Thursday, October 8, 2009

On October 7, 2009, the operator of SM Supermarket Makati, identified as Supervalue, Inc. East Drive, SM Makati Bldg. Ayala Center, San Lorenzao Village,
Makati City, sold to me what was identified as imported food product California Chips Honey BBQ potato chips which did not bear visible (to unaided eye)
address of the importer of said product. I believe said store violated the Consumer Act of the Philippines.

flu gov web site
http://www.flu.gov/

Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/GetSmart/

Antibiotics do not fight infections caused by viruses, like colds, flu, most sore throats and bronchitis, and some ear infections. Rest, fluids, and over-the-counter products may be your or your child's best treatment option.
Dangers of Antibiotic Resistance

If antibiotics are used too often for things they can't treat—like colds, flu, or other viral infections—they can stop working effectively against bacteria when you or your child really needs them. Antibiotic resistance—when antibiotics can no longer cure bacterial infections—has been a concern for years and is considered one of the world's most pressing public health problems. Widespread overuse of antibiotics is fueling an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. So the next time you or your child really needs an antibiotic for a bacterial infection, it may not work.

If You Have a Cold or Flu, Antibiotics Won't Work for You!

Colds and flu are caused by viruses, not bacteria. Taking antibiotics when you or your child has a virus may do more harm than good. Get smart about when antibiotics are appropriate—to fight bacterial infections. Taking them for viral infections, such as a cold, most sore throats, the flu, or acute bronchitis:

* Will not cure the infection;
* Will not keep other people from getting sick;
* Will not help you or your child feel better; and
* May cause unnecessary and harmful side effects.

What Not to Do

* Do not demand antibiotics when a healthcare provider says they are not needed.
* Do not take an antibiotic for a viral infection like a cold or most sore throats.
* Do not take antibiotics prescribed for someone else. The antibiotic may not be appropriate for your or your child’s illness. Taking the wrong medicine may delay correct treatment and allow bacteria to multiply.

If your healthcare provider prescribes an antibiotic for you or your child:

* Do not skip doses.
* Do not save any of the antibiotics for the next time you or your child gets sick.

What to Do

Snort, Sniffle, Sneeze.
View or download "Snort. Sniffle. Sneeze: No Antibiotics Please!" (video 3:47 mins) from

Learn about appropriate antibiotic use and how to feel better when you or your child has a sore throat, ear or sinus pain, fever, cough, or runny nose.

Adults and kids should clean their hands often, especially before meals and after touching pets. And make sure both you and your child are up-to-date on recommended immunizations.

Talk with your healthcare provider about the best treatment for your or your child’s illness. To feel better when you or your child has an upper respiratory infection:

* Increase fluid intake;
* Get plenty of rest;
* Use a cool-mist vaporizer or saline nasal spray to relieve congestion; and
* Soothe a throat with ice chips, sore throat spray, or lozenges (do not give lozenges to young children).

Video: Snort. Sniffle. Sneeze. No Antibiotics Please!

CDC created a video to help you learn more about appropriate antibiotic use and how to feel better when you or your child has a sore throat, ear or sinus
pain, fever, cough, or runny nose. This video features a doctor, who is also a concerned mom. You can download the video at CDC-TV, download the podcast
from http://www2a.cdc.gov/podcasts/player.asp?f=40102
or access on your mobile phone.



U.S. FDA Enforcement Report for Pctober 7, 2009
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/EnforcementReports/ucm185718.htm


Knowing How to Prevent Rabies isn't Just for Adults. Kids Can Get the Facts Too.
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/RabiesAndKids/
Rabies is a dangerous virus that is found in the saliva of animals. It can infect and kill animals and humans. Every 10 minutes, someone dies from rabies. Even though anyone can get rabies, more than half of the people who get rabies are kids under the age of 15. Now there's a rabies Web site that is just for kids – CDC Kids and Rabies

People usually get rabies when they are bitten by an animal that has the virus. When it's likely that you or a child is at serious risk for rabies, get help right away. Symptoms of rabies might not show up for months, but it is important to receive proper care very soon. When symptoms of rabies appear, people often die within a few days.

