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September 18, 2007
The Best Visual Illusion of the Year Contest is now accepting submissions for its 2008 prizes. The Neural Correlate Society hosts this fun and popular event now entering its fourth year. Last year's winning illusion will be tough to top!
New this year are the three winners' trophies, designed by…
September 17, 2007
The science blogging survey quickly met its goal of 1000 respondents, and is now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated.
Keep an eye on the blogs here to find out when the results are published, but you'll hear for sure if you're subscribed to the ScienceBlogs Weekly Recap newsletter. Find…
September 17, 2007
by Liz BorkowskiÂ
Bush appointees and polluting industries may oppose statesâ attempts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, but courts have been ruling in statesâ favor. In April, the Supreme Court found that EPA, contrary to its insistence, does in fact have the authority to regulate carbon…
September 17, 2007
We want your opinion!
This survey attempts to access the opinions of bloggers, blog-readers, and non-blog folk in regards to the impact of blogs on the outside world. The authors of the survey (from ScienceBlogs.com) are completing an academic manuscript on the impact of science blogging and this…
September 16, 2007
By David Michaels
Updated Below
The lead story in todayâs New York Times reports something weâve been writing about here at the Pump Handle for quite some time (here and here and here, for example): responsible corporations recognize the need for public health and environmental regulation.
In…
September 16, 2007
David Amodio responds to The Neurocritic's post about his hot study on [American] political thinking, Neurocognitive correlates of liberalism and conservatism, published in Nature Neuroscience.
While criticism in the blogosphere was mostly based on newspaper reporting (and a Slate article), The…
September 14, 2007
Artist Katelyn Sack emailed me earlier to clarify some info. She shares truth:
The post you link to incorrectly states the series is composed of fridge magnets. While I can make prints, magnets, T-shirts, and even baby bubbles featuring any of my artwork, 'Baby, Be A Brain Surgeon!' as featured…
September 14, 2007
Journalists and editors were in the spotlight this week. At the Society of Environmental Journalists conference, attendees grappled with journalistsâ role in covering climate change; Robert McClure at Dateline Earth and Richard Littlemore at DeSmogBlog report. Tara C. Smith at Aetiology highlights…
September 14, 2007
 By Susan F. Wood, PhD
 Two things appear to be major bones of contention in determining the final version of what is now named the "FDA Revitalization Act of 2007" (FDARA). And they both related to public transparency and public accountability.Â
The first is the limitation of financial…
September 14, 2007
Facing Us is holding a video contest. Submit a personal vignette about a mood disorder up to nine minutes long, or a 30 second PSA. 2D visual art category as well. Cash prizes up to $1000.
September 13, 2007
On March 23, 2005 a series of explosions ripped through BPâs Texas City refinery. The disaster claimed the lives of 15 and injured many more. (You can read some of the press coverage here and here.)
Here are a few interesting tidbits fresh from the courtroom where BP lawyers are working to…
September 13, 2007
One of the benefits of blogging at The Pump Handle is connecting with people who have first-hand experience with our nation's inadequate public health protection system. We've heard from parents and wives who appreciate us writing about their loved ones' fatal on-the-job injuries, and federal…
September 12, 2007
Over the past week, several newspapers and wire services have reported on the story we broke here at The Pump Handle about the first reported case of bronchiolitis obliterans in a microwave popcorn consumer â quickly followed by microwave popcorn manufacturersâ announcements about the removal of…
September 12, 2007
The anniversary of the 9/11 attacks yesterday highlighted the health problems that many rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers and volunteers are facing. Articles in the New York Times, Newsday, and the New York Sun highlighted workers whoâve developed severe disease over the past six years and…
September 12, 2007
Check out this memorial cookbook compiled by survivors of suicide. It's a lovely resource to share in times of distress: memories, poetry and support along with recipes for comforting food.
