Directing Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Nov 24, 2010, 11:44 AM
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San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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San Francisco Supervisors overturned a veto by Mayor Gavin Newsom on their proposed law to ban toy giveaways with McDonald's Happy Meal food items (and other fast food chain kiddie meals) unless it meets certain nutritional requirements (more vegetable sticks and fruit items). The law is scheduled to take effect in December 2011. Citizens can overturn the law by submitting petitions with a total of over 14,600 signatures before the law takes effect.
The supervisors claim the law will fight obesity in children. Supporters say it will tone down aggressive marketing to children.
Opponents and Mayor Newsom say the parents or guardians should make the final decision on what their kids eat and not the government as well as hampering free enterprise.
Personally, I would think if one goes to McDonalds, it's for comfort food and price and not exactly for healthy reasons. I'm not in favor of the law...too much "nanny state".
This may affect the movie, tv, and animation industry if the toys and items that promote their series or film characters that are distributed through McDonald's and other fast food chains are banned under this ordinance.
Thoughts?
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"Don't chew gum on camera. Don't whistle. You may kiss Bob Barker but please don't kill him." -announcer Johnny Olson briefing the audience of potential contestants for "The Price is Right"
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Animator
Posted:
Nov 26, 2010, 5:19 PM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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I agree. It should be up to the parents to decide. Unfortunately there are too many parents who give in so easily to their children's demands that they end up fat little porkers with ADD/ADHD and Juvenile Diabeetus. Parents are too afraid to say "No" to their kids, out of fear that the kid would call DFCS and say they (the parents) were being mean or abusing the children by not letting them go to McDonald's.
We have become too much of a pansy society. Parents need to learn to step up, and tell their kids "No". They also need to not be afraid to spank them or punish them if the kid acts out. So many times have I seen kids go nuts in public or at home, and the parents just sit by and let it happen. And if the kid injures himself? Sue the company that owns the facility where the kid injured himself or sue the homeowner, if they were visiting someone's house.
You don't have to buy the Happy Meal to get the toy. I remember going into a McDonald's one time with a friend, and he had just asked for one of the toys, and they gave it to him. We had bought food there already, so it wasn't like we just walked right on in, asked for a toy, and walked right out.
Cal-ee-FOHR-NYAH has become too much of a nanny state or pansy state. Neal Boortz calls them "The Left Coast". There's too much bureaucracy over there, it's no wonder the state's bankrupt.
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Directing Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Nov 27, 2010, 11:52 AM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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There are other factors contributing to childhood obesity such as kids spending too much time with online gaming and chats, 200 or more digital tv choices, and some places being too dangerous to play or walk outside in fear of gang violence, crime, bullying, and sexual predators. Some issues politicians either care not to address or have basically given up on.
McDonald's isn't exactly selling a triple patty, 4 cheese slice burger with a supersize portion of fries in a Happy Meal.
Unfortunately, "restraint" is a word slowly become obsolete in today's public attitudes.
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"Don't chew gum on camera. Don't whistle. You may kiss Bob Barker but please don't kill him." -announcer Johnny Olson briefing the audience of potential contestants for "The Price is Right"
(This post was edited by artytoons on Nov 27, 2010, 11:55 AM)
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Zinc Saucier / Moderator
Posted:
Nov 28, 2010, 9:16 PM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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I happen to think this is a wonderful idea. All people do is piss and moan about how it's a nanny state or government shouldn't be trying to tell people how to eat or raise their kids, but then they piss and moan even LOUDER when the schools don't teach their kids every aspect of life including personal responsibility and discipline and everything else they're too damn lazy to do themselves. If the public can't take some damn responsibility for themselves then they need someone to force it on them. Just like smoking and drinking, if you can't handle yourself and teach your kids to do the same in a responsible manner, you should no longer have the choice to cost everyone else hundreds of millions of dollars in health care costs, prevention messages, and expanded programs to help kids get active, among the countless other costs that those kids (and adults!) will accrue over the length of their lives.
