If the answer is yes, you would obviously not be alone, so there are no shockers in this bit of news: Organic farmers, reports the New York Times, have been hit hard by the recession, and many appear to be giving up certification and natural farming techniques for more conventional (and probably more pesticidey) farming. My heart goes out to the farmers, many of whom overhauled their practices just recently to keep up with the growing demands of the market, only to have to now 180 for financial reasons.So it’s bad news for the farmers, who are losing crops and income, and it’s bad news for the rest of us, too. Not on principle (I’m not one of these organic-or-bust girls), but in terms of our health. Farmers who are constantly inhaling and touching and absorbing toxic pesticides are even more screwed than the rest of us who merely eat them, so it was encouraging when the signs of mainstreaming organic were abundant.Some think this line of thinking, when taken to its Alice Waters extreme, is elitist. I generally agree with most of the things that come out of the mouth of the most democratic food-lover in the world (Mr. Bourdain), but I differ slightly with his take on organic. I think food zealotry is worthless, but it’s pretty hard to argue against the idea that everyone wins when organic (and fresh, and local, and healthy) goes mainstream. It means food gets cheaper, more widely available, and healthier. All good things.As for me, I used to try to eat organic wherever possible, and have scaled back like everyone else. But I’m still a vote-with-your-wallet girl, so I have tried in these tougher times to keep my fridge full of whole, clean vegetables and fruits, ideally from the farmer’s market. But I’ve also been eating lots of rice-noodle soup packs that cost 89 cents.What about you? Have your eating habits changed?Image: Tim Boyle/Getty via
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Man’s dog suddenly becomes protective of his wife, Internet clocks the reason right away
The online community came through in a big way.
Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.
“A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”
His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.
Otis knew before they did. Canva Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.
So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”
The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.
Any chance your wife is pregnant?
ZZBC | Reddit
The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!
“The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”
Redditors responded with similar experiences.
Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.
realityisworse | Reddit
So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?
Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”
The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.
This article originally appeared last year.
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14 images of badass women who destroyed stereotypes and inspired future generations
These trailblazers redefined what a woman could be.
Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.
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Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories
Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.
While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.
When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.
Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.
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The Tsimané people of Bolivia have almost no dementia. Scientists say modern life is our problem.
She tipped a dollar on a $5 coffee and the barista called her out in front of the whole café. The internet couldn’t agree on who was wrong.
A bride collapsed during her own rehearsal dinner toast. The detective who burst in explained everything.
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