The Off Topic Topic

[Tamas]

[CountDeMoney]

Here's something you don't see every day--

Mars Inc., maker of Snickers chocolate bars and Wrigley gum, plans to stop selling chocolate products that have more than 250 calories per portion, dooming king-sized bars.

While skeptics might assume the move is a way to reduce the amount of pricey cocoa used in products, the company says the action is part of a health-and-nutrition effort.

Among its goals are to stop shipping Mars chocolate products that exceed 250 calories per portion by the end of 2013. The company's chocolate brands include Snickers, Twix, M&Ms, 3 Musketeers, Mars, Milky Way, Dove and Galaxy. Today, a king-size Snickers bar contains 510 calories, although it says a serving size is one-third of a bar. A regular-size Snickers has 280 calories.

The company also aims by 2015 to reduce sodium levels in all Mars food products by 25 percent from 2007 levels.

"Mars has a broad-based commitment to health and nutrition, and this includes a number of global initiatives," the company said in a statement.

Among its other efforts are its 2007 pledge to no longer market chocolate products directly to children under 12, putting calorie counts on the front of packages, eliminating trans fat, reducing saturated fat and managing portions and calories. The company has also introduced several new products that have fewer than 200 calories.

Mars, a private company that claims sales of $30 billion, acquired Chicago-based Wrigley in 2008.

[DGuller]

That reminds of one of the ultra-terrible Yahoo! Health articles that I read, rating least healthy sandwiches in US.  One of the worst ones was large Classic Italian from Quiznos.  A healthy alternative?  Small Classic Italian from Quiznos.

[Eddie Teach]

But fun-sized Snickers don't taste as good as king-sized. 

[Razgovory]

Today was not a good day for the Raz.  I had to get a blood test so I didn't eat after 8 last night.  I went to the clinic but the nurse slept in and took an hour and half to show up.  Then once I saw her, she couldn't figure out how to actually draw blood.  She poked me twice before giving up.  Then she logged on her computer to look something up, and finally declared that her equipment didn't work.  Raz not amused.

[Admiral Yi]

For anyone bemoaning the difficulty of getting into a top university, take a look at India.  India's 16 prestigious technical universities admitted 1.3% of applicants.

[CountDeMoney]

For anyone bemoaning the difficulty of getting into a top university, take a look at India.  India's 16 prestigious technical universities admitted 1.3% of applicants.

How much do you think is based on competition, and how much do you think all that caste stuff come into play?

[Razgovory]

For anyone bemoaning the difficulty of getting into a top university, take a look at India.  India's 16 prestigious technical universities admitted 1.3% of applicants.

Maybe cause they have like a billion people?

[Admiral Yi]

How much do you think is based on competition, and how much do you think all that caste stuff come into play?

Are you asking about the limited slots or the admissions process?

[Ideologue]

Here's something you don't see every day--

Mars Inc., maker of Snickers chocolate bars and Wrigley gum, plans to stop selling chocolate products that have more than 250 calories per portion, dooming king-sized bars.

While skeptics might assume the move is a way to reduce the amount of pricey cocoa used in products, the company says the action is part of a health-and-nutrition effort.

Among its goals are to stop shipping Mars chocolate products that exceed 250 calories per portion by the end of 2013. The company's chocolate brands include Snickers, Twix, M&Ms, 3 Musketeers, Mars, Milky Way, Dove and Galaxy. Today, a king-size Snickers bar contains 510 calories, although it says a serving size is one-third of a bar. A regular-size Snickers has 280 calories.

The company also aims by 2015 to reduce sodium levels in all Mars food products by 25 percent from 2007 levels.

"Mars has a broad-based commitment to health and nutrition, and this includes a number of global initiatives," the company said in a statement.

Among its other efforts are its 2007 pledge to no longer market chocolate products directly to children under 12, putting calorie counts on the front of packages, eliminating trans fat, reducing saturated fat and managing portions and calories. The company has also introduced several new products that have fewer than 200 calories.

Mars, a private company that claims sales of $30 billion, acquired Chicago-based Wrigley in 2008.

Pretty lame.  All that plastic is carbon waste like a motherfucker (and a pain in the ass to clean up after dinner).

[CountDeMoney]

How much do you think is based on competition, and how much do you think all that caste stuff come into play?

Are you asking about the limited slots or the admissions process?

Both.

[Admiral Yi]

Both.

My guess is the admissions process is clean.  Small number of universities is probably a function of how long they held on to their dumb-ass socialism and market controls.

[Ideologue]

Stop turning me on.

[Sheilbh]

My guess is the admissions process is clean.  Small number of universities is probably a function of how long they held on to their dumb-ass socialism and market controls.

I'd be surprised if caste was officially in the application process (though I think India's got some sort of affirmative action for caste), but I'd also be amazed if caste didn't actually play a huge part in admissions.

I wonder what the status of these unis is in India given that very many Indian students study abroad.

[Iormlund]

Both.

My guess is the admissions process is clean.  Small number of universities is probably a function of how long they held on to their dumb-ass socialism and market controls.

That usually leads to too many universities, not too few.