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Pink x Black

Lunargrapefruit — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:37:35 -0800

Casual outfit to go eat French pastry and lobster ravioli on a cool day: Coat - Guess, Leggings - Betsey Johnson, Shoes - Steve Madden, Bag - Charlotte Russe, Sunglasses - Jones New York. http://pauvre-lola.livejournal.com/

Carpe Diem? Maybe Tomorrow

stephley — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:22:35 -0800

By JOHN TIERNEY
For once, social scientists have discovered a flaw in the human psyche that will not be tedious to correct. You may not even need a support group. You could try on your own by starting with this simple New Year’s resolution: Have fun ... now!

Then you just need the strength to cash in your gift certificates, drink that special bottle of wine, redeem your frequent flier miles and take that vacation you always promised yourself. If your resolve weakens, do not succumb to guilt or shame. Acknowledge what you are: a recovering procrastinator of pleasure.

It sounds odd, but this is actually a widespread form of procrastination - just ask the airlines and other marketers who save billions of dollars annually from gift certificates that expire unredeemed. Or the poets who have kept turning out exhortations to seize the day and gather rosebuds.

But it has taken awhile for psychologists and behavioral economists to analyze this condition. Now they have begun to explore the strange impulse to put off until tomorrow what could be enjoyed today.

Why, for instance, is it so hard to find time to visit landmarks in your own backyard? People who have moved to Chicago, Dallas and London get to fewer local landmarks during their entire first year than the typical tourist visits during a two-week stay, according to a study conducted by Suzanne B. Shu and Ayelet Gneezy, who are professors of marketing at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, San Diego, respectively. The Chicagoans in the study had visited more landmarks in other cities than in their own, and even their relatively small amount of local sightseeing was done mainly in the course of entertaining out-of-towners. Otherwise, the only time Chicagoans rushed to see the local landmarks was just before they were about to move to another city, when that deadline inspired sudden passions for taking architectural tours and going to the zoo.

When there is no immediate deadline, we’re liable to put off going to the zoo this weekend because we assume that we will be less busy next weekend - or the weekend after that, or next summer. This is the same sort of thinking that causes us to put the gift certificate in the drawer because we expect to have more time for shopping in the future.

We’re trying to do a cost-benefit analysis of the time lost versus the pleasure or money to be gained, but we’re not accurate in our estimates of “resource slack,” as it is termed by Gal Zauberman and John G. Lynch. These behavioral economists found that when people were asked to anticipate how much extra money and time they would have in the future, they realistically assumed that money would be tight, but they expected free time to magically materialize.

Hence you’re more likely to agree to a commitment next year, like giving a speech, that you would turn down if asked to find time for it in the next month. This produces what researchers call the “Yes ... Damn!” effect: when the speech comes due next year, you bitterly discover you’re still as busy as ever.

Dr. Shu and Dr. Gneezy demonstrated another effect of this fallacy by giving people gift certificates good for movie tickets and French pastries. Some got certificates that expired within two to three weeks; others got certificates good for six to eight weeks.

The people who received the long-term certificates were more confident than the others that they would redeem the gifts - a logical enough assumption, given all the extra time they had. But they just kept putting it off, and ultimately they were more likely to let the gift go unredeemed than the people who had received the short-term certificates.

Once you start procrastinating pleasure, it can become a self-perpetuating process if you fixate on some imagined nirvana. The longer you wait to open that prize bottle of wine, the more special the occasion has to be.

If you’re determined to get the absolute maximum out of those frequent flier miles, you can end up wasting them, as Dr. Shu found in an experiment offering people a chance to use discount coupons in the course of buying a series of plane tickets. Once the subjects were told that they might have a chance at a free flight worth $1,000, they scorned lesser awards and hung on to their coupons so long that in the end they had to use them for much cheaper flights.

“People can become overly focused on an ideal,” Dr. Shu said. “Even if they know it’s unlikely, they get so focused on the perfect scenario that they block everything else. Or they anticipate that they’ll kick themselves later if they take second-best option and then see the best one is still available. But they don’t realize that regret can go the other way. They’ll end up with something worse and regret not taking the second-best one.”

But even if you know about all this research, how can you apply these lessons? How can you avoid the temptation to postpone pleasure? (You can offer suggestions at nytimes.com/tierneylab.) One immediate strategy, Dr. Shu said, is to cash in quickly any gift certificate you received this holiday season. “The biggest danger is that it will be forgotten and expire,” she said. “One of the best presents you can give back to the giver is to use it quickly and then tell them how much you enjoyed it. The regret from not using it will be bigger than the regret from using it on a nonperfect occasion, for you and especially for the person who gave it.”

Another tactic is to give yourself deadlines. Cash in the miles by summer, even if you can’t get a round-the-world trip out of them. Instead of waiting for a special occasion to indulge yourself, create one. Dr. Shu approvingly cites the pioneering therapeutic work of Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, who for the past decade used their Wall Street Journal column on wine to proclaim the last Saturday of February to be “Open That Bottle Night.”

