“This ordinance prevents restaurants from preying on children’s’ love of toys” to sell high-calorie, unhealthful food, said Supervisor Ken Yeager, who sponsored the measure. “This ordinance breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes.”

As the parent of children that rarely eat at fast food restaurants, this seems like something that will make my life easier. While I can control where my children eat and whether or not they eat at McDonald’s, the issue has to do with where they want to eat, and frankly that’s at the place that’s giving them the toy. Truth be told, my kids don’t even like McDonald’s, but they love getting toys – and there are no healthy alternatives – at any location – that include a toy with a salad and vegetables for kids (for the record, the pickle is not a vegetable).

Unfortunately, this ban impacts only a small number of vendors in a relatively small area, meaning that most parents are still going to have to deal with the pain that comes with seeing your small child eat a meal that offers no redeeming value short of the calories that are included. Most areas – and most parents – are still going to have to (for now) deal with fast food vendors rewarding children for eating deep friend and unhealthy food.

“This ordinance breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes,” Yeager said. “Under this ordinance, restaurants are still permitted to give out toys. This ordinance merely imposes very specific, common-sense nutrition standards for children’s meals that are linked to these incentives.”

The ordinance will ban restaurants from giving away toys with meals that have more than 485 calories, more than 600 milligrams of sodium, more than 35 percent of total calories from fat or more than 10 percent of calories from added sugar. It would also limit toy giveaways on single food items with more than 200 calories or more than 480 milligrams of sodium.

This is obviously an overly aggressive move – but in the interest of protecting our children it seems necessary. As a parent, this protection feels as though something that has been long overdue, if only by the adage that it takes a community to raise a child. Our vendors – fast food vendors included – need to think about our children as theirs and protect their interests.

Interestingly enough, one of the opponents of this, a McDonald’s franchisee with multiple locations, went on record that he had recently been recognized (by McDonald’s Corporation) for his efforts supporting sports teams and community groups. As though this offers some sort of balance between the excesses of the food his restaurants serve. Really, I applaud his willingness to give back, but this simply seems as putting the interests of a few before the many.

Obviously, these are my opinions. My rant, as a parent, but I am appreciate that someone is starting to look out for the parents to help them raise their children in a healthy and otherwise rewarding manner.

Ranter

P.S. As an aside I was really hoping to bring some nutritional guidelines to this article, but received the following error when trying to access nutrition facts on the McDonalds.com site.

Is it really something that should be in the hands of the government how quickly the average American destroys their body?  Does this simply mean that organizations like McDonald’s won’t be putting salt on their fries after pulling them out of the deep fryer, but instead will serve up little bottles of salt for each of us to do it on our own?  Can the government, short of rationing salt, really control how much sodium is in the food that the average American consumes each day?  Doubtful at best; why invest the time, money, and energy to even try.  Wouldn’t this investment be better served by educating people on the benefits of healthy eating?  Ehh… probably not that, either.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not supporting the death of America by salt overdose, but as someone that is thankful for those nearly invisible crystals of joy, I’m not asking the government to regulate how my food is prepared, either.  I don’t want to die early, but I don’t want to suffer with bland tasting food along the way.  Would love to know how you feel about the same thing, but for today that’s my rant!

ranter

Can Palin Prove She's Smart? (Photo: AP)

Sorry its been so long since any posts have been added, but fortunately the idiot is back and this one was too good to pass up, so here we go again. That’s right, Sarah Palin, who has previously mocked President Barack Obama as “a charismatic guy with a teleprompter” was recently photographed with talking points written on the palm of her hand. Personally, I think I’d rather have a teleprompter.

While I’m not as thrilled with our current administration as I had hoped, I am still a firm believer that America made the right choice not voting McCain/Palin into office. Now, as Palin continues her efforts to promote the National Tea Party, I’m fearful again that the puppeteers may write enough smart words on her hand to scare America into believing Palin would be a good thing for the country.

If “Energy,” “Tax,” and “Lift Americans Spirits” are at the top of your list for what comes next, then it’s important to remember that “budget cuts” was also scrawled and crossed out on Palin’s hand. What does that tell us about what’s to come if Palin is given a chance to run for office – any office – in the years to come?

