2006 TOP TEN Number 3

At the beginning of the year, Men' s Fitness released its annual list of the nation's fattest cities. Chicago and Houston ranked one and two, respectively while Detroit came in third. Soon after, the war on obesity began. At first members of the American Medical Association called for a 'fat tax' on soda. There calls were not unjustified; Americans have sipped and slurped their way to fatness by drinking far more soda and other sugary drinks over the last four decades, a new scientific review concludes. An extra can of soda a day can pile on 15 pounds in a single year.

The war on obesity was not confined by borders. Several towns and cities throughout the United Kingdom called for bans on shirtless men. The proposal was inspired by the least attractive side effect of the summer heatwave - the tendency of a number of often middle-aged men to go about in nothing more than shorts. There was a wave revulsion among most of the public at the summer's least welcome fashion trend.

But back in the states, more and more obese people are unable to get full medical care because they are either too big to fit into scanners, or their fat is too dense for X-rays or sound waves to penetrate. With 64 percent of the U.S. population either overweight or obese, the problem is worsening, but it represents a business opportunity for equipment makers and hospitals.Radiologists have their own term for it when writing up reports: "These images are limited due to body habitus."

Then the war on obesity shifted fronts and trans fats became a direct target. Three years after the city banned smoking in restaurants, health officials in New York unveiled a proposal that would bar cooks at any of the city's 24,600 food service establishments from using ingredients that contain the artery-clogging substance, commonly listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated oil. Artificial trans fats are found in some shortenings, margarine and frying oils and turn up in foods from pie crusts to french fries to doughnuts. But before the ban was raitifed earlier this month, KFC said it would phase out trans fats in all of its products. This would mean a total reinvention of their cooking oil used to fry almost everything on their menu from Original Recipe to potato wedges. In NY restaurants will be barred from using most frying oils containing artificial trans fats by July '07 and will have to eliminate the artificial trans fats from all of their foods by July 2008.

But bans and outcries did not stop some restaraunts from producing ultimate, fat-laden dishes. For a limited time only, Denny's Restaraunts featured a new grand slam breakfast called the Extreme Grand Slam. This breakfast has twice the amount of food as the Original Grand Slam containing 1,475 calories, 85 grams of fat, and 23 grams of saturated fat. And the debut of Burger King's BK Stackers were no better. The line included a Quad Stacker option of four slabs of beef, four slices of cheese and up to eight slices of bacon -- "smothered," as the company puts it, in a creamy sauce. The behemoth sandwich contains 1,000 calories and a whopping 68 grams of fat, including 30 grams of saturated fat.

2006 TOP TEN Number 4

Product safety concerns began back in April, when Walgreen Co., the No. 1 U.S. drugstore chain, told its stores to pull all ReNu products from its shelves, along with WalMart and most other major retailers and drug stores. Just days later Bausch & Lomb Inc. said it would stop shipping its ReNu MoistureLoc contact lens solution after some users were diagnosed with serious eye infections. And just two months ago, a major manufacturer of store-brand acetaminophen recalled 11 million bottles of the pain-relieving pills after discovering some were contaminated with metal fragments.

Even illegal drugs were not spared from the controversy. Forty-eight people died after using a dangerous combination of heroin or cocaine that was unkowingly spiked with the painkiller fentanyl (a pain killer with about 80 times the potency of morphine).

The Fall began with an E. Coli scare. The FDA imposed a ban on fresh spinach after Natural Selection's recalled more than 34 different brands of packaged spinach once people fell ill across 20 states after eating the green leafy vegetable. Then, less than a week after the FDA lifted its warning on fresh spinach grown in California's Salinas Valley, a popular brand of lettuce grown there was recalled over concerns about E. coli contamination. The lettuce did not however cause any illnesses.

And no one can forget Taco Bell; where dozens of people across several states were affected by an E. coli outbreak that was first reported in central New Jersey. Eight Taco Bells across the New York-New Jersey area were temporarily closed down for investigation. It took only days to discover that all the Taco Bells implicated were using the same food distributor, but narrowing it down to a precise product became a challenge. At first the fod chain removed all green onions from its menu. But a later report stated that lettuce was the most likely source of an outbreak of E. coli. In the end there were 71 confirmed cases of poisoning linked to Taco Bell and poll done by USA Today indicated that about 1 in 3 frequent fast-food customers say they plan to eat less often at Taco Bell — or not at all — as a result of the chain's recent E. coli outbreak.

