Reparations in the 21st century

How would reparations work?

First, it's imperative that it has to be about more than slavery, which is the mistake most white and black middle class Christians make when supporting that idea. If it were just slavery, that would leave out Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Megan Markle, the adoptive children of movie stars and the millions like Ilhan Omar who have immigrated from Africa and the Caribbean in the past 3-4 decades. And I do mean millions. Only 350,000 blacks came during slavery days--you can see more need to be added to the roster of the downtrodden and abused.

Second, it will start with something recent that most people will remember. Maybe it will even be "affirmative action" since it failed to set things right and caused blacks undo hardship with debts they couldn't pay off. Maybe it will be "fair housing" initiatives since the concept caused so much "white flight" and pulled middle class blacks out of neighborhoods that needed them.

Third, it will include obviously bad and racist people, and we'll be asked to provide compensation for those hurt by those who consciously worked against blacks, like maybe a (Democrat) senator, former member of the KKK.

Fourth, it will include legal (at the time) business practices, either defined or redefined. Like red-lining of banks to stall mortgages. And if you've invested in that bank, or its parent company, or even if you use its savings and checking account services, you'll be part of the system, and therefore, guilty. You'll need to pay up.

Fifth, it will include local government services, like schools, parks, transportation. Did the schools in your community fail black children at higher rates than whites? Law suits coming right up. Maybe even the families of the board members and teachers will be held responsible. There goes that nice pension teachers get.

Sixth, it will include nutrition and health. We will be asked to overlook lifestyle causes of health problems, at least as far as reparations are concerned. If McDonald's is deemed to have too many stores in black neighborhoods (black because of redlining by banks) and black children have more obesity related health problems, then Mickey D will have to pay up, and if you've invested, sorry. That McDonald's has provided more top level management jobs for blacks since the early 1980s and been more environmentally responsible than most corporations will not balance the ledger.

And there will be more. There are currently national, state and local task forces for each of these. Keep your eyes and ears open. Non-profits are extremely lucrative for those at the top getting donations from foundations and gullible church mission boards. It's sort of a reparation payment all by itself.

Junior Bacon Cheeseburger. A blast from the past

We bought our Lakeside cottage in September, 1988, and thus began a weekly (usually Saturday since we both worked) trip to clean, paint and remodel (I watched, Bob worked). On the way through Bucyrus we'd stop at Wendy's and became very fond of the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger with a small fries. Our children were shocked because "fast food" certainly hadn't been on the menu when they lived at home! I was such a mean mom. I probably haven't had one in over 20 years.

Yesterday after we returned to Canal Winchester from Phil's doctor appointment in Westerville, he treated us to lunch--Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and fries. Probably we aren't eating as healthy as we could be, but it was fun to enjoy one again. Sometimes you just need comfort food instead of a salad.

There is no fast food gap--everyone likes it

Apparently, everyone likes fast food. "About 80 percent of those in the lowest 10 percent of income ate at least once at a fast-food restaurant, compared to about 85 percent of those who were ranked near the middle (40 to 50 percent) in terms of income. Of the richest 10 percent, about 75 percent reported eating at least one fast-food meal." Now what will the gap people write about? https://news.osu.edu/news/2017/05/04/eat-fast-food/

When the unions raise the cost of fast food, will the poor eat at home?

I wonder how many of the fast food marchers yesterday were actually working for minimum wage or if they are hired by the unions. $15/hour for a teen to learn to wipe tables and sweep the floor? Not going to happen. And if the beginner gets $15, what does the counter person who's been there 3 years get, or the assistant manager? Don't their wages go up too? According to the BLS, 2% are paid minimum, and they are mostly young and part time. The percentage has dropped dramatically in the last 40 years--and maybe that's good, but probably not, since usually a worker’s first job is minimum wage and that's where we learn. I wasn't worth what I was paid at my first job, but it was a learning experience.

Could teachers afford a Big Mac?

How much should a fast food worker who hasn't finished high school earn? Perhaps half of what a school teacher, who has a B.S. and M.S. earns? A public school teacher averages $39.27/hour or $55.52/hour with benefits. A teacher's average salary is higher than nurses and construction workers, and higher than college teachers per hour with benefits. But would they buy a big mac if those employees made $20/hour? Don't believe me? Scroll down to page 7 of the Bureau of Labor report for the details of your industry. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecec.pdf

The push for higher minimum wage is actually a push to, 1) close industries to punish their owners, 2) move more people to government programs to create more Democratic voters. At $15/hour, many low income workers would lose their government benefits (SNAP, EITC or Medicaid), and they make the same economic choices we all do based on the axiom, "Money talks, it says good-by," and they would probably chose not to work.

The food police are coming

Here is a frightening prospect:

"To have any chance of release from obesity's ever-tightening grip, the NATION will REQUIRE broad based efforts in every corner of society: homes, schools, community organizations, all levels of GOVERNMENT, urban design, transportation, agriculture, the food industry, the media, medical practice, and, without question, biomedical research."

JAMA Sept. 19, 2012 p. 1095

Any chart of the growth of the restaurant industry can show you the relationship between the modern women/feminist movement and obesity.   So maybe it’s up to moms to rein in the eating out, to spend a bit more time in the kitchen preparing food instead of opening packages, and stop driving the kids everywhere.  Actually, the childhood "obesity epidemic” stalled over a decade ago, but that hasn’t stopped the government intrusion in our lives.

The researchers can glamorize or sympathize, but the fact remains, a woman employed outside the home whose time is valuable, turns to restaurants/fast food outlets to feed her family.  Many women know nothing of the time short cuts or economic savings women of my generation learned from our mothers.

