ShortFormBlogNovember 18, 2011

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This is a warning that there is a systemic problem, not just at one barn or one location.
Former FDA food safety chief David Acheson • Discussing the situation at Sparboe Farms, the main producer of McDonald’s eggs — well, until now. See, thanks in large part to an undercover video shot by animal rights organization Mercy for Animals (which will air on ABC News’ “20/20” and “World News Tonight” Friday night), the company dropped the egg supplier. According to the company, “the behavior on tape is disturbing and completely unacceptable.” If you have the stomach for it, you can see the video over here, but it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s as bad as you’d expect, considering the buildup. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Nov 2011 13:51

Here’s what the guy that shot this video wrote: “I woke up to a power outage and and an orange glow outside my window at 2:30am. Accross the canyon from me the mountain was on fire and a few homes were in flames. Less than an hour later it had reached my balcony.” The guy, Andrew Lee George (who got out safe), was one of 9,500 people who had to leave their homes as a result of the quickly-growing fire, which has already injured a handful of people and destroyed 20 homes. Yikes. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

Three decades ago, Natalie Wood, her husband Robert Wagner, and actor Christopher Walken went out on a yacht. Under mysterious circumstances, Wood fell off the yacht and drowned. Police decided years ago that the incident was an accident, but rumors and mystery still surrounded the November 29, 1981 incident. Now, to stoke the flames around the incident, the captain of said yacht, Dennis Davern, claims that Wagner was involved in said drowning, and encouraged the homicide unit to take another look. (EDIT: The LAPD says Wagner isn’t a suspect.) “I made some terrible decisions and mistakes,” he said on the “Today” show this morning. “I did lie on a report several years ago. … I made mistakes by not telling the honest truth in a police report.” Wagner has long claimed it was an accident, but this is sure to stoke the flames of a long-standing mystery. (photo by Caveman Chuck Coker on Flickr) source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

Basically, it affirmed what we were all seeing on the streets, which is the average Missoulian wanted to have their voice heard … and they want their elected officials to fix the problem of corporate personhood. So I hope this message is heard and we get started on fixing the problem.
Missoula, Montana Councilwoman Cynthia Wolken • Discussing her successful efforts last week to get a referendum passed in her city against the concept of corporate personhood, which was codified with the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision. While the vote — which had a 75/25 split at the polls — wasn’t binding, it is one step in the direction of encouraging Congress to pass an amendment to help fix the system, and one small push in a larger national movement. (thanks Michael Cote) source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

Surprisingly, this isn’t an Occupy post: Do you think Ryan Gosling was robbed of People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” title this year? Well, these protesters do, too. Our pals at BuzzFeed started a whole petition to promote Gosling to his rightful place. Today, protesters met outside of People’s NY HQ with chants, signs and masks. We are the 99%, indeed. source

Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink