We like you, so in the interest of getting you and your family to Thanksgiving with all of your fingers attached, we’d like to direct your attention to some pumpkin carving “how to” info.
Quality & Safety
Tiny Faces On Broccoli To Be Heartlessly Discontinued, As Will These Decapitated Heads On Jam Jars
By 10.29.08
The bloggers that noticed the “tiny faces on broccoli” and shared their discovery with the world (click here to catch up with the horror), have decided to do a little investigative journalism. They contacted the company that photoshopped the little faces onto their broccoli package and got a response. It seems that the tiny faces are a tradition that is now on the chopping block…
United Airlines Pilot Is Too Drunk To Fly
By 10.22.08
This whole “drunks on a plane” thing is getting out of control. First it was the passengers, then the flight attendants… now it’s the pilots.
1,585,000 Cribs Recalled Due To Entrapment And Suffocation Hazards
By 10.21.08
If you own a crib made by Delta, you’ll want to check the model number to see if it is included in two massive recalls announced by the CPSC today. None of the cribs are currently being sold in stores, but were available from major retailers including Walmart, Kmart and Target.com from January 1995 through September 2007 for about $100.
Tell Kraft Their New Ranch Dressing Recipe Is Gross, Get Coupon For More Gross Dressing
By 10.20.08
Kraft has apparently changed their recipe for Ranch dressing and reader Bobby thinks the new stuff is “bad,” so he emailed to let Kraft know.
McDonald's Forgets The Burger Part Of Your Cheeseburger
By 10.20.08
We know everyone makes mistakes, but this is just sad. Reader Jarrett lives out in the country, so it was pretty disappointing for him when he took a bite into his cheeseburger… only to find that there was no “burger” part of the sandwich.
Buy Or Be Stabbed
By 10.11.08
The global economy is crashing, credit markets are playing ice age, and you consumers have a simple choice: buy things now or prepare to be stabbed next year.
Big Pharma Goes Before Supreme Court To Get State Lawsuits Banned
By 10.7.08
“Pre-emption” is a legal doctrine that says the federal government can claim all regulatory power over an area or subject, barring states from acting on their own. The drug maker Wyeth has brought a case before the Supreme Court arguing that a woman in Vermont, who lost her arm due to a drug complication that Wyeth knew about but did not publicize, cannot sue them in state court because of pre-emption. Wyeth says that only the FDA has the power to regulate it—and since the FDA approved Wyeth’s drug label, it’s the FDA’s responsibility. We think Wyeth is pretending to care about federal-versus-state power in an attempt to weasel out of any responsibility.
The Idiot-Proof Way To Securely Use Public Wi-Fi
By 10.6.08
We talk a lot on this blog about personal data and privacy, but not so much about how to secure that data on your own computer. That’s because a.) we’re not Lifehacker and b.) the solutions frequently bloat into crazy, jargon-filled recipes that scare away the non-IT crowd. Not this time! For all you novices, here is a single idea you should consider that will help keep your personal data personal, and make your identity that much harder to steal.
FDA Considers Banning OTC Cough Medicines For All Children Under 6
By 10.2.08
Pediatricians are asking the FDA to recall all OTC cough medicines for children under six years old, and the FDA is holding a public hearing on the subject today. One reason this has only recently become an issue is that when the FDA originally set rules for OTC cough medicines, they were based only on studies for adults, not kids, writes the Associated Press. Although there’s a low risk of unintentional overdose—the AP says about 7,000 children are admitted to ERs each year—the other issue is that there’s very little evidence that they’re effective.
By 9.26.08
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FDA warns consumers not to drink instant coffee made in China because it may be tainted with melamine. They specifically mention one brand, the hilariously-unappetizing-souding Mr. Brown. [MSNBC]
New Color Coded Hospital Bracelets Save Lives, But Raise Privacy Concerns
By 9.25.08
Confusion about what those color coded bracelets mean can cause deadly medical mistakes, but if the bracelets are standardized — is everyone going to know your business?
Did China Cover Up The Melamine Milk Scandal Because Of The Olympics?
By 9.23.08
The New York Times says that China’s state-controlled media has admitted that “one of China’s biggest dairy producers received consumer complaints about its baby milk formula as early as December 2007 — much earlier than previously thought and nine months before the producer ordered a nationwide recall because of concerns that the formula had been adulterated with a toxic industrial chemical.”
Apple Recalls Faulty iPhone 3G Power Adapters
By 9.21.08
Remember that game where your parents would tell you not to stick your fingers in electrical outlets and then you would and you’d get shocked? Well it’s now a real-life app for iPhone 3G owners! Here’s how to play: plug your iPhone 3G’s ultra-compact USB power adapter into the wall. If the prongs break off and get stuck in the outlet creating a risk of electrocution, you win! Or lose. Probably the latter, which is why Apple recalled the devices on Friday.
Genetically Engineered Foods Edge Closer To Dinner Plate, FDA To Develop GE Rules
By 9.18.08
FrankenChicken moved closer to your dinner table after the FDA announced they’re going to begin developing the procedures and guidelines that will allow farmers to genetically engineer animals to have more desirable traits and then sell them to you in the supermarket. For instance, featherless chicken or faster-growing fish. They will not require food to be labeled as genetically modified as long as there’s no change in the final product, a move Consumers Union called “incomprehensible.”
FDA Bans Import Of 30 Popular Generic Drugs
By 9.17.08
The FDA has banned the import of 30 different generic drugs made by Ranbaxy due to unresolved ongoing concerns about quality controls in the manufacturing process. Some of them are popular, like a generic for Zocor. The complete list inside. If you’re taking any of the affected drugs, keep taking them. The FDA found no evidence to suggest any consumers are at risk. If you have concerns, consult your doctor.
BPA Levels Higher In Those With Heart Disease Or Diabetes
By 9.16.08
those with the largest amount of BPA in their urine had nearly three times the risk of heart disease and more than twice the risk of diabetes as those who had the lowest levels.
