Beware & Protect Yourself 03 (Sep 10 - Dec 14)

[winston]

China nabs 900 over rat and other meat scandals

China has detained 900 people for meat-related crimes including selling rat and fox meat as beef and mutton, the public security ministry said, in another blow to the nation's food safety.

http://www.france24.com/en/20130503-chi ... t-scandals

[winston]

Recall of starch-based products from Taiwan over maleic acid

SINGAPORE: Eleven starch-based products from Taiwan - mostly tapioca starch balls used in bubble tea - have been withdrawn from sale.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said it has tested 66 starch-based products from Taiwan and found maleic acid in 11 of them.

The recalled products are:
- Hong Tapioca Starch
- Redman Black Tapioca Pearl
- Sun Right Indica Rice Powder
- Top 1 Tapioca Pearls
- Tea World Tapioca Starch Ball
- Unbranded Starch Ball
- Ting Long Tapioca Pearls
- Sun Chi Noodles
- T&M Resources Corp Tapioca Pearls
- Pure Tea Tapioca Pearls (White)
- Pure Tea Tapioca Pearls (Black)

AVA said it informed the importers of the 11 products to withdraw them from sale immediately and the withdrawal has been completed.

It advised consumers who have bought the products to either return them to the retailer or discard them.

The announcement on Sunday came after the recall of Sunright brand tapioca balls in Singapore when the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration detected maleic acid in some food products.

AVA said maleic acid is not an approved additive and it is also not an additive that is usually used in manufacturing food products.

It added that long term consumption of high levels of maleic acid can cause kidney damage though occasional consumption at the levels detected does not pose any significant health risk.

AVA said it will continue its surveillance of products from Taiwan to ensure that they do not contain maleic acid.


Source: CNA

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sin ... 87474.html

[winston]

More Taiwanese food products recalled in Singapore

Singapore, June 1 (CNA) Four more starch-based food products from Taiwan have been ordered off shelves in Singapore after they were found to contain maleic acid.

The products are green tea tapioca balls and yam tapioca balls sold under the "Full Free" label, and "Long Kow" vegetarian instant rice noodle and rice noodle with thick soup, according to a statement issued Friday by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore.

"AVA has informed the importers of the affected products to withdraw them from sale immediately and withdrawal has been completed," the statement said.

"Consumers who have bought these products should either return them to the retailer or discard them and not consume them," it said.

Earlier in the week, 11 Taiwanese products were recalled in the city state because of maleic acid contamination.

They included seven tapioca ball products from the brands "Redman," "Top 1," "Tea World," "Ding Long," "T&M Resources," and "Pure Tea," as well an unbranded tapioca ball product.

Also on the list were "Hong" tapioca starch, "Sun Right" indica rice powder and "Sun Chi" noodles.

The AVA said it is continuing with its surveillance of products from Taiwan.

It warned that long term consumption of high levels of maleic acid can cause kidney damage, although occasional consumption at the levels detected does not pose any significant health risk.

The chemical was detected recently in popular Taiwanese food products such as rice noodles, hotpot ingredients and tapioca balls.

The substance has been traced to a modified starch containing maleic anhydride, a chemical used in the production of food packing materials.

Maleic anhydride is transformed into maleic acid when mixed with water and is not permitted to be used in Taiwan in modified starches.

http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aall/201306010003.aspx

[iam802]

Fairly long article but worth a read. Highlights how much of the money raised do not go to the needy .

---
America's 50 worst charities rake in nearly $1 billion for corporate fundraisers

http://www.tampabay.com/topics/specials ... ties1.page

The worst charity in America operates from a metal warehouse behind a gas station in Holiday.

Every year, Kids Wish Network raises millions of dollars in donations in the name of dying children and their families.

Every year, it spends less than 3 cents on the dollar helping kids.

Most of the rest gets diverted to enrich the charity's operators and the for-profit companies Kids Wish hires to drum up donations.

In the past decade alone, Kids Wish has channeled nearly $110 million donated for sick children to its corporate solicitors. An additional $4.8 million has gone to pay the charity's founder and his own consulting firms.

No charity in the nation has siphoned more money away from the needy over a longer period of time.

But Kids Wish is not an isolated case, a yearlong investigation by the Tampa Bay Times and The Center for Investigative Reporting has found.

Using state and federal records, the Times and CIR identified nearly 6,000 charities that have chosen to pay for-profit companies to raise their donations.

Then reporters took an unprecedented look back to zero in on the 50 worst — based on the money they diverted to boiler room operators and other solicitors over a decade.

These nonprofits adopt popular causes or mimic well-known charity names that fool donors. Then they rake in cash, year after year.

The nation's 50 worst charities have paid their solicitors nearly $1 billion over the past 10 years that could have gone to charitable works.
...

..

[behappyalways]

Buddhist monk pictured on private jet has assets frozen
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... rozen.html

[iam802]

Buddhist monk pictured on private jet has assets frozen
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... rozen.html

Daily transaction at 4million pounds...

[behappyalways]

Private jet-flying Buddhist monk 'a fake'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... -fake.html

Buddhist monk pictured on private jet has assets frozen
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... rozen.html

[behappyalways]

[老梁观世界]20130709 保健品的葵花宝典
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esKtZ8T9 ... r66higrktw

[winston]

Volcanic ash pendants dangerous to wearers, says Health Ministry
July 13, 2013

The Health Ministry has advised the public to refrain from buying and using pendants made of volcanic ash containing natural radioactive substances as it could damage their health and cause cancer.

The pendants contain Uranium-238 and Thorium-232 and prolonged use could lead to damaging side effects, especially to children, pregnant women and lactating mothers, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said.

He said an analysis of the pendant samples (Quantum Pendant, Fusion Excel) by the Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory of the Malaysian Nuclear Agency detected dangerous levels of the two substances.

"Please don't use these radioactive pendants as there is no evidence they have any medical benefit.

"The analysis also found they could cause cancer and genetic disorders," he said.

Dr Subramaniam said the Health Ministry would discuss the banning of the items with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Atomic Energy Licensing Board, in the near future.

The pendants have been in the local market since 2009 and the companies marketing them claim that they improve blood circulation, enhance memory and energy.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/mala ... m-ministry

[winston]

A new risk to your security everyone needs to be aware of now

Never allow anyone who you don't know or trust to have access to your house keys, for even a minute.

Including valets. Keep a separate valet car key, so you don't have to give a valet the complete set.

Source: Economic Policy Journal

http://keysduplicated.com/#Instructions