Let's talk about the fat stigma and its globalization, later.
Many Mormons are embracing the Parker/Stone musical.
Gail Collins on the light bulb wars.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday evening roundup
The title of world's greatest douchebag has a new contender.
Sarah Brady on the day, and the gun, that changed her life.
The abortion "debate" hits a new, absurd low.
Ethanol is not the answer, but be careful speaking truth to power on that one.
I genuinely considered fasting, but I'm fighting off a cold. If it's fought by the end of the week, I'll fast.
Veggie burgers are hot.
Sarah Brady on the day, and the gun, that changed her life.
The abortion "debate" hits a new, absurd low.
Ethanol is not the answer, but be careful speaking truth to power on that one.
I genuinely considered fasting, but I'm fighting off a cold. If it's fought by the end of the week, I'll fast.
Veggie burgers are hot.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tuesday morning roundup
Doctrinaire doesn't mean better.
Richard and Roger Cohens make related arguments for intervention in Libya.
The racist legacy of DC's taxation without representation.
Another reason not to by packaged foods: shrinking packages among steady prices. As for other food... many farmers are planting cotton instead.
Richard and Roger Cohens make related arguments for intervention in Libya.
The racist legacy of DC's taxation without representation.
Another reason not to by packaged foods: shrinking packages among steady prices. As for other food... many farmers are planting cotton instead.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday morning roundup
With all due respect to Secretary Clinton and the fraught public relations line she is walking, must she have referred to Bashar al-Assad as a reformer? Notice she CYAed by doing it indirectly.
The wife of a Chinese dissident asks after her husband.
The Far-Right's witch hunt on academics is detrimental to society.
See the second letter to Miss Manners. It bothers me, a lot, when people post (and label) pictures of me on Facebook (which I'm not on) without my permission.
Processed food manufacturers fight anti-obesity efforts with sleight of hand, as if adding more white flour, to move sugar down the ingredient list, is going to make a muffin healthy. I was at Trader Joe's the other day--the one in Old Town tries to add balance to the universe by staffing its express checkout lines with the slowest people they have. I had a minute to check out the ginger crisps placed up front to lure impulse buyers. On the back of the package, you could read about the health benefits of ginger, including, apparently, fat-burning. In the ingredients, you would see that sugar is not the first ingredient, but that's only because there are at least three different kinds of sugar in there, so they can get away with listing them separately (as the second, third, and embedded ingredients). And sliced apples--really? Has it come to that? You can't sell people whole apples, that they can just bite into?
The wife of a Chinese dissident asks after her husband.
The Far-Right's witch hunt on academics is detrimental to society.
See the second letter to Miss Manners. It bothers me, a lot, when people post (and label) pictures of me on Facebook (which I'm not on) without my permission.
Processed food manufacturers fight anti-obesity efforts with sleight of hand, as if adding more white flour, to move sugar down the ingredient list, is going to make a muffin healthy. I was at Trader Joe's the other day--the one in Old Town tries to add balance to the universe by staffing its express checkout lines with the slowest people they have. I had a minute to check out the ginger crisps placed up front to lure impulse buyers. On the back of the package, you could read about the health benefits of ginger, including, apparently, fat-burning. In the ingredients, you would see that sugar is not the first ingredient, but that's only because there are at least three different kinds of sugar in there, so they can get away with listing them separately (as the second, third, and embedded ingredients). And sliced apples--really? Has it come to that? You can't sell people whole apples, that they can just bite into?
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday morning roundup
Women come forward to tell their stories in Libya and Egypt. Also: the story of the fruit vendor who triggered it all. Here's an excerpt that certainly does not represent the worst, but perhaps the most absurd:
Is it okay that I don't care about the day-by-day details of Al Haig's 'Al Haig moment'?
Have I mentioned that I hate the Post's redesigned website and that it takes forever to find stuff on it?
Books you might like: "Reading Obama", "Day of Honey", and maybe "A Tiger in the Kitchen."
Do you eat dyed food?
Can Arganica stay in business? I'm going to try it in the fall--I bought a membership on a groupon--but I can tell you right now that the products look very pricey as far as I can tell.
