So Robert W. Chambers was right all along? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_in_Yellow)
It really is an okay article, though. It talks about where PCBs come from, why they’re bad, what the scientists have found, etc. Perhaps I’m biased because I know a little about this topic already. But the article is not supposed to be an exhaustive literature review. It’s supposed to get you interested so you’ll do your own follow-up. I know junk reporting when I see it, and I’m not seeing it here.
There’s a lot of shit out there that seems harmless (like yellow dye) but it’s not. Manufacturers are banking on folks rolling their eyes at stories like this because it gets them off the hook. Meanwhile, everyone’s got an ADHD/Aspergic/Tourette’s kid. Or they’ve got fibromylagia or infertility. And we act like it’s a huge mystery why, when really the science has been pointing to the answer for years. And we’ve chosen to joke around instead of actually listen to it.
It makes my job harder, you know?
Sorry to be all serious.
Talk to your university’s PR department.
Start your own website.
Yellow wallpaper makes me crazy.
Wait, that article says everyone is practically bathed in the stuff and you’re saying that science has pointed to this as the reason for ADHD/Aspergic/Tourette’s, fibromylagia and infertility.
I find that to be an amazing claim.
Sorry to be all skeptical.
I worked on a PCB/Dioxin study on the Ohio River, and yes, the entire river has a fish consumption advisory because of PCB’s and Dioxins. It’s truly amazing how little of these compounds can cause problems. We figured that for the 981 miles of the Ohio River the allowable load was equal to 1 paperclip in weight. Our methods had detection limits in the femtogram range (10x -15).
Also of interest is that congener 11 had a big spike at Cincinnati. Plenty of dye manufacturing there.
Kelevra
PCBs exposure in early life may increase autism risk in children
I don’t understand your skepticism. PCBs are all around us, but so is cancer and a ton of other diseases and conditions. Like obesity. It is true that our exposure is really low, but PCBs are toxic enough that you don’t really need a whole lot to see an effect.
Please consult your state’s fish consumption advisories to see if you are at risk.
Roy G. Biv is going to take this news really hard.
Curious George’s friend may be in trouble.
He’s The Man in the Yellow Hat, in case you didn’t know that. His suit’s yellow, too.
It would be great if people did that, but they don’t, and news people know that. They’ll see a story like that and get all scared and throw everything yellow out of their house. Alerting us to a real danger is great - what yellow is safe, and what yellow is not safe? Should I throw everything yellow out? How much yellow dye exposure is safe? Is it okay to be exposed to it as an adult, but not for kids? They told us enough to scare us, but not enough to give us any real direction.
Maybe I should have said I hate scare jouralism.
Go for it! It makes for a better discussion. 
Don’t you mean yellow journalism?
I’m too lazy to work out a yellow peril joke.
I really don’t think most people do this, though. Most people react the same way posters in this thread have. They either ignore the information or they call it a joke.
Hell, I’ve been knowing about PCB-11 for years. I know how awful PCBs are. And guess what? I’ve still got post-it notes on my desk. I also use a yellow legal pad. My coworker always clucks his tongue at me, and I just laugh it off. Gotta die of something, right?
There may have been a time when the news caused us to panic over stuff like this. But nowadays, all I seem to hear is, “We all gotta die of something!” Or, “These stupid scientists! They just make shit up!” These reactions are much more common than hysteria, in my experience.
I almost WISH people would panic. Maybe then there would be pressure to do something.
Dopers aren’t typical people - I have a sister who has probably removed all the yellow from her house by now (she’s a big fan of Dr. Oz to tell you how discerning she is). I wish people would understand that a two minute blurb on the noon news isn’t enough to change your life over - it is enough to send you off googling, but they seem to think that you’re getting all you need to know from the news.
You’re right about all the scare journalism crying wolf, too - if the yellow dyes are indeed a real concern, there no doubt will be a whole lot of people (me included) who think it’s just the scare du jour and nothing real to be concerned about.
I’ve already stopped eating all of my yellow office supplies.
If its not one thing its another. Now what? People are going to start dying of yellow paper disease, that’s what.
Aha. Now I finally understand what Green Lantern’s problem with the color Yellow was all about.
I suspect you didn’t read post #5.
But… but… yellow is my favourite colour!
Why are you all looking at me like that? Wait! Nooooo…
:: flees ::