Saturday, August 8, 2009
Best Cities for Working Mothers
In Depth: Best Cities For Working Mothers
This year ForbesWoman inaugurates its first annual list of the Best Cities for Working Mothers. To calculate the rankings, we started with the 50 largest cities in the U.S. and the premise that different mothers have different needs. So while it's safe to say that all moms want a secure and protected place for their children to live in, first-rate medical care and excellent schools, if they're running a business or earning a paycheck, there are other important considerations.
The potential for a relatively high income, job opportunities and family-friendly cost of living are obvious ones. But childcare is way up there too. Some big cities that seem like choice places to raise a family, such as Salt Lake City, Utah, and Orlando, Fla., offer comparatively fewer childcare options--including daycare centers and pre-K--for moms who work.
We took a slightly unusual approach to evaluating a city’s health care quality. We realized a mom wants options when it comes to pediatricians; trust and a good rapport are just as important as competence, after all. But we also included information from Dartmouth Atlas, which tracks the quality of health care across the U.S.
Researchers at Atlas, affiliated with Dartmouth College, have found that cities with a higher proportion of primary care physicians to specialist physicians have a better health care system. When there are more general practice physicians, their research suggests, a mom has a greater chance of getting in to see a doc when she needs one, and her child's care will be more closely overseen.
We also used two different data sets to evaluate education--the amount a city spends per pupil and ratings given by parents whose own kids attend a city's schools. The latter data comes to us exclusively from GreatSchools, a nonprofit which works to involve parents nationwide in improving school quality.
Working mothers also want to be able to afford to live (and play) in their city of choice, so we counted cost of living among our priorities. Many of the "obvious" but expensive West Coast meccas, such as San Jose, San Francisco and Seattle, are clearly still attractive despite their high costs. Some less-heralded cities, such as Columbus and Virginia Beach, may be less stylish, but their lower cost can translate into a good quality of life.
So how did New York and Austin end up as Nos. 1 and 2 of the same list? Austin does have a reputation for offering a high quality of living for all age groups, but New York is a playground for grownups, not a sanctuary for kids and their moms, right?
Answer: Austin and New York each shine in different categories of what a working (or job-seeking) ForbesWoman reader wants in her city of choice.
New York is--unfairly--known for being crowded and dangerous. But what it does have is plentiful park space and a low violent crime rate. Salaries there are also good, among the six highest of the cities we surveyed.
And the Big Apple is generous when it comes to what it spends on educating its students, coming in at the second highest, right behind another New York metropolitan area, Buffalo-Niagara Falls.
Austin parents love their schools. The city's unemployment, at 6.1%, is one of the lowest of the cities on our list. Like New York, it also boasts plenty of outdoor places for the kids to work off steam. Both cities score high for plentiful childcare options.
Four Florida cities make up the bottom 10--Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami and Orlando. They all have a dearth of outdoor space. Primary care physicians are also relatively low in number. When it comes to parent opinion of the public schools, parents in Jacksonville are particularly unhappy.
Do you agree with our results? What data categories would you like to see in next year's list?
Stressed? Try These 7 Easy, Stress-Reducing Mini-Meals for Your Super-Busy, Super-Stressed Day
But whatever you do, don't feed into your stress with junk food and empty calories. However tempting it seems to grab that fast food cheeseburger or polish off an entire bag of M&M's, feeling lethargic and greasy will only make you feel physically worse--and even more stressed out.
Instead, do yourself a favor and try one of the following stress-busting snacks and mini-meals listed below. They're all simple to throw together (or at least easy to buy),so you won't be wasting any time in your packed itinerary.
Even better, you'll have the proper nutrients to stay mentally alert, feel physically well and kick butt for the rest of the day. Doesn't that sound great?
1. Whole Wheat Cereal with Soy or Skim Milk. It's easy, it's healthy, and most importantly--it's fast. Bonus points if you throw in some dried fruit and raisins on top.
Why Eat This: Complex carb food is so much better for you than simple carbs because it takes more time for it to break down, and thus will not cause a spike in your blood sugar level.
2. Baked Sweet Potatoes Slices. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place sliced sweet potatoes in a baking dish coated with olive oil. Add some sprinkles of oregano, salt, pepper, and other spices as desired. Stick it in the oven for an hour, and use that hour to get some household errands done. Take it out of the oven, and you have a hearty, wholesome snack that won't break your health!
