The judge ruled against the beekeepers and public interest advocates in their lawsuit — which was seeking to protect bees, and the rest of the environment, from unregulated damages that may be caused by the Environmental Protection Agency’s rather sloppy policies regarding seeds that are coated with certain insecticides that are known to kill bees in large numbers.

Andrew Kimbrell, Director of the Center for Food Safety, said, “It is astounding that a judge, EPA or anyone with any common sense would not regulate this type of toxic pesticide use, especially when the seed-coatings are so broadly applied and there is so much at risk. Study after study has shown that seeds coated with these chemicals are a major culprit in catastrophic bee-kills. Now more than ever our country’s beekeepers, environment and food system deserve protection from agrichemical interests, and it is EPA’s job to deliver it.”

Kimbrell’s lamenting of the ruling is easily understandable; we know neonics are harmful pesticides and yet, our bureaucratic government is doing nothing to stop the damage.

Neonics have been linked to record all-time highs of colony deaths, water pollution, and are known to pose risks to other valuable species, like birds.

Earlier this year, the federal government itself released a report admitting that neonics are harmful and have been causing catastrophic bee deaths across the country. The findings were part of the first scientific risk assessment to conducted on this type of insecticide and their affect on bee populations. (Read more news about avoiding exposure to pesticides and other chemicals at GreenLivingNews.com)

Indeed, the government’s own report confirmed what many activists and beekeepers have been saying for years: neonics weaken, disorient and kill honeybees.

The analysis particularly highlighted the harmful nature of imidacloprid, showing that it clearly caused damage to beehives and honey production. The EPA itself confirmed that when bees are exposed to imidacloprid at concentrations of at least 25 parts per billion — a pretty standard amount on crops — they suffer grieviously.

“These effects include decreases in pollinators as well as less honey produced,” the EPA’s press release states.

The report on imidacloprid is very concerning — but what is perhaps even more concerning is the fact that this report focused on just one, singular neonictonoid, when there are in fact several used nation-wide. It is not just one form of this insecticide that has been indicated as harmful — it is the entire class of neonics that many have found to be problematic.

What is most concerning about seed coatings containing neonics is that they are not exactly regulated  well. The group of beekeepers who filed suit against the EPA did so for this exact reason. Seed coating is the most prolific form of neonic use — and yet the EPA has never conducted safety testing on this use.  Toxic dust floats in the air every spring after corn is planted, thanks to neonic seed coatings, and it is this dust that is what is often most problematic.

Beekeeper Brett Adee lost more than 6,000 hives last spring during corn planting. A state investigation concluded that his bees were poisoned by a neonic that was used on the seeds his neighbors had planted. Mr. Adee is not the first beekeeper to lose his bees to insecticides, and he surely won’t be the last — given that the EPA has exempted seed coating from regulation.

When dismissing the case filed by beekeepers and advocates, the judge proclaimed, “The Court is most sympathetic to the plight of our bee population and beekeepers. Perhaps the EPA should have done more to protect them, but such policy decisions are for the agency to make.”

What kind of country are we living in? (Related: See more examples of stupid government policies at Stupid.news)

Sources:

ENewsPF.com

March-Against-Monsanto.com

CenterForFoodSafety.org

As reported by The Telegraph, universities will be forced to pander to every single demand, no matter how inappropriate, ridiculous or stupid they may be, of “snowflake” student pansies if highly controversial changes to the country’s university ranking system are approved, education leaders say. (RELATED: Read more news about stupidity at Stupid.news)

Currently, the British government is facing a cross-party revolt in the House of Lords over a proposal to ‘reform’ higher education that include putting student satisfaction at the center of the new ranking system.

Any rational person can see where this will lead, say opponents: Unreasonable demands for more “safe spaces,” the outright banning of any speech that the snowflakes don’t like, the adoption of goofy new curriculum that will become mandatory for all students, and so on.

Opponents also believe that the new ranking system will create a “fantastically dangerous” culture, where school officials will be regularly forced to give in to all kinds of student demands, no matter how unreasonable.

The Telegraph reported further:

“Safe space” and “no platform” movements have swept across campuses including a campaign to ban Germaine Greer from giving a speech over her “offensive” comments.