2006 TOP TEN Number 5

2006 was a rooler coaster ride of terror threat ups and downs. It all began when seven people were taken into custody after a sweep by law enforcement authorities in connection with an alleged plot against targets that may have included the Sears Tower. No weapons or bomb-making materials were ever found in the searches in the Miami area by FBI and state and local law enforcement officials. The city of Chicago was adamant in assuring its citizens that there was no eminent threat.

In the summer, the US finally got its ground-based interceptor missile defense system operational. And Canadian police halted a real and serious terror threat in and around Toronto. Twelve men and five youths said to have been inspired by al Qaeda were arrested in the operation involving hundreds of officers. The group was planning to commit a series of terrorist attacks against solely Canadian targets in southern Ontario. The group took steps to acquire three tons of ammonium nitrate and other components necessary to create explosive devices.

But the biggest terror threats came in August, when terrorists were in the final stages of planning to blow up planes heading to the United States from Britain. The plans were suggestive of an al Qaeda plot. British police apprehended 21 suspects involved in the plot. The U.S. raised the terror threat level to "severe" for all flights leaving Britain for the United States. Britain raised its alert level to "critical" and involved hiding liquid explosives in carry-on luggage and targeted Continental, United, British Airways and American Airlines flights to New York, Washington and California. Six to 10 flights were targeted. Flights were canceled or delayed at airports across Europe and the United States as the new security measures produced massive lines at airports.

The threats hit home when three men purchased cell phones from the Wal-Mart store on M-81 near the corner of M-24 in Caro. The three men allegedly bought 80 by purchasing them three at time so that an alert wouldn't be triggered by the cash register. They also paid cash. Once apprehended, the suspects had 1000 other cell phones in the van. There was also a bag of receipts showing that someone was in Wisconsin the day before. The Michigan State Police bomb squad says this has all the tell tale signs of using cell phones to detonate bombs. Federal authorities helped with the investigation into the possible terror threat assuming the suspected tarted to be the Mackinac Bridge. The bridge security had already been increased for several months due to elevated terror alert levels. Cameras on the bridge are monitored so that any suspicious packages or activity will be responded to by authorities. One theory is that the men weren't targeting solely the bridge itself but the people on it. The Annual Labor Day Bridge Walk has drawn over 60,000 people in the past few years. When the dust finally cleared, the three Dallas-area men arrested turned out to be well-known to cell phone resalers in the Dallas area. All charges were eventually dropped and the men were free to go.

2006 TOP TEN Number 6

The year in gay started out with controversy. In January, Brokeback Mountain was getting its second string release throughout the country but not some cities. Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller cancelled the movie's release the theaters that he owns. But this didn't stop the film from gaining momentum. In fact, "at the arthouse in Salt Lake City, the Broadway, the movie broke box-office records (and was one of the movie's top 12 locations nationwide). And the Utah Film Critics Association named "Brokeback Mountain" the best movie of 2005, before Mr. Miller took his unilateral action." (Sean Means, film critic: Salt Lake Tribune). The movie also went into the Golden Globes and came out with the coveted award for Best Motion Picture. The Globes proved to be a great night for LGBT films. Felicity Huffman won the award for Best Actress - Drama for her performance in Transamerica and Ang Lee won the award for Best Director - Motion Picture for Brokeback Mountain. Also, Philip Seymour Hoffman on winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor - Drama for Capote. After Brokeback Mountain's stellar win at the Golden Globes, there was a noticeable boost in ticket sales. For the following week, the movie nudged itself into the number one spot. In April, Brokeback was released on DVD, and despite massive letter-writing campaign by the American Family Association Wal-Mart released the film on its shelves.

And in a not-so-proud movie launch, Army officials began investigating allegations that members of the celebrated 82nd Airborne Division appear on a gay pornography Web site "Active Duty" by Dink Flamingo. Months later, two Army paratroopers pleaded guilty to charges for appearing on a military-themed pornographic Web site. In all seven members of the 82nd Airborne Division charged with appearing on the site, pleaded to charges of conduct detrimental to the Army and use of marijuana.

Coming Outs
2006 saw it share of come-outs. In July, Lance Bass announced he was gay by appearing on the cover of People magazine. But his newly-revealed relationship with Amazing Race winner Reichen Lehmkuhl came to an end earlier this month. Also coming out in People: Neil Patrick Harris. DC Comics also announced that Batwoman would return as as a "lipstick lesbian". But coming out can also happen without permission. A Lafayette High School graduate has been kicked out of the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg because he wrote on a personal Web page that he is gay. And despite the rumors; Oprah Winfrey continued to make public statements throughout the year denying that her and bestfriend Gayle were lesbian lovers. The daytime talk show diva endured an onslaught of accusations claming Oprah and Gayle were undercover lesbians.

