I live in Aurora so I'm very excited to hear that you've found a good dentist in the neighborhood. I've tried two other dentists near hear in the past couple years and hated both of them. Now the challenge will be determining whether they accept my crappy dental insurance. Were you able to see them with your insurance?
The food is usually thrown out by grocery stores because it is at or near its sell-by date. Of course, the sell by date does not mean that the food has gone bad, but for liability reasons most stores like to get the stuff off the shelf. We learned just how much so when my husband tried to buy a deli sandwich at the store one night, must have been at Wal Mart, and the sell by date was the next day, but because it was past midnight they would not sell him the sandwich. The cashier asked a manager and was told absolutely not. There was nothing at all wrong with it, he wasn't going to get food poisoning and sue, but the cashier took the sandwich and threw it right into the trashcan even with a willing customer wanting to buy it.
This is a very interesting article. I can see every point made as a valid one, because the topic is certainly not black and white. Things that I have learned on this subject:
When we were our poorest, we were our thinnest. Not because we didn't eat well. We just cut out any extras. We ate alot of filling veggies, rice, beans, apples, homemade bread, oatmeal, etc. (things that cost very little and filled us up a long time.)
Then one year we were able to get a little help from the government in the form of food stamps. I was SHOCKED at the amount of food money the government gave us that first month. There was NO way we could ever use that much money -- even for a family as large as ours. It was 5-7 times what we normally would spend. We found that with all that extra money, we were walking the aisles of the grocery stores, drooling at all the possibilities. Snack cakes, chips, pop, and all these "treats" that we had never before been able to afford suddenly crept into our diet. After I put on a few pounds and realized that I was cooking way less and microwaving much more, we put a kabosh on it. We started living on the amount that we had before. 2 months of food assistance lasted my family 7 months!
I had never felt so good as when my husband got that much-prayed-for job, and we were able to walk into the service office and ask that they close our help file. There was no longer a means to a lifestyle that was unhealthy for my family. It was easier to make healthy choices when your resources were limited and entirely your own.
That being said, the WIC program was the exact opposite. For your monthly allotment of milk, eggs, cheese and sugarless cereal, I had to have all my children's fingers poked for blood tests, meet with a nutritionist regularly, and tell the intimate details of my health and welfare to complete strangers. But at least they were nice about it.
Both programs are designed to do the exact same thing.. but they are run very differently.
When I am in Walmart the first week of the month, it is amazing to see the lines of families who had just gotten their food stamps. Cases of pop and the largest bags of chips I have EVER seen fill many of the carts. I never used to understood why they would do this. Having been there, I can kind of see it now.
I've never minded bad service, mainly because its a rare occurance (once.. twice a month?) that I go to a sit down restaurant. When I do, it's usually with someone interesting or I bring along a book to read.
Paul Michael is absolutely right. I remember when I was younger, and a receptionist barked at my dad because he accidentally grabbed my sisters insurance card instead of mine. Until I was about 16, I was TERRIFIED of going to the doctors/dentist/cardiologist because I felt like I "wasn't wanted".
I'm not quite sure what I said that you're objecting to.
First of all, I thought it went without saying that the media presentation of fat people (and especially fat poor people) was very much what I was trying to address here.
Second, I try very hard to keep up with the science on health issues. The most recent research I've seen has been very much against the notion that there will ever be a potion to cure obesity or to capture for fat people the health advantages of being thin. Further, the health advantages of being thin look more and more to be just that--health advantages of being thin. Eating a poor diet and then adding 7 servings of vegis to it doesn't make it healthy. (Even though statistically people who eat 7 servings of vegis are much healthier than people who eat very few.)
Third, I don't know if there are more fat people now than there were 10 years ago, but I think there are unquestionably more fat people now than there were 50 or 60 years ago--just look at crowd-scene photos from the 1940s and 1950s.
Finally, I think cheap, healthy food is very much a core topic for this site.
The forces that have come together to make it cheaper and easier to eat a poor diet than to eat a good diet are evil, but not the sort of evil that it's easy to fight against. I choose to fight by advocating for people to eat real food. It's healthy, and (with a bit of effort) it can be cheap, too.
It's a core topic not only for the site, but also for me.
I love my dentist! Not the pain, of course--I have terrible teeth--but the staff is wonderful. I got some great news in a call my last cleaning visit, and my dentist and hygenist were both genuinely happy for me.