Secondly, I think ANYTHING that restricts a corporation's ability to willingly harm the public and hide behind the defense of "we are providing them what they want" is absofrickinglutely stupendously excellent! Don't get it wrong, McDonald's could care less about kid's health or balanced diet or freedom of choice or anything else so noble- they care about only money and nothing but. They want to shove the cheapest crap at us that has the highest profit margin, bar none. It could be proven to cause cancer or not even be a legitimate animal product (think of the Ribwich from The Simpsons), as long as the profit margin is high enough, they'll shovel it at us all day and try as hard as they can to defeat any attempt to control the filth they spew forward, even the smallest quality checks or requirements. God forbid they are forced to make money using only high quality, somewhat healthy choices. Oh, woe is them!! I can only hope that this hurts them so much financially (which it won't) that they change permanently, or that it is so much of a boon to San Francisco that it is copied across the country, like wildfire.
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Directing Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Nov 29, 2010, 12:06 PM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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For the record, there is a Ronald McDonald House in San Francisco (a place for parents to stay to be near their sick kids staying in hospitals funded by donations by the McDonald's corporation).
What should parents be responsible for teaching their kids?
Where should the government stop "intruding"? Like potato chips, might stopping at one "sin" be difficult?
Is the concept of "Free Enterprise" endangered? (with non-business elements dictating how a successful business model should be run?)
Would kids eat their veggies at the Golden Arches(...or at home), knowing full well that there might be other things on the menus with flavor they like but are not necessarily healthier?
Any ideas how the entertainment industry will react to having a potential promotional outlet for their tv shows and movies being taken away?
For the record, I eat at McDonald's for lunch twice or three time a month...usually a mini-meal type portion (one or two small sandwiches/snack wrap/4 piece McNuggets, small fries, and small soda)...as much as $5.00 pays with some change back if I am out on the road...I eat salads or cold sandwiches the rest of the work week.
It will do in a pinch. I don't make enough to dine at a restaurant that requires reservations on a frequent basis.
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"Don't chew gum on camera. Don't whistle. You may kiss Bob Barker but please don't kill him." -announcer Johnny Olson briefing the audience of potential contestants for "The Price is Right"
(This post was edited by artytoons on Nov 29, 2010, 1:28 PM)
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Director / Contributor
Posted:
Nov 30, 2010, 3:22 PM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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Yeah. This will be about as effective as Dean Wormer trying to ban toga parties. It's not even going to make a dent in the obesity problem.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi0dqcR-Otk
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Supervising Animator / Moderator
Posted:
Nov 30, 2010, 4:04 PM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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As if anything could leave a dent in a Happy Meal patron.
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"If it's hot, don't sit on it." —NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg
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Supervising Animator
Posted:
Dec 5, 2010, 6:44 PM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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I don't live in the Bay City, SF actually has banned many things!
I think Lakewood is close enough for me to get that SF Experience (Lakewood is just a few blocks from where I live now)!
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Thank God for kids who love obscure things-Lee Hazelwood (1929-2007)
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Supervising Animator
Posted:
Dec 22, 2010, 8:32 PM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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That also reminds me of what Pinky said (from "Pinky and the Brain") once in a cartoon....
"I think so, Brain. But if they call them 'Sad Meals' no one would buy them"!
But "Sad Meals" are in San Francisco!
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Thank God for kids who love obscure things-Lee Hazelwood (1929-2007)
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Directing Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Dec 3, 2011, 12:11 PM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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The final chapter in the San Francisco Happy Meal saga:
McDonald's will charge 10 cents per toy and donate the proceeds to their Ronald McDonald House charities. Seems like MickeyD's came up the winner.
http://www.sfgate.com/...11/30/MNUR1M5NCE.DTL
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"Don't chew gum on camera. Don't whistle. You may kiss Bob Barker but please don't kill him." -announcer Johnny Olson briefing the audience of potential contestants for "The Price is Right"
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Supervising Animator
Posted:
Dec 6, 2011, 8:01 PM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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The final chapter in the San Francisco Happy Meal saga: McDonald's will charge 10 cents per toy and donate the proceeds to their Ronald McDonald House charities. Seems like MickeyD's came up the winner. http://www.sfgate.com/...11/30/MNUR1M5NCE.DTL
I heard about that when my church was having their annual Christmas Coffee House.
It's nice that $.10 will go to The Ronald McDonald House...something to give the Children in need for Christmas.
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Thank God for kids who love obscure things-Lee Hazelwood (1929-2007)
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Newbie
Posted:
Dec 31, 2011, 10:30 AM
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Re: San Francisco to ban the Happy Meal toys
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It looks like it was win/win.
The city got to make a statement and McD got to use it to promote how good they are (donations to Ronnie McD House).
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