Is it possible that Blogger did something about all the porn? I don't know about you, but I enjoy hitting the "next blog" button so I can read the other blogs. Often, this action results in porn popping up. These "blogs" have no navigation bars so you have to hit the back button and then hit the next blog button and pray you get something "G" rated. You can imagine my horror last week when I did this as my 5 year old stood next to me and some very obscene pictures popped up. He gazed at the computer and said,"What is that?" The computer chose that moment to freeze with these images on the screen. It never occurred to me to turn off the monitor.
Anyway, this morning, I was able to safely hit "next blog" and there was no porn! I found a cute pattern for a knit flower to attach to a ponytail holder. I saw a blog by a woman who has an autistic child. I saw a blog by a family preparing to adopt a child from Ethiopia. All good stuff that I would not be afraid to have my kids see.
Thank you Blogger.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Who is Responsible?
When the first preview of Disney Pixar's Cars was shown when my youngest son was two and a half, I knew he would be obsessed with everything about it. His mouth fell open, his eyes grew wide, as he turned to my husband and me, looking fir validation that what he'd seen was real. I was prepared to buy movies, video games, action figures, and lots and lots of cars. You can imagine my horror, when, as I sat on the stationary bike at the gym Tuesday, I saw Sarge, one of the Cars characters, flashed on the giant TV screen, on the growing list of tainted toys.
We don't have Sarge in the current group of toys my son plays with. It isn't in the reserve stash of toys waiting for birthdays and holidays, either. We do have 6 or 9 other Cars characters and it's only a matter of time before we hear about their recall, too. My son came to me last night and showed me a plastic Sarge he had gotten at a birthday party. "Does this have bad paint?" He looked so sad. "No," I said. "But there is a chance that some of your other cars might. If they do you won't be able to play with them anymore." He didn't cry. He walked away quietly with his precious car in his hand.
My son loves his Cars, much as his brother loved his trains. If I had to take them away from him, it would be very devastating. Yes, I know they're only toys, but they are important to him. The CEO of Mattel had a press conference the other day and looked remorseful, but as far as I'm concerned, he's full of it. Mattel sells toys to make money. They could have put a process in place decades ago to ensure that all manufacturers of their products were in compliance of US safety standards. This quality control process would have cost money, it would have cut into the margin. Instead, in the case of Sarge, Mattel accuses the Chinese company of violating the rules by using a subcontractor to paint Sarge.
Ideally, I'd like to see a Congressional investigation. I'd like to see Bob Eckert field phone calls from every 3-5 year old in the US whose Mommy had to take their toys away. Passing the blame off to the Chinese is inexcusable.
We don't have Sarge in the current group of toys my son plays with. It isn't in the reserve stash of toys waiting for birthdays and holidays, either. We do have 6 or 9 other Cars characters and it's only a matter of time before we hear about their recall, too. My son came to me last night and showed me a plastic Sarge he had gotten at a birthday party. "Does this have bad paint?" He looked so sad. "No," I said. "But there is a chance that some of your other cars might. If they do you won't be able to play with them anymore." He didn't cry. He walked away quietly with his precious car in his hand.
My son loves his Cars, much as his brother loved his trains. If I had to take them away from him, it would be very devastating. Yes, I know they're only toys, but they are important to him. The CEO of Mattel had a press conference the other day and looked remorseful, but as far as I'm concerned, he's full of it. Mattel sells toys to make money. They could have put a process in place decades ago to ensure that all manufacturers of their products were in compliance of US safety standards. This quality control process would have cost money, it would have cut into the margin. Instead, in the case of Sarge, Mattel accuses the Chinese company of violating the rules by using a subcontractor to paint Sarge.
Ideally, I'd like to see a Congressional investigation. I'd like to see Bob Eckert field phone calls from every 3-5 year old in the US whose Mommy had to take their toys away. Passing the blame off to the Chinese is inexcusable.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
More Second Tier Candidates
As promised, here is another post on some lesser-known presidential candidates.
Sam Brownback - Brownback is a Republican Senator from Kansas. Here is his stand on some key issues. On taxes, he feels the tax code is too complex and puts an unnecessary burden on the average tax payer who has to hire someone to sift through the rules for them. He would like to see a flat tax with simplified tax preparation. On energy, Brownback co-sponsored a bill that would call for, among other things, an expansion of renewable fuels. His stand on Iraq is somewhat wishy-washy. He says there needs to be a plan to turn the country back over to its people, but he doesn't say how that would impact our military involvement and he offers no details on how to achieve this.
