http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/NEWS10/71211023/1263/update

Quote :

"The proposed ordinance would prevent fast food chains from opening new restaurants in the South Los Angeles, West Adams, Baldwin Hills and Leimert Park areas for the next year. ... "The proliferation and concentration of fast food restaurants in South Los Angeles brings with it many social, economic, environmental and other concerns which merit closer review and regulation by the city," Perry wrote in a June letter to her colleagues. "The over-concentration of fast food businesses in low-income areas, particularly along the Southeast Los Angeles commercial corridors, intensifies socio-economic problems in the neighborhoods, and creates serious public health problems through poor nutrition for children and adults." "

Once again, you are all too stupid to take care of yourselves. The government must care for you.

12/13/2007 6:36:11 PM

yes, i agree

let's not focus on real ways to solve the problem

we should just belittle fatties

FUCK FATTIES, AM I RIGHT?

12/13/2007 6:44:31 PM

or is this fuck black people?

perhaps, that's where you were going?

so is the hate directed towards fat people or minorities

OR FAT MINORITIES?

12/13/2007 6:46:22 PM

The hate is directed at medling busybody politicians who feel the need to dictate all of your choices to you. The end result of abdicating your responsibilities to the government is that the government will run your life.

12/13/2007 6:49:05 PM

that's cool

but can we work toward the destruction of corporations IN GENERAL that are propagating the obesity epidemic

I mean, with torches and shit?

12/13/2007 6:50:32 PM

They aren't stopping you from getting fast food. There is a lot of fast food right there. God forbid someone walk one block to get it.

12/13/2007 6:50:48 PM

Because you really believe it will stop there? It will just stop at banning new fast food locales from being built right? Look I hate to sound all salisburyboy here, but it doesn't concern you at all that you have government officials banning the construction of businesses because patronizing those businesses too much is bad for your health?

12/13/2007 7:05:36 PM

They already do that. Have you been living in a cave for the past 500 years?

12/13/2007 7:11:33 PM

This is obviously a topic that people in the city felt was important enough to address. I'm glad that local democracy still works somewhere, because contrary to popular opinion, business doesn't always have to win.

12/13/2007 7:23:30 PM

the "git-er-dun ye cant take my full auto AK47" is forgetting that its local gov't and nothing to do with state or even federal government.

I say this is a win for democracy.

12/13/2007 7:28:00 PM

^^^ Slavery existed for years too, doesn't make it right.

^^ So what is preventing the people from not going to McDonalds and just running the places out of business? Why do we need the government to do this for us?

^ So, can we the people of Raleigh finaly ban college kids from voting? After all, it's just the local government.

[Edited on December 13, 2007 at 7:30 PM. Reason : sdf]

12/13/2007 7:29:05 PM

well the 15th and 26th amendment specifically deals with voting. So this would be found unconstitutional.

However if Raleigh citizens came together and say banned tailgating then we'd probably be SOL. They have already voted in city council people who put a crack down on college partying through "nussaince party ordiance ." I hate the fucking NPO but the raleigh locals found the college kid partying scene to be out of hand and through democratically voting on their councilmen indirectly allowed this change.

Quote :

"So what is preventing the people from not going to McDonalds and just running the places out of business? Why do we need the government to do this for us"

What gives my home owners association the right to tell me I can't put a pink fence around my yard and a 30 foot dish in the back????

You must really hate democracy but who are you kidding. As long as you can carry your guns wherever you go; it really does not matter. I am sure you would feel right at home in many places in Africa or Middle East. In Afghanistan you could carry your AK47 to the market and no one would say shit!

[Edited on December 13, 2007 at 7:39 PM. Reason : l]

12/13/2007 7:37:21 PM

How about if they outlawed new liquor stores in ghetto areas? How about banning the sale of hypodermic needles in the drugstores of large urban areas?

At some point it becomes a constitutional issue. Our government is not supposed to make these decisions for us.

