It's Hard Being Green

During the past few years, the obsession for everything eco-friendly has possessed the lifestyles of many Americans. The ‘green hype’ was started after the premiere of An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary featuring former Vice President Al Gore. Online bill payments have become available by many companies to reduce the use of paper statements. Eco-friendly products are rapidly appearing in the market, such as bedding and towels made from organic cotton, labeled organic foods, vegan cosmetics, and low energy appliances.

Certain areas have made the switch from Styrofoam disposable food boxes to containers that are biodegradable. Will participating in this ‘green hype’ really reduce an individual’s carbon footprint or is it all marketing? That is for the American consumer to decide. However, the real question is: Does participating in all this madness really reduce a person’s carbon footprint or will it just throw one into a heap of indecisiveness?

Paper or plastic?
It is said that plastic bags are evil because it takes 500 years for them to decompose in landfills. So, the better option would be paper, right? It can be recycled and part of it is even made from post-consumer products. Wrong. Paper is still made from trees, which is a cause of deforestation. And, during its production, it generates a huge amount of air pollutants.

Consumers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags when they go shopping. However, not everybody cares enough or feels comfortable enough to bring their own bag. In that situation, opting for plastic is wiser. It is easier to store and reuse.

Shutdown or standby?
Many college students, especially ones that live on campus, leave their computers on for hours at a time, if not overnight and for days. Their main reason is that their housing fee already includes electricity usage.Another advantage of leaving a computer on is that it increases its longevity. Everytime it is turned on, it’s like giving it a minor heart attack. The immobile hard drives quickly spin up from a stationary position to speeds exceeding thousands of rotations a minute. The process required to make a new PC is nasty and eco-unfriendly. Modern PCs don’t consume much energy in standby mode.

A special report by Forbes.com cautions, “Human life will always leave footprints. The best we can do is tread carefully.”

For more information, visit: http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/24/green-choices-consumer-tech-paperplastic08-cx_de_0724intro.html.

Guilty Disregard

Does it make me a horrible person if I say I don’t care about the latest San Bruno tragedy? Or the worldwide earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, or even 9/11 from nine years ago. I don’t care does not mean it never happened. I am just not compelled to provide aid or call to action, especially through my Facebook status. After all, everyone knows the status update is going to be replaced by thoughts of food within the hour. That goes for everyone else too.

The first thought that came to my mind when I saw pictures on my Facebook news feed and on my other tab coincidentally opened to Huffington Post was Wow, we’re on national news. You have to admit, San Francisco isn’t the place for interesting news stories. We don’t have hurricanes because we are protected by the bay. We don’t have any important governmental landmarks that terrorists would want to destroy. So until the long, overdue earthquake occurs, we got nothing.

I am not exactly asking for something catastrophic to happen. I just wish we were more news-worthy.

The second thought that came to mind was Thirty-seven homes destroyed and damaged? Like flattened destroyed? Finally! Something interesting is happening around here. Yes, flattened destroyed. And I really shouldn’t be ecstatic over what just occurred. I can’t imagine a plot of land that was once occupied is now flattened to the ground. It is as exciting as seeing snow for the first time. New Yorkers and surrounding states got to see Ground Zero. Now we have our little Ground Zero.

I know I’m not being sensitive to this issue. Judge me all you want, at least I am outwardly admitting it instead of faking sympathy through a Facebook update.

Although my compassion is unmoved, my heart goes out to all those families who lost their homes. You would be an inspiration to me to see you rebuild your lives. I know I wouldn’t have the courage and strength to do that.


San Bruno Explosion: Photos Of The Fire's Aftermath Paint A Bigger Picture

A.D. 2010, I am so done with you

I can’t wait another second to proclaim that 2010 has been the WORST year in my 22 (going on 23) years of existence.

This is for the world to see. Some of you have heard bits and pieces of my ‘rough patch’. Most of it contains gaps, things that would have made a big difference in my story, for fear of judgment.

This is going to be the complete truth. I don’t care if there is going to be hurt feelings, guilt feelings, or any feeling that this may illicit. I don’t care if I sound pathetic, nor do I want your pity. I’ve just had enough of these 365 - ~90 days.

January 1 and on…
I started out the year losing my boyfriend (for a lack of a better word) of four years. I made the bad choice of going out with someone else from the same group of friends. I truly regret that decision. If I didn’t do that, I WOULD NOT BE IN THIS MESS. After that, the group of friends just fell apart. He wouldn’t go if she was going. Hurt feelings everywhere. I had no one to go to because everyone had their own broken hearts to deal with.

While I was with the ‘friend’, I was miserable. The more I got to know him, the more he wasn’t what I thought he was. We were polar opposites. He was dragging me down from my normally cheerful façade. All at the same time, it took three months to accept the fact that the relationship with the ‘boyfriend’ was unsalvageable. It also took a bit of cognitive behavior therapy to get me to that point.

Employed
After two months of full time job searching, I finally landed a job. This is probably the only good (long-lasting) thing about this year. I love this job. I have great coworkers and this is what I wanted as a career. But I feel really unstable. Sometimes I feel like I’m not meant to do this. My lab techniques aren’t that great, which really impinge on my job duties. And sometimes I feel like I’m not being proactive enough for them to keep me on as a full time employee.

Family
Although my relationship with my family got better the last four years, I don’t feel like we’re close enough for them to be asking so much of me. I’m not afraid to say we’re in financial troubles. But with kids in college, who isn’t? I do contribute, but I feel guilty for not being compelled to. I feel guilty for not spending as much time with my sister. I don’t feel compelled to. I’m even ashamed to explain why I don’t hang out with my sister when people ask. When I’m home, I hide out in my room like I did in college. I just don’t get that warm, loving, homey feeling.

And after the whole break up thing, my mom just kept bugging me about salvaging the relationship or me being pathetic for being home on weekends. Really, mom, I know you want to brag about having the most awesomest daughter who has everything, but even the most awesomest people go through rough times. And if you’re not going to help me get through this, at least don’t make it worse. It was driving me crazy; crazy enough to make me start looking for apartments that would take all of my paychecks.

Finally things were looking up (or so I thought)
There were five days out of the however many days of 2010 it’s been, that I’ve felt pure happiness like I did before all this mess. I started seeing this one guy from work. I really don’t know if I regret this or not. Being with him was amazing, but of course ‘too good to be true’ is always ‘too good to be true’. He was perfect; perfect as in he had all the qualities I looked for in someone. I can tell you this was not a rebound feeling. I can’t believe I fell head over heels for him. And I’m always kicking myself for it. I told myself I wouldn’t do that after all the pain I’ve been through in the past.

