Environmentalists and Mouthwash

Well it's been quite a while since my last post hasn't it? Well for any of you faithful readers, here's a real treat. I have made my triumphant return. And today will be discussing two topics (a format popularized by Jon Janssen in his early blogging days.) Here goes nothing.

(Music Playing: "Goodbye Blue Sky" by Pink Floyd (The Wall Disc 1)

Let's start off with a problem that seems to become an issue, oh say about every Tuesday and Thursday for me. I am not typically a complainer, but restricting the take-out abilities in the cafeteria are affecting my health along with many other students. With the new block scheduling system here at Luther, many students have consecutive 1.5hr classes over the lunch hour and only have 15mins between those classes to eat something for lunch. But the problem isn't necessarily the block scheduling's doings. Last year around early April we had a number of environmentalists (my friends included) running around campus having students sign petitions to rid the campus of styrofoam trays that are used for take-out. Now I know that the intention was to rid the campus of overuse of styrofoam. I was alright with that. But were they looking to correct the issue of people taking too much food out of the caf too? That's ridiculous then. Let's get this out in the open right away then. From various caf workers the word is that the caf profitted US 1,000,000 last year(Janssen, I enjoy this labeling). Putting that money issue aside let's get back to the situation that affects the students. Now that all take out containers (even ones that are not styrofoam) have been discontinued, the only way they will let you take food out of the caf is if you take one of their brown paper bags that they are so kind to supply us with (only Monday-Friday). So what do we do when it is smothered burrito day? For the crowd casserole day? Or even Sloppy Joe day? Or what about the day Grace busts out some of her "special" frosted brownies that she used to sell whilst tailgating before Boston concerts in the 70's (they were legendary according to many in the know from Boston's cult following.) The day that any of the above are served on a Tuesday or Thursday I will weep into that bad night. As opposed to going ungently into that good night. So my beef is that the environmentalists failed to think of the effects that this ban has caused many people's health. As I have learned in my Social Movements Seminar here at Luther, when proposing a movement it is key that there is not only a proposed stop to what is seen as the issue, but also to have a grasp for the consequences of the proposed policy. If planned properly the movement should offer an alternative for all. In this case all the further they thought ahead was to supply brown paper bags to students Mon-Fri. And I don't know that the environmentalists were even so kind to think of that. You can tell that the Caf ladies are pissed on behalf of this problem posed. They didn't necessarily appreciate people taking out extraordinary amounts of food, but it has certainly changed the general mood in the cafeteria. When the students are unhappy, and the Caf workers who have been here since the start (Milly, Grace, and the rest of the crew) are unhappy, you know you've created a monster. You know Dean is rolling over in his grave. Sometimes it feels like movements, especially the ones here on campus, can be exaggerant and ignorant of the consequences their plans have. Nuff said. Oh, I am buying tupperware and will begin a smuggling act in the cafeteria. Would anyone else like to join the undeground railroad? I've got 3 stallions in the stable for our use.

Onto other things. Briefly I would like to promote a mouthwash I have been semi-intrigued by for quite some while. During the summer I saw a lot of commercials for a new mouthwash by Crest® called Pro-Health Rinse that doesn't have the alcohol in it. And for those of you keeping score at home, that means that there is no tingling effect - no more bitter beer face. But as stated in the commercial, the tingling means that it is working. So the confused actor doesn't see how it could work. Although not I am not an actor, everytime I saw the damn commercial I thought to myself, well that prolly doesn't work. I typically enjoy the intense tingle of alcoholic mouthwash. (And for those of you who know it takes one bottle of mouthwash to get wasted, you may want to disregard this section of my post.) As my father is a Dentist he brought me a couple samples of this new product. I have began using them. And I would like to say that my emotions are mixed. I mostly view this product in a positive light. But here's the experience. You drink enough to fill your mouth, and of course the intense alcohol is not there, however they have made the liquid into pure heaven. It tastes so good. Sans the alcohol, your breath still feels as fresh in the long term. The only fear I have with the product is that when I come stumbling home from Roscoe's on a given weekend I feel as though I would apply the liquid in my mouth and find the flavour euphoric and eventually swallow it. I have a hard enough time not swallowing it when I'm sobre. I can't really see how I'm going to stop myself with this stuff. Then again I really don't know how bad it is to swallow mouthwash with/without the alcohol. It still warns you on this bottle that you oughtn't swallow excessive amounts, and if you do it is wise to contact poison control. Anybody drink mouthwash to get drunk? How do you turn out? Bad experiences? Interesting. Well I'm going to leave you on that note. I highly encourage you to swing by and try some of myne.