Mexico's cartels target children.
Belarus's economy has is dire.
Humanitarian intervention is fraught.
Can a vegan marriage survive a return to meat?
On a lighter note: The Style Invitational is once again hilarious.
Also, a fun SNL video:
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Quick Sunday morning roundup
Think the concessions of the other night were bad? The worst is yet to come. Ezra Klein on why the Democrats did themselves no favors in spinning the deal as a win.
A very stark, disturbing look at the challenges facing women in Hollywood.
I'm expecting brunch guests, and then going out. I haven't even brought in the Post--will round it up tonight.
A very stark, disturbing look at the challenges facing women in Hollywood.
I'm expecting brunch guests, and then going out. I haven't even brought in the Post--will round it up tonight.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Saturday morning roundup
It's bad form to try to one-up people on tragic events.
I supplement our earlier discussion on not being a bore with Miss Manners' column:
I supplement our earlier discussion on not being a bore with Miss Manners' column:
Politeness in any form of discourse requires taking into consideration what would interest the listener, which is exactly the element that is missing in bores.She goes on to say that social media encourages the broadcasting of the mundane, which no one cares about.
No doubt there are general announcements intended for an entire circle of friends: births, for example, or “I won the lottery.” But one has to be totally besotted with someone else to be fascinated by the mundane details of that person’s everyday life — as indeed, bores are with themselves.You know I regularly link to Gail Collins' columns because she's awesome. Well, here I bring you her salvo in Trump vs. Collins.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Phone call
Mom, giggling: Getting all ready to go without a paycheck?
A.: Looks like it.
Mom: [Giggles.]
A.: It's not funny, mom. You realize livelihoods are at stake?
Mom: You'll get back pay.
A.: Very unlikely, but it's not about me. The security guards, cleaning staff, local lunch places, and so on, are certainly not going to get back pay. You think most of those people can afford to miss a paycheck?
Mom: Whatever. It's not going to happen. They'll come up with a deal.
A.: Doubtful.
Mom: We'll see. What were you going to say?
A.: I made your dry mushrooms.
Mom: You soaked them first?
A.: Naturally.
Mom: Then sauteed them in butter?
A.: I don't use butter, mom. I sauteed them in olive oil.
Mom: Not the same.
A.: It was quite good.
Mom: Butter is butter, A. The cows are happy--they ruminate, they're milked.
A.: That's not the way it works, mom.
Mom: Whatever.
A.: Goodnight.
Mom: Goodnight.
A.: Looks like it.
Mom: [Giggles.]
A.: It's not funny, mom. You realize livelihoods are at stake?
Mom: You'll get back pay.
A.: Very unlikely, but it's not about me. The security guards, cleaning staff, local lunch places, and so on, are certainly not going to get back pay. You think most of those people can afford to miss a paycheck?
Mom: Whatever. It's not going to happen. They'll come up with a deal.
A.: Doubtful.
Mom: We'll see. What were you going to say?
A.: I made your dry mushrooms.
Mom: You soaked them first?
A.: Naturally.
Mom: Then sauteed them in butter?
A.: I don't use butter, mom. I sauteed them in olive oil.
Mom: Not the same.
A.: It was quite good.
Mom: Butter is butter, A. The cows are happy--they ruminate, they're milked.
A.: That's not the way it works, mom.
Mom: Whatever.
A.: Goodnight.
Mom: Goodnight.
Friday evening roundup
Here's something moving before we get to the disappointing.
It's not just the usual suspects that disappoint us.
Let's work on saving the lives of children who have been born. Also: a look at at what Planned Parenthood actually does.
Reduced crop reporting--and increased volatility--as a microcosm of the lesser known effects of budget cuts.
What misused terms are actually worth fighting for?
It's not just the usual suspects that disappoint us.
Let's work on saving the lives of children who have been born. Also: a look at at what Planned Parenthood actually does.
Reduced crop reporting--and increased volatility--as a microcosm of the lesser known effects of budget cuts.
What misused terms are actually worth fighting for?
Response to Response to Response to Comment
We're not in disagreement, but we're talking about two different things: People's responsibility to balance their own budgets, and people's responsibility, as citizens, to vote and communicate their informed priorities to their elected representatives. Your comment on Wednesday addressed the former; your comment last night pertains to the latter. I fully hold the American people responsible for the clusterf* that we're in, on account of our abdication of our civic duty. Elected representatives get away with catering to special interests when they know that the special interests will hold them accountable, but constituents may not. Lobbyists know exactly how much of the budget goes to their interest; many citizens think 50 percent goes to foreign aid. As I'd written last night, our collective ignorance and apathy, and often misguided, selective rage, are largely behind this mess.
