Friday, August 30, 2013

大姐穿比基尼带儿子逛商场

信源:北方网

在郑州,一家商场推出促销噱头,女顾客传比基尼逛商场可以获得打折优惠。一位大姐穿着比基尼,带着几岁的小儿子也来参加,称是对自己的一种超越,平时胆子比较小,会让儿子感觉到,妈妈是一个想做就去做的人……

Human body can’t take foods like cronut burgers

Many Canadians have the luxury of being able to choose the foods they eat, but continue to choose foods high in fat, salt and sugar.


Canadians should just stop overindulging on foods like the cronut burger, which made more than 200 people at the CNE sick from bacteria in the maple bacon jam.
By: Meghan Telpner 
How indulgent does food need to get before we learn?

More than 200 visitors to the CNE suffered serious digestive upset after eating a deep-fried sugary doughnut filled with meat and cheese and topped with maple bacon jam. The jam turned out to be contaminated withStaphylococcus aureus toxin, bacteria most commonly derived from human sources (infected cuts, nasal passages, pimples and the throat).
Although bacteria was the ultimate culprit in the cronut burger caper, the human body is just not designed to consume such a mass of trans fats, hydrogenated vegetable oils, meat, dairy and sugar at one time.
The CBC reported the intake of one woman who “became sick after eating the cronut burger, as well as seafood-chowder fries, ice-cream waffles and a smoothie.”
Some might view this woman’s diet as not bad — at least she had that smoothie in there, right? And there likely were some omega-3s in the seafood-chowder fries and a solid dose of protein in the cronut.
But this is not how we should define health. What we put into our body should not be as extreme or indulgent as a ride on a rollercoaster.
McDonald’s recently released an app that is supposed to help guide us toward better choices at the drive-through. And Coca-Cola has just released a “natural” version of the high-fructose corn syrup, caffeine, caramel colouring and carbonated water so many people are hooked on.
Can it get any more confusing?
We overindulge in extreme foods and then try to balance it with an iPhone app and a fast-food menu, while being persuaded by green imagery and flowers that a soft drink company is concerned about our well-being.

From a health perspective, processed “healthier” options do the same thing as their less healthy counterparts — moving us all toward degeneration — just at a slower rate. Degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer, often preventable by lifestyle modification, are the leading cause of death in Canada.
Now we have people going to hospital for eating a cronut. We all know what’s good for us and what isn’t — certainly no one ate the cronut to achieve vitality or longevity (although they likely weren’t anticipating a trip to the emergency room). This is a perfect example of what happens when fast food becomes even more indulgent.
Yet transitioning to healthier options of the same junk food we’ve been eating is not and will never be the solution. Healthier is not the same as healthy.

Josh Gitalis, a clinical nutritionist, explains: “Foods that claim to be healthier than their counterpart are often prized for being low in calories. But what are those calories made of? To make foods healthier by processed food standards, this often amounts to a cocktail of chemicals that the body simply doesn’t recognize, thereby placing stress on the organs. It may be a start, but it’s not the solution.”
The only answer is real food. Just eat real food.
It is impossible to cheat the system when that system is the digestive system, respiratory system, nervous system, endocrine system and circulatory system.
We enjoy many blessings in Canada, including an abundance of produce, grains and livestock. Many of us are blessed with the luxury of being able to choose the foods we eat, yet we continue to choose poorly. We even have free health care to treat us when we are sick.
What do we expect when we partake in indulgences as the cronut or when we choose healthier over healthy?

Meghan Telpner is the author of UnDiet, Eat Your Way to Vibrant Health. Twitter: @MeghanTelpner. Website: MeghanTelpner.com.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

California lawsuit charges that consumers weren’t warned about shampoo cancer risk

Almost 100 shampoos and personal-care products sold in California carry cancer-causing chemicals, an environmental group charges.