Gay Marriage

2006 was also a prominent year for gay marriage. The midterm election was the perfect arena to showcase the debate. Many states once again put the question to the voters. But this didn't stop lawmakers and courts from enacting legislation both for an against gay marriage. NJ Supreme Court opened the door to gay marriage, ruling that homosexuals are entitled to the same rights as heterosexuals, and just weeks later NJ state legislature voted to make it the third state to allow civil unions. And in Mexico, Mexico City also approved homosexual civil unions, legalizing gay partnerships for the first time in the world's second-largest Roman Catholic nation.

But these positive reports were over shadowed by a gaggle of states forbidding gays from marrying. Five other states had voters approve constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage. They were Idaho, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. Similar amendments have passed previously in all 20 states to consider them.

2006 TOP TEN Number 7

The winter season of 2006 began with Japan was bracing for more snow after some of the heaviest snowfall on record that has left 57 people dead and paralysed transport. Almost 13 feet of snow has piled up in the worst-hit areas of the Japan sea coast. And in February, the US saw it's record books changed. A record-breaking storm buried sections of the Northeast under more than 2 feet of snow.

Weeks later it was reported that Antarctica was losing about 36 cubic miles of ice every year. For comparison, Los Angeles consumes roughly 1 cubic mile of fresh water a year. The south polar region holds 90 percent of Earth’s ice and 70 percent of the total fresh water on the planet, so any significant pace of melting there is important and could contribute to an already rising sea.

By summer, global warming became one of the hottest topics discussed. Scientists reported that the earth was hotter than it had been in nearly 2,000 years and that the earth was continuing to heat up. Other new research showed that global warming produced about half of the extra hurricane-fueled warmth in the North Atlantic in 2005, and natural cycles were a minor factor. Throughout the coming months, record high temperartures were reported across the country with the continental United States suffered through its second-hottest July on record because of a blistering heat wave from California to Washington, D.C. The heat wave broke more than 2,300 daily temperature records for the month and eclipsed more than 50 records for the highest temperatures in any July. Also, heavy rain and flooding were reported throughout El Paso, Texas.

More recently, NASA scientisits reported that the vast sheet of ice that covers Greenland is shrinking fast, but still not as fast as previous research indicated. The Greenland ice sheet is considered an early indicator of the consequences of global warming, so even a slower ice melt there raises concerns.

2006 TOP TEN Number 8

The last time the Detroit Tigers made it to the playoffs was 1987. Between then and September, the Tigers have lost the most games of any major-league club. After their spectacular performance through the summer, the Tigers roared through the fall with the best record of the of the league. In the coming weeks, the Tigers entered the playoffs and faced trouble from the start. They faced the Yankees and lost the first game of the series but quickly tied it up by winning the second game. This is the were Curtis Granderson tripled home the winning run in the seventh, one inning after Carlos Guillen tied it with a solo homer. Stellar performances by ptichers Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman helped advance the Tigers to face the A's in the ALCS.

The Tigers won Game 1 against the A's and then in the second game of the series, Alexis Gomez hit a two-run single and a two-run homer foreshadowing his anticipated appearance in the World Series. Magglio Ordonez secured his place in history by sending the Tigers to the World Series with his show-stopping walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth in the fourth and

final game of the ALCS.

The Tigers faced the Cardinals in the World Series. They lost Game 1, but Kenny Rogers delivered eight scoreless innings to capture victory for the Tigers. But the celebration was soon brought to a halt by several errors throughout the remaining games. The St. Louis Cardinals won Game 5 tonight over the Detroit Tigers, to clench the 2006 World Series championship title.

Despite the anticipated buzz, The Cardinals' victory over the Tigers averaged a record-low ratings score. And just days after the World Series, their hometowns find themselves atop a list no one wants to lead: the most dangerous cities in the United States.

2006 TOP TEN Number 9

Back in January, ExxonMobil posted record profits. No other company in US history had ever reported profits as high as the largest publicly traded oil company's more than $36 million take-home. This coming only days after Chevron reported a more than $4 billion dollar fourth quarter profit -- a company record!

Then in April, the CEO of ExxonMobil retired only after accepting a pension/compensation package of $168 million for forty-three years of service. In the coming weeks gasoline prices soared to twenty-one cents to a season high of $2.70 a gallon. These profits helped ExxonMobil achieve the prestiguos Fortune 1 spot dethroning WalMart as the nation's highest ranked, publicly traded company.

