A few fun reads to kick off the week…

I’m just going through a few articles I bookmarked over the weekend.  Use ’em to prime the conversational pump…

– We’ve talked a lot about advertising to children in the food industry.  The Federal Trade Commission recently brushed back Kellogg for over-reaching on health claims for Rice Krispies and Frosted Mini-Wheats.  The New York Times notes:

A study by the Rudd Center found that the least healthful cereals were the ones most heavily marketed to children, and that children were exposed to more advertising for highly sweetened cereals than for any other kind of packaged food.

– The subtitle of this article at Slate.com sums up some Inbox commenters’ take on the soda tax:

Higher prices are bad.  Being told what to do is worse.

– What if political scientists delivered the news?  Slate.com has an interesting/fun take.

– And finally in our good ole’ fashioned state budget dustdown, today get ready for Gov. Paterson to double (triple?) down.  The NYP’s Fred Dicker says we’re entering uncharted waters…