I heard David Ives speak yesterday. I new the man was necessarily witty and brilliant, but he blew away the audience with his insights and humor. I'm sharing a clip I found online of "Words, Words, Words," which I first read in college--it'll give you an idea of the man's genius.
Ben Ali visited Mohammed Bouazizi in the hospital, along with a camera crew. The president made a show of handing Manoubya a check for 10,000 dinars (about $14,000). But the mother said Ben Ali’s staffers took the check back after the cameramen were escorted from the room.In Russia, activists are at risk as always. I wish this piece on revolutions in general were more focused, but maybe the point is, there is little that is generalizable about revolutions and their outcomes.
Is it okay that I don't care about the day-by-day details of Al Haig's 'Al Haig moment'?
Have I mentioned that I hate the Post's redesigned website and that it takes forever to find stuff on it?
Books you might like: "Reading Obama", "Day of Honey", and maybe "A Tiger in the Kitchen."
Do you eat dyed food?
Can Arganica stay in business? I'm going to try it in the fall--I bought a membership on a groupon--but I can tell you right now that the products look very pricey as far as I can tell.
I heard David Ives speak yesterday. I new the man was necessarily witty and brilliant, but he blew away the audience with his insights and humor. I'm sharing a clip I found online of "Words, Words, Words," which I first read in college--it'll give you an idea of the man's genius.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday morning roundup
North Sudan continues to brutalize Darfur.
Milbank and Collins on the slate of presidential contenders.
The juice box pundits are all grown up.
Yawn. I'm getting so sick of posting about this, but I can't help myself: organic soil is just as productive.
I find this article on sugar substitutes, as well as the one it's based on, disingenuous or at best incomplete. I can't see how agave nectar is "as processed as high fructose corn syrup"--have you seen King Corn? Do you know what you have to do to make HFCS? But both articles miss the point: it's how, and how often, you use the sugar substitutes. Yes, they're still sugars--that is the bottom line. I still use agave for desserts, but for 'every day' use, I eliminate the middle man and just use fruit. I.e. if I'm making a chocolate soy shake or chocolate pudding, I'll sweeten it with frozen berries or fresh pomegranate. It's like those articles that measure food affordability by dollar per calorie--of course most plant-based foods are going to lose in that game, because it's a stupid, irrelevant game. We, as a country and probably world, consume way too much sugar and should consume less of it for everyone's good. Once you moderate your overall consumption of added sugar, you don't need to split hairs about which substitute is less harmful, because you're not consuming enough of it to make a difference.
Are food dyes dangerous even in moderation?
Milbank and Collins on the slate of presidential contenders.
The juice box pundits are all grown up.
Yawn. I'm getting so sick of posting about this, but I can't help myself: organic soil is just as productive.
I find this article on sugar substitutes, as well as the one it's based on, disingenuous or at best incomplete. I can't see how agave nectar is "as processed as high fructose corn syrup"--have you seen King Corn? Do you know what you have to do to make HFCS? But both articles miss the point: it's how, and how often, you use the sugar substitutes. Yes, they're still sugars--that is the bottom line. I still use agave for desserts, but for 'every day' use, I eliminate the middle man and just use fruit. I.e. if I'm making a chocolate soy shake or chocolate pudding, I'll sweeten it with frozen berries or fresh pomegranate. It's like those articles that measure food affordability by dollar per calorie--of course most plant-based foods are going to lose in that game, because it's a stupid, irrelevant game. We, as a country and probably world, consume way too much sugar and should consume less of it for everyone's good. Once you moderate your overall consumption of added sugar, you don't need to split hairs about which substitute is less harmful, because you're not consuming enough of it to make a difference.
Are food dyes dangerous even in moderation?
Friday, March 25, 2011
Quick Friday evening roundup
I'd love to discuss these very interesting and very interconnected articles more but I have to run in a minute.
How does microfinance help if many studies show it doesn't? Is it filling voids that governments should be addressing? What are those voids? Is military intervention and law enforcement inherently more of a job for government than public health? Environmental protection (which, by the way, is not unrelated to public health)? On that note, a couple of Republicans defend the EPA and its successes.