You know, before I had the roommate from hell, I had, for over four years, a great roommate with whom I got along great. But I lost profound respect for him in 2004 when he told me that he didn't vote. In that election, in Virginia! He shrugged it off, said that it's not like it would make a difference for the issues he cared about, which were education and the environment. Really? Now just think about all the people all around the country just like him: they care about issues, but can't be bothered to get out and vote. We all pay the price of their choices.
Some countries have mandatory voting. In Australia, you get fined. In Bolivia, they garnish something like half your wages. There are doubts about that system: would you just have a bunch of people showing up to vote without doing the research? Would more people actually bother to inform themselves, since they're going to vote anyway? Is it even politically feasible to suggest something like this? Something to think about.
What is IRL?
You know, before I had the roommate from hell, I had, for over four years, a great roommate with whom I got along great. But I lost profound respect for him in 2004 when he told me that he didn't vote. In that election, in Virginia! He shrugged it off, said that it's not like it would make a difference for the issues he cared about, which were education and the environment. Really? Now just think about all the people all around the country just like him: they care about issues, but can't be bothered to get out and vote. We all pay the price of their choices.
Some countries have mandatory voting. In Australia, you get fined. In Bolivia, they garnish something like half your wages. There are doubts about that system: would you just have a bunch of people showing up to vote without doing the research? Would more people actually bother to inform themselves, since they're going to vote anyway? Is it even politically feasible to suggest something like this? Something to think about.
What is IRL?
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Response to comments
(1) W--I take your point re: the fat in nuts being part of a whole food, but I still think it's odd that they got lumped in as a protein.
(2) Ernessa--on an unrelated note, I went to Borders a while back and looked for "32 Candles," but they didn't have it, so it's on my Amazon list and I'm waiting to get up to the amount I need for free shipping, and then I'm ordering.
(3) Ernessa--so much to say in response to your comment, and yet, I can't speak as freely as I like because I'm very careful about work-related issues. One thought that popped into mind: I don't remember whether I linked to this NYT real estate piece on what $700,000 will buy you in various places, one of which was DC (hint: a lot less than in the other locations featured). Two friends of mine actually own a very similar house (I'd say the layout is identical, which is not uncommon within DC-area row houses) in that neighborhood, and it is a beautiful house. But it costs a lot more than mine, and yet, the property taxes are about half of what I pay. And yet, I am not complaining, because I'd much rather pay taxes and get Alexandria's stellar services in return, where the District's services are pathetic.
Very much agreed--based on the information out there, not just on my personal opinion--about financial illiteracy and the lack of budgeting, as well as the ignorance with regard to how the government spends money. I know I've linked to a few pieces on this over the last month or so. I don't understand how anyone doesn't budget. I don't stick to a very firm budget, but I definitely keep track of what comes in and how much I should generally spend in whatever areas. That's partly because I have some expensive tastes that are very important to me (travel, theater, donations, living alone), and I pay for them by foregoing or cutting back on expensive things that are less important to me (electronics, expensive clothes, restaurant meals). I don't love not spending a lot of money on clothes--I'd be more willing to pay full price if more of the money went to the people making the clothes in Bangladesh rather than the corporate offices of Ann Taylor. I would be more willing to pay for an iPhone if more of the price went to the people thinking about jumping off the roofs of their factories in Shenzhen than the shareholders of Apple. But that's another issue.
From the perspective you laid out, families are more to blame than the government in terms of balancing their own budgets, because they don't have to contend with external political considerations. But yes, the balancing income and outgo is lost on many people, and they're unwilling to make difficult trade-offs. For many, it is just truly difficult to make it work on their incomes (you've seen the recent articles on the poverty level). For others, they're unwilling to acknowledge that they can't have everything. A friend and I were just talking about Suze Orman. I think her advice is of limited utility because she doesn't teach people about tradeoffs; she just tells them what to do. Wouldn't it be more helpful--rather than 'you can't afford that car'--to say, 'if you want that car so badly, think about what you're willing to forgo to get it.'
