Croc

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9012601831.html Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury Wednesday, January 28, 2009; 12:00 AM MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies. HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average. "Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [u.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement. ad_icon In the first study, published in current issue of Environmental Health, researchers found detectable levels of mercury in nine of 20 samples of commercial HFCS. And in the second study, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), a non-profit watchdog group, found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was found most commonly in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments. But an organization representing the refiners is disputing the results published in Environmental Health. "This study appears to be based on outdated information of dubious significance," said Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners Association, in a statement. "Our industry has used mercury-free versions of the two re-agents mentioned in the study, hydrochloric acid and caustic soda, for several years. These mercury-free re-agents perform important functions, including adjusting pH balances." However, the IATP told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that four plants in Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia still use "mercury-cell" technology that can lead to contamination. IATP's Ben Lilliston also told HealthDay that the Environmental Health findings were based on information gathered by the FDA in 2005. And the group's own study, while not peer-reviewed, was based on products "bought off the shelf in the autumn of 2008," Lilliston added. The use of mercury-contaminated caustic soda in the production of HFCS is common. The contamination occurs when mercury cells are used to produce caustic soda. "The bad news is that nobody knows whether or not their soda or snack food contains HFCS made from ingredients like caustic soda contaminated with mercury. The good news is that mercury-free HFCS ingredients exist. Food companies just need a good push to only use those ingredients," Wallinga said in his prepared statement. More information The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry has more about mercury and health. SOURCE: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, news release, Jan. 26, 2009

OK, well to that end, it sounds like you can definitely get some decent work with those qualifications. Carmel, IN has a lot of doctors, lawyers, and business people in it, and a lot of brochures are in serious need of work. The city is also starting to post videos on its website, but the website itself needs a LOT of work. Their search engine is pure 90s technology. I interned for the city a couple summers ago, and I know they are looking at getting more stuff on the internet. They want to go green, and a few people I talked to are interested in getting a lot of the various permit forms online so that they can update their databases more seamlessly as well as go as paperless as a city government can be. Maybe they're looking for somebody there. Also, Carmel has a couple of stables, and the neighboring town, Zionsville, is pretty rural in appearance with a lot of equestrian-type people. Carmel has the lowest tax rate in the state of all the "cities" and they also beat many of the towns, too. Great amenities, and commute to downtown Indianapolis is like 20-30 min. There is also a downtown express shuttle service that just started up, a park-and-ride type thing, and it's been pretty popular. Just to the east of Carmel is the town of Fishers, which has many of the same types of people, but is a bit lower in avg income when compared to Carmel, and the traffic is a lot worse. Not as many amenities, but proximity to downtown Indianapolis is similar. Not as close to stables or those kinds of things, but the housing is more affordable. Both places are great places to raise a family, and schools in Zionsville, Carmel and Fishers are perennially competing amongst the top 3-4 spots in the state rankings. Again, I cannot stress enough--Indiana has pretty much the best income-to-cost of living ratio in the nation without being in the middle of nowhere (relatively). It isn't some huge city, but it isn't a series of rural towns, either. Good luck, and keep us posted on what happens.

I initially liked both. I truly don't understand how some people say they don't like coffee. That's like saying you don't like ice cream--there's 32 f@#king flavors and you're telling me you tried every single one of them and decided they all suck? I'm definitely not a fan of certain roasts of coffee, but overall I will drink them all--I just prefer some over others.

Not to nit-pick, but those are kreteks, not cigarettes. And I smoked these for a few months, but I got an upper respiratory infection, and those things were KILLER! I can't really stomach them much now after that, but they do taste damn good. I do wish Djarum made them shorter, because they smoke about a minute and a half longer than I'd prefer. Yeah you just don't know what you're talking about--at all. You obviously have never even smelled one of these.

Amazing Sugar Cream Pie Ingredients: 1 C sugar 1 dash salt ¼ C flour 1 P whipping cream 1 unbaked deep-dish pie shell Cinnamon to taste Nutmeg to taste Directions: Combine sugar, salt and flour. Scald the whipping cream. Add a little cream to the dry ingredients and stir to dissolve, then add and mix the remainder of the cream. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Wow, I'm so honored one of my threads has been resurrected by our resident necromancer. I think it's time for some new recipes from Cooking with Croc: Truly the best hamburgers: 1lb Ground Beef Lipton Onion dried soup packets to taste (1-2) 1-2T water Mix soup mix and ground beef VERY THOROUGHLY in a bowl. Add only enough water to moisten, do not saturate. Form patties, grill, and top with your choice of toppings.

