Consumer Group Takes Aim Against Happy Meal Toys

You might say "they're hatin' it," in marked contrast to McDonald's long-running slogan: "I'm Lovin' It." The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has issued a notice of intent to file a lawsuit against McDonald's, claiming Happy Meals toys lure kids into unhealthy eating habits and break state consumer-protection laws in multiple states. "McDonald's is the stranger in the playground handing out candy to children," states the news release announcing the impending lawsuit. CSPI claims they will continue with the Happy Meal lawsuit if McDonald's does not stop offering toys with Happy Meals within the next 30 days.

McDonald's of course, strongly objects to the CSPI claims, stating: "We couldn’t disagree more with the misrepresentation of our food and marketing practices made by CSPI." The McDonald's statement notes that McDonald's participates in the Better Business Bureau's voluntary initiative to address children's well-being. It defends Happy Meals and notes that since 2008, U.S. customers have purchased 100 million of the meals with Apple Dippers. According to the statement, McDonald's served 31 million gallons of milk, which is three times the amount of milk served in 2004. In addition, the statement points out that the recent ads featuring the lovable ogre Shrek offer Apple Dippers and 1% milk instead of french fries and sugary soft drinks.

Posted via email from momsdaword's posterous

Magic Power Coffee Recall due to Viagra-Like Ingredient

Federal regulators are warning consumers away from Magic Power Coffee, coffee seemingly designed for men who want to stay awake and have more sex. Marketed as an all natural nutritional supplement, the Magic Power brand of instant coffee contains a substance similar to sildenafil, the active ingredient in prescription ED medicine Viagra. Sildenafil can interact with nitrate-type medications commonly prescribed to patients for the treatment of hypertension, causing dangerous drops in blood pressure.

Most supplements are thought to be harmless and pose no health risk, however Magic Power Coffee can cause serious side effects. And, the addition of ingredients reserved for use in prescription drugs into
over the counter products is a violation of the law. Magic Power Coffee is just one of the male enhancement products flagged by federal regulators this year.

The coffee supplement is currently being sold online as part of a multi-level marketing program. FDA officials advise that the product be discarded. Adverse effects can be reported to the FDA by calling
800-332-1088

Posted via email from momsdaword's posterous

Uh-Oh SpaghettiOs!

According to the USDA, Campbell's Soup recalled 15 million pounds (35,000 cases) of SpaghettiOs with meatballs due to a cooker malfunction at the Paris Texas plant that left beef and noodles underprocessed. Underprocessing means that the product was not sufficiently heated until it reached commercial levels of sterility, which ensures shelf stability. Without shelf stability, the cans can not be sure to be free of microorganisms, like bacteria, and spoilage can occur. Since the company could not be sure exactly when the cooker malfunction occurred, they opted to err on the side of caution and issue the SpaghettiOs recall for all products manufactured at the affected plant between December 2008 and June 2010.

The specific products in question are:

* 14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" with Meatballs with product code "U5" on the bottom of the can
* 14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" A to Z with Meatballs with product code "4N" on the bottom of the can
* 14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" Fun Shapes with Meatballs (Cars) with product code "KS" on the bottom of the can

They can also be identified with an establishment number "EST 4K" on the can and a "Use By" date between June 2010 and December 2011.

Were spoilage to have occurred, cans would appear bloated, or there would be a foul odor upon opening. If the product was consumed, nausea or vomiting are likely to occur. To date, there have been no reports of illness related to the SpaghettiOs recall.

Consumers in possession of products with identifying product codes KS, 4N or U5 should return those products to the place of purchase for a full refund. Any related questions may be directed to Campbell's
Hotline at (866) 495-3774.

Posted via email from momsdaword's posterous

Eight Cases of Salmonella Linked to Marie Callender's Recall

Eight cases of salmonellosis have been linked to the nationwide recall of Marie Callender’s brand Cheesy Chicken and Rice frozen meals, according to state health and agriculture officials. The recall was initiated when the CDC informed ConAgra, the company that produces Marie Callender products, that of the 30 people diagnosed with a rare form of Salmonella, Salmonella Chester, 8 reported eating the product prior to becoming ill. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture was able to isolate Salmonella Chester from an intact package of Marie Callender's from one of those infected with the rare strain of salmonella. The Marie Callender's recall specifically includes 13-ounce packages of Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken & Rice White Meat Chicken and Broccoli over Rice Topped with Rich Cheddar Sauce.

More information is available from the USDAs' FSIS division. All packages of Marie Callender's Cheesy Chicken & Rice with P45 inside the USDA inspection mark should be discarded and not consumed. Further consumer questions about the recall may be addressed by calling ConAgra Foods at
1-866-484-9610.

