Food For Thought

REPLIES

2009-12-08T23:00:00.000-08:00

http://derricktrent.blogspot.com/2009/10/pepsis-changing-logo.html?showComment=1260341631605_AIe9_BHdaZVF-ohEUnnrFLy2fQrde6gC6JANWSA8Nrz-V2XfdgojhVL55o5ZZ5pSkrEclI3bFgMZPPRWP6Y7q-T63SKEDOn9zQL6KYdXr1KU4_MIIiAllcrF_emuhF3FMchvD239_IkVbCVfJMay9oKLxTVh0H5r-bvoQPXHMk6thnQG5kqQT24nLwWLF24ipRIEJmCajhxJ2brEpkOPmrk_gKibUwz_nh58oVtcCgc8M4eSeRCe8Hk#c1000401362236122950

http://kparekh.blogspot.com/2009/11/alcoholism.html?showComment=1260342021068_AIe9_BG8vLb0DiYcaK9RAnN5xm5Pe9G3UYMB5mXXDm3waLuRgE4fi4Ccp7WTE-pQRbuS2G-VtA1PDYUDUKCdiIGy3GoIBDqRA9JVvdLxv5YHJrdH1aoBllB6hrrOaudOZVclMcaqw_KW0G6xmir3sw_ZvW_wbJUcDqYAAmBR1ZIx12rSwBYOrKul0Kq0nRU4WV7GBOxMul5UqNNDy9JRzr9naUCDBVZWNQ#c7015707463876374472

Tis the Season to be JOLLY!

2009-12-08T21:55:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas lights are out, trees are adorned with ornaments and department stores are filled with eye-catching décor and “jolly” music. It’s CHRISTMAS time!!! As a child I have fond memories of decorating our family Christmas tree, hanging stockings, writing letters to Santa and baking cookies just for him! Although I never really believed in Santa (sooner or later I made the connection that Santa used the same wrapping paper as my parents year after year!) I found baking to be fun and with all the chaos in the kitchen, an easy way to sneak some cookie dough! I was told that I left cookies out for Santa as a snack on his long journey, of course even as a child I thought this was ridiculous. If Santa even attempted to eat one cookie (or even a bite!) from every household of a good little girl or boy, he would probably injure his reindeers! So where did the tradition of leaving milk and cookies out for Santa come from? According to some sources, some say that the cookies andmilk tradition began at the time of the Great Depression as a way for parents to teach their children the importance of sharing. However according to another source, the cookie and milk tradition has been around for generations. The tradition began in medieval times in Germany, where children would hang cookies, apples and other decorations on a “paradise” tree. From time to time the decorations would mysteriously disappear (most likely by mice),It then became an old wise tale that it was in fact Santa who had snacked on the cookies and treats. As soon as the tradition caught on, the cookies went from the tree to a plate and soon after milk was added to the tradition (afterall what is a cookie without milk?!). After many years of leaving food out just for Santa, it recently became a tradition to leave carrot sticks for santa's reindeers. So there it is, thanks to a few pesky mice, Santa will never go hungry. The tradition is an old one but hopefully it will continue on for generations. With companies such as Nabisco, banking off Santa Claus it is sure to be around for a while. Afterall Oreos are “Santa’s favorite!”

Fun Fact: 71% of families leave milk AND cookies out for Santa, 29% leave ONLY cookies L

2009-12-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

GOING TOO FAR

Among the many life threatening diseases AIDS has been on the rise since the late 80’s. With the death rates rapidly increasing by the year, it is no wonder that organizations have worked hard to put the “safe sex” message out there. However how far is too far to get the message across? I recently saw a German AIDS awareness ad,that shocked and disgusted me! The ad “featured” an Adolf Hitler look alike having sex with a naked woman, the organization also released two other versions with Josef Stalin and Saddam Hussein. The tag line of the ads… “Aids Is a mass murderer”. This may be true since AIDS claims 30 million lives (worldwide) a year but using politically insensitive images to get a point across is disturbing and outrageous. Something far from what one usually thinks of an organization. When TIME magazine reported the story, UK AIDS charity organizer Dirk Silz said … “ The campaign is designed to shake people up…reverse the trend of unprotected sex by showing the ugliness of the illness, not of aids victims.” Not only do the images spark controversy, but the fact that the ad does not even talk about prevention such as the use of condoms, confuses many. By using an emotional appeal, organizers are trying to scare people into being safe. However I do not think many appreciate the images, therefore the message seems ineffective. When I look at the ad, I immediately feel offended and do not even care to consider the message. Before these particular ads were released there were a handful of other ads from the same organization that were also considered controversial. Some of the previous ads featured pretty women in sexual positions with deadly insects such as a scorpion suggesting that having unprotected sex was like having sex with a deadly insect. I found those images to be weird and disgusting however, they seem much more “tame and acceptable”. Although the organization is trying to protect people, there are still limits to how you do it. I do not think using insensitive techniques teaches anyone the right way to having safe sex. Despite what I think is a failed attempt at spreading a message, I would have to give the organization some credit, after all their controversy has spread throughout the world.

