Boges

I venture to say most people who go to McDonalds throughout the day are working. Go there at 1pm and it's packed. I doubt those are lazy people that spend the rest of the day sitting at home playing their xbox. Now perhaps they should be a cheapo like me and make a sandwich every night before work. But sometimes I don't feel like it and would prefer not to drop $11+ on something "healthy" even though it's been shown some salads you get at fast food establishments have as many calories as the burgers. And a lot of times it's mom's who let their kids eat a happy meal and work it off in the jungle gym they have there, so they can get some peace. Sue them! I don't think anyone who orders a burger thinks it's healthy. But there are plenty worse things to eat. Usually it's around 1,200 - 1,500 calories. Now some will say that's too much but who are you to say? It is if you eat it every day but who really eats McDonald's everyday? And if they do I venture to say they are fat. But is that the vast majority of McDonald's patrons? If it was just fat lazy people that went there I doubt they'd be so successful.

Well this is the paradox he finds himself in. The truth is, during election campaigns people don't want to hear the honest truth. I suppose Kim Campbell was right about something. But I'm sure "Ford Nation" would be much more eager to forgive him if he cut services than if he raised taxes. People who are screaming right now likely didn't vote for him in the first place.

I'm sure they will but by how much? 10-20%? Rob Ford can't do that, not what he was elected to do.

I'm fully aware of the arguments about health and food and sustainability of what we eat and how our portion sizes are too large. But to say business decisions by McDonald's is a large contributing factors to the problems we may face is totally wrong-headed. It's an anti-capitalist column veiled as a pro-health column.

What sucks about this whole scene from my perspective is that Ford ran on the platform that he wouldn't cut services. This is obviously a promise he can't keep. I suppose people were naive for believing him. If there really is a $700,000 shortfall, no amount of "trimming" will make this problem go away. Deep cuts have to be made. It would be interesting to see how David Miller would have handled this situation. How much of a tax hike would he have proposed. I see a similar problem in Tim Hudak's campaign. If you're going to elect him you would have to believe that the provincial government is too large and cuts need to be made. But he says no major cuts would need to be made, then he proposes tax cuts. Things don't ad up.

Or any restaurant. Like that Indie Pub you like to go to on Friday nights that serves those bitching potato skins, nachos and local beer. That's what fast food is. McDonalds is just the best at it because it mastered the idea of consistency in its food, no matter where you are. I can find many ways to eat unhealthy food cheaper though. Would you say the same about Canadian outlets like Hero Burger or Harvey's? Is it a turd because of the food or the ambiance? Perhaps there should be a law that states all unhealthy food should be sold in a place that is uncomfortable to be in. You charge for food based on several circumstances usually related to supply and demand. A tax on the food based on an arbitrary analysis of its nutritional value is much different. Funny in one argument you say McDonalds is evil for selling "cheap" food even thought it isn't all that cheap because it targets the poor. Then you say that taxing that unhealthy food is fine. If McDonalds charged $20 a combo would you see it the same way? So why don't you just say you're opposed to ground red meat? It would make this debate a whole lot easier to conduct.

Perhaps someone should do a study to find out the physical make up of the people that go to McDonalds. Then again it may not take into account the part of the population that have such high metabolisms they can eat whatever they want, or those who have such active lifestyles that they burn through the calories and then some from a fast food meal.

Just google Soda Tax. Or Snack Food tax. Nothing has come from any of it because such a thing is anti-freedom and would target low-income people. So it would never fly in North America. Doesn't mean many on the left don't think it's a good idea. BTW a Big Mac is a Hamburger. Would you tax the components of a Hamburger? Would you tax beef, eggs, cheese, bread, and the vegetables? Or would you just tax the idea of someone making it for you and charging you a premium for it. I googled it. http://www.examiner.com/extreme-weight-loss-in-national/fast-food-investigation-what-are-the-real-ingredients-of-a-big-mac According to this story if you take away the bun and the sauce most of what makes up a is pretty high quality. So if they made the bun out a Multi-Grain bread and mayonnaise you probably wouldn't have as much of a problem with it. Then again the reason people like the Big Mac is because of the sauce.

As opposed to what? the grocery store? Any number of restaurants that sell the exact same thing as McDonalds in larger portions? It's not like McDonald's is exactly cheap or anything. You can get a meal cheaper at, say, Subway. You can also buy 8 frozen 1/3 lb burgers at any grocery store for less than $10. If you're low income and you're eating at McDonald's everyday, perhaps that's the reason you're low income. You probably haven't set foot in a McDonald's recently but they are definitely trying to go after Tim Horton's and Starbuck's market share. There's a selection of high-end coffees, the ambiance is different, you get free Wifi. There are things on the menu that don't scream greasy spoon. They are upscaling the place. Probably so they can charge more for the food. Not exactly going after low-income familes like you said. If you want to make the argument that eating out is bad, then make that argument. But this column is an anti-capitalist rant not a pro-health one. I'd have respected it more if it stated that the vegan lifestyle is the only moral one.

Yeah because there aren't proposals for additional taxes to be added on foods that some deem to be unhealthy.

That's the point. They are an easy target because they are successful. Food is food. I know what I'm eating when I go to a McDonalds there is far worse food out there for you. It's like when G20 protestors try to break the windows of Starbucks. That establishment started out as simple local coffee shop too, but you wouldn't think of going after them would you? McDonalds is moving away from the greasy burger joint. It wasn't different market share. That's why it's making these changes. And it's actually working quite well.

