Here’s a thorough, well-researched health article that completely misses the most obvious point. The topic?
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Was there a deadly lag (of many months) in identifying the peanut butter – spread of Salmonella, and, what contributed to it. Not once is the following, let’s say hypothetical, scenario mentioned.
Here’s the way it works:
1) I say to my workers, ignore the Salmonella in our peanut butter tests – just ship the crap nationwide, we’re losing money.
2) I hear on the news there’s a multi-state Salmonella outbreak. How strange. Weeks pass. People die. More crap is shipped.
3) Hey! News blast: it’s the same Salmonella that we found! Still, I say nothing (except, possibly, don’t waste time cleaning the place, people – focus on shipping more crap). Oh, and by the way, more people die.
4) Golly! Media reports are now saying the Salmonella might be related to [drum-roll please]…peanut butter. What are the odds? Still, I say nothing. In fact, we keep shipping the crap. And guess what? More people die.
5) Is that the CDC on the phone? Tell them I’m busy…
Shipping the crap.
At least one person knew, the many months that people sickened and died nationwide, that contaminated products had been shipped and were still being shipped. Take a look at this article to see just how many of our tax dollars, months of effort, and the human toll it took to uncover a truth that at least one person knew the whole time.
Perhaps, in the context of deadly delays, the issue of individual accountability ought to be mentioned?
Have a similar Overlooked Obvious to report? Post it in the comments section!