1181213_88625943New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof, in his latest opus entitled Danger Lurks in That Mickey Mouse Couch — wait, did he really say that? Anyway, Nick has gone off the rails again, intoxicated by the siren song of an HBO special on tonight (Monday, November 25th), similarly entitled Toxic Hot Seat. The producers of that documentary have the following brief to promote: household furniture (including any Mickey Mouse couches, one assumes) are laden with toxic chemicals — brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are in the spotlight this time — and their dangers are being covered up by their manufacturers and the chemical industry trade group, the American Chemistry Council. Further — as if these “facts” were not damning enough — the industry is echoing the evil tactics of Big Tobacco (20th century variety) by creating controversy about the devastating health impacts of BFRs where none rightly exist and standing in the way of sensible, protective regulation. And, they go on, the stuff doesn’t even retard fires, either! Read more at ACSH.org.