Life In The Fast Lane

Life in the fast lane, or should I say the drive through.   I agree some things must change, it's call progress.

But that indicates improvement of some kind.  So when I hear a McDonald's wants to come to my town, I say this is anything but progress.



I live in Newtown, Pennsylvania.  I moved here 22 years ago to escape the fast growing central New Jersey area.  Newtown did not seem at all remote  us, after all just thirty minutes from Princeton and forty-five from Philadelphia, everything we needed was right at our fingertips.  Newtown started to grown in leaps and bounds and most of the changes were very good and well paced.  I remember when we got the Gap and the very popular Starbucks, it seemed a bit odd at the time, but these businesses have added value to the community.

I grew up in Miami in the 1960's and 1970's, so I can tell you all about development, sometimes it is good and sometimes not so good.
Newtown is a popular town and because of that they have to deal with the pressure of the communities needs and businesses that support our tax base.  I suppose to be fair certain precedences have been set and so legally we may have some restrictions or obligations.
But seriously, now I hear someone has submitted a petition to build a McDonald's in Newtown.  I am sorry, but I have to say NO, not in my town.

Wake up and smell the fat, sugar and salt. Obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and many other chronic inflammatory diseases are bringing our country to its knees.  Health care has really just become 'sick care,' and all our doctors can do is put out the most critical fires.
I work in a Dental office and most of our patients over age fifty are on several medications, those over thirty and forty are not far behind.  Many, many patients are over weight and have been presented with a serious diagnosis,  and I don't even want to tell you how many patients have cancer. It seems like we here the same story over and over.
Now please don't think that I am only talking about adults, our children are facing the same problems as adults and an alarming rate.  I will spare you all the facts and figures, but they are available on the CDC website, and the numbers are STAGGERING.
I don't know what else to say, except that this really breaks my heart.  Things do not have to be like this.  It is not so hard to eat well and exercise enough to be in balance.  Please do something now.  Speak up, go to the supervisors meeting when the McDonald's issue is being discussed. Find out how you can help, perhaps you can look at the  'Say no to McDonald's  at the Village of Newtown East' on FB.
Encourage the township supervisors to be forward thinkers, to be bold and to be visionaries. Empower them to help us be the town that did not want McDonald's.  The town that wants more for it's residents and their children and grandchildren.
Please support organizations like the Bucks county food shed alliance, CSA's and organizations like Slow Food.  Go to the farmers markets when the spring arrives and if you really want to go crazy plant your own garden and remember what real food tastes like.  I know for sure there is no real food at McDonald's.
Make the world a better place, help our children lead the life they deserve.
If there ever was a time to speak up it is NOW. Be bold, be brave, be proactive and PLEASE do not sit this one out.
Thank you.