Eating Out Is A Bit Healthier – This Year

The Greenwich Village KFC/Taco Bell “rats running around the store” video caused quite a stir last year. In February 2007, the New York Health Department began cracking down on eatery violators. 678 food establishments were closed between February and April 2007. This year during the same period, only 291 were closed; a 57% decrease. At this point, it’s unknown whether it was the restaurant owners or the rats that wised up.

Prediction: “Rats 1 City 0”

Did you know we have a new “Rat Czar” in town? That’s right! Bobby Corrigan, a national expert on pest control was recently hired to run the rats out of the Big Apple (The Pied Piper was apparently out of town on business). His hiring is part of a new rat offensive. The last rat war, in case you lost track, was several years ago. We lost. This one however comes after a yearlong study which concluded that New York City has too many rats. No surprise to any city resident or local pest control expert who didn’t need a study to know that! The strategy this time? City health inspectors armed with handheld computers are cataloging signs of rat life and notating conditions which help them to thrive here. That's laughable. Whatever happened to the tried and true concept of more pesticides and fewer food resources?

Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden stated, “there is no quick fix.” Health Commissioner, if we really need handheld computers to help lower the rat population, your quote couldn’t be any truer.