Eating Animals. A Must-Read Book by Jonathan Safran Foer

I just finished reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. WOW. This book was fantastic. This talented fiction writer, who turned non-fiction for the purposes of writing this book, did an amazing job. It reads smoothly and dramatically at (appropriate) times, while supplying a wealth of facts and information.

I am glad that I was already a vegetarian before reading this book, but if you are not, and even if you are not considering becoming one—ever, this book is a must-read. Everyone should know where their food comes from! The invention of factory farming and misleading terms like cage-free have made people blind to their food source, and food is such a critical component of our lives that to be ignorant of this is just crazy.

Jonathan spent 3 years writing this book. I love that he allows those in the food industry to express their views and stories in their own words. Some people said they blew through this book in record time, because it was just so fluid and entertaining, though I had to put it down multiple times just to contemplate and reflect on what I had just read.

He touches on so many things, but he drew the focus on where 99% of the US's meat comes from: Factory Farms. However, he did spend a lot of time with farmers who work to keep their animals happy and healthy, as well—even a vegetarian cattle rancher and a vegan slaughter house builder! Although I loved the sections that tended to be more fact-intensive and even bought a set of highlighters just for this book (I had never highlighted in a book before in my life), the storytelling sections were excellent. It was so well-rounded, empathetic, and revealing. There is an entire section in the back devoted to explaining where his data came from and an index to help you reference relevant information.

Even though commercial fishing was such a minimal topic in this book, I came out with a much stronger understanding of the modern fishing methods, especially regarding the bycatch from these methods, which has been consciously built into the process. I have such a strong love and respect for ocean life and the ocean's ecosystems that this information really moved me. Taking in mind the recent news about the widespread fish labeling fraud, which is not discussed in this book, there can't be anything good to say about the modern fishing industry. Species are overfished, species are dying purposelessly as bycatch, and now I find out that the fishing industry is illegally selling those overfished species under the names of other, plentiful species. It's just terrible.

And then there is the impact of farmed animals on our environment.  While this was not news to me, he had a great knack for putting things in perspective. One of the most notable statements in this book to me was, “Most simply put, someone who regularly eats factory-farmed animal products cannot call himself an environmentalist without divorcing that word from the meaning.”

If you choose not to read this book because you intentionally prefer to remain ignorant of issues related to our food supply chain, then you are actively contributing to a huge problem.

I'm still trying to figure out how he squeezed all of the information he did into those pages without making it seem like I was in class, but even though at times it was hard for me to continue reading due to the harsh reality of the topics discussed, those times were few and far between, and Jonathan just did such an amazing job making this book readable. I know I am going to read it more than once.

Historic Day for Gay Rights

Today's Top U.S. Stories:

Yes, as my Google News Gadget would indicate, today is a historic day for gay rights.  The Obama administration has announced that they will no longer defend DOMA (The Defense of Marriage Act), as it is based on and encourages the stereotype-based thinking and hostility that the constitution is designed to guard against.  The law is indeed unconstitutional.

This is a great step towards equality, and I am elated to see this progress.  No other word is more appropriate for today’s news than “monumental.”

After this news broke, one of my family members decided to post a Facebook status update expressing disinterest in her friends’ and family’s views on topics such as abortion and gay rights and equated their posts regarding such topics as “shoving” their beliefs down her throat.   She would rather have us limit our posts to non-political issues.  We are present and aware of something that is going to be written about in our children's history books, but by all means, let's instead keep our posts light and fluffy... Actually, let's just pretend today's event didn't happen.

Social change is not a result of silence.  If everyone held their silence, the prejudices we object to would not be overcome.

Regarding the issue(s) of gay rights: As a straight member of society, I feel my voice is particularly helpful in this fight.  They need to know that they are not alone.  Society needs to know that they are not alone.  As long as I feel that my open opposition to discrimination is beneficial in any way towards complete equality, I will continue to use my voice.  Social networking is a tool.  I will continue to use it.

Don’t ever expect me to be silent.  I throw posts about my family, pets, dinner, favorite sports team, daily activities, and miscellaneous entertaining anecdotes into my social media streams, but being aware of and even part of our world’s political movements and potentially encouraging others to be aware will continue to be a part of me.  Prepare your throats for a shoving or take action to no longer listen to me or read what I have to say.  Blocking me is just a hide button away.

Ignorance is Ruining my Face!

