Health, Opinion, Science

This Post is 100% Natural and Chemical-Free

Natural and Chemical-Free Cleaning

Natural and chemical-free cleaning tips are rampant online and have been for a few years now. You might even use some of them or at least have given them a whirl. Did you read the title of this post and maybe think about the diluted vinegar you use on the floors? The bicarb mix you clean the sink with? Or the fantastic cloth you bought (via an MLM seller) that allows you to clean things CHEMICAL-FREE? Cleaning your house is something we all have to deal with and there’s nothing wrong with re-examining how you do it and what products you use. There is, however, some serious flaws to what passes for natural and chemical-free cleaning. Not only because labeling that way is disingenuous; it’s also part of a bigger problem.

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Humanity, Opinion, Social Media

The Humans of Facebook Community Groups

Facebook Community Groups

I’ve been conducting an unofficial little survey on my personal profile about Facebook Community Groups. Your local area noticeboard style group on Facebook- is it a civilised, helpful group to trade recommendations and discuss what’s on in your area or is it a cesspit of bigotry and never-ending arguments? There’s always a bunch of “regular” people in them, the kind that avoid conflict or serious discussion and just want to find out what time the fireworks start at the Christmas Carols. They probably make up the majority of these groups but you’d hardly know they’re there. They aren’t the ones making all the noise!

via GIPHY

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Feminism, Humanity, Internet, Opinion

Thoughts About the Call-Out

Call Out: Blurred image of a band on a stage beyond a crowd in shadow. A mobile phone with facebook open is held in the bottom right corner.

INVISIBILIA: The Call-Out

I listened to this podcast, by Hanna Rosin and Alix Spiegel, recently and it made me think about the practice of calling people out. There’s also a transcription available here.

via GIPHY Rosin and Spiegel

If you just want a snapshot, it’s this:

A woman called Emily became heavily involved in the hardcore music scene. She loved the music, going to gigs, travelling with her best friend’s band and being part of the scene. But the hardcore scene was pretty male-dominated and she experienced firsthand things like sexual assault and the way the scene closed ranks around “good guys”. The expression was “good guy, backed hard”, so people making allegations against “good guys” weren’t believed. There was all kinds of sexism in the scene, including expressions like “no clit in the pit” meaning women weren’t welcome in the mosh. She eventually fronted her own band and used her platform to sing about feminist issues.

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Health, Opinion

Essential Oils: When Multi-Level Marketing & Pseudoscience Collide

You’d have to be living under a large, unscented rock to not notice the sudden resurgence of interest in aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is the use of oils extracted from plants, based on the premise that those oils are beneficial. I know this because I actually studied aromatherapy myself several years ago. My course was taught by a couple of aromatherapists with decades of experience. One was also a registered nurse and both had been involved in a small amount of research into the possible therapeutic benefits of certain essential oils.

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