The chemical dependence needs to cease.*Spoiler Alert: I am not a granola munching, Birkenstock sporting, Phish concert attending, spoon-fed and nourished embracer of the global warming, climate change phenomenon(whatever the term du jour is).An alarming trend that I notice about my age set, Generation X is that they will easily believe something to be fact due to the mainstream media's biased portrayal on any number of issues. For some reason a majority of Gen. Xers simply are not looking at the statistics to back up any given story being presented. In the context that I am certainly not a hipster, perhaps some among you that are as cynical as I am will begin to question the chemical dependence of our world seriously by the time you finish reading this post.
From where I stand, on my legs that get highly irritated from the pesticides being sprayed on the grass, something certainly has to change. As a precursor you should know that I play soccer on the National Mall frequently and before my cleats touch the pitch I have to take Benadryl. Never before has a lawn upset my equilibrium so much that I am convinced there are chemicals lurking in the blades if green.
What are we exposing ourselves to? Are we even aware of the harmful substances lurking our environment?
Most of us are fairly blissfully ignorant about the chemical abyss that our world has morphed into. The spray that has been put on our food to protect it from insects is making us sick. This week the results of a study conducted by the University of Montreal and Harvard were made public linking exposure via food consumption of organophosphate pesticides to an increased incidence of ADHD. The findings of these researchers indicted a 35% increase in the odds of developing ADHD with every tenfold increase of urinary pesticide residue. They have suggested that organic fruit and vegetables decrease one’s exposure to pesticides. This is a link to a story about the study in case this did not make onto your radar earlier this week:
http://yhoo.it/bQvpvO
Organic is clearly the healthier way to go and I try to incorporate as much organic food produce into our family diet as our budget will allow. Organic fruit and veggies are typically twenty to thirty cents more expensive at the grocery stores I frequent. The difference is price can be a budget buster for some people. What are we to do as a society when the price point of the produce forces some people to eat dangerously? (Just thinking aloud)
In my daily life recently I have been bombarded with examples of the harmfulness of certain chemicals in my immediate perimeter. My Son’s diapers suddenly became thinner and more absorbent. Then babies nationally started to develop rashes and burns from whatever the manufacturer did to increase the absorbency. Although, Moms across the country are pleading for a recall, no such recall has occurred and the manufacturer continues to promote the product as safe. I made a conscious decision and called it quits on a brand that I have been loyal to for both of my children. We have switched to, gasp, organic cotton diapers, which may not be able to hold a gallon of fluid but are softer on the baby’s skin. Safety trumps less diaper changes when it comes to my family.
Then there are my experiences with Fred, our Old English Sheepdog’s flea and tick medicine, which I publicly admit I apply infrequently. Unfortunately, because I reside in an area that is deer tick ridden my pooch frequently comes in from outside with little parasitic creatures in his hair. I am on the fence about the medicine and as a result have had countless conversations with Fred’s veterinarian about the medicine. It seems obvious to me that applying a pesticide directly to a living things skin is a bit questionable. Immediately after I apply the medicine Fred gets lethargic and starts drinking a tremendous amount, which is surprising because he is barely four and a very high energy fellow. As an aside, I am horrified that my children are going to pet the dog and then have harmful chemicals on their skin. The EPA is proclaiming this week that spot on flea and tick preventative products are safe after concluding a yearlong evaluation. But, I am still not convinced.
Following is a link concerning this story: http://bit.ly/aW8dQc
It does not end there where Fred is concerned three years ago Fred was consuming a better brand of dog food that was recalled because it was contaminated with melamine. Pets around the country were getting ill, so we switched brands to an organic and natural food to have peace of mind that our canine family member was safe. Additionally, nearly all of the contaminated food was produced in the same factory in China.
In the fall my Daughter will start kindergarten and we have a myriad of paperwork to fill out for registration. One of the forms that came home was relevant to lead poisoning and had a list of zip-codes with a higher incidence of lead poisoning within our state. Thankfully, we live in a safe spot and I was able to forgo lead poison testing on my five year old. I was thinking that this it is preposterous to contemplate lead contamination at all. But, the lead is everywhere. It seems as though not a week passes that there are not toy or jewelry recalls by the CPSC due to a higher than legal limit of lead in the product. Two years ago immediately before Christmas I had to discard a slew of toys in our house, some of which were my Daughter’s favorites due to lead recalls. My frustration with the presence of lead is growing. Why are the regulations so loose on the items there is a good chance will wind up in our childrens’ mouths?
