In this article, Leong Sze Hian pointed out that Singapore ranked as the 10th most expensive city in the world and the wage level of the people ranked at 42nd. This is why many Singaporeans had to work hard and for long hours just to earn enough to pay for the cost of living.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Killer cantaloupe, scary sprouts ? what to do? (AP)
MILWAUKEE ? Avoid foreign produce. Wash and peel your fruit. Keep it refrigerated. None of these common tips would have guaranteed your safety from the deadliest food outbreak in a decade, the one involving cantaloupes from Colorado.
Whether it's sprouts or spinach, turkey or hamburger; whether the government conducted double, triple or quadruple inspections, the truth is that no food will ever be completely free of risk.
And a few foods have become so risky that certain people such as children, pregnant women and the elderly may do best to avoid them altogether until growers and the government figure out how to make them safer, some food experts say.
An unappetizing fact: Although the current cantaloupe outbreak has been tied to just one farm in Colorado, it's at least the 19th outbreak involving that melon since 1984. It's also the first one caused by listeria, a germ that actually likes to be in the refrigerator and thrives in this fruit, which cannot be cooked unless you want to eat melon mush.
Listeria also prompted a California farm to recall bags of chopped romaine lettuce on Thursday because of possible contamination, though no illnesses have been reported. The greens from Salinas-based True Leaf Farms went to an Oregon distributor and possibly at least two other states ? Washington and Idaho.
So what should you do if you see cantaloupe on a salad bar or at the grocery store? Can you be sure all of the tainted stuff has been pulled from the market, since the last bad melons were shipped on Sept. 10? What if no one knows where the cantaloupe was grown?
"If the store can't tell them or the restaurant can't tell them, I would not buy it at all," said Chris Waldrop, director of the Food Policy Institute at the Consumer Federation of America.
Laura Anderko, a Georgetown University public health expert, went a step further.
"Honestly, as a nurse, I would tell people don't eat the cantaloupe until this thing resolves itself," she said. "This stuff happens because our system is not as tight as it needs to be."
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has confirmed 13 deaths and 72 illnesses in the outbreak so far, has not told people to stop buying cantaloupe. However, the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration cannot even say where all of the tainted melon went, because it was sold and resold to many distributors across the nation.
"When in doubt, throw it out," is the CDC's advice to consumers who have any cantaloupe whose origins they can't determine.
"Even if the cantaloupe is gone, you need to wash the drawer or shelf it may have been on" to make sure other foods don't become contaminated, said Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of food safety at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Beyond that, each outbreak brings fresh lessons on how to make produce safer. And while some of these things aren't guarantees, they can cut the odds you'll lose at the food safety lottery.
Some new tips food experts offered Thursday:
? Shop more often and consume fresh fruits and vegetables within a few days. This gives germs less chance to multiply and gives you more nutrients from your food, too.
? Don't just wash a melon. Scrub it under running water to rinse off any dislodged germs, and let it dry. If you cut it while it's still wet, "you may be sliding the pathogens more easily from the outside to the inside" on the knife, DeWaal said.
? Keep the fridge cold, 40 degrees or lower. Higher than that can let germs grow.
? Don't get a false sense of security if you buy organic produce. That just means less pesticide ? not necessarily fewer germs.
? Consider dropping especially risky foods from your diet. Bean sprouts are not safe for children, pregnant women or people with weak immune systems and certain diseases, but that doesn't mean they're OK for everyone else, said Michael Doyle, a microbiologist who heads the University of Georgia's Center for Food Safety.
Doyle also consults for a lot of food companies, including a major spinach producer that sought help after outbreaks involving that vegetable. He has chaired a food safety advisory council for McDonald's for many years.
"I don't eat sprouts at all," he said. If harmful bacteria are in the seeds "they grow in the sprouting process, and there's nothing to kill them unless you cook them."
You can go too far with this, though. Even Dr. Robert Tauxe, the CDC's top food-germ sleuth, once confessed over lunch that he refused to live in fear, and that there were only a few foods he absolutely wouldn't eat, such as raw oysters and unpasteurized milk.
Beyond that, safe handling and cooking can generally keep most foods safe, he said.
The big picture is important, said Robert Gravani, a food scientist at Cornell University.
A gazillion pounds of produce are consumed each day, and only a tiny fraction cause problems, he said.
"I have a hard time saying, `Don't eat produce,' because of all of the health benefits," he said. "Everything we do has some degree of risk attached to it."
___
Online:
Food safety tips: www.cspinet.org, http://www.fightbac.org
___
Marilynn Marchione can be followed at http://twitter.com/MMarchioneAP
cj wilson john henry john henry van jones van jones matt moore matt moore
Challenges facing Singapore
Here is an excellent article by Lucky Tan who writes about the problems that will be faced by Singapore in the near future, as we have many of the characteristics of America that has caused huge challenges to their government. I agree with his views as stated in this article.
