Becoming something…

If you're new here, you may want to register as a member of this blog and check out the first post! As member you can comment, participate, and share. Enjoy! Subscribe

I know it sounds a bit messy to put mayo into kissing, but recently Heinz discovered that in fact might be true. They pulled an ad in Britain (see below) after over 200 complaints to the government about its content. The ad contained two guys kissing after the stereotypical mum-dad morning “send the kids to school” routine. Their reasoning was that the humor was a miss for “all sides of the debate.” The ad having not shown in the U.S. still caused some local reaction. O’ Reilly, our bestest friend, decided to make further comment on the situation by bringing it across the pond to talk about the “gay thing.” Apparently he thinks mayo commercials should be devoid of homo-kisses. Something tells me O’ Reilly, save the fact that it wasn’t even an American ad, wasn’t Heinz’s target consumer.

I, personally, love it. It was caring and a bit masculine at the same time. Last night I watched a 30 Days episode on gay parenting, specific focus on adoptive families. The hosting couple was part EMU professor (Dennis), so I felt extra inclined to watch (Go Ypsi!). In both these situations the argument seems to be that we should be protected from people stepping on each other’s toes. There is a significant difference between belief and action. Preventing a family from adopting or preventing a gay family from being represented in a television ad prevents action and expression on an equal platform. This is wrong. The argument that putting it out there, via television ad or legalizing same-sex adoption, steps on the opposition’s moral toes is a bit off. The former is an extension in to my own personal space and rights, the latter does nothing to prevent free thought or action. Is personal and moral discomfort reason enough to pull an ad or prevent gay adoption? To the point, we actually do sue in civil court for these types of things but I feel like that even carries of level of absurdity with it too.

The ad:

O’ Reilly (they show the ad again, he commentary is :51 sec in):

Link to 30 Days episode - The show is installment #4

Thanks to Joe.My.God for leading me to this story on 365Gay.com:

Despite a growing body of evidence showing it is not only ineffective but also discriminatory toward LGBT youth a renewal of the Bush administration’s abstinence-only-until-marriage program for schools appears likely in Congress.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies has voted to continue funding the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program.

The federal government now spends about $176 million annually on abstinence-until-marriage education.

“It’s hard to imagine a good reason why, in these tight economic times, Congress would intentionally flush taxpayer dollars down the drain by spending them on disproven, ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs,” said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office…

A study mandated by Congress last year found that students who participated in sexual abstinence programs were just as likely to have sex within a few years as those who did not…

A report a year earlier by the Society of Adolescent Medicine found that abstinence-only education was “unlikely to meet the health needs” of gay because abstinence-only programs focus heavily on no sex until marriage and ignore homosexuality. This could lead to increased risk of infection among these youngsters, the investigators said.

Under the CBAE program participating states then provide $3 for every $4 they get from the federal government. But a growing number states decline to take part in the grant program…

Talk about a mess…sigh.

Have you seen the news reports recently? Ever? There is new intensity building over the fear of plastics. It seems the recent surge– we have all had concerns about plastics for a while– is because specific conclusions have been made by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), National Toxicology Program (NTP), and the Canadian government.

The CDC says,

92.6 percent of Americans age 6 and above had measurable BPA in their bodies.

Plastic bottles – are they safe? - The Daily Nightly - msnbc.com

The NYP says,

there was a possibility BPA could be causing brain problems in fetuses and children and prostate and breast problems in adults

Plastic bottles – are they safe? - The Daily Nightly - msnbc.com

The Canadian government says,

“We’re not waiting to take action to protect our people and our environment from the long-term effects of bisphenol-a,” in response to a move to ban polycarbonate infant bottles as it officially declared one of their chemical ingredients toxic.

Canada Bans Plastic Bottles Tied to Health Concerns - New York Times

So what now? What is safe? Pulling from a few sources I’ve managed to sort out what is of concern and their chemical of concern:
1 - One time use only, not meant for reuse, like ever. (PETE)
3 - AVOID, DEHA chemical, and you can find me in plastic wrap. (PVC additives, like DEHA)
6 - Do not cook/microwave in me (styrene)
7 - Not so good, I’m in water/baby bottles and jugs. (BPA)

BPA is the chemical of concern above in the quotes.

Despite this information, the FDA has not yet ban the substance, so plastic industry websites are claiming ‘no fault.’ Despite the current all ok by the agency, both CVS and Walmart have banned shatter-proof waters bottles (like Nalgene, that often use (7)) from their shelves.

I think better safe than sorry. One alternative includes corn plastic products:

• Aid for Myanmar Mobilizes, Mixed With Criticism

“A powerful cyclone that destroyed a vast swath of coastal Myanmar and left many thousands of people dead prompted the country’s military leaders to allow some foreign aid groups to deliver relief supplies on Tuesday.”

• Photographs From Myanmar
• I.O.C. Rules Will Limit Protests by Athletes

“Athletes who compete in the Beijing Olympics will not be allowed to wave flags, make gestures or alter their external appearance to make a political statement, according to guidelines issued in April by the International Olympic Committee.”

