Spandex. Estimates suggest that it is found in 80% of the clothing sold in America. Which means that almost every single American owns at least one piece of clothing that has at some amount of Spandex in it. And apparently, some people think that it’s making us fat.

The stretchy fabric emerged in 1959, and was first used in underwear and workout gear. It rose to popularity during disco mania in the 1970s, and from then on began to be used in more and more clothing. Spandex is unique because it can stretch up to twice its original size, and then snap back into shape. And it’s in everything – check the tags on your clothes and you are sure to find at least some amount of Spandex in the majority of them.

A recent NPR story, part of a series about obesity in America, traces the history of Spandex. The story completely assumes that the rise in popularity of spandex is due to the rise of obesity in America, and repeatedly suggests that spandex may be some kind of an enabler. Back in the 1960s, “fabrics were rigid and people were thin,” but Americans now are looking for clothes to accommodate their expanding waistlines. People who are overweight are able to find clothes that fit them (gasp!), so they are encouraged to remain overweight instead of dieting out of shame. Read More »

Happy 4th of July ladies!

I hope you enjoy this holiday and appreciate the day off. Whether you’re spending it at the beach, watching fireworks, or firing up that grill, July 4th is a day to celebrate. It’s a day to reflect on how we got here and remember the people that made this country so great. It’s a day to appreciate our country and everything it has to offer us, whether it be the big things or the little things.

Today though, today I’m going to focus on the little things…

10.  Driving. On the right side of the road that is. I don’t have much experience abroad, and I have absolutely no experience driving abroad but I can tell you this much: I don’t think it would work out to well for me. So yes, I’m thankful to have my Jeep, and my license, and my ability to drive on the right side.

9. Red, White, and Blue. Primary colors often get a bad rep. But there’s something  great about red, white and blue- when the three are thrown together, whether that be on the American flag, or an Uncle Sam outfit.

8. BBQs. Nothing says America quite like a good old hot dog or hamburger right off the grill. (The fact that neither hot dogs nor hamburgers were invented here is completely irrelevant.)

7. Football. I know other countries have football as well, but their football is actually our soccer. Which makes sense because in soccer you actually use your feet. I don’t know why we call it football, but I love the sport all the same. And I appreciate the irony.

6. Thanksgiving. A holiday dedicated to, amongst other less materialistic things, eating so much food that we bust the buttons on our jeans? Dedicated to turkey and stuffing and sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie? Yes, please.

5. Our Youth. Not so much American teenagers on their own, but rather our collective youth. As a country. 235 years old may not seem too young but in comparison to most well-established countries, we’re spring chickens. Yes. I  did just say “spring chickens.”

4. Apple Pie. Why apple pie is such an American tradition I’m not so sure. I just know that it is. And I appreciate that. In fact, I appreciate it even more when it’s pipping hot and topped with vanilla ice cream.

3. Jeans. When I went to London in my junior year I was shocked and appalled by the lack of denim. I know America invented blue jeans and because of that we embrace it wholeheartedly, but it wasn’t until then that I realized other countries had not. I’d never survive.

2. American Authors. I know that when most people think of the classics they think of British Literature, but  America has some pretty amazing author as well. Fitzgerald. Twain. O’Connors. McCullers. Hemingway. Dickinson. Whitman. Just to name a few…

1. The Melting Pot. Yes, there’s an overlying “American” culture but part of what defines that culture is the diversity of our country. There is no one way to be an American, and that’s all sorts of freeing.

Time to turn this into a  love fest. What are the reasons you love the U.S. of A? 

President Obama gave his second State of the Union address last night, and ooooo-weeee was it good. No matter how you feel about the man, it’s impossible to deny that his oratory skills are a huge part of what got him where he is today. In my opinion, last night’s speech didn’t disappoint. At the end of the night, I found myself singing I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free… under my breath as I washed my face and brushed my teeth.

If you didn’t catch it last night, it’s available here, and if you’ve got a free hour, I highly recommend watching it. If nothing else, it’s a great summary of everything going on in our country right now so you can get caught up on all the main points that will affect you moving forward.

But if you don’t have the time, here’s a summary of his main points: Read More »

I’ve never been overly patriotic. There are no American flags hanging in my room and even if I had snagged the athletic gene in my family, I still wouldn’t wake up at 5 am twice a week for ROTC. I don’t believe like some that the U.S. is “the best country in the world,” yet I’ve always felt that as an American, I am offered more freedoms and opportunities than almost any other country’s citizens.

So, I was surprised by the news this week that America ranks nineteenth in gender equality. In other words, based on factors including salary equality, education, political representation and life expectancy, the Global Gender Gap Report determined that women in eighteen countries come out ahead of us American females.

I was disappointed, but maybe I should have been happy- nineteen is a big improvement from 31^st last year, and 27^th the year before.

Nineteenth out of 134 countries really isn’t terrible…but it isn’t exactly wonderful either. In a high school graduating class, the land of the free and the home of the brave wouldn’t have even received Honors. Iceland would be the valedictorian of woman’s equality, but I don’t suggest a mass exodus of down-stuffed-parka-wearing women to the Nordic country. (I spent one shivering winter in Chicago and that was enough for me.) Even there, women don’t have it as great as men. Read More »

Everyone’s got a morning after story (though I’m sure the girl who watched people get it on at a table in front of her wishes she didn’t) and we wanna hear yours! Send it over to us and we’ll post it – anonymously, of course – right here!]

The summer after I graduated from high school I was excited to finally be free from compulsory family vacays to celebrate the 4^th of July. So to celebrate both America’s and my own newfound independence, I went big, I went all out – I went to a house party.

