The Intolerance of Cancel Culture

This will rub a lot of people the wrong way, but it is how I feel about cancel culture.

An egregious offense must be addressed and there must be remediation and steps taken to make sure it does not happen again. We must learn from our mistakes.

Cancel culture demands the removal of the offender with no opportunity for atonement. The offender is more likely to become defensive, since there is no reason to work on a remediation plan as they have become a pariah anyway. Especially when apologies will never be accepted as dictated by cancel culture protocol, it only pushes the offender to take the position of a victim of persecution.

I say, listen and be open to dialog. That is what a learning moment is. It is not a slap on the wrist. It is giving the offender the opportunity to change their ways and be genuine in their contrition. When they refuse to acknowledge their transgression or are disingenuous in their apology, then it is time to consider if salvage is possible.

My world view is not black and white. Maybe I’m just optimistic that people can change if they are given the chance and support to be able make the true distinction between right and wrong. Superficial change is temporary. True change must come from within, not from external pressure. 

Unpopular opinion: Inclusion is not always welcome

A couple of Facebook groups I am a member of have lately been bombarded by irrelevant or offensive posts, including porn. They’re both public groups. 

The problem with public groups is, if the Admin chooses to change it to private, the group can never be changed back to public ever again due to privacy issues (some people join a group only if it is private).

 
According to one Admin, Facebook opened public groups to be more inclusive. What this does is allow irrelevant or offensive content to be posted before someone notices and reports it to the Admin(s) for the post to be taken down. If people report irrelevant or offensive posts to Facebook instead of Admin(s), Facebook can actually deactivate a group due to numerous complaints. It can be effective sabotage by someone bent on causing mischief. It also creates a lot of work for the Admin(s) to weed out spammers.

So, yeah, sometimes being inclusive is a bad thing.

Thoughts on World Cup 2022

While I agree politics should stay out of sports, human rights should not.

I’ve read a lot of comments along the line of “It’s their laws. Respect their culture or shut up.” Yeah, if their laws include denying basic human rights to women, LGBTQ+, migrant workers, etc., everyone should speak up against such laws. 

We’re not talking about laws like littering, murder, theft, etc.; we’re talking about laws that treat certain people as less than second class citizens (or not even citizens at all) just for who they are, not the choices they make. Well, some people seriously think gender and sexual orientation are choices, so there’s that.

So, yeah, it’s been a dilemma for me. I love soccer/football, but I don’t want to support a host country that does not respect basic human rights.

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

We want to be thankful for what we have, and Thanksgiving is one day (almost) the whole nation comes together to give thanks and usually spend time with family (friends in my case). 

However, it is a reminder that it is because of atrocities committed against the indigenous people that the United States came into being. It is also because there is a United States as it is that we have immigrants who have come here for better opportunities.

So, I am ambivalent. I am a beneficiary of the existence of this country, and therefore a beneficiary of the atrocities against indigenous people.

I appreciate a day to give thanks, but its origin isn’t very savory. To be honest, most people are not thinking of how Thanksgiving Day came about. Most are grateful for the concept of a day of thanksgiving. Of course it has evolved into big business where people are just waiting for Black Friday and the sales. While I am grateful for Thanksgiving despite knowing how it came about, I’m even more against retail being open Thanksgiving Day and the push to make sales on Friday. 

If this truly is a time to give thanks, the usual Black Friday chaos reminds you how ungrateful and uncivilized people really are.

I know this isn’t very coherent. It’s more a ramble than an essay.

Why is “Ethnic” Food Unhealthy?

There is a misconception that “ethnic” food, at least the Americanized version of it, is unhealthy. A lot of biased articles claim they’re high in salt, MSG, fat, etc. Truth of the matter is, the versions we get in the US aren’t from the old country. They’ve been adapted to lower the cost or to suit the American palate.

This is why when Americans travel overseas to sample the foods where they originated, they hate it. And to think these civilizations have been around for thousands of years. They had been doing it right, possibly by trial and error. It’s the American version that isn’t healthy.

What is bad is American influence on local cuisines, where international conglomerates and big money marketing have convinced locals that fast food is “better” for them. Slick advertising convince them that they should embrace American fast food. 

I say, down with American fast food! Embrace local traditions, even if many have been borrowing from other cuisines over the years. Organically evolved fusion food is not the same as forced fusion food.