Why Eat This: You'll get your carb fix AND sweet tooth fix through a vegetable (as opposed to something that comes in a box or a plastic wrapper.) You will also get beta-carotene, vitamins and fiber as well.
Why Eat This: Apricots contain magnesium, a natural stress-buster and muscle relaxant. When you combine that with walnuts and pistachios (helps lower blood pressure) and almonds (helps boost your immune system), you have a potent stress-busting healthy snack that you can't beat. Just make sure the nuts aren't heavily salted.
4. Broccoli and Tempeh Stir-Fry Over Brown Rice. Cut up some broccoli and tempeh slices, and fry them in a wok until tender. Add whatever spices or flavorings you desire. Put them over some cooked brown rice, and you're good to go.
Why Eat This: Broccoli is chock full of vitamins that will protect your body during times of stress. Brown rice contains fiber, Vitamin B and will not spike your blood sugar like white rice or other non-whole-grain carbohydrates. Tempeh contains soy, which is high in protein, calcium and magnesium.
Are You Cool With His Girl "Friends"?
The truth of the matter is that he has to tread carefully during the transition stage. No woman wants to be "that" girlfriend. No doubt she will resent being put in a position where she feels she has to be. During this trust-building stage the man's actions are key. That's because this love fest of female friends plus girlfriend plus guy can play out in any number of ways. The tone is set by the guy (or the gal if she is the one in the relationship who has more friends of the opposite sex) and the results will depend on him too. Here's what we mean.
1) Does he talk openly about his new girlfriend with his girl "friends"? For instance, let's say a guy sits down to lunch with his girlfriend. He then takes a quick call (after ever so politely asking if it's okay) from a gal pal. "Yes of course you should answer your phone," says the girlfriend. He makes plans for later in the day with his gal pal. This is no cause for pause. Girlfriend has single-guy friends who she wants to hang out with, too. But what can be slight cause for irritation is this: he calls his "friend" by the same pet name he calls his girlfriend. On top of that, during the 10-minute conversation with Gal Pal, Girlfriend sitting across is never mentioned. If this happens, take note. (Think: Instead of saying "I'm having lunch with my girlfriend," it's "I'm having lunch" or it's "Last weekend I went to an amazing concert" instead of "I saw a great show with my girlfriend.") If he's keeping a vague air of mystery in what he's saying (and not saying) a girlfriend may not feel as trusting. Another question: Does he text or call when he's out? Dating Coaches & Pickup Coaches: Same Difference?
2) Does he introduce his new girlfriend to his longtime girl "friends"? If he wants there to be harmony among them he will. But if he continues to hang out either/or (meaning either with his girlfriend exclusively some nights or alone with his single girl "friends" other nights), never intermingling the two, this move could make the relationship wither before it has even had time to bloom.
3) Does he still party like a single guy? This is not to say that once a guy and a gal decide to get together and become a couple they should spend all their time together. This assumption, on the part of either guy or gal, could definitely leave a partner feeling miserably smothered. But the way one goes out when one is in a relationship should be different than the way one goes out as a single person. If nothing has changed, if he's going out with his gal pals just as much as he was before he had a girlfriend, it may cause the girlfriend to wonder what he really wants. Lastly, if he's not wanting to, on his own, (and this is a big point, on his own volition) call his girlfriend after he's had a fine night out and returned home, this could signal that he may not be ready for a relationship. Women don't want to have to force men to do things. If he's not taking the initiative, a new girlfriend is going to feel less comfortable with the whole idea of being a couple. Ultimately, every person is going to do what he or she wants to do. Some actions foster a sense of trust; others do not. Without trust, fuggeddaboutit.
User post: Help! How should I wear my hair to my brother's wedding?
My brother's wedding is in t-17 days. Yup, that's right- less than 3 weeks! Though I have the dress, the shoes and a wrap to keep my shoulders covered, I'm still not sure what to do with my hair. Lucky for me, I'll be getting my hair done with the rest of the bridesmaids, so all I need to do is pick out a hairstyle...and someone else will make me look beautiful.
I've scoured the net (ok, I spent like 20 minutes searching google images) for some great up-do photos for medium length hair. Here's what I found:
Wedding hair collage 1
5 Compliments Every Woman Loves To Hear
1.You're Irreplaceable. This is a surefire way to light up your partner’s eyes. Saying these words (with full eye contact, of course) lets the special one in your life know that you know who she is as a person and that you value her as a unique individual. Why is this so effective? Think about when you break up with someone and part ways. One of the worst ramifications of the break-up is finding out, via Facebook update or chattering among friends, that you've been replaced by someone new. On the flip side, hearing from your current partner that you're valued for more than what you look like scores big, meaningful points.
