Health

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CBS’ “Kid Nation” Contract: We’re Not Responsible If Your Kid Dies

Kid Nation logoThis fall, CBS is debuting a new reality series called Kid Nation. In it, 40 kids aged eight to 15 go off to a remote, deserted location to have a Survivor-like adventure for 40 days without adult supervision.

Controversy has sprung up about injuries some of the kids sustained, and the one-sided nature (in CBS’ favor) of a 22-page release that parents had to sign as a condition of their kids’ participation in the show should they be selected. (Here is the New York Times story.)

Mouse Print* has found and reviewed what is purported to be a copy of that release. The producers and CBS left nothing to chance in protecting themselves, while getting parents to give up their rights in protecting their children.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Kid Nation 1

Translation: I accept the risk if a wolf eats my kid, if he drowns during a competition, or any other terrible thing happens.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Kid Nation 2

Translation: If my kid dies, CBS and the producers are not responsible.

Some other provisions of the agreement include (1) that the producers can film the children 24 hours a day anywhere (but not in the bathroom if they are really doing their business in there); (2) that the kids will not have sex with the producers,  and if they have sex with other participants they will not hold the producers liable for STDs or pregnancy; (3) that neither the parents nor the kids will reveal anything about the show for three years, and if they do, they will pay CBS $5 million as liquidated damages; and (4) they will not sue CBS or the producers for anything but instead will take any disputes to arbitration.

It seems there must have been no shortage of stage mothers and fathers who were willing to bite the bullet and sign away their rights as the price for their kid to become a television star. This is no doubt the reason that CBS and the producers could get away with such a one-sided agreement.

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Aquafina: Unearths Its Source

AquafinaFor years, Americans have been buying bottled water for convenience, improved taste, and its perceived health benefits compared to tap water. We spend more on bottled water per gallon than we do on gasoline.

The biggest selling brand of bottled water is Aquafina made by Pepsico. From the look of the bottle with snow capped mountains, one would think the source of the water is some lovely, quiet stream or underground springs in the Alps. Not so.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Aquafina pws

Tucked at the bottom of the label of some bottles of Aquafina (others have no disclosure) are the words “Bottled At The Source P.W.S.”  Most people would have no idea what P.W.S. stands for, and that was probably the way Pepsi wanted it.

It actually means “Public Water Supply,” in other words, tap water. That’s right Aquafina gets its water from the tap, puts it through a seven-step purification process, pumps it into bottles that some say harm the environment, and charges you a fortune.

With some prodding from a consumer group, Pepsico announced last Friday it was going to come clean on the Aquafina label and say what P.W.S. stands for. Coke on the other, the maker of Dasani bottled water, has had no similar change of heart about disclosing that its purified water comes from the tap too.

None of this is meant to speak ill of tap water, that repeated tests have shown is generally safe and tasty to drink in most communities. In fact, expert wine tasters did a blind taste test of tap water from cities around the country, and recently named the tap water from Salt Lake City, Boston, and Columbia, SC as the best tasting.

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Purina Dog Chow: Adds Up to 2 Years to Your Dog’s Life*

Purina Dog Chow Imagine if your choice of dog food could extend the life of your favorite pet by years.

That seems to be the claim in a currently running commercial for Purina Puppy Chow and Dog Chow. The ad says, “add up to two healthy years to his life.”

What proof does the company have? The ad goes on to say, “a groundbreaking 14 year study by Purina proves that Puppy Chow, then Dog Chow nutrition, fed properly over a lifetime, helps add up to two quality years with your dog.”

Wow. Who would feed any other brand to their dog if Purina is so much better?

*MOUSE PRINT: The company never tested other brands of dog food compared to Purina. “All dogs received the same 100 percent nutritionally complete and balanced foods – only the amount differed. ”

In fact, here is the test methodology:

For the first three years, the control group was fed an unlimited amount of food during 15-minute daily feedings; afterwards they were fed an amount estimated to be the caloric requirement for large breed dogs in “normal” body condition. Each dog in the lean-fed group always received 75 percent of the amount eaten by its paired littermate. All dogs consumed the same diets, which were 100 percent nutritionally complete and balanced (first a puppy formula, then an adult formula) — only the quantity provided was different.

Translation: what was really tested was how underfeeding your dog could extend his life.

While the advice from the actual test may be sound — that slim dogs live longer — it may not be just this brand that can extend your dog’s life.