One of the reasons the ‘boyfriend’ and I broke up was because I was continually seeing other people. I just didn’t receive the affection or attention I needed from him. So while I was crying over how bad I felt for hurting him like that, my friends asked me, When are you going to stop? How much [attention] is enough for you? My truthful answer was: I don’t know. But being with this guy, I wasn’t only willing but I wanted to make all the attention from other guys to stop. I had everything I needed. I told him about my commitment issues and my fears of a relationship because I really believed this was going to work out. In the end, it was too good to be true. It ended as quickly as it started.

I go to work every day being professional. No one suspected anything except for the people I told. Even then, they think I’m over him. Every day, I walk by his desk hoping to get a glimpse of him. There was that one day he walked by and said hi, I could feel my heart jump out of my chest for a second. I kicked myself for that.

Moping
Of course there will be some moping and wallowing after a heartbreak. The traditional technique of moping includes (1) losing focus at work, (2) consuming a lot of junk food, and (3) watching a lot of TV. I did eat a lot of junk food but that’s just a regular habit of mine. So the only traditional moping I did was watching a lot of TV.

But it’s Abby. I never do things in the traditional sense. For a month, I kicked up my workout schedule a notch (or two). Here was my workout schedule:

Sunday Open swim training
Monday Bikram Yoga
Tuesday Jogging at the beach (walk/jog for ~2 miles)
Wednesday Pool swimming (swim a mile or varying workout)

It only lasted a month because I succumbed to fatigue. And it takes me forever to recover. Exercising was always an outlet for me, especially swimming. I took it a little too far this time. I used exercise as a distraction from everything. Being around and in water puts me into a different realm. Jogging fulfils my fantasy of running endlessly and maybe, hopefully (please) someone will run after me and hold me tight.

Narcissism
With all that exercising, I became obsessed with my body. I enjoyed all the catcalls I received as I was running along the beach. I enjoyed looking at myself in the mirror while doing yoga. I love the skin-tight fit my wetsuit provided. I enjoyed the looks I get from people as I walked down the street. People were just feeding me all this attention. How could I resist? But after a while, I felt empty because people no longer loved me for my inner beauty.

Anti-Narcissism
So maybe there are still plenty of people who love me for my inner beauty. But only because I make myself sound so self-important. I sometimes really hate that about myself. I have all these guys swooning over me because they find me both physically attractive and intellectually attractive. Last year, I would’ve had my calendar all booked up. Now, I’m rejecting one after another. Seriously, why do these ‘meetings’ have to have romantic intentions?

In the meantime…
No, I haven’t only been moping about my ill-fortune. I’ve also taken this opportunity to grow. I am proactively conquering my fear of success. I am not just using exercise as a coping mechanism; I am also training to achieve my goal of swimming from Alcatraz. I am taking classes to expand my general knowledge. I am also working on my writing.

Getting through all this
I don’t know if any of this seems oh-so-tragic to you. But you aren’t the one going through all this so you don’t count. It has been hell for me and things don’t seem to be looking up anytime soon.

So how did I survive all this? I would like to say thanks to Kelly Clarkson, OneRepublic, The All-American Rejects, and Selena Gomez. I wouldn’t have gotten through all these nights without you guys lulling me to sleep with your empowering lyrics.

I’ve looked to superstitions day after day to get me through. I read my daily horoscope every morning to provide some insight to the upcoming day. I wish for a good day at the ‘Rainbow Tunnel’ during my commute.

I’ve come to the ends of my strength. I really can’t take anymore of this crap.

My first open water workout

I like to push myself out of my comfort zone. This time I pushed myself too far. There isn’t a whole lot in the world that can make me cry.

We were all waiting on the bleachers waiting for Coach Pedro to start the workout. I felt a sense of euphoria standing with all these wetsuit-clad swimmers in the middle of a tourist attraction, not to mention everyone giving us amused looks. Mostly, I felt like part of a team doing something many others find impossible to accomplish.  After the briefing, people were running into the water like they were given a head start to escape from Alcatraz before the guards came after them. Standing on the beach, I already started to panic. Once I got into waist deep water, I felt a little better. My wetsuit was warm enough that I didn’t feel any temperature change. After swimming a few strokes, I was so overcome with fear that tears started streaming down my face. I refused to put my head in the water, which made my panic attack even worse.

Today was my first open water swim workout, training for an Alcatraz crossing. I finally paired up my words with action. The idea for this ambition came to me one day while I was watching the Ironman Competition on TV last summer. Just watching all these people walking across the finish line, no matter how long it took, was very commendable (while I was sitting on my butt watching this). I said to myself, "I want to be one of them. I want to do something in my life that not many people can do." I began dreaming about competing in the Escape to Alcatraz triathlon and running across the finish line. After a few months of dreaming, I discouraged and belittled myself. I can't run, nor can I bike. However, the triathlon is always nagging me in the back of my head. I started working out more the past few months. I started swimming a mile each week. As luck has it, the sudden great weather provided me an opportunity to start running on the beach. The thought in the back of my head tugged on my sleeve even harder. Now a triathlon seemed a little more possible. Again, luck found me an affordable, amazing wetsuit to work with.

Open water is so different from being in the pool. You are in the middle of a vast expanse of water—there is nothing to hold on to, you can’t touch the bottom, forces are pushing you around. During the course of the workout, Coach Renee stayed close to me by the beach where I was able to reach the ground. We started off by getting me comfortable with putting my head in the water.

It was a whole different sensation in the ocean water. With your head down, you can't see anything. It was like floating in the abyss. I instinctually squeezed my eyes shut as I plunged my head into the water only to realize I had goggles on. Perhaps they were a little too clear. I probably held my breath for the longest time today. I was so caught up in being inside my head that I forgot I can just turn my head to the side. The more times I entered the water, the more comfortable I became. I was more aware of myself relative to the water.

I absolutely love my wetsuit (with the exception of its girly color). It is so lightweight and easy to slide on and take off. It keeps me at a comfortable temperature. I didn't even notice the temperature change when I got in and out of the water. Its buoyancy is amazing. I don't even have to tread. All I have to do is lean back. Although the salt water makes it easier too. And what I love best is...it makes me look sexy. =P

I wouldn't say I am addicted yet, but I can definitely say I would do it again.

