Conservative parenting columnist John Rosemond, who openly longs for the days when all moms stayed home to better welcome dads home from work with a martini and home-cooked meal, is right about one thing. Parents today over-parent, subsuming their own identity to that of their kids and parent-hood, giving their kids too much power in the family and too much responsibility that should rest with the parents.This AlterNet story explores the emerging trend and how the workplace effects it:Now, mo... Read Full Story
This is the % of black, Latino, and white students in the US - respectively - attending schools with poverty rates of 70 to 100%.Too bad it's not a locker combination.The full report is here at the Sheff Movement web site: Why Sheff Matters Read Full Story
AP - Movie fans around the country were stunned today by the announcement of a new movie ratings system that will ban thousands of young fans from seeing their favorite films in theaters.Under the new guidelines, released today by the Motion Picture Association Picture of America, ratings of PG-13 and above will be strictly enforced by requiring not only parental consent but photo IDs. As a result, many fans will not be admitted to the latest Twilight and Harry Potter films, expected out thi... Read Full Story
"The best one was the free one."~V. Diehl, after visiting the Newseum and Smithsonian Museum of Natural History."Go, Mommy!"~K. Diehl, to me, after watching a Newseum video about reporters covering 9/11.The piece was a stirring testimonial to the role of the press in being there to cover disasters, emergencies, etc. She was referring to the fact that I used to be a reporter. I quickly explained that the East Hartford school board and police logs involved little such risk... Read Full Story
A very good summary by AlterNet asks the disturbing question:"All hilarity aside ... what does it mean that Jon Stewart is doing a better job holding CNBC accountable than anybody else?"It's worth watching all the Daily Show clips here. Read Full Story
The other day I fixed dinner while listening to a story on NPR about the interconnectedness of one small town's economy and how it's being slammed in these hard times. One laid-off worker stops spending and impacts another business, which closes down and hurts others, and so on.I had to turn it off halfway through. It was sounding this endless same single note of alarm - it's bad! it's getting worse! you're screwed and there's nothing you can do about it! - without any... Read Full Story
My daughter, Katie, has suggested a new feature for the blog: Quote of the Day.While making dinner - tuna noodle! - she recounts this observation by her favorite teacher, Mr C, aka Mr. Coonce-Ewing:"The fact that we are so happy that Obama is our first Black president just shows how caught up on race we still are."She is in agreement.(She did ask me how many people read my blog. I told her, none, I think.)Get well soon, Mr. C! Read Full Story
