Get Fat? Get Taxed.

Denmark has introduced fat food tax i.e. applying extra charge on food with more saturated fat as the government's attempt to help its people fight obesity and obviously diseases caused by obesity such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke etc.

In simple English, such fat tax applies to food like butter, cheese, bacon, meat, oil, pizza, cookies, muffins, pastries and the list goes on.

In 2010, Denmark has increased taxes on food such as chocolate, ice-cream, soft drinks etc.

I can see where the government is coming from and I know it only has good intentions for its people.  In the long run, I'm sure fat tax would also benefit the costs of public health care, improve quality of life of its people or even a small possibility of a tax reduction or rebate.

However, only 1 in 10 people in Denmark are obese, I mean, if a country was to impose such tax on its citizens, wouldn't England be right at the top with 1 in 4 Brits being obese?  Seriously, Denmark???

Further, what gives a government have the right to control what its people eat? If you are that concerned for their health, shouldn't you ban tobacco and alcohol altogether?  But you won't, because the money from the tax is nice and FAT.

Also, why should the whole country suffer because of the 10% of the population who can't control themselves?  I don't mean to sound heartless but I am sorry, if you are obese, you should take full responsibility for your own actions and hold yourself liable for the way you are today.  No one else should have to suffer because you have no self control or that you are to lazy to help yourself.

And no, I have no sympathy for obese people.  Some of my friends are overweight and they work their asses off to get healthy - this takes discipline, sweat, tears, determination and a shit load of HARD WORK.

There is no short cut to weight loss or getting fit.  You can't sit there and eat four times your body weight and blame the world for what's happening to you.  

My girlfriends run at 6am in the morning or hit the gym at noon time and they will always find time and a way to get healthy.  I don't have a gym membership but I just run and watch what I eat (or I try to).

Fat tax is just one of the most unfair things I have ever heard of.  I love junk food, I love fries, chocolate, cheese, ice-creams, cookies, muffins and so on...I would rather die full, happy and penniless than rich with an empty stomach! 

Plus, many people simply don't put on weight, no matter what they eat; alright, they may not be the most healthy people on the planet but they will never even be overweight until they turn 60.

Thank God that Hong Kong has a close to zero obese population (is anyone actually obese in Hong Kong if obese means one's BMI must be over 30kg/m²?); with its female population obsessed with weight-loss, sticks-and-bones mentality, we will never have fat tax here.

Thus, my thoughts on fat tax can be summarized into two words - DO ONE!

Some figures from BBC news and Wikipedia

Dear Dad...

Dear Dad,

How are you?  Hope all is well on your side of the world.  

I am sure you already know, Uncle passed away last night.  Did you come to pick him up?  Were Grandpa and Grandma with you, along with Irene?

Saying goodbye is never easy, is it?  No matter how prepared you think you are?  No matter how much time you have to say goodbye to someone you love.

I still wonder, often, whether I will ever see you, Irene, Grandpa and Grandma again.  What really happens after people die?  Do you really go to Heaven (or Hell), do you come back to another life or do you become fish food?

Dad, you are so far away, are you happy? Are you really in a place with no pain, sadness or suffering?  Are you with the rest of the family? Can you really see me from where you are?  Can you really hear me when I sometimes talk to you?  It seems a bit silly really, but it makes missing you less painful, when I believe you can hear me.

I had a dream about Irene when I was traveling. I didn't remember she was dead in my dream, it was rather odd. In my dream, she had really grown, she had long, black and silky hair, she was really tall and slim, like a supermodel.  And she looked happy.  

Some Chinese believe that when you dream about dead people, it's really them trying to tell you something. I want to believe Irene was trying to tell me she was happy.  Is she happy?  Does she think about me, like the way I think of her? Does she miss me too, or are you not supposed to feel sadness in Heaven?

Every time when I experience death, it brings back all the memories. 

I can still see everything like it was yesterday.  I can still see your smile, your eyes...I can still hear your voice, your laughter. I can still see you by my side, teaching me how to ride a bicycle. I can still see you sitting next to me, teaching me how to do long divisions. I can still see you running around, playing football with us. I can still see you lying in that hospital bed, making me promise to finish school and to look after mum.

I didn't realize Dad, that you have been gone for almost 20 years.  

I never really got the chance to say goodbye to you, did I?  I was in England, and you were in Hong Kong.  But I was lucky enough to say goodbye to you on the phone and I am lucky enough to be loved by the rest of your family, the rest of OUR family.  There is a lot of love around me, and it's because you loved them so much when you were here.

Dad, after your death, I honor you by living life to the fullest. I may not be a millionaire or coolest looking girl in town.  But I am healthy and happy and I have a loving husband who loves me to bits.  I wouldn't doubt it if he loves me as much as you did.

I am sad that Uncle is gone, but I am also happy because he no longer has to suffer, and that I believe he is in a much better place.  I guess all of you will be playing mahjong every day!

Take care and say hi to everyone for me. Don't forget to come back into my dreams more, and bring the rest of the troops with you!

I miss you, Dad.

Love you always,
Jo

New Year's Resolutions 2011

Wow, it's been 2 months since I last blogged. That's bad.

Too much to do, too little time...

OK, 15 minutes to go to 2011! Time to jot down some New Year's Resolution:

Same Every Year but Never Get Done (so must continue to try in 2011):

• Do more exercise (I can't even run one block without getting out of breath, and I can't do a single push up, not even one)
• Volunteer / Help others more - I think more than I act
• Spend more time with family and friends (NOT via facebook or twitter)
• Be happy and worry less
  

Something New for 2011:

• Go travel - life is too short, go see the world!!!
• Learn something new or do something I love - drawing/painting, photography, read more books, learn how to juggle with 3 balls
  
• Solve a 4x4 rubik's cube
• Have my portrait painted

It's quite general in a way but hey, life is that simple, or at least it's supposed to right?

What are your New Year's Resolutions?