When a burger equals an Xbox
p2pnet.net News:- An apple a day has taken on a new meaning for some Scottish school kids.
Secondary school authorities in Glasgow are worried pupils are eating too much junk food, so they’ve come up with a way to get them to eat the good stuff.
Or as the Telegraph puts it, “The city that gave the world the deep fried Mars bar has resorted to bribery to promote healthy eating in schools.”
Glasgow city council wants about 30,000 pupils at the city’s 29 secondary schools to use swipe cards to build up points.
Akil Memishis, 14, is quoted as saying, “It’s brilliant. I am due to get an Xbox next week and I can’t wait.”
A green salad, a slice of toast with low-fat spread or a piece of fruit all earn 15 points, while a ‘nutritional’ burger earns just four, and chips merit ‘nul points,says the story.
Irn Bru, Scotland’s most popular belch water which has achieved a cult-like status, earns zero points.
“The points are accumulated on a term-by-term basis and can be redeemed for items ranging from cinema tickets (850 points) to the latest iPod (4,000 points) and Xbox games consoles (3,000 points),” says the Times, adding:
“The number of pupils choosing healthy options has almost doubled, up from 30 per cent to more than 50 per cent, while the consumption of chips has dropped from 80 per cent to 45 per cent. The most popular meal choice has been a Vital Mix, costing £1.15, with a 40 points rewards, the maximum on offer. It is a combination of soup, a filled pitta or sandwich, yoghurt, raisins or fruit and a healthy drink, such as milk.”
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See:-
Telegraph - Forget pizza. Eat your greens and you could win an iPod, May 21, 2005
Times – Pupils weaned off junk food by bribe of an iPod, May 20, 2005
May 21st, 2005 at 3:45 pm
Yes, and I’m sure that the iPod comes with a lovely 4-color brochure describing all of the Digital Rights Management features built into it and why not having them would be ‘bad’. Yes, get a hold of those kids early so they can be brainwashed big-money corporate content conglomerates.
May 21st, 2005 at 5:03 pm
They might back off the chips in order to get an XBoX but most of them will be seeking out another sort of chip when they get their hands on their Microsoft lovely
May 21st, 2005 at 7:08 pm
Wow I know if my school did that I would be eating healthy. I already have 2 XBOXs so I would get another and sell that bran new one to someone at half the price of what stores are selling.
May 22nd, 2005 at 11:56 am
when a burger equals an xbox:
I either have one large crunchy tasteless burger
or.
I have one very large delicious game console made of meat!
May 22nd, 2005 at 3:18 pm
I don’t think that’s true. Most iPod owners are not that feeble, and Apple preaching “Don’t steal music” is in vain, because anyone with an interest in something that can hold that much music have already “stolen” it.