Vocal Voices

A new survey of old toys from the 70s and 80shas found that they could harm children.

Why? Because they do not meet today's standards for trace elements such as antimony, barium, bromine, cadmium, chromium, lead and selenium. Millions of us have pllayed with Lego and Duplo and My Little Pony and Barbie without coming to any harm but suddenly parents and grand parents are told to be careful and even remove them from children.

Meanwhile, down at Jamie's Italian and Wetherspoons, as well as Butlin's, QVC, care homes and schools, beefy meat is off the menu. This is because the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has taken action against Russell Hume Ltd over non-compliance with "use-by" dates. We do not know what the "scare" is, what the health risks are or where else this meat might be. The action was taken 12 days ago but has only just surfaced, and there are no reports of anyone falling ill.

I am having steak for tea using a plastic knife and fork... sod 'em.

I'm increasingly of the opinion that the tv news is there to spoil your day and make you miserable!

Plus, there seems to be less news and more "features" on the news now.

The whole furore, to me, sounds like the supplier was sending meat which had passed its best before date to businesses where they would consume them immediately.

I can understand how Whetherspoons would be annoyed by this, but the reality is that the steaks probably tasted better.

Due to common sell by dates, we wind up selling meat at an age best cooked extremely rare then we cook it to death.

I read enough articles to realise that the headlines did not match reality and then turned off.

As for hospices getting steak and beef instead of infected chicken which has to be very carefully cooked, all because the meat is at the end of its use by date... Why would we want to do that?? Wrong isn't it?

Wetherspoons have been doing that for years, with their beers,it's how they keep their prices down! Quick turnover, I don't suppose the meat was dangerous, so this slightly hypocritical on thgeir part.

Sell by/schmell by use by/schmuse by dates - what a load of nonsense. That's what noses and eyes are for. I have managed to raise two hefty nearly 50 year old who played with plastic 70s and 80s toys and have survived to tell the tale with no apparent ill effects.