Until next time. I will keep you updated on my progress. 

Dealing with my Fear of Success

Next to the process of dying, my next greatest fear is in succeeding. I have a tendency to go into withdrawal when things are going the way it is suppose to. In relationships, I withdraw from the other person when I become smitten. At work, I procrastinate on projects when I am specifically chosen to do them. I am all talk and no action when it comes to personal goals. There are so many things I want to achieve and I know that it is feasible, yet I am afraid to go for it. My two greatest ambitions are to become a community writer and to achieve at least one Alcatraz Crossing.

Years ago, all I could think about was succeeding to prove to all those kids (and particular teachers) in school who said I'd never amount to anything. I constantly remind myself that I must graduate from a top college in four years or less, and then start a great career while being ecstatic with life. Now that I've accomplished that and proven myself successful, I'm afraid to keep going.

Every time I come close to reaching my goal, I find myself standing stagnant just staring at the finish line. Weeks pass and months go by and I'm still standing in the same spot. Then I find some motivation to move forward. But soon more time passes and I realize I am only an inch from where I was earlier.

"All fears of success would go away if you totally took your power back," says Caine. "In fact, our very deepest fear is that when we really reclaim our power and succeed, we have to face the knowledge that we have always been powerful to change all along and that we could have changed a year or five or 10 years ago."

I know I'm a dork for looking this up: how to cope with the fear of success. Of all the materials I read, the only solution is to come to terms with it.

First, I need to figure out what is causing this fear.

1. I am putting too much weight on what success means. To me success means being smarter, craftier, wiser, and better than other people.
2. Success increase feelings of doubt. After I make a decision, I always ask myself: "Have I done the right thing? What if I'm not heading in the right direction?"
3. My motivation to succeed is faulty. I am using my success to punish the other kids and to compete with the rest of the world.

Second, why am I so afraid? This may seem a bit preposterous, but I find it threatening. The fear is like a ghost constantly whispering in my ears. "If you don't watch out, we're going to cause you to have love withdrawn, and you're going to end up all alone and lonely. We're going to expose you, and everyone will see your ambition, and your aggressiveness, and the pride and hostility, and all those ugly things you thought you had hidden so well." Worse yet, "We're going to expose you, and they're going to see your power and strength and talent and all the beautiful parts that you've hidden away."

Lastly, I need to identify the fear of success. What is it that frightens me? I am afraid that I will not be able to sustain my success. And when I fail, everything around me will self-destruct. I will be hurt and dejected. Because of the high that comes with success, there is a lot to lose.

This is my first attempt to leave myself vulnerable and to be honest with myself and everyone else. I hope you will all support me in my endeavor to reclaim my power.

Most and Least Educated Cities in America

Huffington Post featured a slideshow of the most educated and least educated US cities based on the percentage of bachelor’s degree holders. The research done by the Brookings Institute showed that of 100 metropolitan areas, Washington D.C. leads with 46.8% degree holders, followed by Bridgeport, CT, and the San Francisco Bay Area in California with 43% of degree holders. On the reverse side, the Central Valley area of California holds three positions as the least educated with below 20% of degree holders.

Being educated in San Francisco, one of the most educated cities, the results were shocking. I expected a much higher percentage of college degree holders. As a senior in high school, you rarely find anyone who has no plans to pursue a higher education. At the very least, they would be taking general education classes at a junior college with a prospect of transferring to a four year college.

The MOST Educated Cities In America (PHOTOS)

I ended up going to college in Stockton, CA, one of the cities listed as the least educated. It was hard adapting to an agricultural city coming from a large metro city. I had not noticed the disparity in educational attainment while I was in school. After graduation, I accepted an internship so I stayed in the Central Valley for a few more months. I made the mistake of assuming everyone I worked with was either pursuing a college degree or already has one. I was clearly mistaken. I was told that not a lot of people continue school after high school due to financial constraints and because it was not necessary.

The LEAST Educated Cities In America (PHOTOS)

On average, only 27.7% of the US population, age 25 and over, possess a bachelor’s degree. Significant disparities in educational attainment are due to differences in economic and demographic structures, as well as cultural mores. If you notice, the most educated cities are centers for professional and science/technical industries. The least educated cities, such as Stockton, Modesto, and Fresno, are widely agricultural where college education is not necessary. These “trends may be ‘locking in’ longstanding attainment differences across metropolitan areas rather than narrowing the gaps,” states the State of Metropolitan America by the Brookings Institute.

Interactive: State of Metropolitan America Indicator Map

Many studies have shown that educational attainment is the biggest predictor of success for cities and metro areas today. The more educated a city’s population, the more robust its economy will be.

To increase educational attainment, the K-12 system must be in the forefront of reformation. High schools may not be preparing students to pursue a higher education. The federal government should fund many more comparative effectiveness trials of curricula, and schools using federal funds to support the education of disadvantaged students should be required to use evidence of effectiveness in the choice of curriculum materials.

Good education outcomes for students depend on good teachers. Conditions of employment should be restructured to recruit and select more promising teachers, provide opportunities for them to realize their potential, and keep the very best teachers in the profession.

National HIV/AIDS Strategy revives public attention

The biennial XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) will be held in Vienna, Austria next week from July 18-23. In a timely fashion, President Obama unveiled the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) today.

NHAS focuses on reducing the number of new infections, increase access to care, and reducing HIV-related health disparities. The implementation of NHAS aims to reduce the annual number of new HIV infections in the United States by 25% by 2015.

Although the policy is headed in the right direction, the plan is not perfect. Several activists have also expressed criticism over the policy.

"I think the jury is out as to whether this strategy leads to the reforms we need," says Chris Collins, public policy director at The Foundation for AIDS Research or AMFAR, said in a telephone interview.

The plan explicitly point out gay and bisexual men, black men and women, Latinos and Latinas, and substance abusers as populations with the highest risk of HIV infection. “At a time of limited resources [$19 billion], we must reorient our efforts by giving much more attention and resources to geographic areas with the highest infection rates”, says the plan.

Michael Weinstein, president of the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, criticized the administration's intention to redirect money to those groups at greatest risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. "It's not good to pit one group against another and it's unnecessary," he said. "The bottom line is that we should be seeking to get all sexually active people to get an HIV test."   

Misconception about Weight Loss

Obesity-related diseases have been a growing concern over the years. But no one has really looked at the dangers of the overly underweight. There are at least 100 different diets out there. Not only are the women dieting, but the men are too. I actually know more guys than girls doing the cleansing diets and the low carb diets. There is a reason these diets are not working.

