November 6, 2007
Morning Roundup: Stark Contrast Edition
Now is the time of year when we all get to start complaining about how stupid standard time is and how walking out of our offices last night into pitch black darkness was weird and uncomfortable and made us confused about what time happy hour was supposed to start. That is all.
'Fat Gap' Between Whites and Blacks in D.C. High: We've certainly talked about the income gap between whites and blacks in our city before, but the Post has a story today about a new study which also identifies D.C. as having one of the largest "fat gaps" in the country. Blacks in the District aren't the fattest, and whites in the District aren't the skinniest, but the gap between them is among the biggest in the United States. It's an interesting measurement and certainly serves to crystallize the situation the District finds itself in as being made up of striking disparities.
Voters Head to Virginia Polls: It's election day in Virginia, which is why you were subjected to an inordinate number of television ads last night for people running for things like Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, as well as every seat in the Virginia General Assembly. If you're a Virginia resident, don't forget to vote today. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Briefly Noted: Infectious disease in Md. third-highest in U.S. ... Peeping Tom arrested in Alexandria ... Council member Jim Graham says recent violence is all gang related ... VA. Sen. John Warner out of hospital again, back at work.
This Day in DCist: In 2006 we had some love for Maryland cab drivers giving free rides to the polls and in 2004 we first heard that our baseball team would be called The Nationals.
Photo by Eye Captain
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DC's "phat gap" is even more out-of-control. I am of course referring to the white girl what ain't go not booty and be shoppin at The Limited. Girlfriend need to lay off the tea and salad and eat herself a sammitch.
A curious thing about the fat gap: some people will wonder how it is the poor can be so damned large, but the truth is, we have an abundance of cheap calories in this country, and eating healthy is something for those with time and money - the time to prepare homemade meals with good ingredients, and the money to buy high-quality food. The poor in DC (much like everywhere else) tend to work more hours to compensate for lower pay and tend to be in single-parent households, so they lack both the time and the money and will tend to rely on prepackaged meals, which are higher in unhealthy fats, calories and sodium, and lower in basic nutrients.
Yeah, Ward 1 is where all the gang violence is, so they definitely need a Ward 1 gang unit (from link).
I can't imagine what Graham thinks of my hood (Trinidad) or some place like *gasp* Carver Terrace.
"how walking out of our offices last night into pitch black darkness was weird and uncomfortable "
Of course those of us who don't work for the Government or a non-profit have been going home in the dark for a month now. At least we get to see a little more sun in the morning now that we've stopped following that make-believe elf time.
And I agree that it's can be cheaper to eat less healthfully. But I'll point out that it doesn't cost more to get that Big Mac without cheese and mayo (or to just eat a subway sandwich instead) or to drink diet coke instead of the sugar-bomb that is coke "classic".
You can lay some blame on the cost of eating well and the lack of availability of healthier options, but I think fundamentally it's about bad eating habits.
dear reid:
read this:
http://www.frostfirefizz.com/why-a-salad-costs-more-than-a-big-mac
Don't you people understand that fatties were put on this earth to make you feel skinny?
Reid,
The overwhelming majority of the saturated and trans fat, as well as the calories, in a Big Mac comes from the meat, not the toppings. Add into that the cheap upgrades like super-sized fries (an extra 40% or so in pure calories), and it's a goddamned bomb, all right.
Also, subway isn't quite as healthy as they make themselves out to be. None of their bread is whole-wheat, and it all has high-fructose corn syrup in in. In BREAD. Most of their meats are high-sodium, and nearly all of their sandwiches are pretty high in fat, calories and cholesterol. The only exceptions - and the only ones that even come close to being healthful - are the five that they advertise as being so, and even then only if you get the six inch variety and not the oh-so-affordable super-size to a 12-inch sub.
And yes, it is about bad eating habits - habits that people are forced into by monetary and time constraints and which are reinforced by hundreds of billions of dollars of advertising each and every year.
Of course, healthier options need to be available to low-income consumers. But the bodegas of DC are full of wilted greens and overripe fruit that people aren't buying. You can lead the mule to water, but you can't make them drink. That's the problem when your school home ec classes are nonexistent; your free and subsidized meals consist of rancid meat and factory-processed cheese "product" (tough luck, you lactose intolerant minorities); and your school hallways are monuments to Pepsi, Sprite, and Mountain Dew. I'll stick with the crab juice.
But if you're given a choice between a plate of steamed broccoli or a nice, juicy burger and fries, which line would you be in? Clearly, fruit and vegetable agribusinesses need an ad campaign on par with "Pork: The Other White Meat" and "Beef: It's Whats for Dinner." I suggest "Lettuce toss your salad!" or "Cucumbers: They're not just for condom demonstrations!"
Just having a salad that really knocks your socks off would go a long way towards combating childhood obesity.
Tigerflight: True government subsidies may favor meat over salads, but the most expensive item in a McDonalds meal is the meat. That's why they'll supersize the fries and drink so cheaply, but rarely increase the size of the meat itself.