The Center for Environmental Health, based in Oakland, Calif., bought products online and at Bay Area retailers, and found 98 products tested positive for the chemical and had no warning labels.
By: Curtis Rush News reporter
Almost 100 shampoos and personal-care products sold in California carry a cancer-causing chemical, according to an environmental group that has filed a lawsuit against four companies.
The Center For Environmental Health, based in Oakland, Calif., named four defendants in papers filed Tuesday in the Superior Court of the State of California.

The lawsuit claims that 98 products, including brand-name items such as Prell and Colgate Palmolive, do not carry labels warning consumers that they are being exposed to cocamide DEA, an ingredient made from coconut oil.ational Park
Those products are carried by such stores as Walmart, Kmart and Target.
Cocamide DEA is a toxic chemical that is used as a thickening or foaming agent in products such as shampoos, liquid soaps, body wash and bubble bath.

“Most people believe that products sold in major stores are tested for safety, but consumers need to know that they could be doused with a cancer-causing chemical every time they.
CEH, which is non-profit environmental advocacy group, says it bought the shampoos and other products at Bay Area locations of major retailers and from online retailers before getting an independent lab to conduct tests.
In 2012, California added cocamide DEA to its list of known carcinogens under Proposition 65 .
The voter-approved initiative, otherwise known as Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, requires “businesses to notify Californians about significant amounts of chemicals in the products they purchase, in their homes or workplaces, or that are released into the environment.”
The four companies named in the lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of the State of California, are Walgreen Co; Lake Consumer Product Inc; Todd Christopher International Inc; and Ultimark Products LLC.
The lawsuit seeks $2,500 in penalties per day for each violation from each defendant, along with a permanent injunction against selling the products in California without “clear and reasonable warnings.”
Meanwhile, in Canada, there are some restrictions on the use of cocamide DEA in cosmetics, but only when it is used with other agents that can cause the formation of nitrosamines.
This restriction is similar to regulations in the European Union.

美国:将绕过联合国自行与盟友惩罚叙利亚

信源:人民网

美国政府已决定绕过联合国安理会,自行与盟友就叙利亚政府使用化学武器采取惩罚行动。

美国国务院发言人哈尔夫28日说,由于俄罗斯在安理会中反对任何针对叙利亚的有意义行动,华盛顿已看不到有任何途径可走,美国除了继续与其他国家磋商外,也只能在未来的日子自行采取适当的回应措施。哈尔夫还透露,安理会将不会表决由英国提出的谴责叙利亚使用化武议案。

报道说,联合国安理会五个常任理事国讨论英国提出有关叙利亚问题的决议草案,议案内容包括容许在叙利亚采取军事行动,但会议就议案未能达成共识。俄罗斯强调,必须在联合国调查小组完成有关叙利亚使用化学武器的调查之后,联合国才讨论任何议案。

另据美国哥伦比亚广播公司报道,奥巴马总统4日内已就叙利亚问题举行了两次内阁会议,讨论应对措施。报道表示,白宫稍后公开的情报资料,会包括美国情报机构截听叙利亚官员的电话通话,以及其他证据,证明叙利亚军方如何落实攻击行动。


美国高官:对叙利亚军事打击将持续数小时 或派隐形轰炸机

美国驻华使馆就薛蛮子被拘做出回应

信源:环球时报英文版

美国驻华使馆代理新闻发言人何哲鑫(Justin?Higgins)对环球时报回应称,美国使馆对薛被拘一事知情;会向薛提供适当的领事帮助;因为此事涉及隐私不做评论。


警方介绍,8月23日,有群众举报称,北京市朝阳区安慧北里某小区16号楼1809室涉嫌卖淫嫖娼。当日18时许,北京市公安局朝阳分局大屯路派出所民警迅速赶往涉事地点,并在现场抓获两名卖淫嫖娼人员。经警方核查,涉案男子系美籍华人,英文名XUE?CHARLES?BI-CHUEN,60岁,2007年来华,曾用中文名“薛必群”,微博名“薛蛮子”。涉案女子为张某,河南淮阳人,初中毕业后赴深圳打工,今年5月来到北京,无正式工作,专门在其暂住地(安慧北里某小区16号楼1809室)从事卖淫活动。

