The Twinkie defense

By Aussiegirl

Ah, Brave New World where the benevolence of the all-caring, all-knowing, all-providing State knows no bounds. How happy we are to have Big Brother care so deeply about our health. What's next? How about a credit card limit on Happy Meals at McD's? Only 2 per month perhaps. Why not a 2 drink maximum allowed at public establishments? How about if your credit card can't be swiped at Dunkin' Donuts anymore? Why not a refrigerator which informs on you. How about a loudspeaker system on every street which will exhort us to come out and exercise together every morning in an expression of solidarity, harmony, peace, health and consideration for the expenses of the State which provides us with all the comforts we expect and demand. And as all obedient chidren owe their parents who support and take care of them, we owe the State our obedience, subservience and acquiescence -- for our own good of course, and for the greater good of society at large.

So, what are they going to do to diabetics who refuse their benevolent "treatments"? Force them into re-reeducation camps where they will be fed prescribed diets and pumped full of drugs until their blood sugar levels reach government approved levels? How about diabetics who choose to treat their disease naturally and not with FDA sponsored drugs? Is there no limit the the selfishness of people who imagine that they are free agents in a universe of moral choices, or is it the State's responsibility to remind us at every turn of our duties as citizen and comrade -- oops -- did I say "comrade"? What made me think of that.

When the government provides all your health care look for more of this sort of thing. When they take care of you you become their property. What you do costs them money. It's simple math -- your behavior costs them money - they don't want to spend it -- they get to regulate your behavior. Meanwhile, keep your mitts off my Twinkies!

The Seattle Times: Nation & World: New York to monitor people with diabetes

Under a revised city code passed by the Board of Health, most medical laboratories in New York will be required to electronically forward the results of thousands of blood-sugar tests to the city Health Department, which will then analyze the data to identify people having trouble controlling their diabetes.

Some patients might then get letters or phone calls from their doctors, prodding them to take medication, come in more frequently for checkups, or change their diet. Diabetes is the fourth-leading cause of death in the city.

New York's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Frieden, said the program's potential to save thousands of lives outweighs what it gives up in medical privacy.