If you read my previous post "Deceptive Labeling On My Doritos" you'll know that I'm currently boycotting all Frito-Lay products because of their use of trans fats and their claims and labeling that they don't use trans fats. I've taken this a step further than a boycott and it is now my mission, no, my quest, to see trans fats completely removed from Doritos and other Frito-Lay products.

The following email was just sent to Frito-Lay:

Use of Trans Fats in Frito-Lay Products
I'm writing today in hopes of learning Frito-Lay's official stance on
the use of "trans fats" in its products.

Using Doritos as an example – a given bag of Doritos will contain on
its packaging a label claiming "0 Grams Trans Fats." That same bag
will list "partially hydrogenated soybean oil," a TRANS Fat, in its
ingredients list. I understand that FDA labeling regulations allow any
trans fat content under half a gram per serving to be listed as "0
grams," but I'm sure you'll agree that such labeling is deceptive and
misleading to the consumer. Is this the path that Frito-Lay has
willfully chosen to take? A path that has already cost the company one
customer, one that is determined to cause others to follow suit.

To make matters worse, this deception extends well beyond nutritional
and product labeling. The "Good Questions" section on the FritoLay.com
website states that "Since 2003, Frito Lay discontinued the use of
hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils in making our snack
chips, thus eliminating trans fats." No mention is made of the trace,
yet still unhealthy, amounts still present due to skirting of labeling
requirements. In a press release dated September 24, 2002 (also on
FritoLay.com) then current President and CEO Al Bru stated "Early next
year, Frito-Lay is eliminating trans fat oils from our big brands
including Doritos, Tostitos and Cheetos. And the great news is that
there is no compromise in taste."

I would strongly suggest that this issue is brought to the attention
of those in a position to actually remove trans fats from your
products completely. Until the words "partially hydrogenated" are no
longer on the ingredients list, all official references by Frito-Lay
about the removal of trans fats are, in effect, false. Since these
statements could be seen as part of the marketing and advertising for
the products, one could even go as far as to say that these claims are
false advertising. I would also suggest that this change be made
quickly and voluntarily before Frito-Lay's reputation is further
tarnished.

A response would be appreciated. More importantly though, I would like
to see trans fats disappear completely from your products, since I
will make it a point to purchase only from your competitors, and will
encourage others to do the same, until then.

Yesterday I left the construction site to make a lunch run. 12 cheeseburgers from McDonald's, 3 of which were claimed by myself.

Having worked at McDonald's when I was a kid, I knew that they wouldn't be too pleased with an order for 12 cheeseburgers.. but when I got there and looked over the menu, I decided to make it even worse. Cheeseburgers are $0.99. Double-cheeseburgers are on the dollar menu. Guess what I bought 12 of.

Why would anyone buy just a regular cheeseburger at these prices?

Ah.. McDonald's breakfast – few things on this earth are as horrible as you. Yet.. I occasionally subject myself to the torture of consuming you, and for some unexplainable reason enjoy it.

Your coffee is better than the stuff that comes in a 10 gallon metal can, but still can't compare to that of even some of the worst coffee shops. But even crappy coffee is more enjoyable when it's in my mouth, not on my shirt.

Today I received what I will call a "defective lid." The type of lid that looks normal, and makes you wonder how tired (stupid) you must be to keep spilling coffee.  It took three spills.. one on my shirt and two test spills on my desk to realize that, in this instance at least, I wasn't a complete idiot.

The recessed rim around the top edge had a crack in it right below the "drink here" hole. Such a crack would make it seem like you were just drooling coffee all over yourself, but my incredible powers of deduction proved otherwise.

I'm tired.

Oh, and the coffee wasn't hot anymore.

I decided this morning to try to be as positive as I could throughout the rest of the day. This meant no getting upset with anyone, no getting stressed out, just staying in the zone for as long as possible. I made it a point to smile constantly, a genuine smile.. people can see through fakeness.

It was good. I noticed that other people smiled as they responded, and it made me feel better. It was a kind of self-perpetuating happiness. The more I did it, the easier it was, the better it felt, and the more I felt like doing it.

It even saved me a bit of cash.

I went out to Culver's to eat, big smile, and asked the cashier girl how she was doing. The standard small-talk, mostly taken for granted, almost meaningless in most conversation. But I did something different, I asked it and actually cared what the response was, I wasn't just saying it out of habit like 99% of people do. And the way she responded, sounding happy and smiling, you could tell that she knew it wasn't just a cold greeting. And she rung up a 10% discount.

Being happy kicks ass!