Food Network and bacon

I guess I would just like to talk about the Food Network a little bit. I have to admit that I am a Food Network junkie - my favorite shows being Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, the food competitions, Throwdown w/ BF. Barefoot Contessa. I most DISLIKE Rachael Ray because she gives information that is misleading and incorrect about food and tells all those boring stories over and over and has too many cutesy phrases - can't take it - 5 minutes is all I can stand before I must change the channel. I really don't understand her appeal even in the food aspect - she is not someone I can learn from. Paula Dean because of all the unapologetic unhealthy food when our country is full of obese people - cheering for the butter, bacon, sugar etc is just not nice. I think her shameless flirting with much younger men to be somewhat pathetic - honey, sweetie, baby. I absolutely LOVE the Barefoot Contessa - she uses so many fresh ingredients and her food is always so elegant yet not complicated. She does not necessarily skimp on the butter, fat or sugar, but she doesn't glorify it - it becomes just a part of the entire dinner - it has its place. I also love her relationship with her husband. It is, in a way, so old fashioned, but very modern - a perfect balance. Even though Diners, Driveins and Dives features diner food that does glorify the greasy, meat-packed, cheese loaded type of food, somehow watching Guy visit these places is very entertaining. I wouldn't eat most of the food I see on the program, but he has such a funny and supportive way of presenting the places he visits, I can't help but like the program. I do think that the Food Network since it is about food should take some sort of role in presenting food alternatives that are healthier. If our country is suffering from obesity, lots of people with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, this network should try to provide information in making people healthier. However, what I see is that since their sponsorship is most likely made up of food corporations, they will promote what their sponsors want them to like bacon, bacon bacon, pork broth?, etc etc. There should be more of a balance - I don't see any vegetarian or vegan shows - I guess the tofu people need to sponsor them or something? I do love the food network and must say it has inspired me to learn more about cooking and do more cooking myself. I think watching it has, in a way, made me more comfortable with becoming a vegan - it has given me more confidence to think I can use good ingredients to create the kind of food I want to eat. I know now that seasoning is so important and fat is flavor and that so many things we buy premade in the store can be easily prepared at home. I am now making my own salad dressing with olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings - my own pasta sauce with tomato paste, either fresh or canned tomatoes and plenty of garlic, onions (cooked down for sweetness) oregano, fresh basil from my garden, fresh parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Well, so much for my rant about the Food Network - despite my criticisms - I will watch those shows I like and hope that they begin to offer some alternative programming for those of us who do not eat meat products.