It was the kind of party I look back fondly on in remembrance of high school days. There was cheap vodka, a backup keg, and plenty of top shelf liquor plucked from the generous hostesses’ parents liquor cabinet. The night started out innocently enough, with keg stands, red and blue shots (white didn’t work out the way we’d planned), and plenty of high schoolers bragging about just how wasted they were.

As a mature, soon-to-be-freshman, I was so over the same un-graduated attendees that had been plaguing house parties for the last 4 years of my life. As I lamented the lack of “real men” with my equally sophisticated best friends, the college guys showed up. Read More »

American Pride Doesn't Have to Look Like This

Fourth of July is here! Commence drinking, hot dogs, drinking, and singing “Bye Bye Miss American Pie” and maybe burning your hand on sparklers (which I don’t care how old I get, they will always be so freakin’ cool).

I’ve already given you recipes for the bbq you’ll be hitting, and now we have one more thing to tackle: the Fourth of July ‘fit.

You need to look somewhat festive (i.e. I don’t suggest your skull tank or vintage “I love Canada” tee) but you don’t want to look like a walking advertisement for the US of A. I’ve got you covered: from red, white and blue festive to festive without being decked in the colors of our homeland, you will look like those American Girls that all those foreign boys (and the Counting Crows) talk about. And you will be ready to pull a Miley and Party in the USA. Woot woot. Read More »

Every week, I provide you with a list. No, not a grocery list, to-do list or even a bucket list like our friends over at “The Buried Life.” It’s simply a list of ten things that are relevant, whether it’s to my life (like living with dudes), your life (packing on the poundage), or something that the media just won’t shut up about (COUGH Tiger Woods COUGH).

Yesterday, after going through the multiple heart attacks during the USA/Canada gold medal hockey game (that the USA took into overtime in the last 24 seconds of the game!!), I began to think of all the ways that America is far superior to our upstairs neighbor. You know, since we proved that hockey wasn’t one of them. And I was bitter. And angry. And inhaling a tube of cookie dough to cool down….

Okay Canada, you may have taken the gold in hockey, have national healthcare, legal drinking at 18 and some pretty awesome strip clubs night clubs. Now let me just give you ten golden reason why America is much, much better than our hat. Read More »

Sometimes, I have to admit, I feel defective. People I hardly know forward me e-mails about supporting U.S. troops and flying American flags proudly, and I quietly delete them. It’s not that I hate my country. It’s just that I’ve never really felt any affection for it . . . until now.

I’m not about to get up on a soapbox and give some grand speech about how Barack Obama is The Chosen One or how a liberal president makes everything better. But even when I set aside my political views and think about where our country is now, I still feel kind of inspired. For the first time in my life, I feel as if things could be steady and reasonable. I feel we have a leader who is working toward security and happiness and who is competent in the best way possible. In short, I feel we have a leader who cares. Read More »

College brings a whole lot of new experiences, new lessons and new people. But it seems that no matter what school you go to there are same characters on every campus. The frat house groupie, the sensitive all American, the cool girl, the Unhinged Coed, and the Americanized International.

Allow me to refine this status: Americanization is not to be confused with Westernization, nor is it a put-down.

International Students take up a demographic in most US colleges and universities. They are usually easily spotted on campus. No, not because that of clothing choices or accents, but because they maintain a certain wide eyed fascination and solemn intelligence. International students seem refined and sophisticated. Hard working and goal oriented. They worked hard to get to this prestigious American university and they keep that in mind as they work even harder to graduate.

Most International Students stick together, seeking the comfort of the familiar. They tend to sit back in class and take notes as the more abrasive and comfortable students take over answering the questions, debating the topics and joking with classmates. As soon as class ends, they head to the library or the comforts of their dorm room to get started on the reading assigned. They never join the rest of campus at the weekend parties.

But then something starts to change. As the semester rolls on and these students find themselves more at ease in their new environment, they begin to engage in common American customs. They become The Americanized International. Read More »

Here’s a head-scratcher: after months of kooky behavior (like, I dunno, shaving your head and flashing your va-jay-jay all over LA), after the media and public alike had written her off as Queen of the Looney Tunes, America woke up this morning and decided to accept Britney Spears back into the fold of elite pop stars.

Yep, forget the wacko driving-with-your- infant-son-dangling-from- the-driver’s- seat incident, Ms. Spears is a drool-worthy role model again. If you happen to have access to the internet (which I’m assuming you do, if you’re reading this), you can’t be more than a mouse click away from a Britney love fest. Today, her newest album, Circus, was leaked online just one week before its official release, and the world is abuzz with Brit.

How does the album fare? As far as pop records go, Circus ain’t too shabby. We’ve all heard the tour-de-force “Womanizer,” and the new single “If U Seek Amy” (is she referring to Ms. Winehouse? If Britney’s looking for her, she need look no further than a London crack den) is as gritty and caustic as I imagine Ms. Spears would be after a night of boozing. But a lame vehicle for singles (and moolah) this isn’t: the song “My Baby” perked my ears right up. Could Britney–gasp– actually be crooning? Her voice shines through clearly and tenderly on what is a sweet ode to her children.

I’m still confused at how Brit Brit has achieved her massive reinvention. I mean, check her out on the cover of Rolling Stone for godsakes! As she says in the opening to the title track, “There are two kinds of people in this world: entertainers and observers.” If baffling the public counts as entertainment, then Brit, baby, you’re a star.

Check out her album, Circus, on Imeem.com