Pavarotti
The always well-constructed Harper's Weekly struck again yesterday, wrapping up the week in news:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that obesity was killing almost as many people as tobacco; poor diet and sloth were responsible for 400,000 deaths in 2000, or 16.6 percent of everyone who died; tobacco killed 435,000 people, or 18.1 percent. The British Nutrition Foundation reported that McDonald's new Caesar salad with Chicken Premiere contains 18.4 grams of fat, whereas a cheeseburger contains only 11.5 grams. The House of Representatives passed the so-called cheeseburger bill, which if made law would grant immunity from lawsuits to restaurants, especially fast-food chains, that serve unhealthy food. Luciano Pavarotti gave his last staged performance.
Of more help in the news-you-can-use aisle, Slate recently answered the question: Can an opera singer be too fat? Bottom line, they said I still had a chance at the title.
Also recently on Slate: History of car cupholders.
