Tag Archives: United States

~ FDA/USDA ~~ Alerts & Safety, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)


02/22/2013 10:46 AM EST
Bruce Foods Corporation of New Iberia, LA is recalling mislabeled cans of 10 oz Food Club Red Enchilada Sauce with code GES 462449, Best Before Date: 12/3/2016 that could contain Green Enchilada Sauce instead of Red Enchilada Sauce. Only the Food Club Green Enchilada contains wheat and soy.
 
02/22/2013 10:19 AM EST
Heartland® Brands is voluntarily recalling two varieties of its granola cereals in the United States, Bahamas, Bermuda, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Israel and Trinidad, as a precaution due to the possible presence of fragments of flexible metal mesh in an ingredient. The ingredient is a grain blend, and the problem was discovered and reported by the ingredient supplier, Dakota Specialty Milling.
 
02/21/2013 07:31 PM EST
GoldCoast Salads, a Naples Florida firm, is voluntarily recalling Blue Crab Spread, Maine Lobster Spread, Lobster and Shrimp Spread, and Smoked Salmon Spread that may be contaminated with Listeria. The Blue Crab Spread being recalled is coded EXP 2/14/13 B
 
 
02/21/2013 04:30 PM EST
February 19, 2013 – Kaytee Products is recalling several bird treats and greens items due to possible contamination of Salmonella from parsley flake ingredients supplied to Kaytee by Specialty Commodities, Inc., an outside supplier to Kaytee. No human or pet illnesses have been reported to-date.
 
02/21/2013 08:49 PM EST
The Honest Kitchen today announced that it is voluntarily recalling five lots of its Verve, Zeal and Thrive pet food products produced between August and November 2012 and sold nationwide in the US and Canada via retail stores, mail order and online after August 2012 because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No other Honest Kitchen batches, production dates or products are affected.
 
 
02/21/2013 05:32 PM EST
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that Kasel Associates Industries Inc. is recalling all pet treats it manufactured from April 20 through Sept. 19, 2012 due to potential contamination with Salmonella. Kasel has issued three previous recall notices for specific products manufactured during this time period.
 
 
02/21/2013 09:33 PM EST
Mondelēz Global LLC announced today a nationwide voluntary recall in the United States, including Puerto Rico, of the belVita Breakfast Biscuit product, Apple Cinnamon and Chocolate varieties, following notification from a third-party supplier, due to the possible presence of fragments of flexible metal mesh caused by a faulty screen at their facility.
 
 
 
 
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Official Google Blog: Journalism Fellowship winners !


GOOGLeOur first-ever Google Journalism Fellowship winners

Our first-ever Google Journalism Fellowship winnersPosted: 21 Feb 2013 01:55 PM PST

More than 2,300 students from across the globe applied for the first Google Journalism Fellowship. The interest the Fellowship attracted clearly demonstrates the need for these types of opportunities, especially as the worlds of journalism and technology increasingly become one.The students who have been picked for the 10-week program will get the chance to work with organizations focused on exciting projects ranging from those steeped in investigative journalism to those working for press freedom around the world and to those that are helping the industry figure out its future in the digital age. They will also spend a week with the Knight Foundation and a week with Google.We had so many applications—on the last day they poured in at a rate of roughly one every two minutes—that we extended our review period by a week to make selections. Our host organizations had the unenviable task of choosing just one Fellow out of the mass of talented students who applied; the Nieman Journalism Lab is taking two Fellows.

The Fellows who will take part in the program are:

Thank you to everyone who made the effort to apply and to the host organizations for their hard work.

Posted by Maggie Shiels, Google Communications and former BBC journalist

The Chromebook Pixel, for what’s nextPosted: 21 Feb 2013 11:22 AM PST

Chromebooks were designed to make computing speedy, simple and secure. For many of you, they have become the perfect, additional (and yes, affordable) computer: ideal for catching up on emails, sharing documents and chatting via Hangouts. We’re tremendously grateful to our partners—Samsung, Acer, Lenovo and HP—for their commitment. The momentum has been remarkable: the Samsung Chromebook has been #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list for laptops every day since it launched 125 days ago in the U.S., and Chromebooks now represent more than 10 percent of notebook sales at Currys PC World, the largest electronics retailer in the U.K.So what’s next? Today we’re excited to announce our newest laptop—the Chromebook Pixel—which brings together the best in hardware, software and design to inspire the next generation of Chromebooks. With the Pixel, we set out to rethink all elements of a computer in order to design the best laptop possible, especially for power users who have fully embraced the cloud. The philosophy of Chrome has always been to minimize the “chrome” of the browser. In much the same way, the goal of the Pixel is to make the pixels disappear, giving people the best web experience.

