Don't eat this food, it is bad for you.
Don't drink that drink, it might cause cancer.
Don't drive that vehicle, it might be unsafe.
Don't go to that air show because you might get hurt.
Screw all that. I am at the point where I am ready to demand the right to do things, even if they are dangerous, just to poke my finger in the eye of the nanny staters...and I am no risk-taker.
I saw this picture recently and it made me laugh:
This was apparently a video taken on some highway in Russia, these guys are tooling down the road on their trike playing rock music at high volume and high speed, and the people they pass think it is hilarious.
I laughed, then immediately realized: You could never do that in this country. You would be pulled over so quickly it would make your head spin.
No helmets.
No seatbelts.
Speeding.
Disturbing the peace.
Driving to endanger.
Probably vehicle not up to code.
And so on. When I thought of it, I suddenly realized, in some ways, they may have more freedom in Russia than we have here. And I can't tell you how galling that was to even entertain that thought. It was worse than the Russians or the Chinese telling us how to run our economy, and being right in their criticism.
I get the fact that these guys driving a vehicle out of code and distracting people could cause an accident and injure others or themselves. But the regulatory tentacles of our government are winding into the fabric of our very lives, telling us how much trans-fats we can eat, how much water we can flush, or how much electricity our lightbulbs can use.
And soon, what air races we won't be allowed to see. I am just sick of it.