The Food Police Need To Leave Kids Alone

I am getting so tired of food experts going on television and giving newspaper interviews talking about how over weight children are these days in the US. Please cut me some slack and lets worry more about whether our kids are getting a good education and less about whether or not their school has a soft drink machine. These so-called experts don’t seem to know how to mind their own business and they are constantly trying to ridicule kids who don’t fit into what their idea of the perfect body weight should be. Don’t these folks know that they are just creating more self esteem problems for these children, not to mention the pain they are causing their parents with their “kid obesity” claims?

In reality the US media is playing right into the hands of these weight obsessed folks who will never be satisfied until every single American weighs what they think they should. It is hard enough for kids just to survive the already tough comments of other kids without food experts saying that many of them are too fat. What is really great about this world is that fact that everyone is different and unique in his or her own way. Some of these food experts want everyone to not only look and act the same, but weight the ideal weight that some expert has declared to be normal. My only child is now grown, but I remember some of the bullying she had to put up with in school and while she wasn’t over weight, I can only image the added pain and stress parents are going through with these new comments about American kids being too fat.

There is no way these folks are ever going to change their views and the only hope we Americans have is that major news organizations and TV networks will quit reporting all this negative news which will not help reduce obesity, but make it worse in the long run. As most of you know I consider myself a moderate person and within my belief system if someone isn’t bother my family, or me it is none of my business how they live their life. That includes not sticking my nose into their home life and what type of food they choose to eat. I was so disappointed when President Clinton decided to join this crusade because he of all people should appreciate the benefit of other folk’s minding their own business.

Hopefully, members of the media will try and think about the damage they are doing by reporting every single peace of material these wacko food police organizations are putting out. Remember that it is very common that these types of groups will say one thing today and in a few months they will come out with completely contradictory studies about the same subject. It is tough enough to grow up in American with a half way decent self esteem already and our kids don’t need “do gooders” trying to bring them down because they believe they are too fat.

Related: Right Food Choices

Leave Kids Alone

Divorce Best Option For Whitney Houston/Bobby Brown

When I heard the news yesterday that Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown were getting a divorce, my first thought was what took them so long? In reality I know that opposites attract and in the case of Houston and Brown that statement is certainly true. I have been concerned in recent years that Whitney Houston was going to accidentally kill herself by taking a drug over dose as I watched her once beautiful face and body start to fade away. I kept saying to myself that it is such a waste of God given talent as drugs caused her once model like appearance and superstar voice to disappear.

Whitney Houston is one of my favorite singers, ever. Over the years she has elevated the mood of millions of people worldwide by her positive songs and wonderful vocal delivery of notes most folks could not even dream of hitting. I remember years ago, Whitney had a song out called, “The Greatest Love of All” and the video to that successful tune is still one of my all time favorites. I hope and pray that after Whitney Houston’s divorce from Bobby Brown is finally settled that she will decide to get into rehab for good and turn her life completely around. I know this thought of mine is easier said than done, but people who have deep convictions to change will somehow find a way to eventually succeed.

I don’t know much about Bobby Brown except that he seems to always be in trouble with the law and until Whitney Houston married him she didn’t seem to have those types of problems. My dad told me once that if I hung around on street corners with drug dealers that eventually I would become a drug dealer too. At the time I didn’t understand completely what he was trying to tell me, but I do understand now. His point was that I would not be able to turn around bad behavior in others because their ability to draw me into trouble would be stronger than my desire to help them to a straight and narrow life. Over time I have discovered so much wisdom in my late fathers words to me as a child.

I hope in the years to come, Whitney Houston will get back on track and start making music, once again that made her a household name years ago. It must be very hard for successful singers to stay off of drugs and alcohol because of the transient lifestyle they live by waking up in a different city each morning while on tour. However, a clean and sober lifestyle can be accomplished and the best thing Whitney Houston could do with her future life is to hook up with other people in the music industry who have been successful in kicking drugs and/or alcohol and spend most of her off time with them. We all need role models and just because someone is rich and famous doesn’t mean they don’t need role models, too.

