McDonald's Sells Gluten-laden French Fries and other Products

Now that the company comes clean with its admission that its French Fries contain more than trans fat than previously admitted or led to believe, we, consumers, can trace the roots of our malaise after eating at the popular restaurant. We now know that McDonald's uses wheat and dairy ingredients as flavors in its popular menu. The following is one of my most recent cases involving the company.

While waiting for my oil change to be completed, I ventured out to the area where the restroom and McDonald's restaurant share walls. I was stopped by a nice clerk who only offered me a bite of a crispy bit of chicken on a stick. That was all I needed to spend two days of ballooned stomach, discomfort and flatulences. I had such a horrible case of allergic reactions. I am sensitive to dairy products.

Now I know why I hate McDonald's foods. They used to make me sick all the time. For the inconvenience and discomfort, the company is not going to compensate me despite its recent admission. I now know that the company lied because it used to say that its fries were free of gluten and milk or wheat allergens. It used to say that its foods were safe to eat for those with dietary issues related to the consumption of dairy items. I know I used to eat Franken McDonald's gluten-laden foods.

McDonald's recently added "Contains wheat and milk ingredients" to the french fries listing on its web site. Do I trust anything put out by a food company any longer? For the longest time, I switched to Silk. It used to sit well with my stomach. But lately, I do not seem to tolerate it well. Does it have something that is not announced yet? As a consumer, I just dream about the day when our foods can be free from any additives.

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 10:14 PM EST

Updated: Saturday, 18 February 2006 12:56 PM EST

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F-250 Super Chief is a Cute, Macho but Gigantic Hippotamus to Own

Here is the superbowl of a powerplant truck for the regular guys

What are the first features that capture your attention?

It appears that the F-250 Super Chief is built to last. It has a tri-flex supercharged 6.8-liter V-10 that produces up to 310 horsepower and 425 lbs.-ft. of torque. It has been described as being environmentally friendly. It produces low emissions. Do not expect this truck soon. Ford wants potential buyer to see the new directions William Clay Ford wants to take the company. After all, "We want to build vehicles that the consumers will want," he said just recently. Bill is ready to be aggressive and take the battle to his illustrous company's competitors. He has Toyota in mind. Yes, with all the recent financial and restructuring problems experienced by the American auto industry, Toyota firmly grabs its spot at the top of the food chain. But it is not resting on its laurels yet. It is quickly finding how tough it is to stay on top. Where else to go? Toyota's culture will take over.

Ford reports that the F-250 Super Chief will run for 500 miles between fill-ups on hydrogen, E85 ethanol and gasoline. Now this is a great engineering feast by Ford company engineers who believe that innovation will once again give them the competitive edge. Each fuel type is stored in separate container. Let us take a look inside the auto shows to peek into the super truck. We see walnut, brown leather and aluminium, two feet of space n front of the rear seats where you can find ottomans that can deploy from the floor. They expect the truck buyer to have his cigar. There is a cigar cutter. There is a first with the Super Chief. Its roof is formed with glass, brace inside with a grid wood.

What do we see on the exterior? We see the signs that Ford can make a comeback. As far as knowing when, we may not know this. But with the Super Chief, they have already taken a new direction. Looking at the exterior of the F-250, one automatically gets transported back to the times of Amercan locomotive power. It is the symbol of bold American design and engineering, the in-your-face type of craft. It will be quite a drive for many Ford aficionados, the working men and women of this country. The truck will soon become the new symbol of the crystalization of the American Dream. F-250 Super Chief is loaded with symbolism: grandeur, wild west journeys, open road, great power that built the prospering American economy and the locomotives of the past roaring over vast expanses of the land connecting strangers and bringing goods to far flung places.

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Friday, 10 February 2006 6:22 AM EST

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People, Zillow.com has arrived. It is here to take on the realty giants. It is liberating and democratizing the whole real estate market. Buyers and sellers are not tied to the real estate agent's whims and caprices any longer. Welcome Zillow.com! Homeowners and realty buyers and sellers welcome your moves.

Zillow.com is backed by two well-known VC, venture capital firms, Benchmark Capital and technology Crossover Ventures. In addition, it has a dream team of engineers and dedicated employees under the direction of Expedia's founder, Rich Barton. This company has already raised $6 million dollars. Based on the success that Barton created with Expedia, one can already see the signs of success that will come to Zillow.com. After all, it makes sense because there are more consumers than there are real estate agents and big realty companies that have been oppressing and dominating the real estate market. The more players there are, the better it is for the consumer. Now, not only will we be able to know our home values with Zillow, we will also know our neighbors' ones. All of this is for free. No more need to enter private information or fill out forms that take an eternity! All of that was so a real estate agent could contact us by phone. So, you can imagine what this niche market will mean for homeowners, buyers and sellers. There is no doubt that Zillow is going to be the place to be. Marketers will want their products to be featured there too.