But you don’t even have to wait until Feb. 27. Remember the advice offered in the movie “Sideways” to Miles, who has been holding on to a ’61 Cheval Blanc so long that it is in danger of going bad. When Miles says he is waiting for a special occasion, his friend Maya puts matters in perspective:

“The day you open a ’61 Cheval Blanc, that’s the special occasion.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/science/29tier.html

Healthy Lunches At School: A New Lesson

MartiniLush — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:26:25 -0700

How healthy is the lunch your child is eating at school? It's a big question this fall, with a new report that about one out of every three kids is overweight. But our local schools are working hard to teach kids to eat right.

Schools and parents admit this can be a difficult task, but it's a very important one. For a growing number of students, the cafeteria can be the main source of nutrition for the day. The challenge is serving up a health lesson students will take to heart.

In Marci Killian's class, there's plenty of cutting edge education. She's the head of the culinary arts program at Auburn High School, where students are preparing the meals their classmates will eat when the lunch bell rings.

But this isn't exactly the school lunch you remember. Yes, you'll see french fries, but they're baked, not fried in grease. Soda pop's been taken off the menu, zucchini gets mixed into the muffins, and the salad bar's full of fresh vegetables.

A new Centers for Disease Control study shows 30% of kids are overweight. One in three born in the year 2000 will have diabetes at some point in their lives. When you consider that more than half the students at Auburn High are on a free or reduced lunch program, a healthy meal at school is vital. Killian says, "It possibly may be the only meal they get for the day, and so it's really important for us to get the nutrition out there for them. They're not eating junk food. We make sure we round it out."

In fact, statewide, schools served a half million more free or reduced price lunches last year compared to the year before. But are students getting the message on nutrition? Not always. As student Kathryn Blakely says, "It's difficult, it's hard, because they're like, why would I eat healthy when there's other good food here. I'm like, because it's good for you, and it tastes good."

The hope is as more students learn nutrition lessons behind the counter in culinary arts, they're more likely to stick to the lesson plan when they're on the other side. And there's a bonus, says budding young pastry chef Rowland Quinit. "You know, girls like guys that cook."

