Pollution, gender-benders, and modern life

An illustration showing the sources and pathways of pollution to fish in the Great Lakes.
Source: Environmental Protection Agency.

My friends and I have been e-mailing each other all day about this story from the Independent about the creepy havoc pollution is wreaking on the reproductive organs of species across the board, including humans.

Certain widely used and ingested chemicals, called "gender-benders," are named as such because they alter the hormonal balance of animals and other creatures, causing male reproductive problems and a greater incidence of female births. Yikes.

The chemicals are called phthalates and are found in everything from nail polish to food products to toys, according to a suspect Wikipedia article. The WSJ says Congress has banned several types of phthalates, albeit only in children's toys, though the bans do not go into effect until 2009 and store-owners are now feverishly marking down the existing soon-to-be-barred toys in their stores. Dangerous, considering they're not required to (and don't) disclose why these plastic toys must go.

Oh yes ... the FAIL blog

If you enjoy the absurd that lurks in the fringes of everyday life, you'll adore the FAIL blog, which is dedicated to humorous missteps randomly occurring in signage and elsewhere. I stumbled upon this blog while reading about morning routines in Slate, where I also learned about life hacking.

I must say that my own morning routine is a vicious beast. I can't seem to get out of bed without a strong cup of coffee and a bread product, preferably simultaneously consumed, and it can take me upwards of an hour upon waking to pry myself away from the computer and into the shower. I've always admired my East Coast roommate's ability to roll out of bed, prepare a PB&J and get out of the house.

The Slate article recommends NOT checking e-mail for at least one hour from waking or arriving at work. "The idea is to work on what's important instead of reacting to what's being asked of you." E-mail is often the very first thing I do in the morning, and if the matter is pressing I'll be typing away mid-bread-consumption. I think I might try it. News first, e-mail later.