2. You bring light to my life. Yes, we know this sounds like a bit much. But bear with us and let us make one point: relationships can go off course when one or both partners takes for granted the contributions the other makes to their lives. Saying this shows that a man understands and remembers that a women chooses to be with her man and opts to give her energy and time to him. Showing he appreciates that she shares her life with him is symphonic to a woman's ears. If the word light is a tad too over-the-top for you try replacing it with happiness, joy, sunshine—whichever word you can say with genuine meaning.
3. You are perfect just the way that you are. This one takes the gold star award for ability to make a woman’s day, week, month or even year (if, that is, whenever she gets miffed at you for something small she recalls you saying this to her). Ingrid Michaelson sang it best with her lyrics to the song "The Way that I Am." If you really want to make your partner's day, we suggest e-mailing this song or youtube video to the woman you love. Deep, lasting love is unconditional. Showing that you comprehend and embrace this idea will touch your partner way more than superficial comments such as, "Your earrings are cute." Dating A Golddigger
4. I love your (fill in the blank: bright eyes, cute toes, toned arms, sleek legs, silky hair). We did not mean to give the impression above that we women do not like to hear you notice when we put extra effort into looking foxy for our man. But what’s key here is that what you say is genuine. Don’t just pick any random feature. Think about it. What is your partner’s best physical attribute and why do you like it? Telling your partner this will show her you pay attention to details, and to her.
5. I am so proud of you. A big deal-breaker in any relationship can be supporting one another’s life goals or not. Paying attention to your partner’s current goals she is working hard to achieve endear her to you for life. Whether it is paying off her credit card debt, completing a class, putting in extra hours to earn a promotion or even trying to better balance her life, show your loving support for your women. Her heart will melt then and every time thereafter she remembers when you supported along the way to making things happen and brushing off when the chips are down.
Rampant Australia on course for huge win
England 102 and 82 for 5 (Anderson 0*, Prior 4*) trail Australia 445 (North 110, Clarke 93, Ponting 78 Broad 6-91) by 261 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus claimed five England wickets for 20 runs in the space of 44 balls in a thrilling final hour of the second day at Headingley, as Australia built on the batting efforts of Marcus North to surge towards a stunningly comprehensive Ashes-squaring victory. North's 110 from 206 balls, coupled with 93 from Michael Clarke and some spirited thwacking from the tail, converted Australia's overnight lead of 94 into a formidable first-innings advantage of 343 which paved the way for the dramas that followed - and had North himself held onto a sharp chance at third slip from the final ball of the day, Ricky Ponting would have had a case to claim the extra half-hour and push for an incredible two-day win
Instead, Australia will have to settle for a three-day finish, in a match that is proving as abjectly one-sided as any of England's Ashes humiliations of the past 20 years. The only remote challenge to Australia's dominance came while Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss were repelling the new ball in a first-wicket stand of 58 that spanned 22.4 overs. Hilfenhaus, however, zipped one back off the seam to slam into Strauss's back pad to expose England's flimsy middle-order, and sure enough, Australia surged through the opening.
Ravi Bopara's torrid series continued when he was late coming forward to his very first delivery, and adjudged lbw by Asad Rauf despite a sizeable inside-edge, and though Ian Bell survived the hat-trick ball by a whisker, Johnson didn't allow him to savour the moment. For the second time in the match, he was cowed into submission by Johnson, pushed back by a fizzing bouncer, then drawn forward to poke a limp catch to Ponting at second slip for 3.
Next to go was Paul Collingwood, his form now in freefall after his match-saving 74 at Cardiff. Following on from his first-innings duck, Collingwood played all round a full swinging delivery from Johnson, and was plumb lbw for 4. Still England's humiliation was not complete, however. For the second innings running, Cook had attempted to stand firm while all around him wavered, but having ground his way to 30 from 84 balls, he hung out his bat to a Johnson outswinger, and snicked a low edge through to Brad Haddin. And Johnson should have claimed his fourth in the space of 20 balls, when Matt Prior edged him straight through North's hands.