Source

High Calorie foods from fast food resturants

Monique Marie — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:20:48 -0700

White Castle Chocolate Shake - Large (Louisville region)
Calories: 1680
Nathan's Fish N Chips
Calories: 1537
Carl's Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger
Calories: 1520
Hardee's Monster Thickburger
Calories: 1420
Dairy Queen Large Choc. Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard
Calories: 1320
Hardee's Double Bacon Cheese Thickburger
Calories: 1300
Dairy Queen Large Chocolate Malt
Calories: 1300
Nathan's Chicken Tender Platter
Calories: 1300
Jack In The Box OREO Cookie Ice Cream Shake (24oz)
Calories: 1290
Dairy Queen Chicken Strip Basket (6 piece)
Calories: 1270
Hardee's Double Thickburger
Calories: 1250
Burger King TRIPLE WHOPPER Sandwich With Cheese
Calories: 1230
Jack In The Box Chocolate Ice Cream Shake (24oz)
Calories: 1230
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Large (New Jersey region)
Calories: 1230
Hardee's Big Country Breakfast Platter - Breaded Pork Chop
Calories: 1220
Jack In The Box Strawberry Ice Cream Shake (24oz)
Calories: 1220
Jack In The Box Egg Nog Shake (24oz)
Calories: 1210
Nathan's FRENCH FRIES (SUPER SIZE)
Calories: 1188
White Castle Vanilla Shake - Large (New Jersey region)
Calories: 1180
Del Taco Macho Beef Burrito
Calories: 1170
McDonald's Chocolate Triple Thick Shake (32oz)
Calories: 1160
Hardee's Big Country Breakfast Platter - Country Steak
Calories: 1150
McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast (Large Size Biscuit) w/o Syrup & Margarine
Calories: 1140
Carl's Jr. Guacamole Bacon Six Dollar Burger
Calories: 1140
Hardee's Big Country Breakfast Platter - Chicken
Calories: 1140
White Castle Vanilla Shake - Large (Cincinnati region)
Calories: 1140
Burger King TRIPLE WHOPPER Sandwich
Calories: 1130
White Castle Chicken Rings (20)
Calories: 1130
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Large (Cincinnati region)
Calories: 1130
Carl's Jr. Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger
Calories: 1130
Dairy Queen Large Chocolate Shake
Calories: 1130
Jack In The Box Bacon 'n' Cheese Ciabatta Burger
Calories: 1120
Jack In The Box Sirloin Bacon 'n' Cheese Burger
Calories: 1120
McDonald's Vanilla Triple Thick Shake (32oz)
Calories: 1110
McDonald's Strawberry Triple Thick Shake (32oz)
Calories: 1110
Del Taco Macho Nachos
Calories: 1100
Jack In The Box Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger
Calories: 1090
White Castle Fish Nibblers - Sack
Calories: 1090
White Castle Strawberry Shake - Large (Minneapolis region)
Calories: 1090
White Castle Vanilla Shake - Large (Nashville region)
Calories: 1090
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Large (Nashville region)
Calories: 1090
McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast (Reg. Size Biscuit) w/o Syrup & Margarine
Calories: 1070
Jack In The Box Sirloin Cheese Burger
Calories: 1070
Carl's Jr. Bacon Cheese Six Dollar Burger
Calories: 1070
Hardee's Six Dollar Burger
Calories: 1060
Hardee's Big Country Breakfast Platter - Sausage
Calories: 1060
Del Taco Macho Combo Burrito
Calories: 1050
Jack In The Box Vanilla Ice Cream Shake (24oz)
Calories: 1050
Dairy Queen Large Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard
Calories: 1050
Del Taco Macho Bacon & Egg Burrito
Calories: 1030
Dairy Queen FlameThrower GrillBurger (1/2lb)
Calories: 1030
Dairy Queen Chicken Strip Basket (4 piece)
Calories: 1030
Dairy Queen Medium Choc. Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard
Calories: 1030
Hardee's Grilled Sourdough Thickburger
Calories: 1030
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Large (New York region)
Calories: 1020
White Castle Strawberry Shake - Large (Columbus & Detroit regions)
Calories: 1010
Jack In The Box Ultimate Cheeseburger
Calories: 1010
Sonic Peanut Butter Shake - Large (20oz)
Calories: 1010
Carl's Jr. Original Six Dollar Burger
Calories: 1010
Burger King BK Quad Stacker
Calories: 1000
Arby's Meatball Toasted Sub
Calories: 1000
Dairy Queen Large Oreo Cookies Blizzard
Calories: 1000
Boston Market Boston Sirloin Dip Carver
Calories: 1000
Fast Food Items With 900-999 Calories
Burger King DOUBLE WHOPPER Sandwich with Cheese
Calories: 990
Sonic Chocolate Cream Pie Shake - Large (20 oz)
Calories: 990
Dairy Queen Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard
Calories: 990
White Castle Vanilla Shake - Large (New York region)
Calories: 990
Wendy's Triple w/Everything and Cheese
Calories: 980
Sonic Super Sonic Cheeseburger (with mayo)
Calories: 980
Hardee's Big Country Breakfast Platter - Bacon
Calories: 980
White Castle Onion Chips - Sack
Calories: 980
Carl's Jr. Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger
Calories: 970
Hardee's Big Country Breakfast Platter - Country Ham
Calories: 970
Arby's Sausage Gravy Biscuit
Calories: 961
Burger King OREO Sundae Shake - Chocolate - Medium
Calories: 960
Burger King Chocolate Milk Shake - Large
Calories: 950
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Large (St Louis region)
Calories: 950
Jack In The Box Sourdough Ultimate Cheeseburger
Calories: 950
Nathan's Chicken Breast Platter
Calories: 943
Boston Market Boston Meatloaf Carver
Calories: 940
Sonic FRITOS Chili Pie
Calories: 940
Sonic Peanut Butter Fudge Shake-Large (20oz)
Calories: 940
Burger King OREO Sundae Shake - Strawberry - Medium
Calories: 940
