T-Motorsports is recalling an unknown number of motorcycle helmets
because the chin straps can fail and they might not protect a rider's
head in a crash.
The Chinese-made helmets failed low-temperature
impact tests, and the straps also failed tests, according to documents
posted Friday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
website. The helmets also don't have the required labels saying the
month and year they were manufactured.
The documents did not say
how many helmets are covered by the recall or if anyone has been hurt
because of the problems. They also did not say where the helmets were
sold. The affected helmets have the model number HY803 and are
extra-large size, the documents said.
Messages were left Friday morning for the company, which is based in Pomona, Calif.
T-Motorsports
said in the documents that it will either offer repairs or refunds. It
plans to begin notifying customers the week of Sept. 14.
Owners with questions can contact T-Motorsports at (626) 388-9898.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Dogs Poisoned by Chocolate
Why chocolate poisons dogs and how to treat chocolate dog poisoning.
The problem, according to veterinary experts, is that eating a speck of chocolate leads a dog to crave more. It can mean that your dog will jump at a opportunity to get any type of chocolate, not knowing that certain chocolates are more lethal than other types. Larger amounts of chocolate, particularly of the most toxic type, can bring about epileptic seizures in some dogs, and in all dogs, can kill.
Poisoning of dogs by chocolate is not as uncommon as you might think.
Why is Chocolate Lethal?
Chocolate contains theobromine. A naturally occurring stimulant found in the cocoa bean, theobromine increases urination and affects the central nervous system as well as heart muscle. While amounts vary by type of chocolate, it's the theobromine that is poisonous to dogs.
Symptoms of Chocolate Dog Ingestion and Poisoning
You can recognize that your dog has eaten a toxic dose of chocolate from the symptoms. Within the first few hours, the evidence includes vomiting, diarrhea or hyperactivity. As time passes and there's increased absorption of the toxic substance, you'll see an increase in the dog's heart rate, which can cause arrhythmia, restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased urination or excessive panting.
This can lead to hyperthermia, muscle tremors, seizures, coma and even death.
The problem, according to veterinary experts, is that eating a speck of chocolate leads a dog to crave more. It can mean that your dog will jump at a opportunity to get any type of chocolate, not knowing that certain chocolates are more lethal than other types. Larger amounts of chocolate, particularly of the most toxic type, can bring about epileptic seizures in some dogs, and in all dogs, can kill.
Poisoning of dogs by chocolate is not as uncommon as you might think.
Why is Chocolate Lethal?
Chocolate contains theobromine. A naturally occurring stimulant found in the cocoa bean, theobromine increases urination and affects the central nervous system as well as heart muscle. While amounts vary by type of chocolate, it's the theobromine that is poisonous to dogs.
Symptoms of Chocolate Dog Ingestion and Poisoning
You can recognize that your dog has eaten a toxic dose of chocolate from the symptoms. Within the first few hours, the evidence includes vomiting, diarrhea or hyperactivity. As time passes and there's increased absorption of the toxic substance, you'll see an increase in the dog's heart rate, which can cause arrhythmia, restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased urination or excessive panting.
This can lead to hyperthermia, muscle tremors, seizures, coma and even death.
David's Jewelry Los Algodones B.C., Mexico
David Jewelry Store
Los Algodones B.C. Mexico
Fine Jewelry 925 Sterling Silver (Guaranteed).
from Taxco, Guerrero where they mine and/or Make the Real Items.
David Villalobos, Owner (The Guy with the Smile at the South end of Alamo Alley).
Alamo Alley (Brick) between “A” and “B” from First.
Davidsilverstand@hotmail.com Http://losalgodones.com
U.S. Address: POB-1120 San Luis, Az. 85349
Tel: 011 52 (653) 534 4988
Always something different visit our stand and Store.
Good Merchandise at low Prices
Convenient Parking Across the Street or Across the Border.
Los Algodones B.C. Mexico
Fine Jewelry 925 Sterling Silver (Guaranteed).
from Taxco, Guerrero where they mine and/or Make the Real Items.
David Villalobos, Owner (The Guy with the Smile at the South end of Alamo Alley).
Alamo Alley (Brick) between “A” and “B” from First.
Davidsilverstand@hotmail.com Http://losalgodones.com
U.S. Address: POB-1120 San Luis, Az. 85349
Tel: 011 52 (653) 534 4988
Always something different visit our stand and Store.
Good Merchandise at low Prices
Convenient Parking Across the Street or Across the Border.
Yuma to host Arizona State Harley-Davidson Owner's Group Rally
Yuma is the proud new home of the annual Arizona State Harley-Davidson Owner's Group Rally.
The HOG Rally had been hosted in Williams for the past three years, but due to a decline in participants there, event organizers chose to have Yuma host the next event. There were half as many motorcyclists during the most recent rally in June as compared to rallies in 2010 and 2011.
“I think people wanted some change. Our intention was to bring the riders something new,” said Jon Pitts, Yuma Harley Owner's Group activities officer.
“We did a lot of research and talked to the local businesses who are really ready to jump on board. Obviously Yuma has a lot of things to offer.”
The rally, set for October 2013 in Yuma, will be a boon for area businesses, Pitts added.
“The good thing about this is we are going to bring revenue to the hotel motel association, all the restaurants and the local businesses here. The focus is designed to bring extra revenues to the city of Yuma.”
Event organizers hope to see at least 1,200 motorcyclists from Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico participate in the Yuma rally.
“We really want to make this big,” Pitts said.
The Yuma HOG is working with the city of Yuma, the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce, the Yuma Visitors Bureau, and other entities to prepare for the rally.
Yuma already has experience hosting large events for bikers too, such as the annual Yuma Prison Run, Pitts added.
“We thought this was the place to host another good event, and probably more people will attend this than the Prison Run. I really think this can be a lot of fun.”
The Yuma HOG is still in the preliminary phase of planning for the event and would like any businesses or organizations wanting to get involved to contact them.
The HOG Rally had been hosted in Williams for the past three years, but due to a decline in participants there, event organizers chose to have Yuma host the next event. There were half as many motorcyclists during the most recent rally in June as compared to rallies in 2010 and 2011.
“I think people wanted some change. Our intention was to bring the riders something new,” said Jon Pitts, Yuma Harley Owner's Group activities officer.
“We did a lot of research and talked to the local businesses who are really ready to jump on board. Obviously Yuma has a lot of things to offer.”
The rally, set for October 2013 in Yuma, will be a boon for area businesses, Pitts added.
“The good thing about this is we are going to bring revenue to the hotel motel association, all the restaurants and the local businesses here. The focus is designed to bring extra revenues to the city of Yuma.”
Event organizers hope to see at least 1,200 motorcyclists from Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico participate in the Yuma rally.
“We really want to make this big,” Pitts said.
The Yuma HOG is working with the city of Yuma, the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce, the Yuma Visitors Bureau, and other entities to prepare for the rally.
Yuma already has experience hosting large events for bikers too, such as the annual Yuma Prison Run, Pitts added.
“We thought this was the place to host another good event, and probably more people will attend this than the Prison Run. I really think this can be a lot of fun.”
The Yuma HOG is still in the preliminary phase of planning for the event and would like any businesses or organizations wanting to get involved to contact them.
Read more: http://www.yumasun.com/articles/yuma-81409-rally-pitts.html#ixzz256cq2JCc
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Pet Stores Not Ringing proper price, Shortt Weight
State inspectors say some Arizona pet food shops are taking more of a bite out of consumers than they should.
A report released Tuesday by the Department of Weights and Measures found nearly half of the 22 shops inspected at random charged customers a different price at the register than was posted on the shelf. Shawn Marquez, the agency's director of compliance programs, said while the errors were more likely to be in the customer's favor, some people were being charged more than they expected.
Marquez also said that inspectors found bags of dog and cat food, even from national companies, that weighed less than the price listed on the bag. But he said there is a plausible explanation for some of what may have occurred.
“It has a tendency, because of what it's made of, to lose moisture,'' he explained.
“And it tends to lose weight,'' Marquez continued. “So the older the product is, chances are that it may have lost some moisture.''
But Marquez stressed that, whatever the reason, if a bag is short-weighted, it cannot be sold. And those that were found lacking were removed from the shelves.
The department is best known for its price and scale inspections of grocery stores and other retailers. In particular, the agency verifies that the price listed on the shelf is what the computer calls up when the item is scanned at the register.
Marquez said, though, that his inspectors are as interested in ensuring that Fido gets the same consumer protections as his master.
“The pet food stores are nothing more than the grocery stores for animals,'' he said. That means there's a good chance that people with dogs and cats are going to have to go into one of these specialty shops at one time or another.
And Marquez said the same principles that govern what grocers can do apply at pet shops.
“You have to have a price on stuff,'' he said. “It's got to ring up the same as whatever they're advertising.''
And he said the scales in the store used to price things like bulk dog biscuits have the same accuracy requirements as those at the register of grocery stores to price bananas and plums.
The issue of weight, he said, also is not unique to pet shops. Marquez said the key is to be sure that manufacturers and retailers deliver what was promised, whether it's Cheerios or kibble.
“The golden rule is you've got to meet or exceed the stated weight,'' he said. “So if it's a 10-pound bag, it can't be nine.''
And that, he said, means the contents.
“If you can't eat it, you shouldn't charge for it,'' Marquez said. He said that's why when his inspectors come up with something that appears to be short-weighted, they actually tear open the bag or box and separate out the contents from the packaging materials.
“It applies to us humans,'' he said. “And it applies to our dogs and cats as well.''
In a prepared statement, agency director Kevin Tyne said the results of these inspections show “more work needs to be done'' by the pet food stores to come into compliance with Arizona pricing laws. And he said the fact that most of the errors found were in favor of customers is not an answer.
“Our inspectors select items at random,'' Tyne said. “If we are finding even one overcharge in 25 it's one too many.''
