Your Kids . . . Your Responsibility! August 22, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Health & Wellness, People.comments closed
Joel Bakan, a law professor at the University of British Columbia, is the author of “Childhood Under Siege: How Big Business Targets Children.”
Recently, he submitted an Op-Ed to the New York Times, “The Kids Are Not All Right.”
Wikipedia ~ Charles Mellin (in Public Domain)
In his article, he states:
Childhood obesity mounts as junk food purveyors bombard children with advertising, even at school.
A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study reports that children spend more hours engaging with various electronic media — TV, games, videos and other online entertainments — than they spend in school.
Much of what children watch involves violent, sexual imagery, and yet children’s media remain largely unregulated.
Attempts to curb excesses — like California’s ban on the sale or rental of violent video games to minors — have been struck down by courts as free speech violations.
He concluded the article by saying:
The challenge before us is to reignite the guiding ethos and practices of the century of the child.
As Nelson Mandela has said, “there can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”
By that measure, our current failure to provide stronger protection of children in the face of corporate-caused harm reveals a sickness in our societal soul.
The good news is that we can — and should — work as citizens, through democratic channels and institutions, to bring about change.
Since the article didn’t include a comment box, I’m commenting here:
Dear Mr. Bakun ~
Where are the parents in this equation?
As I see it, the problem does not lie with corporations who put crap into junk food. The problem is that parents buy that junk food and feed the crap to their kids.
Likewise, if kids are watching too much crap on TV . . . parents have a responsibility to change the channel or, better yet, turn the TV off.
If we want our children to grow up to be responsible adults . . . parents need to stop acting like whiny babies.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Related post: Stop Abdicating Responsibility * Parenting 101 * The Farcical Campaign Against Corpulence & Being An Accountable Human * Paternalism Produces Whiny Babies * Tired of Paternalism * Setting of a Mind (Janna)
Turn On Your Inner Aerator! August 22, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Mindfulness, Nature.comments closed
Stagnant water breeds algae, especially on sunny days.
To slow the growth of algae, people use aerators to pump fresh oxygen into still waters.
Clarity restored.
In similar vein, stagnant thoughts breed discontent.
Even on the sunniest of days.
To lessen dis-ease, turn on your inner aerator.
Pump some fresh oxygen into those stale thoughts.
No rules. Just write!
Quote: The easiest way to transform the world is to change your perspective.
Related posts: Walking Meditation * Meditation 101 * Creative Visualization * Attack of the Killer ANTs * The Serenity Principle
Spirit Lights The Way 