The public's complacency in the budget mess is a different issue, one tied in with our collective ignorance of and apathy with regard to how the government works. The issue with Congress isn't not knowing how to budget; it's ideological battles about the role of government. And that's where the constituents are the problem (which is pretty much what you're saying)--not because we don't know how to budget, though, but because we neglect to appreciate that the services we depend on cost money. Food safety costs money. If you leave it to the industry to self-police, it's not going to happen. Regulation costs money, and if you leave it to BP, well, you know what happened.
One thing I will say for my mother is that she puts her money, or at least her services, where her mouth is. She recently had a knee replacement operation and was offered all sorts of options, paid for by Medicare, for post-operation assistance. She turned it down because she didn't need it.
Here's the other thing I'll say: everyone I work with is taking the likely shutdown in stride. Most people are frustrated that they can't work for free, because they have so much work to do and they want to do it. Most of us are talking about how we're not thrilled about a missed paycheck but we'll deal, but we're concerned about people who have more to lose.
On a lighter note, check out the cover of today's Express for a completely blameless casualty of the shutdown.
(2) Ernessa--on an unrelated note, I went to Borders a while back and looked for "32 Candles," but they didn't have it, so it's on my Amazon list and I'm waiting to get up to the amount I need for free shipping, and then I'm ordering.
(3) Ernessa--so much to say in response to your comment, and yet, I can't speak as freely as I like because I'm very careful about work-related issues. One thought that popped into mind: I don't remember whether I linked to this NYT real estate piece on what $700,000 will buy you in various places, one of which was DC (hint: a lot less than in the other locations featured). Two friends of mine actually own a very similar house (I'd say the layout is identical, which is not uncommon within DC-area row houses) in that neighborhood, and it is a beautiful house. But it costs a lot more than mine, and yet, the property taxes are about half of what I pay. And yet, I am not complaining, because I'd much rather pay taxes and get Alexandria's stellar services in return, where the District's services are pathetic.
Very much agreed--based on the information out there, not just on my personal opinion--about financial illiteracy and the lack of budgeting, as well as the ignorance with regard to how the government spends money. I know I've linked to a few pieces on this over the last month or so. I don't understand how anyone doesn't budget. I don't stick to a very firm budget, but I definitely keep track of what comes in and how much I should generally spend in whatever areas. That's partly because I have some expensive tastes that are very important to me (travel, theater, donations, living alone), and I pay for them by foregoing or cutting back on expensive things that are less important to me (electronics, expensive clothes, restaurant meals). I don't love not spending a lot of money on clothes--I'd be more willing to pay full price if more of the money went to the people making the clothes in Bangladesh rather than the corporate offices of Ann Taylor. I would be more willing to pay for an iPhone if more of the price went to the people thinking about jumping off the roofs of their factories in Shenzhen than the shareholders of Apple. But that's another issue.
From the perspective you laid out, families are more to blame than the government in terms of balancing their own budgets, because they don't have to contend with external political considerations. But yes, the balancing income and outgo is lost on many people, and they're unwilling to make difficult trade-offs. For many, it is just truly difficult to make it work on their incomes (you've seen the recent articles on the poverty level). For others, they're unwilling to acknowledge that they can't have everything. A friend and I were just talking about Suze Orman. I think her advice is of limited utility because she doesn't teach people about tradeoffs; she just tells them what to do. Wouldn't it be more helpful--rather than 'you can't afford that car'--to say, 'if you want that car so badly, think about what you're willing to forgo to get it.'
The public's complacency in the budget mess is a different issue, one tied in with our collective ignorance of and apathy with regard to how the government works. The issue with Congress isn't not knowing how to budget; it's ideological battles about the role of government. And that's where the constituents are the problem (which is pretty much what you're saying)--not because we don't know how to budget, though, but because we neglect to appreciate that the services we depend on cost money. Food safety costs money. If you leave it to the industry to self-police, it's not going to happen. Regulation costs money, and if you leave it to BP, well, you know what happened.
One thing I will say for my mother is that she puts her money, or at least her services, where her mouth is. She recently had a knee replacement operation and was offered all sorts of options, paid for by Medicare, for post-operation assistance. She turned it down because she didn't need it.
Here's the other thing I'll say: everyone I work with is taking the likely shutdown in stride. Most people are frustrated that they can't work for free, because they have so much work to do and they want to do it. Most of us are talking about how we're not thrilled about a missed paycheck but we'll deal, but we're concerned about people who have more to lose.