Firstly, I would like to say that the word diet has been taken out of context. Diet is defined as “the usual food and drink consumed by an organism.” Now every time the word is muttered, the immediate thought would be of weight loss. For the purpose of discussion, the latter definition will be used.

There is a misconception between weight loss and a slimmer body. Essentially, the obsession over dieting and weight loss is due to the dissatisfaction of one’s body shape. If you explore the reasons for dieting, it all leads to wanting a slimmer waistline, thighs, arms, etc.

I have never been concerned about my weight or my body, although, I’m not saying I’m perfectly happy with it; but recently, I’ve been more bothered by it. I am constantly being told to “eat more, you won’t get fat” and “you are so skinny, what is wrong with you?” These comments are starting to irritate and offend me. Here are the reasons why:

1) I am fit. People who really know skinny, would not say I am. I swim, play tennis, and practice yoga to increase strength, tone my muscles, and maintain flexibility. As tempting as it is to snap me in half like a twig, I’m more likely to bend like a straw.

2) I do eat. You just don’t see me eating a lot all in one sitting. I split my meals into two sittings and I snack all day long. I cannot live without rice and meat. In fact, that’s pretty much all I eat. Having something throughout the day keeps my blood sugar and metabolism regulated.

3) Being skinny is just how my body is structured. I would be ecstatic to add 5” more to my waist.

My point is: Weight does not equate with the perfect body. If you are a 5’4”, 110 lb female, you should not be trying to lose more weight. According to the Body Mass Index (BMI), you need to be gaining at least another 10 lbs. And what better way to gain that is to add muscle mass.

The more accurate focus of all this “weight losing” is body toning or physical exercise. Following a certain diet will NOT keep fat from accumulating in your tummy, arms, butt, or wherever it is unwanted. It only reduces the amount of intake of nutrients that eventually metabolizes into fat.

Go have a swim or go for a jog. Maintaining a total body workout will give you a more satisfying result than dieting. It will probably be a lot easier too.

Paradox of My Character: A review of Dick Meyer's Why We Hate Us

People who know me personally know that I yearn to move out of the United States. Why, they would ask? I tell them that I despise America for its futile arguments over controversial issues, its sudden attentiveness for the environment, and its exploitative use of media.

One day, I was picking up at book on the hold shelf in the library. As I rushed across the library to check it out (I forgot to feed the parking meter), a title stopped me in my tracks. It was called “Why We Hate Us: American Discontent in the New Millennium by Dick Meyer. I was surprised. I couldn’t believe there was a book about this. I found out later, every word Meyer wrote were my exact same thoughts, except with better wording.

Meyer explains that our discontent is fueled by bullshit, belligerence, and boorishness, which are brought on by phoniness and the revolution of technology. The more I read, the more my thoughts unraveled and the more cynical I became (as if I wasn’t cynical enough already). At the same time, I felt myself unraveling. I came to realize that Meyer was talking about me. I was shocked. I always thought I was part of the solution, but Meyer says differently. I am why we hate us.

Truthiness

I talk a lot of bullshit, but not a lot of people are able to spot it. I call it truthiness, a term coined by Stephen Colbert. Now in the Webster’s dictionary, truthiness is defined in two ways: 1) truth that comes from the gut, not books, and 2) the quality of preferring concepts of facts one wishes to be true, rather than concepts of facts known to be true. When truthinesses clash, it’s a pointless argument ready to happen.

I make you believe that natural and fair trade products are good for you and for the people on the other side of the world, despite the fact that natural doesn’t always mean the ingredients were obtained fairly or that fair trade is really that fair.

I disable you as a fan of a certain music artist just because I don’t like their music. I don’t have a legitimate reason to not like them, but I embellish my reason to make it sound reasonable just so I have something to say.

I just demonstrated Meyer’s theory that belligerence flows from bullshit. Meyer writes, “The idea of choosing goods and values individually, by taste and preference, is what truthiness is all about. It actually has a philosophic pedigree. It is called ‘emotivism,’ a term resurrected by MacIntyre from early nineteenth-century British philosophy. In After virtue, MacIntyre defines it this way: “emotivism is the doctrine that all evaluative judgments and, more specifically, all moral judgments are nothing but expressions of preference, expressions of attitude or feeling.” So in this view there is no difference between saying ‘the death penalty is wrong’ and ‘I don’t like the death penalty.’ ‘Gay marriage is immoral’ is just another way of saying ‘I don’t like gay marriage.’ Now you see why we are getting nowhere with issues of gay rights and abortion.

Belligerence

“The need to make others wrong has turned into an addiction,” writes Meyers. That is very true…for me. As a former debater, I am unable to let go of my debating habit. To win a round, all I have to do is prove to the judge that the other party wrong.

Another habit obtained from debating, is producing arguments that are not necessarily the view of one’s own beliefs. I have also brought this habit into my world outside of debate. I can, on the spot, make up a plausible explanation for (almost) anything to provoke an argument; because I am convinced I can prove you wrong 90% of the time.

We are faced with belligerence all the time, especially on TV. Do you know what is common in all those reality shows? Drama. Contestants are always fighting with each other. Meyer compares reality TV to voyeurism, “part of the allure of reality TV is the voyeuristic thrill of watching real people fight and melt down—and the performers deliver. Game shows goad contestants into catfights. We enjoy watching the naked aggression of exhibitionists. We find it entertaining, even soothing.” Remember the Jerry Springer Show and all the fights hunky Steve had to break up?

Balkinization

This is, in some way and not, where I offend America the most. Meyer defines cultural Balkinization as “exaggerated attachments to a point of view or single issue.” People place identifiers on themselves every day. I’ll point myself out. I call myself a tennis player, a swimmer, and a gymnast. In reality, I can’t serve, it takes me 32 seconds to swim 50 meters, and I can’t do the splits.

Identifiers are very common these days. Meyer takes it to the next level to say that “people have an increased need to display badges of their own personal ‘Balkin states’ to the world with the whole branding concept in fashion and marketing” which I am guilty of.

Balkinization leads to a type of phoniness, called artificiality. I never noticed my artificiality until I walked into a certain Wal-mart. Every time I walk into that certain Wal-mart, I get jeers and stares. It’s a little uncomforting. Then I realize it might be what I am wearing and carrying into the store—a Coach purse and shoes, Armani Exchange t-shirt.

