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Every day I receive the headlines with the keyword obesity. Last month, a very funny thing happened. The following two headlines topped the list:
Researcher blames obesity on genes, not fast food
Root causes of obesity lie in how we look at environment, culture
I recently heard about a website that juxtaposes two very different issues. 1) Each of us can benefit from an enhanced vocabulary, and 2) poverty and hunger continue to be major problems in the world. FreeRice.com encourages visitors to play a simple vocabulary game. For each correct answer, 20 grains of rice are donated through a branch of the United Nations (see the FAQ for more information). Twenty grains doesn’t sound like much, but if you share my vocab geekiness (hmmm…where did all of those high school medals get to?) and the joy of trivial competitiveness, the donations quickly become substantial. The word game adjusts to the player’s skill level so that everyone can take part. The goal is to progress through the 50 levels as your abilities improve.
Continue reading "Lexiconographic Tutelage Abets the Disbursement of Aliment?" »
Would children really be better off if Santa dropped a few pounds? According to some recent news reports, some believe that Santa is setting a bad example for children and it’s time his “fat and jolly” image was given a “slim and trim” makeover.
Bah Humbug.
The New York Times recently reported that McDonald’s franchises in Seminole County, FL, have teamed up with the local school district to offer students a “report card incentive” program that rewards good grades, citizenship or attendance with a Happy Meal. While the program raises concerns about the overarching practice of marketing to children and marketing in schools, I am more worried about how it explicitly links performance and self-esteem with eating fast food.
