U.S. obesity ads called ‘namby-pamby’

MSNBC ^ | October 22, 2007

[Eric Blair 2084]

ATLANTA - Drunks swimming in gin, smokers in body bags and dopers living with their parents deep into adulthood. Those are among the public service ads shown in the United States in the past.

But the U.S. government's new batch of obesity spots declines even to show a fat person, let alone wag a finger for gluttony or sloth.

No one is advocating public service announcements that ridicule fat people; experts say such spots would do more harm than good. But critics complain that the three new spots premiering this month are a wimpy attack on the costly and deadly explosion of obesity in America.

"It's so namby-pamby I think people will shrug it off," said Michael Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based advocacy organization.

The three new spots are the latest in a series created by the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which try to tackle the U.S.'s obesity problem with ads that encourage healthy snacking and taking the stairs.

Creators of the "Small Steps" campaign, funded by the government at more than $1.5 million a year, cite survey data for 467 adults which showed those who saw the ads did more walking and adopted some other healthy habits than those who did not see the ads.

But critics say such a survey is hardly proof of success, and the U.S's fat problem is clearly getting worse — more than one in three U.S. children are overweight or obese, and two in three adults are.

[Eric Blair 2084]

When they came for the drinkers during Prohibition, I did not speak out, as I was not a drinker.

When they came for the employees of the oldest profession in the world, I did not speak out, as I had no interest in purchasing sex.

When they came for the purveyors of what was deemed to be "obscene" or "offensive", I did not speak out, as I was not a fan of entertainers like Lenny Bruce or Howard Stern.

When they came to ban the female mammary gland from TV, I did not speak out, because Brian Boitano told me not to.

When they came for the marijuana smokers, I did not speak out, as I was not a marijuana smoker.

When they came for the steroid users, I did not speak out, as I was not a steroid user.

When they came for the _______ (insert nominally objectionable behavior here), I did not speak out as I was not a _________ (fill in the blank).

When they came for the pornographers, I did not speak out, as I was not a pornographer.

When they came for the people who don't wear seatbelts, I did not speak out, as I always wore my seatbelt.

When they came for the gun owners, I did not speak out, as I was not a gun owner.

When they came for the gamblers, I did not speak out, as I was not a gambler.

When they came for the cigarette smokers, I did not speak out, as I was not a smoker.

When they came for the overweight and the obese, I did not speak out, as I was not overweight or obese.

When they came for the drinkers (again), I did not speak out, as I was not a drinker.

Then they came for me...and there was nobody left to speak out.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Big Brother, Nanny State, Grant Junky, Bogus Study, Junk Science, Social Engineering, Sheeple Control, Health Nazi

This is an extremely low volume ping list. 6 per week max. To be added to or deleted from this ping list, please click one of the follwing:

Eric, you are a genius add me to your ping list or Eric, you are a jackass, take me off this ping list

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____________________________________________________________________

Constitution of the Left Wing Nanny State of Liberals:

Picture courtesy of unixfox. All rights reserved. Copyright MMVII. Any use of the pictures descriptions or accounts of this ping without the express written consent of unixfox, Eric Blair, or Major League Baseball is strictly prohibited. Some restrictions apply. Ping not available in all states. For erections lasting longer than four hours, call the Guiness Book of World Records. Use only as directed.

Preamble:

We the People Sheeple of the United States Nanny State, in Order to form a more perfect Union Socialist Utopia, establish Justice Socially engineer a country of non smoking, physically fit, tea totallers, insure domestic Tranquility Smoking bans in bars, limits on unhealthy food and social drinking, provide for the common defense Universal Healthcare, promote the general Welfare health of the population whether they like it or not, in order to save above mentioned Universal Healthcare entitlement program from bankruptcy, and secure the Blessings of Liberty Dependency to ourselves progressive liberals and our Posterity Hitler Youth who we brainwash through public school education, do ordain decree and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Nanny State of Liberals.

[tongue-tied]

Creators of the "Small Steps" campaign, funded by the government at more than $1.5 million a year..."

Here's a thought - take "Smaller Bites" or eat "Smaller Portions". Now, will they give me some of that money?

[sheik yerbouty]

YOU ARE A FOOD CRIMINAL! Winston! How many donuts do you see?

[Eric Blair 2084]

What room am I in?

[basil]

Or—as Dr. Laura says: Eat less, move more—LOL!

[Eric Blair 2084]

If you can figure out a scheme to save the Gubmint healthcare entitlement programs billions of dollars and save them from insolvency without having to cut benefits, you can make billions. It doesn’t even have to work. Grant junkies and activists are making millions.

Whatever line of work you are in...you’re in the wrong line of work.

Just convince public serpents in Gubmint that you can solve their healthcare problem by reducing the need for healthcare through “preventative medicine” (ie, coerce the sheeple not to drink, eat or smoke so much) and you will be posting on FR from your yacht in the Carribean.

You know what? Screw everyone. If you can’t beat em join em.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Personal responsibility has no place in America. We need more Government.

[weegee]

Dirty little secret. Europe has 50% obesity.

[weegee]

Obesity numbers rose because the numbers for what is “healthy” changed.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Now you’re getting it.

You have to create a problem...obesity, global warming...before you can get Gubmint grant money to solve it.

You learn quickly.

[Thrownatbirth]

I'm not quiting smoking because the tax revenue I generate reflects my truly virtuous nature regardless of how many hair-brained schemes they throw my money away on.

Although naming the bridge or highway I personally paid for after me would be nice. :-)

[Eric Blair 2084]

Don’t roll your own or buy Native American smokes.

Buy cigarettes from the convenience store for the children. You are a good man. These non smokers are careless brutes who don’t care about the chilruns.

[Eric Blair 2084]

I would have loved to see that sign on the airplane a few days ago when a 300 pound heffer sat next to me for 3 hours shoving her hooves in my ribs while I was sleeping.

[TigersEye]

Drunks swimming in gin, smokers in body bags and dopers living with their parents deep into adulthood. Those are among the public service ads shown in the United States in the past.

I think it's all designed to stimulate class division, envy and rancor amongst the populace. The masses are easier to control that way.

No one is advocating public service announcements that ridicule fat people; experts say such spots would do more harm than good.

More harm to the authoritarians seeking to set us against each other so they can more freely institute control. Insulting people for eating too much would just bring the heat back on themselves. Gotta be careful who you demonize and how.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Perfectly stated. Just substitute your humble “think” for know. Divide and conquer.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Nathan Zachary]

soon, the people police will come take regular stool samples from your toilet to make sure you aren’t eating something you aren’t supposed to.

You will be ORDERED, under penalty of breaking the law, to regularly attend a Hillary care rectal examination center to ensure your poop shute is clear (exam preformed by a special gay doc and his hamster)

[Nathan Zachary]

"More harm to the authoritarians seeking to set us against each other so they can more freely institute control. Insulting people for eating too much would just bring the heat back on themselves. Gotta be careful who you demonize and how."

That's why they demonize the food you eat instead. It's easier to control fat people by taking their food away, and getting them to blame their fatness on food processors, red meat, etc. The anti meat people are well entrenched in food police offices.