Don't take this the wrong way, but the whole thing sounded like something I'd hear on Judge Judy. Seriously. Please, for your own sanity, look for job prospects in MO or somewhere with a lower cost of living and a future, and get something you can live off of. Move out. I don't know what degrees/education/marketable skills you have besides website building (which honestly isn't enough on its own in this job market), but please use them to get something you can live off of. There are some killer deals in various places real estate-wise, especially in the midwest. It pains me to type this, but you might even look into living in Indiana--it has one of the best (if not the best) income-to-cost of living ratios in the country. Carmel, IN is a very nice suburb of Indianapolis with plenty of parks and amenities, and some job prospects. Also, I know of some apartment complexes there with great rents, and you can walk to the grocery (right across the street) or go to restaurants and other shops within 5-10 minutes. Give us some more information on what you're looking for, and maybe someone on here can help you out. There are enough people on here that I'm sure SOMEONE can find you something. To that end: [*]What marketable skills do you have? Highest education attainment? Past work experience? [*]What salary/wage do you reasonably expect to make? [*]What about Jessica? Skills/education/work experience? [*]What other issues are in play? Do you have to be super close to family, or what? What kinds of commutes are you looking at? Etc. Give us some more info and maybe this can be figured out.

Wow, they don't even look 18!

That sucks dude. You might want to consider a Subaru Impreza or AUDI for the next ride for the AWD.

They fold nearly flat...but nearly is the operative. The Explorer actually folds flat. The Explorer also has a wide, more usable liftgate opening, and wheel well intrusion is less than the TB.

HAHAHAHA!! But he's trying to RAISE AWARENESS!

With their inventories the way they are, they could take the Durango out of production for 2 years and still have an ample lot supply.

I'm just curious...do Canadians pay extra for a CSX en masse like Americans do for an ES330?

Yea is it just me or does that Bacon Explosion look like it hasn't come close to an internal temperature for pork?

Sweet. Welcome back, man.

I'd rather have my mother's meatloaf. VERY GOOD!

I have no idea. I've rented the EXT TrailBlazer and the Explorer to do the same things: move myself across the country for over 3000+ miles. Not only was the Explorer a more enjoyable vehicle, but it had far and away more practical room for hauling. The TB felt like a POS, and the Explorer felt nice. Ford put more thought into the day-to-day convenience needs in the Explorer than GM did with the 360s. Granted, the Bravada is not a TB, but those SUVs all had a lot of quality issues for the first several model years, and overall I find their design utterly lacking. I know you want to buy GM, and I cannot argue with that, but don't punish yourself either. Test drive one of each, and pick which one feels best.

Irrelevant. Are you really trying to argue that a vehicle with the gas tank mounted OUTSIDE THE FRAME isn't negligent design? And yes, GM was aware of this by the time they were designed and put into production. Thanks for the clarification.

+2 I'd stay away from the Bravada. Those were POS from day 1, and it took GM several model years to iron everything out. And they debuted as 2002s, with the final year being, what, 2004? No dice, get a 9-7X if you really want a GMT-360. Personally, I'd get an Explorer/Mountaineer of the same vintage--heads and shoulders above the GM offerings.

As long as it's an '88 and not an '87 or prior...if you want it make sure it doesn't have side-saddle fuel tanks.

I'd even take those points one further--in CA to work on a state infrastructure project, the contractors generally have to meet certain diversity requirements like using union workers and having certain percentages of women, minorities, and others. Also, unions have certain diversity requirements like taking on some of the unemployed or other high-risk populations and training them via apprenticeship programs. It's been a great way for many people to gain employment who would otherwise be considered "unskilled" and therefore perpetually unemployed.

I wouldn't want to place bets on GM actually marketing these new Thetas as "midsized" instead of "large compact."

+1 I really don't have anything else to add to this line of thought; Oldsmoboi has summed it up and elaborated on my positions very nicely.

This isn't the lounge, and I'm pretty sure Oldsmoboi made it rather clear yesterday that, no, the mods do not agree with you in this case: Mooooooooving on!

I don't like Cobalt--very weak, clunky-sounding name. But it's better than Cavalier was. As for Cruze...yuck. But that's because of the spelling. If it were just "Cruz" I wouldn't have a problem with it nearly as much as it evokes Santa Cruz and coastal imagery.