A report released Tuesday by the Department of Weights and Measures found nearly half of the 22 shops inspected at random charged customers a different price at the register than was posted on the shelf. Shawn Marquez, the agency's director of compliance programs, said while the errors were more likely to be in the customer's favor, some people were being charged more than they expected.
Marquez also said that inspectors found bags of dog and cat food, even from national companies, that weighed less than the price listed on the bag. But he said there is a plausible explanation for some of what may have occurred.
“It has a tendency, because of what it's made of, to lose moisture,'' he explained.
“And it tends to lose weight,'' Marquez continued. “So the older the product is, chances are that it may have lost some moisture.''
But Marquez stressed that, whatever the reason, if a bag is short-weighted, it cannot be sold. And those that were found lacking were removed from the shelves.
The department is best known for its price and scale inspections of grocery stores and other retailers. In particular, the agency verifies that the price listed on the shelf is what the computer calls up when the item is scanned at the register.
Marquez said, though, that his inspectors are as interested in ensuring that Fido gets the same consumer protections as his master.
“The pet food stores are nothing more than the grocery stores for animals,'' he said. That means there's a good chance that people with dogs and cats are going to have to go into one of these specialty shops at one time or another.
And Marquez said the same principles that govern what grocers can do apply at pet shops.
“You have to have a price on stuff,'' he said. “It's got to ring up the same as whatever they're advertising.''
And he said the scales in the store used to price things like bulk dog biscuits have the same accuracy requirements as those at the register of grocery stores to price bananas and plums.
The issue of weight, he said, also is not unique to pet shops. Marquez said the key is to be sure that manufacturers and retailers deliver what was promised, whether it's Cheerios or kibble.
“The golden rule is you've got to meet or exceed the stated weight,'' he said. “So if it's a 10-pound bag, it can't be nine.''
And that, he said, means the contents.
“If you can't eat it, you shouldn't charge for it,'' Marquez said. He said that's why when his inspectors come up with something that appears to be short-weighted, they actually tear open the bag or box and separate out the contents from the packaging materials.
“It applies to us humans,'' he said. “And it applies to our dogs and cats as well.''
In a prepared statement, agency director Kevin Tyne said the results of these inspections show “more work needs to be done'' by the pet food stores to come into compliance with Arizona pricing laws. And he said the fact that most of the errors found were in favor of customers is not an answer.
“Our inspectors select items at random,'' Tyne said. “If we are finding even one overcharge in 25 it's one too many.''
Chipotle restaurants cheating Customers
Chipotle restaurants in New Jersey have a lot of explaining to do.
Recently, diners in NYC and NJ noticed their checks rounded up or down to the nearest nickel. The Star-Ledger,
a leading paper in Northern New Jersey investigated the claim and found
this was happening in some of Chipotle's busiest markets.
A spokesperson for Chipotle told the Star-Ledger that the company employs the practice to curb long lines and create greater efficiency in these high-volume locations."T
Salmonella on Cantaloupe
FDA finds salmonella on cantaloupe at Chamberlain Farms
(For related information, see “Recalled Chamberlain cantaloupes did not have lot numbers”)
Food and Drug Administration officials have found salmonella on cantaloupes at the growing operation of Chamberlain Farms.The company first recalled cantaloupes Aug. 16 because of possible links to an outbreak that has killed two people and sickened 178.
The FDA reported Aug. 28 the DNA fingerprint of the salmonella found on cantaloupes at the Owensville, Ind., farm were identical to that of the salmonella strain that has infected people in at least 21 states.
Owner Tim Chamberlain said as of 2 p.m. CDT Aug. 28 he had not been notified of the test results. He referred additional questions to his attorney.
According to the FDA website, investigators were at Chamberlain Farms Aug. 14-16 to collect samples of whole cantaloupes and from surface areas. The update did not indicate whether test results from the surface area tests were available.
12 federal police officers to remain jailed
MEXICO CITY —
Mexican authorities on Monday ordered 12 federal police officers to
remain jailed as a criminal probe deepened into why they ambushed a U.S.
Embassy vehicle last week in a hail of bullets that left two Americans
wounded.
Attorney General Marisela Morales said that a court had accepted a request that the officers be kept in jail for 40 days, a key step toward filing criminal charges.
“We are asking for this detention to have the time necessary to carry out an exhaustive investigation,” Morales said.
The detentions came in the ambush Friday of an armored Toyota SUV belonging to the U.S. Embassy. It was carrying two U.S. Embassy employees and a Mexican navy captain to a naval installation about 35 miles south of the capital. The embassy vehicle was cut off by another vehicle carrying armed men, who opened fire when the embassy vehicle tried to flee. At least three and possibly five other vehicles joined in the attack, according to Mexican news reports.
Only after reinforcements from the navy came did the federal police attack on the vehicle halt. Press reports said more than 50 bullets struck the embassy vehicle.
The two wounded Americans were hospitalized Friday in Mexico City, but their whereabouts and conditions were unknown Monday. The U.S. Embassy refused to comment. Last week, the embassy declined to identify the U.S. agency the two worked for or to say why they were traveling to the naval facility, which an embassy statement referred to as a training facility.
The ambush underscored possible criminal connections of the federal police, a force of some 35,000 officers that U.S. officials have helped vet and train as a key force against brutal organized gangs.
At least one of the 12 federal police officers detained appears to have received training from the United States. Francisco Humberto Segovia Dominguez, a 35-year-old native of southern Chiapas state, is mentioned in a U.S. diplomatic cable dated Nov. 18, 2008, as among officers approved for small arms and basic explosives training. The cable, obtained and released by WikiLeaks last year, said the embassy had “no credible evidence of gross violations of human rights” by Segovia or any other officer listed.
Morales did not specify what crimes the detained officers might eventually be charged with. She said the officers had not explained why they fired on a vehicle with diplomatic license plates that offered no threat, although Morales said some of the officers cited confusion, presumably over whether the vehicle carried gangsters.
“For the moment, no charge or line of question has been discarded,” she said, adding that prosecutors are in “total collaboration” with the Mexican navy and U.S. officials.
Except for a statement more than 12 hours after the shooting, the U.S. Embassy has remained silent, declining to provide a detailed account of what took place. Mexican authorities have also kept details of the attack largely secret.
Mexican news reports, though, say that many of the federal police were out of uniform and operating in unmarked vehicles when they carried out the initial attack and subsequent pursuit of the embassy vehicle, first on a dirt road, then on a two-lane highway leading to the resort city of Cuernavaca.
The area were the ambush took place has been in dispute between various powerful drug gangs, including remnants of the Beltran Leyva syndicate. The Proceso newsweekly said the U.S. Embassy vehicle was helping Mexican marines try to pinpoint Hector Beltran Leyva, a fugitive kingpin of the gang.
Lawyers for the detained police officers say their clients were on an undercover operation a day after a kidnapping in the area of a functionary from the National Institute of Anthropology. They did not explain why they fired on a vehicle with diplomatic license plates that offered no threat.
One lawyer, Marco Aurelio Gonzalez Flores, told Excelsior newspaper that he is worried that unfounded charges will be leveled against the officers because of the high-profile nature of the attack.
“They say that they might even charge them with international terrorism due to the pressure coming from foreigners,” he told the paper.
Attorney General Marisela Morales said that a court had accepted a request that the officers be kept in jail for 40 days, a key step toward filing criminal charges.
“We are asking for this detention to have the time necessary to carry out an exhaustive investigation,” Morales said.
The detentions came in the ambush Friday of an armored Toyota SUV belonging to the U.S. Embassy. It was carrying two U.S. Embassy employees and a Mexican navy captain to a naval installation about 35 miles south of the capital. The embassy vehicle was cut off by another vehicle carrying armed men, who opened fire when the embassy vehicle tried to flee. At least three and possibly five other vehicles joined in the attack, according to Mexican news reports.
Only after reinforcements from the navy came did the federal police attack on the vehicle halt. Press reports said more than 50 bullets struck the embassy vehicle.
The two wounded Americans were hospitalized Friday in Mexico City, but their whereabouts and conditions were unknown Monday. The U.S. Embassy refused to comment. Last week, the embassy declined to identify the U.S. agency the two worked for or to say why they were traveling to the naval facility, which an embassy statement referred to as a training facility.
The ambush underscored possible criminal connections of the federal police, a force of some 35,000 officers that U.S. officials have helped vet and train as a key force against brutal organized gangs.
At least one of the 12 federal police officers detained appears to have received training from the United States. Francisco Humberto Segovia Dominguez, a 35-year-old native of southern Chiapas state, is mentioned in a U.S. diplomatic cable dated Nov. 18, 2008, as among officers approved for small arms and basic explosives training. The cable, obtained and released by WikiLeaks last year, said the embassy had “no credible evidence of gross violations of human rights” by Segovia or any other officer listed.
Morales did not specify what crimes the detained officers might eventually be charged with. She said the officers had not explained why they fired on a vehicle with diplomatic license plates that offered no threat, although Morales said some of the officers cited confusion, presumably over whether the vehicle carried gangsters.
“For the moment, no charge or line of question has been discarded,” she said, adding that prosecutors are in “total collaboration” with the Mexican navy and U.S. officials.
Except for a statement more than 12 hours after the shooting, the U.S. Embassy has remained silent, declining to provide a detailed account of what took place. Mexican authorities have also kept details of the attack largely secret.
Mexican news reports, though, say that many of the federal police were out of uniform and operating in unmarked vehicles when they carried out the initial attack and subsequent pursuit of the embassy vehicle, first on a dirt road, then on a two-lane highway leading to the resort city of Cuernavaca.
The area were the ambush took place has been in dispute between various powerful drug gangs, including remnants of the Beltran Leyva syndicate. The Proceso newsweekly said the U.S. Embassy vehicle was helping Mexican marines try to pinpoint Hector Beltran Leyva, a fugitive kingpin of the gang.
