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October 31, 2003

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q: Do you know anyone who was affected by a wildfire in the past year?

Luckily, no. One of the authors Iím currently working with lives just outside San Diego, and he almost lost his home, but not quite.

Q: What hobby have you always wanted to take up?

Playing the piano, which I plan to learn starting in 2004.

Q: What's your favorite thing about your country?

That our destiny is not given to us by any government.

Q: What one object in your home or apartment are you most embarrassed about owning?

Itís so embarrassing that I canít even say!

Posted by Mikal at 5:01 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

October 29, 2003

THE SUN ROCKS!

Yesterday, the Sun whipped up what could be the third most powerful solar flare in recorded history. The flare, which is essentially a storm of charged particles, could hit Earth today with the same force and impact of a similar storm in 1989, which knocked out an entire Canadian province's power. Depending on the storm's magnetic orientation, it could set off a dramatic display of colorful northern lights well into the mid-latitudes of the U.S. and Europe. The storm also poses a potentially serious threat to satellites and other communication systems, including power grids across the planet. So, with that thought in mind... here's wishing you and safe and happy Wednesday!

Posted by Mikal at 5:25 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

October 28, 2003

So, you know when you pay 99 cents to download music from a pay site? Well, don't expect the artist to get much of your money. A recent analysis of Apple Computer's ITunes music service, by the Wall Street Journal reveals that the record labels take as much as 47 cents per song. Artists think the amount is out of wack, largely because it is calculated using the same formula that record labels apply to CD sales, which includes charges for "technology" and broken merchandise, the WSJ reports. Apple gets about 34 cents per song, while the performer may see a dime, if they're lucky.

October 27, 2003

My friend Leigh sent a link to this quiz. According to the site, everyone loves Poohbear, Tigger, Eeyore, and the others who live in the 100 Acre Wood... But have you ever wondered which of them you are the most like? Now you can find out! Just answer 12 simple questions for your results! I took the test. Here's how I scored:

Take the 100 Acre Personality Quiz!

How about you? Click here to find out.

October 24, 2003

Q: If you were offered the opportunity to have cost-free and risk-free plastic surgery, would you? If so, and you're comfortable sharing, what do you think you'd have done?

Yes, I think I would. Iíd probably have a touch of liposuction performed around my waist, but Iíd wait at least one year from now to make a final decision about that. You see, Iím on a medically supervised weight loss program that appears to have dramatic results, and Iíd like to see it thru to the end.

Q: Should the U.S. Constitution be amended to allow a naturalized citizen to run for president?

Yes, but with the condition that any naturalized citizen seeking the Presidency must have been a citizen in good standing for at least 10 years.

Q: Do think you'll spend more, less, or about the same amount money on holiday gifts this year as you did last year?

Probably more, which isn't saying much, but it's a start :-)

Q: Would you rather vomit marbles or sweat cheese?

Oh, vomit marbles, for sure. I hardly ever vomit (canít say the same about sweating), and I betcha that marbles smell a whole lot better than your standard fare of vomit.

October 23, 2003

Mikal has no time for lunch today - he is super busy. This may help his diet, though. Plus, I understand he's quite demanding (see below), so don't bother ordering anything for him! He will be back for Four for Friday!!!!

The lunch decision: it's made every day. It's easy. It's difficult. It's a pain... There are so many choices. Can it be stressful???? Evidently. And if you ever order for your boss, you may feel pressure to "get it right," especially if your boss is a demanding professional, which some say I am.

Recently, a partner in a prestigious midtown Manhattan law firm complained about the quality of sushi that was delivered to the firm. She then asked a para-legal to find some better sushi. The para-legal's response has become a sort of mantra for all the folks who have to order food and do other menial tasks for such demanding bosses. Akin to the famous "memo" in Jerry Maguire, "The Things We Think And Do Not Say: The Future of Our Business," the "Sushi Memo" has become a hot topic and is now widely-circulated among top law firms and other industries. Click here to read the "Sushi Memo."

Demanding? Yes. But very good work on the part of the paralegal! I'd like menus and reviews without having to call Infone for directions and reservations. Plus, I buy lunch for my staff and colleagues every now and then as a kind gesture and reflection of my appreciation for their hard work. Wheeww! There. I've said it. I'm a good boss. Good day!

