I hate to get political, but it happens. Anytime a barrier is broken in the United States (female intellectuals rising to a high office, African American presidents, and major sports figures for example), we as Americans have to step back and reevaluate what it means to be an American.

The look on her face said it all. This photo is courtesy of AP.

When the latest Miss America of New York, Nina Davuluri, was crowned on 15^th September 2013, mixed responses circulated the Web—as expected. Davuluri is the first Indian- American to win the award and she’s got the credentials to back up the vote: she’s got National Honor Society membership at the University of Michigan, where she studied brain behavior and cognitive science. And she’s pretty, too.

But back to the politics (sorry). We live in 2013. Yet, there are still Americans who believe that certain rights should be reserved for a certain group of people (exclusively referred to as “Americans”). The Miss America crown, for example. And so, we come to the issue of breaking barriers…

If you think about it, nothing gets more American than an Indian- American winning an award that’s ninety-two years old (with no record of an Indian-American beauty queen to date—until now). Why? Because barriers are meant to be broken.

And there’s no better place to break them than in the best country in the world, where “freedom” is the magic word.

I’ve got something in my eye…

Today, we talk about a very real fear:

Friggatriskaidekaphobia.

“Frigga” is a prophetic goddess in Norwegian folklore and, to some etymologists (people who study the history of words, to put it plainly) this figure was whom Friday was named after.

“Dekatreís” translates into “thirteen” from the Greek and “triskaidekaphobia” means fear of the number 13.

There isn’t much history behind Friday the 13th in the textbooks. But in present American culture, the frightful undertones and superstitions come out of this fictional character (hockey-masked above). Of course, the number 13 invokes some unease as well.

Yes, today is the unluckiest day of the year. And if you’re reading this from your WI-Fi enabled bomb shelter, we hope the canned peaches are going well with your microwaved Campbell’s soup. If you’re reading this in your attic wearing an aluminum hat, we hope the dust isn’t giving you an allergy attack.

Even though superstitious folks—or folks with Friggatriskaidekaphobia—rather stay inside with the curtains drawn (and maybe nailed to the wall with planks of wood), we still see today for what it really is:

A Friday.

You know you want to be out there with balloons. C’mon. Admit it.

And good luck or bad luck, we love our Fridays.

Have a lovely weekend folks!

Save us some peaches, by the way.

Funny story before I tell you a really happy thought.

I discovered that the drain beneath my sink was leaking. Before calling my brother (who happens to be a plumber), I placed a bucket underneath the dripping pipe. When the water filled all the way to the brim, I poured the water right back into the same exact sink.

Sometimes, forgetfulness gets the best of us.

But here’s a happy thought to bring you into the weekend:

Did you know that millions of trees grow every year due to squirrels forgetting where they buried their nuts?

Unlike humans, squirrels are saving the planet with their forgetfulness.

Stop everything. Put on your sneakers and grab the car keys. We’re going to the supermarket to buy the worlds most perfect food—the avocado.

The avocado has the skills to pay the bills.

It can ward off cancer (it has plenty of phytochemicals), studies have shown, and it reduces in a person the risk of heart attack and diabetes.

Your dermatologist approves. Avocados, containing carotenoids, can slow the aging process and may even protect your skin from a severe sun.

Oh, and that’s not all. This little ingredient has anti-inflammatory benefits. Chronic inflammation is linked to an exhausting litany of health hazards, such as strokes and heart attacks.

It’s a talented ingredient, the Avocado. And it compliments almost any dish.

If you slice up your avocado length-wise, you can slip a few slices into a burger for a richer flavor. If it’s sushi night, you can wrap up your avocados with salmon or shrimp rolls. If you’re feeling simple, make an avocado salad.

Oh, and here’s a tip: If you don’t plan on using the entire avocado at once, leave the seed. It helps your avocado retain its freshness (so it won’t turn all mushy and brownish).

A recent study shows that the regular consumption of avocados will help sustain a slim waist.

You’ve heard enough. Go out and buy some already.

The first burger patty to be fully developed in a laboratory was put through a taste test on Monday, August 5^th. Financed by Google’s co-founder, Sergey Brin, the patty had a production cost of $333,000 and took five years to make.