[Edited on December 13, 2007 at 7:52 PM. Reason : 2]

12/13/2007 7:51:30 PM

yet another troll. I'll add this one to the list.

12/13/2007 7:51:40 PM

^^ dry counties still exist in NC

12/13/2007 7:53:36 PM

Homeowners associations are evil, don't even get me started on them but at the very least they are (at first) voluntary.

As far as your voting right goes, as we've already established in the other thread, when the constitution says "the people" they don't mean individuals, so it shouldnt' matter if raleigh bans college kids from voting, as they're just a few individuals, not "the people".

How about if the city of raleigh decides that college kids can't be outside their homes after 10 PM? It's a local government so it's ok right?

12/13/2007 7:53:40 PM

sure if everyone in raleigh goes to the polls and votes on it. No one is making me live in Raleigh. I'll just pack bags and leave.

12/13/2007 7:55:03 PM

^^That's funny, but those amendments don't say, "the people" and they were written 70 years and more after the Constitution and Bill of Rights were written. So shut the fuck up.

12/13/2007 8:53:22 PM

classic tactic when someone owns you... just say something incomprehensible and leave

12/13/2007 10:22:45 PM

All restaurants are banned.......except Taco Bell

12/13/2007 10:32:02 PM

i'ma go inna kfc with my samurai sword and fuck a motherfucker up

12/14/2007 12:00:15 AM

Quote :

"This fascist crap makes me wanna puke."

12/14/2007 12:03:34 AM

thats not facism, thats democracy B

12/14/2007 12:05:55 AM

same thing. you know it.

we need to turn our nation over to Jesus.

12/14/2007 12:18:14 AM

I think this is pretty old news. But I don't really see the issue, it's just zoning.

News flash! Zoning is an inherently political process!

12/14/2007 12:29:19 AM

you can take my fast food restaurants, my freedom, but you can NEVER take my Rifle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

12/14/2007 12:57:26 AM

Zoning still sucks.

12/14/2007 12:58:49 AM

seattle has awesome zoning.

you can't find a single Wal-Mart in the entire city limits. Fast food chains are limited to certain areas.

outside downtown and a few select areas, condo buildings are limited to 3 above-grade stories and now have to incorporate pedestrian friendly shops and sidewalk access

im a big fan of urban zoning laws.

...

FTR, gun stores are restricted to the same zoning as fast food areas too. so i cant just go buy my handguns on ANY street corner. i might have to drive 10 minutes.

or take a bus... the gun shops are on major bus routes. that way i more easily commit crime on the thug-infested public transportation. you know what im talkin about



[Edited on December 14, 2007 at 1:09 AM. Reason : ]

12/14/2007 1:06:16 AM

Seattle sounds sweet. I fucking hate Walmart. Everytime i go there I feel like i am interacting with a subspecies of humanity. Where do these people come from????

12/14/2007 1:07:38 AM

well, around here, they come from the fucking suburbs. Renton or Lynnwood mostly. all the methheads and git-r-dun rednecks live in the 'burbs.

12/14/2007 1:11:04 AM

Quote :

"Our government is not supposed to make these decisions for us. "

12/14/2007 1:17:28 AM

^^ And the nancy-boys live in the city, right?

[Edited on December 14, 2007 at 1:18 AM. Reason : .]

12/14/2007 1:18:23 AM

we prefer to be called "Metrosexuals", thank you

12/14/2007 1:30:46 AM

^ Indeed.

12/14/2007 1:31:58 AM

Quote :

"Once again, you are all too stupid to take care of yourselves. The government must care for you."