October 22, 2003

I offer the following as an example to show that your vote DOES matter and that there IS a difference between Democrats and Republicans. I, Lee McDaniel, am both a determined partisan and a firm believer in full citizen participation in representative democracy. I favor full abortion rights, but understand others who don't. Like Bill Clinton, I believe abortion shoud be "safe, legal, and rare." You can read today's New York Times article, excerpted below, for details.

"The Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the first federal ban on a specific abortion procedure, ending eight years of divisive debate and clearing the way for President Bush to sign the measure into law.... Seventeen Democrats joined with 47 Republicans to give final passage to the bill, which outlaws a procedure that doctors call intact dilation and extraction but critics call partial-birth abortion.... Tuesday's action by the Senate ends the long and tortured legislative history of the ban, which was passed by Congress twice before, but vetoed both times by President Bill Clinton. This year, with Republicans controlling both houses of Congress and the White House, abortion opponents, who began pressing for the ban in 1995, knew victory would be assured."

See? Your vote does matter - no matter who you vote for. It matters! It really, really matters!

October 21, 2003

As someone once noted at this site, I am very good with words. So, for anyone interested, I point you to a free email service that provides a "Word of the Day." If you ever feel like pulling your hair out because of an information overload, or because of heightened stress, or because of obsessive-compulsive issues, then you might be experiencing trichotillomania. My site of choice for definitions, Dictionary.com, offers an even more specific definition, one that often includes the compulsion to then ingest the plucked hair. Wow! Thanks, Merriam-Webster & Dictionary.com!

October 18, 2003

Today I participated in my second-ever half marathon/road race (my first one came in May of this year; click here for more about that experience). I'm happy to share that I finished the race -- which was really more like a brisk walk for me and the others at the back of the pack -- nearly 27 minutes faster than my only previous effort. So without further ado, my official results for the 2003 Indianapolis Marathon & Half-Marathon are as follows:

DISTANCE: 13.1 Miles

TIME: 3:36:47 (three hours, thirty-four minutes, forty-six seconds)

PACE: 16:33 (sixteen minutes, thirty-three seconds per mile)

DIVISION PLACEMENT: 98 out of 98 (in the 35-39 age category)

OVERALL PLACEMENT: 1,251 out of 1,265 (Yeah Baby!)

Special thanks to my friend, co-worker, and workout partner Angela, who helped me train and who had the patience to slow down for me every 15 steps or so. Thanks Angela... I couldn't have done it without you! And, a quick shoutout is also in order for my new back-of-the-pack Lilly friends: Lisa, Chastity, and Kelly (picture here). Thanks ladies for making the 2003 Indianapolis Marathon & Half-Marathon so much fun for both Angela and myself.

Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act is before Congress again. Mikal & I, along with a bevy of fellow students, worked on this issue in the early 90's when we were in college. And, as I remember it, we were quite passionate about this - and many other issues. Access to quality, affordable, and rewarding higher education remains an important issue to me. I grew up very poor in a rural part of southwest Missouri and obtained an Ivy League education, despite discouragement from counselors and others.

House Republicans want to restrict federal money to college & universities who raise tuition at a rate higher than inflation. See the New York Times story on this. A couple of things strike me as odd about this. First, these Republican legislators are trying to micromanage the college budgeting process. Second, this seems to me to be the antithesis of traditional Republican ideas of anti-federalism. The NY Times article makes some very good points. This REGULATION probably will not pass, but it's worth noting how some people in our Congress are thinking and how they are willing to act on that thinking.

October 17, 2003

What was your favorite childhood toy?

My favorite childhood toy was the handheld Blip. I whined and moaned for almost a three months before my mom broke down and bought me one. To this day itís still my most favorite childhood toy.

What's your favorite line to quote from a movie?

From the 1987 hit movie, The Princess Bride:

Miracle Max: Have fun stormin' da castle!

Valerie: Think it'll work?

Miracle Max: It would take a miracle.

If you were invisible, where would you go and what would you do?

Like many people, I would hop on a plane to Washington D.C., make my way into the White House, and follow the President around for a little while to see what really goes on in the day of a life of a world leader. Iíd also do stuff to help children who canít help themselves and are intentionally suffering at the hands of others.

