Well, your boyfriend has a point. There is a lot of government-bashing in Fat Head, because after looking into how the low-fat diet theory became national policy, I was convinced the bashing was justified.

My beef (pardon the pun) with government getting involved in dietary advice is that 1) they don't have the expertise, and 2) people wrongly assume they're unbiased ... as opposed to, say, the Beef Council, which obviously wants to sell beef. Unfortunately, the federal government wants to sell grain, and lots of it. Heck, they subsidize the stuff.

So we have biased government officials promoting a dietary agenda to a public that largely sees them as unbiased public servants, with a huge amount of funding to put behind their message. It's a prescription for disaster, and a disaster is what we got.

p.s. Your boyfriend may be interested to know that when I performed in Flint, Michigan, some years ago, I learned that locals hated Michael Moore. One of them said to me, "Watch that movie again. He makes everyone from Flint looks like an idiot." It's true, he does.

They also informed me that much of what was presented in the film -- the downtown failing, the auto museum opening and then closing, etc. -- happened long before the GM plants closed down. I looked it up ... yup. Moore jiggered the timeline rather, uh, creatively.

AACKKK!! You said the M word!

:::head explodes:::

(Oh, and I agree with you about gooberment interference. Following the government food pyramid helped made me LOOK like a pyramid!)

Hey, at least they got you talking! It sounds like you both agree there's not enough integrity in journalism nowadays and I would say you're both right about that. I was just reading recently (maybe it was even Michael Pollan) that the "blog explosion" is really strong on op-ed, but it's print journalism that really gives you the facts... and people are going to miss that if they lose it.

Lately many have complained that websites & blogs take their content from print journalism, but today I saw a newpaper article (in the nutrition section) completely based on a blog (and not a good one)! After 29 years as a faithful subscriber, I many have to cancel my newspaper subscription if this keeps up!

Thank you Tom and everyone else who participated - enjoyed reading this thread very much. As a libertarian and free market society advocate and about to attend two teaparties in my area I appreciate you Tom and Gary Taubes for showing the public the government's inteference and intrusion in an individual's life. I have seen parts of your film and now I know I must go and purchase the film for myself and hopefully my 'uber' liberal daughter as she calls herself will start to see the ways of how the Fed twists things for their own oligarlical ways. Eat fat and be healthy.

They do have access to expertise, if they don't have it themselves, but as you point out in the movie they often ignore it or look for confirmation of their own ideas elsewhere. I especially liked your bringing to light that McGovern was following the Pritikin Diet at the time and his top staffer was a vegetarian. Talk about having a mindset at odds with what the testifying experts were saying.

Tom I watched Fat Head again last night with my 16-year-old daughter. Her response at the end was "Wow! I am inspired!" Which is the response I hope many people have. She said it will be hard in terms of time to give up cereal in the morning in favor of cooking eggs, but she'll do it when she can.


I agree. He especially made people who are totally unconnected with Flint or GM, like Miss America (there for a parade) and I think Bob Eubanks (can't recall why he was there) look completely ridiculous, for no good reason that I could see.


Thanks for that perspective Capmikee. I think youre right, we were both objecting to similar things and disappointed that the other wasn't able to see what we saw in each movie.

My local newspaper just announced that they'll cease publication of a daily print paper at the end of July. Many letters to the editor have been published since the announcement asking who's going to keep an eye on government now.

Christy

The problem with with food is that it's SO cultural, political, so wrapped up in money, and even religion! That everyone is biased in some manner, except a few real scientists... and Gary Taubes, of course. So when you get elected people making decisions about food, or even appointed ones, it seems like there's a lot of political sway to it.

I've run into people, celiacs, who are distressed because the bible talks about eating wheat and they can't.

I miss so much not having the God gene.

Fat Head [DVD] [2008] [US Import] DVD ~ Tom Monahan
Note they've got the director wrong in the heading but not in the details.
Directors: Tom Naughton
Format: Colour, DVD-Video, PAL
Language English
Region: All Regions
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 1
Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
Studio: Morningstar (TNT200)
DVD Release Date: 17 Feb 2009
Run Time: 104 minutes
Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
DVD Features:
ASIN: B001NRY6R2

I've ordered my copy will report back as soon as I've watched it.
I hope Tom reads this and gets Amazon to change the heading. It may confuse and make some people think this isn't the real thing.

Nancy, quote from the Bible: Genesis Chapter 3, v 17-19.

"Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it, all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat of the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken."

Doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement. Sounds like the USDA dietary guidelines!

I love it! Also this one:

http://www.virtualjerusalem.com/jei...hvat/fruity.htm

I've ordered your DVD from Amazon.ca but it will take several weeks to get here. I'm looking forward to watching it with my hubby. He's long ago started tuning me out when I speak about low-carb, mostly because I don't articulate things very well. I'm hoping this will inspire him.

My friend Tom Monahan will be happy to know he's a director now.

I'll check with our foreign distributor and see if they can straighten it out. Thanks for the heads up.

Can you imagine what the Bible would be like if it were written by Hunter/Gatherers?

Actually, I think that's sort of the premise of Daniel Quinn's "Ishmael." It was the inspiration for the movie "Instinct" starring Anthony Hopkins and Cuba Gooding, Jr. I've heard that the movie was not so great.

I need to jump in here ... hopefully I'm not out of place, but there's a few things I'd really like to comment on, and a few questions I'd like to ask.

First, when you get into the Bible, there are those (me included), who are Christians, and follow the Lord's word, not man's. How can the One who created you, be wrong? God created all of nature, fruit, vegetables, grain, and seeds. He told Adam and Eve, they were ALL for them to eat.

Second: Why is it, there are so many that have lost weight, eating lower calories, lower fat, etc ... and still healthy, and able to maintain?

I'd truly like to know what you all think.