I personally don’t like the word “ethnic.” It implies an otherness. Is German food less “ethnic” than Chinese food? Why do Americans accept pizza and pasta without question but consider kimchi and injera exotic? It pisses me off when people hear the word “dumpling” they immediately think Chinese dumplings or gyozas.

Unpopular Opinion re Social Media

I personally don’t think people who spread rumors and untruths should be banned from social media. It’ll just drive them underground. They cannot and will not be silenced. Like-minded people will just seek them out, anyway.

I personally find them a source of amusement, and when it gets too much I’ll just ignore them.

Let them spew their hatred and lies for the whole world to see (and ridicule). Banning them will only play into their sense of victimhood. Let them say what they want to say so they have to defend themselves. Intelligent people will either debunk or ignore. People who are easily manipulated or influenced will believe them anyway.

It is up to the rest of us to be patient and meticulous and refute their untruths and lies. Silencing them will only make them more determined.

Social media should not be the primary source of information, anyway. They use algorithms to manipulate feeds. Don’t be passive in how you consume the news. Seek out neutral sources that do their research and don’t try to influence your opinion. Sources that only attack their opposition and tell you how evil the “enemies” are should not be trusted.

Ok. Rant over.

More Thoughts On Elections and Voting

Have you noticed? Almost none of the wins are landslide wins. Even the clear winners didn’t take a significant majority. Left and right are almost half and half when it comes to voting. 

I don’t know if it means it has to do with people not turning out. Voter turnout certainly has not been 100%. The highest turnout hasn’t even been 2/3!

So, reader, I am asking for your thoughts. Are we really split down the middle most of the time?

As always, please keep it civil and relevant. I promise I will refrain from commenting on your experience, but I might be curious enough to ask questions to better understand your story.

Thoughts on Elections and Voting

Ok. Here’s a subversive thought. It’s really not about politics and more about strategy. 

We’ve been doing it wrong, and JB showed us how to do it right. He “supported” Darren and got him on the ballot just to trounce him.

If you’re really worried about Donald running again, register as Republican and vote to get someone else on the ballot. The first step is to prevent him from being a candidate in the first place.

Choose your opponent wisely!

Mental Illness and Racism

People who suffer from mental illness, especially when it comes to paranoia, psychosis, and delusions, are also more prone to racist attitudes and beliefs. They are more likely to see danger lurking everywhere where none exists. Due to their beliefs, they may act on those beliefs, whether it’s verbal or physical assaults.

How do you balance the need for compassion with protecting the public? If they don’t understand right from wrong, is punishment the best option? Do victims have the right to demand and expect punishment?

There are no easy answers. I don’t really know what the solution is.

Conspiracy Theories

I don’t understand conspiracy theories.

No, I take that back.

Academically, I understand them. Intellectually, they baffle me.

Conspiracy theories are so farfetched, ridiculous, baseless, and illogical, it is difficult to understand why otherwise educated and reasonable people believe them to the point that they will publicly defend them even as the conspiracy theories are convincingly debunked WITH EVIDENCE.

Yes, I know there is confirmation bias. A theory that aligns with their beliefs is more likely to be believed. It’s human nature. 

But what’s sad is that common sense completely goes out the window even if a conspiracy theory has been completely, utterly, and totally debunked. They would rather hold on to the sliver of untruth than consider the overwhelming amount of evidence.

No one likes to be proven wrong. That’s not the issue. It’s the refusal to engage intelligently and use critical thinking that makes me fear for humanity, and these are the people who are the most vocal and willing to commit crimes, even violence, to support their beliefs because they truly believe they are defending the truth.

2022 Chicago Marathon From My Window (10.09.22)

I’d had my iPad recording #chicagomarathon2022 since around 7:30 in the morning. I’d gotten woken up by the cheering for many years now for every #chicagomarathon. I know it’s not really that exciting after the fact, but I thought I might as well.

Here are the final results. Well done!

What’s Wrong With Vegan Food?

NOTHING!

I love vegan food, even though I’m not remotely vegan. To me, it’s a cuisine, not a fad, but it’s also a choice, which I respect, as long as the person who makes that choice is respectful. I hate hypocrites and militants.

