[CTVnews] Canada’s biggest grocery chains are finding themselves in a sticky situation after being accused of negligence for selling watered-down maple syrup in their stores.
A class-action lawsuit filed in Quebec’s Superior Court claims Loblaws, Metro, and Sobey’s were “betraying their customers’ trust” for years by selling cans of maple syrup from a producer southwest of Montreal that were allegedly cut with cane sugar even though they were advertised as being “pure.”
The plaintiff, Maude Fraser-Jodoin, originally filed an application to authorize the class-action lawsuit in April naming the producer, Érablière Steve Bourdeau, as the sole defendant. However, an amended application filed earlier this month now includes the names of the major grocery store chains, who are accused of demonstrating “negligence, recklessness, carelessness, or serious indifference” for putting watered-down syrup on their shelves.
It adds: “the grocery stores should have exercised caution and due diligence before offering this ‘pure’ maple syrup for sale at a low price, given the disparity with the value of other products; they should even have suspected that the disputed syrup was tampered with after it went on sale, in light of the available information.”
#6
Does the corporate greed surprise anyone anymore?
Posted by: chris ||
08/23/2026 12:18 Comments ||
Top||
#7
Canada has inter-provincial tariffs (and they are mad about the Trump tariffs), so if any of that Quebecois sludge got exported to other provinces, then that would be kind of funny in a way.
[ZERO] Bill Maher says Democrats are still paying a political price for cultural positions that leave voters thinking the party has "lost their minds."
The 'Real Time' host argued that Republicans have benefited from Democrats continuing to focus on cultural issues where, in his telling, much of the country believes the party has gone off the rails.
He contrasted Democratic messaging about corruption, inflation and healthcare with the sort of cultural arguments that can cut through everything else, joking that voters instead hear that Democrats "want to get rid of Thanksgiving."
Then Maher got to the issue he clearly believes remains politically toxic: "They can't define a woman, and they think the WNBA should be full of men, and just crazy stuff."
"And so they kind of opened the door for that," he added.
Polling cited by Vigilant Fox underscores the problem... A New York Times/Ipsos survey found that 79% of Americans said transgender female athletes should not be allowed to compete in women's sports.
The opposition crossed party lines, including 94% of Republicans and 67% of Democrats.
[DM] A Dunkin’ worker was filmed washing his bare feet in a sink behind the counter at one of the chain’s locations aboard the Staten Island Ferry.
The employee was seen lifting each foot into the sink and rinsing it with water just inches from an area where customers’ food and drinks were handled.
An eyewitness recorded the stomach-churning scene and described it as ‘disgusting’ before sharing the footage on TikTok on August 11.
The video quickly spread across social media and prompted an investigation by the New York City Health Department, according to the New York Post.
Footage showed the worker standing on what appeared to be an Islamic prayer rug as he washed his feet one at a time.
He appeared to have been performing wudu, an Islamic purification ritual traditionally carried out before prayer.
The ritual involves washing specific parts of the body, including the hands, face, arms and feet, in a prescribed sequence.
Muslims typically perform wudu before each of the five daily prayers, known as salah, as well as before certain other religious activities.
[JtN] When the Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine, the first ever, two weeks ago, the pharmaceutical company that reaped billions from federal taxpayers with its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine didn't wait for the agency to even publicly post the approval. Moderna rushed out the news at 10 p.m., with a 4% increase in its share price the next morning.
It was a promising market signal for a drugmaker whose revenue cratered following the collapse in demand for COVID vaccines, which also led Pfizer to cancel a trial this spring for its own updated mRNA COVID jab.
What Moderna left out of the release Wednesday, and the media ignored: the mRNA flu jab's disproportionately high rate of serious adverse events compared to a normal flu shot – the same problem with its Omicron-specific COVID vaccine three years ago – and the number of jabs required to prevent a single hospitalization, 5,000.
Yet the market and the media went crazy for Moderna this week when it announced "positive topline results" from a late-stage trial of its cancer vaccine with Merck, with a 177% spike in its share price on top of a 357% increase this year before the cancer vaccine news, despite no published trial data or FDA approval.
