September 1st, 2004
In case you missed it: The Public Interest has a terrific piece on obesity research in its last issue (Summer, 2004). By Inas Rashad and Michael Grossman, the report illustrates, among other things, journalism’s power to publicize complex research findings in a manner intelligible to interested readers. Of course, it helps that Rashad and Grossman are economists—of Georgia State and CUNY respectively—but most of their article is concerned with simply relating the findings of current academic research on various causes of obesity, which include: falling farm prices, which led in the early ‘80s to cheaper grocery prices and more food-per-dollar; high-calorie, easy-to-prepare foods made specifically for the microwave; general declines in physical activity since early ‘80s; increasing numbers of women in the workforce, which leads to increased, high-calorie restaurant-eating. The authors save the best for last however.
Cigarette taxes, they found (and here they’re talking about their own research), have caused people to quit smoking and eat more. “The rise in the real price of cigarettes is the second-most important factor next to the growth in restaurants in the trend in the post-1980 obesity trend. We estimate that it accounts for almost 20 percent of the growth in obesity.”
Man on Fire
September 1st, 2004
Hugh Hewitt’s dust-up with Terry McAuliffe is posted now on HughHewitt.com. Worth your valuable time.
0 commentsReal News
September 1st, 2004
Because of the convention, real news elsewhere isn’t getting the attention it deserves. In Russia, Chechen rebels have taken a school filled with children hostage. Three civilians were killed during the taking of the school, and now between 120 and 150 adults and children are being held. The assault took place on the first day of the new school year.
But this is just the latest attack. Earlier this week a female suicide bomber killed nine people in central Moscow. Last week two Russian passenger planes were blown up by suicide bombers.
Either Vice President Cheney tonight, or President Bush tomorrow, should mention these horrible events. They show that this is not a contest between the Islamists and America, but rather between the Islamists and Western civilization.
0 commentswild and crazy protesters
September 1st, 2004
Am so tired of the “irreverent” protester whose antics don’t rise to the level of amusing. For example, I received a press release this morning from Axis of Eve—a group of anti-Bush women that is gathering today in downtown Manhattan for a “panty performance protest.” Here’s the problem: They promise a “mass flash,” but in their book this involves “no nudity!” Look, if you want points for “exposing” Bush, nudity is a sine qua non.
0 commentsSeptember 1st, 2004
Not Safe for Work: A gallery of Tucker Carlson pictures, courtesy of CNN.com. I’d post one, but I can’t decide which is my favorite.
Don’t try to pretend you don’t love it.
In any case, they’re certainly more interesting than the Jessica Cutler photos which surfaced yesterday.
Cutler has set a new land-speed record for the journey from minor-fame to nude-pictorial. All hail the power of the blogosphere!
0 commentsBush Twins, cont.
September 1st, 2004
An informed source tells me that the Bush twins’ remarks were written not by the Bush twins, but by Karen Hughes.
0 commentsSeptember 1st, 2004
The New York Post has an interesting tidbit buried in this editorial:
On Monday, an NYPD officer was put in the hospital after being assaulted by protesters. The Post reports that “video of the incident showed that someone in a neon-green painter’s cap was standing next to the assailant.” The green-hats are members of the National Lawyers Guild who “say their job is to protect anti-Republican protesters from alleged police brutality.”
But not, evidently, vice versa.
0 commentsSlogan for Day 2
September 1st, 2004
Last night the big banners hanging in Madison Square Garden read “A Nation of Courage.” Tonight, they’ve been changed to “People of Compassion.” Nominees for Days 3 and 4?
0 comments