Why We Hate Us brought my life into perspective. Usually with these kinds of epiphany, I find myself trying to minimize these traits. However, I feel I am unable to make myself more authentic or stop from starting an argument when opportunity arises. Meyer offers a remedy to make us belittle our hatefulness. To sum it up in one sentence, he says “strive to make thoughtful choices using a sound moral temperament.” I guess acknowledging my hatefulness is a start.

Pay Attention to How You Say It

I’m really cranky today. It’s all because of one question: Do you want to join us for clean up? Of course I don’t. It’s just a question, and it wasn’t asked in any way rude at all. What is really bothering me is the semantic of the question. Semantics is the study of language, often used in ordinary language to denote a problem of understanding that comes down to word selection or connotation. I can get really anal when it comes to word selection and connotation.

While working as a staff writer for the school newspaper and having my editor tell me that my sentences are too vague or ambiguous, I started noticing the vagueness and ambiguity in the spoken language. I was “writing like I speak”, as people tell me to do.

My outrage over poor semantics is also stimulated by “Yes I can” followed by inaction in response to the question “Can you hand me the _____?” Although said jokingly, it makes me sound stupid.

It’s really annoying when people take the context for granted. For the most part, misunderstanding will come about from the difference in interpersonal communications. Because of such vagueness and ambiguity, what is said may be misinterpreted by the other person. It also makes you sound stupid and a little conceited. Either you have limited vocabulary and is unable to express yourself, or you expect everyone to know what you are referring to.

Back to the question at hand: Do you want to join us for clean up? Like I said before, no I don’t. In context, it is more of a command than a question; however, putting it in that way gives the askee the option to say yes or no. You could start with “Can you…?” but that would just feed my rage. I am not an etymologist, but I think the proper way would be to say “Come help us clean up.” It will limit the responses and will do a better job of calling someone to action.

It takes an above average effort for me to deal with poor semantics. I can understand if one’s usage of English is translated from another language, since English is a bit weird. But if one is proficient in English and say to me “What time is it? I need a watch,” then I will definitely tell you “It’s time to get a watch.”

Another thing that really annoys me is redundant phrases, or tautology. The book Armed Gunmen, True Facts, and Other Ridiculous Nonsense: A Compiled Compendium of Repetitive Redundancies is self-explanatory.

Brand Logos are Due for a Change

During these last two or three years (coincidentally during the time of recession), many brands have redesigned their logos and remodeled their storefront. Target and Disney stores have been remodeled.Wal-Mart, Coach, Starbucks, Borders and Saks Fifth Avenue, among others, have redesigned their logos. These are just a few brands that I have noticed.

A successfully redesigned logo is one that no one notices. The only reason I noticed the afore-mentioned logos is because I encounter them much too often for my own good. Redesigning a logo is a strategy to give the company a fresh look.

After 17 years, Wal-Mart’s sharp, uppercase letters spelling out the name of the company and the pointy star that serves as a hyphen (as described by BusinessWeek, btw, who also has a new logo) have been replaced by rounded, lowercase letters and a sunburst-like symbol. This new symbol feels friendlier with its new font. However, the sunburst doesn’t exactly shout “Wal-Mart” to me.

I think of cheap, non-branded items when I hear Wal-Mart. I would rather go to Target because in my mind, for some reason, they can provide me with higher quality merchandise. I was informed by an article in MSN Money that as the recession drags on, Wal-Mart has attracted more upscale, budget-conscious consumers, or “Target shoppers.” Target pulls in more consumers by bringing in well-known designers names to their merchandise and remodeling their stores to give a more department store feel.

At the same time, Wal-Mart mimics the strategy of its rival. Just the other day at Wal-Mart, I noticed a certain line of clothing—Miley Cyrus/Max Azria. I’m thinking, “I’ve seen Max Azria in the upper-scale part of Macy’s and Nordstrom; how in the world did they get him in here?”

Analysts say, “Wal-Mart isn’t exactly copying Target. Its brand-name strategy has a Wal-Mart twist. Instead of pursuing fashion-forward brands, Wal-Mart is looking to revitalize classic, recognizable brands as well as offer low prices on the big-name electronics and home appliances sold by competitors.”

I’ve only discovered Wal-Mart in college. I know of no Wal-Marts 15 miles from where I live. Once I move back home, I don’t see a point in looking for one. The only times I pay a visit to Wal-Mart is because I need to get something at 2 am, I can’t get the product at Target, or I don’t care about the quality.

Is Wal-Mart the new Target? Joseph Feldman, a senior retail analyst at Telsey Advisory Group, says, “I am realistic that [Wal-Mart is] not going to keep everybody who has traded down to them. But I think they are going to keep a lot of them. [As for Target], it leaves them in a fine position. It is still going to be a bit more fashion-forward than you would find at Wal-Mart, and that customer will return.”

Check out some redesigned logos here at If It's Hip, It's Here.

Dating Decoded with Science

I’ve developed a habit of watching The Tyra Show every afternoon. Today’s episode was especially interesting. I found out my dating style is very scientific. It’s merely coincidence. I hardly believe it has anything to do with my science education.

Guest and author of Love Decoded, Andrew Trees, reveal the scientific explanation of a typical date. Below are questions that were asked on the show.

1. How should you greet each other?
a. Hug
b. Handshake
c. Friendly ‘hello’

2. What should you eat?
a. Pizza
b. Picnic
c. Romantic restaurant

3. What should the girl order?
a. Filet mignon
b. Pasta
c. Salad

4. What do you talk about?
a. Pop culture
b. Career
c. Literature

5. What do you do after the date?
a. Walk
b. Coffee
c. Drinks

6. If you are going to a movie, what movie should you watch?
a. Comedy
b. Horror
c. Chick flick

7. The ‘goodbye’
a. Hug
b. Handshake
c. Kiss

8. Who should pay on the first date?

There’s the scientific explanation from Trees and then there’s my take.

1. Andrew: handshake Me: Handshake
According to Trees, a handshake greeting gives the girl a feeling that her potential new boy is masculine and maybe even sporty. It was not surprising that most of the audience said ‘a hug.’ Maybe it’s just me, but firstly, I’m not a ‘huggy’ person. I don’t even hug my close girl friends. Secondly, hugging is an intimate thing. At a job interview, I wouldn’t hug my interviewer just because he/she is my potential new coworker. And because I don’t know you well, I don’t know if you’re a touchy-feely stalker. Let’s just keep it at the handshake until I know you better.