Real estate brokers will have to change their ways when dealing with consumers. They will have to take off the veil. They will have to be as clear as possible about their fees. No wonder that the DOJ filed a lawsuit against the national association of real estate for obstructing competition, threatening to lock in outmoded business models and inflating real estate prices. Zillow.com will go straight to the heart of Housevalues.com, Cendant and Multiple Listing Service which tend to protect brokers' standards and paycheck.

So What's Zillow?;

Zillow, Inc. is a consumer online real estate service (Zillow.com), created by a group of Internet veterans from Expedia, Amazon.com and Microsoft Corp. Zillow, Inc. was founded in early 2005, with corporate headquarters in Seattle, WA.

Expedia helped travel agents out of work. Zillow.com will put real estate brokers out of work soon. Huge realy companies and brokers' reign of terror will be over soon with Zillow

Zillow, Inc. 999 3rd Avenue Suite 4100 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: (206) 587-0414 Fax: (206) 587-0408

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 3:29 PM EST

Updated: Thursday, 9 February 2006 3:51 PM EST

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President Jacques Chirac is not happy with the publication. So he voiced his protest against the publication by the French Satirist magazine Charlie Hebdo. Chirac does not want to upset the large Muslim population living in France. But thanks to the freedom of press, Charlie Hebdo went ahead and published the protest-causing cartoons any way.

France does not want a repeat of the recent incidents in its capital and towns. It is a great balance. It is time to fix the problem.

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 11:15 AM EST

Updated: Thursday, 9 February 2006 11:17 AM EST

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Continued from this blog

Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: "Ray," Craig Armstrong, composer. Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: "Believe," Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri, songwriters, from "The Polar Express." Instrumental Composition: "Into the Light," Billy Childs, composer. Instrumental Arrangement: "The Incredits," Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Various Artists). Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): "What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life?" Billy Childs, Gil Goldstein and Heitor Pereira, arrangers (Chris Botti and Sting). Traditional Blues Album: "80," B.B. King and Friends. Traditional Folk Album: "Fiddler's Green," Tim O'Brien. Contemporary Folk Album: "Fair & Square," John Prine. Native American Music Album: "Sacred Ground — A Tribute to Mother Earth," Various Artists. Hawaiian Music Album: "Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar — Vol. 1," Various Artists. Reggae Album: "Welcome to Jamrock," Damian Marley. Traditional World Music Album: "In the Heart of the Moon," Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate. Contemporary World Music Album: "Eletracustico," Gilberto Gil. Polka Album: "Shake, Rattle and Polka!" Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra. Musical Album for Children: "Songs From the Neighborhood — The Music of Mister Rogers," Various Artists. Spoken Word Album for Children: " Marlo Thomas & Friends: Thanks & Giving All Year Long," Various Artists. Spoken Word Album: "Dreams From My Father," Sen. Barack Obama. Comedy Album: "Never Scared," Chris Rock. Musical Show Album: "Monty Python's Spamalot." Gospel Performance: "Pray," CeCe Winans. Rock Gospel Song: "Be Blessed," Yolanda Adams, James Harris III, Terry Lewis and James Q. Wright, (Yolanda Adams). Rock Gospel Album: "Until My Heart Caves In," Audio Adrenaline. Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: "Lifesong," Casting Crowns. Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Album: "Rock of Ages ... Hymns & Faith," Amy Grant. Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: "Purified," CeCe Winans. Gospel Choir or Gospel Chorus: "One Voice," Gladys Knight, choir director. New Age Album: "Silver Solstice," Paul Winter Consort. Jazz Vocal Album: "Good Night, and Good Luck," Dianne Reeves. Jazz Instrumental Solo: "Why Was I Born?" Sonny Rollins. Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: "Beyond the Sound Barrier," Wayne Shorter Quartet. Contemporary Jazz Album: "The Way Up," Pat Metheny Group. Large Jazz Ensemble Album: "Overtime," Dave Holland Big Band. Latin Jazz Album: "Listen Here!" Eddie Palmieri. Traditional Soul Gospel Album: "Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs," Donnie McClurkin. Dance Recording: "Galvanize," The Chemical Brothers featuring Q-Tip. Electronic/Dance Album: "Push the Button," The Chemical Brothers. Bluegrass Album: "The Company We Keep," The Del McCoury Band. Contemporary Blues Album: "Cost of Living," Delbert McClinton. Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Steve Lillywhite. Short Form Music Video: "Control," Missy Elliott Featuring Ciara and Fat Man Scoop. Best Long Form Music Video: "No Direction Home" ( Bob Dylan). Recording Package: "The Forgotten Arm," Aimee Mann and Gail Marowitz, art directors (Aimee Mann). Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: "The Legend," Ian Cuttler, art director (Johnny Cash). Album Notes: "The Complete Library of Congress Recordings by Alan Lomax," John Szwed, album notes writer (Jelly Roll Morton). Historical Album: "The Complete Library of Congress Recordings by Alan Lomax," Jeffrey Greenberg and Anna Lomax Wood, compilation producers (Jelly Roll Morton). Engineered Album, Non-Classical: "Back Home," Alan Douglas and Mick Guzauski, engineers ( Eric Clapton). Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: "Superfly (Louie Vega EOL Mix)," Louie Vega, remixer (Curtis Mayfield). Surround Sound Album: "Brothers in Arms — 20th Anniversary Edition," Chuck Ainlay, Bob Ludwig, Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits).

