Barbara Feder Ostrov

<p>Could regular use of ibuprofen help prevent Parkinson's disease? Answers and more from our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Why is a Canadian hospital going public with details of its care of a dying baby? Answers and more in our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>President Obama’s support for a bill <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/us/politics/01health.html?scp=4&amp;s… would let states opt out of national health reform mandates</a> early to come up with their own plans has been described variously as <a href="http://blogs.ajc.com/jamie-dupree-washington-insider/2011/03/01/health-…;“a bomb,”</a> a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/28/AR20110…;“major concession”</a> to reform’s critics, or <a href="http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/02/obama-calls-republican-health…;“calling the Republicans’ bluff.” </a>&nbsp;</p><p>But is it any single one of these things? Not so much. Here’s some context and a look at some analysis of Obama’s highly-publicized support for the <a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/11/have_scott_brown_an… state waiver bill</a>, which he announced to the nation’s state governors on Monday.</p>

<p>Why do two Central California cities top a new "most toxic" cities list? Plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Why does journalism matter? The National Press Foundation will award an iPad to the person who can best answer that weighty question in a 140-character tweet. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Medical pot purveyors can't escape the tax man, plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>A new study finds that stress doesn't have much effect on fertility treatment, plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Why do so many Americans think health reform has been repealed? Answers and more in our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3650/3435206192_c2b9c66f0a_m.jpg&quot; style="float: left; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 15px;" />In July, I <a href="../../../../../../../../blogs/whooping-cough-pertussis-epidemic-california-tips-covering-story">wrote about a “jaw-dropping” press release</a> about California’s astonishing rise in whooping cough cases.</p>

<p>What state governor said the chemical BPA could "give women little beards?" Answers and more in our Daily Briefing.</p>