5 minute presentation on Fat Taxes

[visualartist]

For our finals we were asked to present our synthesis essay on an array of subjects.
I chose Fat taxes and obesity.
As I discuss and make my points in the topic I am choosing to do some effects to use as visual aids and representations of my discussion.For example, on taxing soda I have prepared a version of healed and sealed to illustrate obsession over sugary drinks.Does anyone have anymore presentational ideas or effects I could use for this type of discussion?


Here is a rough draft of what I have on my essay so far so you can get an idea of how I can go about this. The professor specifically wanted a creativity presentation, he shows disdain in power points or simple speaking.


No other country has had such high obesity rates increase in the past few generations than in the US. Its a problem with many arguments and options being thrown out to help “solve” it. Food taxes, banning junk foods from food stamps, and some say to simply inspire people to eat healthy but not actually work at it. Out of all of this, the two main points are should the government tax high calorie-high sugar foods? And the other is should we even want the government involved in something that is, to some, personal responsibilities? My contention is that we should definitely allow responsibility to be held by the government on the health of its people but limit the power that it can take over food production.
Radley Balko, author of “What you eat is your business”, says that prohibiting vending machines in schools, funding new bike trails and sidewalks, restricting food marketing to children, is an invasion of government into our own personal eating lifestyle. But if the government was not already nose deep into what the american people eat, then why do we have lobbyists from kellogs, reese’s, burger king, etc. sitting in congress? Clearly the government already has a say in what we eat and what food is advertised to us so Mr. balko’s argument is null. Since 1990, obesity has increased from a scant 10% in some states to a whopper sized 30% to 35% in onver 15 states. Counting the obesity rate in the rest of our states we are looking at ⅔ of a nation that is overweight and/or obese. if ⅔ doesn’t scare you, that means 60 million people since 2006. That was only about 5 years ago. Balko expresses that people who are trying to condemn places like McDonalds, Coca-cola, chips and soda at schools are being unconstitutional and taking away our rights as americans. And I would argue this myself but Michael pollan says it best in his essay Attacks on the Food Police “When a journalist writes critically of the cooking or marketing practices at McDonald’s, he is somehow interfering with people’s freedom to enjoy their chicken nuggets — the journalist stands for control. Yet for some reason the hundreds of millions of dollars spent by McDonald’s to market its food represents not control but freedom. Keep in mind that this marketing involves the routine manipulation of children — bribing them with toys, enticing them to eat more with cleverly designed packaging and portion sizes, and deploying the arts of food science to exploit their inborn cravings for fat, salt and sugar. So who exactly is the more “controlling” party here?”.

 

[renome]

Some colour change of a picture that says freedom or resembles any other attitutude of the "freedom figters" into a picture that shows a bunch of obese kids eating at McDonald's that's done in the hands (without the whole deck or a bunch of pictures) could fit in nicely. Just show the picture(s) from all sides, tenkai palm the bottom one and drop it over the first one with one swift motion of the hand. Some improvised sugar bags (the small ones that you get in a bar or a caffee with your coffee) productions could work nicely, especially if you rip every bag you produce and pour the sugar into your mouth, illustrating your points (a little humor doesn't hurt, even when we're talking about the most serious of subjects). Maybe you could also change something like a chicken nugget into a small lettuce, using a handkerchief or anything you see fit as a cover. Aside from that, you could end with a line that goes something like "the clothes and the colours don't make us look fat do Dresscode: ), we look the same in every outfit, but our attitudes and habits are making us look fat".
Like in every form of presentation and any type of theme, your imagination is the limit.

Good luck!

 

[visualartist]

I definitely am considering using dresscode as a point about how advertisement is everywhere. Im thinking of changing into a coca cola or kellogs shirt that I can buy for like 3 bucks at the thrift store.
Thanks for the advice

 

[Steerpike]

I think the final portion of your speech has the great potential for a visual of entrapment. I keep thinking of puzzle boxes and the like done in reverse, but that's not magic per se, even though if performed correctly the visual metaphor would be clear. I'm sure there's an effect or two out there that could accomplish the same effect.

When mentioning lobbyists, you could do a Miser's dream, producing a coin for every company you name and mentioning the millions they spend every year in making absurd legislation that actually gets through, like the fact that (no joke) pizza is now considered a vegetable at school cafeterias.

