Mommy's little helper.
Happy NLPPW (National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week)! It may not be as fun a holiday as Halloween, but it's just as important — which is why the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) teamed up to launch an all-out media blitz warning Read more
H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), was passed by Congress last year and requires retailers to test merchandise for lead. This pertains to any item for children 12 and under including toys, clothes and jewelry. It goes into effect on February 10, 2009 and while many parents champion the measure to keep kids safe, opponents are upset that it may put second hand, Read more
Since there were so many toy recalls last year, it's no surprise that actions are being taken to try and outlaw unsafe toys. And, The European Union is at the forefront of the mission. According to a Reuter's report, "The European Union's industry chief is proposing a crackdown on toys containing lead paint or carcinogens across the bloc and wants to stop toys being used as gifts in food items Read more
When I think of lead poisoning, I think of old paint peeling off the wall. It can actually be a silent enemy. Just yesterday, a family in Utah discovered that their little girl has been affected by lead — not from sucking on a recalled toy, but from plates in their kitchen. And, the scary thing is that the girl wasn't the one eating off of them. Her mother was passing it on to her daughter by Read more
While many of us will be imbibing in merriment on St. Patrick's Day, it's important to keep the booze out of reach of your pet. Just as it does in humans, alcohol causes damage to an animal's brain, central nervous system, and liver, but since pets are much smaller than us, the effects can occur faster and more intensely and even lead to death. If your pet gets their paws on your bevvie, watch Read more
We're happy to present this article from our friends at Allure: California health officials are going undercover to find the distributors of smuggled Mexican skin creams containing dangerous levels of mercury. The creams are mainly skin lighteners, since mercury removes pigment. The tainted cosmetics are brought into in the country illegally and sold surreptitiously at pharmacies, shops, and Read more
There was more than one wedding-themed movie at Sundance this year, and Bachelorette was one of the most buzzed-about. The comedy features a ton of familiar faces, but serves up something a little different from what we've seen in the genre before. Who's behind it? Kirsten Dunst, Adam Scott, Lizzy Caplan, Isla Fisher, and James Marsden lead the funny cast. First-time director Leslye Headland Read more
Humans have been using dubious cosmetics for millennia, and although there are still plenty of suspect products out there, they pale in comparison to the dangerous, deadly, and sometimes just plain horrifying stuff women and men of the past swore by. It's fascinating (and scary) to think about our ancestors' favorite products, so to see the worst of the worst, just keep reading. Read more
Breaking Bad went out with a bang once again, as the fourth season wrapped up in a very explosive way this week. The finale is very tidy, which makes sense, since creator/writer Vince Gilligan was preparing for the possibility of using the episode as a series finale as well. I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who haven't checked it out yet, but let's talk about the biggest moments Read more
It's time to step up on Grey's Anatomy this week, as the fifth-year residents lead the surgeries for the first time. The milestone affects the doctors in different ways: Karev loses his cool, Avery chokes, and Cristina forgets what to do altogether. On the other hand, Meredith comes out on top despite her personal issues, but pays the consequences with Derek after the surgery. Overall, it's not Read more