COMMENTS

2009-10-27T00:40:00.000-07:00

http://rcalip.blogspot.com/2009/10/grab-bud-light.html

http://henderson1029.blogspot.com/2009/10/breakfast-most-important-meal-of-day.html#comments

Alcohol Killer

2009-10-26T17:48:00.000-07:00

With little time for fun, Alcohol Killer insures you can have a good time, without a hangover slowing you down the next day. College is a time for experiences, becoming a more independent person and learning new things and with how expensive college is, many students find themselves overwhelmed with work, clubs, volunteering or sports. But of course all work and no play can make anybody’s life a bit dull. I try to do my homework ahead of time so I can go out on the weekends and breathe some fresh air. But what is the point of going out when all your friends are at home doing homework or trying to get a goodnights rest to study for an exam? Unfortunately were not all “superhuman” and we cannot slow down time but there is a way we can have fun without the side effects of a crazy night. Alcohol Killer was recently introduced to the United States but was only distributed in a handful of states (In fear that some people may use it as an excuse to abuse alcohol or drink and drive). AK is a carbonated, citrus tasting beverage that contains all natural ingredients. The ingredients contained in the drink “stimulate the natural processes in your body to help metabolize alcohol (lowering BAC) and prevent hangovers”. Slowly AK is making its way to college towns as well AM/PM stores and select liquor stores. My friend introduced me to the drink about two months ago, and like most people I was very skeptical, even after reading the natural ingredients, I still felt that there was a catch. But I had to try it out for myself. After participating in a 6hr “experiment” I drank a cold AK (trust me you DO NOT want to drink it warm!) and used my friend’s breathalyzer, within minutes my BAC was lowered by .02, however the real test would be whether or not I woke up with a hangover. I was nervous because I had work the next morning, along with a study group and a pile of homework to do after. I fell asleep and at the sound of my alarm at 9am, I woke up feeling a tad tired but I had no headaches, upset stomachs or any sign of a hangover. Of course being the “scientist” I am I had to try this experiment more than once. I now drink AK when I think there is a possibility of a hangover. Surprisingly I have been able to go out more without worrying how I will feel the next day at work or feel while studying.

Soft Core Porn and Hamburgers

2009-10-26T14:12:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that sex sells. No one knows this better than Carls Jr.Most fast food companies are marketed towards families who are looking for fast and affordable meals. It is rare that we see a fast food commercial without a family or couple laughing with a burger and drink in hand. However in May 2005 a controversial Carl’s Jr. commercial starring Paris Hilton was aired. In the commercial Hilton was wearing a black bikini and high heels, while soaping up a Bentley (and herself), pausing once to take a bite out of the Carl’s Jr six dollar BBQ burger (while seductively crawling on the floor). Many people disapproved of the campaign because of Paris Hilton’s sex tape past as well as the fact it had nothing to do with eating a hamburger. The media quoted people saying the campaign was “tasteless” and “soft core porn”. I too was disturbed by the fact Carl’s Jr. was stooping down and using sex to sell their food. However almost 70% of fast food consumers are male. So after much thinking, I have to say I admire Carls Jr.’s bravery to take a risk. They used the appeal of sex to grab consumers (mainly males!) attention. Most ads make a guy feel like they should buy a product so they to can have a hot women or an expensive car. However i feel that by using an attractive, rich woman scrubbing an expenisve luxurious car, while taking a bite out of a hamburger and licking her messy hands clean, marketers really just want the sexy image playing in a guys head with the image of a delicious hamburger from their restraunt. Since the Paris Hilton commercial, there has been two other provocative commercials starring; Padma Lakshmi (Top Chef) and Audrina Patridge (The Hills). The head marketer of the company; Brad Haley said “Our Company set out to build a lifestyle-oriented site that would put people in “an idealized young male consumer’s world”. It does not make sense to chase the family-kids-Mom market”. And since using these tactics Carl’s Jr has seen more profit, especially when these scandalous commercials are being shown. Although it may seem like just a trend whenever these commercials are on, Carl’s Jr is successful because it targets consumers into trying something new which they will keep coming back to. Although these commercials may not win the hearts of the families who are looking for the fast and affordable meals, they leave many men's mouths drooling for more...

