Happy Nutty Day!

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Peanut allergies doubled between 1997 and 2002 alone.

Researchers believe there are several reasons for increased rates of peanut allergy in children:

* The increased allergenicity of peanuts when roasted.

* Children eating peanuts when their immune systems are immature.

* The use of topical ointments containing peanut and the use of soy formulas.

But he's not being fired, I guess.

Well, he did such a great job that he's being reassigned to something really critical.

like counting all the paperclips in his office.

MSNBC says Michael Brown has *finally* been removed from FEMA.

Except not quite. He's just being pulled away from the Katrina relief, which is a start, but I'm still holding out for the tar and feathers.

How old should a kid be before eating peanuts? I don't want to mess up any nieces/nephews from the joys of peanut butter.

My god, it's just like The Office.

A former mayor of Edmond, Randel Shadid, confirmed that Friday. Shadid told The Associated Press that Brown had been an assistant to the city manager, and never assistant city manager.

Jeez. They're now saying avoid peanuts until 7 years. *That* would be hard.

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How old should a kid be before eating peanuts?

My pede says 18 months if there's no family history of the allergy, but we're going to be conservative and wait till she's 2.

Former Edmond city manager Bill Dashner recalled for Time that Brown had worked for him as an administrative assistant while attending Central State University.

"Mike used to handle a lot of details. Every now and again I'd ask him to write me a speech. He was very loyal. He was always on time. He always had on a suit and a starched white shirt," Dashner told Time.

What has this country come to, when always wearing a suit and starched white shirt doesn't matter when compared to gross incompetence?

Huh. Check this out:

Some doctors suggest waiting until a child is at least 3 years of age to introduce peanut containing products. To introduce peanuts to your child’s diet, first dab a small amount of peanutbutter on your child’s skin. Wipe off and observe for any redness or rash. Wait until the next day and place a small amount of peanutbutter on the child’s cheek and watch for signs of redness or rash. The next day, follow the same procedure placing the peanutbutter on the child’s lips. Finally, on the fourth day let the child ingest a small amount. If at any time a rash appears, give benedryl and seek the advice of a pediatric allergist. If at any time hives, wheezing, lethargy, or difficulty breathing occurs, give benedryl and go immediately to the nearest emergency room.

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