That’s Odd

Manufacturers add the chemicals to thousands of products, including nonstick cookware, mobile phones, carpeting, clothing, makeup, furniture, and food packaging.

A 2020 investigation found PFAS in the wrapping of many fast foods and “environmentally friendly” molded fiber bowls and containers.

A 2021 study found PFAS in 52% of tested cosmetics, with the highest levels in waterproof mascara (82%), foundations (63%) and long-lasting lipstick (62%). Polytetrafluoroethylene, the coating on nonstick pans, was the most common additive.

The latest study focused on fish caught in the Great Lakes from 2013 to 2015, which was the latest data available. Based on the findings, scientists say that people who fish for sport may consider releasing their fish back into the waters instead of bringing them home for dinner.

Biden’s Document Investigation

Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel on Thursday to investigate how classified documents had ended up in President Joe Biden’s private office and home, opening a new legal threat to the White House and providing ammunition to its Republican opponents.

Garland assigned Robert Hur, a veteran prosecutor who worked in the Trump administration, to examine “the possible unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or other records discovered” at Biden’s think tank in Washington and his residence in Wilmington, Delaware, according to an order signed by the attorney general.

The White House promised to fully cooperate. People close to the situation said several Biden associates had already been interviewed. But the decision to open a full investigation put the president and the attorney general in awkward positions at the same time another special counsel appointed by Garland considers whether to charge former President Donald Trump or his associates with mishandling sensitive documents and obstructing efforts to retrieve them.

The circumstances in the Biden and Trump cases are markedly different. Trump resisted requests to return documents for months, even after being subpoenaed, while as far as is known, Biden’s lawyers found the papers without being asked and turned them over promptly. But as a political matter, the new investigation will muddy the case against Trump, who is already using it to argue that he is being selectively persecuted.

Biden, who excoriated Trump for being “irresponsible” with national secrets, now has to answer for his own team’s misplacement of sensitive papers. Moreover, his White House did not disclose to the public the discovery of the documents from his time as vice president for two months, waiting until after the November midterm elections.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president had not been informed in advance of Garland’s decision to appoint a special counsel. She declined to clarify what prompted the search or why the White House did not inform the public earlier. Biden, she said, “was kept informed throughout” but does not know what is in the documents.

The appointment of Hur on Thursday was intended to insulate the Justice Department from accusations of partisanship at a time when the new GOP majority in the House has embarked on an investigation into what it claims is the Biden administration’s use of government power against Republicans.

Under Garland’s order, Hur is authorized to prosecute any crimes arising from the inquiry or to refer matters for prosecution by federal attorneys in other jurisdictions. (© The New York Times)

Dog Days

32 cycle. But it’s not her gilded wheels that garner drivers’ attention on her trip. It’s her companion – Moxie, her beloved dog. The Jewish Home | JANUARY 19, 2023 Stone and Moxie, who weighs around 34 kilograms, are currently 10 months into an epic bike trip that will see them travel throughout Central America, North and South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. They have been on the road since last March, when they set off, along with Stone’s husband Greg, who rides behind them. “I am always in the front,” explains Stone. “I want to go through the obstacles first.” Moxie is comfortable on Stone’s bike, which is outfitted specially for her. Stone says experiencing the world with Moxie adds another dimension to her journey. “It’s like you get to experience the adventure twice,” she explains. “You experience it for yourself. And then you experience it from her perspective, because she’s right behind me. “I see her [Moxie] in my mirror all the time. Her head is right up against my side. Sometimes she even rests her big snout on my shoulder with her chin up there. “It makes me feel so happy that she’s really experiencing everything. It’s always new sights, sounds and smells that she’s looking at and experiencing.”

The group is traveling from “tip to tip and top to bottom,” making their way from Guatemala to Mexico, the U.S., Canada and on to the Arctic Ocean. They’ll then make their way down to South American and then fly to South Africa.

Once they reach South Africa, they’ll travel up the east coast of Africa to Egypt and then Greece, before “looping around Europe” and riding through Turkey and Central Asia.

The next leg will see them ride from India to Malaysia, where they’ll ship their bikes, and Moxie, to North America and then head back to their first and final destination Guatemala, which Stone describes as her “adopted home.”

Stone estimates that they’ll be on the road for at least another two and a half years. But for the time being, she’s focused on making it to the next stage of the journey, and constantly building on her riding skills.

Her four-legged companion continues to be a source of inspiration, and Stone never gets tired of seeing the way others react to Moxie, joking that every gas station visit is like “a selfie palooza.”

“People just get out of their cars,” she adds. “And the first thing everyone says is, ‘Oh my G-d, she’s wearing goggles.’

“It brings a smile to everyone’s face.

Luggage Looniness

If you’re traveling this week, you may not want to read this story.

An Oregon woman whose suitcase was misplaced during a flight is now reunited with her luggage. Don’t get too excited. It took United Airlines four years to send April Gavin her suitcase.

Yup, that’s four years.

Gavin had been flying home from Chicago in August 2018. Her luggage, though, did not make it home. After several months of searching, the airline told her that her bag’s location was a mystery and compensated her for some of her items.

This week, Gavin received a surprising phone call from the airline that told her that her luggage had showed up at an airport in Houston. Even more surprising was that it had taken a detour to Central America.

“It was in Honduras. And who knows where else it went,” Gavin said.

Although slightly worn out (hey, we’re all a bit worn out after these past few years), the suitcase and its contents were intact.

Sounds like a great bag of tricks.

Rock Bottom

A California man has a phone call to thank for saving his life.

Mauricio Henao was parked outside his home at the side of a hill in Malibu when he got out of his car to answer a phone call and went into his home to retrieve an item.

Moments later, Henao heard booming noises.

“I just heard loud crashes,” Henao said. “And I ran out and saw my car just crushed.”

A 4-foot boulder had landed on the roof of Henao’s car, caving it in.

“The rock is the size of the whole hood,” Henao said. “The windshields are all broken, and the frame of the car is just all twisted.”

Henao’s vehicle was not the only car damaged in the rockslide. At least one other parked car was hit by debris, which spread across four lanes of traffic.

Sounds like he went out with a bang.

Seeing Double

A lapse of memory has led a man to an experience he’ll never forget.

The Michigan man who likes to play the lotto couldn’t remember if he had already purchased a ticket for the December 17th Fantasy 5 drawing when filling up his car with gas. Playing it safe, he bought one again – just to make sure.

And it’s good he did.

“I have been playing Fantasy 5 for a long time, and I always play the same sets of numbers,” the player said. “I was at the gas station, and I couldn’t remember if I’d purchased a ticket for the Fantasy 5 drawing that night, so I decided to purchase one to be safe.”

Later, he determined that he had already bought the ticket at another store. But not to worry. His mistake turned out to be pretty fortuitous.

“After the drawing, I was on the Michigan Lottery website checking the numbers and when I saw the two locations where winning tickets were sold, I knew I had to be the big winner,” the winner recalled.

The bigger surprise was the amount that he won.

“I checked my tickets and confirmed I had won, but I thought I’d won $55,000 on each. When I called the lottery and they confirmed both tickets were $110,000 winners, a feeling of relief came over me,” the lucky man said.

What to do with all that money? For now, he’s using it for some home renovations and for his family.

It’s good he took a double take.