Four score and seven years ago (actually, more like some time in the year 2003), I had a horrible toothache in one of my lower front incisor teeth. I went to the dentist, and they scheduled me for a root canal. They prescribed me Tylenol with codeine to hold me over until the appointment day. Chris and I had a vacation planned for the following weekend, and I used all of my medicine before the trip even started, so I went back and asked if they could give me more. It was going to be horrible going on that trip with no painkillers. Instead, they gave me an emergency root canal right then and there. My normal dentist wasn’t there (not that it mattered—I’d never even met him before), so another dentist did the procedure.

She was kind, gentle, and communicated information clearly. She opened up my tooth to relieve the pressure and cleaned out the canal. However, she told me that there were actually 2 canals in that tooth, which was rare but seems to be increasingly more common. She didn’t do the full root canal – just opened me up and stuffed the hole with cotton so that the massive infection could drain (gross, right?). Anyway, she told me that she noted in my file that the smaller canal had not been cleaned yet, and she instructed me to tell the dentist who would be finishing my procedure to make sure to clean it out.

I wish she had told me why that was so important.

Opening up my tooth relieved the pain immediately, and I was able to fully enjoy my vacation with Chris. Aside from my Trans Am getting hit in the parking lot of a Motel 6 (tears), it was a pretty sweet trip. Anyhow, after I returned home, I went in for my appointment to get my tooth finished up. I met my dentist. His personality was that of a Neanderthal with Asperger’s. As I settled in, I let him know that the previous dentist told me there were two canals and that she hadn’t cleaned the small one. Without hesitation, he grunted, “No. Only one.” I replied, “Well, she told me that although it was rare, this tooth has 2. There is a second, smaller canal, and that is becoming more and more common with these particular teeth.” Again without hesitation, he argued. He flipped through the file, pulled out an x-ray, held it up, and said, “See? One.”

Unhappy, I shrugged, “I guess.”

I should have left that office that instant. However, I let him finish the procedure. He handled my mouth rougher than anyone has a right to. He pulled on me, yanked on me, put my lips up over the top of my teeth and then rested his hands on them, painfully pressing my teeth INTO my lips.  He seemed to work on making sure the (one) canal was cleaned out, and then he closed up the hole. My tooth is so small that it didn’t get a cap or a crown – just some filling material on the back.

Within a day, I noticed that my tooth still hurt. I was pretty annoyed at that dentist for not cleaning out the other canal, because I was certain that the reason it was still hurting was because he left some of the painful infection in there. I didn’t go back, because there was talk about how fragile my small little tooth was without a cap, including a fear that the tooth would break during the procedure, so I figured the tooth might not be able to handle much more work done to it without breaking. I decided to just live with the chronic pain. The tooth became more sensitive, but the pain was tolerable. I mostly just resented that it was a constant reminder of what a jerk that dentist was.

Fast forward about 7 years. I went in for a routine dental exam/cleaning, and the x-ray showed an abscess under that tooth. Apparently, this is a big deal, and I was told to go see a specialist immediately. Unfortunately, that was right when I was changing jobs, so I went a few months without dental insurance. When my new insurance kicked in, I made an appointment with a new dentist so that I could get a referral to a specialist under my new insurance. The x-ray there showed that the abscess had gotten worse. I told the dentist my story about the two canals in that tooth. My story was returned with a blank stare. I made an appointment with a specialist (endodontist) immediately. I told him about my initial root canal experience.  He looked at me like I was speaking Klingon, telling me my tooth only has one canal. This man specializes in root canals, and he acted like I just told him that penguins fly. He hadn’t opened up my tooth or analyzed anything.  Not one doctor aside from the first random woman seemed to even consider the possibility that my tooth might have two canals in it. The endodontist attempted treating the infection by opening the tooth back up, cleaning out the (one) canal, inserting some sort of medicine down in the abscess, and sealing it off for a couple of weeks. After that, he removed the medicine and sealed up the tooth, telling me to rinse frequently with salt water and to come back in 6 months to check on the abscess, though he had a good feeling about it.

Today was that 6-month checkup. The abscess had gotten worse (see here), and he told me my two options are to undergo a surgery (cutting the gum and manually cleaning out the infected area) with a 50% success rate or to have the tooth extracted. He mentioned that if my tooth has a crack in it, which he suspects it might, the surgery would definitely fail. I have a week to decide.

The thought of having my tooth extracted distresses me even though I could probably get an implant put in later. The first thing I did, before I even drove away, was google “failed root canal.” The first search result brought me to an article that confirmed the surgery would be ineffective on a cracked tooth, but also stated almost immediately:

One of the most common reasons for failed endodontic treatment is that there is an extra canal in the tooth beyond what would normally be expected. Lower incisors, which are "supposed to" have only one canal, can have a second, hidden canal hidden behind the first one. … If the extra canal isn't found, it will eventually become infected and there will be treatment failure, resulting in a tooth abscess.