The jargon-laden press release said the melanoma trial met its primary and secondary endpoints: "recurrence-free survival" and "distant metastasis-free survival."
#3
(Moderna has promised its cancer vaccine data will be "presented at an upcoming international medical meeting and shared with regulatory authorities.")
Sounds a lot like "We have to pass the bill to see what's in it" - Nancy Pelosi
#10
When it comes to cancer people are desperate to try anything
Posted by: Regular joe ||
08/23/2026 12:42 Comments ||
Top||
#11
Try anything? See Steve McQueen.
Posted by: Bobby ||
08/23/2026 13:05 Comments ||
Top||
#12
It’s strange that we don’t see a lot of data supporting the efficacy of RNA technology. It seems popular and exciting. Sum body ought to show us some data on how they saved from doom during COVID.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/23/2026 13:51 Comments ||
Top||
#13
Get diagnosed with Melanoma, look at the data for this therapeutic and see if you say no thanks. It is administered in conjunction with another cancer therapy, Keytruda.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] The death toll from the earthquake in Colombia has reached 329, the country's disaster risk management agency reported.
According to the agency's data as of August 21, the natural disaster affected 16 departments and 481 municipalities, affecting 314,751 people from 154,014 families.
“329 people were killed, 4,600 were injured, 247 are listed as missing, and 364 were rescued,” the service said in a statement on social media.
The earthquake destroyed 31,183 residential buildings and damaged another 171,273. Additionally, 553 buildings collapsed.
Damage was also reported to 367 healthcare facilities, 3,710 educational institutions, and 5,584 community centers. 427 roads, 112 water supply systems, 75 road bridges, 15 pedestrian bridges, and five airports were damaged.
Rescuers also saved 1,259 animals, while another 3,182 were injured.
Previously, 312 deaths were reported.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10. Dozens of buildings collapsed. The earthquake was the strongest to hit Colombia in the 21st century. A national state of emergency was declared in the country. Army units were deployed for search and rescue operations. The Russian Embassy reported that no Russian casualties or fatalities had been reported.
[Just The News] The U.S. Postal Service has finalized a rule requiring states to provide lists of voters who receive mail-in ballots, a move that could prevent the agency from delivering ballots in states that fail to comply.
The rule, published Friday, follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in March directing the USPS to impose new requirements on mail-in voting.
Under the rule, states would have to submit voters’ names and addresses, along with unique barcodes assigned to ballot envelopes.
The measure is intended to apply to the November midterm elections, but it remains blocked by a federal court injunction. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani
…yet another Obama appointment, she also ruled that Congress cannot defund Planned Parenthood…
has ruled that portions of Trump’s executive order, including the provisions involving the USPS and mail-in ballots, cannot currently be enforced.
#1
Given voting is the heart of our country, in that we are "told" it picks our leadership and how we wish to be governed.
Therefore, it must be done in a manner that ensures all votes that are cast, are legitimately issued, cast by the assigned US Citizen, then accurately counted and securely stored.
As such, even Mail In Ballots must have strict rules, a specific time frame for mailing, handling and return in order to be issued and counted.
Plus there must be serious mandated criminal repercussions for violations, or interference, to protect the rights of the US CITIZENS and our freedoms.
Examples Given.
In the Obama/Bide-Coup several Metro US Postal locations and/or drivers were found to have "accidentally" failed to turn in Mail in Ballots collected from, or to be sent to certain voter districts.
Estimated 315,000+ ballots in Fulton Co, GA alone were counted and certified WITHOUT any official monitoring or Supervision.
Fulton County Counted 22,534 more mail-in ballots than it received? (V-Voting as needed)
Several State Voter Dept Offices cannot account for the votes cast.
There should be a 12 year statue of limitations on Voter fraud.
To ensure the same coup is not the one reviewing the counts.
#2
Much of this is being done without clear legislation to back it up. There ought to be something that Congress could do to get involved in this matter. I wonder what that might be.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/23/2026 8:33 Comments ||
Top||
#3
/\ Tens of millions of illegal aliens flooded this country through open borders. Congress did nothing.
