cleaning and purging

I have finally admitted that it takes me longer to figure out what to throw away than it does for me to just pack it up. Fortunately, I have discovered that it's easier to throw things out after you move, when you realize that despite moving into a larger space, there's still not enough space for all your crap.

So continues my constant struggle not to hoard, lest I become this Asian woman. (There are better photos here and here). I know I already have a tendency to hoard up plastic bags because they’re so “useful”.

Going through my stuff and living in a lower-income neighbourhood reminds me of how wealthy I am. (And it's about what you own, not just what you make). And I am trying to think about what I actually need versus what I think I need.

In addition to recognizing my wealth, I also have to acknowledge my snootiness. Apparently, I like smart people books.

Then again, what makes a good life is rarely tied with wealth or worldly achievement, but rather relationships and social adjustment. I’m sure a healthy marriage would help to that effect.

But if history and statistical research determines my life, then I may have a few more husbands in store. In the meantime, I am thankful to be in an egalitarian marriage and not an extreme complementarian one.

But I’m still glad I’m a girl, just not in the way that this book would suggest. The book now sells for $270 on Amazon.

And if you can’t get enough of learning more about your gender, you can try the Exciting Career Game for Girls. Your options are endless: model, actress, ballerina, nurse, teacher or airline stewardess! Sure beats becoming a fallen Disney princess.

And a random list:

• Another call for duty and virtue
• Day in the life of an elderly folks care home
• American Apparel ingenuity, hipster stupidity
• And censorship does not always come from the government
• And as always, remember to care for the introverts in your life

sharing time

A glimpse into my soul: this is a fitting representation of my computer desktop. Women’s fashion and lifestyle magazines always recommend that if you haven’t worn a piece of clothing for over a year you should throw it out. I am beginning to wonder if the same rule should be applied to half-written blog entries and articles on my computer desktop.

But seriously:

“the religious right was not good for religion”

“when scientists are silenced by colleagues, administrators, editors and funders who think that simply asking certain questions is inappropriate, the process begins to resemble religion rather than science”

“marriage actually works best as a formative institution, not an institution you enter once you think you're fully formed”

“laws aren’t supposed to be enforced only when convenient”

And not so seriously (or perhaps, more seriously):

interactive knitting

obamanomics

the recession is great!

the course I would someday like to teach

the sociology of scrabble letters

is it uncool to hate on American Apparel?

food is the new sex

and sex still sells. especially in france.

out of ideas

So... it’s the usual link posts, because I’m out of ideas for blog posts, aside from my usual ranting about Wall Street. Perhaps it’s time to give up on idea blog posts and convert this to a full fledged knitting blog? Wouldn’t my blog title “Look at this Tangle of Thorns” be equally applicable? Then again, I've received quite a collection of Mike Davis books for my birthday, which may provide some much-needed blog inspiration.

In any case, I have been collecting these links for a month or so, so some of them may be outdated.

As the Stanford Group’s $8 billion investment fraud was exposed the other day and Madoff’s ponzi scheme remains fresh on our minds and Wall Street’s excesses continue to anger us, this quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt seems appropriate:
“A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car, but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.”

But what better way to describe the American economy than a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip?

However, I do believe, aside from our Dick Fulds and Bernard Madoffs, there are plenty of other people who deserve to be punched in the face.

On a side note, I’m glad Caroline Kennedy did not get nominated to Senator. Kathleen Parker accurately describes my sentiments: “The real rub is that she hasn't earned it. The sense of entitlement implicit in Kennedy's plea for appointment mocks our national narrative. We honor rags-to-riches, but riches-to-riches animates our revolutionary spirit.”

Borrowing words from the Oscar-nominated movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button that I didn’t like so much, “Nothing lasts”. It’s unfortunate that good things don’t last forever. White Dog Café, a model restaurant for socially-responsible business practices was sold earlier this January. While most news sources report a rosy, PR-friendly story, other sources indicate otherwise. I'm not sure if I will be eating there again.

Likewise, this site illustrates the transformation of the organic food industry over the years—as small businesses end up being acquired by large corporations.

But nothing lasts also means that George W. Bush is no longer president. So instead of complaining about what a horrible president he was, we can now remember with endearment his unique patterns of speech.

Oh my gosh! It’s a utility knife for knitters! And I just got it for my birthday thanks to my hubby!

Speaking of hubbies, for those of you in the midst of wedding planning, this blog documents one couple's $2,000 wedding. It also might be nice to determine to see if your interior decorating styles match up and whether or not you want to have children and invest in a few good cookbooks. And if you really want to feel cool at your wedding, you can hire paparazzi to mob you.


* Knitting details. Two sets of socks. The grey speckled pair above is a pair of Garter Rib socks from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks for my dad. I am fretting that I will run out of yarn. The blue/pink pair of socks are a set of baby socks, loosely based on Two at Once, Toe Up sock pattern. I am using size 0 needles and koigu yarn, which has some of the most beautiful colorways that I have ever seen. I am also fretting that the final socks won't fit. How big are newborn baby's feet anyways?

lazy blogger

These link posts are the easiest blog entries to produce. Then again, posts consisting entirely of quotations from books are also easy to produce. Perhaps if I continue this trend, I will start twittering, facebook status-ing and then I will need to take this seminar in order to re-writer’s block myself. (I compile these links and comments over time, so some may be a bit outdated):

2008 marked the demise of Wall Street and the humbling of the proud. Mr. Madoff’s ponzi investment scheme further reminds us that we need better monkeys. Meanwhile, rich folk who have lost lots of money may need better matchmakers.