White Castle Vanilla Shake - Large (Minneapolis region)
Calories: 940
Carl's Jr. Super Star (with cheese)
Calories: 930
Del Taco Macho Chicken Burrito
Calories: 930
Burger King Strawberry Milk Shake - Large
Calories: 930
Sonic Chicken Strip Dinner (4)
Calories: 930
Sonic Strawberry Cream Pie Shake - Large (20 oz)
Calories: 930
Hardee's Thickburger
Calories: 910
Hardee's Bacon Cheese Thickburger
Calories: 910
Jack In The Box OREO Cookie Ice Cream Shake - 16oz
Calories: 910
Burger King DOUBLE WHOPPER Sandwich
Calories: 900
Sonic Super Sonic Cheeseburger (with ketchup)
Calories: 900
Sonic M&M's Sonic Blast - Large (20oz)
Calories: 900
Dairy Queen Medium Chocolate Malt
Calories: 900
Fast Food Items With 800-899 Calories
Sonic Super Sonic Cheeseburger (with mustard)
Calories: 890
Sonic Super Sonic Jalapeno Cheeseburger
Calories: 890
Pizza Hut Meat Lover's 6" Personal Pan Pizza (whole pizza)
Calories: 890
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Large (Columbus & Detroit regions)
Calories: 890
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Medium (New Jersey region)
Calories: 890
Jack In The Box Strawberry Ice Cream Shake (16oz)
Calories: 880
Jack In The Box Chocolate Ice Cream Shake (16oz)
Calories: 880
KFC Chicken and Biscuit Bowl
Calories: 870
Sonic Butterfinger Sonic Blast - Large (20oz)
Calories: 870
Sonic Hot Fudge Shake - Large (20oz)
Calories: 870
Jack In The Box Egg Nog Shake (16oz)
Calories: 870
Jack In The Box Single Bacon n' Cheese Ciabatta Burger
Calories: 870
Nathan's SUPER BURGER
Calories: 863
Subway Double Meatball Marinara
Calories: 860
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Medium (Nashville region)
Calories: 860
White Castle Vanilla Shake - Large (Columbus & Detroit regions)
Calories: 860
White Castle Vanilla Shake - Medium (New Jersey region)
Calories: 860
Sonic Banana Cream Pie Shake - Large (20oz)
Calories: 860
Nathan's BURGER WITH CHEESE
Calories: 850
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Large (Indianapolis region)
Calories: 850
Sonic Coconut Cream Pie Shake - Large (20oz)
Calories: 850
Arby's Mozzarella Sticks - Large (
Calories: 849
Arby's Chicken Parmesan Toasted Sub
Calories: 843
Taco Bell Fiesta Taco Salad
Calories: 840
White Castle Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (10)
Calories: 840
White Castle Vanilla Shake - Medium (Cincinnati region)
Calories: 840
White Castle Strawberry Shake - Large (Cincinnati region)
Calories: 840
Dairy Queen Mocha MooLatte (24oz)
Calories: 840
Dairy Queen Caramel MooLatte (24oz)
Calories: 840
Sonic Chocolate Malt - Large (20oz)
Calories: 840
Sonic Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Sonic Blast - Large (20oz)
Calories: 840
Arby's Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon Sandwich
Calories: 834
Wendy's Baconator
Calories: 830
Carl's Jr. Philly Cheesesteak Burger
Calories: 830
Carl's Jr. Breakfast Burger
Calories: 830
Jack In The Box Fish & Chips (Large)
Calories: 830
Subway 8" Pizza (Sausage)
Calories: 830
Burger King OREO Sundae Shake - Vanilla - Medium
Calories: 830
White Castle Strawberry Shake - Large (Chicago region)
Calories: 830
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Medium (Cincinnati region)
Calories: 830
Arby's Classic Italian Toasted Sub
Calories: 828
Arby's Onion Petals - Large
Calories: 828
Dairy Queen GrillBurger™ with Cheese (1/2lb)
Calories: 820
Carl's Jr. Loaded Breakfast Burrito
Calories: 820
Burger King Vanilla Milk Shake - Large
Calories: 820
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Large (Chicago region)
Calories: 820
Del Taco Shredded Beef Combo Burrito
Calories: 815
Sonic Chocolate Shake - Large (20oz)
Calories: 810
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Medium (Louisville region)
Calories: 810
Dairy Queen Large Banana Split Blizzard
Calories: 810
Burger King BK Triple Stacker
Calories: 800
Dunkin Donuts Sausage Egg Cheese Biscuit Sandwich
Calories: 800
Hardee's Big Chicken Fillet Sandwich
Calories: 800
A&W Original Bacon Double Cheeseburger
Calories: 800
Taco Bell Chicken Fiesta Taco Salad
Calories: 800
Fast Food Items With 700-799 Calories
Burger King TENDERCRISP Chicken Sandwich
Calories: 790
McDonald's Big Breakfast (Large Size Biscuit)
Calories: 790
Subway 8" Pizza (Pepperoni)
Calories: 790
Jack In The Box Vanilla Ice Cream Shake - 16oz
Calories: 790
Jack In The Box Sirloin Steak & Egg Burrito (no salsa)
Calories: 790
Jack In The Box Sirloin Steak & Egg Burrito with Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa
Calories: 790
White Castle Strawberry Shake - Medium (Minneapolis region)
Calories: 790
White Castle Vanilla Shake - Medium (Nashville region)
Calories: 790
White Castle Homestyle Onion Rings - Sack
Calories: 790
Sonic Oreo Sonic Blast - Large (20oz)
Calories: 790
Chick-Fil-A Hand-Spun Milkshake (Cookies & Cream)
Calories: 790
Dairy Queen Medium Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard
Calories: 790
Carl's Jr. OREO Cookie Malt
Calories: 790
Nathan's CHEESESTEAK (SUPREME)
Calories: 786
Del Taco Shredded Beef Breakfast Burrito
Calories: 785
Del Taco Deluxe Taco Salad
Calories: 780
Hardee's Loaded Breakfast Burrito
Calories: 780
Hardee's Chocolate Malt (Hand-Dipped)
Calories: 780
Sonic Strawberry Malt - Large (20oz)
Calories: 780
Sonic Bacon Cheeseburger
Calories: 780
Sonic Java Chiller, Chocolate/Caramel (20oz)
Calories: 780
Dairy Queen DQ Ultimate Burger
Calories: 780
