A little blonde head popped between our cinema seats and I was split seconds away from responding with "Yeah, well you're a..." before I realised that despite the 7p.m. showing, the loud kiddie buzz of teenyboppers on sugar highs and the 12A certificate - I was not in fact a twelve-year-old on my amazing Friday night trip to the cinema with my amazing friends, my amazing glittery accessories and my amazing ability to piss off other cinemagoers with my amazingly loud voice. Nope, I was just the girl almost twice that age with a misguided desire to see Wild Child. I glared and turned my head. The cinema usher came to quiet them.

"What's yer name? What's yer name?"

"Ben." Fool. Fool. Never tell them your name.

"Ben Ben Ben, when's it startin'? What time's the film startin' at?" See?

"Soon"

"When exactly is soon though?"

"You're going to have to be quiet."

"You're not the manager."

"I am the manager, no I'm not the manger, I wish I was." Oh, Ben.

He skulked away, unsuccessful. They quietened down as the feature began. The lights went down. Susan and I pulled smuggled-in McDonalds goodies from our bags and munched. Call me a loser all you want but I ain't twelve and I know how to get a take-away into the movies. Smell the aroma of cheesy goodness, kid? That'd be my double cheese burger. Do you have a double cheese burger? No? Oh right, sucks to be you.

My mouth went a little agape as the young Emma Roberts enquired of her new British boarding school friends as to what "shagging" was. Shagging? Really? In a 12A? Now, I'm pretty sure I knew what it was when I was 12. In fact, I pretty much definitely did because I was in secondary school by then which was around the time I finished the teen reading section at the library - Louise Rennison, Melvin Burgess and Point Romance et al. Cringey. Still and all, I'm pretty sure they weren't saying "shagging" in my 12s films. Madness altogether. Perhaps I'm a prude. Am I a prude?

Either way, Wild Child is heavy on pretty people who can't act ('cept Emma, who ain't bad) and the plot doesn't work if you think about it for more than 5 seconds....so yeah, I guess I would have enjoyed it were I 12, and I was probably just expecting too much having been ultimately impressed by Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.

I like a bratty kid. A proper brat. One with cheek whose boldness is endearing because it's funny or self aware. I do not like obnoxious, loud little girls who "have no rearing on them" as they'd say at home. The kids flaired up again toward the end of the feature. A lady a few rows in front of us stood up, marched over and put the fear of God in them. I am at once hopeful and yet desperately afraid that she's who I'll be when I'm older.

Don't go see Wild Child. It's not in the tradition of great boarding school movies (Strike! how I love thee) and the audience is made up of horrid little people (yeah I know, hand me my tarring brush).

Tis what I get for trying to cinema outside my age group.

These weren't Bay Area yuppies, either. In working-class Chico, about 85 miles north of Sacramento, the residents who offered property to 28-year-old Lee Callender last October included a a real estate agent, a retiree, a school administrator and a newspaper deliveryman, who offered a plot behind his trailer. Callender had so many options, he was able to select seven properties close enough together that he could bicycle between the plots and begin to cobble together a business.

"We were inundated with calls," Callender said. "People said, 'Please use my land. Make it productive.' "

The term "foodie" is no longer reserved for an exclusive club of chefs and discriminating diners. Today, food has become a focus -- and a cause -- for a broad audience, from individuals such as the Chico residents offering their yards to an idealistic urban farmer, to corporations such as Chipotle, which this month announced that each of its more than 730 restaurants will be required to buy a percentage of the produce it serves from local farms.

Stars of America heißt die neue Kampagne bei McDonald's.

Dabei stehen in der ersten Phase zwei Burger zur Auswahl. Ich hab mich für den New York Beef Classic entschieden.

Der schmeckt eigentlich nicht viel anders als ein normaler Royal TS, lediglich die Sauce ist etwas senfiger. Außerdem hat man rote Zwiebeln verwendet und Gewürzgurken draufgepackt. Der größte Unterschied ist die doppelte Menge an Fleisch und Käse.

Doppelte Mengen und rote statt weißen Zwiebeln begrüße ich, Gewürzgurken und die neue Sauce nicht. Insgesamt wirkt der Burger wie ein aufgepimpter Eigenbau nach Dienstschluss in einem McDonald's-Restaurant - irgendwie stimmt die Mischung nicht.

Toll dagegen sind die neuen American Fries. Vielleicht probiere ich auch noch den anderen Burger aus der New York-Phase, bevor es thematisch nach Los Angeles weitergeht.