Not that any of this short-term profit-driven excess should surprise us, since we’ve turned a blind eye to corporate abuses for years. In particular, wage theft has been in the rise as the economy tightens. We don’t just need a federal bailout, but an ethical bailout as well.

Until the 111th new Congress passes ethical bailout legislation, let’s read dystopic novels about how the world will end. Some suspect this is already happening:

• Argentina is experiencing a chronic moneda (coin) shortage. (oh no!)
• Though some experts fear stagflation (oh no the seventies!), inflation on a standard basket of Christmas goods (based on the 12 days of Christmas) has gone up by 8.1 percent this past year (oh no! inflation!)
• Colleges need to reconsider tuition rates and how much parents are subsidizing their children’s extracurricular activities (oh no! Penn's only all-freshman all-Californian all-opera-style a capella group won't get its annual funding from the university!)
• Publishers continue to advance large amounts of money to the likes of Sarah Palin (oh no!)
• Some are beginning to declare the end of the hipster (oh no! no more irony!)

While some things in this world may change dramatically, other things stay the same. It makes me sad when a man with as much power and influence as Blago could still be hungering for more. But there is hope for those who find themselves hitting rock bottom after climbing high on the ladder of power and influence. Maybe Blago will do something useful with his life after all of this-- maybe he will land a book deal like Joe the Plumber or a Slate column like Eliot Spitzer. America is the land of opportunity!

I’ve only talked about economics and politics and endtimes so far. Looking for something more light hearted? This website chronicles ugly prom dresses. It’s bound to keep you entertained for hours, or atleast a few minutes. If you’re looking for something unexpectedly beautiful, check out these toilet paper wedding dresses. And this knitter suggests some accessible classical music that you can listen to while you endlessly surf the web...

internet links from a brainwashed radical

To prove that my blog hasn’t just turned into one long rant based on my indoctrination from my "radical" “leftist” “progressive” “post-Marxist” “feminist” Penn class, I thought I’d try to amalgamate some other links and thoughts of interest. In order to remain true to shameless self-promotion, I’ve also provided links to past blog entries relating to these topics. I guess in an ideal world, I would post a follow-up blog entry tying in the article. But we all know this isn't an ideal world...

For those of you who left comments on my last blog post, I haven’t had the opportunity to reply yet, because you both posed thought-provoking questions and I need to think a bit more before replying. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

Ideology vs. Money. In China, the latter speaks the louder word.

Ted Stevens was not re-elected. What a relief. Otherwise, the Penn maintenance guy would lose his faith in America: “If a convicted felon can be elected into the Senate, why can’t a felon in jail vote?”

Sick and tired of ethics in America? Just as we may no longer believe in neoliberalism in economics, we’re perhaps also in need of a change in the field of ethics:

We don’t need microfinance. We need sweatshops. I’m only half kidding. But Oxfam’s Uttaran in some ways manages to get the best of microfinance and manages to approximate more formal employment.

Michael Lewis, the writer of Liar’s Poker, comments on his experience and on events and people leading up today’s Wall Street mess.

I criticized WalMart in my last entry. Jonathan has redirected me to an article that argues to the contrary. I hope to post a response at some point.

Sometimes, I just want to make something beautiful, but it certainly tries my patience. Here's my half-finished quilt top:


I manage to look supremely uncool on my bike with my pant leg retainers, mismatched mittens, and Eco vegan sneakers. Practicality trumps narcissism. I definitely do not follow these instructions. Apparently, there are plenty of others who manage to bike fashionably. Though sometimes, in looking at their footwear, I wonder if they will soon remove themselves from the gene pool.


Incharacter.org runs a feature on forgiveness. Notably, Ten Greatest Moments in Forgiveness History highlights the extraordinary forgiveness exhibited by the Amish community after the school shooting.

If you’ve ever read C.S.Lewis’ Out of the Silent Planet, you might understand the theory that the seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia proxy atrological symbolism of the planets. A review on the book Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the ¬Imagination of C.S. Lewis by Michael Ward

Single Young Male (SYM). Single Young Female (SYF). The dating scene turns Darwinian (the end result of Sex and the City). It makes me really glad that I’m married. Young Married Couple (YMC) I suppose. Some notable quotables from the dating article:
“I am not going to hitch my wagon to a woman . . . who is more into her abs, thighs, triceps, and plastic surgery. A woman who seems to have forgotten that she did graduate high school and that it’s time to act accordingly.” “Maybe we turn to video games not because we are trying to run away from the responsibilities of a ‘grown-up life’ but because they are a better companion than some disease-ridden bar tramp who is only after money and a free ride.” “Men are finally waking up to the ever-present fact that traditional marriage, or a committed relationship, with its accompanying socially imposed requirements of being wallets with legs for women, is an empty and meaningless drudgery.”

