From the Park Bench

You have probably noticed things have been a bit quiet here lately. I'm sorry to announce that I'm shutting the blog down. I'll leave the notice up the week and then I'm going to take the site down. I had to think long and hard about things but I decided it was currently taking too much time from my family. With a baby on the way at the end of the summer and a 2 year old who's rapidly giving up on the concept of nap it's not the right time for me to do a blogging project that requires an hour or more a day. Thank you to my loyal readers and subscribers!

People reports that Halle Berry is a mom, having a baby girl on Sunday.

Remember Punky Brewster? She's definitely all grown up with People reporting actress Soleil Moon Frye had her second child, a daughter.

Last but not least People reports Tori Spelling is expecting her second child, a little girl.

Congratulations to all the moms and moms to be from From the Park Bench.

The following items have been recalled.

	Who: Galison/Mudpuppy What: Wire Bound Journals and Calendars including Galison List Journals, Galison Prose Journals, Galison Perpetual Calendar and Mudpuppy Specialty Journals. Check the recall notice for exact ISBN numbers and style descriptions. Why: Violates federal lead paint standards. Where: Specialty and gift stores nationwide and on-line When: August 2003 through December 2007 Action: Remove the back cover with the ISBN barcode and contact Galison for instructions on returning it for a refund. Discard the rest of the product.
	Who: MEGA Brands America Inc What: Magtastik and Magnetix Jr. Pre-School Magnetic Toys Check the recall notice for a complete list of product names and model numbers. Why: Magnets can detach and be swallowed or aspirated by young children. Multiple magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages. Where: Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, K-Mart and other toy stores nationwide When: January 2005 through December 2007 Action: Stop using and contact MEGA Brands for instructions.
	Who: MEGA Brands America Inc. What: MagnaMan Magnetic Action Figures in either Futuristic Warrior or Ancient Warrior theme. Check the recall notice for a complete list of product names and model numbers. Why: Magnets can detach and be swallowed or aspirated by young children. Multiple magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages. Where: Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, K-Mart and other toy stores nationwide When: January 2005 through December 2007 Action: Stop using and contact MEGA Brands for instructions.
	Who: Publix Super Markets What: Assorted Flavors of Empanadas including prepackaged 2 and 4-pack Apple, Pineapple and Pumpkin Why: Contains the following undeclared allergens: Milk Where: Publix Super Markets in Clayton, Ga., Cobb, Ga., Collier, Fla., DeKalb, Ga., Davidson, Tn., Fulton, Ga., Gwinett, Ga., Hall, Ga., Houston, Ga. and Lee, Fla. When: Action: Stop using and return to the place of purchase for a full refund.
	Who: Slade Gorton & Co. What: Icybay Cooked Langostinos in one pound, clear plastic package marked with UPC 0-73129-61672-8 on the top and with an expiration date of June 2009 and in five pound clear plastic packages containing either 70-90 count, 90-125 count or 120-150 count with production dates of July 18, 2007 through August 13, 2007 and/or Julian dates of 199 through 232. Why: May be contaminated with Listeria. Where: retailers in Massachusetts and Maryland and wholesalers in Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. When: Production dates of July 18, 2007 through August 13, 2007 and/or Julian dates of 199 through 232. Action: Stop using and return to the place of purchase for a full refund.
	Who: Cagle's Inc. What: Poultry Giblets fresh and frozen including fresh carcasses with giblets. Products may have been repackaged for consumer sale. Check the recall notice for exact variety descriptions. Why: FSIS could not verify that giblets from condemned carcasses were also condemned. Giblets may have commingled with condemned giblets. Where: Institutions and restaurants nationwide When: Produced on various dates between Dec. 3, 2007 and March 12, 2008 Action: Stop using and return to the place of purchase for a full refund.

For good or bad outsourcing has become a part of modern life. In my last job I worked closely with programmers in another country. Call a customer support help line and you might be talking to someone on the other side of the globe. The question is have we taken outsourcing too far? The New York times reports that the latest outsourcing business in India is motherhood. Couples who are interested in having a baby can now pay clinics in India for egg donors and surrogate mothers. Paying for a surrogate mother in the United States is very expensive and on shaking legal ground, being outright illegal in some states. On the other hand in India surrogate mothers are much less expensive and sign away their legal rights to the child they are carrying.

The question is are people going too far with this practice? Proponents argue that it is a win win situation. Families that could not afford surrogacy can suddenly find it in their reach. In trade the surrogate mothers can earn in 9 months what it would otherwise take them multiple years. On the other hands critics argue that it is another case of rich westerner's exploiting the poor. Taking advantage of a woman's desire to do what ever is necessary to feed herself and her family.

So what do you think? Is this a viable option or an exploitation? I must admit I have very mixed views on the subject. On the one hand I loved the story of the single mom who bought a house and plans on sending her son to school using money from surrogacy. However the combination of non-existent regulation and protection combined with clinic rules that often forbid the parents from ever meeting the surrogates seems to leave the system open for exploitation. I have serious reservations about the health of both the surrogate mother and the baby. Even if the current clinics are above board what guarantees are there as the system expands that the surrogate will be relatively well paid and get good prenatal care? A pretty brochure is nice to look at but nothing beats someone being able to drop in unexpectedly and see what's really going on. That's very hard to do when your on the other side of the world.

