BLOG POSTS

It’s hardly raised a burp in the US, but the British media have developed galloping indigestion over the news that American athletes will not be eating Chinese during the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

Brits see it as a snub to China, and the UK press have been quick to expound their preference for a “nice bit o’ sweet an’ sour” over those nasty, flatulence-producing, Big Mac and fries.

Even the British Olympic Association lost no time in pointing out their athletes will be eating in the Olympic restaurant with all the others, not isolated in a private, off-site, mess hall commandeered solely for the mastications of US competitors.

On a personal note, I find this somewhat hard to swallow, and yet another example of the stomach-churning arrogance that pervades much of this nation, vomiting forth the much-mistaken notion that everything ex-USA is somehow inferior.

Since coming to these shores I have given up eating pre-packed fresh salad following cases of Salmonella poisoning; I’m about to give up canned green beans after the FDA, three days ago, reported:

“…… that New Era Canning Company, New Era, Mich., is expanding its product recall because of potential Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) contamination to all canned green beans and garbanzo beans distributed by the company nationwide over the last five years.” [my bold]

Thankfully, I don’t eat beef so the recent recall of – wait for it – 143 million pounds (weight) of American beef products doesn’t affect me. These meat products have been manufactured over the last twenty-four months, so its likely many have already been consumed.

This recall effected one massive meat processing plant, the San Bernardino County slaughterhouse in San Diego. According to a report in the San Diego Union-Tribune:^[1]

” The recall last week of 143 million pounds of beef from a San Bernardino County slaughterhouse – the largest such order in the nation’s history – has raised new questions about the effectiveness of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s meat-inspection system.

Food-safety advocates say the federal agency is struggling with an inspector shortage and inadequate oversight that leave consumers vulnerable to salmonella, E. coli and other bacteria….”

It’s a pity the San Diego Union-Tribune’s circulation doesn’t quite reach to China. I’m sure the Chinese would have a good giggle over that one.

The report goes on:

“Donna Rosenbaum of Safe Tables Our Priority, an Illinois nonprofit that works to prevent food-borne illnesses, said the danger posed to consumers by the beef recalled last week has largely passed because most of it has been consumed or disposed of. The recall order covered an estimated 37 million pounds of beef that went to schools through USDA nutrition programs. It extended back to Feb. 1, 2006.

Rosenbaum said what concerns her the most about Westland/Hallmark Meat Co.’s beef recall is it may indicate a systemic problem.

“We were under (the) impression that plants approved (for sales to schools) have the most scrutiny and most attention to detail,” she said.

Infections from tainted beef can be fatal.

Robert Metz of Del Cerro joined Safe Tables Our Priority after he lost his mother in 1994 when she ate E. coli-contaminated hamburger bought from a local supermarket. She died 17 days later.

Since then, Metz said, he rarely eats red meat and meticulously washes all fruits and vegetables. He began advocating for food safety and lobbies elected officials to pass stronger legislation.

“There are so many recalls, it’s unbelievable,” Metz said. “Meatpacking plant procedures are very, very poor and inadequate.” [my bold]

Stories like these make a mockery of America’s high-handed arrogance over Chinese food, particularly as the Chinese are going to great lengths to ensure their Olympic cuisine will be of the highest quality.

Frankly, I’d rather trust my intestines to some decent Chinese nosh, than the limited variety of fast-food available in the US Heartlands. Having noted a disgusting lack of cleanliness and hygiene in most of the fast-food outlets in this area, I’m nostalgic for the pristine Chinese restaurants and takeaways that abound throughout Europe.

^{[1] “Meat safety at stake?” – San Diego Union-Tribune, February 24th, 2008.}

Filed under: Chow mein, anyone?

Over the years, like most writers I’ve accumulated a number of ‘literary musings’ that can hardly fit the description of “Short Stories”, but are worthy of, perhaps, more than the trash can.

Some originate from the early days of Sparrow Chat and may be familiar to regular readers. Others are just the result of idle time-passing on the keyboard.

As they need to go somewhere, I’m cataloging these mental outpourings under the heading, “Literary Musings”, and they can be found below the “Blog Nest” in the sidebar. So far, I’ve only managed to publish two pages. Hopefully, that will expand as time goes by.

There is no facility for comment, but I hope you’ll find at least some of them of interest.

Filed under: Musings

One might think that America couldn’t possibly sink any further into the mire of violence and irresponsibility. It’s eight year administration has plunged this nation deep under the armpit of world opinion by its lust for militarism over diplomacy; its inability, or lack of desire, to control the ever-increasing gun crime on America’s streets and campuses, and its reckless economic policies that have damaged not just the US, but much of the world.

Now, however, America is stooping even lower in its bid to become the world’s principal pariah.

Remember those girlish get-togethers of the sixties and seventies? There was at least one in the neighborhood every week or so. Tupperware started the craze. Housewives would meet up in a neighbor’s house for a good old gossip, a cup of coffee and a few cookies, and maybe lash out a few dollars on the latest plastic food container or liquid dispenser.

It was all good innocent fun, made the ‘Tupperware’ brand famous, and was the perfect excuse for some female socializing.

Not any more. Now, Tupperware parties have been superseded by Taser parties.

Not content with marketing these vile devices to police forces throughout America, the Taser company jumped on an idea devised by Dana Shafman, founder of Shieldher Inc.,^[1] to market their product to women as the new female self-defense tool, using “Tupperware-style” parties to do so.

          

According to Shafman, her new ‘Lady Tasers’, in a choice of colors, including pink, are in great demand. They retail for $350, have all the stunning capacity of the police weapon, but unlike those manufactured for law enforcement, the ‘Lady Taser’ has the capacity to stun for up to thirty seconds. Police tasers are limited to five seconds.

Taser parties are great fun, says Dana Shafman. Woman get to fire the weapons at cardboard cutouts, amid much merriment and mirth even though alcohol is definitely off the menu.

Some young moms, thinking to purchase a taser for their handbag, expressed concern that children may think its a toy because of the color. General consensus concluded that it’s probably best to explain to toddler why Mommy carries it, and what its for. That will ensure they leave it alone – just exactly as they leave Daddy’s bevy of rifles and handguns alone, as the statistics of dead and injured children from firearms accidents aptly demonstrates.

There was a time in this country when ‘neighborliness’ was part and parcel of American life. People were happy to help each other out; strangers were not automatically assumed to be violent criminals and rapists. Those times have gone, washed away by a diet of violent movies, violent TV programs, violent video games, violent wars, violent government.

The American people have been systematically drugged on violence. It permeates every facet of their lives. Even the US government is hooked on violence. Twenty years ago, how many Americans would ever have considered their country capable of justifying water-boarding as an acceptable interrogation technique?

Take a moment to think about that, any of you old enough to remember.

From Tupperware to Tasers in one generation.

Violence breeds violence. This nation is the living proof of that. Adding more weapons to the arsenal is not the answer.

^{[1] ‘Shieldher Inc.’ website}

^{NOTE 1:Taser use, except by authorized police officers, is prohibited in DC, HI, MA, MI, RI, NY, NJ, WI.}

NOTE 2: On its website, Shieldher Inc., emphasizes the Taser is not a weapon, but a “personal protection system”. So is an M16.

Filed under: Too many Annie Oakleys