It's not unusual for Dee McKinsey to have three cans of Coke before she leaves the house each morning for her job as the regional director of boards and volunteerism at the American Cancer Society in Chicago. "There is nothing better than the feel of Coke on the back of your throat in the morning," said McKinsey, a morning pop drinker since the 1970s, savoring the cold, stinging sensation that coffee drinkers just don't get. But these days, more people are enjoying that chilled morning jolt as they increasingly turn to soft drinks instead of coffee, flaunting mom's no-pop-for-breakfast rule many had in their youth.

Consumption of soft drinks at breakfast eaten outside the home has nearly doubled in the past 15 years, while coffee consumption with breakfast outside the home has fallen nearly 25 percent, according to data compiled by New-York based consumer research firm NPD Group, which has offices in Rosemont. The data is specific to drinks with meals and does not, for example, address the Starbucks phenomenon.

Breakfast consumers order a soft drink with their breakfast 15.1 percent of the time, compared with 7.9 percent of the time in 1990, said Harry Balzer, an NPD executive vice president who has studied American eating habits for more than 25 years. At the same time, Balzer said, coffee was being ordered 38 percent of the time, compared with 48.7 percent 15 years ago. It probably is not surprising that soft drinks are a growing choice at breakfast considering that nearly half of the U.S. population older than age 4 consumes soft drinks on any given day, according a study commissioned by a milk group.

And consumers are drinking soda for breakfast at home more frequently, too, though not in the same numbers. Balzer said 2.4 percent of the people who ate breakfast at home in 2006 consumed a soft drink with breakfast, compared with 0.5 percent in 1985. Most morning consumers prefer fully sugared regular pop, but diet soda consumption continues to grow in the mornings. In 2006, 5.3 percent of those eating breakfast away from home had a diet pop, while 9.8 percent had a regular soda. Diet pop accompanied 1.7 percent of breakfasts in 1990, according to NPD.

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Terri Irwin Named Australia's Tourism Ambassador

Terri Irwin has been named as Australia's Tourism Ambassador. The appointment comes in the middle of the Australia Week festivities, which are an annual event to promote Australia to the world.

Later Irwin shed her khaki for a black gown and the seamless aplomb of the A-listers at her side for a gala that honoured Steve Irwin's memory. "I am absolutely delighted," Ms Bailey said of Irwin's decision to accept the invitation at a media conference held at lunchtime on Saturday.

Irwin's first job as ambassador, she said, would be in Toronto when the G'Day Australia bandwagon moves on to Canada from New York and the US at the end of the month. "I have to say that I couldn't think of a better person to fill this position," Ms Bailey said, shelving the expected appointment of Irwin's daughter, eight-year-old Bindi. "Terri together with Bindi has been carrying on the magnificent work that Steve has done for Australia."

The actors Russell Crowe and Naomi Watts were honoured for their achievements at the star-studded event. Crowe, who greeted Irwin with a kiss and private words of comfort, said of her: "She knows I'm there if she wants me. She can just call me, whatever it is that she might need [and] I can help her with." Asked what he thought of her appointment, he said, "It's a wonderful idea ... Given that Terri's American she has a unique way of being able to contact people and a unique experience of Australia ...

Terri looked amazing in her floor-length black gown -- it was nice to see her out of her khaki and having a good time. We think she'll do a great job promoting Australia and carrying on the work of her late husband, Steve.

Posted on January 15, 2007
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Angelina Jolie's Adoption Scandal

Angelina Jolie took a lot of heat for criticizing Madonna's decision to adopt from the country of Malawi, sanctimoniously saying how she would never take a child away from a country where there were no real adoption laws. But according to Page Six, Angelina's adoption of Maddox from Cambodia was a disaster for other potential adoptive parents.

PARENTS who have encountered difficulties adopting children from countries like Cambodia are shocked that Angelina Jolie would dare to say anything about Madonna's adoption in Malawi of her son David. Jolie told French magazine Gala she would "never take a child away from a place where adoption is illegal." Yet Jolie failed to mention that she adopted her Cambodian son, Maddox, through a group that was later found to be guilty of fraud. Now procedures have been tightened up, and it is next to impossible to adopt from Cambodia.