Bild und mehr bei McDonald's Deutschland

I dropped two quarters in the box, snapped up the latest edition of the daily newspaper, and headed off to breakies at McDonald's.

As I thumbed through the first section, I stumbled across a publicity still of Barack Obama and his family - all lined up like darling ducks in a row - which was snapped for posterity on the eve of his glorious speech in Denver at the Democratic National Convention.

The shot of the Obama clan was familiar, though.

Ah, it hit me like a bolt of lightning.

"The Wiz", of course!

Are the Democrats sending a subliminal message?

Yes, Barack, just follow the yellow brick road.

But, watch out for a posse of scurrilous characters bent on derailing your dream for change, along the long and treacherous path to the Emerald City.

Deacon: That's a matter of opinion I would guess.  My opinion would be below average and the guy needs to do a lot more than he's doing...

Usher:  Wrong again!  The average church size in America is 51 - 300 people.   How much does the average pastor make with a church of 101 - 300 people?  (Answer: According to this survey, churches that draw 101 to 300 people each week pay senior pastors $72,664 per year, including benefits)

Given the fact that only 5% of adults tithe according to the Barna Group study, here's the brutal truth of tithing:

If 5% of the congregation of 300 people give and they average the median income of the United States of $48,200 US Census report  that means that 15 families of the church give 10% of their tithe.  Assuming they give on their gross incomes, 15 x $48,200 = $723,000. 

Summary:  15 families are supporting the pastor's full salary and benefits!  With this said, do you think they know this?  Of course not!  They simply put the money in their cute little envelope, tolerate his (in most cases) poorly-prepared sermons and come back next week to do it again. 

Deacon: Do you think if they knew, they might expect more accountability?

Usher: Uh.....yeah!  You go to McDonald's and 285 other families line up behind you and ask you to pay the bill!  I think I'd demand a little bit better explanation as to why the church isn't doing more with my God's money!

Deacon: So what's with all the megachurches and what exactly are they doing with all the extra?

Usher: Stay tuned, I've got a little more research to do, I'll write about that tomorrow.

I keep forgetting that I live in Texas and my vote is not going to count, but dreaming is free right?

So I ordered my Obiden bumbersticker

In case you missed it

Now that's what I'm talkin bout!  Kissin' Candidates

So. If you make a 'diet' book...okay. wait. let me start again.

This woman needs a spokesperson. Just saying.

um..huh?

]]> http://doubleunderscore.wordpress.com/?p=6 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:21:46 +0000 Nicholas O'Brien http://doubleunderscore.wordpress.com/?p=6 Don't ask me why i went into the McDonalds on 18th and Blue Island.

I was working down @ yollocalli today setting up SLYM show that opens on the 6th (I think). And I went in there to get a soda. I was getting my drink at the self service soda fountain and I saw a triptych of framed posters/paintings on the west wall above some seats.

I wish I had a camera to take pictures of these three wonders. They were a combination of "hard-working" "mexican-american" types. Men with thick black mustaches, over-all jeans and button-up white shirts, holding their tanned sons and daughters, smiling and proud. These people were painted all in a shade of red, like communist propaganda Red. With proud field workers, a man with a large top-hat (a mexican abe lincoln I suppose), and the great monolithic spires of chicago's cityscape.

It was down right laughable in its mash-cluster-fuck-upery. Simultaneously placating some kind of clearly misplaced "working-class" "people-powered" necessity that the neighborhood seems to demand from its residents (according to MickeyDs) iconic and post-modern propaganda, these three murals - or muralist posters - captured so much in their brazen surfaced summary of the American Hope that I couldn't help but stand and stare, for many minuets. I wanted to take them very badly, but my soda was already accumulating a good amount of condensation.

They ended up in the bed, not the tent. They came out of the room about, oh, 20 times at least. Complaints and/or concerns included, but were not limited to, bears, ghosts, noises, monsters, urination requests, lighting adjustments, bedroom door adjustments, and insomnia. Seriously, there were more, I just can't remember them all. Finally, when I had just about had it, I found them asleep, and they slept until 7:30 am this morning, not too bad for a first sleepover.

