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Denmark an Example After Transfat Ban

Excerpted from here

Two years ago Denmark declared war on killer fat, making it illegal for any food to have more than 2 percent transfats. Offenders now face hefty fines _ or even prison terms. The result? Today hardly anyone notices the difference.

The french fries are still crispy. The pastries are still scrumptious. And the fried chicken is still tasty.

Denmark's experience offers a hopeful example for places like Canada and the U.S. state of New York, which are considering setting limits on the dangerous artery-clogging fats.

Transfatty acids are typically added to processed foods such as cookies, margarine and fast food. They are cheaper to produce than mono-saturated fats, and give a longer shelf life to the foods they are added to.

Producers also argue that removing transfat from processed food will change certain tastes and textures beloved by consumers.

But they have been called the tobacco of the nutrition world. They lower good cholesterol while raising bad cholesterol.

Even consuming less than five grams of transfat _ the amount found in one piece of fried chicken and a side of french fries _ a day has been linked with a 25 percent increased risk of heart disease.

"No other fat at these low levels of intake, has such harmful effects," said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist at Harvard's School of Public Health.

It is still too early to tell if removing transfat from food in Denmark has improved the country's health.

----read the rest of the article--------------------

Wow, now the "I know what's good for you!" crowd will have something to bow down to.

Just can't wait.

Forced Wind Power

Dexter Perkins speaks w/Doreen Yellowbird in the Grand Forks Herald about the 20/20 Initiative


My question:
The City 20/20 Renewable Electricity Initiative folks appear to have put in a lot of work on this. Do they actually think it will be a good thing to force relatively small areas like Grand Forks or Fargo to enter into an experiment on renewable energy?

Renewable Wind Energy is a good thing and will eventually become a big thing in ND. At this time we just don't need it forced upon a city here and there. I think it's a "Divide and conquer thing."

Using the Resource Library from the City 20/20 Renewable Electricity Initiative web site do some research.

There is even a National Wind Coordinating Committee with a web site.

I found the power companies have been looking at renewable energy sources for quite some time but have found there are some hurdles to overcome.

For example, storing power when the wind isn't blowing enough and transmission lines from areas where wind works best to where it is needed. Neither of these are done cheaply and who pays? (The end user, of course.) Other items concerning wind generating are wildlife, interaction with aviation radar, and noise.

In an excerpt from the interview, Dexter talks about the power companies:

"They give you the worst scenarios about worst possible outcomes; it's always worst-possible outcomes. They don't mention the corresponding scenarios of best possible outcomes."

That's how businesses make decisions, by looking at both sides. I suppose the 20/20 Initiative folks have given us "balanced outcomes?"

I see Dexter is from Boston, and here is an article on Boston's Wind Energy Project . Now, I understand why the 20/20 Initiative tackles small state cities.

Nobel Peace Prize < -- > Cindy Sheehan In the same sentence???

Sheehan holds Austin book signing

(Linked here)


11:41 AM CDT on Thursday, October 12, 2006

By SHELTON GREEN / KVUE News

The president's most vocal critic against the war in Iraq was in the Capitol City Wednesday night.
KVUE Online Video

KVUE's Shelton Green reports

Cindy Sheehan was at BookPeople on Lamar & 6th Street signing autographs for her new book entitled "Peace Mom".

Sheehan's son, Casey Sheehan died while on patrol in Iraq on April 4th, 2005.

“Whether you agree with it or not I think we should all be reading books by the families of people who've loss their sons and daughters in this war,” said Turk Pipkin who was buying one of Sheehan’s books.

His mother bought a house in Crawford where she and her supporters often protests near President George Bush's ranch.

"What I really hope to do with it is to inspire people to do what they can to make the world a better place and to let them know that one person really can make a difference," Cindy Sheehan.

Sheehan also announced at the signing that she's a finalist for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Doesn't say much for the credibility of the Peace Prize if it's true, but then again look at the source.
"Sheehan also announced at the signing that she's a finalist for a Nobel Peace Prize." in case you missed the last line

Assassination by news

First things first - I think Foley is a "low life"

Agreed?

Next thing - the main stream media makes accusations as they discover them. When they find out the news they printed in their headlines isn't quite true, they neglect to correct them in the headlines or most anywhere sometimes.

Example from Drudge:

SEX CHAT WAS WITH 18 YEAR OLD

On Tuesday ABC news released a high-impact instant message exchange between Foley and, as ABC explained, a young man "under the age of 18."

ABC headlined the story: "New Foley Instant Messages; Had Internet Sex While Awaiting House Vote"

But upon reviewing the records, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, the young man was in fact over the age of 18 at the time of the exchange.

A network source explains, messages with the young man and disgraced former Congressman Foley took place before and after the 18th birthday.

Suppose ABC will print a correction?

Not holding my breath.