Queen of my Double-Wide Trailer
There is the ULTIMATE white trash story that has been followed by the local news. It all started our as a feel-good story about a 500 pound woman (I think that is probably a conservative estimate) who literally could not fit through the door to her house. A local hardware store though donated the time and materials to widen the door so she could be wheeled out in her bed. A few days later I hear on the radio that her husband and her daughter, who is the husband's stepdaughter, had been arrested and charged with incest and neglect. Apparently they were doing the nasty in front of her, even. The radio report also said that she was more like 800 pounds, but who knows the accuracy of that information. She is now being cared for by human services. It still boggles my mind that who someone approaches that 350 pound mark they don't decide that maybe they ought to cut back on the moon pies or something.
One news story that has bothered me is the pope's "chief exorcist" talking about figures like Hitler and Stalin being possessed by the devil. This seems obvious, because in the history of man it is hard to imagine two men more responsible for unimaginable evil. The problem I have is that this humanizes Hitler and Stalin, makes them less responsible for what they did. I don't believe in forgiveness or excuses for crimes that result in death. A murderer can't atone for what they have done, you cannot unmurder someone. You can't unrape a woman. THe perpetrator bears full and all responsibility for their crime. If you get loaded and plow into a minivan carrying a family of four, I don't care if you go to speak at high schools about the dangers of drunk driving. It does say something about a person's character if they try to atone, but full atonement is something you will never achieve. I hate it when people try to abdicate responsibilty for the consequences of their actions.
There is still this push to blame companies like McDonald's for the fact that Americans are getting fatter. I agree with the premise, that Americans tend to eat horribly and that their health suffers as a consequence. Just like I completely agree that smoking causes any number of health problems, from lung cancer to high blood pressure. Where I disagree with the healthists, though, is whose responsibility it is to curb this "epidemic." I place it squarely with individuals, who have to choose whether to have that Big Mac and Fries or that salad with grilled chicken.
Speaking of health, I have been considering purchasing a juicer. I know I don't eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables, and juicing seems like a good way to get huge amounts of nutrients and vitamins that I am trying to get from a pill. The problem with vitamins is that the evidence that the body actually absorbs them very well is dubious at best. Juices you buy at the grocery store just don't contain all that much actual juice is a lot of the cases, it is mixed heavily with high fructose corn syrup and water to make it sugary-sweet enough for American sensibilities. I am just debating about whether or not I will actually stick to the effort of juicing in the long run, so as to be worth it to buy one.
One too many Almond Joys,
Later!
One news story that has bothered me is the pope's "chief exorcist" talking about figures like Hitler and Stalin being possessed by the devil. This seems obvious, because in the history of man it is hard to imagine two men more responsible for unimaginable evil. The problem I have is that this humanizes Hitler and Stalin, makes them less responsible for what they did. I don't believe in forgiveness or excuses for crimes that result in death. A murderer can't atone for what they have done, you cannot unmurder someone. You can't unrape a woman. THe perpetrator bears full and all responsibility for their crime. If you get loaded and plow into a minivan carrying a family of four, I don't care if you go to speak at high schools about the dangers of drunk driving. It does say something about a person's character if they try to atone, but full atonement is something you will never achieve. I hate it when people try to abdicate responsibilty for the consequences of their actions.
There is still this push to blame companies like McDonald's for the fact that Americans are getting fatter. I agree with the premise, that Americans tend to eat horribly and that their health suffers as a consequence. Just like I completely agree that smoking causes any number of health problems, from lung cancer to high blood pressure. Where I disagree with the healthists, though, is whose responsibility it is to curb this "epidemic." I place it squarely with individuals, who have to choose whether to have that Big Mac and Fries or that salad with grilled chicken.
Speaking of health, I have been considering purchasing a juicer. I know I don't eat nearly enough fruits and vegetables, and juicing seems like a good way to get huge amounts of nutrients and vitamins that I am trying to get from a pill. The problem with vitamins is that the evidence that the body actually absorbs them very well is dubious at best. Juices you buy at the grocery store just don't contain all that much actual juice is a lot of the cases, it is mixed heavily with high fructose corn syrup and water to make it sugary-sweet enough for American sensibilities. I am just debating about whether or not I will actually stick to the effort of juicing in the long run, so as to be worth it to buy one.
One too many Almond Joys,
Later!