YumSugar

Is the Government Mad For Not Testing More Cows?

YumSugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:45:27 -0700

Last Friday the Bush administration asked a federal appeals court to stop allowing meatpackers to test all animals for mad cow disease. That's right, the government wants companies to test fewer animals.

Currently, under Agriculture Department guidelines, less than 1 percent of slaughtered cows are tested for the disease. Yet due to a lower court ruling, Kansas-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef has been granted the ability to more comprehensively test their beef. The government is hoping to stop Creekstone Farms by having the ruling overturned. They argue that widespread testing does not guarantee safety, and that companies are trying to create false assurances. They also stated that a false positive could scare consumers, and that testing would result in increased food prices.

Creekstone attorney Rusell Frye is not buying it and believes the government doesn't have the authority to stop companies from testing. He said:

This is the government telling the consumers, "You're not entitled to this information."

Call me crazy, but doesn't it seem like the more testing you do, the more likely you are to catch something wrong? The folks at Creekstone were supposed to begin testing last June, but because of this appeal the new testing process has been delayed.

So tell me, do you think companies should be allowed to test more cows? Or do you agree with the government and think that it causes false assurances?

Source

Dead Frog Discovered in Diet Pepsi Can

YumSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:00:02 -0700

How did a dead frog find its way into a Pepsi can? That's the seminal question at the center of the latest food safety gross-out. Fred and Amy DeNegri, a retired couple from Florida claim they discovered a dead frog in a Pepsi can, and have plans to take legal action.

Fred DeNegri took a sip of a newly opened Diet Pepsi and started gagging. DeNegri emptied the can in his sink, but could tell that a heavy weight remained inside. He shook it until something resembling "pink linguine" slid out, followed by "dark stuff," his wife said. They took pictures and called authorities. It wasn't until the sample went into lab testing that the larger object was identified as a frog or a toad "lacking internal organs," according to the FDA report, which could not conclude whether or not the frog was there before the can had been opened. The FDA conducted an investigation of the Orlando, FL, bottling plant, and found everything in normal condition.

On a recent CNN show, two correspondents discussed the controversy, insinuating that the situation could be a hoax, or even planted by competitor Coke. I'm repulsed by the situation - how could such a large animal find its way into an aluminum soda can? Do you feel for the traumatized couple, or do you see this as another finger-in-the-chili fabrication?

Source: Flickr User qnr

Come Paw-ty With Me: Dog Birthday - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:01:59 -0700

Molly's pug Oliver is turning one this week and she's asked me to help plan a birthday party for him! Parties that celebrate pets are becoming more and more popular and an afternoon in the park is the perfect way to celebrate. The doggies can enjoy the outdoors while their owners enjoy the friendly company and tasty nibbles. To create an amazing party, I'll make treats for both the animals and the people. More on those pieces to the puzzle later in the week though because now it's time to make the invitation. This one is easy to put together, fast to create, and - thanks to Oliver - oh-so-adorable! Follow my step-by-step instructions, just read more

To make an invitation similar to the one seen here you will need:

cream colored cardstock (or any other color cardstock of your choice - I picked cream because I liked how it resembles the natural color of a dog bone)
scissors
dog bone image
computer & printer
pictures of your doggie

To assemble an invitation similar to the one seen here:

Start by dragging the dog bone into a blank file in Photoshop. Using pictures of your dog, create a fun collage inside the dog bone. Print out a test copy of the dog bone and set aside.

Open a new Word Document and center the cursor in the middle of the page. Type out a fun message with the details of the party. I used Comic Sans MS size 12. Here's what my invite says:

Oliver is turning one and to celebrate we are throwing a paw-ty!
So grab your leashes and join us for some Scooby snacks!
Saturday, August 4, 2007
2:30 in the afternoon, Alta Plaza Park, San Francisco
the more dogs the merrier
rsvp to PartySugar @ 415.555.5555

Print out a test copy and have a friend or family member check for spelling or grammatical errors.

Hold the dog bone sheet of paper back to back with the text sheet to make sure that when printed out on cardstock the text lies directly on top of the bone. Hold the two pieces together against a light or window.
Print out the text on the cardstock. Stick this paper back in the printer and print out the dog bone collage on the back side of the text.
Cut the dog bone shape out with scissors.

Send in a nice, small envelope sealed with a sticker of a dog or paw print.

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