Random Thoughts From Marybeth

Do the Food Police Make Kids Fatter?

An essay in The New York Times: Well-Intentioned Food Police May Create Havoc With Children's Diets discusses the attempts by schools to control their students' diets. I have tried to teach my kids about nutrition but what's the point of teaching it if you're going to remove choices?

I will never win any award for pushing nutrition at home. I've even joked that I feed my kids fast food to help them "build up an immunity" to it. The truth is that I have tried to teach them that there are no forbidden foods. When they were younger they took full advantage of that, sometimes they still do, but as they have gotten older they are making more nutritious food choices more often. This may not work for everyone but my children just don't see any reason to crave sweets or junk food. There's no urge to overindulge in something that is always available. It's too ordinary and who craves the mundane?

In case anyone is wondering, none of my kids are overweight and their annual physical exams have never shown any health problems. Maybe it has nothing to do with my philosophy on food, maybe they just lucked out in the genetic lottery. I can't say for sure but then neither can those who want to dictate what my children can or cannot eat.

Good Defecation Dynamics

I read about it first at Nanny Knows Best and found more here. Do people really need the government to tell them to "Keep your mouth open as you bulge and widen"?

Carnival of the Recipes at One Happy Dog Speaks

I was hoping to have my new computer in time to post a recipe for VW's turn at hosting the Carnival of the Recipes but I'm still waiting. Take some time to visit VW and the links to this week's contributors, it looks as though there are some very tasty recipes there.

Mourning

My computer has died. I'm having to work on the laptop (which I don't like nearly as much as the desktop) while I wait for my new one to be delivered.

Without my computer I might run out of excuses not to do housework! I'm beginning to regret not paying extra for quicker delivery.

BellSouth Calling

I just got another of our regular calls from our phone company. They call anywhere from once a week to daily to try and get us to add their long distance service. The answer is always "no".

While I wasn't rude, I did feel regretful afterwards. Not because I was emphatic about asking that they don't call again, I regretted that when the caller asked if I made the "phone service decisions" that I didn't answer, "I'm the decider." It's one of my new favorite phrases and I missed the perfect opportunity to use it.

Oh, well. There's always next time. (They haven't done anything about my requests not to receive any more calls before so I'm assuming they won't this time either.)

Next time, after I announce that I'm the decider I'll ask them to check how many long distance calls I make with my landline phone. (None, I rarely call long distance and when I do I use my wireless service at no extra charge.) When the caller says they don't have access to that information, I'll say I watch the news and from what I can tell, everyone has access to my phone records. Then I'll accuse him/her of wanting to spy on me.

I'm almost looking forward to it.

First the Loaves, Now the Fishes (Or How to Befuddle Newsweek)

Yesterday I had to take Trevor to the doctor. As I was waiting, I was reading an article in Newsweek about the concern that all the abandoned swimming pools in New Orleans would be a breeding ground for hugh numbers of mosquitoes. The article talked about how one solution has been to put a larvicide into the pools. What caught my attention was their surprise at a second solution. One group is providing small fish that eat the mosquito larvae. The fish will survive in poor conditions and would, I presume, be self-maintaining. The group providing the fish and the volunteers to distribute them is headed by Pat Robertson (this is the part they found surprising.)

Did Newsweek take a satirical article that said Robertson said that Katrina was "God's way of expressing its anger at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for its selection of Ellen Degeneres to host this year's Emmy Awards" seriously? (I know that Robertson has said some odd things but in this case what was reported appears not to be true.) Are they unaware of the help that Christian organizations have provided to hurricane victims?

Not surprisingly, Newsweek's inclusion of an opinion in a news article isn't a bit surprising.

President Bush Addresses the Nation on Immigration Reform

You can read the full text of the speech here. (There's also a video link if you want to watch it.)

When I watched the speech, my first reaction was that it was better than I had feared it would be but worse than I had hoped.

I have questions regarding the temporary worker plan. How do you make sure that people leave when their stay is over? What would businesses need to have to do to verify that the "tamper-proof biometric card" is authentic?

As for the illegal immigrants who are already here, what really is the difference "between an illegal immigrant who crossed the border recently, and someone who has worked here for many years"? Other than better timing....

Until the Congress and Senate have their say this isn't a plan, only intentions (just one step up from wishful thinking). None of it really counts until some action is taken.

Movie Clapper Board

The Movie Clapper Board Generator

First Half of a Two-Question Poll

I just got a phone call with an automated 2-question poll.

The first question asked what would definately make me vote in the next election -

Rising healthcare costs.
Rising fuel prices.
Ending corruption in Congress.

My primary reason for voting wasn't among them so I didn't make it to question 2.

North American Maps

The Atlas of North America has printable maps. You can print one of the premade maps or create your own. You can view all 50 states or zoom in on one. If you click on "People" you can see crime rates by type from 1994 through 2002. Check under "Agriculture" to see where the most family-owned farms are. Want to know about bats or butterflies? Look under "Biology". Click on "Geology" to make a map showing earthquakes from 1569 to 2004.

There are also articles on the same topics used for customizing maps.

I May Have Seen You There...

The kids had the day off from school for that most important of holidays, Kentucky Oaks Day. (What were you expecting, Cinco de Mayo?) The Oaks is a race for fillies that is run the day before the Run for the Roses. It's like a Derby Day for locals (all of the fun with fewer celebrities and tourists) so everyone should have been at the track or preparing for tomorrow's parties. At least that's what I was hoping. Instead it seemed as if they were all at the Louisville Zoo. I think it was the largest crowd I've seen there other than when they have their annual Halloween Party.

Some of the animals we saw -

Just Desserts

Restaurant Manager Fired For Letting Employees March Monday

The restaurant manager was fired for giving his employees the day off to march.

"I decided to give everyone the day off," says Wolfe.

Does he have any regrets?

"Not a single regret. It was the right cause."

The former restaurant manager knew the consequences. His boss told him not to do it and if he did, all 16 employees including 10 Latinos would be fired.

That didn't happen, but Wolfe was fired.

"I did get singled out, but I have no qualms about that," he said.

Wolfe calls his firing ironic because he's a white American and he says his boss, Victor Santiago is a Latino immigrant.

Wolfe, who is a philosophy graduate, can't understand his boss' position. The article doesn't provide any information about Santiago's views so we don't know what his stance is on immigration issues. The only thing we can tell is that there is a difference between his work ethic and that of Wolfe which is why Santiago has two restaurants and Wolfe is unemployed.

Smarter Spoofs?

One of the first clues that an email that appears to be from eBay, PayPal, a bank or other business is a spoof is that it addresses you as member, sir/madam, or by your username instead of your real name. Judging by an email I got recently, this may be changing. I received a spoof email (it claimed to be from PayPal) and it addressed me by my first and last name. It was similar to the emails that are sent out when a payment is made through PayPal but was for a payment that I hadn't made.

I've forwarded it to spoof@paypal.com but haven't received a reply.

May Day