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Story by Bernadette Blanco

First I heard it was spinach, and then I heard that certain types of lettuces were contaminated with the deadly bacteria, E.coli. More recently, green onions were said to be the cause of another E.coli outbreak, but now the Food and Drug Administration is retracting its statement.

Green onions are not the culprits behind the E. coli outbreak at the Taco Bell restaurants in the Midwestern and Eastern cities of the U.S after all, according to Yahoo! News. The FDA could not prove that the onions were linked to E.coli, but they will continue to search for the cause.

In the meantime, the president of Taco Bell, Greg Creed, is on a full blow promotion to tell the public that Taco Bell is indeed safe to eat. So safe, he said, that he even told his college daughter as well as her friends to eat at Taco Bell.

“I can assure you, I would not tell my daughter that unless I absolutely believed it," said Creed, who told Yahoo! News. And since the incident, Taco Bell is taking extra precaution to clean and sanitize the food and restaurant.

However, the news didn’t want make me run into Taco Bell and buy a Chalupa. Taco Bell is still unhealthy and full of calories. I don’t even remember the last time I ate at a Taco Bell. The restaurant may be taking extra safety with it produce, but how long will that last? It seems like this whole thing will blow over once the public forgives and forgets.

But people shouldn’t forget things like this and people shouldn’t forget that the FDA is still trying to figure out what exactly is contaminated with E.coli. It is scary to think that there is this sort of mystery, but it seems as though the people from Taco Bell, more specifically, Greg Creed, doesn’t want the public to acknowledge that. Creed wants his customers to only know that the fast food company is working diligently to prevent this incident from happening again.

It seems that Creed is trying so hard to win over the public through his media campaigns. Creed recently posted an open letter to readers of the New York Times and USA Today, basically announcing his step to change the face of Taco Bell by supporting the creation of a coalition that would support public health and safety of produce suppliers and the government.

Who knows if all of this press will help Taco Bell regain sales; if it doesn’t I’m sure that the major fast food chain will still survive.

Labels: E. Coli, FDA, Taco Bell

Story by Bernadette Blanco

Last Thursday, more than 1,000 people were killed in the Philippines after a violent typhoon hit several villages near Mount Mayon and other provinces. According to the several news outlets, the winds reached up to 139 mph. The aftermath of the storm has been certainly damaging and costly for this developing country. There have been dangerous mudslides and violent storms. Some doctors fear the aftermath will also increase the risk of airborne and water-borne diseases. The president of the Philippines, Gloria Arroyo, declared a state of national calamity, according to Yahoo! News.

I heard about the news last Saturday from a friend of mine. She told me about it after I mentioned to her that I would be going to the Philippines to visit my grandmother and cousins at the end of the year. I was disappointed with myself for not finding out about the news sooner. I should have known what was happening -- I am a student journalist, I have family there, and I am going to the Philippines in a couple of weeks!

It was a major travesty that has left thousands homeless and hundreds missing. Fortunately for me, no one in my family was hurt or affected by the typhoon. But after seeing all of those photos on TV and online news outlets, it really got to me. The aftermath of this horrible event cannot be ignored and I certainly want to help out in any way that I can when I go and visit. My mom and I have already bought food and clothes to bring and donate when we get there. I know my help might be small, but it will hopefully make a difference.

The typhoon has also hit parts of Vietnam and just recently, in an article from Reuters, weather forecasters predict that another major typhoon will soon be hitting the Philippines. It is shocking and devastating to hear that another one will be hitting the country and causing more damage to the people and the land.

I began searching for articles about what was being done to help the impacted areas. Countries like Guam, China, Indonesia, and Australia are donating funds to help victims with food and shelter.

The country is facing a lot of problems. I also read an article about terrorist warnings in the Philippines. An article from a British Web site, warned tourists to stay away from the province Cebu and the island Mindanao. The travel warnings have increased more than ever this year.

This is going to be a troublesome time for those who are visiting, especially for those who have loved ones who were affected by the typhoon.