MORE and MORE Plastic Stories

I have been not quite ranting in here about the government's internal arguments over plastics in consumer products. What rankles me is that the testing protocols are, in many cases, unrealistic. Earlier I had mentioned the banning of certain artificial sweeteners in the 1960's, based upon force-feeding lab rats the equivalent of 900 diet Pepsis. If someone force-fed me 900 diet Pepsis, I would kill myself, the development of any kind of cancer notwithstanding.

If you want to, you can read earlier BLOG entries in which I discuss testing protocols at some length. Here, on February 9th, is a piece from a liberal website: Attorney-At-Law.com. (It ain't over....):

Toxic Toys Must Be Off Store Shelves on Feb. 10, 2009, Federal Judge Rules

"Millions of children’s toys, teethers, bibs, and other products containing harmful chemicals known to cause severe reproductive abnormalities in children must be pulled from store shelves by Tuesday February 10, 2009 [emphasis mine], in keeping with a Congressional ban on their use, a federal judge has ruled.

"U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe ordered all toys containing toxic phthalates pulled from stores by the date Congress set for its ban to go into effect. The judge effectively sealed a loophole in the ban, which toy manufacturers had said would allow toxic toys made before the deadline to remain in stores past the deadline. Consumer rights groups had challenged the loophole in court. Toy makers complained they would have to pull tens of millions of dollars’ worth of new toys and other banned items from stores if the new law was interpreted to include all items. But in deciding the issue, the judge sided with consumers and noted that the new law banning phthalates “provides unequivocally and unambiguously that no covered products may be sold as of Feb. 10, 2009,” even those items currently in stores."

[What this means is that ONE person with no medical or chemical background gets to decide the fate of an industry. Comment mine]

"Phthalates are chemicals used to soften plastics and are commonly found in bath toys, soft books, teethers, bibs, dolls, and plastic figures. The chemicals can be absorbed through the mouth or skin of children and interfere with reproductive hormones.

"In the summer of 2008, Congressional leaders [most of whom know nothing about medicine, medical research or chemistry - comment mine] passed a measure banning the use of the chemicals in certain types of children’s products and toys. President George W. Bush signed the measure into law on August 14, 2008 and it was set to take effect on Feb. 10, 2009. California had previously banned the chemicals from children’s toys and other products in that state.

"Phthalates also play a role in the manufacturing of PVC, a toxic chemical used in countless household products and construction materials. Plastic pipes, electrical wiring insulation, and shower curtains are among the items that may contain PVC. Exposure to PVC has been tied to a deadly, aggressive form of liver cancer, called angiosarcoma.

"Another toxic material, Bisphenol A, is a controversial plastic additive used to make some baby bottles and other clear, hard plastics more shatterproof. BPA, as it is commonly called, is not covered by the new ban on phthalates and products containing the material can remain in circulation past Feb. 10, 2009. BPA, which has been deemed safe by the Food and Drug Administration when used at currently approved levels, has been linked to permanent development disorders in children exposed to high doses of the chemical."

Whenever I read these things, I shake my head. The fate of many industries in our wonderful country is in the hands of a bunch of people whose main intention is to get re-elected. I have been a pilot since 1967, and if you want some real horror stories, we can talk about laws and regulations pertaining to flying which have been created by people who think everything smaller than a Boeing 737 is either "tiny" or a Piper Cub.

Now I have me going....

Remember after 9-11, one of the first things our government did was to prohibit "small planes" (which to them included Bombardier, Gulfstream, Hawker, etc. bizjets) from using Reagan National Airport, across the Potomac from D.C. "Small planes" included airplanes like I fly; single engine and multi engine private planes. Of course, it was large commercial passenger jets which wreaked havoc on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. THOSE planes could continue to use Reagan. (?) I recall one congressperson saying, "We certainly won't let any of those little planes (?) fly over the District." Ahhh, the District is and has been a "Prohibited Area" for DECADES. No one and nothing can legally fly over most of the city and certain outlying structures. I don't want to go into this right now; smoke is starting to emit from my ears.

Just think about how our government is "taking care" of us, and think about the fact with a Liberal president and congress, more "taking care" is on the way.

UPDATE on Saving a few bucks in Vegas

When you go to Las Vegas, whether for business or pleasure, you probably would like to conserve as much cash as you can.

Hotels started to jack their prices up a couple of years back, when they decided that they wanted to keep Las Vegas an "adult" fun zone. (What HAPPENS in Vegas STAYS in Vegas.) Cab rides went through the roof (and still remain there.) Car rentals became more and more expensive. Splashy shows can cost a hundred dollars a seat and more.

Las Vegas is in a funk. Business is off in the hotels and casinos, and airlines are not filling their planes, even with fewer flights. So the entire city is resorting to something they teach you in MBA class -- "Yield Marketing." That means if you can't sell it for the published price, LOWER the price until it DOES sell. That's exactly what they are doing.

Here are links to two separate stories from the Arizona REPUBLIC of Sunday, February 8th. (If you have any difficulty reading them -- it happens -- email me, and I will send you the stories as PDF files):

1. JACKPOT for Low Rollers
2. Hot Deals in Las Vegas

Both of these stories have GREAT TIPS on how to get onboard for deals in the future, and deals DO appear regularly. Many hotel specials pop up in the summer and are good through early winter, but many have a limited window for making reservations. I made THREE reservations last August at the GOLD COAST, one of Sam Boyd's hotels, across the street from RIO. From December through January I paid $25 PER NIGHT, which included a $20 food credit (breakfast was about $5 at a spectacular buffet), a $20 slot machine credit which I burned off and left with $12.50 in cash, and a $10 coupon for TGI Friday's. I recall waiting for the elevator with a couple of people, looking out the window at The PALMS, and observing, "For another couple hundred bucks a night, we could be staying THERE."

A couple of more things. In Las Vegas a rental car is a convenience more than a necessity. But if you could rent a new car for $10 a day, would that interest you? If you want to see a show, there are two ticket outlets on the strip which sell unsold tickets on the day of a performance for a particular show. Tickets are about half price. If you want two tickets, there is a CHANCE that the seats may not be together, but if you want to see a show badly enough, it shouldn't be a problem.

These numbers can change radically and overnight! Some friends asked me to find them a deal for a weekend in early March. You know what the NCAA basketball March Madness is? Well. this year, it's in Las Vegas. Not only are real DEALS few and far between, but many prices triple and quadruple for weekends, returning to sanity on Sunday night or Monday after the event.

One more item: sInce November Las Vegas hotels have instituted a nightly "Resort Tax" which is supposed to cover parking and/or local phone calls and/or 800-number calls, etc. The strange thing is that each resort, each hotel has its own charge, and it doesn't seem to be a percentage of the nightly rate. For one it may be $3; for another under the same ownership it may be $6. This is not unlike the quaint "facilities charge" of the airlines, where you pay each time you get onto another plane. The hotels could, of course, just raise the rates by $3 or $6 or whatever. Don't ask me....

If you are interested in any of this, I will take the time to put further information up here, information which WILL save you money. There are little insider secrets that I can share with you, and I am happy to. Send me an email, and depending upon response, I may post some ideas in here.

Meanwhile, you can CLICK HERE and download a PDF file of an article from the Los Angeles TIMES, published the day after Christmas..

Thanks, and I hope we can help. Frank & Linda