The Fat Tax
 

A Tax on Fatty Foods?
By Corinne Amoo

LONDON (Reuters) - Hamburgers, soft drinks and cakes could be hit with a "fat-tax" in a bid to combat Britain's growing levels of obesity, doctors said Monday.

The British Medical Association is proposing a 17.5 percent VAT on high-fat foods like biscuits and processed meats to solve obesity-related problems, which cost the NHS roughly 500 million pounds ($825 million) a year.

"There is an epidemic of obesity in the UK," said BMA spokesman Dr Martin Breach. "You are what you eat and if that is the case the British public have a huge problem."

"Charging VAT on saturated foods found in processed meat products like sausages, pies and pastries, butter and cream, may help save some lives."

Full text: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...lth_fat_tax_dc

Bridget Jones
 

At the time, it was reported that she had gained 10 pounds to balloon up to 125 for the role.

Edited to add: According to an interview on Hollywood.com she added 20 pounds to be 129 for the role.

http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/features/feature/386215

Bridget Jones
 

While we're on the subject of Renee Zellweger's weight, I want to add Lara Flynn Boyle to the list of Celebrity Women That Need to Be Force-Fed. She was so much more attractive when she was an 'obese' size 4-6. Particularly in that ballerina monstrosity she wore to the last major awards show, she looked like a shivering, starved Survivor survivor.

Bridget Jones
 

Regardless of what her weight is now or was then, the difference is more than 10 pounds. Unless we are talking metric pounds and since I'm not bilingual, nttawwt, I cannot comment on such units of measure.

Edited to add: Check out her hollywood.com interview for corroboration of the above.

FWIW, I'd gleefully do the "fat" or skeleskinny Renee.

The Fat Tax
 

They're going to tax cookies and cake?!?!?!!? Those are necessary sustenance items goddammit!

They should just do a quantity tax, like if you buy the giant size potato chips or monster box of donuts, which invariably indicate gluttony. Taxing someone who innocently eats an annual 2-pack of Hostess Snowballs (like, say, me) who doesn't get fat or sick because she exercises portion control is just mean.

P(Free the Snowballs!)J

Rented "About Schmidt" last night and Kathy Bates is H-O-T hot.

The Fat Tax
 

I think this is a fabulous idea. You can buy a ho ho for 25 cents, but an apple costs $1.17. No wonder the welfare moms are 300 pounds.

I am also pro Sin Tax, and I am a major sinner.

Did she gain or lose weight for that movie?

A la my fiance Beyonce in Austin Powers, they made her drop 20 lbs. They realized that people find her much more sexy at 230 than at 250. I know I do.

Exciting News from the World of Boxing
 

Thanks for the heads up on this. I watched Saturday night, and even though it was never very close, it was still an exciting fight. Props to both guys. Super props to Gatti, whose early round body shots allowed him to win a fight even though he apparently broke his hand in the third round. Great stuff.

What's up with Michael Grant? The guy looked washed up.

Gatti Ward III
 

It was a good fight, but it wasn't quite Gatti/Ward I or II. Which is to say, it wasn't one of the all time greatest fights ever. No shame in that. Mickey just didn't have much in the tank. But rounds 4 and 7 were pretty breathtaking.

The Fat Tax
 

Now this is a great law. Why should I pay the bills of the ailing junk food junkies who clog the sidewalks, litter the neighborhoods, destroy the rainforest, take up space in hostpitals and burden our health care systems with their addictions to shit that destroys the body? Fuck that. Any good law gigs in London?

Exciting News from the World of Boxing
 

He's been washed up for a while.

Now that Gatti-Ward is over forever, there really aren't any fights I am anticipating. I would like to see Roy Jones fight Chris Byrd, but it looks as if he will fight Holyfield. Lewis may fight Klitschko, but I don't have high hopes for that fight. Lewis will win within 3 rounds.

Movie I will be seeing based entirely on the preview
 

I think those marketing people like to create buzz and stuff. Also, it's a way of telling all the other studios to stay the fuck away from November 5, 2004.

Movie I will be seeing based entirely on the preview
 

Maybe they wanted to get it out for best animated short? In and of itself, I think that single minute could hold its own against the five to ten minute shorts that usually get those awards.

I know it takes Pixar about five years from start to finish to get a movie out, so I'm pretty impressed that they have that much done by press time.

I had also read that this movie may bepayback by Pixar/Disney against DreamWorks for releasing the Shrek DVD the same day that Monsters, Inc. came to the theaters. Could be that Pixar/Disney is looking to start the media campaign early just to ensure a victory over DreamWorks at the box-office.

edited because I forgot that HTML doesn't work here--RT