The common sense of university professors
Richard Gray and Michael Freeman

Nipawin - July 27, 2000 - By: Mario deSantis
   

common sense

I am cherishing the common sense shown by Dr. Richard Gray, agricultural economist
with the University of Saskatchewan, and Dr. Michael Freeman, trauma scientist with
the Oregon Health Services University School of Medicine.
   

off-farm
income

Dr. Gray has stated that the higher farm family income in recent years is a reflection of
off-farm income(1). Dr. Gray makes common sense and his statement is consistent
with our earlier observation that the growth of employment in Saskatchewan was not the
result of the good work of honourable Janice MacKinnon, Minister of Economic
Development, but rather an inevitable necessity for farmers to be alive while their
agricultural income is dwindling(2).
   

listening

Dr. Michael Freeman is putting some common sense to the experiences of no-fault
insurance in Saskatchewan. After the questionable manipulation of statistical no-fault
numbers by Dr. David Cassidy(3), Dr. Freeman will reestablish some integrity to our
statistical researches by listening to the stories of no-fault victims in regard to their
recovery from injuries and to the appropriateness of their rehabilitation programs(4).
   

guiding principle of science

We commend Dr. Gray and Dr. Freeman for finally emphasizing commons sense as
a guiding principle of science and of our lives, and putting the stories of people before
statistical numbers.
   
--------------Endnotes:
   

1.
-

Farm incomes inflated by off-farm work: economist, CBC Saskatchewan http://sask.cbc.ca Web Posted | Jul 26 2000 8:38 AM EDT
   

2.
-

Don't trust statistics, don't trust Honourable MacKinnon, trust yourself, by Mario deSantis, February 10, 2000
   

3.
-

The incredible abuse of Saskatchewan No-Fault insurance, by Mario deSantis, May 28, 2000 and reviewed by James deSantis
   

4.
-

U.S. doctor doing his own no-fault study CBC Saskatchewan http://sask.cbc.ca Web Posted | Jul 26 2000 8:27 AM EDT
   
  Dr. Freeman's article on bad medical research.
   
  University of Saskatchewan page on Dr. Richard Gray
   
  School of Agriculture page on Dr. Gray