A.C.: Fine, even a "healthy" Big Mac is pretty unhealthy. But what about a grilled chicken sandwich without mayo? That's not more expensive than a big mac and while not tofu, it certainly is less harmful than a Big Mac.
And it's not economic and time constraints that forces people into making bad decisions like choosing whole milk over skim milk. It's a lack of health education and a perpetuation of bad habits. In Harlem they recently had a successful outreach where the schools got the kids to realize skim milk is not that bad, and they in turn pressured their parents to switch over. A small victory perhaps, but choosing skim over whole can make a big difference over time.
Let them eat fat. Every time someone of whatever race dies earlier, the government is saving money.
The government shouldn't be in the business of healthcare. Period.
The government shouldn't be in the business of telling people what to eat and not eat. Period.
Let people do what they want and suffer the consequences. It's called freedom.
But if I read that wrong, then forget everything I wrote above and carry on, nothing to see here.
I dont know what Subway you go to cannon, but every time I go to one there's whole wheat bread as an option.
My trick to save calories is to just get a 6 inch with double-meat. I get just as full without all the bread calories. Extra meat is only $1/$2 more.
HCE,
How do you feel about "The Gummit(tm)" requiring food to be labeled with nutritional information? You know, so that adults can make informed decisions about what they eat.
Let me guess: "Freedom!!1!"
"I frequently don't get out of the office until 6:30pm"
Perhaps I was a little flip with regards to non-profit workers, but I would add that many non-government and non-non-profit workers would love to leave work at 6:30pm every night.
Because the vast majority of Americans are farmers, it only makes sense to take daylight away from the evening and give to the morning. Morning time's best for tilling, seeding, harvesting, and whatnot.
...Wait, what's that you say?
Oh. Right. In that case, this time change business is stupid.
Not to get into an argument over who works the longest hours, but I had a similar thought to Reid's first comment when I overheard a girl on the bus yesterday saying she'd rather have the extra hour of light in the evening so it would still be light on her way home. I thought, "what kind of work do you do, and are they hiring?"
Personally, I'm thrilled that there's some sunlight while I'm getting ready in the morning. Getting up in the dark AND going home in the dark really isn't much fun (which is what was happening at the very end of DST).
Actually Jeffrey, daylight savings time shifts an hour of daylight into the evening, when it's presumably more usable (although I know in some places people simply get up earlier in the summer to take advantage of the light). Now that it's ended, roughly half of the daylight hours should be before noon and half should be after noon, although there is some variation depending on where in the time zone you're located.
I work for a nonprofit and put in 22-hour days and to get to work I have to walk uphill both ways in the snow year round.
Reid said: I would add that many non-government and non-non-profit workers would love to leave work at 6:30pm every night.
But I bet they wouldn't love to work for half the salary.
With regards to the campaign ads on tv - does anyone know whether they actually encourage voters? I mean, the more ads I see the less interested in the whole voting process I become. I get tired of the constant negativity and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I wonder if negative tv ads are the reason the number of people voting in each election has dropped so much.
"But I bet they wouldn't love to work for half the salary."
No, I'm sure they wouldn't. But then again, I wasn't trying to argue who has a "worst deal" or whatever, I was merely pointing out that to a lot of people, an earlier sunset makes no difference, whereas an earlier sunrise makes it a lot easier to get up in the morning.
Besides, I wish I worked 22 hour days. I work 23 hour days which is really tough seeing as my commute is 45 minutes each way, and that's if the Sherpas show up on time.
So did anybody get Jim Graham's email that named the three crews? I'm assuming that it is Girard Street & 14th crew, 17th and Euclid crew, and that one from Northeast that I can never remember.
Pants -- from the email:
At various points, three crews have been fighting each other. "17th and Euclid", "CTU--Clifton Terrace University" (operating around the 1400 block of Girard) and "Hobart Stars" (off Georgia Avenue on the 700 blocks) have been variously involved.
>of the office until 6:30pm
Bla-hahaHHahahahaAHAHAhaha
Also, aren't healthy choice/lean cuisine meals just as cheap as other pre-packaged, processed foods? I don't buy that this obesity problem is due to poverty. More likely, the obesity, poverty (not to mention AIDS and the bastard epidemic) problems are related to lack of personal responsibility.
I mean, DC is the town where the buses have ads like "Hey, don't shake your baby!" and "The government's paying for your AIDs medicines, please actually take them!" etc.
The link between poverty and obesity is pretty well documented.
Unhealthy food with lots of fat and empty calories is cheap and convenient -- not only in fast food restaurants but also in supermarkets.
Switching to healthy food really does costs more. Not only that, but poor people have less access to healthy alternatives: grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods have less appealing produce, and high-end to-go restaurants that offer healthier choices are hard to come by in these neighborhoods.
Part of the solution also has to include a change of diet and a change of attitude. Many Americans are more concerned with value and the amount of food they can get for their dollar than they are with nutrition.