Have you ever purchased something from a TV infomercial or from a spam e-mail message?

Letís seeÖ there was that buckwheat-pellet pillow that I bought back in 1997 (bad moveÖ I think it withstood my tossing and turning for something like a week before rupturing what looked rabbit pellets all over my bedroom), and then there was that set of video tapes that purported to teach me 101 of the best magic tricks ever (needless to say, I canít perform magic to save my own life), and that of course was preceded by that crappy Home Shopping Network stereo that broke three weeks later and that I was too lazy and poor at the time (probably from paying way too much for the stupid thing in the first place) to pay for it to be shipped back to HSN to be repaired (it ended up in storage for five years before I gave it to a friend who said he could fix anything).

October 15, 2003

I recently renewed my subscription to Andy Warhol's Interview magazine. I practically feel rejuvenated each month as I receive my copy - not because of the quality of the writing, or the focus of the photography, or the editorial decisions about the cover interview or other content. Rather, it is because of the fresh, crisp, clean, and page-turning style of the magazine's content and design. The articles consist of interviews with media, tv, film, fashion, and other celebrities - all conducted by other celebrities or one of Interview's editors, like the fabulous Ingrid Sischy.

And the best part of it? Almost without exception, each interview begins and ends on the same page or the same 2-page spread. Or, it will continue on to the next page - not some random page in the back of the issue. In other words, there are no "jumps," for those of you familiar with publishing jargon. I can read the entire magazine, literally, from beginning to end. THAT is what I really love about it. Maybe I'm just obsessively particular, but I like that about this magazine. It's a whole lot better than having to find the concluding paragraph(s) from a selection of about 6 or 8 on one of the back or middle pages. And to show you just how obsessive I can be: before I read ANY magazine, I remove all the "rip cards:" the advertising inserts and subscription cards. Here's to good reading!

October 14, 2003

Hi, Excuse Me, I Lowered My Cholesterol!: The results are in... drum roll please... Between April 16th and October 9th of this year I lowered my cholesterol by 139 points. My total cholesterol count went from 276 all the way down to 137 points. The 'HDL' (good cholesterol) number went from 40 to 41, which is still considered low but not so low as to cause any major concerns, while my 'LDL' (bad cholesterol) number went from 193 to 80, which I'm told is optimal. And, finally, my triglycerides dropped from a count of 215 to 78. The secret to my success... a moderate change in diet coupled along with the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor, and regular exercise these past four weeks or so.

Website Beginnings & Endings: Two friends recently launched Blogs, while another ended an inspiring and prolific run.

Ford Church's Community Adventure Program Blog aims to support a community-based adventure programming class that Ford is piloting this semester at Boulder's New Vista High School. I'm particularly excited about Ford's site because I believe it's the first Blog ever devoted to an outdoor / experiential education program, and it should set the standard for others to follow. (I have long held the belief that Blogs offer an opportunity unlike any other for outdoor and adventure-based programs -- including outdoor education, adventure recreation, wilderness therapy, corporate adventure, and summer youth camp programs -- to continue the dialogue between participants and critical stakeholders once the in-field experience is over.)

My friend Sallie Peeler has launched a Blog. ATtheHEARTofIT is Sallie's gift to her children AND to the rest of us who live and work in Indianapolis. Sallie's observations on life with two differently-abled children, coupled along with a unique perspective on living in the heartland, make her site well worth the visit.

And finally, after two-and-a-half truly amazing years, friend and former roommate Luke's The Making of a Restaurant is no longer in the making. After a few weeks of inactivity, Luke posted this message last Friday: "But here's a dirty little secret: Neither of us were very sincere about this dream. It was a fun conceit, but we've never seriously entertained cooking school. Me, I've thought of the blog as a good way to prepare for a windfall, saving ideas the way the devout save cans for the apocalypse. When it comes, I'll be ready. Sandy tells me, however, after these couple years of research, that even if a fortune went his way, a restaurant probably wouldn't be where it went next." Luke's site will be missed, as I credit it and Luke for introducing me to the world of Blogging long before I launched the Beli-Blog.

Incidentally, Luke's site has had me thinking for quite a while now that I may want to open an eatery of my own someday. More on this later, but just to share where my head is on this one, I think I'd like to own and operate a world-class hotdog stand, complete with an Internet kiosk and healthy food options. Like I said, more on this to follow in the weeks and months to follow.

