Here is the nanny state at its most ridiculous. Healthies — people that obsess about health — are on the march in Madison, Wisconsin trying to get the state government to ban people from feeding peanuts to squirrels on the state Capitol grounds. It’s a state emergency, ya know? Why these casually discarded peanuts could just maybe affect a child that has an allergy. We MUST ban the evil peanut to SAVE THE CHILDREN!
One would think that people are dropping dead every 5 seconds from peanut allergies with all this energy and focus directed against that monstrous Mr. Peanut. You would think that this important health effort would save uncounted lives, wouldn’t you?
Maybe not.
Sure, Americans do die yearly from complications of peanut allergies but at a rate of 100 or so a year, the absurd hyperbolic action being sought by the state government in Wisconsin is just plain silly.
Are we now getting government involved in banning people’s activities because 100 people a year might be affected by it? And if we are stooping to such absurdly low statistics, why are we not making rules and getting all exercised over other things that are far more dangerous to far more people. Like bicycles, for instance. It is estimated that some 700 bicyclists were killed in 2007 alone. Are we going to have a crusade to eliminate bicycles? If not, why not? Since Wisconsin is all crazed about the peanut that might affect far less than 1% of the whole country, why are bicycles off the hook for a good banning?
Of course, I no more want the state to start banning bicycles than I want the state to worry about peanuts. Nor should the state have any such role to play with these two issues.
And, what happened to the personal responsibility of these peanut allergy sufferers, anyway? Should they expect the whole world to bend to their needs? Isn’t it their responsibility to make sure they don’t eat a peanut? Isn’t it the duty of parents of children that have such allergies to teach them not to eat a peanut?
No, what we have here is just another idiotic fad being taken up by the nanny state getting involved in areas in which it does not belong.
So, Madisonians… buy yourselves a few jars of Planter’s and spread them liberally about the grounds of the state Capitol. Feed those hungry squirrels. Tell the nannies in the Capitol building that they are off the nut. Oh, and also tell them to keep their hands offa your nuts.
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Dan McLaughlin
Neil Stevens
Daniel Horowitz
As someone who has a kid who is extremely allergic to peanuts...
Bill S (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 9:21AM EST (link)even *I* think this is over the top.
Sheesh.
“It’s such a fine line between stupid, and clever.” – David St. Hubbins
To be fair ...
SMinDC Tuesday, April 7th at 9:22AM EST (link)Many schools don’t allow peanuts in their classrooms because nut allergies (particularly peanut) aren’t triggered by ingestion. They’re triggered by contact. So a kid doesn’t have to pick up and eat a peanut off the Capitol grounds, they only have to have a friend pick one up and touch them later, or in some cases, just be near the nut.
While only 100 people actually die from allergic reactions, there are 3 million children with peanut allergy, so its not quite a Nanny State-ish as you would think.
As a final note, the allergy rationale may only be a cover (and probably an effective one) to get people to stop feeding the squirrels. My hometown (in upstate NY), after years of allowing it, banned the feeding of ducks in the park because the ducks became overfed, aggressive and generally made themselves a nuisance.
If I’m the director of maintenance for the Wisconsin Capitol grounds and people are feeding the squirrels and those squirrels are causing either damage to the grounds or are otherwise causing mischief, I might play on people’s sensitivities to children’s allergies and use that as a legitimate, if not the main, reason to get people to stop.
No, that is not to be fair
Neil Stevens (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 9:27AM EST (link)Warner showed that more people are killed by Bicycles than Peanuts every year.
If they’re not going after bicycles, it’s irrational to be going after peanuts, as peanuts are the lesser threat by a factor of seven.
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People who get on a bike assume a risk of injury.
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 10:01AM EST (link)People with peanut allergies cannot choose not to eat, and as I discuss below, peanuts are very often a hidden ingredient in foods. They are nearly impossible to avoid.
The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
Fairness
SMinDC Tuesday, April 7th at 10:27AM EST (link)Since my google search sent me to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (where Warner’s sent him I assume), let’s look at the rest of the stats:
There are between 73 million and 85 million (we’ll use 77 million as a good central number to make the math work easy) bicyclists in the U.S. and 700 of them died in 2007. So if you’re a bicycle rider you have a 0.0000091% chance of being killed while riding.
