Erica Hill
AC360 Correspondent
A little over a year ago, we did a segment on my show titled “Does God Want You to Be Rich?” It’s a provocative question, with some very passionate views on both sides. The so-called Prosperity Gospel basically suggests that as part of the love God has for you, he wants you to prosper, and in many circles this prosperity is directly aligned with wealth and material goods. But could that push for prosperity be responsible for some of the foreclosures across America? Our sister publication, TIME, tackles this with the question “Did God want you to get that mortgage?”
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Melamine-tainted food and dairy products made in China have now turned up in Vietnam, Russia, Australia and the US. In Vietnam alone, the tally now stands at 18 tainted products from China and two other countries. Great. Now, the FDA says trace amounts of melamine are safe in most foods, except baby formula. Really? I’m thinking if it’s not good for the little ones, it certainly can’t be good for me, even in small doses. In my completely unscientific opinion, the less processed your food, the better. Not only is it better for you, you feel better, too.
Exhibit A: non-dairy powdered creamer. This stuff creeps me out. Not only does it give me terrible heartburn, but reading the list of ingredients makes my head spin. In addition to the unpronounceable on the label is the warning that this product is “Highly Flammable” – you’re instructed to keep this white stuff away from open flames and extreme heat. Riiiight, so we’ll put it right next to the scalding coffee pot slowly charring on the HOT plate. I feel safe.
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Most of us at AC360 were disgusted at the idea of the “fish pedicure” – who knew there was something even more disgusting than the cheese grater for your heels, the Ped Egg? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but while the Ped Egg will live on (you can’t miss the display at my local drug store – right when you walk through the door, BAM!), the fish pedicure is no more. Why, you ask? This may come as a shock, but a state licensing board says the practice of guppies nibbling on your tootsies is unsanitary. I told you, shocking.
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Apparently, Bubbe isn’t the only one who knows the benefits of a little chicken soup – Chinese zookeepers are using the original cure-all as a stress reducer for a couple of overworked pandas.
It’s been a rough week for “Hope” and “Greatness”. The three year-old pandas are a bit overwhelmed by the surge in visitors during this week’s National Day holiday – on Wednesday alone, some 30,000 people flocked to the Wuhan Zoo. A thousand of them jammed the panda enclosure, shouting at the pandas. Gee, I wonder why the poor animals were pacing. I hope they added some matzo balls to the soup – I think that’s where the real power lies in the chicken soup.
| Jennifer NC |
October 3rd, 2008 5:15 pm ET I’m with you Erica on the Melamine issue. I don’t want to go near it in any amount. Also after reading your blog today I am glad I don’t like coffee and so stay away from the non-dairy creamer- yikes!! I had no idea it was flammable. Hope the pandas get back to normal soon. |
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| Betty Ann, Nacogdoches,TX |
October 3rd, 2008 5:40 pm ET Does God want us to prosper while others in the world suffer? NO! |
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| Lilibeth |
October 3rd, 2008 5:40 pm ET I agree that natural foods are best. Not only is it better for you, it tastes better too. The fish pedicure is weird. Those poor pandas…I hope they get some rest soon. See you later. |
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| Alexander |
October 3rd, 2008 5:42 pm ET Happy Friday Erica! Yayyyy, the weekend is here! I don’t think there’s anything more gross than that ped egg thing, sorry to say. The fish pedicure isn’t quite as gross as that ped egg. That ped egg had my tummy turning.: ) On a more positive note, I hope your Friday evening is going well and that you’re looking forward to the weekend ahead.; ) : ) |
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| Sharon, Sydney, NS |
October 3rd, 2008 6:06 pm ET I don’t get the whole powdered coffee cream thing either. It creeps me out. |
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| Sharon from Indy |
October 3rd, 2008 7:14 pm ET Erica: Many organized churches have forgotten the teachings of Christ. |
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| Sharon from Indy |
October 3rd, 2008 7:18 pm ET Erica: |
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| Tammy, Berwick, LA |
October 3rd, 2008 7:46 pm ET One of my friends and I actually became quite bored at our end of year student government association banquet and ignited some of the powdered coffee creamer at our table. It was a small spark, but the stuff is flammable. The things we did in our impulsive early twenties. The fish ped and ped egg are both disgusting. Whatever happened to a good ol’ fashioned mani-pedi at your favorite salon? This is just as bad as the bird poop facial. Have a good one. After the week I’ve had, a mani-pedi, cut/color, facial, and massage are in order. |
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| Annie Kate |
October 3rd, 2008 9:48 pm ET I’m with you Erica - I much prefer fresh food to processed. And I really don’t want anything that comes from China; its gotten really scary with the baby formula and the pet food, etc. Nothing they make will ever beat the fresh sweet corn I can get at the farmer’s market. And the farmer will tell me exactly what he used in growing that ear of corn. Annie Kate |
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| Don, WA |
October 5th, 2008 12:37 am ET Unsanitary? The world is not a sterilized hospital - I thought the guppy cleaning was kinda naturally cool for the ladies. |
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| Don, WA |
October 5th, 2008 12:48 am ET The less artificially processed food, and foot products - the better. Go natural. Kinda contradictional article today. |
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