Giving Somebody the Skinny

Is it ever right to tell someone he or she is too skinny?

Ok, the men reading this have just said, "Wha'?" and switched to Mariano Rivera's blog. But the women will continue to read.

I'm not talking about the jealousy thing. As in "you're so skinny," meaning, "I wish I looked like that." I'm talking about when you don't even wish you looked like that. Not, can still button the jeans she embroidered with butterflies skinny, ribs sticking out skinny. Unhealthy skinny.

That we live in a weight-obsessed world is obvious, but we also live in a pc-obsessed world.

It seems to me when someone is damaging their health, something should be said. But how? Especially, how when pc rules.

Do you say, "didn't I see you in a POW photo?" Do you say "is there a food shortage on your side of the Delaware?"

Or do you leave health magazines lying around? Clip articles about the dangers of anorexia and stick them on the fridge? Rent one of those movies about famous anorexics? I don't have an answer. Maybe show them this blog?

Click, Click

I just read an article in the New York Times about these little devices college students bring to class to electronically register attendance.

These "clickers" also register pop quizzes and can be used to do impromptu surveys, which can be very useful in come classes to

But the idea that college students need to be monitored is pretty sad.

We call know students LOVE to sleep in, but by 18-or so they should be responsible enough to actually get to class. Even an 8 a.m. class.

At least most of the time. Sure, a Monday 8 a.m. class after an entire weekend of, shall we say, solving the world's problems, is one thing, but to make a habit of it is just pathetic.

If they don't get to class, they fail. It has always been thus. Just because the technology exists doesn't mean it must be used.

Press Pass

I don't consider this blog to be journalism. What I did for many years was journalism. Of course, I never called it that. I called it reporting, photography or editing. Sometimes I called it something less polite.

But I worked to ethics, I worked to standards that today's "citizen journalists" do not. Standards and ethics I fear they don't even understand. They have limited background in research, at least the sort of intensive research we are accustomed to -- sometimes they seem to be lacking in the background in research that comes with an 8th grade theme. They often confuse a combination of listening to others (who may or may not be journalists) and inserting their own opinions with actual journalism.

This isn't a matter of being annoyed that any Tom, Dick or Harriet can post when they haven't paid their dues. Although that is a problem because, as with any profession, there is a reason for working one's way up. The learning curve is necessary. There is so much more than sitting at a computer and typing. There is so much more than stating an opinion, especially the kind of uninformed opinion you so often see these days. Hint, never, never, never, get all your information from just one source.

It seems strange to an old newspaper lady like me that people would write about things they are not expert in expect anyone to read it.

It amazes me even more than anyone would actually read that stuff.

professionals put a good deal of time and effort into learning a trade. "Citizen journalists" are probably well-trained in something. Just not in journalism.