On a lighter note, check out the cover of today's Express for a completely blameless casualty of the shutdown.
Thursday morning roundup
You read a lot about criminals who incriminate themselves with social media, but what about police who do themselves no favors?
Milbank on the end of the era of Beck.
Kristof on irony. He's spot on. I'm not thrilled about the prospect of a forced unpaid vacation, but I'll manage it. I know that had it happened when I first got out of grad school, I'd have had trouble paying my rent, and I'm more concerned about people in that situation. I'm definitely going to cut down on spending to the extent that I can--my monthly payment eats about 72 percent of my paycheck, not including utilities--but I'd rather cut back than see an EPA eviscerated and reproductive rights trampled on. Anyway, here's more on spending hypocrisy.
Milbank on the end of the era of Beck.
Kristof on irony. He's spot on. I'm not thrilled about the prospect of a forced unpaid vacation, but I'll manage it. I know that had it happened when I first got out of grad school, I'd have had trouble paying my rent, and I'm more concerned about people in that situation. I'm definitely going to cut down on spending to the extent that I can--my monthly payment eats about 72 percent of my paycheck, not including utilities--but I'd rather cut back than see an EPA eviscerated and reproductive rights trampled on. Anyway, here's more on spending hypocrisy.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Wednesday evening roundup
The Ryan proposal and whom it screws.
This wasn't Tom Philpott's point, but I wonder, in this very interesting chart, how foods are classified. Why are nuts 'proteins' rather than fats? Do nuts have that much more protein than grains? The take away, in any case, is that we eat a lot of crap.
Want to make bank as a state worker in Wisconsin?
What people around the world think about capitalism.
This anti-tiger-mom piece is unremarkable, but I enjoyed this part:
Is anyone else horrified at how many (celebrity) women are photographed at the beach and denounced as fat?
This wasn't Tom Philpott's point, but I wonder, in this very interesting chart, how foods are classified. Why are nuts 'proteins' rather than fats? Do nuts have that much more protein than grains? The take away, in any case, is that we eat a lot of crap.
Want to make bank as a state worker in Wisconsin?
What people around the world think about capitalism.
This anti-tiger-mom piece is unremarkable, but I enjoyed this part:
[Kids] need to succeed for their own benefit, not to prove that their parents are successful. It’s sheer narcissism to believe that your child’s every success and failure is a reflection of your worth. Get over yourself.
Is anyone else horrified at how many (celebrity) women are photographed at the beach and denounced as fat?
Wednesday morning roundup
Abidjan residents are on edge.
Hope your trip to DC isn't planned for next week. In any case, at least you're in better shape than this couple.
Hope your trip to DC isn't planned for next week. In any case, at least you're in better shape than this couple.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Tuesday evening roundup
India finds itself outsourcing, but not to save on labor costs.
Yesterday on Capitol Hill, chimps; today, robots.
How I'd love to go to work next week.
I very much appreciate Stanley Fish's overall point about pointless conversation. You might recall my distaste for my former roommate's asking me questions for the purpose of hearing his own voice ("are you biking to work this morning?"/"obviously. that's why I'm wearing this suit, even though in the past, you've seen me dress very differently before a bike commute.") Nonetheless, I disagree with some of his (Prof. Fish's) later examples. Wishing someone a good day or reminding him or her to "drive safely!" has meaning.
While we're considering the cluelessness of roommate, consider this WSJ piece on personality types, particularly this excerpt:
Are some languages smilier than others?
Gulliver appreciates public-transit accessible airports. I couldn't agree more that most collections of travel tips are too obvious to have value.
Yesterday on Capitol Hill, chimps; today, robots.
How I'd love to go to work next week.
I very much appreciate Stanley Fish's overall point about pointless conversation. You might recall my distaste for my former roommate's asking me questions for the purpose of hearing his own voice ("are you biking to work this morning?"/"obviously. that's why I'm wearing this suit, even though in the past, you've seen me dress very differently before a bike commute.") Nonetheless, I disagree with some of his (Prof. Fish's) later examples. Wishing someone a good day or reminding him or her to "drive safely!" has meaning.
