Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm202608.htm

Recall — Firm Press Release

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

T. Marzetti Company Announces a Voluntary Recall of Dips Due to Possible Health Risk

Media Contact:
Jill Schmidt,
Tel: 612-375-8513
jill.schmidt@clynch.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — March 01, 2010 - Columbus, Ohio – T. Marzetti Company today announced as a precautionary measure that it is voluntarily recalling certain production codes of T. Marzetti Veggie Dips, Oak Lake Chip Dips and Great Value Chip Dips because an ingredient used in the product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. There have been no reports of illnesses associated with the identified products, and no other types, varieties of flavors of products are affected by this recall.

Products subject to this recall that were distributed nationwide in the United States under the T. Marzetti brand in plastic tubs and sold in the produce section include:

* T. Marzetti Southwest Ranch Veggie Dip, 15.5 ounce (UPC 70200 52004)
Best By dates: APR2010F, APR2810F, MAY1610F, MAY3110F, JUN0610F, JUN1410F, JUN1910F
* T. Marzetti Fat Free Southwest Ranch Veggie Dip, 13 ounce (UPC 70200 52033)
Best By dates: MAY1610F, MAY3010F, JUN0810F, JUN1210F, JUN2510F
* T. Marzetti Spinach Veggie Dip, 15 ounce (UPC 70200 52059)
Best By dates: APR1910F, MAY0910F, JUN0710F

Products subject to this recall distributed in Canada and Laredo, Texas, under the T. Marzetti brand in plastic tubs and sold in the produce section include:

* T. Marzetti Spinach Veggie Dip, Epinards, Trempette A Legumes, 340 gram (UPC 70200 58843)
Best By dates: 10AL11F, 10AL17F, 10AL24F, 10AL30F, 10MA08F, 10JN12F
* T. Marzetti Southwest Ranch Veggie Dip, Ranch style sud-ouest americain Trempette A Legumes, 340 gram (UPC 70200 58844)
Best By dates: 10AL17F, 10AL24F, 10AL30F, 10MA08F, 10JN05F, 10JN14F

Product subject to this recall distributed in Ohio under the Oak Lake Farms Brand in plastic tubs and sold in the refrigerated case includes:

* Oak Lake Farms French Onion Chip Dip, 16 ounce (UPC 73534 43480)
Best By dates: APR2310F, JUN1110F, JUN2610F

Product distributed in the United States under the Great Value brand in plastic tubs and sold in the refrigerated section includes:

* Great Value Ranch Chip Dip, 16 ounce (UPC 78742 43099)
Best By dates: 042810F, 050810F, 052910F, 053010F, 053110F, 060410F, 060510F, 061110F

T. Marzetti was notified by its supplier, Basic Food Flavors, Inc., of the recall of an ingredient used in these products due to potential Salmonella contamination. Because the safety of consumers is a top priority and out of an abundance of caution, T. Marzetti has voluntarily recalled these product.

T. Marzetti is working closely with Food and Drug Administration to conduct this voluntary recall.

Salmonella is a common food borne pathogen that can cause severe illnesses, including fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. While most individuals recover in three to five days without medical intervention, the infection can be life-threatening to young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Consumers with any of these symptoms should call their physician. For more information on Salmonella, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Website at http://www.cdc.gov1.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled products are advised to discard this product or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. Consumers with questions about the recall should contact T. Marzetti Co. at 1-800-427-0147 between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. EST or visit the company’s Website at www.marzetti.com2.

About T. Marzetti Company

The T. Marzetti Company is the specialty food subsidiary of Lancaster Colony Corporation (Nasdaq: LANC). More information about the company is available at www.marzetti.com3.

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Page Last Updated: 03/02/2010

A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Mon 1 Mar 2010
Source: Express.co.uk [edited]
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/161076/-Poison-drinks-health-scare

A poison as harmful as arsenic is contaminating fruit juices and
cordials drunk by millions of people every day across Britain,
scientists revealed last night [28 Feb 2010].

The toxin called antimony, which is lethal in large doses and has
been linked to cancer, was discovered in 16 of the most popular
brands of juice and squash.

Experts expressed “concern” over the findings, which they believe may
be the result of chemicals in the drinks’ plastic bottles leaching
into the liquid.

