Fly Me to the Moon!! This was fun! I was perusing an article about airlines in Austrailia being urged to implement a "fat tax" on passenger that are, shall we say, larger than the average bear. Being a somewhat calorically challenged fellow I read on with interest to see how those noble folks downunder wuld deal with teh matter.
I learned :
Recent studies estimate that 67% of Australian men and over half of women aged over 25 are overweight or obese. Experts have warned that by 2030 half of the country's children will be overweight or obese if the problem goes unchecked.
67%!! I thought the olde US of A had the biggest percentage of plus sized folks. 67% wow. So I read on. There was the usual blather about how it would impact the self esteem of the larger passengers.....and I eagerly read on looking fro the suggestion that maybe bigger seats were in order. Nope.
Dr Tickell, a leading nutritionist and author, told the BBC that society should take a more hardline stance against obesity and get tough on fat airline passengers.
He said that Australian airlines should impose charges on their overweight clients, as they do for excess baggage, because heavier loads increase fuel costs.
So, I got to wondering, what is normal? Who gets to say YOU pay the fat tax and YOU, you handsome devil, do not have too? How about a reduced faire for skinny folks? Maybe even a “weight credit” that they could sell. You know like them carbon credit thingys that are all the rage these days. Simply have one of your skinny friends go on a diet for you and then purchase their “Weight Credit”. But, I digress…..
So I read on and then I hit this…
Dr Tickell said it was important to start highlighting Australia's obesity crisis.
"I think we're a bit too nice, we're a bit too precious about minority groups. I think the majority group must have something to say too," he added.
“I think the majority group must have something to say too” I had to read the opening paragraphs of the article again…67% are overweight or obese, yup correctamundo. That’s what it says. Now, I am not a mathematician, but the last time I took a math class 67% WAS THE MAJORITY!
What we have here is a whiny, undernourished liberal doctor/nutritionist looking to the gubberment to solve his problems. A problem that is, well, not a problem, for the majority of the country.
Dr Tickell, a leading nutritionist and author, told the BBC that society should take a more hardline stance against obesity and get tough on fat airline passengers.
He said that Australian airlines should impose charges on their overweight clients, as they do for excess baggage, because heavier loads increase fuel costs.
So, I got to wondering, what is normal? Who gets to say YOU pay the fat tax and YOU, you handsome devil, do not have too? How about a reduced faire for skinny folks? Maybe even a “weight credit” that they could sell. You know like them carbon credit thingys that are all the rage these days. Simply have one of your skinny friends go on a diet for you and then purchase their “Weight Credit”. But, I digress…..
So I read on and then I hit this…
Dr Tickell said it was important to start highlighting Australia's obesity crisis.
"I think we're a bit too nice, we're a bit too precious about minority groups. I think the majority group must have something to say too," he added.
“I think the majority group must have something to say too” I had to read the opening paragraphs of the article again…67% are overweight or obese, yup correctamundo. That’s what it says. Now, I am not a mathematician, but the last time I took a math class 67% WAS THE MAJORITY!
What we have here is a whiny, undernourished liberal doctor/nutritionist looking to the gubberment to solve his problems. A problem that is, well, not a problem, for the majority of the country.
Move over skinny and pass the peanuts…………
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