While we're considering the cluelessness of roommate, consider this WSJ piece on personality types, particularly this excerpt:
Consider what happens when an introvert comes home hoping to chill after a rough day at work—only to find his extrovert partner waiting to recap every moment of her day. The introvert gets angry; the extrovert feels hurt. Ms. Mackler tells the extrovert that her spouse needs time alone; she tells the introvert that he needs to make an effort to come out and talk after he has decompressed.It was ever so ironic that from our first weekend as roommates, he proudly announced that he'd figured out I was an introvert... and then proceeded to demonstrate that he didn't understand what that actually meant.
"When people see something on paper, they realize it's not subjective—they have done the test and described the behavior themselves," she says. "It makes it more palatable for them to see and talk about" the issues.
Are some languages smilier than others?
Gulliver appreciates public-transit accessible airports. I couldn't agree more that most collections of travel tips are too obvious to have value.
Response to comments
I really should stir up controversy more often--it's the only way I know y'all are actually reading. Now I know where Donald Trump is coming from.
Look, I'm not the conversation police. I'm not going around measuring when a conversation turns dull. It's situational. All I'm saying is, some parents are so impressed with the mundane details of their children's lives that they sometimes lose perspective about how worthy of conversation those details are. Parents are not the only ones in that situation. Some geeks think everyone cares about the specs of their smart phone. Some bloggers think everyone cares about her relationship with her mother. It's situational.
Look, I'm not the conversation police. I'm not going around measuring when a conversation turns dull. It's situational. All I'm saying is, some parents are so impressed with the mundane details of their children's lives that they sometimes lose perspective about how worthy of conversation those details are. Parents are not the only ones in that situation. Some geeks think everyone cares about the specs of their smart phone. Some bloggers think everyone cares about her relationship with her mother. It's situational.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sigh: Response to Comment in Response to Comment
My point is, what's interesting to you isn't necessarily interesting to other people. I can talk budgets all day with people at work, but I'm not going to bore the f* out of people at parties by bringing them up. I might say, "work is crazy because it's budget time," just like one might say, "we're potty training." Fine. Allow me to present my personal, unauthoritative perspective on what does and does not make for acceptable conversation in mixed company:
Fine:
"It's so much easier to get around now that the little one is potty trained."
"My daughter loves school. Spanish is her favorite subject, and she's great at it."
"I don't have a lot of time for other stuff right now because it's budget time."
"I switched from clay kitty litter to cedar."
Not Fine:
"My kid's poop used to be this color, and now it's this color."
"My little Sienna is gifted in Chinese. She puts all the other kids to shame. Let me tell you what her teacher said about her..."
"Did you see what one agency requested for construction? Are they for real? Do they have monkeys in charge of their cost-estimating?"
"My cat is pooping so much more often now that I'm giving her wet food. Her poop is of a more interesting shape, too."
Fine:
"It's so much easier to get around now that the little one is potty trained."
"My daughter loves school. Spanish is her favorite subject, and she's great at it."
"I don't have a lot of time for other stuff right now because it's budget time."
"I switched from clay kitty litter to cedar."
Not Fine:
"My kid's poop used to be this color, and now it's this color."
"My little Sienna is gifted in Chinese. She puts all the other kids to shame. Let me tell you what her teacher said about her..."
"Did you see what one agency requested for construction? Are they for real? Do they have monkeys in charge of their cost-estimating?"
"My cat is pooping so much more often now that I'm giving her wet food. Her poop is of a more interesting shape, too."
Monday evening roundup
Antibiotics: it's what's for dinner.
Farm working conditions are generally horrendous.
Oh, Transocean. I'm officially giving myself a bonus for cleanest dining room table.
How environmentalists stood up and made Obama and Reid listen. Don't stop now, there's a lot more work to do.
Chimps are an obstacle in budget talks.
The best matchmaking sees beyond the butt type.
Farm working conditions are generally horrendous.
Oh, Transocean. I'm officially giving myself a bonus for cleanest dining room table.
How environmentalists stood up and made Obama and Reid listen. Don't stop now, there's a lot more work to do.
Chimps are an obstacle in budget talks.
The best matchmaking sees beyond the butt type.
Response to comment
Ernessa, while you're conscious of minimizing the extent to which your stroller gets in the way, I can assure you that plenty of parents are not. Just like some parents do their best to keep their kids quiet on planes, others do not. I'm in no position to hypothesize on how many of each type of parent, proportionally, are out there. I'm just saying, both are there.