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), which published the research,
raised fears for the health of children and called for an
investigation “straight away”.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen found levels in the fruit
drinks were far above those allowed in tap water under European
rules. Researcher Claus Hansen said: “The antimony concentrations in
the products tested exceed the limit in EU drinking water but no
antimony limits exist for foodstuffs so no legislation has been
broken. [So what is the EU limit in drinking water? - Mod.TG]

“However, we cannot be sure that the antimony levels found are
harmless.” He added: “It would be a good idea to have some more
research to get a better impression of what the antimony limit should
be in fruit drinks.”

The RSC said: “Marketing, certainly for the cordial products, is
geared towards children. It’s a children’s drink. That means they are
more likely to drink it than adults and are more at risk.”

The alarm was raised after scientists discovered that the drinks
regularly broke EU limits for antimony imposed on tap water. 8
samples contained higher levels of the substance allowed, while one
undiluted drink was found to have levels of the chemical that were
800 per cent higher than tap water. [While other sources tell us it
is 42 juice drinks from 16 different brands, no one has told us how
many samples they tested, or what the EU allows in drinking water. - Mod.TG]

Clinically, antimony is similar to arsenic and causes headaches,
dizziness, and depression. High levels can be fatal within days.

All of the unnamed sample drinks were produced in the UK and were
widely available in supermarkets across Europe. Antimony is listed as
a top pollutant in America by the Environmental Protection Agency. It
is also listed in the UK on the Environment Agency’s pollution
inventory. The agency said prolonged contact with antimony may affect
the digestive system, eyes, heart, kidney, lungs, and skin.

Dr Hansen warned that the toxin could also be found in other food products.

He also said not all of the drinks were in plastic bottles, with some
in Tetra packs.

The study tested 42 drinks including blackcurrant, strawberry,
raspberry, sour cherry, mint, and caramel products. [One wonders if
the acidity of these products plays any role in potentially leaching
the antimony from the host container. - Mod.TG]

Authors of the report, featured in the Journal of Environmental
Monitoring, said the results showed concentrations up to 17 times
higher than previous studies. [When were the previous studies
performed and using what method to test? Is the testing protocol more
sensitive than previous studies? Have any regulatory levels changed
since the last study? - Mod.TG]

The report said more research was needed to find out whether antimony
was leaching into the drinks from the plastic bottles or whether it
was present during manufacture.

The British Soft Drinks Association yesterday defended the industry
and its regulations. A spokesman said: “Fruit juices and juice drinks
are safe. There is no read across between the levels of antimony
permitted in drinking water and those that might be acceptable in a
fruit juice or a juice drink.” He added: “The packaging is safe. The
data in the study does not confirm any conclusions about the
packaging and the authors themselves conclude that ‘further studies
are warranted’.”

[Byline: Donna Bowater]

—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[In the USA and perhaps in other countries such as those in the EU,
the drinking water allowable limits are below limits that may be
found in juices, other drinks or food. The belief is that water is
consumed on its own as well as used in cooking and therefore any
substances in water should have a lower limit to avoid accumulations.

This is possibly true in the EU. If it is, then the level in the
juice, even for children may not be as high as the various articles
want it to seem.

Several questions have been raised throughout this article, for which
in searching a number of sites, the answer could not be found. These
questions need to be answered to determine where the reality of the
safety of these levels is.

Antimony is around us in may forms and concentrations. The
concentration of antimony that is dissolved in rivers and lakes is
very low, usually less than 5 parts of antimony in 1 billion parts of
water (ppb). We cannot measure such small amounts without special
equipment. Antimony does not appear to accumulate in fish and other
aquatic animals. The concentration of antimony dissolved in one
polluted river where wastes from antimony mining and processing had
been dumped was as high as 8 ppb. Most of the antimony in the river,
however, was not dissolved, but was attached to particles of dirt.
Although antimony is used in solder for water pipes, it does not seem
to get into the drinking water.

Soil usually contains very low concentrations of antimony, less than
1 part of antimony in a million parts of soil (ppm). However,
concentrations close to 9 ppm have been found.

Food usually contains small amounts of antimony. You eat and drink
about 5 micrograms (5 millionths of a gram) of antimony every day.
The average concentration of antimony in meats, vegetables, and
seafood is 0.2-1.1 ppb. The antimony oxide that is added to many
materials for fire protection is very tightly attached to these
materials and does not expose people to antimony.

Antimony can enter your body when you drink water or eat food, soil,
or other substances that contain antimony. Antimony can also enter
your body if you breathe air or dust containing antimony. We do not
know if antimony can enter your body when it is placed on your skin.

