Thousands of pounds of frozen breakfasts specifically marketed to frail or housebound elderly people and delivered to them through meal programs have been recalled for potential Listeria contamination. People who are elderly or who are already sick are especially susceptible to potentially fatal complications of listeriosis. [More]
traditions
The Backyard Barbecue Isn’t As Popular As It Used To Be
By 9.4.15
Though visions of hamburgers and hotdogs may be dancing through your head as we approach the Labor Day holiday weekend, the heyday of the backyard barbecue has come and gone, some say, partly because of the high price of beef. [More]
Why Ordering ‘Suspended’ Coffees For The Needy Is Stupid And Inefficient
By 3.29.13
You might have seen the “suspended coffee” meme going around on Facebook or other social media recently, The idea goes as follows: when you order your morning caffeine jolt or pastry, you order additional items, but ask for them to be “suspended.” When a person who can’t afford their own beverage comes in, they can ask for a “suspended” coffee or food, and receive one for free. This makes you feel all warm and cuddly when you hit the “share” button, but in practice is more of a pain in the butt. [More]
North Pole, Alaska, Forced Out Of Santa Letter Program
By 11.19.09
New security rules have proven too complex for Alaska’s post offices to bear, so they’re ending their participation in Operation Santa, the 50-year-old program where letters addressed to “Santa Claus, North Pole” are answered by volunteers. The program will continue elsewhere, reports the Associated Press, but when I called the USPS to find out where letters should be addressed I was told parents should contact their local post offices for information.
Christmas Cracker Contains Dead Mouse
By 12.29.07
See, this is why we don’t pull apart “crackers” on Christmas in the U.S.—a New Zealand woman found a dead, partially decomposed mouse in hers earlier this week during her family’s Christmas celebration. “I had said to my granddaughter ‘what’s the smell’ and we couldn’t work it out until we pulled the cracker.” Then: Merry Christmas! There’s a dead mouse in yer lap! “It ruined my appetite for the rest of the day,” she told her local paper.