Lawyers for the detained police officers say their clients were on an undercover operation a day after a kidnapping in the area of a functionary from the National Institute of Anthropology. They did not explain why they fired on a vehicle with diplomatic license plates that offered no threat.
One lawyer, Marco Aurelio Gonzalez Flores, told Excelsior newspaper that he is worried that unfounded charges will be leveled against the officers because of the high-profile nature of the attack.
“They say that they might even charge them with international terrorism due to the pressure coming from foreigners,” he told the paper.
Calif. 73 sickened with salmonella MANGOES
Authorities say they are still probing what prompted the outbreak of salmonella Braenderup cases in California. They are trying to identify which specific mango brands or sources might be tied to the illnesses.
Officials with the California Department of Public Health say 67% of the patients who have been interviewed report having eaten mangoes. They say the mangoes came from multiple suppliers, including one in Mexico.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency also recently reported illnesses resulting from the same bacterial strain.
California officials say they are working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Canadian public health and food safety agencies to pinpoint the cause.
Auto Zone Mexico; San Luis Rio Colorado; Sonora State
Unhappy experience at the San Luis AutoZone Store; Obregon (535-7293
Part Paid for on Aug 21 Promised at 3 p.m. Aug 28 2012
8/28 3 p.m., told to wait two hours in very high temp. 108°F 42°C Humidity 18% Barometer 29.71 in./754.6 mm As Reported at Yuma, Marine Corps Air Station, AZ
Staff refused to call a Supervisor, Refused to Check on Delivery, After a full week of waiting and three trips to the Store out the money and no product And AutoZone just does not care and not making any attempt to deliver the part, that is paid for in full.
Refused to trace item. Refused to confirm item even shipped. they would not contact their District Manager Artemio Gomez; Auto Zone Mexico. No one identified as a Key Carrier, nor person in charge.
Being ignored in Mexico. 8/28/12.
Missed Repair Appointment.
Repair person in Mexico (they want your Business) Car in Mexico. But no part handed over in Mexico..
At this point only option is Being forced to Buy a Second Part to get repair done.
Part Paid for on Aug 21 Promised at 3 p.m. Aug 28 2012
8/28 3 p.m., told to wait two hours in very high temp. 108°F 42°C Humidity 18% Barometer 29.71 in./754.6 mm As Reported at Yuma, Marine Corps Air Station, AZ
Staff refused to call a Supervisor, Refused to Check on Delivery, After a full week of waiting and three trips to the Store out the money and no product And AutoZone just does not care and not making any attempt to deliver the part, that is paid for in full.
Refused to trace item. Refused to confirm item even shipped. they would not contact their District Manager Artemio Gomez; Auto Zone Mexico. No one identified as a Key Carrier, nor person in charge.
Being ignored in Mexico. 8/28/12.
Missed Repair Appointment.
Repair person in Mexico (they want your Business) Car in Mexico. But no part handed over in Mexico..
At this point only option is Being forced to Buy a Second Part to get repair done.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Crop of the Week: Red potato
August 25, 2012 11:15 PM
• As there's specific interest in bringing potatoes to the
desert Southwest, research is under way to determine which varieties are
more adapted to the Yuma growing environment. That includes red potato
varieties.
• There are more than 5,000 varieties of potatoes in the world. In the United States, the most common varieties include the red potato.
• Red potatoes have smooth, thin skins and white insides. This type of potato is firm and most easily used in casseroles, soups, salads or boiled, steamed and even roasted.
• Red potatoes can be easily grilled or roasted. They're especially delicious with olive oil and nuts. Red potatoes can easily be spiced up with any dried herb or sautéed in favorite oils and dressings. Try using unpeeled red potatoes in your favorite potato salad recipes.
• Potatoes are naturally high in vitamin C, potassium and fiber, especially if the skins are left on. The skin color of red potatoes is due to the presence of anthocyanin pigments in the skin of the potato. Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants. Research continues as to the potential range of health benefits from anthocyanins.
• Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator. Refrigeration converts the starch in potatoes to sugar, which will cause the potato to darken when cooked.
• Potatoes are generally divided into four basic groups: russet, long white, round white and round red. Loving sandy soil and a cool environment, it takes between 80 and 145 days after planting to harvest red potatoes.
• Prolonged exposure to light causes greening and makes the potato taste bitter. Peel or remove green area from the potato before using.
• The world's most important vegetable, the potato was first cultivated in the Andean region of South America by native Indian populations. Spanish explorers took the tuber back to Spain in the middle of the 16th century, and from there it spread to the rest of Europe and was quickly adopted by the Irish as their primary food crop.
• How potatoes came to North America is the subject of several conflicting legends. One creditable source reports that some of the first plantings were in New Hampshire from stock brought from Ireland.
• Red potatoes comprise about 10 percent of the total potato acreage in the United States.
• The present name, potato came about as an accident, having derived from the Spanish “patata,” meaning sweet potato.
• There are more than 5,000 varieties of potatoes in the world. In the United States, the most common varieties include the red potato.
• Red potatoes have smooth, thin skins and white insides. This type of potato is firm and most easily used in casseroles, soups, salads or boiled, steamed and even roasted.
• Red potatoes can be easily grilled or roasted. They're especially delicious with olive oil and nuts. Red potatoes can easily be spiced up with any dried herb or sautéed in favorite oils and dressings. Try using unpeeled red potatoes in your favorite potato salad recipes.
• Potatoes are naturally high in vitamin C, potassium and fiber, especially if the skins are left on. The skin color of red potatoes is due to the presence of anthocyanin pigments in the skin of the potato. Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants. Research continues as to the potential range of health benefits from anthocyanins.
• Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator. Refrigeration converts the starch in potatoes to sugar, which will cause the potato to darken when cooked.
• Potatoes are generally divided into four basic groups: russet, long white, round white and round red. Loving sandy soil and a cool environment, it takes between 80 and 145 days after planting to harvest red potatoes.
• Prolonged exposure to light causes greening and makes the potato taste bitter. Peel or remove green area from the potato before using.
• The world's most important vegetable, the potato was first cultivated in the Andean region of South America by native Indian populations. Spanish explorers took the tuber back to Spain in the middle of the 16th century, and from there it spread to the rest of Europe and was quickly adopted by the Irish as their primary food crop.
• How potatoes came to North America is the subject of several conflicting legends. One creditable source reports that some of the first plantings were in New Hampshire from stock brought from Ireland.
• Red potatoes comprise about 10 percent of the total potato acreage in the United States.
• The present name, potato came about as an accident, having derived from the Spanish “patata,” meaning sweet potato.
Re-calls two August
2012 August Product Recalls | Today News Gazette
2012 August Product Recalls, AUGUST 1-15 RECALLS CPSC 08/15/2012 - Bumbo International is voluntarily recalling (for repair) its Bumbo Baby Seat because of a..
- todaynewsgazette.com/2012-august-product-recalls
2012 August Product Recalls
2012 August Product Recalls Every month there are hundreds of product recalls nationwide. It's important for your safety along with that of your family to
- therandomforest.com/2012-august-product-recalls
- . Cached Page
August 2012 Recalls and Product Safety News
Zest Garden Recalls Wilson & Fisher Bistro Sets Due to Fall Hazard; Sold Exclusively at Big Lots Stores The chairs in the three-piece patio set can break during ...
- www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerelaug12.html
- . Cached Page
Product recalls, August 24, 2012
Be on the lookout for the latest product recall information. We tell you which products have been recalled every week.
- www.consumersearch.com/blog/product-recalls-august-24-2012
2012 August Product Recalls - One News Page
2012 August Product Recalls ♦ 2012 August Product Recalls Every month there are hundreds of product recalls nationwide. It’s important for your safety along with ...
- www.onenewspage.com/n/World/74rdtkosv/2012-August-Product-Recalls.htm
- . Cached Page
August — 2012 — Product Recalls
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of ...
- productrecalls.areavoices.com/2012/08/page/2
- . Cached Page
01 — August — 2012 — Product Recalls
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following ...
- productrecalls.areavoices.com/2012/08/01
- . Cached Page
Protica Inc. Recalls Product Because Of Possible Health Risk
On August 17, 2012, Protica Inc. of Whitehall, PA had undertaken a voluntary product withdrawal of four products including Body Choice
- www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm316820.htm
- . Cached Page
Product Recalls for August 2012
Safe Kids is committed to keeping you informed about recalls of kids’ oriented products. While it is important to keep aware of all recalls, Safe Kids urges you to ...
- www.safekids.org/our-work/recalls/2012/product-recalls-for-August...
- . Cached Page
2012 August Product Recalls
2012 August Product Recalls - From highline mushrooms recall to pbteen bunk beds recalled to dishwashers, consumers saw several products pulled from the ...
- www.newstrick.com/2012/08/2012-august-product-recalls.html
- . Cached Page
2012 August Product Recalls: United States Product Recall List
2012 August Product Recalls: United States Product Recall List—Shiley Tracheostomy tubes recall lot numbers, sausage recall pieces of gloves P-34224: From mushrooms ...
- thenewsforall.com/2012-august-product-recalls-united-states...
August recalls SS - MSN Popular Searches Lifestyle - 1
2012 August product recalls ... From mushrooms to bunk beds to dishwashers, consumers saw several ...
- specials.msn.com/a-list/lifestyle/august-recalls-ss?imageindex=1&...
- . Cached Page
Recalls and Alerts: August 24, 2012 « eFoodAlert
Here is today’s list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you ...
- efoodalert.net/2012/08/24/recalls-and-alerts-august-24-2012
August 2012 Recalls and Product Safety News
Kickboard USA Recalls Children's Scooter Due to Laceration Hazard This recall is for the three-wheeled Mini Micro scooter for children ages 3-5.
- www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerelaug12.html?tab=recalls
- . Cached Page
Product Recalls » 2012 » August
Date: 31 July 2012. Recall: # 12-027. NHTSA Campaign ID: 12T-019. Scope: Worldwide main stores, auto care centers and express stores. In co-operation with National ...
