Thursday, July 23, 2009

Wiener Warning!


It's a slow news day when the front page of the Los Angeles Times Business Section has a big, full-color, "wiener warning" story! No, Loraina Babbit is not on the loose again, no the Playboy Mansion is not having another wild party and no, this is not about sex offenders living too close to neighborhood schools. It's about hot dogs! Who knew wieners were breaking news and at the top of our "worry" list these days?!?

Seriously, today's Business Section has a top of page story, with a 5" x 7" color photo, and the headline "They want warning in the wurst way". I'm sure the Oscar Mayer company really appreciates that picture of their dogs too.

The article reports on a vegan group in New Jersey seeking a court order for a "Warning Label" on wieners stating that "Consuming hot dogs and other processed meats increase the risk of cancer." You know what I'm talking about--The kind of label you see on cigarette packages. That's what they want on hot dogs, although this claim is yet to be proven.

I think it's a bunch of dog poop.

We're talking about hot dogs folks-- the All-American food, that's literally been around for more than a hundred years! For crying out loud-- What's next, apple pie, potato salad, milk, and ice cold beer? Give me a break!

Yes, this article has me smoking mad, not "smoking" enough to have a "Warning Label" tattooed to my forehead, but mad as hell, nevertheless. This potential class action suit is a waste of time, money and perfectly good frankfurters-- I'll take mine, by the way, with ketchup, relish and sour kraut please.

With all the mess in the world-- the wars, the economy, poverty, AIDS, violence, you name it-- There are at least a million other things to protest about then friggin hot dogs eaten in New Jersey that possibly, maybe, potentially could, cause cancer. Yes, today New Jersey, tomorrow the world!

I get that vegans eat animal-free food, so they shouldn't eat hot dogs or the likes, but a class action lawsuit? Are hot dogs really the most important thing vegans can protest? Doesn't, oh say-- global warming and the impact it's having on worldwide crops rank a tad bit higher on the vegan protest "to-do" list then say, Dodger Dogs?

Before you say it, I'm NOT picking on vegans. To each his own. What I am calling this vegan group out for is the insanity of a court case about hot dogs. Seriously, is that the best they could do to raise the awareness level for their "eat animal-free" cause? Do they think this approach is going to get new followers to dump their dogs? And don't get me started on the huge waste of tax payer's money to hear this non-sense in court. Grrrrr!

As I write this rant, I've read the above noted story several times and each time I'm more and more disgusted. First, by the Los Angeles Times for giving the story such high profile press, and second, for the obviously transparent attempt by this group to garner attention for an unproven claim only to help boost their "vegan message" in the media.

Yes, this post is playing right into their hands-- I'm talking and writing about it. But what I'm also doing is BUYING MORE HOT DOGS, Hebrew International are my fave, and I'm serving them to my entire family this weekend with no concern about giving them cancer!

I'm also hoping the New Jersey courts laugh this lawsuit right out the door-- and onto the curb-- where several hot dog vendors are standing by to feed the hungry attorneys.

With this kind of "lawsuit mentality", we'll have black box warning labels on everything, not just the real and important products that can actually harm us. I say enough already with the over-the-top labels and ridiculous lawsuits! Be informed and make your own decisions and leave the courts for "real" cases.

What do you think?
Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna
PS Coming soon, my first GIVEAWAY! Stay tuned.

45 comments:

  1. There's a book out called Nanny State: How Food Fascists, Teetotaling Do-Gooders, Priggish Moralists, and other Boneheaded Bureaucrats are Turning America into a Nation of Children by David Harsanyi. Excellent reading for just the topic you covered in your blog today.

    I'm going camping this weekend, so we'll make sure to eat our share of hot dogs!

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  2. nice rant. too much. going to buy a large package right now and cook them on the grill. if i get up to multiple packs a week i wonder if they make a gum to chew to quit the habit.

    seriously, a lot more serious things in this world.

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  3. Ummmm, where is this evidence that hot dogs cause cancer?

    Honestly, it's crap like this that makes people not want to take vegans, or PETA, seriously.

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  4. You are so right! We are way too lawsuit happy here, and everything seems to cause cancer.

