Fish finger fighting fund to aid EU food crackdown

Yahoo – AFP, 26 Sep 2017

Fish finger fighting fund to aid EU food crackdown

Brussels (AFP) - The EU unveiled plans Tuesday to crack down on food makers selling poor quality versions of products including Coca-Cola, Nutella and fish fingers in different parts of the bloc, particularly in eastern Europe.

Eastern member countries have complained bitterly of "food apartheid" or being treated as "Europe's garbage can" by manufacturers who use the same label for everyday goods that are of far lower standards than in the west.

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm and watchdog, will give member states one million euros to help improve tests for comparing products to detect differences in quality.

"These products are presented in exactly the same packaging but for instance the coffee contains less caffeine and more sugar, fish fingers contain less meat in one country than another," EU Consumer Protection Commissioner Vera Jourova told a news conference.

"So when I say I take this issue very seriously I mean it," she added.

The plans also include making sure EU states are fully aware of the way to enforce the bloc's food rules.

The steps unveiled on Tuesday came after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a keynote speech earlier this month that "there can be no second class consumers" in the EU.

"Slovaks do not deserve less fish in their fish fingers. Hungarians less meat in their meals. Czechs less cacao in their chocolate. EU law outlaws such practices already," Juncker said.

Jourova held back from "naming and shaming" the products but said she was waiting for evidence of cheating.

Asked which EU country had the worst fish fingers, she added: "There was an alarmingly low percentage of meat in my country, the Czech Republic, but it can be the case also in some others."

In February Hungary's food safety authority said many food products sold with identical packaging were superior in neighbouring Austria.

Among a list of discrepancies, the agency said the version of Nutella, the children's favourite chocolate-and-hazelnut spread from Ferrero, appeared to be "less creamy" than the Austrian version.

The aroma of Coca-Cola was seemingly "less rich, less complex" in Hungary, the agency said, while the flavour of Nestle's Nesquik cocoa powder was "more harmonious and intense" in Austria.

Pee'd off: Dutch women test urinals in public loo protest

Yahoo – AFP, September 23, 2017

A Vespasienne or pissoir is a public street urinal invented in France that is common
across Europe -- but is it suitable for women? (AFP Photo/JACQUES DEMARTHON)

The Hague (AFP) - Fed up with the shortage of public toilets for women? Dutch women took the matter to the streets Saturday in a protest aimed at showing the impossibility of using urinals that are exclusively designed for men.

"Women from across the country are invited to demonstrate the (im)possibilities of urinating in a public urinal built for men," said the organisers of the Netherland's First National Public Urinal Urinating Day, or "Power to the Peepee."

By mid-afternoon, more than 160 largely discreet images had been posted on Instagram under the hashtag #zeikwijf -- a Dutch word meaning "a woman who urinates" -- many showing protesters attempting ambitious gymnastic poses to get the angle right.

While admitting the protest would be somewhat "tongue in cheek", organisers have a serious message, saying they want to prove "that it isn't possible for women to urinate in a decent, hygienic and dignified manner in a public urinal designed for men."

The aim of the protest is to draw attention to the lack of public toilet facilities for women with the images to be sent to Jet Bussemaker, the Dutch minister for Education, Culture and Science alongside a petition entitled "Urination Equality in the Netherlands".

In an example of the problem, organisers say there are 35 permanent public urinals in central Amsterdam compared to three public toilets suitable for women.

The protest was organised by a woman called Geerte Piening who was found guilty earlier this week of public urination in a place where there was no toilet for women for miles around.

Fining her 90 euros, the judge said she could have used a public urinal, saying: "it may not be pleasant, but it is possible."

Related Article:

You could have used a urinal, judge tells woman caught peeing in public

You could have used a urinal, judge tells woman caught peeing in public

DutchNews, September 18, 2017

A ‘curl’ urinal in Amsterdam. Photo: BMA via Wikimedia Commons

 A 23-year-old Dutch woman has lost her appeal against a fine for urinating in a public place after the judge told her she could have used a urinal. 

Geerte Piening was fined €140 after she was caught urinating between the Balie debating centre and ABN Amro bank on Amsterdam’s Leidseplein 2.5 years ago after a night out. 