October 11, 2003

I forgot to mention... a while back I signed up for the Indianapolis Marathon (half-marathon version). It's next Saturday morning, October 18, and I think you can track my progress by finding my name on this page. Some of you reading this post may recall that earlier this year I participated in the Mini, another half-marathon, and posted my results here. Needless to say, I hope to do considerably better this time around. Perhaps the fact that I'll be doing so on more than 3 days notice, and have been exercising on a regular basis, will help!

October 10, 2003

Q: How do you feel about professional athletes competing in the Olympics?

MBís A: I donít think they should be allowed to compete. At first I was all for it ñ you know, ìUSA!, USA!î and all ñ but then after witnessing US athletes (especially our menís and womanís basketball teams) celebrate wildly after winning gold medals against sickly competition, I changed my mind. Toss in the fact that most professional athletes refuse to live in the Olympic Village and demand preferential treatment above and beyond what Olympians already receive, and I have little taste for the professionalizing of the what was once the greatest proletarian athletic spectacle on earth.

Q: What's your favorite song right now?

MBís A: Life For Rent, by Dido.

Q: If you lived in California, how would you have voted in this week's gubernatorial recall election?

MBís A: Plain and simpleÖ I would have voted no on the recall. No do-overs allowed!

Q: Do you pick your nose?

MBís A: Please, as if; course I do (and I know you do also)!

October 9, 2003

In Barry Levinson's 1998 comedy, Wag The Dog, the President of the United States -- after being caught in a scandalous situation just weeks before an election he stands no chance of winning in the first place -- gets one of his advisors (Robert DeNiro) to contact a major Hollywood producer (Dustin Hoffman) who manufactures a faux war in Albania that the president can heroically end through the mass media, and miraculously garner enough public support to win re-election. (Phew, sorry for the run-on sentence.) Now, before you go off thinking that this post is about the California gubernatorial recall election, click here for perhaps the most ridiculous thing you've ever seen.

A few days before my 38th birthday I decided that I would give myself the gift of striving to be in good health for at least the next year. Since that time, I've joined a gym and started exercising every morning before work, and been very careful about what I've put into my body. While it's an admirable goal -- to eat healthy and to exercise daily and to get a normal amount of sleep and to not work too much and to yada, yada, yada -- I've already come to realize that it's not going to be enough. Maybe it's my morning exercise routine, or perhaps it's the lack of crappy foods these past three weeks, but I've now decided to shoot for an ever longer period of time and a more realistic goal (in terms of actual weight loss).

So, without further delay, today I officially announce my "40 by 40" campaign: A change in lifestyle that *will* result in me dropping and maintaining a 40 pound reduction in weight by the time I turn 40, and becoming even more comfortable with who I am along the way. To help me achieve my goals, I've decided to enroll in a medically-supervised weight loss program that provides the skills, strategies, and the tools necessary for a lifetime of effective health and weight management.

More on the program and my results in the weeks and months to come. In the meantime, if you know me and see me doing unhealthy things, feel free to call me on it. It's all about choice, and I choose me!

October 8, 2003

A California filmmaker and book author who was famous for heading up to Alaska's remote Katmai coast to hang out with bears, fell victim over the weekend to the animals his website says he loved so much. Alaska State Troopers and National Park Service officials report that Timothy Treadwell, 46, and girlfriend Amie Huguenard, 37 (she's from Boulder, Colorado, by the way), were killed and partially eaten by bears near Kaflia Bay, about 300 miles southwest of Anchorage, over the weekend. People who study brown bears professionally -- namely scientists and NPS officials -- had warned Treadwell for quite some time now that he needed to be more careful around the powerful and unpredictable bears (which are closely related to Grizzly bears).

Treadwell's films of up-close encounters with bears brought him a boat-load of media attention. The guy would routinely get up close to bears and chant "I love you'' in a high-pitched, sing-song voice, and was the subject of a show on the Discovery Channel and a report on "Dateline NBC." Blond, good-looking and charismatic, he appeared on The David Letterman show and The Rosie O'Donnell Show to talk about "his" bears, which he even gave names to: Booble, Aunt Melissa, Mr. Chocolate, Freckles and Molly, among others.

