What if male superheros posed like their female counterparts?
Well... I'd probably watch more cartoons ;)
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
Well, That Doesn't Make a Whole Lot of Sense: Second Edition
And now, eight things we eat in the US that are illegal elsewhere for the known effects they have on humans. The title is a bit of a misnomer since they're ingredients that are in many foods, so it isn't just eight items to avoid. Damn. That woulda' been easy! (Note: this list is likely not exhaustive.)
One of the most poignant lines in Eating Animals is when Jonathon Safran Foer says that when we grocery shop, we all "farm by proxy".
That is, you (along with all of the other consumers in that grocery store and in grocery stores everywhere) tell the government, farmers, and all of the middle people along the food supply chain, what you will and will not accept as food that you want to consume and feed the people you love. You tell them what you consider acceptable treatment of huge swaths of our environment, millions of animals, and thousands of people who work on these farms or in these manufacturing plants. Thinking about your choice as impacting the world on such a large scale gets a little (lot) daunting, but it's true.
We can't always get to the point of wanting to buy the organic strawberries instead of the normal ones with the difference in environmental effects far away, the difference in health benefits marginal, and the difference in price point staring us in the face. But what we can, and should, do is hold our government to protecting us from chemicals and additives that 1) are not even necessary and 2) other countries have extensively studied and decided to ban.
C'mon US FDA, you can do better than this.
One of the most poignant lines in Eating Animals is when Jonathon Safran Foer says that when we grocery shop, we all "farm by proxy".
That is, you (along with all of the other consumers in that grocery store and in grocery stores everywhere) tell the government, farmers, and all of the middle people along the food supply chain, what you will and will not accept as food that you want to consume and feed the people you love. You tell them what you consider acceptable treatment of huge swaths of our environment, millions of animals, and thousands of people who work on these farms or in these manufacturing plants. Thinking about your choice as impacting the world on such a large scale gets a little (lot) daunting, but it's true.
We can't always get to the point of wanting to buy the organic strawberries instead of the normal ones with the difference in environmental effects far away, the difference in health benefits marginal, and the difference in price point staring us in the face. But what we can, and should, do is hold our government to protecting us from chemicals and additives that 1) are not even necessary and 2) other countries have extensively studied and decided to ban.
C'mon US FDA, you can do better than this.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Lucky Smacks
Sometimes, life smacks you over the head and reminds you how lucky you are. It has been a month (and change) of relentless "lucky smacks" for my family. The visual of a giant hand (the Life Hand, duh!) coming down from the sky to lucky smack me, only for me to look up and thank it for lucky smacking me has me silently laughing at my desk. Seriously, just think about that for a second.
Okay, moving on. Obviously, there have definitely been some difficult days, as there usually are, but somehow they seem to fade into the background of all the awesomeness.
Since May 1...
1. Grandma turned 90. How cute is she?!
2. My parents celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. How cute are they?!
3. My brother and I got our Masters of Science and Public Health, respectively.
4. One cousin graduated from law school just in time to study for the bar - good luck Ry!
5. Three cousins finished high school and are onto big adventures!
6. One cousin got married.
7. Another cousin and his wife welcomed their first daughter.
What lucky smacks have you had recently? Seriously, try to pick out a few... it's good for you.
Okay, moving on. Obviously, there have definitely been some difficult days, as there usually are, but somehow they seem to fade into the background of all the awesomeness.
Since May 1...
1. Grandma turned 90. How cute is she?!
4. One cousin graduated from law school just in time to study for the bar - good luck Ry!
5. Three cousins finished high school and are onto big adventures!
6. One cousin got married.
7. Another cousin and his wife welcomed their first daughter.
What lucky smacks have you had recently? Seriously, try to pick out a few... it's good for you.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
To Swim, or Not to Swim? That is not the question...
On Saturday, I woke up at 5:25am (after a considerable bit of accidental "Snooze"ing) to race into Boston with Ben and volunteer at the Charles River Swimming Club Annual One Mile Swim in the Charles.
Yes, I do mean the Charles River.
First, I helped mark their arms and hands with waterproof, permanent markers, so we could identify swimmers to the lifeguards on the dock and in nearby kayaks and boats if they were having trouble. Then, a few of us donned life jackets and jumped into kayaks to ensure the safe passage of swimmers around the buoys.
Between watching for straggling swimmers and unaware boats, I took in how beautiful the river is in the morning. It's peaceful, since most of the city is still sleeping or enjoying a cup of coffee in their pajamas at 8am on a Saturday morning. The water sparkles, small waves causing the sunlight to twinkle and dance on the ripples made by small gusts of wind and one hundred eager, rubber capped swimmers. The city views are unique and somehow manage to be simultaneously homey and magnificent with the Charles in the foreground.