Thanks to outsized influence on Western educational ‘standards’ by the loony political Left, this is what higher education is becoming: Catering to namby-pamby crybabies who have been systematically stripped of any and all normal coping mechanisms that come with something we call life.

“Universities are increasingly nervous about doing anything that will create overt dissatisfaction among students because they are being told that student satisfaction is key,” said Baroness Wolf, a King’s College London (KCL) professor. She added that such nervousness is dramatically affecting the “willingness” of university officials to push back against even the most ridiculous demands, “which in the past have been removing statues, safe spaces and no-platforming.”

The entire movement to change the ranking system is nothing short of “a direct threat” to university education and academic standards, as well as a school’s ability to “stand up for freedom of speech,” she said.

The new system is “fantastically dangerous” because the primary way to ‘satisfy’ a student is to not give them any serious work but still give them a high grade, which of course, teaches them nothing while preparing them for nothing in the real world.

“This will reduce standards and undermine quality,” Wolf continued. “I just think this is totally mad, and destructive of everything universities stand for.”

Wolf, Baroness Deech, a former senior proctor at Oxford, Prof. Julia Black, interim director at London School of Economics, and Gill Evans, a professor emeritus at Cambridge University, also spoke to The Telegraph of their concerns.

The ‘reforms’ are contained in the Higher Education and Research Bill, which is being supported by the Universities Minister Jo Johnson. It recently reached the House of Lords, where it was met with widespread criticism.

The proposed measure will essentially institutionalize mediocracy and under-achievement. Though not every student will want to be coddled and ‘protected’—many will actually want to earn a degree by learning something—far too many will be intentionally under-served and ill-prepared to handle the rigors of life, and all at their demand.

Evans, a professor of Medieval Theology, said the new criteria will also create an attitude among university chancellors of “bother the kids but we had better give in as we stand to suffer more for fighting it out,” she said.

The same craziness is spreading throughout American institutions of higher learning as well, as evidenced by a series of protests last year tied to racial issues, as well as the banning of any conservative opinion on campuses.

Natural News founder/editor Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, believes millions of these precious little snowflakes won’t survive the next “natural selection” event because they simply won’t have the skills to cope with it.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for Natural News and News Target, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources:

Telegraph.co.uk

NaturalNews.com

Stupid.news

24-year-old Ross Lebeau of Texas didn’t even realize that he was in possession of the kitty litter, but it was later revealed that his father had placed it in his car to prevent the windows from fogging up — a “life hack” that has become quite popular on the internet. Regardless of Lebeau’s intention, there is no reason why being in possession of common pet supplies would be considered a criminal act. (RELATED: See more examples of bizarre, twisted events at Twisted.news)

How the police were incompetent enough to mistake something as common as kitty litter with crystal meth is flabbergasting, but you also have to consider the fact that the officers in question were well aware that it wasn’t meth, but were merely trying to imprison an innocent man. Why this may sound like a stretch, this has become far too common in recent years.

In a statement released by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to ABC 13, “The drugs were recovered and in the process of inventorying his vehicle a substance was found wrapped in one sock in his vehicle. Mr. LeBeau was questioned about the contents at which time he indicated that he had no idea what it was. The deputies followed proper procedures and field tested the substance on two separate occasions which field tested positive for methamphetamines.” Nothing sounds fishy about that, does it? Yeah, about that…

It has become so obvious over the past decade — due heavily to the ability to record police misconduct — that these things happen far more often than most of us want to believe. It’s easier for us to think that the police officers patrolling our streets always have our best interests in mind and will always go above and beyond to protect us, but events like this continue to prove that it simply isn’t true. Of course there are plenty of good cops out there, but there are also those that believe in abusing their power.

It is time that we all — whether conservative or liberal — begin to demand more out of the police as a whole. They deserve to be held to higher standards and that’s we should intend to do.

In the mean time, check out more news about stupid events at Stupid.news.

Sources:

Breitbart.com

HoustonPress.com

Mashable.com

Recently, a group of students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison set forth to destroy those on campus whose opinions differ from their own. Of course, the ones trying to silence the others are raging leftists — and their opponents are not the evil monsters they would lead you to believe. In fact, it’s just the university’s branch of Young Americans for Freedom — a reputable conservative organization that brings freedom-loving speakers to college campuses.