审查中,薛、张供认,今年8月初,二人通过梁某(女,32岁,广西人)介绍建立联系,不到20天时间里,“薛蛮子”先后3次在梁某、张某暂住地进行嫖娼活动。其中,前两次每次嫖资1000元,抓获当日嫖资为1500元。

警方查明,除张某外,薛必群还与此次行动中抓获的多名女性涉案人员存有卖淫嫖娼关系,并多次聚众淫乱。特别是自今年5月中旬以来,“薛蛮子”至少与10余名卖淫女进行卖淫嫖娼、聚众淫乱活动。在对行动中抓获的其他人员审查时,多名涉案人员也指认,“薛蛮子”喜欢在固定地点单独连续招嫖或同时与多名卖淫女聚众淫乱,并且经常拖欠嫖资。就在8月22日,即“薛蛮子”因嫖娼被抓获的前一天下午,薛还与3人进行了聚众淫乱活动。

但是,据了解,这些卖淫女并不清楚“薛蛮子”的真实身份,不知道他就是网络上大名鼎鼎的“薛蛮子”,只知道他是她们的常客,平时称他“老顽童”、“郎哥”。

据薛必群供认,为满足自己特殊的欲望和性癖好,其在国外生活期间染上了嫖娼恶习,来中国后继续频繁嫖娼,对嫖娼和聚众淫乱活动几近痴迷。

目前,上述涉案人员均已被警方依法拘留。

因“薛蛮子”系美国公民,24日下午,北京市公安局出入境管理部门按照有关规定,已将“薛蛮子”嫖娼被警方依法拘留的情况通报给美国驻华使馆。27日下午,美使馆已派员对“薛蛮子”进行了领事探视。警方表示,无论是外国人还是中国人从事非法活动,公安机关都必将予以坚决打击,决不手软。


大V薛蛮子现形记
信源:明镜周刊
中央电视台、《人民日报》、新华社这三驾马车会先后开足马力只为将一个拥有1200余万粉丝的嫖客拉下神坛;意外的是,涉嫌聚众淫乱的天使投资人薛蛮子被拘留的消息传出,除了瞠目结舌外更多的不是人神共愤,而是沸反盈天般的网络抗议,高呼“警方执法手段下作”、“设套抓捕”、“私德无需公权力介入”、“侵害隐私权”者甚众。以至于一时间,恰逢“我有一个梦想”50周年的马丁•路德金也躺着中枪,被一干人等从尘封的历史中拖拽而出,附言:“原来你也是嫖客啊!”

天使投资人薛蛮子

薛蛮子何许人也?微博中标示的是天使投资人,微博打拐发起人。鲜为人知的是他的身份背景。其父薛子正历任北京市政府秘书长、副市长,国家经委副主任,中央统战部副部长。而且在被拘留前,薛蛮子还在由国家互联网信息办公室主办,设席央视新址《对话》节目演播厅的“网络名人社会责任论坛”中作为嘉宾出席。更早前,不仅活跃于网络,更是众多电视媒体的常客。所幸,不管身份为何,错了就是错了,嫖娼或是聚众淫乱本就该依法查办。有着“官二代”背景的薛蛮子也不例外。

同为大V的“五岳散人”逐条列出了抗议根由。首先,嫖娼是个人私德,公益的事情与私德无关,他的私德并不代表他做的公益是伪善;其次,薛蛮子是大V,但网络大V囊括社会各个阶层,难道所有人都有嫖娼嫌疑?法官嫖娼才有警示意义。不过,最后一条的杀伤力才最猛也最为隐晦----把别人推进粪坑别用力过猛,弄得自己也掉进去。说的正是央视、新华社等中共喉舌媒体在薛蛮子嫖娼一事中的过度反应。