You know the sad thing is that in principle I see your point. I mean I also would like to have faith in the innate self-sustaining ability of the common man. However, at some point, after decades of government interference does this cease being the case? Do we become so conditioned to have Uncle Sam come and fix all problems in life that we forget that we can do things for ourselves? I'm afraid that this is the one thing that government always succeeds at after enough time, it's like society is a drug addict and the government is the pusher. Come on just a little more, you know you want it, you know you can't live without it. Then we steal other peoples money to pay for it, oh but it's the government's money so it doesn't count. Charity from any other source is perhaps shameful, but from the government, well those rich people have it coming, it's "my fair share". We can
just call it "redistribution of wealth" that makes it ok.

12/14/2007 2:13:42 AM

somebody please quote some milton friedman.

then i can finally log off and get some sleep.

please.

12/14/2007 2:19:00 AM

^

12/14/2007 2:50:26 AM

Quote :

" Once again, you are all too stupid to take care of yourselves. The government must care for you."

Gee, I wish the government would take care of North Carolinians. Every time I fly into RDU I'm astonished by the number of absolutely enormous, gigantic fat-asses.

When the people really ARE too stupid to take care of themselves, what should the government do? Let the whole world become a pitiful eyesore full of obese whales about to collapse into the emergency room at a moment's notice?

As you may realize I'm a big fan of public decency laws. We don't allow nudity in public. We don't allow urination in public. Why in God's name should the government continue to promote gigantic fat-asses in public? Hm?

I'll give you a compromise: if the city government starts requiring that whales with BMIs over 50 start wearing something other than teensy tiny tank tops and sweat shorts, then I'll accept fast food zoning as taboo.

Until such time ... I'm thinking LA is justified. Considering they practically invented fast food chains, maybe they can lead the way on making life a little nicer for everyone.

12/14/2007 4:10:37 AM

So will the banning of fast food places make black people forget how to make fried chicken?

12/14/2007 8:32:15 AM

I have no problem with zoning laws though I wonder how much thought and planning goes into zoning. My suspicion is not much. Regardless, this particular zoning seems to be a superficial solution: Wow, all these people are poor and fat. It must be all the fast food joints. If we get rid of the fast food restaurants, then everything will be all better.

This doesn't address the fact that fast food restaurants are a symptom and not a cause of these people being poor and fat. Eating at a fast food restaurant is cheaper than buying fresh at a grocery store and preparing it yourself. Healthy foods, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables, are expensive compared to processed foods and fast food fare.

Until the fact that healthy food is more expensive than unhealthy food is addressed, the poor in this country will continue to eat shit food and they will continue to suffer the health effects of it.

12/14/2007 9:31:49 AM

Quote :

"have Uncle Sam come and fix all problems"

you guys are missing the whole point of this article. Normally i would agree that I hate nanny big gov't interfering with my life. However, it was a local gov't that passed this. I do not really have a problem with zoning laws and for the most part the individuals have a lot more power in city governments. If they see this as that big of problem they will vote for new representatives to repeal the ordinance.

I really do not give a fuck, oh darn there will not be a McD's on every street corner boohoo. This actually reminds me of a lot protests in Paris b.c the locals are appalled at the Americanization of many of the historic sectors of Île de la Cité. If the public majority wants to ban KFC from certain areas whats the problem; i'd hate to take away fat peoples right to get a bucket of Chicken without having to walk 4 blocks.

Quote :

"Eating at a fast food restaurant is cheaper than buying fresh at a grocery store and preparing it yourself. Healthy foods, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables, are expensive compared to processed foods and fast food fare."

where the fuck do you shop??? i can make healthier meals myself cooking that taste 5x better including veggies and fruits that cost the same as going out for fast foot. Especially if you make something that you can eat again as leftovers. i guess if you just enjoy triple bacon thickburgers then you may be SOL

[Edited on December 14, 2007 at 10:25 AM. Reason : a]

12/14/2007 10:22:29 AM

I shop at the grocery store. Where the fuck else would I shop for groceries?

