MuteMath in OKC

This is just a quick update to say that the wife and I are going to see MuteMath in concert tonight.  Back in Tallahassee we got to see this band twice, and they put on one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen.  I’ve only listened to their new album a few times, and I’m not really sure what the venue will be like–so I’ll be sure to update in the next day or so with more information on how things shake down.

October Mini-Vacation

Oklahoma–where the wind goes sweeping down the plains… or mountains.  Yes, there are mountains in Oklahoma.  I know, you may not believe this–but I have pictures to prove it!  Here are some pictures from a trip Cori and I took to Broken Bow, which is in the south-eastern part of Oklahoma.

(In case you’re wondering, yes, these pictures were taken with my cell phone.)

We went to Broken Bow to celebrate Cori’s birthday, and we got in some fun hiking, canoing, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows over a campfire, and generally enjoying being outdoors for a few days.  If you happen to be in Oklahoma and get tired of the flat psuedo-suburban landscape, Broken Bow is a great way to break up the monotony.  Just make sure to bring a camera other than your cell phone. 

Soda Tax? Good Idea!

I saw this political ad on TV recently:

While I can sympathize with the impact taxes can have on financially vulnerable families, I have zero sympathy for this obviously paid actress.  The idea that I should somehow be up in arms with this frizzy headed woman (sorry for the ad hominem…) over a proposed tax on soda and high-fructose corn syrup “juices” (like Sunny Delight, which contains less than 2% actual fruit juice) is insulting.  A tax on soda is analogous to a tax on cigarettes; high-risk behaviors like smoking or consuming unhealthy beverages should carry an appropriate price tag.  If you want to smoke or buy soda in bulk, then you should be willing to pay for the costs of providing health care down the road.  Just as there is a strong correlation between smoking and lung cancer, so too there is a strong correlation between drinking soda and other poor lifestyle choices (like not getting enough exercise or eating fatty foods).  Obesity is a huge problem in America, and I am all for giving people an incentive to make smarter dietary decisions.  Imagine the national savings if obesity-related problems like heart disease or type II diabetes were not burdening our health care system.

So there’s the issue of incentive; but there’s also the issue of necessity.  This little ad implies that people have a some kind of right or even a need for soda.  This is stupid.  Folks who consume large amounts of soda are not forced to do so; water is available in most locations in the United States at little or no cost.  You don’t HAVE to drink cola with your meals.  In fact, you probably shouldn’t drink soda more than a few times a week, especially if you are sedentary and don’t get much exercise.

So “Washington, if you’re listening,” please go right ahead and impose a tax on soda–give people an incentive to make smarter choices, and help defray the future costs for providing medical care to the ever burgeoning number of obese Americans.  (And it’d be nice to perhaps see a little more information to combat this driveling bit of propaganda from the folks with a vested interest in the public’s consumption of high fructose corn syrup.)