警方在公布薛蛮子嫖娼被拘留的消息之前,北京大学教授孔庆东即已提前预告了此事,但网络上提醒孔和尚小心造谣被抓的声音还是占据多数。随后,北京警方确认后,《人民日报》、新华社第一时间予以确认。更详细的内容和画面,在央视画面中持续被高频次报道,受关注程度仅次于薄熙来在庭审时讲述的悲情“三角恋”故事。

因为薛蛮子被抓稍晚于秦火火等网络造谣者,而且恰逢当局打击谣言净化网络环境风声鹤唳之时,所以众网络公知的第一反应是当局在“设套”。连环球时报总编辑胡锡进25日都曾在微博中公开承认 ,不能完全排除官方是在通过抓嫖娼“整”政治对手。

但这样的口径并未持续多久,胡总编却也顶不住压力和阴谋论,不仅删除了这条泄露天机的微博,更是在《环球时报》的言论平台上竭力为当局洗冤。29日署名单仁平的《为薛蛮子嫖娼“洗地”不是明智之举》,正是胡锡进态度逆转的证据。作者在提出希望这件事不要过度“政治化”的期望后写道,“最热衷将这件事‘政治化’的还是互联网上,而那里支持薛蛮子的人最集中。只要他们‘低调’些,别不顾一切为薛蛮子的嫖娼行为背书,指责‘官方的阴谋’,事情可能不久就会过去。”言外之意是,即便有政治化和官方的阴谋,这都不算是重点,最关键的是在“低调”中让这件事情过去。

用孔庆东的话说,大家应该用说说笑笑冲淡此事,才能帮助薛蛮子早日自由,多大点事儿啊?

可事情的发展远非如此简单,不仅网络舆论场的人不愿意低调,连党报官媒更是不甘放过这个给大V们喊话的机会。新华社午夜发来严声厉色的评论,点名道姓大谈薛蛮子跌下道德神坛的警示,斥其伪善面具扫地、一身斯文扫地、人格分裂、扇了自己一记耳光。财经网最先来论,“这次,我和我的小伴们真的都惊呆了。”时隔不久,《人民日报》也发出短评《网络大V更应严守底线》,叹曰:公众眼中的“网络名人”是卖淫女口中的“老顽童”、“郎哥”,资产丰厚的企业家却是经常拖欠嫖资的嫖客,道貌岸然的背后竟然有肮脏的性交易。

在薄熙来庭审第一天官媒密集发布类似文革式大字报的文章,已经沸反盈天。这一次,即便对象没有直接关涉政治因素,但观后央视的画面和官媒的私德公德之说,更多的意见领袖开始反诘,并间接形成一股看上去像是在支持薛蛮子的民间力量。
博联社总编马晓霖称其为“无套之套”,也即:若聚众淫乱事实确凿,很难想象官方设套。设套嫌疑来自官方媒体一拥而上的架势,以及对网络大V的群殴,特别是伴随着几个网络红人的相继被拘。事情也许就是巧合,但官方组合拳轻易“被阴谋伦”,何也?说白了,政府公信力存在问题。国外名人乱性也会被媒体爆炒,为何鲜有指责官家?专栏作家连鹏从媒体报道入手,“都将其嫖娼事件跟打击谣言放一起了,这会给外界借机整人负面观感。另外公安机关在通报案情时是不是该尊重下隐私权?”

凤凰网评论员彭晓芸也忍不住执法伦理和隐私权,“午夜时分,微博上,全民议论他国公民性隐私,这社会主义优越性,倒是挺奇特的。通稿那么详细披露无关公众利益的隐私细节,可见法的精神服务于严打需要。就算警方通告内容属实,无非就是性特殊癖好,性成瘾症。性行为个体差异之大不亚于饮食口味。就算以妨碍治安名义拘捕,公布如此细节有悖执法伦理。” 比照而言,中青报曹林的心态颇为平和,面对不堪入目的合理想象,还庆幸在这些荒诞时相中,可以做个打打酱油的八卦围观者和故事消费者,还可以评头论足几句。足矣!