Dairy Queen FlameThrower GrillBurger (1/4lb)
Calories: 780
Dairy Queen Medium Chocolate Shake
Calories: 780
Carl's Jr. Vanilla Malt
Calories: 780
Carl's Jr. Chocolate Malt
Calories: 780
Boston Market Pastry Top Chicken Pot Pie
Calories: 780
Arby's Ultimate BLT Sandwich
Calories: 779
Arby's Roast Beef & Swiss Sandwich
Calories: 777
Hardee's Strawberry Malt (Hand-Dipped)
Calories: 775
KFC Chicken Pot Pie
Calories: 770
Hardee's Loaded Biscuit 'N' Gravy Breakfast Bowl
Calories: 770
Hardee's Vanilla Malt (Hand-Dipped)
Calories: 770
Jack In The Box Sirloin Steak 'n' Cheddar Ciabatta
Calories: 770
Taco Bell Nachos BellGrande
Calories: 770
Dairy Queen French Vanilla MooLatte (24oz)
Calories: 770
McDonald's Chocolate Triple Thick Shake (21oz)
Calories: 770
Carl's Jr. Strawberry Malt
Calories: 770
Boston Market Boston Turkey Carver
Calories: 770
Boston Market Boston Turkey Dip Carver
Calories: 770
Arby's Chicken Salad w/ Pecans Sandwich
Calories: 769
Burger King WHOPPER Sandwich with Cheese
Calories: 760
Sonic Pineapple Malt - Large (20oz)
Calories: 760
Sonic Java Chiller, Caramel (20oz)
Calories: 760
Sonic Java Chiller, Chocolate (20oz)
Calories: 760
Chick-Fil-A Hand-Spun Milkshake (Chocolate)
Calories: 760
Dunkin Donuts Pastrami Supreme Sandwich
Calories: 760
Nathan's FRENCH FRIES (LARGE)
Calories: 758
Jack In The Box Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta with Spicy Crispy Chicken
Calories: 750
Jack In The Box Sampler Trio
Calories: 750
Sonic Java Chiller, Caramel/Hazelnut (20oz)
Calories: 750
Sonic Java Chiller, Hazelnut (20oz)
Calories: 750
Sonic Strawberry Shake - Large (20oz)
Calories: 750
Sonic Java Chiller, Chocolate/Hazelnut (20oz)
Calories: 750
Subway Footlong Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki
Calories: 750
Nathan's ONION RINGS (LARGE)
Calories: 744
Nathan's CHEESESTEAK (ORIGINAL)
Calories: 740
KFC Famous Bowls (Mashed Potato with Gravy)
Calories: 740
McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
Calories: 740
McDonald's Strawberry Triple Thick Shake (21oz)
Calories: 740
McDonald's Vanilla Triple Thick Shake (21oz)
Calories: 740
White Castle Chocolate Shake - Medium (New York region)
Calories: 740
Subway 8" Pizza (Cheese & Veggies)
Calories: 740
Dairy Queen Brownie Earthquake
Calories: 740
A&W Reese's Polar Swirl (medium)
Calories: 740
Jack In The Box Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
Calories: 740
Sonic Chicken Club Toaster Sandwich
Calories: 740
Del Taco Deluxe Chicken Salad
Calories: 740
Arby's Philly Beef Toasted Sub
Calories: 739
Burger King Enormous Omelet Sandwich
Calories: 730
Chick-Fil-A Hand-Spun Milkshake (Strawberry)
Calories: 730
White Castle Strawberry Shake - Medium (Columbus & Detroit regions)
Calories: 730
Sonic Pineapple Shake - Large (20oz)
Calories: 730
Dairy Queen Large French Fries
Calories: 730
Dairy Queen DQ Homestyle Bacon Double Cheeseburger
Calories: 730
Dairy Queen Medium Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard
Calories: 730
Arby's Roast Turkey & Swiss Sandwich
Calories: 725
Nathan's Chicken Tender Sandwich
Calories: 724
McDonald's Big Breakfast (Regular Size Biscuit)
Calories: 720
Hardee's Mushroom 'N' Swiss Thickburger
Calories: 720
Dunkin Donuts Tropical Fruit Smoothie (Large)
Calories: 720
White Castle Vanilla Shake - Medium (New York region)
Calories: 720
Dairy Queen Small Choc. Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard
Calories: 720
A&W Papa Burger
Calories: 720
A&W Original Double Cheeseburger
Calories: 720
A&W Vanilla Milkshake (medium)
Calories: 720
Jack In The Box Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges
Calories: 720
Sonic Cheeseburger (with mayo)
Calories: 720
Sonic Dixie cheeseburger
Calories: 720
Sonic Tater Tots w/chili & cheese (SONIC Size)
Calories: 720
Carl's Jr. Jalapeno Burger
Calories: 720
Carl's Jr. Bacon Swiss Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Calories: 720
Carl's Jr. OREO Cookie Shake
Calories: 720
Subway Double Chicken Bacon Ranch
Calories: 710
Hardee's Monster Biscuit
Calories: 710
Hardee's Vanilla Shake (Hand-Dipped) (regular)
Calories: 710
A&W M&M Polar Swirl (medium)
Calories: 710
Jack In The Box Sourdough Jack
Calories: 710
Pizza Hut Supreme 6" Personal Pan Pizza (whole pizza)
Calories: 710
Del Taco Deluxe Chili Cheese Fries
Calories: 710
Sonic Banana Malt - Large (20oz)
Calories: 710
Jack In The Box Ciabatta Breakfast Sandwich
Calories: 710
Dairy Queen Peanut Buster Parfait
Calories: 710
Dairy Queen Cappuccino MooLatte (24oz)
Calories: 710
Carl's Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger
Calories: 710
Carl's Jr. Chicken Breast Strips (5 pieces)
Calories: 710
Carl's Jr. Vanilla Shake
Calories: 710
Carl's Jr. Chocolate Shake
Calories: 710
Arby's Loaded Potato Bites - Large (10)
Calories: 707
Nathan's BACON CHEESEBURGER
Calories: 706
Arby's Roast Ham & Swiss Sandwich
Calories: 705
Wendy's Double w/Everything and Cheese
Calories: 700
Arby's Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon Wrap
Calories: 700
Hardee's Chocolate Shake (Hand-Dipped) (regular)
Calories: 700
Hardee's Strawberry Shake (Hand-Dipped) (regular)
Calories: 700
A&W Chocolate Milkshake (medium)
Calories: 700
Jack In The Box Jack's Spicy Chicken with Cheese
Calories: 700
White Castle French Fries - Sack
Calories: 700
Sonic Vanilla Malt - Large (20oz)
Calories: 700
Carl's Jr. Strawberry Shake
Calories: 700
Boston Market Boston Chicken Carver
Calories: 700

