Category: General

Are You Sure Your Bottled Water’s Safe?

I learned recently that tap water is more regulated than bottled water.  I had never thought twice about reaching for a plastic bottle, and always tried to make sure the plastic bottle ended up in the recycling bin.

It turns out there may be reason to be concerned about the bottled water industry.  Members of Congress, at any rate, have questions.

From eNews Park Forest:

An Environmental Working Group (EWG) investigation of almost 200 popular bottled water brands found less than 2 percent disclose the water’s source, how the water has been purified and what chemical pollutants each bottle of water may contain. Just 2 of the 188 individual brands EWG analyzed disclosed those three basic facts about their water.

Full report found here: http://www.ewg.org/health/report/bottledwater-scorecard

Jane Houlihan, EWG Senior Vice President for Research, discussed the findings of the 18-month long study in testimony today before a congressional oversight hearing on the gaps in government regulation of the bottled water industry.

Some of the more interesting discoveries were that mainstream brands such as Sam’s Club and Walgreen’s scored relatively high marks, while waters marketed as elite, including Perrier, S. Pellegrino and the Whole Foods store brand, flunked because they provided almost no meaningful information for consumers.

Why the glaring lack of disclosure? Houlihan said that bottled water companies enjoy a regulatory holiday under the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which give beverage corporations complete latitude to choose what, if any, information about their water they divulge to customers. [emphasis added]

Beverage corporations get to choose what, if ny, information about their water they divulge to customers?

This sentence stood out on the EWG Web site:

None of the top 10 U.S. domestic bottled water brands label specific water sources and treatment methods for all their products.

My solution? Drop the bottle and fill up a glass at the sink.


Act NOW: Urge Your Senator to Support Hate Crimes Legislation.

The Matthew Shepard Act is before the United States Senate.  The wrong-right wing, for some insane reason, is pulling an all-out campaign to bury this bill.

We need your support now.  NOW.

Matthew Shepard, that beautiful boy from Wayoming, was murdered only because he was gay.

That’s it.

We need FEDERAL legislation to let everyone know hate crimes are wrong, no matter the reason.  For some reason, some people in the United States believe it’s okay ok to murder someone because he or she is gay.

Rubbish.

Call your senator NOW.

From the Matthew Shepard Foundation:

After 10 years of continued effort, a federal act to prevent and prosecute hate crimes committed against persons due to their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity is closer than ever to becoming law, with a key Senate roll-call about to take place.

The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which passed the U.S. House earlier this year by a sizeable margin, has been offered as an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (S. 1391). Officially known as the Leahy/Collins/Kennedy/Snowe Amendment, it will be debated intermittently ahead of a crucial procedural vote as soon as Thursday afternoon, or as late as Monday, July 20.

The cloture motion (to end debate and force a vote on the amendment) will require 60 votes to pass. Support for the Matthew Shepard Act appears to be close to that threshold, though opponents of this common-sense legislation are reportedly deluging the Senate with calls and correspondence urging its defeat.

Yesterday, Matthew Shepard Foundation Governing Board President Judy Shepard joined Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at a Capitol press conference to urge passage of the legislation.  Sen. Reid reiterated his commitment to get the Matthew Shepard Act into law this year. The Defense Department spending bill, with or without the Shepard Act attached, will need to go to a conference committee of the House and Senate that will be charged with producing a final version in September.  House and Senate leaders and the White House have again restated their commitments to get this done—this year.

But lawmakers need to hear where you stand. Call THE SENATE SWITCHBOARD at 202-224-3121, or visit http://www.senate.gov/ and make your voice heard today!

Jason Marsden
Executive Director

Call NOW.  Democratic, Republican, no matter.  Gay, straight, no matter.   For the love of God, call to show your support for your fellow human beings.  Some of whom, are gay.


David Carradine’s Death Was Accidental

According to IMDb, Davad Carradine’s death was accidental, brought about by autoerotic asphyxiation:

He was discovered by a maid, naked and hanged, but the suggestions his death had a sexual twist were strongly disputed by the star’s close friend, attorney Vicki Roberts, and his manager Chuck Binder, who insisted he died of natural causes.

But a statement from Carradine’s representative now indicates the actor died during a sex act.

The spokesperson tells TMZ.com, “We can confirm 100 per cent that he never would have committed suicide. It was an accidental death. Everybody is in shock.”

Rumours Carradine died attempting auto-erotic asphyxiation – where victims achieve heightened sexual pleasure by restricting their air supply – are backed up by a quote a Bangkok police officer gave to British newspaper The Sun.