Ranter

He does on to say that Obama was elected on hope, and apparently his qualifications, public personality, and ability to hold his own in debate (not to mention Sarah Palin is an idiot) had nothing to do with it.

“I’m blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little laundromat in a black community not far from where we lived,” Blagojevich said. “I saw it all growing up.”

The blubbering idiot continued along while trying – too late – to cement his point, but the damage has been done. I’m not sure when this fools twenty-minutes of fame are going to be up, but I think that time has passed and it is definitely time for him to move on and accept that the people have seen enough – shut up and move along.

Ranter

Kennedy was recently quoted as saying, “The bishop instructed me not to take Communion and said that he has instructed the diocesan priests not to give me Communion; that I am not a good practicing Catholic because of the positions that I’ve taken as a public official.”  And, while it’s probably below the belt, I will continue to wonder how Tobin feels about his peers that are being convicted of raping children as part of their work with God.  Do they deserve forgiveness and communion?A little research on the internet confirms that Tobin, by Church Law, can ban Kennedy from receiving Communion with his Diocese, but he cannot stop Kennedy from receiving communion elsewhere.  Kennedy also has the right to appeal the decision all the way to the Vatican, but the church is very likely to overturn one of their own.  Even Bishops have to cover their asses.

Kennedy has been very public about his criticism of the Catholic Church or their idle threats to oppose any health care reform that doesn’t include strict restrictions on federally funded abortion.  He has also voted against the plan supported by the Bishop and for the plan they opposed.  The Bishop demanded an apology – Kennedy (admirably) refused, including this response:

“While I greatly respect the Catholic Church and its leaders, like many Rhode Islanders, the fact that I disagree with the hierarchy of the church on some issues does not make me any less of a Catholic.  I embrace my faith which acknowledges the existence of an imperfect humanity.”

Not to be left without the last word, Tobin responded with a biting public letter that was published in a diocesan newspaper.

“Sorry, you can’t chalk it up to an ‘imperfect humanity.’ Your position is unacceptable to the Church and scandalous to many of our members. It absolutely diminishes your Communion with the Church.”

Somehow this seems like fighting words, and while I understand the power of the Catholic Church it would seem to me that with these changing times (and their continued transgressions) that the Church would grow to accept that not everyone shares their every opinion and that that’s okay.  Maybe when that happens, I’ll look at the church as something more than I do today.  Until then, I will be standing beside Kennedy supporting abortion and sacrificing for what I believe in.

~geek

After listening to people like Shanneen Barron, as she talked with CNN Affiliate KMGH-TV in Denver, I was forced to question what America has come to.  Barron was quoted as saying, about President Obama’s desire to speak to American school children, that “thinking about my kids in school having to listen to that [President Obama talking about education] just really upsets me. I’m an American. They are Americans, and I don’t feel that’s OK. I feel very scared to be in this country with our leadership right now.”

I’d be willing to bet that Barron considers herself a patriot, while parents like me sit back and wonder, even though I may not agree with what Obama is saying, doesn’t he deserve the right to address and share the ideas he believes will make this country better?  If you’re truly scared to be in this country I would encourage you to leave.  Maybe you’d be more comfortable in China or Korea?  Maybe your kids would value their education more if they had to worry about war and genocide while living in Darfur?  No, I suspect that there is a reason you will continue living in your comfortable home in comfortable America where you don’t really have to be afraid that one day you will lose the freedom that you value so much.

Frankly, the US, as a country, has lost many of the things that I value as an American, which includes our integrity, and Barron, I encourage you to sit down and examine what you value in this world and make sure that you’re willing to sacrifice the freedoms that we Americans hold so dear as you continue to press your conservative beliefs on your family while shutting out any ideas that don’t mirror your own.

When people like Barron and Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer start preaching their own conservative agendas I’m forced to ask, what happened to respect and personal dignity – if you don’t like what he’s saying, fine, help your children understand differently or put them in a private school that supports your ideals, but don’t use your 15 minutes on the soapbox as a way to disparage someone that is making an effort to improve a country that needs a lot of improving.  America’s education system is lacking and we’re losing our competitive edge at an alarming rate.  If that bothers you as much as it does me, take your 15 minutes and talk about ways to improve the system – not why you’re afraid.  Your fear, to me, makes you sound stupid, and this talk is about education.