I forgot to rant about how big pharma, government etc profit from the perfect scapegoat group of people who are obviously sabotaging themselves. Know why Weight Watchers has *so many* success stories? The have *so many* repeat customers. When fat people fail at weight loss- its their fault- not the fault of the process itself. They are guaranteed repeat customers from "failure"- which is basically the body right sizing itself to where nature/genetics would have it be. They don't *really* want success- they are happy to know that only 5% of weight loss dieters keep the pounds off. They have potential for 95% repeat customers.
I hate it when OMGtehfatz gets brought up on sites that have nothing to do with health, wellbeing, realistic conversation re: fat/"overweight"/obesity issues.
There is always correlation brought up about how the po' folks are the fat ones- and invariably, discussion occurs with great circle jerk clucking of tongues about fat people seen at Walmart, with junkfood, at McDonalds, etc.
May I point out a few things? Chiefly, the only reason OMGtehfatz people are remembered for being seen in these scenarios is that the media presents us biggies (usually with accompanied video of the head cropped off- like being fat in public is a crime) as being big eaters (with a big sloppy burger or donut being consumed), lazy (how dare we not belong to a gym to the tune of x hundred dollars/month?!?), etc. Morals about how fat is bad (using up more resources, more expensive health care blablabla) are spit out with each and every diabtribe against us. As is starting to happen here.
Fat people can't be responsibel with their money- if only they'd buy x from the health food store- they'd be thin. Way to generalize.
However, you all are missing the biggest story behind all the recent kerfuffle. A large (no pun intended) portion of those who are considered "overweight" or "obese" are only classified as such because of the government's changing defination of these terms. There probably aren't statistically *that many* more biggies now than there were a decade ago. But- change the defination and BOOM. It's an epidemic. Proceed to running in a circle and wringing your hands. The population is aging. The biggest group- the boomers- is now at the biological age where historically, guess what- a couple more pounds here and there add on and activity lessens. BUT since this generation opts to fight aging (with all the potions, lotions, weekend warrior of it all)at any cost- these pounds are no longer to be expected- they are to be demonized. The medical machine is also seeking to redefine what a heart attack is- wanna debate we will see an "epidemic: of heart attacks if this happens? Must be from the epidemic of fatties!
Who makes the money from more ill "not healthy" people? Big pharma- from making up more pills, books, diet plans, gastric bypass surgery, etc; government- from messing around with statistics, studies they play with in bed with big pharma and medicine, etc.- and of course the food industry- because they can mess around with definations of healthfulness and food products based upon the whim of the day as to what will help folks lose their demon fat.
Might I also add the personal is political when it comes to fat. Look at how the politicians go on about obesity initiative in their platforms. Makes me feel ike I should live life with a small suitcase by the back door- in case I need to escape to Canada before I am shipped of to a camp somewhere (think I am joking- read Paul Campos' latest article- google to find it- there is discussion about "wellness training camps" under way... by some of the ultra righties)
I recommend any *really* interested people to open their eyes a bit more before starting to make moral, snappish judgements on groups of people. I also recommend a site called "Junkfood Science" that debunks 99% of the crap science blown across our headlines about health, wellness, and obesity.
But of course, I will just be discounted by many as a fattie with a chip on my shoulder by a certain number of readers-- and fatties certainly can't know anything about anything if they can't get it as to how be "healthy" (aka "thinner")
I certainly don't mean to imply that obesity isn't a public health issue that affects rich and poor alike.
There are plenty of fat rich people--but there have always been fat rich people. For hundreds of years the standard caricature of the monied interests was a fat man in expensive clothes. Fat poor people is new. If only it weren't so unhealthy, we could herald it as yet another advancement in society--we're so rich even our poor people are fat!
But it is unhealthy. And, almost as bad, people's negative attitudes toward obesity add to their negative attitudes toward poverty in ways that hurt people who need help.
Intent is one factor--you have to intend to deprive the owner of the thing for it to be theft. (So, if your coworker leaves his toolbox in the back of your truck and you drive off with it, that isn't theft--you took something that wasn't yours, but you had no intent to deprive the owner.)
If you take a loaf of bread with the intent to feed your family (and with utter indifference to whether you are depriving the owner of the loaf of bread), one can at least argue about whether it meets the definition of theft.
