Tuesday, January 12, 2010

NYC, the frontline of the war on...salt

California used to be know for it's sunny weather, earthquakes and hyper-health food craze. But it seems that Mayor Bloomberg is looking to take that title.

Salt is now enemy number 1 in New York City. New initiatives call for massive reductions in the salt count of foods from hamburgers to popcorn, to cereal (yep, there's salt in that). But don't go hiding your saltshakers yet, the reduction will take place of 5 years. And it's voluntary.

But there is another thing to keep in mind about this new idea. Given that there is more than enough salt in prepared foods in America. Given also is the fact that too much salt increases the chances of stroke and high blood pressure (as if life in NYC won't give you that anyway). But there is also the fact that New Yorkers are giving up their freedom at the same time.

Trans fat, salt, cigarettes, soon to be joined by prohibative taxes on soda, snacks, and pretty much everything else. While all of this is supposed to be for the best interest of the public, it feels like the government is the parent and adults are the ignorant children that don't know better. The only thing that's left, it feels like, is the ability to breathe. Of course that's if you don't worry about the government regulations that cover CO2 gas - which we all exhale when we breathe (yet another tax perhaps?).

One might consider NYC the smaller cousin of Big Brother, molded and in the shape of Mayor Michael Bloomberg himself.

It's one thing to be helpful, but as the choices get fewer and fewer the thought of what goes next seems more prominent. Perhaps Mayor Bloomberg (and/or Gov. Patterson) will seek to tax prohibatively video games, because they can't be good for anyone's eyes. Maybe it will be television, President Obama already tried to remove Fox News from the airwaves. Baseball, football, and other sports get fans far too excited. And blue is a happy color, so everyone should wear it for their mental health.

Exaggeration? Right now, yes. But just 10 years ago an adult in New York was more free than today. And 30 years ago more than that.

Why think about this on an entertainment blog? Because in a climate of ever reducing freedoms, the choice of what you can or cannot entertain yourself with will be the last freedom to go. Otherwise you might notice what's happening.

You may disagree, but keep an eye open. Because if I'm not wrong...

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