With three days remaining and the weather set fair, it is inconceivable that Australia will not wrap up a hugely deserved victory with several sessions to spare, and stride on to The Oval in a fortnight's time with the Ashes once again in a vice-like grip. But for all the drama of England's batting capitulation, the man to whom the day's credit belonged was North, who followed on from his 96 at Edgbaston last week with yet another performance that put England's flappable temperaments to shame. His 110 from 206 balls was Australia's seventh century of the summer, compared to Strauss's solitary offering at Lord's last month, and their dominance of the series statistics will at last be rewarded on the field.
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Resuming on 196 for 4, Australia's middle- and lower-order had all the time in the world to accentuate England's humiliation after they had been rolled over for 102 in the first 33.5 overs of the match, but in the end they needed only two sessions to capture a formidable advantage. North added exactly 150 for the fifth wicket with Clarke, who fell seven runs short of his third century in consecutive matches, and then sat back in the final overs before tea while the tail ran amok around him, not least Stuart Clark, who smacked three of the biggest sixes imaginable in a 22-ball 32, including one tee-shot back over Graeme Swann's head that landed in the media toilets.
Not for the first time in the match, England had absolutely no say in the flow of events. Stuart Broad kept the ball pitched up (more often than not) to finish with figures of 6 for 91, his best in Tests, but it was hardly an achievement he felt worthy of celebrating. The brief flicker of momentum that England had generated through Steve Harmison's hostile performance on the first evening had effectively vanished inside the first half-hour of the day.
James Anderson, who entered the day amid concerns about the hamstring he tweaked while stretching for a quick single on the first afternoon, looked semi-fit at best as he started with a diet of half-volleys and finished with throwback figures of 18-3-89-0, while Harmison's first three-over spell was short, wide and clobbered for 23 agenda-setting runs, including a brutal first-ball pull for four from Clarke, who once again set the tempo for Australia's performance.
Clarke's fourth half-century of the series was brought up from 78 balls with a tuck off the hips from Harmison, and thereafter he went into overdrive, particularly against the labouring Anderson, whom he belted on the up, through the covers, twice in four balls, before working him sublimely through the leg-side from consecutive deliveries. In between whiles, North greeted Broad by clipping a first-ball half-volley through midwicket for four, as the pair brought up their hundred partnership from 152 balls - their third in six innings this series.
Clarke has now emerged as the outstanding batsman of the summer, and looked a dead-cert for his third century in as many Tests. But not for the first time, the nervous nineties undermined his previously serene progress. On 92, he attempted to work Onions through midwicket, but instead looped a leading edge into no-man's land in the covers, but he was unable to make his good luck count. He had not added to the single he had run from that let-off when Onions found a full and inswinging length, to pin him lbw on his bootlaces.
Despite the loss of his domineering partner, North was perfectly content to sit in and bide his time. With three scores in excess of 96 and five below 12 in his five previous Tests, he is a player who knows how to make his starts count. Harmison struck with his second delivery with the new ball, as Brad Haddin spooned a miscued pull to short backward square, but North rode the extra bounce with typical insouciance, joined in a 70-run stand for the seventh wicket with Johnson, who continued his consistent form with the bat with 27 from 53 balls.
Johnson's innings finally came to an end when he pulled a Broad long-hop to Bopara on the midwicket boundary, and in the same over, Peter Siddle was too slow on a full and straight delivery that took out his off stump first-ball. But Clark, who has enjoyed himself in this match so far, climbed into two further Broad short balls to deposit him over the leg-side ropes, before under-edging another attacking stroke into his stumps.
With his partners starting to run out, North decided to chance his arm, and his century-securing six off Swann was just about the only liberty he permitted himself in a studious and vital match-seizing performance. He holed out to midwicket soon afterwards to bring the innings to a close on the stroke of tea, whereupon England's openers, for a misleadingly serene hour-and-a-half, set about chiselling away at the deficit. Hilfenhaus and Johnson, however, were lurking. And the momentum of the series has lurched violently out of England's grasp.
10 of the Most Peculiar Fast-Foods
Have you ever taken a minute to think about what weird food gimmicks fast-food restaurants have created to entice us? We think these edible inventions are a little off the mark...
White Castle's chicken rings
1. White Castle's Chicken Ring: The American burger chain that made sliders famous also makes a fried ring of chicken meat. What looks like a doughnut or a large onion ring actually came from a bird. We gave it a try and it was pretty tasteless -- it just doesn't achieve the magical McDonald's McNuggets crispiness.