The following items have been recalled.

	Who: Battat Inc. What: Battat Magnabild Magnetic Building Toys or Sets with 108-pieces (item number BB1439H) and 68-pieces (item number BAT-34) Why: Magnets can detach and be swallowed or aspirated by young children. Multiple magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages. Where: Various retailers nationwide and online sellers When: July 2005 through February 2008 Action: Stop using and contact Battat for a prepaid mailer to return the toy and to receive a free replacement product.
	Who: Battat Inc. What: Play Wonder Toy Sundae Sets with model number DPCI-204-12-0526 Why: Parts can pose a choking hazard to young children. Where: Target Stores nationwide When: December 2006 through December 2007 Action: Stop using and return the toys to any Target store for a full refund.
	Who: S.U. Wholesale Inc. What: X Force Commander Toy Airplanes and Super Famous Toy Cars and Motorcycles Why: Violates federal lead paint standards. Where: Dollar Stores nationwide When: September 2006 through November 2007 Action: Stop using and return to the place of purchase for a full refund.
	Who: Urgent Gear Inc. What: Children's Hooded Sweatshirts sold in black with a peace sign patch and a MCC Micros patch on the chest, silver with a silver stitched design on the front, and gray with skulls on the front. Style numbers BZAT 718 (Black) / BZAT 722 (Silver) / BZAT 724 (Dark Gray) Why: Contains a drawstring which can pose a strangulation hazard to children. Where: Nordstrom stores nationwide When: November 2007 through December 2007 Action: Immediately remove the drawstrings to eliminate the hazard or return for a full refund.
	Who: Ellaroo LLC What: Ellaroo Ring Sling Baby Carriers with item numbers 2101 and 2102 printed on the outside of the product box and lot numbers 03/07 and 07/04 printed on a label, under the size label, inside the Ring Sling Why: The aluminum rings on the sling carriers can bend or break and cause the fabric to slip through the rings and infants to fall out of the carrier. Where: Juvenile product and department stores nationwide and online, including BabiesRUs.com When: June 2007 through February 2008 Action: Stop using and contact Ellaroo for instructions.
	Who: Alaz Fine Food Corp What: Delta Brand Golden Raisins in 16 oz un-coded plastic bags. Why: Contains undeclared sulfites. Where: New York City When: Action: Stop using and return to the place of purchase for a full refund.
	Who: Hartz Mountain Corporation What: Vitamin Care for Cats with lot code SZ 22771, UPC number 32700-97701. Why: May be contaminated with salmonella. Where: Nationwide When: Action: Immediately discontinue use of the product and discard it in a proper manner. Contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414 to obtain a refund.
	Who: Texas Department of State Health Services What: Oysters, clams and mussels harvested in Aransas, Corpus Christi and Copano bays Texas on or after March 1. Why: Algae bloom has caused high concentrations of the Dinophysis organism which is a toxin. It is not destroyed by cooking. Where: Sold nationwide When: On or after March 1 Action: Do not eat any shellfish purchased after March 1. Contact the place of purchase to determine where and when they were harvested. Discard if in the contaminated region or you are unsure of time or place.
	Who: Meijer Distribution Center, Costco and Inovata What: Discover Cuisine Red Curry Chicken & Jasmine Rice with Canadian establishment number "Est. 302" inside the Canadian Food Inspection Agency mark of inspection as well as a "Best By" date of "12 18 08". (Two other recall notices were issued: Costco and Inovata Why: May be contaminated with Listeria. Where: Distributors and retail establishments nationwide When: On or after Oct. 18, 2007 Action: Stop using and return to the place of purchase for a full refund.
	Who: Gourmet Boutique, L.L.C. What: Gourmet Boutique Meat and poultry products with establishment number "P-18799", production code of "GBD 08058" and the following bulk varieties HONEY CHICKEN SALAD, CHICKEN MARSALA, GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST IN TERIYAKI SAUCE, PORTION CONTROL, GRILLED LEMON CHICKEN, PORTION CONTROL, Home Style Chicken Salad, Grilled Chicken B&E PRET A MANGER, Breaded and Fried Chicken Cutlet, ITALIAN STALLION TWISTER, Meatloaf with Gravy KIT, CHICKEN BURRITO, and TURKEYCLUB TWISTER. Why: May be contaminated with Listeria. Where: Retail establishments in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Wisconsin, and distribution centers in New York. When: Produced on Feb. 26 and 27, 2008 Action: Stop using and return to the place of purchase for a full refund.

The New York Times is reporting that researchers are a step closer to finding a cause for pre-eclampsia. A recent study found that mothers who's babies tested positive for a virus after birth were 5 times more likely to have pre-eclampsia then those who didn't. The researchers theorize that pre-eclampsia and other problems may be being triggered by the fetus getting a viral infection. However the researchers warn that their sample size was too small and more studies need to be run to validate the data. Also, even if this proves to be true, that still leaves the question of how do you prevent or treat the infection.

