I have a feeling that the not so well educated masses will replace them before they get a chance to do much with our rights
The hand writing does seem to be on the proverbial wall.
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Food, Fat, Obesity and Airplanes - a question
- Thread starter doublestop
- Start date
The hand writing does seem to be on the proverbial wall.
Bob Lee (QSC)
In case you missed it, I work for QSC Audio!
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One could also ask if a person who decides not to wear a seat belt would be able to take care of himself or herself after an accident and not be unnecessarily dependent on rescuers and emergency medical workers.
IOW, riding in a vehicle with or without a seat belt is not a question of saving yourself from yourself, but of what burden you make on others saving you.
As far as I'm concerned, it's fine if you choose to not buckle up, as long as you can clean up after yourself if you end up in an accident. Let's not mistake abandoning self-sufficiency for freedom.
Speaking of seat belts, can anyone explain why any state would force you to wear a seat belt but make wearing a helmet on a motorcycle optional?Florida comes to mind.
There are many riders here in FL with very hard heads. I see them all the time. I've bounced down the road with a helmet AND without. I'll take the helmet any day
IMHO, texting and talking on cell phones, especially women
is our greatest danger on the roads today.
Most people tend to agree with this in theory, but in practice, it's only the unhealthy behavior of other people that is targeted.
Put another way, if we accept the premise that public health affects everyone and we should regulate behavior that increases costs to the public health care system then we would have mandatory seat belt and helmet laws (which we have), smoking bans (which we also have) and we would prohibit sodomy (which we used to do but now we don't). Engaging in sodomy greatly increases the risk of STD's, particularly AIDS, and the cost of treating AIDS patients is enormous. It seems to me that forcing people to wear a seat belt or a helmet is motivated by the same thing as banning sodomy. It's in the interest of public health and in lower cost to the tax payers having to take care of people who engage in risky behavior.
Disclaimer: I'm not endorsing any kind of policy, whatsoever, with this post - just saying that I think there is some hypocrisy going on.
That would just be the tip of the iceberg. ANYTHING that would burden a puplic healthcare system would be targeted. They'd probably reduce the national speed limit to 35mph and bring back prohibition
Bob Lee (QSC)
In case you missed it, I work for QSC Audio!
- Jul 3, 2001
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- Former Technical Communications Developer, QSC Audio
In practice, it's not just other people's unhealthy behavior that is targeted. It's probably human nature to see abounding virtue in one's own jobs, hobbies, reading materials, voting choices, clothing choices, etc., and deepest vices in others'.
what they do here is tax everything,booze,cigarettes,junk food.....and everything else.....public health care is not a bad thing per se,but until they can figure out a way to maintain it without astronomical taxes......mehThat would just be the tip of the iceberg. ANYTHING that would burden a puplic healthcare system would be targeted. They'd probably reduce the national speed limit to 35mph and bring back prohibition
canooks are not feeling as smug about this any more since the premier of newfoundland opted to have his heart surgery done in america
This conversation is definitely getting into more than large folks on airplanes, but in reading the responses it seems as though the US since the New Deal has seen a transfer of personal responsibility to public resposibility while folks still want to retain some level of personal rights. I am not so sure you can have it both ways.
- Feb 27, 2005
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It seems like no one takes responsibility for their actions these days; it's always some one else's fault. And the minute something happens they are all lawyer-ed up. I am sure the fat guy on the plane is suing the airline for his personal suffering and humiliation. What to bet he wins a bundle too?
That's exactly what would happen here. Need to raise state funds?? Tax the hell out of something that's deemed to be unhealthy and a cost burden to the healthcare system
I'm sure that in time many things we've yet to consider would be demonized and taxed.
It seems like no one takes responsibility for their actions these days; it's always some one else's fault. And the minute something happens they are all lawyer-ed up. I am sure the fat guy on the plane is suing the airline for his personal suffering and humiliation. What to bet he wins a bundle too?
I'm not all that fat but I wonder if I could buy two tickets for seats next to each other?? It would still be cheaper than first class and I could actually have space to use my laptop. I'd be tempted to pay for two seats the next time I fly to Vegas
My luck the armrest wouldn't go up and I'd have that up my *** for the whole flight
Bob Lee (QSC)
In case you missed it, I work for QSC Audio!
- Jul 3, 2001
- 12,668
- 2,036
- 67
- Disclosures
- Former Technical Communications Developer, QSC Audio
I'm not all that fat but I wonder if I could buy two tickets for seats next to each other?? It would still be cheaper than first class and I could actually have space to use my laptop. I'd be tempted to pay for two seats the next time I fly to Vegas
Book your two seats in non-exit rows. Make sure they're next to each other without an aisle in between.
Ya....... but it must be reserved and recognized as a single seat or they'll stick some fat standby passenger in the empty seat
If we really oppose government intrusion into our eating habits, then we should call for eliminating food subsidies.
"Keep your government hands off my high fructose corn syrup."
"Keep your government hands off my high fructose corn syrup."
Back to the OP, I am reminded of when our family spent a year in Germany. I bought a set of plates for the apartment before my wife and kids came over and joined me. She looked at them and said, "here are four salad plates, but why is there just one dinner plate?" I said, "no, those are four dinner plates, and there's just one serving platter." Just shows the difference between American and European sensibilities about portion sizes.
There are a lot of things going on here. Fast food and junk food, of course, is a big one, and especially sodas, which are largely liquid sugar. Another thing is that American cities are laid out so that most of us HAVE to commute by car; towns in Europe are less spread out, so it's a lot easier for Europeans to get to work or school by walking, biking, or public transportation.
The other thing is that bad food is CHEAP. It used to be that being fat was a sign of wealth and skinny people were poor people. Now the cheapest thing you can buy at the store is coke and chips while fresh produce is expensive. It's the affluent who buy healthy food and have health club memberships.
There are a lot of things going on here. Fast food and junk food, of course, is a big one, and especially sodas, which are largely liquid sugar. Another thing is that American cities are laid out so that most of us HAVE to commute by car; towns in Europe are less spread out, so it's a lot easier for Europeans to get to work or school by walking, biking, or public transportation.
The other thing is that bad food is CHEAP. It used to be that being fat was a sign of wealth and skinny people were poor people. Now the cheapest thing you can buy at the store is coke and chips while fresh produce is expensive. It's the affluent who buy healthy food and have health club memberships.
