Archive
Soda Doesn’t ‘Feed the World’
Coca-Cola has a new ad in which a young girl wishes to grow a garden for the whole world. Then, as a grown woman who works for Coca-Cola, she says that she's fulfilling that dream. The phrase "feed the world" is one that should always be questioned, because it's often...
Turning Churches into Super PACs
You know what's wrong with American politics? It's that there just aren't enough ways for giant corporations and mega-rich political donors to funnel their big bucks into our elections and buy our government. At least that's what Donald Trump, the Republican Party,...
Whose Turn?
In OtherWords: August 2, 2017
If our economy is as fair as some like to say, why is it so unequal? And what's that mean for those who get the short end of it? This week in OtherWords, Josh Hoxie looks at the myth of "fairness" and at new research showing how it actually harms one of the largest...
Don’t Lie to Poor Kids About Why They’re Poor
Work hard and you’ll get ahead — that’s the mantra driven into young people across the country. But what happens when children born into poverty run face first into the crushing reality that the society they live in really isn’t that fair at all? As new research...
Trumping Up Our Trains
Every time the train derails, my mother begs me to stay put. But how can I? Along the densely populated eastern seaboard, your life is structured around transport. Not everyone can live in New York City or Washington D.C., so millions of people who work there commute...
You Can Vote Every Day — With Your Dollars
All shopping is not created equal — we all have our preferred soaps and phone brands. I’d rather walk a bit further to my favorite grocery store than the closer one at the end of the block. Sometimes these choices are based on convenience, familiarity, quality, or...
Want to Improve Your Diet? Plant a Fruit Tree.
One of the simplest ways to improve your family's diet? Plant a fruit tree. Or plant several. The last time I was fortunate enough to have a yard, I planted four of them. Unfortunately, I broke up with my then-boyfriend and moved out right about the time all four...
Governors Are Stiffing Workers — and Democracy
The governors of many states are boldly stepping forward these days to stop grassroots democracy. Yes, noting that local citizens and officials have been passing local laws to govern themselves, a flock of right-wing governors are asserting an autocratic power called...