The F$$d P$lice are C$ming

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by INDY500

I'd go with:
1) tougher sentencing laws and more efficient policing techniques which led to...
2) record numbers of criminals behind bars (where it's harder to commit crimes)
3) And an aging population

but kids are usually first time offenders, it's not like we're dealing with recidivism.

agree, though, on better policing techniques.

i'd also say that it has a lot to do with technology -- Iron Horse might be upset about kids playing video games, but it keeps them off the streets and from committing crimes out of boredom. also, cell phones makes dealing drugs much easier, and without all the related turf wars. you call your dealer, he makes a delivery, and done. much cleaner.

but i think that our movement away from forcing women to have babies no one wants has absolutely created a better society.

[Canadiens1131]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

I think that the family is a huge factor in a teenagers life.

I guess we can go back and forth on this with opinions and stats.


Have you ever read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton?

Are you going to recommend we go watch American Graffiti after that, Ponyboy?

Originally Posted by INDY500

I'd go with:
1) tougher sentencing laws and more efficient policing techniques which led to...
2) record numbers of criminals behind bars (where it's harder to commit crimes)
3) And an aging population

They're behind bars for a couple of months serving out boring misdemeanours related to small amounts of drug possession...who fucking cares

[the iron horse]

Originally Posted by Canadiens1131

Are you going to recommend we go watch American Graffiti after that, Ponyboy?


They're behind bars for a couple of months serving out boring misdemeanours related to small amounts of drug possession...who fucking cares

I guess you don't.

[Irvine511]

i don't think people should be put behind bars for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

as a smoker, i'm sure you'd agree. marijuana is far less harmful than nicotine.

vote libertarian.

[the iron horse]

Originally Posted by Irvine511

i don't think people should be put behind bars for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

as a smoker, i'm sure you'd agree. marijuana is far less harmful than nicotine.

vote libertarian.

I agree with your first statement. I also vote Libertarian.

"as a smoker, i'm sure you'd agree. marijuana is far less harmful than nicotine."

I'm not sure about that one. I've heard it often, but I haven't read enough for an opinion either way.

Will get back asap.

[PhilsFan]

Plus I can use a vaporizer to inhale marijuana and not deal with most of the harmful smoke.

[Canadiens1131]

Originally Posted by PhilsFan

Plus I can use a vaporizer to inhale marijuana and not deal with most of the harmful smoke.

I would love to score some medical marijuana stamps.

They would make going to see really terrible movies with my friends much, much more enjoyable.

Can you imagine a DEATH RACE / REAL STEEL double-feature with medical marijuana stamps? No, you can't, because it would be incredible.

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by PhilsFan

Plus I can use a vaporizer to inhale marijuana and not deal with most of the harmful smoke.

THC is not addictive like nicotine, either.

no physical dependence, unlike nictoine, which is all a cigarette is -- a nicotine delivery system intended to get you addicted so you give cigarette corporations your money.

[PhilsFan]

I don't even like marijuana (it just makes me go to sleep). But it's clearly the best drug health wise and does by far the least damage.

[Canadiens1131]

Is this a victory for the freedom of choice for schools to serve shitty food to lazy, fat kids, or is this a victory for corporate money from the purveyors of frozen fish-like sticks?

When it comes to what you serve kids in schools, I have to quote the old computer programmer's mantra:

PHP Code:

Garbage in, garbage out. 


Congress Pushes Back On Healthier School Lunches
by The Associated Press
WASHINGTON November 15, 2011, 02:52 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AP) — Who needs leafy greens and carrots when pizza and french fries will do?

In an effort many 9-year-olds will cheer, Congress wants pizza and french fries to stay on school lunch lines and is fighting the Obama administration's efforts to take unhealthy foods out of schools.

The final version of a spending bill released late Monday would unravel school lunch standards the Agriculture Department proposed earlier this year. These include limiting the use of potatoes on the lunch line, putting new restrictions on sodium and boosting the use of whole grains. The legislation would block or delay all of those efforts.

The bill also would allow tomato paste on pizzas to be counted as a vegetable, as it is now. USDA had wanted to only count a half-cup of tomato paste or more as a vegetable, and a serving of pizza has less than that.

Nutritionists say the whole effort is reminiscent of the Reagan administration's much-ridiculed attempt 30 years ago to classify ketchup as a vegetable to cut costs. This time around, food companies that produce frozen pizzas for schools, the salt industry and potato growers requested the changes and lobbied Congress.

School meals that are subsidized by the federal government must include a certain amount of vegetables, and USDA's proposal could have pushed pizza-makers and potato growers out of the school lunch business.

Piling on to the companies' opposition, some conservatives argue that the federal government shouldn't tell children what to eat. In a summary of the bill, Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee said the changes would "prevent overly burdensome and costly regulations and ...provide greater flexibility for local school districts to improve the nutritional quality of meals."

School districts have said some of the USDA proposals go too far and cost too much when budgets are extremely tight. Schools have long taken broad instructions from the government on what they can serve in the federally subsidized meals that are given free or at reduced price to low-income children. But some schools have balked at government attempts to tell them exactly what foods they can't serve.

