PIGGISH AND PROUD OF IT

Despite all our economic traumas, the US is still history's most plentiful society. Plenty of land, resources, and especially food. Last month the London Daily Mail snorted: "The average British tourist to America gains 8 pounds during a 2-week vacation, because of bigger portions and all-you-can-eat buffets!"

Lets face it, fellow food fans, we're a bit piggish here and proud of it.

One example is the food giant for whom I penned some rousing Vegas sales conventions where McDonalds execs cheered the troops on to bigger sales and salaries. Having confessed my complicity in America's fast-food-crime-spree, I take comfort in Yale University's Prevention Research Center: "Despite the fact 34% of Americans are obese, only 8% actually believe they are. People are aware of the dangers and yet the percentage of people who don't exercise has risen from 37% to 43% in this last year alone." Founding Director David Katz concludes: "I think there's an element of burnout here, because people try to lose weight but eventually give up."

Another research university, Texas, adds this thought: "When people are asked to give up too much at one time, it's natural for them to rebel. Dieters are among society's most aggressive members."

So what do we have here...? A fat country with fat people who get angry when you remind them they're fat. Aha, but take a big fat look at the latest iPhone apps. This one guides users "to the location of the closest and cheapest beer purveyor." Belly up to the bar, boys, forget the calories, this round is on me.........