Let’s start with the screen. This Chromebook has the highest pixel density (239 pixels per inch) of any laptop screen on the market today. Packed with 4.3 million pixels, the display offers sharp text, vivid colors and extra-wide viewing angles. With a screen this rich and engaging, you want to reach out and touch it—so we added touch for a more immersive experience. Touch makes it simple and intuitive to do things like organize tabs, swipe through apps and edit photos with the tip of your finger.

The Pixel has been engineered with the highest quality components to ensure it’s comfortable to use all day long and meets the needs of demanding power users. The body of the Pixel is made from an anodized aluminum alloy to create a smooth and durable surface; vents are hidden, screws are invisible and the stereo speakers are seamlessly tucked away beneath the backlit keyboard. The touchpad is made from etched glass, analyzed and honed using a laser microscope to ensure precise navigation. The Pixel also has powerful, full-range speakers for crisp sound, a 720p webcam for clear video, and a total of three microphones designed to cancel out surrounding noise.

Other aspects of the Pixel include:

  • Speed: Speed has been a core tenet of Chrome and Chromebooks since the beginning. For Pixel, it’s critical that the overall experience, everything from loading webpages to switching between apps, is near instant. Powered by an Intel® Core™ i5 Processor and a solid state Flash memory architecture, the Pixel performs remarkably fast.
  • Connectivity: The Pixel has an industry-leading WiFi range thanks to carefully positioned antennas and dual-band support. Long-term evolution (LTE) is engineered directly into the machine, delivering fast connectivity across Verizon’s network, the largest, fastest 4G LTE network in the U.S. (LTE model optional). It also comes with 12 free GoGo® Inflight Internet passes for those times you need to connect while in the air.
  • Storage: Since this Chromebook is for people who live in the cloud, one terabyte of Google Drive cloud storage* is included with the Pixel. This enables you to save, access and share photos, videos, documents, and all of your stuff from all of your devices, from anywhere.

Finally, as you’ve come to expect from all Chromebooks, all of your favorite Google products like Search, Gmail, YouTube, Maps and Google+ Hangouts are integrated and just a click away. And since it’s based on Chrome OS, the Pixel boots up in seconds and never slows down, requires almost zero setup or maintenance, and comes with built-in virus protection. Best of all, it stays up to date with automatic updates every few weeks.

If you want to be part of the next step in the Chromebook journey, the Pixel will be available for purchase starting today on Google Play in the U.S. and U.K., and soon on BestBuy.com. The WiFi version ($1,299 U.S. and £1,049 U.K.) will start shipping next week and the LTE version ($1,449) will ship in the U.S. in April. If you’re interested in a hands-on experience, you can visit select Best Buy (U.S.) and Currys PC World (U.K.) store locations.

It’s one of the most exciting times in the history of personal computing, thanks to a rapid pace of change, innovation and consumer adoption of devices. Our goal is to continue to push the experience forward for everyone, working with the entire ecosystem to build the next generation of Chrome OS devices. We hope you enjoy what’s next.

Posted by Linus Upson, Vice President of Engineering

*You will have 1TB of free storage for 3 years, starting on the date you redeem the offer on eligible Chrome devices.
Doodle 4 Google: A stately competition Posted: 21 Feb 2013 10:09 AM PST

Are you a young artist from California? Alabama? Or Indiana (like me!)? Well, get doodling with the topic “My Best Day Ever…” for a chance to see your very own artwork on the Google homepage—and help represent your piece of the union.Today marks the 30-day countdown to the March 22 submission deadline for the U.S. Doodle 4 Google competition. And in the spirit of friendly competition, we’re inviting you to rally fellow students and teachers in your state to take part in Doodle 4 Google’s 30-day Race to the Finish with an interactive map that shows the top submitting states. States are ranked in order of submissions relative to student population size.