The cop tells reporters, “A rope was attached to his neck and also to his penis”.

Well, there’s an image to carry with you.

I prefer this one:

David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine in Kung Fu

David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine

Fare well, David. Rest in peace.


Susan Boyle’s ‘Memory’ Draws Cheers, Tears

Her voice a bit tentative at times, Susan Boyle finds her stride in ‘Memory’ from Cats, and lifts us up once again.

According to the Sun-Times, Telephone voters picked her as the best of the night’s eight performers, so she will sing again in the contest’s final on Saturday.

Enjoy the video.

Sing, Susan. Sing.


Turning Left in Top 100 on BlogBurst

Just wanted to say how pleased we are to announce that Turning Left has broken into the top 100 in BlogBurst, the syndication service that places blogs on top-tier online destinations, is a product of Pluck Corporation, headquartered in Austin, Texas.  There are thousands of blogs registered with BlogBurst.  We’re honored that Turning Left is rising to the top!

Many of our posts appear in the Chicago Sun-Times, but posts from Turning Left have turned up on Reuters, USA Today, and even <shock> FoxNews </shock>.

Thanks to you, our readers, and to our friends at BlogBurst for helping us spread the truth on the Left!


Steelers’ Jeff Reed Charged with Disorderly Conduct

Let’s hope this is the worst thing that happens to Super Bowl champion Pittsuburgh Steelers in the off-season.

Jeff Reed, two-time Super Bowl champion, one of the greatest field goal kickers in the NFL, allegedly went bonkers when he discovered that a towel dispenser at  a gas station was empty.

Yup.  For real.  Police say the kicker attacked a towel dispenser.

From WTEA in Pittsburgh:

According to a state police press release, Reed damaged a towel dispenser inside the men’s room at a Sheetz gas station on Route 22 in New Alexandria after he became infuriated that it did not contain towels.

Store employees told state police that they heard Reed “banging on something and that it was really loud.” The employees said Reed then left the bathroom “using profane language in a loud manner” and stating that there were no towels in the restroom.

State police cited Reed with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief, which carry a maximum fine of $300 and 90 days in jail each.

We have a guy in our town who insists any mention of his name in the press is a good thing.  He’s a chronic pol, always running for office, often running for more than one office at a time.

I have always disagreed with this shallow philosophy.

I suspect Jeff Reed would disagree as well.  I would not want to be in the kicker’s shoes when he faces Mike Tomlin.


Steelers Up 13-0 Over Baltimore

Ben Roethlisberger connects for a 63 yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes.

Baltimore is currently trying to convert for the first time today, game early in the second quarter.


GO STEELERS!

It’s Playoffs in Pittsburgh. Enough said.


Christian the Lion – the full story

Wonderful. Enjoy.


Teen on Life Support Following Scavenger Hunt

Erik Nava, a 17-year-old student at St. Charles North High School, remains in critical condition today following an underground scavenger hunt gone terribly bad Friday.  According to the Sun-Times, Nava “leapt from an SUV in order to garner ‘points’ for his team.”

Police believe he jumped from a Dodge Durango moving at 25 mph as part of the game in which as many as 200 students participated.

One former St. Charles North student, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the scavenger hunt has been a tradition for at least three years.

Students make a list of dares they film for points, then destroy the video after the participants prove they completed the tasks.

Some St. Charles students who participated in this year’s event said each participant contributed $5. The group that earns the most points wins the cash.

The students estimated that Nava’s group won first or second place off the four-page list of scavenger hunt activities.

Nava was supposed to fall from the vehicle onto grass, but landed on gravel instead.  Police say when they arrived, they found Nava “unconscious with a puddle of blood under his head.”

Nava’s friends initially fled the scene:

As the first officer began basic first aid, four girls — some of whom were in the Dodge Durango that Nava jumped from — drove away, police said. They returned to the scene after called by police.

The people in the car thought 25 mph was too fast, and planned to take a photo of the speedometer at 25 mph, then slow down to 10 or 15 mph, according to the police report. But Nava jumped without giving notice, one of the girls told police.

According to the report, Kane County State’s Attorney John Barsanti is not sure if any crime has been committed.  Still, Barsanti is calling a special grand jury to investigate.

No one interviewed the school for this story.  I’d like to know whether anyone in District 303 had a clue that this had been going on for so long.

The school’s Web site appears to be overloaded right now.  Let’s hope this young man recovers.