This Really Surprises Me

Little change seen in fast food portion size, product formulation between 1996 and 2013

Two new reports from researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University show little change in fast food portion sizes and product formulation between 1996 and 2013. Led by Alice H. Lichtenstein, D.Sc., director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at the USDA HNRCA, the researchers analyzed the calorie, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat content of popular menu items served at three national fast-food chains between 1996 and 2013. They found that average calories, sodium, and saturated fat stayed relatively constant, albeit at high levels. The exception was a consistent decline in the trans fat of fries. The studies published in Preventing Chronic Disease, a journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Bag of Randomness

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  • I usually don’t do New Year’s resolutions but I chose two last year.  Of all things, I wanted to take the time to learn how to solve a Rubik’s Cube.  I guess that’s not as much a resolution as a goal, but either way, it didn’t happen.
  • The other resolution was to show more affection to my wife, and since I’m from the project management world, I decided that it had to be S.M.A.R.T. – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reasonable, Trackable.  The best idea I could come up with was to give her a foot massage at least twice a month, and it had to be one of those real good foot massages that involved warm lotion or oil and had to last at least five minutes.  I mostly delivered on the warm lotion and oil, all that took was popping them in the microwave for a bit and I fully delivered on the time limit.  As a way to keep track of my progress, I just noted it in a Google Docs spreadsheet.  Not only did I achieve my goal of two foot massages per month for a total of 24, but I exceeded it by giving her a total of 28.  She had no idea I was planning any of this, and I think the end result of affection was achieved, as well as her feeling more appreciated.
  • I figured if I was keeping track of the foot massages I might as well track some other stuff, such as all the time we had “relations” and some specifics which goes along with that.  You know by now that I tend to be very much TMI, so I won’t go into details other than to say we averaged relations 3.096 times a week, which for a married couple of eleven years isn’t all that bad.  The longest without any relations was seven days.
  • The Cotton Bowl organizers did the right thing years ago moving that thing to an indoor facility.  Somewhat related – Due to the game, the Cowboys had to practice at Highland Park High School’s indoor facility yesterday.  It cracks me up when a pro team has to use a high school facility.
  • One of my readers works in D.C. (on K Street) but is a Michigan State grad and a devout fan.  She made the trip to the Cotton Bowl and stated that the Baylor fans around here were so nice and friendly she hated them in a nice and friendly kind of way.  She also seemed surprised that a prayer was said before the game.
  • TCU annihilated their bowl opponent and on the night of their win, they weren’t even the top sports story on the local news (CBS 11 specifically).  The top sports story went to the Cowboys about their outdoor practice.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but TCU just doesn’t get the local support and respect that they’ve earned.  Heck, from what I see on television they even have an attendance problem.  A Rose Bowl and Peach Bowl win in the last four years along with top five rankings (surely they’ll crack the top five this year) with a two-time Coach of the Year isn’t anything to sneeze at.
  • I’m not sure how TCU would fair against Oregon or The Ohio State University.
  • Since my father and most Geeding lineage traces back to Ohio, I’ve always been a bit of an Ohio State fan as well as of all Cincinnati teams.  And no one expected The Ohio State University to make it this far, I sure didn’t.  It wasn’t until the Big10 championship game that people thought they were legit, and many still doubted because they won with a third string quarterback.  That’s a team that knows how to deal with adversity.  And dang, Urban Meyer is able to take his team to the championship game in just his third year of coaching there.
  • There’s something gleefully satisfying when television cameras focus on fans of Alabama (or traditional SEC schools) when they are in a state of disbelief.
  • Now that the attention shines to our neck of the woods for the national championship game at Jerry World, I fear a random ice storm or bad weather ruining things again.  It happened for the Super Bowl and the Final Four.
  • The number of empty seats at the Orange Bowl was embarrassing, especially when you consider its history and one in which the great Brent Musburger is doing the play-by-play.
  • How many times have two Heisman winners faced each other in a college game?  Was yesterday a first?
  • WifeGeeding and I like trying different burger joints and trying to rank them.  I took her to Off Site Kitchen and upon the first bite she thought it was the best burger she ever had in the area.  The place only seats ten, so we all had a fun picnic in the car.
  • T-Mobile should bring back that spokeswoman with the cute dresses, I miss her.
  • Back in the day we use to have to differentiate from Wal-Mart and Super Wal-Mart, but now there are only Super Wal-Marts which we only refer to as Wal-Marts, though there are some Neighborhood Wal-Marts.  A coworker use to get upset at me for calling them Super Wal-Marts because the actual name is Wal-Mart Supercenter.
  • A Circle K in Denton was selling gas for $1.69.
  • Possible repost – If you’re on a beach, this map will show you what country is directly across from you.
  • Couple high on drugs ‘trapped’ inside UNLOCKED closet for days
  • Four Economists Named ‘Goodman’ Co-Authored A Paper About Sharing The Name ‘Goodman’
  • Better late than never – Seven Inch Turn Signal From 1963 Car Wreck Removed From Illinois Man’s Arm
  • GIF – The new year countdown in Dubai was more than impressive – YouTube
  • I’ve never eaten black eyed peas.
  • Happy new year.
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Impressive Circular Spinning Firework

This is from a homemade fireworks festival in Thailand, the fun starts around the 30-second mark.  It’s really impressive how freaking high that thing goes.

http://youtu.be/8w_ZbldVYR0

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