However, recent studies (see here http://tinyurl.com/ceopwv) show Warner is understating the number of deaths attributable to peanut allergies.
If the number is 200, like the article says, and there are 1.8 million people with the allergy then the risk for the suffers is many times greater: 0.000111%.
So the raw numbers say you’re more likely to die on a bike (90% of those fatalities involve an accident with a motor vehicle) and they say there are also more ER visits, more traumatic injuries and other bad things involved with bicycling.
As a result, local and state governments have passed laws requiring everything from helmets to strict adherence to traffic flows and operating a bicycle while chemically impaired to prevent you from being killed. How’s this not a similar step?
The only difference on its face is that the bicycle laws protect you from others… this informal request protects others.
More people are killed...
liberalrepublican (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 12:57PM EST (link)by falling coconuts than shark attacks.
But Jaws got a movie.
I think there should be a law giving coconuts a horror movie.
“Broadly speaking, liberalism emphasizes individual rights and equality of opportunity. … including extensive freedom of thought and speech, limitations on the power of governments, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market or mixed economy”
You do remember you're on thin ice, right? (nt)
Neil Stevens (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 8:22PM EST (link)RS contributing editor, technical administrator, and “a hardy variety of crabgrass.”
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If I get banned for making a joke...
liberalrepublican (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 11:04PM EST (link)So be it.
“Broadly speaking, liberalism emphasizes individual rights and equality of opportunity. … including extensive freedom of thought and speech, limitations on the power of governments, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market or mixed economy”
Many-a-troll has been banned for hostile jokes (nt)
Neil Stevens (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 11:17PM EST (link)RS contributing editor, technical administrator, and “a hardy variety of crabgrass.”
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Neil...
liberalrepublican (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 11:23PM EST (link)My joke is hostile towards government intervention in our lives.
Isn’t that fair game?
“Broadly speaking, liberalism emphasizes individual rights and equality of opportunity. … including extensive freedom of thought and speech, limitations on the power of governments, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market or mixed economy”
I don't know your history liberal republican
Doc Holliday (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 11:42PM EST (link)although your name gives me pause.. Having said that, I don’t see anything remotely offensive in your joke. But RS has been a bit weird the last few days. I took the worst heat in three years in the least consequential thread I have ever participated in. If you get baned over a coconut joke, well, the bad streak continues.
Molon Labe!
My posting history is uneven...
liberalrepublican (Diary) Wednesday, April 8th at 12:08AM EST (link)And if I got banned at some point, I woudn’t complain. I’ve given reason.
I have plenty of disagreements with mainstream R thought – I vote R mostly out of a lesser of two evils philosophy.
One of my deepest held political beliefs is that government meddling eats at the human spirit bite by bite and that many forms of government “help” is just a nicer way to keep people in bonds.
R’s are better on that.
I don’t look for anything from politics or the government to make my life better and I’m mostly here as a diversion.
But I’ve also learned a lot from people like Achance. I read parts of the book he recommended (liberty line) on the internet from a response he made to a post. I learned that Africans were the real heroes of the underground rr and abolitionists took the credit. I lost an hour or two of sleep, but it’s worth it.
So, I get back quite a bit even though I piss people off along the way for not conforming.
“Broadly speaking, liberalism emphasizes individual rights and equality of opportunity. … including extensive freedom of thought and speech, limitations on the power of governments, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market or mixed economy”
Get over yourself, clown
Neil Stevens (Diary) Wednesday, April 8th at 12:53AM EST (link)You’re not under fire for not conforming. You’re under fire for being a jerk.
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WTH, this is a load of hooey.
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 9:28AM EST (link)“Are we now getting government involved in banning people’s activities because 100 people a year might be affected by it?”
1. “Government” is not getting involved in “banning” anything.
2. A lot more than 100 people a year are “affected” by it.
3. Peanut allergy is a growing problem, and there’s a lot of ignorance about it.
From your link:
Nanny state? “[A]bsurd hyperbolic action”? There are no new laws proposed here. No threats of prosecution or civil sanctions. They asked in a letter if whoever was spreading the peanuts would please stop.
I suggest you do a little more research.
“Food allergic reactions cause an estimated 30,000 emergency room visits and kill 150 to 200 people a year.” (Source.) Peanuts are the #1 food allergy, affecting something like 0.5% of the population.
