Author Archive
Comfy UGG boots may lead to foot problems
March 15th, 2010. By AbiK
Remember when UGG’s first hit American shores? And you saw people like Pamela Anderson (Lee or Not-to-Lee?) wearing them in LA—even on the beach? And you were wondering why the heck someone needed boots that looked like they belonged in an igloo in 80-degree heat? And you’re still wondering—except now you realize they’re “like slippers you can wear anywhere!”—and people do wear them anywhere.
Because OMG they’re so comfortable! And fashion be damned—if Pamela, Miley, Reese, Jessica, Megan and Eva wear them (thank you coolspotters.com)—well, that’s the only testimonial anyone needs, right?
So here’s a testimonial that appeared in the Telegraph (UK) today that wasn’t exactly too fashion-friendly—it’s some commentary from Dr. Ian Drysdale on the ever-popular UGG boots and it ought to give some parents pause when considering whether to succumb to the wear-’em-to-school-cause-they’re-cool trend for their daughters. Dr. Drysdale, by the way, is head of the British College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Here’s the Telegraph headline:
Ugg-style boots “damage feet due to lack of support”
It seems that UK podiatrists and chiropadists believe that UGG’s and there omnipresent knock-offs are leading to a rise in the number of people having pain in their feet and knees.
According to Dr. Drysdale, because the foot does not get the proper support on the inside, it will lead to more ankle, knee, hip and back problems. He goes on to say, “These boots are not designed for outside wear. Just because something becomes a trend or fashionable doesn’t mean it’s good or right.”
Amen (non-religiously, of course) to that.
What it comes down to is that this style of UGG boot is basically a glorified slipper—like someone took some classic
First Zits, then Accutane, then IBD, then Kidney Stones?
March 12th, 2010. By AbiK
Remember that book, “Because a Little Bug went Ka-CHOO!”–the one where there’s this tiny little sneeze that leads to a chain reaction that winds up with a huge circus marching through town? Yeah, that one. Well, this article from over at HealthDayNews this week kind of reminds me of that book, only not in a warm ‘n fuzzy kind of way.
The article is about Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)—which has been linked to the anti-acne prescription medication Accutane. And it seems IBD can affect more (actual quote is “much more”) than just your digestive system.
The National Women’s Health Information Center states that IBD can actually contribute to the following health problems:
- Arthritis and pain in the joints
- Fractures and weakening of the bones
- Problems with the eye, including inflammation
- An inflamed liver
- Kidney stones or gallstones
- Skin ulcers or a red, bumpy rash
- Problems with growth and delayed onset of puberty in children and teens
- Problems with the lungs (though such cases are rare)
The article just helps to highlight that IBD is a serious disease that can not only wreak havoc on the intestines, but also a number of other areas. And, as such, careful consideration should be taken when considering anti-acne treatments that use the drug, isotretinoin—Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis or Sotret. And, as we previously posted, parents should be aware that a number of these drugs are available online, sans prescription.
US Open Food Servers Serve up Double Fault Class Action
March 11th, 2010. By AbiK
For all the presentation and promotion that attempts to position tennis as a pastime of the hoi polloi, it just can’t seem to get over a bit of an elitist image. It’s not the professional players that make it so—heck, many have come from the hoi polloi themselves and have in their own way given the finger to some of the elitism (recall Agassi’s earlier days…McEnroe’s outbursts…Venus and Serena’s new fashion rules). And this year, you—yes YOU—can even register to compete for a wild card into the US Open Qualifying tournament.
So what gives? Well, if you’re part of the army of food service folks who work the Open, you might be thinking the elitism comes from the country club set who show up at the US Open outfitted in Lacoste or Brooks Brothers toting a casual & sporty—yet appropriate!—Vera Bradley or Lily Pulitzer (LL Bean if quieter propriety’s your thing) bag as they head to their box seats at the Open. See, those food service folks actually work their tails off to serve—as the 2010 US Open site describes it—”innovative menus” that feature “superb cuisine of impeccable quality and freshness” to the social set sitting in the Luxury Suites at Arthur Ashe stadium. Yeah, you’re not seeing that fare if you’re sitting Loge. Luxury Suites, by the way, will set you back $10,000 - $63,000 for a package—hey, parking’s included, catering isn’t (that’s an $1,800 minimum).
Work their tails off? Oh, but surely they make decent money, right? Surely more than the peons working those concession stands outside on the “grounds”?
Well, according to a class action lawsuit filed on March 3rd in Brooklyn federal court, those servers may not be getting paid all that much for the hours they put in serving, as the New York Post calls them “celebrities, trust-fund kids and captains of industry”. The Post quotes one worker who’s also a plaintiff, Daniel Yahraes, as saying he worked more than 100 hours a week and was paid based on his $17 an hour pay rate—no overtime pay (that’s fault #1)—and, while clients were apparently charged an additional 21 percent “service charge”, that fee was not passed along to the “service” (that’s fault #2, and shades of Cipriani?). I have to imagine that some of those workers received cash tips, but still, overtime is overtime and for Yahraes, that would arguably mean he lost out on quite a bit of cash.
Five companies are named in the lawsuit, including Restaurant Associates and the suit covers the past six years.
10 Clues you’re with the wrong Investment Broker
March 10th, 2010. By AbiK
Nowadays, just about everybody’s been wondering if their money’s in the right place. But economic woes aside, these ten clues ought to give you that something’s-not-right feeling in your gut when it comes to your investment broker’s handling of your account—and possibly grounds for a securities fraud case…
1. There’s inconsistency between your broker’s verbal statements and the performance of your investments.
2. There are misrepresentations by your broker, or important information about an investment which the broker did not disclose—particularly regarding the investment’s level of risk.
3. If you notice frequent and excessive trading in the account, including “in and out” trading.
4. You notice trading in high risk, speculative or unsuitable investments.
5. Your broker is managing your account by trading in securities and strategies that you don’t understand.
6. Your broker is making trades that you did not previously authorize.
7. There is trading in low-value securities or obscure companies on foreign exchanges, or private investments.
8. Your broker—or his supervisor—fail to respond to your complaints.
9. Your broker makes repeated promises to make up for losses through various devices.
10. There is a loss of funds or value in the account that you do not understand, and your broker cannot reasonably explain.
How much does Foodborne Illness cost the US? Take a guess…
March 9th, 2010. By AbiK
A whopping $152 billion each year. Yes, $152 BILLION.
So says a report conducted by the Produce Safety Project at Georgetown University that’s titled Health-Related Costs From Foodborne Illness in the United States (3/3/10). The $152 billion reflects not only health-related costs such as physician services, hospital services and medicines but also what’s referred to as “quality-of-life losses”—i.e., deaths, pain, suffering and disability.
According to an article at healthfinder.gov, the magnitude of the cost comes from the sheer number of individuals affected each year by foodborne illness: an estimated 76 million Americans—of which about 5,000 die.
Some more stats from the report:
Costs by pathogen: Campylobacter: >$18.8 billion; Salmonella: $14.6 billion; Listeria: $8.8 billion.
Biggest culprit: Produce. Think spinach, lettuce… 39% of E. coli outbreaks were due to produce regulated by the FDA.
States with highest foodborne illness-related costs: California, Texas, New York, Florida and Pennsylvania.
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