Abstract:
Recently, many jurisdictions have implemented bans or imposed taxes upon plastic grocery bags on environmental grounds. San Francisco County was the first major US jurisdiction to enact such a regulation, implementing a ban in 2007. There is evidence, however, that reusable grocery bags, a common substitute for plastic bags, contain potentially harmful bacteria. We examine emergency room admissions related to these bacteria in the wake of the San Francisco ban. We find that ER visits spiked when the ban went into effect. Relative to other counties, ER admissions increase by at least one fourth, and deaths exhibit a similar increase.
Stands to reason, how many people sanitize the reusable grocery bags they use for food shopping? Especially those manufactured from re-cycled post consumer waste, woven with thick, burlap-like threads, all the better to retain the residue of meat, blood and other organic material. Frankly I’ve always thought they were stupid and I have plenty of secondary uses for the paper grocery bags around the house. However, if you buy into the idiocy of reusable grocery bags, then.
Wash in Hot Water and Bleach, then Dry Thoroughly!
after all, its for the children. (afterthought: after sanitizing, treat them as you would any food storage container, don’t throw them into the trunk until the next time you go shopping.)
The NRA was Right!
Nuff’ said.
The War On Banks: First In A Series
New mortgage rules issued last week by the administration will have the effect of forcing lenders to approve prime loans to borrowers who would normally only qualify for subprime loans carrying higher interest rates and fees to cover the added risk of default.
Banks are already under renewed pressure from federal prosecutors and regulators to make home loans to low-income borrowers with blemished credit as part of the administration’s stepped-up enforcement of anti-redlining laws…
As part of recent consent decrees, Justice has ordered several bank defendants to approve prime-rate mortgages for African-Americans and Latinos who otherwise would not qualify for them.
For instance, First United Security Bank of Alabama must set up a “special financing program” for African-Americans.
According to the 25-page federal order, the program must offer them interest rates and other terms “more advantageous to the applicant than it would normally provide” — even if the applicant “would ordinarily not qualify for (a discounted) rate for reasons including lack of required credit quality, income, or down payment.”
Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t we (collectively) learn back in 2008 that this is an (felony) bad idea? In the comments at the original site (I’d like some comments too, BTW) this commenter (James Atkinson) nailed it in one, “Obviously we no longer have a president of all the people but a tribal leader for some of the people.”
A controversial 80ft wind turbine has collapsed after being hit by heavy winds.
The £250,000 tower, which stood as tall as a six story building, was hit by gale force gusts of 50mph.
The 50KW structure then collapsed at a farm in Bradworthy, Devon, leaving a “mangled wreck”.
I see a problem, 50MPH are not “heavy winds”. O.K. in some areas, maybe heavy but not exceptional and certainly not the highest winds that could be expected within the 25 year operational life of the “wind” turbine. Also, 50KW isn’t very much power, not compared to Natural Gas and Nuclear power plants (add five zeros). This is why wind and solar are always the most expensive path for supplying power.
On the North River 