"Angelina is not a hero in the adoption community," Tatiana Beams, a Seattle-based international adoption advocate, told Page Six. Beams said parents and other adoption agents are disappointed Jolie "does nothing, or at least very little, to keep international adoption open and legal for American families and children." Jolie later backtracked from her criticism of Madonna, and told People.com her words had been twisted. But some adoption advocates remain irked by the star's failure to acknowledge her own adoption issues.

When Jolie and then-husband Billy Bob Thorton adopted Maddox in 2002, she used Seattle International Adoptions, run by Lauryn Galindo - who was found guilty two years later of visa fraud and money laundering related to Cambodian adoptions.

Beams said that after Jolie's adoption scandal, Cambodia closed its doors, and many families who were waiting to acquire children were left empty-handed. "She [Jolie] adopted Maddox under a questionable agency, where the directors went to prison." Beams added, "It would be nice to see her speak out on issues and policies surrounding international adoption."

Yikes. That certainly puts a different spin on things, doesn't it?

Posted on January 11, 2007
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Humpback Whale Breaks Yacht, Says Sorry

A humpback whale accidentally destroyed some guy's yacht, then came back to apologize.

A sailor whose yacht was destroyed by a humpback whale off New Zealand said he had got a good "vibe" from the giant mammal and thought it was trying to say sorry, local media said on Wednesday. Lindsay Wright was sailing his brand-new 10-meter (30-ft) trimaran, named Loose Goose, about 80 nautical miles off the west coast of North Island on Tuesday when he hit the whale.

Wright said he had been sleeping when he was awoken by a loud noise and rushed up on deck to find himself staring at a whale's head about a foot away. "I got good vibes off him. I thought he was trying to say sorry mate, I didn't mean to," Wright told New Zealand television. He said the whale, a large male in a pod of about six humpbacks, had hit his yacht with its tail, opening a large hole in one of the boats's three hulls.

"When I first saw him I thought he had come back for the coup de grace," Australian Associated Press quoted Wright as saying. Wright activated a distress beacon as his yacht took on water and lost electrical power. He was winched to safety aboard a rescue helicopter about five hours later, Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio said.

We do love humpback whales -- too bad the Japanese are absolutely determined to resume whaling and wipe them from the face of the Earth.

Posted on January 10, 2007
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Inventor of Ramen Noodles Dead at 96

Momofuku Ando, the creator of Ramen Noodles has died at the age of 96.

Nissin Food Products Co., the company Ando founded, said on its Web site that he died Friday after suffering a heart attack. Born in Taiwan, Ando founded his company in 1948 from a humble family operation. Faced with food shortages in post-World War II Japan, Ando thought a quality, convenient noodle product would help feed the masses.

In 1958, his "Chicken Ramen" — the first instant noodle — was introduced after many trials. Following its success, the company added other products, such as the "Cup Noodle" in 1971. "The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum" opened in 1999 in Ikeda City in western Japan commemorating his inventions.

Ando gave a speech at the company's New Year ceremony and enjoyed Chicken Ramen for lunch with Nissin employees on Thursday before falling ill, Japan's largest daily Yomiuri reported. He is survived by his wife, Masako.

Millions of college students have lived on Ramen noodles and they have Ando to thank for this inexpensive sustenance of life. Farewell, Ando: rest in peace.

Posted on January 8, 2007
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Giant Gavle Goat Survives Christmas

The BBC reports that the giant Gavle goat has survived the holidays thanks to extra flame-proofing. This is only the 11th time the 43-foot goat has survived being burned down or destroyed in the history of the giant goat.

The giant 13m (43ft) goat in the city of Gavle was dismantled after surviving Christmas for only the 11th time.

Goats of Christmas past have been burned down on 22 occasions, ram-raided or simply smashed to pieces.

Authorities said the goat's longevity in 2006 was down to a special flame-resistant chemical coating.

"If the Gavle goat hadn't been impregnated with flame-resistant chemicals, we would have been left with a black skeleton," said Anna Oestman, a member of the city's goat committee.

In 2005, arsonists dressed as Santa Claus and the Gingerbread Man burned the goat to the ground.

The goat will now being stored in a secret location until next Christmas when it will be threatened again by arsonists and other giant straw goat haters. You can read more about the huge straw goat ritual here and here.

