FDA Orders Coke To Drop Health Claims

dietcokeplusIt turns out that Diet Coke is not a health drink.

The Food and Drug Administration has ordered Coca-Cola Company to change its labels for its “plus” line of drinks, which refer to their vitamin and mineral content. Coca-Cola has been marketing Diet Coke Plus as “a good source of vitamins B3, B6, and B12, and the minerals zinc and magnesium.”

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Electoral Dysfunction: U.S. Hands Out Viagra to Warloads to Win Allies in Afghanistan

200px-viagra_in_packAfter a long line of stories about the continued marriage of young girls (some below ten) and rape of women as a means of forced marriages, the United States government has found the perfect gift to win over Afghan warloads: Viagra. CIA and military officers are handing out Viagra to warlords to win them over to Uncle Sam.

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Happy Holidays!

images8Best wishes to everyone celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah. Our kids get to double dip on both holidays in a play to spread our bets between the two religions of the parents. We have just finished placing the last present under the tree in Chicago. We can now look forward to three hours of sleep before the C-Day invasion. As my gift to you, I have linked a truly inspirational holiday video: Jingle Bells played on microwave ovens below.
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Have a Merry Christmas or Else: Florida Woman Sues For Being Required to Say “Happy Holidays”

images-1mediaA Christmas controversy is brewing in Pensacola, Florida where Tonia Thomas, 35, claims that she was fired because he insisted on greeting callers with “Merry Christmas” rather than Happy Holidays. Her former employer, Counts-Oakes Resorts Properties Inc., insists that there were other reasons for her termination but outside groups have come to Thomas’ aid in suing the company. In the meantime, Muslims are debating whether they can say “Merry Christmas.”

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Kissing Cousins: A New Question of Discrimination In the Wake of New Studies

9780252065408As states grapple with limitations on same sex marriage, polygamy, and other moral legislation controversies, scientists may have introduced another areas of potential challenge: the ban on first cousins. The premise for barring first cousins was always based on rather shaky science. Now, scientists are challenging any medical or public policy basis for the prohibition — raising constitutional questions of why consenting adults can be barred from such marriages.

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Family Sues After Police Arrest and Rough Up 12-Year-Old Girl as a Prostitute Outside of Her Texas Home

thumb_police_brutalityPolice in Galveston, Texas are being sued for allegedly arresting a 12-year-old Dymond Larae Milburn outside of her home as a prostitute in 2006. The girl did not realize that the plainclothes officers were police and fought back as she screamed for her father inside the house. She was reportedly beaten by the officers and ended up with sprained wrist, two black eyes, a bloody nose, and blood in an ear. Weeks later, the police arrested her for resisting arrest.
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Driving Miss Daisy: California Doctor Leaves Country After Using Patient’s Fat as Fuel for His Cars

300px-oil_wellCalifornia investigators are interested in speaking with Dr. Craig Alan Bittner. Bittner has an interesting way of “saving the planet”: he used that fat that he removed from his patients in liposuction to fuel his two SUVs. His M.I.P. (Miles to the Patient) was great until officials notified his lawyer that it happens to be a crime.
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Naughty List: California Man Arrested for Flashing Gang Symbols on Santa’s Lap

99237No Noel for Uriel.

Uriel Oliva, 18, was arrested early has been arrested for a curious probation violation: flashing gang symbols while sitting on Santa’s lap. The picture was spotted by his probation officer on a keychain during a probation check. It is unclear if St. Nick is an unindicted co-conspirator, but Oliva is charged with three misdemeanor counts for violating court orders.

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Pastorius Elementary: Boy and Girl Caught Having Sex in Stairwell So School Suspends the Boy

thumb_scales_of_justiceThere are objections being raised on how school officials have responded to the discovery of a young boy and girl having sex in a stairwell at Francis Pastorius Elementary School in Philadelphia before Thanksgiving: the boy, Walter Goss (13), was expelled but the girl was allowed to continue at the school.
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Not-So-Brigthon: City Makes It A Crime To Be Annoying

thumb_policeman_cartoonThere appears to be no lawyers living in Brighton, Michigan or within telephone range of the city council. The city elders have made it a crime for anyone to commit acts that “seriously annoy another person and that serve no legitimate purpose.” Putting aside the vagueness and overbreadth violations, there is the restriction on travel by Paris Hilton, Rosie O’Donnell, and the other annual recipients of the most annoying people.

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Iraqi Judge: No Abuse Probe In Case of Shoe Thrower

image4668248gWhile the family of Iraqi journalist of Muntazer al-Zaidi (or al-Zeidi) (including a brother who visited him) have alleged obvious signs of abuse and torture, investigating judge Dhiya al-Kenani has refused to allow an investigation into the matter — saying that such accounts are completely baseless. The problem has been the curious refusal of authorities to allow anyone to see al-Zaidi for many days and the decision to cancel an appearance in court shortly after his arrest. Then there are the accounts of witnesses who say that they heard him screaming after being taken away by Iraqi security.

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