My distrust of manufacturers and the government’s inability to regulate them is steadily increasing. You are your own best guardian and final defense against harmful chemicals. Check out my best friend’s blog: Searching for Sustenance that really hones in on consuming good food and can be found at href="http://bit.ly/9CUgUB">
Friday, May 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Flight or Fight?
Daily, before sunrise I read numerous newspapers and various news sites to get myself up to speed on what is transpiring in the world. My chronic insomnia provides me with the time for such reading before my children wake. Once my children are awake I am an avid viewer of programming like Handy Manny; I can name every one of his tools and give you an update on his relationship status with Kelly, the hardware store owner he is clearly in love with. Basically, after 8am, my brain turns to mush and I can sing along with Cookie Monster about his cookie compulsion. But, this morning I am pondering more than children’s cartoons.
Two huge local news stories in two separate cities, echoing the same message one of intervention. Not the form of intervention portrayed on that reality TV show, no, the intervention I am referring to is not about tough love it’s about love that is strong.
Voltaire, the French Enlightenment Writer and Philosopher once said,” Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.”
Yesterday morning, Jose Rosales in Fairfax County Virginia gave his life to save the lives his employers, the Brars who were also his friends when two armed men broke into the four car garage of their 9000 foot mansion. Rosales stood between the invaders and the Brars yelling, “Get away from my brother and my mom.” He then wrestled a gun away from one of the two men. The other criminal then turned a gun on Mrs. Brar threatening to kill her if Rosales did not drop the weapon. So, Rosales dropped the gun and the thugs fatally shot him.
Separately, last Friday evening in New York City a 29 year old man, Jose Gomez gave his life in an epic display of chivalry, attempting to save a woman he was on a first date with from an oncoming subway train, after she jumped onto the train tracks to retrieve her personal belongings.
What I am contemplating this morning is what provokes some of us to get involved and others among us to drone on and never up our game when life deals a shocking card? What makes some among us merely men and others heroes?
The most horrifying display of spectator paralysis and lack of intervention in recent times occurred when an elderly Connecticut man, Angel Torres was hit by a car and numerous people stood around failing to come to the severely injured pedestrian’s aid. I am posting video in case you have not seen it because it is a blatant lack of human compassion and it is mind-blowing that no one helped this man.
And then there is the case of the homeless man, who intervened to save a woman from a mugger in New York on April 24th, was stabbed and bleeds out on the street while no one comes to his aid. Several people stopped to look at Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax and one degenerate actually snapped a photo of the dying hero with his cellular phone. Following is the video of the tragedy playing out.
The point that I am trying to get to and my diatribe does have one is that we all have a moral obligation to intervene because we are human, not because we are heroes. Compassion is rapidly disappearing from society. From my perspective, it’s imperative that we play the cards we are dealt to win and by that I mean we have to do the right thing.
Whenever I see someone in peril, I acknowledge that person’s life has value, is surely loved by someone in this world and help them. When and ambulance goes whizzing by in traffic I sign the cross to pray for the passenger and get my vehicle the hell out of the way. What’s up with those among us that do not move immediately to the side of the road? Believe me you can tack on a few more minutes to your freaking’ latte, dry cleaning run, or commute if it means someone else gets to breathe another day.
Is your fight urge stronger than your flight urge? Ask yourself now before you are placed in a circumstance that forces you to act.
Two huge local news stories in two separate cities, echoing the same message one of intervention. Not the form of intervention portrayed on that reality TV show, no, the intervention I am referring to is not about tough love it’s about love that is strong.
Voltaire, the French Enlightenment Writer and Philosopher once said,” Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.”
Yesterday morning, Jose Rosales in Fairfax County Virginia gave his life to save the lives his employers, the Brars who were also his friends when two armed men broke into the four car garage of their 9000 foot mansion. Rosales stood between the invaders and the Brars yelling, “Get away from my brother and my mom.” He then wrestled a gun away from one of the two men. The other criminal then turned a gun on Mrs. Brar threatening to kill her if Rosales did not drop the weapon. So, Rosales dropped the gun and the thugs fatally shot him.
