All the noise about Starbucks offering value meals to the masses has come to fruition.  Starting on March 3, customers will have multiple value meal selections to choose from, such as a tall latte and an oatmeal.  The company is also introducing two new breakfast sandwiches, a bacon sandwich with egg and gouda cheese and a ham sandwich made with egg and cheddar.  Just what we need on the menu, more artery-clogging food to start off the day.  The new pairings are seen to save customers an average of …

One meal that has stood the test of time is the mighty sandwich.  Invented in 1762 by John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, while he was playing poker, the sandwich is versatile, convenient, and complete.  With the right ingredients, it can be the ultimate snack, or a meal in itself.
Sadly, I’ve put the sandwich on the back burner as of late.  The last time I made a sandwich?  I can’t recall.  The only time I eat sandwiches is when there are leftovers in the conference room after an …

LONDON, England (CNN) — The founder of one of America’s largest pizza chains has offered unexpected advice to his customers to limit themselves to only one or two slices.
During an interview on BBC’s Radio Four program in the United Kingdom, John Schnatter, said, “you can’t eat five or six slices.”
He was responding to a question from presenter Adam Shaw about whether he was concerned about the impact of the British government’s anti-obesity drive on pizza sales.
“No. Pizza’s actually healthy for you if you don’t eat too much of it,” Schnatter …

Caryl Jones is suing McDonald’s because the iced tea she ordered last September wasn’t iced tea.  When she took a sip, the liquid burned her mouth, causing her to spit it out.  She ended up in the emergency room and it look her a couple of months to recover from chemical pharyngitis and tonsillitis.
The contents of the cup contained Dichloro-s-Triazinetrione Dihydrate, aka “McD Sanitizer.”  Jone is seeking $100.000 from negligence and breach of contract.
Full story here

A customer who received a wrong takeout calzone order called the manager of the store for a refund.  The manager said the grills were closed for the night and invited the customer and his roommate back to the store after hours so he could return the money.  The only thing is, the customer received a refund in the form of a pistol whip and ended up with a bloody head and a trip to the emergency room.
When authorities arrived, the manager and his girlfriend made up a story of how …

The economic downturn has shifted it’s eyes on Starbucks.  With more consumers cutting back on premium and fancy coffee, Starbucks will be laying off 6,700 employees and close 300 stores.  Wait, so now I have to go to the other Starbucks right across the street?
Read

The fears of eating the poisonous blowfish (fugu) came true for seven diners in Northern Japan when the fish was prepared by an unlicensed chef. The adventurous foodies ordered fugu sashimi and grilled fugu testicles. The testicles are believed to make a man more virile when consumed and are considered to be a delicacy. Soon after eating them, the diners succumbed to shortness of breath, limb paralysis, and unconsciousness. All seven were rushed to the hospital.
One of the diners is in critical condition with respiratory failure …

As the economy keeps tumbling, corporations are doing whatever they can to maximize their profits.  More and more of your everyday grocery and household products are shrinking, yet, the prices remain the same.  Shady…

.msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} .msnbcLinks a:link, .msnbcLinks a:visited {color: #5799db !important;} .msnbcLinks a:hover, .msnbcLinks a:active {color:#CC0000 !important;}
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The controversial high fructose corn syrup has made it into the media once again. This time about HFCS containing trace amounts of mercury. Don’t get so alarmed yet, as the levels of mercury are far less than those found in fish and other kinds of seafood.
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy tested 55 items and found trace elements of mercury in one-third of the products. The following products tested positive for mercury, Nutri-Grain Strawberry Cereal Bars, Quaker Oatmeal to go bars, Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup, Yoplait Strawberry …

Ah, the plot thickens.  Seems like the nationwide salmonella outbreak was something that was bound to happen.  The peanut butter plant in Georgia responsible for the outbreak has a history of cleanliness standard violations.  The plant is no longer in operation.
From New York Times.com
The plant in Georgia that produced peanut butter tainted by salmonella has a history of sanitation lapses and was cited repeatedly in 2006 and 2007 for having dirty surfaces and grease residue and dirt buildup throughout the plant, according to health inspection reports. Inspection reports from 2008 …