Salmonella and Peanut Butter

UPDATE: King Nut Companies issued a total recall of peanut butter that it distributes Saturday amid fears of a salmonella outbreak that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said has infected 399 people in 42 states.

More food news - the bad news stuff !

Peanut butter is once again being implicated as the source of a major samlonella outbreak in the US (Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter were the implicated sources in the previous outbreak).

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) today issued a product advisory after MDA’s preliminary laboratory testing indicated the presence of Salmonella bacteria in a 5-pound container of King Nut brand creamy peanut butter.

Read more here and here

I can't wait til we have someone in charge of food who cares about people and not profits!

A 3 minute goodbye to shrub - from After Downing Street -

Goodbye to Bush in Three Minutes

By David Swanson [afterdowningstreet.org]

Cindy Sheehan asked if I could record a 3-minute goodbye message to Bush and Cheney for her radio show, so I wrote down and read the following:

Never more than in this moment, George, have you been a uniter, not a divider. The joy at your departure is world-wide and wonderful. But I don't want to fully embrace it because I don't want this to be the last we see of you. When I was four years old I watched Richard Nixon leave, and that was just about the last we saw of him, and that is what brought us you. Instead, we should have had monthly reports of regret and repentance from Nixon's prison cell for 20 years. You yourself may have longer than 20 years to live, although with your boss we may have to hurry or invest in a heart transplant. My strongest wish, George, is to give you and Dick and Rummy and Condi and Yoo and Bybee and all the gang what you have denied to so many others: a fair trial.

Your stupid smirk and Cheney's nasty grimace will thankfully no longer be omnipresent, but the damage you have done will be much harder to remove, and if we do not punish you for it, it may be repeated and never undone. I wish you no ill. If letting you go drink and golf would impose a democratic rule of law on future officials, then that's what I would favor. As it happens, of course, that would only encourage people as mean and destructive as your brother Jeb, although not specifically Jeb, of course, since nobody with your last name will be able to win an election in this country for 50 years.

If you pretend to pardon the people who committed your crimes for you, we will challenge that absurdity in court, and we will pursue state, local, civil, foreign, and international prosecutions until you are behind bars.

Washington D.C. is going to look something like a colder version of New Orleans before you drowned it this month as millions of people get drunk on the delirium of seeing you drag your contemptible carcass out of town. Two events I plan to take part in illustrate the mood.

On January 19th, we're going to gather in DuPont Circle, march to the White House, and throw shoes and boots at you. Check out http://shoebush.org to see what we have planned.

On January 20th, we have a permit for an Arrest Bush demonstration on the sidewalk in front of the FBI building along Obama's inauguration parade route. We're going to be sending a clear message to your successor. Take a look at http://www.arrestbush2009.com

We've created nice warm sweatshirts that say Arrest Bush and Cheney, and people can go to http://afterdowningstreet.org to buy them. We'll be dressing for success, George, but without the flight suit, the aircraft carrier, or the bullshit.

You've lied to us for eight years, so the truth may not catch your attention, but this is the truth: we will not rest until you are convicted and incarcerated.

A snarky report from Blumenauer - [my Rep]

A New President is Officially Chosen

I was determined to attend the official report of the Electoral College to the Joint Session of Congress, if only to balance the painful, surreal memories of Al Gore presiding over the tally that made his defeat official in 2000. It seemed at the time, and we now know it to be true, that absent the Supreme Court's unprecedented intervention, a full and fair count of the Florida ballots might well have yielded a different result and history would have been profoundly changed.

But that was then and this is now, as they say. There was a small measure of satisfaction watching Dick Cheney, as President of the Senate, preside over this session with his lopsided smile/smirk for the last time. Indeed, I almost said "festivities" because there was a special air about it.

Usually, this Joint Session is so lightly attended that the Floor Staff has to pack the Chamber with staff and pages to give the TV audience a full house – no pun intended. This time it wasn't necessary; Members had to search for places to sit as they watched history being made on so many different levels.

Senators Bob Bennett and Chuck Schumer and Representatives Robert Brady and Dan Lungren served as Tellers, the officials responsible for reporting the states' electoral tallies. Initially, the Yea's were bad for the Obama camp and the Democrats as McCain took Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, and Alaska. Then the tide shifted with a run of Blue States, punctuated by the announcement by Representative Lungren—a conservative Republican from California—of his state's 55 electoral votes for Obama. Soon the President-elect's tally rocketed ahead and I found myself mentally keeping track of his votes, trying to determine which state would officially put him over the magic 270 number. (It was New Jersey, with its 15 electoral votes, for those of you keeping track.)

The Tellers announced the results from their own state. Senator Bennett, from what he termed the "fast growing state of Utah", announced 5 electoral votes for McCain. Representative Brady from Pennsylvania and Senator Schumer from New York were positively giddy at the announcement of 31 more votes for Obama, adding an exclamation point behind the already-victorious tally.

There were moments of levity as Ohio produced a Certificate of Election about the size of Delaware. As the count wound down and Dick Cheney announced the results in his monotone drone, the Democratic side of the Chamber rose, clapping and cheering at the final tally: "Barack Obama: 365." The sustained applause even brought the Republican side of the Chamber slowly to its feet until everybody was clapping, creating a pulse of excitement throughout the Chamber.

As the losing tallies were read for John McCain and then for Sarah Palin (the Constitution requires separate tallies for President and Vice President), people again stood and cheered, although with exchanged looks that were hard to decipher. Just as Dick Cheney started to bring the Joint Session to a close, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had been sitting quietly next to him, suddenly sprang to her feet and led another eruption of applause in the Chamber, taking Cheney off guard and leaving him with an uncharacteristic look of uncertainty.

