Photo courtesy of Kathleen Dagostino and flickr
Yes, it’s that time again! I got really lucky this week and stumbled upon a pretty obvious theme that ties together some of my favorite things – charity, movies, snacks and hilarious Internet reviewers. Shall we begin?
As you may have heard, Lionsgate (the studio that produced The Hunger Games) recently got in a bit of hot water when they went after a group that was trying to raise awareness about hunger around the world. Imagine Better, which is part of the Harry Potter Alliance, had partnered with Oxfam and was using the tagline, “Hunger Is Not a Game” when Lionsgate asked them to desist. A Change.org petition was circulated, a ton of people signed it, and now Lionsgate has backed down. However, there’s a bit more nuance to this story than the typical Media Conglomerate vs. The Fans debacle we hear about so often these days. It turns out that Lionsgate was already involved in an exlusive deal with both the UN’s World Food Program and Feeding America, and a spokesperson for the studio said that this deal granted the two charities rights to Hunger Games marketing material. Whatever the reason, the conflict appears to be over – Lionsgate is on the record as saying that they, “absolutely support and encourage the efforts of organizations battling world hunger,” the Oxfam/HPA partnership can still use their terminology, and fans now have even more ways of getting involved. If you want to, check out the official Hunger Games charity site here and the Imagine Better site here. “‘Hunger Games:’ Lionsgate relents in charity kerfuffle” – LA Times
I’m one of those people that likes to have some popcorn when I sit down in the theater, so I’m pretty pleased by a new report that says it can actually be really good for you if you go easy on butter, salt and oil. Not only is popcorn 100 percent whole grain, but it also has more antioxidants than a full day’s worth of produce. Who knew that one of America’s favorite snack foods could also be a health food? “Popcorn Packs Antioxidants, Study Finds” – ABC News
In further proof that some “bad” movie snacks are actually good for you, it turns out that chocolate may help people who, like me, are looking to drop some pounds. A recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine has found that frequent chocolate eaters that exercise regularly have a lower BMI than those who don’t. I wish I could say that this means unlimited chocolate bars for all, but it’s not that simple. Chocolate is still candy, and too much candy still packs a lot of calories, fat and sugar. Aim instead to eat an ounce of dark chocolate or add some cocoa powder to your food once a day. I never needed an excuse to do this, but now I have scientific approval! “Chocolate-eaters have lower body mass: study ” – New York Daily News
A few Food Tuesdays ago, I wrote about how Coke and Pepsi were changing their formulas because of an ingredient that was carcinogenic. I also mentioned that I don’t drink much soda anymore, but I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t crave a carbonated beverage every once in a while. That’s why I’m so psyched to find this archived article from Mother Earth News about brewing your own soda. I don’t know when (or even if) I’ll get a chance to try this, but it sounds pretty cool. “Brew Better Soda at Home” – Mother Earth News
Well, you’ve got your snacks and you’re ready to sit down to watch “The Hunger Games”! Enjoy, but be advised that the movie apparently has periodic bouts of Shakycam. That may not bother some people, but it always tends to make me nauseous. Glad to know I’m not the only one. “Why I’m Sick – Literally – of Shaky Cameras” – Huffington Post
I kicked my carbonated beverage cravings with kumbucha! Love that stuff, butt I’m not brave enough to make it at home.
But* ….stupid autocorrect.