by Lenore Skenazy. California school district considers candy a drug. At least three New Mexico middle school students have been suspended for 10 days for inappropriately consuming Smarties. No, that's not code for some hip new drug; we are talking about the sweet-and-sour candies sold in a roll and given out to unlucky kids on Halloween. The ... MORE
by Jeff Berwick. It all started over a month ago, right here in Acapulco, Mexico, when I commented to a good friend, "Have you noticed how much better traffic has been lately?" He responded, "Yes, traffic flow has been so much better... it's because the Transit Police went on strike." It turned out that was the case. The Transit Police in Acapulco ... MORE
by Fenit Nirappil. Good news: repeal referendum already planned. Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed the nation's first statewide ban on single-use plastic bags at grocery and convenience stores, driven to action by pollution in streets and waterways. A national coalition of plastic bag manufacturers immediately said it would seek a voter ... MORE
by Heather Wilhelm. A few years ago, when my husband and I lived in the Chicago area, we joined a Bible study group through our church. It was a nice, well-mannered, cordial collection of eight couples who met monthly for dinner and discussion. Upon reflection, our approach was a little unorthodox. After about five to 10 minutes of valiant ... MORE
Busybodies minding your own business. Children's book author Kari Anne Roy was recently
visited by the Austin police and Child Protective Services for
allowing her son Isaac, age 6, to do the unthinkable: Play outside,
up her street, unsupervised. He'd been out there for about 10 minutes when Roy's doorbell
rang. She opened ... MORE
by Victor Skinner. School nutrition experts in Nebraska are struggling to comply with new federal snack regulations championed by First Lady Michelle Obama. “I think we’ve gone too far, too fast,” Diane Zipay, director of nutritional services for the Westside School District told KIETV.com.
“And I don’t think it’s a real-world environment. ... MORE
by Lenore Skenazy. Boy survives! Mother taken into custody. Playing out an elaborate charade of concern for a
child who was obviously in no danger, police arrested a mom who let
her son wait in the car while she ran into a Chicagoland Whole
Foods for less than five minutes. Then, for reasons known only to those who write and follow protocols ... MORE
by Lenore Skenazy. A whopping 68 percent of Americans think there should be a law that prohibits kids 9 and under from playing at the park unsupervised, despite the fact that most of them no doubt grew up doing just that. What's more: 43 percent feel the same way about 12-year-olds. They would like to criminalize all pre-teenagers playing outside ... MORE
by Scott Rasmussen. Liberty is slowly being made illegal. In Florida recently, police pulled up to a young boy playing in the park and asked where his mother lived. According to a report on WPTV, the mom was then arrested for "allowing her son to go to the park alone." Her son had a cellphone, and she would check in with him along the way. ... MORE
by Eric Scheiner. A sweet deal for spending-crazed politicos. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) introduced this week the Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Tax (SWEET Act), which aims to institute a tax of one cent per teaspoon – 4.2 grams - of sugar, high fructose corn syrup or caloric sweetener. The measure (HB 5279), introduced Wednesday says ... MORE
by Baylen Linnekin. The option-destroyers lose one. Last week, the New York State Court of
Appeals—the state's highest court—dealt a final
death blow to New York City's reviled soda ban. The decision,
which upheld two lower court rulings, drew an important line in the
sand across which New York City's activist health department may no
longer ... MORE