5 Second Rule Debunked

From the Boston Globe:
Thursday, May 17, 2007
5-second dropped-food rule debunked

Good news for sloppy chowhounds - that food you dropped on the floor is still safe to eat 30 seconds later.

In the interest of culinary science, student researchers at Connecticut College conducted exacting experiments in the dining hall and the snack bar to see how long it takes for food dropped on the floor to attract rogue bacteria, the New London college said in a press release today.

According to lore and legend, dropped food that spends less than five seconds on the floor - the so-called five-second rule - is still safe to eat because rogue bacteria need more time to taint it.

The flip-side of the five-second rule, of course, is that consuming food that's logged more than five seconds of floor time should daunt even the most fearless of trenchermen.

But now student researchers Molly Goettsche and Nicole Moin claim their study debunks the five-second rule by showing that bacteria needs more time to contaminate dropped food than previously believed.

Working under the supervision of assistant professor Anne Bernhard, the two cell-and-molecular biology students experimented with samples of wet food (apple slices) and dry food (Skittles candy); food samples were left on the floor for various intervals, then analyzed for contamination, the college said.

According to Goettsche and Moin, the results of their research showed that people can wait as long as 30 seconds to pick up wet foods and even longer for dry foods.

Another potential finding perhaps: Either rogue bacteria don't particularly like Skittles or the candies are impervious to their immediate depredations; in the students' research, nearly five minutes elapsed before Skittles on the floor showed a bacterial presence.

In a statement, Goettsche said: "The five-second rule should probably be renamed. You actually have a little more time."
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)

Bubba's got a gun

Is Illinois insane? Have we reached the point where we are so afraid of gun control that we have no restrictions whatsoever? Why have a gun owner's ID card at all when a bureaucrat somewhere in the state house will stamp "APPROVED" on an application featuring the grinning mug of a 10-month-old baby? WHAT is wrong with us???????????????????

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- "Bubba" Ludwig can't walk, talk or open the refrigerator door -- but he does have his very own Illinois gun permit.

The 10-month-old, whose given name is Howard David Ludwig, was issued a firearm owner's identification card after his father, Howard Ludwig, paid the $5 fee and filled out the application, not expecting to actually get one.

The card lists the baby's height (2 feet, 3 inches), weight (20 pounds) and has a scribble where the signature should be. (Watch Bubba use his gun permit as a teething ring )

With some exceptions, the cards are required of any Illinois residents purchasing or possessing firearms or ammunition within the state. There are no age restrictions on the cards, an official said.

Illinois State Police oversee the application process. Their purpose, said Lt. Scott Compton, is to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons, those under an order of protection and those convicted of domestic violence.

"Does a 10-month-old need a FOID card? No, but there are no restrictions under the act regarding age of applicants," he said.

Ludwig, 30, of Chicago, applied for the card after his own father bought Bubba a 12-gauge Beretta shotgun as a gift. The weapon will probably be kept at Ludwig's father's house until the boy is at least 14.
-Associated Press

Cars do kill children: so do poorly-made toys and swimming pools and dozens of common household items. But of all the thousands of products with which children have contact, only one - firearms - are completely exempt from consumer protection regulations. Back in 1972, when the Consumer Product Safety Commission was created, the gun lobby's political power ensured that the one product that is specifically designed to cause death and injury remained exempt. Thus, most handguns have so little trigger resistance that they can be fired by a three-year old, while many guns fire when dropped on the floor. Many popular semi-automatic handguns lack magazine safety disconnects or load indicators, meaning that children have no way of knowing that a gun that appears unloaded actually has a bullet in the chamber.

Apparently Bubba needs his permit for when he goes hunting for rabbits with his friends. Yeah- that'll be great until Bubba accidently shoots his friend and ends up with blood splattered all over him. Shoot for the kill. Maybe his dad will send him to Virginia Tech.

For more information on Guns and Children visit: http://www.bradycampaign.org/facts/issues/?page=kids

Happy Mama's Day!