From Orion Magazine: Why are corporations treated as individuals and not nature?
“In particular, we should examine the fact that, in the eyes of the law, corporations are considered people and entitled to civil rights. We often forget that corporations are only a few centuries old and have been continually evolving since their inception. Imagine what could be done if we changed the fiduciary responsibilities of directors to include obligations not only to profitability but also to the whole natural world, and if we imposed collective personal liability on corporate managers and stockholders to restore any damage that they cause to natural communities.”
Corporations are treated as individuals as a result of the 1886 Supreme Court case Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad Company in what some would argue is actually the most significant Supreme Court case in the US.

Find out how many earths would be required to support the human population if everyone lived the same lifestyle as you.

The game of monopoly provides an explanation for today’s economic crisis. While we need to fundamentally reform our economy, so that it is no longer a casino for speculation but an arena for responsible production of goods and services, we still need banks and financing. While many banks loaned with only an eye for increasing short-term profit, there are many subprime mortgage lenders who did it responsably.

As this financial crisis has forced us to question whether or not buying a house is always a wise financial decision for the poor, this economist questions whether accumulating savings is a good idea.

And oh, what shall I do now that the elections are over? Unfortunately, I forgot to save the links to all the articles I found interesting. I did find myself frequently crying the week after his win whenever I read anything about his historic election. Symbolically, Obama’s win has meant a lot, we have yet to see what it will mean practically.

In retrospect, some of the articles above are rather “lefty” or “progressive”. I guess I can’t help it. So I wonder if I think this way because of the class I am taking now, or whether I have always thought this way and this class has merely given more concrete words and frameworks to express it. I suspect the latter, given that I wasn't indoctrinated by my Wharton or economics classes, but it's always important to question how we form our opinions. How much of our thoughts are truly our own and how much are they influenced by what we hear and read and the people we hang out with? And how much of our common sense and knowledge as a society as a whole is influenced by the way the academy produces and frames research?

On a similar note, I also have noticed that my husband and I (or perhaps to use more PC terminology, my "partner" and I) have experienced a convergence of opinions in recent years. Do we have similar opinions because we started dating and got married? Or, did the similar opinions make us attracted to each other in the first place? Chicken and the egg.

shopping season

Now that election season is over, it’s holiday (a.k.a shopping) season.

Our political voting may be over for the year, but we still vote with our money. As I mentioned in my last post, we implicitly support the way that businesses are run when we buy from them and give them revenue.

While it’s near impossible to ensure that everything you buy is produced justly and sustainably, please consider making atleast a few purchases (if not all) from businesses that pursue ethical labour and good environmental practices this holiday season. As you will see in the list below, there are lots of options.

I thought I’d list a few stores and brands that I like. They usually have some combination of local, ethical labour or sustainable environmental practices, though few of them are 100% perfect in any of those categories. Below my list, I’ve also included a list compiled by Co-Op America in this brochure. It’s an even more comprehensive list of different businesses. I haven’t browsed most of these stores but some of them sound like great places to find gifts for others or for yourself. It's also possible to look up retailers on Responsible Shopper. I've also blogged extensively about labour practices in the past (1, 2, 3, 4)

If you know of other brands or stores that you particularly like, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. Or if you find out that any of these stores or brands are not quite what they're made out to be, please let me know as well. I’ll update this page as I hear about more stores and brands.

Please feel free to forward this link or this list to others. Spread the word! If you’re going to consume, you might as well support good business practices while you’re at it.

Food
Equal Exchange - Fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate. Yummy!
Your Local Farmer’s Market – To find one near you and if you’re in PA, try Buy Local PA or Local Food Philly


Clothing and accessories (Online ordering available for all of the below)
Fair Indigo – Fair trade clothing online retailer that sells Ann Taylor Loft-like clothing. They are sleek and corporate-looking, which immediately arouses some suspicion, but for the most part, I believe that they are genuine. Proceed with caution.
Wiksten – Handmade clothing sewn by a woman who resides in Kansas City; A bit on the pricey end and a small collection but I appreciate people who start their own craft business working out of their houses.
Passenger Pigeon Clothing – Eco-friendly clothing and bags made in Canada. Also pricey so I’ve never bought anything from them, but they have some really gorgeous designs
Anti-Factory - Hand-made "urban" clothing made from recycled materials. Really nice, colourful casual styles.
ReLoad – Handmade custom messenger bags, backpacks and other accessories. Orders can take up to a month to process as they are all hand-made and based on customized colours. They also do custom graphics and machine appliqué on their bags. They are headquartered in Philadelphia.
VicPickle – Purchase your own customized handbag (i.e. you get to pick out the fabrics, style etc…) which will then be made by hand in Philadelphia. They’re headquartered in Philadelphia as well.
Mooshoes – Vegan and cruelty-free shoes and bags. Store is in NY.
WarmLegWear – A family business operating out of Maine (I think?). It sells lots of tights and socks, most of which are made in Canada.
Sockdreams – Similar to the above, but with a wider selection, including organics. Not sure where most of their socks/tights are manufactured though.
Adbusters BlackSpot Shoes - Union made canvas sneakers ($79) and boots ($120)
Planet Bike - Bike lights and other accessories
Camper – is a Spanish shoe company with long history of environmental and labor responsibility. They’re also pricey but the shoes are very stylish—they’re famous for the “Twin” shoes where two shoes have different but coordinating designs.
The Green Guide also has a good list for ethically-made and environmentally-friendly shoes (including Timberland and Birkenstocks)

Miscellaneous
Etsy – Online retailer of vintage and handmade items. It’s Ebay meets an arts and crafts fair.
Ten Thousand Villages – A fair trade nonprofit organization. It sells jewelry, home décor (including beautiful wicker baskets), cards, notebooks, china and other gift items.
LUSH – Organic bath and body products made in Canada with minimal packaging. They’re pricey but the store smells good.
Paperbackswap – Not really a source for gifts but a good website to post and swap books with other members.