A small amount of the antimony you eat or drink enters the blood
after a few hours. The amount and the form of antimony in the food or
water will affect how much antimony enters your blood. After you eat
or drink very large doses of antimony, you may vomit. This will
prevent most of the antimony from entering through the stomach and
intestines into your blood. Antimony in your lungs will enter your
blood after several days or weeks. The amount of antimony that will
enter your blood from your lungs is not known.

After antimony enters your blood, it goes to many parts of your body.
Most of the antimony goes to the liver, lungs, intestines, and
spleen. Antimony will leave your body in feces and urine over several
weeks. Exposure to 9 milligrams per cubic meter of air of antimony
for a long time can irritate your eyes, skin, and lungs. Breathing 2
milligrams per cubic meter of antimony for a long time can cause
problems with the lungs (pneumoconiosis), heart problems (altered
electrocardiograms), stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach
ulcers. People who drank over 19 ppm of antimony once, vomited. We do
not know what other health effects would occur to people who swallow
antimony. We do not know if antimony can cause cancer or birth
defects, or affect reproduction in humans.

Antimony can have beneficial effects when used for medical reasons.
It has been used as a medicine to treat people infected with
parasites. Persons who have had too much of this medicine or are
sensitive to it when it was injected into their blood or muscle have
experienced adverse health effects. These health effects include
diarrhea, joint and/or muscle pain, vomiting, problems with the blood
(anemia), and heart problems (altered electrocardiograms).

Portions of this comment have been extracted from: The Agency for
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/phs23.html

Mod.TG]
...................................tg/mj/mpp

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm202787.htm

Castella Imports, Inc. Conducts Nationwide Recall of Castella Chicken Soup Base Because of Possible Health Risk

Contact:
Chris Valsamos, Vice President
631-231-5500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — March 02, 2010 - Castella Imports of Hauppauge, NY, is voluntarily recalling Castella Chicken Soup Base because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The product was made using hydrolyzed vegetable protein manufactured by Basic Food Flavors, Inc. Las Vegas, Nevada. Basic Food Flavors initiated a recall of the hydrolyzed vegetable protein due to Salmonella contamination.

Castella Chicken Soup Base is distributed nationwide to food service (25 lbs. product) and sold in retail stores (1 lb. product).

Castella Chicken Soup Base 1 lb. is packaged in an opaque plastic jar with a white cap, a gold seal, a light yellow label, and UPC code 7 50144 33000 5. The recalled lots are: 0912039918, 1001121915, 1002013074, and 1002194266. The expiration dates for the lots affected are 12-3-2010 through 2-28-2011.

Castella Chicken Soup Base 25 lb. is packed in an all white bucket, a yellow label, and UPC code 7 501144 3320 9. The recalled lots are: 0911259508, 0911259508A, 0912150738, 0912180973, 0912211087, 1001192342, 1001282925, 1002194267. The expiration dates for the lots affected are 11-25-2010 through 2-28-2011.

To date no illnesses have been associated with this product.

Consumers that have the product may return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Castella Imports at 631-231-5500, Monday thru Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

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Photos: Product Labels1

RSS Feed for FDA Recalls Information2 [what’s this?3]

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Page Last Updated: 03/02/2010

U.S. Census Bureau 2010 Census Campaign Warning

Original release date: March 3, 2010 at 11:21 am
Last revised: March 3, 2010 at 11:21 am

US-CERT asks users to be vigilant during the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010
Census campaign and to watch for potential census scams.

According to the U.S. Census 2010 website, they began delivery of the
printed census forms to every resident in the United States on March
1, 2010. The only way to complete the census is by filling in the form
using pen and ink; in some instances, census takers will be visiting
households to complete the form face-to-face. It is important to
understand that the U.S. Census Bureau will not, under any
circumstances, be providing an online option to complete the 2010
census form.

US-CERT encourages all residents in the United States to take the
following measures to protect themselves:

* Review available information about the 2010 U.S. Census on the
website.
* Familiarize yourself with what information the U.S. Census Bureau
is collecting on the census form.
* Do not follow unsolicited web links of attachments in email
messages.
* Refer to the Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams (pdf) document
for more information on avoiding email scams.
* Refer to the Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks
document for more information on social engineering attacks.

Relevant Url(s):
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST04-014.html

http://www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/emailscams_0905.pdf

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/index.php

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/about-the-form.php

This entry is available at
http://www.us-cert.gov/current/index.html#u_s_census_bureau_2010

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