My 20 year old daughter has a moderate to severe peanut allergy. We always had to avoid going to restaurants where peanuts were handed out in buckets, shells thrown on the floor, etc. A small amount of peanut dust in the air has been enough to trigger asthma: “….F]or those with peanut allergies, even 1/1,000 of a peanut can cause a severe reaction.” You tell me how to avoid exposure to peanut dust on a commercial flight when peanuts are handed out as a snack.
From the time she was able to read, Ellie was vigilant about avoiding peanuts, always reading food labels (food labeling per the dictates of the FDA — there go the jackbooted nanny state thugs again! ). She had serious exposure to peanuts on 3 occasions:
1. At a school fair at age 6, she ate a homemade Rice Krispie treat that contained a small amount of peanut butter (unlabeled, of course). That sent her to the emergency room.
2. At age 8, she ate one bite of a birthday cake at a friend’s party. The hostess had made a box cake mix, but added 1 tablespoon of peanut butter for texture. Another emergency room visit.
3. At age 18, Ellie ate about a teaspoon of pesto at a restaurant. The chef’s “special recipe” was the substitution of peanuts for pine nuts that are normally in pesto. Another emergency room visit.
After the last visit, the doc told us that most peanut deaths are seen in teenagers, who are out from under parental supervision and reluctant to carry their epi-pens with them at all times.
One of the scariest episodes of my life was when a friend experienced anaphylactic shock as a result of some allergen that was never identified. Up until then, I too thought that allergies were a nuisance that mostly caused hives, itching, sneezing and discomfort. In anaphylaxis (the same reaction experienced by those that are sensitive to peanuts, bee stings, shellfish, etc.), the body goes into severe respiratory and circulatory shock that can be fatal within minutes. It is very, very serious.
As a parent, I probably would have simply avoided that squirrel feeding ground. But I also see that one of the biggest threats to the 1 in 200 or so who is deathly allergic to this very common ingredient is the blithe ignorance and the dismissive attitude of the general population. Peanuts are almost impossible to completely avoid.
The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
Yes, this is over the top
Slightly_Askew (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 10:27AM EST (link)And I can empathize with your situation. My question would be “How many kids are really playing around on the Capitol grounds?” If this is some sort of common area where children often gather to play kickball or throw frisbees around, then I would agree with the letter asking people to stop feeding peanuts to the squirrels.
However, I took the time to pull it up on Google StreetView. The entire Capitol grounds is roped off with chains. Somehow I doubt that children coming into contact with peanuts at this specific location is really a danger, and therefore this is scaremongering pure and simple; just using “think of the children” to try to limit the actions of the people. Why not be honest and say “Please do not feed the squirrels. Wild animals that come to rely on handouts become a nuisance and a danger to the public.”
Sorry about that
Slightly_Askew (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 10:32AM EST (link)Copy and paste put in the strange quotes.
Over the top?
Neil Stevens (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 10:32AM EST (link)If the policy is dishonest then I don’t see how opposing it is over the top.
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Opposing a "policy" would not be over the top
Slightly_Askew (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 10:42AM EST (link)..if such a policy existed. It’s not a policy.
Comparing a public letter asking one or two individual people (read the linked article) to stop feeding squirrels, even if disingenuously claiming it is for the children, to an outright nanny-state assault on the civil liberties of the citizenry to eat peanuts is what I was calling over-the-top . It is the exact hyperbole that WTH himself was railing against, both sides are guilty of it (“carpeting the lawn with peanuts…”, really?), and it has turned a three paragraph article into a tempest in a teapot.
Persactly. nt
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 11:18AM EST (link)The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
It's not just a public letter.
noufa Tuesday, April 7th at 11:49AM EST (link)There have been coordinated campaigns to remove peanuts from airplane flights & public schools. 99.9% of the population are expected to change their behavior in deference to .01%.
I have no ill-will towards that .01% with legitimate peanut allergies.
However, there is a recent study which suggests what we all intuitively thought was true: gradual exposure to peanuts builds up tolerance:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/25/health/25real.html
The recent explosion in allergies is probably a result of parents sheltering their children.
Despite earnest attempts to help, we often hurt people by coddling them.
“Obama is not a centrist. He was never centrist. He is a uniter. He does reach across the aisle. But he always do so in pursuit of progressive ends.”