Separately, last Friday evening in New York City a 29 year old man, Jose Gomez gave his life in an epic display of chivalry, attempting to save a woman he was on a first date with from an oncoming subway train, after she jumped onto the train tracks to retrieve her personal belongings.
What I am contemplating this morning is what provokes some of us to get involved and others among us to drone on and never up our game when life deals a shocking card? What makes some among us merely men and others heroes?
The most horrifying display of spectator paralysis and lack of intervention in recent times occurred when an elderly Connecticut man, Angel Torres was hit by a car and numerous people stood around failing to come to the severely injured pedestrian’s aid. I am posting video in case you have not seen it because it is a blatant lack of human compassion and it is mind-blowing that no one helped this man.
And then there is the case of the homeless man, who intervened to save a woman from a mugger in New York on April 24th, was stabbed and bleeds out on the street while no one comes to his aid. Several people stopped to look at Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax and one degenerate actually snapped a photo of the dying hero with his cellular phone. Following is the video of the tragedy playing out.
The point that I am trying to get to and my diatribe does have one is that we all have a moral obligation to intervene because we are human, not because we are heroes. Compassion is rapidly disappearing from society. From my perspective, it’s imperative that we play the cards we are dealt to win and by that I mean we have to do the right thing.
Whenever I see someone in peril, I acknowledge that person’s life has value, is surely loved by someone in this world and help them. When and ambulance goes whizzing by in traffic I sign the cross to pray for the passenger and get my vehicle the hell out of the way. What’s up with those among us that do not move immediately to the side of the road? Believe me you can tack on a few more minutes to your freaking’ latte, dry cleaning run, or commute if it means someone else gets to breathe another day.
Is your fight urge stronger than your flight urge? Ask yourself now before you are placed in a circumstance that forces you to act.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Eternally Connected, In Control and Loving It!
While having lunch with friends a conversation arose about technology and whether it creates social barriers or fosters stronger relationships. One of my friends communicated passionately to the group that she's extremely frustrated with the frenzied pace of life in 2010. Not a day passes by that I don't mumble under my breath, “there aren't enough hours in the day." There simply are too many objectives that I would like to achieve on a given day. If I were actually able to clone myself allowing me to be in several places at once I would contemplate doing it to lighten my to-do list. Although, my friends found a little humor in our mutual friend’s desire to return to the 1950’s, ala "Back to the Future", most of us appreciated the given friend’s point. I appreciate what she was saying but for me technology is allowing me to maintain and strengthen my relationships. Technology allows me to stay ahead the world spinning wildly out of control.
To speak a bit to the point that social networking sites provide an environment for people to masquerade as something they are not or provide a stage on which to act like ass clowns, I disagree. Why on earth are you friending people you have disdain for in real life on Facebook? There’s a good chance these afore described people are pulling the wool over your eyes in real life if you do not have the revelation they are a tool(to use one of my Husband’s choice phrases) until you FB friend them.
Marketing folks refer to someone like me as an “early embracer”, in lay terminology; I am always willing to embrace new products or technology ahead of the rest of the general population. As a serial over committer, type-A personality my life is one big productivity experiment. For me to really enjoy life it is necessary to complete the un-fun mundane activities in an expedient fashion which allows me to then have plenty of time for recreation. (i.e., family activities, soccer, golf, writing etc.)
Yes, I might attempt to make out with my phone when no one is looking. One of my pals recently declared that I was in love with Apps and openly I admit, I am. This device has served to streamline my life and is obviously my portal of communication 70% of the time. If you want to communicate with me, chances are my cell phone is the inanimate object making it all possible. Whether we are interacting via phone call, text message, email, Twitter, Facebook or Blog, it’s all happening because my phone is making it possible. Due to my willingness to embrace technology, I am embracing you more. I am communicating more, not less. Post 9/11 it is imperative for me to be reachable at all times and to be able to reach those that I love at a moment’s notice.Numerous people were found in the rubble of the Haiti Earthquake due to Twitter. Twitter was literally a lifesaver.