- publicaffairs-sme.com/productrecalls/?m=201208
- . Cached Page
August recalls SS - MSN Popular Searches Lifestyle - 2
August 2012 food recalls ... Several hundred thousand Ready Pac products (containing which ingredient?) due ...
- specials.msn.com/a-list/lifestyle/august-recalls-ss?imageindex=2
- . Cached Page
Food Recalls :: Washington State Department of Health
For details, see Pesto Sea Crackers press release and product photos. Active Packs Cheese Pizza Lunch Kit with Apples (August 6, 2012) Reichel Foods recalls Armour Active ...
- www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/FoodSafety/Recalls.aspx
- . Cached Page
Wisconsin Firm Recalls Meat And Poultry Salad Products Due To ...
Congressional and Public Affairs Bill Bagley (202) 720-0286 WASHINGTON, August 1, 2012 – Garden Fresh Foods, a Milwaukee, Wis. establishment, is recalling ...
- www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_051_2012_Release/index.asp
- . Cached Page
Current Recalls & Alerts (Open Federal Recall Cases for FSIS)
N/A (Class II Recall) 029-2012, Halal Beef Samosa Products (lack of Federal inspection) ... Last Modified: August 21, 2012
- www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp
- . Cached Page
FDA Recalls – August 8, 2012 | The NW Fire Blog
... FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 8, 2012 – VaquerÃa Tres Monjitas is initiating a voluntary recall ... June 25th and July 27, 2012. The following products are ...
- thenwfireblog.com/2012/08/13/fda-recalls-august-8-2012
- . Cached Page
Clif Bar Recall – Almonds: August 2012 Food Recalls
August 26, 2012 at 10:49 2012 August Product Recalls: United States Product Recall List; August 26, 2012 at 8:42 Why Do Canadians Love Coronation Street So Much?
- thenewsforall.com/clif-bar-recall-almonds-august-2012-food-recalls
- . Cached Page
ShopSmart mag: Recent product recalls
Recent product recalls By Robin Melen on August 22, 2012 12:01:00 am ... and various online sellers, from August 2003 through August 2012 ...
- www.shopsmartmag.org/2012/08/re-2.html
- . Cached Page
Protica Inc. Recalls Product Because Of Possible Health Risk ...
On August 17, 2012, Protica Inc. of Whitehall, PA had undertaken a voluntary product withdrawal of four products including Body Choice Protein Shots,
- www.recallaware.com/2012/08/24/protica-inc-recalls-product-because...
Bathtubs, whirlpools, gas dryers cited in consumer products recall ...
... listing is for the week of August 19 to August 23, 2012. Recalls.org is a private 501 (c) (3) foundation. BATHTUBS & WHIRLPOOLS: Mansfield Plumbing Products is ...
- businessclarksville.com/2012/...whirlpools-gas...products-recall-47093
- . Cached Page
Protica Inc. Recalls Product Because of Possible Health Risk ...
WHITEHALL, Pa., Aug. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 17, 2012, Protica Inc. of Whitehall, PA had undertaken a voluntary product withdrawal of four products ...
- www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/protica-inc-recalls-product...
Utah firm recalls beef products due to possible E. coli - IFT.org
Home; Food Technology; Daily News; Utah firm recalls beef products due to possible E. coli; Utah firm recalls beef products due to possible E. coli
- www.ift.org/.../2012/August/16/Utah-firm-recalls-beef-products-due...
- . Cached Page
Product recall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Product recall announcements are released on the respective government agency's ... This page was last modified on 23 August 2012 at 02:48. Text is available under the ...
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_recall
Evil Shades Product Recall | g l o s t i x -
Sunday, 26 August 2012 - 7:11 ... It’s not enough for her to recall one bacteria-riddled product, and pretend that other products ...
- www.glostix.net/2012/08/evil-shades-product-recall
- . Cached Page
Protica Inc. Recalls Product Because Of Possible Health Risk
Protica Inc. Recalls Product Because Of Possible Health Risk August 24, 2012, 10:48 am by Recalls. On August 17, 2012, Protica Inc. of Whitehall, PA had undertaken a ...
- www.medicalwebtimes.com/read/protica_inc_recalls_product_because...
(CFN) CareFusion Announces Voluntary Product Recall : Stock Blog Hub
Today is Sunday, August 26th, 2012 ... lot was manufactured between October 2011 and February 2012. The product recall was ...
- www.stockbloghub.com/2012/...announces-voluntary-product-recall/110236
Missa Bay Recalls Products Containing Apples
Missa Bay Recalls Products Containing Apples Fruit may be contaminated with Listeria ... as listed below -- with the Use-by dates of July 8, 2012, through August 20, 2012 ...
- www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls04/2012/missa-bay-recalls-products...
- . Cached Page
(COV) Covidien Suffers Slew of Product Recalls : Stock Blog Hub
Today is Sunday, August 26th, 2012 ... products major Covidien plc. has been hit by a number of product recalls ...
- www.stockbloghub.com/2012/08/...suffers-slew-of-product-recalls/110213
- . Cached Page
Drug Recalls
2012 Recalls. August 15, 2012 Hospira Recalls One Lot of ... April 19, 2012 XROCK INDUSTRIES, LLC Recalls X-ROCK, a Product Marketed as a Dietary Supplement To ...
- www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugRecalls/default.htm
- . Cached Page
Recalls.gov
Recalls on the Go When you’re buying and using products, safety comes first. And now, with this product recalls application, you have vital safety information ...
- recalls.gov
- . Cached Page
August 22, 2012 - DOLE FRESH VEGETABLES ANNOUNCES RECALL OF ...
No other salads are included in the recall. Only the specific product codes, UPC codes and August 20, 2012 Use-By date identified above are included in the recall.
- www.dole.com/CompanyInformation/PressReleases/PressReleaseDetails/...
- . Cached Page
GE Dishwashers Recall 2012
GE Dishwashers Recall 2012 AUGUST 9, 2012 – U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing a voluntary recall of nearly 1.3 million GE Hotpoint, GE and GE ...
- www.couponproblog.com/2012/08/ge-dishwashers-recall-2012.html
- . Cached Page
Food Safety Recall Round-up 9-16 August 2012
9 August 2012 - Australian retailer Grand Foods has recalled a brand of dried mint over concerns the product is contaminated with Salmonella. Mint Tr Kuru Nane dried ...
- www.foodqualitynews.com/...Safety-Recall-Round-up-9-16-August-2012
- . Cached Page
Consumer Reports News: Recalls
August 23, 2012 2:30 PM ... has been issued again by the Consumer Product ... Mitsubishi Motors North America has issued recall for its 2012 ...
- news.consumerreports.org/safety/recalls
- . Cached Page
SALINAS, Calif., Aug. 26, 2012: Fresh Express Recalls Limited ...
Fresh Express Recalls Limited Quantity of Expired 10 oz. Hearts of ... oz. Hearts of Romaine salad with the expired Use-by Date of August 23, 2012 and a Product ...
- www.heraldonline.com/2012/08/26/4214091/fresh-express-recalls...
- . Cached Page
Bumbo Baby Seats Recall: 4 Million Infant Floor Seats Recalled ...
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says babies ... Since the first recall, CPSC and Bumbo ... nationwide from August 2003 through August 2012.
- www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/bumbo-baby-seats-recall-_n...
- . Cached Page
Strollers Recalled by Kolcraft — Product Recalls
Product Recalls; Protecting Consumers; Report A Product; Archives. August 2012; July 2012; April 2012; March 2012; February 2012; January 2012; December 2011; October 2011
- productrecalls.areavoices.com/2012/08/23/strollers-recalled-by-kol...
- . Cached Page
U.S. Product Recalls & Safety Alerts - Recalls.US
Food Recalls Posted: 03:58 AM August 22th, 2012 The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets today alerted consumers that Optima Distributors LTD ...
- www.recalls.us
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RECALLS THIS WEEK: Bathtubs and Whirlpools, Bistro Sets, and Other ...
Friday, August 24, 2012 - 17:30 Special to HuntingtonNews.Net ... M. and 6:00 P.M. Saturday, or visit www.sears.com and click on Product Recalls ...
- www.huntingtonnews.net/41760
2012 June Product Recalls | News Ledger
2012 June Product Recalls – Recalls—from cheese Red Pepper with Onion & Garlic Cheddar ... August 2012; July 2012; June 2012; April 2012; Recent Comments. maire on Pete Best fired ...
- nledger.com/2012-june-product-recalls
- . Cached Page
True Nutrition Whey Product Recall « RecallsDirect™ by Living ...
Read older recalls. August 2012 (126) July 2012 (138) June 2012 (117) May 2012 (144) ... continue to monitor fire breakouts, the afternoon drive and product recalls.
- livingsafelyrecalls.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/...whey-product-recall
Nautilus Recalls Bowflex Dumbbells — Product Recalls
Product Recalls; Protecting Consumers; Report A Product; Archives. August 2012; July 2012; April 2012; March 2012; February 2012; January 2012; December 2011; October 2011
- productrecalls.areavoices.com/2012/08/23/nautilus-recalls-bowflex...
- . Cached Page
U.S. Product Recalls & Safety Alerts - Recalls.US
Food Recalls Posted: 03:58 AM August 22th, 2012 The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets today alerted consumers that Optima Distributors LTD ...
- www.recalls.us
- . Cached Page
RECALLS THIS WEEK: Bathtubs and Whirlpools, Bistro Sets, and Other ...
Friday, August 24, 2012 - 17:30 Special to HuntingtonNews.Net ... M. and 6:00 P.M. Saturday, or visit www.sears.com and click on Product Recalls ...
- www.huntingtonnews.net/41760
2012 June Product Recalls | News Ledger
2012 June Product Recalls – Recalls—from cheese Red Pepper with Onion & Garlic Cheddar ... August 2012; July 2012; June 2012; April 2012; Recent Comments. maire on Pete Best fired ...
