When we were in college there was a year where we pretty much lived off of microwave popcorn and Diet Coke. It might not have been the healthiest lifestyle, but a new study out of the University of Scranton says we could have done a lot worse. Popcorn, when not covered in oil and butter, is good for you! more ›

How low our judiciary has sunk! Back in the day, you had to ply judges with hookers and hot tubs to win in court; now they settle for cheap snack food: one judge's inability to say resist his favorite variety of popcorn has cost him $2,500 and his job. Alan Rubin, an administrative law judge assigned to the Parking Violations Bureau, has admitted that after dismissing a delivery driver's parking tickets, he accepted some popcorn from the guy as a thank-you present. Apparently, that's frowned upon. more ›

Both parents and local lawmakers are outraged over New Design High School's program allowing students to work the concessions stand at the Rooftop Films festival for gym credit. Though one student said it was because the school would rather students spend time on their studies, one PS 290 mother said, "If that ever happened in my son's school, I would boycott the school. Taking care of your heart and your body is just as important as math and English." Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer also spoke out against the school, saying, "Unless students are using popcorn to shoot hoops, you have to go to gym class." Quick, tell everyone that's what they've been doing the whole time and call it a day! more ›

A Queens woman has filed a suit against ConAgra, the makers of microwaveable Act II popcorn, claiming she came down with "popcorn lung" after inhaling the vapors from the buttery snack. Agnes Mercado says she consumed the popcorn twice a day for 16 years, and is just one of many consumers suing over exposure to the additive biacetyl (or diacetyl), which gives the popcorn a buttery taste. She told the Daily News, "I was eating two or three bags of popcorn a day. I didn't know it would destroy my lungs." more ›

A judge has thrown out an insurance broker's lawsuit against AMC Lincoln Square Cinema over a fractured tooth he incurred from an unpopped kernel in a tub of popcorn. 46-year-old Steve Kaplan broke the tooth last year during a screening of Superbad, and wanted the theater to cover the cost of his $1,250 in dental work. Judge Matthew Cooper tossed out the claim yesterday, having some fun in the process: "Until such time as the same bioengineers who brought us seedless watermelon are able to develop a new strain of popping corn where every kernel is guaranteed to pop, we will just have to accept partially popped popcorn as part and parcel of the popcorn-popping process. [Or] resist the urge to devour the bag by the handful in favor of more cautious nibbling by the piece." more ›

When we took note of the Health Department’s crackdown on chain restaurants that refuse to display their calorie information, some commenters wondered how movie theaters would be affected. Since the rule applies to any New York City food server with at least 15 locations nationwide, are chains like Regal Cinemas now required to confront moviegoers with the bad news about their concession products (which are, technically, food)? more ›