A petition entitled “Denounce Young Americans for Freedom and the alt-right” was created by a group known as the Student Coalition for Progress in hopes of getting the group kicked off of campus. It didn’t stop there, though, the writer of the petition also suggested that those involved with the group undergo intensive diversity training. No, this is not satire.

Tom Knighton of PJ Media reports that in response to the assault on free speech, Young Americans for Freedom stated, “The petition was launched about a month after YAF hosted conservative columnist Ben Shapiro on campus to speak about microaggressions, safe spaces and free speech. The petition decried Shapiro’s visit, claiming it made minority students feel unsafe, and accused Shapiro of denying ‘systematic and institutional violences’ against so-called marginalized communities.”

For some reason, there aren’t a whole lot of people talking about the shocking amount of people that are attacking free speech, especially on college campuses. Apparently, since this only affects those who are currently enrolled in college courses, people that should be discussing this are not. But now is the time to get serious. As they say, sunlight is the best disinfectant and the only way to stop events like this from happening time and time again is to expose these leftists for being the fascists-in-training that they are.

If there is any justice in the world, Young Americans for Freedom and other groups like them will remain on campuses and continue to spread the truth to those who need it most — millennials.

Sources:

DailyCaller.com

PJMedia.com

Breitbart.com

While most of us are aware that every mouthful of a McDonald’s meal contains fat-promoting ingredients, we often don’t realize how many chemicals are in there too. Let’s look at 10 horrifying ingredients that should flip your appetite for a Big Mac. (RELATED: Learn more about toxic food ingredients at Ingredients.news)

1.      Ammonium sulfate

Ammonium sulfate is an inorganic salt used as a fertilizer and flame retardant, and it is also added to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide. But did you know that ammonium sulfate can also be found in a burger bun? This nasty chemical has been associated with irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea, nausea and hormone disruption.

2.      Silicone oil

If you are a chicken nuggets lover then you are a regular consumer of dimethylpolysiloxane, also known as silicone oil. Silicone oil is a synthetic material used to make contact lenses, caulking, silly putty and lubricants. The use of this non-biodegradable oil has been decreased in breast implants due to safety concerns.

3.      Cysteine-L

Cysteine-L is an amino acid synthesized from human hair or duck feathers. It is used to flavor meat and soften bread and pastries. Consumption of cysteine-L has been linked to constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, rashes, fever, headaches, drowsiness, low blood pressure and liver problems.

4.      TBHQ

TBHQ, or tertiary butylhydroquinone, is a petroleum-based additive found in cosmetic products and 18 different McDonald’s menu items. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified this chemical as totally safe for human consumption, long-term use can result in aggravation of ADHD symptoms, stomach cancer, damaged DNA and death.

5.      Propylene glycol

Found in anti-freeze, e-cigarettes and fast food, propylene glycol can cause damage to the central nervous system and worsen existing allergies and eye and skin conditions.

6.      Prescription drugs

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University found alarming levels of antidepressants and other prescription, over-the-counter and banned drugs in chicken feed and chicken products from fast food restaurants. Because McDonald’s doesn’t use organic chicken, their chicken products very likely contain traces of prescription medications or antibiotics.

7.      Dimethylpolysiloxane

Dimethylpolysiloxane is often added to cooking oils used to prepare McDonald’s filet-o-fish, chicken nuggets and French fries. Besides being found in most fried fast foods, dimethylpolysiloxane is also utilized in the production of silly putty, contact lenses, caulking, shampoos and conditioners, breast implants, cosmetics, polishes and heat resistant tiles.

8.      Carminic acid

Carminic acid is a red food dye synthesized by cochineal beetles. It is often added to fast food meats to give them a more vibrant and appealing color. Until 2009, carmine, cochineal extract or natural red 4, were classified as “natural dyes.” These days, however, the FDA requires carmine and cochineal extract to be explicitly identified in ingredient lists because they can cause severe allergic reactions in some people.

9.      Cellulose

While cellulose may be a natural product produced from wood pulp, who wants to eat lots of indigestible wood fibers? Cellulose is added to nearly every fast food item as a way to add volume. It can be found in cheese, salad dressing, muffins and strawberry syrup, among many others. You name it, and chances are wood pulp is in there.

