Misleading Labelling

Do you know what I hate?

Now nothing can be further than the truth but I just hate it when you buy something from the supermarket that is labelled as good healthy food and might even boast a National Heart Foundation big red tick of endorsement but when you read the fine print on the packaging in more detail, you see that sure they may be FAT REDUCED but to compensate for the flavour they are overloaded with sugar or sugar derivatives.

From the National Heart Foundation's speal on their Red Tick program, "the Tick is the Heart Foundation's guide to help people make healthier food choices quickly and easily. It also encourages food manufacturers to develop or modify food products that support the Heart Foundation's Guidelines for Tick Approval.

Tick approved products represent a healthier choice within a particular food category. In general, Tick approved foods are relatively lower in saturated fat, sodium and where appropriate, kilojoules. Some are also higher in fibre.

All foods in the Tick program, without exception, must meet the Heart Foundation's Guidelines for Tick Approval. Food companies must have their products independently chemically analysed, and meet the nutrient criteria before they can use the Tick on their products. Random testing is also undertaken to ensure ongoing compliance with the strict nutrient criteria."

Now all this sounds really good doesn't it! But is the Red Tick program all that it's made out to be? Stay tuned.

Sent in by Marian Stockdale from Box Hill, Australia

They Just Terrify Me!

Do you know what I hate?

"I hate dogs....they terrify me!" wrote Kay Richardson from London.

Of course, not all dogs are dangerous. Most don’t bite anyone. But still, lots do and with the many serious dog attack cases, even recently, some breeds (eg Pit Bulls, Rottweilers) can be very terrifying indeed so I think that many will share your hate Kay....

Dog Attacks

Toddler injured in dog attack, The Australian, February 03, 2006

Scarred girl's plea over dog attack, Dan McMullan, ManchesterOnline, Friday, 3rd February 2006

Dog attack victim gets world's first face transplant, The Guardian , Thursday December 1, 2005

W A R N I N G !!!!!

The next section of this post shows some very explicit photographs surrounding a fatal dog attack in Nicaragua. At first I hesitated about showing these very explicit images but in the end I felt that it was in the public interest that this message be told straight. Vicious dog attacks are now a serious problem in our communities and there's no need to beat around the bush. These images depict the realities surrounding such attacks. This story has to be told as there has to be an answer to this problem. I'm sick and tired of hearing about fatal dog attacks year after year and nothing much really happens; something needs to be done about this problem and Kay's vent prodded me here. Having said this, if seeing explicit dog attack images will or is likely to harm or upset you in any way whatsoever, then I strongly suggest that you continue on and read the remaining part of this story. It's your call! To read and view the whole story simply click here.

Nicaragua Asks For Full Investigation Into Dog Attack, InsideCostsRica.com, Saturday, 12 November, 2005

The following two photos showing the remains of the Nicaraguan man attacked by two rottweilers were published on the front page of the daily Spanish language newspaper Diario Extra, reminding people of the mortal danger of a rottweiler attack (source: InsideCostsRica.com).

The article in InsideCostsRica.com describes the Rottweiler as having a massive, powerful body and a muzzle with a scissors bite.....it has a calm and reliable temperament and trainable, courageous, and devoted to their owner and family.....they are strong fighters that seem immune to pain.....they can be aggressive with other dogs and should be kept on leashes in public places.....when the Rottweiler is consistently brought up and trained, it will be a good playmate for children.....friends and relatives of the family are normally enthusiastically welcomed. Strangers can get no further than the sidewalk.

Rottweiler

Toddler dies after pet dog attack, BBC News, Tuesday, 12 July, 2005

Mother Expresses Guilt Over Dog Attack, KRON 4, June 5, 2005

Dog attack victim needs 5m of stitches, The New Zealand Herald, February 17, 2004

In Connecticut, Two Versions of a Police Dog's Attack on a Woman, Stacey Stowe, New York Times, November 17, 2003

Woman dies after dog attack, Theresa Gutierrez, abc7chicago.com, January 12, 2003

Other Information

The following are also interesting reads in this subject area:

Dog Bite Law, Kenneth M. Phillips

Topics covered include:

• What to do immediately after the attack
• Legal rights of a dog bite victim, and
• The process of resolving dog bite claims

How to Defend Yourself Against a Dog Attack, Adam Katz

Is there another side to this story?