Thats HOT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gby0zfCYiA

The SPICY sauce: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8nJKa13sBo

The BIKINI Burger: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB2MDYzx5OY

2009-09-24T02:29:00.000-07:00

Everywhere you go, you see it; the plastic cup with a green straw. Without saying anymore, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Coffee has gone far beyond the 12 o’clock caffeine boost, all thanks to Starbucks. At the mall I’ll see girls giggling and shopping with a frappuccino in hand. I admit, I was one of those girls. I convinced myself I needed an extra caffeine boost for the grueling stresses of shopping (I also convinced myself it had caffeine, if you’re looking for a boost fraps are not the way to go). I look back at it now and I can honestly say that I drank them because they were trendy. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I know I’m not the only one that thought these drinks were cool. The funny thing is, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any kind of advertisement for Starbucks. That is why I’m convinced Starbucks pays celebrities like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan to drink their coffee. I’m not going to lie, at such a young impressionable age, I fell into this media trap. Even though I no longer believe in the whole “I’ll be cool if I drink this thing”, I still find myself choosing Starbucks over any other coffee.

P.S. If you’re looking to try a new flavor… Cinnamon Dolce Latte (or frap) and of course White mocha anything!

Slice of Heaven

2009-09-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

There is nothing in the world that I love more than a good slice of pizza. Hawaiian, pepperoni, combination, pesto; you name it, I’ll eat it! Ever since I could remember, my family and I spent every other Friday watching a movie and eating pizza from my favorite local spot (in my hometown of San Jose); Stuffed Pizza. Unfortunately when I was sixteen, they moved to a much further location. Since then I have been on the hunt for the next best thing. It was not until a couple of months ago that I found it right here in Long Beach...

Deli News is located on Stearns and Bellflower next to Trader Joes. It is not too hard to find since there is always a line out the door. For months and months my roommate and I would talk about eating there, however we never found the time during the week (unfortunately Daily news is only open Monday through Friday). Finally one hot summer day we decided to stop by. It was a Friday afternoon so the crowd was pretty big. We waited in line, and I grew more and more hungry as I could smell and see the fresh pizza dough baking in the oven and the sauce simmering on the stove. As I looked around I instantly felt the vibe that it was a family owned restaurant. In my opinion when it comes to Italian food, family owned businesses are always the best! Finally it was our time to order, the lady taking our order had on a shirt that read “ IBM (Italian by marriage)” yet another reason why I fell in love with this place even more! She explained to us how ordering worked; you pick a size for a set price (medium: $4.99), then every topping after that is $.75. My roommate and I were overwhelmed with excitement. If you knew how much we loved food you would know that this is not an exaggeration! We decided to order a medium, spicy Hawaiian (ham, pineapple and jalapeno). Our total was a little over $7 with drinks. We tried paying with a credit card but unfortunately they only accepted cash (possibly the ONLY bad thing about this place).We waited anxiously to get our pizza. Despite the horde of people, it only took about ten minutes.

The waiter kindly placed our pizza on the table, my eyes grew big. It looked like perfection! The crust was thick and the cheese was bright white, unlike those pizza places that stain your pizza with orange grease. I grabbed a slice, the cheese was still warm and melting, but I was able to pick it up without my pizza falling apart (my biggest food pet peeve!). I took a bite and closed my eyes. It was then that I had what my roommate and I call; a FOOD ORGASM! Unlike most pizzas I have had in my lifetime, I could actually differentiate each element of the pizza. When you take a bite, the bottom of the crust is crunchy but the pizza itself is squishy and soft. The sauce is just the right consistency; not too thick not too thin and consists of just the right potency of basil and thyme. Just by the taste you could tell the mozzarella cheese was fresh as well as the pineapple and jalapeno. The slices were of decent proportion. We each ate two slices and still had four to take home. Usually I’m a fast eater, but I made sure to take my time and enjoy my food. With each bite it brought me back to my childhood. I find it so incredible and fascinating that our senses can pick up a moment of our past just by something as simple as food. Since my first experience I have been back several times. Every time, I see the married owners working at the cash register. There is no doubt in my mind that they truly love what they do and put their heart and soul into their food. If you haven’t been there yet, you MUST go. Everything from price, taste and timing is just right. Finally I have found my slice of heaven!