Before being tasted by a few select individuals, the burger patty was sizzled on a pan with butter and sunflower oil. Witnesses report that a meaty aroma was in the air. The tasters agreed that the lab-patty almost tasted like the real thing. In other words, taste is still a work in progress.

One of the select tasters takes a bite of the $333,000 burger patty. This photo is brought to you by Toby Melville of Reuters.

If this becomes a hit, and if it becomes an affordable commodity, it would mean more than just an alternative to beef. The lab-patty could introduce a new avenue for more environmentally friendly burger production. It could also help mitigate the world’s food shortage.

With all scientific innovations, there are ethical issues that pop up. What do you think? Is this a good idea or another way for science to play Mother Nature with horrible consequences?

Carrots don’t get enough love. Today, we respectfully pay homage to this oft-neglected veggie. Nutritionists will tell us that carrots can give us night-vision capabilities and can help prevent heart disease (it’s all in the beta-carotene, alpha carotene, and lutein, they’ll say). Carrots are also rich in Vitamin A (very, very, very, very important). This handy vitamin helps protect our skin from being roasted under the sun too easily and it helps your body (specifically the liver) purge toxins.

Did you know that carrots are used as a salve to protect cuts from infection? Carrots are also very effective skincare supplements and are popular as an ingredient in all-natural beauty products.

To sum it up, carrots are a power food. They pack a punch, vitamin-wise, and they compliment most dishes without interfering with overwhelming flavor. This humble vegetable fits in smoothies, salads, main dishes, and as a stand-alone snack. Carrots are really a talented bunch.

So show some love.

See anything?

This is Wendy’s newest logo. See anything strange? Peep the collar. You might see the word “mom.” Critics are debating on whether or not the advertising team at Wendy’s is making an effort to increase sales by stimulating memories of motherhood in the minds of their potential consumers. You might be worried or, like me, you might roll your eyes.

Memories of motherhood aren’t always good memories. Some people have suffered from domestic violence and may feel resistant to such purported subliminal advertising. If Wendy’s is really attempting to subliminally advertise, the growth of their cash crop is limited to the population of people who have had healthy relationships with their mothers/ parents (which is still a large population).

What do you think? Do you think this is an effective advertising method? Is it wrong? Or was it strictly unintentional?

Comments?

Long live summer. The bright weather. Beach volleyball. Picnics and mosquito repellent. Sipping on cool drinks in the shade. People leaving their babies and pets in their cars.

Wait. People what?

Yes, people absent- mindedly leaving their infants and pets in their cars while running errands—it happens far more often than I’d care to think about. It’s like stuffing your child into a microwave or sticking your poodle into an oven.

Look at their faces. Their whole lives are ahead of them. Photo Credit: Goodshoot/Goodshoot/Getty Images

It’s murder. Yet, people do it. Every. Single. Summer.

Recently, in Virginia, a woman left her 8-month-old infant in her car. It was not a happy ending.

In Wisconsin, a couple did the same thing—luckily, the baby survived (thanks to a few pedestrians walking by).

In Canada, a deaf woman faces life in prison for leaving her 2-year-old grandson in a car during a sweltering heat wave.

This is the sun. It makes the inside of your car feel like the inside of a volcano. Think about it: Would you leave your dog in a volcano? Kudos to National Geographic for taking this close-up of the sun.

Every. Single. Year. Something tragic and utterly stupid like this happens. A parked car ranks among the deadliest places in extreme heat. With the windows rolled up, there’s zero ventilation. Sunbeams multiply the heat on the inside of the vehicle. Any living thing that happens to be trapped inside is toast.

Put yourself in that situation. It’s not pretty. The brave Dr. Ernie Ward demonstrates in this video by putting himself through torture: watch as Dr. Ward roasts himself inside a car on a hot day.

When a child dies, we all share the burden. Share this post with your friends. Make them watch Dr. Ward’s self- torture video. Take action. Let’s put an end to the stupidity and enjoy Summer.

Sorry for this morbid post. But someone has to do it.

- Wanda