Friday, October 03, 2003

Guess the Context...

From an Associated Press article: "That would be the same as taking away your bread at our age,'' said John Schmitt, 72.

Was this man referring to Social Security's impending insolvency, the record number of people without health insurance, or maybe the flocks of physicians who do not treat patients on Medicare because of low reimbursement rates from the government?

No. He's referring to the fact that he will no longer get a senior citizen's discount on season passes to his local amusement park.

I'll repeat that, with italics, for those of you who did not believe your eyes the first time. A man who will no longer get discounted tickets to ride roller coasters and go to the waterpark said, "That would be the same as taking away your bread at our age."

So now discounted roller coaster access is a dietary staple for people over 55. I knew the FDA was revising the food guide pyramid and working out new nutritional guidelines, but I did not know waterparks were going to be included.

For those of you who are interested, here is a link.

The idea is very intriguing. The company that owns Cedar Point and Knott's Berry Farm, among other parks, has eliminated the senior citizen discount. The logic they use makes sense, but people do not want to admit it because it relies on us knowing that the people who run our amusement parks do it because it makes them money, not out of some altruistic urge to provide a fun family outing.

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