Food for Thought

It just crack me up when self-righteous groups blame others for a problem they themselves help create. :angry:
If B&J are so concerned about the health of children here in the US, why do they allow children to consume their products? :huh:

Well, this is the biggie! With a little effort on each of our parts and a willingness to change, we can make a big difference in the incidence of this nation's number one killer, cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The primary dietary focus of the cardiovascular disease prevention diet is fat intake.

“. . . regular intake of ice cream can lead to cholesterol levels over 300 mg./dl.; and thus, going off these foods can dramatically lower the cholesterol.
http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?ID=1917

How many people must die because hypocritical ice cream vendors are out to make a buck?

What does the “Meat is Murder” / “Milk is Torture” contingent have to say about B&J products?

[Does this post qualify under the "Food for Though" topic?]

 

ok, spe, i have a counter argument.

it comes down to three words: freedom of choice.

you know ice cream's bad for you. if you eat it anyway, it's on you. we don't need Big Brother to knock out those terrible ice cream companies for us because we don't know better than to eat gross amounts of their product, do we? personal responsibility comes into play here.

in the case of children, it's on the parents to
a- teach their children to make responsible choices in the long run and
b- focus on the welfare of the children (aka say no once in a while), not just how to shut them up as quickly as possible.

sure, i bet b&j can stand to cut down on unhealthy ingredients, but it's not like their product is intended to be at the base of the food pyramid.

 

Nuclear weapons and children do have one thing in common, you shouldn't have to many of either because it could be very bad for the planet.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Jul 11 2006, 02:51 PM) [snapback]284635[/snapback]</div>

It's not quite a counter argument when I wholly agree. :lol:

But, Freedom of Choice . . . or, Freedom of Speech . . . doesn't negate hypocrisy.

I know ice cream is bad for me . . . but it's soooo gooood~!
Children know ice cream is gooood . . . but do they know, in reality, it bad for their health?

With liberal governments taking away parental rights and taking over the raising of children . . . is a ban on children consuming ice cream far off?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2170199,00.html
http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_57.cfm
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/inde...d=77313&ntpid=1


Cigarettes are also bad for peoples' health – and thusly, they are regulated by the government so persons (children) under 18 are not allowed to purchase them.

Am I suggesting ice cream be regulated? NO!

I'm just pointing out a slightly hypocritical stance by B & J in placing blame on the the government, when it comes to issues of children's health, when they themselves are a contributing factor.

Not to defend the tobacco folks, but, you don't hear them blaming the government for high rates of lung cancer. :mellow: (at least I don't think they do. I could be wrong . . . but that is my deaf ear at work. )

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 11 2006, 06:38 PM) [snapback]284652[/snapback]</div>

I think it is more an issue of consumers need to be educated about the damage of over-indulgence in unhealthy foods such as ice cream. Many people do not seriously consider the health implications of being overweight.

If you have ever seen the movie Super Size Me, it is quite an interesting 'documentary' about the fast food epidemic. There is obviously a lot of propaganda to this movie and it is engineered for shock value, but the underlying message is very true, and the movie actually serves as a great motivator for anyone wanting to go on a diet.

Oh, and you'll never eat McNuggets again. :blink:

- Kevin

 

The fact that Ben & Jerry's sells a product that is destructive to people's health does not change the truth of what they are saying in those two links. Sufferin' is just trying to draw attention away from the shameful fact that Amerika is willing to spend 30 billion dollars a year on WMD's but won't spend $2 billion on health care for its own kids; and this in spite of the fact that once you have enough WMD's to obliterate all life on the planet, building more of them is nothing but welfare for the rich!

But the neo-cons cannot justify our expenditure on WMD's, nor cover their own shame over the fact that their own greed allows more children to die every year than all the "terrorists" put together, so Sufferin' criticizes an ice cream company instead. True to form!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 11 2006, 04:39 PM) [snapback]284624[/snapback]</div>

Um, The threat of ice cream taking a child's life v. The threat of no affordable health care taking a childs life in the scenerio that overstocking the US with nuclear warfare is more important than childrens' lives...

I rest my case.

Give me a break Suffrin'.

And who is being self-righteous - B&J helped create what? The fact that children have no healthcare? Or the fact that kids are fat from eating ice cream? Avacados can make a kid fat, should we get right to the source and figure out the best way to blame God?

WAKE UP SUFFRIN"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(narussian @ Jul 11 2006, 10:26 PM) [snapback]284826[/snapback]</div>

Mission Statement
The Center for Defense Information is dedicated to strengthening security through: international cooperation; reduced reliance on unilateral military power to resolve conflict; reduced reliance on nuclear weapons; a transformed and reformed military establishment; and, prudent oversight of, and spending on, defense programs.
http://www.cdi.org/about/index.cfm

We started TrueMajority in order to compound the power of all those who believe in social justice, giving children a decent start in life, protecting the environment, and America working in cooperation with the world community.
http://www.truemajority.org/

About NPP
The National Priorities Project (NPP) offers citizen and community groups tools and resources to shape federal budget and policy priorities which promote social and economic justice.
http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?op...id=11&Itemid=65

WoW, that's enough liberalism to make me choke on some B & J ice cream. :lol:

“Tell them America's children deserve a bigger slice of the pie.†OH SURE! It's not enough to fatten them up on ultra rich ice cream . . . now they want to gorge the little ones on bigger slices of pie!

If only we didn't spend all that money on defense . . . why, we could even save 30 million starving, homeless, furry little puppies a month. <_<

Not having health insurance here in the US is not the same as not having access to medical care . . . especially if you wish to compare uninsured in the US to lack of available health care in many parts of the world.

Just how many of those babies “born without health insurance†were born in hospitals anyways.
Thought so.

This is nothing more than a crass political ploy for socialized medicine and an anti military doctrine.