The average bus-rider is lighter than the average boat passenger is lighter than the average flier... but we're all getting heavier.
How does microfinance help if many studies show it doesn't? Is it filling voids that governments should be addressing? What are those voids? Is military intervention and law enforcement inherently more of a job for government than public health? Environmental protection (which, by the way, is not unrelated to public health)? On that note, a couple of Republicans defend the EPA and its successes.
The average bus-rider is lighter than the average boat passenger is lighter than the average flier... but we're all getting heavier.
Friday morning roundup
The battles for the future of Israel and Egypt.
Timothy Egan's defense of 'dithering' and Tom Toles'. See also Toles' take on deficit concern.
The District is getting whiter.
Timothy Egan's defense of 'dithering' and Tom Toles'. See also Toles' take on deficit concern.
The District is getting whiter.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Thursday evening roundup
Why vegetarianism, not technology, will feed the world.
On that note, Tom Philpott proposes a vegan-conscious omnivore alliance.
Coal is deadly, so WTF, Obama administration?
When's the right time to talk about energy sources?
On that note, Tom Philpott proposes a vegan-conscious omnivore alliance.
Coal is deadly, so WTF, Obama administration?
When's the right time to talk about energy sources?
Thursday morning roundup
Rural America is changing in demographics, expectations, and divorce rates.
Is coexistence a possibility for organic farmers and pushers of genetically engineered foods?
A century of meet: the infographic.
What would normally be a lighter note: a slideshow of DC's cherry blossoms over the years. It's bittersweet to see the sakura in bloom. If you look at my travel notes from Japan, I wrote a lot about the trees (why did I take so many pictures of trees? how can trees possibly be that exciting?). I look up, as I write this, to see one of my favorite sakura pictures, propped up in my living room:
Sakura is so symbolic: fleeting beauty, the coming of spring. Perhaps for that reason, the cover of this week's New Yorker viscerally upset me. I flipped it over and turned my attention to this sakura picture, taken in front of the A-Dome in Hiroshima. 
At the time, it struck me as a representation of life and renewal in the aftermath of disaster. That's the framework through which I'm determined to process the images of the sakura all around.
Speaking of life and renewal, it's time to start planting. I'm on it!
Is coexistence a possibility for organic farmers and pushers of genetically engineered foods?
A century of meet: the infographic.
What would normally be a lighter note: a slideshow of DC's cherry blossoms over the years. It's bittersweet to see the sakura in bloom. If you look at my travel notes from Japan, I wrote a lot about the trees (why did I take so many pictures of trees? how can trees possibly be that exciting?). I look up, as I write this, to see one of my favorite sakura pictures, propped up in my living room:
Sakura is so symbolic: fleeting beauty, the coming of spring. Perhaps for that reason, the cover of this week's New Yorker viscerally upset me. I flipped it over and turned my attention to this sakura picture, taken in front of the A-Dome in Hiroshima. 
At the time, it struck me as a representation of life and renewal in the aftermath of disaster. That's the framework through which I'm determined to process the images of the sakura all around.Speaking of life and renewal, it's time to start planting. I'm on it!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Tuesday evening roundup
Really, Southwest? Aren't there rowdy kids you could boot off your flights for the safety and comfort of the rest of your passengers?
Speaking of unconventional terrorism accusations, next target: cyclists. In case you were wondering, here's why the accusation's unfounded. And here's how cute cyclists can be. Meanwhile, see how much water it takes to make a car (yes, I do have one)--it looks like the only thing on the list that takes more water than producing a pound of beef.
I started going gray in my early twenties. It's not bad.
Is the bigger issue how unflattering H&M's collection is? I'm not a style expert, but I'd stay away from anything that makes Gisele look even slightly fat.
Speaking of unconventional terrorism accusations, next target: cyclists. In case you were wondering, here's why the accusation's unfounded. And here's how cute cyclists can be. Meanwhile, see how much water it takes to make a car (yes, I do have one)--it looks like the only thing on the list that takes more water than producing a pound of beef.
I started going gray in my early twenties. It's not bad.
Is the bigger issue how unflattering H&M's collection is? I'm not a style expert, but I'd stay away from anything that makes Gisele look even slightly fat.
