Updates galore
Published by Becky S April 22nd, 2004 in miscellaneous fluff, newsyHousekeeping:
- New Viv Pickle small messenger bag with ultra-cool red and pink geometric fabric: ready in 23 days.
- Supersize Me: thanks to all who sent more info. I’m bad for not posting the follow-ups sooner:
- Another rebuttal (I still think the truth is somewhere in the middle). Thanks to Tom.
- McDonald’s introduces “go active” meals. Thanks to Judy.
- Soso Whaley (her real name?) is trying to lose weight by eating at McDonald’s for thirty days. Thanks to Dan and Tom.
- The World Health Organization is promoting fat taxes. Based on Tom’s other links, I’m guessing that this one will make his blood boil.
- Bush-Orwell button: still on the bag. A fellow soulless office park inmate expressed surprise that I’m supporting Bush’s re-election.
- Linda the hair stylist: no word.
- Brown shoes: still missing
- Reefers: didn’t smoke ‘em.
UPDATE: I forgot mention the Onion feature about McDonald’s healthier image.
UPDATE II: My faux pas. The World Health Organization is not advocating a fat tax. More in the comments.
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Jeez…a fat tax. What’s next? A TV tax? A ‘drive slowly in the left lane” tax? After all, witnessing the latter makes my blood pressure go up about 20 points, which surely can’t be good for me.
I’ll admit that I haven’t read the WHO document yet, so maybe I’m embarrassing myself here, but couldn’t that easily be a regressive tax unless other action is taken first (e.g., subsidizing grocery stores in urban areas)? My meager understanding of the fast food dillemma is that the food is consumed disproportionately by the poor, in part because it’s cheap, filling, and readily available. Don’t you run the risk of taxing those who can least afford it?
By the way, I never realized how much I look like the (in)famous Mr. Schumin.
DCA,
My bad…WHO is not advocating specific fat taxes. Sorry about that–I was not being careful and irresponsibly took a phrase out of context. From Yahoo! News:
The WHO plan states simply that governments “can influence prices through taxation, subsidies or direct pricing in ways that encourage healthy eating and lifelong physical activity.”
Yo becky, thanks for the mention. And so the WHO is merely recommending behavior modification through taxes. And you thought George Bush was Orwellian? Speaking of Bush and Orwell I think that this quote by Orwell really demonstrates what a fantastic ticket that would be.
“People sleep peacably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”
I don’t have a problem with governments providing financial incentives to promote good health, especially since these same governments will bear the long-term costs of health problems. I’m on the fence about applying this principle to food, however, because individuals’ lifestyles largely determine the damage done by McDonald’s, etc. Should a marathon runner be punished because he wants a shake?
I won’t say more because I’ve sworn off expressing political views on Good Grief! Long story.
I don’t have a problem with governments providing an incentive for promoting good health either. We may differ on the meaning of incentive. If an administration reduces property taxes for a company willing to relocate to the inner city I think that’s an incentive. If the company is unwilling to relocate and the administration then says “if you fail to relocate for the good of the community then we will raise your taxes and tax you into oblivion.” then that’s coercion.
Governments don’t bear the costs. The taxpayer does. Government does not manufacture cars or anything. Their revenue is from the taxpayers.
If you think marathon runners are less likely to have heart attacks then please read this “In 1977 Maxwell was ranked the No. 3 marathon runner in the world by Track and Field News.” and this. “Jim Fixx was a consummate runner. He relished the invigoration of exertion. He exulted in the ways his body was transformed by athletics. His book, The Complete Book of Running, helped shape the running boom of the 1970s. On July 20, 1984, on his routine 10 mile run, Fixx suffered a fatal heart attack. He died at the age of 52. The cruel irony of his premature death was inescapable. The writer who had popularized the benefits of cardiovascular fitness became better known for the story of his demise. I think we’re dealing with an inexact science and should resist the urge to punish in order to correct.
Also, I kind of tremble at the thought of WHO, a non-elected, non-U.S.,international agency making policy recommendations over a sovereign nation.