Vaguely related.

Something I'm not buying:

Dr. West said his involvement in the project was not tied to any particular policy judgment. “I strongly believe that part of the picture in any policy development has to be the best possible science, and in cases where my work can contribute to that, I think that’s great,” he wrote in an e-mail message.

On the other hand, maybe his research can be used by consumers to help them ensure they're getting what they're told is on offer.

My smoke detectors have a circuit that detects when the battery is low. And then they go off to 'alert' me to the fact, usually in the middle of the night.

Mine too. Fuckin smoke detectors, protecting me from death by incineration or asphyxiation.

My smoke detector seems only to tell me when I'm cooking bacon. Which will be helpful if I'm ever doing it in my sleep.

My smoke detector did its job recently (and cost me a couple of thousand dollars in replaced piping and appliances) by detecting built-up carbon monoxide in my basement. So, I'm currently in the pro-smoke-detection camp -- piping and stoves are easier to replace than spouses and children. (Granted, the whole "CO causes asphyxiation" thing is probably of a piece with the "HIV causes AIDS" mythology.)