Of course if it were me, I would also use that moment to transform a fake slice of pizza somehow into a vegetable like, say, a carrot. Then hold that carrot in a manner that looks like I'm flipping the audience off. Or maybe a pumpkin with a middle finger drawn on one side. Sort of to reinforce the idea that these lobbyists are looking out for their bottom line, not necessarily your best interests. I don't think that would go over too well for this presentation, but maybe just use the transformation? Maybe an image less... controversial? Or just stick with the Miser's dream. Your choice.

 

[renome]

Of course if it were me, I would also use that moment to transform a fake slice of pizza somehow into a vegetable like, say, a carrot. Then hold that carrot in a manner that looks like I'm flipping the audience off.

I like this part a lot, haha!
Anyway, just remember that a little humor is great in everything, but don't overuse it, you don't want to sound like a comedian doing a stand-up about obesity, not because you wouldn't sound credible (who knows who George Carlin is?) , but because as far as I understood it, it's a school/college assignment and aside from being educative, it's supposed to have a serious note. Comedy and magic are just here to enhance your points and make them easily memorable for the audience/class.

 

[RealityOne]

I chose Fat taxes and obesity.

This post is meant to provoke thought rather than any arguments. When people see any issue as being absolutely clear on either side I think it means they really haven't explored both side's positions and thought about what the implications of those positions are. Hopefully this will help you write a better essay. For the magic, you will have to read my entire post to get to it.

Does putting a tax on soda with high fructose corn syrup reduce consumption of soda? Look to the taxation of cigarettes and see whether the tax has significantly reduced consumption. I don't know the answer but it might be informative. Basic economic theory suggests that as price increases, demand will fall, but that is modified by the concept of elasticity (e.g. charging five cents more for a liter of soda won't make anyone not buy it). Also look at Washington, DC's plastic bag fee. They charged five cents each bag a store used. The amount of plastic bags used dropped considerably after the tax was implemented.

Do most obese people drink soda with high fructose corn syrup or do they drink diet soda? I haven't seen data on that, but my personal observation is that they drink diet soda.

What foods would be taxed? Just soda with high fructose corn syrup? Any carbonated beverage? Sports drinks? What about fruit juices which have the same amount of calories as soda? How about a tax on candy too? Where do you draw the line (see discussion of bread, pasta and potatoes)?

Actually, there already is a sales tax on soda and candy in most states. If you look at the definition of what constitutes candy in most states it is something that doesn't have flour as a main ingredient. So Twix bars and Milky Way bars aren't candy but are nontaxable food. That just illustrates the problem of defining what is taxable.

You should also discuss the science. Does drinking soda make people fat? Or is it a diet that consists of too much simple carbohydrates - like bread, pasta and potatoes? Should we tax those foods too?

As for fast food, does the food there have more or less calories than if you ate out at a major chain restaurant like Fridays, Applebees, etc? A Big Mac at McDonald's is 540 calories. A cheeseburger at TGI Fridays is 1,100 calories. Is it fair to tax McDonalds without taxing Friday's where your getting twice as much calories? How about the TGI Friday burgers you can buy in the grocery store freezer? I looked at the label and they are a heart attack in a box.

Also, what should be done with the money that is collected? Most of the soda taxes that have been proposed have been to close the budget shortfalls for various cities (e.g. Washington, DC and Philadelphia). Should the taxes also go to fight obesity?

What about thin people who like to drink soda. Should they have to pay a tax because other people are obese?

Will the tax really make a change or is it something that can be marketed to people as "doing something important" while the real goal is to just get more money for the city or state budget. Wouldn't that be a good marketing ploy?

Should states repeal any taxes on gym memberships? I know several states that that impose sales tax on those memberships. What about on sporting goods? A baseball bat and glove are usually subject to sales tax. If taxes make a difference in behavior, should we be encouraging people to buy sporting goods by exempting them from sales tax?

What about what New York did by making restaurants list the calories of the food on the menu? Is that a better idea because it addresses the problem through making people aware of how many calories they are consuming? I think so... I have't eaten at Friday's since I saw the calories on their menu in New York.

So here is my suggestion for the magic. Start with a deck of cards with every other card turned face p. As you go through a deck of cards, sort them into two piles. Face up in favor of the tax and face down opposed to the tax. Then perform a triumph routine where the cards not only all turn face down, but all the backs change as you recommend better alternatives.

