Have you heard of "government cheese"? As is often the case with street-level reality, you have to read between the lines, which means that you more or less ignore the dictionary definitions and take it to the street. Well, I'm here on a remote Hawaiian island, so that's not a real option for me, but I'll aim as close as I can. I like definition number two in the Urban Dictionary (which at this writing has forty-three thumbs up and sixteen thumbs down):
(copied from: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=government+cheese)
A BIG, HARD MASS; A BLOCK OF ORANGE-YELLOW PROCESSED "USDA CHEESE FOOD" ISSUED BY "DA GUBMENT" United States GOVERNMENT to aid needy families by supplementing their food resources. Used for making Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Macaroni & Cheese but ALSO CAUSES severe, bowel obstructing constipation, silent but deadly stinky gas, and / or "the runs" diarrhea in those who are lactose intolerant.
[example: I just got some Government Cheese, but I'm not gonna make a grill cheese sandwich cause it gave me the runs last time I ate it.]
Now I'm going to send you off to do a bit of reading, but please come right back — it'll only take you a minute or so:
Hands off my chocolate, FDA!
So here's my point: As usual, it'll probably be the poorest people who get stuck with much of this shyte because they are the most likely target for sales and surplus (read: unwanted) food, and the least likely to be informed as to what they're getting. Government cheese all over again.
Yet we will all be tricked into eating non-chocolate because this is an attempt to call it "chocolate." In other words, the industry wants the government to grant permission to LIE to us about what we're eating. Got it?
This current ploy by these non-citizens is yet another attempt to degrade public life by those least likely to live in the midst of it. Don't put up with it!
If you've got time to read this article, then you've got time to file a complaint with the Food & Drug Administration ("FDA"). It only takes five minutes, and you can do it through the Guittard Chocolate website. Let's clog the arteries of the FDA's email pipeline until they tell the industry to keep its chocolate-pickin' HANDS OFF OUR CHOCOLATE. We're the ones who stand in line to pay for the stuff — let's keep it real.
Here's the all-important URL:
click HERE
PLEASE DO IT NOW — THE DEADLINE FOR CITIZEN COMMENTS IS THIS WEDNESDAY! APRIL 25! EXTENDED TO JUNE 25, 2007. (I will post any follow-up information here on this blog: www.LitBoy.com. Just click on the subject tab "chocolate" in the left sidebar to see any updates.)
If you can fax, then why not send the FDA a fax, too, just to make an even bigger stink about how much this cheesy plan stinks: 1-301-827-6870.
Thanks for reading this.
Wishing you a beautiful day,
Bill Brent
UPDATE: You can find further information by clicking HERE ... and HERE. This is additional background from the blog of the author of the L.A. Times article.
[this page last updated: 2007.04.30, 3:18 p.m. Hawaii time]
LitBoy.com is a professional blog. Keeping it online costs me $179 per year. That's before paying me for my writing, photography, or anything else I do. If you enjoy this blog, please use the Tip Jar at the top of this page. Your two-dollar minimum donation helps keep this banner-free site alive. It's quick and easy!
This meter displays this year's contributions to date in U.S. dollars (after the funds processor takes its cut). Make a donation, watch the meter rise! Usually I post your contribution within 24 hours.
All original materials here on LitBoy.com (writing, photos, drawings, graphics, etc.) belong to Bill Brent. If you want to re-use something here, please ask. Higher resolution images are available.
