Santa Clara County: Supervisors ban toys with fast-food meals

It's fairly limited to the number of places it's enforced, but I'm sure that'll tick off a few kids.

I know Neal loves the toys and everytime we slip up and let him watch Nick or Cartoon Network he's asking me for the latest piece of plastic garbage from there.  Last time I just went and bought the toy with a shake (hey, it was St. Patrick's Day and I love mint).  If I do buy him the meal; even at the tender age of four he knows he doesn't want to eat the stuff.

Santa Clara County: Supervisors ban toys with fast-food meals

It's fairly limited to the number of places it's enforced, but I'm sure that'll tick off a few kids.




Or my sister. She collects fast food toys. I think she has every single one made-and then some. But she doesn't usually buy the meals. She goes into McDonald's or Burger King and buys just the toys.



Cat

It's not going to stop kids from eating fast food.  The only way to stop them is to get the parents to stop buying it.  Last time we went to BK my son got a kids meal and didn't eat a bite, he just wanted the Spongebob watch. 

It's not going to stop kids from eating fast food.  The only way to stop them is to get the parents to stop buying it.  Last time we went to BK my son got a kids meal and didn't eat a bite, he just wanted the Spongebob watch. 



the last time Neal pulled that on me, the toy was taken away and he went to bed early.  I gave it to him a week or so later.  Not sure if he's quite learned the lesson yet or not.

Excellent law passed there.

After all, we can't expect parents to actually do their jobs.

Next we will have the TV airwaves jammed during school nights so that the kiddies have to do their homework.

the last time Neal pulled that on me, the toy was taken away and he went to bed early.  I gave it to him a week or so later.  Not sure if he's quite learned the lesson yet or not.


Later when the kid tells me he's hungry, I'd just say, "Hungry, eh?  Eat your Sponge Bob watch!"
(among the many reasons I'm not a dad!)
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/03/diablotin.gif

Anyway, the Sponge Bob watch prolly has more nutritional value than the Happy Meal!
:P

For me, the best part of fast food kids' meal toys was getting a toy with my food, not the toy itself. The toy was usually just a cheap imitation of a bigger, better toy you could actually buy at a toy store -- something you really wanted to get, but after you begged mom and dad for a McDonald's Happy Meal, you instead settled for a sub-par toy with tasty food. I usually tired of the toy within a matter of minutes. Still, I must say that Santa Clara County is depriving children of the joys of fast food happiness! And, seriously, you could always just buy the toy without buying the food, but why someone would even bother just buying the toy (other than for a collection) is beyond me.

For me, the best part of fast food kids' meal toys was getting a toy with my food, not the toy itself. The toy was usually just a cheap imitation of a bigger, better toy you could actually buy at a toy store -- something you really wanted to get, but after you begged mom and dad for a McDonald's Happy Meal, you instead settled for a sub-par toy with tasty food. I usually tired of the toy within a matter of minutes. Still, I must say that Santa Clara County is depriving children of the joys of fast food happiness! And, seriously, you could always just buy the toy without buying the food, but why someone would even bother just buying the toy (other than for a collection) is beyond me.


When you're four, a toy is a toy no matter whether it is cheap or not.  Some of those cheapie toys are the ones Neal carries with him EVERYWHERE. he's still upset about a CAKE DECORATION he lost in the mall last year.

It is so very, VERY hardwired into humans to just gather as much stuff as possible, whether we need it or not. You're not fully aware of it until you witness very young children in action. I've been trying to divest myself of stuff as much as possible, yet books and CDs still make their way into my various collections and accumulate no matter what I do.  At least I've managed to cut back on DVDs thanks to Netflix.

I doubt this will do much good, but more power to them....

When you're four, a toy is a toy no matter whether it is cheap or not.  Some of those cheapie toys are the ones Neal carries with him EVERYWHERE. he's still upset about a CAKE DECORATION he lost in the mall last year.

It is so very, VERY hardwired into humans to just gather as much stuff as possible, whether we need it or not. You're not fully aware of it until you witness very young children in action. I've been trying to divest myself of stuff as much as possible, yet books and CDs still make their way into my various collections and accumulate no matter what I do.  At least I've managed to cut back on DVDs thanks to Netflix.


I must disagree -- I remember not wanting the McDonald's mini-beanie babies because they weren't the "real" thing (though, I guess I was older than 4 at the time those came out. Maybe more like 7 or 8 ). In any case, I do understand how a kid can love little, cheap things. Oddly enough, I also had a cake decoration that I played with for a long time. It was a small, plastic clown head. No idea why I liked it so much. It's kind of creepy now that I think about it . . .  :-\\

The product tie-ins didn't start until the early '80s, so I was a bit old for them.  The Happy Meal debuted when I was ten, but I was never interested.  I wanted my burgers done for special order.  Ketchup only!  Ketchup is the food of the gods!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/13/icon_thumleft.gif

The product tie-ins didn't start until the early '80s, so I was a bit old for them.  The Happy Meal debuted when I was ten, but I was never interested.  I wanted my burgers done for special order.  Ketchup only!  Ketchup is the food of the gods!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/13/icon_thumleft.gif


And its a vegetable

And its a vegetable


The only one my six year old son will eat.  ;D

The only one my six year old son will eat.   ;D


If I had to eat other vegetables, I'd drown 'em in ketchup!  Still do!
;)

How about passing a law that actually targets the problem?