10.  Silicon dioxide

Also known as silica or industrial sand, silicon dioxide is used to make glass, optical fibers and cement. The fast food industry often adds it to meat and sauces to keep them from clumping together. In an industrial setting, workers handling silicon dioxide wear hazmat suits and masks. Nonetheless, the FDA sees no harm in adding this industrial chemical to your burger bun.

Still lovin’ it? Next time you are looking for a quick meal, you may want to think twice before heading to the closet McDonald’s restaurant.

Sources:

RealFarmacy.com

RealFarmacy.com

Gallup.com

Top10GrocerySecrets.com

DavidWolfe.com

LiveScience.com

According to reports, Ottawa City Health wants to start placing all-access distribution machines throughout the metropolitan area that anyone can access at any time for a quick fix. These vending machines won’t contain any actual drugs, but they will be filled with clean paraphernalia — all for free — which the city claims will help curb the spread of disease.

Many health centers throughout the Ottawa area already provide free drug equipment to users and abusers during normal business hours. But after hours is when many addicts use their substances, and when many of them might be in need of a method to use them. If they don’t have clean access, the situation could end up snow-balling into a major public health crisis.

“In order to prevent transmission of HIV and Hepatitis C, people need sterile supplies each time they inject drugs,” Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa’s deputy medical officer of health, told CTV News in Ottawa. “We just aren’t meeting the need.”

Many of the vending machines will be placed right outside the clinics that distribute during the day so that addicts know where to find them. Advocates say they will merely serve as an adjunct to the system that’s currently in place, helping to avert many of its pitfalls and problems.

“They really are just an extension of the existing harm reduction programs that are in operation in the city and have been for the last 20 years,” says Rob Boyd, director of Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, which currently provides clean needles and other drug paraphernalia for free to the local community.

Drug abuse requires rehabilitation, not jail time

Not everyone is thrilled with the idea, however. One local woman told CTV Ottawa that setting up vending machines when there are already clinics that people can access during the day could end up encouraging more people to do drugs. Their convenience and anonymity offer a unique type of appeal, she argues, serving as more of a lure than a deterrent.

Another woman of a similar mindset told the news outlet that the vending machines could even deter drug abusers from the health clinics themselves, which provide valuable counseling and other services designed to help people kick their drug habit.

Ottawa City Health claims this won’t be an issue because each vending machine will be uniquely equipped with a device requiring a special token in order to operate. This means that addicts will still need to visit one of the health centers during normal business hours in order to access the free needles and pipes.

“They would need to be accessing our services, our needle exchange services, our partner services and pick up a token,” Dr. Etches added in a statement.

The city of Ottawa has yet to begin installing the vending machines because it’s still trying to identify all the locations where they’ll go. The municipality is also still in talks with vending machine suppliers who will create the systems needed for the program to function as intended.

As to when Ottawans might starting seeing the vending machines in their neighborhoods, city officials say an initial rollout is expected within the next few months. As for their cost, Dr. Etches estimates that the total cost for all the machines will likely end up somewhere around $25,000.

Stay up to date on more breaking news about medicine at Medicine.news.

Sources:

CTVNews.ca

iTechPost.com

Consider, for instance, the fact that the editorial board of the publication recently published an article praising Europe – a continent that is currently flooded with crime and chaos – for enforcing restrictions on guns. Throughout the article, they refuse to accept the fact that Europe is currently overrun with terrorists from the Middle East, simply because this no longer fits their agenda.

Regarding their stance, the editorial board at The Times wrote, “It would require member nations to share more information to prevent gun sales in other jurisdictions after a buyer is rejected by one country. … The European move on gun safety is not a cure-all, but it is a worthy public health initiative that deserves emulation in the United States. Congressional leaders, unfortunately, show no sign of mustering the courage of the Europeans.”

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that those running the show at the newspaper have taken such an uneducated, uninformed and, frankly, absurd stance on both the migrant crisis in Europe and the importance of firearms, but it is no less frustrating as a result. The American people as a whole have been relying on newspapers and journalists to tell them what is truly happening in the world, but it appears as though that becomes less and less feasible with each passing day. The mainstream media is fraudulent to a degree that is difficult to fathom at times; instead of spreading the truth, they purposely ignore it.