from acaloriecounter.com

How We Became the United States of France

samantha999 — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:23:02 -0800

Sunday, Sep. 21, 2008
How We Became the United States of France

By Bill Saporito

This is the state of our great republic: We've nationalized the financial system, taking control from Wall Street bankers we no longer trust. We're about to quasi-nationalize the Detroit auto companies via massive loans because they're a source of American pride, and too many jobs - and votes - are at stake. Our Social Security system is going broke as we head for a future in which too many retirees will be supported by too few workers. How long before we have national health care? Put it all together, and the America that emerges is a cartoonish version of the country most despised by red-meat red-state patriots: France. Only with worse food.

Admit it, mes amis, the rugged individualism and cutthroat capitalism that made America the land of unlimited opportunity has been shrink-wrapped by half a dozen short sellers in Greenwich, Conn., and FedExed to Washington, D.C., to be spoon-fed back to life by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. We're now no different from any of those Western European semi-socialist welfare states that we love to deride. Italy? Sure, it's had four governments since last Thursday, but none of them would have allowed this to go on; the Italians know how to rig an economy.

You just know the Frogs have only increased their disdain for us, if that is indeed possible. And why shouldn't they? The average American is working two and a half jobs, gets two weeks off and has all the employment security of a one-armed trapeze artist. The Bush Administration has preached the "ownership society" to America: own your house, own your retirement account; you don't need the government in your way. So Americans mortgaged themselves to the hilt to buy overpriced houses they can no longer afford and signed up for 401(k) programs that put money - where, exactly? In the stock market! Where rich Republicans fleeced them.

Now our laissez-faire (hey, a French phrase), regulation-averse Administration has made France's famed Socialist President, François Mitterrand, look like Adam Smith by comparison. All Mitterrand did was nationalize France's big banks and insurance companies in 1982; he didn't have to deal with bankers who didn't want to lend money, as Paulson does. When the state runs the banks, they are merely cows to be milked in the service of la patrie. France doesn't have the mortgage crisis that we do, either. In bailing out mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, our government has basically turned America into the largest subsidized housing project in the world. Sure, France has its banlieues, where it likes to warehouse people who aren't French enough (meaning, immigrants and Algerians) in huge apartment blocks. But the bulk of French homeowners are curiously free of subprime mortgages foisted on them by fellow citizens, and they aren't over their heads in personal debt.

We've always dismissed the French as exquisitely fed wards of their welfare state. They work, what, 27 hours in a good week, have 19 holidays a month, go on strike for two days and enjoy a glass of wine every day with lunch - except for the 25% of the population working for the government, who have an even sweeter deal. They retire before their kids finish high school, and they don't have to save for $45,000-a-year college tuition, because college is free. For this, they pay a tax rate of about 103%, and their labor laws are so restrictive that they haven't had a net gain in jobs since Napoleon. There is no way the French government can pay for this lifestyle forever, except that it somehow does.

Mitterrand tried to create both job growth and wage growth by nationalizing some big industries - as France had done with automaker Renault earlier. The successful automaker became a private company again in 1996, although the government retains about 15% of its shares.

Now the U.S. is faced with the same prospect in the auto industry. GM and Ford need money to develop greener cars that can compete with Toyota and Honda. And they're looking to Uncle Sam for investment - an investment that could have been avoided had Washington imposed more stringent mileage standards years earlier. But we don't want to interfere with market forces like the French do - until we do.

Mitterrand's nationalization program and other economic reforms failed, as the development of the European Market made a centrally planned economy obsolete. The Rothschilds got their bank back, a little worse for the wear. These days, France sashays around the issue of protectionism in a supposedly unfettered EU by proclaiming some industries to be national champions worthy of extra consideration - you know, special-needs kids. And we're not talking about pastry chefs, but the likes of GDF Suez, a major utility. I never thought of the stocks and junk securities sold by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as unique, but clearly Washington does. Morgan's John Mack calls SEC boss Chris Cox to whine about short sellers, and bingo, the government obliges. The elite serve the elite. How French is that?

Even in the strongest sectors in the U.S., there's no getting away from the French influence. Nothing is more sacred to France than its farmers. They get whatever they demand, and they demand a lot. And if there are any issues about price supports, or feed costs being too high, or actual competition from other countries, French farmers simply shut down the country by marching their livestock up the Champs Elyses and piling up wheat on the highways. U.S. farmers would never resort to such behavior. They don't have to; they're the most coddled special-interest group in U.S. history, lavished with $180 billion in subsidies by both parties, even when their products are fetching record prices. One consequence: U.S. consumers pay twice what the French pay for sugar, because of price guarantees. We're more French than France.