One man decided to take control and address the problem.
#4
Congress needs to get off its dead ass and make law. This is not rocket science, but it is another example of this do-nothing Congress in a long series of do-nothing Congresses. In a small way, I like that they do nothing - no damage results. The "I'm from the government and we're here to help" trope* is real. On the other hand, we get whiplashed by a near total lack of nation/self-preserving basic legislation. For instance, I consider the SAVE Act a fundamental need.
*(I think trope is the right word here; if not, please correct me.)
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
08/23/2026 9:43 Comments ||
Top||
[Just the News] Climate activists and supporters high in the White House have long promised that green hydrogen was key to replacing fossil fuels in difficult-to-electrify sectors, brushing aside critics’ concerns wholesale.
Now, the list of failed hydrogen projects has grown quite long, squandering billions of dollars on yet another futile climate initiative.
An American company that specializes in hydrogen officially canceled plans to build a green hydrogen plant at the Port of Antwerp. In mid-August, Plug Power cited "uncertainty about economic viability" in explaining the cancellation, which will force the company to take a $15.9 million loss.
Hydrogen enjoyed quite a bit of hype during the Biden-Harris administration as it promised to replace a lot of fossil fuel use. Even early on, researchers and industry critics expressed grave doubts that the industry had a future. Plug Power’s latest cancellation is but one in a string of failures that are vindicating critics who said the industry was all hype.
Hydrogen can be produced using different feedstocks, including coal and natural gas. Hydrogen produced with an electrolysis process powered by wind and solar that breaks water into hydrogen and oxygen is called green hydrogen.
Anti-fossil fuel advocates saw green hydrogen as the path to net-zero and their dream of a world powered entirely by energy from the wind and sun. Net-zero means the amount of greenhouse gas emissions added to the atmosphere equals the amount removed.
As is often the case with green energy schemes, these challenges didn’t deter those who prize emission reductions above all other considerations. The Biden-Harris administration put up $8 billion in taxpayer funds to develop a hydrogen economy in the U.S., which included support for seven hydrogen hubs. 30-40 years ago, Scientific American had a scholarly article explaining that only nukes could produce power cheap enough to economically produce hydrogen. The physics is still the same.
Posted by: Bobby ||
08/23/2026 08:23 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[240 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
I know of a way to continuously produce hydrogen w/o any power/electrical input. I have done it. The process could even use salt water. But the fact remains that the energy density produced by the oxidation of hydrogen is still too low compared to other energy-producing paths. Added to this problem is the fact that no one seems to care.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
08/23/2026 9:29 Comments ||
Top||
#3
I don't want to publish it. I would really like to make a buck, but ...
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
08/23/2026 17:05 Comments ||
Top||
#4
There are other uses for H2:
**No**, reactor water cooling does not "bleed" hydrogen in the sense of releasing it as a waste product; instead, **hydrogen is intentionally added** to the coolant to suppress corrosion and prevent the formation of explosive gas mixtures.
* **Corrosion Control**: In Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs), **hydrogen** is injected into the primary coolant to scavenge oxygen, creating a reducing environment that minimizes the corrosion of metal piping and extends the life of the plant.
* **Radiolysis Mitigation**: In Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs), **hydrogen water chemistry** is used to reduce the oxidizing potential of the coolant, which prevents stress corrosion cracking and suppresses the radiolytic decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen gases.
* **Safety Management**: While hydrogen is generated naturally through **radiolysis** and metal-water reactions (especially during accidents), plants use **recombiners** or mixing devices to maintain hydrogen concentrations below flammability limits (typically 4% by volume) rather than venting it.
[BBC] The United States and Canada have entered into uncharted territory.
The longtime allies and economic partners, who have enjoyed free trade for decades, are now in an escalating trade war with no clear off ramp.
And for Prime Minister Mark Carney, the late night decision to suspend talks with President Donald Trump and to retaliate instead of agreeing to a deal that seemed in reach will be a significant political test.
Spite so often leads to stupidity...
He is one of the first world leaders to walk away from the negotiating table with the White House - and the outcome will be closely watched.