Even the slightest amount of research – actual research – will show that The New York Times is ridiculously corrupt. They’re hiding the truth from the American people in order to push an agenda that is patently false. It is patently obvious that the problem in Europe has nothing to do with guns and has everything to do with certain “refugees” that simply want to kill everyone with a different belief system to their own.

Thankfully, the alternative media continues to grow at a rate that the mainstream simply cannot stop. The truth is coming out one publication at a time. Hopefully, we are only a matter of months away from the American people as a whole turning on the likes of The New York Times. When that happens, perhaps the entire world will be a little more informed.

Sources:

Breitbart.com

Reuters.com

NYTimes.com

If your idea of “getting away from it all” entails visiting a national park, however, you might soon find that it is less of an escape from corporate America than it once was. While you were busy enjoying the holidays with your family and friends, a controversial set of rules was quietly granted approval that will allow advertisements to intrude on the parks’ natural beauty.

Order lifts ban on ads in national parks

The new order signed by National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis on December 28, puts an end to the ban on commercial advertising in national parks and removes restrictions on naming rights. The order, which is known as Order #21 on Donations and Philanthropic Partnerships, expands commercial contracts with private firms and corporate sponsorships. (RELATED: Read more examples of total stupidity at Stupid.news)

The National Park Service controls 412 parks, monuments, recreational areas and battlefields that together cover 84 million acres of land, which means an influx of new marketing opportunities will be opened up to corporate sponsors. The National Park Service recently said it was launching a fundraising campaign to the tune of $350 million; the federal budget set aside nearly $3 billion for the agency in 2016.

Public outcry

More than 200,000 people have signed a petition against the controversial move. Kristen Strader, the coordinator of the advocacy group, Public Citizen, who organized a campaign against these proposed reforms, said the move was “disgraceful.” In addition to the petition, hundreds of individuals have lodged official objections with the National Park Service.

Public Citizen joined forces with the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood to publish public comments on the proposal after the Parks Service failed to do so. They say that 78 percent of commenters were opposed to the policy.

“Now that this policy has been finalized, park visitors soon could be greeted with various forms of advertisements, like a sign reading ‘brought to you by McDonald’s’ within a new visitor’s center at Yosemite, or ‘Budweiser’ in script on a park bench at Acadia,” Strader said.

The park service is now trying to allay people’s fears by implying that the public does not fully understand the order. While it will allow donors to be recognized by the parks with labels on some items, corporations and other types of sponsors will not be allowed to rename parks. They also point out that logos and ad language will not be allowed. They liken these provisions to those found in hospitals, museums and universities whereby certain rooms might be temporarily renamed in recognition of a donor that supported renovations, for example. The NPS director must approve of all signage.

Despite these assurances, opponents insist that the move is opening up our national parks to a previously unseen amount of commercial influence, and many fear this is only the beginning. This approach embodies much of what is wrong with America these days. Commercialization already reaches us everywhere we go, and the value of nature is being increasingly marginalized in favor of the all-important bottom line. Whether it’s the push by Big Pharma to make people think their toxic prescriptions are superior to the healing plants provided by the earth, or the ongoing global deforestation to clear land for other money-making endeavors, governments around the world are turning a blind eye to corporate tactics that destroy our planet’s natural resources and beauty.

Sources include:

CommonDreams.org

FoxNews.com

Consumerist.com

AJC.com

Naturally, the entire agenda was paid for with taxpayer dollars.

Unsurprisingly, the book — entitled, Can I Tell You About Gender Diversity? — has sparked immense controversy. The story follows a 12-year-old child who is transitioning from female to male.  The New American reports:

The book begins, “My name is Kit and I’m 12 years old. I live in a house with my mum and dad, and our dog, Pickle. When I was born, the doctors told my mum and dad that they had a baby girl, and so for the first few years of my life that’s how my parents raised me. This is called being assigned female at birth. I wasn’t ever very happy that way.”

What happens next? In the book, Kit begins to take puberty-blocking drugs to prevent normal bodily changes from occurring and to undergo a sex change. CJ Atkinson, the book’s author, told The Guardian that part of Kit’s transition includes beginning to wear boys’ clothes, using male pronouns, and changing the name on their birth certificate from “Kit” to “Christopher.”

