My Shorties Valentine 3-D

Cola Deconstructed: The nice folks at Beachbody have a few things to say about soda pop, one of the biggest calorie sources in the American diet.  Let them run down the ingredient list, and then maybe have a nice cool glass of iced tea.

And now for something completely different: Tastespotting. Hey, if you are going to consume lots of calories, they should be really delicious! Besides, pictures can’t make you gain weight… can they? 

While we’re on the topic of food: Next season’s Top Chef will attempt to prove they’ve not jumped the shark by having a “masters” series. Judges will include Neil Patrick Harris and Morgan Spurlock. Competitors will include Roy Yamaguchi and Wylie Dufresne. No word yet on whether I’m setting up the DVR for this.

Huh, it’s a while till lunch, isn’t it: Hospital food could be as bad for you as whatever put you in the hospital. 

This final thought about food: Studies finally admit what many have suspected for a while. Food safety is “no longer improving.” 

Japanfilter!: It’s been too long, hasn’t it? Amazing Modern Samurai, My Japanese Coach for DS, and Please Don’t Trample the Geisha.

Gun Control is about Aim: Thank [Diety] he was as bad a marksman as he was an English student! “The man who gunned down 13 people at an upstate New York immigration center fired 98 shots from two handguns in a little more than a minute, police said Wednesday.” Imagine the carnage if he were actually a decent shot.

Way to Not Get It, Chrysler: The only new car in the 2010 lineup? An SUV that gets a whopping 20 MPG. Gee guys, don’t knock yourselves out. There’s only a huge list of SUVs that get better mileage than that. 

Silver Lining?: The current economic woes are having one good effect. It’s sharply reducing the trade deficit. We’re already down to levels not seen since 1999.

Be Afraid If You’re Brown: Can you prove you are a United States citizen with things you normally keep in your wallet? It turns out most people can’t.  

On a Kindle, nobody knows you’re reading schlocky romance novels: As much as 50% of electronic books sold  might be romance novels

Something new for you to read: The Awesomer

The ACLU Doesn’t Want the TSA taking the Ultimate Upskirt Pix: Ok, actually they are against new see-thru camera technology. Your choice is to let them look at you nude through your clothes, or let them fondle you pat you down.

I don’t usually follow sports, but: Imagine a young man who works hard and overcomes injuries. He finally lands his dream job. The first full day of work, everything goes great! Everybody is happy with his performance. But all that is cut short when, mere hours later, he is killed by a drunk driver. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t let people you know drive drunk. Do call the cops when you see a drunk driver.

And one last thing: The economy is lousy and lots of people are out of work. Those that do have jobs are under a lot of stress. Take care of yourself, people. Someday we’ll look back at 2008 and 2009, laughing about what awful times those were. In the meantime, reach out for help. Or reach out to help, where you can. We’re all in this together.