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  5. I think you've covered it all!! Ditto, ditto, ditto and one more ditto! And I agree about Hebrew National! I hope the Baseball Leagues, Ballparks, Hotdog Venders and Manufacturers all file countersuits!

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  6. That's a travesty and un-American. How ridiculous. Those quacks have too much time on their hand. Hebrew National is my favorite too, especially the big dinner franks.

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  7. watch out, they're gonna go after the grilled steaks and chicken nuggets next!! :P

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  8. I hope no one says chocolate causes cancer :-(

    Slow news right now. Some strange/silly stories are making headlines.

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  9. HEAR HEAR! Oh I wish I was an Oscar Mayer wiener...come on everybody, sing it with me now!!!

    I couldn't agree more. Except on the global warming part. Don't get me started there, either. Like you, to each his/her own.

    Oh my goodness! Hebrew Nationals are good but I hafta say I love NATHAN'S hot dogs the most!

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  10. I think people who have enough time on their hands to worry over stupid crap like hot dogs should have warning labels tattooed in the middle of their foreheads.

    You know, so we won't interact with them and get sick.

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  11. I wish people would get off it, I think they pick a product a month and point their finger at it causing cancer. I can remember the first time I ever heard of the cancer scare, it was the 1950's, and at that time it was cranberries, you were advised not to eat them or anything made with them. Very nice post, hope you have a great weekend.

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  12. I think you have great taste in hot dogs.. Hebrew International absolutely taste best. I haven't had one in decades! Drool!

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  13. You tell ´em girl!! Right on!

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  14. That is nuts and I hope it never makes it before a judge.

    And I so want a hot dog right now...

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  15. Nathan's are our favorites. I wonder if this law suit will put Oscar Mayer out of business. There will be labels on bologna, right? They are different but the same, right?

    I'm so with you on this. I hope you're giving away lots and lots of hot dogs for your giveaway!!
    :)

    I can't wait! I'm so excited!!

    Hugs!!

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  16. Whatever happened to banning frivolous lawsuits?

    Now I'm going to ogle Daniel Craig. Again.

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  17. Don't care what the mainstream media or researchers say, I'm gonna eat my dawgs and enjoy 'em!

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  18. This is ridiculously silly. I'd like to be a fly on the wall during that case. Mostly because I think wiener and underpants are the two funniest words in the English language, and a serious court case where one of those words will be used a lot is - well - silly. If it weren't such a money waster, it would be downright laughable.

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  19. Oh, I hate the whole label-happy mentality! Don't get me wrong - some things do need to have appropriate warnings, but people are going to make their own choices, and if a person wants to smoke or inhale spray paint or eat obesity-inducing fast food, WHATEVER, let them! No one's really going to read the label of a package of hot dogs and think "Oh, that could cause cancer, I better not eat that" and then put it back! That's just the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! Let's lobby for a warning label on vegan foods like whole grains and fresh produce stating that frequent consumption may cause excessive bowel movements and flatulence!

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  20. @Tammy Howard - that's so funny! If I were one of the defense lawyers, I'd purposely use ONLY the words "weiner" or "weinie" during the trial when referring to hot dogs - just for the pure hilarity of it!!

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  21. OMG! What next no Fireworks?!?!?
    Who is running this country anyway,.. a bunch of scared hippies livin' in a bubble eattin bark from a recycled tree????

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  22. "Black box warning?"
    Are you a Nurse? Or just well-read and informed?
    Very good post.

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  23. Your soap box was lovely decorated. Very nicely said my friend. Many hugs... xoxo

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  24. geesh.....even if they did cause cancer, which I highly doubt they might, but what do I know, I would still have purchased them readily when my son went through "nothing but hot dog to eat stage" when he was about 2-1/2 years old. I have to agree with you; use the money more wisely involved with this potential court case on worthier causes like feeding the homeless/hungry who would gladly eat hot dogs, just to get something in their stomach

    betty

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  25. Hey! Sorry for not getting back with you. I ended up in I have no idea where...somewhere off of San Pedro.

    I've probably eaten 1200 hot dogs since I was born and aside from turning a year older each year, there's no other side effects.