Nancy Grace Under Fire After Guest Suicide

Nancy Grace, who has a television show on CNN’s Headline News Network each weeknight is coming under fire because one of her guests committed suicide after a recent appearance on her show. I just finished watching some exerts of Nancy’s questioning of the young woman whose child has been missing for several weeks and I didn’t see anything wrong with the questions she was asking her. There are people who would like to see members of the national media be made to pay for unfortunately circumstances like this one, but that would be wrong. Grace, along with every other reporter must ask tough questions in an effort to find out the truth. This young 21 year old woman was not forced to appear on the “Nancy Grace Show”, she chose to be there of her own free will.

I have watched network reporters ask tough questions of their guest for decades and the questions I heard Nancy Grace asking this young woman were mild in comparison to some of the tough questioning I have heard from the likes of Mike Wallace and other members of the “60 Minutes” program. My thinking is that this young woman was troubled by much greater issues than some hard questions from Nancy Grace and in time everyone will find out not only what was at the core of her decision to commit suicide, but the real story surrounding the disappearance of her young son. One thing is for sure; the US needs aggressive journalist who will ask tough questions of guest on their shows.

Another CNN personality, Larry King is always being criticized for not asking tough questions when politicians appear on his “Larry King Live” show weeknights on CNN. I happen to agree that Larry does not ask really tough questions and I don’t have a problem with his interview style. However, I certainly would not wish to see all TV interviewers use this same “softball questioning” style when interviewing elected officials. A good mix is needed when it comes to reporters and I believe that there are enough soft and hard questioners in the US media. No media person should be held accountable for the death of a person just because of tough questioning.

This whole story will die down within the next few days and everything on the cable news networks will get back to normal. I personally dislike all the negative partisan coverage on cable television today, but I’m not going to commit suicide just because some bozo on the television hurts my feelings. All people need to take responsibility for their own actions and not blame someone else when something bad happens to them. No one should go on a television news program with Nancy Grace and expect to be asked “softball questions”. This is not her style and anyone who was advising this troubled young woman should have pointed that fact out to her before she ever said yes to the interview.

Rudy Giuliani Should Run As Independent

The toughest person to beat in the 2008 race for President would be Rudy Giuliani running as an independent candidate for President of the United States. Unfortunately, if Giuliani continues down the road of trying to get the Republican nomination, he will begin to look as silly as John McCain currently does. The country really needs a moderate President, but no one with true moderate credentials has a chance to get the nomination of either the Republican or Democratic Party. Both major party structures are completely controlled by either right or left wing ideologues that will not vote for a candidate that has middle of the road political views.

In recent months, Senator John McCain has decided to take his middle of the road opinions and toss them out the window in order to get social conservative support in the 2008 Republican Primary. I believe this was a fatal mistake on his part because for millions of Americans, he represented real change from the status quo for the nation back in the 2000 election. However, now McCain just looks like a candidate that will change his opinions on a dime in order to get elected. If Rudy Giuliani would take the bold step of announcing his candidacy as an Independent early and stay a true moderate candidate throughout the entire election process, he would be victorious.

The GOP and Democrats are already up to their narrow campaign strategies of insulting one an another in an effort to rally their hard core base. It is no wonder that most people don’t vote anyone because neither one of the major political party’s even talks to true moderate Americans at election time. If Giuliani took the brave step of walking away from the Republican Party before he even tried to win within the party structure he would be seen as a political hero, just like he was as mayor of New York City in the days and weeks after 911.

If Rudy Giuliani decides to run as a Republican first, isn’t successful and then decides to give himself another chance as an independent candidate, then he will be perceived as nothing better than Joe Lieberman. Many people, like myself, believe it is wrong for any candidate to get two chances at victory during the same election cycle. Lieberman lost support within his own party and from outside when he first tried to win a primary as the Democratic candidate and when unsuccessful he is trying again as an independent. I personally like Rudy Giuliani for President, but I don’t think he will be able to get the Republican Party nomination and if by some miracle he does win it he will no longer be a middle of the road candidate for President.

Eventually some brave man or woman from either the ranks of the GOP or Democratic Party will step forward and run as an Independent Candidate for President in 2008. The only hope of victory this person will have is if they break from their party before trying their hand at the primary process first. If Rudy Giuliani really stands for the moderate position he has fought for, for years, then he will not try and sell his soul and belief’s to social conservatives just to get the GOP nomination. Rudy’s best shot at victory is to declare his candidacy as an independent candidate and stick with his moderate views during the entire campaign.

Related: Rudy Takes Lead

Rudy As Independent