Early symptoms of rabies in people can include:

* fever
* headache
* weakness

As it gets worse, symptoms may include:

* difficulty sleeping
* anxiety
* confusion
* tingling sensation (usually at the site of the bite)
* excitation (being too excited)
* hallucinations (seeing things that aren't there)
* agitation
* salivating (drooling) more than usual
* difficulty swallowing
* fear of water

Below, you will learn about things you can do that will help make sure you never get rabies. Once you've read to the end, encourage a child to read through the information with you. Then visit the new Kids and Rabies Web site to learn more about rabies and to take a fun test of your rabies knowledge.
Help Your Pets Stay Rabies Free

Most people who have pets, such as dogs and cats, are very close to their animal companions. You might even have children and pets that are very close to each other. But there are times when pets are also in close contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal that has rabies, your pet can get sick and die. It could also cause you or a child to get rabies from your sick pet.

When a human gets rabies, it's often because a pet got rabies first. The good news is that there are things children and adults alike can do to help make sure your pets never get rabies. That way, they will stay healthy and won't cause humans to get rabies.

Things you should do include:

* Take your pets to a veterinarian on a regular basis. They will keep your pets up-to-date on their rabies shots, which helps protect them from rabies.
* Talk to your veterinarian about spaying or neutering your pet. This helps cut down on the number of stray animals.
* Call animal control to remove all stray animals from your neighborhood. These animals may not have gotten their rabies shot and can give other animals and people rabies.
* Remind kids not to go near stray animals and remind them to tell an adult if they see a pet wandering around without any person watching them closely.
* Keep your pets indoors. When a dog goes outside, make sure an adult is there to watch it and keep it safe. Make sure children know not to take their pet outside without an adult around.
* Do not feed or put water for your pets outside. Keep your garbage covered. These items may cause wild animals to come near your yard or house.

Stay Away From Wild Animals

Most of the time, rabies is found in wild animals. The main animals that get rabies include raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats.

If you see a wild animal acting strangely, stay away from it. Help kids to understand that they should avoid wild animals at all times. Some things to look for are:

* General sickness
* Problems swallowing
* Lots of drool or saliva
* An animal that appears more tame than you would expect
* An animal that bites at everything
* An animal that's having trouble moving or may even be paralyzed

Animals that act this way may need to be helped by people who know how to take care of wild animals. Call animal control and make sure the animal gets the help it needs.

Sometimes, people may come across a dead animal. Never pick up or touch dead animals and make sure children know to stay away from dead animals. Animals who have died can still give people rabies, especially if they have only been dead for a short time. If a dead animal is spotted, call animal control to properly take care of the animal's body.

Get Help If An Animal Bites You

Animals can sometimes bite people even when you try to avoid them. If an animal bites you, seek help immediately. Let kids know that they should tell an adult immediately if they are bitten by an animal. Show them how to wash with soap and water so that they will know what to do if they are bitten. They should then be taken to a doctor who will know what to do next.

Most of the time, people know when an animal bites them. But that's not always the case with bats, which are one of the main animals that can give you rabies. Bats have small teeth that might not always be felt when they bite and they don't always leave bite marks that are easily seen.

Bats can be found indoors or out. Make sure children know to tell an adult when:

* a bat comes near or touches them
* a bat flies into their room or place where they sleep
* they find a dead bat
* they hear others talk about touching a living or dead bat

Visit CDC's Kids and Rabies Web Site

Now there's a rabies Web site that is just for kids – CDC Kids and Rabies.

This is where children can learn more about how rabies affects animals and humans and get more tips on how to prevent rabies.

The website features an interactive quiz and e-cards, buttons, and badges that can be sent to family and friends so they can learn about rabies too.

NOTE: If you've read this website, you have all the information you need to ace the quiz. So, take the quiz by yourself or with your child and share the information so you can help protect others from getting rabies.




Make It Easier to Control Your Weight
http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2009/October/feature1.htmOn the face of it, controlling your weight is simple: eat less and exercise more. But it’s much harder than it sounds. Researchers have recently found several factors influencing your weight that you might not be aware of. Here’s how to recognize and take control of the things that may be tripping up your efforts at weight control.



