Friday evening roundup

What are the sociopolitical responsibilities of writers and other artists in an unfree state?

Emulating the military's "business" practices is not necessarily the right thing to do. Be wary of blanket assertions of all-out superiority.

Work hard and make sure to play hard.

Think mom's experiences with Verizon were bad? See this woman's phone company nightmare.

These debate tweets are awesome.

Are your jeans sustainable? So far: Gap brands yes, H&M no.

Take The Nation piece together with Michael Pollan's article about the food movement, which I posted the other day. Excerpts, which I realize are fragmented:

It also raises fundamental questions about whether the goals of public health and those of the food industry are at irreconcilable odds. Should those who seek to address the obesity crisis treat food companies as collaborators or as adversaries?

...[A]fter thirty years’ work on policy and public health, Brownell has concluded that this position is “a trap,” writing: “I expect history will look back with dismay on the celebration of baby steps industry takes (such as public-private partnerships with health organizations, ‘healthy eating’ campaigns, and corporate social responsibility initiatives) while it fights viciously against meaningful change (such as limits on marketing, taxes on products such as sugared beverages and regulation of nutritional labeling).”

The good news is, you do have a choice: buy food rather than food products.

I love  an inspiring Modern Love column.

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I thought more about Carolyn's quip that I posted this morning, about how people who are supposed to love each other manage to be incredibly destructive to one another. I also thought about the role of music in making you feel like you're not alone, not crazy. In this context, Tracy Chapman's "Less than Strangers" came on my Pandora station. See, mom! It's not unusual to want nothing to do with someone you once loved, and for that person to want nothing to do with you. You're not going to convince me that there's something wrong with me for it, just like you won't convince me that I've alienated everyone I've ever worked with.