"science supports our sugar-slurping, gas-guzzling habits" - funny article

[Physicist]

I like how this article tackles charlatanism and several of our state's politicians. I also posted this in the environment forum.

http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2004/05/12/news/opinion/3see12.tx...

"It appears that science supports our sugar-slurping, gas-guzzling habits.

While discussing my cholesterol, I asked my nutritionist if it's OK to get 25 percent of my calories from refined sugar and added sweeteners. "If you're a marathon runner and need 5,000 calories a day, then that can be fine," she replied.

America cares deeply about its legions of calorie-starved marathon runners. While other countries recommend limiting added sugar to 10 percent of calories, the United States wants a standard of 25 percent. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services chastised a World Health Organization research study for its "unsubstantiated focus on ‘good' and ‘bad' foods" and its "conclusion that specific foods are linked to … obesity (e.g., energy-dense foods, high/added-sugar foods, and drinks)." (See http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/steigerltr.pdf .)

I called Mom. "You raised me wrong. There is no conclusive proof that 32-ounce sugary drinks cause obesity … and ketchup is a vegetable."

"Are you sure? You have gained weight lately."

When policymakers speak of "sound science" and "balance," hold onto your chairs.

Rep. Greg Walden's federal House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a hearing on "sound science," for which expert-written testimony states that millions of people die from the "malaria virus" every year because of a ban on DDT http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/archives/108/testimony/2004/pauldr... .)

But malaria is caused by a protozoan, not a virus. In parts of the world where DDT is still effective, small amounts of DDT are now sprayed onto interior walls to control the mosquitoes that spread malaria. Because of resistance to drugs and pesticides and because of lack of funding for malaria programs, malaria deaths have skyrocketed over the past 10 to 15 years.

What's next? Will this Congressional testimony inspire President Bush to dismiss USAID's scientists and delegate the job of telling protozoa from viruses to lobbyists for the energy and mineral resource industries?

Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., also follows "sound science" (Oregonian Op-Ed, Nov. 5). He opposes controls on carbon dioxide emissions partly based on a comparison of the 2002 Colorado forest fire with emissions from that state's automobiles. To understand the comparison, imagine a posse of Coloradoans torching hundreds of thousands of acres of forest every year.

Sen. Smith also pointed to a review of the Earth's climate history published in January 2003 by two astronomers from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. This review, funded by the American Petroleum Institute, casts doubt on the role of burning oil and coal in driving up the Earth's temperature. (Surprise!) Since then, the scientific community has dismissed or rejected this study, as revealed by a search of the Science Citation Index at the nearest university library by my mother. Seriously, a class of fifth graders could tackle this. More fun Senate debates on "climate stewardship" are coming this month.

I will eat mainly Twinkies and doughnuts until further study of these matters.

Edward Zubek of Corvallis is a congregational liaison for the Oregon Interfaith Global Warming Campaign.