I am sure that is why my root canal failed. I’m not sure why no dentist in the past 7 years has believed me, but I’ve known it all along. My dilemma is, if I opt to have surgery by someone who doesn’t believe I have a second canal, the surgery will definitely fail. There will be NO chance of success. If I do find someone who believes me and is able to find the mysterious second canal, the chances of my surgery being effective are still only 50 - 75% (my current endodontist is pessimistic due to the current state of my tooth, saying 50% max).

At this point I’m thinking it might just be easier to have the tooth extracted and worry about getting an implant later... a very expensive implant.

Chris attempted to calm me by reminding me that the tooth is already dead, so it is only going to turn yellow and brown over time. I told him that later was different than now. I’m still trying to be pretty now! I told him that this dilemma should have just waited until I am 60-years old. Plus, I can always bleach it – I already have a home bleaching kit. Speaking of, I think I’ll go do that for an hour to make myself feel better about the poor state of my mouth. I’ve been avoiding it, worried it would agitate the healing (or so I thought) of my tooth.

It is so frustrating to think that this whole problem—all of this time, all of this money, all of this distress—is rooted back to that horrible dentist. But why hasn’t any dentist since believed me? I just want my damn tooth to stay in my mouth! I like my face. My teeth are a nice touch. I’d like to keep them—all of them. I spend more money annually on dental work than anyone I know, and I haven’t had a decent dentist since one random day in 2003. I would like to continue to be able to smile or even make my face do weird things like this without people wondering if I am Britney Spears’s even trashier long lost sister.

Fuck. One week before I have to decide to most likely lose my poor little tooth.

Why are Canadians so Eager to make Crosby their Hero?

The 2010 Olympics in Vancouver - what a great ride.

I love the Winter Olympics... I don't know what it is that makes me so passionate about sports on ice and snow, growing up in Southern California, but the Winter Games have always had a special place in my heart.

This year's Olympic Ice Hockey teams had a great selection of Anaheim Ducks on the rosters: Bobby Ryan & Ryan Whitney (USA); Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Scott Niedermayer (Canada); Teemu Selanne & Saku Koivu (Finland); and Jonas Hiller & Luca Sbisa (Switzerland). It was great to watch all of them representing their countries. Selanne broke an olympic record for most all-time Olympic points and got his 3rd career Olympic medal, Koivu his 4th. Hiller did such a great job in net for the Swiss--although the USA took out the Swiss in an elimination game, I was proud of Hiller, and I am happy to have him be the force in front of the Anaheim Ducks net. Although Bobby Ryan started out strong with the first USA goal of the tournament (against Hiller), he didn't continue to shine as I had hoped. He did continue to be a part of a very hardworking American team, though, that surprised so many over the course of this tournament.

The Canadians OWN hockey. As an American, you can hardly think of the sport without associating it with the Great White North. It is no surprise that the Canadians won the Gold, only a surprise that the Americans gave them such a run for their money, with Parise tying it up in the last 30 seconds of regulation play. It was an exciting game, and a fantastic tournament.

My main gripe with the media and the Olympic games this year, though, is that they were trying so hard to make Crosby the face of the Canadian team. "Crosby and the Canadians," they say. This irks me, because the Canadian team is full of talent. I think Crosby is a great player, but I think many of the NHL athletes are great players, and I don't feel that Crosby's personality warrants him to be the face of hockey. As I was watching the Olympic games, I took notice that Crosby was not a shining star on this team. He was not a leader. He was not a superstar. Without his buddy Malkin (who did happen to impress me & had the most points for Team Russia), he was simply a good hockey player--a very manageable hockey player.

Before the start of overtime, @SixFourG asked, "Ok hockey fans on both sides of the border. Hero predictions please." I couldn't help but think, "Anyone but Crosby." Of course, as everyone knows, Crosby ended up getting the game winner in overtime. I turned to the boyfriend, "Was that Crosby?" Damn. My fingers turned to Twitter, "Fuck! Crosby doesn't do SHIT this whole tournament, & now he gets to be a national hero." Before that goal, was the media wondering, "How are we going to justify the amount of time we've spent talking about how Crosby is going to carry this team, when the team doesn't need to be carried, and there are teammates with more goals and points than him?" They should have been. Lucky for them, though, Crosby got the game-winning goal. They could continue to fill our televisions and PC monitors with images of his face. Crosby, the face of hockey. Whoop dee fucking doo.

That said, congratulations to all of the Olympians for making this experience unforgettable.