Brief story about this recall in the Canberra Times on the weekend. Good comment Beanmomma. I know international trade has benefits. I would hate for people in cold countries to miss out on tropical fruits or people in landlocked countries to miss out on seafood. There are probably better examples but you know what I mean. There's a logical level of sharing of resources and skills. And then there's what we have now. For example much of our seafood goes overseas and our shops are full of imported vanamai prawns and something called bassa. Doesn't make sense to me. We buy most of our food at the markets. The greenies would probably criticise me for that extra weekly car trip but what I buy has travelled a lot less than what I would have to buy at my local supermarket. I discovered the European Union consumer website a couple of years ago (ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/rapex for products and there's a section for food as well). Interesting reading. Most of the recalled products originate in countries where things are produced cheaply. Makes one's efforts to reduce, reuse, recycle seem like a joke when one contemplates the amount of cheap rubbish (always including lots of toys) that gets shipped huge distances only to be thrown out. Or is it then shipped somewhere else that will accept it? A few years ago there was a travelling sale in town of manchester originally destined for Europe. No further explanation was given. I found out a little later it was around the time the Europeans were tightening their rules regarding fungicides and dyes in imported textiles. I'm glad we didn't buy any. Sorry about the rant. Hope this problem has now been stopped and no more animals suffer.

I have a small rug shampooer (I smoked the motor in my larger one - but have found the small one - altho I have to refill more often - cleans as well as the larger one did), After cleaning with whatever, then rinsing with vinegar, I finally just started using a mixture of 1 gal hot water, 1/2 cup Mr. Clean, and 3/4Cup white vinegar - mix and use. My rugs come out clean, and still smell good and are soft, plus they dry faster not doing the rugs twice wash and rinse). Having 2 large dogs that have not learned how to clean their feet when they come in the door (after always finding some mud), my rugs get washed sometimes every week depending on the season.

That made my day, especially #4 and 5.....I agree, all kids or babies should have a pet.... Thanks for sharing.............

You can have them spayed or neutered, but I don't know anyone who has. Normally you only have one sex, (or, if you are a breeder, keep males and females in separate cages.) Not to excuse the irresponsible people, but there is a demand for snake food - snakes gotta eat, too! My nephew has a pet snake, so we had a running joke about our pets. (but when his snake was a tiny baby, it could only consume newborn rats, so our rats could probably have eaten him!) A pox on anyone who lets animals reproduce, without regard for what will happen to their offspring : (