Both sides have blamed last-minute changes for torpedoing the tentative deal, with Carney saying the US "asked too much" and "offered too little".
Carney's decision will challenge the appetite among Canadians to accept some economic pain as Ottawa pushes for more US concessions.
After rejecting Trump's high pressure tactics, and in choosing to hit back against the latest duties, Carney will need to convince Canadians that the economic pain is worth the cost of standing up to the Trump administration in search of a better agreement in the long run.
In remarks on Saturday, he said "we take this step confident this is in the best interest of Canada" and accused the US of a "power play" by seeking eleventh-hour changes.
#2
Canadians will cheer as their economy collapses.
Their entire identity is built on being not-America.
But when it does, remind them that they have assisted suicide as an option.
[TWZ] We have seen some great photos of the F-117 Nighthawks that continue to operate in developmental test and training roles. These images have improved incrementally since their use as aggressor and for test support became openly discussed by the Air Force, with the locales they could operate from expanding along with it. Now, one set of images, taken by aviation photographer James Reeder, is the best we’ve ever seen.
The photos in question were taken in the famed Sidewinder low-level route that circumnavigates much of the R-2508 range complex that sits atop the Mojave Desert and the many military test and training installations that dot it. This particular section of the route, which has steep canyon walls, provides an especially dramatic backdrop for military aircraft rocketing through. It is perhaps the best vantage point we have seen of the famous route since the ‘Jedi Transition’ through Rainbow Canyon was shut down to military aircraft after a deadly crash in 2019.
[DM] This is the moment a humanoid robot smashed Usain Bolt's 100m world record, right before it was stretchered off the track at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, China.
After beating the fastest man in the world, the two speedy robots failed to decelerate in time as they hurtled toward a safety mattress and both collapsed.
Akin to an injured athlete, the robots were lifted onto stretchers and carried away to be fixed.
One of the humanoid robots ran 100m in 9.39 seconds, beating the human world record set by Jamaican sprinting great Usain Bolt who ran it in 9.58 seconds.
More than 2,000 robots gathered for the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, China, today.
The second edition of the event, which will last five days, is being held at the National Speed Skating Oval in the nation's capital until August 26.
A record-breaking 2,056 robots have been registered by 666 teams to compete at the games which got underway after an opening ceremony and some sports events.
Although 96 per cent of the teams entering the games are Chinese, 16 countries from six continents will take part in the 1,301 matches.
The games include competitions modelled on human sports as well as task-based events some of which require fully autonomous robots.
World Humanoid Robot Games officials will award independent robots full points but semi-autonomous bots will only receive half points.
#1
Future Note: Always have 1 in the chamber.
Because the preventative Self Defense lethal force radius against Cyborg's is now 60 meters, or about 5 seconds.
BTW: Is something like the ULTRANET® 2.0 available in a Cyborg Capture Net form yet?
“You're wondering who I am (secret, secret, I've got a secret)
Machine or mannequin? (Secret, secret, I've got a secret)
With parts made in Japan (secret, secret, I've got a secret)
I am thee modern man
I've got a secret, I've been hiding under my skin
My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain IBM
So if you see me acting strangely, don't be surprised
I'm just a man who needed someone and somewhere to hide to keep me alive
Just keep me alive, somewhere to hide, to keep me alive”
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/23/2026 8:10 Comments ||
Top||
#4
[AI] “You're wondering who I am (secret, secret, I've got a secret)
The lyrics "**You're wondering who I am (secret, secret, I've got a secret)**" are from the 1983 hit song "**Mr. Roboto**" by the American rock band **Styx**.
Written by band member **Dennis DeYoung**, the song is part of the rock opera narrative on the album ***Kilroy Was Here***. In the story, the protagonist **Kilroy** disguises himself in a robotic shell to escape a futuristic prison, using the line to reveal that the cold, mechanical exterior hides a human identity. The song was a major commercial success, reaching number one in Canada and the top five on the US *Billboard* Hot 100.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Now, the list of failed hydrogen projects has grown quite long, squandering billions of dollars on yet another futile climate initiative. 