原本,警方不落细节的报道意在自我澄清,证明抓捕薛蛮子是偶然而非定点,无涉政治因素,到最后却成了薛蛮子拥趸们的“把柄”。而那些大谈隐私权和公安部门执法伦理的意见领袖,原本是想换个角度看问题,却不料一不小心掉入陷阱,被错误地当成拯救薛蛮子的民间力量。

网友“廖睿”的评论又牵出了另一个问题,“国家级媒体抓嫖客,抓到一个国际级嫖客。”所谓的国际级嫖客,说的正是拥有美国籍的薛蛮子。以至于,这一桩刚开始以为是“家丑”的大戏,不得不外扬出去。美国大使馆给出的回复是,会向薛蛮子提供是适当的领事帮助,因为此事涉及隐私不做评论。这样简短的发言人声音,在舆论场扩散的同时,更像是硬生生一巴掌,拍在了不顾及隐私大肆报道细节的央视脸上。

不过,性学家李银河的洗白独树一帜。自称与薛蛮子有过一面之缘,印象中薛蛮子“家庭生活幸福,夫妻恩爱”,认为他不至于走到嫖娼这一步,认为他可能在搞“行为艺术”,“引起公众对卖淫法的关注”。如果有人反对、嗤之以鼻,李银河便可模仿铁道部发言人的口径来一句----“不管你信不信 ,反正我信了。”也算得上是无懈可击了。


薛蛮子嫖娼被抓现行视频曝光 声称自己是美国人

美国多名非裔儿童欺负白人女童录像引轩然大波

Shocking Video Encouraging Kids to Bully Litte Girl

广州女白领iPhone5原装充电器爆炸 致公司停电

信源:新华网

针对之前空姐使用山寨iPhone充电器导致被电击致死一事,苹果宣布山寨充电器加68元可换购原装。而今天上午,在璟泰大厦上班的李小姐用原装苹果充电器给iphone5充电,充电器爆炸了,导致整个公司停电,幸好没有人员伤亡。


图为iPhone5原装充电器

小心了 美国海外追税已盯上退休帐户

信源:世界日报

近年来美国加强对付逃税,要求银行和美国纳税人申报海外资产,2010年施行的肥咖法(外国帐户税收遵从法,简称FATCA),也使得在国外藏匿资产更加困难。现在这种紧追逃税的作业,箭头又转向国外的退休帐户。


从明年7月1日起,其他国家的退休计画如有美国纳税人的帐户,大多必须同意向美国国税局申报,以免来自美国的利息、股息和出售证券利得被预扣30%税捐。

跨国企业的重要员工,经常奉派到不同国家工作,并加入当地的退休计画。现在美国把其税法扩展到这些退休计画,对在其他国家工作的美国公民或居民拥有的非美国退休计画,按照美国税法课税。

肥咖法规定外国银行必须把美国人拥有的帐户资料提供给美国国税局,外国金融机构也必须清查在非美国基金拥有资产的美国纳税人,而其罚款重得使一些机构考虑放弃所有美国客户,以免来自美国的收入或基金获得的资金被预扣30%罚款。

各方担心任何非美国退休计画只要有任何美国人参加,都会受到肥咖法波及。面对外界关切,美国财政部和国税局去年采取理性立场,把大部分外国退休计画列为「视同遵守」肥咖法,给予一些豁免。

华府正根据肥咖法陆续与各国政府签订交换资讯协定。德杰律师事务所(Dechert)律师布鲁姆(Andrew Bloom)说,根据这些协定,许多退休计画可能获得豁免,财政部和国税局也提供另外一些豁免。

布鲁姆说,不符豁免资格的外国退休和酬劳计画,通常必须向国税局登记,并遵照政府之间的协定,或美国政府与外国金融机构达成的协定,向美国申报美国籍户主。

国税局8月19日成立线上登记网站,外国金融机构必须在明年4月25日之前登记它们的退休计画,以厘清哪些计画可获得豁免。国税局将在明年6月公布第一份清单,以后每个月更新。