News

"MRSA 'Superbug' Bacteria Found in Meat"

By Rob Winters - Published on Saturday, 14 May 2011 10:50

"First they were riding on bedbugs. Now, drug-resistant bugs are showing up in supermarket meat. Raw beef, chicken and turkey from Detroit grocery stores contained methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a sinister strain of bacteria that doesn't respond to typical antibiotics, researchers reported Wednesday.

It may sound scary, but it's no reason to go vegetarian, experts say.

"We've known for a long time that raw meat and poultry purchased in supermarkets can be contaminated with bugs that can make us sick, like salmonella and E. coli."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/mrsa-superbug-bacteria-found-detroit-meat-means/story?id=13596809

"McCain Foods co-founder Wallace McCain dies of cancer at 81"

By Rob Winters - Published on Saturday, 14 May 2011 10:42

"Wallace McCain, the mogul and philanthropist who helped turn a small New Brunswick french fry plant into the McCain Foods multibillion-dollar frozen foods empire and later went on to control meat processor Maple Leaf Foods, has died. He was 81.

McCain, co-founder of McCain Foods and chairman of Maple Leaf Foods, died Friday night in Toronto after a 14-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

The death was announced by the board of directors of Maple Leaf Foods on Saturday.

"Wallace made an indelible impact on Maple Leaf Foods, our country and the food industry globally," said Purdy Crawford, lead director of the board of directors.

Former prime minister Paul Martin praised McCain as a great Canadian."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hgXQmc8qoqKLTnwb6UB1Qxg0Zj5A?docId=6849366

"Home ownership isn't for everyone"

By Rob Winters - Published on Friday, 13 May 2011 13:49

"Buying a home is one of the biggest financial and emotional decisions you will ever make. You must prepare yourself to make a knowledgeable decision and be comfortable with what homeownership involves.

You should also be aware that many professional investment advisors believe diversification of investments is crucial to long-term success. Sinking most of your wealth into a house does not allow you to diversify. Thus, home ownership is actually the opposite of a good investment strategy. In some circles, it is now being acknowledged that the so-called wisdom of home ownership was actually a government strategy after the Second World War for preventing social unrest. The rich and powerful felt they could better control the majority if that majority felt they had a stake in society through fixed assets:

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/mortgages/home-ownership-isnt-for-everyone/article1953871/

"Audit of Ford’s campaign expenses ordered"

By Rob Winters - Published on Friday, 13 May 2011 13:38

"Toronto council’s compliance audit committee today unanimously voted to order a full audit of Mayor Rob Ford’s campaign expenses in response to accusations by Toronto residents Max Reed and Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler that provincial elections laws were breached.

In their requests for a compliance audit, they alleged that Mr. Ford may have exceeded his spending limits and relied on unorthodox funding arrangements, which saw the Ford family’s holding company pay over $77,000 in campaign expenses. Three requests for an audit were filed in response to a Globe and Mail investigation into the mayor’s campaign filings. One was withdrawn and the committee deemed the other to be moot."

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/full-audit-of-fords-campaign-expenses-ordered/article2021248/

"No silver bullet for Alzheimer’s"

By Rob Winters - Published on Thursday, 12 May 2011 20:36

"Don’t count on mind games, regular exercise or special diets to protect you from the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease – at least not yet.

An expert panel has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to say whether any of these proposed strategies can actually prevent the mind-robbing illness.

The panel was assembled last year by U.S. National Institutes of Health to examine the existing body of research.

“Although numerous studies have investigated risk factors and potential therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, significant gaps in the scientific knowledge exist,” according to the team led by Martha Daviglus of Northwestern University in Chicago."

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/new-health/paul-taylor/no-silver-bullet-for-alzheimers/article2020023/

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