Have you thanked your journalist today?
Another reminder of what journalists go through to bring us the news.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Monday evening roundup
Here's some happy environmental news.
Some of Tom Philpott's choice nuggets are really interesting (hint: food stamps vs. farm subsidies).
Bolivia's poor are feeling the pinch of quinoa's growing appeal.
Some of Tom Philpott's choice nuggets are really interesting (hint: food stamps vs. farm subsidies).
Bolivia's poor are feeling the pinch of quinoa's growing appeal.
Monday morning roundup
International news is back.
This generation apparently feels entitled to their dream job upon graduating from college. Might someone point out that our economy is a different from those of Egypt and Tunisia, which were bogged down by pervasive, institutionalized cronyism, corruption, and red tape? The people rioting there would have been thrilled to get a job right out of college as a lifeguard and personal trainer.
Metro decides to try being less hostile to cyclists.
I don't know why I continue to read Jennifer LaRue Huget's column after her whole grain misinformation that I furiously blogged about a couple of weeks ago, and which should cost her any credibility as a nutrition writer. This column is inoffensive, but I find the letter silly. If you really want to, you can learn to love vegetables. I haven't had to by force of will, because I learned to from an early age, but I wish these people knew what they were missing--vegetables, prepared correctly (or in some cases not prepared at all) are the tastiest things in the world.
This generation apparently feels entitled to their dream job upon graduating from college. Might someone point out that our economy is a different from those of Egypt and Tunisia, which were bogged down by pervasive, institutionalized cronyism, corruption, and red tape? The people rioting there would have been thrilled to get a job right out of college as a lifeguard and personal trainer.
Metro decides to try being less hostile to cyclists.
I don't know why I continue to read Jennifer LaRue Huget's column after her whole grain misinformation that I furiously blogged about a couple of weeks ago, and which should cost her any credibility as a nutrition writer. This column is inoffensive, but I find the letter silly. If you really want to, you can learn to love vegetables. I haven't had to by force of will, because I learned to from an early age, but I wish these people knew what they were missing--vegetables, prepared correctly (or in some cases not prepared at all) are the tastiest things in the world.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Nowruz roundup and blogger's note
Note: As a result of recent changes in the media world--the Times is about to start charging for access to its articles, and the Post has redone its website to make it virtually impossible to find anything--my roundups are going to change, too. On a personal note, I'm taking it as a sign to spend less time reading the news and more time reading books. I'll continue to share the worthwhile things I come across--New Yorker articles, Grist pieces, things that come across my desk at work, and the odd Times and Post articles... but you might start seeing sparser roundups.
Another note: I've always found the Post's opinion pages more partisan than necessary, and now they've actually come to sort them under 'left-leaning' and 'right-leaning.' I think (most of) its columnists deserve better.
***
David Remnick on Israel.
The lives of Warren Christopher and John Hoke.
Davids Ignatius and Rothkopf diverge in their takes on the President's leadership on Libya. The latter column isn't worth the ten minutes I ended up spending in search of its link (no, the Post does not opt to link to it under the Outlook section of its Opinion page, even though it is on the first page of the Outlook section in print).
Save the US Institute of Peace by de-funding it.
I love Rep. Weiner (when he's not threatening bike lanes).
A cretin Cretan court denies a vegetarian couple the right to adopt out of child welfare concerns. Another way to harm children while purporting to help them: silly lawsuits on their behalf.
A Czech village in Iowa doesn't care anymore.
A writer's remembrance of Nowruzes past with hope for the present.
Concise, articulate writing is priceless.
Another note: I've always found the Post's opinion pages more partisan than necessary, and now they've actually come to sort them under 'left-leaning' and 'right-leaning.' I think (most of) its columnists deserve better.
***
David Remnick on Israel.
The lives of Warren Christopher and John Hoke.
Davids Ignatius and Rothkopf diverge in their takes on the President's leadership on Libya. The latter column isn't worth the ten minutes I ended up spending in search of its link (no, the Post does not opt to link to it under the Outlook section of its Opinion page, even though it is on the first page of the Outlook section in print).
Save the US Institute of Peace by de-funding it.
