Proof Is In The Pup-Peroni?

The debate rages on. Is obesity and the alarming rate it has increased based on our reduced exercise or how much we eat?
It never fails, I find myself in a food discussion with someone; mostly those defending their own weight or that of someone close to them; and they will never yield to the concept of calories in being a problem, said of course as they chomp down on a fast food treat. How can anyone be so blind? Well, look no further than the advertising campaigns of Big Food and Big Fast Food. With all the bogus and I mean BOGUS advertising about how healthy all this fast food is or how healthy all these pre-portioned treats are and how they are going to save your waistline; it is no wonder people are blind to the truth. The blinders are on and working very, very well.

Here is what I find interesting. Dogs have their own website (no they aren't running the web site) about stopping canine obesity! www.stopcanineobesity.com

What's interesting is that dogs are suffering a similar fate of their masters. Even the Dog treat Pup-Peroni has released a new treat specifically geared at counting the calories you give your dog. WAIT A MINUTE! I thought obesity had nothing to do with calories taken in and everything to do with a distinct lack of exercise!?! Interesting.

How is it that dogs have seen an increase in obesity rates? Aren't we as the masters providing their food and lifestyle? Perhaps we should blame Fido's lack of gym membership as the cause of his extra pounds? Maybe fast-food? I suppose it is Fido's genetics? Living in an air conditioned World? I know, it has to be all that Big food/Big fast-food advertising brain washing our poor Fido? When was the last time you said NO to Fido when he was begging for a certain type of treat at the grocery store! Then there was the Air Bud product endorsements, how can dogs resist celebrity endorsements? Perhaps their sudden rise in obesity can be blamed on not being permitted to fidget, has anyone ever met a Border Collie? I knew putting a TV in Fido's dog house was a bad idea? Maybe it was the Video games? The Internet? High-fructose corn syrup? Artificial sweeteners? MSG? Social networks? Early weaning? Sleep deprivation? I think you get the picture!

It is simply a matter of us, the master, feeding them too much food. Calories in vs. calories out.

Yes of course, you MUST exercise your dog so it can be healthy, but if you don't monitor the calories in your dog will get fat. Most dogs are active enough to keep their weight a healthy level, some dogs will need a little more work. Of course older dogs have a naturally slowing metabolism and need more walking. Hey does any of this sound familiar?

Of course it does! It is us! Humans. We too need to be active, not go to the gym six times a week active, but active. But MOST importantly we need to be more aware of the calories we are are forcing our bodies to work with. We need to learn to cook less to avoid the concept of "finishing" the food. I know most of us do not like throwing food away, with all the people in the World having no food, but I think it is more important that we cook less NOT eat more to eliminate food waste.

The debate will rage on, mostly fueled by those unwilling to admit they consume too many calories when they stop on the way home from work to pick food 3 or 4 times a week because little Timmy has baseball practice, piano lessons and homework to do and we just don't have time! Well read this, if you don't make time for your health, time will be the least of your worries. You MUST make time or you will lose more time in the long run.

My Two Cents

Jamie

The 19th Hole Isn't For Adults Anymore

Am I crazy or is the announcement of the proposed changes to the Liquor Control Act to allow children, yes I said children, to have an alcoholic beverage with their parents at certain sport facilities completely insane!

Do they plan on having Child and Family Services reps sitting in a corner of the room wearing dark sun glasses waiting to pounce on these parents who are willingly feeding their children booze in a public place?

Of all the ridiculous laws the Liquor Commission has on the books, this one will be the worst. Are they having trouble paying their salaries that they need the extra revenue of minors on the 19th hole of Manitoba's golf courses?

Maybe I am crazy, but I just don't understand the rationale behind this latest move. Being a father of two young people, Mini He and Mini She, I wouldn't even consider them having a beer after their curling match or golf game. Are we to assume everyone at the course or rinks took cabs there? Because we certainly wouldn't plan to have a drink with our impressionable children and then climb into the family van and DRIVE home, would we? I know I wouldn't. How on God's green Earth are we supposed to guide our children through their teenage years if we ourselves are not setting an example?

I work hard to try and teach my children to make smart decisions. I know I won't be with them all the time and therefore I have to TRUST my teachings, my example and my concern for their well being has found a home in their brain. A brain that is bombarded daily by peer pressure and complex decisions from friends, family and teammates. All I want is a tiny little corner in the brain so when they are faced with a difficult decision or choice that they can call on my voice and know I believe in them to make the smart decision. Will they never make a mistake? Will they always be on the right side of a decision? Very unlikely, but if most of the time they can keep themselves out of serious trouble, as a parent I will have to be happy. Mistakes are important to make, they help shape our understanding of the World around us. Mistakes should provide an opportunity to learn something. But if the mistakes are made due to a poor example set by the people our children trust the most, us their parents, then how can we expect them to know how to make tough choices as growing teenagers? I suppose this proposal will only effect those children who are already drinking with their parents at home anyway, but showing them it is okay to drink and drive is not something the LC should not be promoting in our youth.

This new proposed regulation change is unnecessary and serves no purpose. Making a change to rules and regulations should be made to provide a benefit to majority of people or to make the environment the rules govern better. The ONLY thing this proposal does is increase the LC's bottom line and increase the chances of children becoming more relaxed about the idea of drinking and driving. Neither one of these two things is good for society. Especially another generation of people growing up thinking it's no big deal to drink and drive!