Both before and after the race, I heard people on either side of the "To Swim or Not to Swim?" debate. Exhilarated swimmers said it was beautiful; experienced boaters were skeptical.
The point isn't whether or not you'd swim in it - it's that this is our small piece of the environment which has been rather mistreated throughout history. Lots of different sorts of waste were purposely dumped into the river in the past, and it's slowly improved in recent years.
Swimming in the Charles, whether or not you personally would do it, represents a few things - trust in the chemical standards that our government agencies have set for classification of water as boatable, swimmable, drinkable and so on; a personal investment in continuously improving our local environments and public spaces; and of course, a love for that not so dirty water.
Yes, I do mean the Charles River.
First, I helped mark their arms and hands with waterproof, permanent markers, so we could identify swimmers to the lifeguards on the dock and in nearby kayaks and boats if they were having trouble. Then, a few of us donned life jackets and jumped into kayaks to ensure the safe passage of swimmers around the buoys.
Between watching for straggling swimmers and unaware boats, I took in how beautiful the river is in the morning. It's peaceful, since most of the city is still sleeping or enjoying a cup of coffee in their pajamas at 8am on a Saturday morning. The water sparkles, small waves causing the sunlight to twinkle and dance on the ripples made by small gusts of wind and one hundred eager, rubber capped swimmers. The city views are unique and somehow manage to be simultaneously homey and magnificent with the Charles in the foreground.
Both before and after the race, I heard people on either side of the "To Swim or Not to Swim?" debate. Exhilarated swimmers said it was beautiful; experienced boaters were skeptical.
The point isn't whether or not you'd swim in it - it's that this is our small piece of the environment which has been rather mistreated throughout history. Lots of different sorts of waste were purposely dumped into the river in the past, and it's slowly improved in recent years.
Swimming in the Charles, whether or not you personally would do it, represents a few things - trust in the chemical standards that our government agencies have set for classification of water as boatable, swimmable, drinkable and so on; a personal investment in continuously improving our local environments and public spaces; and of course, a love for that not so dirty water.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
#6
That is, the sixth time I have been pooped on by a bird.
Let it be documented that on Sunday May 26 at roughly 11am, while innocently waiting for a crepe at la Tour Eiffel, I got wacked in the arm by some digested worm and birdseed. At the time, I was telling a story to friends also awaiting delicious sweet and savory crepes, when I felt the familiar hit on my arm. I thought "I know a bird just pooped on me, but maybe I'm being paranoid. Finish your story." The story was finished... but interrupted by friends pointing out the end of an unfortunate chain of events... as well as another crepe-waiter who exclaimed, "That's good luck!"
I beg to differ.
Back when this blog was shiny and new, I wrote about the fifth time I was pooped on by a bird... and now we're up to 6. The silent prayers I mentioned when walking underneath birds of any kind have morphed into cringing and simply awaiting the inevitable.
For all of the mathematicians in the crowd, yes - the rate at which I am getting pooped on by birds has only accelerated. I am considering writing to Guinness World Records. No one has a record for this category yet, but I'm sure I'd be in the running.
Let it be documented that on Sunday May 26 at roughly 11am, while innocently waiting for a crepe at la Tour Eiffel, I got wacked in the arm by some digested worm and birdseed. At the time, I was telling a story to friends also awaiting delicious sweet and savory crepes, when I felt the familiar hit on my arm. I thought "I know a bird just pooped on me, but maybe I'm being paranoid. Finish your story." The story was finished... but interrupted by friends pointing out the end of an unfortunate chain of events... as well as another crepe-waiter who exclaimed, "That's good luck!"
I beg to differ.
Back when this blog was shiny and new, I wrote about the fifth time I was pooped on by a bird... and now we're up to 6. The silent prayers I mentioned when walking underneath birds of any kind have morphed into cringing and simply awaiting the inevitable.
For all of the mathematicians in the crowd, yes - the rate at which I am getting pooped on by birds has only accelerated. I am considering writing to Guinness World Records. No one has a record for this category yet, but I'm sure I'd be in the running.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Well, That Doesn't Make a Whole Lot of Sense: First Edition
This may start a series since I often read things that make me scratch my head and wonder about this world. Enjoy the first edition.
In this week's edition of "Well, That Doesn't Make a Whole Lot of Sense" the Boy Scouts have voted to be selectively open-minded. That is, they are now allowing openly gay members into the Boy Scouts, but - ah, ah, ahhh - NOT allowing openly gay Scout Leaders. Excellent choice. Let's keep the openly gay members of Boy Scouts in a heteronormative environment. That's super.
