The Land Of Plenty (Plenty Wasteful)

The United States is a very rich country.  We have an abundance of resources and food that many other countries don't have.  In many cultures around the world, being overweight is a sign of prosperity because the majority of people in those countries are so poor they are never able to get enough food to be overweight.  Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio created a book called "Hungry Planet" that is a photographic study of 30 families from 24 countries.  One of the most insightful things about this book are the portraits of each family surrounded by a week's worth of the food they consume.  You can see a small sample of these portraits at "What the World Eats, Part 1" found at http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519,00.html. You should go there now.  It will open your eyes.  In our country, obesity is a national epidemic.  We come up with specialized diets that cut out entire food groups so we can lose weight.  We go to the gym where we walk, bike, and climb to nowhere to burn off the excess calories we consume.  Our grocery stores are packed with huge varieties of food that have to be shipped in from far off places so we can have "fresh" produce at any time of the year.  And yet, Americans THROW AWAY 27% of the food they buy.  An average family of four will THROW AWAY almost 122 pounds of food in a month.  In 1997, the Department of Agriculture estimated that Americans wasted 96.4 billion pounds of the 356 billion pounds of edible food.  That was the last year there was a study done on food waste.   Due to the state of the economy, donations to food pantries are down 9% but people showing up at food pantries for help has risen 20%.  In 2008, the Department of Agriculture reported that 1 out of every 21 American households were "Very Food Insecure."  That means that, at times during the year, the food intake of household members was reduced and their normal eating patterns were disrupted because the household lacked money and other resources for food. This means that people were hungry, "the uneasy or painful sensation caused by want of food."  I work part time in the food service industry and the amount of food that ends up in the garbage can is criminal.  My place of employment offers bottomless fries with most of our entrees.  I cannot tell you how often people will demand more fries and eat just 2 or 3.  The rest go into the trash.  The other day a family came in and the teenaged boy wanted fries as an appetizer.  He ate 2 baskets before his meal came out.  He ended up eating about a quarter of his meal and didn't want a to go box for the remainder because he "doesn't eat leftovers."  It also amazes me when parents let their little kids drink 2 or 3 kid cups of soda before their meal.  Kid cups are 12 ounces, the same size as a full can of soda.  Then, when their meal comes out, the kids take 1 or 2 bites and are done.  Guess where the rest of their meal goes?  You guessed it, the trash.  And these are the people that complain the loudest over the menu's prices.  Guess what?  It's not so expensive if you actually eat what you order!  A friend of mine lives near our city's biggest Farmer's Market.  A few days ago he posted a picture on Facebook of a dumpster full of produce that had been thrown away.  People won't buy produce that isn't "perfect" and they can't give it away once it's very, very ripe.  Into the trash it goes.  Drive through my neighborhood on trash day and see the food that gets thrown away.  How many hungry people could we feed on the food that we so carelessly and thoughtlessly discard?  I hear people complain all the time about the economy and the price of groceries.  People who do not know what hunger is.  Here's a thought: How about you stop throwing 27% of your food budget into the garbage.  People behaving badly.

