Hayden Tompkins's Profile

It is no coincidence that this nation has become an obese nation just as the saturated-fat-is-evil nonsense happened. Ancel Keys, in conjunction with Senator George McGovern who was on the Pritikin diet, pushed their low fat agenda which eventually became the basis for the FDA food guidelines.

The problem? First, the belief that dietary cholesterol causes our bodies to create cholesterol. (Not true, in fact our bodies make cholesterol as a calming response to inflammation.) The second, that Ancel Keys study was flawed and data manipulated to support a particular theory - one which could be explained by the lack of processed foods.

Gary Taubes does an excellent analysis.

Also, our brains are designed to run off fat and there have been studies linking higher incidences of depression with low fat diets. I believe you can start with Mark's Daily Apple for further info.

Also, I love all the people commenting about the flag when I see a ZILLION homes on AT with Buddha all over the place with no comments whatsoever about co-opting a religious figure from another culture. (Excepting, of course, practicing Buddhists which probably would not have Buddha bookends anyway.)

I do not get the feeling that they are only using the flag for decorating purposes at all. Much better this than people who leave their tattered flags up on poles outside their houses to be 'patriotic'. Tattered flags make me want to Hulk smash somebody.

I had a come-to-Jesus moment with myself with regards to cultural appropriation as a result of stumbling down the rabbit hole of this blog: http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com and I discovered that I needed to change elements of my design aesthetic. (Asian minimalist with pops of turquoise.)

It seems like much of cultural appropriation in the design community is related to wanting something different, unique, and interesting - possibly at the cost of the culture being appropriated from. "World traveling supermodel" pretty much nails it.

Vijay Prashad (of Trinity College interviewed in "Yellow Apparel: When the Coolie Becomes Cool") posits that cultural commodification is 'the emptying out of every culture'.

And goes on to say: "The suburban existence makes young people feel emptied of meaning. These are not trivial things. These are expressions against the meaningless of suburban existence. You know, where you can't have a real conversation because everything is good; everything is about the schedule. ... It's all bureaucratized and managed, one's life. ... There is nothing where you feel like "I have had an experience"."

But we can feel like we have had an experience with 'world traveling supermodel' or 'Asian minimalist', no?

Please do not feel that I object to Indian block prints, specifically; just that our design eye should also be cautious of context when we explore cross-cultural design.

@ supergirl377 - As someone who actually grew up going to school with duct tape on her shoes to hold them together just a little bit longer, I can tell you that those people DO exist.

It isn't that all poor people live this way; it's that people who live this way are poor. It's an I'll-do-what-I-want-because-I-don't-give-a-shit-and-you-can't-make-me attitude that leads to littering, ghetto lawns with half-hidden bits of rusting metal, and sad, scraggly animals who are not beloved members of the family but guard dogs or vermin chasers or whatever.

If you go back over the original comment, you will see specifically stated that it ISN'T because of poverty - just that this behavior is found in poorer neighborhoods which, if you think about it, makes sense. If all of your stuff is crap, or something that you rent, why take care of it?

Meanwhile, there are plenty of corporations with the same I'll-leave-my-shit-wherever-I-please attitude, so it is not just people.

From what I can tell, at least in the case of my father, it was a totally passive aggressive "f- you" to our neighbors and HOA and city inspectors. He was a poor little man with a poor little life and the only power he had was to make others feel miserable because at least they noticed him.

@archdarling - I was helping my friend make knitted hats and ended up not sending her the first hat because it was too small. I discovered that it was AH-MA-ZING for dusting! It picks up so much without making it all airborn. I also love my microfiber dust cloths. I have also used socks, turns inside out, over my hand.

I just take my down and throw them in the dishwasher. No muss, no fuss.

This is exactly what happens when someone takes an 'artsy' picture of something people wouldn't take off the free section of craigslist.

Hellooooo beds in #3, you are welcome at my house anytime! Seriously, what are they? Wood? Metal? Magic??

@outonalimb_09 er...did I miss something? I'm not sure I know what you are talking about.

What is that pink, basket looking thing in the second picture? I am strangely in love with it!