Super Sized Sodas and Sugary Drinks Banned in New York City
September 13, 2012 1:07 PM 
A few months back, I wrote an article about a proposed ban on super-sized sodas and sugary drinks in New York City that you can read here. NYC officials felt they had to do something about the growing, (no pun intended), obesity problem in that city and around the country as a whole. As you can imagine, there was a tremendous amount of backlash aimed at the proposal by drink manufacturers, restaurants, stadiums and many other businesses that sell large beverages. Earlier today, the proposed ban was passed.
The New York City Board of Health banned the sale of larger sodas and other sugar-added drinks in restaurants, concession stands and other eating establishments.
They have also defined ‘super-sized’ as any drink larger than 16-ounces and supermarkets and convenience stores are exempt (kind of like how Casino Aztar is exempt from an Evansville city-wide smoking ban) I know, right?
New York City has done some good things in regard to battling obesity, for example, being among the first to require that chain restaurants put calorie counts on their menu. But some are very nervous that this kind of ban gets dangerously close to denying people the right to choose.
Soda and other sugary drinks can certainly result in weight gain, but so can hundreds of other foods and snacks. The problem isn’t necessarily the foods and drinks themselves as much as the quantity of those products any one person consumes over a period of time. Personal responsibility has to play a major role here…don’t you think, and shouldn’t you be able to make bad choices for yourself if you are so inclined?
What I find so interesting here is the fact that diet sodas are exempt, as are products that are more than half milk and ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES! That’s right…regular soda is a no-no, but beer is fine…WHAT?
Bottom line, while this ban may actually do some good, it’s not about large sodas. As I said earlier, it’s about personal responsibility and self-respect before anything else. Legislating something like the size of drinks just kind of feels like we’re standing on a very slippery slope doesn’t it – or am I missing something here?
Female Arm Wrestler Has a Scream That Will Scare the Pants Off of You
May 19, 2013 10:00 AM I am NOT athletic at all. So, my tactic to win or at least appear like some sort of competition to my opponent is to look the part or sound the part. This female arm wrestler must have taken a play right out of the Leslie Morgan play book. Rule number 1....make your bark SO big, they won't notice you have no bite!! ;-)
Her scream would scare even the biggest, toughest male arm wrestler!
What are the Best Summer Jobs for Students in Evansville?
May 19, 2013 7:00 AM Ahh, the summer job. You slave away during your break so you can "save" your money and live easy during the school year. Yeah right! We compiled a list of the best summer jobs here in Evansville. If you know of any more, let us know!
Summer Camp Counselor
This
‘Sad Cat Diary’ Offers Hilarious Insight Into the Mind of a Cat
May 19, 2013 4:00 AM As, you know, Jon refers to me as 'The Cat Lady' on the air. Just because I adopted my first cat a year ago and have since acquired 7 more, doesn't make me a cat lady. Or does it??? ;-) Ok, I know it would appear that I, if I'm not the cat lady NOW, I am well on my way. In the past year, I have become very in tune with cats and all of their personalities. Maybe that's why I love them so much and they, in turn, are drawn to me. lol
I found a video that gives a little insight to the mind of the sad cat (which is only ONE of their many personalities) Watch, learn and laugh!! It's seriously, hilarious!
Annual Book Sale at Willard Library Set for June 1st
The area's largest one day book sale will feature books from nearly every genre along with other materials for purchase.
‘Koalaing’ Could Be the Cutest Web Photo Trend Yet
Forget (if you haven't already) milking, planking, hadokening, any of those-ings that were internet fads for a hot minute. They've been replaced. They're done. Koalaing -- that's the trick o' the day. It involved clinging as tightly to a pole or tree as possible like a koala. It's pretty adorable. Check it out.
Chris Young Doesn’t Feel Pressure When It Comes to Fourth Album
With a string of No. 1 singles – 'Tomorrow' and 'You' from 2011's 'Neon,' and 'Gettin' You Home,' 'The Man I Want to Be' and 'Voices,' from 2009's 'The Man I Want to Be'-- there are expectations surrounding Chris Young's upcoming fourth album. But as for pressure? Pft. He's feeling none of that.
Remember When George Strait Went to Prison?
It was the wildest show behind bars, and George Strait was in the thick of it for one year in the early '80s. He wasn't the only one. Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Tom T. Hall … they all did time behind the walls of the Huntsville Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Dierks Bentley Says Third Baby Was ‘Kinda Planned, Kinda Unplanned’
Dierks Bentley, with decidedly shorter hair, spoke to a Jacksonville radio station during an appreciation event for the military and revealed how his wife Cassidy let him know that their third bundle of joy was on the way. The pregnancy, according to Bentley, was sort of a surprise, but not really.
Would Keith Urban Return to ‘American Idol’?
Most average people hate their jobs, toiling away to earn a wage and to make ends meet. It is a rare and precious few who get to do what they love for a living, and Keith Urban is one of those fortunate folks when it comes to being a judge on the embattled 'American Idol.' The singer and guitarist wants to return to his seat for Season 13 in 2014 and with good reason.
Deer Goes Crazy After Crashing Into a Bus
May 18, 2013 12:00 PM I have had my fair share of run ins with deer. Living in the country, it's just a way of life. You must, during the early morning hours and evening/night hours, constantly be on alert and have your eyes scanning the sides of the road.
Once, on a trip back to Indiana from Tennessee, a deer came inches away from slamming through the passenger side window of my car, injuring my son. Luckily, the deer hit the front of the windshield and rolled off the hood of the car. But in the case of this bus, it came right through the window and went crazy!!