The Coalition for a Safe & Healthy Connecticut and its national allies
have released the results of testing 1,200 of the most popular children's
toys for toxic chemicals.
You can see the results on its website:
http://www.healthytoys.org
It was developed to better inform consumers about toy purchases, and to
encourage parents to urge the government to take action. Check out two
other websites on toxic toys:
www.protect-our-kids.org
The recording industry is anxious
to impose DRM (Digital Rights Management) on a number of
products.
Record companies have put 'root kits' on consumers computers to enforce copy
protection on audio products they sell...and also opening security holes for
computers involved. Newer mass information storage devices may never be fully
functional for consumers as a result of industry paranoia.
http://www.fsf.org/campaigns has details.
Please support the Defective By
Design in its efforts to control DRM, to keep software free,
to limit software patents, and to open hardware so that it
cannot be used for rigged voting machines or for consumer surveillance.
Companies like Diebold should be producing products that are completely
transparent. Microsoft, since it has
just bought a Linux company (SUSE), will be aiming to
enforce its patents on the Linux community soon
Joe Stiglitz discusses trade protected intellectual property rights (TRIPs) in
his book: Making Globalization Work. Clearly, there are serious consumer issues
involved, mostly ignored in the mainstream media.