This dramatic and sometimes humorous session provided a bright note in a troubled time. After all, it was the last time we would have to endure Dick Cheney presiding over a Joint Session of Congress. As I left the Chamber, I felt optimistic and resolute. The next gathering of the US House and Senate would be to welcome our new President, Barack Obama. Finally, the ghost of the 2000 election receded a little further into the recesses of my memory.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer

Telephones Books? A Concept Whose Time Has Gone?

For some unknown reason, I recently got 3 sets of phone books - each with 3 books in the pile.

I do not use phone books. No one I know uses phone books; we use the internet to look up numbers. So my 9 phone books went into the paper recycling bin. What a waste of trees.

As I have a business I keep getting mail from phone book companies telling me how great they are and how much business I'd get if I used their services. Huh! I do most business online and locally. My number is freely available and I don't really want all those annoying cold calls one gets when in a phonebook. Been there in a prior business.

I'm one who still thinks I have a phone for my use and so I am prone to not answer unless I am expecting a call or recognize the name in caller ID and am not busy. But most often I have the sound off so I am not distracted by a ring...I've often said I am the one for whom answering machines were made :D . I was the 1st in my group of friends to get one and recall how expensive they were - way back in 1978. [But then my newest cell phone has more memory and more capabilities than my 1st 3 computers combined!]

Ah technology...love it!

Poor Old McCain

I had subscribed to the emails from the McCain campaign but unsubscribed on Nov. 5th 0r 6th. In spite of that unsubscribe - today I got this email from poor old mcsame...

Note when reading that is says nothing except give me $$$ - 5 times - 5 places where you can click to contribute to this whatever it is....But - wowee - you become a "Charter Member"

Maybe Rs are so used to doling out money to other Rs that they don't ask for reasons. I'd sure want to know where my $ was really going other than to this meaningless blather:

Country First will allow us to strengthen our Party, better define our Republican ideals and message, recruit and back strong, dedicated candidates and continue our efforts to bring real reform to government by always putting our country and the noble ideals she stands for first.

Ummm John - you lost the election. Rs lost seats - there was a reason!

My Friend,

In the time since the 2008 presidential campaign ended I have had a chance to reflect on many things. And as I said on election night, I truly cannot adequately express how indebted I am to you, my entire campaign team and my running mate, Governor Sarah Palin.

The road was a difficult one from the outset. Yet, your faith, your support and friendship never wavered. Just as I have proudly served my country for more than half a century I am as committed as ever to helping see our mission through.

So to continue the movement, I have decided to launch a new grassroots organization called Country First.

Today, I'm asking you as a friend and supporter to renew your commitment to our common goals by becoming a Charter Member of Country First with an online contribution.

Country First will allow us to strengthen our Party, better define our Republican ideals and message, recruit and back strong, dedicated candidates and continue our efforts to bring real reform to government by always putting our country and the noble ideals she stands for first.

Together, we can make government more responsive to today's problems and more answerable to the people. That's why I hope you will become a Charter Member of Country First and support our cause by following this link to make a generous contribution of any amount today.

With your help we can work to elect these new leaders to Governorships, Statehouses, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives in 2010 and beyond. Once in office they will become fierce advocates for limited government, economic opportunity, personal responsibility and strong national security.

On Election Night last year, I called on all Americans not to despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Today, I am asking you to join Country First to continue fighting for the worthy cause of revitalizing both our democracy and our Party.

Our goals will never be realized if your voice falls silent. You are the best hope for our country's success. Please stay in this fight with me; our country needs your service now as much as ever.

I know that together we can make a difference - we already have. Again, I thank you for your unwavering friendship and support.

Sincerely,

John McCain

P.S. Country First will serve as a powerful voice for the American people. It will allow us to get our Republican message out to the voters and elect a new generation of Republican leaders who can go to Statehouses and Congress to fight for all we believe in. Please join as a Charter Member of Country First by following this link to make a contribution today. Thank you.

Getting Going Again with Rant about Alleged Dems!

I find it's hard to write or do anything creative when faced with a few feet of snow, 3.5 inches of rain, flood warnings and chilly weather - all coming at me in rapid succession. Harsh winter weather is why I left New England to seek and find a more "moderate" climate.

Hah..thanks to mad king george we are having very odd weather patterns all across the globe. And with mad king george's unwillingness to protect US infrastructure, the middle class, and the environment - this is a bad time for all - here in Oregon and elsewhere.

But today - before the next monsoon hits - I am writing! Yea! Can't let the worst ever resident at 1600 Penn Ave. keep me from blogging :D

So what's on my mind today - those alleged dems who are so enamored with mad king george's policies and who aided and abetted same - are now pissed that Obama did not consult with them before naming Panetta to be CIA chief..

Diane Feinstein is angry that she was not informed - she claims that the Agency needs an intelligence professional at its head. Well dear me - I claim that the citizens of California need a new Senator - not one who sells out our constitutional rights and then sits there trying to look "all-important-all-the-time." And Jay Rockefeller - well he seemed to have never met a shrub take-away-our-rights-item that he did not like [but I may be wrong - did not check out his voting record.]

Update: Missed this in the AM - from Think Progress http://cli.gs/MhvBza/lynndorman

It's titled: Feinstein And Rockefeller To Obama: We Liked Bush’s Appointees More
A bit snarky - but just right :D

I like the idea of a no-torture person who is organized and is a solid manager to be at the head of most agencies. Good people can find good others to work with - bad leaders find bad others to work with - look what the last 8 years has brought us!

So - sorry Diane and Jay - I sincerely hope you are ousted by your constituents!