Morning Edition - 12/7/06

It’s Not Just Your Breath
Taco Bell ordered its 5,800 U.S. restaurants to remove all scallions from the eatery after an independent lab found the green onions in the establishments were covered with a dangerous strain of E-coli. "In an abundance of caution, we've decided to pull all green onions from our restaurants until we know conclusively whether they are the cause of the E. coli outbreak," said Greg Creed, president of Irvine, Calif.-based Taco Bell. To date, five people remained hospitalized – some with kidney damage – from their fast-food foray with the across-the-border treats from Taco Bell that resulted in the E-Coli outbreak. E-Coli is found in the feces of humans and animals and is most associated with undercooked meat.

Insert This Just Over Your Pie Hole
Researchers say our bodies do not crave what we can’t smell or taste. With that theory in mind, a new study is underway to develop a nasal spray that will block smell and taste and thereby help treat obesity. The FDA has granted Compellis a patent to develop the first-ever calcium channel blocker used in nasal formulation – a nasal spray. If you can’t smell it or taste it, maybe you’ll stay away from it.

Ladies in Red
The White House holiday reception turned into fashion hell as Laura Bush joined the party to find three other women wearing the exact $8,500 red Oscar de la Renta gown. Unfortunately, Laura had already had the annual photo taken in the gown and was left to make a quick decision – wear the darn thing with the pack and look like a bad girl group or slip away and change into something no one else was sporting. Always the politically correct diva, Laura dashed upstairs and made the quick change. Of course her guests didn’t have the luxury of doing the same. This is the first time in history that any first lady joined the festivities to find a guest wearing the same gown she had chosen for an event.

On Blast
If holiday wishes could come true… Poof… you’re granted the ability to make a quick decision – a wish of sorts. You are given the opportunity to:
Be strikingly beautiful
Be brilliant beyond your imagination
Be magnetically charming
Now remember, no cheating. You can only choose one. Which would it be and why? Assume that your choice will be permanent and life-lasting.

Keep passin’ the open windows…