When I was growing up, “vegan” was not a thing. Being vegetarian meant no animal products, period. 

Then so-called vegetarians decided as long as the animal products did not involve KILLING animals, they could call themselves vegetarians (they could consume eggs and dairy). 

Then came the “vegetarians“ who ate fish! 

I’m sorry! If you eat fish and eggs and cheese and drink milk, YOU'RE NOT VEGETARIAN!

Anyway, I love vegan food when it’s respectful and done right. That’s all.

I live to eat

What can I say? I love food. I love that food is used for celebration. We mostly eat for sustenance. Sometimes we eat for comfort. We eat because we have to, but we also eat because we want to celebrate.

I wish food weren’t necessary so we can just enjoy it when we do eat. Sometimes I feel like the act of eating is a waste of time; we eat because we’re hungry and not because we want to enjoy and savor every bite.

We should not eat to live. I don’t want to eat only because I’m hungry. I want to eat because I want to enjoy the food and the company I’m with.

If it weren’t for the fact that I would go hungry, I’d rather not eat and then eat only when it’s a cause for celebration. That would be my wish.

I try to share my passion for food with my posts: dishes I’ve made, meals I’ve eaten. I hope you see food the way I do.

Friday Contemplation

Is it just me or does it bother you, too, that there are so many “video content creators” who just essentially compile videos from other sources, slap their own name on the compilations, and present the compilations as their own content? 

They haven’t created the content. They just use other people’s content without even crediting the sources.

Most of the time they contribute nothing to the content, or they do “reaction videos” and make exaggerated funny faces in reaction, or they outright mock the subjects in the videos. 

Of course, the pathetic part is, there are so many people video recording themselves doing stupid things (think amateur versions of Jackass) and posting the videos for the whole world to see so as to get likes, accumulate followers, make money from the videos while the world laughs at them, and become “famous.”

A long time ago there was a book (I can’t remember the title) where it was just a list of unrelated words, and people were buying it. Seriously, the author just put together a random list of words, not in any order, not in sentences, no explanation, no definitions, no apparent connection between words. I think in the preface she said it was just words she had been jotting down so she decided to get the list published.

I guess there is a market for anything and everything.

I think I should start doing daily YouTube videos where I look into the camera and say the most boring thing I can think of. Maybe one day someone will look at them as wise sayings !

Taco Tuesday

I’d been sporadically getting tacos on Tuesdays, and lately it’s been every week. I might as well keep a log of my #tacotuesday meals! (There’s one place from which I would love to get their tacos, but they’re not open on Tuesdays, so they won’t be listed here. Bummer!)

Burrito House

(Can’t remember what I ordered)

Lengua Taco (Beef Tongue, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, cheese and hot sauce)
Grilled Fish with Pico de Gallo Taco (served with cilantro and onions)
Skirt Steak Taco (Carne asada, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and hot sauce)

Grilled Fish with Pico de Gallo Taco (served with cilantro and onions)

Taco de Tripitas (tripe, served with cilantro and onions)

Lengua Taco (beef tongue, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and hot sauce)

Cerveceria Y Taqueria “Taco LuLú”

"Arrachera" Char-Grilled Skirt Steak Taco (Char-Grilled Skirt Steak, Onions and Cilantro)

"Pollo" Chicken Taco (Shredded Slow-Cooked Chicken, Lettuce and Tomato)

"Pescado" Tilapia Fish Taco (Pan-Seared Tilapia Filet served "LuLu Style" with Fresh Pico de Gallo)

Cilantro Taco Grill Old Town

tripas, lengua, pescado

Clark El Ranchito

Pescado, Lengua, Chicharrón, Camaraones

El Mezquite Taqueria

Chicharron en Salsa Verde Taco

Pescado Taco

Chicharron Prensado Taco

El Ranchito Restaurants

Seafood Taco (Combination of catfish, shrimp, marisco and tilapia with pico de gallo and guacamole)
Chicharron (pork skin) Taco

Lengua Taco Dinner (3 beef tongue tacos served with rice and beans)

La Cocina Mexican Grill

Steak, fish, pastor tacos

Mole Village

Taco de Camarón

Taco de Pescado

Old Town Pub

FISH TACOS (3 tender grilled tilapia, lettuce, pico de gallo & side of salsa)

Traspasada

Chicharron en Salsa Verde (Fried pork crackling in green sauce, onions and cilantro)

Sesos (Veal Brains, onions and cilantro)

Cabeza (Beef Head, onions and cilantro)

Pescado (Tilapia, onions, cilantro, tomato, red cabbage and lime juice)

So, reader, I am asking for your food stories. What kind of tacos do you like?