Greer’s comments, especially coming from a party chairman, were so disrespectful that I’m forced to directly question his patriotism, too.  He said, “As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology.  The idea that schoolchildren across our nation will be forced to watch the president justify his plans … is not only infuriating but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans, while bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power.”  (Didn’t the majority of Americans vote for President Obama and his beliefs?)

First, Mr. Greer, your children are not being forced to watch the President do or say anything – they’re being given the opportunity.  They have this opportunity because this is a free country.  You obviously know and value that freedom as it is the same freedom that allows you to voice your personal dissent without risk of punishment.  If you choose to shelter your children and share with them only your own conservative agenda, (because obviously Bush’s agenda was so successful) you have that right, but you’re not the President, and until you are I encourage you to present your own personal agenda on its merits and not by disparaging Obama.  If you have something better, start there, or run for president yourself and then you can say whatever the hell you want.  And, you know what, I’m an American, I will listen and be respectful, even if I don’t like it.

Finally, so that it’s not missed, the president of the National Parent Teacher Association (an organization that I normally don’t agree with), Charles Saylors, seems to agree with my view that “The president of the United States, regardless of political affiliation, should be able to have a presentation and have a pep talk, if you will, to America’s students.”

And with Saylors’ thought I will get off my own personal soapbox and ask only that every American consider what they value most in this country.  Because, frankly, it is those personal freedoms that make America unique and without them the choice of president and education would be lost completely.

Ranter

Will Rod Blagojevich receive his just due?

It has taken four months for the indictments to come down, and if any of them are true, and I suspect they all are, it’s not a day too soon.  That’s right, I’m talking about former Governor Rod Blagojevich who is now being charged with 16 felony counts, including racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion conspiracy and lying to federal agents. The government is seeking forfeiture of $188,370 from Blagojevich and will try to take his Ravenswood Manor home in Chicago if needed.

And to think, this started with everyone thinking his pay-to-play effort to sell President Obama’s vacated seat on the US Senate.  Now it seems like that’s the least of his crimes, and considering his elected status, that’s pretty bad.  What bothers me most is that of all the groups that should self govern – politicians appear least willing to look at their own and ask the hard questions.  Rod Blagojevich should be publicly stoned by anyone that cast their vote, and those that stood with him, knowing of his crimes, should be right there with him.

Unfortunately, it appears that things like this are happening more and more frequently now, and it’s unconscionable to me that the American public just lets this happen.  Looking at Obama’s efforts to fill his cabinet should offer another example – how many politicians aren’t paying their taxes while the average, middle-class American struggles to pay their taxes, their mortgage, put food on the table, and keep their children educated.  It’s a tough time and unfortunately it’s not equally tough for all.

Of course, as is often the case, Rod’s statement claims innocence.

“I’m saddened and hurt, but I am not surprised by the indictment,” Rod Blagojevich said in a statement. “I am innocent. I now will fight in the courts to clear my name. I would ask the good people of Illinois to wait for the trial and afford me the presumption of innocence that they would give to all their friends and neighbors.”

But don’t all the guilty cry foul when arrested and indicted?

Ranter

Bear or Bullsh*t?

The markets are changing and depending on who you talk to (or which way the wind is blowing) we have a bear/bull market coming.  What you do with that information is up to you, but most “analysts” seem to think that the end is still a ways off and that the market is going to capitulate for months to come.

And, frankly, I’m okay with that.  The Dow was up over 200 points today – and to me that’s  a good thing.  But, if it drops 400 points tomorrow, that’s okay, too.  I’m neither bull nor bear, but I am a writer that wonders – what’s it matter?  Bear market?  Bull market?  Who really cares?

The answer to that is obvious – investors and news media care.  Investors so that they have an excuse for their successful guessing or misplaced optimism, and the news media because nothing sells like confusion (unless it’s blood, gore, or Britney Spears, of course.)  In this time, when consumers, investors, and even our leadership is shocked and running around like a three legged frog on the highway, bad news sells because in the absence of something positive, the average person is going to grab onto whatever they can find.