What led up to the Alaska bear attack...

... as well as when it happened, is not exactly known (but I'm sure there will be a Jon Krakauer book on it soon enough). The bodies of Treadwell and Huguenard, a physician's assistant from Boulder, were discovered Monday by the pilot of a Kodiak air taxi who arrived at their camp to take them back into town.

According to various accounts, the pilot was met by a charging brown bear, which forced him back to his floatplane. Authorities said he took off and buzzed the bear several times in an effort to drive it out of the area, but it would not leave the campsite established by Treadwell and Huguenard. When the pilot spotted the bear apparently sitting on the remains of a human, authorities said, he flew back to the lake, landed, beached his plane some distance from the camp and called for help from troopers and the Park Service.

Interviews with sources who were on the scene, as reported by a newspaper, provided this account:

Park rangers were the first to arrive. They hiked from the beach toward a knob above the camp hoping to be able to survey the scene from a distance. They had no sooner reached the top of the knob, however, than they were charged by a large brown bear.

It was shot and killed at a distance of about 12 feet. The Andrew Air pilot, according to Bruce Bartley of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, was convinced the large boar with the ratty hide was the same animal he'd tried to buzz out of the campsite. The boar was described as an underweight, old male with rotting teeth.

Authorities do not know if it was the bear that killed Treadwell and Huguenard. They were to fly to the site on Tuesday to search the animal's stomach for human remains but were prevented from doing so by bad weather.

After shooting that bear, rangers and troopers who had by then arrived walked down to the campsite and undertook the task of gathering the remains of the two campers. While they were there, another large boar grizzly went through the campsite but largely ignored the humans.

A smaller, sub-adult that appeared later, however, seemed to be stalking the group. Rangers and troopers shot and killed it also.

October 7, 2003

The California recall election is today - complete with doubts about the timeliness of counting absentee ballots and with all manners of chads - hanging, partial, & uncounted.

The Cubs and Red Sox are in the race for their league's respective pennants and a World Series bid. If they both make it, ONE of them is bound to win. Will the Curse of the Bambino be erased? Will the Cubs finally win another series?

And finally, the Indianapolis Colts became the 1st NFL team to overcome a 21-point late 4th quarter deficit, going on to win 38-35 in overtime last night against the reigning Superbowl champion Tampa Bay Bucaneers.

Stranger things have happened - but when? Can you think of any?

October 6, 2003

I am looking for your favorite outdoor/environmental/survival-type movie suggestions. I am looking to compile a list of movies for back up/Plan B/rainy day activities that can be used to spark interesting conversations and discussions about outdoor skills, environmental issues, heroic journeys and survival situations, service and volunteerism, community, etc.

Please post your all time favorites and I would be happy to compile a list for anyone interested. I would like to keep this list appropriate for students and that will help stimulate educational discussions. So, I am not looking for suggestions like "Cliffhanger" with "Sylvester Stallone", although that movie is funny to laugh at and point out all the technical absurdities.

October 4, 2003

Okay, so in the aftermath of comments he made last Sunday that some have characterized as racist, neo-conservative radio-talk-show-host-turned-football commentator Rush Limbaugh has resigned from his new position on ESPNís Sunday NFL Countdown. In case you didnít catch Limbaughís comment, here what he said, word-for-word:

In essence, Limbaugh said that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was no good, and that the media was in effect, rooting for him because it was important for an African-American quarterback to succeed. Just where is the line on that kind of comment, and how do we as a society talk about race?

There was some reaction to the comment on Sunday, but it really didn't hit the national stage until Wednesday. ESPN, which is a part of the Disney / ABC entertainment empire, initially said that Limbaugh had been hired to be outspoken and that he had delivered. Later, another statement said that his comments were insensitive and that he had been informed of that. And then finally, he resigned.

If this hadn't been Rush Limbaugh, would the reaction have been the same? Some say, of course not. He is a majorly controversial figure, and his critics say that he says far worse things on a regular basis on his popular radio show, and that his audience pretty much eats this sort of stuff up all the time. So what changed? What he said is not as controversial, or as offensive, as the statements made by other figures in the past.

