Tag Archives: canada

International, Opinion

Chocolate Kinder Eggs Illegal in the United States, could cost you $300.00

If you’re coming back from Canada with a handful, or even just one, Kinder Egg, you’re breaking the law.  It’s against U.S. law to bring chocolate Kinder Eggs into the U.S., and can result in a $300.00 fine, per egg.

Several people have already had their collectible eggs, with a toy inside, taken by U.S. Customs officials after a random inspection at the border.  U.S. law banned the eggs precisely because they have a toy inside.  They are considered a health risk to children.  Last year (2010) U.S. Customs seized 25,000 Kinder Eggs at the U.S./Canadian border.

That’s pretty lame.  I used to get these Italian creations whenever I had the chance. My kids loved them when they were young.  Now I find out why it’s so hard to get them in the U.S.

The company that makes them is the Italian based Ferrero. Originally called Kinder Surprise, they’ve been making them since 1972, yet the United States government thinks they are some kinda terrorist threat to our children (maybe there’s WMDs in there?).  Actually, there is a U.S. law that says a food product cannot contain a non-edible object inside it.  Since 1991 seven kids, in the entire world, died choking on the Kinder Egg toy surprise.  There are legal toys/candies in the U.S. that have caused more deaths than that!

Another surprise is that even though they are illegal in the U.S., Canadian companies are selling them to people in the U.S., through the mail.  There used to be a small European food store where I live, in Idaho, and they sold Kinder Eggs all the time.  In fact they were their best selling item.  Where did they get the Kinder Eggs?  From a Canadian food supplier, though the mail.

Kinder Eggs have become so popular in the world that there are special eggs made for several countries, and holidays.  Wouldn’t it suck to go to jail for trafficking illegal chocolate eggs?   Sounds like some kinda Willy Wonka gone-bad movie.

International, U.S.

Mexico asks for help as Fire hits 200,000+ Acres

NASA photos show, as of April 11, the Coahuila fire has burned at least 300 square miles.  The photo also shows the smoke blowing northeast, towards the Rio Grande (called Rio Bravo in Mexico).  This is contrary to some Mexican reports that say it’s blowing to the southwest (maybe they meant it’s bowing OUT of the southwest). But, the winds have been the main cause of the big fire, and could be changing directions.

“We could have the area under control in about two to two and a half weeks.”-Juan Elvira, Mexican Environment Minister

This has turned into Mexico’s biggest wild fire.  Fire fighting helicopters, and a Boeing 747 water tanker, from the United States are helping.  Mexico is asking Canada for help, as well.

Fukushima, U.S.

Reactor 4 fuel pool critical, U.S. UAV to begin monitoring! North America to be hit with massive radiation!

Add to the potential for reactor 1 core explosion the Reactor 4 fuel pool crisis.

Fukushima Daiichi’s Reactor 4 fuel pool was damaged after an explosion several weeks ago (many main stream media report only two explosions, but there were three; reactors 1, 3 & 4 buildings). The problem is that it is now apparent that Reactor 4 fuel pool is leaking water faster than they can pour in (maybe this is the source of the leaks into the ocean?).

If spent fuel rods are exposed too long they will break down and spew radiation.

Japanese media now saying that the main reason for United States interest in the nuclear crisis is because the U.S. is in the path of most radiation contamination.  The U.S. is going to start using an UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) to monitor airborne radiation levels above Fukushima Daiichi, especially Reactor 4 fuel pool.

There are more than 10,000 spent fuel rods at Fukushima Daiichi, according to Hosono Goshi, a special adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Kan Naoto.

Business/Economics, Opinion

Once Again Experts Get It Wrong

Who are these “experts” who keep getting monthly job numbers wrong? Once again the “experts” have been surprised by job creation data that didn’t go the way they thought it would. According to reports our “experts” expected to see a net increase in September’s job numbers. Somewhere around 24,000 jobs created. But oh no, the actual numbers came in negative; 39,000 jobs lost.

This trend has been going on for a couple of years now. Officially things are supposed to be getting better, but when the actual data comes in it’s obvious things are getting worse. On top of that, when you look at the quietly issued “revised” data, it’s even worse. And our main stream U.S. media keeps towing the official line.

As a result of today’s jobs numbers, the big money players are hoping the Federal Reserve will ease up even more on monetary policy. Basically the big money players want the Federal Reserve to lend them money for free, while we continue paying outrageous interest rates to the big money players.

The International Monetary Fund even downgraded the anticipated growth of the U.S. economy. Why? Domestic consumer spending is going to continue to drop. Why? Significant domestic job creation is not happening. The IMF pointed out that there was a continuous difference in projected economic activity and actual economic activity. In other words, our “experts” keep getting it wrong.

Also, for the first time I’ve ever heard, Canada’s economy is now better off than ours. The IMF’s exact phrase is “relatively buoyant”, compared to the U.S.

Well, what-a-know. Canada!