As you go on to say, though, it is the ethical rather than the definitional argument that's interesting.
Sometimes you just don't realize how bad something is until you make a change. My doctor was great, but I finally got fed up with his office staff, and after wanting to switch for a year, I finally did. I couldn't believe the difference! I also had to change pediatricians last year, though not by choice (my son's doctor died), and was please to find a practice that was just as great (and in some areas, better) than the old one. In both cases, I asked about a million people who they would recommend, and why. I paid particular attention to the recommendations of people who said they were treated like a friend instead of a Co-Pay or insurance claim. I also specifically asked about Appointment Time Intengrity (getting you in at your appointment time, and not making you wait forever). Thank you for your article, and I couldn't agree more that you shouldn't settle for rotten service anywhere!
I'm a big believer in writing down goals, especially financial ones.
It gives a visual map to a seamingly unrealistic dream. If I hadn't written down the net worth I wanted us to achieve each year, I wouldn't have had the staying power to get where we are today.
We probably all know why this post is important now, and so I won't give any more publicity to the ignorance that has been perpetuated in some circles.
I've been working in a food-related ad agency in LA this past year. Near where I sit is a huge cupboard of food, regularly replenished, and a freezer full of ice cream. Much of this is either a client's brand, or is bought in bulk from Walmart or Office Depot. i.e. it's mostly junk.
As a result I've been eating junk food. Lots of it. I eat heavily salted peanuts, 'oatmeal bars', chips and of course lots of ice cream. I've probably gained about 10 pounds since starting here!
But what I'm strongly noticing lately is how HUNGRY I am, all the time at work. I munch and munch - yet feel very empty. So an hour or so later I browse the dismal supply and choose yet another salty, high sugar and fat, low-nutrition item containing more trans-fat than I would ever eat normally.
This constant intake of junk with constant craving for more is a new experience for me - normally I'm a pretty sensible eater.
I can TOTALLY understand how poor people can become obese, in a desperate attempt to extract some small amount of nutrition from the thousands of cheap calories consumed.
For various (mostly good) reasons it's difficult for me to make sensible choices in this situation, and I'm tempted to quit this otherwise great job just to save my health!
"If a hungry man steals a loaf of bread to feed his family, is it really theft?" a genuine ethical conundrum.
Yes, it is theft. Theft is taking something that is not yours, which is what the hungry man does when he steals.
The REAL question you are trying to point out is, if a hungry man steals a loaf of bread to feed his starving family, is it wrong.
There is no conundrum when you ask "is it really theft" - you're asking "is stealing theft?" to which the answer is a clear yes. But if you're asking whether it is wrong or not... that's more of a conundrum.
You know, I'm glad you mentioned the healthy eating it'll cost you post (which I unfortunately haven't had the time to comment on yet) along with all the rest of them (and thanks for my link as well). My husband and I talk about this from time to time and another friend and I have been discussing it quite a bit lately.
The bad food is cheaper. As healthy as we eat, we know there is more we could do and are finally getting in a position to try out a few additional things. One example that comes immediately to mind is the difference between bulk white rice and bulk organic brown rice / or bulk barley. When you are really struggling to put every penny to the best use and still make ends meet, it sure is easy to grab the rice that's 20 cents a pound versus the rice that's closer to a dollar a pound if not more than a dollar a pound. They are both real food, but one is way better for you nutritionally. Chana dahl is another example of being higher per pound than yellow lentils / split peas. Nothing wrong with either, but one is way lower on the glycemic index scale. We have finally managed to make the switch from honey to organic agave nectar, and feel good about that. But some people would find being able to afford either a stretch. Specialty flours versus white flours can also rack up in cost for someone just starting out. Sure, you can bake the bread, but how much healthier is it if you can't afford flax seed or oat bran to add to the mix? Or even whole wheat flour?
I am in total agreement with starting with real food for sure. I have found though, that is only the first in a series of battles. And if you add in the organic factor . . . wow . . . you can really get soaked. I'm interested to see how this discussion unfolds. Cool post, as usual.