Christopher Dodd - Dodd is a Democratic Senator from Connecticut. On Energy, Dodd has 3 goals to reduce emissions, reduce dependence on middle-eastern oil and even improve the economy by increasing jobs. His plan has 14 points, and all, in my uneducated opinion, seem to be realistic and achievable. I especially like that he points out that our national security would be improved if we were less dependent on middle-eastern oil. Congressional leadership doesn't want the average American to know that our involvement in international disputes is largely to protect our interest in oil. On health care, Dodd plans to mirror the FEHBP. Individuals and businesses will contribute and coverage will follow people and not their jobs. It's a little complex to summarize in a few sentences, but it also seems quite well thought out. And on Iraq, he supports the Feingold-Reid proposal that calls for an end to US involvement in Iraq next March.
Tom Tancredo - Tancredo is a Republican member of Congress from Colorado. He is strongly anti-immigrant (funny, he doesn't look terribly native to me, which makes him, in my opinion, a colossal hypocrite). He blames immigrants for increased health care costs. He links homeland security to immigration. He doesn't support immigrant amnesty. I wonder if he plans on planting his own fruits and vegetables, because I don't envision him heading to the fields during the summer recess to help farmers pick their crops before they rot. This guy scares me. I beg you not to vote for him.
There are more candidates to profile. I will address a few more in coming weeks. Please remember to bid farewell to Tommy Thompson who dropped out of the race this week, following a poor showing in the Iowa straw poll. This election will end up costing tax payers ridiculous sums of money. Perhaps some of the 2nd and 3rd tier candidates need to assess the reality of their campaigns. They should consider not their massive egos, but the greater good of our country and gracefully bow out.
Sam Brownback - Brownback is a Republican Senator from Kansas. Here is his stand on some key issues. On taxes, he feels the tax code is too complex and puts an unnecessary burden on the average tax payer who has to hire someone to sift through the rules for them. He would like to see a flat tax with simplified tax preparation. On energy, Brownback co-sponsored a bill that would call for, among other things, an expansion of renewable fuels. His stand on Iraq is somewhat wishy-washy. He says there needs to be a plan to turn the country back over to its people, but he doesn't say how that would impact our military involvement and he offers no details on how to achieve this.
Christopher Dodd - Dodd is a Democratic Senator from Connecticut. On Energy, Dodd has 3 goals to reduce emissions, reduce dependence on middle-eastern oil and even improve the economy by increasing jobs. His plan has 14 points, and all, in my uneducated opinion, seem to be realistic and achievable. I especially like that he points out that our national security would be improved if we were less dependent on middle-eastern oil. Congressional leadership doesn't want the average American to know that our involvement in international disputes is largely to protect our interest in oil. On health care, Dodd plans to mirror the FEHBP. Individuals and businesses will contribute and coverage will follow people and not their jobs. It's a little complex to summarize in a few sentences, but it also seems quite well thought out. And on Iraq, he supports the Feingold-Reid proposal that calls for an end to US involvement in Iraq next March.
Tom Tancredo - Tancredo is a Republican member of Congress from Colorado. He is strongly anti-immigrant (funny, he doesn't look terribly native to me, which makes him, in my opinion, a colossal hypocrite). He blames immigrants for increased health care costs. He links homeland security to immigration. He doesn't support immigrant amnesty. I wonder if he plans on planting his own fruits and vegetables, because I don't envision him heading to the fields during the summer recess to help farmers pick their crops before they rot. This guy scares me. I beg you not to vote for him.
