In today’s pile of economic research papers (you know, the stuff that at least tries to use rigorous tools to test theories and provide evidence):
Something in the Water: Contaminated Drinking Water and Infant
Health by Janet Currie, Joshua S. Graff Zivin, Katherine Meckel, Matthew J. Neidell, Wolfram Schlenker –NBER Working Paper #18876
This paper provides estimates of the effects of in utero exposure to contaminated drinking water on fetal health. We examine the universe of birth records and drinking water testing results for the state of New Jersey from 1997 to 2007. Our data enable us to compare outcomes across siblings who were potentially exposed to differing levels of harmful contaminants from drinking water while in utero. We find small effects of drinking water contamination on all children, but large and statistically significant effects on birth weight and gestation of infants born to less educated mothers. We also show that those mothers who were most affected by contaminants were the least likely to move between births in response to contamination.
A good friend used to live in the aptly-named Flushing, NY, and he was, maybe still is (have to ask him — moved from Flushing to Santa Monica to Oklahoma) who used to dive in the East River, no fooling. He could barely see his watch. This guy was committed, but no, he did not become a SEAL — joined the Air Force, went through OCS even.
The story about New Jersey water comes as no surprise, having explored murky waters with my mask and fins, and often driven the Pulaski bridge to the Holland Tunnel. But I am not as much of an expert as Rizzo, with his Brooklyn credentials.
It is indeed a miracle that the whole New York area people have not died of cholera, even though Mikey was not Mayor. Just in: the courts have ruled in favor of obesity and liberty.