Bad news, sad note

Darn it, here we go again. After yet another spinach recall during
my hiatus month, we now have more food problems. Topps Meat
Company, based out of Elizabeth, N.J. (N.J? already sounds bad)
recalled 21.7 million pounds of ground beef and hamburger
patties after reports of about 25 cases of E. Coli related illnesses
in 8 states. Apparently, the problems started during the first
part of September; the affected meat had a "sell by" September
25 date. The E. Coli outbreak so far has been in Connecticut,
Indiana, Maine, Florida, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and of
course, New Jersey. It's just sad how rampant cutting corners
and slacking off on regulations has become. From being mad,
to being sad. The actress who played Miss Moneypenny in 14
James Bond films has died. Canadian born Lois Maxwell died in
Australia of cancer over the weekend at the age of 80. When I
was younger, I never missed a James Bond flick, either going to
the movies or watching on TV or video all the Roger Moore and
Sean Connery releases. Moneypenny pined for 007, and while
there were episodes of flirting and the occasional double
entendre, she never got her man. Or was it the other way
around, maybe James Bond never really got THE girl?

it never ends.....

.....the food recalls that is. This week the FDA has had to handle

yet another food crisis. Castleberry Foods of Augusta, Georgia

has recalled more than 80 versions of canned corned beef hash,

chili, chili sauce, and beef stew. Apparently the meat products

have been connected to a botulism outbreak; botulism is a

muscle paralyzing disease brought about by a bacterium. So 

far, cases have been discovered in Texas and Indiana. Most of

the Castleberry products are sold as the store or generic brands

of many grocery stores. Equipment malfunction seems to be the

culprit of this latest recall; a Castleberry official stated "we 

believe we have isolated the issue to a situation of under-

processing on one line of our production facility...we have shut

down this line altogether and are recalling all products produced 

on it." Guess we just have to wait for the next food or other

recall, I am sure it will be just around the corner, since corners

keep getting cut on a regular basis.