News and a rant

While looking through articles on Fark, I came across this article. The article itself is not super interesting, but the caption on Fark for what the article was about had me cracking up. It said:

"Fewer Japanese women having babies because they don't want to get married to childish Japanese men. Also, babies are expensive, and why bring a child into a world with a looming threat of Godzilla?"

If that doesn't make you laugh, then I am sorry for whatever tragedy you recently suffered.

I also came across this video from MyFox Kansas City. AHAHA, that tomato got turned marinara sauce !

On a more serious note: Does Marketing Contribute to Obesity in African-Americans?

This is an issue that I have been following for a while (and professionally contributed to working for BlackPlanet). There seems to be this vicious cycle within low income communities where these individuals (and families) make little and thus can only afford cheap food (in come the fast food chains). The socio-economic situation that these communities are in leave a lot of single mothers working two jobs to support themselves and their kids. With little time or access to the proper ingredients to cook meals, fast food is the default choice that makes sense for them. They may technically choose to eat fast food, but they never really had much of a choice. This has lead to a disproportionate number of people within the African American (and Latino) community being obese...leading to heart disease, diabetes, etc. The fast food companies target this market because it is an easy sell. They target ads to these groups to reinforce the brand as being premium to justify consumption (though it is far from premium). African American media are then left in a lose-lose situation. Do they turn down money and lose profits (especially in an unsure time for media) or do they turn their backs on their community and take the money? Capitalism reigns supreme and you will be guaranteed to see fast food ads in/on any African American and Latino media publication/property. Where are the healthy fast food chains? Subway isn't nearly as healthy as they will have you believe. Perhaps we need to educate the communities. Power to the people!