-Jonathan Stein of Mother Jones 1/31/08
Is your God given right to eat peanuts that important
Slightly_Askew (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 12:47PM EST (link)…that you can’t sacrifice going three hours on a flight without them?
Yes, it was a simple letter. If you want to change the argument from this specific instance where it is totally reasonable to ask people to stop leaving peanuts, to a national ban on peanuts, that is fine, but don’t try to intimate that this is some sort of shot in the war on peanuts.
As for your points about airline flights and public schools, I would argue that these things be left to those who are responsible for them, namely the shareholders/executives of the airlines and the school board/teachers/parents of the public school. My kids have peanut free classrooms, and it doesn’t affect their education in the least. There are sections in the lunchroom where no peanut food is allowed. Nobody is ostracized for sitting there, anyone who does not bring their own lunch is welcome to sit there. It was the decision of the school board, just as it is the decision of the school board to set dress codes and drug policies.
Let me know when Congress passes a law banning peanuts, wheat, soy, etc. from public places like the local tobacco bans, and I’ll be right by your side. Until then, this is either a market decision or a local legislative decision, both of which I support as the *correct* way to decide these issues.
Thanks for the parenting advice.
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:37PM EST (link)From your link: “Early exposure to peanuts may benefit some children, but it is still unclear.”
That helps us “coddling” parents a lot.
How many children do you have, by the way?
The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
Many school districts have such policies re peanuts and
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:04PM EST (link)playing tag, running at recess, touching of any kind even to restrain a vilent student or console a crying child
see new book
Life without Lawyers
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“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
If you lived in Madison...
tarnover Tuesday, April 7th at 12:43PM EST (link)…you would know that every week in the summer, there are concerts on the grounds of the Capitol. These concerts have a significant population of small children.
Your worries
Warner Todd Huston (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 12:42PM EST (link)Your allergy worries are over-the-top and unrealistic. I looked into the bloated “peanut evil” stats. I don’t believe them.
———-
Be sure and Visit my Home blog Publius’ Forum. It’s what’s happening NOW!
That's as maybe...
tarnover Tuesday, April 7th at 1:01PM EST (link)…but if you don’t live in Madison, and don’t take your family to the regular summer concerts, then kindly keep *your* nose out of how *we* run our city. Find someplace else in which to erect your hysterical strawman, you shrill little twerp.
Hi friend
speciallist (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:21PM EST (link)wtf
who is the shrill little twerp? RIGHT that would be you...go ahead look in the mirror I am RIGHT on this one!
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:23PM EST (link)If you don’t like stories about Madison then STOP with the stupidity that is apparent in the peanut arena and WE won’t have to talk about your shrill little twerp ofr a town!
Unified Patriots – How-To:
Activists Taking Action
I like you even better when you get annoyed. he he he! nt
Rod_Patrick (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:26PM EST (link)I like me better that way too....I have been really busy...
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:30PM EST (link)recently and haven’t had the time to be annoyed however I have been reading and saying a little bit here and there and of course promoting great diaries HOWEVER IAM BACK!
Unified Patriots – How-To:
Activists Taking Action
LOL! Sis, don't say the obvious.
Rod_Patrick (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:45PM EST (link)“JadedbyPolitics” is stamped almost in every major diary here in RS today. he he he!
Trolls and mobys, keep out of the rampaging JadedTheDestroyer!
ROTFLMAO!!! you rock Rod....nt
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 2:00PM EST (link)…
Unified Patriots – How-To:
Activists Taking Action
I think the issue here...
tarnover Tuesday, April 7th at 2:47PM EST (link)…is that WTH, at the end of his stupid post, advocates littering the grounds of the Capitol with a substance that, during summer concerts, will present a risk of death to a small but not insignificant fraction of the small children attending the concerts.
I can just imagine the DKos headline: “Red State Diarist Advocates Killing Small Children”. A distortion, sure, but not that far from the mark.
Blam
Neil Stevens (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 8:21PM EST (link)Keep your hysterical stupidity off of our website.
Blam.
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He makes two points, and only one addresses "The Great Peanut Evil"
Slightly_Askew (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:22PM EST (link)Two issues at hand here:
1) The general threat of the peanut to an unknown population.
2) The specific threat of the peanut to a known population allergic to peanuts (his daughter).
I can understand how it may be hard to separate the two, but to address the issue it needs to be done. I think most rational people will agree that, for number one above, the threat is not sufficiently imminent to warrant policy changes.