For the record, I don't drink soda with high fructose corn syrup and my son eats at McDonalds or Burger King maybe ten times a year. Why? Because I know it's not health food. Oh, and by the way... don't even think about taxing my pizza (vegetable or otherwise).

 

[visualartist]

Does putting a tax on soda with high fructose corn syrup reduce consumption of soda? Look to the taxation of cigarettes and see whether the tax has significantly reduced consumption.

I bring this up in my discussion as well, my synthesis essay works on the idea that both sides of the debate have some good points and to bring together an agreement. Unfortunately though the tax increase HAS had effect in its consumption. A review conducted by Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity suggested that for every 10% increase in price, consumption decreases by 7.8%. An industry trade publication reported even larger reductions: as prices of carbonated soft drinks increased by 6.8%,sales dropped by 7.8%, and as Coca-Cola prices increased by12%, sales dropped by 14.6%.

Do most obese people drink soda with high fructose corn syrup or do they drink diet soda? I haven't seen data on that, but my personal observation is that they drink diet soda.

The new england journal of medicine published data that daily caloric intake from high sugar sweetened drinks has been skyrocketing since 1977 and is still increasing. Diet soda has had a moderate consumption. So definitely adding some kind of sugar packet or endless sugar production effect could take place at this point in my presentation I think.

what foods would be taxed? Just soda with high fructose corn syrup? Any carbonated beverage? Sports drinks? What about fruit juices which have the same amount of calories as soda? How about a tax on candy too? Where do you draw the line (see discussion of bread, pasta and potatoes)?

Im sorry I should have made the Tax that would be imposed clearer. So specifically tax on sugared beverages.Sports drinks included. Sports drink only have the appropriate effect after a workout when your body is actually in need of fast digesting carbs. So drinking them at any other time makes it the same as any other sugared beverage. There is taxes on candy actually, there has been.

You should also discuss the science. Does drinking soda make people fat? Or is it a diet that consists of too much simple carbohydrates - like bread, pasta and potatoes? Should we tax those foods too?

Yes,soda makes you fat. there is alot of science behind that.For each extra can or glass of sugared beverage consumed per day, the likelihood of a child’s becoming obese in- creases by 60%. Since children are a hot topic in the obesity struggle, an effect representing our children while adults make them consume could be something I could do in the middle of my presentation.Food being taxed hasn't been brought up in any discussions or debates i've read. Potatoes are good for you,IF you know how to use fast digesting carbs well. And excess of potatoes won't cause major weight gain as fast. The prices of real food like potatoes has far surpassed the prices of junk food!! from 1978 to 2009 the price of real food like fresh fruits and vegetables that humans should eat is way high. That's why junk food is cheap, to keep people fat and addicted to the food. Cheap for the wallet, costly to our bodies.

What about thin people who like to drink soda. Should they have to pay a tax because other people are obese?

Everyone pays the same taxes for healthy food, they should pay the same for junk food thin or not. The only people that get tax breaks are the rich guys =) mmm mmm america.

So here is my suggestion for the magic. Start with a deck of cards with every other card turned face p. As you go through a deck of cards, sort them into two piles. Face up in favor of the tax and face down opposed to the tax. Then perform a triumph routine where the cards not only all turn face down, but all the backs change as you recommend better alternatives.

Thats actually awesome idea, I have a few triumph routines I can use.

For the record, I don't drink soda with high fructose corn syrup and my son eats at McDonalds or Burger King maybe ten times a year. Why? Because I know it's not health food.

Isn't it sad that we now have to refer to normal foods like vegetables and lean protein as "health" food?
You've given me lots of good ideas man, thank you.

 

[RealityOne]

Thats actually awesome idea, I have a few triumph routines I can use.

If you want to do the color changing Triumph, send me a PM. I have a method that I've come up with that will work.

You've given me lots of good ideas man, thank you.

I appreciate that you took the time to respond. It is clear that you've done your homework... literally.

One more source that you may not have seen is the Tax Foundation's article on Overreaching on Obesity. As with any piece that is written on this topic (including the Yale Rudd Center folks who stand to benefit from increased funding from the tax for obesity prevention research), the authors have a clear agenda (they are a business group opposed to new or increased taxes) but it gives an interesting analysis from a tax policy perspective. Good luck with your presentation.

 

[visualartist]

awesome I will, I know I definitely want to bring food into my presentation. subtly of course, I dont want my audience to forget why we are there and focusing too much on the magic. I have a burger production I used to do years ago, though with this setting it might be difficult.