I propose Santa Clara County pass a law banning obese people from entering fast food resteraunts.  Or if they do enter, they are restricted to buying a single salad, and only getting diet sodas.

And to make it even better, require that they eat on a treadmill.

After all, a bar can be held liable for giving a drunk person a drink if they then crash into somebody in their car.  Simply forbid them to feed fat people unhealthy food.  Instead, they are targeting everybody because of a percentage with bad habits.  I am 45 and still run 2-3 miles several times a week.  Why should I be punished if I want a Happy Meal?

And people wonder why I say with pride that I escaped from California, and will never live there again.  It really is a state where the inmates have taken over the asylum.

I would charge Santa Clara county with treason under the commerce interference provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act and invade!!!!

Ronald McDonald Uber Alles!!!

:D

How about passing a law that actually targets the problem?

I propose Santa Clara County pass a law banning obese people from entering fast food resteraunts.  Or if they do enter, they are restricted to buying a single salad, and only getting diet sodas.

And to make it even better, require that they eat on a treadmill.




Kelly Monteith (does anyone else remember him?) used to do a sketch saying that stores should make the chocolate and cookie aisles really narrow so only thin people could buy the stuff!





And people wonder why I say with pride that I escaped from California, and will never live there again.  It really is a state where the inmates have taken over the asylum.


Have you heard of Wonko the Sane?

And people wonder why I say with pride that I escaped from California, and will never live there again.  It really is a state where the inmates have taken over the asylum.


Aren't you in Georgia?  C'mon, you know what they say about glass houses.  It doesn't matter where you live, you're just trading one brand of crazy for another.

Aren't you in Georgia?  C'mon, you know what they say about glass houses.  It doesn't matter where you live, you're just trading one brand of crazy for another.


Nope, I never lived in Georgia.  A few years ago I lived in Alabama, but have not been there in over 2 years.  I am currently in Texas.  Although there is a chance I will be returning to North Carolina again in a few months.

And trust me, nothing is as insane as California.  Where else do you see a Toyota Camry XLE covered with bumperstickers saying "Ban Meat" and "Fur Is Dead" (that model comes standard with leather seats), or an Expedition with Greenpeace and Sierra Club bumperstickers?  I have seen things like that many times. 

There is a reason it is called the Granola Capitol of the World.

Nope, I never lived in Georgia.  A few years ago I lived in Alabama, but have not been there in over 2 years.  I am currently in Texas.  Although there is a chance I will be returning to North Carolina again in a few months.

And trust me, nothing is as insane as California.  Where else do you see a Toyota Camry XLE covered with bumperstickers saying "Ban Meat" and "Fur Is Dead" (that model comes standard with leather seats), or an Expedition with Greenpeace and Sierra Club bumperstickers?  I have seen things like that many times. 

There is a reason it is called the Granola Capitol of the World.


That's not just a California thing, that goes on wherever you've got liberals and money.  Like around here in the Pioneer Valley. 

"Live simply that others may simply live"

You couldn't live simply if you tried, sweetheart!
::)

Then you've got lefties like me who don't have two nickels to rub together and believe in God, but are still pro-choice...
We don't fit in anywhere!
;D

Nope, I never lived in Georgia.  A few years ago I lived in Alabama, but have not been there in over 2 years.  I am currently in Texas.  Although there is a chance I will be returning to North Carolina again in a few months.

And trust me, nothing is as insane as California.  Where else do you see a Toyota Camry XLE covered with bumperstickers saying "Ban Meat" and "Fur Is Dead" (that model comes standard with leather seats), or an Expedition with Greenpeace and Sierra Club bumperstickers?  I have seen things like that many times. 

There is a reason it is called the Granola Capitol of the World.


Texas... yesh, there's a state I've been to a few times and could probably spend a day listing all the wackiness there... trade environmental causes for Jesus freaks and you've probably got the same exact things.  The Texas School Board also comes to mind, and the real sickness there is because of their buying power they set the tone for textbooks nationwide.

not to say I dislike Texas or people from there, but really... pointing a finger at one state for having extremists on a subject is like shooting fish in a barrel.

not to say I dislike Texas or people from there, but really... pointing a finger at one state for having extremists on a subject is like shooting fish in a barrel.


Tou have to realize, I am not in Texas by choice.  No more then I was in Qatar last year by choice.  The Government points as me and says "Go there", and there is where I go.

I may be here for several more years, I may end up in North Carolina, Oaklahoma, even Hawaii, Japan, or Germany.  I may even be back in the Middle East. 

But having lived in California for most of my life (30+ years for me, 25+ for my wife), I can safely say that neither of us ever want to return to that broken state.  And our goal when we retire is to move to the North West US.  Although we are also considering becomming expatriates.