A Flag T-Shirt Isn't Patriotism

Having just come off a three day weekend celebrating our nation's Independence with cookouts, picnics, trips to the lake, festivals and fireworks, I've once again been made aware of a few annoying habits people have when it comes to "patriotic" holidays.  I see them on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day. These annoying habits reduce true patriotism to phony, jingoist, flag waving without any substance.  First of all, I am horrified that so many people don't have any idea what these holidays are really about.  Independence Day is the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence where 56 men basically put on paper that they were committing treason against England.  (Punishment for treason was death.)  By doing so, they put in motion a series of bloody events that made us a free country, free to govern ourselves.  Veterans Day started as Armistice Day, celebrating the end of World War I, and is now a day honoring all veterans of all wars.  Memorial Day is a day to remember and honor all soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives in war.  Flying the American Flag on your car on one of these holidays does not make you patriotic.  It's the same as flying the flag of your favorite sports team on your car on game day.  Patriotism is much more than that.  I also can't stand the people who see these holidays as simply a three day weekend where they can go to the lake or throw a big BBQ where the kids run around with super soakers and the adults look at it as an excuse to get drunk and fire off bottle rockets.  Really?  People gave their lives, both soldiers and civilians, so we have the right to elect our government instead of having a monarchy and all its trappings forced on us by hereditary succession.  We live in peace, so we're able to pretty much do whatever we want to do without worrying about showing our papers at checkpoints.  How hard is it to take a moment and remember why these are holidays?  How hard is it to teach this to your kids?  I also can't stand the people who use these holidays as an excuse to push their political agenda.  For instance, I kept seeing posts on fb about The Pledge of Allegiance with the line "My generation grew up reciting this every morning in school with my hand on my HEART. They no longer do it for fear of offending someone! Let's see how many AMERICANS will re-post this and not care about offending someone."  Here are some facts about the Pledge of Allegiance.  It was written in 1892, by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister and Christian Socialist.  (Look that one up!)  It's original form was "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."  In 1923, "my flag" became "to the flag of the United States of America" to avoid confusion for immigrants between their birth countries and the United States.  In 1940, the Supreme Court ruled that public school students (mainly Jehovah's Witnesses who see a flag salute to be idolatry) who did not wish to recite the pledge could be forced to.  Against their will.  A wave of intimidation and violence against Jehovah's Witnesses followed.  (Do we really want to go in that direction again?)  Then in 1943, the Supreme Court reversed their ruling stating "that public school students are not required to say the Pledge, concluding that "compulsory unification of opinion" violates the First Amendment." In a later opinion, the Court held that students are also not required to stand for the Pledge.  It wasn't until 1954 that the words "under God" were added on the basis that Abraham Lincoln used the words "that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom" in his Gettysburg address.  Most people who rant and rave about how the tradition of the Pledge of Allegiance is being trampled on, don't have the first clue about its history.  And, it has NOTHING to do with Independence Day, Memorial Day or Veterans Day.  It doesn't matter who is in the White House or which party has majority in congress, we're ALL Americans and we all should respect and honor our National Holidays instead of just "celebrating" them.  People behaving badly.

Cell Phone Misuse

Cell phones.  We all have them and they make life a thousand times easier.  Need to call home because you're running late?  Need to check your bank balance?  Need to make a doctor's appointment before they close?  No problem!  Cell phones make it possible.  I remember when we didn't have cell phones and to make any calls away from work or home you had to stop at a pay phone.  Of course, that was back when every gas station, mall and restaurant actually had pay phones.  You had to dig out a dime. (Because there was no such thing as dollar thingys that spit your bill back at you if it was wrinkled.)  When the cost went up to a quarter, people were outraged!  Ah, the good old days.  Now, we can make a call wherever we are.  Sometimes that's not a good thing.  Once I was in line waiting to board a plane and the woman in front of me was having a long conversation with someone who apparently was located at our destination.  Everyone around her was treated to the details of her hotel (which smelled funny), the exorbitant price of her latte, and how she needed to get her brows done.  When the conversation turned to where she and the mystery caller should go for dinner that night, the man in front of her turned around and asked if she needed any recommendations from the rest of us.  Apparently she didn't realize that she was holding everyone else hostage to her conversation.  Ever notice those signs at some coffee shops that state they won't wait on you if you're talking on your cell phone?  I always tip them extra because there are few things worse than being stuck in line behind someone who is trying to order a specialty coffee drink using the Mime Method.  Really?  You can't be bothered to put your call on hold long enough to order and instead resort to hand signals, eye rolls and exaggerated silent lip movements?  And you expect the barrista to get it right?  I work with a lot of high school and college kids in my part time second job and, almost without exception, every single one of them is constantly on their phone.  Sending texts, receiving texts, checking Facebook, playing games, etc.  Did I mention we work for the public?  Half the time they aren't even aware of what they're doing and they don't seem to grasp the concept that our customers CAN SEE THEM!  They're always so puzzled when one of those customers gets upset about the crappy customer service they're giving because instead of taking care of the customer, they're on their phone!  It's not an age thing you twits!  It's a customer service thing!  I hate people who find it necessary to be on their phones during presentations, at church or anytime someone else is speaking.  It's just plain rude.  Were you raised by wolves?  What really annoys me are the people who "drive" and use their cell phone.  Notice I put the word drive in quotation marks?  That's because when you're on your phone yapping or, God forbid, texting, you are incapable of driving!  Today, for instance, I was on my daily commute and for 5 miles there were signs stating that the right lane over an upcoming bridge was closed.  Everyone got over except for one bozo who was too busy jabbering on his phone to pay attention to the signs.  He just about caused an accident when he suddenly realized his lane was ending in 15 feet and veered over, cutting off a semi.  (Those things don't stop on a dime you know.)  Once I watched a teenage girl swerve all over the road, back and forth into oncoming traffic.  When I was finally able to get around her, I saw she was busy texting instead of busy driving.  I hope, for her parent's sake, that she's stopped doing that because if she doesn't manage to kill herself, she's going to kill someone else.  No conversation is worth dying for.  People behaving badly.