In July, it was reported that the company earned more than $1,300 per second! Gas prices soared to $3.15 per gallon.

2006 TOP TEN Number 10

Back in February, we reported that astrophysicists discovered an object farther from Pluto was actually larger than the ninth planet. This discovery caused an uproar in the astronomy community. Many scientists began disputing Pluto "planetary" status.

Then in August, thousands of astronomers from all over the world gathered for a twelve day meeting in Prague to decide what constituted "planetary" status and properly define the term. Upon completion of their conference, the group approved new guidelines that downsized our solar system from nine planets to eight.

Pluto was re-classified as a "dwarf planet".

Genetically Engineered Peanuts Given the Go-Ahead

from AP

A leading industry group has given scientists the go-ahead to build genetically engineered peanuts that could be safer, more nutritious and easier to grow than their conventional version. The work could lead to peanuts that yield more oil for biofuel production, need less rainfall and grow more efficiently, with built-in herbicide and pest resistance - traits that have already been engineered into major crops such as cotton, corn, soybeans and canola.

For consumers, the work could lead to peanuts with enhanced flavor, more vitamins and nutrients, and possibly even nuts that are less likely to trigger allergic reactions, a life-threatening problem for a small percentage of the population and a major food industry concern.

And Now that Christmas is Out of the Way...

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

The nation's retailers ushered in the post-Christmas shopping season on Tuesday by slashing prices even more on holiday items and stocking up on fresh merchandise. With the 2006 pre-Christmas season falling short of sales expectations for many merchants, the retail industry hoped that shoppers, armed with gift cards, would spend freely in the weeks ahead on discounted items as well as full-priced merchandise. That would boost business in December and in the fourth-quarter.

Macy's opened its doors at 7 a.m. and offered discounts ranging from 50 percent to 75 percent. Toys "R" Us Inc. offered 50 percent discounts on selected toys. The toy seller was also showcasing hot toys from 2007 in its stores.

After a stronger-than-expected turnout on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, stores struggled through the first two weeks of December as consumers returned to malls and stores at a disappointing paced. Stores did get a late-buying sales surge in the final days of the pre-Christmas season, but it was not enough to meet holiday sales goals. A big negative factor this season was mild temperatures throughout most of the country, which depressed sales of winter items like coats and snow boots.

The post-Christmas season has become more important with the increasing popularity of gift cards. Gift card sales are only recorded on retailers' balance sheet when cards are redeemed.

Baby is Sent Through XRay Machine at LAX

from the Los Angeles Times

A woman going through security at Los Angeles International Airport put her month-old grandson into a plastic bin intended for carry-on items and slid it into an X-ray machine. The early Saturday accident — bizarre but not unprecedented — caught airport workers by surprise, even though the security line was not busy at the time.

A screener watching the machine's monitor immediately noticed the outline of a baby and pulled the bin backward on the conveyor belt. The infant was taken to Centinela Hospital, where doctors determined that he had not received a dangerous dose of radiation. The woman spoke Spanish and apparently did not understand English. She initially didn't want the baby transported to a hospital, but security officials called paramedics and insisted that the child be examined by a doctor. The grandmother and the child were subsequently allowed to board an Alaska Airlines flight to Mexico City.

UPDATE Taco Bell E. Coli Outbreak

from USA Today

About 1 in 3 frequent fast-food customers say they plan to eat less often at Taco Bell — or not at all — as a result of the chain's recent E. coli outbreak, according to a national poll done for USA Today. Yet a separate online poll (conducted by Sandleman & Assoc.) shows fast-food eaters are satisfied with how Taco Bell handled the crisis in which 71 people fell ill after eating at the chain.

Also, Taco Bell has been doing its own polling since the outbreak and accoridng to its results 94% of people who describe themselves as Taco Bell eaters have a "positive" view of the brand; 82% believe the food is "safe." Still, the Sandelman online poll found that 36% of Taco Bell's best customers — those who eat there once a month or even daily — say that after the recent illnesses, they now eat at Taco Bell less often, or not at all.

Asian Games Women Medalist Fails Gender Test

from Breitbart

An Indian runner who won a silver medal in the women's 800 meters at the Asian Games failed a gender test and was stripped of the medal. Shanti Sounderajan, 25, took the gender test in Qatar, after placing second. The Indian Olympic Association said it has been told by the Olympic Council of Asia that the 25-year-old runner was disqualified.

IOA has asked the Athletic Federation of India to return the medal as desired by the Olympic Council of Asia.