Let me start with the ad hominem aspects of your comment:
--I assure you that no mom rage inspired my post; I actually have no 'mom rage' to speak of. Mom frustration, maybe. Mom wariness, sometimes. But not mom rage. I do have some clueless-stroller-pusher rage. I cede that stroller-pushers have no monopoly on being in the way. It's tourist season in DC, and the clueless are out in droves. They take up entire sidewalks, walking slowly, and standing on the left of escalators. They're also pretty f*ing loud.
--Yes, children who run around knocking people over are more annoying and dangerous than those in a stroller.
--I'm not going to defend the 'don't have kids' argument, because I've never made it. I don't deny the biological urge to have children. I'd like to have children one day. I have a lot of friends who have children, and I often accompany them places, sometimes with strollers. They are conscious of their strollers. And being conscious doesn't mean never imposing on anyone, because no one, including the stroller-less, can do that. It does means not leaving your stroller in the middle of a crowded place, blocking everyone's passage. Nor do I "struggle to comprehend," by virtue of being childless, parents' needs to get things done, just like I don't struggle to comprehend, by virtue of being middle class, poor people's needs to eat. All this to say, I'm not the one who turned this into a parents vs. childless thing, just like I don't think rowdy kids in coffee shops are parents vs. childless issue; parents, too, looking for a quiet morning, are equally annoyed by rowdy kids.
-What I am saying is, stroller-pushers can be clueless. And it's dishonest to accuse me of hating on an entire group of women for pointing that out. Then again, I understand where you're coming from, because I'm sick of people complaining to me about cyclists. We, too, are just trying to get things done. We're just trying to get from place to place. Most of us signal, warn, and obey traffic rules; most of us cycle with your safety in mind. Some cyclists--just like some stroller-pushers--are clueless and aggressive, and they are as much a pain in my ass as they are in yours. I wouldn't want someone to say, 'just f*ing drive.' All this to say, my level of analysis is the behavior, not the group.
--I can also cede that my wording was needlessly provocative, but I'm not going to cede my overall point: when it's your stroller with your kid in it, it's your responsibility.
What I more generally wanted to express is a growing sense of being fed-up with a clueless society. I was thinking, as I walked down the street on Saturday, how horrendously clueless these people were and how they would get stampeded within seconds in New York, or Paris, or Tokyo. I wondered whether it was because many of them came into the city from the suburbs, or from elsewhere in the country where you don't need to be as aware of your surroundings, because you mostly get around by car (see the collectivization debates--I'm making the converse point here). Yet, you've heard me rant about clueless people walking and texting--and those are locals, so I don't know what their excuse is. The general issue is an appropriation of public space for private use. Just last weekend, I was going to rant again about theatergoers, until I realized I'd already exhausted that rant, leaving nothing new to say. What makes people think they can crunch on hard candy in a theater? Do they think no one hears them? Or engage in other behaviors we're they're acting like they're in their own living room? It's so disrespectful not just to the other theatergoers but to the people putting their heart and soul into the performance.
Note that I'm not putting every stroller-pusher in the same category--I'm not saying the act of using a stroller, per se, is an appropriation of public space. I'm saying clueless behavior with a stroller, just like clueless behavior with a smart phone, is an appropriation of public space. I didn't say this initially, because I was just linking to an article, but I'm saying it now. And like the writer of the article I linked to, I appreciate that we all end up eating our words at one point or another. Case in point: You know how I feel about Monsanto, and you know that when it came down to it, those feelings didn't stop me from using RoundUp on my poison ivy. That said, I'm going to be bold and lay out some behaviors I aspire to avoid when I become a parent:
-staying in a restaurant or movie theater while one's child is screaming;
-not trying to quiet a screaming child, or to control one who is harassing passengers, on a plane;
-becoming dull as $hit and thinking even my kids' most basic accomplishments, including their poop, are fascinating topics of conversation.
Notice I didn't say 'keep them from screaming in a restaurant or on a plane' or 'keep them from producing fascinating poop.' I know that all I can control my own behavior. All I'm saying is, I'm going to be conscious of my stroller.
Let me start with the ad hominem aspects of your comment:
--I assure you that no mom rage inspired my post; I actually have no 'mom rage' to speak of. Mom frustration, maybe. Mom wariness, sometimes. But not mom rage. I do have some clueless-stroller-pusher rage. I cede that stroller-pushers have no monopoly on being in the way. It's tourist season in DC, and the clueless are out in droves. They take up entire sidewalks, walking slowly, and standing on the left of escalators. They're also pretty f*ing loud.
