Be The Media. Be There For The Kids

There are were only two newsy personalities I follow(ed): the late Anthony Bourdain and Rachel Maddow. Maddow breaks down the political news of the day on cable TV’s MSNBC, an unabashedly progressive network.

Back in the day she used to mix cocktails once a week at the end of her show. She is funny and smart and presents the facts, however hard and complicated, in a way that makes them understandable. She connects the dots. Last week she broke down and cried when she tried to read the late-breaking report that the ICE opened prisons for babies and toddlers. That was too much even for Rachel.

Healthcare: Who Gets To Live?

The United States Supreme Court decided this week that we don’t have to die if it can be prevented. This CNN report shows the outcomes for those who did not have health coverage prior to passage of the Affordable Care Act. I think this ruling defended my favorite portion of the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among them are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness

The highest court in the country defended the use of financial subsidies for those who otherwise could not afford health insurance. But I’d go a step further and say that the ACA, or Obamacare, is just a compromise to those who would see a wide swath of the American working class not covered for health care, and simply die off when no longer productive.

Walking South Street

Sometimes it takes an outta town idea to remind me of some cool stuff nearby.

This is the weekend of Jane’s Walks, a worldwide movement of local walking tours. Friday night I joined an after-work group at the South Street Seaport, which I’d visited several times. It was led by four local residents of this historic district that preserves the nautical side of New York’s history. The area at dusk is eye candy.

We met our guides at the Titanic Memorial Lighthouse, a 60-foot tall replica of a light that once topped the Seaman’s Church. The orb-like thing on top lit up and would be lowered each day at noon. The next day, the light would be raised at five minutes before noon to be lowered. The intricate riggings of the historic ships and, behind them, the cables of the Brooklyn Bridge create a massive lacework bobbing in the wind.

The Calorie Cops Are Watching What You Drink (especially if you’re under five)

Today’s most talked about, vilified beverage is…..juice.

The City of New York has determined how much little juice children in daycare are allowed to ingest, and how much time they can spend watching television. It’s all very well-meaning; who doesn’t want our cutest citizens to grow healthy and active? But juice has nutrients, and it’s a far better choice than soda. Yes, there are parents who give their babies soda. Some use their food subsidies to buy junk food:

So really, juice? What’s to stop parents from clandestinely feeding their families juice at home?   Let’s regulate juice like we do beer. Ban children from juice bars.

And how about exercise? It has never been completely safe to let your kids roam unsupervised, although it was common practice when I was a child. Schools have cut gym classes and recesses. Most parents have to work so there’s little time to even take a walk together. After school activities are expensive.

New York City has decided that parenting needs to be even more of a challenge.