Saturday, March 19, 2011

This week's compendium

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1. treehugger published an item about a pocket hydrogen fuel cell charger [1]. Great gizmo.

2. and also an item reporting that UK food inspectors studies 558 food items labelled as ‘local’, and found that 18% were undoubtedly not local and 14% were unverifiable [2]. ‘Welsh lamb’ from New Zealand!

3. in the US, the FAA mandated the removal of emergency oxygen masks from aeroplane toilets, in the interests of ‘national security’ [3]. It’s a mad, mad (etc) world, alright.

4. the journal Paediatrics reported that among formula-fed infants or infants weaned before age four months, introduction of solid foods before the age of four months increased the risk of obesity at age three years [4]. Breast fed is best fed at least for the first four months of life. It’s currently unclear when to start solid foods after then.

5. in the US, a CDC report showed continuing improved cancer survival [5]. This further reinforces the adage that cancer’s a word and not a sentence.

6. a large Australian randomised controlled trial showed that daily suncreeen use cut melanoma risk by over 50% [6]. Sunscreens work, folks.

7. I read of the iPad suit [7]. Pardon me while I visit the vomitorium.

8. I neglected to blog about (centenary) International Women’s Day [8]. I apologise. It was an oversight – not an act of disrespect.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

1 comment:

Chris Burrows said...

I just can't figure out why any woman would bottle feed, breast feeding is so simple, clean and easily available, and helps you lose the extra pounds.
My girls did become obese later in life, but they were a good size when they were young.