In addition, their statement clarifies that they are not condoning "any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, by youth of Scouting age" since it's "contrary to the virtues of Scouting". I understand this is an important part of the statement for public relations' purposes, but that is just absurd. Some members of the Boy Scouts are in their late teenage years, precisely when we KNOW many of them engage in sexual activity - consensually, safely, and quite happily(*gasp*). To say you're opposed to sexual activity among teenagers is about as helpful as abstinence only sex education.
I know the Boy Scouts do a lot of great things. In the "About" section on their website, they describe themselves as an organization that "builds character, trains [] in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness" - these are all TERRIFIC things! I have a lot of family members and friends who are incredible people who have belonged to the Boy Scouts for many years and told countless stories about lessons they learned while Scouting - everything from knot tying to survival skills to sportsmanship. I know this organization has a lot of potential.
It is precisely this potential which makes me so frustrated at their selective open-mindedness. Sort of similar to when the teacher is hardest on the student who has a lot of potential but is falling short because they choose not to apply their full effort during class or to completing their homework, I am critical because I know they can do better. This organization reaches a lot of people and can help to further gay rights, comprehensive sex education, and many other subject areas that would fall under "building character" or "participating citizenship".
Good character and participatory citizenship involve acceptance of other good people unlike yourself, questioning mainstream ideas, and standing up for those who are marginalized or otherwise excluded.
Hopefully the Boy Scouts' selective open-mindedness is just step one, and they are quickly on their way to engaging all citizens, regardless of sexuality, and educating and encouraging all sorts of healthy choices among their Scouts, even, and perhaps especially, when they are controversial ...but realistic.
In this week's edition of "Well, That Doesn't Make a Whole Lot of Sense" the Boy Scouts have voted to be selectively open-minded. That is, they are now allowing openly gay members into the Boy Scouts, but - ah, ah, ahhh - NOT allowing openly gay Scout Leaders. Excellent choice. Let's keep the openly gay members of Boy Scouts in a heteronormative environment. That's super.
In addition, their statement clarifies that they are not condoning "any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, by youth of Scouting age" since it's "contrary to the virtues of Scouting". I understand this is an important part of the statement for public relations' purposes, but that is just absurd. Some members of the Boy Scouts are in their late teenage years, precisely when we KNOW many of them engage in sexual activity - consensually, safely, and quite happily(*gasp*). To say you're opposed to sexual activity among teenagers is about as helpful as abstinence only sex education.
I know the Boy Scouts do a lot of great things. In the "About" section on their website, they describe themselves as an organization that "builds character, trains [] in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness" - these are all TERRIFIC things! I have a lot of family members and friends who are incredible people who have belonged to the Boy Scouts for many years and told countless stories about lessons they learned while Scouting - everything from knot tying to survival skills to sportsmanship. I know this organization has a lot of potential.
It is precisely this potential which makes me so frustrated at their selective open-mindedness. Sort of similar to when the teacher is hardest on the student who has a lot of potential but is falling short because they choose not to apply their full effort during class or to completing their homework, I am critical because I know they can do better. This organization reaches a lot of people and can help to further gay rights, comprehensive sex education, and many other subject areas that would fall under "building character" or "participating citizenship".
Good character and participatory citizenship involve acceptance of other good people unlike yourself, questioning mainstream ideas, and standing up for those who are marginalized or otherwise excluded.
Hopefully the Boy Scouts' selective open-mindedness is just step one, and they are quickly on their way to engaging all citizens, regardless of sexuality, and educating and encouraging all sorts of healthy choices among their Scouts, even, and perhaps especially, when they are controversial ...but realistic.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
YouTube Features
Both of these are awesome. So, I'm not choosing which one to suggest.
How to play well with others... as an adult. (Oh no! All videos I can find have been removed for copyright reasons... but here are the words composing that amazing speech. Enjoy!)
and
How to Be Alone
"Dance like no one is watching... because they're probably not. And if they are, assume it is with best and human intentions. The way bodies move genuinely to beats is, after all, gorgeous and affecting."
Happy gorgeous spring day!
How to play well with others... as an adult. (Oh no! All videos I can find have been removed for copyright reasons... but here are the words composing that amazing speech. Enjoy!)
and
How to Be Alone
"Dance like no one is watching... because they're probably not. And if they are, assume it is with best and human intentions. The way bodies move genuinely to beats is, after all, gorgeous and affecting."
Happy gorgeous spring day!
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