You probably have a pretty good idea what a healthy diet is. Unfortunately, studies show that Americans are not eating enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains. And we’re eating too much fat and salt. So where are we going wrong?

Part of the problem, according to Dr. Andrew Rundle of Columbia University, is that so many things around us influence the seemingly simple balance between how many calories we eat and how many we burn. “I’ve often thought that the obesity epidemic is an epidemic of a thousand paper cuts,” he says. “So many things prod us throughout the day to raise our calorie intake and lower our energy expenditure.”

Once you recognize what these things are, you can take control of your surroundings to make healthy habits easier.

First off, learn how to read nutrition labels and ignore the rest of the packaging. Phrases like “low-fat” don’t necessarily mean anything if you’re concerned about calories. Some low-fat and non-fat foods actually have more calories than the normal versions.

“It’s not enough just to have the perception that something’s healthy,” says Dr. Susan Yanovski, co-director of the Office of Obesity Research at NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. “You actually have to look at what’s in it.”

Make sure to look at the number of portions, too, she says. That muffin might seem like it has 150 calories, but if the serving size is 1/3 of a muffin, it really has 450 calories.

Did you know that the size and shape of what’s holding your food can affect how much you eat? “People basically eat what’s put in front of them,” Yanovski says. It’s the amount of food you eat that counts, not what it looks like. So try serving food on smaller plates and bowls if you’d like to eat less.

One of the reasons eating out has become such a challenge is that restaurant food portions have gotten larger. Super-sized dishes may seem like a good value, but not if they get you to eat more than your body needs. Order smaller dishes and plan to share larger ones. Or set aside a portion to take home with you before you even put a bite in your mouth.

It’s easy to fool yourself about how much you’re eating—and, it turns out, about how healthy the food is. Marketing researchers have found that when restaurants claim to be healthy, people are more likely to underestimate the calories in their main dish and order higher calorie side dishes. One study found that when there’s healthy food available, people actually make more indulgent choices. Remember, it’s what you eat that counts, not what you think about eating.

Some areas have enacted laws requiring restaurants to list calories on the menu. “When people actually have calorie values staring them in the face, they may make better choices,” Yanovski says.

Unfortunately, in most places, you have to do some work to check calories when you eat out. Some restaurants may have nutrition information available if you request it, or might have it posted on their web site.

You may not think about sleep when you’re concerned with weight, but studies show that people who get less sleep have a higher risk of obesity (along with other health problems). Lack of sleep can disrupt the normal chemical signals in your body and lead you to eat more. So try to get enough sleep. And make sure not to snack mindlessly when you’re sleepy, like late at night.

Your neighborhood and community can affect your weight as well. A research team led by Rundle found that access to produce markets, supermarkets and health food stores is associated with lower rates of obesity in New York City.

“It’s also an issue in rural areas because the very small towns don’t have supermarkets,” says Dr. Madeline Dalton of Dartmouth Medical School. “Sometimes you need to drive 15 to 20 miles to get to a store that has fruits and vegetables. Clearly, that’s a problem.”

Wherever you live, Dalton says, you need to plan to eat well. “It’s really a matter of getting to know your environment and figuring out how to get healthy food on a regular basis.”

Your surroundings can also affect how active you are. Studies show that people in neighborhoods without sidewalks, or who live far from a recreational facility or a walking or biking trail, are more likely to be obese. People who perceive their community as unpleasant or unsafe are also more likely to be obese. Recognize your particular challenges and figure out how to add exercise and physical activity to your daily routine.

Once you identify the things that affect your weight, you can start changing them. Set modest goals and gradually improve your habits. “Pick 1 or 2 things in your life that you think you can change,” Dalton says. “Just walk a quarter of a mile a day to get started. Cut out 1 soda every day.” You may have to try a few times, but when you meet each goal you can move on to the next one.

NIH-funded research has found that people who are close influence each other’s weight. You may be more likely to lose weight if you work with friends, relatives and co-workers to develop healthier lifestyles. Get the family together to make nutritious meals. Form walking groups with co-workers. Take a dance class with friends.

“What you really want to do is make the healthy choice the easy choice, the default choice,” Yanovski says.