- nledger.com/2012-june-product-recalls
- . Cached Page
True Nutrition Whey Product Recall « RecallsDirect™ by Living ...
Read older recalls. August 2012 (126) July 2012 (138) June 2012 (117) May 2012 (144) ... continue to monitor fire breakouts, the afternoon drive and product recalls.
- livingsafelyrecalls.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/...whey-product-recall
- . Cached Page
Product Recalls from US Recall News
Consumer product recalls, including goods that have been recalled by the Consumer ... August 16, 2012
- www.usrecallnews.com/section/consumer-product-recalls
- . Cached Page
Homeschool and Etc.: Product Recall: Bumbo Baby Seats
Product Recall: Bumbo Baby Seats ... August 2012 (8) July 2012 (24) June 2012 (20) May 2012 (18)
- homeschoolnetc.blogspot.com/2012/08/product-recall-bumbo-baby...
- . Cached Page
Food Recalls
Missa Bay, LLC Announces Voluntary Recall Of Fruit, Vegetable, and Sandwhich Products Containing Apples Because of Possible Health Risk; August 6, 2012 (Investigation ...
- www.foodsafetynews.com/sections/food-recalls
- . Cached Page
Product Recalls, Toy & Safety Recall Information from Sears.com
For more information on recalled products, visit www.recalls.gov. This website is a ... Rebel T4i Digital Cameras Due to Risk of Allergic Reaction August 14, 2012. GE Recalls ...
- www.sears.com/csrecalls/nb-100000000022523
- . Cached Page
2012 April Product Recalls : April Recall | MSZAN
April 2012 consumer product recalls : Consumer products Office Depot recalled more than 300,000 ... August (46) ► July (109) ► June (108)
- www.mszan.com/2012/04/2012-april-product-recalls-april-recall.html
- . Cached Page
(Recall) - Protica Inc. Recalls Product Because Of Possible Health ...
On August 17, 2012, Protica Inc. of Whitehall, PA had undertaken a voluntary product withdrawal of four products including Body Choice "Protein
- www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/consumer-reviews-product-recalls/...
Product Recall Woes for CareFusion – Analyst Blog ...
Product Recall Woes for CareFusion – Analyst Blog. Posted by admin on August 24, 2012 4:37 pm / no comments ... 2011 and February 2012. The product recall was ...
- www.topstockanalysts.com/index.php/2012/08/24/product-recall-woes...
2012 May Product Recalls | MSZAN
May 2012 consumer product recalls may 2012 consumer product recalls, Salsa Cycles ... 2012 (508) ► August (46) ► July (31) ► June (104)
- www.mszan.com/2012/05/2012-may-product-recalls-may-recalls.html
- . Cached Page
Children's Product Recalls
August 2011; July 2011; June 2011; May 2011; April 2011 ... and Wayfair.com between December 2011 and June 2012 ... While I attempt to list as many food product recalls as I can ...
- www.childrensproductrecalls.com
- . Cached Page
At Last I'm Free: 2012 June product recalls
June 2012 electrical recalls; June 2012 vehicle recalls; June 2012 consumer product recalls ... Finally on Montreal ► August (1) Holiday and other blog ...
- atlastimfree.blogspot.com/2012/07/2012-june-product-recalls.html
Nestle orders French baby food recall on glass contamination fears
The company said some 34,000 pots of the product made in the same batch ... Food Safety Recall Round-up 9-16 August 2012
- www.foodqualitynews.com/.../Nestle-orders-French-baby-food-recall...
- . Cached Page
Product Recall Information - Honda Powersports
In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Honda is conducting a safety recall of certain 2012 ... gas cans it produced between July 21 and August ...
- powersports.honda.com/recall-information.aspx
- . Cached Page
Product Recalls - 2012 Car Reviews, 2011 Car Reviews, New Car ...
RECALL: 2012 Honda Accord, 2012 Honda Civic, 2012 Honda ... Dura Automotive Systems Settles Product Recall Issues (30 ... NHTSA Publishes List of August Recalls (07 Oct 1998)
- www.theautochannel.com/news/recalls/news.html
- . Cached Page
Recall Newsletter | All of Your Recall News And Alerts In One Easy ...
Protica Inc. Recalls Product Because Of Possible Health Risk August 24, 2012
- www.recallnewsletter.com
- . Cached Page
Walmart.com: Help: Product Recalls
For further information on product recalls, please visit www.recalls.gov, the home pages ... © 2012 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
- www.walmart.com/cp/Product-Recalls/538458
- . Cached Page
Dog Food Recalls | Dog Food Advisor
Bil Jac Dog Food Recall (8/24/2012) Nature’s Variety Dog Food Recall (7/12/2012) Pedigree Dog Food Recall (6/30/2012) Diamond Issues Yet Another Dog Food Recall (5/18/2012)
- www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recalls
- . Cached Page
RecallUK - UK Product Recalls
To view these products recalls just scroll through the list below or use the ... 14/08/2012: Sealey Power Products: Wet and Dry Valeting Machine: Sealey Wet and Dry Valeting ...
- www.recalluk.com/latest/product-recall.aspx
- . Cached Page
MCNEIL PRODUCT RECALL
Consumers who purchased product from the lot included in this recall should stop using the product and ... McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Division of © McNEIL PPC, Inc. 2012 ...
- www.mcneilproductrecall.com/news_march_2011
- . Cached Page
EHS Safety News America
CPSC Recalls – Houshold Items. Mansfield Plumbing Products Recalls Bathtubs, Whirlpools and Air Massage Bathtubs Due to Fall Hazard August 23, 2012
- ehssafetynews.com
- . Cached Page
Product Recalls - Dell Official Site - The Power To Do More | Dell
On October 30, 2008, the U.S. Consumer Product ... On August 14, 2006, Dell announced a recall of batteries manufactured with Sony ... © 2012 Dell | About Dell | Terms & Conditions | ...
- www.support.dell.com/support/batteryrecall/index.aspx/en/main?c=us&...
- . Cached Page
Honda Recalls 1.5 Million Accords, CR-Vs and Elements to Reprogram ...
Honda Recalls 2012 CR-Vs and 2013 Acura ILX Sedans for ... Phil Patton Design, Product News (New York) Twitter ... August 24. A National Champion Trucker, With a ...
- wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/05/honda-recalls-1-5-million...
- . Cached Page
Product Recall Information | ShopRite Supermarkets
Posted: 05/19/2012 ~~~~~ URGENT Product Recall Notice Odwalla Monster Chocolate Protein Drink. Recall Type: Class I – HEALTH HAZARD
- www.shoprite.com/ProductRecall.aspx
- . Cached Page
Nissan Recalls -
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 TITAN AND ARMADA VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 12, 2011 ... Recall Date: 2012-02-29 For more information in regard to the ...
- www.nissanextendedwarranty.com/recalls/nissan-recalls.html
- . Cached Page
Toyota | Home
... Safety/Recall ... LONG BEACH, Calif. (August 21, 2012) – Toyota Auto Body ... 2013 Lexus GS 350 Product Information Toyota Launches ...
- pressroom.toyota.com
- . Cached Page
Kids With Food Allergies Community: Blog / Food Allergy News ...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 24, 2012 - True Nutrition is announcing a recall of Whey Protein Isolate ... these individuals and notify them at once of this product recall
- www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/faalerts.php
Note: not all re-calls listed
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Mexico scrambles to cope with egg shortage
MEXICO CITY — The Mexican government is battling an egg shortage and hoarding that have caused prices to spike in a country with the highest per-capita egg consumption on Earth.
A summer epidemic of bird flu in the heart of Mexico's egg industry has doubled the cost of a kilo (2.2 pounds), or about 13 eggs, to more than 40 pesos ($3), a major blow to working- and middle-class consumers in a country that consumes more than 350 eggs per person each year. That's 100 more eggs per person than in the United States.
Egg prices have dominated the headlines here for a week, spurring Mexico City's mayor to ship tons of cheap eggs to poor neighborhoods and the federal government to announce emergency programs to get fresh chickens to farms hit by bird flu and to restock supermarket shelves with eggs imported from the U.S. and Central America.
The national dismay over egg prices has revealed the unappreciated importance of a cheap, easy source of protein that's nearly as important to Mexican kitchens as tortillas, rice and beans. Added boiled to stewed chicken, raw to a fruit-juice hangover cure and in every other conceivable form to hundreds of other foods, the once-ubiquitous egg has disappeared from many street-side food stands and middle-class kitchens in recent days.
"Eggs, as you know, are one of Mexicans' most important foods and make up a core part of their diet, especially in the poorest regions of the country," President Felipe Calderon said Friday as he announced about $227 million in emergency financing and commercial measures to restore production and replace about 11 million chickens slaughtered after the June outbreak of bird flu.
Calderon said he was sending inspectors to stop speculation that he blamed for high egg prices, which have almost single-handedly driven up the national rate of inflation.
He said that the government had already begun large-scale importation of eggs and that about 3 million hens were being sent to farms hit by the flu outbreak.
The Mexico City government has sent a refrigerated trailer-truck of eggs into working-class neighborhoods over the last three days, selling kilo packets for less than half the current market price. Several thousand people lined up for about two hours Friday morning to buy eggs from the truck in southeastern Mexico City's Iztacalco neighborhood.
Isidro Vasquez Gonzalez, an unemployed 43-year-old cook, waited with his niece and nephew to buy three kilos of eggs that they said they would eat almost immediately in a lunch of meatballs with chopped eggs.
"You can make eggs with anything — scrambled eggs, with pork rinds, eggs with beans, green chiles, poached eggs, green beans with eggs, eggs with tomato sauce, " Vazquez said, with a wistful look in his eyes. "People here eat a lot of eggs. They were the cheapest, but now they're the most expensive. They're more expensive than meat."
The crisis began with the June detection of bird flu in the western state of Michoacan, which produces roughly half of Mexico's eggs. Some 11 million birds were killed to prevent the spread of the disease, sharply cutting into the national supply of more than 2 million tons of eggs a year.
