Yeah, He Regrets It All Right!

08/27/2007: Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) is now playing the game of denial: he was for his guilty plea before he was against it.

He’s the one who tried to sweep the whole matter under a rug, pay his $500–actually $575–and make the whole thing go away.

Now he says he’s sorry he didn’t fight it??? He says he wishes he had legal counsel???

He is a three-term United States Senator. Had he picked up the phone, any number of high-powered attorneys would have happily represented him if he had so much as a narrow chance of winning.

Fact is, he got caught trying to solicit a homosexual act, after he denied allegations–from a gay blogger–that he in fact is gay.

If he has any honor, he’ll resign. 

Idaho Senator Larry Craig Busted for Lewd Acts

08/27/2007: Looks like the GOP has yet another sex scandal on their hands. Looks like Larry Flynt missed this one. Larry Craig (R-ID) pled guilty and coughed up $500 on August 8 for a lewd incident in a men’s room.

Apparently, he tried the Edwin Moses defense, claiming it was a “he said/he said misunderstanding.” Trouble is, that only works for Olympic Gold Medalists.

GOP Senators, on the other hand, will have a much harder time explaining such matters to their more conservative constituents.

David Vitter (R-LA), Dan Burton (R-IN), Bob Livingston R-LA), Newt Gingrich (R-GA), Helen Chenoweth (R-ID), Henry Hyde (R-IL), Jack Ryan (R-IL), and Mark Foley (R-FL) have come to epitomize a party in ruin.

Last year, the GOP got slaughtered in the elections in large part due to the [peda]Foley scandal. It was bad enough that a Republican Congressman had the hots for teenage boys; it was far worse that the GOP leadership attempted to sit on the mess and sweep it under the rug.

The conservative base taught the GOP a lesson last year, and that lesson will be repeated this year in states like Kentucky and next year’s general elections.

I can see the GOP slogans for 2008:

“Sure, we coddle perverts, but we’re pro-life!”

“Sure, we like to do it in strange places and strange people, but we’re better for national security!”

“Working hard for the men and boys of America!”

The anti-Hillary histrionics won’t work; that is because you cannot win an election by running against your opposition. No…to win, you must make a case for your leadership.

As long as Newt, Rudy, Mitt, and Fred are the best that the GOP has to offer, it won’t look good for them next year.

As for me, I’m voting for Ron Paul.

Gravitationally Challenged: Obesity Rates Up in 31 States

08/27/2007: Obesity is a national epidemic, with rates up in 31 states. Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee are the most gravitationally-challenged states in the union. This latest research comes from a group called Trust for America’s Health, which promotes government intervention to fight obesity.

Whether or not a person agrees with their policy objectives–more government intervention, which I do not support–the research is noteworthy: even if you discount the use of th Body Mass Index (BMI)–I’ve long rejected it as a reliable metric–girth is unmistakably on the rise in America. The other day, the latest research on maternal deaths–which are on the rise–suggested that maternal obesity may be a causal factor.

To suggest that obesity is related to poverty is a stretch, however. The “if we had more money, we wouldn’t eat like pigs” argument holds no water.

I place the blame for this squarely on the parents:

(1) Parental obesity is on the rise

(2) Parental behavior sets the example for the children

(3) the sedentary lifestyle is undermining childhood health and contributing to a host of health problems including diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer.

There are some things that parents can do to set good examples and encourage healthy behavior:

  • Be active. Exercise regularly; don’t be a homebody on weekends.
  • Don’t let your kids be sedentary. Whether you get them into sports, or boy/girl scouts, or other activities, you must minimize their time behind the television.
  • Promote good dietary practice at home. If your diet is full of fruits, vegetables, and lean meats–with sweets and junk in moderation–you’ll be setting the example for your kids.
  • Pack your kids’ lunches. Why trust the school to make lunch when you can do it yourself for less money and better quality? My stepmom used to pack my lunch. As long as I had my pudding for dessert, I didn’t care what else she put in my lunchbox. And I ate everything she fixed.
  • Be careful about what you drink. Diet soft drinks will make you hungrier; lattes and cappucino/frappucino drinks have deceptive amounts of calories and fat; “energy” drinks may have caffeine, which can stimulate appetite; even fruit juices are high in sugar content. In my workouts, I used to fill my water bottles with half water and half apple juice. Now, however, I only use water.
  • Avoid fast food. If you must eat out, I recommend Panera Bread or Subway. Subway has some very nutritious sub sandwiches, and Panera Bread has excellent salads and bagels. Among standard fast-food joints, I prefer Wendy’s for their plain baked potato (with broccoli but no cheese) and small chili. I stay away from McDonald’s.
  • Don’t forbid your children from eating sweets or junk food, but do promote moderation. I go to DQ or Baskin-Robbins once a week; I just make sure I don’t overdo it.

With few exceptions, obesity is something you can control.

But you have to take the initiative, and it is incumbent upon you to be a grownup and teach prudence to your children.