Category Archives: 10 Things

One of the top pastry chefs in America works at Dunkin’ Donuts? We’ll take a dozen, now!




Pastry Shop Business Plan
Pastry Shop Business Plan

Web Watch is a big fan of pastries, donuts, and other baked goods.

We’ve been known to travel out of our way to eat at RESTAURANTS THAT EMPLOY THE TOP PASTRY CHEFS IN THE COUNTRY.

And now, according to DESSERT PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINE, we just need to head down to our local doughnut shop, no matter where we are in the world.

That’s because one of  the winners of the 17th ANNUAL TOP PASTRY CHEF IN AMERICA competition is Christopher Boos of Dunkin’ Brands.

That’s right.  Dunkin’ Brands.  Parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts.

Christopher Boos, named one of the ten best pastry chef in Amercia, essentially works in a donut shop.   No wonder Homer Simpson is proud of his donut fetish.  Donuts are nothing to be ashamed of.

But donuts are not the only pastry that Boos knows how to make.  For the competition, Boos’ featured dessert was a milk chocolate jasmine tea tart, Baskin-Robbins cranberry sorbet with soaked cherries and a Dunkin’ Dark Roast coffee crème.  Of course – just the type of thing you’d find down at the local coffee shop.   

Not.  

Or at least, if we keep our fingers crossed, not yet.  Web Watch can hope, right?

Who were the other TOP TEN PASTRY CHEFS IN AMERICA?  Here’s who made the list along with Boos:

  • Kimberly Bugler of the 21 Club, New York, NY
  • Steve Evetts of the New York Marriott Marquis, New York, NY
  • Bill Foltz of L’Auberge du Lac Casino in Lake Charles, LA
  • Yannis Janssens of Fontainebleu Miami Beach, Miami, FL
  • Nicholas Lodge of the French Pastry School, Chicago, IL
  • Roy Pell of The Phoenician, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Michelle Tampakis of the Institute of Culinary Education, New York, NY
  • Robert Truitt of Corton Restaurant, New York, NY
  • Frank Vollkommer of The Chocolate Mill Pastry Shop and Café, Glen Falls, NY
  • For those of you interested, Dunkin Brands issued a press release honoring Boos’ achievement.  It’s posted after the break.

    Continue reading "One of the top pastry chefs in America works at Dunkin’ Donuts? We’ll take a dozen, now!" »

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    Also posted in food | Tagged , | Leave a comment

    Not succeeding at online dating? Maybe you’re doing it wrong…




    Sex, Lies, and Online Dating
    Sex, Lies, and Online Dating

    Since WEB WATCH WROTE ABOUT WRITING THE PERFECT ONLINE DATING MESSAGE, Web Watch has spoken with many people who have tried the online dating game.

    Some we have spoken with are quite pleased with the results, having married their online hookup just like they show you in those advertisements and infomercials.

    Others use online matchmaking services as a supplemental pool to their traditional dating environs.  Their philosophy is that they will have a better chance of finding a compatible mate if they cast their dating net out far and wide and utilize all potential avenues.  Sure, there have been plenty of misses along the way in their online dating experiences, but there have been some good times as well.

    And there’s the third group that hasn’t had much luck with their online dating experience for whatever reason.  

    (An amusing side note:  one friend of Web Watch who had registered for an online dating service in the past continues to receive emails from that service, encouraging them to sign back up for another go-around.  One recent email happend to contain the dating profile of another one of Web Watch’s friends.  This seems like the perfect time to remind our Web Watch readers to always remember to check your dating profile privacy settings if you don’t want your profile emailed out to strangers that aren’t officially signed up to receive your profile from the service.)

    If you fall into that last group of unsuccessful online daters, perhaps this is a case of “it’s not me, it’s you”, and you should take the time to REVIEW YOUR ONLINE DATING PROFILE FOR THESE “DON’T DO THIS” ONLINE DATING TIPS:

    Continue reading "Not succeeding at online dating? Maybe you’re doing it wrong…" »

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    Also posted in How To, Internet | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

    Six Degrees of Separation of John Mayer’s Junk




    John Mayer

    John Mayer’s genitals have gotten around.

    And whether real or simply imagined — and for Web Watch’s sake, we’ll throw in that “alleged” is an appropriate word to cover the rest of this post — if you follow the old adage that once you have sex with one person, you have had sex with every other person your partner has had sex with… then John Mayer has had sex with a veritable crapload of people.

    Continue reading "Six Degrees of Separation of John Mayer’s Junk" »

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    Also posted in Funny, Music | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

    Not surprisingly, “underwear” still not on this year’s list of things to buy used




    How to Sell Used Books on eBay

    It’s been ONE YEAR SINCE WEB WATCH LAST WROTE ABOUT BUYING NEW or USED ITEMS, and it seems that the list of THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER BUY NEW and THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER BUY USED have expanded from a list of 10 items each, to lists containing 20 (technically, 21) items each.

    On the bright side, our original post identifying those 10 items on each list still holds true.    And yes, underwear is still on the “don’t buy used” list.

    So think of this as an expanded update of THINGS THAT YOU SHOULDN’T BUY NEW and THINGS THAT YOU SHOULDN’T BUY USED.

