Down with Denny's & Carbonated Milk

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer activist group, filed a suit against Denny's last Thursday for not doing enough to warn their customers about the dangerously high sodium content in some of their menu items. According to the group, most Americans should have a maximum daily sodium intake of 1500 mg. Many of the items on their menu have over twice that amount. The Meat Lover's Scramble, for example, has 5,690 mg of sodium--379% of the recommended daily amount.

Umm, it's Denny's...what did you expect? Celery sticks and carrots? I've seen the types of people that frequent the place and a sodium content label on the menu wouldn't exactly discourage this group from digging in. My guess is it would more likely have the opposite effect, driving them into a fierce salt consumption competition to see who can get their heart to stop the soonest.

And as for not doing enough to warn the customers about the high sodium content; if a patron can't tell for themselves that the Meat Lover's Scrambler might have an exorbitant amount of sodium based on the fact that it consists of two eggs with chopped bacon, diced ham, crumbled sausage, cheese, plus two bacon strips, two sausage links, hash browns, and two pancakes, then their sodium intake is the least of their problems. The mental disorder surely trumps their heart condition. And what more could Denny's do, they even have a picture of the salt factory right there on the menu so the illiterate will know what they are getting into. No, I think the burden lies on the customer here. Again, they knew they were walking into a Denny's.

In even stranger food news, Coca Cola is launching a new drink containing skim milk, sparkling water, fruit flavoring, and cane sugar. Carbonated Milk? Now I love Coke, and I love carbonate beverages, but this is beyond bizarre sounding. Now I know what the Oompa Loompas at WIlly Wonka have been up to after Charlie ruined the plans for their Fizzy Lifting Gas. The new beverage is being marketed under the name Vio, and the launch campaign claims it tastes "like a birthday party for a polar bear". Thank God!...I've spent the last 30 years of my life wondering what a polar bear birthday party tastes like. Now I'll know. I imagine it's quite similar to the polar bear christmas party I tasted back in February. I'm curious as to whether the carbonation is added after milk is taken from the cow, or if they are pumping up a bunch of cows with CO2. Now that would make for an interesting exhibit at the World of Coke Museum.

We're having a heat wave in Seattle this week. Mid-90's. People are whining nonstop. It's all some can talk about. Most people here don't have A/C. I do. Those poor unfortunate souls. I should rent out floor space in my condo until the heat passes. I shouldn't be too cruel...winter is just around the corner and I'm sure I will be the one crying then.