Rise and Shine --- I'm hungry

Good Morning oh great and loyal readers!

The pleading comes in early and often: I'm hungry.
Sometimes, I hear it moments after the breakfast dishes have been put into the sink.
I'm hungry.
OK, I'll say, how about a banana?
No.
Let's see, I'll continue, here's an apple?
No.
HMM, I'll let through the lips, there are some pretty good oranges here.
No. No. No. I want a treat.
Ahhh, so all you really want is something sweet and sugary. You aren't really hungry.
The problem is we are inundated by images of chocolate, fast food and cookies. Turn on any television aimed at children. If there's not a toy commercial, it's for some kind of sugar or salt covered food.
There aren't images of orange groves or apple trees.
So, we can talk about getting children to eat healthy all we want, but pulling it off is another battle.

Rise and Shine --- Getting us

Good Morning and how do they keep that ice frozen for the Stanley Cup Finals?

Driving by a McDonald's the other day, my daughter noticed a huge sign advertising the new Shrek glasses being sold.
"Look, Daddy," she said. "Shrek. Can I get one?"
Well, not right now, but maybe later, I said. (Truth be told, that's my stock answer for any of those fast food 'toys').
Luckily, I didn't give in to the wide eyes. Usually, when she asks, I melt and have no choice but to grant the request.
Then comes this story today.
Those 'cute' glasses were tainted with Cadmium. How about that for a collectible?
Just so you know, cadmium and its compounds are extremely toxic even in low concentrations. Toys have been pulled off shelves because they contain Cadmium. People have gotten very, very sick.
So, now we know, not only are adults being slowly put down by fat-laden Big Macs, but children should stay away as well.
Of course, they'll just replace Shrek with a Disney-theme and all will be forgotten.

Rise and Shine --- What's that ... Ouch!

Good Morning and welcome to the chill!

So, out of California this morning (well, doesn't everything come out of California?) comes the story of a county trying to ban those crappy little toys McDonald's puts in their Happy Meals.
Here's the story, if interested.
The stated reason for banning those pieces plastic is because it encourages children to eat Happy Meals (or, as your heart likes to say, Unhappy Meals), which is a leading cause of childhood obesity. I have a theory, based in no other fact than the voice in my head, that those 'Apple Fries' McDonalds and other fast-food places (can't call them restaurants) try to pass off as a healthy alternative are never really eaten and parents are forced to buy an extra french fry.
Yes, yes, yes, stop giving your children Happy Meals. Stop going to McDonald's. It's only going to chop off years from your life anyway.
Still, a better argument for getting rid of those 'toys' isn't to slow the flow of childhood obesity, it's to help keep parents from limping around.
Those toys inevitably end up on the floor. Who hasn't tried to walk through a room only to step on the latest SpongeBob incarnation?
Then they dig into the bottom of feet like nails. There's yelling. There might be blood. Podiatrists are happy.
The toys are just as quickly thrown into the trash, so let's just eliminate the middle man (or foot) and trash them now.