There’s so much techo-phobia in the world these days. Technology is getting a bad rap and I do not get it. The internet is an incredible thing and the pros absolutely outweigh the cons for me. Once again, this is an efficiency thing. Thanks to a 24 hour readily accessible news cycle I am forever in the know and I never have to travel to six different stores to find the perfect pair of shoes. It is at this point that I humbly inform you that I hate meandering around the mall.
The calendar in my phone allows me to maintain my schedule and the map feature gives me the concise directions to get to where a given activity is happening. My grocery list is forever with me and clear. I never have to carry paper with my scrawled notes because my notes are now typed organized thoughts. My overall health has improved because of my phone; I record my caloric intake versus calories burned during exercise. The research about Cell Phones causing cancer is inconclusive so please don’t waste our collective time and initiate that debate) These are just a few things I wanted to point out that have made life way easier. One last thing on the phone, it has served to aid me in avoiding speeding tickets because now I know precisely where all of the ticket happy state troopers are hiding. Wish I’d had Trapster last Fall when I got pulled over at 12am coming back from a U2 Concert. And that’s a story for another occasion.
In closing, perhaps if my friend embraced techology a bit more she might buy herself more time and feel significantly more ahead of the game. Going back to the 1950's simply is not an option for a modern gal like myself, who used Dragon Dictation to bring you this blog.
To speak a bit to the point that social networking sites provide an environment for people to masquerade as something they are not or provide a stage on which to act like ass clowns, I disagree. Why on earth are you friending people you have disdain for in real life on Facebook? There’s a good chance these afore described people are pulling the wool over your eyes in real life if you do not have the revelation they are a tool(to use one of my Husband’s choice phrases) until you FB friend them.
Marketing folks refer to someone like me as an “early embracer”, in lay terminology; I am always willing to embrace new products or technology ahead of the rest of the general population. As a serial over committer, type-A personality my life is one big productivity experiment. For me to really enjoy life it is necessary to complete the un-fun mundane activities in an expedient fashion which allows me to then have plenty of time for recreation. (i.e., family activities, soccer, golf, writing etc.)
Yes, I might attempt to make out with my phone when no one is looking. One of my pals recently declared that I was in love with Apps and openly I admit, I am. This device has served to streamline my life and is obviously my portal of communication 70% of the time. If you want to communicate with me, chances are my cell phone is the inanimate object making it all possible. Whether we are interacting via phone call, text message, email, Twitter, Facebook or Blog, it’s all happening because my phone is making it possible. Due to my willingness to embrace technology, I am embracing you more. I am communicating more, not less. Post 9/11 it is imperative for me to be reachable at all times and to be able to reach those that I love at a moment’s notice.Numerous people were found in the rubble of the Haiti Earthquake due to Twitter. Twitter was literally a lifesaver.
There’s so much techo-phobia in the world these days. Technology is getting a bad rap and I do not get it. The internet is an incredible thing and the pros absolutely outweigh the cons for me. Once again, this is an efficiency thing. Thanks to a 24 hour readily accessible news cycle I am forever in the know and I never have to travel to six different stores to find the perfect pair of shoes. It is at this point that I humbly inform you that I hate meandering around the mall.
The calendar in my phone allows me to maintain my schedule and the map feature gives me the concise directions to get to where a given activity is happening. My grocery list is forever with me and clear. I never have to carry paper with my scrawled notes because my notes are now typed organized thoughts. My overall health has improved because of my phone; I record my caloric intake versus calories burned during exercise. The research about Cell Phones causing cancer is inconclusive so please don’t waste our collective time and initiate that debate) These are just a few things I wanted to point out that have made life way easier. One last thing on the phone, it has served to aid me in avoiding speeding tickets because now I know precisely where all of the ticket happy state troopers are hiding. Wish I’d had Trapster last Fall when I got pulled over at 12am coming back from a U2 Concert. And that’s a story for another occasion.
In closing, perhaps if my friend embraced techology a bit more she might buy herself more time and feel significantly more ahead of the game. Going back to the 1950's simply is not an option for a modern gal like myself, who used Dragon Dictation to bring you this blog.
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