Chewing over trans fats

Re “State bans trans fats,” July 26

With the state budget overdue and state employees about to descend the pay ladder to the federal minimum wage, it is gratifying to see great social experiments still being conducted in Sacramento.

The Legislature has spent uncounted hours discussing a ban on Mylar balloons, has protected the rights of cats and dogs to inherit large sums of cash and is now providing cooking classes to restaurateurs.

By all means, let’s make sure we have disappointed children, millions of dollars tied up awaiting new shipments of Alpo, and Spago opening new cafes in South L.A. offering only steamed fresh vegetables. We may be sad, poor and hungry, but the legislators can feel good about themselves.

Gary R. Albin

Long Beach

Ten years ago, a surgeon cracked open my chest to perform a bypass. Just recently, I had a blocked carotid artery fixed. I firmly believe that if I had not gone to fast-food places for all those years, I would not have needed these operations.

It took a horrendous operation to get me to start reading up on how lethal trans fat is. My heart bleeds for that poor sap in your article who owns a restaurant and has to pay $30 more a week for better cooking oil.

Armen Bagdasarian

Huntington Beach