Dr. Arthur Hoyte, You Are Cordially Invited To Piss Off

I used to like the Center for Science in the Public Interest, since they seemed to be reasonable people who believed in the scientific method and reasonableness and all that jazz. But they're out of my will now.

Along with a Dr. Arthur Hoyte, who as a retired doctor apparently now has far too much time on his hands, they are suing KFC (the former Kentucky Fried Chicken) for frying their birds in partially hydrogenated oil. Their claim seems to be that, since healthier methods of cooking are available, then using less healthy methods should be forbidden. Dr. Hoyte and the CSPI are seeking class-action status and are "asking for a variety of economic damages."

Of course, there are much healthier kinds of food than fried chicken, so presumably this would be only the first step. If this suit succeeds, it would only be a matter of time before someone (there's always a someone willing to sue, in the US) sues McDonalds for serving beef, since there are healthier foods than beef. I shudder to think of the suit against Krispy Kreme. And there could be no end to those suits, until a judge either requires us all to eat only pureed tofu, or a much smarter judge throws the whole thing out of court with contempt.

CSPI, this is not what you should be doing with your time. This will not increase the stature or respect of science in the public's eye. (Rather the opposite, actually.) You don't want to look like Rush Limbaugh's caricature of a liberal -- and you're very close to that now.

And, Dr. Hoyt? Educating people is a good thing. Trying to sue their favorite foods out of existence is a bad one. If time hangs this heavy on your hands, you either need to get back into that surgery, or play more golf.