Jessica Kingsley Publishers, the company that published the book, contends that the book’s intent is merely to “explain medical transitioning for children aged seven and above.” (RELATED: Stay up to date on the latest government propaganda at Propaganda.news)

Many critics of the book question why seven-year old children need to learn about medical transitioning in the first place, noting that it could be very confusing for young readers. Some also advocate that medical interventions can be harmful. PBS has even reported on the potential known risks of gender transitioning at a young age, and also notes that there are likely risks involved that are not yet known.

Puberty-blocking drugs are one of the more recent developments in gender transitioning, and they are used to suppress the production of estrogen or testosterone in children. Doctors claim that these drugs give children time and space to sort out their identity, but the treatment can be tricky. There is no telling whether or not a confused child with gender dysphoria will decide to change genders or not. PBS reports that so far, studies show that the dysphoria only persists in a minority of children.

The use of puberty-blockers in transgendered children is considered to be an off-label use, meaning that it has not even been approved by the FDA. These drugs are traditionally used to help children who are going through puberty extremely early, before the age of eight or nine. One of the primary concerns doctors have revolve around the length of use; there is not much research on the effects of long-term use of these medications, nor on the effects of stalling puberty at a normal age.

There are already some known risks, such as decreased bone density, and even a potential to impact neurological development. Estrogen and testosterone play an important role in development as we go through puberty, and blocking those hormones could have far-reaching effects that have yet to be fully understood.

So, while advocates for gender transitioning at younger ages, like the book’s author, may say that critics are “guilty of ‘trans-panic’ and ‘mudslinging,'” the bottom line is that there is a very real potential for negative health effects from starting these drugs at a young age. There has been no research on their long-term use in puberty-aged children.

How someone who claims to be supporting the welfare of these kids can advocate the use of untested, unapproved drugs for gender-transitioning is simply mind-boggling. (RELATED: See more astonishing but real news at Twisted.news)

Other criticisms of the book include its potential to confuse children who were otherwise stable in their gender identity. For example, the Daily Mail’s Sarah Vine stated in her column,”In attempting to improve the lives of a vanishingly small minority, we are threatening the sanity of — and yes I’m going to say it — normal children. It’s time to put an end to this nonsense.”

Sources:

TheNewAmerican.com

PBS.org

The NWHL isn’t just at the crossroads of the discrepancies between male/female salary caps, however. The league has been “propelled,” reports the New York Times, into the “national conversation on transgender issues.” This occurred when 23-year-old Hailey Brown, who plays for the Buffalo Beauts as a forward, told ESPN that “she” was really a “he,” and that his new first name would be Harrison. This announcement made Brown the first transgender openly playing professional sports in America. NWHL Commissioner Rylan quickly responded with new policies expressly written to support players who “express their gender beyond the binary of female and male.”

The formal policy proclamations were written with legal support from the Center for Lesbian Rights and in partnership with the advocacy group, You Can Play, an organization that advocates safety and respect for all athletes without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation struggles. The Daily Wire reports that trans advocates are “thrilled” with the new rules, calling them “groundbreaking.” Brown, whose declaration made the new rules happen, calls them “fair.”

Brown won’t be transitioning medically until he’s no longer participating in professional women’s hockey, because anyone who is receiving hormone therapy, and/or has higher than allowed testosterone levels, won’t be allowed to participate in the women’s league. Perhaps that would make females just too male to compete.

Harrison Brown isn’t too worried though. He told ESPN that he’s still got the same body and he’s still exactly “the same person” as he was when he played as Hailey Brown the previous year. He said, ” I’m just a different name and different pronouns, that’s it.”

Commissioner Rylan agrees:

“… Harrison is the same player he was last year … [and] we’re respecting his name, the pronouns and his request to be his authentic self.”

Hmmm … clear as mud.

(Photo credit: National Women’s Hockey League; Matthew Raney)

Sources:

NWHL.zone

SI.com

NYTimes.com

ESPN.com

YouCanPlayProject.org

NWHL.zone

WomensHockeyLife.com

Science.NaturalNews.com