--Yes, children who run around knocking people over are more annoying and dangerous than those in a stroller.
--I'm not going to defend the 'don't have kids' argument, because I've never made it. I don't deny the biological urge to have children. I'd like to have children one day. I have a lot of friends who have children, and I often accompany them places, sometimes with strollers. They are conscious of their strollers. And being conscious doesn't mean never imposing on anyone, because no one, including the stroller-less, can do that. It does means not leaving your stroller in the middle of a crowded place, blocking everyone's passage. Nor do I "struggle to comprehend," by virtue of being childless, parents' needs to get things done, just like I don't struggle to comprehend, by virtue of being middle class, poor people's needs to eat. All this to say, I'm not the one who turned this into a parents vs. childless thing, just like I don't think rowdy kids in coffee shops are parents vs. childless issue; parents, too, looking for a quiet morning, are equally annoyed by rowdy kids.
-What I am saying is, stroller-pushers can be clueless. And it's dishonest to accuse me of hating on an entire group of women for pointing that out. Then again, I understand where you're coming from, because I'm sick of people complaining to me about cyclists. We, too, are just trying to get things done. We're just trying to get from place to place. Most of us signal, warn, and obey traffic rules; most of us cycle with your safety in mind. Some cyclists--just like some stroller-pushers--are clueless and aggressive, and they are as much a pain in my ass as they are in yours. I wouldn't want someone to say, 'just f*ing drive.' All this to say, my level of analysis is the behavior, not the group.
--I can also cede that my wording was needlessly provocative, but I'm not going to cede my overall point: when it's your stroller with your kid in it, it's your responsibility.
What I more generally wanted to express is a growing sense of being fed-up with a clueless society. I was thinking, as I walked down the street on Saturday, how horrendously clueless these people were and how they would get stampeded within seconds in New York, or Paris, or Tokyo. I wondered whether it was because many of them came into the city from the suburbs, or from elsewhere in the country where you don't need to be as aware of your surroundings, because you mostly get around by car (see the collectivization debates--I'm making the converse point here). Yet, you've heard me rant about clueless people walking and texting--and those are locals, so I don't know what their excuse is. The general issue is an appropriation of public space for private use. Just last weekend, I was going to rant again about theatergoers, until I realized I'd already exhausted that rant, leaving nothing new to say. What makes people think they can crunch on hard candy in a theater? Do they think no one hears them? Or engage in other behaviors we're they're acting like they're in their own living room? It's so disrespectful not just to the other theatergoers but to the people putting their heart and soul into the performance.
Note that I'm not putting every stroller-pusher in the same category--I'm not saying the act of using a stroller, per se, is an appropriation of public space. I'm saying clueless behavior with a stroller, just like clueless behavior with a smart phone, is an appropriation of public space. I didn't say this initially, because I was just linking to an article, but I'm saying it now. And like the writer of the article I linked to, I appreciate that we all end up eating our words at one point or another. Case in point: You know how I feel about Monsanto, and you know that when it came down to it, those feelings didn't stop me from using RoundUp on my poison ivy. That said, I'm going to be bold and lay out some behaviors I aspire to avoid when I become a parent:
-staying in a restaurant or movie theater while one's child is screaming;
-not trying to quiet a screaming child, or to control one who is harassing passengers, on a plane;
-becoming dull as $hit and thinking even my kids' most basic accomplishments, including their poop, are fascinating topics of conversation.
Notice I didn't say 'keep them from screaming in a restaurant or on a plane' or 'keep them from producing fascinating poop.' I know that all I can control my own behavior. All I'm saying is, I'm going to be conscious of my stroller.
Monday morning roundup
At least we can count on scientist being scientists.
Some crazy woman attacked a Gauguin at the National Gallery. Note that the Post doesn't have the journalistic anatomy to actually reprint the painting in full, because, God forbid, some idiot reader might freak out at the sight of painted breasts.
What processed food looks like without food coloring. You know, when we made soy ice cream for my party, the green tea ice cream was green and the azuki ice cream was red. Just sayin'.
Some crazy woman attacked a Gauguin at the National Gallery. Note that the Post doesn't have the journalistic anatomy to actually reprint the painting in full, because, God forbid, some idiot reader might freak out at the sight of painted breasts.
