Free Republic

A North Carolina mom is irate after her four-year-old daughter returned home late last month with an uneaten lunch the mother had packed for the girl earlier that day. But she wasn’t mad because the daughter decided to go on a hunger strike. Instead, the reason the daughter didn‘t eat her lunch is because someone at the school determined the lunch wasn’t healthy enough and sent it back home. Yes, you read that right. The incident happened in Raeford, N.C. at West Hoke Elementary School. What was wrong with the lunch? That’s still a head-scratcher because it didn’t contain anything...

EU officials concluded that, following a three-year investigation, there was no evidence to prove the previously undisputed fact. Producers of bottled water are now forbidden by law from making the claim and will face a two-year jail sentence if they defy the edict, which comes into force in the UK next month. Last night, critics claimed the EU was at odds with both science and common sense. Conservative MEP Roger Helmer said: “This is stupidity writ large. “The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are: highly-paid, highly-pensioned officials worrying about the obvious qualities of...

EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration Brussels bureaucrats were ridiculed yesterday after banning drink manufacturers from claiming that water can prevent dehydration. EU officials concluded that, following a three-year investigation, there was no evidence to prove the previously undisputed fact. Producers of bottled water are now forbidden by law from making the claim and will face a two-year jail sentence if they defy the edict, which comes into force in the UK next month. Last night, critics claimed the EU was at odds with both science and common sense. Conservative MEP Roger Helmer said: “This is stupidity writ...

Now that Casey Anthony has been found not guilty of murdering her daughter Caylee, she faces a civil lawsuit from a woman who says Anthony falsely accused her of kidnapping the girl...

It's not unusual for the federal government to provoke widespread retching among its citizens, but it rarely does so intentionally. The new warning labels required on cigarette packs, however, have that goal. Designed to evoke disgust with smoking, they may also induce revulsion at excessive uses of power. The old cigarette warnings inform consumers of straightforward facts, such as: "Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy" and "Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health." Thanks in part to such labels, Americans today fully grasp that smoking is unsafe. But the point of the...

I wish I could give my grandkids the childhood that I had. As a kid I thought I was depressed, abused, mistreated (especially by my sister), overworked, exploited, deprived, ignored, etc…ad infinitum. My grandkids should be so lucky. I learned what makes things work. What it takes to catch a fish. What to do about the things that do not work. I learned about manners, morals, and how to be true to your self. I learned a work ethic kids today will never know. I learned how to stand up for myself and be responsible for my actions. [snip]The...

No French fries. Or freedom fries for that matter. The New York City Health Department has issued new guidelines banning fried foods from its work-sponsored meals, telling employees to cut bagels and muffins in half, and saying that if cakes are served for a celebration, they can’t be coupled with cookies. According to the Health Department, it’s about being consistent. The Daily News explains: "Employees also got a bright-colored brochure stipulating what can and can’t be served at meetings and parties. "Tap water is a menu must when food or drinks are served. Other beverages must be less than 25...

The American Lung Assoc. gives Santee a failing grade for tobacco control, the Mayor responds. I am writing in response to the American Lung Association's (ALA) March 4 letter (see the letter in the media box) regarding Santee's overall grade of "F" in their annual State of Tobacco Control Report Card. They may see it as a grade of "F" from their perspective, as our being graded a failure; I see this grade of "F" from our perspective as being the highest grade for "FREEDOM" we could earn. In Santee we believe in life liberty and the pursuit of happiness....

The Soggies have finally won: Cap'n Crunch is quietly sailing into retirement. Long derided by health experts for its high sugar content – a single serving contains 12 grams – the cereal is no longer being actively marketed by Quaker, DailyFinance reports. It appears parent company Pepsico is forcing the good Cap'n to walk the plank. Cap'n Crunch was once the No. 1 breakfast cereal, but pressure from the White House and health activists is having an effect on how PepsiCo and other food companies peddle their products to kids. Sales of the cereal were down 6.8 percent in 2010.

New York Fast Food Calorie Information Law Has Little Effect (New York, NY) -- A New York City law that mandated calorie information be displayed in fast food restaurants has had little effect. A New York University study found the labels don't really influence food choice. Researchers say ten-percent of those polled before the law went into effect noticed calorie labeling in restaurants. While awareness surged to about half after the signs went up, only about a quarter of those who saw the signs said it mattered to them. The reason for the policy was that if you had more...

