Robbie
Complete as many rounds as possible in 25 minutes of:
8 freestanding handstand push-ups
15-foot L-sit rope climb, 1 ascent
U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller died Jan. 25, 2008, in Bari Kowt, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when he encountered small-arms fire while conducting combat operations. The 24-year-old, of Oviedo, Florida, was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and served during Operation Enduring Freedom. In October of 2010, Miller was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat. Miller is survived by his parents, Philip and Maureen; brothers, Thomas, Martin and Edward; and sisters, Joanna, Mary, Therese and Patricia.
In the quest for health, fitness, and longevity, there are many theories about what foods best support this effort. There is one “food” that rarely, if ever, comes to the discussion table – and that is sugar, especially in the processed, added, refined form. Why? Because the scientific information surrounding the negative effects of sugar consumption is well, really convincing everyone – from Paleo enthusiasts to vegetarians.
The video above details Berkeley, California’s efforts to pass a soda tax. It’s more than worth the 13:00 minutes of your life that you’ll need to use to watch it. It might even (hopefully) make you a little mad.
What is a Soda Tax?
A soda tax, sugar tax or soft drink tax is a tax or surcharge on soft drinks specific to the promotion of reduced overall sugar consumption.
(Source)
How much is the tax in Berkeley?
1 center per fluid ounce.
How did Berkeley pass a soda tax (it is the first in the US!)?
In early 2014, members of the Berkeley Healthy Child Coalition gathered petition signatures from Berkeley residents asking City Council to include a tax measure on the November 2014 ballot. In July 2014 the city council unanimously approved Measure D for the ballot, which was designed to impose a general tax, rather than a special tax. Measure D passed with a 75% of the vote.
Berkeley is the first city in America to pass a soda tax, but interest is growing in cities around the US.
A few quick facts about soda and the efforts in Berkeley:
- Over 1 million dollars per day is spent marketing soda to kids.
- The Center for Disease Control predicts that 1/3rd of all children will develop Type II diabetes in their lifetime.
- There is a saturation of marketing of sugary drinks and that is higher in Latino, African Americans, and low income communities.
- Big Soda spent over $2.4 million dollars trying to defeat the ballot in Berkeley
- As an additional note: “They used every trick in the book, including creating fake grassroots front groups, claiming the soda tax was misleading and confusing, saying it would “hurt poor people” while they simultaneously profited off marketing to those same people, buying up billboards, and sending mailers. They even filed a lawsuit against the language of the ballot measure, which was unsuccessful.” (Source)
Where does the money collected by the tax go?
The money collected from the Berkeley soda tax goes to the general fund. As of March 2016, Berkeley’s soda tax has generated $1.5 million and the City has allocated most of the money toward community nutrition & health efforts, including school garden programs.
While a tax has been shown to discourage consumption (as in Mexico), the big benefit of the tax is having funds to educate the public and invest in programs that can help fight the development of sugar-driven diseases.
What do you think about a soda tax? Post to comments.