Reacting to that criticism, House Republicans had urged USDA to rewrite the standards in a bill passed in June. The Senate last month voted to block the potato limits in its version, with opposition to the restrictions led by potato-growing states. Neither version of the bill included the latest provisions on tomato paste, sodium or whole grains; House and Senate negotiators added those in the last two weeks as they put finishing touches on the legislation.

The school lunch proposal is based on 2009 recommendations by the Institute of Medicine, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said they are necessary to reduce childhood obesity and future health care costs.

USDA spokeswoman Courtney Rowe said Tuesday that the department will continue its efforts to make lunches healthier.

"While it's unfortunate that some members of Congress continue to put special interests ahead of the health of America's children, USDA remains committed to practical, science-based standards for school meals," she said in a statement.

Nutrition advocate Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest said Congress's proposed changes will keep schools from serving a wider array of vegetables. Children already get enough pizza and potatoes, she says. It also would slow efforts to make pizzas — a longtime standby on school lunch lines — healthier, with whole grain crusts and lower sodium levels.

"They are making sure that two of the biggest problems in the school lunch program, pizza and french fries, are untouched," she said.

A group of retired generals advocating for healthier school lunches also criticized the spending bill. The group, called Mission: Readiness, has called poor nutrition in school lunches a national security issue because obesity is the leading medical disqualifier for military service.

"We are outraged that Congress is seriously considering language that would effectively categorize pizza as a vegetable in the school lunch program," Amy Dawson Taggart, the director of the group, said in a letter to lawmakers before the final bill was released. "It doesn't take an advanced degree in nutrition to call this a national disgrace."

Specifically, the bill would:

— Block the Agriculture Department from limiting starchy vegetables, including corn and peas, to two servings a week. The rule was intended to cut down on french fries, which many schools serve daily.

— Allow USDA to count two tablespoons of tomato paste as a vegetable, as it does now. The department had attempted to require that only a half-cup of tomato paste could be considered a vegetable. Federally subsidized lunches must have a certain number of vegetables to be served.

— Require further study on long-term sodium reduction requirements set forth by the USDA guidelines.

— Require USDA to define "whole grains" before they regulate them. The USDA rules require schools to use more whole grains.

Food companies who have fought the USDA standards say they were too strict and neglected the nutrients that potatoes, other starchy vegetables and tomato paste do offer.

"This agreement ensures that nutrient-rich vegetables such as potatoes, corn and peas will remain part of a balanced, healthy diet in federally funded school meals and recognizes the significant amounts of potassium, fiber and vitamins A and C provided by tomato paste, ensuring that students may continue to enjoy healthy meals such as pizza and pasta," said Kraig Naasz, president of the American Frozen Food Institute.

The school lunch provisions are part of a final House-Senate compromise on a $182 billion measure that would fund the day-to-day operations of the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. Both the House and the Senate are expected to vote on the bill this week and send it to President Barack Obama.

[KhanadaRhodes]

the fact that food companies and such get to have any say in what kids eat at school is ridiculous. school lunches aren't a business. i'm not saying get rid of pizza altogether, but there needs to be more healthy choices rather than some crappy salad bar no one wants to use.

[maycocksean]

I'm trying to guess how our friend Iron Horse will read this latest development:

Another example of Nanny State Food Police getting in our business?

Or another example of a betrayal old-timey values when milk was raw, sugar was from the cane, and vegetables were vegetables, not sauce?

IH. . .I eagerly await your verdict . . .

[the iron horse]

Originally Posted by maycocksean

I'm trying to guess how our friend Iron Horse will read this latest development:

Another example of Nanny State Food Police getting in our business?

Or another example of a betrayal old-timey values when milk was raw, sugar was from the cane, and vegetables were vegetables, not sauce?

IH. . .I eagerly await your verdict . . .

My verdict?

I think I'm going to the fridge and pour myself a fresh glass of raw
milk before I comment further.

Thankfully, I still live in a state where this is not a crime.

[maycocksean]

Hurry up with the milk. I'm genuinely curious!

Appreciated the standard raw milk shout-out though

[Kieran McConville]

I'm smoking an unfiltered cigarette right now, guys, while wearing a silk smoking jacket. The funny part is, you don't know for sure that I'm joking.

[the iron horse]

Originally Posted by maycocksean

Hurry up with the milk. I'm genuinely curious!

Appreciated the standard raw milk shout-out though

Thanks. I think I'll have another tall one.

Sliding one across the bar to you brother.

[the iron horse]

Originally Posted by Kieran McConville

I'm smoking an unfiltered cigarette right now, guys, while wearing a silk smoking jacket. The funny part is, you don't know for sure that I'm joking.

If you are smoking, you made a wise choice with the unfiltered
cigarette.

You will be less likely to deeply inhale and treating the smoke as a fine
cigar, you will smoke less.

And less means you will soon find yourself going days or weeks
without a smoke.

It's easy.


Smoke only by choice, not habit.

[cobl04]

Originally Posted by Kieran McConville

I'm smoking an unfiltered cigarette right now, guys, while wearing a silk smoking jacket. The funny part is, you don't know for sure that I'm joking.

Are you sampling some fine Australian indie-folk as well?

[Kieran McConville]

I sure am!

[maycocksean]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

Thanks. I think I'll have another tall one.

Sliding one across the bar to you brother.

'Preciate it.

Unfortunately, I can't stand milk--raw or otherwise.