The IOA also asked its medical commission to inquire into Sounderajan's case and report within 10 days. There are no compulsory gender tests during events sanctioned by track and field's international ruling body, but athletes may be asked to take a gender test. The medical evaluation panel usually includes a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist and internal medicine specialist.

An Indian athletics official claims Sounderajan almost certainly never had sex-change surgery.
Instead, the official said Sounderajan appeared to have "abnormal chromosomes." The official also said the test revealed more Y chromosomes than allowed.

UPDATE Taco Bell E. Coli Outbreak

from the Hartford Courant

Lettuce was the most likely source of an outbreak of E. coli linked to Taco Bell. Taco Bell had said contaminated green onions were responsible for the cases of food poisoning - 71 confirmed cases of E. coli in five states, primarily New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Follow-up government testing, however, failed to confirm that. Interviews with patients and other work led them to believe that lettuce was the probable culprit. Investigators had considered cheddar cheese, green onions, and ground beef as well. They said Taco Bell's menu, which offers various combinations of the same ingredients, made it difficult to pinpoint the source of the contamination.

NJ Lawmakers Approve Civil Unions for Gays

from My Way News

Under pressure from New Jersey's highest court to offer marriage or its equivalent to gay couples, the Legislature voted Thursday to make New Jersey the third state to allow civil unions. Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine said he would sign the measure, which would extend to same-sex couples all the rights and privileges available under state law to married people. The bill passed the Assembly 56-19 and the Senate 23-12.

Among the benefits gay couples would get under New Jersey's civil unions bill are adoption rights, hospital visitation rights and inheritance rights. Gay rights advocates welcomed the legislation as a step forward but said they would continue to push for the right to marry. The bill was drafted in response to a landmark New Jersey Supreme Court ruling in October that required the state to extend the rights and benefits of marriage to gay couples within 180 days. The court, in its 4-3 ruling, left it up to the Legislature to decide whether to call such unions "marriages" or something else.

Gay rights groups have argued that not calling such unions "marriage" creates a different, and inferior, institution.

Solar Storm Headed for Earth

from CNN

Space weather forecasters revised their predictions for storminess after a major flare erupted on the sun overnight threatening damage to communication systems and power grids while offering up the wonder of Northern Lights. The storm is expected to generate aurora or Northern Lights, as far south as the northern United States Thursday night. Astronauts aboard the international space station are not expected to be put at additional risk.

Radio communications, satellites and power grids could face potential interruptions or damage, however. Solar flares send radiation to Earth within minutes. Some are also accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CME), clouds of charged particles that arrive in a day or two. This flare unleashed a strong CME that's aimed squarely at Earth.

However, one crucial component to the storm is unknown: its magnetic orientation. If it lines up a certain way with Earth's magnetic field, then the storm essentially pours into our upper atmosphere. If the alignment is otherwise, the storm can pass by the planet with fewer consequences.

Water Found on Mars?

from Daily Mail

Striking new images of the Red Planet have raised hopes life could be found on Mars after all. Scientists say they have photographic evidence that suggests liquid water may have been on the planet as little as five years ago. Experts last night said Mars now appears more active than previously thought and the latest study shows why it is vital to continue to search for life on our planetary neighbour. The first images of Mars' surface were taken in the 1960s and they suggested it was a dusty, cratered world rather like our Moon.

Now a new set of photographs has suggested that liquid water may have flowed on the planet a mere five years ago. The discovery resulted from images taken by the Mars Global Surveyor which first recorded gullies and trenches that could have been made by fast-flowing water coursing down cliffs and crater walls. Scientists in the USA decided to retake images of the gullies to search for any sign of recent activity.

Two of those originally photographed in 1999 and 2001 then photographed again in 2004 and 2005 showed changes consistent with water having flowed down the side of the crater. The discovery was made by scientists at the San Diego-based Malin Space Systems which operated a camera aboard the spacecraft. Writing in the journal Science, the researchers led by Michael Malin said the properties and settings of the deposits in the gullies are consistent with water flow.

Until now the question of liquid water has mainly focused on ancient Mars and on the Martian north pole, where water ice has been detected. Water along with a stable source of heat is essential for life to emerge. Mars formed more than 4.5 billion years ago and scientists generally believe it went through an early wet and warm era that ended after 1.5 billion to 2.5 billion years, leaving the planet extremely dry and cold.

Water cannot remain a liquid for long because of subzero surface temperatures and low atmospheric pressure that would turn water into ice or gas. But some studies have pointed to the possibility of liquid water flowing briefly on the surface through a possible underground water source that periodically shoots up.