These two headlines adjacent today on Drudge. What else is there to say about the Obamanation? White House Super Bowl menu: 'Bratwurst, Kielbasa, Cheeseburgers, Deep Dish Pizza, Buffalo Wings, Potato Salad, Twice Baked Potatoes, Potato Chips, Pretzels, Chips and Dips, Salad, Ice Cream'... RESTAURANT NUTRITION DRAWS FOCUS OF FIRST LADY...

Michelle Obama's Barbecue Hypocrisy By Andrew Cline February 4, 2011 The first rule of political pandering: Know what you're talking about.The classic example: In 2004, Sen. John Kerry, trying to bolster his regular guy image, spoke of Green Bay's hallowed ";Lambert Field." It's Lambeau Field. Ten dork points for Kerry. This week, Michelle Obama walked into a culinary version of the Lambert gaffe. In an e-mail congratulating Charlotte, N.C., on being named host city for the 2012 Democratic National Convention, Obama mentioned that Charlotte has "great barbecue." As someone who grew up an hour from Charlotte, I can tell you...

He snorted with derision at "libertarians" who fail to recognize that "we don't have a health-care crisis in this country, but a health crisis." He spoke with passion and knowledge on the need for preventative care to bring down exorbitant costs. And then, without the least amount of prompting, he mustered a vigorous defense of Mrs. Obama's "Let's Move" campaign against childhood obesity. This was the "art of governing," he argued, rather than the cheap "science of campaigning."

Conservatives and libertarians are constantly railing against government intervention in the lives of citizens. As such, they are often accused by the left of hating all forms of government and seeking to deregulate everything to the point where corporations can take over the country and rob and enslave the citizenry. Nothing could be farther than the truth. Conservatives understand a successful nation requires a functioning government with a strong rule of law. Without a well functioning government a society devolves into chaos and anarchy. Anarchy in turn usually leads to the rise of a strongman or powerful groups who take...

In Ipswich, England, the once World's Fattest Man, a former postal employee, is suing the National Health Service for allowing him to become so obese. The 50 year old man asked for help at 30 stone(a stone equals 14 pounds), but feels he received poor advice from a medic in 1996 who advised him to ride his bike more often. He is also complaining that at 64 stone, he asked to see an eating disorders specialist, he feels he was wronged by being sent to a dietician; Consequently, he blames the NHS and these two issues for his weight getting...

Popular New Year's Resolutions Check out some New Year's resolutions that are popular year after year. Drink Less Alcohol Get a Better Education Get a Better Job Get Fit Lose Weight Manage Debt Manage Stress Quit Smoking Now Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Save Money Take a Trip Volunteer to Help Others

"San Francisco has become the first major U.S. city to pass a law that cracks down on the popular practice of giving away free toys with unhealthy restaurant meals for children." I saw the attached article on Drudge and had been hearing it on the TV and radio reports and it just got me thinking. All these bations of liberalism want to do things like ban trans fats, tax sugary drinks, ban the Happy Meal because they believe in the Nanny State and they know what is best for you...HOWEVER, these same people want to legalize marijuana and want to...

A mother feeding the ducks with her two children was stunned when she was told off by a council warden - for giving the birds 'unhealthy' white bread. Lisa Taplin, 34, was told by the park ranger to bring granary or wholemeal bread next time as it was better for the ducks.

Bavarian beer purveyors concerned about a smelly Oktoberfest are hoping bacteria can make the experience more enjoyable. They plan to pour a solution of live bacteria on the floors of Munich's beer tents, in an effort to knock out the inevitable festival smells usually covered up by a fog of cigarette smoke. Voters in Bavaria passed a statewide smoking ban in July, and it took effect last month. Oktoberfest gets an exception through 2011, but organizers want to conduct a test run during the festival’s 200th anniversary, which starts next week. Its ill effects aside, cigarette smoke is a pretty...

**** Those who prudently saved against the contingencies of this world, have subtly numbered themselves among "the rich." And, "tax the rich" is the received solution. For generations now, "progressive" politicians, imposing "progressive" tax systems, have been making an example of the prudent. The cultivation and manipulation of envy is at the heart of all political schemes for income redistribution, and parties of the Left have been building their client base upon it. Hence the gradual division of every electorate between the Party of Entitlement, and the Party of Tax Cuts: the one to increase spending, the other to limit...