The judge on Monday ruled that the fine was legal, saying the ban on urinating in public applies to both men and women. However, he cut the fine to €90 because of the length of time the case had taken to court. 

‘It would have been discriminatory if we fined men €100 and women, say, €50,’ the judge said. ‘You are not allowed to pee just anywhere.’ 

In addition, Piening could have used one of the men’s urinals, the male judge said. ‘It would not be pleasant but it can be done,’ he said. 

The judge went on to say that while there are few public toilets for women in Amsterdam, there was no real need to build more, the AD reported. Piening, he said, was onthe second woman charged with peeing in public that he had come across. ‘Women just don’t do it, compared with men,’ he said. 

Piening’s decision to challenge the fine has turned into a cause celebre. ‘It has become a massive feminist issue, and that was not really what I was after,’ Piening told the AD.‘On the other hand, it is about time the issue was raised. It is embarrassing that there is nowhere for women to go.’

In central Amsterdam there are 35 public urinals for men and just four public toilets for women, according to the Parool. 

Relatd Article:

Pee'd off: Dutch women test urinals in public loo protest

Tattoo ink can seep deep into the body: study

Yahoo – AFP, September 12, 2017

A tattoo artist works during the second Expo-Tattoo in San Salvador, on
September 2, 2017 (AFP Photo/MARVIN RECINOS)

Paris (AFP) - Microscopic particles from tattoo ink can migrate into the body and wind up in lymph nodes, crucial hubs of the human immune system, a study revealed Tuesday.

The tiny particles -- measuring a few millionths to a few billionths of a centimetre -- include molecules from preservatives and contaminants such as nickel, chromium, manganese and cobalt, researchers reported in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports.

Tattoo colouring is composed of various organic and inorganic pigments, and can be contaminated with toxic impurities.

Besides carbon black, the second most common ingredient used in tatoo inks is titanium dioxide, a white pigment also used in food additives, sun screens and paints.

The chemical has been associated with delayed healing, itching and skin irritation.

"When someone wants to get a tattoo, they are often vary careful in choosing a parlour where they use sterile needles," said co-author Hiram Castillo, a researcher at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France.

"No one checks the chemical composition of the colours, but our study shows that maybe they should."

Scientists in Grenoble, joined by colleagues at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Berlin, used X-ray fluorescence measurements to identify particles in the skin and the lymph nodes, which are located in the neck, under the arms and along the crease between the thighs and the abdomen.

Only the tiniest, nano-scale particles made it into the lymph nodes.

The researchers also used a technique called Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to assess changes in tissue near tattoo particles at the molecular level.

They reported "strong evidence" for both the migration and long-term deposit of toxic elements in the body.

Now that their presence has been established, the next step is to look for evidence of adverse effects, including inflammation, they said.

Once a rarity outside of marginal communities, tattoos have become mainstream fashion accessories in recent years.

By one estimate, some 40 percent of Millennials in the United States have at least one tat, hidden or on display.

Microscopic particles from tattoo ink can migrate into the body and wind up in lymph nodes https://t.co/KmqZgzuJxt pic.twitter.com/D4NM9P3eBx

— AFP news agency (@AFP) September 12, 2017

Meat producer Zwanenberg to concentrate on vegetarian market: FD

DutchNews, September 12, 2017

Soya is widely used as a meat replacement. Photo: Depositphotos.com

Zwanenberg Food Group, which includes Dutch meat and snack producer Kips and Zwan luncheon meat, is phasing out meat products in favour of vegetarian products, the FD reports. 

The family firm, which has been in business since 1929, says it is moving with the times and the new strategy comes in response to the fall in meat consumption in Europe. ‘It is now quite normal for young people to not eat meat three days a week,’  ceo Ronald Lotgerink told the paper. 

The switch is a ‘rigorous’ one, FD writes. In time Zwanenberg is aiming for 50% of its turnover to come from non-meat products like vegetarian snacks, soups and sauces. 

According to owner and director Aldo van der Laan the trend towards eating less meat is irreversible. ‘As a food producer we are looking to profit from this by buying specific companies or building more factories,’ he told FD. 

Fresh meat

At present 90% of Zwanenberg’s €400m annual turnover is based on meat products. 

