February 26th, 2007

What has 11 herbs and spices and more rats than The Departed?

Poor Colonel Saunders is spinning in his grave. Ironically, it's on a rotisserie spit cranked by hungry rats.

The day the story broke, Yum! shares fell 55 cents on the NYSE to close at $60.51, but I wouldn't call that bad. If ubiquitous footage of your restaurant's giant rat infestation doesn't even drop your shares a full percentage point, I'd say you've got a pretty Teflon brand.

So let me ask you this: does seeing the dark side of the food service industry put you off your take out? You've seen Super Size Me. You've read Fast Food Nation. You never had any illusions it was organic health food from the farmer's market. And you don't care... or do you? That's the question at the heart of Words vs. Pictures 40, a.k.a. Can You Handle My Truth?

Finally, belated congratulations to Tom and Cami of Theater Hopper on the birth of their son, Henry. If you're still riding the Oscar high from last night, you might also want to check out Joe Loves Crappy Movies and Multiplex. Together with TH, they form an unholy trinity of movie-themed webcomics.

-Graham