This story in the LATimes is about the factory in China that had the melamine in it.

Farmers in this poor rural area about 400 miles northwest of Shanghai had complained to local government officials since 2004 that Mao’s factory was spewing noxious fumes that made their eyes tear up and the poplar trees nearby shed their leaves prematurely. Yet no one stopped Mao’s company from churning out bags of food powders and belching smoke — until one day last month when, in the middle of the night, bulldozers arrived and tore down the facility.

Yes, Mao had taken down his own company. The better to investigate I suppose. He’s now arrested.

Here’s the interesting thing. Discover Magazine in March had an article about autism spectrum disorder.

It’s increased ten fold in the last 20 years.

New studies are examining contributing factors ranging from vaccine reactions to atypical growth in the placenta, abnormal tissue in the gut, inflamed tissue in the brain, food allergies, and disturbed brain wave synchrony.

Anyway this article has a number of examples of different treatments being used. Two boys born in the same family, both with autism started a nutritional program recommended by a group called DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!)

Recommendations include dietary restriction, usually eliminating gluten (present in wheat and other grains) and dairy.

Yes, gluten. Their mother saw some changes. She’s since seeing another doctor who is big into de-toxification stuff and has seen even more major changes.

Hmmmmm….
How big is autism in China?
Has it grown within the same time period?
How long was the gluten company in business in China and exporting to the US?

Interesting. And a little scary.

On Greensburg:
In From the Cold looks at the National Guard readiness for the Greensburg tornado disaster in Kansas. Many are looking at this, but this guy he has numbers/links vs just emotions.
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On Women and radical Islam:
The New Editor notes some crap going on against Canadians in regards to women vs the religious police in Saudi Arabia. (ht Instapundit)

Speaking of Instapundit he also linked to this from the Volokh Conspiracy concerning a speech by the new President of France.

In English: “France will be at the sides of the Libyan nurses locked up for eight years; France will not abandon Ingrid Betancourt; France will not abandon the women who are condemned to the burqa; France will not abandon the women who do not have liberty. France will be by the side of the oppressed of the world. This is the message of France; this is the identity of France; this is the history of France.”

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On Darfu/Sudan:
I thought this was fun to read from the perspective in Saudi Arabia. They must take entirely different writing courses over there. Remember your essay writing days? Intro/Summary/3 points/Conclusion. I never to get the conclusion part of their columns where there may be a solution. But many of the points throughout include pointing out that Darfur is in the situation it is because we want it that way. Here’s the intro:

Neither the interest of the people of Darfur, nor the sovereignty of Sudan seem to be a major concern to any of those involved: A regime fighting for survival, rebel groups readily playing into the hands of foreign powers, a superpower eager to create distraction from its blunders elsewhere, European players coveting the region’s oil wealth with growing keenness, and so forth. Meanwhile, the refugees continue to perish, dying at so alarming a speed, often in the most inhumane ways imaginable. What is to be done?

And the conclusion:

In such conflicts, when regional control, political interests and economic booty are all at stake, human lives, especially those of these least importance — peasants, nomads and defenseless innocents with little clout — become a pawn in the hands of those who wish for conflict to perpetuate, so long as there is a good reason for its continuation.

In the middle part is the request for an increasing Arab presence there.