Whether your state tops the submissions race or not, you still have the chance to become the individual state winner. The 50 state winners will win an all-expenses paid trip to New York City in May for the final awards ceremony, where we’ll reveal the winning doodle. The national winner will see his or her doodle on the Google homepage, win a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for his or her school. Download an entry form today to get doodling!

Fun fact for those of you who can’t get enough doodles: we run Doodle 4 Google competitions in many countries worldwide, year-round. Vote for your Irish favorites now—the winner will appear on www.google.ie on April 16.

As always, happy doodling!

Posted by Ryan Germick, Doodle Team Lead
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

WATCH VIDEO: We couldn’t believe they were saying this, so we confronted them…


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Nativist, racist and fear-mongering hate groups are working hard to drive their narrative on immigration. We couldn’t just stand idly on the sidelines. So…

We confronted them directly and this is what they had to say!

We know very well that if we don’t speak up, they will speak for us!

The worst part of it is that our politicians are using the narrative as anti-immigration reform arguments, sometimes even word for word! For years now, these groups have successfully infused their message into the national immigration debate. They have co-opted local politicians and national figures which then turn the absurd into acceptable talking points:”More punishment”, “Militarize the border”, “Massive deportations”, “More Enforcement.” This has resulted in dangerous policies that have led to flagrant violation of human rights. We need to spread the word and counter this absurdity.

Share this with your friends and family; let them know where the anti-immigrant rhetoric is born!

Once again and thanks to you, together we are making an impact.

Yours,
Axel Caballero and the Cuéntame team

PS – Please help support our work. Cuéntame depends on your support to continue investigating issues and producing content. We are a non-profit and we take no money from the government, lobbyists, or corporations. You can contribute any amount here so we can continue to uncover stories that are important to you. Every dollar helps. Thanks!

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

They locked us out and fired us


 Below is an email from La’kesia Johnson, a Cablevision technician who worked with the Communication Workers of America to create a petition on SignOn.org, the nonprofit site that allows anyone to start their own online petition. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, click here.

Dear MoveOn member,

I got fired just for speaking my mind about my working conditions. That’s not just wrong, it’s illegal.

I’ve worked as a Cablevision/Optimum technician for more than 6 years. A year ago, my coworkers and I voted to form a union, so we could have a voice on the job. But a year has come and gone, and Cablevision/Optimum management hasn’t negotiated in good faith for a contract.

Along with my co-workers, I asked to talk to my managers. They say they have an “open door” policy, but when we wanted to talk, they said they were too busy. Then they fired 22 of us, telling us we were “permanently replaced”.

They locked us out and fired us for speaking out about working conditions. That’s illegal and just plain wrong.

I’m without my paycheck just as my rent is going up. I have two children, Alexis and Rayshawn, one of whom has had serious medical care needs which has left us with a stack of bills. Meanwhile, Cablevision’s CEO, James Dolan, made $11.5 million last year alone.

That’s why I created a petition on SignOn.org to James Dolan, the CEO of Cablevision/Optimum, which says:

I urge Cablevision/Optimum to reinstate all 22 of the workers they illegally fired and locked out on January 30 and to bargain with the union in good faith.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thanks!

–La’kesia Johnson

This petition was created on SignOn.org, the progressive, nonprofit petition site. SignOn.org is sponsored by MoveOn Civic Action, which is not responsible for the contents of this or other petitions posted on the site. La’kesia and the Communication Workers of America didn’t pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Weekly Women’s Update: Averting the Sequester and Reducing the Deficit


Greetings All-

We hope this message finds you well.

Just 7 days from now, Congress might permit a series of severe and automatic budget cuts, called the “sequester,” to go into effect. Read the President’s proposal to resolve the sequester and reduce our deficit by over $4 trillion dollars in a balanced way. You can also view the President’s remarks on the importance of Congress finding a balanced approach to deficit reduction that doesn’t harm our economy or the middle class.

Join us for a call about the sequester on Tuesday, February 26 at 10:30am. RSVP details are below.

President Obama was in Chicago last Friday to talk about the importance of making sure every child in America has every chance in life to succeed. The President laid out a plan to rebuild ladders of opportunity for every American who is willing to work hard and climb them.

