't.
Sometimes you get apparently odd results due to changing demographics.
For example, Peter Fong (Physics Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA) claims to have found evidence for an anti-cancer effect of radiation following US bomb tests in Nevada (near bottom of page at http://www.peterfongbooks.com/greenhouse.htm ).
But its more likely that a large influx of young people into the Las Vegas & Reno area at the time skewed the statistics (thanks Ruth).
Similarly, its quite possible that the health statistics of the Niagara region may have become skewed by a long-term exodus of young people from a declining (former) industrial area.
Obviously, if there is an increase of average age over other counties in New York State, then you will also see a relative increase in heart disease.
People like Gofman are not stupid -- they are perfectly well aware of such statistical effects and make maximum use of them to further their agenda.
And with a bit of luck, Ricciuti & co. will get a Pulitzer Prize out of it, à la Eileen Welsome.
Its worthwhile to contrast this with the CODE OF ETHICS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISTS, at <http://www.oneworld.org/slejf/ethics.htm>, which includes the following :
4. The journalists should not be influenced on these issues by vested interests - whether they are commercial, political, and government or non-governmental. The journalist ought to keep a distance from such interests and not ally with them. As a rule journalists should report all sides in any environmental controversy.
5. The journalist should as far as possible cite sources of information and avoid alarmist or speculative reportage and tendentious comment. He or she should crosscheck the authenticity of a source, whether commercial, official or non-governmental.
8. The environmental journalist should not hesitate to correct information that he or she previously believed was correct, or to tilt the balance of public opinion by analysis in the light of subsequent developments.
Similar guidelines are promulgated by Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics, at http://spj.org/ethics/code.htm
Jaro