News Roundup: Water Pollution, DoJ Prosecutions; Smear Attacks on a Whistleblower; State Food Safety Agencies

There was a fantastic piece from Frontline, the renown PBS television series, airing last night that chronicled the problems of water pollution and contamination (both wild and drinking), with a focus on Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, Washington state’s Puget Sound, and the Washington D.C. area’s drinking water. The piece analyzes several problems and sources of water pollution, including the massive waste attributable to factory farms, excessive buildup of household chemicals being washed down drains at residential houses, and urban sprawl. You can watch the episode online at the link above.  

Of course, the big news from yesterday was that in a reversing of course, President Obama indicated that he would not be opposed to creating a bipartisan commission that would investigate the Bush administration’s use of torture, nor did he rule out prosecution against the torture memos’ drafters. The statements by Obama are in stark contrast to previously ones indicating his desire to “move forward,” and directly contrast statements made on Sunday by Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

A recent episode of GAP’s television program Whistle Where You Work focused on the issues surrounding the release of the key “torture memos” drafted by the DoJ Office of Legal Counsel, and the future of the DoJ (under Obama) in general. You can view that episode by clicking here.

From Georgia (and the AP), in what is being labeled (and looks like) a smear campaign, lawyers for the sugar company whose plant exploded last year, killing 14 workers, are attacking a whistleblower who claims he sent a report of hazardous plant conditions to managers just weeks before the explosion.

Lastly, an excellent New York Times story from Monday really should be mentioned. It exquisitely details how most state food safety agencies are simply sub-par, and are grossly inadequate at protecting public health. From the article, regarding the recent peanut outbreak:

Forty-two Minnesotans were reported sick compared with three Kentuckians. Jalapeño peppers last year? Thirty-one in Minnesota and two in Kentucky became ill. The different numbers arise because health officials in Kentucky and many other states fail to investigate many complaints of food-related sickness while those in Minnesota do so diligently, safeguarding not only Minnesotans but much of the rest of the country, as well.  

A recent episode of GAP’s television program Whistle Where You Work focused on the problems of the federal food safety system. You can view that episode by clicking here.

-- Dylan Blaylock

Comments

[Thelma Whitehorton]

I would like to accuse the FBI of unlawful acts against American Citizens. I have been after them for years now. But they have always managed to escape me. If you notice, they are always ruled by some greivous personality type which believes that only obedient citizens should live. They fly over my home, they are organized crime, and starting today I am going to shut them down. I come here from something these morons could never understand, GOD. I work for Jesus and the rope is up. I am tired of your killings, your lies, your threats to everyone in power. Starting right now, this moment, your weapons will not work. Not, only that, people will find courage to report your acts of terror and win the battle against you. I do not like a bully and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is just that a little sissy who likes to push others around. Now, you come on, punk! You have messed with the wrong one this time. Whistle blow this.

Thelma Whitehorton
21515 Hwy 25
Columbiana, Al 3505

I have not said that I will beat your anal area so you can not have me arrested again. It is you who are the threat to man kind as we know it and it ends right here and right now.