The company has already sold its fresh meat business to Belgian meat producer Ter Beke for €40m. Kips liver paste is not included in the package and will be sold as a snack. 

It has also gained access to the new market for soups and sauces by taking over Unilever’s soup and (Unox) sausage factory in Oss where it will also produce part of its meat based products. 

The move towards diversification is not only a result of changing eating habits but also a matter of size. ‘Scale is essential in the food market,’ Van der Laan told the paper.

Drinks firms agree to stop selling sugary drinks to Dutch high schools

DutchNews, September 6, 2017

Soft drink manufacturers have agreed to stop placing sugary drinks in vending machines and canteens at Dutch high schools from the end of next year as part of ongoing efforts to boost healthy diets among teenagers.

‘We want to help youngsters make a more healthy choice,’ Raymond Gianotten, director of the soft drinks and fruit juice association told RTL Nieuws. 

The decision is part of a Europe-wide agreement made by the industry to end the availability of sugary drinks in schools and also falls under Dutch government efforts to offer healthier food at school canteens, the association said. 

By the end of next year, schools will only sell soft drinks with no or few calories. Light versions of popular fizzy drinks will remain on sale. ‘There is nothing the matter with them,’ Gianotten said. ‘They have no sugar and few calories. You can drink them without consuming too many calories.’ 

Products are classified as ‘light’ if they contain 30% less sugar, fat or carbohydrates than the original product. 

Research by public health institute RIVM in 2016 found that schools had already been replacing unhealthy drinks in vending machines.

Suicide co-op membership doubles after going public with ‘death powder’

DutchNews, September 5, 2017

Membership of a group campaigning for the right of people to end their own lives at the time of their choosing has doubled following a television programme about its ‘discovery’ of a deadly powder which is legally available. 

The Last Will cooperative had 3,323 members before the Nieuwsuur broadcast but membership has now rocketed to 6,800, chairman Jos van Wijk told local paper De Stentor.

The cooperative is campaigning for the right of its members to obtain and use a drug to end their lives at the moment they see fit. New members have to wait six months before they are given information about the powder, which is a widely-available preservative. 

Van Wijk said the group came across the substance, which he refuses to name, after talking to chemists, pharmacists and toxicologists who are members of the organisation. ‘We were looking for something which is legally available,’ he said. ‘You cannot buy it in shops but it can be bought online.’ 

Despite the surge in membership, the cooperative has come under fire for allowing people as young as 18 to join and for breaking the law which bans people from helping others to commit suicide.

Amsterdam bans metro ads featuring unhealthy food for kids

DutchNews, September 4, 2017

Advertising which targets children and promotes unhealthy food such as chips and ice cream will be banned throughout the Amsterdam metro system from January 1 next year. 

The ban follows the city council’s alliance with the Stop Kindermarketing campaign, which aims to bring an end to the promotion of unhealthy food aimed at children.

The city has decided to start its campaign with a ban on advertising unhealthy food at its own and subsidized events, and at council-owned locations. This includes the city’s 58 metro stations, including those of the yet-to-be opened North/South service, officials said in a statement. 

Figures from the city’s health board in 2015 show one in five Amsterdam children is overweight.

Hospitals and insurers experiment with cancer drugs purchase alliance

DutchNews, September 1, 2017

Dutch hospitals and insurance companies have launched a pilot project to buy expensive cancer drugs together, the Volkskrant reported on Friday. 

They hope the alliance will give them a stronger position in negotiations with pharmaceutical companies and so cut costs. Hospitals and insurers have worked together for some time in buying medical aids such as wheelchairs together. 

The pilot project will focus on drugs to treat patients with leukemia, which currently costs around €30m per year. The total Dutch drugs budget is heading for €2bn a year, the paper said.

Dutch scientists say human lifespan has limits

Yahoo – AFP, August 31, 2017

Dutch researchers said that while life expectancies had increased, there had been
no major shift in maximum lifespan in the last 30 years (AFP Photo/THOMAS SAMSON)

The Hague (AFP) - Dutch researchers claimed Thursday to have discovered the maximum age "ceiling" for human lifespan, despite growing life expectancy because of better nutrition, living conditions and medical care.