Happy Mother's day to all you mamas! How wonderful it is to be a mother!
Here are a few cartoons that I thought were funny...(I am the mamasnap with the dark sense of humor...)
































And on those days at about 5pm when you are covered with stuff that won't come off in the wash, your rug is hidden under a pile of "stuff" and your child has a fit because they want spaghetti NOT penne pasta.

Organized living

As a mom we are all faced with homes that look like a bomb went off. We clean it up and then we relax for about a minute and 42 seconds before the havoc begins again. It seems endless.
This week I have been trying to find ways of keeping my house looking a little neater and more organized despite the hourly hurricanes that hit. My first plan of attack is my laundry areas and kitchen, which are sort of one and the same. I have my washer and dryer exposed in my kitchen. Last week I got a new washer and dryer and thought a new look was appropriate seeing as the new washer/dryer set cost almost as much as giving birth to my daughter AND I wasn't going to have to use pliers to turn on the dryer anymore. I used to pile laundry baskets of different size and color on the floor, on the washer and adorn the empty spaces with more laundry. Ok- so I am exaggerating a little and am making it sound like I have an obscene amount of laundry BUT there is nothing like those colorful mountains to really create a sense of aesthetic chaos. I used to be that person who often folds the clothes in the closets because I hated the visual assault of piled, unfolded clothing. I am still particular about my surroundings but I have somewhat surrendered to my kids. That being said, I am trying to find ways of "allowing" my house to be a little upside down but still look good.
My first step to organized and aesthetically pleasing living was to get new laundry baskets. This is what this is really all about- my cool new laundry baskets. I am, indeed, a housewares nerd. I haven't been this excited since I don't know when. Either this paints a really pathetic picture of me and what I have become as a mom or I am SO hip for thinking housewares are fun, you are one of those moms that "get it" and will want to keep on reading because well, frankly, the subject is riveting.
So the laundry baskets....I am really sick of the wicker ones and I can never find a good size or shape that doesn't take up too much room in any given space. I was at the Container Store this morning (exhilarating trip to get an undercounter pull-out trash can) and discovered a company named Reisenthel. (www.reisenthel.com) This company is known for their modern and innovative design. I ended up leaving the store with their laundry basket and no trash can. The laundry basket is small, has a removable liner that can be washed and comes in several colors. I like the simple form and feel that it will actually enhance my surroundings rather then say "Hey! Lookie Lookie! I am a laundry basket and I am full of dirty unmentionables!" These baskets offer the benefit of being able to be in clear sight as well as getting several different colors so that the family can sort the laundry by putting them in the "color coded" baskets. Not only will you enjoy the time it takes to TEACH them (over and over and over again) to put the things in the baskets but your eyes won't feel like pins are being stuck in them everytime you look at your laundry area.
Reisenthel has many products ranging from the much loved laundry baskets to tote baskets to square umbrellas. The Container Store carries alot of their stuff. I will definitely be buying more of their space saving and aesthetically PLEASING merchandise.
I have found SO much joy in this new find that I feel compelled to share other amazing finds.....more to come soon...
AND NOW I am off to do some laundry...sigh!

-SBH

Mommy sayings we like

Mother's Day is approaching and in aknowledgement of it babycenter.com is posting all sorts of fun facts. I thought this one was particularly cool- sayings that reflect common feelings about motherhood in other countries.

China: Shi shang zhi you mama hao.
The best thing in the world is your mom.

Germany: Zwei Dinge sollen Kinder von ihren Eltern bekommen: Wurzeln und Flügel.
Parents should give their children two things: roots and wings.

Austria: Kindermund tut Wahrheit kund.
Children always speak the truth.

India: Ishwar sarvavyapi ho, isliye ishwar ne har parivar mein ek Maa di hai .
God couldn't be everywhere, so he gave each family a mother.

Switzerland: S'Mami isch die Bescht. Wenns ihre guet gaaht, gaahts allne guet.
Mom is the best — and if Mom isn't happy, nobody is happy.