If he had said what he said on ESPN to his loyal nationwide radio audience, would anyone have noticed or objected? What is acceptable to say? How do we talk about race in this country? Why are there different standards depending on who says it, and to whom they say it?

October 3, 2003

Hi, Everyone! You may have noticed that the "Comments" area of the site are not working. This is what we call a 'technical difficulty', and I'm hard at work trying to figure that blasted thing out. Please bear with me while I sort thru the problem.

Q: What's your favorite restaurant of all time? Is it a chain or an independent eatery? If it's an independent, what's your favorite chain restaurant?

MBís A: Without a doubt, the best restaurant Iíve ever been to is Aurelio's Pizzeria in Macomb, Illinois. I was only there once, in the fall of 1990, but I can still taste the uniquely sweet pizza sauce, and it was the first pie Iíd ever had that was cut Sicilian style. I recently learned that Aurelio's now has 36 locations in Illinois, Indiana, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and Minnesota. Oh, and my favorite chain restaurant (as in a big-time corporate chain) is The Cheesecake Factory.

Q: Do you feel that Rush Limbaugh's recent remarks about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb were racist?

MBís A: No, I do not feel that his comments were racially motivated, and as an ardent viewer of ESPNís coverage of football, I can see why he made the comment in the first place. ESPNís coverage of the sports it reports on is anything but authentic, and about the only thing that was real about that particular episode of Sunday NFL Countdown was Limbaughís comment. In my mind, despite how I personally feel about the man and his style, Limbaugh asked a legitimate question. Did he ask it in the right place at the right time? Perhaps not, but to force him off of their network for doing exactly what they hired him to do in the first place is an act that shows ESPNís true hypocritical colors.

Q: Would a mayoral candidate's stance on abortion affect how you vote?

MBís A: Only if abortion was a legitimate issue within the town in which I lived. How a candidate feels about abortion -- in a town where the right to an abortion is not within the municipalityís jurisdiction ñ would have no bearing whatsoever on my decision-making process.

Q: Are you thinking about dressing up for Halloween this year? If so, what are you thinking about wearing / being?

MBís A: I am, but Iím not sure what to wear. Itís been years since I dressed up for Halloween, so if anyone has a suggestion or two thatís easy for a schlep like me to pull off, let me know.

Here's an interesting picture:

Details to follow next Monday. In the meantime, feel free to leave a guess, in the "Comments" area below, as to what this might be all about!

October 2, 2003

ìReally?î said Sally. ìI think it looks more like Jessica Tandy with a goatee from the movie Fried Green Tomatoes then it does Emeril from the Food Network. Readjusting her 5-iron, Fox reluctantly corrected herself. ìOh yes, you may be right,î she muttered. ìEmeril would never be caught dead in that dress,î she said.

So who exactly *was* cooking on that distant stage, and more importantly, where in the heck had Jim gone? It was far enough away that Sally couldnít really tell, yet close enough to reach with a 5-iron. Her upbringing, which included the Jesuit traditions of educational excellence and service to others, led her to believe that whoever was up on that stage was up to no good (much like that principal Ed Rooney in the movie Ferris Buellerís Day Off). One way or another, Sally was determined to get to that stage, for it provided the only possible vantage point to view the entire crowdÖ to catch perhaps one last glimpse of Jim. But how; how could she not only get thru the throngs of Greek celebrants enjoying their yearly festival, but how was she going to get onto that blasted stage! This was a real life Rubikís Cube if there ever was one.

TO BE CONTINUED (and ended) ON 10/5/03

October 1, 2003

Chipotle, the fast-growing, McDonald's-affiliated fresh-Mex chain known for its overly stuffed burritos, doesn't disclose the calorie or saturated fat content of its burritos. But the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a group that the media likes to call the "food police," sent some of Chipotle's most popular burritos to an independent laboratory for analysis. Those results, as well as nutrition numbers provided by some of Chipotle's competition, have finally been exposed.

First of all, as a fan of these types of restaurants (we have the Qdoba's chain here in Indianapolis), fresh Mex-restaurants offer a lot of things fast food restaurants don't. Fresh veggies, grilled seafood and chicken, salsas, and beans abound. It's certainly possible to get a healthful meal relatively low in saturated fat and high in dietary fiber. But some menu items can easily top 1,000 calories, and just about everything has too much salt.