"Each victim of suicide gives his act a personal stamp which expresses his temperament the special…
September 11, 2007
The following post is by Dr. David Egilman, a familiar figure to those who have been following the case of Eli Lillyâs schizophrenia drug Zyprexa. See Alex Berensonâs New York Times articles on the case for more background, or read David Michaelsâs post about Zyprexa and sequestered science. --…
September 10, 2007
By David Michaels
It is time for Congress to enlist the nationâs science and policy experts to help develop a federal workers' compensation program for 9/11 rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers. The inadequacy of state worker programs led Congress to legislate special compensation programs for…
September 10, 2007
By David Michaels
In a few short months, the country has awakened to several potential hazards associated with Chinese toys. Mattel and other manufacturers have already recalled millions of toys, some for lead paint and others because they contained magnets that, if swallowed, could cause severe…
September 9, 2007
By David Michaels
The popcorn festival has just ended in Marion, Ohio (nickname: âpopcorn capital of the worldâ), attended by more than 100,000 revelers. The Orville Redenbacher Parade is one of the festivalsâ highlights. Redenbacher, who developed the hybrid corn strain that pops so uniformly,…
September 8, 2007
While we here at The Pump Handle have been focusing on popcorn problems (the big story is here, the latest installment here), other bloggers have been keeping tabs on public health issues in Congress:
At RH Reality Check, Anika Rahman and Tod Preston explain the Global Gag Rule and why itâs a good…
September 8, 2007
Hello from England! Last night was the award ceremony for the 2007 Gruber Prizer in Cosmology. It was good to meet up with the members of the SCP again, many of whom I haven't seen in several years. Picture below is the members of the collaboration who were present, underneath one of the many…
September 7, 2007
By David Michaels
Over a year ago, unions petitioned the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to adopt an emergency temporary standard for diacetyl (PDF). More than 40 leading occupational health physicians and scientists sent a supporting letter (PDF) to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao…
September 6, 2007
 By Susan F. Wood, PhDÂ
In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine today, Sheila Weiss Smith points out that the FDA has not been responsive to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on Drug Safety. That study and its recommendations took on the question of how to improve our nation's…
September 6, 2007
By David Michaels
Earlier this week, we broke the story of the first case of âpopcorn lungâ occurring in person whose exposure to diacetyl was not workplace-related. Now more details are coming out, including an interview with Wayne Watson, the Colorado furniture salesman with disease. In today's…
September 5, 2007
Workers who manufacture microwave popcorn for ConAgra and Pop Weaver will soon be able to breathe easier, since both companies have announced that they will stop using diacetyl to flavor their popcorn. Other workers â including those who make flavorings, baked goods, and other companiesâ microwave…
September 5, 2007
I"m sorry the blog's been so quiet recently. With my new job, and my trip out to SF getting started at Linden these last two weeks, I've been quite busy! Things won't settle down until next week, as I'm off to the UK for the next for days for the Gruber Prize award ceremony. I'll be back next…
September 5, 2007
With summer vacation over and school back in session, my thoughts naturally turn to homework, term papers and due dates. Perhaps if Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and OSHA's Asst. Secretary Edwin Foulke viewed their responsibilities to the nation's workers like students with homework …
September 5, 2007
Last week, Pop Weaver announced that it was eliminating diacetyl from its microwave popcorn products. Today, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Associated Press report that ConAgra will remove diacetyl from its Orville Redenbacher and Act II microwave popcorn over the next year. This news comes as…
September 5, 2007
I haven't read the study— it would take some digging to find, after all!— only the CNN Article, but the title sums up half of the results: "Men want hot women, study confirms."
In a nutshell, the study found that in a speed-dating test, men, despite what they said they were looking for, almost…
September 4, 2007
By David Michaels
Updated Below
For the past several years, news articles and Congressional hearings have reported on a deadly, irreversible lung disease â bronchiolitis obliterans â that is caused by workersâ exposure to food flavoring chemicals, and more specifically by exposure to a butter-…