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wenty years ago, after former president George W. Bush declared a "War on Terror" and an invasion of Iraq was proposed, France's president Jacques Chirac ruled out sending French troops to the country without approval by the U.N. Security Council. Some Americans accused France of betrayal and retreat. Neal Rowland took it a step further and printed new menus for his Beaufort, North Carolina restaurant named Cubbies. On it, he changed "French fries" to "Freedom fries." In an interview with The Washington Times, Rowland explained that he "got the idea from similar protest action against Germany during World War I,...

Vodka shots took on a whole new meaning in Lake Wylie, as a liquor store joined in the movement to support the Ukraine’s attempt to fend off the Russian invasion. On Wednesday, Lake Wylie Liquors posted a video on its Facebook page where nine men and women armed with various types of guns shot up a display of vodka bottles in a field. A caption early in the video states the store’s support of Ukraine. Another toward the end states, “**** Russia.” “Here at Lake Wylie Liquors, we support Freedom and The People of Ukraine,” the post reads. “This is...

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Americans love French fries. Every year, on average, we devour 30 pounds of the crispy fried potatoes. But studies are now proving they aren’t good for you. So what about those claims that French fries are causing cancer? Many recent news reports say that French fries are not only bad for you, they’re linked to cancer. The cancer claims are tied to scientific studies of acrylamide, a substance produced when starchy foods, like potatoes, are heated or, in this case, fried. The United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) warns “acrylamide has the potential to cause cancer in...

RALEIGH -- In an odd political bedfellows moment, three North Carolina congressmen - two progressive Democrats and one religious-right Republican - joined forces Monday to urge the Obama administration to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. At an anti-war town hall meeting in the Legislative Building, Republican U.S. Rep. Walter Jones and Democratic U.S. Reps.David Price and Brad Miller sought to keep the pressure on the administration to end the American combat operations by the middle of 2013. "Our concern is that too many times, administrations will say that the date for coming home is a year from now, 18 months...

PARIS (AP) - France has declared war on al-Qaida, and matched its fighting words with a first attack on a base camp of the terror network's North African branch, after the terror network killed a French aid worker it took hostage in April. The declaration and attack marked a shift in strategy for France, usually discrete about its behind-the-scenes battle against terrorism. "We are at war with al-Qaida," Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Tuesday, a day after President Nicolas Sarkozy announced the death of 78-year-old hostage Michel Germaneau. The humanitarian worker had been abducted April 20 or 22 in Niger...

PARIS (AFP) — A top US diplomat said Wednesday he regretted the French-bashing that took place in the United States over France's refusal to join the US-led war in Iraq. Nicholas Burns, number three in the US State Department, called a decision to rename French fries as freedom fries in the US Congress foolish and he welcomed a new closeness between France and the United States. "I surely hope that those Americans who renamed French fries into freedom fries, and those Americans who poured perfectly good French wines down American drains, I hope that they realise what foolishness that was,"...

Four years after the debut of freedom fries on a Beaufort restaurant's menu, the patriotic side order is still stirring up conversation. "I would never have thought two posters in the window would have done so much. Four years down the road it is still being talked about," said Neal Rowland, 30, the owner of the grill that traded in "french" fries for "freedom" fries in a gesture of support for American troops.

Take a picture of the french fries on the Bridgeport ferry, and you might as well just admit that you're a charter member of Al Qaeda I was heading back to Connecticut after a weekend with the family when I took the photo. I’d eaten the fries on the way over, but couldn’t stomach another round, so I snapped two photos at the food counter, and as I was putting the camera away, two guys behind the counter started lobbing hostile, accusatory questions in my direction. “Why are you taking pictures of the food?” “I’m writing a review,” I responded,...

A YEMENI was killed today in clashes with police as workers at a gas export terminal in southern Yemen protested at a French engineer's alleged desecration of the Koran, a local official said. "One worker was killed and others were arrested following clashes with police who intervened" to contain the protest at the terminal being built by the French company Total in Balhaf port, he said, requesting anonymity. "After a fight between a French engineer and another who is Yemeni, the Frenchman - to enrage the Yemeni - threw a Koran on the floor in an offensive way," the official...

Farce is a French word, right? Well, it's the mot juste for what happened Thursday as the United Nations scrambled to assemble a robust force to keep the peace in Lebanon. France led the diplomatic charge for the truce in Lebanon, calling for a cease-fire almost immediately. It played a central role in crafting the resolution that would send a UN force of about 15,000 to help the weak Lebanese army control the south and stop arms shipments to Hezbollah. France, one UN official said, was supposed to be the backbone of the force, leading it and contributing significant numbers...

