Boycott Pepsi

I heard a disturbing piece of news this week, and I am not talking about Balloon Boy. Pepsi has a new energy drink called Amp. As part of their sales effort, they have created an iPhone app called “Amp Up Before You Score”. The “Amp” app was developed for PepsiCo to help men be duplicitous with women in order to manipulate them into having sex. The “score” in the title does not refer to basketball. The app includes a feature to keep track of sexual conquests and to brag about them to others. In their “apology”, Pepsi acted like a politician saying “Sorry if you were offended” and the app has not been pulled. I can just imagine that kind of apology in the principal’s office at school after an incident of name calling. “Sorry if you were offended.” I don’t think the principal would let that fly. And what does this say about the target audience of this app? Nothing positive, that’s for sure.

I am boycotting Pepsi (including their subsidiaries such as Tropicana and Quaker Oats). I don’t know if my little blog will make any difference, but I know I can’t make any difference at all if I sit here at my kitchen table mad about Pepsi’s degradation of women and I say nothing. Please boycott Pepsi, too.

Inspiring Sports Movies

Last night Charlie came down with Croup again. It is the third time in less than 2 years. It’s funny, but waking me from a sound sleep, I don’t always put together what is wrong and what I need to do as quickly as I think I should. Last night I estimate from the moment I heard the cries until the time I had figured out what was wrong and got him in the steaming shower was less than 5 minutes. Five minutes is an eternity when it comes to airway constriction, but since he is older, he has some extra space that allows him to get air even when he thinks he isn’t. The worst part for him at this age is the panic that comes from feeling like he can’t breathe and that can actually lead to his not being able to breathe. It seems paradoxical, but it’s true. I noticed last night that when I was able to get him to calm down, things went much better.

I was tired on my run this morning, but it was good to get out there and talk to another mom who understands. My plan called for 8, but at 8 I was just hitting my stride, so I went 9. My buddy asked if I felt ready for the marathon next week and I said “Yeah. I’ve had a good week this week. I’m ready.” Now I just hope I don’t get sick. The doctor said “Be careful. He is highly contagious until he has a good night.” I am obsessively washing my hands like a raccoon.

While staying by his side today ready to hold the pan whenever he needed me to, I watched “The Express”, an inspiring sports movie about Ernie Davis, the first black winner of the Heisman Trophy. Ernie paid obvious homage to those African American athletes who had gone before him and he felt the weight of those watching him. He knew he was inspiring and that he had to be. I thought of Katherine Switzer and how glad I was that she had run the Boston Marathon so I would get to. I love inspiring sports movies. And it’s time we get one about KT Switzer.