Definitions

Calories
The amount of energy stored in food. When you eat more calories than your body can use, it stores that extra energy as fat.

Wise Choices iconWise Choices

Weight Control Tips

* Use nutrition labels. Don’t guess how many calories you’re eating.
* Watch your portions. Value-size servings aren’t a bargain if you’re eating too much.
* Cut the sugar. Don’t let sugary soda or other sweets crowd out healthy foods and drinks.
* Don’t eat out of habit. Mindless eating at work or in front of the TV can pack on the pounds.
* Think about the whole meal, not just the main course.
* Use smaller dishes and containers. Larger ones encourage you to eat more.
* Keep reminders of how much you’re eating. Wrappers, empty containers and bones nearby remind you of how much you’ve eaten.
* Get enough sleep. Less sleep is linked to higher rates of obesity.
* Get active. Look for opportunities to add physical activity to your daily routine.
* Do it together. Family, friends and coworkers can all help each other make healthy changes to their lives.



Protect Your Property or Business from Disaster
http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/howto/index.shtm

web site with useful, free information:

US cert gov web site

Cyber Security Tips

Cyber Security Tips describe and offer advice about common security issues for non-technical computer users.

Sign up to receive these security tips in your inbox.


tips RSS feed Add to My Yahoo!

General information

* Why is Cyber Security a Problem?
* Guidelines for Publishing Information Online
* Understanding Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

General security

* Choosing and Protecting Passwords
* Understanding Anti-Virus Software
* Understanding Firewalls
* Coordinating Virus and Spyware Defense
* Debunking Some Common Myths
* Good Security Habits
* Safeguarding Your Data
* Real-World Warnings Keep You Safe Online
* Keeping Children Safe Online

Attacks and threats

* Dealing with Cyberbullies
* Understanding Hidden Threats: Corrupted Software Files
* Understanding Hidden Threats: Rootkits and Botnets
* Preventing and Responding to Identity Theft
* Recovering from Viruses, Worms, and Trojan Horses
* Recognizing and Avoiding Spyware
* Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks
* Understanding Denial-of-Service Attacks
* Identifying Hoaxes and Urban Legends
* Avoiding the Pitfalls of Online Trading

Email and communication

* Understanding Your Computer: Email Clients
* Using Caution with Email Attachments
* Reducing Spam
* Benefits and Risks of Free Email Services
* Benefits of Blind Carbon Copy (BCC)
* Understanding Digital Signatures
* Using Instant Messaging and Chat Rooms Safely
* Staying Safe on Social Network Sites

Mobile devices

* Protecting Portable Devices: Physical Security
* Protecting Portable Devices: Data Security
* Using Caution with USB Drives
* Securing Wireless Networks
* Cybersecurity for Electronic Devices
* Defending Cell Phones and PDAs Against Attack

Privacy

* How Anonymous Are You?
* Protecting Your Privacy
* Understanding Encryption
* Effectively Erasing Files
* Supplementing Passwords

Safe browsing

* Understanding Your Computer: Web Browsers
* Evaluating Your Web Browser's Security Settings
* Shopping Safely Online
* Browsing Safely: Understanding Active Content and Cookies
* Understanding Web Site Certificates
* Understanding Internationalized Domain Names
* Understanding Bluetooth Technology
* Avoiding Copyright Infringement

Software and applications

* Understanding Patches
* Understanding Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
* Risks of File-Sharing Technology
* Reviewing End-User License Agreements
* Understanding Your Computer: Operating Systems



FDA Orders Postmarket Surveillance Studies on Certain Spinal Systems
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 4:07 AM
From:
"U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)"


FDA Orders Postmarket Surveillance Studies on Certain Spinal Systems
Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:53:00 -0500

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today ordered manufacturers of certain types of pedicle screw systems, called dynamic stabilization systems, to
conduct postmarket surveillance studies to collect clinical data on a number of potential safety issues, including fusion rates and frequency of additional
surgeries.

Recognize and Prevent MRSA Infections
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAInfections/

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image of registry return receipt of letter addressed to Makati councilor J. J. Binay

image of registry return receipt of letter addressed to Makati councilor J. J. Binay