Yes, I Have No Poisonous Bananas!

When I was about 9, I heard that the strings inside a banana were poisonous. So when peeling a banana, I was extra careful to get all the strings off, just in case.

But finally I decided that it made no sense that something poisonous would be right next to the edible pulp. Surely there would have been more public warnings if that were true.

Maybe questioning this “fact” was an early indication of my interest in journalism. It’s all about asking questions and not blindly accepting what you hear or read.

Now I learn that the proper name for the strings is “phloem bundles.” Ick. Good thing I didn’t know that when I was a kid.

Also, did you know that we’re supposedly eating bananas backward, just as I used to do with broccoli. The stem is actually the bottom since bananas grow upward from there. The usual way of peeling the banana goes against the grain of the fruit, causing the strings to cling to it. I’ll have to try that next time we buy a bunch of bananas!

BE SAFE tips keep kids from being left in hot cars

My letter-to-the-editor as published in the May 16, 2012, Kansas City Star:


Tragically, another child has died after being inadvertently left in the car while his mother was at work in Lee’s Summit. Our hearts go out to the parents and family.

If you think it couldn’t happen to you or your family, think again. Our memories don’t prioritize, so it’s as easy to forget to drop off your child at daycare as it is to forget to drop off your suit at the dry cleaner.

KidsAndCars.org provides these BE SAFE tips:
Back seat – Put something in the back seat that requires you to open the back door every time you park – cell phone, employee badge, handbag, etc.
Every child should be correctly restrained in the back seat.

Stuffed animal should be kept in your child’s car seat. Place it on the front seat as a reminder when your baby is in the back seat.
Ask your babysitter or child-care provider to call you if your child hasn’t arrived on time.
Focus on driving – Avoid cell phone calls and texting while driving.
Every time you park make it a routine to open the back door of your car to check that no one has been left behind.

Make copies to place in your own vehicles, and give to family and friends – even strangers – who have young children.

For more information on keeping kids safe in and around vehicles, go to KidsAndCars.org <http://kidsandcars.org/> .

Susan Pepperdine, Volunteer
KidsAndCars.org
Leawood, Kan.