There are more candidates to profile. I will address a few more in coming weeks. Please remember to bid farewell to Tommy Thompson who dropped out of the race this week, following a poor showing in the Iowa straw poll. This election will end up costing tax payers ridiculous sums of money. Perhaps some of the 2nd and 3rd tier candidates need to assess the reality of their campaigns. They should consider not their massive egos, but the greater good of our country and gracefully bow out.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Team Work
The kids are watching "Wonder Pets." I can't be unhappy with a show that has the following theme song:
Wonder Pets, Wonder Pets
we're on our way
to help a baby [insert animal name here]to save the day
we're not too big
and we're not too tough
but when we work together
we've got the right stuff
Over the next few months, team work is going to be the thing that helps my friend and her family get through a major crisis. Her husband has been diagnosed with cancer. The exact type is yet to be determined. The doctors seem to believe it's one of many forms of lymphoma. According to what I've read, lymphoma has a very high survival rate. The oncologist told them yesterday that if it is lymphoma, he can be cured. It's going to be a battle, but there are so many people around to support them, they will win.
One thing that I've really loved about not working full time is that I've gotten to know my community. Instead of leaving my neighborhood at 7:45 am and not returning until 6:15 pm, I get to stay here most of the day and interact with members of my community. I work part time at a bakery a mile away. My friends come visit me there. At the pool, I've met some wonderful people who my kids will go to middle school with. I walk the dog and get to know other dog owners. My neighbors bring me food. Last week we got little brownies and some homemade guacamole. I feel part of something that will endure. I thought the friendships I had established at work were real, but they were more out of necessity. There were people I thought were friends but it turned out that, once I left the workplace, the friendships evaporated. These enduring friendships that I've made in my own neighborhood are what get people through difficult times.
People, don't ignore your neighbors! Make some cookies and take a few next door. You never know when you will need the companionship and support of the people in your own community.
Wonder Pets, Wonder Pets
we're on our way
to help a baby [insert animal name here]to save the day
we're not too big
and we're not too tough
but when we work together
we've got the right stuff
Over the next few months, team work is going to be the thing that helps my friend and her family get through a major crisis. Her husband has been diagnosed with cancer. The exact type is yet to be determined. The doctors seem to believe it's one of many forms of lymphoma. According to what I've read, lymphoma has a very high survival rate. The oncologist told them yesterday that if it is lymphoma, he can be cured. It's going to be a battle, but there are so many people around to support them, they will win.
One thing that I've really loved about not working full time is that I've gotten to know my community. Instead of leaving my neighborhood at 7:45 am and not returning until 6:15 pm, I get to stay here most of the day and interact with members of my community. I work part time at a bakery a mile away. My friends come visit me there. At the pool, I've met some wonderful people who my kids will go to middle school with. I walk the dog and get to know other dog owners. My neighbors bring me food. Last week we got little brownies and some homemade guacamole. I feel part of something that will endure. I thought the friendships I had established at work were real, but they were more out of necessity. There were people I thought were friends but it turned out that, once I left the workplace, the friendships evaporated. These enduring friendships that I've made in my own neighborhood are what get people through difficult times.
People, don't ignore your neighbors! Make some cookies and take a few next door. You never know when you will need the companionship and support of the people in your own community.
Monday, August 13, 2007
I Finished!
SPOILER WARNING!!! If you haven't read the new Harry Potter, skip this posting!
I was able to finish two books during my little jaunt to the mountains. I read the rest of "Praying for Sheetrock" and plowed through "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Between the sadness in both books, the miserably hot weather and all the accumulating stressful things in our lives, I was left very grumpy for most of the weekend.
"Sheetrock," as I mentioned in earlier posts, is the true story of the struggle of black citizens of McIntosh County, GA to realize the equality that the Civil Rights movement brought to the rest of the nation. It is told primarily through the struggles of one man who fights with two friends to make permanent changes to a system designed to keep blacks down. It is very uplifting and inspiring to read about people who fight for what is right. It's very sad, too, when you realize the sacrifices that are made. And it was downright depressing to see how easily the most important dreams can tumble to pieces when tragedy strikes. This book left me fearful that real people may not be strong enough to stand up to adversity any more. I hope not. There is too much still to fight for.
As for Harry Potter, it was a very enjoyable book. I did find myself crying from time to time, but considering some of the events of last week, I don't know how much of this was for the story or for other reasons. I guess I never finished Half Blood Prince so some things were a surprise to find out that Dumbledore was dead. I was very confused about Snape. Maybe something else I missed in the 6th book? It took me too long to figure out what the hell a horcrux was so that was confusing. And I still don't know what my friend meant when she said not to underestimate the strength of a mother's love. Maybe this was a reference to Mrs. Weasley's attack on Bellatrix? I am tempted to read some of the thousands of blogs that mention the book, but I think I'll just see what my friends have to say.
