The Next Great Pandemic
We live in fear of global warming, economic disaster and nuclear war, though not necessarily in that order.
Pyrethroids: A Safe Label Doesnt Make it Safe
The dangers of old-fashioned pesticides like arsenic, and more modern ones like chlorpyrifos (marketed as dursban and malathion), have led to a new generation of pesticides heralded as safe for mammals and birds.
The Case of the Disappearing Gender
I’ve been doing a lot of research lately on the effects of xenoestrogens, so the headline from the Globe and Mail wasn’t that shocking.
Online Dating for those Other Animals
At one time or another, I imagine almost everyone in the U.S. over the age of 18 has checked out an online dating site like Match.com (NASDAQ:IACI – $17.11) or eHarmony (a private company).
Woburn: Is It Something in the Water?
In the smallish town of Woburn, Massachusetts, three men have gone on trial for murder in the past few weeks.
Nanotechnology: Real or Imagined Danger?
In 2002, Michael Crichton wrote a fiction thriller called Prey, which highlights the dangers of nanotechnology.
Straight Talk about Viagra and Birth Control
Former Hewlett Packard (HPQ $41.27) CEO Carly Fiorina might have blown her chances of being Senator McCain’s Vice Presidential running mate after she told reporters that, as McCain’s campaign advisor, she’s been getting a lot of comments from women who are upset at the unfairness that many health plans cover Viagra (PFE $17.79) but not…
Can the Dumbing Down of America be Traced to Fluoridation?
In 2001, Maureen Stout came out with a book called, The Feel Good Curriculum; The Dumbing Down of America’s Kids.
Dupont and 3M: Teflon Replacement as Toxic as the Original?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, have been pressuring manufacturers like Dupont (DD – $47.21) and 3M (MMM – $75.22, formerly Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing) for years to replace their toxic coatings containing PFOAs (a type of PFC) with more environmentally-friendly substitutes.
On Albatross, and Other Same-Sex Pairings
This week in Discovery Magazine online, scientists report observing same-sex parents entering into enduring relationships to raise communal albatross young.
Food, Inc.
Are you curious about where your food comes from? MANOHLA DARGIS of the NY Times writes: "Forget buckets of blood. Nothing says horror like one of those tubs of artificially buttered, nonorganic popcorn at the concession stand. That, at least, is one of the unappetizing lessons to draw from one of the scariest movies…
The Real Victor in Iraq: Monsanto
Five years of occupation, more than $558 billion spent, 4,182 U.S. soldiers and 655,000 Iraqi civilians dead, and it now looks like Monsanto (NYSE.MON – $71.95) is going to be the real victor in Iraq thanks to a postwar document known as Order 81.
I Can Live with Peak Oil, but Peak Coffee is a Dealbreaker
News from Green Options Media via the blogspot EcoWorldly suggests that coffee addicts in Western nations may soon face shortages.
In a Warming World Coastal Forests Are the Only Defense
As the world warms and oceans rise, coastal forests of mangrove, beach grasses, tupelo and bald cypress help protect coastlines from the ravages of hurricanes and typhoons.
FDA Approvals and What They Mean to You
Photo: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Creative Commons, Flickr I recently wrote an article on a Supreme Court ruling that limits the ability of patients to sue over defective medical devices if the item has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
What Happens to the Stock Market if Obama Becomes the CEO of America?
Photo: iceman9294, Creative Commons, Flickr It’s easy and counterproductive to politicize the stock market: Democrats would say the it’s plunging due to eight years of Republican leadership. Republicans would counter that the free-falling stock market is pricing in a Democrat in the White House. Research based on the past 80 years shows that American stock…
Amendment 58 in Colorado Seeks to End Subsidies for Big Oil
Photo: Scott Ingram, Creative Commons, Flickr One of the more interesting state battles — from an oil industry standpoint — is happening in Colorado this election season.
Why Paulson Can’t Clean Up the Pollution on Wall Street
When Adam Smith wrote about the “invisible hand” in 1776, he referred to the natural forces that allow the market to correct for seemingly disastrous situations with no intervention on the part of government. Unfortunately, the natural forces of the market are no longer relevant. Wall Street’s ecosystem has been polluted by a flawed broker-dealer…
Will the Real David Icke Please Sit Down
I’d like to paraphrase Edward Albee and ask who’s afraid of David Icke, but the truth is Icke is not so much a victim of his childhood as of a British medium (Betty Shine) and a Brazilian rainforest hallucinogenic called Ayahuasca.
Vaccination Side Effects, Sponsored by Merck
Photo: Meguro-jin, Creative Commons, Flickr Some headlines are so disconcerting one is forced to wonder if theyre true, yet this one – U.S. Government Mandates Mercks Gardasil for Immigrants – is not only well-sourced but supported by government web documents.
If its Warming, Why Is Winter So Darn Cold?
This is a common global warming question, especially from those of us living at or above the 45th parallel.
Shifting Gears, or What Happens When the Poles Fail
The Earth’s geomagnetic field, which governs everything from the size of animals to the efficacy of electrical grids, may be in for a big change.
The Real Message Behind the Bailouts
Photo: wallyg, Creative Commons, Flickr There’s a message behind the recent bailouts, but it isn’t what you think.
Mouseland: A Tribute to Tommy Douglas and Social Consciousness
Few people are aware of the Clare Gillis political allegory, Mouseland, first disseminated in 1944 by Tommy Douglas, a Scots-born Canadian social democrat who introduced public healthcare as part of a greater package of social reforms aimed at enhancing the quality of life for Canadian citizens.
Book Review: How the Rich Are Destroying the Earth
“It isn’t necessary to exaggerate,” writes French author Hervé Kempf, describing his previous attitude as an environmental journalist. “…the facts, presented with tenacious attention, are sufficient to speak to our intellect.”