as a non-evangelizing (non-crazy) vegan, i think that in some ways it's perfectly reasonable to ask a friend (in a non-confrontational way, of course) how they justify supporting not only the inhumane conditions of slaughterhouses, but also the ridiculous amount of energy and resources it takes to support the average American omni diet.

it's kind of like asking a friend how they might justify driving a hummer.

on the other hand, i am disappointed in the way that the insane vegans have given a bad name to an incredibly healthy, sustainable lifestyle.

It took me years to decide I could be vegan, mostly because I had a vegan friend in high school who used it as an excuse for anorexia. I couldn't imagine how it could possibly be a healthy way to live, and yet it has been no trouble for me to transition away from animal products, and I feel fabulous.

p.s. My colds never last more than a day or two, I no longer get motion sick, and I've lost 30 lbs!

It's important to note, though, that the average american lifestyle also does not provide enough natural vitamin D. As a country, we are either indoors or in our cars 90% of the time, neither of which is terribly conducive to vitamin D production. Our skin-cancer frenzy, while justified, means that we slather ourselves in chemical-filled sunscreen, which also blocks the very UV rays that produce vitamin D.

I am reading this review (and commenting) from my iPhone, and I am really just blown away by how easy it is to do things I never thought a phone would do. I think that might be a key thing for apple here; they're going to get a lot of people who never would've bought a blackberry or a treo or whatever. maybe once they work some bugs out, they can get that market too.

"iconoclast" means "destroyer of icons."

you mean "iconic."

LW, even if you have no intention of giving up your atheism, there are still ways to find meaning in the world. If this life is the only one we get, we'd better be doing something to make it worthwhile, right?

Think about the things in this world that fill you with joy: friends, family, nature, building something, making art, playing sports, activism... whatever. Those can exist completely apart from any faith in God. Cultivate those things, and find ways to make your own life mean something right now.

Too many people rely on this vision of "the afterlife" and don't do anything about having satisfying, fulfilling lives now.

One thing I can think of is that a lot of drivers are Muslim, and make stops at local mosques or prayer sites for their daily prayers. I'm not sure how much the companies monitor that kind of thing, and I'm sure if it were me, I wouldn't necessarily want my boss to keep track of when and where I pray -- that's kind of personal.

This article represents a truly appalling lack of cultural knowledge. How can you even begin to separate sexual orientation issues from gender identity issues?

Victims of homophobic hate crimes aren't picked out because their attacker politely inquires as to their choice of sexual partner. These victims are targeted because they are "not real men" or "not real women," because their gender identity "gives them away," though they may or may not identify as trans or gay. It is the femmy boys, who may not even have been with a boy, who are beat up and called "faggot."

Gender is the social marker of sexual identity, like it or not.

Most of the population couldn't give a fuck who your partner is. When they start to have a problem with you is when your outward appearance, your gender, doesn't fit into the norm. I would really appreciate it if you would step outside your whiny white male privileged box for a second and acknowledge that in the real world, gender and sexual identity are two sides of a coin.

let the kids go, since they really want to, but make sure to talk with them seriously before and afterward. trust their judgement on going to camp, and keep the dialogue going so that the camp's perspective is not the only one they hear. ask them what they like about it, what they dislike, what god they are learning about, whether that's a god that makes sense to them... just talk.

i think she's right on. the situations she cites in particular are ones where mainstream white feminists completely ignore the work of other groups on slightly different issues that involve violence against and oppression of marginalized people. I thought "being feminist" meant being against unjust violence and oppression?

If you're in any kind of city, it might be worthwhile to look into the local bdsm community -- particularly on the east coast, kink play has become in some ways less connected to sex play, and it's very much possible to negotiate a relationship that involves one without the other. But the keyword there is "negotiate." You will need to be particularly clear about what you want and what you don't want, but many in that community are more likely to agree to your situation.

Seriously, I think everyone saw the words "abortion" and "party" together and have lost all sense of reason. People have been throwing parties to raise money for decades -- some of the best parties I've been to were rent parties.

How is it, DS, that you are okay with every possible variation of human sexuality except, oh, bisexuality?