Thoughts on this column? http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1051886--mallick-a-canadian-walks-into-a-burger-bar I find this woman to be loathsome. This column smacks of some of the most anti-capitalism anti freedom sentiments I've ever heard. Fast food joints like McDonalds are often targets as being to blame for obesity because they are successful. No one would dare take aim at a high-end french restaurant even though they serve food that's even unhealthier. When will it come to a point when these people would label all establishments that serve meat as unethical and unworthy of Canadian values? Oh wait they already do. They say you shouldn't own a dog, they say you shouldn't live outside a large urban areas, they say you shouldn't own a car. Clearly the benefits of freedom are lost on the left. What ironically is lost on Miss Mallick is that people go to these restaurants for a myriad of reasons. I went to McDonalds yesterday and even at 4pm on a Sunday it was pretty busy. Not everyone in the line were obese people slumbering along for another fix. In fact most weren't. The truth is McDonald's serves a purpose. If you eat it too much there are repercussions, even though the food is cheapER, eating there is not a cost effective way to live your life. Take a look at a portion of this episode from Penn and Teller's Bullshit to highlight how insane this war against fast food is.

So who thinks this $10,000 tax credit for immigrants will stick to Dalton? Hudak wouldn't be banging on it if he didn't think there'd be any traction. And to hear that Dalton has demanded an apology only provides evidence that he's flailing about this ridiculous policy and making it an issue of racism.

Dalton Lie? NOWAI!!!!

I signed up for Netflix today. The selection actually seems really good. Some pretty good documentaries I thought I'd have to buy the DVD's to ever watch. I don't think I'll ever use it to watch TV shows because of the required bandwidth. Currently I only have 30 gigs a month. What I would like to see is the ability to change resolution on my xBox. I don't need to see a comedy or war documentary in full HD. But some the of the more current nature documentaries and special effect laden movies would be nice to see in full HD. The site says Full 1080p is up to 2gb/hour That's a lot. Unless you're signed up with an unlimited bandwidth plan I still would see a need for having a conventional HD box. Plus none of the shows on Netflix are very current.

I just heard a PC ad where they refer to this $10,000 tax credit as a subsidy to foreign workers. Who the EFF is running Hudak's campaign? Even as someone who sees Dalton as a loathsome person I know that this isn't a program meant to attract foreign workers. But I suppose, since telling bold-face lies is something that's not below the dishonourable premier it's a case of "what's good for the goose is good for the gander."

I never said education isn't important. But times are changing and the value of certain undergraduate degrees that don't really make the student more employable once they leave school. A lot of times what happens is students do a 4 year undergrads then do a one or two year practical diploma program at a CC to get themselves a marketable skills. I guess if everyone had the means to do that, then fine but they don't. I think those technical programs MCC mentioned should be focused on more. It used to be going into the trades was thought of as a lesser path. If I had to do it over again I'd have gone into a trade instead of the education path I took. So is the point being made here that it's the government's responsibility to fund students education regardless of reasonable expectation of employment post their schooling years? Because I've seen many stories about the young un and underemployed. People who are highly educated that really have no reasonable employment expectations.

That's what many people do. Get some degree in history, communications or poly sci and then go into teaching. Which is why the proposal to extend teacher's college to two years will be upsetting to many in these programs.

Dalton is doing it again BTW. Yesterday he tells Hudak that by axing the Samsung deal he'll be denying jobs to 16,000 Ontarians. Should Dalton get elected again there's absolutely nothing that will bind him to that promise of 16,000 jobs. NOTHING! He could say the Green Energy Act would employ every unemployed Ontarian. He's just pulling numbers out of his anus and hoping we believe him. And anyone who questions them is taking jobs from working families. The fact that people buy this crap is sickening. Just like when he said he wouldn't raise taxes then did so. Or when he said the HST was revenue neutral when it wasn't. Another mandate to Dalton gives him permission do raise whatever taxes or fees he wants to without so any penalties whatever.

Forget it you guys are weirdos.

They don't, they make the plea that they need it to preserve our culture but they do little to do that. I said in another thread that it's wildly hilarious that the CBC cries poor when asked to switch over to digital broadcasting saying they need the government to pay for it. The private broadcasters did it awhile ago. If Peter Mansbridge is a God what does that make the recently retired Llyod Robertson? I'd argue CTV does a much better job with it's mandate than CBC ever does. I now get a CTV2 in HD! It also has a deece list of Canadian programming. http://shows.ctv.ca/allshows/article/CTVs-2010-2011-Canadian-television-programming#c_0 With little to watch last night my wife turned on the Listener. It's like some sort of crime/cop drama which is not anything new but it's Canadian. It's obviously filmed in Canada and set in Canada dealing with Canadian issues. I guess Flashpoint is similar While the CBC trumpets embarrassingly politically correct crap like Little Mosque on the Prairies and Battle of the Blades.

He's not backtracking. He accused Hudak of being a Teabagger yesterday. I Effing hate this guy with a passion!

I'm curious what Slim thinks about Standardbred horse racing then. It's something that the McGuinty government has really screwed up in the past years and pledges to do more damage to something that employs many people in rural areas.

I wonder if it's OK to jump on Hamilton's bandwagon. I am closer to Steeltown than I am Toronto. Anyone who beats those effing Als is good in my book. Then again NFL starts this week so who gives a fuck.

Of course you're racist if you don't think immigrants should get tax credits to be employed right?