Getting corporations out of our families
This week I did something that I probably do only once or twice a year. I went to a mall. My daughters, 14 and 16, who live a fairly spartan existence, were given gift certificates for Christmas this year from various relatives. So I planned a mother-daughters shopping spree not only so they could redeem their cards, but also as a kind of cultural experience for us all. Because we shop so … [Read more...]
Ever spent an afternoon with a kid junked up on sugar? You know the scene. Maybe it's after a high octane birthday party where mounds of whipped icing on store-bought sheet cake was paired with a "juice" drink of dubious color and origins in celebration of some young soul's arrival at age five. After the festivities, you bring your wee one home, brain buzzing, moods racing, body bouncing off … [Read more...]
US child obesity rates have tripled in the last 30 years, saddling kids with diseases once suffered only by adults like Type II diabetes and high blood pressure. "Sick children often grow up to be sick adults--and we all pay," writes Leslie Samuelrich at Other Words. "Obesity is costing our country $147 billion per year, according to government-sponsored research. As a group of retired military … [Read more...]