After these somewhat emotionally draining reads, I am in the mood for something light. I pulled "Emma" by Jane Austen off the shelf. It's been at least five years or more since I've read any Jane Austen so it'll be interesting to see if my view of her writing has changed.
Off to the shower before the kids wake up. The back to school schedule begins today. No more 9:00 pm bedtimes. I won't wake anyone up early this week. The likelihood that my kids won't be awake before 8:00 is very tiny. If they need to sleep in, I will happily let them.
Until next time...
I was able to finish two books during my little jaunt to the mountains. I read the rest of "Praying for Sheetrock" and plowed through "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Between the sadness in both books, the miserably hot weather and all the accumulating stressful things in our lives, I was left very grumpy for most of the weekend.
"Sheetrock," as I mentioned in earlier posts, is the true story of the struggle of black citizens of McIntosh County, GA to realize the equality that the Civil Rights movement brought to the rest of the nation. It is told primarily through the struggles of one man who fights with two friends to make permanent changes to a system designed to keep blacks down. It is very uplifting and inspiring to read about people who fight for what is right. It's very sad, too, when you realize the sacrifices that are made. And it was downright depressing to see how easily the most important dreams can tumble to pieces when tragedy strikes. This book left me fearful that real people may not be strong enough to stand up to adversity any more. I hope not. There is too much still to fight for.
As for Harry Potter, it was a very enjoyable book. I did find myself crying from time to time, but considering some of the events of last week, I don't know how much of this was for the story or for other reasons. I guess I never finished Half Blood Prince so some things were a surprise to find out that Dumbledore was dead. I was very confused about Snape. Maybe something else I missed in the 6th book? It took me too long to figure out what the hell a horcrux was so that was confusing. And I still don't know what my friend meant when she said not to underestimate the strength of a mother's love. Maybe this was a reference to Mrs. Weasley's attack on Bellatrix? I am tempted to read some of the thousands of blogs that mention the book, but I think I'll just see what my friends have to say.
After these somewhat emotionally draining reads, I am in the mood for something light. I pulled "Emma" by Jane Austen off the shelf. It's been at least five years or more since I've read any Jane Austen so it'll be interesting to see if my view of her writing has changed.
Off to the shower before the kids wake up. The back to school schedule begins today. No more 9:00 pm bedtimes. I won't wake anyone up early this week. The likelihood that my kids won't be awake before 8:00 is very tiny. If they need to sleep in, I will happily let them.
Until next time...
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Not Entertaining
We took a few days away from town to go to the mountains of Shenandoah County, VA. One of the perks of going away is that there is no TV. We read a lot and watch movies and DVDs of old sitcoms like "I Dream of Jeannie." I find Jeannie to be absurd, but entertaining and it's okay that it's absurd. Jeannie is a genie who has magical powers. She can give her master, an air force Major, x-ray vision and I don't have a problem with it. It's not supposed to be based in reality. It isn't trying to be. It is fantasy. But there are movies and TV shows that are attempting to be entertainment, that are more realistic in their story lines that are so outrageous that they deserve to be banned from the airwaves.
One such example is a loathsome movie I suffered through last night called "Are We There Yet?" This "film du toilette" is about a young man who owns a sports memorabilia store who falls for a woman he sees who happens to be "hot" as my five year old would put it. He decides against pursuing her when he sees she has kids. Then she has car trouble and he rescues her and then begins this ridiculous relationship between them. She continually uses him. He allows it. The climax comes when she needs his help to get her kids to Vancouver where she is working because their father can't keep them. The kids are barbarians. The woman is a hateful shrew. This poor man is abused beyond the scope of anything realistic. Is this really what a family comedy has become? Do we really want:
1. Boys to only think of girls as sex objects?
2. Girls to think it's okay to treat boys like their servants?
3. Boys to be abused and mistreated by woman who use their looks to get what they want?
I truly cannot comprehend why any self-respecting actor would associate them self with such drivel, especially one with children. People who participate in the production of this dreck should be flogged.
