Doesn’t this sound creepy to you? First The Gov wants to call you a criminal if you smoke, now they want to tell what you can and can’t eat – what’s next? Government TV as in Farenheit 451 or Big Brother in 1984? Big Brother is out to protect YOU from YOU (and watch you of course).
NYC BANS TRANS FATS
So how are they going to enforce this law? Visit every street vendor? Are they prepared to incorporate the volumes of alternate oils in which Joe Schmo french fries salesman can get at a price that won’t hurt his business? What about the taste? How much money is the city spending on monitoring this, when they can’t even keep rats out of most of the kitchens?
NYC BANS TRANS FATS
So how are they going to enforce this law? Visit every street vendor? Are they prepared to incorporate the volumes of alternate oils in which Joe Schmo french fries salesman can get at a price that won’t hurt his business? What about the taste? How much money is the city spending on monitoring this, when they can’t even keep rats out of most of the kitchens?
So if the foods which use these fatty products are mainly purchased by poor people who can’t afford to eat healthy, will the price of these foods go up? Can’t we make it so instead of buying a $0.99 chicken sandwich from McD’s someone would offer a $0.99 turkey and provolone on rye?
And what if I WANT fried green tomatoes just like grammy used to make with Crisco? What if I CHOOSE to eat that fried goodness, knowing full well my arteries are screaming – that’s my choice right? Right big brother? You remember grams, right bro?
A co-worker of mine brought up another good point about helmet laws a while back. I’m glad Colorado doesn’t have any. If some doofus wants to drive a crotch rocket down the busiest part of I-70 in shorts with no helmet doing wheelies, I say let him. He’s only hurting himself with those choices. I’m pretty sure doing wheelies IS illegal….
That’s more life threatening than trans fats, right? No Big Brother here….
So when do we let people make decisions for themselves? When is it okay for Big Brother to step in an ‘protect us from ourselves’? Where is that line? If someone is smoking and you don’t like it, move! Do you NEED Big Brother to dictate your life for you? Holy Crap! Is it going to turn into Logan’s Run where we have to kill ourselves by age 30 – “voluntarily”?
13 comments:
I am actually for the trans fat banning. Many fast food restaurants already don't use trans fats so it isn't a huge change. Although I understand the big bro analogy, I think this became an issue because of the fact that the US has the highest rate of child obesity and trans fats are linked to many health issues related to that. It isn't such a huge change, it is just the kind of oil used. I also think they should not allow soda in schools. One of the most interesting parts of Super Size Me was when they showed the food being served in school cafeterias and the food they started serving in a special school for kids with disciplinary problems and how just changing the menu changed their attention spans,etc. And it looked so much better...all different colors instead of the normal anything brown with the layer of cafeteria light sweat on it.I dropped my kid off early yesterday and went to add money for his lunch acct and they were feeding the morning kids cold pizza and chocolate milk for breakfast. That can't be helping an elementary kid in anyway. Since my son, unlike my son is such a picky eater, trying to make him eat healthy is a fuckin chore. If it has any green to it, he won't eat it. So it would be nice to know the cafeteria wasn't making his choice for lunch chocolate milk or root beer milk!!! (not kidding, his school carries this!!)What happened to just fat white milk in the red little carton.
By and large, I agree with you that gov't shouldn't dictate our health. But the thing is, using vegetable oil won't make McDonalds food any less fattening. Trans fatty oils are just straight up BAD for you - they give you a DRASTICALLY increased risk of heart disease, and they make you crave MORE food w/ transfats... what they DON'T do (as far as I understand)is make the food taste any different.
Instead of the smoking ban (which I'm opposed to) a better analogy is to whether or not big tobacco should be allowed to put additives into cigarettes that make them MORE addictive than is just plain 'ol tobacco.
Cost MAY be an issue, but I haven't seen it become one yet - a lot of snack food companies have voluntarily started to remove transfats w/out rebranding their products or upping their prices. Mickey D's will probably cost the same amount - at least until they test market a whole wheat, organic eggplant McPanini...
I'd be interested to hear the other side of this as it's not something I'm particularly militant about. I just try to be proactive as far as my own health is concerned, or if I'm being unhealthy... I at least try to remain well-informed about it!
I'm with you on the protective gear thing, though. If those crotch rocket dumbasses wear all that crap that makes them look like Japanese animation, it's harder for them to take themselves out of the gene pool!
Well concern for kids wasn't even on my mind when i wrote this. I agree with you on changing the foods in cafeterias. We only had little cartons of milk and soda machines (in high school only) which were located in the lunch room and only on AT lunchtime. I'm a little removed by what is offered in schools now - although my step sister - who is 5 years younger than me - had a pizza hut and taco bell in her high school. We had 1 DAY for pizza at my high school, and definately no coffee cart!
Shortly after I graduated the Missouri school district upped the standards of food in the cafeterias, and even took out the soda machines. I figured they already had strict guidelines in place and wouldn't think to offer pizza and root beer milk to kids.
I'm all for eating healthy and having healthier choices. I just like to come to those conclusions on my own. Personally I try to eat out less and less and am conscious of my purchases at the grocery store.
But hey - every so often I love going to sonic to get a corn dog. what can I say? Gotta get them in before I go to Uraguay (or where ever) and eat beans and rice for 2 years!
ha!
That's right! You hate Mexican food. Hopefully wherever you're sent isn't similarly fed.
Caff X- I am impressed. the point isn't to get rid of all junk food and fast food and take away anyones choice. But getting rid of trans fats doesn't affect the consumers choices...unless they would chose the clogged arteries. the taste is the same. It is just a processing thing not a banning of the french fry or any fast foods. Speaking of which: Good Times Burger sounds good right about now.
"Easy Credit RIP-OFF... GOOD TIMES!... Can't feel lucky without 'em... yeah yeah... GOOD TAHHHH AHHH AHH AHHH... AHHHMS!"
That's hilarious, Amber - I'm thinking of Chevy Chase in "Three Amigos"
"Do you have anything besides Mexican Food?"
Somebody had their non trans fat happy pill today Caff X. Your job must be going well. yay! Now go write another blog entry lameass. haha. do people read your blog anymore....I see no comments and I thought the last entries were good but I talk to you all the time....and now I must stop. see you at home.
Cassie- Uruguay has good food from whatI remember. Get ready to be very regular...if you know what I mean.
Amber- you DJing when I go to St. Louis in 2 weeks? never got the phone #.
hmm,I emailed you my number, maybe I don't have the right address? email me at blackpetunia@gmail.com and I'll resend it.
I quit djing when I was on the campaign and haven't started again. But Tom and I were talking about finding a way to take you and your son to the City Museum, you'd love it.
ooooooo! Yessss!!! GO to the City Museum! It's awesome!!! Take the photo tour at the top right of the site! kids go CRAZY there!!!
Trans fat EVIL!!!
Keep electing democrats and liberals. This is what happens.
If you want less government control over every aspect of your life vote for conservatives or libertarians.
Yeah....us liberals and dems really know how to take away a persons rights to transfats, the reps just mess with basic human rights.
Free Iraq of all trans fats!!!!
a-ron - that statement is ridiculous. i will now go get a same sex marriage (in MA ONLY) and 20 abortions while they are still "legal".
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