Since then, however, impacts, such as the one many scientists contend caused the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago, have destroyed life.
THE vacancies on State Street, Mr. Daly contended, were caused not by the city's policies but rather by the decades-long transformation of small-town America.
Among them is Eli Lilly, the developer of thimerosal, a mercury-based vaccine preservative that some parents contend has caused autism in their children.
Enron shareholders are seeking to recoup more than $30 billion in losses they contend were caused by the former energy trader's financial manipulations, including masking billions of dollars in loans as energy trades in off-the-books partnerships.
But they have refused to pay for damage they contend was caused by flooding — which is generally not covered by homeowners insurance — even though many people here believe much of that damage was caused by hurricane wind, which usually is covered.
The official autopsy lists the cause of death as "excited delirium," a highly agitated state that the medical examiner contends was caused when Mr. Ferro took a large dose of Dramamine, an over-the-counter medication known on the street as "poor man's cocaine".
A test case that was filed in North Carolina in the summer by some members of the group, against Smithfield Foods, seeks to recover billions of dollars in real and punitive damages for the harm the plaintiffs contend was caused by the company's industrial-scale hog farms.
In one last-minute addition, Representative Dick Armey, Republican of Texas, inserted a provision that was apparently intended to protect Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical giant, from lawsuits over thimerosal, a mercury-based vaccine preservative that some parents contend has caused autism in their children.
"Is it true that plastic containers might leach phthalates into your products?" Phthalates, chemicals used to make plastic more flexible that activists contend could cause hormonal changes, are a concern for these girls, as are parabens, preservatives found in many lotions.
This, the critics contend, will cause Indians to lose their traditional culture, at which point they will no longer be "authentic".