2. Taco Bell's Bacon Crunchwrap Supreme: Taco Bell's Crunchwrap Supreme with ground beef is one thing, but then there's the bacon version. I'm skeptical that Taco Bell even stocks bacon (is there room on the line next to the ground beef and shredded cheese?). The bacon-esque bits, sauce, flavoring (or whatever it is) is glued into the cheese, holding the shell and all the goods together.
3. Domino's Bread Bowl Pasta: These come in multiple pasta flavors such as chicken alfredo and mac and cheese, and if those weren't filling enough, you can thankfully eat the receptacle it came in! Even carb lovers might be frightened by the upwards of 800 calories in every bread-on-bread monster. Will pizza delivery men need to add pasta to their job title?
4. McDonald's McLaks: Regional McDonald's have a reputation for stocking unique ethnic version of McDonald's concepts. At a wayward McD's in Oslo, Norway, there's something called a McLaks, pronounced "mac-LOX." Laks is the Norwegian word for salmon, so this would be a fast-food salmon burger. Hopefully it contains fish.
5. Maid-Rite's Loose Meat Sandwich: Should meat be loose? I don't know if tight sounds any better but that adjective just doesn't seem right. This cross between a Sloppy Joe and a burger is "too good to be a patty," says the Midwestern chain. Do you prefer your sandwich innards to be one collosal mass or a gazillion bits of meat particles?
6. MOS Burger's Naan Tacos: The Japanese fast-food chain sells naan with Mexican-themed toppings. The fusion genre never stops surprising us.
7. Jollibee's Breakfast Joys: Are hot dogs a joy? Wait, let's clarify that: are hot dogs before lunchtime a joy? This breakfast package from the Filipino fast-food chain includes the weiner with an egg and garlic fried rice. Technically hot dogs are part of the sausage family, but it just seems like a lot to have with coffee.
8. Hot-Dog-on-a-Stick's Cheese-on-a-Stick: The mall food court standby skewers rods of American and pepper jack cheese. Isn't everything just better on a stick? If you ask Hot-Dog-on-a-Stick they are paid to say yes.
9. McDonald's McRib: Ribs are technically curved bones form a ribcage, but this McDonald's sandwich doesn't seem to contain any part of the skeletal system. When you can show me an animal with ribs with no bones, I'll eat a McRib.
10. Hardee's Philly Cheese Steak Thickburger: Hardee's piles cheesesteak fixings-undercooked onions and shaved beef-atop a burger mountain. Is meat topped with other meat products a beautiful or destructive thing?
And take a look at these freaky ice creams!
Top 10 Cell Phones
These are the best standard cell phones today, but ratings and rankings can change quickly due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.
Edited by Narasu Rebbapragada
Bottom Line: The P527 is loaded with features, including extensive GPS options, but it's far too slow for even casual users.
PC World Rating: 74.1 (Good)
- Price When Reviewed: $599
- Design: Candy bar
- Carrier: Carrier:Unlocked
- OS Supported: OS:Windows Mobile
- Battery Life Average (hh:mm): 10:00
Bottom Line: Though this phone has a plain design, it offers a good set of features at a very fair price.
PC World Rating: 71.8 (Poor)
- Price When Reviewed: $0
- Design: Clamshell
- Carrier: Carrier:T-Mobile
- OS Supported: OS:Proprietary
- Battery Life Average (hh:mm): 6:34
Bottom Line: This mild revision to the popular LG Chocolate phone has plenty of multimedia options.
PC World Rating: 75.0 (Good)
- Design: Slide
- Price When Reviewed: $130
- Carrier: Carrier:Verizon
- Battery Life Average (hh:mm): 5:12
Bottom Line: This phone features an excellent music player and a unique--if ultimately impractical--two-sided design.
PC World Rating: 75.6 (Fair)
- Design: Candy bar
- Price When Reviewed: $150
- Carrier: Carrier:Sprint
- Battery Life Average (hh:mm): 7:43
Bottom Line: Has lots of features and an attractive design, but terrible controls.
PC World Rating: 78.4 (Good)
- Design: Slide
- Price When Reviewed: $49
- Carrier: Carrier:Helio
- Battery Life Average (hh:mm): 4:25
Bottom Line: With an innovative design and great features, the Ocean would be a favorite if it had better call quality.
PC World Rating: 79.6 (Good)
- Price When Reviewed: $79
- Design: Slide
- Carrier: Carrier:Helio
- OS Supported: OS:Proprietary
- Battery Life Average (hh:mm): 5:05
Bottom Line: This handset offers excellent music playback features and works well as a phone, too.
