Bhutan

Slate came out with an article on Bhutan — that quirky country — banning smoking, making it the first nation in the world to do so. Meanwhile, Leonard Lopate of WNYC interviewed Tek Nath Rizal on his show about the political climate in Bhutan. Rizal was a former political prisoner in Bhutan. Listen to the interview here.

Rizal mentioned that most people have a false notion of Bhutan, that the king, whom the Slate writer calls a “benevolent king,” is actually a tyrant. Since I knew absolutely nothing about Bhutan prior to this week, I’d suggest other people check out the article and interview for more information.

A Short Rant Against Greeting Cards

I was browsing for two greeting cards and as usual there was — in my mind — the usual selection of crap: flowers on cards for women, golf courses on cards for men.

I decided on an anniversary card for my parents that addressed them as “Mother and Dad” instead of “Mom and Dad” or “Mom and Father.” A few other cards used the same address, like “mother” is supposed to be so much more elegant and dad’s not going to read the card anyway so let’s just call him dad. And why do cards have so much printed text? Does anyone who receives such a card actually read the poem, stopping after every line to hear the rhyme? My eyes always glaze over whenever I see a cardful of text, though I guess someone out there must like such cards since there are so many of them for sale.

Alternative Feminine Products

To go from cars to a bit on sustainable living …

I recently went to the Whole Foods in Manhattan (the only one in the city as far as I know), and I noticed that it carried some natural sanitary pads called Natracare. I’ve never been one to try the Keeper or DivaCup or whatever you call it or Lunapads, two alternatives to regular sanitary pads that I had researched.

I like that Natracare pads are disposable (I have to admit that I can’t get over the ick factor of either the Keeper or Lunapads) but more environmentally friendly than your corporate sanitary pads. Natracare pads are free of chemicals (not chlorine bleached) and biodegradable (no rayon, plastic, or other synthetics). The company also offers natural tampons and panty liners.

I’d suggest anyone wanting to go more “natural” to check out Natracare’s site, GoddessMoons.com (in Canada), or Feminine Options (in Ohio) for more information on alternative feminine hygiene products.

Ethics in Journalism

The Associated Press has these guidelines for its reporters:

AP has longstanding rules against News employees participating in political activities or taking sides on matters of public debate. These rules apply to electronic communication as well. Do not express opinions about products, companies or individuals. Non-news employees, who may be unaccustomed to these rules, should remember that Internet readers won’t know whether a user from ap.org is a newsperson. Even what a non-News employee does can reflect on AP’s newsgathering.

(This rule as well as other Guidelines for Responsible Use of Electronic Services may be viewed here.)

This is an issue that we discussed in my Press Ethics class last semester. Working journalists are supposed to approach topics without bias and hence many companies do not allow their reporters to do any advocating or participate in demonstrations, even if they’re reporters in an unrelated field. I understand why companies would have that concern; at the same time, I know that’s not the type of journalism I want to be involved in.

One could argue that the very act of choosing which stories are important enough to appear in the paper is a demonstration of bias. I know there’s a gray area there: a human-interest story about a family that suffered losses in the tsunami will be less controversial than a story about teenagers who have sought help at Planned Parenthood. Few general-interest publications would think the tsunami story irrelevant, but I can’t imagine a publication with a pro-life “bias” would run a story on anything good that Planned Parenthood might have done.

I see journalism as a tool for advocacy, and there’s definitely a niche for it. I guess it comes down to what each publication’s management thinks is acceptable and what ethical rules they play by.

I was impressed to see the New York Times feature some articles by Nicholas D. Kristof about two prostitutes he freed from the sex trade in Cambodia. Though importantly, I just noticed that the newspaper grouped the articles in the Op-Ed section instead of say, the International section. The articles are interesting in that Kristof decided to get involved with his subjects. A year after he freed the two prostitutes, he follows up with the two prostitutes to find out where they are now. (Those not registered with the New York Times should use BugMeNot for a free login.)

On a lighter note, here are some pictures that I took today in the aftermath of yesterday’s blizzard in New York City:

Cross-Country skiers in Prospect Park, 1/23/05

Sledders in Prospect Park, 1/23/05

It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one around here who actually likes the snow. There were plenty of adults and children having fun in the park, not only skiing and sledding but building snowmen, building snowforts, walking dogs or playing ultimate frisbee. Sometimes I think I’m built for snowier winters because I don’t think one foot of snow on the ground is that big of a deal. Then again, since I don’t have a car, the only thing I have to worry about is delays on the train lines.

Bush Inaugurated to Second Term

Read the New York Times’ coverage of the inauguration here.