 

Children don't vote.

Children don't contribute money to political campaigns. (At least not in any amounts that would matter.)

Health Care in the U.S. is a FOR PROFIT business. You can't make money off children.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 12 2006, 12:39 AM) [snapback]284851[/snapback]</div>

Not having health insurance translates into not getting regular pre-natal checkups that would catch health problems at a stage when they can be cured more reliably and cheaper.

Not having health insurance translates into not getting well-baby care that would catch health problems at a stage when they can be cured more reliably and cheaper, before there are obvious symptoms.

Not having health insurance translates into people using the emergency room instead of regular clinic visits, because they cannot afford the clinic visits, thus greatly increasing the overall cost of health care.

Not having health insurance translates into many people not going to see a doctor at all, because even though they will not be turned away from the hospital, they will be billed, and if they cannot pay will be hounded by bill-collectors. Some will go to the hospital, and just not pay, so the rest of us end up with inflated bills, and others will no go to the hospital at all and will get even sicker, or will die, because problems are not addressed early enough.

Not having health insurance translates into greater social costs in the long run. And it is just plain stingy for the wealthiest country in the world to stuff money hand over fist into the pockets of the rich while denying routine medical care to children!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jul 12 2006, 04:46 AM) [snapback]284859[/snapback]</div>

What is wrong with profit - it gives rise to new technology to improve health care, it gives rise to new medications to improve health care, it gives rise to increased capabilities of people dispensing the health care.

You cant make money off of children? I wonder how Apple would be doing or Hershey or Dell or Elecrtronic Arts, or Summer Camps, or McDonalds, or Childrens Hospitals, or ..... they are all doing because of the free flow of $'s all related to kids spending or buying habits?



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 12 2006, 03:39 AM) [snapback]284851[/snapback]</div>

You are so right - and no one appreciates how much free health care we hand out or pay for via medicaid.

Try being uninsured in any other country and you will see first hand how true your statement is.

Since when is health care a right??

Is reading the newspaper a right?? if so, then the government should pay for that too. How about internet access? Where do you draw the line between a right and a choice?

Let me try one - I believe we as a group are entitled to the right of security and safety from threats external and internal...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rufaro @ Jul 11 2006, 04:27 PM) [snapback]284582[/snapback]</div>

I believe the answer to your question is every child born in the U.S. is born without insurance

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 12 2006, 03:39 AM) [snapback]284851[/snapback]</div>

okay, i'll agree that no health insurance and no facilities are different things. my friend just got back from tanzania and she showed me pics of the hospitals they have there (she's a nurse in training) and i was amazed.

however, the cost of healthcare here is prohibitively expensive for many. here's a personal example: we're doing ok, we did buy a new car last year after all, but if we had to pay for all the services we've used in the past *month*, we'd owe about half as much for that as we do on our car loan! in one month! as it is, our out of pocket expenses have well exceeded the $1k mark. now let's think of how many people can't afford that, and how many would sooner pass up healthcare services and put up with feeling like crap than not be able to pay for food and rent. in the early months of our marriage, we had no insurance. whenever one of us got sick, we stuck it out because we couldn't afford the $150 for doctor's services plus diagnostics, medication, and whatever else. there are a whole lot of people who are stuck in that situation and can't get themselves up and out.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jul 12 2006, 10:22 AM) [snapback]284961[/snapback]</div>

What he said.

Penny wise, pound foolish.

(And our emergency rooms are becoming dysfunctional because of the increasing load of the uninsured. They were not designed for that.)

The cost of health care has increased at double the rate of inflation.

Oh...and ever been to the Public Library? How much did they charge you?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jul 12 2006, 09:01 AM) [snapback]284989[/snapback]</div>

Oh . . . and ever been to the free clinic? How much did they charge you?
A County clinic, or a Public library - I've paid for them both with my taxes! <_<

Where can I find health care and social services?
There are many free or low-cost services for pregnant women and their babies. For more information, call 1-800-311-BABY (1-800-311-2229). For information in Spanish, call 1-800-504-7081.
You also may find services through the following places:
• Hospitals
• Churches
• Doctors’ offices
• Other human service programs
• State or local Health Departments
http://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/womeninfants/prenatal.htm

[sarcasm]
Waaahhhhh waaaahhhh! If only we had a nationalized healthcare system . . . and no military. Only then would we would live in a Utopian society . . . as long as we also had free food, evil Fortune 500 companies withered on the vine, rich people weren't, housing were free, drug laws repealed, and jails were emptied and work outlawed.
Ooh, and nobody is allowed to eat meat.
And, and . . .
If only we could all live like Y'all want, then things would be perfect.
[/sarcasm]

If you really want to do something to make healthcare better in the USA, complain to your elected officials. Tell them you want a law passed where Living Wills are mandatory. The amount of money we spend as a society on either useless or unwanted end of life healthcare would go a long way to cure other ills our healthcare system suffers from.

Currently, $1.3 trillion (70% of the annual expenditures) dollars are spent on medical services in the last six months of life.

Just shifting dying from the hospital to a hospice environment would save around a half trillion dollars. Rather than building more brick-and-mortar high cost hospitals, a shift to hospice would do wonders in reducing health care costs in the US.

As an individual there is something you can do--have a living will. A living will allows you to provide instructions to your family and doctors, regarding the kind of medical treatment or procedures, should you have an incurable injury, disease, illness or condition should you not be able to express your wishes.

This end of life issue alone represents about 25% of the total bill more than it should. It is up to us as individuals to understand what we can do.
http://www.codebluenow.org/blog/view_by_ca...?the_category=6

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 12 2006, 02:27 PM) [snapback]285201[/snapback]</div>

OOhhh, do I hear a Republican calling for legalized mass murder?