No Other News The Same: What Obligations does The Bachelor Have?

A tiny disclaimer before I start my blog tonight: yes, I watch The Bachelor. And yes, I totally understand if you are judging right now. It's not the most cerebral show. Yet it's kind of like a train wreck - impossible to take your eyes away from. And since it was reported by NPR, the LA Times and the Washington Post this week, I'm deciding to classify it as news. So there :).

You see, this season The Bachelor thought they had it made. They cast Juan Pablo Galvais, a Latino bachelor, guaranteed to raise their ratings. The problem? Juan Pablo doesn't really have a filter. In fact, LA Weekly called Juan Pablo the "Sarah Palin of the bachelor", stating that the producers had no idea he was going to "go rogue". He made some homophobic comments, was rude and arrogant, and in general didn't "play nice" for his interviews. Two women willingly left the show early because they weren't feeling it. That's saying a lot for a show where the contestants are typically throwing themselves at the bachelor or bachelorette, declaring they are in love the first week, and saying or doing anything to convince the bachelor/ette that it's a perfect match.

Yet his decision in the end was the most shocking (to the viewers). Let's back up for a minute for those of you that don't watch the show (or pretend to not know anything about it). Twenty-five men or women compete for one man or woman's heart. Along the way, they get roses to signify the lead's interest. The "journey" takes them on crazy, extravagant dates that never happen in real life and ends in about six weeks. The point of the show is to end in a proposal with declarations of undying love. (Hmm...the more I write about this, the less clearly I see my reasoning for watching this show).

Juan Pablo chose one girl at the end, but didn't propose and didn't say I love you. At the "After the Final Rose" show, he wouldn't really give the public what they wanted - a proposal and at the least, an admission of his love for his final choice, Nikki Ferrell. The only thing the public was left with was the knowledge that the couple would continue dating. Now he's being called the "worst bachelor ever". The producers have cancelled all of his interviews, and he's basically being blacklisted.

Hmm - let's take a minute and think about that. He didn't fall in love and want to marry someone after six weeks. Shame on him! So how far does a reality TV star's obligations go? Do they need to produce the type of emotion they are getting paid for? They aren't being paid to act....but are they? This season of The Bachelor really brought some key issues to light around this fantasy of a show. It's important to note that even though nearly every season has ended with a proposal, the 10 plus year show has resulted in only four marriages. So what does the viewing public really want? Me personally? It's pretty fascinating to watch. The majority of the women who watch? Probably the hope that the "fairy tale" of an ending will happen for them too. Yet if we're all really honest with ourselves, we'll never really know if the lead "character" is really feeling these emotions - or is contractually obligated to feel them. Is it better to be honest? Or to give the people what they paid for?

No Other News The Same: How Much Power Does a Superpower Really Have?

When one country (Russia) invades another country (Ukraine) in attempts to take back Crimea and "help ethnic Russians", the whole world sits up and pays attention. Especially when the citizens of Crimea are given ten days to decide whether they want to become a part of Russia or not. Most citizens around the world are simply just following the news. The United States is a bit of a different story. America is viewed as the lone World Superpower. So what does that mean, exactly? What power does the US have to do something about this? On a more philosophical level, how much power should the U.S. have?

U.S. President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State John Kerry have come out strong, saying that there will be consequences for Russia's actions and that Russia will come out on the wrong side of history. Russia President Vladimir Putin has ignored these warnings. In fact, it seems as though each day he takes a stronger opposing action. So, is the U.S. actually being effective at all?

In addition to strongly worded speeches, Obama has taken some action. First, he's imposed visa bans on Russian government officials in the US. Second, he's imposed economic sanctions against individuals involved in the crisis, including freezing assets and preventing trade. He also approved a $1 billion financial aid packet to help the Ukranian government.

Still, the fact remains that a part of Ukraine could absolutely become a part of Russia in less than two weeks, and the U.S. may not be able to really do anything to stop that. So the question still remains: should this be within America's power? Should America really be the world's watchdog?

No Other News The Same: Don't Trust Washington

I'm going to level with you here. The reason I started this weekly Op-Ed was to hold myself accountable to actually keeping up with the news. The actual news, not news about TV shows. So I'm not quite there as of today. Yet I've been noticing (along with numerous other viewers) that my hometown of Washington, DC (the place where the government actual news happens) is being portrayed by multiple television shows right now; House of Cards, Scandal, Veep, and Homeland, to mention a few. While the show The West Wing was a source of comfort of how things could be for those liberal Democrats dealing with the Bush White House, these new shows send one big collective message: Don't Trust Washington.