On the TV side, there are offerings such as Nickelodeon's "Drake and Josh," the story of a musically talented boy and his manipulative stepbrother. The movie is targeted toward the "tweener's of today. If you have children between 10 and 13, ban this show from your home. I mean it. Here's a recent storyline. Drake or Josh win a chance to parachute from a helicopter (seriously). They ask Mom. She says no. They go anyway. During their ride the pilot gets knocked unconscious, they lose a parachute and end up jumping together into the ocean. Where to begin? First, I may have only majored in History, but I believe that there are a couple problems with the whole parachuting from a helicopter thing. First, if the main propeller didn't chop you into tiny pieces, the one on the tail would and that would only be if you could manage to stay conscious as the helicopter got to a safe altitude for parachuting.
Then there's the jump into the ocean. They just happened to land exactly right so they didn't lose consciousness AGAIN! And they were rescued, even though they had no floatation device.
I get the point that they were trying to prove. You should listen to your parents. They know what's good for you. It seems a pretty distracting way to get that point across to a young child. The point was missed on my ten year old. All he cared about was how cool it would be to jump out of a helicopter!!! "Drake and Josh" is banned from the house now.
I am pretty flexible when it comes to what my kids watch. I try to watch things with them and help them understand any stories that are complex. I don't generally ban movies because of profanity, but I don't believe that it's right to allow a small child to watch an R rated movie. They aren't ready for them. I also believe that it is my responsibility to ensure what my kids watch is appropriate. I also believe that people who produce entertainment for children have a responsibility to them as well. They shouldn't create mindless, slapstick entertainment for my kid and fill it with messages that encourage, sexist, racist and stupid behavior. Kids are smart and deserve better. People who make this garbage hoping to rake in a buck are not smart. They are greedy. Greed is not an admirable quality.
One such example is a loathsome movie I suffered through last night called "Are We There Yet?" This "film du toilette" is about a young man who owns a sports memorabilia store who falls for a woman he sees who happens to be "hot" as my five year old would put it. He decides against pursuing her when he sees she has kids. Then she has car trouble and he rescues her and then begins this ridiculous relationship between them. She continually uses him. He allows it. The climax comes when she needs his help to get her kids to Vancouver where she is working because their father can't keep them. The kids are barbarians. The woman is a hateful shrew. This poor man is abused beyond the scope of anything realistic. Is this really what a family comedy has become? Do we really want:
1. Boys to only think of girls as sex objects?
2. Girls to think it's okay to treat boys like their servants?
3. Boys to be abused and mistreated by woman who use their looks to get what they want?
I truly cannot comprehend why any self-respecting actor would associate them self with such drivel, especially one with children. People who participate in the production of this dreck should be flogged.
On the TV side, there are offerings such as Nickelodeon's "Drake and Josh," the story of a musically talented boy and his manipulative stepbrother. The movie is targeted toward the "tweener's of today. If you have children between 10 and 13, ban this show from your home. I mean it. Here's a recent storyline. Drake or Josh win a chance to parachute from a helicopter (seriously). They ask Mom. She says no. They go anyway. During their ride the pilot gets knocked unconscious, they lose a parachute and end up jumping together into the ocean. Where to begin? First, I may have only majored in History, but I believe that there are a couple problems with the whole parachuting from a helicopter thing. First, if the main propeller didn't chop you into tiny pieces, the one on the tail would and that would only be if you could manage to stay conscious as the helicopter got to a safe altitude for parachuting.
Then there's the jump into the ocean. They just happened to land exactly right so they didn't lose consciousness AGAIN! And they were rescued, even though they had no floatation device.
I get the point that they were trying to prove. You should listen to your parents. They know what's good for you. It seems a pretty distracting way to get that point across to a young child. The point was missed on my ten year old. All he cared about was how cool it would be to jump out of a helicopter!!! "Drake and Josh" is banned from the house now.
I am pretty flexible when it comes to what my kids watch. I try to watch things with them and help them understand any stories that are complex. I don't generally ban movies because of profanity, but I don't believe that it's right to allow a small child to watch an R rated movie. They aren't ready for them. I also believe that it is my responsibility to ensure what my kids watch is appropriate. I also believe that people who produce entertainment for children have a responsibility to them as well. They shouldn't create mindless, slapstick entertainment for my kid and fill it with messages that encourage, sexist, racist and stupid behavior. Kids are smart and deserve better. People who make this garbage hoping to rake in a buck are not smart. They are greedy. Greed is not an admirable quality.
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