I mentioned on a previous thread about smokers I met at a party who, in my opinion, were brainwashed. But their cases are mild compared to actress Lindsay Lohan.

On a tv show I watched this weekend about rich and famous brats, Lohan had no problem being seen in public entering nightclubs when underage; no problem walking around in public obviously under the influence; and no problem showing her vagina (like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton) during that short-lived trend.

So, is there anything that Lohan hides from public view? Yes. Her smoking.

If she's caught smoking by the paparazzi she pleads with them not to use the photo and in exchange she'll voluntarily pose for some pics.

Four things mentioned. Only one is legal, and it's the one she hides.

Come to think of it, I believe she was busted for driving under the influence, but she might've wanted to hide that too.

Just wait until they are treated as smokers are treated!!!!!
Gary K.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1730150,00.html

The Obese Feel More Discrimination

A new study from Yale University suggests a converse trend: rather than feeling tolerance in our society, the overweight and obese say they feel more heavily discriminated against now than they did a decade ago.

Participants answered nine additional questions about everyday experiences, such as how they were treated in restaurants, and whether they had encountered name-calling, harassment or threats.

Andreyeva says that an increase even in people's perceived sense of maltreatment is an important measure of our society's attitudes.

"If a person perceives he is being discriminated against," Andreyeva says, "it might have significant consequences for his or her health and mental health.
Even the perception of discrimination can be important because it is self-perpetuating."

And if rates of weight discrimination are indeed on the rise, say the authors, then it's up to society to mandate legal protections for those who are overweight, just as laws protect people from discrimination by race, gender, disability and age.

I don't know how much, but it's likely a huge percentage of the blame can be laid at the feet of the anti-smoker movement.

In this age of "tolerance and enlightenment", kids and adults are taught to be disrespectful to smokers, to even fear them. Is there any reason for them not to carry that forward to other groups?

You knew this was coming!!!
Gary K.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/foreign/brunowaterfield/ap...ivedrinkingguilt.htm

European Union and United Nations officials are plotting to make drinking as socially unacceptable as smoking.

Hectoring campaigns over “passive smoking” are credited for Europe’s almost total smoking ban.

Now alcohol is in the sights of the public health miserablists and they have invented the concept of "passive drinking" as their killer argument.

The Daily Mail takes up a report in New Scientist to trumpet a new “guilt campaign” that is heading our way.

“The World Health Organisation's global strategy will aim to match the success of campaigns which have made smokers feel guilty about the harm second-hand smoke does to others,” says the report.

Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians is wheeled on to confirm the new approach. “The tipping point for banning smoking in public places was third party damage,” he said.

(And of course,for the sake of children-Gary K.)

Children, too, are passive victims of drinking. “Many of the harms caused by alcohol are borne by people other than the drinker responsible. This includes 60,000 underweight births, as well as 16 per cent of child abuse and neglect, and five to nine million children in families adversely affected by alcohol,” says the EU report’s summary.

The sheer absurdity of the idea of “passive drinking” would be funny if the public health lobby was not so powerful and unpleasant.

It is no longer a joke or satire!!!!

What we need is a campaign against prescription drugs. Their costs are causing people to neglect their nutrician. Their side effects are causing lost productivity. Their over use is polluting our water supply and creating stronger diseases.

Their ultimate costs are overtaxing our governments and ultimately us.

The same accusations about the tobacco companies can be applied to the drug companies and their pushers. There is a supposed drug to treat every circumstance and condition. What is worse is there is another drug to combat the first drug's side effects, then more drugs to treat the sides resultant new side effects.

The antismokers are worried about children having access to tobacco, but at the same time , adults are prescribing drugs to each and every one of them. What is the actual long term effects of tobacco or booze compared to the drugs these "doctors" are prescribing to both children and adults?

No one compares the addict on prescription drugs to the addicts of natural products. Who is more effective a drug pusher on the corner or the medical professional in the clinic? It would seem the only difference is one has a license and the other does not.

Gary -

I believe the whole "passive drinking" theory started to roll out about 3 or 4 years ago. I remember during one of the fall baseball playoffs, one of the news rags here in Boston had an article about "second hand drinking". There was that incident where a collage student got shot and killed, when she go shot in the eye by a rubber bullet. Some anti drinking group tried to blame it on "second hand drinking".

Have any of you noticed by the way, that there's an increase in the number of private clinics, opening up, that deal with alcohol abuse? I don't know the names off the top of my head - but it seems that every time I listen to the radio, there's an Ad for a private "out patient" type of clinic to help your "loved ones" kick their drinking habit. This is just a personal observation on my part.

Bruce - I have seen ads on TV that target the issues of prescription drug abuse. But I think they are not bringing up the same issues that you bring up, which are long term affects.

Thanks,

Did anyone else watch the ad/story for gastric bypass surgery on 60 minutes Sunday?

Now it has more benefits than weight reduction.

I wonder if Mary Tyler Moore will submit to the knife?

quote:

Originally posted by Bruce:
Did anyone else watch the ad/story for gastric bypass surgery on 60 minutes Sunday?

Yeah. Supposedly an instant cure for diabetes.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/20043...html?syndication=rss

Here's a good one - debunking anti-addiction pills!

Without any pleasure in life, what is the point of living? It would seem taking these pills only create pleasure for the people manufacturing and dispensing them.

quote:

Originally posted by Bruce:
Without any pleasure in life, what is the point of living? It would seem taking these pills only create pleasure for the people manufacturing and dispensing them.

And their stockholders!