Although I've just begun my foray into House of Cards (don't judge me for joining the game so late), the Washington of House of Cards is one big game. Literally, one big game of cards. This show portrays a House representative who literally controls everyone around him. Not to mention, someone who finds nothing wrong with strategically linking government inside information to a major Washington newspaper.

There's never a dull moment in Scandal, a TV show that constantly makes you question the ethics of government - from election rigging to torture to faking pregnancies and relationships. Yes, the show often goes a bit over the top, but you are constantly left wondering, "Do you think that could really happen? Does that happen?" It seems like the government is barely being held together.

The bottom line is that no one knows what goes on behind Washington's closed doors. Republicans and Democrats are both equal offenders. Yet it seems that the public assumes it's pretty shady. I'll be watching the return of Scandal tonight, and I'll keep ya posted.

No Other News The Same: Don't Judge Food Decisions

In 2009, in an effort to bring fresh food into a North Philadelphia neighborhood, a Fresh Grocer was built near Temple University. It was highly publicized. Even Michelle Obama was there for the opening. Everyone had high hopes that this addition would change the health of the neighborhood. Yet four years later, a Penn State study finds that shoppers aren't eating any more fresh produce and that body-mass index hasn't decreased. Why not? Well, the simple addition of fresh food isn't enough to change human behavior. Making a change is way more complicated than that.

It's no secret that food access divides Americans. When the only option within an easy distance includes mostly processed food, it's much more difficult to access fruits and vegetables that will enhance health. Yet simply providing access to low-income food deserts isn't enough.

Of course nutrition education always plays a role in healthy eating, yet it's not fair to judge a lower income neighborhood for making the same food choices that are made al over America. "Judging low-income people for not eating enough fruits and vegetables makes little sense in a country that practically celebrates the chance to eat poorly," said Shiriki Kumanyika, an epidemiologist and obesity expert at the University of Pennsylvania. "If supermarkets alone could cure unhealthy diets, what Americans eat would look very different," she said. "The choices people make in supermarkets are bad if you look at the overall American diet. And that's regardless of income."

So what does go into eating choices? Income of course, yet beyond that, emotions, societal pressures, traditions and more. Change is not something that can happen overnight. The best bet is to work towards understanding what's behind food decisions, not judging, not thinking one person has all the answers, and working together with communities to gain control over their food.

No Other News The Same: Snow Days

It's been a rough winter, and the schools in Philadelphia have had 7 or 8 snow days so far. Students typically love snow days, and teachers love them (astonishingly) even more. Yet some families depend on school for more than their children's education; a safe place while parents need to work as well as the school breakfast and lunch. For those families, snow days become much more of a burden than a welcome relief.

Last year more than 21 million children nationwide ate reduced or free lunches, according to USDA data. Therefore, the snow days mean some children are missing out on two meals the families might have been depending on the school to provide. Additionally, this article notes the fact that some families struggle to pay their heating bills, so snow days mean an extra burden to make sure their children are safe and warm.

While teachers have an automatic day off, many other professionals still need to work, especially those who don't get paid if they don't work. While some professionals can work from home or manage their time differently, others need to make sure they are doing everything they can to get to work to avoid losing their jobs. At that point, parents, and especially single parents, are in an impossible situation. Some neighborhoods have come together to try to help each other out with child care.

Obviously, if students cannot get to school safely, it's necessary to make the call to close the schools. The major snow day debate surrounds the the teaching time schools might have to make up due to all the missed days. Most schools already have decided to hold school on President's Day to avoid taking time during spring break and/or at the beginning of summer. Yet it's worth noting the other issues at hand that come along with all of these winter storms.

No Other News The Same: In Defense of Real Chocolate

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and of course in my mind, Valentine's Day equals chocolate. Whether your significant other buys it, you buy it, your family buys it, or your friend buys it - chocolate is clearly what should be on everyone's mind right now. And not just any chocolate. My preference is the darker the better. I'll take an 85% bar of chocolate any day. Some people don't share my superior taste. In fact, some even dare to say that white chocolate is - gasp - an option. Perhaps for some, since they believe white chocolate should be included in the chocolate family. Although they share the same name, white chocolate and actual chocolate are actually not the same type of sweet. Chocolate is chocolate. White chocolate is candy.

