Pizza Partisanship

   Pizza Partisanship


Paul Krugman, in today's (3/6) NYTimes points out that under the rhetoric of personal choice and "no nanny state," Republicans  are reaping most of the food companies' political contributions, including 99% of Pizza Hut's substantial funds.  
But without food labeling, which most Republicans oppose, how informed can personal choice be?  Meanwhile, health care costs attributed to US obesity increased by $315.8 billion in 2012, with additional costs in lost wages, decreased productivity, increased transportation, etc.

I object to NYTimes reviewer today calling calling the goshawk in Helen Macdonald's new book "vicious." There must be several words  besides anthropomorphizing to call this brand of thinking, and all of those words invidious.  When will we ever get over thinking that the natural world is no more than a reflection of us humans and our lives and our values?  I know I'm exaggerating here, but it's thinking like this that has brought this beautiful world ever closer to ruin. Goshawks kill to eat, and probably they enjoy eating, it's as simple as that. If there's any parallel, it's that we need food to eat to keep going too. Except that we've removed ourselves from the nitty-gritty of how the food comes to us and we unfairly label the animals who still gather their own food.

EBS Global Documentary_Goshawk, the Soul of the Wind Spot

Tina Fey's book Bossypants is full of wonderful one-liners that might also be true observations on life.

For instance, if you're thinking of coming to live in NYC, she suggests trying out one of its many  nail salons: "Sit in an enclosed space full of fumes and hold hands with a stranger for twenty minutes while everyone around you speaks a language you don't understand. If you enjoy this, you will enjoy the 6 train." Or the 7, or ....