I can't say this enough...as a parent I am sickened by this whole thing. We are the tools the shape and mold the leaders of tomorrow. When do we start taking that seriously? Having children isn't a hobby, it is a responsibility like no other you will ever take on. If this proposal passes I sure hope most parents won't indulge in the new rule simply because it is there.

Shame on the power players at the LC for thinking this proposal is good for Manitoba!

My Two Cents
Jamie

Houston We Have A Problem

Houston we have a problem. In my opinion, one of the most over used phrases of all time. But it sure fits my purpose. My problem is astronomy based. You see I have been wrong about something for many years, I know what your thinking...how is this possible? The Earth is really flat!! No, no no. Some of you may have wondered (and of course I am assuming someone is reading the stuff I write) why my blog address is http://fivestarthoughts.blogspot.com. It isn't what you may have been thinking. I don't think my topics are 5-Star in the traditional sense. It is, what I thought, a crafty play on words. Sadly this appears to be not true and I am living a lie! Seriously though, I have always thought that Planets were considered stars, don't ask me why, but that is what I have believed to be true. So given my last name is Cinq-Mars, I translated the first part, Cinq, into English to get five and used the literal version of the second half, Mars, therefore Mars=Planet=Star. Thus producing Five-Star! Viola! Sounds simple enough. Pretty clever huh? Well it was until my discovery that planets aren't actually stars! DOH! This all stemmed from the younger days of playing hockey and going through the crazy days of high school. I had all kinds of nicknames, none of which really stuck. There was Mars, 5-Mars bar, 5-star, Mars bar, and the always popular "sink-mars". It never ceases to amaze me how many times I have to face that problem. Why do people complicate things. They look at my name, Cinq-Mars, and then try and perform some complex mathematical equation using advanced algorithms trying to figure out how to pronounce my name. And the brilliant sum total of all those burnt brain cells is "sink"? Has anyone looked at a five dollar lately? Funny how even the person with the least amount of French language skills can look at a five dollar bill and when asked to say the French word located on the bill they say it correctly "sank". Basically if someone looks at my name they come up with 'sink' and if they look at a five dollar bill they come up with 'sank'. Go figure. The other common fun that arises from my name is the translation of only one of the two words. I get the tilted head, that of dog wondering what the heck was that noise, as they attempt to figure out my name, smoke starts to billow from their ears , Let's see...Cinq=Five and Mars=Mars? "So it's Five-Mars, that's a unique (polite way of saying weird) name. What does it mean?" Why wouldn't they translate the entire name? Cinq=Five and Mars=March, officially the name is Cinq-Mars or the 5th of March, ya dumbass!

Well got a little off topic their didn't I, where was I.......

Ah yes, the meaning of Five-Star and my nicknames. I stuck with Five-Star, naturally, because it sounds cooler. And I am a cool guy, visualize the 'gun and wink'. ;) Basically I have been using this 5-Star name for years. For stuff like user names, names on hockey jerseys, and other things requiring a nickname of sorts. All along thinking I was providing a witty twist on my name, when in fact I was doing nothing of the sort! I am sure (laughing to myself) many have thought it was some egotistical thing, where I think I have a 5-Star rating! That's funny. Alas, my brutal, misinformed attempt at wit has failed. I looked it up, I was wrong to think a planet is a star. A star is a star and a planet is a planet. But I will continue with the loose reference to all things astronomy for my explanation for using 5-Star as my nick name.

Now that I think of it, I may be the only one using the nickname? Does that make it a true nickname? Ahhhh, whatever, Five-Star Thoughts powered by blog spot!! Read it and enjoy!

Now you know what the 5-Star is all about!

My Two Cents
Jamie

eBay Has People Abandoning All Reason

I just don't get it! What is wrong with people today? Don't they understand how money works? now I do understand the supply and demand concept, but it is still nuts! I have been watching the Nintendo Wii systems being sold on eBay and buyers are either uninformed or just plain stupid. I know it sounds harsh, but I this chaps my ass!

A Wii console retails for about $249-$269 (I've done the research), yet on eBay these morons are driving up the bidding to well over $100 beyond the retail, that is before the ALWAYS bloated shipping costs. Oh, you live next door, wow, small World. So the shipping on that item will be $73.49. It's maddening! I would say the average (my guess) auction price on eBay for the Wii console is $380 + shipping costs. So the total cost, shipping included, is about $425-$475!!! Can anyone else see how insane that is!?!?

The sellers on eBay are buying consoles at a retail outlet in the morning and selling them by end of day for $150+ profit! I will give them credit for being on the ball. I don't blame the sellers for capitalizing on an opportunity to be make money. All they do is post the items and the bone heads bidding drive the price up beyond what it would cost them to get off the asses and go to the store and buy it themselves. Granted some are probably not in cities or towns with a retail outlet that would carry a Wii, but is there value in paying nearly double for the Nintendo Wii? Sure it's fun, but I am must be missing something.

Perhaps it is the Winnipegger in me...I don't like paying retail let alone MORE than retail. :)

I think eBay and what it offers is awesome but I just don't understand the mentality of the bidding public to drive the price well above retail. I will go back to watching the eBay auctions and continue to wonder in amazement why someone would pay so much for something worth half the price and ask myself, "Self," Because I call myself "self", "Self, what is wrong with people?"

My Two Cents
Jamie