Local Stores specific to Philadelphia
I’ve tried my best to list the intersections but if you do plan to visit any of these stores, please google the addresses to be sure.
Thrift stores and consignment stores – There are plenty in the Philadelphia area. To list a few: The Second Mile at 45th and Locust, Goodwill at 22nd and Market (across from Trader Joe’s), a place at 50th and Baltimore, Buffalo Exchange at 17th and Chestnut, Sophisticated Seconds at 21st and Sansom, Immortal Uncommon Resale at 18th and Sansom, Greene Street (or something like that) on South Street etc…
Smak Parlour – A boutique located on Market Street between 2nd and 3rd Street in Philadelphia. It has great (somewhat flashy) clothing mainly for parties and nightclubs. Most of the clothing is designed by the owners and sewn in Chinatown. I almost got the bridesmaid dresses for my wedding from this store, but they unfortunately would not be ready on time.
Vix Emporium – VIX Emporium is a handcraft store located at 50th and Baltimore. They have quite a bit of fun jewelry, t-shirts, cards, soaps, bags and other
Black Cat – Another gift shop located 3424 Sansom Street Philadelphia. Straight from the website: “We strive to be a socially responsible business by focusing on merchandise that contributes to the good of the planet as a whole. These "Whole World Products" include pieces made from recycled materials, the work of local artists and craftspeople, fairly traded international handicrafts, and products sold in support of disabled or disadvantaged people.” It’s the counterpart to the famous White Dog Café.
Firehouse Bikes - Worker-owned used bike store and repair shop; Bikes range from about $100-$600; Great service (though sometimes slow), good prices, really friendly owners! I purchased my own bike there June of 2007.
Used/local book stores – The city also has plenty of used or locally-owned bookstores Book Trader (2nd and Market), A House of Our Own (39th and Spruce), The Last Word (40th and Locust), Big Jar Books (2nd and Arch)
Some of the above stores in the other lists are also headquartered in Philadelphia or have stores in Philly, including Ten Thousand Villages (13th and Locust), LUSH (15th and Walnut), VicPickle and ReLoad.
Fabric stores – Fabric Row has a whole bunch of fabric and notions stores located near 4th and Bainbridge; Spool Sewing at 19th and South; Cloth & Bobbin in Narberth
Yarn Stores – Rosie’s Yarn Cellar at 20th and Locust, Loop at 19th and South, Ewe and I in Narberth; Look specifically for Manos del Uruguay and Shokay yarn purchased from cooperatives in China and Uruguay.

Co-Op America List

A Greater Gift
www.agreatergift.org
Fairly traded home decor, jewelry, and more from artisans and farmers around the world.

Autonomie Project, Inc.
www.autonomieproject.com
Fair Trade, sweatshop-free footwear and clothing made by worker-owned cooperatives in the developing world.

Bamboosa
www.bamboosa.com
Makes bamboo fiber clothing and baby products that are sweatshop-free and American-made.

BaaBaa Zuzu
www.baabaazuzu.com
Jackets, mittens, hats, scarves and bags: one-of-a-kind and made in the USA from reclaimed woolens.

BTC Elements
www.btcelements.com
Offers earth-friendly and socially conscious apparel, accessories, beauty, and baby clothes.

Chapter One Organics
www.chapteroneorganics.com
Uses organic fabrics sewn in the US to make stylish, fun, and practical baby and toddler clothing.

Certified Jean Co.
www.certifiedjean.com
Jeans for men and women, made from organic cotton: grown, milled, and made in the USA.

Cottonfield
www.cottonfieldusa.com
Organic cotton and hemp clothing including sweaters and underwear for men and women.

Decent Exposures
www.decentexposures.com
Shirts, leggings, skirts, bathing suits, and over 200 sizes of organic cotton bras made in the USA.

Dreams on Looms
www.dreamsonlooms.com
Collection of apparel and accessories handwoven by tribal women from northeast India.

Earth Creations
www.earthcreations.net
Clothing in organic cotton, hemp, tencel, and bamboo blends; dyed with natural clay dyes.

Ecolution
www.ecolution.com
Direct Romanian sweat-free manufacturer of hemp products: hats, bags, apparel, fabric, and more.

Ecoganik
www.ecoganik.com
Private label sweat-free organic fashion for men, women, and kids: career and casual wear and more.

Esperanza Threads
www.esperanzathreads.com
Organic fiber clothing made under fair conditions in Cleveland, Ohio.

Equita
www.shopequita.com
Fair Trade, organic and green essentials including: apparel, jewelry, handbags, and baby
clothing.

Fair Industry
www.fairindustry.com
Fairly traded women’s clothing and jewelry; modern design combined with traditional skills.