So yes, while we're still willing to work ourselves to death for the privilege of paying off our usurious credit cards, we can no longer look contemptuously at the land of 246 cheeses. Kraft Foods has replaced American International Group in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the insurance company having been added to Paulson's nationalized portfolio. Macaroni and cheese has supplanted credit-default swaps at the fulcrum of capitalism. And one more thing: the food-snob French love McDonalds, which does a fantastic business there. They know a good freedom fry when they taste one.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1843168,00.html?cnn=yes

Chocolate Eclairs

celebrity_soup — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 04:36:34 -0800

This recipe is one of my all time favorite french desserts.
I ate like 4 Chocolate Eclairs a day when I went to Paris for a week! So when I got back I went straight to the computer, ok so maybe I went to bed, but right after I searched for the best Eclairs I could find!
Here is the very close version of the delicious Eclairs I ate, so if you go to Paris, search for a big classic cafe behind the Eiffel Tower, I wish I could remember the name!

Filling:
2 cups whole, 2 percent fat, or 1 percent fat milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
Pastry:
1 cup water
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, plus 1 extra, if needed

Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons water

Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Filling: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla bean to a boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for 15 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the saucepan. Pour the mixture through a strainer back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. The custard can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate until 1 hour before using.
Pastry: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt and sugar to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, immediately take the pan off the heat. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add all the flour at once and stir hard until all the flour is incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Scrape the mixture into a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer). Mix at medium speed. With the mixer running, add 3 eggs, 1 egg at a time. Stop mixing after each addition to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until the dough is smooth and glossy and the eggs are completely incorporated. The dough should be thick, but should fall slowly and steadily from the beaters when you lift them out of the bowl. If the dough is still clinging to the beaters, add the remaining 1 egg and mix until incorporated.

Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe fat lengths of dough (about the size and shape of a jumbo hot dog) onto the lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between them. You should have 8 to 10 lengths.

Egg Wash: In a bowl, whisk the egg and water together. Brush the surface of each eclair with the egg wash. Use your fingers to smooth out any bumps of points of dough that remain on the surface. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake until puffed up and light golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Try not to open the oven door too often during the baking. Let cool on the baking sheet. Fit a medium-size plain pastry tip over your index finger and use it to make a hole in the end of each eclair (or just use your fingertip). Using a pastry bag fitted with a medium-size plain tip, gently pipe the custard into the eclairs, using only just enough to fill the inside (don't stuff them full).

Glaze: In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat just until it boils. Immediately turn off the heat. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm. The glaze can be made up to 48 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, and rewarm in a microwave or over hot water when ready to use.

Dip the tops of the eclairs in the warm chocolate glaze and set on a sheet pan. Chill, uncovered, at least 1 hour to set the glaze. Serve chilled.

Hilary Swank to gain 20 pounds for new film role

justingirl1989 — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:06:48 -0700

It worked for Robert DeNiro, Charlize Theron, Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger, and now Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank is set to gain between 20 and 30 pounds for her role in the new film French Women Don’t Get Fat, an adaptation of the best-selling book.

Those concerned over Hilary Swank’s plummeting weight can rest easy-maybe. The two-time Oscar nabber is next set to pack on the pounds (and a lot of ‘em) to play the lead in French Women Don’t Get Fat, an adaptation of Mireille Guiliano’s best-selling book, which Swank will also produce.

“She’ll gain 20 to 30 pounds,” we’re told by a source close to the production. “It’s no sweat. She’s played a man before. She can handle anything.”

Some of Swank’s colleagues are more than concerned about her alarmingly thin frame, which is so tiny, some say Chad Lowe’s former wife is looking downright frail. But anything for a meaty part, eh?

While French Women is nonfiction, an early premise says Swank will play the manager of a champagne company dealing with French beauties who consume bread, wine and pastries yet never gain an ounce. And naturally, self discovery happens along the way.

[From E!Online]

Hilary’s been looking a bit anemic these days, ever since she played an aspiring boxer in “Million Dollar Baby.” Her physique has always looked a bit masculine- which is probably why she was able to play Brandon Teena in “Boys Don’t Cry” so well. I’d be willing to bet that another 30 pounds on her frame would really soften up her face and jawline and make her actually look pretty.

http://www.celeb*tchy.com/13941/hilary_swank_to_gain_20_pounds_for_new_f...

The Dairy Diaries: Keeping Track of Healthy Eating Habits

3ADay — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:23:47 -0700

Wouldn’t it be great to have your own personal chef? Eating a more nutritious diet would be such a breeze with someone else doing the shopping and cooking! It’s a fun fantasy to entertain, I agree. But I’m more of a take charge kind of gal. I actually like deciding my dining destiny and knowing what foods work for me, my lifestyle, and eating preferences.

The best way that I’ve found to better understand my eating habits is to keep a daily diary or journal of sorts. I’d like to think that my memory is good enough but truth be told, I need to write things down if I want the information to stick. The simple act of jotting my thoughts and actions down in one place makes it easy to see patterns, make adjustments, and track success. The more you know, the more you can take control.

Here are some questions to consider when writing in your food diary. The information can help you to see the big picture and guide you to a more nutritious way of eating and living.

What Are Your Nutritional Goals?
It’s not enough to think your goals. You have to write them down. Putting your goals on paper clears up your objectives and helps put focus on the end result. You can even chart them online! Check out MyPyramid.com for tools to assess your food intake and physical activity.