We met Kaley's mom Stacey, and her little sister Lexi, at McDonalds for lunch today. That was fun. Not. Owen has grown enough that he can climb into the dank, dark, cavernous, mystery that is McDonald's play place. He was having a good time until he got stuck up near the very top. He began to cry, then really loudly cry, just short of scream, for quite some time. I was able to maintain eye-contact by standing on a chair and gently told him to just go on down the slide/(screamed at Emerie to help him). But to my dismay he just continued to cry while I stood there on my perch doing everything I could to coerce him down. Finally, some man yells, "Mamm, do you want me to go up and get him"? To this I replied, "No thank you, he'll be fine", knowing full well this was my cue that I needed to go in and retrive him. Society had had enough and was willing to put a stop to the drama to the point of asking a complete stranger if she wanted him to rescue her son. Ok, I get it, I said to myself, I need to go in. Thankfully Stacey had her spelunking equipment and I was able to get up into the nooks and cranny's without event.

Then there's that.

We are all safe at home now, kids have been put down for naps and I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my sister and her family. They are coming for the holiday weekend and should be here tomorrow night. Yeah!

From the article:

If done right, a corporate blog might be just what your business needs to take your brand to the next level, becoming the best marketing tool for your company.

For example, McDonald’s started a blog dedicated to corporate social responsibility (csr.blogs.mcdonalds.com) with topics such as “Reducing Our Footprint” and “Defining Sustainability.” Through its blog (sccv3.stonecreekcoffee.com/blog.cfm), Stone Creek Coffee provides an outlet for news and events, such as promoting the Stone Creek Road Trip, wherein customers receive free coffee after visiting a certain number of store locations.

In fact, according to thenewpr.com, which tracks corporate blogging, almost 300 corporate blogs authored by CEOs and other personnel in a leadership position were up and running as of February. Industry experts believe this number will continue to rapidly increase.

Blogs also provide quick-serve restaurants with an innovative way to reach today’s young audience, who play key roles with quick-serves as both customers and employees. “As a very large population in the quick-service industry is 16 to 22, blogging will become a great way to engage them, their ideas, concerns, and suggestions,” says David Nour, founder of Relationship Economics and CEO of BeOne Now Inc.

And it’s a marketing strategy that’s here to stay. “Blogging and social networking are an integral part of the DNA of the new generation entering the work force,” he says.

Social media is very important in our society right now and it has been a great way for people to reach out to audiences they might not have been able to reach in the past.  Thoughts?

This is great little site which has engaging games and simply tells me what they offer at McCafe. Effective sites don't need to be large flashy sites. They just need enough content  to be engaging and interactive, but also tell the user what they have. Nolaf.org is a great creative site, but I had no clue it was a Tostito's site until I read more about it at Creativity.

The other day I was at McDonald (Dont snicker like you dont like 2 apple pies for a $1) and I saw something that  really inspired me.  You guessed it the McDonalds play room. Normally when I am  at McDonalds aside from being inspired to loose more weight, I got a really positive feeling and a few laughs.

Why I love the McDonalds Playroom.....? It seems that all kids upon entereing leave their personal differences nationalities and over bearing parents behind that glass door. The day I was there I saw Puerto rican, Black Albanian,  Indian kids all play an of course yelling loud enough to scramble my brains, since it was after work it was ok to be scrambled. It was so nice to see all these different kids helping each other take off shoes or retrieve items that have been dropped or loss. What beautiful is that these kids were sincere and genuine in their fun with their fellow playmates. They didnt differentiate on basis of size  looks nationality of language spoken. All that matter what the Mayer McCheese head they wanted to climb and to yell nad sing  at the top of their lungs.

I wonder really what happens.  If they only new how their parents acted on the subway or train, Im sure they would be appalled. Parents practice a different form of tolerance which is based on I think the principle of I dont want to be bothered or engage you in any kind of talk,Ii just want to be isolated in my own kingdom of  folly, ruling over my thoughts and hiding my unhappiness. I have an ipod that always blasting in my ears I am listening to music while perusing the newpaper, I dont even know if I am thinking I just want to get where I am going, leave me alone.  Or how we smile at people at work or other places, who annoy us but we but up a front  to make them feel like all is well.

In that famous phrase where  it is said we have to be like children to enter heaven, I dont think it meant we have to all fawnover  gigantic smiling heads of ground beef and bread,or that the loudness of our screams have to be directly proportional to the  amount of fun we are having, (I guess the same rule always applies through life) but the emphasis here is sincerity and being genuine. (There is much more to be said about childlike qualities and their relation to spirituality but thats for later) There are no substitutes for that!

Inafara de alcool, tigarile si mancarea de tip fast-food sunt, in acest moment, printre cele mai daunatoare produse de pe piata. Daca tigarile si alcoolul ar trebui (cel putin in mod normal) sa se adreseze exclusive persoanelor peste 18 ani, mancarea de tip fast-food se adreseaza persoanelor peste…2 ani.