Tou have to realize, I am not in Texas by choice.  No more then I was in Qatar last year by choice.  The Government points as me and says "Go there", and there is where I go.

I may be here for several more years, I may end up in North Carolina, Oaklahoma, even Hawaii, Japan, or Germany.  I may even be back in the Middle East. 

But having lived in California for most of my life (30+ years for me, 25+ for my wife), I can safely say that neither of us ever want to return to that broken state.  And our goal when we retire is to move to the North West US.  Although we are also considering becomming expatriates.


Northwest?  You mean like Oregon or Washington?  um yeah, I hate to tell ya but there's just as many eco-nuts there as there is in Cali.  though most of that is focused around the cities.

Expatriate is an extreme route... as broken as the US has become in the last 20 years, other countries have slid way more or weren't that great to start with.

Northwest?  You mean like Oregon or Washington?  um yeah, I hate to tell ya but there's just as many eco-nuts there as there is in Cali.  though most of that is focused around the cities.

Expatriate is an extreme route... as broken as the US has become in the last 20 years, other countries have slid way more or weren't that great to start with.


Idaho is actually my preferance.  But my wife wants Reno.  And I would also not live in any of the big cities...  and from my experience most of the nuts tend to be transplanted Californians.

And I agree with being an Expat, but there are more and more of them every year.  The Philippines actually have a large ExPat community, and even have an active VA center for US Veterans.  And the US Dollar has a large buying power over there.  To give an idea, you can rent a beach front, 2 story 3 bedroom house there for P$40k (that is US$893.85) per month.  And my father-in-law returned to Argentina after he retired because of the power of the US Dollar.

And no, I am not exagerating on the price.  http://www.islandsproperties.com/rentals/beachfront/ceb-mac-rbf-2017/index.htm

Idaho is actually my preferance.  But my wife wants Reno.  And I would also not live in any of the big cities...  and from my experience most of the nuts tend to be transplanted Californians.

And I agree with being an Expat, but there are more and more of them every year.  The Philippines actually have a large ExPat community, and even have an active VA center for US Veterans.  And the US Dollar has a large buying power over there.  To give an idea, you can rent a beach front, 2 story 3 bedroom house there for P$40k (that is US$893.85) per month.  And my father-in-law returned to Argentina after he retired because of the power of the US Dollar.

And no, I am not exagerating on the price.  http://www.islandsproperties.com/rentals/beachfront/ceb-mac-rbf-2017/index.htm


Sure property is cheaper, but isn't everything else more expensive like food, cars, etc?  It does sound like a nice idea to retire to some nice tropical area though. I know I'm moving further south when it comes time to get out of the job market.  No way in hell I'm shoveling a fifty foot sidewalk when I'm an AARP member!

Tou have to realize, I am not in Texas by choice.  No more then I was in Qatar last year by choice.  The Government points as me and says "Go there", and there is where I go.



^ I like that!  It jibes well with your bumper sticker!
:D

And people wonder why I say with pride that I escaped from California, and will never live there again.  It really is a state where the inmates have taken over the asylum.


What's even more remarkable is that a mere 30-odd years ago, it was seen as the last bastion of freedom - the last place where, despite the fact that "the oil has run out", a man could own an automobile and drive it wherever he pleased. 

Ya, Rly.  In 1981, that's what we thought how California would end up in the postapocalypse.

Aren't you in Georgia?  C'mon, you know what they say about glass houses.  It doesn't matter where you live, you're just trading one brand of crazy for another.


Unfortunately, there's a lot of truth to this.

In California, you have both the liberal hypocrite crazy and the evangelical nutcase crazy (in the inland areas).  In the South, you mostly just have the white supremist and evangelical crazies.  In Texas, you basically have the same.

There are some states that tend to be more middle of the road, like Iowa, but unfortunately, they tend to be really boring.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of truth to this.

In California, you have both the liberal hypocrite crazy and the evangelical nutcase crazy (in the inland areas).  In the South, you mostly just have the white supremist and evangelical crazies.  In Texas, you basically have the same.


It is true that a lot of modern White Supremists started in Southern California.  Robert Mathews and "The Order" got their start there, as did Buford O. Furrow.  The Church of Jesus Christ–Christian, Aryan Nations, and many other groups also got their start there.  You also have religious groups from California that were from the extreme opposite side, like Jim Jones' People's Temple.

But you do not see much of that in Texas.  Sure we had David Koresh here, but he was not a racist.  And most of the other "Religious Crazies" were transplants, like Warren Jeffs who was originally from California and later Arizona-Utah.

In California, you have both the liberal hypocrite crazy and the evangelical nutcase crazy (in the inland areas).  In the South, you mostly just have the white supremist and evangelical crazies.  In Texas, you basically have the same.



OR white crazies and evangelical supremacists!

In California, you can still drive your automobile, just not very fast.  If you're trying to get to L.A. at the wrong hour, it's bumper-to-bumper stall-and-crawl all the way back to San Ber'dino!
:D