Just my opinion...

It seems to me that if you're going to be in customer service, or sales, that it would be a tremendous asset to be fluent in the language of your customer -- especially in their country. C'mon people, when I ask for a fork at a fast food restaurant, I don't expect a blank stare...

or is that asking too much?

One Creative Cat

Anyone who's ever had a cat will appreciate this. But think about it... why shouldn't every stair be savored?

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http://digg.com/pets_animals/Slinky_Cat_4

'Obama's Challenge': A Transformative Opportunity

Robert Kuttner has reported on elections for more than 30 years. His new book, Obama's Challenge, looks at the Herculean obstacles the president-elect faces — and what it will take to tackle them.A great interview by Terry Gross. Outlines some common sense, practical stuff that I think most of us have realized, but seems to escape Washington.Check it out: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96694999

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Eve Ensler and her life's passion of helping abused women

Listen and you cannot be unmoved. The level of abuse of women and children around the world leaves me speechless. Eve Ensler reminds me once again that I have to do something about this.We hear of hunger. We hear of disease. Do we hear of women being beaten for eating ice cream? Or not having dinner ready for their husband? Or children forced into sexual slavery, tortured and beaten? It's not entertaining. It's definitely not easy to hear. But I am scared that we, once feminists, are afraid of that word and what it stands for. And in that fear, we are betraying the women of our world. We may have rights and respect in this country (although many still do not, and much work needs to be done), but in most of the rest of the world, women are treated as throw-away objects.I've seen it in Israel, Egypt, China, Eastern Europe... and I've seen it here, in our own country -- first hand. The insecurity of our world cannot tolerate the real strength of a woman, so they beat them down. They make them believe they have no strength, so many women never even become aware of this immense power within them.Our world persists in believing the lie that physical strength and dominance are meaningful. Would that any of those hellbent on displaying their "strength and bravery" would ever even attempt to endure the pain of creating life, perhaps they would have more respect for it. Or if people could witness, first-hand, as I have, a mother's unwavering love and sacrifice, the strength of taking on the medical establishment, and the countless hours of comforting special needs for a disabled child. Perhaps if we could comprehend the strength and power of this love, we would bow in humility and respect -- for women, for each other, for the most powerful life purpose of nuturing and loving life.

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Make a Smilebox scrap pages

Boys Toys

I promised my son a new toy as a reward for a great parent-teacher review of his first month in kindergarten, so we headed out to Toys R Us. I thought maybe, just maybe, this would offer us more non-violent toy choices than our usual shopping places.

There were quite a few science-oriented toys and kits -- mostly for older (8+) kids. Then there were quite a few building/imagination toys -- pretty much all for ages 3 and under, or again, 8+. Our choices whittled down to some basic magnetix kits (great toys, but still geared to older kids), a very few lego kits (lots of duplo for younger, lots of complex kits for older), and lots of hot wheels.

I was not prepared, however, for the overwhelming amount of violent, scary-faced, weapon-toting monsters, aliens, robots, dragons, fighting/action "heros" (hmmm), star wars, et al.

The choices for girls were equally as dismal: barbie, dress-up, pop-star/diva (I know nothing about Hanah Montana other than I never want to watch the show after seeing her plastered on every conceivable product), princess, and fairies.

Basically it seems to boil down to this:

Boys are being play-trained in neanderthal "might is right", violent weapon use, desensitization and war games.

Girls are being play-trained to be image-is-everything, pop star is the ultimate career goal, you'll marry someone rich and everyone will cater to your every princess whim, and you can only be liked if you have the right clothes/accessories.

I thought we realized the harm of all of this in the 60s when Barbie and GI Joe went by the wayside and became "collectibles."

What the heck are we teaching our children? Where's the balance? Where are the choices to the mass market?

And where are the positive role models for kids 5+?

America's Most Stressful Cities - Forbes.com

Chicago tops the list. This is not news to anyone who lives -- or drives -- here. I'm constantly amazed at how people here feel the world revolves around them, that traffic laws don't apply to them, that it's all about how they feel. I would add that, in comparison to all of the other cities I've spent time in and driven around in, Chicago tops the list for rudeness.

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