HITS & MISSES: Kern's level of youth homicides still unacceptable
MISS: The good news is Kern County's youth homicide rate dipped in 2010. The bad news is the county still ranks high -- 11th in the state.
The study by the Violence Policy Center, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit, reported 23 homicides among Kern's 10- to 24-year-olds in 2010. That's the same number as in No. 1 ranked Monterey County -- Kern's overall homicide rate just happens to be lower.
In 2010, homicides decreased for all age groups in Kern County -- but 23 deaths in such a young age group is still too many. Anti-violence work by community groups, law enforcement and in schools remains essential.
HIT: Here's to a ho-ho healthy America
Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Sno Balls and Wonder bread, filed for bankruptcy protection last week, citing high labor costs and stiffer competition from rivals. The company plans no immediate layoffs and will continue to make its products for now. But it also faces the longer-term challenge of diets shifting away from the unhealthy products in which the company specializes. With the rise in obesity rates nationwide, Hostess should have recognized consumer demand for healthier foods, which have been well-documented by food industry trade groups. Hostess is working on low-fat and low-sodium versions of its current products but we think it will take more than a few tweaks to the Twinkies recipe to reverse it fortunes.
MISS: TSA's latest target: cupcakes
In other bad news for sweets last week, the TSA confiscated a cupcake from a female passenger flying from Boston to Las Vegas. The cupcake had been baked into a jar and caused concern for airport officials. While passengers can take cakes and pies on planes, the cupcake's thick layer of frosting was by TSA officials determined to be a "gel," the quantity of which exceeded TSA rules.
The bakery that made the cupcake quickly capitalized on the publicity. It changed the cupcake's name from "National Velvet" to "National (Security) Velvet." The TSA has assured passengers they can bring regular cupcakes on flights. Overreach? Maybe. At least the bakery worked things to its advantage.
MISS: Sympathy for cellphone faux pas
Until now it's been impossible to feel bad for the jerk whose cellphone goes off at inopportune times. But a New York man earned the sympathy of many after his iPhone rang out from his front-row seat at the New York Philharmonic Orchestra last week. In a rare move, the conductor stopped the performance, and as the offender fumbled to find his phone, the audience began jeering and shouting. The man, 60-plus, said his company had replaced his BlackBerry with an iPhone that day and although he silenced the ringer, he didn't even know the phone had an alarm. The man told The New York Times he apologized to the Philharmonic and the conductor by phone the next day, and that he hadn't slept in two nights as a result of the debacle. Moral of the story: The power button is the best option to silence a phone.
HIT: UC goes smoke-free
The University of California will prohibit smoking and the use or sale other tobacco products anywhere on its premises under a new policy announced last week. The policy will be phased in at all 11 campuses over the next two years. In doing so, UC joins more than 500 other college campuses nationwide.
