While You Were Sleeping: March 2011

by Samantha Minasi, February 24, 2011

An Alabama law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit against the fast-food chain Taco Bell for false advertising. The firm insists that Taco Bell should label their “meat” what it really is: “taco meat filling” in all promotional materials, in accordance with USDA laws. Taco Bell’s “beef” is comprised of less than 40 percent meat. According to the USDA, Taco Bell can’t call this substance “beef” at all. Taco Bell’s mixture contains only 36 percent fresh meat, the other 64 percent comprising of mostly fibers, fillers, and industrial additives.
Source: Gizmodo

Last fall, a Ugandan tabloid ran a front-page story titled “100 Photos of Uganda’s Top Homos,” complete with names, photos, addresses, and a banner with the words “Hang Them.” Following the article, David Kato, one of Uganda’s most outspoken gay activists (who was included in this list,) told CNN that he feared for his life. On January 26, Kato was found beaten to death in his home. Kato was a prominent voice against the country’s “Anti-Homosexuality Bill,” also known as the “Kill the Gays” bill. It was introduced in 2009 by David Bahati, a member of the Ugandian Parliament and core member of the powerful American evangelical movement known as “The Family.” The bill was written and promoted with the help of three self-described “expert” American evangelicals, who told Ugandans that homosexual men prey on teenage boys, and homosexuality undermines family values.
Source: The Nation

New research finds that having an abortion does not increase the risk of mental health problems, while having a baby does. The 12-year Danish study included 365,550 women and teenagers who had either an abortion or a first-time delivery between 1995 and 2007, none having a previous history of psychiatric problems. Findings showed that the number of women seeking psychiatric help within the first year after an abortion did not notably change from the number of women seeking help before an abortion. The number of first-time mothers seeking mental help after giving birth was dramatically higher. Scientists credit this to increased hormone levels, sleep deprivation, and stress after delivery, while women who had abortions did not experience these symptoms.
Source: Associated Press

In the third year of Obama’s presidency, federal taxes are at historic lows; the federal government’s take of taxes will be the lowest since 1950. For the third consecutive year, American families and businesses will pay less in federal taxes than they did under former President George W. Bush. Many taxpayers are seeing their bills drop under the Obama administration because of generous tax credits for college students, working families, homebuyers, the working poor, and even the wealthy. Many of these changes were part of the economic stimulus package passed in 2009.
Source: Associated Press

Federal regulators issued new nutrition advice for Americans, their simplest, and bluntest yet: Eat less. In the past, the government’s suggestions have focused more on the content of the foods we choose: salt content, fat content, sugar content. This year’s advice urges people to drink water over sugary drinks like soda, eat more whole grains, and fill your plate with fruits and vegetables. Though the guidelines are in place for consumers, they are expected to put pressure on the food industry to “reformulate” processed foods, reduce sodium, and shrink portion sizes. Big-name corporations like Wal-Mart, Kraft Foods, and Campbell’s Soup have already announced plans to lower salt content and lower prices on fruits and vegetables.
Source: New York Times