2009 H1N1 Swine Flu
Some researchers are suggesting that WHO’s official death toll from the 2009 Swine Flu outbreak may have been “grossly” underestimated:
“The team estimated there were 284,500 deaths from swine flu in the 12 months from April 2009. But the figure may be as high as 575,400, they said. Between 250,000 and 500,000 people die of seasonal influenza every year, according to the WHO. In the flu 2009 season, H1N1 was the “predominant virus”… FULL ARTICLE
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Shelf Life vs. Best By Date
Last week we contacted two businesses concerning the shelf life of their powdered soup products. To be specific, we contacted customer service reps from Bear Creek and Shore Lunch brands. We noticed that the ingredients list on each of their products was very similar to the ingredients list on a brand that touts a 15 year shelf life. Here are their responses:
Bear Creek: “Our soups are safe for human consumption indefinitely. However, depending on the storage conditions you may discover some slight deterioration in flavor and caking if exposed to high moisture. This is why we guarantee our soup for 2 years.”
Shore Lunch: “The shelf life on all of the soups except Chicken Noodle is 15 months. Chicken Noodle is 12 months.”
The Bear Creek response was very helpful. I’d really like to hear a better answer from the Shore Lunch folks so if anyone from Southeastern Mills is reading this, please feel free to get in touch with us.
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Selling on the “New” Ebay
We had a post awhile back about getting the best results from buying and selling on Ebay. Over the past few years they have been making many changes and I have to say that I think the new management has finally destroyed the spirit of the website. I can no longer recommend it as a way to sell off used merchandise. They have implemented so many new seller requirements that it is now a paradise for dishonest buyers. With today’s economy, Ebay should be filled with great deals but, instead, US sellers have been steadily disappearing and Chinese vendors are taking their place. On the bright side, it seems that the good ol’ yard sale venue has seen a revival!
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Eurozone can’t agree on reforms
This article at the Washington Post wreaks of frustration in Europe. Another “meeting of the minds” is scheduled for later this week:
“Investors are bracing for the likelihood that the two-day summit might fail to produce an immediate resolution to the region’s 2 1/2-year-old debt crisis.
“I don’t think we’ll get anything that sweeping this week,” said Sebastian Dullien, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. “There had been expectations of a breakthrough, but Germany is not ready to take the steps that are necessary, or at least its conditions are strict enough that the other countries are not yet prepared to meet them.”
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