Fair Trade Sports
www.fairtradesports.com
Fairly traded eco-certifi ed sports balls for soccer, football, basketball, rugby, and more.

Far East Handicrafts
www.fareasthandicrafts.com
Direct importer from indigenous craftspeople, specializing in handmade paper, singing bowls, chimes, bells, silver and wood carving, and more.

Global Exchange
www.store.gxonlinestore.org
Not-for-profit, non-exploitative online store supporting artisan cooperatives in 40 countries.

Global Mamas
www.globalmamas.org
Clothing and jewelry handmade by women’s cooperatives in Africa.

Greater Goods
www.greatergoodsonline.com
Fair Trade hats, natural fiber clothing, jewelry, gifts and more.

Justice Clothing
www.justiceclothing.com
Men’s and women’s union-made-in-the-USA clothing, coats, underwear, socks, ties, and more.

Kusikuy
www.kusikuy.com
Fair Trade llama and alpaca blend knits. Ponchos, sweaters, hats, mittens, and scarves.

Maggie’s Organics
www.organicclothes.com
Sweat-free clothing including T-shirts, camisoles, tops, socks, and tights made with organic cotton.

Marigold Fair Trade
www.marigoldfairtradeclothing.com
Fair Trade clothing and household items from a women’s cooperative in India.

Natural Beginnings
www.naturalbeginnings.biz
Organic and natural sweat-free products for babies and their moms.

No Sweat Apparel
www.nosweatapparel.com
Union-made, sweatshop-free sneakers and clothing for men, women, and children.

North Star Toys
www.northstartoys.com
Creative, nontoxic, nonviolent wooden toys made by a family business.

Parnassus Investments
www.parnassus.com
Offers seven socially responsible mutual funds, all of which consider both financial and social factors when making investment decisions.

Rugmark
www.rugmark.org
Working to end child labor in the rug industry, and offer education to former child weavers.

Splaff
www.splaff.com
Sandals, bags, and belts handcrafted from used tires, hemp, and recycled materials.

Traditions Fair Trade
www.traditionsfairtrade.com
Promotes Fair Trade relationships with artisans around the world; offers sweat-free sneakers.

T.S. Designs
www.tsdesigns.com
Full-service apparel domestic manufacturing and screenprinting company based in North Carolina.

Under the Nile
www.underthenile.com
Children’s apparel, diapers, bedding, blankets, and more, made fairly in Egypt.

World of Good
www.worldogood.com
Fair Trade apparel, scarves, jewelry, housewares, and gifts from around the world.

garbage dump

I’ve just returned from vacation in cool California and am returning to the humid weather of Philadelphia and my overflowing “Word Document” where I amass all the articles and quotes for this blog. So I thought I would clean my plate as I did previously before posting again (currently in the pipeline are some scribblings on the birth, adolescence and middle age of Philadelphia, crafting and consumerism, and rather reluctantly, on the topic of being Asian American, since I am technically now an American. I suppose I could consider taking topic suggestions as well).

First of all, this cartoon is incredible, though I can’t seem to remember where it is from:


A similar graph from this White Courtesy Telephone blog post also suggests the inanity of much research.


Also, on an academic note, it’s been all over the news that Peter Enns has resigned from Westminster Theological Seminary (WTS) in what appears to be a theological difference. In my completely amateur opinion, it marks WTS’ move away from academic scholarship and more as a denominational training ground. Institutions, like cities, have personality and character. They are born, they change, they age, and eventually they also will die.

There’s been more talk about the students who are receiving elite educations. An adjunct faculty writes about the spirit of entitlement that dominates Harvard University. The article has been hotly contested and debated, so if you’re interested, run some searches on it or check the additional links on aldaily.com.

So given the state of today’s academic environment, the recent passing of Russian writer Alexander Solzhentisyn should merit attention. Solzhentisyn was a bold writer who openly criticized and denounced the Russian communist regime, in particular writing about the horrors of the gulags. Articles from the Inquirer and the Economist.

It was also refreshing to see an SFMOMA exhibit on China “Half Life of a Dream”. The artwork seemed meaningful because it actually seemed to have something relevant to say – perhaps because China has more of a contradictory national narrative, than the postmodern fragmentation of the American narrative in recent years. The Philadelphia Inquirer has featured three stories spanning two decades about a Chinese woman who has now become a corporate executive. 2008, 1999, 1987.

Speaking of China, the Olympic Games are coming up. I’ve never been super into watching these competitions—and part of me is always devastated by the amount of havoc it can wreak upon a city—economically and ecologically. For the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, the city plans to bulldoze through a rare forest. There’s more coverage of China’s Olympic Games and the corresponding environmental and societal issues at the same site.

On the environmental note, as gas prices hike, bicycling has also finally been gaining the spotlight. There’s a useful Philadelphia Inquirer article with practical tips about bike commuting, as well as an Economist article on bicycling and its implications on street planning and safety.

My few words of advice from my on year of experiencing the indignities of commuting by bike: it is okay to wear skirts that are longer than skirt length, changing after you get to work is highly advisable, and it’s better to be slow and safe. Be respectful of motorists (e.g. don’t run red lights when they are trying to get through the intersection) but remember that you have a right to be on the road. However, if your safety is threatened (e.g. angry, aggressive driver), you may need to slow down and get off the road.