PC World Rating: 78.1 (Good)
- Price When Reviewed: $100
- Design: Slide
- Carrier: Carrier:T-Mobile
- OS Supported: OS:Nokia Series 40
- Battery Life Average (hh:mm): 5:06
Bottom Line: This phone features an innovative dual-hinge clamshell design with a QWERTY keyboard that makes for easy typing.
PC World Rating: 80.0 (Good)
- Price When Reviewed: $100
- Design: Clamshell
- Carrier: Carrier:Verizon
- OS Supported: OS:Proprietary
- Battery Life Average (hh:mm): 4:46
Bottom Line: The enV isn't the slimmest cell phone around, but it offers excellent messaging features and great multimedia options.
PC World Rating: 80.9 (Very Good)
- Price When Reviewed: $130
- Design: Clamshell
- Carrier: Carrier:Verizon
- OS Supported: OS:Brew
- Battery Life Average (hh:mm): 5:05
Bottom Line: This well-designed multimedia phone focuses on user satisfaction, though its keys are a bit sticky.
PC World Rating: 80.1 (Fair)
- Price When Reviewed: $0
- Design: Slide
- Carrier: Carrier:T-Mobile
- OS Supported: OS:Proprietary
- Battery Life Average (hh:mm): 10:00
New Fast-Food Calorie Violators
Check out these CRAZY-HIGH-CALORIE new fast foods we found. Hungry Girl WARNING: Avoid these fatty foes at all costs!
Burger King - Steakhouse Burger
950 calories, 59g fat, and 55g carbs!
You may as well have an actual steak if you're going to consume this many calories! Why is this burger so insanely fatty? Well there's the 368-calorie, 29-gram-of-fat patty, mayo, two slices of cheese, and a HUGE pile of fried onions... all on a massive doughy bun. NOT WORTH IT.
Carl's Jr. - The Kentucky Bourbon Six-Dollar Burger
970 calories, 49g fat, and 81g carbs!
You know that annoying ad campaign with the surgeon who thinks about bourbon all day long? Yeah, it's funny, but the idea of a medical professional (actor or not) chowing down this monster burger makes us cringe a little. A single sandwich with nearly 1,000 calories is soooo wrong. And not in that "so wrong it's right" kinda way. It's just wrong.
Jack in the Box - Mini Sirloin Burgers
748 calories, 29g fat, and 77g carbs!
For those of you wandering around singing, "Yippee-ai-ay, Mini Sirloin Burgers!" to yourself, you're not alone. But DON'T be seduced into chewing on these teeny burger-ettes. Sure, you get three of them, but they're REALLY little, so you're probably going to want fries and a soda with 'em. You're better off riding into the sunset with a Chicken Fajita Pita (328 calories and 10g fat).
Wendy's - Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty
540 calories, 20g fat, and 83g carbs!
If the thought of adding coffee syrup to a Wendy's Frosty is enough to send you into a full-on swoon, brace yourself. And if your dreams are speckled with chocolate-covered toffee bits, prepare to pinch yourself. As good as this all sounds, it comes with a hefty price tag. This shake has more calories than the Triple Stack burger, which has three beef patties and three pieces of cheese. Fantasy OVER.
Taco Bell - Volcano Box
1,380 calories, 76g fat, and 133g carbs!
Why does this box need to exist? Does ANYONE need to eat a meal that consists of a double-beef burrito, two tacos, and a pack of Cinnamon Twists?! Do yourself a favor and stick to the Fresco Menu at The Bell, and don't consume most of your calories for the day in a single meal!
And check out these Scary-Easy Ways to Eat 1,000 Calories.
LOOK! IT'S HUNGRY GIRL'S NEW BOOK!
Terrible Etiquette Mistakes From Around the World
Politely placing the napkin on your lap and keeping your elbows off the table may be the etiquette essentials here in the good ol' USA but when it comes to hanging with friends and colleagues around the world, etiquette often takes on new meanings. Foxy talked to some international friends and did some digging on Kwintessential.com to find these important tips to keep in mind before you socialize or break bread with pals from across the ponds.
Coffee Break We may gulp lattes all day long, regardless of what time it is here, but in many European countries cappuccinos and other coffee drinks made with milk are enjoyed during the morning hours only. Espresso is what's consumed in the afternoons and evenings. So, don't be surprised when you get a funny look from the waiter after ordering your double latte with extra cream after that pesto pasta lunch.
