<span style="font-size: large;">The Food and Drug Administration is at it again &ndash; what a surprise! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The newest incursion into our everyday lives will be when their new rules take effect in 2014 that will require vending machine operators to list the calorie count for each of the items contained within their vending machines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I know when I walk up to one of those machines my first thought is,</span><span style="font-size: larger;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> <em><strong><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 0);">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;boy it sure would be nice to know what the number of calories is in each of those items before I make my purchase decision&rdquo;. </span></strong></em></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: large;"> But currently it&rsquo;s like a game of roulette and you can only get that information after you make the purchase and then you get the sticker shock. That is followed by immediate guilt, and possible need for counseling from a nutritionist that will be assigned by the Affordable Care Act navigator.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Maybe their endgame is to run the vending machine operators out of business. Or maybe we should just put a sign on each vending machine that reads, &ldquo;Vending Machines May Be Hazardous To Your Health!&rdquo;</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Isn&rsquo;t it wonderful that the federal government is always trying to protect us from ourselves?</span><br />
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<div class="rtecenter"><em><strong><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: xx-large;">HAPPY</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-large;">&nbsp;<span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 102);">NEW</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">YEAR</span>!</span></strong></em></div>
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