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Friday, 10 February 2006 6:24 AM EST

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XM is already on all luxury car models. It is a good thing to have.

Subarus and Subaru owners have always been synonymous with free spirit and freedom of choice, qualities that also define XM Radio enthusiasts," said Paul Kirsch, VP, OEM Marketing, XM Satellite Radio. "That's why we are especially pleased to be Subaru's exclusive satellite radio partner for several top-selling models later this year.

Satellite radio is one of today's most in-demand vehicle features because it allows listeners to fully customize and control their in-car entertainment experience," says Rick Crosson, Vice President of Marketing, Subaru of America Inc. "At Subaru, we constantly strive to provide owners with even more features that reflect their unique needs and lifestyles - so adding satellite radio's unparalleled channel choices to the mix was an easy decision.

Every 2007 Subaru with XM Satellite Radio also comes standard with three months of complimentary XM service and waived activation fee. XM subscribers pay a monthly fee of $12.95 for XM Satellite Radio's award-winning, around-the-clock programming. Buyers will be able to request XM Satellite Radio as either a port or dealer-installed feature to have a fully-integrated digital-quality system.

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Friday, 10 February 2006 6:23 AM EST

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XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche and Volkswagen/Audi, is available in more than 140 different vehicle models for 2006. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com

XM is America's number one satellite radio service with more than 6 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2006 lineup includes 160 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: the most commercial-free music channels, plus premier sports, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information.

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Friday, 10 February 2006 6:23 AM EST

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Samsung Group apologised for a string of scandals that has blighted the reputation of South Korea's biggest conglomerate and said it would make an 800 billion won ($830m) donation to charity as an atonement—part of it paid by Lee Kun-hee, the group's chairman. Mr Lee also said that he will stop opposing new laws that reduce family control of the chaebol, South Korea's industrial groups.

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 12:01 AM EST

Updated: Friday, 10 February 2006 6:25 AM EST

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Microsoft 360 Snafu: Not enough 360 Consoles to Satisfy Consumers

Nobody can find Microsoft's new console, Xbox 360. It has been like this for a long time now. Since its release before the last Christmas season, buyers, video gamers and just plain fans of Microsoft have been frustrated by the fact they can not find the new Xbox. Retailers as well as publishers are complaining about how the shortage has hurt their business profits. So far, they have received all the demand in the forms of long lists of names, but they have not had any new Xbox machines to deliver. They are blaming Microsoft that should have planned to release enough Xbox consoles to meet consumers' needs. If there is a problem in the supply, the demand will escalate.

With this problem, Microsoft may not have much of a chance any more to dominate and saturate the market. Before consumers know it, Sony will release Playstation 3. How many buyers will wait until Microsoft fixes its problems? They are comparing the inequality of preparation between the release of Apple's iPods and that of Microsoft's Xbox. Steve Jobs was ready to keep pumping its iPods to the consumers' ears. Microsoft can not do the same. Buyers are frustrated. They want immediate gratification. They want to play their video games such as Madden NFL 06 and other interesting games.

Elsewhere, in the tech world, Blackberry has come under attack from NTP that is suing the comapany for e-mail infringement. If the injunction stands, some Blackberry owners may lose their wireless e-mail services. Some interesting news to watch in the next few months.

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 7:05 AM EST

Updated: Sunday, 5 February 2006 7:06 AM EST

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William Clay Ford is pumping fresh blood into an ailing company. Ford needs Ford the company. If he does not get aggressive and trust innovation to take the company to the future, he can call it quits. That is why he is laying off people, restructuring the century-old auto giant.

Follow the comback of Ford in this blog

Posted by Fashionista Shopping Analyst at 6:12 AM EST

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