What next???

[catnapper]

Oh, and I forgot to say that I was a size 3X and have not had a sip of cola in 20 years. My weight had NOTHING to do with cola, unless those sneaky calories took twenty years to accumulate.

[Alysser]

I will be the first to admit I have a soda drinking problem. I complain about how fat I feel I am, and I work out a lot, so really, it shouldn't be an issue. I feel that most of my fat is water weight and bloat from the amount soda I drink (2 cans a day at least). But anyway, so what if he bans the size of drinks? Most places have a free re-fill station (besides sit down restaurants) anyway. You can fill up your cup as much as you want anyway.

The reason we have such a huge obesity problem, IMO, is not even ignorance. We've been HAMMERED with the fact that places like McDonald's is awful for you. You make your own choices as what to eat or drink. You make the choice to exercise or not. Only have a 30 minute lunch break and the nearest restaurant is Burger King or McDonalds? Pack a healthy lunch from home, you also save money. Believe it or not, Mickey D's has some healthier choices than fries. It really is all about the choices YOU make. People constantly like to blame the obesity problem on restaurants and food companies, but in reality, WHO chose to eat the food? Remember when to obese girls sued McDonalds for making them that way? Ridiculous.

As for New York City, between the gun laws and this...well yeah, they are a nanny city. New York as a whole is a nanny state.

[Karen]

New York as a whole is a nanny state.

Careful kiddo - most of New York State is far different from New York City - and Mayor Bloomberg has no jurisdiction there!

[Lady's Human]

As for New York City, between the gun laws and this...well yeah, they are a nanny city. New York as a whole is a nanny state.

entschuldigen sie bitte?

[pomtzu]

entschuldigen sie bitte?

Since English is my only foreign language, perhaps you could elaborate???

[Pinot's Mom]

Is the Mayor crazy? Yeah.
Does he have a good intention? Possibly.
Will it pass? No.
Would it make any difference if it did? No.

But, more importantly, WILL IT GET HIM IN THE NEWS? ABSOLUTELY!!

[Catty1]

Translation: "Please excuse her?" (Google) or "Excuse me?" (Babelfish)

Pinot's Mom - yes, it IS all about publicity. Oscar Wilde: "It's better to be talked about than not talked about."

[momcat]

I'm tired of people like idiot Bloomberg trying to save me from myself!

[Lady's Human]

Is the Mayor crazy? Yeah.
Does he have a good intention? Possibly.
Will it pass? No.
Would it make any difference if it did? No.

But, more importantly, WILL IT GET HIM IN THE NEWS? ABSOLUTELY!!

WIll it pass? Yes, because it only has to be approved by a board made up of Bloomberg's political appointees.

As to New York being a nanny state? Come out to upstate, live here for a few years, and say that with a straight face.

New York City is NOT New York state, just like New Jersey isn't all Jersey Shore denizens and chemical plants.

As to obesity claims, according to their charts I'm obese. I should weigh about 170 lbs. I did, once, when I had the build of a distance runner. Those days are long gone, I weigh about 205, have for years, I drink soda, eat bacon, drink beer, wine, and other "bad" things, carbs, you name it....

By their charts, I'm obese. However, I challenge anyone to say that to my face and mean it.

[Jessika]

The "obesity" problem isn't the fault of fast food restaurants or the size of sugary drinks being sold. It is the individual person's responsibility for what they put into their bodies. I think the government should have no dictation on what I CHOOSE to consume, whether it is healthy for me, or not - it is MY CHOICE to do so.

[pomtzu]

But, more importantly, WILL IT GET HIM IN THE NEWS? ABSOLUTELY!!

You probably hit the nail on the head with this statement. I saw him on the news last night, and he said very smugly and with a stupid smirk on his face, that it got him a LOT of publicity! Perhaps this was his ultimate goal???

[smokey the elder]

*puts on NASCAR rated fire-suit*

When states started putting bigger and bigger taxes on cigarettes, and banned smoking in a lot of places, it did discourage people from starting to smoke, and got some to quit. A lot of people say "if it doesn't affect me why should I bother with it? Well, IMO it does affect you and me, in higher insurance premiums. This is the price for living in a society. Has Hizzoner gone a bit far with soda? Maybe...one could argue, what's next. I think a "junk food" tax may be a possible solution, but then who defines "junk food"? I think a lot of health problems could be solved if the US would collectively go on a diet, the billion lb challenge, maybe?

[Lady's Human]

STE, the "Distributed costs to society" argument is getting old. How long until the government decides that they have to regulate who reproduces based on the probable cost to society?

How much of our behavior are we as a society willing to have government regulate for "the greater good"? Seatbelts, sugar, alcohol, .....where does it end?

My kids drink soda. I'm a bad parent. However, they are also very active, and there isn't an xbox anywhere to be found in the house. Every once in a blue moon they get to use the playstation 2 upstairs. THey're both skinny as rails, yet they eat candy, cookies, drink soda, koolaid, chocolate milk, and other nasty things.

I somehow don't think the food is the issue.

[Varga]

I don't necessarily agree with his idea but I have to say this, you Americans do realise just how huge the portions they serve here are, right? I still get surprised, even after having lived here for two years.
What is considered a large soda here, is unheard of back in Europe. Even in the same chains - such as Burger King and McDonald's - you order a large soda and it's going to be the size of of U.S. medium soda. I don't know why it's like that though. I don't think anyone at any point banned larger sodas. The need for them just never popped up I guess? I dunno.


I gotta say I like the huge portions at restaurants though. And how it's just totally normal and acceptable to get a box to bring home the leftovers! That whole idea is just unheard of back home. At most, some people might ask for a doggy bag to bring scraps for their dog but even that is considered pretty odd.

[Roxyluvsme13]

I don't think he's considered that people will just go back for more refills if the drinks are smaller...

And has anybody considered that some people's obesity problem is genetic or due to a medical issue? Because a lot of people are overweight because of those reasons, not because they eat badly...

Education and information is what we need though, not taking away large drinks.