Obesity "Peaks" (at the Invisible Hand)

Obesity rates have recently plateaued according to today's newspaper. Let's take a closer peek at this peak. As I've pointed out, the last decade brought us both unprecedentedly cheap eats and related obesity, but the correlation is widely unnoticed or ignored. Everyone in a capitalist economy knows the relationship between price and consumption, oil being a good example.

Health officials are taking credit for this rontundos reversalus, believing their nutrition labeling, public educational programs, and removing junk food from public schools are the reason. But that's like conservationists crediting themselves for motivating the public to buy more fuel efficient vehicles when gas reaches $4.00 per gallon.

Consumption is limited only by the ability to pay, the cheaper (thus more plentiful) a commodity, the more likely it will be over-consumed as with the "all your can eat" buffet vs. the al a carte menu. So all you public health professionals, don't give yourself too much credit. The invisible hand that once overfed us, now moderates our consumption.

Published in the Desert Sun, 6 June, 2008

Did you hear about....

the lawyer who was a failed novelist?

He refused to put anything in writing!

Panderer or War Monger

We all know that Clinton and Obama both believe the Iraqi War is over oil. Now John McCann joined the fray saying that under his energy policy we would never again have to fight a war over oil. He later said he was referring to Iraq I, not the current war, but with his advanced senility, I suspect he said what he meant... he's getting too old to lie effectively.

Great! They are all on the same page. But Clinton and McCann both want to temporarily repeal the federal gas tax during the summer months when prices and demand peak. They literally want to add fuel to the fire encouraging overconsumption of a blood-soaked commodity. Shame on them for pandering to an American public. We need to change our ways; any delay will cost more lives and further degrade the planet.