Why are dogs such as the American Pit Bull terrier so overwhelming popular? I've read that pit bulls are one of the most popular family dogs in the United States today. Are we blaming the dogs when the problem is really the negligence of the owners?...Is it true perhaps that behind every dog attack is an irresponsible or negligent owner? There have been many children attacked by their pet dogs. Is this because irresponsible owners don't teach their children how to properly interact with dogs or leave their children unsupervised with them? Are attacking dogs

the result of irresponsible owners that train their dogs to fight and encourage aggressive behavior? Is it the irresponsible owners that let their dogs roam the streets freely or keep their dogs continually chained up and being deprived of necessary socialization, their dogs go on an attacking rampage when they eventually break lose? Perhaps there are answers here on this video about the American Pit Bull (just love the music)

The Pit Bull Rescue Central website is a virtual shelter and resource for owners and caretakers of American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and pit bull mixes. Their video on Operation Save A Pet, is about the 100,000+ pets locked in homes and abandoned on the streets of New Orleans, without food and without water after the people fled huricane Katrina.

In my reply to Kay's vent I opened by saying that "of course, not all dogs are dangerous....most don’t bite anyone". I wanted to close on something a bit lighter so here is my type of dog. Small in size, with great personality and temperament. By the way, the dog's name is Bella and the way he sits there watching you work on the computer you'd think he was a Bill Gates devotee.

	Veikko from Finland kindly wrote in to say that not all big dogs are vicious. Here Veikko is shown with his 52kg Alaskan Malamute which he describes as being big but friendly and always likes children. Click on the picture to better appreciate how big Veikko's Alaskan Malamute is.

Tokyo is Beautiful But.....

Do you know what I hate?

One: "Yokonarabimushi"

Two: "Tomaribaba"

Three: "Kakikomijousha" - added later

Both of the above are (somewhat unkind since deeply exasparated) Japanese slang terms for sidewalk nuisances in Tokyo, producing, whether you believe it or not, as much or more aggravation as lane hoggers do in other places.

The first translating as "horizontally lined up beetles" refers to junior high or high school students, usually but not always girls, strolling along at a sedentary pace chatting, while blocking anyone who wishes to proceed at a faster pace from passing.

The second refers to middle aged or elderly pairs or triplets of females suddenly stopping dead on the sidewalk for whatever arcane conclave they feel is necessary at the moment, causing everybody following in their wake to bump into them, then complain about that - and complain even more if they are pointed out that they caused the inconvenience - to themselves as well as other - by those unlucky followers.

Oh yes, and there is a number three, too: Those INFERNAL people, mostly male, that have to dash down the stairs or along a platform to jump-squeeze themselves through the closing doors of an about to depart train or subway, usually at rush time, hustling everybody in their way.

Ah, the joys of Tokyo living!!!

Panthere

PS: Despite the above, Tokyo is a glorious place to live in, and if you ever start a "The things I love" blog I shall be happy to post those, too. :)

Sent in by Panthere..... Tokyo

Lane Hoggers

Do you know what I hate? I hate it when people just sit there in the overtaking lane which causes those in a hurry to zig-zag in and out from one lane to another in order to get past these lane hoggers. The need to zig-zag in and out of lanes, especially when driving at the higher speeds permitted on freeways and the open highways can cause serious accidents. Come on guys, move over and drive on the right (no pun intended) side of the road.

Sent in by Hog Hunter..... Bendigo, Australia

Truck Blockades

Do you know what I hate? I hate it when driving on a freeway and you come across trucks spread side-by-side across all lanes and you can't get through. Here's a shot taken today in Melbourne on the Western Ring Road. Both trucks doing 100kph and not one of us cars could get through. This highway is notorous for this kind of blockade. Come on guys, move over and let us little folks get through.

Sent in by David E..... Port Melbourne, Australia

Losing an hour of my Life!

Do you know what I hate? Well if you're like me you'll hate it when you rush and get to the station early enough so that you won't miss your train only to end up waiting at the station for sometimes more than 20 minutes because the train is running late. And then there are cancellations and you have to wait for an hour or so for the next train, grrrrrrrr! So you end up being late for work, school, your appointment with a specialist, or whatever! By the time a train arrives it's like the football game has just ended as the platform is jam-packed with angry people all, like you, determined to get onto the next train, no matter what!