I feel like every time I turn around there is something else wrong with my child's toys, medicine, and now maybe shampoo. The latest cause of concern is Phthalates. A recent study published in the February issue of Pediatrics, a journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, reports that infants who's parents recently used baby powder, lotion or shampoo are more likely to show increased levels of phthalates in their urine. According to the summary "While children likely are exposed to phthalates through multiple sources, including oral ingestion, the study suggests skin absorption may be a major route of exposure.

So it looks like there is evidence babies are absorbing the substance but the second question is does it matter? According to the summary, "Phthalates are widely used chemicals that recent studies suggest may have toxic effects on the developing endocrine and reproductive systems." That definitely is enough to worry me. However I did some more digging. The CDC has released a factsheet on phthalates. According to it "The health effects of phthalates in people are not yet fully known. Although several studies in people have explored possible associations with developmental and reproductive outcomes... more research is needed." This fact sheet didn't help me get any warm fuzzy feelings. From my layman point of view it sounds like current research is pointing to some nasty side affects. Personally if there are other alternatives I'm not going to wait for them to tell me for sure. I have to side with the State of California and European Union who have already put strict controls on phthalates.

So what do you think? Will you be doing some more label reading on baby products? Will you wait for conclusive evidence?

(The use of the product in the picture does not imply it contains phthalates. Only that it is a baby product and it was available on Flickr.)

People reports that Jeri Ryan had a baby girl, Gisele Eme, this Sunday. Congratulations from the moms at From the Park Bench.

The following items have been recalled.

	Who: Gorton's Seafood What: Gorton's 6 Crispy Battered Fish Fillets 11.4 oz -- UPC #4440015770 Date code: 7289G1 Best if used by date: April 2009 Why: May have been adulterated with pills. Where: Retail outlets in Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. When: Produced on October 16, 2007 Action: Products may be returned to Gorton's for a refund by calling 800-896-9479.
	Who: Actavis Inc. What: All lots of Fentanyl transdermal system CII patches sold in the United States. Why: A possible fold-over defect present in the product could cause leakage of the fentanyl gel. Where: Nationwide When: Action: Check details in the recall notice
	Who: Infantino LLC What: Infantino Lamb Grabby Rattles™ with date code 0907 printed on the back of the left ear of the lamb Why: The tail-piece on the rattles can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. Where: Wal-Mart, Babies “R” Us and other specialty stores nationwide When: September 2007 through February 2008 Action: Stop using and contact Infantino for a replacement product of equal value.
	Who: Rebelette International Trading Corp. What: Girls’ Hooded Sweatshirts with draw string and front zipper. Either blue with pink stripes on the sleeves with “Red Hot Chili Steppers” printed on the front, or brown with blue stripes on the sleeves with “Powder Puffs Touch League” on the front. Why: The sweatshirt jackets have a drawstring through the hood which poses a strangulation hazard to children. Where: Marshalls Stores and specialty children’s clothing retailers nationwide When: July 2007 through September 2007 Action: Either remove the drawstring or return to the place of purchase or call Rebelette International collect at (626) 448-9988 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday for a full refund.
	Who: New BCN Trading Inc. What: Asian Boy Sweet Ginger Why: Contains undeclared sulfites. Where: Distributed to retail stores in NJ, NY, FL, MD, VA, CT, MA, OH and PA. When: Action: Return to the place of purchase for a full refund.
	Who: Quaker Oats Co What: Aunt Jemima Pancake & Waffle Mix: Original, Original Complete and Buttermilk Complete in 2 pound and 5 pound boxes with Best Before dates of FEB 08 09 H through FEB 16 09 H stamped on the top, contain the following UPC codes: 30000 43272: Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete, 5 lb. 30000 05040: Aunt Jemima Original, 2 lb. 30000 05070: Aunt Jemima Original Complete, 2 lb. 30000 05300: Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete, 2 lb. Why: May have potential salmonella contamination. Where: Product was shipped to 17 states including Texas, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Illinois, Florida, Missouri, Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Ohio, New York, New Mexico, Kansas and Utah. Quaker has 98% of the product under it's control. When: Action: Return to the place of purchase for a full refund.

With all the bad news about children's cough and cold medicine parents are left to wonder. What should we do if our little ones are sick? Do nothing? Extra vitamins? Call our doctor every time and say help? Luckily the folks at the Mayo Clinic have published a summary of Cold remedies: What works, what doesn't, what can't hurt. Some of the highlights include treating coughs with my childhood favorite, warm lemon water and honey, and treating colds with good old fashioned chicken soup. On the down side I was surprised to discover that the benefits of taking zinc lozenge are actually still open for debate. I never had a chance to test that theory first hand because my first attempt left me much sicker then the actual cold!

So what do you do to treat colds? Does this list change anything for you? Personally I'm going to be making some more chicken soup, healthy and comfort food.

Thank you to Culinate for pointing out the link.