UPDATE Taco Bell Removes Green Onions from Menu

from Breitbart

In response to an E. coli outbreak that sickened dozens of patrons in three states, Taco Bell Corp. on Wednesday announced it has removed green onions from its 5,800 restaurants nationwide. The Irvine, Calif.-based company said that an independent lab found three samples of green onions that appeared to have a harsh strain of the bacteria.

Taco Bell said that the tests are not conclusive, but that it immediately notified health authorities and its restaurants while it awaits a final analysis. Health officials have not yet been able to pinpoint the source of the bacteria that has sickened at least three dozen people in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Nine people remained hospitalized in New York and New Jersey, including an 11-year-old boy in stable condition with kidney damage.

Kid Arrested for Opening Gift Before XMas

from Breitbart

A fed-up Souht Carolina mother had her 12-year-old son arrested for allegedly rummaging through his great-grandmother's things and playing with his Christmas present early. The mother called police Sunday after learning her son had disobeyed orders and repeatedly taken a Game Boy from its hiding place at his grandmother's house next door and played with it. He was arrested on petty larceny charges, taken to the local police station in handcuffs and held until his mother picked him up after church.

Police did not release the boy's name. The mother said her son was diagnosed in the last year with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder but his medicine does not seem to help. The boy's case will be presented to Department of Juvenile Justice, who will decide what happens to him. His mother hopes he can attend a program that will finally scare him straight.

Police Searching for Escaped Prisoner

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Detroit police are searching for an escaped prisoner. The prisoner was arrested around 1 a.m. on Wednesday near Grand River Avenue and Livernois Avenue in Detroit. Officers said the man was driving a stolen vehicle. When officers pulled the man over and were in the process of arresting him, he told police he was not feeling well, so he was transported to Detroit Receiving Hospital.

When he got to the hospital, he wrestled a gun away from an officer and then drove away in an ambulance that was carrying three people. The three people who were inside the ambulance got out safely and were not injured. The man was last seen in the area of Third Avenue and Canfield Street near the Wayne State University campus.

The man was identified by police as 23-year-old Deandre Deshon-Russell Riley, pictured above. He is black, 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighs 150 pounds. He was last seen wearing black jeans, Timberland shoes and a shirt with gray lettering on it. Police say the man is armed and should be considered dangerous. According to the Detroit Police Department, several area schools were placed on lockdown. Police said the man does have a previous record and is currently considered to be armed and dangerous.

Detroit police are seeking the community's help in tracking down Russell. Anyone with information is asked to call 800-SPEAK-UP or 313-596-2300.

UPDATE Commonality Found in Taco Bell Outbreak

from My Way News

All 11 Taco Bells implicated in an E. coli outbreak in New York and New Jersey used the same food distributor, the restaurant chain said Tuesday as health officials tried to pinpoint the source of the dangerous bacteria that sickened at least three dozen people. Nine people remained hospitalized in New Jersey and New York, including an 11-year-old boy in stable condition with kidney damage. Taco Bell Corp. said it had sanitized its nine closed restaurants and planned to reopen them on Tuesday.

The distributor, Texas-based McLane Co., said that Taco Bell representatives and state and federal health inspectors toured the distribution center in Burlington, N.J., that supplied the eight Long Island, N.Y., restaurants and the three in New Jersey. Taco Bell ships its beef-and-bean fillings to restaurants pre-cooked and pre-seasoned to save money, and industry experts said that practice may be safer, because the food is handled by fewer people and is heated twice - once at the plant and once at the individual restaurants.

New Jersey health officials said their investigation would probably focus on produce, not just meat, because some of the 23 people who ate at New Jersey Taco Bells and were infected with E. coli were vegetarians. E. coli is found in the feces of humans and livestock. Most E. coli infections are associated with undercooked meat. The bacteria also can be found on sprouts or leafy vegetables such as spinach. The bacteria also can be passed from person to person if they do not thoroughly wash their hands after using the bathroom. New Jersey's health commissioner has said that the most recent case of E. coli was reported on Nov. 29, so the danger of infection may have passed. Two of the 11 restaurants implicated - both in New Jersey - were inspected and remained open.

E. coli is a common and ordinarily harmless bacteria, but certain strains can cause abdominal cramps, fever, bloody diarrhea, kidney failure, blindness, paralysis, even death. Earlier this year, three people died and more than 200 fell ill from an outbreak that was traced to packaged spinach grown in California.

Lansing Applebee's Closed for 2nd Time

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

An Applebee's restaurant has closed for a second time after more customers reported being sickened and officials continue to investigate what they believe may be a norovirus outbreak. Four customers in three groups that ate at the restaurant in Eaton County, near Lansing, on Thursday and Friday fell ill with symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea.

