ruet
ruet's JournalBillion-dollar climate denial network exposed
Source: Ars Technica
An extensive study into the financial networks that support groups denying the science behind climate change and opposing political action has found a vast, secretive web of think tanks and industry associations, bankrolled by conservative billionaires.
"I call it the climate-change counter movement," study author Robert Brulle, who published his results in the journal Climatic Change, told the Guardian. "It is not just a couple of rogue individuals doing this. This is a large-scale political effort."
His work, which is focused on the United States, shows how a network of 91 think tanks and industry groups are primarily responsible for conservative opposition to climate policy. Almost 80 percent of these groups are registered as charitable organizations for tax purposes, and collectively received more than seven billion dollars between 2003 and 2010.
Among those named as key nodes of the network were the American Enterprise Institute, which claims to have no institutional position on climate change, and the Heritage Foundation, which campaigns on a number of issues.
Read more: http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/12/billion-dollar-climate-denial-network-exposed/
E-cigarette row could block new EU tobacco rules -diplomats
Source: Reuters
Disagreement over how to regulate the booming market for electronic cigarettes is holding up a deal on strict new rules governing tobacco products in the European Union, diplomats said on Monday.
In talks aimed at finalising the legislative proposals by the end of the year, the European Parliament has pushed for a light touch approach to e-cigarettes, which it regards as a less harmful alternative to smoking.
But with a lack of clear evidence on the long-term health impact of e-cigarettes, EU governments have sought more restrictive rules, saying the amounted of nicotine contained in the cigarettes should be limited.
That could threaten the continued growth of a fast-growing market that some analysts say could eclipse the $700 billion a year regular cigarette market within 10 years.
Unless negotiators can reach a compromise in two final rounds of talks this week, the row could delay by up to two years the adoption of a wider package of tough new anti-tobacco controls.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/16/eu-tobacco-law-idUSL6N0JV3JB20131216
Surprise opposition derails Emanuel’s e-cigarette ban
Source: Chicago Sun Times
Aldermen from across the city questioned whether the vapors from e-cigarettes are any more dangerous to bystanders than a humidifier, a cup of tea or a pot full of boiling water used to cook pasta.
They further argued that the ban would discourage smokers from using e-cigarettes to kick the habit.
“We’re punishing a group of people for trying not to smoke. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t on one day say, ‘We’re going to tax the heck out of cigarettes,’ then the next day [say], ‘For those of you who can’t afford it and decide you want to smoke vapor, we’re going to decide you can’t do that, either,’” said Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th).
She added, “There is no proof that water vapor in the air does anything. If that is the case, humidifiers are gone. And boiling water is gone in restaurants.”
Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) took a puff of an e-cigarette during Monday’s meeting, then acknowledged that he recently purchased e-cigarettes to try to kick the smoking habit.
“Where this kind of crosses the line for me is where we start talking about including the device as if it is a tobacco product. Many smokers are actually using these devices or devices like them as part of their cessation program,” he said.
Read more: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/24278866-418/emanuel-e-cigarette-regulations-getting-watered-down.html
This is a big blow (PI) to the rabbid ANTZ community. Well done Chi Town!
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