Government officials blame speculators in the wholesale egg business for driving up prices beyond the hike resulting from bird flu.
"Eggs are what we eat the most these days," said Gertrudis Rodriguez, 68. But with the higher prices, she said, "if we eat beans, we don't eat eggs, or if we eat eggs, we don't eat beans with them."
Mexico City's public Food Supply Center, which provides government-subsidized fresh food to low-income residents, dropped other ingredients from its truck this week in favor of eggs, and will distribute 18 tons by the time its current stocks run out Monday, director-general Raymundo Collins said.
Calderon said more than 150 tons of eggs had already crossed the border from the U.S. and 100 trailers carrying 500 more tons would arrive in the country over the weekend.
"The federal government will keep using every tool in its power to keep family's quality of life from being eroded by unfair increases in the price of eggs," the president said.
Mexico City Black Water
Mexico City Sewer Diver Covers Over 6000 Miles of Pipework- In the Dark
Julio Cesar Cu Camara has turned his diving hobby into an extreme job, keeping Mexico City’s vast sewerage system flowing for 29 years.
“I’m the only diver in the world who goes into black water,” Cu Camara, chief diver for the Federal District’s sewerage system, said in an interview with Efe that also featured a demonstration of his technique.
The sewers are Cu Camara’s workplace, a world of hundreds of kilometers of pipes and pumps that handle wastewater and must be maintained.
“Our job is the maintenance and recovery of motor parts that come loose. Sometimes the propellers (rotors) on the pumps get clogged and taking them out is a 15-day job that a diver can do in one or two (days),” Cu Camara said.
The 52-year-old Cu Camara has done an average of four dives a month in his 29-year career, totaling some 1,390 missions and making him a solid candidate for a Guinness record for diving into waters full of human waste, chemicals and solid waste.
Cu Camara began diving as a boy and developed a love for the occupation after completing several courses.
He has learned all about the waters under Mexico City, as well as getting experience in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Cu Camara, who is the only diver left from the original team, is training two young men who he hopes to someday hand his special diving suit and unique workplace to.
“These are totally black waters, the waste from millions of people, from plants that dump their polluted water,” the diver said.
“These waters have everything: chemical, human, animal waste,” reducing visibility and making it hard to work, Cu Camara said.
It is nearly impossible to see in the sewers and divers must “take a course to learn how to work blindly” because not even the most powerful light in the world can penetrate the wastewater, Cu Camara said.
The job must be performed manually, exposing divers to the risk of cuts in polluted water, Cu Camara said, adding that he did not take his work home with him.
His wife and two sons know what he does for a living, Cu Camara said, but they have never watched him work because he prefers not to expose them to the “foul odors” at dive sites.
A “hermetically sealed” dive suit is used, preventing divers from smelling what is around them, Cu Camara said.
The sewers hold many surprises, such as human bodies and the remains of animals, Cu Camara said, adding that he had not created a museum of the horrors of the underground world.
“There is more death than life under there, there are dead animals. We’ve even found horses, pigs. We don’t know where they come from,” the diver said, noting that he had also found firearms in the wastewater.
Mexico City has an extensive and complex sewerage system that takes in wastewater from residential and industrial areas, as well as rainwater.
The system has 10,240 kilometers (6,362 miles) of secondary pipes and 2,087 kilometers (1,296 miles) of primary pipes, plus 144 kilometers (89 miles) of marginal pipes, allowing wastewater and rainwater to be moved out of the Valley of Mexico’s basin.
Julio Cesar Cu Camara has turned his diving hobby into an extreme job, keeping Mexico City’s vast sewerage system flowing for 29 years.
“I’m the only diver in the world who goes into black water,” Cu Camara, chief diver for the Federal District’s sewerage system, said in an interview with Efe that also featured a demonstration of his technique.
The sewers are Cu Camara’s workplace, a world of hundreds of kilometers of pipes and pumps that handle wastewater and must be maintained.
“Our job is the maintenance and recovery of motor parts that come loose. Sometimes the propellers (rotors) on the pumps get clogged and taking them out is a 15-day job that a diver can do in one or two (days),” Cu Camara said.
The 52-year-old Cu Camara has done an average of four dives a month in his 29-year career, totaling some 1,390 missions and making him a solid candidate for a Guinness record for diving into waters full of human waste, chemicals and solid waste.
Cu Camara began diving as a boy and developed a love for the occupation after completing several courses.
He has learned all about the waters under Mexico City, as well as getting experience in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Cu Camara, who is the only diver left from the original team, is training two young men who he hopes to someday hand his special diving suit and unique workplace to.
“These are totally black waters, the waste from millions of people, from plants that dump their polluted water,” the diver said.
“These waters have everything: chemical, human, animal waste,” reducing visibility and making it hard to work, Cu Camara said.
It is nearly impossible to see in the sewers and divers must “take a course to learn how to work blindly” because not even the most powerful light in the world can penetrate the wastewater, Cu Camara said.
The job must be performed manually, exposing divers to the risk of cuts in polluted water, Cu Camara said, adding that he did not take his work home with him.
His wife and two sons know what he does for a living, Cu Camara said, but they have never watched him work because he prefers not to expose them to the “foul odors” at dive sites.
A “hermetically sealed” dive suit is used, preventing divers from smelling what is around them, Cu Camara said.
The sewers hold many surprises, such as human bodies and the remains of animals, Cu Camara said, adding that he had not created a museum of the horrors of the underground world.
“There is more death than life under there, there are dead animals. We’ve even found horses, pigs. We don’t know where they come from,” the diver said, noting that he had also found firearms in the wastewater.
Mexico City has an extensive and complex sewerage system that takes in wastewater from residential and industrial areas, as well as rainwater.
The system has 10,240 kilometers (6,362 miles) of secondary pipes and 2,087 kilometers (1,296 miles) of primary pipes, plus 144 kilometers (89 miles) of marginal pipes, allowing wastewater and rainwater to be moved out of the Valley of Mexico’s basin.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Black Licorice Twist Candies
LOS ANGELES (AP) - California health
officials are warning consumers not to eat black licorice twist candies
made by Red Vines because they contain too much lead.
California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ron Chapman says tests found that packages with a best before Feb. 4, 2013 date have lead levels that exceed state standards.
Chapman says analysis found a serving of the candy could provide up to 13.2 micrograms of lead.
The state says pregnant women and children under 6 shouldn't consume more than 6.0 micrograms of lead per day.
The candies are sold in a one-pound package and are labeled "Black Licorice Twists" under the Red Vines label, manufactured and distributed by American Licorice Co. of Union City, Calif.
The company has initiated a voluntary recall of the affected lot.
California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ron Chapman says tests found that packages with a best before Feb. 4, 2013 date have lead levels that exceed state standards.
Chapman says analysis found a serving of the candy could provide up to 13.2 micrograms of lead.
The state says pregnant women and children under 6 shouldn't consume more than 6.0 micrograms of lead per day.
The candies are sold in a one-pound package and are labeled "Black Licorice Twists" under the Red Vines label, manufactured and distributed by American Licorice Co. of Union City, Calif.
The company has initiated a voluntary recall of the affected lot.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Asian citrus psyllid
Aug 18, 2012 11:03 AM
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A bug that threatens California's $1.6 billion citrus industry is rapidly spreading through southern California groves despite efforts to contain it.
The North County Times reports (bit.ly/NwaHCNCOPY) that at least 20 cases of Asian citrus psyllid have been confirmed in Riverside and San Diego counties over the past two months.
The insect carries a disease that is lethal to citrus trees.
It was first noted in California in 2009 and had been considered to be waning, but Jim Wynn, deputy commissioner of San Diego County's agriculture department, says it is now cropping up in multiple locations.
The new discoveries mean quarantines in Riverside and San Diego counties will be extended two years.
The quarantines mean no citrus fruit can be shipped out of those counties unless clipped of foliage.
Movie Director Tony Scott Dies
Top Gun' director dies after jumping off bridge Aug 19, 2012 9:20 PM
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tony Scott, director of such Hollywood blockbusters as "Top Gun," ''Days of Thunder" and "Beverly Hills Cop II," has died after jumping from a Los Angeles County Bridge.
Los Angeles County Coroner's Lt. Joe Bale says Scott's death Sunday is being investigated as a suicide.
Authorities say the 68-year-old Scott jumped from the Vincent Thomas Bridge spanning San Pedro and Terminal Island in Los Angeles.
U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Jennifer Osburn tells the Daily Breeze a suicide note was found inside Scott's black Toyota Prius, which was parked on 1 of the eastbound lanes of the bridge.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tony Scott, director of such Hollywood blockbusters as "Top Gun," ''Days of Thunder" and "Beverly Hills Cop II," has died after jumping from a Los Angeles County Bridge.
Los Angeles County Coroner's Lt. Joe Bale says Scott's death Sunday is being investigated as a suicide.
Authorities say the 68-year-old Scott jumped from the Vincent Thomas Bridge spanning San Pedro and Terminal Island in Los Angeles.
U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Jennifer Osburn tells the Daily Breeze a suicide note was found inside Scott's black Toyota Prius, which was parked on 1 of the eastbound lanes of the bridge.
Romaine Lettuce Alert and Voluntary recall
SALINAS, Calif. (AP) - A Northern California produce supplier is voluntarily recalling romaine lettuce that was shipped to 19 states, Puerto Rico and Canada over fears of possible E. coli contamination.
Salinas-based Tanimura & Antle said Sunday the recall is limited to a single lot of its Field Fresh Wrapped Single Head Romaine that was available at retail stores starting Aug. 2. The lettuce is packed in a plastic bag with the UPC number 0-27918-20314-9, and it may have a "best by" date of Aug. 19.
The company says some 2,095 cases are potentially affected.
