The Great Spinach Massacre

As of this evening, 104 Americans have E. Coli poisoning from eating tainted spinach. The television news unrolls lurid clips of vigilant grocers nationwide removing bags of spinach from shelves. Our heroes in the FDA warn us to avoid eating spinach or spinach-based products until the menace passes. Oh, that menacing vegetable.

Here's some perspective: There are 300 million people in the United States. 104 Americans are ill. Current odds of getting E. Coli poisoning from eating spinach: Around 30,000,000 to 1. Similarly, you have 1 chance in 23,000,000 of death by drinking detergent. More than 4,000 people die of snakebites every year. In India alone, more than 104 people are killed by elephants annually.

I'm going to take spinach's side on this. September is Leafy Greens Month.