Mama, while we should all certainly be aware of, and concerned with, health matters, it's important, too, when spreading information that we be aware of any vested interests of those making the reports.

For example, in your second post the report starts by saying:

"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will fine Teflon maker DuPont $16.5 million for two decades' worth of covering up studies that showed it was polluting drinking water and newborn babies with an indestructible chemical."

Very inflamatory. And very scary, if true. However, this is not quite what was said in your first post.

Much of the health and environmental reporting in this country is of that nature, unfortunately. Groups with an ax to grind twist and spin what is sometimes very little information.

Another example: Recent studies have repudiated the so-called links between aluminum and althzeimers. But even if they hadn't, the original (possibly flawed) study revealed that people with althzeimers had aluminum build-ups in certain portions of the brain.

The researchers, themselves, concluded that the causal relationship was unclear: Did aluminum build up and cause the disease? Or did having the disease cause aluminum to build up?

Obviously these are very different things. And yet, many groups, organizations, and individuals are still reporting that using aluminum cookware has been linked to althzeimers disease. Such as the article you quote, which states, "Excess aluminum has been associated with conditions such as Alzheimer?s."

For what it's worth, on the aluminum issue, nobody has been able to replicate the findings of the original study, and most researchers have concluded that the aluminum levels found in the original study were an artifact introduced by sloppy lab work.

Somehow or another, the mass media and the anti-aluminum lobby has never caught up with more recent findings.

I just posted several of the notes that I have. If anyone reads them - fine - if not - fine. Many do not give a hoot about any of this. Some do care. If I posted everything it would bore most.

Eating something at someone's home that was cooked in an aluminum pot will not kill you - unless you eat there and use that pot for everything everyday of the week.

Ditto with Teflon.

Ditto with fast-food wraps.

I remember that whole controversy with Teflon and all the articles about it.

But DuPont (as well as other large companies) have the money to "find" someone to say that things are fine with their products. That I do not like. But - we can't change it.

We all have our opinions - I prefer to not use certain items - but then again - it is my choice.

"I prefer to not use certain items - but then again - it is my choice."

Absolutely. And, for the record, there is neither aluminum nor non-stick cookware in my house. Not a single piece of either. That's a choice I made, for various reasons. But I don't go around spreading false information about them, either.

"But DuPont (as well as other large companies) have the money to "find" someone to say that things are fine with their products. That I do not like. But - we can't change it."

You're kind of proving my point with this statement. Obviously, you believe that DuPont will lie, cheat and steal to have its way. That they'll pay somebody to make up information.

That being the case, you are prepared to believe any information that appears which supports that view.

Meanwhile, there are others who belive many environmental and health groups operate from a knee-jerk anti-big business platform. They they will lie, cheat and steal in order to bring down whichever their target happens to be (such as DuPont). Those people are prepared to believe anything that supports the big company's position.

In neither case do the facts really matter much. What is it Robert Heinlein said about the Irish---that they are the only real philosophical people in the world, "facts do not sway them in the light of higher truths." Unfortunately, nowadays we all seem to operate that way.

Dave Brower started it, when he radicalized the Sierra Club many years ago. Ever since, almost every advocate of anything has taken a jesuitical approach---the end justify the means, and that's all that counts.

"But DuPont (as well as other large companies) have the money to "find" someone to say that things are fine with their products."

Are you somehow under the impression that advocacy groups which support your position are poor? You need to look at some of their budgets, which often number in the billions of dollars. The sad fact is, "expert witnesses" are for sale on any side of any issue. And the advocacy groups are masters at using such "experts," while manipulating the media.

Another sad fact is that whistle blowers have almost always been shown to have a personal vested interested in "revealing" what they do. For instance, I question the reason why Mr. Evers---"a former long time DuPont scientest"---suddenly chose to come forward. What was he doing all those years of the so-called cover-up? And why is he a former employee? Did he retire? Take a different job with another company? Get fired for cause? Shouldn't we know that information, so as to better judge what's going on.

Did you know that whistle blowers are subject to recieving up to 15% of any settlements? Do you reckon a potential $47-million (on the possible fine) or$2.48 million (on the actual fine) could have at least partially influenced his decision?

Can someone help? Call me dense- but after a month or more, I still cannot quite figure out a few options available here. How do I quote a segment of a post in light blue to cut-paste and reply specifically to? (I've been trying to clip sections of mama's and KYH's posts to reply to and comment on, but I cannot make it happen! Yikes!)

What are the "quote" (if it's intedned to do as I describe above I'm unable to make it work- I'm sure it's simple, but I can't get my pea-brain around it!) and "multi- on/off" buttons for? And what the helll does "furl this post mean?"

Hi Kevin,
When I use quote option it pulls up the entire post I then have to delete it all except the portion I want to quote.
The rest I am unsure of.

I have one question: I am using my Food Saver to shrink wrap my food in their plastic bags. They say you can boil in their bags, why couldn't one use the food saver bags for these omelets? It sounds fine to me to use them, just not the zip lock baggies. I liked the whole idea of make ahead omelets!