I am currently learning a powerful lesson: I was never able to bring myself to even answer all those supposed thought-provoking questions, like 'what are your goals?', or 'where do you want to be in x years?'. I was always afraid to limit or jinx myself by my answer (a committmentphobe?!). About 10 days ago I decided in exasperation to just come up with MY OWN money to go back to school, despite raising a child on my own after divorce (and no, apparently I don't qualify for all kinds of assistance!). I have opened my eyes each day to any legal opportunity I can see to make extra money over the next 6 months, and found, to my surprise, that I am applying for jobs I never deemed myself worthy of even applying for before - and being offered them!! Fear of rejection is no longer an issue: it's not personal. And every day brings me fresh energy to get up and try again until my 6 months of saving are up (for now). Best thing the Hope-in-Hell-Scholarship application did for me was to turn me down! After 6 months, who knows, maybe I'll decide to be an entrepreneur or investor, rather than a student. Hmmm.
i would just like to commend you on this article. it is excellent. i dont believe in the gimmick of the secret. i think it is just a nice story to tell people that might motivate them to get off their butt and be/act positive in the direction they want their life to go.
the action/thoughts do not attract success in my opinion. no action causes no success. any positive thought or action thus increases your chances of success.
but nonetheless, a very insightful article. i try to live by the same mantras.
one i particularly use “It has to start some place, it has to start some time. What better place than here, what better time than now?”
and then i just get up and start whatever i need to.
I read about a study once that I found very interesting. I can't find a link right now but it went something like this: The participants were asked if they considered themselves a lucky person or an unlucky person. Then they were given a task: count all the photos in today's newspaper. But the newspapers supplied were specially prepared and had a full-page "ad" on page 3 that said in huge letters, "Stop counting now. There are 45 photos." For the most part, people who identified themselves as having "good luck" spotted this and stopped counting, while the people who identified themselves as having "bad luck" didn't. The conclusion was that "good luck" has a lot to do with always watching for opportunities that come your way.
I live in Aurora so I'm very excited to hear that you've found a good dentist in the neighborhood. I've tried two other dentists near hear in the past couple years and hated both of them. Now the challenge will be determining whether they accept my crappy dental insurance. Were you able to see them with your insurance?
Thanks for the tip!
Why three accounts? I only have two with Bank of America - I've always had a savings account with them, so it made sense to join up.
I just got my match of $140, and I'm happy enough.
The food is usually thrown out by grocery stores because it is at or near its sell-by date. Of course, the sell by date does not mean that the food has gone bad, but for liability reasons most stores like to get the stuff off the shelf. We learned just how much so when my husband tried to buy a deli sandwich at the store one night, must have been at Wal Mart, and the sell by date was the next day, but because it was past midnight they would not sell him the sandwich. The cashier asked a manager and was told absolutely not. There was nothing at all wrong with it, he wasn't going to get food poisoning and sue, but the cashier took the sandwich and threw it right into the trashcan even with a willing customer wanting to buy it.
This is a very interesting article. I can see every point made as a valid one, because the topic is certainly not black and white. Things that I have learned on this subject:
When we were our poorest, we were our thinnest. Not because we didn't eat well. We just cut out any extras. We ate alot of filling veggies, rice, beans, apples, homemade bread, oatmeal, etc. (things that cost very little and filled us up a long time.)
Then one year we were able to get a little help from the government in the form of food stamps. I was SHOCKED at the amount of food money the government gave us that first month. There was NO way we could ever use that much money -- even for a family as large as ours. It was 5-7 times what we normally would spend. We found that with all that extra money, we were walking the aisles of the grocery stores, drooling at all the possibilities. Snack cakes, chips, pop, and all these "treats" that we had never before been able to afford suddenly crept into our diet. After I put on a few pounds and realized that I was cooking way less and microwaving much more, we put a kabosh on it. We started living on the amount that we had before. 2 months of food assistance lasted my family 7 months!
I had never felt so good as when my husband got that much-prayed-for job, and we were able to walk into the service office and ask that they close our help file. There was no longer a means to a lifestyle that was unhealthy for my family. It was easier to make healthy choices when your resources were limited and entirely your own.
That being said, the WIC program was the exact opposite. For your monthly allotment of milk, eggs, cheese and sugarless cereal, I had to have all my children's fingers poked for blood tests, meet with a nutritionist regularly, and tell the intimate details of my health and welfare to complete strangers. But at least they were nice about it.
Both programs are designed to do the exact same thing.. but they are run very differently.
