People, Popcorn, and Politicians

I was working a double on Mother’s Day. It was pretty busy at both jobs. I opened at “Job 1", busted my ass to prep everything for the day, then headed to “Job 2,” where I had a small bit of time to grab lunch before working the rest of the day. So I dished up a salad, grabbed a bran muffin, and sat down at my usual seat in the small cafeteria. The TV is always on one of three programs: Who Want’s to be a Millionare, Sports Center, or CNN (which accounts for all of my news related comments). That day the news was on; it was a debate with all of the candidates for the upcoming election of PA Governor.

These sorts of debates are aired specifically to better inform the public about the views and prerogatives of the candidates. They are supposed to cover popular issues, and allow everyone to explain reasoning rather than just bash and campaign with media ads.

First thought that runs through my head: “What timing!” Lunch time on mother’s day, when people are supposed to be with their families, is perfect to air a debate for all the voters to watch, yeah? But it gets worse. I mean, I consider it to be worse- but it really is commonplace for politicians. They have this way of talking, so often, without saying anything.

I wish I could dictate the closing comments, verbatim, but pretty much half of what was said was, “There are policies that need to be addressed. There are issues that need to be dealt with. And I will do my best to get results for Pennsylvania to change.” What does that mean?!?! You can acknowledge issues and problems all you want, but without the correct reactions and legislation, it’s just bound to be another tangled mess of mismanagement. Politicians like to dance their words around saying what their actual intentions are because they don’t want to lose votes. I just wish people wouldn’t be so chicken-shit (pardon my language), because it’s a real turn-off to vote at all when a debate leaves you feeling clueless- as if you hadn’t watched it. That really grinds my gears...

Yesterday, the news was on again. This time a fifteen minute slot wasn’t dedicated to politicians, or the oil spill, or the war... no, the news was having a lengthy discussion about buttery, delicious popcorn.

Apparently there is a woman who is suing the popcorn industry for getting a rare condition called “popcorn lung.” The way they described it, it seemed as though popcorn lung is a type of lung cancer you can get. The news anchor described the sensation of opening up the bag of microwave popcorn and indulging in that buttery smell, and sounding appalled that those vapors could cause such damage that the people, such as the woman mentioned, could get a serious health issue from too much exposure to that.

Never-mind that the woman taking the company to court ate three bags of popcorn a day for sixteen years. I’d sure say that’s prolonged exposure- but three bags a day though? That’s some serious snacking with a completely different issue all together!

Upon further research I found an article that states:
“Popcorn worker’s lung is a rare affliction usually found only in people who are poisoned by chemical fires or chemical warfare or in lung transplant patients. The disease can render its victims unable to exert even a little energy without becoming winded or faint. Exposure to diacetyl can reduce lung capacity from its normal level of 80% to no more than 16% - 21%. Organized labor picked up the issue in 2003 as word began to spread about the hazard to popcorn workers, and more cases of the disease were exposed in California and other states.

Diacetyl is the component which gives the buttery flavor to the popcorn. It is also found in other products such as alcoholic beverages, to lend butterscotch flavors.
I was shaking my head to myself there in the cafeteria at “Job 2" as the anchors ranted on and on about the snack-food. It seems like you can get cancer or other serious medical problems from just about anything and everything these days.

3 bags everyday for sixteen years, apparently earns you a rare disease, and oxygen tank, and fifteen minutes of air-time on CNN. Now popcorn companies have to put warnings on their labels if they use Diacetyl, like the tobacco companies have to warn customers about increased risk for heart and lung cancer. Did the companies even know that the Diacetyl could affect customers- to warn them? Why does processed food contain so much shit anyway?

This is why I like to cook. I like knowing what’s going into my body. I like to know what the good and bad stuff is. I like knowing the process rather than just the product... which is the curiosity that ultimately put me through college and at “Job 1" and “Job 2" as a pastry chef- which left me sitting in my usual seat in the cafeteria- watching the news- loathing people, popcorn and politicians.