However, for you to say that his “allergy worries are over the top and unrealistic” is a bit much. He has a daughter that faces possible death every day by something that we take for granted. This is the issue number two above. When we know of a specific instance where someone is in mortal danger from their surroundings, I think it is the height of arrogance to assume that one’s right to a food substance supplants that person’s right to live (not that I am suggesting you stated as much, just that it can be inferred that way).
There is a rare disease called xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). Children (and they are almost all children, as most don’t live past their twenties) with this condition cannot be exposed to ultraviolet light. Nobody is arguing that we should remove all light fixtures from public schools, but if your child was in class with one of these children, would you argue that your child’s right to a brightly-lighted classroom superseded the safety of the child?
As was stated before, it’s an environmental thing, not a personal responsibility thing. You may as well tell the XP kids it is their responsibility to sit in a dark closet in the classroom, rather than try to accommodate their needs by closing some blinds and dimming some lights.
It's not like it's all that rare.
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:31PM EST (link)Something like 1 kid in 200 has peanut allergy, and the numbers have grown dramatically in the last few years. In a decent sized elementary school, there are bound to be several kids with the allergy, so it’s not like it’s “in deference to just a few”. If you ran a high-volume restaurant, you’d likely deal with the issue all the time.
The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
I'm not disagreeing
Slightly_Askew (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:38PM EST (link)But I would question how many are life-threatening. My kids have allergies and asthma, so I can relate to the helplessness you feel when your child is choking and you can’t do anything about it. However, only one of my kids has a peanut allergy, and the reactions are very mild compared to your daughter’s. I just wonder how many of these 1 in 200 are like my kid, and how many are like your daughter. All allergic reactions are not created equally, and should not be dealt with equally.
Look, I’m on your side on this one. I’m just saying, don’t be one of those parents tries to bring back Prohibition because their child was hit by a drunk driver.
Oh, I know we're on the same side, if slightly askew.
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:48PM EST (link)Some allergies are mere irritations, like hay fever.
Others are life threatening.
Just ask someone who is sensitive to shellfish, or bee venom. A tiny amount of the toxin triggers anaphylaxis, where the respiratory & circulatory systems crash & blood pressure drops dangerously.
You’re right; usually it’s not fatal. But you don’t want to be far from a hospital, either.
The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
The name Vladimir makes it likely vodka remains legal while driving is banned?
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:48PM EST (link)smile brothers
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“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
LOL! nt
Rod_Patrick (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:55PM EST (link)As long as it's not potato vodka -- makes my throat kinda scratchy ... nt
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:56PM EST (link)The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
Absolut-ly - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 2:22PM EST (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Isn't it time we question
kat (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 2:48PM EST (link)Why this has grown in the last few years?
“Democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” Thomas Jefferson
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WTH: WTF, now you're a peanut expert?!
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:23PM EST (link)That was a reply to me?! Did you even read what I wrote?
“Your allergy worries are over-the-top and unrealistic.”
I beg your pardon, sir. Unfounded hysteria is not my game.
I have watched my daughter projectile-vomit from injesting a single peanut. I have driven 2-1/2 hrs at 2:30 in the morning to be at her emergency room bedside, covered with welts and requiring multiple injections of epinephrine to allow her to breathe. I have seen my friend, a healthy and robust 20-something, suffer anaphylactic shock and be within 15 minutes of death, according to his doctor.
But you have googled something, read it, but you still don’t believe it.
Well, you’ve certainly found a sterling example over an overreaching nanny state to be indignant about. After all, they wrote a letter! Good for you.
The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
Vlad...
Warner Todd Huston (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 5:00PM EST (link)I see. So because YOUR daughter is sensitive to peanuts the WHOLE WORLD should bend over backwards for you and ban all sorts of things that might upset her tummy?
Thanks, but no thanks to your sort of world.
Again, I say it…. this foolishness about the evil peanut is overblown nonsense. It is a mountain out of a mole hill.
The stats are cooked and way high just to make a splash.
I certainly do not wish ill on your daughter, but her particular problem should not be EVERYONE’S problem.
———-
Be sure and Visit my Home blog Publius’ Forum. It’s what’s happening NOW!
"All Hail WTH, King of the Molehill!"
