Big, Bigger, Biggest

[pippin]

Was actually reading the interview of Kurt Richebächer by Jim Willie on our " Ass Backwards Economy" that some one on DU had posted. The last few pragraphs of the article however were interesting. Willie considers "American obesity to be a national disgrace. A friend calls the US 'the land of hippos and cows.'  We have become a laughing stock to the world." Jim Willie observed that while in Fraance:

"In the course of one week’s time, I must have crossed paths with at least 2000 people --- tourists, regular people, workers, mothers, fathers, teenagers, children. I was astonished that I only caught sight of 4-5 fat people in all of my paths in France. In the US, one can spot 4-5 two-legged free roaming buffalos in no more than ten minutes, even with the observer half asleep. Men and women alike, almost without exception, kept themselves in good physical shape in France."

http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/editorials/willie/0912.htm

Why has everything--people--cars--houses--food servings--grown bigger and bigger in the last decade in America?:think:

[nedlogg]

1. Simple solution

Americans eat too much and do too little. It's as simple as that. Ever see the size of the portions they give you in some restaurants? Enough to feed a small army.

If a person consumes 3000 calories a day, and only works off 2000, there's a pretty good chance the unburned 1000 calories will turn to fat.

[cliss]

2. We are all believers of the

"Theory of quantiplicity". We know a little of a good thing is good, so a lot of a good thing is FANTASTIC. We use this theory in all our affairs:

1) Small Mac's. They soon became Big Macs. Sometime later they became Super Size. Of course, the competitors could do no less. They came up with the "Biggie".

2) Cars. Small is dangerous. Would you drive an MG or a Geo Metro on the highway next to two triple-trailer Freightliners with a wind deflector on top? Medium is better. But -- massive is definitely the best on the road today. Witness the decade long trend from just ordinary caravan-type cars to reinforced SUV's. The trend was definitely toward armored vehicles. Now, the ultimate in highway driving is a HumVee.

3) Buildings. Taller is definitely better. Except in the case of the World Trade Towers.

4) Big bodies. A few years ago, the insurance companies had to "biggie size" the average weight of the Average American. They needed to add a few pounds each decade to reflect the growing girth of Average Joe & Josephine, who were spending lots more time in front of the TV and their butts had grown way bigger.

5) Big portions. Of course, this is where the blame is squarely placed. The restaurants are dishing out dinners which are too big. People eat it (clean your plate, remember) and stagger out with a tooghpick between their teeth. Struggle to the car. My grandmother said one time, after she had arrived from Sweden for a visit, "this is the land of the big portions".

6) Big country. Lots of places to hide.

We can't deny it. We're the biggest with the mostest. (although, sometimes we pay a big price).

[leftofthedial]

3. because we love our freedoms

unlike those terorist-supporting cowardly anti-American ingrates.

</sarcasm>