"shock" news and stories

When I have a bag of Jelly Belly's around, I can't help but grab a few to snack on when I walk by. Ordinarily, this might not be a problem, but if I walk by 10 or 15 times a day, those little jellybeans can add up quickly. But here's a gadget that can prevent you from snagging an extra treat when you shouldn't: the shockolate vault jar. The jar lid has a timer on it that can be set for up to 24 hours. Once activated, it locks the jar and you will receive a shock when you try to open it, preventing you from overindulging on whatever is in the jar. Talk about aversion therapy! While the shock probably isn't that bag, the product does note that it should not be used by small children or people with heart problems.

The jar is also a good thing if you're trying to protect your sweet stash from, say, an annoying sibling.

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A 19-year old South Carolina man died as a result of eating a batch of pancakes from an expired mix. It wasn't exactly the pancakes that killed him, though. He seems to have had an allergic reaction to a mold that grew in the mix.

As unfortunate as this story is, it can illustrate a valuable point to everyone about checking expiration dates, especially on things that have a long shelf life. While the ingredients, which in the case of pancake mixes consist primarily of flour, can last for a long time in a cool, dry place, unwanted things can develop over time. Sometimes a product can smell or look "off, though a potential problem may not be obvious to the naked eye. "Unseen molds can trigger both minor and severe allergic reactions, so it is best to throw out an old mix than to risk anaphylactic shock - especially if you are prone to allergies.

 Update: Link is now fixed

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