No Ketchup Please Many French chefs are appalled if guests add condiments like ketchup and mustard to their culinary masterpieces before taking the first bite. They think it masks the true taste of the food -- so get used to your "pommes frites" without that dousing of ketchup.
Oops, All Gone Here in the States, it seems we've been taught to always clear our plates. In China on the other hand, if you gobble up every last morsel it could be insulting to the host as it means that he/she hasn't provided enough food. Keep things on the up and up and leave a few bites left. We're guessing it's probably best not to ask for a doggie bag, either!
Heads Up In Thailand, no matter how adorable someone's child is, resist the urge to give them a friendly pat on the noggin. It's taboo to touch the head, which is a revered body part.
No Sharing No matter how mouthwatering your palak paneer is, offering someone a taste from your plate is a big no-no in India, since it's considered unclean. Enjoy your dinner and rave about it all you want, but keep it to yourself.
A Few Pointers In India, if you want to call someone over, never use your finger to point or wag -- it's seen as condescending and insulting. Instead, hold your hand out, palm down, and scoop with your fingers. You'll get much better results!
Better Than Butter While dining out in Spain, get used to the idea of bread without butter. Ask for it at a restaurant and you'll most likely be told they don't have any. The preferred practice is to dip bread in olive oil -- and if you ask us, it's much yummier anyway!
A - O - K Never give anyone in Brazil the "OK" hand signal (using your thumb and pointer finger to make an O)... it's an obscene gesture that's likely to get you labeled both ignorant and extremely offensive!
Meat 'n' Milk In Israel, unless you know otherwise, assume that a household keeps kosher. That means mixing meat and dairy is not allowed. So no milk in your coffee after a belly-busting beef dinner (and no cheese on that burger, either!).
Sticky Splinters We're all familiar with the wooden chopsticks you get at Asian restaurants. They come stuck together, and you snap them apart which usually leaves a few stray splinters on the end. If this happens in Japan, holding the chopsticks between your palms and loudly clattering them together is a big insult to the waiter or sushi chef because it indicates that his utensils are cheap. Instead, rub one chopstick against the other gently.
Throw In The Towel In a Japanese restaurant, if you're given a hot rolled towel, use it only to wipe your hands. It's generally considered rude to wipe your face with (although at more informal restaurants, people may occasionally be seen doing it).
Service With A Smile Here in the US, many of us are used to serving ourselves and digging in family style at meals. But in China it's common for the host to place food on the guest's plates, so resist the urge to scoop up another helping of rice -- practice sitting back and relaxing, and enjoy letting the host put you on a pedestal.
Sole Purpose Think twice before sitting too casually in Egypt, or even stretching out your gams. Showing the soles of your feet or shoes is considered to be terribly rude -- yes, even if you're sporting Jimmy Choos!
Lip Service No matter how parched your lips may be, when traveling in Zimbabwe, never lick your lips while looking at someone of the opposite sex. While it may seem innocent enough to you, they consider it an obscene gesture.
Baby Steps Have a friend in Russia who's expecting a babe? Go ahead and browse all you want, but don't give them anything until after the little one arrives. It's considered bad luck to do so sooner.
There Will Be a Portable Xbox System, But When?
Bakalar, CNET News
It's no surprise Microsoft is flirting with the idea of jumping into the handheld market. While the company has found success with the Xbox 360, Microsoft has absolutely no portable presence.
With all this time outside of the market, Microsoft needs to identify what kind of portable system the company's handheld Xbox will be. We told you about rumors of a Zune-Xbox-cell phone hybrid, but such an ambitious device would be expensive and alienate those who want just a portable gaming system.
Microsoft executive Shane Kim recently told Kikizo that Xbox Live is the "connective tissue" that will tie together the company's devices. How that tissue is implemented into a portable device will probably be one of the biggest incentives in owning a handheld Xbox. We'd imagine this connectivity would allow for the transfer of digital media (movies, TV shows) bought on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Better yet, we'd love to see all Xbox Live Arcade games feature an "on-the-go" mode as well.
Hardware speculation aside, we can't imagine Microsoft releasing such a device any time soon. With game sales struggling due to a weakened economy, introducing brand-new portable hardware may not be the wisest of decisions. Even if Microsoft could keep the price around $150 and promise original Xboxlike graphics, would you consider purchasing a new portable system in the near future? What other features would you like to see from an Xbox handheld?
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