As always, please keep it civil and relevant. I promise I will refrain from commenting on your experience, but I might be curious enough to ask questions to better understand your story.

The End of an Era

For most people, Queen Elizabeth II was the only British monarch they’d known until now. She was a remarkable woman, who wasn’t supposed to be the Queen, and yet due to circumstances beyond her control became the heir presumptive at 10 and ascended to the throne at the age of 25. She pledged her life to service and she delivered.

The British Empire is no more. The Commonwealth may be breaking up as more former colonies and now independent nations seek to leave the Commonwealth.

This is not an essay on the monarchy. These are my thoughts on a woman who wasn’t perfect but had left an impression on a lot of people: her sense of duty, her faith, and her sense of humor. She was one of the most well-known women on earth, and yet she was unknowable. She understood her job and she performed it memorably.

There will never be another like her.

2022 #ONECHIPCHALLENGE

I don’t usually do challenges, but I couldn’t resist this one.

I uploaded the video to their website, but I don’t see it. My reaction probably wasn’t what they were expecting. Oh, well.

Balut

My first and likely last balut, five years ago!

I used to run several Meetup dining groups. One was Adventurous Eating, where we would put aside our fear of “strange” or unfamiliar foods and just take a leap of faith. At least then I could say I’d tried it even if I didn’t like it.

Balut was one of them. It was not easy, knowing what it was, and seeing it for what it was. What it is is a fertilized bird egg that has incubated 14 to 21 days that is boiled or steamed and eaten in the shell. The ones we had were much younger than what is usually served (8 days, I think). It tasted like chicken broth, but I had to close my eyes.I wasn’t too keen on the texture, either.

I know people who love it. I know there are foods that used to come out of necessity and are now either popular street foods or delicacies. I would never disparage someone else’s food. Some people would categorize such foods as “bizarre.” There’s nothing bizarre about them. They’re unfamiliar, and therefore to me it’s an adventure. That’s it.

So, reader, I am asking for your food stories. What types of foods are strange to you that you wouldn’t eat?

As always, please keep it civil and relevant. I promise I will refrain from commenting on your experience, but I might be curious enough to ask questions to better understand your story.

Mid-Autumn Festival Dinner

Mid-Autumn Festival dinner at my favorite Chinese restaurant in Chicago

My friend Lawrence Klevan, who sadly passed away unexpectedly last April, would have loved this. We used to do special celebratory dinners together even if he didn’t always order from the special menu.

Dragon Wall (Longjing infused gin, Passionfruit, Lime, Lemon Shrub)

Shanghai Terrace appetizer trio (mini chicken salad, spicy wagyu beef, lobster & chicken dumpling with black truffle)

traditional Peking duck roll (mandarin pan cake cucumber, scallion, hoisin sauce)

the ning sling (absolute mandarin, lychee, lime, fresh mint, passion fruit, sprite)

terrace crispy lobster (mesclun mix greens, spicy mustard mayonnaise)

steamed chilean seabass (coriander soy, ginger, scallion, cilantro)

kung pao beef tenderloin (onion, bell peppers, ginger, garlic, mixed vegetables)

homemade mooncake & mango pudding (egg, milk, custard, fresh mango)

Compliments of the chef (I am so stuffed)

So, reader, I am asking for your dinner stories. Where would you go for your very special meal?

As always, please keep it civil and relevant. I promise I will refrain from commenting on your experience, but I might be curious enough to ask questions to better understand your story.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

I was on a roll.

I don’t usually eat snacks, but I’d been wanting to try it. It’s probably too hot for most people, but it wasn’t that hot for me, but my taste buds are probably shot. They’re quite tasty!

“This year's high voltage chip contains the super-charged Carolina Reaper Pepper and stinging Scorpion Pepper with a shocking twist, it'll turn your tongue BLUE!”

I accepted a Chopped-style dinner challenge. One of the ingredients was jelly beans, so course I had to do something unexpected.