2. Andrew: Romantic restaurant Me: Romantic restaurant
The scientific reasoning is that going to a restaurant gives a sense of security—that the guy can provide for the girl. Also, the soft lighting will make the girl look more beautiful. Totally agree!

3. Andrew: Filet Mignon Me: pasta for lunch or filet mignon for dinner
Obviously, salad is definitely the wrong answer. I will pig out in front of a guy if I felt like it. But it’s not okay for vice versa. I will definitely not hesitate to order what I want at a restaurant. I will mind the price, don’t you worry about that.

4. Andrew: pop culture Me: career
I diverge a bit from the sciences here. Trees say pop culture is a safe subject. It’s a light and broad subject that both are able to comprehend and contribute to. Like choosing to go to a restaurant, I want a sense of security. I, at least, need to know that you have some kind of goal and you are doing something to reach towards your goal. It’s such a turn off if you don’t know what you want in life. This goes for everyone, not just my potential new boy.

5. Andrew: walk Me: walk
You just had a sat down meal and now you want to sit some more at a coffee shop? Walking is an easy way to digest the meal you just had, and supposedly, seeing bodies in motion makes them more attractive. I guess that’s true. For me, it’s more that the other choices were not very appealing. Walking gives me a chance to know the guy better. Notice their observations, it’ll tell you a lot about them.

6. Andrew: comedy Me: comedy
First of all, why would you go to a movie on a first date? And if you do, make sure you do it before dinner. Choose a comedy so both of you can have a good laugh. Watch them laugh. A person’s smile is definitely attractive.

7. Andrew: hug Me: hug
What is it about guys wanting a kiss at the end of the day? Now I know you’re not a stalker. We can hug, except this time you’re asking for a kiss. According to Trees, a 20 second hug is enough to trigger the brain’s pleasure center. A 20 second hug is a really long time. I might begin to think you’re a creeper.

8. Andrew: the guy Me: the guy
There is a rule stating that the person who is taking the other person out should pay. For the guy to pay, again, gives a sense of security to the girl.

Now you know I’m not the kind of girl to hug in the beginning and kiss at the end of the date, orders salad, or make you watch chick flicks. I don’t even eat salad. Do you find me attractive now?

There is one other dating rule I strictly follow: the first date should never be planned for more than 30 minutes. When I say coffee date, I literally mean coffee date. Why do I say 30 minutes? Half an hour should be enough time to get to know your date a little bit. If one of you feels like you are not having a good time, then the end of the 30 minutes gives you a chance to politely leave. If you are having a good time, then by all means, spend the whole day together.

No, you can not use this information to go out with me.

Happy dating!

Just Cannot Stay Away From the Internet

I am one of those people who go by the saying: if it’s not broken, don’t mess with it—for the most part anyway. I pride myself in being able to control temptations (except food); all I have to do is modify my mindset. When I go out shopping and I find a real cute dress, although not one that I absolutely must have, I tell myself I would come back for it when it goes on sale. I end up not going back for it because I don’t want to pay bus fare. I save myself at least $40.

Technology, as we know it today, is taking over our lives. We feel naked when we realize we left the house without our cell phones. Our nights revolve around the contents of TV Guide. Internet security is a rising concern.

Within the scope of people I know and interact with, I’ve noticed a trend in modern technology usage. People who live in the city tend to rely more on their computers, cell phones, and internet. On the other hand, people from the country do fine without being connected.

I gave up television when I went to college. I never got into the habit of pursuing certain shows anyway. There were a lot of other things going on. Studying was one of them, of course. Not having a TV is no big deal for me.

I can’t remember the days when not everyone had a cell phone. What did people do if they got stood up for a shopping date? I can go a few hours without my cell phone. I say hours because there are only a few certain circumstances where you don’t have your phone. For instance, your battery died because you underestimated your battery indicator. Before “smart phones,” I mainly use them for the time. It’s too much of a hassle to wear a watch; for one, it’s difficult for me to read analog.

The computer is a hard one to judge. I’m not a gamer, so I’m not so much as addicted to my computer as they are. I do need my computer for iTunes and Microsoft Word and Excel, but alternatives can easily be utilized. The computer is just more convenient.

As for the internet…*look away*. I admit defeat. All of you admit it too. You can’t survive more than two days without internet. The time you went camping or Las Vegas does not count. As I said earlier, I take pride in being able to resist almost all temptations. I’ve been living without internet for two weeks and counting. I thought I would be used to it by now; but I’m not. I scavenge any small amount of signal I can get. I’m almost desperate enough to drive five miles to the rest area to get wireless internet.

As city dwellers, we are underprivileged. We know everything that is happening around the world, but we don’t know what’s going on in our homes, literally. Although it’s killing me not to be connected to the global community, I take this opportunity to cultivate domestic skills, hone my talents, and self-teach myself things I would’ve never been able to learn with all the distractions.

Revisiting Human Nature: Review of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels

It took me three attempts and a month to recount Gulliver’s lifetime travels.

I started reading this when I was 13 years old. I never got past the Lilliputians.

I finally decided to give Gulliver’s Travels another try. I thought to myself “maybe I was just too young to appreciate Swift.”

Through my perseverance, I found that Swift’s work is brilliant. It is simple yet complex at the same time. As many of you know, Gulliver’s Travels is famously known for its satire of the human nature. Each of the inhabitants of Gulliver’s destination has contrasting characteristics/traits of the preceding destination. Gulliver is big/small/sensible/ignorant, the countries are complex/simple/scientific/natural, and forms of Government are worse/better/worse/better than England's. Gulliver's view between parts contrasts with its other coinciding part — Gulliver sees the tiny Lilliputians as being vicious and unscrupulous, and then the king of Brobdingnag sees Europe in exactly the same light. Gulliver sees the Laputians as unreasonable, and Gulliver's Houyhnhnm master sees humanity as equally so.

I was about to stop reading because the plot became repetitive. Gulliver would set out on a voyage and meet with some misfortune that causes him to land in these strange territories. He takes residence for a large amount of time in each locale while learning the population’s traditions and language. By some absurd manner, Gulliver always finds a way back to England.

The first two parts were not too interesting. However, one’s perspective on things become extremely distorted depending on your relative size to the environment. In Gulliver’s case, being a minute organism compared to the dwellers in Brobdingnang brought him to realize the repulsiveness of the physical human feature. He was small enough to see the unevenness of the Brobdingnangians skin caused by the pores. He was also small enough to see the excrement flies leave behind. If I experienced what Gulliver has seen, I would immediately become embarrassed. I can imagine the Lilliputians feeling just as disgusted. Also, be very conscious of where flies are landing.

