Check out this mini debate C-Span had between Bill Moyers and Chairman Tomlinson of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that I found on Cursor.org. Tomlinson, a republican, has been attacking Bill Moyer's former show 'Now' as being liberal advocacy journalism.

Fat Americans?

First the restaurant industry led by the huge fast-food chains successfully pays for and passes in the house the 'Cheeseburger Bill' or the 'Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act' see here and here. Now fast-food restaurants have been offering an array of healthier options seemingly to head off charges in future lawsuits that they are only offering fatty foods.

But now, according to an article in the Sun-Times today (link to the source Scripps Howard News Service), many of these fast-food restaurants say that the healthier options like 1/2 fat tacos and light crust on pizza didn't sell while the double fat options offered at the same time sold very well. They are now pulling those healther options.

Go Tillman Go!

Buried on page 50 or so is this Sun-Times story on Tillman's drive to get financial companies wanting contracts with the City of Chicago to admit links to slavery in their past. This is a great effort and I applaud Tillman for this.

It looks increasingly likely that Teflon by DuPont will become a story like asbestos or DDT. Early studies are showing that a highly toxic substance used in Teflon called perfluorooctanoic acid (and related chemicals) actually gets out of Teflon and into our bodies. DuPont assured various regulatory agencies at the time of acceptance that this chemical would stay put inside teflon, but it looks likely that they either lied or simply got it wrong. More general info here.

Looks like some class-action lawyers are already on the case as reported today in the trib here.

Here's the story:

ACROSS THE NATION
DuPont's Teflon subject of $5 billion suitItems compiled from Tribune news servicesPublished July 20, 2005
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A $5 billion class-action lawsuit is being filed against DuPont Co. saying the company failed to warn consumers of the dangers of a Teflon chemical.Two Florida law firms said Tuesday they were filing the suit in federal courts in eight states, including Illinois, on behalf of 14 people who bought and used cookware with the non-stick Teflon. It is made using perfluorooctanoic acid and its salts, known as PFOA, or C-8.The plaintiffs want DuPont to spend $5 billion to replace the cookware, impose a warning label and create two funds to pay for medical monitoring and scientific research.DuPont spokesman Clif Webb said the company "will vigorously defend itself." "Consumers using products sold under the Teflon brand are safe," Webb said.

Copyright © 2005, Chicago Tribune