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 6:24PM EST (link)There’s a lot of projection going on here, dude.
Never have I advocated new laws. I have tried to educate. Maybe some people would want to avoid the risk of putting a kid in the hospital because they put a spoon of peanut butter in the Rice Krispy treats. However, some people already know too much to be educated. Or else they ignore and dismiss what they read because they choose not to believe it.
In the one link you provided, there was no mention of new laws, no mention of dreaded “government” banning anything. Pardon my French, but you “made that sh*t up” about laws & banning & a nanny state government, and persist in repeating it, because with out it there’s no story. Zero.
“I see. So because YOUR daughter is sensitive to peanuts the WHOLE WORLD should bend over backwards for you and ban all sorts of things that might upset her tummy?”
I take it you don’t have kids. Fine. I suggest you never have any.
The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
wrong on every count
Warner Todd Huston (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 8:26PM EST (link)I have three kids. But if ONE had an odd disease or allergy I wouldn’t expect the whole world to bend for him.
And as far as your daughter goes… I’d suggest you don’
t think you have just her You think every child in the country is yours to make rules about.
I’d rather you kept to your own business. Leave the rest of us alone.
———-
Be sure and Visit my Home blog Publius’ Forum. It’s what’s happening NOW!
Hey Vladimir
Neil Stevens (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 8:18PM EST (link)Let’s watch the hostile acronyms please?
Thanks,
RS contributing editor, technical administrator, and “a hardy variety of crabgrass.”
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Sure, Neil.
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 11:37PM EST (link)But next time I’ll grawlix him a good one.
The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
Given the absence of jungle jims and this peanut scare, we may all soon have to accomodate bubble boy contact risk
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 1:47PM EST (link)On a related note, one reason condoms will never be the best preventative for AIDS or pregnancy is that people don’t like to take showers with raincoats on.
Anyone that doesn’t get this joke, simply move on…
smile
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“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
ITA
kat (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 2:46PM EST (link)The more people buy into these “facts”, the worse everything gets for all of us. Kind of like the bs with Jenny McCarthy and the Autism no vaccine scare machine. Get someone to make some stats up, scare a bunch of parents who believe everything they read and next thing we have diseases that were long gone making a comeback.
As someone who has a severe allergy to fish and seafood, I don’t expect that people create a “fish free zone” for me wherever I am. I know what I can and can’t order, where I can’t eat and what I need to have available to me in case of accidental ingestion. Personal responsibility folks – we need to start bringing it back to the schools.
“Democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” Thomas Jefferson
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But...
tarnover Tuesday, April 7th at 2:50PM EST (link)…how would you feel if someone sprinkled shrimp sauce over your meal?
You do realize that the Capitol gardens are overrun by picnic-ers, many of them with small children, during summer concerts? I don’t think it’s unrealistic that, if there are a lot of peanuts lying on the grass, some may get eaten or touched by kids with allergies.
I take that risk
kat (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 3:39PM EST (link)Every time I go out to eat. There was a time I avoided eating anything except what I prepared myself. I realized that I was tired of being scared of living and educated myself. I now carry the medications and information I need to keep myself safe as I can.
We can’t make accommodations for everyone’s afflictions, nor should we. One of my biggest pet peeves today goes back to my (not so long ago) youth – the “punishment” of some due to the needs of a very small group. I would never have asked my school or college cafeteria to stop serving fish or seafood. I would do as I do now – do all I can to avoid it and be prepared to tackle the problem if it arises. We need to prepare our children today to be just that – prepared. We (and I used the we to represent our society) teach our children to rely on authority figures, whether it is the teacher or principal at school or the government to deal with our problems by passing laws or creating special zones. Our kids don’t know how to deal with things on their own at all.
I don’t agree with feeding squirrels or any wildlife anything, so I am fine with that aspect. I say to the government not to use an excuse like this to get people to stop feeding the bushy tailed rats. Come right out and say don’t feed squirrels, period.
“Democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” Thomas Jefferson
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Compromise- feed the squirrels Acorns
streetwise (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 9:48AM EST (link)no allergic complications. Acorns- the natural and healthy nut.
Do We Restrict DDT Because Some Birds Die From It?
bk (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 9:49AM EST (link)People in Africa dying of malaria might prefer killing off some birds. Malaria kills about a million people in Africa a year.