I am glad I continued reading. The found the third part very meaningful and thought-provoking, and hilarious. The unreasonableness of the inhabitants of Lagado makes it very amusing. Gulliver visits an academy established to develop new theories on agriculture and construction and to initiate projects to improve the lives of the city’s inhabitants. However, the theories have never produced any results and the new techniques have left the country in ruins. Gulliver meets a scientist trying to turn excrement back into food, an architect trying to build a house from the roof down, and an agronomist designing a method of plowing fields with hogs by first burying food in the ground and then letting the hogs loose to dig it out.

In Luggnagg, Gulliver was introduced to struldbrugs, immortal ones who are forever old rather than forever young. When asked what he thought life would be like if he was a struldbrug, Gulliver answers by saying he would try to obtain all riches and knowledge. However, the king of Luggnagg advises Gulliver that being immortal is a curse rather than a godsend.

Before reading Gulliver’s response, I knew that would be his response. That would be the typical response of the majority of people. I remember having a similar discussion as we were reading Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting in middle school. Would I want to live forever? I would have said yes back then, but now I would not want to live forever. Death is like a deadline. You would not live your life to the fullest or accomplish anything if you knew you had all the time in the world. This begs for another question and a topic for another time: why wealth and knowledge?

The last part was also very serious. In the country of the Houyhnhnms, horses are the master race and human-like creatures, called Yahoos, are the subordinates. The horses were skeptical about Gulliver as he looked exactly like the Yahoos, except with clothes on. However, he is eventually taken in by the horse household after exhibiting some notion of reason. As time goes by, Gulliver comes to both admire and emulate the Houyhnhnms and their lifestyle, and rejects the human race as merely Yahoos. He returns to England. However, he is unable to reconcile himself to living among Yahoos; he becomes a recluse, remaining in his house, largely avoiding his family and his wife, and spending several hours a day speaking with the horses in his stables.

This is the only book I’ve ever read that incited such contemplation. The main point of Swift’s novel is not to recount Gulliver’s voyages, but to view the transformation of Gulliver’s character as he journey’s from place to place. He progresses from a cheery optimist at the start of the first part to the pompous misanthrope of the book's conclusion. Every interaction had an impact on Gulliver’s attitude towards humanity; just as every interaction we have with others effect our behavior.

Health Benefits of Coffee

I’m not a big coffee drinker. I get coffee once in a while for the taste, not necessarily for the caffeine effect. I recently started working, and I realize I need the caffeine. At least two a day-- one for getting through the morning and one for after lunch. Now I understand the morning rush at Starbucks and their afternoon special, where you can get a Grande cold beverage for $2 after 2pm if you have that morning’s receipt.

I’ve always heard that coffee is bad for you. So where should you get your daily caffeine? A Coke in the morning doesn’t sound too appetizing. Maybe some Lipton tea will do.

Contrary to belief, coffee may be beneficial to your health. According to various studies, moderate coffee consumption (3-5 cups a day) has shown apparent reductions in the risks of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart, disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, cirrhosis of the liver, and gout. There are also studies that say coffee drinkers are less likely to get certain types of cancer, starting with colorectal cancer.

Other chemical components in coffee other than caffeine are cafestol and kahweol. Cafestol and kahweol are fat-soluble compounds known as diterpenes, which are present in the oil derived from coffee beans. Both compounds are extracted by hot water but are retained by a paper filter. In the 1980s, it was found that these compounds raise serum cholesterol levels in humans. These compounds may be responsible for anti-cancer effect; however the full mechanism is not clear. Both kahweol and cafestol were shown to produce a broad range of biochemical effects resulting in a reduction of the effect of several carcinogens including PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a class of chemicals produced by burning organic material), aflatoxin B1 (a mycotoxin) and others. Different mechanisms appear to be involved in these protective effects, but the mechanism has not been elucidated.

Coffee beans come from the Coffee plant. Since it’s a plant, it contains a large and diverse amount of group of compounds including cinnamic acids, benzoic acids, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, stilbenes, coumarins, lignans and lignins, collectively called plant phenols. Plant phenols are shown to contain strong antioxidant activity. Believe it or not, research shows that coffee is the number one source for antioxidants, due to its high amounts of chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid (also in red wine). It has recently been demonstrated that humans absorb about 33% of ingested chlorogenic acid and about 95% of ingested caffeic acid.

The health effects you hear about coffee is usually due to its caffeine content. Depending on the type of coffee and preparation, the caffeine content can vary greatly. On average, a single shot of espresso (30 mL) can be expected to contain the following amounts of caffeine.

• Drip coffee: 115–175 mg (560–850 mg/L)
• Espresso: 60 mg (2000 mg/L)
• Brewed/Pressed: 80–135 mg (390–650 mg/L)
• Instant: 65–100 mg (310–480 mg/L)
• Decaf brewed: 3-4 mg
• Decaf instant: 2-3 mg

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. Like alcohol and nicotine, caffeine readily crosses the blood–brain barrier that separates the bloodstream from the interior of the brain. Once in the brain, the principal mode of action is as an antagonist of adenosine receptors. The caffeine molecule is structurally similar to adenosine, and binds to adenosine receptors on the surface of cells without activating them (an "antagonist" mechanism of action). Otherwise, brain adenosine acts to protect the brain by suppressing neural activity and by increasing blood flow.

An acute overdose of caffeine, usually in excess of about 300 milligrams, dependent on body weight and level of caffeine tolerance, can result in a state of central nervous system over-stimulation called caffeine intoxication, or colloquially the "caffeine jitters". The symptoms of caffeine intoxication are not unlike overdoses of other stimulants. It may include restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, flushing of the face, increased urination, gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitching, a rambling flow of thought and speech, irritability, irregular or rapid heartbeat, and psychomotor agitation. In cases of much larger overdoses, mania, depression, lapses in judgment, disorientation, disinhibition, delusions, hallucinations, and psychosis may occur, and rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue) can be provoked.

Now you don’t have to worry about drinking too much coffee. However, you may want to find an alternative caffeine source, like ginseng, if you are worried about the “caffeine jitters.”

Seen on TV, Now Seen at Home

Everyone recognizes the blue screen with yellow lettering on TV. Every time you see those infomercials, about a thousand things go through your head simultaneously.

“Whoever thought of that is a genius!”