You are aware that you can buy processed foods at the grocery store, right? It shouldn't take a whole lot of looking around to see that microwave pizza and burritos are significantly cheaper than almost anything in the fruit and veggie section. Take a look at this website:

http://www.mymoneyblog.com/archives/2007/01/what-does-200-calories-cost-the-economics-of-obesity.html

There's a nice graphic of how much calories cost. Notice that the healthy stuff is at the top of the list and the not-so-healthy stuff is at the bottom of the list.

Also, keep in mind that food costs more than just money. It also costs time and energy, which is where fast food restaurants come into play. Congratulations on being able to afford the time required to make a healthy meal for yourself.

[Edited on December 14, 2007 at 11:09 AM. Reason : ]

12/14/2007 11:07:53 AM

Ramen and rice ftw.

I'm not so sure how true it is that it's impossible to find the money and the time to make a nutritionally-decent meal, but it seems to me that this country doesn't make it very easy for you either. Meats and fatty/sugary foods are heavily subsidized by the government whereas less fattening alternatives are not. If we want people to eat healthier, this situation should really be reversed.

One thing I would support is a "fat tax;" foods that contain above a certain amount of calories per serving would be subject to a tax. It will make fruits and vegetables seem less expensive by comparison, or at the very least it will make a person buy only two servings instead of five. Another potential idea is to give tax breaks to people who join a gym (or make the membership fees tax deductible), or otherwise give people an incentive to to some sort of physical activity. Jobs which require a lot of manual labor could have less income taxes deducted from their paycheck, for instance, or poor people who are on welfare would get a certain percentage more money every month if they stay below an arbitrary weight limit.

I don't think the government should tell its people what to do, but I see no problem with it giving incentives and disincentives. In time, people will finally get the message and will eat and live healthy on their own without having to be prodded.

[Edited on December 14, 2007 at 11:28 AM. Reason : blah]

12/14/2007 11:25:29 AM

Quote :

"You are aware that you can buy processed foods at the grocery store, right? It shouldn't take a whole lot of looking around to see that microwave pizza and burritos are significantly cheaper than almost anything in the fruit and veggie section."

I thought we were comparing fastfood v. buying your own food from the grocery store.

btw even if talking about processed v. healthy i'd still disagree.

I can have a healthy meal of beans, greenbeans, rice, and tuna cheaper then buying a box of cheese sticks and a pack of Bubba's Burgers.

12/14/2007 12:15:38 PM

You need to think cheaper than Bubba Burgers. That food is out there, and people buy it.

12/14/2007 12:40:10 PM

Nothing's cheaper than buying rice, potatoes, and beans in bulk.

However, preparing such food takes time.

12/14/2007 12:53:36 PM

Local governments attempting to direct what type of community their town becomes. That's pure crazy talk.

Have you heard those stories about nice communities to live in getting publicised? People hear about those areas, they move their, large companies hear about them, they quickly erect establishments, and soon the place is completely different than what made it a nice community in the first place. Local governments have every right to guide growth.

On the couple mile drive down Capital Blvd going to and from work, I pass 3 McDonalds, 2-3 Burger Kings, 2-3 Taco Bells, Hardees, Wendys, Dream Burgers, Chick-Fil-A, etc. I could only imagine what could be done with all that wasted space. That area has gotten really bad and it definitely could be better.

12/14/2007 1:13:46 PM

Cary has some of the most restrictive zoning laws in the nation. Its also ranked as the #1 place to live. Coincidence?

12/14/2007 1:22:58 PM

but seriously though

fuck fatties

12/14/2007 1:24:36 PM

In the end though, there wouldn't be 3 McDonalds, 3 burger kings, 3 taco bells, a hardees, wendy's, Dream Burgers, Chick-Fil-A, Grease Pit, Charcoal Dispensers etc etc etc if people didn't eat there. But people do. And the reason for that, is that people move from where they live (which has 50 fast food joints per block) to someplace "nice" and then bitch and whine that they have to travel further than a block to get their Gease Burger fix. If the people didn't want it, and didn't eat there, they would go out of business.

12/14/2007 1:24:37 PM