Harambe the Gorilla Is Shot Dead At Cincinnati Zoo

A 400-pound gorilla was shot dead by an emergency response team at the Cincinnati Zoo on Saturday after he grabbed a 4-year-old boy who had fallen into zoo’s Gorilla World enclosure. Harambe, a 17-year-old silverback gorilla who celebrated his 17th birthday on May 27, dragged the young boy through a moat inside the enclosure. Zoo officials said in a press release they considered the situation to be “life-threatening” and made the difficult decision to kill the rare gorilla. “The Zoo security team’s quick response saved the child’s life. We are all devastated that this tragic accident resulted in the death of a critically-endangered gorilla,” Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard said in a statement. “This is a huge loss for the Zoo family and the gorilla population...

Read More

Big Tobacco Asks FDA to Ban Tanks and Mods to Protect Public Health

If you didn’t think Big Tobacco companies could stoop any lower, get ready for a wake up call. This week we witnessed the ultimate hypocrisy as cigarette giant Reynolds American sent a 119-page document to the FDA, urging regulators to ban open-system electronic cigarettes. The reason? They are a threat to public health. While Reynolds American reported $1.2 million in gross profits from their tobacco products last quarter, they are now suddenly concerned about America’s health. This newfound worry for health is more than a little strange considering that the tobacco giant directly contributes to 5 million smoking-related...

Read More