“The researchers acknowledge that food prepared in the home is nominally cheaper than purchasing food in restaurants. But in view of the value of time that must be devoted to shopping and cooking, as compared to the high-calorie, low-cost, mass-production meals available at ever-increasingly convenient locations (with ever diminishing travel and waiting time), the fast-food option appears to make good economic, if not health, sense.”

http://www.nber.org/digest/feb03/w9247.html

Stalking the evil French fry again!

Noticed this at OSU Today: "Ohio State researchers are looking for healthy MEN ONLY, ages 35-65, who are overweight (body mass index 25-40). You may be reimbursed up to $415 for your time and participation in research on how psychological stress boosts the unhealthy effects of fast foods in ways that could promote obesity and heart disease."

Fat men rejoice. No one cares if you eat home made cookies and pie, lasagna and spaghetti, steak and potatoes, when you're under stress. And if you've already participated in the Yoga and breast cancer study, then don't sign up for this.

Grad Student research grabs headlines

Last week I was complaining to my librarian colleagues about an undergraduate scholar poster competition at Ohio State where the website for entries contained no links to the library for research purposes, just sites for templates on formatting the posters! The first abstract I looked at which was on disproportionate representation by rural areas in the military had enough holes in the short paragraph you could have driven a tank through it. But it didn’t make the national news probably because it's been done before, and now that the war is Obama's problem, the press doesn't care. This one did, by grad student Kerri Tobin, reported at Junk Food Science on IQ and junkfood.

Last week, more than 400 news stories in just two days reported that a study had found conclusive evidence that fast food makes children stupid and lowers their school tests scores. How many journalists do you think actually went to the original source and read the study?

None.

How can we be so sure?

Because there is no published study. There was no ability for any educational or health professional, let alone a journalist, to examine the research and its methodology, data and interpretations.

Read the whole story at Junk Food Science and why and how we are so often mislead by the press with the fear of the day. "Had any reporter or editor gone to the original source material and understood it, they would have instantly realized that none of the claims they were hearing were credible."

A sober diet

Although I said I wouldn't browse when I returned my books to the library, I lied. Poor Richard's Almanack [Ben Franklin], December 1742, had this to say about eating a sober diet:

"A sober Diet makes a Man die without Pain;

it maintains the Senses in Vigour;

it mitigates the Violence of the Passions and Affections.

It preserves the Memory,

it helps the Understanding,

it allays the Heat of Lust;

it brings a Man to a Consideration of his latter End;

it makes the Body a fit Tabernacle for the Lord to dwell in;

which makes us happy in the World,

and eternally happy in the World to come,

through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour."

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Jessica Seinfeld on feeding kids

Maybe I should've written a book. Although since some other author (Missy Lapine) whose book is further down the best seller list is crying foul, I think it has a bit to do with being Jerry's wife, and sitting in on the Oprah show. Do you think? Anyway, I never had a problem getting my kids to eat, or to go to bed at a decent hour. Most of my tips for eating don't involve food.


1. Eat as a family--this is the key.

2. Set a nice table, both attractive and easy for children to use.

3. Have regular meals--my husband was usually home by 5:30 or 5:45, so this wasn't hard for us. We still eat early.

4. When children are small, use a booster seat, or put them on their knees on a regular chair, but put them at the table with the adults. Counters and stools are death to good eating habits, in my opinion.

5. Eat out only occasionally and/or for special events. You just can't compete for their taste buds with the high fat, high salt, high crunch of fast food.

6. Don't tolerate misbehavior at the table which spoils everyone's dinner, including the kid's.

7. Let the children help--but not too much. You want them to see that food preparation is an adult task--a big deal!

8. Clean plates are optional, but whining, complaints and dessert aren't.

9. Children in Haiti get beans and rice every day at school (according to my husband who has been there). Don't give very young children so many choices that you confuse them and numb their taste buds, which are much more sensitive than yours.

10. Desserts should be occasional and can be fresh fruit or yogurt to be special (it's a mind game, folks).

11. Don't be coy. We used to have mystery vegetable night, but really, the kids didn't like it. However, it makes for great family stories 30 years later.

12. I never snuck vegetable puree into anything (probably didn't have a blender then), although today I put pumpkin into peanut butter pie and you can't tell the difference. My children learned to appreciate vegetables for what they are, and usually raw. Raw carrot slices or cabbage was a BIG treat, as it was in my home when I was growing up. Raw potato slices were another big favorite.

13. My kids loved casseroles. However, my son-in-law (family of 7) hates them, so I think you need to go lightly here. Lasagne, spaghetti, mac and cheese--all that stuff we like, he will only have 2 helpings. He doesn't want his food "to touch."

14. Good luck keeping the sugary, high fat, high chemical and colored food away from your kids--as soon as they do an over-night or an after school play date at a friend's home, you've lost that battle. I baked whole wheat bread and lasagne with spinach noodles, but you can't fight the whole neighborhood unless you want your kid to have no friends.

Note to purists: No one seems to know where the word "sneak" came from, but its past tense "sneaked" is rarely used in the U.S. Most Americans (unless they majored in English or are over 65) use "snuck," but all forms sound pretty silly.

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Why we have minimum wage jobs

A fella that helps me keep my html and css coding straight is Boogie Jack. If it's not right, don't blame him--I came to computers late in life. In his latest newsletter he reports this story from one of his readers:

Recently at McDonald's I ordered a half-dozen Chicken McNuggets.

"We don't have them by the half-dozen," said the teen counter-jockey.

"You don't?" I questioned.

"We only have six, nine, or twelve," he answered.

"So I can't order a half dozen McNuggets, but I can order six?"

"Yeah."

So I ordered six McNuggets, whatcha gonna do?

Reminds me of the time I ordered a cup of 1/2 regular coffee, 1/2 decaf, and the clerk asked if I wanted the decaf on the top or the bottom.