When I am in Walmart the first week of the month, it is amazing to see the lines of families who had just gotten their food stamps. Cases of pop and the largest bags of chips I have EVER seen fill many of the carts. I never used to understood why they would do this. Having been there, I can kind of see it now.
Great discussion you've brought up!
What worked for me was using a combination of whitening toothpaste, whitening mouthwash, and whitening paint-on treatment (from the dollar store!).
I've never minded bad service, mainly because its a rare occurance (once.. twice a month?) that I go to a sit down restaurant. When I do, it's usually with someone interesting or I bring along a book to read.
Paul Michael is absolutely right. I remember when I was younger, and a receptionist barked at my dad because he accidentally grabbed my sisters insurance card instead of mine. Until I was about 16, I was TERRIFIED of going to the doctors/dentist/cardiologist because I felt like I "wasn't wanted".
@DivaJean:
I'm not quite sure what I said that you're objecting to.
First of all, I thought it went without saying that the media presentation of fat people (and especially fat poor people) was very much what I was trying to address here.
Second, I try very hard to keep up with the science on health issues. The most recent research I've seen has been very much against the notion that there will ever be a potion to cure obesity or to capture for fat people the health advantages of being thin. Further, the health advantages of being thin look more and more to be just that--health advantages of being thin. Eating a poor diet and then adding 7 servings of vegis to it doesn't make it healthy. (Even though statistically people who eat 7 servings of vegis are much healthier than people who eat very few.)
Third, I don't know if there are more fat people now than there were 10 years ago, but I think there are unquestionably more fat people now than there were 50 or 60 years ago--just look at crowd-scene photos from the 1940s and 1950s.
Finally, I think cheap, healthy food is very much a core topic for this site.
The forces that have come together to make it cheaper and easier to eat a poor diet than to eat a good diet are evil, but not the sort of evil that it's easy to fight against. I choose to fight by advocating for people to eat real food. It's healthy, and (with a bit of effort) it can be cheap, too.
It's a core topic not only for the site, but also for me.
I love my dentist! Not the pain, of course--I have terrible teeth--but the staff is wonderful. I got some great news in a call my last cleaning visit, and my dentist and hygenist were both genuinely happy for me.
I forgot to rant about how big pharma, government etc profit from the perfect scapegoat group of people who are obviously sabotaging themselves. Know why Weight Watchers has *so many* success stories? The have *so many* repeat customers. When fat people fail at weight loss- its their fault- not the fault of the process itself. They are guaranteed repeat customers from "failure"- which is basically the body right sizing itself to where nature/genetics would have it be. They don't *really* want success- they are happy to know that only 5% of weight loss dieters keep the pounds off. They have potential for 95% repeat customers.
End rant.
I hate it when OMGtehfatz gets brought up on sites that have nothing to do with health, wellbeing, realistic conversation re: fat/"overweight"/obesity issues.
There is always correlation brought up about how the po' folks are the fat ones- and invariably, discussion occurs with great circle jerk clucking of tongues about fat people seen at Walmart, with junkfood, at McDonalds, etc.
May I point out a few things? Chiefly, the only reason OMGtehfatz people are remembered for being seen in these scenarios is that the media presents us biggies (usually with accompanied video of the head cropped off- like being fat in public is a crime) as being big eaters (with a big sloppy burger or donut being consumed), lazy (how dare we not belong to a gym to the tune of x hundred dollars/month?!?), etc. Morals about how fat is bad (using up more resources, more expensive health care blablabla) are spit out with each and every diabtribe against us. As is starting to happen here.
Fat people can't be responsibel with their money- if only they'd buy x from the health food store- they'd be thin. Way to generalize.
However, you all are missing the biggest story behind all the recent kerfuffle. A large (no pun intended) portion of those who are considered "overweight" or "obese" are only classified as such because of the government's changing defination of these terms. There probably aren't statistically *that many* more biggies now than there were a decade ago. But- change the defination and BOOM. It's an epidemic. Proceed to running in a circle and wringing your hands. The population is aging. The biggest group- the boomers- is now at the biological age where historically, guess what- a couple more pounds here and there add on and activity lessens. BUT since this generation opts to fight aging (with all the potions, lotions, weekend warrior of it all)at any cost- these pounds are no longer to be expected- they are to be demonized. The medical machine is also seeking to redefine what a heart attack is- wanna debate we will see an "epidemic: of heart attacks if this happens? Must be from the epidemic of fatties!