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  26. Well, I've never had a hot dog that looked as good as those in the above photo. I agree, a bit stupid re: banning them. Let me see smoking cigarettes banned first, and sorry smokers, I know that is a hot potato topic too, but I would have thought cigarettes are more damaging to a person's health than a hot dog, for dawg's, I mean gawd's sake. Hehe, could not resist the play on words.

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  27. like you said, it must have been a slow news day... at least i´m going to cling to that hope... happy weekend!

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  28. I am a vegetarian, but I couldn't believe it when I head this one on the news. Are you kidding me? This country is at war, the economy is in the toilet and they are worried about hot dogs. Don't eat them if you think they are bad...and while they are at it...don't drink the water or breathe the air, or eat anything but food you have grown yourself...oh, but you better create your own soil because ours is full of yuk...

    Geez, enough is enough already. Can't we all just take care of ourselves. I don't need a watchdog.

    HA!

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  29. Now that's the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time. At least a couple days, lol! RU Kidding?

    I think PETA developed themselfs as a good group but then wacky. Taking everything to such extremes that people no longer take them seriously.

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  30. There are eleventy gazillion dimwits out there who don't understand what 'fulfilling their purpose' reeeeeeeeally means and don't have enough to do to keep themselves from plunging into the pool of stupidity. Shame on the media for attempting to add any degree of credibility to silly, suppositional, sensationlistic hogwash! You know it was a slow news day....

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  31. The coals are still hot, shall I throw a couple of dogs on for you?
    pve

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  32. I thought the same thing when the top news story on Channel 9 news was a black box warning about hot dogs...I like mine burnt on the grill, maybe that cleans out the stuff that is not good for me? I hope not...at Arianna's birthday party tomorrow I plan to have several, sans bun...yummmmmy!
    Sandi

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  33. I suggest a quid pro quo... you give me torte reform and I'll give you wiener warnings. They will both probably happen when hell freezes over.

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  34. Some people don't see lawsuits as frivolous. Over the years it has become almost trendy to file a lawsuit, almost like cocktail party fodder. Personally, I like my hot dogs with mustard, relish, and onion.

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  35. I was concerned at the news, but we're having hot dogs for breakfast! It's such an integral part of our lives.

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  36. Only in America.

    Joanna, your sea of comments is same or almost the same as the blog of one artiste I follow :)

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  37. If you don't have hot dogs at least once a week during the summer you are not an American. Or you're a vegetarian. Same difference. Either way, you are letting the terrorists win. ;)

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  38. Yeah, I've come to the conclusion that everything we put in our mouth causes cancer, so we may as well enjoy ourselves while we are here!! There's nothing like a hot dog hot off the grill!!

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  39. to CraezieLady_if grains and vegs contribute to excess bowel movements and flatulence isn't that contibuting to global warming? tsk! We should go on the hotdog diet then, live shorter lives and contibute less to pollution!

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  40. Ladies and Gentlemen, YOU ROCK!!!! Thanks for your great comment and for putting up with my rant! I'm glad we're all of the same mind.

    Have a great weekend and let's go eat come hot dogs!!!

    Keep those cards and letters coming! I love hearing from you. xo

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  41. Sadly, there is quite a large body of people in this world who seem to derive all their pleasure and purpose in life from interfering with other people's fun and lifestyle. You tell 'em!

    Oh and Amy H: exactly! You rock!

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  42. I think the US is leading the race of creating a nanny state where people are kept from reality with cotton wool and rose-tinted glasses. This trend has reached England, I gather, where many playgrounds are being dismantled in case kids hurt themselves, and soon trees will also carry a health warning too! (OK - kidding about that last part...)

    On the other hand, I think that just sausages and hot dog ones in particular, are particularly vile.. They are so cheap because they are made up of ground animals bones and skulls... So I'm not at all surprised that they might cause cancer! After all, they are full of crap.

    Still - not worth going to court over.

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  43. Were it not for hot dogs, my kids would starve all summer at the ballpark. Just sayin'.

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  44. Life without an occasional Vienna Beef hotdog just would not be worth living!

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