Blasphemy!

Portland has been selected to be one of the 12 cities targeted by HBO's "Weight of the Nation" show on childhood obesity. One school in particular, James John Elementary, will receive the HBO treatment. Which isn't as fancy as it sounds. Turns out, these kids are going to be rewarded with a salad bar and water tap station (isn't that just called a water fountain?).

HBO representatives, city councillors and school board members will unveil these gifts on May 1 at 10 am at the school. Here's the agenda, according to the press release:

"Following a short speaking program to celebrate the new salad bar and water tap station, all will enjoy a screening of “The Weight of the Nation for Kids”: The Great Cafeteria Takeover, followed by a healthy lunch."

Celebrate the salad bar? I doubt many kids will be pushing each other out of the way to get a heap o' iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. But I can see some serious fireworks going off for the water fountain (which they didn't have before? Is this a problem?).

Jokes aside, I think it's a little weird that Portland of all places is on the list of places needing to combat childhood obesity. Granted, it's an issue everywhere. Not all Portland babies had liquefied flax/spinach/acai berry baby formula.

Catch the show's premiere on Monday, May 14th at 8 pm on HBO.