“Do they really make a living out of these things?”

“Who would buy that?”

“I want on

e, but does it really work?”

“That guy is so annoying.”

That is just some of what is going through your head. We, smart consumers, are always skeptical about the products. “It’s too good to be true.” It usually is, but I have a handful of products with the red “As Seen on TV” label and they work pretty well. Not all infomercial products are scams.

Billy Mays, pitchman for OxiClean, said “[I] never endorse a product [I] didn't believe in. “

I never call the 800 number listed on TV. I’ve read testimonies online complaining about the operators hustling additional services and offers until the advertised $19.99 became $69.99. I buy my products either at a brick-and-mortar As Seen on TV store or Walgreens. Then, I’d have my product in hand for the advertised price, even though I don’t have the extra set they promised “if you call within the next 10 minutes.”

A friend got me a version of the Snuggie Fleece Blanket for Christmas. I should’ve gotten a patent for this. I’m always reading on the couch and I’m always cold. It’s such a hassle to turn the page and then adjust the blanket again and again every 2 minutes. Before I got this, I usually have a fleece blanket and safety pin two corners around my neck so I’m actually wearing the blanket and have another one covering my legs.

I bought the Iron Gym at Bed, Bath & Beyond so I can keep up with my upper body conditioning. I used to do gymnastics and play tennis on a regular basis, where I get all my upper body strength. I’ve used it a few times but is now just sitting on my closet door frame. I’m afraid I’m going to break my door frame.

Space Bags was also a gift and this is my second favorite infomercial product. I found these puffy jackets that I want to donate, but I have to wait until the Christmas season to donate them to the coat drives. They are taking up so much space so I stuffed them all in an extra-large space bag and vacuumed out the air. Voila! They’re so flat; I slipped it between some boxes under my bed. I don’t like using suitcases and I don’t have enough duffle bags to put all my clothes in. I hope my clothes won’t be too wrinkled when I take them out of the Space Bag.

My recent purchase is Smooth Away I bought at Walgreens. Honestly, I’m too lazy to shave. Even during skirt season in Stockton. I probably shave only 3 times a year and only during the months of July and August. Sometimes I try to get away not shaving by lathering my legs with lotion. I’m too cheap to buy replacement blades and shaving cream. I’m too lazy to take the time to shave so I try to do it in the shower, but even then I’m still too lazy. With Smooth Away, I just take out the pad and “gently buff the area in circular motions with slight pressure” while I watch TV. Again, I’m too lazy to shave so I haven’t used it yet.

Purifying my Shower Water

I just bought a really expensive Brita filter for my shower. Well, a Jonathan Product Shower purification system, and it wasn’t really that expensive since I bought it from the Bath & Body Works semi-annual sale for 75% off. But basically, it’s just a filter for your shower water.

This purchase is part of my obsession for improving my well-being. Just like Brita, it eliminates metals and chlorine and other harsh chemicals from your water. Jonathan goes one step further to replace the heavy metals with healthy potassium ions to balance pH and pre-condition the water with neutralizing oxidants. Supposedly, showering and washing your hair with pure water will soften hair and skin, and helps preserve hair color. I will have to try it before I can testify that claim.

Upon speculation, it might work. Typically, we shower in hot water, thus opening the pores on our skin and our hair cuticles. They become more vulnerable to its surrounding environment and moisture loss will also occur.

When you go to salons to color your hair, they usually apply hair softeners to open up the cuticles for more effective penetration of the coloring. Chlorine is a bleaching agent, so following logic, removing chlorine helps preserve hair color. Metals and other harsh chemicals can get trapped in the hair shaft preventing the cuticles from closing properly, thus moisture will be lost causing hair to be dull. On a side note, there is a test to determine if your cuticles are healthy or not.

I don’t know what this whole business of “pre-conditioning the water with neutralizing oxidants” and adding “healthy potassium ions to balance pH” is about. According to a homemade experiment done by some homebrewers, the pH of tap water and Brita filtered water is ~8.0 and ~5.5, respectively. Human skin has a pH value between 4.5 and 6. The results of this experiment are pretty interesting. You can see the full results here.

Depending on where you live, water quality varies. Water in polluted areas may contain Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs are gases or vapors emitted by various solids or liquids. Inhaling these gases may have adverse health effects.

I still can’t determine if this was a good buy or if I just got suckered into their marketing scheme.

I Like Natural Handmade Soap Just Because

For the past year, I’ve been slowly exchanging my chemical-filled body creams and shampoos for more natural products. Many people who know me would probably think my obsession started with Lush, a handmade cosmetics company, coming to San Francisco. To straighten things out, it actually started when I was taking my Physical Chemistry course.

Awhile before I took the course, I somehow began to be concerned with parabens in my body creams. One of our assignments in class was to write a term paper on a topic related to physical chemistry and I chose to write about absorption of parabens into our skin and paraben run-offs from our showering products.

Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Common parabens include methylparaben, ethylparaben and butylparaben. If you look at the list of ingredients of your shampoo/conditioner, lotion, shaving cream, toothpaste, etc, you’ll see at least one of the paraben’s family members embedded in the list. Parabens, in the most part, are considered safe. A small percentage of the general population may be allergic to paraben, which causes irritation or contact dermatitis. What really concern me are the new studies that say parabens are endocrine disruptors and have estrogenic activities. One scientific study reports that parabens were found in samples of breast tumors. Speculation linking paraben to tumor growth is based on the fact that the molecular structure resembles that of estrogen.

The estrogenic activity of parabens increase with the length of the alkyl group, denoted from their prefixes. Animal experiments have shown that the estrogenic activity of parabens is much weaker than estradiol. In an in vivo study, the effect of butylparaben was determined to be approximately 100,000 times weaker than estradiol, although this effect was only observed when employing a dose level which was 25,000 times higher than is actually used to preserve products. There is still not enough research to show that parabens to pose a health risk.

Parabens aren’t the only synthetics I’m trying to avoid. There is also dimethicone (usually in hair products), said to leave build-up in your hair, and new to the list, sodium lauryl sulfates.

Getting back to the point, I’ve been sucked too deep into the ‘natural’ realm that I’ve lost sight of why I’m really changing my lifestyle. In the beginning, I was doing it for my well-being and for the environment. Now I don’t buy any product without looking at the ingredients beforehand. I’ve become so mind-boggled by all the debates about the naturalness and effectiveness and the cost benefit analysis of the products that I feel like I’m not doing anything for the environment or for myself.