Category: the Rant Board
I thought about putting this in news and views, but it made me so mad I'm putting it here where I have an excuse for throwing a hissy.
Bob…
….I can not help but to consider that perhaps, note I said perhaps, you own many multi-million dollars worth of stock in Marshmellow Fluff and to not have this sweet and savory treat available for consumption to the youth in schools would then cut down on the amount of purchase of said Fluff by the school board/tax payers and thus perhaps a loss in profits for Marshmellow Fluff with thereby a decrease in the value of stock then resulting to many the multiplied losses to your savings. A sad day indeed for Bob.
I'll have you know Miss oh-so-smart-Connie, that my family are all craftsmen. We create the finest dental instruments you've ever seen, which make it easy to pluck the baby teethies of fluff-eating oh-so-rude youngsters.
...OH so THAT explains it!!!! In the dental business and not desiring to loose customers....
Probably a little bit off topic, but what about that law saying no type of soda in schools? What the heck is up with that, and also this raising tax crap on soda? They say it's obesity, but you choose to drink the stuff, so you shouldn't be griping about being fat and going to lawmakers, filing lawsuits etc. It's not our fault that you chose to drink soda, or chose to eat an orio cookie.
Troy
I agree with him obesity is endemic in america, and adly it's taken hold like a virus over here, what intelligent caring parent would want their children to eat this crap.
Then send a healthy lunch, don't pass another repressive law.
Well, it all comes down to how much the government feels responsible for the well being of its citizens and how much they feel they can intrude in people's lives.
I, for instance, simply don't see the problem with people choosing to take drugs, apart from the obvious that they can hurt others (crime, stealing, miscarrriages, cruelty to children etc). If those factors did not play a role I don't see why a person who wants to kill him/herself with heroin shouldn't be allowed to go ahead and do so.
But, back to the subject at hand. In Iceland at lesat and in many parts of Scandenavia no candy or soda sales are allowed within a certain distance of elementary schools. The idea is, I think, that kids are not mature enough to understand what they're doing to their bodies and they are, of course, attracted to the sweet and "yummie" stuff, eating excessively and gaining weight. If they were adults we could say "their problem" but fact is it isn't really their problem as obeasity is becoming as expensive as smoking for society as a whole and thus we are beginning to pay for it directly as tax payers and in other ways. Just for instance, the average weight of a U.S. flight passenger has gone up 10 pounds in the last 20 years which adds to a lot of fuel consumption and for that we are paying when we purchase flight tickets.
And by banning the selling of high calory products in school we are sending our a clear message to parents that their kids arenot supposed to be chowing down on chocolate and sugarry products 24/7. Sadly it apears that a lot of parents just haven't got it, they are too busy working and have no time for making lunch and it's so much easier to send the kid of with money for pizza nad coke.
I think as far as schools cafe terias are concerned the government should intervene and not allow soda and chocolate and overly unhealthy stuff to be served, as for other regulations banning the sales of high calory items in schools or around them, that's a trickier ground and it's up to people to decide what feels right. I liked growing up having only access to water, milk and fruit juices at school and only getting my soda and candy on Fridays. It made Fridays special and fun and I think it was good for me, personally.
Well, Wildebrew, I hear what you are saying, but, I don't think that our government can just pass laws and make everything nice. It's silly to pass laws saying people should or shouldn't eat this and that when there are people sleeping in the streets and going to bed hungry. Too often, legislators find it much easier to pass a law (kind of like a knee-jerk reaction) rather than get to the roots of a problem.
Take your example of Fridays being special because you could eat sweets then, and no other time. The kids of today (God bless their little tummies) have to get the money for sweets from somewhere, and it's back on the parents. No government need to be involved. The parents don't want their sweet kiddies to be a little too plump, then don't give them the money, except, perhaps, on Friday when it becomes a special day. All without government intervention.
When I was in middle school I knew how bad junk food was for me, that's why kids take health in schools, if then they still continue to eat the stuff, again I'll say it's the person's fault but not the government. Take me for example. a year ago I started on a pepsi kick which yes it's made me fatter, but it's not the fault of the government or pepsi why I'm fatter, it's mine and I take blame.
Troy
Exactly my point Troy. I smoke cigarettes, started before we knew how dangerous they are, I will probably die from them. But, that's not the government's fault, nor is it the fault of the tobacco companies, it's my choice and I take responsibility for it.
Hmm if the other children in the room are following suit by eating this crap, then the children who have the healthy lunch wont eat it ,they will want to join in in order to be popular which is also endemic ..I heard a great anagram in the Scottish Daily Mail today,
The United States of America I eat fat consumers says it all really
So, is this the government's fault or responsibility, Goblin? If so--and that's a big if--then it's local government's responsibility, and I can choose whether or not I want to live in a group with rules I don't like. It's a much bigger task to change one's state or country.
Bob
If it is the responsibilty of the current regime then you can abandon all hope.I'd say the change lies with the school to ban such crud from the menu. in Scotland a group of determined parents recently prevented a mobile snack bar from selling fried food ect, outside a school, this sent a clear message to the children who were becoming obese from eating such rubbish. it is entirely possible to change, you just have to make an almighty effort and the change must start with the children and the parents, at home.