I recently read this Propublica article on the decades-long scandal of manufacturing companies concealing the toxicity of PFAS — a group of chemicals used in our cookware and food packaging and dumped into our water. Maybe some of you have have been following this for awhile, but for me, the scale of wrongdoing by companies who remain so powerful and prosperous came as a shock. I remember hearing that Teflon was linked to cancer, and we swapped out our nonsticks for ceramic awhile ago, but I didn’t realize how ubiquitous the chemicals were and that it wasn’t until
When I was in Tokyo last month I visited a historic home owned by one of Japan’s most prominent and wealthiest families. I looked them up on Wikipedia and learned that they’d made their money in the early part of the 20th century through cigarettes. To gain a competitive edge in the marketplace, they secretly laced their cigarettes with heroin. When this was found out, they were made to pay a fine, but as far I could tell from Wikipedia, nothing else happened, and I believe the family and corporation still enjoy a fine reputation and do a brisk business.
When I was in Tokyo last month I visited a historic home owned by one of Japan’s most prominent and wealthiest families. I looked them up on Wikipedia and learned that they’d made their money in the early part of the 20th century through cigarettes. To gain a competitive edge in the marketplace, they secretly laced their cigarettes with heroin. When this was found out, they were made to pay a fine, but as far I could tell from Wikipedia, nothing else happened, and I believe the family and corporation still enjoy a fine reputation and do a brisk business.