Driver's Ed Isn't On The Curriculum

So many people believe driving is a right instead of the privilege it really is.  They get behind the wheel of their vehicle and suddenly they are King of the Road.  (In their own minds at any rate.)  They have no thought for the other drivers who are sharing the road with them and do completely stupid and dangerous things.  I live in a small town that has narrow turning lanes on the main thoroughfare.  They are narrower than the driving lanes, but they are still plenty wide enough for even the widest vehicle.  It amazes me how many people can't be bothered to pull completely into the turn lane, leaving the rear end of their vehicle hanging out in traffic.  If they're afraid that they're going to be hit by oncoming traffic, they're completely oblivious to the fact that the traffic behind them is about to ram up their rear.  Or that they've stopped traffic behind them while everyone else has to wait for them to make their turn.  What about the people who don't turn on their headlights when it's pouring the rain?  If you have to turn on your windshield wipers, you need to turn on your lights.  It has nothing to do with whether you can see, it's all about making sure other drivers can see you!  Especially if you drive a white, grey, beige or silver vehicle.  (That would be the majority of us!)  It's also the law.  I drive 45 minutes to work every day and most of my commute is on the interstate.  It drives me crazy that some people drive continuously in the left lane.  I've heard Troopers say that this is the biggest cause of interstate accidents after drunk driving.  If people are passing you on the right, get over!  I don't care if you think everyone else is driving too fast or you have your cruise control set, the left lane is the passing lane.  That means you use it to pass slower traffic, not to take a Sunday drive.  Another peeve is people who can't make a left turn correctly.  Instead of squaring off and turning into their lane of the side street, they cut across the whole mouth of the road.  I can't tell you how many times I've almost been hit while I've been waiting to turn right.  And the offenders usually look at me like I have no business being on my side of the road!  If it's so hard to turn left with the power steering we have in cars today, I'd hate to see how these people would fare in the cars I grew up in.  You actually had to steer those boats!  The one that really annoys me is people who don't use turn signals.  I'll be driving along behind someone and suddenly, with no warning, they'll slam on their brakes before they make a turn.  Using your turn signal lets everyone else know what you're about to do.  It's helpful on the interstate as well.  If you have your turn signal on, I get the idea that you want to move over and I will let you!  They come standard on all vehicles and are pretty idiot proof to use.  It doesn't matter if you're pulling into your neighborhood, your kids are fighting or you're yapping on your phone, use them!  It also doesn't count if you signal while you're making the turn.  That's just being lazy.  People driving badly.

