I can't get over how clear this makes things. It's not a phrase or reference i had ever heard before, but it sure does make a lot of sense and seem very applicable to the U.S. today.

Because I am from Spain I knew the saying, and it describes what the Powers do all the time to keep the slaves (us) distracted and not focuses in what matters. Keep your belly full and your mind occupied with trash (macho sports, reality shows, facade politics, whatever), so spend your energies until you get back to work for the Masters. Nothing new invented socially since the Roman Empire.

interesting- the guy

that's very interesting, and quite bizarre in respect to the context in which i know the phrase: it's an organic/healthy/whatever grocery store in central mass, totally aimed at yuppies and hippie kids living off the money of their yuppie parents... so the definition amuses me greatly

Because I learned Latin as a school kid, I knew the Latin version of it, Panem and circenses. This was very true in antics time, and this is still true.

Cylons, I guess your grocery plays on the second degree of the litteral meaning.