The product was packed with either 12 or 18 heads per case.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with consumption of this product.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Tainted Cantaloupe
Indiana melons linked to US salmonella outbreak
Health officials in Indiana and Kentucky say they are investigating farms, distributors and retailers after an outbreak of salmonella that has killed two and sickened at least 141 people nationwide was linked to cantaloupe grown in southwestern Indiana.Officials Friday advised all Indiana residents to discard cantaloupes purchased since July 7.
The Kentucky Department of Public Health warned people not to eat the cantaloupes. Tests found the fruit carried the same strain of salmonella that has killed two and sickened more than 50 in Kentucky.
Salmonella infections result in diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Most people recover without treatment, but severe infections can occur in infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says 31 have been hospitalized in this outbreak that has hit 20 states.
National Debt Explained
BRILLIANTLY EXPLAINED.
This rather brilliantly cuts thru all the political doublespeak we get.
It puts it into a much better perspective.
Lesson # 1:
* U.S.Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000
* Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000
* New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000
* National debt: $14,271,000,000,000
* Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000
Let's now remove 8 zeros and pretend it's a household budget:
* Annual family income: $21,700
* Money the family spent: $38,200
* New debt on the credit card: $16,500
* Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710
* Total budget cuts so far: $38.50
Got It ?????
OK now Lesson # 2: Here's another way to look at the Debt Ceiling:
Let's say, You come home from work and find there has been a sewer
backup in your neighborhood....and your home has sewage all the way up
to your ceilings.
What do you think you should do .....
Raise the ceilings, or pump out the s t?
This rather brilliantly cuts thru all the political doublespeak we get.
It puts it into a much better perspective.
Lesson # 1:
* U.S.Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000
* Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000
* New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000
* National debt: $14,271,000,000,000
* Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000
Let's now remove 8 zeros and pretend it's a household budget:
* Annual family income: $21,700
* Money the family spent: $38,200
* New debt on the credit card: $16,500
* Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710
* Total budget cuts so far: $38.50
Got It ?????
OK now Lesson # 2: Here's another way to look at the Debt Ceiling:
Let's say, You come home from work and find there has been a sewer
backup in your neighborhood....and your home has sewage all the way up
to your ceilings.
What do you think you should do .....
Raise the ceilings, or pump out the s t?
National Anthem
When the Music Stopped….
When the Music Stopped...
(For those who are unaware: At all military base theaters, the National Anthem is played before the movie begins.)
This is written from a Chaplain in Iraq :
I recently attended a showing of 'Superman 3' here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies, as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom at all military bases, we stood to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going well until three-quarters of the way through The National Anthem, the music stopped.
Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and yell for the movie to begin. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place.
Here in Iraq , 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again and the Soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. But again, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect 1000 Soldiers standing at attention to do?? Frankly, I expected some laughter, and everyone would eventually sit down and wait for the movie to start.
But No!!... You could have heard a pin drop, while every Soldier continued to stand at attention.
Suddenly, there was a lone voice from the front of the auditorium, then a dozen voices, and soon the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers, finishing where the recording left off:
"And the rockets' red glare,
the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave,
o'er the land of the free,
and the home of the brave."
It was the most inspiring moment I have had in Iraq and I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you. Remember them as they fight for us!
Pass this along as a reminder to others to be ever in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad. Many have already paid the ultimate price.
Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins.
LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq , north of Baghdad .
Please share only if you are so inclined. God Bless America and all of our troops serving throughout the world.
When the Music Stopped...
(For those who are unaware: At all military base theaters, the National Anthem is played before the movie begins.)
This is written from a Chaplain in Iraq :
I recently attended a showing of 'Superman 3' here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies, as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom at all military bases, we stood to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going well until three-quarters of the way through The National Anthem, the music stopped.
Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and yell for the movie to begin. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place.
Here in Iraq , 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again and the Soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. But again, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect 1000 Soldiers standing at attention to do?? Frankly, I expected some laughter, and everyone would eventually sit down and wait for the movie to start.
But No!!... You could have heard a pin drop, while every Soldier continued to stand at attention.
Suddenly, there was a lone voice from the front of the auditorium, then a dozen voices, and soon the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers, finishing where the recording left off:
"And the rockets' red glare,
the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave,
o'er the land of the free,
and the home of the brave."
It was the most inspiring moment I have had in Iraq and I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you. Remember them as they fight for us!
Pass this along as a reminder to others to be ever in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad. Many have already paid the ultimate price.
Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins.
LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq , north of Baghdad .
Please share only if you are so inclined. God Bless America and all of our troops serving throughout the world.
Friday, August 17, 2012
"Capital of the Kiss" Guanajuato, Mexico
Viewed from the towering hilltop statue of El Pipila - a former silver miner and early hero of Mexico's War of Independence - the city of Guanajuato looks like a village assembled from random Lego blocks.
This not a simple Black and White Town.
Yet the haphazard palette somehow works, much like the chaotic variety in a wildflower-filled meadow. "Colors in nature," Douglas Coupland wrote, "never clash."
This seems true in Mexico as well.
Guanajuato is known as "Capital del Beso" - "Capital of the Kiss" - based on a local tale about a poor silver miner, a fair maiden and their doomed liaisons. This motto is taken seriously.
A misguided attempt (in 2009, by Guanajuato's mayor) to make public kissing illegal was utterly trounced. ("The outcry was swift. Protesters gathered in front of City Hall to kiss en masse," reported the Chicago Tribune.) So if encountering endless PDA (public displays of affection) bothers you, visit Ciudad Juarez instead.
It is equally impossible to avoid Don Quixote. The gaunt windmill-tilter is celebrated in the town's famous Cervantes Museum, with its exhausting array of paintings, statues, mosaics, books, etc.
It makes sense that such a museum exists - but one has to be a rabid La Mancha fan to make it as far as the second floor. I never figured out Guanajuato's obsession with Cervantes, but, like the kissing thing, one quickly grows fond of it.
The best way to absorb a new town is to spend some time exploring on foot. I strolled across Guanajuato's urban hills, in and out of the cool cathedrals with their grisly crucifixions, among the roasted corn and fruit carts, past paleta stands selling irresistible cucumber-chili popsicles, navigating cobbled streets filled with businessmen in loose suits, teenage girls in tight jeans, kids teasing cats and wandering troupes of beautifully costumed musicians.
The city's energy is infectious and brings out an adolescent glee in everybody. One evening, I found myself joining a small crowd and following a band of street musicians into the city's network of twisty subterranean tunnels. The acoustics were fabulous; the smell not so much.
Many well-known Mexican writers and artists (though not Cervantes) were born here, and a small museum on a rustic street honors the city's most famous son: Diego Rivera. Rivera was born in this sweet little casa on Dec. 8, 1886.
The selection of his works is eclectic, but if you love Rivera as much as I do, you'll find it worth a visit. "The stand-out images ... are the nude drawings of his wife," the website informs us. "Some of the nude drawings of the other women models could be considered very unflattering."
Thursday, August 16, 2012
'Royal' 1650 Mexican 8-real coin Struck in Mexico
Goldberg's to auction finest known 'Royal' 1650 Mexican 8-real coin
Item offered in Goldberg's Sept. 4 to 5 Pre-Long Beach auction
Enlarge this image
A Mexican 1650 8-real coin, a
“Royal” coin struck with specially prepared planchets, will be offered
in Session 7 of Goldberg’s Pre-Long Beach auction, Sept. 5.
Images courtesy of Goldberg’s Coins & Collectibles.
The finest known Mexican “Royal” 1650 8-real coin of Philip IV of Spain
will hit the auction block in Ira and Larry Goldberg Coins &
Collectibles’ Pre-Long Beach auction of ancient coins, world coins and
paper money, Sept. 4 to 5.
Graded Extremely Fine 45 by Numismatic Guaranty Corp., the silver 1650
8-real coin, Lot 4314, was struck in Mexico City. The Goldberg auction
catalog describes the coin as an “Exceptional strike on choice metal.
Perfectly centered, on quite round flan. Handsome gray toning, a deep
gold and russet in the recesses.”
Royal coinage of this type is cataloged as Krause-Mishler R45 in the Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700,
where it is described as being “struck on specially prepared round
planchets using well centered dies in excellent condition to prove the
quality of the minting to the Viceroy or even to the King.”
This piece was previously offered in Goldberg’s May 26, 2008, Millennia Collection auction as Lot 1082, realizing $80,000.
The coin will appear in the Session 7, World Crowns & Minors, World
Currency portion of the firm’s Pre-Long Beach auction, with live
bidding for the session slated to begin on Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 9:00
a.m. Pacific Time at the Goldberg offices, 11400 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite
800, Los Angeles, CA 90064.
Earlier, on Tuesday, Sept. 4, Goldberg’s will conduct live bidding for
Session 5, Ancient Coins, and Session 6, World Gold. Session 5 begins at
10:00 a.m. PT, and Session 6 will commence at 5:00 p.m. PT.
Other items of notable interest in the auction include:
Lot 3004: Celtic Gaul. Parisii, gold stater, late second to early first
century B.C., uncertified, Extremely Fine (Estimated value: $40,000 or
more).
Lot 3029: Sicily, Naxos, silver tetradrachm, circa 460 B.C., ex-Nelson
Bunker Hunt Collection, uncertified, choice Very Fine (Estimated value:
$65,000 to $70,000).
Lot 3030: Sicily, Naxos, silver tetradrachm, circa 425 to 415 B.C.,
uncertified, superb Extremely Fine (Estimated value: $160,000 to
$180,000).
Lot 3060: Sicily, Syracuse, silver dekadrachm by Euainetos (unsigned),
405 to 400 B.C., uncertified, Extremely Fine (Estimated value: $25,000
to $30,000).
Lot 3124: Smyrna, electrum stater, circa 630 B.C., “one of seven known
examples,” uncertified, Extremely Fine (Estimated value: $30,000 or
more).
Lot 3137: Syria (Seleucid Kingdom), Antiochos III, the Great, silver
tetradrachm, 223 to 187 B.C., uncertified, Nearly Extremely Fine/Good
Very Fine (Estimated value: $30,000 or more).