The White House Champions of Change program highlights the stories and examples of citizens who are moving their communities forward. This March’s event will focus on Women Veterans’ contributions within the veterans’ community. Nominate a woman veteran as a Champion of Change by midnight on Tuesday, February 26.

Best wishes,

The White House Council on Women & Girls

Engage With The White House About The Sequester

You are invited to join a call with senior White House officials on Tuesday, February 26 at 10:30am EDT to discuss the President’s call for Congress to replace harmful cuts with a balanced approach to deficit reduction.

Participants must preregister for this teleconference at http://ems6.intellor.com?p=600025&do=register&t=1. Once the participant registers, a confirmation page will display dial-in numbers and a unique PIN, and the participant will also receive an email confirmation of this information.  This call is off the record and not for press purposes.

President Obama: Automatic Budget Cuts Will Hurt Economy, Slow Recovery, and Put People Out of Work.

Just 7 days from now, Congress might permit a series of severe and automatic budget cuts, called the “sequester,” that will hurt our economic growth, add hundreds of thousands of Americans to the unemployment rolls, and threaten military readiness. President Obama said Tuesday morning:

“Now, if Congress allows this meat-cleaver approach to take place, it will jeopardize our military readiness; it will eviscerate job-creating investments in education and energy and medical research. It won’t consider whether we’re cutting some bloated program that has outlived its usefulness, or a vital service that Americans depend on every single day. It doesn’t make those distinctions.”

But, these cuts don’t have to happen — Congress has the power to stop them. The President has called on Congress to find a balanced approach to deficit reduction that combines tax reform with additional spending reforms – an approach that doesn’t harm our economy or the middle class.

View the President’s complete remarks on the sequester here:

President's remarks on the sequester

A Balanced Plan to Avert the Sequester and Reduce the Deficit

The President and Congressional Democrats have put forward solutions to avoid the sequester’s severe cuts and allow time for both sides to work on a long-term, balanced solution to our deficit challenges.

The President is serious about cutting spending, reforming entitlements and the tax code to reduce the deficit in a balanced way. The question is, will Congressional Republicans come to the table to get something done?

The President’s proposal resolves the sequester and reduces our deficit by over $4 trillion dollars in a balanced way- by cutting spending, finding savings in entitlement programs and asking the wealthiest to pay their fair share. As a result the deficit would be cut below its historic average and the debt would fall as a share of the economy over the next decade. View the President’s plan here.

We can’t just cut our way to prosperity. Even as we look for ways to reduce deficits over the long term, we must grow the economy in a way that strengthens the middle class and everyone willing to work hard to get into it.

We hope that Congressional Republicans come to the table for the sake of middle class families, our national security and our future today.

Deficits as a share of GDP

Giving Every Child a Chance in Life

President Obama was in Chicago on Friday to talk about the importance of making sure every child in America has every chance in life to succeed. Speaking at the Hyde Park Career Academy, which is less than a mile from the Obama’s home in that city, the President laid out a plan to rebuild ladders of opportunity for every American who is willing to work hard and climb them. This includes making sure every child in America has access to high-quality pre-K, and raising the minimum wage so that no family that works hard and relies on a minimum wage is living in poverty. But creating a path into the middle class also means transforming high-poverty communities into places of opportunity that can attract private investment, improve education, and create jobs.

Read the President’s remarks on his plan to make that happen.

Champions of Change: Women Veterans

The White House Champions of Change program highlights the stories and examples of citizens across the country who are “Winning the Future” with projects and initiatives that move their communities forward.

This March, the White House Office of Public Engagement will host a Champions of Change event for Women Veterans to highlight their contributions within the veterans’ community, especially female veterans who served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. We know many Women Veterans continue to role model leadership and a dedication to service, often continuing engagement within the veterans’ and military families’ community.

We are asking for your help to identify women veterans that may be “Champions of Change.”

For example, a champion’s work may entail:

  • Improving health care services available to women and children
  • Helping women veterans transition into the workforce
  • Leading programs to improve the well-being of young women
  • Developing a program to support victims of domestic violence or trauma
  • Helping engage and support Wounded Warriors transition to new careers
  • Providing services and support to eliminate homelessness

Nominate a woman veteran as a Champion of Change.

Please submit nominations by midnight on Tuesday, February 26