After a long day at work and then hours in a night class at uni, I don't want to be standing on the platform on cold freezing night, freezing my t..s off and losing an hour of my life thank you Connex. And this doesn't only happen at night. Delays and cancellations also happen throughout the day and when it does the impace is worse as the times between trains is generally much longer meaning much longer waits during cancellations.

I just see red when this happens because I hate being messed around by poor service and overcrowded trains, trams or buses. It's just not good enough!!! It's bl..dy ridiculous! I hate it, grrrrrrr!! Come on Mr Transport Minister, Peter Batchelor fix this mess up!

Sent in by Mary J...., Melbourne, Australia.

Only recently it was reported that more than a 1000 metropolitan trains were cancelled in January! "January was a poor month for Connex and service delivery declined compared with the previous month," the company said in its statement.

Airport and Airline Security

Do you know what I hate? I just hate it when you get caught up in airport security. Sometimes I just think that security and customs staff just like to go through a female's bag! Yes I know it's important but how ridiculous is this. Recently I was about to board a Thai Airways International Airlines flight from Bangkok to Sydney and the airport security at Bangkok gave me the third degree and after going right through my hand luggage, refused to allow me to board with nail clippers. "You've got to be joking," I said. Nope, no go! They would not allow me to board with these 4cm long personal nail clippers. The ridiculous thing about this is that when I finally cooled down after boarding, was relaxed and seated, and then when my meal was served, guess what?

Now how stupid is that, a steel knife and fork both 20cm long! I don't care what anyone says but when compared to the knife and fork, there is no way that my nail clippers were a threat or could be considered as a dangerous weapon. I was steaming, let me tell you. And besdies, why as recent as November/December 2005 are steel knives and forks being served on international flights? Perhaps Thai Air may have an answer!

Injections

Nice to see that there's been some interesting activity here whilst I've been away on a summer holiday. I can relate to many of the posts, especially the long waits. But what I particularly hate about the dentist are the.....

injections.......grrrrrrr! Yes, I do have to admit, I'm a real sook when it comes to oral injections, any injections for that matter. I'm a needle phobe from way back! I also feel terrible when I get up off the dentist's chair.....I feel like I'm just coming out of a deep sleep; my vision is blurred and........

it feels like the room is moving past me. It's really awful.

If you are a needle phobe then these sites might be of interest:

1. Pain and Anxiety control therapies for Needle Phobes
2. The Needle Phobia Information Site
3. Welcome to the Needle Phobia Page

Answering Questions While Gagging

Do you know what I hate? I also hate it when you're lying back in the dental chair and, with fingers and God only knows what other dental appliances are in your mouth, gasping to breath and struggling hard not to gag.....

the owner of those fingers asks you a question that you have not hope in hell of answering even half intelligently! Come on guys let's be sensible here else you're going to lose one or two fingers.

The Waiting Room #2

Do you know what I hate? Well talking about the dentist, I hate it even more when, after having been waiting in the waiting room for what seems hours, they then ask you into one of the surgery rooms, get you seated on the dentist chair and then, thinking that your waiting has come to an end and that you'll soon be out of there, you end up waiting for another 20 minutes if not more, lying back looking at......

the chair's boom arm, the ceiling and the fluorescent lights....uuuuuugh! I guess they think that by moving you from one waiting place to another, you won't feel as bad and angry. They just can't admit how badly behind schedule they are, so what should only be a couple of hours all round at the dentist ends up costing you more than half a day! Of course the same thing happens at the doctor and so on.

What they should do is put a flat screen TV on the ceiling so at least you can watch televsion while lyingthere waiting and even through the treatment; now's there's a business idea!

Waiting and Waiting

	Do you know what I hate? I hate it when I make an appointment at say the doctor or the dentist and I rush around madly to get there on time only to end up......sitting in the waiting room for what seems hours. I reckon that sign on the door should read DENTIST please WAIT
Submitted by John Stefan, Melbourne, Australia

The Great Party

Do you know what I hate? I hate it when you go to a great party and the next morning you're driving past the sex clinic and you see that all the guys in the queue are the guys you met at last night's party.