I love Rep. Weiner (when he's not threatening bike lanes).
A cretin Cretan court denies a vegetarian couple the right to adopt out of child welfare concerns. Another way to harm children while purporting to help them: silly lawsuits on their behalf.
A Czech village in Iowa doesn't care anymore.
A writer's remembrance of Nowruzes past with hope for the present.
Concise, articulate writing is priceless.
Talk about the weather with someone else
I think I've established on these pages that when I'm really, really busy and really, really tired, I don't want to talk to anyone, so I don't. The lack of communication doesn't go unnoticed by either my mother or my cat. Mom leaves nasty messages on my voice mail and Gracie leaves poop on the carpet. Neither behavior endears me to either party.
Mom: Why didn't you call??
A.: I got home late on Friday and left early on Saturday.
Mom: So?
A.: So I didn't have time.
Mom: I was worried!
A.: Well, your sense of worry, especially within a 24-hour period, is within your control.
Mom: You could have called.
A.: [Sigh]. I got in late on Friday and went straight to bed.
Mom: What about the morning?
A.: My friend picked me up at 7am.
Mom: So? You could have called later.
A.: I didn't get a chance. I mean, I might have been able to in the car, and then I forgot.
Mom: Well, next time don't forget!
I wanted to say, 'next time, use your head.'
I'd called mom as soon as I got home yesterday. As soon as I put down the phone, Mirella called. I didn't bring up the conversation with mom, but it came up anyway.
Mirella: I talked to Alexa. I love it when she calls and tells me about everything she's been doing. She's trained me to not expect regular phone calls, but when she does call, it's very substantive and wonderful.
A.: I wish my mom would get on board with that. She's driving me up the wall.
Mom: Well, it's largely a control thing for your mom.
A.: I know. And it's beyond control in terms of knowing where I am: it feels like she wants to control how I am. She didn't bring this up explicitly this time, but when she used to hound me about not calling more regularly, and I'd respond that I didn't have anything to say but that she was welcome to call me if she had anything to say, she'd say that I could tell her about the simple things, like what flowers I may have seen that day. I'm sorry, but I'm just not a talk-about-the-weather person. I don't want to report on 'the simple things' to anyone. I'd much rather talk when there are things to say and not feel like I have to make small talk with my own parents.
Mirella: You need to train her... [Mirella talks in depth about going through this process with her own daughter and coming to appreciate more rare and more substantive conversations].
A.: I try.
I mean, wouldn't you rather have a natural conversation with someone than try to force a routine or pattern? And why would you want someone to talk about something they don't care to talk about--unless you're RM or another aggressive talker? I always thought RM's asking me what I did that day was a sign of poor conversational skills. Can't you just naturally bring out what people find interesting to talk about?
Mom: Why didn't you call??
A.: I got home late on Friday and left early on Saturday.
Mom: So?
A.: So I didn't have time.
Mom: I was worried!
A.: Well, your sense of worry, especially within a 24-hour period, is within your control.
Mom: You could have called.
A.: [Sigh]. I got in late on Friday and went straight to bed.
Mom: What about the morning?
A.: My friend picked me up at 7am.
Mom: So? You could have called later.
A.: I didn't get a chance. I mean, I might have been able to in the car, and then I forgot.
Mom: Well, next time don't forget!
I wanted to say, 'next time, use your head.'
I'd called mom as soon as I got home yesterday. As soon as I put down the phone, Mirella called. I didn't bring up the conversation with mom, but it came up anyway.
Mirella: I talked to Alexa. I love it when she calls and tells me about everything she's been doing. She's trained me to not expect regular phone calls, but when she does call, it's very substantive and wonderful.
A.: I wish my mom would get on board with that. She's driving me up the wall.
Mom: Well, it's largely a control thing for your mom.
A.: I know. And it's beyond control in terms of knowing where I am: it feels like she wants to control how I am. She didn't bring this up explicitly this time, but when she used to hound me about not calling more regularly, and I'd respond that I didn't have anything to say but that she was welcome to call me if she had anything to say, she'd say that I could tell her about the simple things, like what flowers I may have seen that day. I'm sorry, but I'm just not a talk-about-the-weather person. I don't want to report on 'the simple things' to anyone. I'd much rather talk when there are things to say and not feel like I have to make small talk with my own parents.
