If you’re looking at this live, you’ll see that the temperature in Portland is in the mid-to-low 40s.  On top of that it’s windy and rainy.  Any illusion of late, late summer is brought harshly to reality if you so much as look out a window.  Tonight’s garbage (and yard debris) night, and I walked around the yard ruthlessly yanking out cucumbers, hops, and zucchini plants.  I’d have done more but…

I’m in Day 3 of a monumental funk.  Don’t ask me if it’s my new lack of sugar (Day 9!), the weather, the corresponding absence of sunlight, my lack of progress on the book, one of a dozen personal problems, or, what my shrink might call “neuro-biological dysfunction”.  Whatever it is, I need to counter-attack and soon.  Time to break out the vitamin D supplements (I tested low), start a regular exercise program, do a little meditation, and maybe get a job or volunteer to get out of the house some.

In most summers, the idea of “exercise” as a thing unto itself sounds absurd.  I’m usually so bushed from working in the yard that I can barely stand up at the end of the day, much less run from no one to nowhere while watching poor reception Lifetime– Television for Women ™.  This summer, toward the end, anyway, was an exception.  I was writing, theoretically, and so I didn’t get outside much at all.

You might say that I’m pre-out-of-shaped for the winter.  Might not, too, I suppose.  Anyway, I come from a long line of depressed people (really) and, knowing that, you gotta keep your eyes open.  As soon as you start to weep about something computer-related, it’s time to fight back.

Anyway, no sweeteners has settled pretty easily into my life.  I mentioned that I was a vegetarian for some years, so the idea of selectively eliminating a food category from my diet isn’t that radical.  I’m resigned to the idea that food without sugar is special food.  And since I find the whole idea of artificial sweeteners sort of distasteful (sorry), I’d have to be willing to consume them before I could eliminate them.

Allow me to mark a transition in my personal belief system that’s occurred since MMWS started.  I started out thinking that the whole HFCS thing was much ado about nothing.  My feeling was that over-indulgence and under-exertion were the culprits.  I still think that they are culprits.  I now believe, though, that there are villains in this scenario, and it’s exactly the people I said were just trying to make a buck with no ill intentions– the fast food places, the soda companies, the corn refiners, etc.  They’re aided and abetted by the corrupt (or possibly just inept) public officials who either actively or passively turn a blind eye to the whole thing.

Sure, we can vote with our wallets.  Still, our government is supposed to exist to protect its citizens.  How many people died on 9/11?  Right around 3000.  Right around 300,000 die each year as a result of obesity according to the Surgeon General in a 2003 report.  And that’s every year and increasing.  The Surgeon General also estimated the cost of obesity at about $120 billion, give or take a few billion.  (Not bad if you compare it to how much we’ve spent on our wars since 9/11– around $920 billion.)

However, he also said, in that very same report:

“I’m pleased that businesses like Kraft Foods, Coca Cola, and Nike are supporting major efforts and making significant changes to help kids make healthier choices.” (emphasis added)

Kraft Foods?  Makers of such healthy choices as The Oreo Cakester, Chips Ahoy, Tang Fruitrition (not kidding) powdered beverage mix, and the Philadelphia Dipster cream cheese dip!  And Coca Cola, makers of… well, Coca Cola.  Cherry Coke, a healthier choice with only 70 g. of sugar per can!  Isn’t it nice that they have adopted the metric system for nutrition labels in a country in which it’s used for… nothing?  Why do you think that is?

Quick, picture 70 grams!

That’s why that is.

As it turns out, 70g is just south of 17 teaspoons of sugar or more than a third of a cup.  Per can.  Doesn’t sound like much?  Try mixing a mounded 1/3 cup of sugar with a glass of water and drinking it.  Yummy.  (Now, quick, go brush your teeth.)

Incidentally, the Coca Cola company also says on their web site:

“There is no such thing as a ‘bad’ food or beverage.”

Again, “moderation” is the key.  Just one serving of Armour’s Pork Brains in Milk Gravy at 1170% of your daily cholesterol, and you’ll be doing OK!

And Nike, well… to my knowledge they don’t even make food.  Besides, they’re in Portland, and that makes them at least good at heart.  If I were them, I’d sue the Surgeon General for the association, though.

Yeah, so, I’m a convert to the idea that these corporations know very well that their products are unhealthy and do their best to mask that fact.  Moreover, they manage to get the government to play along in most cases.  And if anyone calls them on it, play the “freedom” card.  How dare the Man try to tell us not to put trans-fats in your food!  FREEDOM!  Freedom to get fat, get diabetes, and cost the health care system a fortune.  I’m sure those corporations will help pay for that, though.  It’d only be right, wouldn’t it?

Now, keep in mind, if you will, I have an MBA from Stanford University (if I haven’t mentioned it a thousand times).  I’ve owned and run businesses for more than a decade.  It’s not like I hang out at Burning Man and smell like patchouli oil all the time (not that there’s anything wrong with that, actually).  I really wanted to believe that whole invisible hand, Chicago school, free market nonsense.  The problem is that it doesn’t reflect reality.  It neglects to account for the ability of the corporation to hoodwink the people and their government.  How does that whole theory apply to something like cigarettes?  People will stop buying them if they’re dangerous?  Uh, no, they won’t.  They’re addicted to them, actual doctors used to advertise them, and a cute vagina-faced camel smokes them.  How bad could they be?

I’m a little surprised, given all I’ve learned, that we don’t still have cocaine in our Coca Cola. (Yes, it’s true, and no, not very much.)  It was, however, originally sold as a medicine.  Now, that’s healthy!

So, consider me converted– at least to the degree that I have a new appreciation for your average human’s ability to rationalize creating, producing, and marketing just about anything they think their fellow human will purchase.  To hell with the health impact.  Moderation!  Freedom!  And leading the charge for all of those people who merely need to rationalize their participation in sweat shop product sources or flat-out deadly products are the Richard Bermans of the world.  If you can’t bring yourself to say that sugary sweeteners are not empty calories nor bad for your teeth, for a healthy management fee there’s always someone that will.  And the price he’ll pay for his deception?

He’ll get really, really rich.