Posted on January 6, 2007
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Britney's Record Company Not Jiving With Her New Album

Britney has headed off to an Arizona spa after her disastrous New Year's Eve, when she either passed out, fell asleep or fainted at the end of her party at Pure in Caeser's Palace in Las Vegas. But Cindy Adams has the real scoop about what's happening in the pop princess' downward-spiraling life. And it's not pretty:

YOU'VE maybe heard about Britney Spears' sort of fall-down meltdown in Las Vegas just after the stroke of the new year. What I have heard that you haven't heard is that her seeming out-of-control spiral personally might be the downbeat of major inharmony professionally. And whether the one affected the other or which one caused the other, who knows?

While in New York she was in the studio recording for Jive Records. She worked some nights until 4 a.m. laying down tracks for a new CD. She thinks it's the makings of a really great album. They don't.

Talk inside the company is that either it's redone, or they need to drop it - and her. When this recording session began, she'd just dumped Federline the Insect. It was not a good time in her life. To recharge her career, she reconnected with her long-ago first-time manager, the one who originally brought her to the heights, Larry Rudolph.

But constant headlined misbehavior is stoking the problem. Jive fears she's alienating her fan base. Their fan base. Jive caters to a young music-buyer, and the continued atmosphere - drinking, bingeing, partying, whatevering, photos with no panties for a mother of two infants - is hitting sour notes. Besides, Jive is not in sync with the five tracks Brit delivered. Conversation in their offices is: If we bear the expense of a redo, is it possible that, down the road, because of the way she's going, we could end up with a really bad product? Or one that won't sell?

The recording has stopped midway. Nothing more's been done because the company doesn't yet know what it wants to do. But that recent front page ain't helping.

I called manager Larry Rudolph, who now has the job of gluing these broken pieces back together. I got him on a beach in Mexico. He very politely said: "I don't know where your information came from, but I can only tell you we're in the middle of recording an album. And you can quote me on that." And in the parlance of others meeting up with a load of bull: Olé.

Britney, you are actually teetering on the edge of the abyss now! Below waits Tara Reid, Tiffany and Debby Gibson. Don't let it happen -- go to rehab. Get a new producer on your album. Get pap shots of in the park with your kids looking happy and healthy. And call Justin right now! Beg if you must, but he's the only one who can save you now.

(Photo courtesy PURE.)

Posted on January 3, 2007
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Britney Collapses In Vegas on New Year's Eve

Britney Spears partied like it was 1999 on New Year's Eve and eventually collapsed, then was rushed out of the nightclub Pure by her handlers. Robin Leach tells all:

Less than one hour into the New Year, pop-princess Britney Spears collapsed at the PURE nightclub inside Caesars Palace. Just 50 minutes earlier, she had hosted two countdowns to usher in the New Year - one inside the VIP section at the hip hot nightspot and a 2nd up on the club's upper outdoor terrace overlooking the famed Vegas Strip where fireworks were shot off from seven casino-hotel rooftops.

Mystery now surrounds Britney's collapse early this morning. She had been seated on a VIP tented-cabana bed overlooking the dance floor at 12:50AM talking with one of her male dancers. She intimated she wanted to leave and as she stood up, "she went into a dead faint and just fell right to the floor."

Her group pulled her up and lay her on the bed at the same time as her personal security asked for the club to provide at least 10 other security managers to "get her out as quickly as possible." They surrounded the stricken pop star in an attempt to screen her from all observers and the new years revelers on the crowded dance floor. One woman in the Spears' entourage yelled, "Make sure nobody gets any photos. No photos anywhere."

When the 12-strong security phalanx was in place, two of her dancers wrapped Britney in what appeared to be a blanket-hooded poncho. Literally carrying her in both arms, they managed to propell her through the crowds and out of the club. It appeared as if "she was being dragged as she wasn't walking under her own speed" said one eyewitness. "It looked as if they wanted to get her up to her hotel room as soon as possible." At 2AM this morning, an ambulance was summoned to the hotel but it was totally unclear if it was brought to Caesars for Britney.

Our long national nightmare is apparently not over. Britney! Where is the comeback you promised us? This is just horrible. We want the panty and champagne police to move in with that girl before she loses her custody battle and is reduced to singing in malls -- like Tiffany did in the 80s.

(Photo courtesy Splash News.)

Posted on January 2, 2007
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