In short, fresh-Mex chains cultivate an aura of healthfulness, and like I said, sometimes it's deserved. But because Chipotle doesn't reveal calories or other nutrition information, most people wouldn't have a clue that a Vegetarian Burrito is the equivalent of an overstuffed corned beef sandwich -- plus 350 calories.

Among CSPI's findings:

Chipotle's Chicken Burrito (with black beans, rice, cheese, and salsa) weighs in at nearly 1,000 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat.

Chipotle's Vegetarian Burrito (with black beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, and salsa) weighs over a pound and provides 1,120 calories and three-quarters of a day's worth of saturated fat (14 grams).

Chipotle's Barbacoa Burrito (with shredded beef, pinto beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa) hits nearly 1,300 calories and three-quarters of a day's worth of saturated fat. That's the equivalent of a Quarter Pounder, a large order of fries, and a large Coke.

Chipotle's Chicken Burrito Bols--burritos without the 340-calorie flour tortillas--are CSPI's only recommended "Better Bites" at Chipotle. A Bol with chicken, black beans, lettuce, and salsa, has just 430 calories and four grams of saturated fat. Rice instead of lettuce adds about 200 calories.

If you want a Chipotle Burrito and not a Bol, CSPI advises consumers holding the cheese and sour cream. That can save 200 calories and a half a day's worth of saturated fat. We estimate that skipping the rice could save 200 calories more. And most Chipotle Burritos are big enough for two meals: Just ask your server to wrap each half separately.

Baja Fresh, a Wendy's-owned chain, has much more than burritos also. Its chicken, cheese, or steak Quesadillas average 1,230 calories and have a nearly two days' worth of artery-clogging saturated fat. That's like having three Quarter Pounders with another half-day's sat fat thrown in, according to CSPI.

Baja's Nachos are even worse. With a day's worth of calories (2,000) and sodium (2,890) with two days' worth (39 grams) of saturated fat, the average order of nachos (made with steak, chicken, or just cheese) is worse than four Quarter Pounders.

Some Baja Fresh dishes CSPI recommends include:

Baja's Chicken or Seafood Ensaladas. These generous salads, topped with chicken or seafood, have about 300 calories and no more than four grams of saturated fat.

One Baja Style Taco with chicken, steak, or seafood has around 200 calories and a gram or two of saturated fat to make two equal a reasonable lunch.

The Vegetarian Bare Burrito has cheese and lettuce instead of chicken. Both fall in the 600-calorie range.

Baja's Chicken Fajitas (without sour cream or guacamole) have around 1,100 calories -- certainly not diet food -- but only two to five grams of saturated fat.

By the time Sally walked in the front door, sheíd had enough excitement to last half of an elephantís gestation period. Her lifelong goal of becoming a full-time trapeze artist had finally been realized, and in a surprise move, she owed it all to the self-promoting loudmouth chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author, Emeril Lagasse.

Just eight hours earlier, while walking around Chicagoís reinvigorated Navy Pier, Sally stumbled across a street performer/clown who was making balloon animals for passersby. After watching the busker work his precision with the stretched and air-filled elongated tubes, Sally asked for an elephant balloon, which the painted man gladly obliged to but only if sheíd allow him to make it into a hat. Not a moment or two after dropping a dollar and some change into the street balloonistís tip helium tank, something off in the distance caught her eye. ìNo,î she caught herself saying. ìCould it beÖ is thatÖ is that Jim, the straight Claims Adjuster from the hit Bravo show, Boy Meets Boy? My God, I think it is,î Sally said loud enough to make everyone within an earshot take notice.

Without even thinking twice about the consequences, and with the elephant balloon hat squarely planted on her head, Sally ran off in Jimís direction. And, as destiny would have it, before she knew what had happened, Sally found herself in the middle of some bizarre Greek festival. In a great deal of angst over loosing sight of ëstraightí Jim, she asked the nearest security officer (who, by the way, was wearing a Kevlar vest) if sheíd seen Jim come by. ìNo,î replied Fox Hunt (that was her nameÖ at least thatís what her nametag read), ìbut I do know for a fact that that obnoxious TV chef, Emeril whatshisname, is over there whipping up Greek food for some television special.î

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW, OCTOBER 2ND.