Not trying to hijack the thread, just pointing out that if we ban DDT despite the known benefits, anything’s fair game.
IIRC, DDT has actually never been proven to kill birds. [nt]
Martin Knight (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 10:11AM EST (link)then it's even worse, right?
bk (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 10:13AM EST (link)When I was a kid growing up in New Orleans, we used to ride our bikes behind the “fog trucks”. I don’t know if that was DDT or something else, but it doesn’t seem to have afffffectted
my bbbbbbbb
rainnn to mush
It didn't phase the nutria rats in the canals, did it? nt
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 11:19AM EST (link)The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
This thread is classic...
liberalrepublican (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 2:11PM EST (link)We all want the government to stop meddling in our lives…
or so we say.
But when it’s personal, it’s too easy for us to throw that out the window.
We think it’s nuts that the government wants to restrict nuts – except if we are allergic, then it makes perfect sense.
We don’t want the government to set policies for business, but when we travel, we want the government to step in and get rid of luggage surcharges.
That is the trap of the left. And we fall into it.
I like the idea of a bunch of parents getting together and posting signs asking people not to bring nuts to the park. Good for them.
I hate the idea of them going to the government and trying to get a law made.
I love the idea of a business traveler choosing his airline based on the surcharge or even writing an email to the airlines he didn’t choose and letting them know why.
I hate the idea of anyone wanting to even consider making a law about this nonsense.
Getting the government involved seems like the easy way. It isn’t.
Deep down we all know that.
“Broadly speaking, liberalism emphasizes individual rights and equality of opportunity. … including extensive freedom of thought and speech, limitations on the power of governments, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market or mixed economy”
55555 - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 2:13PM EST (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
555555
kat (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 3:41PM EST (link)n/t
“Democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” Thomas Jefferson
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Repeat: NO ONE PROPOSED A LAW.
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 4:23PM EST (link)Someone wrote a letter suggesting it would be nice if people changed their behavior out of consideration for other people.
I am not a victim of oppression if the sign in the zoo says I shouldn’t feed the elephants or the chimps, no matter how much joy that may bring me.
We as conservative spokes
menpersons don’t have to look hard to find real issues of government encroachment on our lives, esp. with the Dems in power.If we insist on making issues of non-issues like this, we just look like a bunch of cranks.
The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
"we just look like a bunch of cranks"
tarnover Tuesday, April 7th at 4:30PM EST (link)You, sir, have hit the nail on the head. Well done.
I finally went back and read the original link...
liberalrepublican (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 11:18PM EST (link)I have to say the state of WI handled is nicely. Nothing wrong with asking people to be considerate.
I assumed, from the title, it was about something else. My mistake.
Vladimir – you are right and I was wrong (about the peanut issue).
“Broadly speaking, liberalism emphasizes individual rights and equality of opportunity. … including extensive freedom of thought and speech, limitations on the power of governments, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market or mixed economy”
Thanks, librep. For everyone else who failed to read the link...
Steve Maley (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 11:33PM EST (link)…referenced in the OP, h’yar it be, in full:
Note: No bans! No legislative action! No jackbooted thugs! Just people asking other people to please be nice on public property.
I wholeheartedly condemn indiscriminate nut-tossing in all its forms. Many of them have been tossed in this thread.
The blogger formerly known as ‘Vladimir’.
Um
Warner Todd Huston (Diary) Wednesday, April 8th at 6:47AM EST (link)Well, then I assume you will stop posting your nut posts right away, then.
You know. Just soas we can’t call ya a liar and all.
———-
Be sure and Visit my Home blog Publius’ Forum. It’s what’s happening NOW!
The No Peanuts Flight - Exercise in ridiculousness....
JLenardDetroit (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 4:51PM EST (link)I’m not going to repeat (pull in) the full thing I wrote from back in June 2000, but wanted to share part of it as part of this discussion….
Offsite Article: READ MORE
WARNING: It contains a heavy dose of SARCASM and may (read: WILL) NOT be taken well by all readers touchy to the subject-matter! I know, I’ve gotten plenty of Hate mail from it over the years!
I had a follow up Article, but I’m having trouble locating it that dealt more with FACTS of the Illness and interaction with the Hate-mailers…
Regards from NoMoTown (the MOTORlessCITY)
“Liberals, looking to do for? America what they’ve done for? Detroit! which is DESTROY IT!”
