Thursday, January 17, 2013

1903 Big News

Two interesting facts gleaned from the year end media summaries. You know the ones, all the media looking through the past year raking the ashes of our flaming idiocy one last time. I guess it's supposed to help us make good on the aphorism "live and learn."
But it never does.
One of the factoids: For the first time in human history over-eating is now more of health problem than under-eating. More than 3 million deaths in 2010 were attributable to excess body weight. Only 1 million were caused by malnutrition.
Congratulations, green revolution.
"But," you say, "those figures are from 2010." Apparently there was a little lag time in collecting the data. Perhaps the collectors were out on a coffee break. A Trenta triple-rich full cream macchiato.
With whip.
Wow. 3-to-1 difference on overweight versus underweight health issues. Sounds like a distribution problem. If the overs just cut back on a third of their intake no one would starve and all the rest of us could keep eating just fine.
Second factoid: Maybe we could eat Genetically Modified Farmed Salmon. Recently approved by the FDA, GMO salmon is nearly ready for your kitchen. It'll be another green revolution, but the blue-green of the sea---and high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Lotsa lean calories too. Just because the fish grows three times as big and fast as their un-GMO natural cousins is no reason for worry. What could go wrong?
If the "gigantism" gene escapes into the environment who cares? Who wouldn't want a wild grizzly bear as big as your tool shed?
Personally, I'm waiting for them to splice in a flying fish gene too. Then the salmon would jump right into my pan and cook itself.
While I'm naturally modifying myself into a really big couch potato...
America, ya gotta love it.

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