Sweden: Sma barn, sma problem, stora barn, stora problem.
Small children, small problems; big children, big problems.

Spain, Mexico, Cuba: Madre no hay más que una.
You only have one mother.

-SBH

Bad Chocolate

Some chocolate ain’t so sweet. The Organic Consumers Association is urging a boycott of traditional Valentine’s gifts in favor of fair trade chocolate. The OCA informs us that major cocoa suppliers, Nestle SA, Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) and Cargill Inc. are accused of benefiting from child slave labor at cocoa bean plantations in Ivory Coast, West Africa. FYI- More then 70% of the world’s cocoa originates in West Africa.
Many companies make an effort to avoid slave chocolate, however the five largest manufacturers of milk-chocolate-candy (Nestlé, Hersheys, Mars, Cadbury & Phillip Morris) do not. They claim that they have no control over the problem. This is obviously not true. You should avoid these companies at all costs.
ADM and Cargill state they are supportive of responsible cocoa farming and give funding to the World Cocoa Foundation (who knew there was such a thing…if I join do I get free chocolate?) Nestle has been under pressure for OVER 20 years to change it’s practices. They continue to show an irresponsible attitude towards children with implications of ongoing abuse and torture to child cocoa laborers.
Cocoa farmers who sell their cocoa to fair trade organizations reap more benefits from their work. Extra money earned is often put into projects that benefit whole communities. If you make the decision to purchase fair trade products you help those in need.

If these issues matter to you I would definitely cross all Nestle products (chocolate and formulas) off your grocery list. Horizon formula though a little more expensive is organic and my daughter really liked it. And while you’re at it buy other chocolate brands. I personally like bitter dark chocolate bars with about 70% cocoa content. Valhrona and Sharffen Berger are two notible fair trade chocolates that are easy to come by and taste yummy. Green & Blacks is another popular one but I have yet to taste it. Trader Joe's has a great selection...

Ken loves Barbie????

"Tea Party Ken"...Umm..Yeah......JUST the kind of man Barbie wants.

-SBH

5 Quick Breakfast Ideas for Your Child

Trouble getting breakfast to the kids? Most likely it is because your family is already rushed in the morning and you don't feel like you have time to provide a nutritious breakfast. But remember that breakfast doesn't have to mean home-made waffles or French toast every day. There are many quick and easy breakfasts that you can give your kids that are also nutritious.

1. TOASTER Waffles- They love them! They come in many varieties- different grains, with blueberries, with banana flavor, gluten-free etc.. So many choices! You are sure to find one that your kid will love. If you have a light eater like me you can fatten it up by slathering on the butter!

2. TOASTER French Toast- Just throw it in the toaster! Trader Joe's has a great one that isn't so unhealthy. Again for the little birds- bring on the butter!

3. Yo Baby Yogurt- We eat these because they are hormone-free and organic. Lulu loves the Apple flavor and the Banana. Unfortunately they come in mixed packs- Apple/Blueberry and Banana/Vanilla. I have had success in tricking my little one though by putting the vanilla in the banana container. These yogurts are available at pretty much any grocery store BUT are cheapest at good ol' Trader Joe's.

4, Ready-to-eat Cereal with fruit and milk. Go for the healthy ones and skip the sugar. Lulu has always liked Cheerios (or any health food store equivalent)

5. Scrambled eggs with breakfast chicken sausages- Sounds decadent but is really so fast... You can cook the sausages in advance and leave them in a tupperware for a few days without them getting icky. Microwave them for a minute and voila! a great side to some quick scrambled eggs! (Eggs can be made in so little time!)

Quick Facts:
40% of children do not eat breakfast
According to the American Dietetic Association:
* Children who eat a healthy breakfast 'meet their daily nutritional needs, keep their weight under control, have lower blood cholesterol levels, attend school more frequently, and make fewer trips to the school nurses office complaining of tummy aches.
* Kids 'who eat breakfast are more likely than children who skip breakfast to consume foods with adequate levels of minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins, such as riboflavin, vitamins A, C, and B12, and folate.

-SBH