As you track your eating, take stock of how you’re doing on a regular basis and make adjustments as necessary. Don’t beat yourself up over a single bad day. Heck, we all have them. Instead, be mindful of what you’re eating in the big picture and don’t forget to pat yourself on the back for smart choices made along the way.

What Did You Eat Today?
Write down everything you eat and drink every single day and soon you’ll see if you’re coming up short in any particular food group or category. I make it a priority of mine to get at least three servings of dairy per day, which is easy enough when milk, cheese, and yogurt can be found in so many delicious snacks and dishes like refreshing smoothies, creamy soups, and tasty dips. Just knowing that you’ll have to record each bite later will give you pause the next time you reach mindlessly for the junk food or go for seconds when you ought not to.

How Did You Feel Today?
In addition to what you eat, make note of how certain foods affect your mood and energy level throughout the day. In my on going effort to eat a daily breakfast, I’ve discovered the wonders of oatmeal-made even more nutritious and delicious with the addition of warm milk, fruits, and nuts-in providing steady oomph throughout the morning. I’ve also discovered yogurt to be the perfect post-work snack for me because it tides me over until dinner without leaving me feeling sluggish for my workout.

Start your diary today! There’s no better time than the present. And remember, it’s a diary so nobody’s going to be reading it but you. If you feel like sharing more than just your eating habits, well, that’s just fine too.

Judiaann Woo, a professional foodie and former pastry chef, is editor-in-chief PastryScoop.com, a free online resource based at The French Culinary Institute in New York City. She is also a contributing editor for Food Arts magazine.

Les macarons chez Ladurée

Tabloid — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:03:21 -0800

Les macarons chez Ladurée
Les macarons
Ladurée is a luxury cakes and pastries brand based in Paris, France. It is known as the inventor of the double-decker macaron, fifteen thousand of which are sold every day.

The macaron is made of egg whites, almond powder, icing sugar and sugar. This sweet pastry came out of the French courts' baker's oven as round meringue-like domes with a flat base. Whereas the traditional macaron was sweet and dry and crunchy, the new macaron had the added attraction of being delicately crunchy on the outside, while moist, chewy, and flavourful on the inside.

The flavors available vary with the seasons and may include: almond, apricot, blackcurrant, caramel, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, coffee, hazelnut praline, fig, lemon, licorice, orange, pistachio, raspberry, rose, truffle, vanilla, violet and walnut.

More Tasty travels in Paris, part II

celebrity_soup — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:02:08 -0700

I just must, must, must show you guys all of the delicious masterpieces I ate during my trip to Paris and Portugal.

To see the previous posts of my tasty travels in Paris, click here for the post on where I share my story on tasting a chocolatey treasure or here on where I show off the Galerias Lafayette gourmet foodie section.
________________________________________________________

Anyways, this time, I'll show you the disappointing things I ate in Paris. Some things may shock you...
Lets continue shall we?

1. Cafe de la Paix (Place de l'Opera, Paris)

The cafe is pretty much famous for their "mille feux", which is crap! It was a total WASTE OF MONEY (12 euros, about 15 dollars?), the pastry sheets were old and not crispy, the custard filling was plain, etc.
doesn't it look delicious? yah well, pictures can fool you!
...and to top it off, I had the most rude waiter! My mom asked for some water, and he brang this huge bottle, then my mom said no thank you and he cursed out loud to her with a ugly look on his face and yanked the cups off the table.
This place did not get a tip from us!

2. Cafe Berthillon (42 quai d'Orléans, Paris).

The ORIGINAL Berthillon ice cream, from the actual Berthillon Cafe. You may be in Paris and see Berthillon ice cream everywhere, but the actual "stuff" comes from the Berthillon Cafe. Yes people, I said stuff, I eat better ice cream in my nearest Baskin Robbins!
Faking a smile while taking a lick
Not only was it pricey (4 euros for one TINY ball, about 6 dollars?), but the ice cream was not creamy, dull flavour, hard texture, yuuuuk. Trust me, if its good ice cream you want, go to Venice, Italy (THE BEEEEST GELATO EVER).

3. Le Gyros (3, rue de la Harpe)
I was reading in sites that this place had the craziest, most delicious greek sandwhiches ever.
Surprise, surprise.
NOT!
They may be crazy and full of french fries, layers of tatziki (greek lamb meat) and ketchup on top, BUT NOT DELICIOUS.
Talk about flavourless and GROSS, the meat was FULL of fat and dry as a mother (pardon me). Don't even get me started on the french fries, oh boy. These french fries were fried in 1,000 times used oil, they make the sandwhich in front of you, so can see him getting the frech fries out and putting them backing in in that disgusting oil.
Here I am, about to sink my teeth into disappointment
The greek sandwhich is one big pita, heated up and wraped with a layer of dry lettuce (no dressing, no nothing), tomatoes, onions, tatziki, and french fries. After taking a few bites I asked for some ketchup, but not even that could fool my taste buds. They were cheap though. lol
__________________________________________________
Thats it! Thank god!
I tried so many things in my trip and out of them all, only these 3!

Just to let you guys know, everything below was planned to be eaten and tried, before my trip I did searches on the best stuff in Paris. After trying these 3, I felt so furious from the peple who said it was wonderful.
At least EVERYTHING else was