Beyond Discourteous

Courtesy and manners were a big deal when I was growing up.  In school, at church and at home we were taught to say please and thank you, yes ma'am/sir no ma'am/sir,  open doors for women and the elderly, take off our hats inside, offer to carry heavy things for our elders, take our muddy shoes off outside and to never sit on a made bed among many other little things that made life easier for those around us.  It was hard work learning everything and sometimes we struggled, but in the end, most of us turned out well mannered, courteous adults.  Boy, those days are well and truly gone.  Self esteem has become the big deal.  We now have a generation of young adults that have no understanding of courtesy because instead of learning manners and how to behave, their self esteem was fostered and catered to.  They have an inflated sense of self worth and self importance that borders on the ridiculous and no awareness or empathy for those around them.  I used to manage the cafe at a large bookstore where we sold pastries, sandwiches and made coffee drinks among other things.  One day, while filling an order, one of my employees cut his hand very badly with a knife.  Blood was everywhere, running down his arm and pooling in the floor.  He and I were the only two there at the time so of course we stopped everything and applied pressure to the wound before sending him to the hospital to get stitches.  (He ended up getting 16.)  The "gentleman" whose order we were making, demanded that we finish making his smoothie and do first aid later.  He then had the audacity to ask if he could get it for free since he had been inconvenienced by having to wait.  My sister is on crutches right now because she has a broken foot.  The other day as she was walking (hobbling) into a restaurant, the couple in front of her let the door slam on her. Both the outer door and the inner one.  Seriously, how can you be so unaware of your surroundings that you drop a door on a handicapped person twice?!  At another location, she was standing on one foot, getting her crutches out of the back seat of the car when a guy whipped into the parking place next to her and banged her with his door when he got out.  He never made eye contact or apologized, even when he realized she was on crutches.  Nope, he just kept on going.  My husband works as a customer service rep for a company that makes GPS units.  Yesterday our area had severe storms with several tornadoes.  Many buildings were evacuated, storm sirens were shrieking and the National Weather Service was broadcasting instructions for seeking shelter immediately.  His department had to tell the people on their calls that they had a tornado approaching and were being evacuated to the basement.  Many of his co-workers actually had people get pissy at them and demand that they fix their problem before they evacuated.  Really?  You think updating your mapping is more important than someone's life?  How self-centered are you? People behaving badly. 

Kids In Grown-up Places

I love being a grown-up.  I love being able to do what I want to when I want to, within reason of course.  I can go where I want to go, eat what I want to eat and go to bed when I want to go to bed.  (We won't talk about the fact that I'm usually unconscious by 10:00!)  Because I'm a grown-up, some of the places I like to go are grown-up places, meaning places meant for grown-ups.  Why is it then that I see so many kids at these places?  The gym comes to mind.  Too often I'll see a little kid running through, climbing on equipment or playing in the water fountain while Mom or Dad is working out, oblivious to their child's antics.  Not only is it annoying for other people working out, it's also dangerous.  Exercise machines and weights aren't toys. A big guy curling 120 pound dumbbells in each hand is going to drop them on the mat next to him without thinking there's a child underfoot.  The kid could be injured, but so could the guy if he tries to "catch" the weights.  Some gyms have a daycare, but if yours doesn't, hire a sitter.  I like to go to some really nice restaurants.  The kinds that have a good wine list, multiple forks, table cloths, a humidor and daily specials created by a chef and recited by the server when they greet my table.  I am stunned whenever I see someone with a kid in one of these places.  I once had the pleasure of listening to a woman at a nearby table complain endlessly that there were no crayons for her child and she just couldn't believe they didn't have chicken tenders on the menu.  Her poor kid looked bored to death and picked at his meal.  Really?  With all the places out there that cater to families with balloons, colorful kid menus, playgrounds and game rooms, why in the world would you drag your child to a place that very obviously isn't kid friendly?  Parties are also a good example of grown-up events that shouldn't have kids in attendance.  For any smart alecs out there, I am not talking about kid's birthday parties, Easter egg hunts, family picnics or the like.  I'm talking about grown-up parties with kegs, dancing, card playing, smoking, wine and/or scotch tasting and maybe a stripper or two.  The invitation will always say "no kids."  Invariably, someone will show up at one of these events with a child in tow and act totally amazed that there aren't any other kids there!  What are they thinking?  Perhaps my biggest inappropriate kid place peeve is the movies.  Again, I'm not talking about Shrek or Kung Fu Panda.  I'm talking about adult movies with adult themes and adult language.  Several years ago  my husband and I went to a first run movie.  The theater was completely full.  In walk a man and his wife carrying an infant and a little boy.  This movie was full of scary creatures and quite a bit of violence in the form of war.  The little boy was terrified (and is probably still in therapy) while the infant screamed the entire 2 1/2 hours.  No one in the theater enjoyed the movie thanks to the thoughtless and selfish people that just had to bring their children.  I realize that many parents work long hours and want to spend as much quality time with their kids as possible, but dragging them to grown-up places and events isn't quality time by any means.  Kids like kid things and kid places. It's the ultimate in selfishness when an adult who has kids doesn't want to change their life in any way and forces their kids along for the ride.  People behaving badly.