Who makes the money from more ill "not healthy" people? Big pharma- from making up more pills, books, diet plans, gastric bypass surgery, etc; government- from messing around with statistics, studies they play with in bed with big pharma and medicine, etc.- and of course the food industry- because they can mess around with definations of healthfulness and food products based upon the whim of the day as to what will help folks lose their demon fat.
Might I also add the personal is political when it comes to fat. Look at how the politicians go on about obesity initiative in their platforms. Makes me feel ike I should live life with a small suitcase by the back door- in case I need to escape to Canada before I am shipped of to a camp somewhere (think I am joking- read Paul Campos' latest article- google to find it- there is discussion about "wellness training camps" under way... by some of the ultra righties)
I recommend any *really* interested people to open their eyes a bit more before starting to make moral, snappish judgements on groups of people. I also recommend a site called "Junkfood Science" that debunks 99% of the crap science blown across our headlines about health, wellness, and obesity.
But of course, I will just be discounted by many as a fattie with a chip on my shoulder by a certain number of readers-- and fatties certainly can't know anything about anything if they can't get it as to how be "healthy" (aka "thinner")
I certainly don't mean to imply that obesity isn't a public health issue that affects rich and poor alike.
There are plenty of fat rich people--but there have always been fat rich people. For hundreds of years the standard caricature of the monied interests was a fat man in expensive clothes. Fat poor people is new. If only it weren't so unhealthy, we could herald it as yet another advancement in society--we're so rich even our poor people are fat!
But it is unhealthy. And, almost as bad, people's negative attitudes toward obesity add to their negative attitudes toward poverty in ways that hurt people who need help.
There are whole treatises written on what is theft. (Here's one: http://www.lawteacher.net/PDF/TA%201968.pdf.)
Intent is one factor--you have to intend to deprive the owner of the thing for it to be theft. (So, if your coworker leaves his toolbox in the back of your truck and you drive off with it, that isn't theft--you took something that wasn't yours, but you had no intent to deprive the owner.)
If you take a loaf of bread with the intent to feed your family (and with utter indifference to whether you are depriving the owner of the loaf of bread), one can at least argue about whether it meets the definition of theft.
As you go on to say, though, it is the ethical rather than the definitional argument that's interesting.
You are right. No-one should be treated like a co-pay, but that's often how we all feel.
Sometimes you just don't realize how bad something is until you make a change. My doctor was great, but I finally got fed up with his office staff, and after wanting to switch for a year, I finally did. I couldn't believe the difference! I also had to change pediatricians last year, though not by choice (my son's doctor died), and was please to find a practice that was just as great (and in some areas, better) than the old one. In both cases, I asked about a million people who they would recommend, and why. I paid particular attention to the recommendations of people who said they were treated like a friend instead of a Co-Pay or insurance claim. I also specifically asked about Appointment Time Intengrity (getting you in at your appointment time, and not making you wait forever). Thank you for your article, and I couldn't agree more that you shouldn't settle for rotten service anywhere!
I'm a big believer in writing down goals, especially financial ones.
It gives a visual map to a seamingly unrealistic dream. If I hadn't written down the net worth I wanted us to achieve each year, I wouldn't have had the staying power to get where we are today.
We probably all know why this post is important now, and so I won't give any more publicity to the ignorance that has been perpetuated in some circles.
I thank you for this post.
I was emailed this link no to long ago. It sounds like while more poor then not are over weight that that problem isn't religated to that area.
I've been working in a food-related ad agency in LA this past year. Near where I sit is a huge cupboard of food, regularly replenished, and a freezer full of ice cream. Much of this is either a client's brand, or is bought in bulk from Walmart or Office Depot. i.e. it's mostly junk.
As a result I've been eating junk food. Lots of it. I eat heavily salted peanuts, 'oatmeal bars', chips and of course lots of ice cream. I've probably gained about 10 pounds since starting here!
But what I'm strongly noticing lately is how HUNGRY I am, all the time at work. I munch and munch - yet feel very empty. So an hour or so later I browse the dismal supply and choose yet another salty, high sugar and fat, low-nutrition item containing more trans-fat than I would ever eat normally.