• Global Economic Minute: Immigration’s past and present

• Senator Clinton stays in the race despite lackluster Tuesday, are there Rewards For Dropping Out?
• Iron Man (movie) gets generally favorable reviews
• Poll: Only 2.5 percent of Americans are LGB

“Hunter College released the results of a groundbreaking poll Wednesday that found only 2.9 percent of Americans older than 18 identify as LGB, lower than the 4-5 percent often cited in voter exit polls.”

• The Sustainable City–Ecological Dream or Technocratic Nightmare?

“And while the little boy in me thrills at the science-fiction stylishness of some of the architects’ renderings of these cities of the future (of which the picture above is a sample), another part of me wonders whether the promises now being made about these projects have even a chance of being fulfilled.”

Edit: [Links to some related posts elsewhere: Fred Phelps at EMU | Fred Phelps To Protest At Eastern Michigan University | Be on the look-out for a hate group disguised as a church on campus today | Fred Phelps To Protest At Eastern Michigan University]

Gathering at the Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Student Center, supportive members of EMU’s campus and surrounding community showed their support for the LGBT community concerning issues of “inclusion and diversity,” stated Dan Burns, Chair of the LGBTRC Advisory Committee. The group, numbering over fifty, was in response to a charge to protest (see press release) by Westboro Baptist Church. They are commonly associated with Fred Phelps, their minister, and GodHatesFags.com. Per the press release, Westboro Baptist Church was choosing EMU as a way to voice their opinion against Campus Crusade for Christ’s, a national organization, decision in some areas to semi-support (Golden Rule Pledge) Day of Silence, a national movement to speak out through silence. EMU has a student organization representing Campus Crusade for Christ, but is not known to have participated in the pledge.

Their picketers did not show, to our knowledge. I was happy to participate. It was again a showing of support on campus (not to mention the $2500 raised for the EMU LGBT Emergency Fund through a $2 donation per Westboro Baptist Church protest minute, matched by Coors).

It reminds me of people’s varying opinions. In a lot of ways, it is daunting. Speaking of the silence we can feel as members of the LGBT… community, this is another example of a voice that keeps me from acting completely freely on a daily basis. In high school, my car was keyed with the word “FAG.” This served as a intense platform of empowerment but in reality did more damage than good. These voices are due for silencing not through limiting free speech but through supportive voices being louder. I encourage you to be the loudest in support as examples to your friends and communities. Examples of love and care need to be louder than those of hate.

The rebate check came into the account today (yours may be $600). I’m supposed to spend it on none-debt like things in a trained consumer kind of way. Grumble…but I have debt, loans, and some decent foreign ambition (which costs some money).

Fueling casual consumption will only be a short-term boost to an economy that has long-term issues. Government debt mimics ours and we no longer know how to save. We average a -1% savings rate when global neighbors are much higher (50% in China). Can’t we be our own safety blanket? We lost something after World War II, thrift. We all have that grandma (or mom for some) that saves aluminum foil pieces. This isn’t as absurd as it sounds. It is a reaction to finite resources. Isn’t that a global reality today?

Nothing much brings a smile like “free money.” Yet use with caution. If you succumb to consumerism, then do it wisely.

• Local
• Useful beyond yesterday
• Socially and environmentally sensitive
• As financial space to build to better habits
• Experience something new

If you get those damn sexy jeans that cost too much then make sure wear the hell out of them.

Spending Your Tax Rebate Wisely, Don’t Spend Your Tax Rebate!, Stores Offering Bonuses For Spending Your Rebate Check, Luxurious ways to spend your rebate, Ten Tips: What to do with tax rebate?, How to wisely spend your rebate check, How Will You Spend Your Rebate?

Edit: A useful link, Likely Effects of the Tax Rebate

Like how Iraq was mission accomplished 5 years today, I too felt accomplished. I was just about to finish high school and I hadn’t even decided on a college. I was though flying high, mission accomplished. I had recently regained trust by my parents and summer “adult” freedom was ripening on my tongue.

I forgive Hilary for voting for the war. If was voting on mis-information too. Grownup had arrived. Today I know I have a lifetime of growing up to do.

So I am reemerging not to fill the spaces of the pages but to fill some parts of me that I too often look elsewhere to. I know that my mission isn’t accomplished and that I’ll consume lots of coffee to get there. The reset button is close by, could you push it? No, just a soft reset. I don’t want to lose everything.

Lets not fault Bush for calling a war or even calling it to a close super early, lets fault him for not listening to the experience and learning from it. Get out of there!

It is hard. It is what defines his stay in office. Victim to simple quick fixes, time is a difficult illusion. The longer you stay in it, the further you fall face first into reality.

I have spent a lot of time recently on MBA applications. It has been a while since I had to so craftily praise myself in front of others; it was never this specific. I am defending passion and my future career plans. In definition, I have gone through a transition. Unlike the addictions of war, I have turned the red tide. What are you surfing on when you need something else to keep the momentum?

We are not alone for a reason. Use your developing intuition and growing heart in sync to determine self-motivation. Look to those you know to be real sensors of your being. At the very least there is a technique that is simple to surf through the rougher and lonelier times.

List accomplishments of your day, w/o your minds side commentary; if any slips in, you are forbidden from making further note of it at all.

Today:
•  Entry to baited blog
•  Made progress on scholarship guidebook at work
•  Speedily organized home office
•  Felt reemergence of China-fondness
•  Large Mexican latte instead of small

Find your coastline and ride…summer is coming whether you want it to or not.