Infinity miles per gallon

I just called my mom's office and the conversation went like this:

Me: I'd like to talk to Annie D. please.
Secretary: She's in a meeting all afternoon. Can I take a message?
Me: I'm her daughter, can you just let her know I'll call her at home tonight?
Secretary: Do you have a number where you can call her?
Me: ...I'm her daughter, I'll just call her at home.
Secretary: But you have her number?
Me: ... ... yes, yes I do.
Secretary: Okay then!
Me: ...have a good day.

Well, at least she didn't make the assumption that I necessarily have enough of a good relationship with my mother to know her home number. ^^

Also, having a three-hour conversation about Buffy and Joss and life and how little sense grad school makes in this country? Best remedy to feeling a little down.

I know I mention it in like every single post I make, but I have so much love for Vélib' right now. Took the bus to downtown because it was pouring rain but thanks to Vélib' I could bike home instead of taking the bus again. :D Small things, but it makes me really happy.

"Live simply so all can simply live."

"We have to do the things we do that seem so hard on the community to make sure there is a community."
- Joss Whedon interview

This is so true it hurts. And it's so true because it transcends the issues that writers and actors have been having with the AMPTP - at the very core of environmental issues, this is what it's about, too: making tough choices so that we can go on, instead of turning a blind eye to the situation and hoping it'll get better on its own. It doesn't. Civil rights were never won without a fight; the free market will never help the poor, and it certainly will never improve the environment crisis.

We have to make tough choices. And start thinking long term, instead of thinking about how we can make the most money fastest. Instead of believing in a market that's only done good to the richest. That's the only way we're ever going to create communities instead of trigger wars.

The choices are not going to get any easier, either. We complain about rising gas prices while thousands of people are dying of hunger. Let me stress that. Dying. Of hunger. Because the Western world wanted coffee and so developing countries started monocrops instead of feeding their own people. Speaking of eating - start eating less meat. I don't care you like it. Because we eat so much meat, our pasture footprint (the surface on the planet we need to feed ourselves) is 8 times bigger than developping countries. I don't care you love meat. Us liking beef cannot justify using resources so disproportionately and leaving other people starving.

I'd like us to stop thinking it's not related. Of course you're not directly starving a Senegalese when you buy meat - it's not about making people feel guilty. It's about understanding that we're in this together. That it's all interrelated and that our system is deeply unequal in our favor. That we all live on one Earth and our actions do have consequences. Our system, our way of life, has consequences for the planet and for other people. It's about changing. It's about realizing that we're living above our means, worse - that WE are living above EVERYBODY ELSE's means, and they never got a say in the matter.

One of my most hated quotes of all times is a quote by George Bush who said "the American way of life is not up for negotiation". Of course it fucking is. Americans are real nice people (well. most of them anyway.), but that doesn't give America a right to stomp all over the rest of the world.

Let's realize how superior we've been acting, let's stop being brats, and instead of feeling guilty, let's make changes. Soon we won't have a choice anyway, but it's not even about that - I'll rant more about that later, I think. We've built a sick world. We need to reconnect with each other and with the very ecosystem that allows us to exist. Think about your impact. Then do whatever you can to reduce it.

Moderation might not seem as sexy and fun as excess, but it's not a bad thing. We should celebrate moderation - there is nothing wrong about being respectful enough of people and the planet not to care online about getting the most of everything. Excess doesn't mean satisfaction.


(Note the irony of the song I'm listening to - and then turn off your lights whenever you're not in a room.)

Now on gender stuff...

P.S. This metaquote just reminded me: anyone has a clue in this day and age of so-called gender equality hairdressers still justify charging women more than men, regardless of actual hair length?

I'm actually interested in perspectives from all countries since anti-discrimination laws vary quite a lot. Is there any country where women and men pay the same for a haircut? Or where difference in price is based on hair length rather than the arbitrary (not to say sexist) characteristic of gender?

And actually, since I'm posting about this - U.S. peeps, I'm pretty certain at the federal level you have a document that states that all people should be treated equality regardless of race and religion (and probably more grounds, though I know gender is not in there)? Or is it just the whole "all men are created equal"? I feel kind of stupid asking, but I haven't managed to find it.

I swear I'm going to stop posting any minute now. Sorry for spamming your friendlist and being really bipolar about it, too. ^^


EDIT: Thanks to lvs2read for helping me find the answer to that last question. The Civil Rights Act of 1964. DUH, Joey. DUH. Remember how you're supposed to be a North American civilization major? *facepalm*