Nu stiu care dintre aceste trei produse afecteaza mai grav organismul, insa stiu ca obezitatea a devenit o problema in intreaga lume. La fel cum si numarul fumatorilor creste pe zi ce trece si obezitatea face din ce in ce mai multe "victime".

Acum vine si intrebarea mea : de ce tigarile pot fi comercializate doar cu avertizarile de rigiare (tutunul dauneaza grav sanatatii, fumatul poate sa ucida, fumatul provoaca o moarte lenta si dureroasa, etc) iar cand vine vorba de fast-food nu se impun aceleasi norme. In timp ce pachetul cu tigari te obliga sa vezi zilnic acele "amenintari cu moartea", fast-foodurile te intampina cu jucarii, imagini colorate si multa veselie. Efectele? Sunt cam acelasi in ambele cazuri. Nu zic sa spuna ca aripioarele picante de la KFC provoaca o moarte lenta si dureroasa, dar un semnal de alarma tot ar trebui sa traga. In timp ce producatorii acestui tip de mancare lanseaza campanii (de promovare) peste campanii si ademenesc copiii cu diferite jucari, autoritatile nu fac nimic. Nu cred ca o campanie de educare cu privire la efectele consumarii unor astfel de produse ar strica nu? Eu inteleg ca pentru parinti fast-food inseamna mai repede si mai putine batai de cap, iar pentru copii inseamna o mare bucurie (ce poate fi mai bun decat o portie de cartofi prajiti cu un hamburger, un pahar mare cu cola si, ca bonus o jucarie) dar nu este deloc sanatos. Si ne mai miram ca numarul persoanelor care sufera de obezitate creste pe zi ce trece.

Dès aujourd'hui, le 27 Aout donc, Mc Donald commence une nouvelle série de burger dénommé "Les Mythics de McDonald's". En gros, pendant 4 semaines, McDonald's va nous présentez ses Best Sellers dans les autres pays avec changement de pays chaque semaine. Les pays concernés sont les Etats-Unis avec "l'American Style", l'Australie avec "l'Australian Spirit", le Canada avec le "Canada Wild" et l'Angeleterre avec le "British Touch" (un casting très Anglophone).

Cette semaine, du 27/08 au 02/09 inclus, c'est "l'American Style qui ouvre le balle avec son bun aux céréales et sa sauce à l'emmental (quelle rapport à l'emmental avec l'Amérique ?). Vous vous doutez que votre serviteur s'est sacrifier pour vous en allant gouter cet échantillon de culture Américain.

Premiers regard:

Une boite de taille assez similaire au Tasty avec sur le dessus la photo des prochains sandwich de l'opération. Rien de très original.

Un sandwich qui rempli bien la boite (pas comme chez Quick). Un bun supérieur surprise avec ces céréales. Niveau gabarit, c'est un Tasty.

Le Contenu n'est pas a plaindre, disons simpliste, il va déplacer des montagnes non plus, nous avons de la salade iceberg, la sauce emmental, très blanche, une rondelle de tomates, une tranche d'emmental, deux tranches de bacon et un steak taille Tasty.

Première bouché:

Un seul mot, light, faut pas avoir fin quand on mange se sandwich. Dommage que McDo ne l'ais pas sortie pendant l'été car je pense qu'il aurait fait un carton. La sauce est succulente, elle n'a pas le gout d'emmental mais c'est une sorte de mayonnaise très light qui se marie bien avec la fraiche de la salade et de la tomate, elle n'est pas équeurante (comme à Qucik). Un peu dessus du Bacon qu'on ne sens pas du tout, je pense que c'est la tranche d'emmental qui gâche le plaisir du Bacon.

Note Final:

14/20

C'est bon, sa aurait pu cassé la baraque mais sa manque un peu d'amélioration pour un burger qui ouvre une opération.

Sinon j'attend avec impatience "l'Australian Spirit" avec ses éclats de Bacon sur le bun supérieur, son bacon et sa sauce poivré. Sinon les deux autres me disent rien du tous, le jambon fumé dans un burger, non merci et qu'es ce que McDo appel une préparation de viande pour le "British Touch" ? Mystére (et boule de gomme)...

I'll give you a hint ... if your planning on purchasing an ipod or a mac in the next couple days or weeks, WAIT!!! Updates coming soon for nano and macbook pro-