The restaurant had voluntarily closed Nov. 22 and reopened Thursday with the permission of health officials after being cleaned. About 250 people -- including employees and customers -- have reported symptoms.

Noroviruses are a group of highly contagious viruses that are often contracted through food or liquids. Symptoms typically appear about 24 to 48 hours after ingestion, and the illness usually subsides within one to two days.

Man Accused of Faking Retardation -- For 20 Years

from WKMG Daytona TV 6

For nearly 20 years -- ever since Pete Costello was 8 -- his mother has collected disability benefits on his behalf. In meetings with Social Security officials and psychologists, he appeared mentally retarded and unable to communicate. His mother insisted he couldn't read or write, shower, take care of himself or drive a car. But now prosecutors said it was all a huge fraud, and they have video of Costello contesting a traffic ticket to prove it.

Pete and Rosie Marie Costello were indicted in on charges of conspiracy to defraud the government and Social Security fraud. The Vancouver, Washington pair were scheduled to appear in federal court in Tacoma on Tuesday.

The indictment accuses Costello of faking -- or at least exaggerating -- retardation since August 1997, because that is what prosecutors are confident they can prove, Barbosa said. But the pair first received benefits 10 years before that. The benefits cited in the indictment totaled $111,000.

Farting Passenger Forces Plane to Land

from WBIR Knoxville TV 1o

Flatulence brought 99 passengers on an American Airlines flight to an unscheduled visit to Nashville early Monday morning. American Flight 1053, from Washington Reagan National Airport and bound for Dallas/Fort Worth, made an emergency landing here after passengers reported smelling struck matches. The plane landed safely. The FBI, Transportation Safety Administration and airport authority responded to the emergency.

The passengers and five crew members were brought off the plane, together with all the luggage, to go through security checks again. Bomb-sniffing dogs found spent matches.The FBI questioned a passenger who admitted she struck the matches in an attempt to conceal body odor. The woman lives near Dallas and has a medical condition.

The flight took off again, but the woman was not allowed back on the plane and has been banned from flying American Airlines for an undisclosed time period. No charges were filed.

UPDATE NYC Bans Trans Fats

from My Way News

The Board of Health voted Tuesday to make New York the nation's first city to ban artery-clogging artificial trans fats at restaurants - from the corner pizzeria to high-end bakeries. The board, which passed the ban unanimously, did give restaurants a slight break by relaxing what had been considered a tight deadline for compliance. Restaurants will be barred from using most frying oils containing artificial trans fats by July and will have to eliminate the artificial trans fats from all of their foods by July 2008. But restaurant industry representatives called the ban burdensome and unnecessary.

The ban contains some exceptions; for instance, it would allow restaurants to serve foods that come in the manufacturer's original packaging. Trans fats are believed to be harmful because they contribute to heart disease by raising bad cholesterol and lowering good cholesterol at the same time. Some experts say that makes trans fats worse than saturated fat. The panel also passed another measure that has made restaurants unhappy: Some that chose to inform customers about calorie content will have to list the information right on the menu. The rule would generally apply to fast-food restaurants and other major chains.

Trans fats are formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats by adding hydrogen in a process called hydrogenation. A common example of this is partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is used for frying and baking and turns up in processed foods like cookies, pizza dough and crackers. Trans fats, which are favored because of their long shelf life, are also found in pre-made blends like pancake and hot chocolate mix.

The FDA estimates the average American eats 4.7 pounds of trans fats each year. Chicago is also considering its own trans fat law, which wouldn't ban them outright but would severely restrict the amount that kitchens can use.

Taco Bell Outbreak

from WCBS New York TV 2

At least 14 people in two counties on Long Island have been affected by the recent E. coli outbreak that was first reported in central New Jersey. Officials say three people in Nassau County and 11 people in Suffolk County are being treated in the outbreak, though there is no confirmation yet as to whether the outbreak in New Jersey and the one in New York are related.

Eight Taco Bell restaurants on Long Island have temporarily shut down as part of the investigation -- four from each county.

The outbreak, which that has sickened at least 22 people -- two of them seriously -- was linked by health investigators to three Taco Bell restaurants in New Jersey. It was not immediately clear if the New Jersey outbreak was linked to the one in Long Island. All but two of the people who fell ill in New Jersey had eaten at one of the fast-food restaurants between Nov. 17 and Nov. 28, authorities said. But exactly what food contained the bacteria was still unclear.