This constant intake of junk with constant craving for more is a new experience for me - normally I'm a pretty sensible eater.
I can TOTALLY understand how poor people can become obese, in a desperate attempt to extract some small amount of nutrition from the thousands of cheap calories consumed.
For various (mostly good) reasons it's difficult for me to make sensible choices in this situation, and I'm tempted to quit this otherwise great job just to save my health!
"If a hungry man steals a loaf of bread to feed his family, is it really theft?" a genuine ethical conundrum.
Yes, it is theft. Theft is taking something that is not yours, which is what the hungry man does when he steals.
The REAL question you are trying to point out is, if a hungry man steals a loaf of bread to feed his starving family, is it wrong.
There is no conundrum when you ask "is it really theft" - you're asking "is stealing theft?" to which the answer is a clear yes. But if you're asking whether it is wrong or not... that's more of a conundrum.
You know, I'm glad you mentioned the healthy eating it'll cost you post (which I unfortunately haven't had the time to comment on yet) along with all the rest of them (and thanks for my link as well). My husband and I talk about this from time to time and another friend and I have been discussing it quite a bit lately.
The bad food is cheaper. As healthy as we eat, we know there is more we could do and are finally getting in a position to try out a few additional things. One example that comes immediately to mind is the difference between bulk white rice and bulk organic brown rice / or bulk barley. When you are really struggling to put every penny to the best use and still make ends meet, it sure is easy to grab the rice that's 20 cents a pound versus the rice that's closer to a dollar a pound if not more than a dollar a pound. They are both real food, but one is way better for you nutritionally. Chana dahl is another example of being higher per pound than yellow lentils / split peas. Nothing wrong with either, but one is way lower on the glycemic index scale. We have finally managed to make the switch from honey to organic agave nectar, and feel good about that. But some people would find being able to afford either a stretch. Specialty flours versus white flours can also rack up in cost for someone just starting out. Sure, you can bake the bread, but how much healthier is it if you can't afford flax seed or oat bran to add to the mix? Or even whole wheat flour?
I am in total agreement with starting with real food for sure. I have found though, that is only the first in a series of battles. And if you add in the organic factor . . . wow . . . you can really get soaked. I'm interested to see how this discussion unfolds. Cool post, as usual.
I am currently learning a powerful lesson: I was never able to bring myself to even answer all those supposed thought-provoking questions, like 'what are your goals?', or 'where do you want to be in x years?'. I was always afraid to limit or jinx myself by my answer (a committmentphobe?!). About 10 days ago I decided in exasperation to just come up with MY OWN money to go back to school, despite raising a child on my own after divorce (and no, apparently I don't qualify for all kinds of assistance!). I have opened my eyes each day to any legal opportunity I can see to make extra money over the next 6 months, and found, to my surprise, that I am applying for jobs I never deemed myself worthy of even applying for before - and being offered them!! Fear of rejection is no longer an issue: it's not personal. And every day brings me fresh energy to get up and try again until my 6 months of saving are up (for now). Best thing the Hope-in-Hell-Scholarship application did for me was to turn me down! After 6 months, who knows, maybe I'll decide to be an entrepreneur or investor, rather than a student. Hmmm.
i would just like to commend you on this article. it is excellent. i dont believe in the gimmick of the secret. i think it is just a nice story to tell people that might motivate them to get off their butt and be/act positive in the direction they want their life to go.
the action/thoughts do not attract success in my opinion. no action causes no success. any positive thought or action thus increases your chances of success.
but nonetheless, a very insightful article. i try to live by the same mantras.
one i particularly use “It has to start some place, it has to start some time. What better place than here, what better time than now?”
and then i just get up and start whatever i need to.
The commenting/captcha system is doing some strange things.
I read about a study once that I found very interesting. I can't find a link right now but it went something like this: The participants were asked if they considered themselves a lucky person or an unlucky person. Then they were given a task: count all the photos in today's newspaper. But the newspapers supplied were specially prepared and had a full-page "ad" on page 3 that said in huge letters, "Stop counting now. There are 45 photos." For the most part, people who identified themselves as having "good luck" spotted this and stopped counting, while the people who identified themselves as having "bad luck" didn't. The conclusion was that "good luck" has a lot to do with always watching for opportunities that come your way.