White chocolate is called chocolate because it is made with cocoa butter, powdered milk and sugar. Yet since this candy does not contain any cocoa solids, only the cocoa butter, it technically isn't chocolate at all. As Bon Appetit says, "Though white chocolate contains extracted cocoa butter, it lacks the component that defines real chocolate. Joy of Baking says that since white chocolate doesn't contain chocolate liquor, it's not really white chocolate. Then, of course, there's a difference between real white chocolate and fake (or what I like to call poser) white chocolate. Real white chocolate uses cocoa butter. Fake white chocolate uses vegetable oil. Of course, white chocolate is a derivative of chocolate, since the cocoa butter comes from the cocoa bean. Yet Merriam-Webster's definition of derivative is a "substance that can be made from another substance". Using that logic, is a cake eggs since eggs go in a cake? I think not.

* This Op Ed may or may not have been written as a way to win an argument. In the comments below, voice your opinion! 

No Other News The Same: 2 inches

Last week in Philadelphia, 14 inches of snow shut down the city for 1 day. Apparently in Atlanta it takes 2 inches to shut down the city for 3 days. This was completely unnecessary. Yes, the South isn't used to snow, and freezing temperatures are difficult, yet it's irresponsible to not have an emergency plan in place for a city. Due to the fact that Atlanta is a commuter city, when everyone tried to rush home at once upon the beginnings of snow, the city was quickly gridlocked.  Even though Atlanta knew the "storm" was coming, no one thought to salt the roads in advance. Children had to sleep in schools, people died in traffic accidents, flights were cancelled, and the list goes on and on. Yes, some will say that since it never snows in Atlanta, it doesn't make sense to prepare for snow. Yet the one time it did, Atlanta's failure to prepare resulted in the city (as well as anyone trying to get to the city or connect through the city) suffering the consequence.

No Other News The Same: Women and Weight

Earlier this week, my friend called me in tears because her yoga teacher told her she had to lose weight. The teacher told her that unless she modified her diet, she wouldn't be able to progress in her yoga practice. My friend is a size 4. Most women dream of being a size 4.

If even the most supposedly forgiving and spiritual type of physical activity, yoga, is starting to shame already fit women into thinking they need to slim down in order to be healthy, we are in big trouble. We should know now as a society that being a size 0 doesn't equal perfect health. The more we prioritize size over wellness, the harder it will be for individuals to actually be healthy.

Recently Elle Magazine ran a cover of four women in comedy featuring Mindy Kaling, Zooey Deschanel, Amy Poehler and Allison Williams. The pictures of Deschanel, Poehler and Williams were full-body shots. The picture of Kaling was cropped, just showing the actress' face and torso. Immediately the public started to wonder why. Was Kaling too large to show her whole body on a magazine cover? Keep in mind Kaling is a size 8.

Yet Kaling herself said in a talk show interview that the public outcry deflated her sense of accomplishment at making the cover of Elle. "The implication was, 'What, Elle, you can't put her big, fat body on the magazine?'" she said, slightly joking. "'Why? 'Cause she's just fat and gruesome? Why can't we look at her beautiful fat body?'" (Reported by the New York Daily News). Kaling is funny, innovative and extremely successful. Yet when I google "Mindy Kaling", the first item that comes up on my search engine is "Mindy Kaling weight".

Being thin doesn't necessarily equate being healthy. Some believe that exercising rather than dieting is the important part, and that thin people can, in fact, be extremely unhealthy. In an article entitled The Truth About Size Zero, a former Vogue editor quotes a Russian model refusing a snack in one of the only English phrases she knows, "It is my job not to eat."

Marilyn Wann writes about weight bias; "A highly accurate way to predict a person's risk of dying is to see how easily they can get up from the floor. I'm trying to imagine how different our health care system would be if, instead of focusing on weight and weight loss, caregivers did the sitting-rising test instead. How much healthier would we be? How much more would we actually enjoy healthy living, free from weight judgment?" One yoga teacher writes about learning to be at peace with being the biggest person in all of her classes as a size 10. She realized she went up a size from doing so much yoga and cross-fit, yet she was stronger, more muscular, and more fit than ever.

I'm not for one second saying that gaining an excessive amount of weight is healthy. According to the Center for Disease Control, more than one-third of American adults are obese, and approximately 17% of children and adolescents are obese. Extreme weight gain is a health problem. Being a fit, healthy size 10 is not.

Yet there is hope (and despair for the weight loss corporations). Currently, the amount of dieters is at an all-time low, which is surprising considering the fact that it's still prime New Year's Resolutions time. Instead of dieting, some Americans are simply eating healthier. Some are also becoming more tolerant of a couple of extra pounds.