“I think, therefore I am Conservative”
“Conservative by choice, Republican by necessity”
“You can lead a Liberal to the Truth/Facts, but you cannot make them THINK!”
“Romney [No, not my first choice] does NOT have a MORMON problem. He has a, far too many Americans; these days; are MORONS problem!”
Follow @JLenardDetroit
(RS:Help) (JLD) (Hollyweird) (Brain-deads) (SPIN-cycle) (Obamaocare) (Party of kNOw) (Conservatism) (TEApeats) (respectful) (message) (Warning: Children Will Die!!)
Heil “O” Hell No Obamao is NOT MY PRESIDENT! “No U won’t”
I want “O” to FAIL (here, here, & whole Diary (Ofail) here, is why)
“The first Liberal was Satan” – a Rush caller (other Quotes)
*sigh* I would have hoped it was explained enough by now for all reading comprehension levels...
Slightly_Askew (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 5:02PM EST (link)Severe peanut allergic reactions have nothing to do with ingestion! Read that sentence again.
Every single analogy you try to make is based on some food allergy that requires that you ingest the product. Last time I checked, maple syrup does not float through the air, alight upon your skin or in your nasal passages, and cause your throat to close up. By all means, correct me if I’m wrong. You’re on an airplane breathing the same recirculated air for hours. Again, are you really saying your @&# bag of peanuts are more important than someone else’s health?
I guess you can add this to your list of hate mail, because you fail to see the difference between a perceived threat to a hypothetical person, and an actual threat to a real, living human being. If the airlines stopped serving peanuts altogether (which some have), feel free to complain. But you whining about not getting your 1 ounce of peanuts because someone (possible the person right next to you) might die from it absolutely screams arrogance.
Gee, would have nothing to do with knowing the folks that work in all aspects of those planes...
JLenardDetroit (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 5:20PM EST (link)Particulates of all kinds are aerosolized on Airlines and not fully cleaned out, and as you did properly point out, recirculated over and over… Many on board these flights have their own Peanuts that they eat regardless of the warnings (not me, for the record). Anyone that thinks a quick Vacuum of these planes just before someone runs on-board is accomplishing very much is delusional and is done for those who are easily fooled. Filters have gotten much better these days though, thankfully!
The syrup was a purposefully absurd choice for comparison. I have much greater problems/concerns than I shared in the Article and not going to either.
The point is that people have to take their own protections and other methods of transport are available if “concerned” about the environment (especially that closed area) you are entering.
Again, wish I had the follow-up handy, not sure why it isn’t online and it may be buried on a PC with a dead power-supply and not accessible… Oh well… Not worth bothering because this is one of those things that people won’t/can’t get passed their bubble on anyway…
Regards from NoMoTown (the MOTORlessCITY)
“Liberals, looking to do for? America what they’ve done for? Detroit! which is DESTROY IT!”
“I think, therefore I am Conservative”
“Conservative by choice, Republican by necessity”
“You can lead a Liberal to the Truth/Facts, but you cannot make them THINK!”
“Romney [No, not my first choice] does NOT have a MORMON problem. He has a, far too many Americans; these days; are MORONS problem!”
Follow @JLenardDetroit
(RS:Help) (JLD) (Hollyweird) (Brain-deads) (SPIN-cycle) (Obamaocare) (Party of kNOw) (Conservatism) (TEApeats) (respectful) (message) (Warning: Children Will Die!!)
Heil “O” Hell No Obamao is NOT MY PRESIDENT! “No U won’t”
I want “O” to FAIL (here, here, & whole Diary (Ofail) here, is why)
“The first Liberal was Satan” – a Rush caller (other Quotes)
It would seem a far greater exposure danger to nuts
Tbone (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 9:12PM EST (link)would be inside the Capitol building as opposed to the grounds.
Personally, I seem to have an allergic reaction to kids kicking the back of my airline seat. Can we have them banned or should I carry a jar of peanut butter in the oft chance I get lucky and the little bugger can be dispatched in a Jiffy.
Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
I have no problem with persuasive letter writing.
asleep06 (Diary) Tuesday, April 7th at 11:31PM EST (link)If there was no coercive policy or statute suggested, then letters are fine. I’m all for people politely asking their neighbors to refrain from certain activities as a favor. That’s what a neighborhood does.
Small is beautiful.