The journeys my mind takes me on
So, I'm sitting here at work, supposed to be working and positively swamped with things to do - and I can't think or focus. I'm givin myself permission to take breaks along the way and it seems to be helping a little bit.
I have found a few things that are making the history/anthropology geek in me very very happy and squee. The other night I was watching 'Hidalgo' and thinking about Disney's rampant habit of not paying attention to little details like - oh say stories being advertised as based on the truth when there are piles and piles of evidences to the contrary. Or, twisting the truth to suit the Disney-ized version they prefer to portray. On one hand, eh. I don't mind because I know different and I like to know the real truth, so I'll go looking for it. On the other hand, it pisses me off to no end because the general populace doesn't have that thirst for knowledge and truth and won't go looking for it on their own. Hell - that's how we ended up with Dubya and his administration in office for two years.
And that reminded me of something I was thinking about on the way to work. (yay! I love my brain - seriously) Somehow I got thinking about food and what America has contributed to the world. I wish I could remember the train of thought and how I got there, but I don't. Anyway, I was wondering what the rest of the world sees as our contribution to the international palette. The Italians have given us a azing pasta dishes, the French have given amazing cheeses and wines, Germans - bratwurst, tasty potato dishes, etc. (please realize the gross generalizations and ommitance of the finer details is in an attempt to keep this somewhat brief)and it goes on and on. What would the world say is our biggest contribution? Probably NOT pizza, apple pie, hot dogs or fried chicken - it would be Fast Food. Travelling Europe, I was DISGUSTED at the pervasiveness of American Fast Food culture. There was a McDonald's on the Champs Elysee for christ sake! In Bern, Switzerland, there was a Wendy's and a KFC type restaurant. The only places I visited where I didn't see such an American influence were the cities in Italy. Rome had Starbucks, which I was horrifed by, but I think that was pretty much it. I don't remember seeing fast food plastered all over, but Italy was the only country.
Editing to correct myself: Tuck's comment reminded me that I had fast food in Milan - it was my aunt's fault. His comment also led me on a quick search of that American bane in Italy and I did, in fact, find numerous examples of fast food restaurants all over many of my favorite areas. I am now VERY VERY sad. Thanks Tuck!
That got me thinking about childhood obesity and how lax we are with our children. I do it, too, even in the midst of my horror about it. What habits are we teaching when we don't take the time to fix our children breakfast in the morning, instead giving them their choice of processed sugar laden cereal, or worse yet - swinging through the drive-thru and calling that a "healthy" meal? What are we doing to our children? What are we doing to the world's children?
And that's the extent of my attention for the time being, I'm afraid. I got distracted from it and now I can't go back and formulate anything else. So, this is now all open for discussion. I will actually be making this a public post so you can point people here, if you are so inclined.
I have found a few things that are making the history/anthropology geek in me very very happy and squee. The other night I was watching 'Hidalgo' and thinking about Disney's rampant habit of not paying attention to little details like - oh say stories being advertised as based on the truth when there are piles and piles of evidences to the contrary. Or, twisting the truth to suit the Disney-ized version they prefer to portray. On one hand, eh. I don't mind because I know different and I like to know the real truth, so I'll go looking for it. On the other hand, it pisses me off to no end because the general populace doesn't have that thirst for knowledge and truth and won't go looking for it on their own. Hell - that's how we ended up with Dubya and his administration in office for two years.
And that reminded me of something I was thinking about on the way to work. (yay! I love my brain - seriously) Somehow I got thinking about food and what America has contributed to the world. I wish I could remember the train of thought and how I got there, but I don't. Anyway, I was wondering what the rest of the world sees as our contribution to the international palette. The Italians have given us a azing pasta dishes, the French have given amazing cheeses and wines, Germans - bratwurst, tasty potato dishes, etc. (please realize the gross generalizations and ommitance of the finer details is in an attempt to keep this somewhat brief)and it goes on and on. What would the world say is our biggest contribution? Probably NOT pizza, apple pie, hot dogs or fried chicken - it would be Fast Food. Travelling Europe, I was DISGUSTED at the pervasiveness of American Fast Food culture. There was a McDonald's on the Champs Elysee for christ sake! In Bern, Switzerland, there was a Wendy's and a KFC type restaurant. The only places I visited where I didn't see such an American influence were the cities in Italy. Rome had Starbucks, which I was horrifed by, but I think that was pretty much it. I don't remember seeing fast food plastered all over, but Italy was the only country.
Editing to correct myself: Tuck's comment reminded me that I had fast food in Milan - it was my aunt's fault. His comment also led me on a quick search of that American bane in Italy and I did, in fact, find numerous examples of fast food restaurants all over many of my favorite areas. I am now VERY VERY sad. Thanks Tuck!
That got me thinking about childhood obesity and how lax we are with our children. I do it, too, even in the midst of my horror about it. What habits are we teaching when we don't take the time to fix our children breakfast in the morning, instead giving them their choice of processed sugar laden cereal, or worse yet - swinging through the drive-thru and calling that a "healthy" meal? What are we doing to our children? What are we doing to the world's children?
And that's the extent of my attention for the time being, I'm afraid. I got distracted from it and now I can't go back and formulate anything else. So, this is now all open for discussion. I will actually be making this a public post so you can point people here, if you are so inclined.