Monday, March 19
Exposing City Kids to the Outdoors
If you read the New York Times much (and surveys show that you do), you've probably seen ads for The Fresh Air Fund. It is a not-for-profit that provides free summer vacations in the country to New York City children from disadvantaged communities. Each year, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 states and Canada through the Friendly Town Program or at Fresh Air camps. Pretty cool program, I guess.
There is a similar program here in Texas that exposes urban kids to the outdoors. Except, instead of shipping the underprivileged tykes off to summer camp, the kids are take part in the state's "largest youth deer hunt."
What? You're not familiar with this event? Oh, you probably know it by it's more common name: the Super Hunt. They just had the 4th annual Super Hunt. Awesomeness!
(My apologies for the video quality. It's less than stellar.)
There is a similar program here in Texas that exposes urban kids to the outdoors. Except, instead of shipping the underprivileged tykes off to summer camp, the kids are take part in the state's "largest youth deer hunt."
What? You're not familiar with this event? Oh, you probably know it by it's more common name: the Super Hunt. They just had the 4th annual Super Hunt. Awesomeness!
(My apologies for the video quality. It's less than stellar.)
Monday, March 12
Alabama: Socially and Educationally Behind the Times?
Hey.
The missus just got back to Austin after spending the last two weeks in Birmingham, Alabama ("the 'Ham"!) for work. I know what you're thinking: "Alabama?! Good Lord. That probably makes Texas feel downright desirable!"
First off, you are an elitist bastard for thinking such a thing. Secondly, you are absolutely correct.
While Tania reports that the town had some very nice neighborhoods and parks, my opinion of the 'Ham is clouded by one of Tania's anecdotes from the trip. Tania was talking to one of the natives at the worksite. He was a 20-yr old white guy which, in Alabama, means he was married and had a child. (Just like Utah!) When he learned Tania was 30 (sorry, honey), the following exchange took place:
"Do you have any children?", he asked.
"Well, I have a 7 1/2 year old Chocolate Labrador."
The young man had a confused look on his face. "You had sex with a black man?", he asked.
Uhhh... WTF??! Tania was, how shall we say, taken back a bit by the young man's stupidity/racism/WTFness?
Exasperated, Tania explained, "It's a dog. A Chocolate Labrador dog."
Apparently, the young man was rather embarrassed and changed the subject at that point. But, honestly! WTF!?
The missus just got back to Austin after spending the last two weeks in Birmingham, Alabama ("the 'Ham"!) for work. I know what you're thinking: "Alabama?! Good Lord. That probably makes Texas feel downright desirable!"
First off, you are an elitist bastard for thinking such a thing. Secondly, you are absolutely correct.
While Tania reports that the town had some very nice neighborhoods and parks, my opinion of the 'Ham is clouded by one of Tania's anecdotes from the trip. Tania was talking to one of the natives at the worksite. He was a 20-yr old white guy which, in Alabama, means he was married and had a child. (Just like Utah!) When he learned Tania was 30 (sorry, honey), the following exchange took place:
"Do you have any children?", he asked.
"Well, I have a 7 1/2 year old Chocolate Labrador."
The young man had a confused look on his face. "You had sex with a black man?", he asked.
Uhhh... WTF??! Tania was, how shall we say, taken back a bit by the young man's stupidity/racism/WTFness?
Exasperated, Tania explained, "It's a dog. A Chocolate Labrador dog."
Apparently, the young man was rather embarrassed and changed the subject at that point. But, honestly! WTF!?