Most E. coli infections are associated with undercooked meat. The bacteria also can be found on sprouts or leafy vegetables such as spinach. Earlier this year, three people died and more than 200 fell ill from an outbreak that was traced to packaged spinach grown in California. The bacteria also can be passed from person to person if they do not thoroughly wash their hands after going to the bathroom.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the dangerous E. coli strain 0157:H7 infects about 73,000 Americans a year and kills 61. Symptoms usually show up three to four days after a person eats contaminated food, although in some cases it can be as long as eight days. Officials said anyone having symptoms should immediately contact their health care provider.

NASA Eyes Moon Base

from Breitbart.com

NASA announced it will establish an international base camp on one of the moon's poles, permanently staffing it by 2024, four years after astronauts return to the moon. It is a sweeping departure from the Apollo moon missions of the 1960s and represents a new phase of space exploration after space shuttles are retired in 2010.

After consulting more than 1,000 experts from 14 different countries, NASA decided on a fundamental lunar approach that is sharply different from its previous moon missions in nearly everything but the shape of the ship going there.

NASA chose a "lunar outpost" over the short expeditions of the '60s. Apollo flights were all around the center of the moon, but NASA decided to go to the moon's poles because they are best for longer- term settlements. And this time NASA is welcoming other nations on its journey.

The more likely of the two lunar destinations is the moon's south pole because it's sunlit for three-quarters of the time, making solar power easier, and has possible resources to mine in dark areas nearby. To get to the moon, NASA envisions an all-purpose lunar lander that could touch down anywhere and can be the first part of a base camp.

Lance Bass Break-up

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Lance Bass and his boyfriend, Reichen Lehmkuhl, have called it quits. Bass, who was part of the boy band 'N Sync, revealed earlier this year that he is gay and was in a relationship with Lehmkuhl, a former Air Force captain and winner of season four of CBS' "Amazing Race."

The 27-year-old singer told People in July that he didn't earlier disclose his sexuality because he didn't want to affect 'N Sync's popularity. Lehmkuhl, 32, has said he admired Bass' decision to disclose his sexuality. Lehmkuhl has a new book, "Here's What We'll Say," which recounts his time keeping his sexual orientation a secret from Air Force colleagues.

A Pelican in the Swan

The Pelican Nebula lies about 2,000 light-years away in the high flying constellation Cygnus, the Swan. Also known as IC 5070, this cosmic pelican is appropriately found just off the "east coast" of the North America Nebula, another surprisingly familiar looking emission nebula in Cygnus. The Pelican and North America nebulae are part of the same large and complex star forming region, almost as nearby as the better-known Orion Nebula.

From our vantage point, dark dust clouds (upper left) help define the Pelican's eye and long bill, while a bright front of ionized gas suggests the curved shape of the head and neck. Based on digitized black and white images from the Samuel Oschin Telescope at Palomar Observatory, this striking synthesized color view includes two bright foreground stars and spans about 30 light-years at the estimated distance of the Pelican Nebula.

Phoenix Airport to Begin X-Ray Scanning

from AP

Sky Harbor International Airport will test a new federal screening system that takes X-rays of passenger's bodies to detect concealed explosives and other weapons. The technology, called backscatter, has been around for several years but has not been widely used in the U.S. as an anti-terrorism tool because of privacy concerns.

The Transportation Security Administration said it has found a way to refine the machine's images so that the normally graphic pictures can be blurred in certain areas while still being effective in detecting bombs and other threats. The agency is expected to provide more information about the technology later this month but said one machine will be up and running at Sky Harbor's Terminal 4 by Christmas.

The security agency's Web site indicates that the technology will be used initially as a secondary screening measure, meaning that only those passengers who first fail the standard screening process will be directed to the X-ray area. Even then, passengers will have the option of choosing the backscatter or a traditional pat-down search. A handful of other U.S. airports will have the X-rays machines in place by early 2007 as part of a nationwide pilot program.

The security agency says the machines will be effective in helping detect plastic or liquid explosives and other non-metallic weapons that can be missed by standard metal detectors.

NY Food Poisoning Epidemic

from News10Now (Syracuse)

The number of illnesses connected to the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse is now up to more than 600. Initial complaints came from people who ate at the restaurant either last Friday or Saturday night. But now, people who ate leftovers taken from the Dinosaur on those nights and others who may have come into contact with those that were ill are coming forward.

Preliminary tests show that the illness was not bacterial in nature, but more tests are still being conducted. So, while health officials say it could be something viral, they think it's too early to be sure. Despite the steady increase in illnesses, the restaurant is still scheduled to open back up Monday morning after being disinfected and throwing prepared food out.