Eggs on Our Face

This week on PBS, The Nightly Business Report included a discussion on the recent massive egg recalls. The suspected eggs were from two of the largest egg producers in the States.

It is daunting to see on television millions of chicken cramp in barns many times of a regulation football field. The lit chicken house does not impress me as a hospitable place. The size of it also makes me wonder how the well-being of these all white birds is monitored? To me it will very likely take a chicken catcher a long time to reach a distressed hen in an over sized barn.

Contrary to the reason for the recent egg recalls, the proponents of mass production system suggested that the better and bigger equipment these big companies can buy help to improve the safety of the foods they produce. But I am with the critics of the food industry that our food producers are getting too big. The dominant position of five or six producers in the country enables them to dictate the fares on our dinner table. And efficiency has also taken a toll on safety. Now food recalls have become common occurrences.

In old days, we were taught to be appreciative of the foods on our table and the clothes on our back. Now these days there are many families still pray before enjoying their bountiful meals. Perhaps now we should also think where our daily bread is coming from - Ayee

Life is not fair.

Steven Slater has my sympathy too. What he did on that JetBlue flight may not be the best way to vent his frustration or to land himself a realty show act, he did bring to our attention of the plights of many front-line workers now facing. Airline attendants, customer services agents and even fast-food cashiers are all convenient and easy targets for irate customers.

Now economy is in the dog house. Company cut their work force to the bone. The poorly paid front-line employees not only have to work harder. In addition to unhappy customers, they also face the grim prospect of losing their stressful job. This explains why now we saw more often of irrational outbursts, some with deadly consequences, of rank and file employers in the news.

This also brings out a sore point on the ultra generous multimillion dollar compensation to many company executives. If one of them were paid one million dollars less, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out on how many additional workers the company can hire.

Lately, there was not much news on what had happened to Mr. Slater: whether or not he still works for JetBlue. But I do hope his employer through this unruly incident sees the light in the tunnel, and takes steps to improve the working conditions of their many hard-working but discontented employees. - Ayee

Too much is no good either!

It is always a happy and satisfying occasion for me when I found a stray cat a new home. But there was one instance that I wished I could undo what I did to a gentle pussy whom I named Billy. All the extra attention this good looking cat was provided with at his new home did not do him any good as far as his longevity is concerned. Many cats, particularly the indoor ones, can live up to 20 plus years. Billy died of cancer not more than three years after he was with his new family. And he was only about five or eight years old then.

Billy with short white hair came to us like many other strays did. He entered through a toll-free cat flap. When we first saw him at our home, his entire body was covered with some yellowish oily substance. After a head-to-tail bath, he turned out to be a prince-charming. A grayish smidgen on the top of his white round head made him stand out among his peers. He was also a gentle cat. He might know a thing or two about not getting into fights or avoiding hostile confrontation while out courting. Unlike other toms we saw, he did not have a single bite or scratch on his bony body.

Soon, a neighbor decided to adopt this espeacially handsome cat. But this kind lady might have erred on being too cautious on Billy’s health care needs. Each year, she made sure Billy had his annual booster. At his new home, he, an indoor cat, was also given flea remedy each year even though he was free of any parasites on or in him. I did see Billy a few times when I was taking care of him while his dear mistress was away. Despite the facts that he was showered with the best care, undivided love, and tasty kibbles, he did not seem to be happy. One day I met his owner by accident. I was in shock when I heard that Billy had died of cancer.

After hearing this grave news, I often wonder Billy’s untimely death. I wonder if too many vaccinations and flea control medications are harmful to our pets. In the past before these new effective and strong medications were invented, I had seen cats lived up to 18 plus years. One of them, Lucky, an adorable toothless gray and white mixed Ragdoll, lived to twenty-some. Moreover, I do not know if it is a coincident or the outcome of poor care, over the past several years, three of my cats all died at a young age. All of them had been treated with parasite control meds. - Ayee