My take – bear or bullshit – it doesn’t matter; the media is going to help with your decision.

Ranter

Since losing the election, Sarah Palin has apparently be slammed on the interview circuit and much what they’re looking for is dirt.  With everything flying around about her daughter, her son’s birth, and what comes next it’s no wonder that she’s a bit overwhelmed.  The following quote, from Esquire’s upcoming magazine sums up her feelings for some of the people writing about her.

“Bored, anonymous, pathetic bloggers who lie annoy me….I’ll tell you, yesterday the Anchorage Daily News, they called again to ask — double-, triple-, quadruple-check — who is Trig’s real mom,” she said, in an interview to be published in Esquire’s March issue.  “And I said, Come on, are you kidding me? We’re gonna answer this? Do you not believe me or my doctor? And they said, No, it’s been quite cryptic the way that my son’s birth has been discussed. And I thought, Okay, more indication of continued problems in the world of journalism.”

What’s most enjoyable is that’s the nugget of “news” that she holds onto.  Someone questioned the paternity of one of her children and it got out of hand – but given all the other lies and deception that exist in politics is it really that far outside the realm of possibility that she wasn’t being truthful to protect her daughter?  Any doubt?  I have a bridge to nowhere you might be interested in buying.

The best part of the whole thing?  Now the Anchorage Daily News’ editor is coming out to say that the questions were solely to help correct some of the conspiracy theories surround Sarah Palin.  After talking with teh Governor’s office the newspaper left the story unpublished because of a lack of cooperation from the Palin family.  The editor goes on to say in the newspaper and in the paper’s own blog that:

“I don’t believe we have ever published in the newspaper a story, a letter, a column or anything alleging a coverup surrounding your maternity.  In fact, my integrity and the integrity of the newspaper have been repeatedly attacked in national forums for our complicity in the ‘coverup.”

Later, he added: “…So I don’t understand the behavior of the governor’s press office. Did the governor not share my email with the press staff? Did the press staff deliberately ignore what I said in order to have a longer list of press ‘outrages’? Or are they just sloppy with details? I don’t know.”

Sarah Palin’s 15 minutes are up – lets move on already.  This woman has shown over and over again that she was an unsuitable candidate for any national office and incapable of forming a cohesive and articulate thought.

Ranter

P.S.  Sarah Palin – if my anonymity here bothers you, shoot me an email and I’ll share them with you face to face.  ranter@uncesnoredrants.com.

The good news, though, is that it gets better.  I’m actually quite surprised that we haven’t seen this family on Jerry Springer, but perhaps that will be next.  If you believe the RNC she’ll be running for office again at some point in the future…

So anyway, in case you were fortunate enough to miss the brief, Bristol Palin’s baby-daddy is “former high school hockey player” Levi Johnston, also 18.  His mother, Sherry, was recently arrested on multiple felony drug counts after she sent a pair of text messages to police informants discussing drug transactions.  Meanwhile, back in Wasilla, Bristol continues studying for her GED while her baby-daddy works as an apprentice electrician.  Of course, governor Sarah Palin’s office declines to comment on anything (probably for fear that it will end up on YouTube), which will simply leave us to speculate.

Can you imagine how great the white-house dinners could have been with the whole cabinet and family around.  Sarah could introduce her husband the snow bunny, her GED seeking, unmarried, welfare bound, daughter, her grand-daughter, her daughter’s baby-daddy the apprentice electrician, and perhaps even a Fathead representation of Grandma Sherry who’s presently incarcerated on drug charges.  Almost makes me think Bush wasn’t so bad.

Finally, for those of you wondering, there is no grounds for a claim of statutory rape in Alaska, because their laws are different (of course).  First, the age of consent in Alaska is 16.  Secondly, the way the Alaska laws read, statutory rape only applies to consensual sex with a minor under the age of 16 when more their ages differ by more than three years.  In other words, 20 year old man who has sex with a 15 year old girl, in Alaska, is guilty of statutory rape. A 17 year old male who has consensual sex with a 15 year old girl is not guilty of statutory rape, under Alaska law.  So much for abstinence.

Ranter