As we prepare to ring in the new year, many of us are most likely resolving to shed a few holiday-induced pounds. Well, breakfast behemoth Kellogg's has come to our aid with a "chocolatey" cereal to sate the midnight munchies.
But apparently the food company's new Special K Chocolatey Delight cereal only works for women, or at least that's what its press release implies:
"What woman hasn't been there? It's late in the evening, the TV is on, and it's time for a little relaxation. Then, the desire for a delicious snack strikes; it's that critical time when even the best weight-management intentions can be easily derailed."
Kellogg's says it can keep women on a slimmer track with its new Special K variation, which features "lightly toasted rice cereal flakes with decadent chocolatey pieces," adding that when eaten with low-fat milk, it provides "a delicious, lower-calorie option," than most traditional midnight snacks.
First off, call us cynical, but when a normally yummy food ingredient's name is modified with a "y" at the end, there's a high probability it's made up of a lot of stuff only a research chemist can pronounce.
And secondly, we're thinking after few late-night bowls, you're going to be tempted to ditch the low-fat milk in favor of sprinkling this new Special K over a few heaping scoops of Cherry Garcia.
Not-so bad ideas
- Retailer Target Corp. apparently doesn't recognize a revolutionary when it sells one, or at least products emblazoned with a portrait of one of communism's heroes.
Target said last week it had pulled a CD carrying case bearing Ernesto "Che" Guevara's image after an outcry by critics who labeled the Marxist guerrilla fighter a murderer and totalitarian symbol.Target had touted a music-disc carrying case for Che admirers decorated with the Argentine's now famous 1960 portrait by Alberto Diaz. A set of small earphones was superimposed on the image, suggesting he was tuned in to an iPod or other music player.Some business columnists had decried the product, sold under Target's brand, saying the trendy discount chain was giving in to a misguided fashion craze while ignoring Guevara's role in bringing Fidel Castro's Communist rule to Cuba."What next? Hitler backpacks? Pol Pot cookware? Pinochet pantyhose?" wrote Investor's Business Daily in an editorial earlier this month, citing the Guevara case as a model of "tyrant-chic.""It is never our intent to offend any of our guests through the merchandise we carry," Target said in a statement. "We have made the decision to remove this item from our shelves and we sincerely apologize for any discomfort this situation may have caused our guests."In a rare moment of accord with capitalists, some social activists said they were not sorry to see Guevara taken off Target's shelves, but on different grounds."Che would just be rolling in his grave if he knew his face was making money for Target," said Nell Greenberg, spokeswoman for San Francisco-based Global Exchange.Shoppers of the world unite!
- Last week we told you about the latest ridiculously overpriced food item — an $850,000 diamond-encrusted chocolate cake for sale at a Japanese retailer — but a little further down the Pacific Rim, an Indonesian hotel has transformed the humble hamburger into a gourmet delicacy that will set you back $110.
The restaurant inside the luxurious Four Seasons hotel in Jakarta has cooked up the wallet-busting burger using Japanese Kobe beef with foie gras, Portobello mushrooms and Korean pears. "The calves in Kobe get special treatment ... they drink beer mixed with milk, vitamins and eat pesticide-free grass, said restaurant manager Erwan Ruswandi. "We import all the materials, and they are high quality so it is so expensive."Surprisingly, the decadent dish comes with french fries at no extra charge.