Man's Best Friend

For many people, pets are as much a part of their family as the human members.  I'm no exception with my two kitties.  At one time, I had two dogs, three cats and two fish tanks.  We were just a big happy furry, waggy, purry, swimmy bunch!  Most of my friends have pets as well and they often get Christmas gifts from my pets and vice versa.  I even have pictures of other people's pets on my phone.  Owning an animal is a major undertaking.  They must be fed regularly, have checkups and shots, their living spaces need to be cleaned, they need to be groomed and some must be exercised long and often.  Why is it then that some people take on owning an animal without doing any planning or research?  A good friend of mine owns a dog that once belonged to a relative.  This relative was out with her kids one day and came across a group of rescue dogs up for adoption.  She decided on the spot to adopt one, bring it home, toss it out into the back yard with a large dog they already owned and feed them out of the same bowl.  She couldn't understand why the older dog became so aggressive and why the new dog spent all its time cowering in the corner.  Duh!   If my friend hadn't taken the dog, it would have ended up back in the shelter because "it just didn't work out."  I also just love the people who decide to get a pet to "teach their kids responsibility."  That's right, take a little kid who's never been responsible for a single thing in his entire life and has no concept of time and only a shaky concept of consequences and put him in charge of feeding, watering, exercising and cleaning up after a living, breathing creature.  At first it will be fun to take care of the new pet, but after a few days, chances are the kid would rather play than be responsible.  At first it won't be such a big deal to remind him, but after a few weeks, chances are the parents will be sick of nagging.  Best case scenario is the parents end up taking care of the animal.  Worst case scenario is the animal goes to the shelter.  You'd be surprised how many shelters hear this story.  Maybe you should teach your kid responsibility and THEN get a pet.  Just a thought.  Then there are the people who decide to own an exotic pet like a boa constrictor without realizing that they can grow to over 10 feet long and live as long as 30 years and require very specific living conditions and food.  When it gets to be too much, they'll just let the snake go figuring it will go back to its natural environment.  Unfortunately, releasing a boa out into the wild is releasing a new species into the ecosystem resulting in havoc on the existing wildlife and that's if the snake survives.  I knew a girl who decided that she wanted to breed a certain type of hunting dog so she bought a male and female with no clue how to go about breeding them.  Her husband was active duty and they got orders to move, so she took the dogs several miles away and dumped them.  Her rationale was "Someone will find them and give them a good home."  Chances of that happening were pretty slim.  I stopped talking to her after that.  My favorite people are the ones who own a pet for many years and then find out that they're pregnant.  Suddenly, the pet must go!  They post flyers and ads saying things like "Sweet, well behaved pet to good home.  After many years of trying, we're finally pregnant!  We just won't have time for a pet and a new baby."  More animals end up in shelters for this reason than you'd imagine.  People who work in shelters and foster animals in their homes are beyond disgusted at this one.  It's as if the pet was a substitute for a baby and now that there's a real baby, the pet can be disposed of like a disposable camera, disposable contacts and disposable diapers.  Certain countries in other parts of the world eat animals we consider pets.  Sometimes I think their ethics are more honest.  At least they're up front about what they do while people here talk a good game, but treat animals with a cavalier and contemptible attitude.  People behaving badly.