Mirella: You need to train her... [Mirella talks in depth about going through this process with her own daughter and coming to appreciate more rare and more substantive conversations].
A.: I try.
I mean, wouldn't you rather have a natural conversation with someone than try to force a routine or pattern? And why would you want someone to talk about something they don't care to talk about--unless you're RM or another aggressive talker? I always thought RM's asking me what I did that day was a sign of poor conversational skills. Can't you just naturally bring out what people find interesting to talk about?
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday morning roundup: energy edition
Someone's in denial.
I'm actually with Gov. Palin on taxing oil companies, in proportion to (1) their profits and (2) the environmental risks of exploration.
Nuclear plant work is risky.
Plastic isn't evil; it's just that it needn't be so disposable.
I sense a theme emerging throughout these articles, especially in conjunction with the Gulf oil spill response piece in the New Yorker last week: our sources of energy are costing us lives, health, safety, policy choices. We're not even talking about coal or fracking here.
In other news: a soldier feels undeserving of his combat pay.
I'm actually with Gov. Palin on taxing oil companies, in proportion to (1) their profits and (2) the environmental risks of exploration.
Nuclear plant work is risky.
Plastic isn't evil; it's just that it needn't be so disposable.
I sense a theme emerging throughout these articles, especially in conjunction with the Gulf oil spill response piece in the New Yorker last week: our sources of energy are costing us lives, health, safety, policy choices. We're not even talking about coal or fracking here.
In other news: a soldier feels undeserving of his combat pay.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wednesday morning roundup
In my humble opinion, what the Red Cross is doing is unacceptable and also potentially counterproductive--there will be backlash once people realize what's going on. I urge you not to donate money for earthquake relief for Japan, at least not until it's clear where that money will go. If you want to help people in need, donate to the slew of organizations saving lives in the world and not exploiting a high-profile tragedy to fund-raise for everything else they do. I'd recommend International Rescue Committee, Oxfam, or Women for Women International. I repeat what I said when the earthquake hit Haiti--except this is even more true for Japan, where money is not of the essence right now: people are still dying needlessly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the best thing you can do is to make up for the donations they're not getting, because everyone else is donating to earthquake relief (or think they are). This suggestion is not borne of a lack of compassion for earthquake victims; it's based on pragmatism.
On a related note: how to improve foreign aid (continuous aid, not disaster assistance).
When society accepts animal cruelty.
You know, I've complained about Virginia's attorney general (assault on gay rights, climate change denial, etc.), but Dana Milbank's column on some of the antics going on in other states makes us look pretty good.
Check out the Times' cooking handbook.
On a related note: how to improve foreign aid (continuous aid, not disaster assistance).
When society accepts animal cruelty.
You know, I've complained about Virginia's attorney general (assault on gay rights, climate change denial, etc.), but Dana Milbank's column on some of the antics going on in other states makes us look pretty good.
Check out the Times' cooking handbook.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
A sign from God
Alternate titles for this post might be "Gracie is good for something" and "Grateful the events in my life constitute farce rather than tragedy."
The roommate moved in last night and moved out tonight. We both learned something: he discovered that he's quite allergic to cats, and I discovered that I really, really didn't want a roommate.
There was nothing at all wrong with this guy, but I just wasn't up for having another person in the house. The financial gain would be minimal, given that I'd have to pay income taxes on the rent and wouldn't be able to deduct the portion of the house I was renting out to him. And I just didn't want to deal with another person in the house. Even one who wasn't around weekends and didn't drive me nuts in any way.
Sigh of relief.
The roommate moved in last night and moved out tonight. We both learned something: he discovered that he's quite allergic to cats, and I discovered that I really, really didn't want a roommate.
There was nothing at all wrong with this guy, but I just wasn't up for having another person in the house. The financial gain would be minimal, given that I'd have to pay income taxes on the rent and wouldn't be able to deduct the portion of the house I was renting out to him. And I just didn't want to deal with another person in the house. Even one who wasn't around weekends and didn't drive me nuts in any way.
Sigh of relief.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
