BLOWIN' IN THE WIND: "So Osama Bin Laden didn't kill Charles Bishop and Accutane didn't either. What did? Mental illness. That's sad. But it's not news."

So says Richard Blow, writing for the occasionally interesting TomPaine.com. In an article subtitled "How The Press Used Its Own Hysteria To Create An Overblown Tale Of Drama and Destruction," Blow reaches the same obvious conclusion that Mind Over What Matters did one week earlier -- except that where I was just flying on instinct, Blow debunks the Accutane connection with solid research and documentation:

Look at the numbers. According to the Miami Herald and other papers, 147 out of 12 million Accutane users between 1982 and May 2001, an 18-year span, were hospitalized for depression or committed suicide. That's about 1.25 hospitalizations or suicides per 100,000 Accutane users. But the suicide rate among Bishop's age group, 15-24, is about 15 per 100,000 per year. Which makes it sound that if you don't want your kids to kill themselves, you should put them on Accutane, and fast."

By the way, TomPaine.com has just overhauled their entire website, and it's now much easier on the eyes. Thanks, guys.