Letters to the Editor
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Finally hit bottom?
I actually thought this article a step up from some of the recent political 'articles'. It was way more honest.
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Yeah, about renewing my subscription
There IS a shark and it has just been jumped. I'm not a prude, I work in the medical industry and hear bodily function stories daily. It's not my delicate sensibilities that are bothered by this. The problem isn't that you published this, the problem was that somehow you believed it to be worthy of being the leading story for the day. I guess we already know everything we need to know about the price of oil, the war, the economy, the failing housing market, the election, etc., and it was a slow news day. Not buying it.
So long Salon, it was fun while it lasted but you're finally getting the flush from me.
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A twofer!
I see you've published an article by Camille Paglia today, too.
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*snicker*
Fun article, good information. What I find funniest, though, are the commenters going on about how offended they are. Uh, what part of "what is your poo telling you about your health" did you not understand? I mean, it was right there in the title heading, even in the link. So how is it that you clicked on that link and took the time to read an article whose very subject you find so offensive? Me, I avoid articles on shit I don't like. And the pun is definitely intended.
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Fetishizing Life
My father old wise Greek immigrant to America in the 60's used to say: "Americans think they invented homosexuality and the female orgasm". If he was still alive, he could add the age old tradition of being aware of what you eat and what comes out; the seasonality of food ; the benefits of a balanced diet; vegan diet 2 times a year for 40 days each stint (religious fasting) and cleansing with chamomille enemas; breast feeding babies; and making sure they sleep on their backs. The list is endless. Reinventing the past and making an industry of common human knowledge that got squelched by the Medical profession and the industrialization of food.
Unless someone puts it in a book and makes it into a fetish, people are will not pay attention. Then, they will find a new fetish and forget the old one. Till 5-10 years from now another publisher recycles the fetish. Common knowledge and wisdom does not get passed on anymore from generation to generation: it becomes a commodity and turned into a fetish.
The more years I live here the more the nation becomes like my mother, my father and the old ways of the old country. I remember taking my mom to the doctor and she would ask me to ask him what she should eat or not eat. I would tell her in Greek, mom doctors don't do that in America. And she would yell at me what kind of doctors are they if they don't know or ask about what you eat and what you poop. But of course, it's not my sweet mother or father, it's a publisher or a doctor personality on Oprah, it's a product, it's an obsession.
Of course this goes for the other life lessons, such as values, emotions etc. Self help books replaced human wisdom and advice.
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Burned Out?
I guess even Salon writers got burned out on the heart-Obama valentine detail.
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If coprophilia ia the latest American fad, I hope you keep it to yourselves
There's a North of England saying "Where there's muck there's brass" which referred to industrial pollution and the profit associated with industry, particularly coal-mining. So now somebody is making money from discussing the detritus of the human body. The next stage must surely be to appoint official scrutineers, restaurant menus detailing the likely faecal output of consuming a particular meal and any other permutation to satisfy obsessives. I see that Oprah is already in on the act. "The miracle of merde" would go very well with her foray into political activity.
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About them thar funny German toilets..
Interesting-
Reminds me of my first trip to Germany, or more specifically, my first trip zum Deutsche Klo.
Every throne I've seen there is designed with this odd little shelf which catches your work before it falls into the water. I was told that this unique feature is precisely for this kind of health-related self-examination. I never confirmed that explanation, but it makes sense, given the history of German hygeinic sensibilities.
Of course the downside is a perpetual reliance on toilet brushes, the failure of which to use afterwards is considered a major faux-pas. (Tourists beware!)
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C'mon, people...
To all the scolds out there, give it a rest, OK? This is an article about health. Stool examination is vitally useful for ascertaining one's state of health. While it's not the most pleasant topic, it deserves awareness.
Save your clucking scorn for the poo-porn sites where teenagers go to post pictures of their by-products. (At least until they tell you to leave, too)
Your personalized tin of "Merde d'Artiste" (authorized reproduction, of course) is in the mail.
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German habits
When I was stationed in Germany, I noticed that their toilets had a platform where feces landed. Apparently examining the stool is normal there, so they built their toilets to allow people to do this. When they are flushed, the material is washed off the platform and it is cleaned by the water pressure.
I'll admit that I wish I had such a toilet today- I've always taken a look at my 'doings' to see how my sometimes unhappy innards are doing. It would be easier if we had toilets made for the purpose.
I'm not 'poo-obsessed', but I like to be aware of what is going on with my body. If your pee is dark, and you're pooping pebbles, you have a problem.
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Total waste of $$$= Activia yogurt etc
Functional foods" like Activia yogurt aren't selling by the cases because they are low-fat. That's so 20th century. They are being hyped for how they "maintain digestive health
Actually, recent studies (read about them in 'Financial Times' aboiut three months ago) have shown this is all blown up malarkey. Activia confers NO significant benefit according to this research and people are wasting their money - like they are for bottled water. Neither is the yogurt any help.
My wife had c.diff. a year ago and all the yogurt anc acidophilus she took didn't make a dime's worth of difference. When they finally took her off the antibiotic flagyl and put her onto vancomycin, it did.
From there she proceeded to eat regularly.
Americans have got to stop being suckers for all this fad crappola, and that includes the dozens of pharma snake oil products they imbibe as well, much of which is now ending up in our drinking water!