...aka darzy...

Quotation of the Day: Beautiful People Do Not Just Happen

2013-06-04T21:23:00.000-04:00

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."

~ Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Quotation of the Day: Go Play

2013-06-01T12:43:00.001-04:00

"There's a huge part of the advertising industry which is designed to capture children. And it's destroying childhood. Anyone who has any experience with children can see this. It's literally destroying childhood. Kids don't know how to play. They can't go out and, you know, like when you were a kid or when I was a kid, you have a Saturday afternoon free. You go out to a field and you're finding a bunch of other kids and play ball or something. You can't do anything like that. It's got to be organized by adults, or else you're at home with your gadgets, your video games. But the idea of going out just to play with all the creative challenge, those insights: that's gone. And it's done consciously to trap children from infancy and then to turn them into consumer addicts. And that means you're out for yourself. You got the Ayn Rand kind of sociopathic behavior, which comes straight out of the consumer culture. Consumer culture means going out for myself; I don't give a damn about anyone else. I think it's really destroying society in a lot of ways. And education is part of it."

~Noam Chomsky

Click here for the full interview.

Home

2013-05-30T12:44:00.001-04:00

Blake Shelton has been on my mind lately because of his efforts to help following the devastating tornadoes in Moore, Oklahoma on May 19. Which version do you prefer?

Original
Country
Mix

Lovely Day

2013-05-19T13:47:00.002-04:00

It's been alright.

Quotation of the Day

2013-05-10T03:02:00.004-04:00

"Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place."

~Kurt Vonegut

I value this sentiment, but sometimes have a hard time living it.

Morningside

2013-05-07T03:05:00.000-04:00

George and I drove up to Syracuse Friday night to see John Gorka. This was one of my favorite songs of the night. The video clip is from another concert, though.

Blue Chalk

2013-05-04T03:39:00.001-04:00

"Hold tight, hang tough."

Future of Blogger

2013-04-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

When Google announced the death of Google Reader, I heard some commentators remark that Blogger would go that way soon. Sometimes, I don't like the layout, but it is easy to use Blogger, and I've had this blog so long, everything is quite automatic. I do wonder if I should move to Wordpress. I know it has devoted users. Any thoughts?

Equal Pay Day

2013-04-09T06:11:00.000-04:00

To earn the same amount as men in 2012, women have to work to April 9, 2013. Learn more about Equal Pay Day and why the pay gap hurts women, families, and communities.

Via: NerdWallet

Quotation of the Day: RIP Roger Ebert

2013-04-04T18:03:00.004-04:00

"'Kindness' covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try."

~Roger Ebert, "I Do Not Fear Death"

Happy Easter

2013-03-31T00:22:00.000-04:00

If Fast Food Could Talk...

2013-03-30T23:24:00.002-04:00

I just donated $10 to help Mercy for Animals campaign to help promote advertising that shows the animal suffering that goes on daily in factory farms.

Quotation of the Day: The Please Don't Hurt Them Edition

2013-03-26T00:06:00.000-04:00

"Aristotle's ladder of nature is not just being flattened; it is being transformed into a bush with many branches. This is no insult to human superiority. It is long-overdue recognition that intelligent life is not something for us to seek in the outer reaches of space but is abundant right here on earth, under our noses."

~Frans de Waal

"The Brains of the Animal Kingdom",

The Wall Street Journal

I Lost My Mojo Once

2013-03-24T15:37:00.002-04:00

World Water Day

2013-03-22T12:38:00.002-04:00

Today is World Water Day. In the United States, we take for granted the automatic presence of water in our kitchens and bathrooms, and we abuse our privilege by buying bottled water that contributes to environmental destruction. But in some countries, access to clean drinking water is a struggle. Some women walk hours a day to retrieve drinking water. Many die from using contaminated water.

Visit water.org to see inspiring photographs to honor our relationship with water.

Quotation of the Day

2013-03-21T17:40:00.000-04:00

“As a civilized society, it is our moral obligation to protect all animals, including farmed animals, from needless suffering and abuse."

~Mercy For Animals Executive Director, Nathan Runkle

New Jersey assembly votes to ban gestation crates!

Bring it on Down to Veganville

2013-03-10T15:37:00.001-04:00

Justin Timberlake - Bring It On Down 2... by IdolxMuzic

I watched SNL last night, and I must admit that during the "Bring it on Down to Veganville" sketch, I was waiting for Justin Timberlake, wearing a tofu costume, to succumb to the pressures to eat sausage and then abandon his veg ways. With stories on NPR like, "Why Bacon is a Gateway Meat for Vegetarians" and vegans and vegetarians often the butt of jokes in popular culture, is is any surprise of my skepticism? Or any wonder that when I told George this morning that SNL had a vegan skit last night, he responded by saying, "how did they make fun of you?" To my delight and amazement, it was the Sausage Depot shill who had a change of heart, saying, "Oh god, what have I done. I've been eating Babe's grandchildren for years. I'm a monster" after Timberlake, with complete sincerity, said, "If you knew how meat was raised, you wouldn't eat it." Today, my Facebook newsfeed is dominated by shares of the skit among vegans who are beyond the moon to see a positive representation of vegans that is funny and without sanctimony. The skit also highlights the charisma of Timberlake, who makes even a tofu costume seem sexy.

