"People assume that if they can't explain something in natural terms, then it must be something paranormal." - Sheila Sillery-Walsh
In the opening of Hamlet, it is not the approaching war that frightens soldiers, nor the shift of political power. It is the presence of a spirit that makes people uneasy. All cultures have superstitions relating to death or bad luck. In the United States the number thirteen is viewed with a mixture of fear and mockery. Those who believe in the unluckiness of the number have, what is termed triskaidekaphobia. Some cities have no 13th street and some buildings have no 13th floor as a result. Japan's superstitions closely parallel the American's with the exception that they pertain to the number four (tetraphobia).
The proliferation of television shows pertaining to paranormal events belief in the supposed events has grown. With 42% of Americans believing in ghosts it seems that the progression in scientific understanding has done little to curb the belief in the paranormal. Christopher French, a professor of psychology at the University of London states that, “The vast majority of us don’t like the idea of our own mortality. Even though we find the idea of ghosts and spirits scary, in a wider context, they provide evidence for the survival of the soul.” (1) In my opinion this rings true. Popular culture centers around the idea that we are "Forever Young"(2). This concentration on youth does little to impede the fear of aging.
1. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/why-do-people-believe-in-ghosts/379072/
2. Ke$ha
Monday, May 25, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Hunger at Home
“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”
― Ann Wigmore
As stated by the nonprofit Bread For the World the most direct way to end hunger in the US is with national nutrition programs. While they are in place for low income students, they lack the real nutrients that growing children require. Jell-O passes as fruit, ketchup passes for a vegetable and the remainder of the food is heavily processed and fried. Getting these meals from the government system helps feed people, it does a poor job of doing so.
The least expensive foods are the worst for the human body. For a couple of dollars I can get a burger and soda at a fast food restaurant, but a salad at the same place costs five. Fresh food must be transported with enough speed to give it a couple of weeks of shelf life which, understandably, drives the price up. The more difficult the object is to harvest (Size, growing time, etc.) the more the price goes up, but few chemicals are used. The number of chemicals in a box of cereal is so staggering, it would seem that the chemicals used to make the cereal so long-lasting would be more expensive, but the efficiency of machines made food is far greater than the time it takes to collect and distribute fresh food. If fresh foods were grown and distributed with the same efficiency, they would be affordable to everyone and could be present in all school lunches. However this will not come to pass, until the government chooses to rectify a problem with substantial costs.
― Ann Wigmore
As stated by the nonprofit Bread For the World the most direct way to end hunger in the US is with national nutrition programs. While they are in place for low income students, they lack the real nutrients that growing children require. Jell-O passes as fruit, ketchup passes for a vegetable and the remainder of the food is heavily processed and fried. Getting these meals from the government system helps feed people, it does a poor job of doing so.
The least expensive foods are the worst for the human body. For a couple of dollars I can get a burger and soda at a fast food restaurant, but a salad at the same place costs five. Fresh food must be transported with enough speed to give it a couple of weeks of shelf life which, understandably, drives the price up. The more difficult the object is to harvest (Size, growing time, etc.) the more the price goes up, but few chemicals are used. The number of chemicals in a box of cereal is so staggering, it would seem that the chemicals used to make the cereal so long-lasting would be more expensive, but the efficiency of machines made food is far greater than the time it takes to collect and distribute fresh food. If fresh foods were grown and distributed with the same efficiency, they would be affordable to everyone and could be present in all school lunches. However this will not come to pass, until the government chooses to rectify a problem with substantial costs.
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