But diet is a complex system. So while there might not be any magical "direct" benefit from eating a certain fruit or vegetable, they could still produce a significant positive effect.

Perhaps the biggest contribution to preventing cancer that fruits and veggies make is to curb negative behavior. They might replace sugary foods or regulate cravings or satiate (all interrelated). And then, this could feed back into promoting positive behavior: more energy which encourages more rigorous exercise. Which boosts the subject's mood and increases their sense of well-being. Which feeds back into their dietary choices. Etc.

Obviously there's benefits, but I maintain that adding fruits and veggies to an otherwise awful lifestyle is akin to putting lipstick on a pig. Eat all the fruit you want -- if you smoke, you're not fooling your body.

But bear in mind this man leads two multimillion dollar companies. I can imagine the PR/marketing opportunity was difficult to pass up. Even if further data proves his assessment of Boeing's configuration ill-advised, a majority of impressions will remain in his favor. He may have even nipped any comparisons between Boeing's "dangerous" technology and Tesla in the bud.

A reader might walk away from the story with the idea that Tesla engineers are more skilled than Boeing engineers. Call it what you want, but that's a helluva branding opportunity.

The value that I derive from an email with an old friend is different than a phone call which is different still from a lunch.

Our social needs are deeply intertwined with our DNA. And the emotional value we can derive from interacting digitally does not meet the full extent that we derive from physical interaction.

Hence, I would argue that someone that lives on the web all day with thousands of people in mostly physical isolation will find less social fulfillment than someone that lives amongst a handful of humans with little connection to the outside world.

Marijuana has been decriminalized in California since 2010. The proposition to legalize the drug failed to pass. But I would hardly call this "backward momentum." It's not like there was a ton of incentive for Joe Pot to rally behind the move--cheap prescriptions, cheap dispensaries, and cheap penalties is keeping him plenty happy and stocked.

There was no such "cracking down" in Amsterdam. And I would hardly call what happened in the Netherlands "cracking down." Many cities were weary of tourists entering the country simply to get high. So those cities combatted the "anti-social" tourist by requiring marijuana IDs at their coffeeshops. Citizens are free to use, but unless other countries adopt legalization laws in the Euro Zone some Dutch cities feel they must enforce these policies.

Will be interesting to see how Colorado/Washington deal with this, as they will likely encounter the same issue. If I lived in a border city like Vancouver, I'd be prepping for an influx in 2014.

Specifically, the possession of less than 1 oz of marijuana has been decriminalized. Possession of a larger quantity, or sale or intent to distribute, has not been.

"The proposition to legalize the drug failed to pass."

Prop 19 was not a full legalization; it was more like a major decriminalization. Possession of up to 1 oz would have been legalized, but many of the "gotcha" side-penalties (employers retain rights to drug screen and consider cannabis in the system a firable offense; legal penalties for possession above 1 oz; etc.) would have remained in place. I think it's fair to say that, had it passed, Prop 19 would have been a really big step toward legalization. But let's not split hairs.

"There was no such "cracking down" in Amsterdam."

Not only has the sale of marijuana to tourists been outlawed, but "coffee shops" are being forced to reorganize as membership-only clubs, with caps on membership at around 1,000-1,500 per shop. There is also a growing movement, with vocal sponsors in the Dutch parliament, to ban "coffee shops" altogether.

"And I would hardly call what happened in the Netherlands "cracking down."

Again, hair spliting over semantics here. The fact is that the Netherlands is moving in a more conservative direction w/r/t marijuana policy. However you want to define "cracking down," the present directionality is from X to Y, where X is a more liberal policy, and Y is a more restrictive policy.

I see your point that policy in the Netherlands is not necessarily germane to policy in the US. I think that's a fair one.

The CannaMed doctor doesn't stand to make more money off of you. But he stands to build a reputation as one who hands out the Rx.

People seeking cards aren't going to visit a prescriber who is notoriously stingy.

Sure, deciding to bike commute isn't a guarantee of sustainable weight loss. But no single activity is. Combine its caloric deficit with a sensible health plan and you'll reap its benefits.

So I hacked together Pactt. Would love to hear your feedback on the MVP, below or via feedback [at] pactt.co.

Facebook's primary goal is to get its users to share more and more over time (see Zuck's law).

Stories such as this--watch what you share on Facebook irregardless of your privacy settings--are detrimental to that goal. They must put the kibosh on such behavior fast and early.