Mining data from some 75,000 Dutch people whose exact ages were recorded at the time of death, statisticians at Tilburg and Rotterdam's Erasmus universities pinned the maximum ceiling for female lifespan at 115.7 years.

Men came in slightly lower at 114.1 years in the samples taken from the data which spans the last 30 years, said Professor John Einmahl, one of three scientists conducting the study.

"On average, people live longer, but the very oldest among us have not gotten older over the last thirty years," Einmahl told AFP.

"There is certainly some kind of a wall here. Of course the average life expectancy has increased," he said, pointing out the number of people turning 95 in The Netherlands had almost tripled.

"Nevertheless, the maximum ceiling itself hasn't changed," he said.

Lifespan is the term used to describe how long an individual lives, while life expectancy is the average duration of life that individuals in an age group can expect to have -- a measure of societal wellbeing.

The Dutch findings come in the wake of those by US-based researchers who last year claimed a similar age ceiling, but who added that exceptionally long-lived individuals were not getting as old as before.

Einmahl and his researchers disputed the latter finding, saying their conclusions deduced by using a statistical brand called "Extreme Value Theory", showed almost no fluctuation in maximum lifespan.

Einmahl said however there were still some people who had bent the norm, like Frenchwomen Jeanne Calment who died at the ripe old age of 122 years and 164 days.

Calment remains the oldest verified woman to date.

Extreme Value Theory is a brand of statistics that measures data and answers questions at extreme ends of events such as lifespan or disasters.

Einmahl said his group's findings will be submitted for publication in a peer review magazine "within the next month or so."

Related Article:

"Recalibration of Free Choice"–  Mar 3, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: (Old) Souls, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, Shift of Human Consciousness, Black & White vs. Color, 1 - Spirituality (Religions) shifting, Loose a Pope “soon”, 2 - Humans will change react to drama, 3 - Civilizations/Population on Earth,  4 - Alternate energy sources (Geothermal, Tidal (Paddle wheels), Wind), 5 – Financials Institutes/concepts will change (Integrity – Ethical) , 6 - News/Media/TV to change, 7 – Big Pharmaceutical company will collapse “soon”, (Keep people sick), (Integrity – Ethical)  8 – Wars will be over on Earth, Global Unity, … etc.) - (Text version)

“…  3 - Longer Life is Going to Happen, But…

Here is one that is a review. We keep bringing it up because Humans don't believe it. If you're going to start living longer, there are those who are frightened that there will be overpopulation. You've seen the way it is so far, and the geometric progression of mathematics is absolute and you cannot change it. So if you look at the population of the earth and how much it has shifted in the last two decades, it's frightening to you. What would change that progression?

The answer is simple, but requires a change in thinking. The answer is a civilization on the planet who understands a new survival scenario. Instead of a basic population who has been told to have a lot of children to enhance the race [old survival], they begin to understand the logic of a new scenario. The Akashic wisdom of the ages will start to creep in with a basic survival scenario shift. Not every single woman will look at herself and say, "The clock is ticking," but instead can say, "I have been a mother 14 times in a row. I'm going to sit this one out." It's a woman who understands that there is no loss or guilt in this, and actually feels that the new survival attribute is to keep the family small or not at all! Also, as we have said before, even those who are currently ignorant of population control will figure out what is causing babies to be born [Kryon joke].

Part of the new Africa will be education and healing, and eventually a zero population growth, just like some of the first-world nations currently have. Those who are currently tied to a spiritual doctrine will actually have that doctrine changed (watch for it) regarding Human birth. Then they will be able to make free choice that is appropriate even within the establishment of organized religion. You see, things are going to change where common sense will say, "Perhaps it would help the planet if I didn't have children or perhaps just one child." Then the obvious, "Perhaps I can exist economically better and be wiser with just one. It will help the one!" Watch for these changes. For those of you who are steeped in the tradition of the doctrines and would say that sounds outrageously impossible, I give you the new coming pope [Kryon smile]. For those of you who feel that uncontrolled procreation is inevitable, I encourage you to see statistics you haven't seen or didn't care to look at yet about what first-world countries have already accomplished on their own, without any mandates. It's already happening. That was number three.….”