links for 2006-05-04

7 Responses

1. Danielle

   03|May|2006 1

   While I think it’s great that sodas with HFCS are being removed, I don’t believe diet sodas should be there either. In my view, aspartame is poison and tastes truly vile.

   As for the piece of flesh phrasing I’ve seen in other accounts, isn’t the entire damn burger just ground up pieces of flesh?

2. CarrotBoy

   04|May|2006 2

   Why did the beverage industry do it? There may have been a tiny bit of altruism in the decision, but it’s also in the companies’ self-interest in several ways:

   1) By coming to a voluntary agreement now they avoid a potential future law that might force them to stop selling sodas in schools, and would probably be less in their favor than this compromise (note that, for example, they can still sell diet sodas). This is a classic strategy in many industries– self-policing to avoid legislation (cf the movie industry rating system).

   2) Good PR– another classic industry strategy. “See how much we care about the children!”

   3) They may actually care more about keeping bottled water in schools (which this agreement allows them to do). Soda sales are pretty stagnant, water is still growing tremendously. I believe they make more profit on water too (not certain about that, but it makes sense). They want to create loyal bottled water consumers at a young age!

   Still, even if it wasn’t altruistic, I have to agree with everyone that it’s a step in the right direction.

3. shananigans

   04|May|2006 3

   Good points CarrotBoy, self-regulation is probably the most painless and PR-friendly way for the beverage companies to handle the onslaught of blame that everyone seems to be placing on them for the childhood obesity and diabetes epidemic.

   BTW, did anyone notice that the Washington Post blog seems to have the most ignorant group of commentators?

   I quote:

   “Only a bunch of idiots would allow substituting something safe like sugar with diet sodas that have substances in them that are scientifically assumed to cause cancer and cause other abnormalities.” I did not know assumptions were part of the scientific method. I must have missed that day in school…or been high on Mountain Dew.

   “Doesn’t anyone trust the FDA anymore?” Not me! And what does that have to do with it anyway?

   “yes, certain sodas do cause cancer. because of kidney infections. if they only drink soda or too much soda, it will cause cancer. i think it’s a good idea, but only sale juice and power drinks (like gatorade). kids love gatorade.” They sure do. So glad it doesn’t cause cancer, phew!

   “Aspartame is horrible and causes cancer. I know this because I heard it from a friend and read it on the internet. I choose to ignore every study that, in fact, have found no link between cancer and aspartame because those studies are junk science sponsored by the big aspartame industry or a conspiracy designed and instituted by big government. Instead I focus on the one study that found a weak link between extraordinary levels of aspartame in laboratory mice and some cancers. Do not bother trying to reason with me. If you disagree with me then your eyes are simply closed to the lies and conspiracies that are all around you.” Ummm???

   OK, sorry to take over the comment space with this stuff, but really who are these people!?

4. K

   08|May|2006 4

   Shan, I love this:

   “I know this because I heard it from a friend and read it on the internet.”

   The rest of the comments were hilarious as well, i.e.:

   Scientifically assumed.
   Lies and conspiracies.

   Raise your hand if you knew kidney infections led to cancer. I read it on the internet so it must be true!

   Wow. Do we actually walk the globe with the likes of this? Not being judgmental, just rather aghast.

   Anyway…
   I can’t believe Little Debbie’s ingredients. Well, let me express that again, I *can* believe it, but it’s still very sad. The ingredients in Twinkies are even sadder.

   I’m with Danielle on the comment about flesh in burgers. Who ever knows WHAT the ingredients in non-veg stuff is… Scary.

5. kitchenmage

   10|May|2006 5

   Ummm’kay. So let me get this straight, you all eat vegan and claim it’s healthier and then coet Little Debbie’s nutty bars? Surely you jest.(please tell me you jest)

   re: flesh in burgers. You do realize it’d be a piece of cake to slide some fingertips into that mash that masquerades as ‘pseudoMeat’ and you would never know the difference, right? Also, since the most common source of human body parts in food seems to be slips of a blade in the kitchen, your salad is as likely to contain a bit of finger as my burger. More likely in fact, since my burger is all glommed together into a patty while your salad is all little bits of stuff that could hide anything…anything at all.

6. Ryan

   10|May|2006 6

   Not all of us are health food vegans. I enjoy a good, fatty snack every so often as much as the next guy.

   And my comment about the fingers in veggie burgers was just a joke. There aren’t enough veggie burgers served in restaurants for an accident to happen! :)

7. Danielle

   10|May|2006 7

   1) Vegan diets *can* be healthier than omnivorous diets, but many of us do like our junk food. I mean, I went vegan, I didn’t give up chocolate. And I am a kick-ass vegan baker. Still, as vegans, we consume zero than omnivores.

   2) When I’m eating a salad, I tend to stir the stuff around. If there is something other than veggies, I’m more likely to find it in a salad than in a “glommed-together” burger — provided the patty is formed on site, which usually, it isn’t.