Meanwhile, I am reminded of Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities with a recent Mercedes hit and run accident in the Philadelphia area. Hit and run accidents make me very angry. However, the murder of a four year old this week strikes an entirely different level of emotion, something akin to numbness.

Despite the violence in this area, Philadelphia still remains a great city to live in. Surprisingly, it is a lot safer than what one might imagine. Props to this recent college graduate who wrote for the Inquirer why he has decided to stay in Philadelphia and contribute to my continued ambivalence about the gentrification of this city.

Speaking of Philadelphia, I have been fairly satisfied with Nutter as our mayor, but that did not prevent me from feeling saddened about reading about the death of Jesus White, a homeless man who ran in the mayor primaries last year.

It’s especially striking that Jesus White worked a regular job, but still had no home. It saddens me that when the economy does well, it takes years for the minute benefits to “trickle down” to the poor. Yet when the economy suffers, the impact is felt immediately and most severely by the poor.

Speaking of policies, Barack Obama’s recent support of faith-based programs has also been on the minds of many. This Opinion article Why Obama seized the faith-based mantle by Amy Sullivan from USA Today traces the history of faith-based initiatives, something that surprisingly despite being one of Bush’s signature policies, stemmed from the Democratic party.

This other opinion article from the Baltimore Sun makes a argument against more funding for faith-based programs, but instead advocates more collaboration between religious congregations and secular nonprofit organizations. The writer’s argument is solution-oriented and forward-looking, which I appreciate, but he also assumes the necessity to professionalize care, something that I am not entirely comfortable with. While professional help may be valuable and important, we run the risk of evading responsibility ourselves, and pushing it off to a third party, outsourcing compassion if you will. While Bush’s ‘compassionate conservatism’ has not been successful, I am pretty sure that putting the burden of caring for the poor entirely on the shoulder of the government will also fail. Institutionalized compassion will not bring about transformation. (Does institutionalized care even qualify as true compassion?)

All this talk about politics makes me remember once again that I am now a U.S. citizen and will be voting in the upcoming election! Perhaps more significantly, I have almost been married to this man for 6 months.

On a lighter note, Wordle.net is quite amusing. I ended up with this for this blog:

I'm also tired.

blablabla

I have been bogged down by unfinished blog entries. So to unload and start off on a fresh slate, I offer you some thought-provoking links and excerpts, and unfinished thoughts that have inspired me enough to write a few words, but perhaps not enough to write a full entry. This is long (four full screen lengths), so please browse….

Are YOU an African country ravaged by Aids and parched by drought? Fear not! Simply call Madonna! This fabulously wealthy white women from the West will solve all of your problems with a few fleeting visits, some looks of pained concern for the paparazzi, and a couple of million quid in donations…

There is something creepily colonialist in Madonna’s attitude to Africa. First we had the White Man’s Burden -– now we have the White Madonna’s Burden. More and more celebrities are treating Africa as a wide-eyed child that needs a Hollywood hug -– or as a wicked devil that needs a Hollywood hammering.

~ from the White Madonna's Burden

Sometimes, I wish people would stop whining about so-called “sexual oppression” in the United States. We have it pretty good in this country. Why do we keep complaining? Because apparently part of the answer to women’s sexual oppression, is to watch more porn:

Women bear the brunt of sexual oppression. While women have gained upward mobility in economic, political, and social realms, sexual liberation is the necessary key to open the door to full emancipation. Many women are not even aware of this insidious form of oppression. It is essential that women embrace their sexual identities. Women are entitled to enjoy sex and engage in any sexually activity that brings them pleasure without fear of punishment. This includes anything from thinking about sex to consuming pornography to engaging in sex acts that society still deems aberrant. If we find pornography, at large, to be degrading to women, then women must take charge of producing pornographic images that no longer cater to male desires through degrading depictions of women. Women, as consumers, have the power to transform the porn industry by creating a demand for porn that speaks to women’s interests.

~ from Canon Magazine

I hate the language of rights. It seems to imply that we have no responsibilities, only entitlements. It leads us to be complainers and whiners of our own situation, rather than people who are working to improve those of others. (A notable reflection on this can be found in White Courtesy Telephone.)

Who said “women are entitled to enjoy sex and engage in any sexual activity that brings them pleasure without fear of punishment?” Unless we get our tubes tied, we’re always going to have to worry about pregnancy. Our bodies are not entirely our own.

Yale student, Aliza Shvarts, created a scandal this year by creating artwork by collecting the blood from supposedly nine herbally-induced abortions—which in effect, is insulting to pro-choice and pro-life supporters alike for the manner in which she took so lightly human life. And this is the rhetoric she spews:

Among her "conceptual goals," she wrote in the Yale Daily News, was "to assert that often, normative understandings of biological function are a mythology imposed on form. It is this mythology that creates the sexist, racist, ableist, nationalist and homophobic perspective, distinguishing what body parts are 'meant' to do from their physical capability." Shvarts wanted to show that "it is a myth that ovaries and a uterus are 'meant' to birth a child."