Lot 3220: Rome, gold aureus, Antonia, mother of Claudius, minted at
Lugdunum, circa A.D. 41 to 47, uncertified, Extremely Fine (Estimated
value: $25,000 to $30,000).
Lot 3450: Rome, gold solidus, Licinia Eudoxia, wife of Valentinian III,
circa A.D. 440 to 455, uncertified, Extremely Fine (Estimated value:
$20,000 to $25,000).
Lot 3538: Bahamas, $2,500 gold coin, 1983, 10th anniversary of
Independence, mintage of only 55 pieces, NGC Proof 65, Ultra Cameo
(Estimated value: $16,000 to $18,000).
Lot 3909: Chile, silver 8 reales, Santiago Mint, 1768-So-A, NGC EF-45 (Estimated value: $25,000 to $30,000).
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Calavo boosts Mexico avocado capacity
Calavo Growers Inc. has completed an expansion of its Uruapan, Mexico packing operations expected to increase capacity by 200%.
At least 6 million pounds of avocados can be packed weekly in
Uruapan, or about half of Calavo’s total capacity of 600 million pounds,
according to a news release. The rest is packed in California.
The expansion was announced earlier this year.
The upgrades to the Uruapan packinghouse became fully operational
Aug. 1. They include a 75% increase in square footage; larger, faster
equipment for grading, sizing and packing and larger coolers.
The industry pegs 2013 U.S. avocado consumption at 1.65 billion
pounds, up more than 17% from this year’s forecast and about 47% higher
than 2011 consumption.
“Calavo is well positioned to handle this increased volume,” chief
executive officer Lee Cole said in the release. “The capital investment
in Uruapan reflects a new Calavo focus on expanding its market-leading
position in the fast-growth fresh avocado segment.”
Per-capita consumption of fresh avocados is approaching five pounds annually, up from two pounds a decade or so ago.
The Santa Paula, Calif.-based company’s value-added Calavo Foods
segment manufactures and distributes guacamole, guacamole hummus, salsa
and tortilla chips.
Butterfly stops Logging
MEXICO CITY — Illegal logging
has practically been eliminated in the western Mexico wintering grounds
of the monarch butterfly, according to a research report released
Wednesday, and Mexican officials now hope to use the successful program
of anti-logging patrols and payments to rural residents to solve other
forestry conflicts throughout the country.
The government, environmental groups and private donors have spent millions of dollars to get residents of forest communities in the butterfly reserve to plant trees and start ecotourism businesses to benefit from widespread fascination with the monarchs' yearly multi-generational migration through Canada, the United States and Mexico. They hope a similar solution can work for areas where illegal logging has caused armed conflicts and killings.
"This has been a successful program," said Environment Secretary Juan Elvira Quesada. "We want to keep expanding it."
It is the first time that logging has not been found in detectable amounts since the mountaintop forests west of Mexico City were declared a nature reserve in 2000, according to a study of aerial photographs of mountain reserve.
"The battle is not yet won," said Omar Vidal of the environmental group WWF Mexico, saying that policing efforts in the pine and fir forests must be continued. He said small-scale logging may still be going on, and that more efforts are needed to offer economic alternatives to the communal farmers who live in the reserve and formerly made money from logging.
Logging was once considered the main threat to the reserve. At its peak in 2005, logging devastated as many as 1,140 acres (461 hectares) annually in the reserve, which covers 193,000 acres (56,259-hectares).
Around the same time, armed police were assigned to patrol the reserve and shut down illegal logging operations. Elvira Quesada recalled directing one of the first mass police raids against loggers in 2003, when saw mills and trucks loaded with logs were still a common sight. "There were hamlets that hung out signs saying 'no environment department official allowed.'"
Simultaneously, donor groups started nurseries in the local towns to grow seedlings for reforestation efforts and helped build tourism facilities, to give communal farmers alternative sources of income. Some are paid to be part-time guards and report the presence of loggers.
Lincoln Brower, an expert on monarch butterflies and emeritus zoology professor at the University of Florida said "it appears that the Mexican government has greatly improved their stand against massive illegal logging, for which I congratulate them heartily."
Brower cautioned in an email that "predatory individual tree removal (by individuals and small groups of loggers) is largely undetectable" by studying aerial and satellite images. He said he had seen forest degradation during visits to the reserve in 2010 and 2012, and said "until the government establishes a system of close and continuous year-round, on-the-ground monitoring and official guarding, this ongoing and progressive degradation will continue."
Vidal said climate change now appears to be affecting the forests that shelter the butterflies after their annual migration from the United States and Canada. The study shows that bark beetles, drought and a parasitic plant infestation of mistletoe, a vine that strangles trees, caused a combined loss of almost 52 acres (21 hectares) of pine and fir forest.
Changing climate patterns have alternately caused droughts, which stress the trees and make them more vulnerable to bark beetles, and also heavy rain and wind storms such as those in 2010 that caused forest loss due to mudslides. Brower criticized government efforts to remove fallen trees from those storms, saying it was better to let them lie where they had fallen.
The number of monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico dropped 28 percent this year, according to a report released in March, a decline some experts attribute to drought in parts of the United States and Canada where the butterflies breed and begin their long migration south.
The numbers of butterflies spending the winter in Mexico have varied wildly in recent years. Concern rose two years ago, when their numbers dropped by 75 percent in the wintering grounds, the lowest level since comparable record-keeping began in 1993. The number nearly doubled last year from that record low point.
The migration is an inherited trait; no butterfly lives to make the round-trip. The millions of orange-and-black butterflies cluster so densely on tree boughs in the reserve that researchers count them by the number of acres they cover.
Elvira Quesada said officials are trying the same approach in the Michoacan town of Cheran, where a conflict between illegal loggers and local residents has resulted in about a dozen deaths in recent months. Residents of Cheran put up roadblocks and demanded the army be sent in to protect them from logging gangs.
It is also being tried in the Chimalapas region on the border between the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, where Indian communities are fighting over land and forest resources.
The measures could be used in "land conflicts, environmental and law enforcement disputes, where the key to the solution is preserving natural resources," Elvira Quesada said.
The government, environmental groups and private donors have spent millions of dollars to get residents of forest communities in the butterfly reserve to plant trees and start ecotourism businesses to benefit from widespread fascination with the monarchs' yearly multi-generational migration through Canada, the United States and Mexico. They hope a similar solution can work for areas where illegal logging has caused armed conflicts and killings.
"This has been a successful program," said Environment Secretary Juan Elvira Quesada. "We want to keep expanding it."
It is the first time that logging has not been found in detectable amounts since the mountaintop forests west of Mexico City were declared a nature reserve in 2000, according to a study of aerial photographs of mountain reserve.
"The battle is not yet won," said Omar Vidal of the environmental group WWF Mexico, saying that policing efforts in the pine and fir forests must be continued. He said small-scale logging may still be going on, and that more efforts are needed to offer economic alternatives to the communal farmers who live in the reserve and formerly made money from logging.
Logging was once considered the main threat to the reserve. At its peak in 2005, logging devastated as many as 1,140 acres (461 hectares) annually in the reserve, which covers 193,000 acres (56,259-hectares).
Around the same time, armed police were assigned to patrol the reserve and shut down illegal logging operations. Elvira Quesada recalled directing one of the first mass police raids against loggers in 2003, when saw mills and trucks loaded with logs were still a common sight. "There were hamlets that hung out signs saying 'no environment department official allowed.'"
Simultaneously, donor groups started nurseries in the local towns to grow seedlings for reforestation efforts and helped build tourism facilities, to give communal farmers alternative sources of income. Some are paid to be part-time guards and report the presence of loggers.
Lincoln Brower, an expert on monarch butterflies and emeritus zoology professor at the University of Florida said "it appears that the Mexican government has greatly improved their stand against massive illegal logging, for which I congratulate them heartily."
Brower cautioned in an email that "predatory individual tree removal (by individuals and small groups of loggers) is largely undetectable" by studying aerial and satellite images. He said he had seen forest degradation during visits to the reserve in 2010 and 2012, and said "until the government establishes a system of close and continuous year-round, on-the-ground monitoring and official guarding, this ongoing and progressive degradation will continue."
Vidal said climate change now appears to be affecting the forests that shelter the butterflies after their annual migration from the United States and Canada. The study shows that bark beetles, drought and a parasitic plant infestation of mistletoe, a vine that strangles trees, caused a combined loss of almost 52 acres (21 hectares) of pine and fir forest.
Changing climate patterns have alternately caused droughts, which stress the trees and make them more vulnerable to bark beetles, and also heavy rain and wind storms such as those in 2010 that caused forest loss due to mudslides. Brower criticized government efforts to remove fallen trees from those storms, saying it was better to let them lie where they had fallen.
The number of monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico dropped 28 percent this year, according to a report released in March, a decline some experts attribute to drought in parts of the United States and Canada where the butterflies breed and begin their long migration south.
The numbers of butterflies spending the winter in Mexico have varied wildly in recent years. Concern rose two years ago, when their numbers dropped by 75 percent in the wintering grounds, the lowest level since comparable record-keeping began in 1993. The number nearly doubled last year from that record low point.
The migration is an inherited trait; no butterfly lives to make the round-trip. The millions of orange-and-black butterflies cluster so densely on tree boughs in the reserve that researchers count them by the number of acres they cover.
Elvira Quesada said officials are trying the same approach in the Michoacan town of Cheran, where a conflict between illegal loggers and local residents has resulted in about a dozen deaths in recent months. Residents of Cheran put up roadblocks and demanded the army be sent in to protect them from logging gangs.
It is also being tried in the Chimalapas region on the border between the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, where Indian communities are fighting over land and forest resources.
The measures could be used in "land conflicts, environmental and law enforcement disputes, where the key to the solution is preserving natural resources," Elvira Quesada said.
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