Thursday, October 21, 2004
On this day:

From now on, I'm skipping the second Big Mac

Alabama is the "fattest state in the nation," according to a recent study by the nonprofit group Trust for America's Health. Mississippi and West Virginia are #2 and #3, respectively.

Alabama's First Lady Patsy Riley is on the case.

On Tuesday, Riley told Huntsville's Twickenham Republican Women she plans to spend the next two years helping barbecue-loving Alabama shed its reputation as one of America's fattest states.

She's especially worried about children "puffing up" from junk food and video games that keep them tethered to a sofa.

"We need to make sure they learn how to climb in a tree and chase frogs in a creek," Riley said. "We've got to get them up and get them moving."

Frog-chasing...now that could be fun. But, they're sure to raise a white flag before you get any exercise.

French Soldier in Training
French Soldier in Training (Update: Picture from DeadBodiesInc.com)