What if, instead of worrying about size and weight, people (and women in particular) just worried about wellness? The organization I work at teaches young people that health can come in all shapes and sizes.

One young woman, after a summer with us declared, proudly, "I'm big and healthy. I'm blealthy." 

No Other News The Same: Re-use?

What do you do when your umbrella breaks? If you're anything like myself, you probably just go out and buy another one. Another cheap one that will inevitably break in about a week or so. At this point, if I really forced myself to count, I could probably find about 11 bargain umbrellas in my apartment. About half of them are broken.

NPR Morning Edition ran a story today entitled No Rain on His Parade: Parisian Preserves Art of Umbrella Repair about Thierry Millet, the last umbrella repairman in Paris. Listening, I became uncomfortably aware of some bigger issues behind mindlessly buying one umbrella when another one breaks; monetary, environmental, and nostalgic. Society is willing to buy and buy and buy as if there are unlimited resources, and for now, there appear to be. What would happen, instead, if we restored our treasured possessions by fixing them when they broke, rather than buying new ones?

We would inevitably end up saving money. This year I re-soled both of my pairs of boots, and it cost much less than buying new ones. Millet typically repairs umbrellas for less than the purchase of a new one. This website lists various ways how re-using does save money.

We would be doing the environment a service. In France, an estimated number of 15 million umbrellas are thrown away in France each year. I couldn't find the comparison for the United States, yet I would wager the number would be comparable or higher. According to the Duke University Center for Sustainability and Commerce, the average US citizen generates 4.3 pounds of waste per day.

We would treat all of our possessions as if they were irreplaceable. Millet has other reasons for fixing umbrellas in addition to the environment. He considers repairing umbrellas to be a lost art. "People who come to me are attached to their umbrellas for sentimental reasons. Many times they have beautiful stories about them. So I feel obliged to restore them," he says. Everyone must have a few items they feel sentimentally attached to. For me, it's an old purse from my mother, a bureau my grandfather made himself, and a miniature wooden desk my great-great aunt gave me to remind me always to study. The old purse has a tire mark on it from when a car literally ran over it, the wooden bureau is worn, and the miniature desk is in pretty bad shape, yet I would never throw them away. Of course, I haven't really restored them either.

Now, there are extreme examples of re-using. Bea Johnson of Zero Waste Home nearly lost me as a reader when she wrote an extremely passionate argument detailing how she had tried to re-use a ponytail holder when it snapped, re-tying it and re-tying it until it was finally unfixable - and then refused to buy a new ponytail holder because she couldn't purchase just the one she needed. That lifestyle is not for me.

This simple and beautiful story about Millet's repair shop has made me want to go and reevaluate how I choose what I own. My ultimate goal is to own a few simple possessions that, with some simple repairs, will stand the test of time. Unfortunately, I can't seem to locate an umbrella repair shop in Philadelphia. 

No Other News The Same: New Year's Resolutions

It’s now 2014, and everyone is talking about New Year's Resolutions. The gyms are packed. People are buying fruit and kale in bulk for their healthy smoothies. Facebook and Twitter posts describe Resolutions in detail.

The age-old joke is that New Year's Resolutions only last until February, when that "clean slate" feeling wears off and people start to settle back into their routines. Yet most news outlets are running at least one New Year's Resolution story, whether it's to provide insight into the religious and cross culture nature of New Year's Resolutions, advise against New Year's Resolutions or even to dictate New Year's Resolutions for the individual who doesn't feel like making his or her own. 

Whether cynical or hopeful, our society is forever fixated on New Year's Resolutions. New Year's Resolutions make society feel hopeful, give people a sense of purpose, and add a sense of magic into our lives.

Even though December 31st isn't in reality that different from January 1st, the New Year can be a very hopeful time for people who feel disappointed in the previous year. In that ten second countdown, it can feel as if that previous year never existed.

It's true that goals can be set any time during the year. Yet, knowing that several others are also setting New Year's Resolutions can be extremely motivating. That peer pressure can create an urgent sense of purpose.

Adding a sense of ceremony and magic into New Year's can save people from the doldrums of the after Christmas blues. The Christmas tree will be recycled and Starbucks will stop selling their peppermint mocha. People must have something else on which to focus their attentions.

In reality, the whole concept of a New Year's Resolution is a complete illusion. Perhaps, like the Romans who supposedly started this tradition, we all need the myth of the New Year's Resolution. By the time February hits, the gyms will clear out, people will start preparing their feasts of wings for the Superbowl and the Facebook and Twitter posts will ramble on about some other new fad.