Scott Kilman reports in the Wall Street Journal that the USDA will not allow individual meat packers to test their own meat, because it may imply that the beef missed during random testing by the U.S. government is not safe. Consumer Susan Brownawell says, “This is ridiculous. If people want to have their beef tested, they should be able to. Isn’t this how the free market works?”
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As part of our new Communion Letters, “Amy” writes: When I was about 7 years old (the year was 1961), I slept on the top bunk in a room I shared with my younger sister (who was 5 years old), my younger brother (who was 4 years old) and my older brother (8 years old). The boys slept across the room from us girls.
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Amateur astronomers can receive awards of $3,000 for discovering and tracking asteroids that may impact the Earth, according to new legislation approved by the House of Representatives. While this is great, with our recent near-misses, it would be more reassuring if the government would allocate enough money to hire professional astronomers to do the job.
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Factories and power plants have started using coal again, despite the fact that it can emit particles that contribute to lung and heart diseases and also emits greenhouse gases. One reason is the upcoming oil shortage, but another is homeland security. Coal is mined right here in the U.S. and does not have to be imported from hostile Middle Eastern countries.
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