I have been following developments on the proposal to eliminate the General Health and Physical Activity requirement, and must express my disagreement. Before any of you students accuse me of advocating that Penn State "regulate personal habits" take a good look at your fellow Penn Staters. Notice anything? The Penn State community is getting fatter! "How dare he insult us!" you say. Studies have shown that the problem is not Penn State's. The rest of America is in the same boat. We are becoming an increasingly sedentary society: "Super Sizing" our meals, spending hours at the Playstation, driving our cars and barely getting exercise. Obesity is on the rise, and with it comes increased risk of all kinds of health problems, including diabetes and heart disease. Three cheers to those of you who exercise regularly, and know the value of good nutrition. You're on the right track to a healthy life. The majority of us need as much help as we can get, and that's where Penn State's Health and Physical Activity classes can make a difference. As I look back, fitting those classes into a tight schedule was a chore. Who wants to hustle to racquetball class at 8 a.m.? Even if racquetball wasn't my forte, I was getting exercise. (By the way, I also took a jogging course at Penn State that I truly enjoyed, which led to my running races and ultimately the New York City Marathon.) Penn State's goal of "Making Life Better" isn't confined to the labs and classrooms.