    Continue reading "Not surprisingly, “underwear” still not on this year’s list of things to buy used" »

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    Also posted in News, shopping | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

    How much money can a Youtube video earn when it goes viral? Let’s start at $150,000




    Little Shop of Horrors soundtrack
    Little Shop of Horrors soundtrack, with Steve Martin as “The Dentist”

    One thing about YouTube that bothers Web Watch is the number of videos that parents film over their shoulder while driving their car down the road.  Especially now as MORE AND MORE STATES — up to 29 as of this writing — ARE PASSING BANS ON TEXTING WHILE DRIVING more and more states are passing bans on texting while driving.  For those Web Watch readers who were wondering, based on that link it looks like Ohio and Hawaii are the only two states with absolutely no laws on their books relating to driving while using a cell phone or texting. 

    It’s only a matter of time before DWV (driving while videoing) joins DWI and DWT as acronyms to avoid getting a ticket for.

    But the threat of receiving a DWV violation may not deter enterprising, money-hungry folks from filming everything that happens to them and posting it on YouTube in the hopes that their video goes viral.

    Today’s example is DAVID AFTER DENTIST.

    Continue reading "How much money can a Youtube video earn when it goes viral? Let’s start at $150,000" »

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    Also posted in Funny, Internet, Video | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

    The Manliest City in America is…. Charlotte?




    Pink Carolina Panthers Cap
    Pink Carolina Panthers Cap

    Charlotte, North Carolina - the “Queen City of the South” – has been named the MANLIEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY by Combos snacks.

    We know.  Web Watch was shocked too.

    This was the same city where the Carolina Panthers’ Fight Song was deemed too cheesy to be played after a touchdown.  No wonder the team struggled for a few years, even posting a 1-15 record one season.  What good is an NFL team without a Fight Song?

    Continue reading "The Manliest City in America is…. Charlotte?" »

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    Also posted in News, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

    Can you name the top merchandised film of the past 18 months?




    Profit from your Idea via Smart Licensing
    Profit from your Idea via Smart Licensing

    Web Watch has previously covered HOW MUCH MONEY THE DISNEY CORPORATION MAKES ON POOH AND MICKEY MERCHANDISE, and it should come as no surprise that licensing of film characters — whether it be from any of the Disney-Pixar canon, to action heros, to Harry Potter, or to those appearing in the Twilight series – is all big, big business and massive money makers for those who hold the character licensing rights.

    But can you name which are the TOP TEN FILMS WITH FILM MERCHANDISE over the past 18 months, based solely on the amout of imported licensed products that have been coming through customs (in other words, not counting anything made in the USA)?  

    Continue reading "Can you name the top merchandised film of the past 18 months?" »

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    Also posted in Disney, Movies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

    Popping pimples is good for your mental state – so here are five steps to squeezing that zit




    Pimple Patrol
    Pimple Patrol

    You’ve had ‘em growing up.  You’ve probably had one or two last week.

    A pimple, zit, blemish, whitehead, blackhead, cyst, or other piece of acne on your face, shoulders, back, or butt.  Sometimes it’s due to a nasty ingrown hair, sometimes it’s just because your skin is a zit factory.

    But did you know that some doctors say that POPPING YOUR ZITS CAN BE GOOD FOR YOU?

    Continue reading "Popping pimples is good for your mental state – so here are five steps to squeezing that zit" »

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    Also posted in How To | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

    Can you name 7 ways to mess up a wedding? Surprisingly “inviting Adam Sandler” is not on the list




    Adam Sandler - They're All Going to Laugh At You
    Adam Sandler – They’re All Going to Laugh At You

    Web Watch has had some wonderful wedding memories:

    • There was the wedding at the bowling alley during the Stanley Cup playoffs
    • The wedding where the bride proudly proclaimed to everyone within hearing distance how she wasn’t going to consummate the marriage that night… and why.
    • Getting the entire wedding party to lick the ice sculpture as a photo opportunity for the official photographer…after pretty much all the other guests have already done the same thing.
    • That wedding where we had to arrive six hours early to clean the bathrooms at the reception hall

    And then there was the wedding where the DJ was asked to play the first 20 seconds – and only the first 20 seconds – of this NSFW song during the reception:

    Seriously, that was a wedding to remember. And all of the above — good friends, and good times all. 

    And no, we won’t mention the engagement party where the groom-to-be publically and graphically declared his love for his bride’s bosom.  Because that was not a wedding, and therefore ineligible for this post.

    Continue reading "Can you name 7 ways to mess up a wedding? Surprisingly “inviting Adam Sandler” is not on the list" »

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    Also posted in Funny, Music | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

    The 50 Most Looked-Up Words on the New York Times Website




    New York Times Crossword Puzzle
    The New York Times Crossword Puzzle

    New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz must be having a field day with this one.

    The NYTimes has a feature on their website where a visitor can double-click any word in any article and be presented with the definition of what that word means.

    And, just like everything on the Internet, such usage is tracked.  And if it’s tracked, then it’s something that can be reported.

    Here are the 50 MOST LOOKED UP WORDS ON THE NEW YORK TIMES WEBSITE, by you – their readers.

    Continue reading "The 50 Most Looked-Up Words on the New York Times Website" »

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    Also posted in News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment