Saturday morning roundup

Zoos kill healthy animals all the time. Stick with 'good' zoos.

Food waste is rampant.

Good parenting and healthy spousal relationships needn't be mutually exclusive.

Although this column is, on the face of it, about a very important point in its own right--be very, very wary of sanctimonius men who think they're the biggest feminists out there--it's also just generally good advice for dealing with disagreeable people: it's not your responsibility to educate them or make them agreeable; just hold your own, but let them be.

On a related note, don't be weighed down by the insensitive comments of people who don't get it and don't matter. It's their issue and not yours. (Lots of other good stuff in that chat.)

I always have mixed feelings--and (reverse) double standards--about people expressing a preference for a body type (or any other aspect of the physical appearance) of their significant others. I do believe that it can be a health and fitness issue, although it doesn't seem to be, in the case of this LW, and I also think people have a "right" not to be attracted to certain body types (just as some dudes proudly proclaim--as if they should get a medal--that they're disgusted by thin women and prefer more voluptuous shapes, and other dudes deride overweight women, there are some people who don't announce their preferences as if it's women's jobs to conform to them, but nonetheless prefer a certain look). I mean, we've been over this. I've seen research, lately, about how beards are supposed to be attractive, but I personally find them revolting. There's nothing wrong with having that preference--and I would be willing to overlook it as needed--but there's also a lot to be said for what Carolyn says: it's not your job to be perfect for anyone, and love shouldn't be conditioned upon something no one can promise to control or one's service to someone else and his preferences.

Where the double-standard part comes in is, if you're going to be hitting on women because they look good, you better f*ing look good yourself--and by look good, I mean, be doing the best with what you've got. Just sayin.'