Send in the Clowns

Is sugar addictive?  Since it was cultivated in the Americas a couple of centuries ago, it has become a staple throughout the world.  People love it.  While sugar effects are so benign and the craving is so universal, it has not been determined to be addictive or not.  (See, the wonderful book, 1493, by Charles C. Mann.) A good case can be made for addiction, but the chemistry is subtle.  Well, sugar does add calories, and our wonderful legislatures wish to do something about apparent consequent obesity.  For most legislatures, doing something must involve money in some way, giving it out or taking it in.  The latter is preferred. The solution this new year in Philadelphia is a sugar tax on sugary soft drinks at the rate of 1.5 cents per ounce**.  For example, the tax on a 42-ounce big gulp will be 63 cents, and for a gallon of sweetened tea, it will be $1.92.   Alcohol is excluded, as are orange, tomato and apple juices – the healthy stuff I guess.  Fans of energy drinks such as Red Bull will also be awarded a tax.  However, there seems no tax on candy bars, ice cream, and honey buns.  So, for many, the new normal will now be two candy bars and a diet coke.  Yummy. 

Let’s follow the logic. The next law to be passed by these clowns will be to legalize heroin and then place a whopping tax on its use – thereby reducing addiction and consumption. :)

**https://billypenn.com/2017/01/03/philly-soda-tax-the-big-list-of-drinks-that-are-and-arent-taxed/

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2017 brings new laws about cell phones.  It is now against the law in some states  even to hold a cell phone while driving*. We know cell phones and particularly texting are distracting and thereby disastrous to on-road safety. It appears finally, our governments are doing something practical.  This is not right-speak or right-think, a preferred target. This is actually something like an achievement.  Yet, a few contradictions obtain.  However, what remains is that in any car two friends, enemies or four can carry on a loud conversation, which can be totally distracting.  Ditto, double ditto, for playing sounds (aka music) at  such a volume you can hear it in your car while their car passes you all too quickly. This is particularly true for younger drivers, as their brain’s wonderful capacity of neuroplasticity has not adjusted to maintain a sense of safety regardless.  Adults have learned after many years to maintain this sense. But when adults are texting they are in the same situation as the younger drivers.  They lose track; they make big mistakes; lives are lost.

*http://www.abc10.com/news/local/california/the-low-down-on-californias-newest-cell-phone-law/327561414

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