Posted via email from momsdaword's posterous

Hi! My Name is Colette and I'm a Workaholic...

The great thing about cell phones, smartphones and laptops is you can always be reached.

The bad thing about cell phones, smartphones and laptops is... you can ALWAYS be reached.

That makes truly getting away from work and everyday stresses all the more difficult. Especially when you are a freelance contractor who works from home (like me!). And it seems that I am not alone. According to a story in this week's Wall Street Journal, half of working Americans come back from vacations actually feeling rested and rejuvenated. 56 percent of workers say they need a vacation more than ever after they return because of the amount of work that has piled up in their absence.

A 2002 study in the Netherlands claimed to find that relaxation attempts even causes something they termed "leisure sickness" in 3% of our vacationing population. Symptoms of leisure sickness include fatigue, muscle pain, nausea and flu-like symptoms. Huh... who'd have thought that withdrawing from stress and relaxing would be such a painful experience? But for some people, it seems that removing stress from their daily environment is comparable to steroid withdrawal and may be the cause of dramatic mood swings and changes in glucose metabolism.

Bryan E. Robinson, author of "Chained to the Desk, a Guidebook for Workaholics," theorizes that workaholics are driven by low self-esteem and fear of inadequacy." He continues, ""For a lot of workaholics, work alleviates anxiety, and when you are not working, the anxiety bubbles up." Sadly, I can see apply both of those statements pretty accurately to my life. Especially having all that time to fill since my kids have left the nest.

I've been talking alot lately about achieving balance in my life and leaving behind my workaholic tendencies. It seems that this has been easier said than done! So in keeping with my workaholic nature... I've come up with a plan to achieve some balance. (Did I mention I am list happy too?!)

1. Learning something new. While it's good to get outside of the comfort workzone, I've acknowledged that exploding out of it from a 17 hour work day to doing NOTHING just ain't gonna happen. Finding something to stimulate the brain that is not work related will keep the mind busy on a more "fun" pursuit. (I've decided to relearn high school Spanish and keyboards. Let's just hope I don't get as obsessed about that as I am with my "job"! LOL!)
2. Have a plan, but be flexible. Having scheduled work hours (mostly to designate a stop time) is a good thing. But flexibility is important too in case someone calls one morning for a quick trip to the beach ;) After all, that's why I opted out of corporate America to begin this freelance journey!
3. Get physical. Our bodies were just never meant to sit at a desk for 12+ hours a day. I've recently begun starting my day with an hour of either aerobic exercise or weight training. Exercise releases endorphins to put you in a better mood, as well as burns off excess adrenaline and cortisol that result from your daily stress.
4. Breathe. I've decided to end my work day with some time to meditate. A period of separation (so to speak) to end the work day and begin relaxation time. What I used to use my daily commute home from the office for.
5. Practice mindfulness. Work just as hard at "not working" as you do at working. Quit judging yourself and setting the bar so high. Be aware of times you do that and ask why. Focus on the moment. Be objective in observing your behavior to learn why what you've accomplished is never enough.

So now that I have my new checklist... we'll see how it goes. Let me know what you think... and I'll keep you posted ;)

Posted via email from momsdaword's posterous

Tylenol Still Feeling the Pain

Five months ago (in January 2010), McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a division of Johnson and Johnson, recalled millions of Tylenol and Motrin products stemming from complaints of an "unusual moldy, musty or mildew-like odor. Four times over the last seven months, McNeil has had to recall products. A variety of McNeil products have been included in the recalls: Tylenol, Zyrtec, Motrin, Benadryl as well as its children's line of non-prescription drugs.

On June 5, 2010, McNeil announced it was expanding the original January recall because some products were "inadvertently ommitted from the initial recall." UNBELIEVABLE! The drugmaker has now added four additional lots of Benadryl allergy ultratab tablets (100 count), and one product lot of extra strength Tylenol rapid release gels (50 count) to the recall.

McNeil's string of recalls has garnered a great deal of attention from the FDA. According to the FDA compliance office, the FDA has "serious concerns about the company's control over the quality of its drugs and the company's failure to aggressively investigate and correct quality problems." The case has been referred to the crime division, and criminal prosecution is a possibility.

Posted via email from momsdaword's posterous

Sony PlayStation Move Launch

The complete PlayStation Move Champions bundle with the PlayStation Eye, Move and the game will run $99.99, while the Move controller will run $49.99. New PS3 console bundles that include the Move controller will price at $399.99. The controller will be available in the States on September 19, 2010, and is currently available for preorder at Best Buy and GameStop, with estimated delivered dates between November 1st and 6th.

Posted via email from momsdaword's posterous