To Hell in a Handbasket

Today I thought I would give you a little sampling of how things are going in these United States.




Credit Crunch Puts Some Companies on S&P Watch List
Homeowners aren't alone in struggling to keep up with their interest payments. As Bear Stearns' near-brush with bankruptcy shows, some companies also are dodging the repo man. Already this year, 24 public companies with assets worth $9.9 billion have filed for bankruptcy protection, BankruptcyData.com says. That's two-thirds higher than the defaults during the same periods in 2007 and 2006.


Evenflo Recalls Infant Car Seats

VANDALIA, Ohio - Evenflo Co. issued a voluntary safety recall Friday on its Discovery infant car seat and is providing parents with free supplemental fasteners to prevent the seats from detaching in high-impact side collisions.


Baby Products Linked to Chemical Risk

CHICAGO - Baby shampoos, lotions and powders may expose infants to chemicals that have been linked with possible reproductive problems, a small study suggests.
The chemicals, called phthalates, are found in many ordinary products including cosmetics, toys, vinyl flooring and medical supplies. They are used to stabilize fragrances and make plastics flexible.


2003 Photos Reveal Warping on Bridge


The NTSB said that steel plates used to build the bridge were probably too thin to hold the bridge together.


Inspector Arrested in Crane Collapse


New York City begins rechecking dozens of cranes after a building inspector is accused of lying about inspecting the crane that collapsed March 15, killing seven people.


FDA Suspects Melons in Salmonella Cases

WASHINGTON - People should throw away cantaloupes from a Honduran manufacturer believed to be linked to a salmonella outbreak, the government said Saturday.


FDA: Heparin Illnesses Now in Germany

WASHINGTON - Dialysis patients in Germany have gotten sick using a different brand of the blood thinner heparin than was linked to 19 American deaths, U.S. officials announced Thursday, sparking concern that the problem could be more widespread than originally believed.


Brazilian Co. Buying US Beef Processor

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - National Beef Packing Co., the nation's fourth-largest beef processor, said Tuesday it is being acquired by Brazilian giant JBS SA in a cash and stock deal worth $560 million. JBS also planned to buy Smithfield Food Inc.'s beef business to form the largest meat processor in the U.S., according to a published report.


Inspectors Say Meat Safety Is Threatened

LOS ANGELES - Sometimes, government inspectors responsible for examining slaughterhouse cattle for mad cow disease and other ills are so short-staffed that they find themselves peering down from catwalks at hundreds of animals at once, looking for such telltale signs as droopy ears, stumbling gait and facial paralysis.
The ranks of inspectors are so thin that slaughterhouse workers often figure out when "surprise" visits are about to take place, and make sure they are on their best behavior.


Panel Probes Electrocution of Troops


A congressional leader begins a probe into the electrocutions of at least 12 U.S. service members in Iraq since 2003. In one case, 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, left, was electrocuted while showering at his barracks in Baghdad. His parents are now suing KBR Inc., the American contractor that provided service to his quarters in the capital.


Pentagon Admits Mistaken Arms Shipment

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon announced Tuesday that the United States mistakenly shipped to Taiwan four electrical fuses designed for use on intercontinental ballistic missiles, but has since recovered them.


Government Benefit Programs in Trouble
WASHINGTON - Trustees for the government's two biggest benefit programs warned Tuesday that Social Security and Medicare are facing "enormous challenges" with the threat to Medicare's solvency far more severe.


Maybe it's time to board it up and turn out the lights because the party is over!!



And to think this was a very small sampling of life as we know it here in the United States.