Luckily, atleast some do not buy into the jargon:

Yale, of all colleges, never should have been blind-sided by such a stunt. One of the most astute critics of the humanities is on its faculty. Last year, Anthony T. Kronman, the former dean of Yale's law school, published "Education's End: Why Our Colleges and Universities Have Given Up on the Meaning of Life." This superb book traces the historical rise and fall of the humanities, which, Kronman writes, "are not merely in a crisis. They are in danger of becoming a laughingstock, both within the academy and outside it."

~ both quotes from the Washington Post

And so while rich college-educated women rail on about abortion rights and pornography rights, there are lots of more significant ways that oppression is going on in the world:

We All Own Stolen Goods — and How Defending Property Rights Can Help the World’s Most Oppresed People by Leif Wenar
Confessions of a Sweatshop Inspector by T. A. Frank

But of course, we don’t really have to worry about this because we’re adults in America. We only need to care about ourselves. Today, the signifiers of adulthood, the emergence from the so-called university “campus bubbles”, are framed wall art, dry-clean only clothing, studio apartments, even more casual sex, Coach bags and happy hour martinis. Welcome Sex and the City, our beloved four role models of young professional life. Even in later years, the true keynote of adulthood is not so much marriage, as the purchase of dream suburban home, or if you’re really high up on the achievement ladder, the urban luxury flat.

Barber argues that the new ethic of capitalism is one of ‘infantilisation’: money today is to be made in maintaining adults as needy children, who stuff down dumbed-down films, saccharine food and video games. While in the early stages of capitalism it benefited the capitalist system for everybody to save their pennies, now it benefits the system for us to splurge every penny and borrow more. While in the time of Franklin people were encouraged to restrain themselves and reinvest, now, says Barber, we are encouraged to act on every immediate whim, to be the grasping child in a sweet shop unable to say no...

If consumerism is emphasized more in our culture than production, play more than work, this is not only because consumption is what Western capitalism needs now – it is also because the production side of life is so lacking in ideological justification.

It is not so much that we have an ethic of consumption, but that – by default – it remains as one of the few meaningful experiences in our lives. There is a tangibility and satisfaction to buying – to picking out a new shirt or a new album and taking it home – that means that shopping remains for individuals a confirmation of their power to make things happen in the world.

The power of consumption has been usefully theorised by the Marxist sociologist Georg Simmel. In The Philosophy of Money, he looks at how buying an object is an act of individual subjectivity, the person stamping himself on a thing and claiming his right to its exclusive enjoyment. Shopping remains a way in which our choices have a tangible effect, in which we can make something in our lives new and different.

~ from a review in Spiked Online on the book Consumed: How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults and Swallow Citizens Whole, by Benjamin Barber

I am quite saddened if shopping ends up being one of the few meaningful experiences that I can have in my life, and that it's one of the few ways that I can make an impact in the world and express myself. Is it not bad enough that I am what I do, that now I also have to be what I buy?

Today's American children, by contrast, get an average of 70 new toys a year, yet child development experts agree that the best toys are simple playthings such as blocks, balls and figurines that a child can play with over and over, in new ways. When I was growing up, a sticker was something precious that a stationery store owner would carefully cut off a roll and sell for 25 cents. Today, a made-in-China jumbo book of 600 stickers can be bought at CVS for $6.99. Something has been lost in this ostensibly positive development...

Far from inducing feelings of inadequacy, saying no to the parenting consumer culture should make parents feel all the wiser...

As for my husband and me, we hardly have unlimited resources, but we're still planning to go forth and multiply in the big city. The way we figure it, one day our children will be grateful for what we didn't give them -- and what we did for them instead.

~ by Pamela Paul, author of "Parenting Inc.: How We Are Sold on $800 Strollers, Fetal Education, Baby Sign Language, Sleeping Coaches, Toddler Couture, and Diaper Wipe Warmers -- and What It Means for Our Children."

skin deep

I don’t know if this entry is going to be of any interest to anyone—it’s essentially disjointed ramblings on makeup and the cosmetics industry. This has been on my mind since I’ve been spending the last two weeks roaming around trying to figure out what I will be wearing on my face on my wedding day. Because I haven’t really bothered with makeup recently—my usual grooming routine consists of deodorant, sunscreen, and lip balm or lip gloss—this has been quite a confusing and involved process.

My mother was not a makeup wearer so my initial forays into the world of cosmetics was guided by the mighty and trusted writers of Seventeen and YM magazine and my preteen insecurities, and provided adequate adornment for my not-so-great middle school years. Orangeish Cover Girl Foundation. Drugstore lipstick on the teeth (and uneven lip colouring—actually I still can’t get my lipstick to look even). Bonnebell Concealer that was too light for me. I don’t think I ever learned how to apply anything properly except eyeshadow and powder.

I used makeup more frequently in college, when I found foundations that actually matched my skin, because I went to more expensive stores where they actually let you try it. It was somewhat addictive—the subtle way that your face seemed to immediately brighten whenever you put the stuff on. However, I eventually reduced my makeup usage upon hearing that it wasn’t very good for your skin (It was pretty much reserved for when I wanted to impress certain ::cough:: people). Ironically enough, that came primarily as a result of Douglas Cosmetics Sales Associate telling me that “You don’t really need makeup! This stuff is bad for your skin anyways”.

