It is the final, sweetest "fuck you" to America when a fast-food mogul lives a long, healthy life, and passes away at an age that their most ardent patrons could never hope to reach, what with the saturated fats and all. In just the past few years, sausage king Jimmy Dean died at age 81; Taco Bell founder Glen Bell died at 86; Sonic founder Troy Smith died at 87; Hardees founder Wilber Hardee died at 89; Baskin-Robbins founder Irvine Robbins died at 90; Carl's Jr. founder Carl Karcher died at 90; and frozen french fry mogul J.R. Simplot passed on at the ripe old age of 99.

And now: Murray Handwerker, credited with making Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs into a well-known national chain, has died at 89. Also, Wallace McCain, yet another frozen french fry mogul, passed away last Friday. He was 81.

How many years will you survive? Have another hot dog and some fries, and think about it.

[Photo: AP]