Controversies

Almost One-Third of Honey Bee Colonies in U.S. Collapsed in just 6 Months

Environmental and beekeeper groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency last March, seeking to ban pesticides that have been found toxic to bees. The European Commission recently announced it will be banning, across the entire continent, three insecticides believed to be killing Europe’s bee colonies: imidacloprid and clothianidin, produced by Bayer, and thiamethoxam, produced by Syngenta. read more

Nutritional Value of Fast Food Has Hardly Increased in 14 Years

The eight chains examined were McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Arby’s, Jack in the Box and Dairy Queen. The companies did make some improvements in the areas of meat, saturated fat, and calories from solid fats and added sugars. But they lost ground with milk/dairy and sodium, and stayed about the same when it comes to fruits and vegetables. More than 25% of Americans dine on fast food at least twice a week. read more

Big Corporations Accused of Crimes Usually Pay Fines while Avoiding Jail Time

Legal experts say that the agreements permit company officials to buy their way out of going to prison. “DOJ has championed an alternative reality that has become problematic: it sends the message that justice can be bought,” Mike Koehler, a professor at the Southern Illinois School of Law, added. read more

5,000 Children’s Products Contain Toxic or Dangerous Ingredients

The most common toxic chemicals were cobalt and cobalt compounds (1,228 products), ethylene glycol (1,066 products), and antimony and antimony compounds (525 products) and methyl ethyl ketone (469 products). Cobalt is used in plastic building blocks and baby bibs; ethylene glycol in dolls; antimony in high chairs and booster seats; and methyl ethyl ketone in clothing. read more

Obama Administration Seeks Compromise in Heated Emergency Contraceptive Debate

In December 2011, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, blocked the sale of the drug to young girls without a prescription, presumably because of a lack of data proving it would be safe. Many saw this decision merely as a political move by the Obama administration to protect vulnerable Democratic candidates in an election year. read more

Why are More Than Half of Guantánamo Prisoners now on Hunger Strike?

There are several theories as to why the 86 cleared prisoners have not been released. For some, returning to their native countries would expose them to retaliation by their governments. For others, such as those from Yemen, the Obama administration may feel that the political situation there is too volatile, and the released prisoners might join terrorist groups, either voluntarily or involuntarily. read more

Canadian Company to Defy Ban on Uranium Mining Near Grand Canyon

Colorado-based Energy Fuels Resources, a subsidiary of Toronto-based Energy Fuels, Inc. (2012 revenues: $25 billion), argues that the January 2012 Obama administration policy barred only new claims on the one million acres surrounding the park. Because the company's “Old Canyon mine” received regulatory approval and opened in the 1980s, Energy Fuels persuaded the U.S. Forest Service to approve the mine’s re-opening based on environmental and other regulatory approvals issued in 1986. read more

More Americans Now Die from Suicide than from Auto Accidents

The largest increases occurred in the Baby Boom generation. For men in this cohort, the suicide rate jumped 50% among those in their 50s. Among women age 60-64, the rate soared even higher, by 60%. Easy access to prescription painkillers may have played a role as well. However, suicides by hanging saw the highest increase (81%), and most suicides are still committed using firearms. read more

Most Women Who Give Birth Before 25 Are Unmarried

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that as of 2011, 62% of women age 20-24 who gave birth in the previous 12 months were unmarried. This rate was considerably higher than that for women 35-39, who came in at 17%. More than half (57%) of women with less than a high school diploma in 2011 who had had a child in the past year were unmarried. In contrast, only 9% of recent mothers with a bachelor’s degree or higher were unmarried. read more

First Woman on U.S. Most Wanted Terrorist List

Chesimard was eventually captured, tried and convicted in 1977 of first-degree murder, armed robbery, and other crimes. She was sentenced to life in prison, but escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey on November 2, 1979, with the help of armed visitors, and made her way to Cuba, where she resides today, according to the FBI. The FBI declared her a terrorist in 2005. She was the godmother of rapper Tupac Shakur. read more

Jury Awards Mentally Disabled Men Millions in Case against Iowa Turkey Processor

The U.S. Department of Labor investigated Henry’s Turkey Service in both 1997 and 2003 and concluded that the workers were being paid substandard wages. However, the federal government took no action. After a 2009 tip about the conditions at Henry’s, both the state and the federal government imposed million-dollar fines, but Henry’s simply didn’t pay them. read more

U.S. Companies Accused of Billing Texas Family for Return of Contractor’s Heart from Iraq

The plaintiffs added that “the circumstances surrounding his death are bizarre” and “they have been unable to fully and finally determine how Chuck died,” which made it “impossible to collect on life insurance because of the mutilation of the body and the missing heart.” To add insult to injury, the companies offered no apology for sending Doherty’s heart home separately, while also trying to charge the family for shipping costs. read more

New Arizona Law Makes Cities Re-Sell Guns Collected in Buy-Back Programs

Supporters argued that the change in law will provide municipalities with new revenues through gun reselling. In 2010, Arizona passed a law requiring that firearms seized by police be given to gun dealers for resale. Opponents of the new law claimed that weapons obtained through buy-back programs were exempt from this requirement and said the new bill sent the wrong message. read more

Overworked Guard Dogs Put Tennessee Nuclear Facility at Risk

The inspector general (IG) for the Department of Energy found the handling of security canines at the Y-12 National Security Complex must be improved in order to assure the protection of the facility and the bomb-grade uranium stored there. “We found that half of the canine teams we observed failed explosive detection tests, many canines failed to respond to at least one of the handler’s commands, and that canines did not receive all required training,” the report (pdf) states. read more

30 Toxic Chemicals Found at Exxon Pipeline Spill Site in Arkansas

The study revealed that at least 30 hazardous chemicals were detected in the air following the 500,000 gallons of oil that spilled from a ruptured ExxonMobil pipeline. The chemicals included include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, n-hexane and xylenes. Exposure to ethylbenzene and benzene can cause cancer and birth defects, while the inhalation of n-hexane can damage the nervous system and produce numbness, muscular weakness, blurred vision, headaches and fatigue. read more

Government Plans to Fine Internet Companies for Refusing Wiretaps

The FBI has cited increasing use of the Internet, rather than phones, for public communication as the reason for its need to monitor online traffic. The agency’s general counsel, Andrew Weissmann, has said that wiretapping the Internet is currently the FBI’s “top priority.” read more