Part of my avoidance of cosmetics stems from feeling like we have too much of a “pill society”.* In today’s mass customization consumer society, we’re always looking for a simple fix for all our problems. Wrinkles? Try buying anti-wrinkle cream. Want your eyes to be whiter? Try buying Visine. Want longer eyelashes? Try using a lengthening mascara.

Moreover, many beauty treatments seem to prompt an endless cycle of further purchases: You buy gel to style your hair—resulting in the need for clarifying shampoos to get the gunk out; You use a hairdryer to give it volume—you need to apply hair damage-treating conditioner to repair the heat damage. In fact, some women have been experiencing hair loss as a result of all the treatments they’ve put their hair through. Exfoliating face washes can irritate the skin, causing them to produce more oil, potentially leading to acne, or the need for powder, which may in turn clog the skin, producing the need for concealer…).

~

My recent experimentation in wedding makeup has made me less wary of make-up. The results have been fairly positive—eyeliner apparently makes my eyes appear huge, and though I can’t seem to tell the difference, mascara makes it look as though I actually have eyelashes. Part of me is tempted to undergo this beauty routine daily, but at what cost? I don’t want to end up being one of those people that can’t leave the house without makeup because they think they look terrible without it.

Do I look prettier with makeup because society has trained our eyes to see in certain ways? If I feel more attractive or more beautiful with painted colours on my face, am I participating and feeding into an industry that fuels women’s insecurities about their looks?

Make-up can make someone look really great, but when I look at myself more closely—it just seems all very bizarre to me—the painting of eyelashes, the eye lining, the blush. Call it my paranoia of cancer in this fabricated chemical world, but I feel uneasy with all this stuff on my face.

In the end, my approach to cosmetic beauty is much like my approach to taking exams: The best thing you can do is to sleep well, drink water, eat healthy and exercise. All else is smoke and mirrors. (Perhaps we can say, it’s what goes into your body that counts, not what you put over it).

~

I’ve been anxious, because I still have yet to figure out the “perfect makeup” for my wedding day, but I’m sick and tired of running around and trying products and returning them. Culture tells me that a bride must look absolutely perfect on her wedding day. My skin must be flawless. My makeup must be impeccable. But it’s time I stop believing in and stop fretting over the superficial elements of a wedding ceremony and concern myself with its transcendent meaning.

~

A few resources I’ve stumbled up on in my makeup adventures:

Cosmetic Database ~ rates different types of cosmetics depending on the content of the chemicals Makeup Alley ~ user reviews of pretty much every makeup product out there
Beauty Brains ~ two scientists provide some useful analysis and information on how makeup works; criticized for being little hokey/biased but there’s some useful information
Beauty Industry Who Owns What ~ Most makeup brands are owned by the same companies. Here’s a listing.


* Here’s a little humorous stab at our “pill society” from my brother's website

there's a whole world out there

Lots of blogs have many entries that consist mainly of interesting links (e.g. The Elegant Variation). Since nothing in this world is truly original, I'm debating whether or not to do this permanently on a weekly or monthly basis, so I'm trying it out.

Basically, here are some interesting links (articles, sites, thoughts) I've stumbled upon recently. Most of them have probably made me want to write a blog entry about them, but by now, I know that I will never get around to it, but I think these links are worthy enough to be shared.

In order to disclaim any credit for my own web surfing skills (though I do probably spend too much time on the internet), most of my article browsing comes from: Arts and Letters Daily (actually most of my links come from here), the Philadelphia Inquirer, Footnoted, Craftzine blog and the NY Times. I occasionally visit McSweeney's, Adbusters, and Slate. I keep the Economist on my bookmarks toolbar folder to motivate myself to read it and keep up with international relations and economics, but I never actually do. I've also started frequently the Daily Pennsylvannian blog, now that my friend Nick is blogging for it. I have now finally started using Google Reader, which wonderfully cuts down on the amount of listless surfing I do.

• The whole Dawkins/Hitchens/Harris atheist debates are raging on. Just as a few Christians may not agree with others of the same faith, the same thing seems to be happening in the arena of non-belief. A Third Edge article presents a more balanced view of religion. And a glowing review of the recent book, Darwin's Angel: An Angelic Riposte to the God Delusion can be found here (okay, this may not have been written by an atheist, but as far as I know, it is a secular publication).
  


• An academic blog debate has spurred as a result of Bitch PhD's ranting complaint about her $5000+/month salary. Oh No a WoC PhD writes an excellent "Shame List" regarding academia in response.


• Since carbon offsets are now morally questionable, the latest development in keeping our carbon footprint small is to stop having children.
  


• Both Madeline L'Engle and Luciano Pavarotti have passed away recently. If you have not read Madeline L'Engle, I highly recommend that you start with A Wrinkle in Time.
  


• Seward Johnson has some amazing trompe l'oeil sculpture copies of famous paintings. Much of his collection can be found at Grounds for Sculpture, a 35-acre sculpture garden in NJ.
  
  
• Knitting is not boring (except when I'm really trying hard to finish a sweater). I want to be able to make this someday. I also wouldn't mind being able to spin out this vest. In the meantime, I will stick to bunny rabbits. There's also been quite a boom in knitting art: These sweatshirts can keep you up to date with the news. There was also that knitted homes of crime exhibit at the ICA.