New rules on evidence
The Ministry of Law is seeking public views on several changes to update the rules on evidence to be submitted in court. I welcome this move to move with the times. It is an encouraging step.
There are many other areas on updating our laws and enforcing our laws. I hope that the Ministry will be more active in these areas, as the administration of justice in Singapore leaves much to be desired.
There are many other areas on updating our laws and enforcing our laws. I hope that the Ministry will be more active in these areas, as the administration of justice in Singapore leaves much to be desired.
Buy a Used Car Or Truck In Winter Time - Things You Must Consider
Many people these days are buying a vehicle just for winter driving, so they can protect their other vehicles from the salt, and the winter weather. There are many different things you will want to ask about or check when buying a vehicle for winter. Just becomes it seems to run well, does not guarantee you are getting a maintenance free vehicle to drive. Let us look at what you need to know about when you buy used car or truck in winter time.
How much do you have to spend will have a great impact on your purchasing power. A lot of time people do not realize that how much you have to spend can have a direct affect on the type of vehicle you can purchase. Keep this in mind before you go shopping for a car in the winter. Choose an amount you can afford, but will still get you the type of car you want.
We Buy Any Car
Front wheel drive or four wheel drive is another thing that you will need to think hard about as well. If you live in an area that tends to get little snow than front wheel drive should be fine for you. Now if you travel a lot and have heavy snows often, the four wheel drive is a better option. Always remember four wheel drive cars tend to cost more than front wheel drive.
Mileage is something that you must pay very close attention to these days. High mileage cars should be avoided unless they have great service records with them. By checking the mileage you will also be able to see if the purchase is worth the asking price. Also ask if these are highway mileage or all city mileage. This can make a big difference as well on the vehicles condition.
One area that many people tend to overlook when you buy used car or truck is the tires. Look them over very carefully and inquire about them. Tires can tell you a lot about the vehicle you are looking to purchase. Check for abnormal wear as that is an indication of front end troubles. Knowing how long the tires have been on the vehicle will give you a good idea when they will need replaced again.
The motor without a doubt is the most important part of your purchase. Check it out very closely. Take it for a test drive going at various speeds to see how well it performs. One thing to remember that many times you cannot spot engine trouble until after it warms up. Drive it for a little while instead of just taking it for a spin around the block.
What does the body look like? Many people will tell you it is for winter driving and they do not care. This can be a big mistake. You want to make sure the body is sound and there are not a lot of holes in it. Wind can come in these holes and make it chilly inside your vehicle. Check the body very closely before any purchase.
When it comes time to buy used car or truck in winter time, take your time before buying. Many times we fall in love with a car or truck without really thinking about it enough. Do not impulse buy when it comes to a vehicle and you will be fine.
Buy a Used Car Or Truck In Winter Time - Things You Must Consider
Selling You Home With Out A Real Estate Agent
This article has been viewed 3 times.
If you happen to?re considering, ?I ought to promote my home without a realtor,? the present actual property market and explosion of the Internet will make your job easier.
Sell My Home With out A Realtor
In case you are trying to sell a home with out a realtor, you are often known as a ?FSBO? seller. FSBO stands for the phrase ?for sale by owner.? Though FSBO sellers have at all times existed, they?ve turn out to be rather more prevalent in the previous couple of years as a result of two main factors.
Scorching Real Estate Market
An insanely hot real estate market has made realtors somewhat irrelevant in lots of parts of the country. As an example, properties in San Diego, California had been known to be on the market for less than weeks on common in early 2005. Be mindful, this was the common time it took to sell a home including the run down messes. In such a market, many householders started wondering why they have been paying six % commissions to a realtor who didn?t need to do much.
Internet Use
The creation of FSBO actual estate listings websites has exploded over the past three or four years. As patrons and sellers became extra familiar with these websites, they often searched online for homes as an alternative of driving areas with a realtor. This resulted in sellers wondering why they need to pay a commission of 6 p.c to a realtor when a website like fsboamerica.org solely charged $25 a month to checklist a home on the site. Many couldn?t give you a reason.
No Realtor
The decision to promote you house without a realtor is one you need to make carefully. In case you?re comfortable with the gross sales course of, going FSBO makes all of the sense within the world. When you?re not snug with the negotiating process, then you could need to think about using a realtor. Ultimately, your first step ought to be to purchase a FSBO book in your local bookstore or visit a FSBO website and skim up on what is involved.
In case you want further facts with regard to real estate edmonton, stop by Trevor Peeryyuba?s internet site directly.
HTML Ready Article You Can Place On Your Site. |
will smith hp touchpad ben affleck hp tablet hp veer 7 wonders of the ancient world hp pre 3
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)