First, the good news. America and France have patched up the most rancorous diplomatic dispute of the 21st century and agreed a ceasefire resolution designed to end the brutal conflict raging in Lebanon. And the bad news? There isn't a hope in hell that this resolution will curtail the violence. It is inconceivable that Hizbollah will agree to a "full cessation of hostilities" so long as Israeli troops occupy Lebanese territory. The militia's response to the deal was to fire a barrage of missiles, killing at least 10 Israelis. The Israeli military, for its part, has no intention of withdrawing...

French fries are back on the menu in the US House of Representatives, three years after the name was ditched in favour of "freedom fries." House Republicans renamed fries and French toast in 2003 to protest at France's opposition to the war on Iraq. The patriotic name change hit the headlines at the time but the change back is getting much less coverage. A House official would only say that fries are no longer being offered under the "freedom" nomenclature. The Washington Times newspaper contacted aides of the two congressmen behind the move to "freedom fries " to see...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. House Republicans have dropped their snub of France by renaming french fries "freedom fries" at House cafeterias. As well, "freedom toast" has been renamed french toast on menus, but nobody wanted to explain the name changes to The Washington Times. Neither Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, nor Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., who led the renaming campaign three years ago would comment, nor would cafeteria staff, the newspaper said. Ney announced the name changes at the height of anti-French sentiment in March 2003, when Paris refused to take part in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and...

Wendy's said yesterday it would significantly cut artery-clogging trans fats from its menu, beating market leader McDonald's, which still has not made good on its promise to remove the fats from french fries in the U.S.

WANT FRIES WITH THAT? Yes, actual people are fueling cars with used fryer oil By Sara Smith / February 16, 2006 Eric Luc It started over a few beers: Biodiesel buddies (from left) Smith, Mortland and Tobler with their single-stage reactor Bruce Mortland does a lot of the same things that any other motorist with a 2001 VW Jetta would do: He flips through radio stations, he hums along to familiar songs, and he gets annoyed with other drivers. It's what he doesn't do that sets Mortland apart. He doesn't stop at gas stations, cringe at the prices and, defeated,...

It is now getting dark in Paris and in all of France(appx. 6:40 PM Paris Time), and if there are any French FR lurkers(lurquers), this may be the thread to post your reports about any further violence. It seems the French govt. is impotent in it's response to what seems are jihadist thugs and it seems the American media has put a news blackout filter to what is really happening, so as not to embarass their heroes, Chirac et al. So any news reports or personal reports from what happens tonight are welcome, and don't worry about broken English, reports...

LOS ANGELES - Potato chips and french fries could soon come with a warning label in California if the state's top attorney prevails in a lawsuit filed Friday against nine fast food chains and snack-food makers. Attorney General Bill Lockyer asked for a court order requiring McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Frito Lay and other companies to warn consumers that their fries and chips may contain acrylamide, a chemical the state says causes cancer. At least one of the companies disputes that, saying there is no evidence the substance is carcinogenic. "In taking this action, I am not telling people to...

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has filed a lawsuit to force top makers of potato chips and french fries to warn consumers about a potential cancer-causing chemical found in the popular snacks. ADVERTISEMENT In a complaint filed on Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Lockyer sought an injunction to stop restaurant chains such as McDonald's Corp. and Wendy's International Inc. from selling french fries without some form of warning. Also named were producers of potato chips and other packaged potato products like PepsiCo's Frito-Lay Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co., makers of Pringles chips. The suit...

A culinary concoction at a North Side Chicago beef stand came under fire Tuesday as some say it's name, Ghetto Fries, is politically incorrect. The fries are thinly sliced potatoes smothered in Italian beef gravy, BBQ sauce, onions, cheddar cheese, and hot peppers.Some customers at Max's Italian Beef at 5754 North Western Avenue have raised their eyebrows at the name.Other customers say they don't have a problem with it. The owner says that the fries were named after the employee who came up with the combination. He says it was the employee's nickname, and it was done in fun.

I think the best fries I've ever had are from a place in Ocean City, MD and Rehoboth Beach, DE called Thrasher's Fries. They're made from freshly-cut Idaho potatoes, and served without ketchup. Old Bay seasoning, salt, and vinegar are available though. The best large chain restaurant fries I've had are the waffle fries at Chick-fil-A. While they are frozen during shipment, they're still consistently good. In terms of small chains in the area where I live, the best fries I can readily get are at a small chain in northern Virginia (and now in DC) called Five Guys. They...