| Pleasing Penn palates
The problem with food served in a cafeteria is that invariably it tastes like cafeteria food. The steam-table aura is hard enough for any cafeteria to deal with - add to that requiring patrons to prepay nearly $4,000 a year, and you've got a college dining hall. Inmates in state penitentiaries may be easier to please. At the University of Pennsylvania, where freshmen are required to buy a $3,884 two-semester meal plan (it's optional for all other students), expectations run high, said Laurie Cousart, who oversees Penn Dining. "Our students come from many places across the country and around the world," Cousart said. "They have sophisticated tastes." So, just as with academics and athletics, she said, Penn works hard to stay competitive. Penn Dining already offers Seafood Tuesdays and Restaurant Thursdays (with table service in lieu of cafeteria lines and a menu that features lobster and lamb chops).
EPA Loses Federal Court Battle Over Mercury
The Environmental Protection agency must require power plants, the leading source of mercury pollution in the U.S, to better control their emissions of the dangerous toxin, a federal court ruled today. The D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that EPA violated the Clean Air Act when it removed oil and coal fired power plants from the list of sources that are subject to the Act's most stringent air pollution controls. The agency must now develop tougher standards to control mercury and other toxic pollutants from new and existing power plants.
"Today's decision is a huge victory as it requires EPA to get back to the business of protecting people's health rather than higher profits for electric utilities," said John Suttles, attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center. "As a result of this ruling, EPA will have to go back to the drawing board and follow the Clean Air Act and the advice of the nation's leading health experts to adequately protect the public from this harmful neurotoxin." SELC represents the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, the American Nurses Association and Physicians for Social Responsibility in the legal challenge.
A sobering St. Paddy's Day conflict?
Patrick's Day parade in Hermosa Beach, which is historically the weekend closest to March 17. This year's festivities are scheduled for March 15 in downtown Hermosa. The conflict over Holy Week wasn't an issue in this year's planning, said Community Resources Director Lisa Lynn. "We have several Irish Catholics on the planning committee, and no one raised this issue," she said. Catholics elsewhere are pressuring city leaders to change their schedule of events. Bishop J. Kevin Boland of the Diocese of Savannah, Ga., wrote to practically every agency in his city, from the Chamber of Commerce to the Board of Education, saying the diocese was changing the date of its celebration this year. In response, the citywide Irish festival was moved to March 14, when schools will close .
High bee prices sting almond growers
Growers plant two compatible varieties of almonds, and honeybees cross-pollinate between the two to set the crop. How much growers spend on hives depends on their acreage; the more trees they have, the more expensive it gets. Those costs could be passed on to consumers at the grocery store. LATE BLOOM, HIGHER PRICES The almond bloom usually starts the second week of February, but its a little late this year. Almonds are the first crop to require pollination, and the insects pollinate many foods, including apples, melons and the seeds that help feed livestock. About 1.2 million hives are needed to pollinate the states $3 billion almond crop, said Bob Curtis, senior manager for production research for the Almond Board. Bees were scarce in 2005, and no one wanted a repeat the next year.
Thursday, January 31
MYERS: Well, yes. And I think people do—it‘s not just sort of the relationship of words. These are relationships of deeds that Bill Clinton has built over many, many, many years, not just as president, but even before he was president. As governor, he was out helping people, trying to build a national party. Those—but—but... MATTHEWS: Does he have a good memory, Bill Clinton? MYERS: Yes. Yes. He has a tremendous memory. And I don‘t mean for slights necessarily. MATTHEWS: I mean for big memory. MYERS: He just remembers everything. (CROSSTALK) MATTHEWS: So, if he got somebody a new 100,000 acres for their college campus or something, whatever he got, they would remember it? MYERS: He just remembers—he remembers a lot of details. That‘s why he‘s great at policy.
Procter & Gamble Sees Earnings Goal Hit Even Without...
Daily News Alerts The company announced plans to divest its coffee business to shareholders on Jan. 31. Chief Financial Officer Clayton Daley confirmed on Thursday the divestiture would likely be accomplished in a transaction that would cut P&G earnings by 3 cents to 5 cents a share annually, starting in fiscal year 2009, which begins in July. 'Our goal is to deliver double-digit core earnings-per- share growth even without the coffee business,' Daley said. The world's largest household and personal-care products maker also said it has not seen signs of consumers leaving its brands -- which include Tide laundry detergent, Pampers diapers and Gillette razors -- for lower-cost alternatives, despite the sluggish U.S. economy. 'We have not seen trade down to private label or lower- priced products,' Daley, P&G's chief financial officer, said during a presentation to the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference, held in Florida.
Teens using steroids cheat themselves and their health
The measure of success in any sport is how well you use what you have to win, says Ken Locker, a certified athletic trainer at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. "It's easy for someone to cheat and win," he adds. "With steroids, you're tricking your body. You're creating something that's not you, and that's why you're cheating." But in the sports world, from high school on up, the focus often is more on competition and less on following the rules. "It's not just the kids," says Mr. Locker, who knows of a freshman at a small university who tested positive for steroids. Regulations required the school to tell his parents what had happened. They weren't surprised. "The parents admitted to giving it to him," Mr. Locker says. "They wanted him to get a scholarship." Is there a way to get a scholarship without going the steroid route? Sure, Mr.
Iams and Eukanuba Dog and Cat Foods Earn Good Housekeeping Seal
DAYTON, Ohio, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- When it comes to assuring consumers about product quality, Iams and Eukanuba always have led the way, providing a money back guarantee to assure pet lovers that their dogs and cats are getting the best nutrition. Now, Good Housekeeping is recognizing Iams and Eukanuba with the Good Housekeeping Seal, a mark of excellence that stands for the Good Housekeeping Institute's rigorous evaluation process as well as an additional limited warranty against defects. "Being the only pet food manufacturer to earn the Good Housekeeping Seal is a source of pride for Iams and Eukanuba that we're happy to offer to our consumers," said P&G Pet Care general manager Dan Rajczak. "Dogs and cats are important members of our family households, so it's only right that we provide families with the ultimate assurance that we stand behind our pet food products." Founded in 1900, the Good Housekeeping Institute is dedicated to informing and educating consumers through product evaluations.
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