International Women's Day

2013-03-08T00:52:00.000-05:00

March 8 commemorates International Women's Day, first observed in 1911. EQUALS views IWD as not just a day to celebrate women, but also a day to "to ask ourselves big, important questions about how a woman’s life really compares to that of a man’s." Sheryl Sandberg's TED talk discusses this phenomenon in the context of leadership. Some of her comments are based on an experiment conducted by Francis Flynn. Flynn gave some of his students a copy of the Harvard Business Review Case, "Heidi Roizen" about the silicon valley venture capitalist. Other students were given the same case, but Heidi was changed to Howard. Otherwise, the details were identical. Students who read about "Howard" found him likable while those who read the actual case about Heidi found her selfish. Women experience similar penalties when displaying emotions at work compared to male colleagues. Sometimes, my undergraduates claim that there isn't sexism or racism anymore, and I am glad that their experiences thus far have made them feel equal, but I also know that they will likely face obstacles just because of their gender or race. I can't imagine what it is like for women in countries where there are even fewer protections. That's why I value IWD.

NYC Vegetarian Fest Swag

2013-03-04T14:25:00.002-05:00

Many well-known vegan vendors had booths at the NYC Vegetarian Food Festival. The only thing I wanted but didn't find was a vegan donut. Otherwise, as you can see, I came home with many goodies (some of which I ate on the bus home). The festival was packed with speakers on three stages, but the people I was most interested in seeing were scheduled for Sunday. Because of a work commitment, I had to leave NYC early enough to be in Ithaca Sunday evening. I did hear Zoe Weil, of the Institute for Humane Education. I've done a few classes through the institute, and Zoe's presence is palpable, so it was nice to see her in person.

I was lucky to have purchased a VIP ticket in advance, which allowed me faster entry into the festival. I heard that some people in the general admission line waited up to two hours for admittance. It was nice to see so many people interested in being vegan!

International Polar Bears Day

2013-02-27T13:40:00.000-05:00

Climate change leading to melting ice threatens the very existence of polar bears. On this annual International Polar Bears Day, please visit Polar Bears International to learn what you can do to help these beautiful beings. See polar bears in action at the Tundra Cam.

Fraud Alert

2013-02-25T01:01:00.002-05:00

My debit card information was stolen and used for unauthorized activity, and not for the first time. The bank flagged the account for suspicious activity, reversed one charge, and then put a hold on the account. What amazes me is NOT that the information was stolen but that the bank's monitoring software is so accurate that it is able to tell what charges I legitimately make and which are suspicious. On the one hand, I am frightened that my purchasing behavior is the source of so much data. On the other, I am glad that the monitoring software is so effective that it is able to detect suspicious activity so quickly and accurately. In fact, I am fascinated by it. I'd love to know more about what types of variables go into the logarithm.

I should probably be more concerned about the stolen data that I am. This has happened before, and, undoubtedly, it will happen again. The biggest inconvenience is dealing with organizations and companies with whom I have recurring payments. However, I know that I need to be more careful and mindful of fraud and identity theft. If you want to know what you can do to protect yourself, read this article in the Wall Street Journal.

Meet Sunny

2013-02-18T19:55:00.001-05:00

Sunny is the mascot for National Justice for Animals week, running today, February 18, through Friday, February 24. Sunny is a sweet, spirited dog who was rescued from a horrible abuse case. The abuser was successfully prosecuted with the help of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. They do wonderful work for animals. Please support them through a donation or spreading information about their message.

Just Say No

2013-02-15T20:43:00.000-05:00

When we talked about individual differences in my OB class this semester, I tried to stress the importance of self-awareness to the self-management process, which in turn leads to better people management skills. Visiting the Harvard Business Review website, I noticed the article "Nine Practices to Help You Say No" which I thought would benefit the students in their self-management practice. I also have a tendency to avoid saying no, so this article seemed like something I might benefit from, too.

Most of the tips are familiar. Until today, I'd always thought of myself as someone who says yes because I like to "be nice." I'd never thought before how much of my over-commitment stems from not wanting to miss out. Being harried, of course, creates its own type of missing out in the form of burnout and distraction, but at the moment the request is conveyed, it's hard to say no to all the possibilities that can arise from the opportunity.

Forgotten Phone

2013-02-11T21:46:00.000-05:00

Often, I run late. I miscalculate how long it will take to finish a task or to park or walk from A to B. Today was no different. Though I'd started the morning with plenty of time to make it to my afternoon meeting, when I needed to leave the house, I was rushing to get my material together, find a quick snack for the car, and secure a Diet Coke.

Alas, once I got to campus, my phone wasn't in my purse, and I realized I'd left it on top of some boxes in the living room where I'd carefully placed it to remind me to put it in my purse. At first, I had a bit of panic. What if I needed to call someone? (Note: I call grandma every few weeks, and that is it.) More importantly, how would I take pictures? How would I check my email? What if something was required of me? Normally, I have my phone near me at all times. I remember a line from Dare Me, which you should read if you haven't, about the rivalries among the girls in a cheerleading squad, about the omnipresent cell phones, their hearts in their hands.

I know that many of my students have a real addiction to their cell phones (and they should read this article in Psychology Today.) Maybe my relationship with my iPhone is a simple as that. Not having my phone today, though, relieved me of a burden. I know that the recommendation to turn off electronics is not new or revolutionary, but, after the initial anxiety, knowing that I absolutely could not check my email, at least for the afternoon, allowed me a nice respite from responsibility.

Overheard

2013-02-08T17:23:00.002-05:00

Hallway, Muller Faculty Center

Young Woman: Are you going to smoke?

Young Man: Uh, well, why?

Young Woman: You shouldn't smoke. You are going to be taking the LSATs. Your mind should be clear.

Young Man: I don't smoke that much.

And what exactly would he be smoking, then, that would fuzzy his mind?