What processed food looks like without food coloring. You know, when we made soy ice cream for my party, the green tea ice cream was green and the azuki ice cream was red. Just sayin'.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday morning roundup
It's decision time in Israel. Meanwhile, Richard Goldstone speaks, and Israel reacts.
Unpredictibility and corruption plague business in India.
How presidents have spun the need for military actions from the eighteenth century to the present.
CAFOs smell really bad.
Would you dine at Fat Ho Burgers?
If you think nuclear power is unsafe, read up on coal.
The silver lining of invasive species.
The racket of unpaid internships.
Bridal registries get creative and maybe slightly less tacky.
The Post's ombudsman acknowledges that the new website is a hot mess.
Watch how you wield your metaphors, which matter.
There's a new biography of Edith Piaf.
Dowd on social conservatism.
Mike Daisey talks a lot about metaphors in the excellent, compelling, hilarious, poignant Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs.
Make sure to check out saturn this month.
Oh, please. How about you pick up your f*ing child?
Unpredictibility and corruption plague business in India.
How presidents have spun the need for military actions from the eighteenth century to the present.
CAFOs smell really bad.
Would you dine at Fat Ho Burgers?
If you think nuclear power is unsafe, read up on coal.
The silver lining of invasive species.
The racket of unpaid internships.
Bridal registries get creative and maybe slightly less tacky.
The Post's ombudsman acknowledges that the new website is a hot mess.
Watch how you wield your metaphors, which matter.
There's a new biography of Edith Piaf.
Dowd on social conservatism.
Mike Daisey talks a lot about metaphors in the excellent, compelling, hilarious, poignant Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs.
Make sure to check out saturn this month.
Oh, please. How about you pick up your f*ing child?
Last time I lived in New York, when I was childless, I had to dodge the grim-faced parents rampaging down the sidewalks with their double-wide, all-terrain strollers. Where did their rageful sense of entitlement come from? They devoured every inch of space under scaffolds, obstructed store aisles — and did it righteously, as if the world owed them an unimpeded runway for their child-furniture. I couldn’t imagine what sort of yuppie lunatic would spend a hundred bucks on a stroller. (Answer: a yuppie lunatic who wants the warranty. Yet all around are ultrayuppie ultralunatics who spent $500 or $700.)
But the stroller-haters are self-centered, too, or unthinking. There’s a fallacy among childless people that there are simple ways for parents to make their children less annoying, and the parents just choose not to do them.
Would pedestrians infuriated by stroller traffic really be happier if the sidewalks were full of 2- and 3-year-olds toddling along at their natural pace, clutching their guardians’ hands? I know it’s hard on others when I’m going up the subway steps with a giant bundle of child and stroller in my arms. But you would prefer a 3-year-old climbing ... step ... by ... step?
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Saturday morning roundup
Egyptian Salafis turn to democratic institutions and Article II, but the grand mufti of Egypt is not concerned.
Once abandoned Japanese towns are revitalized by the displaced.
Primary care isn't what it used to be, and more doctors are opting out.
Nonprofits that are thrilled to have worked themselves out of business.
I couldn't agree more with Kathleen Parker.
Donald Trump has proved he was born in this country.
Miss Manners' correspondence is rather hilarious.
Once abandoned Japanese towns are revitalized by the displaced.
Primary care isn't what it used to be, and more doctors are opting out.
Nonprofits that are thrilled to have worked themselves out of business.
I couldn't agree more with Kathleen Parker.
Donald Trump has proved he was born in this country.
Miss Manners' correspondence is rather hilarious.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Friday evening roundup
Don't overconsume spelt.
These fake people did very well for themselves (then again, so did Rigoberta Menchu).
and
These fake people did very well for themselves (then again, so did Rigoberta Menchu).
and
and
Friday morning roundup
Mark Bittman on hunger.
Obama's energy security plan wants for imagination.
The angst over a shutdown is palpable.
How well do you know your good friends?
This touches off a number of age-old debates about what is feminine, what are women 'allowed' to look like, etc. When did 'curvy' become a bad word?
Obama's energy security plan wants for imagination.
The angst over a shutdown is palpable.
How well do you know your good friends?
This touches off a number of age-old debates about what is feminine, what are women 'allowed' to look like, etc. When did 'curvy' become a bad word?
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