It’s not even halfway through Janury yet and almost everyone I know has already started losing their steam on their resolutions. So, here is some cool stuff to get you all remotivated and tickled pink about getting to your goals. Yup…there’s an APP for that!
Top resolutions? (Totally unscientific…just looking at all the ones that I’ve tried and lost my will on over the years. )
Make meal planning and shopping a breeze by saving your favorite recipes from the web or even TV to your iPhone or Android. The best part is that with a click, the ingredients to any recipes can be added to your mobile shopping list, guaranteeing you never forget your list when you hit your grocer. Shoppers save time by not having to back-track through the store, or forget those little impactful ingredients like a pinch of parsley. And by eating at home, you are more likely to save money and eat healthier because you know all the ingredients.
2. Succeed at Weight Loss- Answer: MyFitnessPal
Lose weight with MyFitnessPal, the fastest and easiest to use calorie counter for Android. With the largest food database of any Android calorie counter (over 1,100,000 foods), and amazingly fast food and exercise entry, we’ll help you take those extra pounds off!
3. Keep Track of Personal Finance and Budget- Answer: Mint [Note: I use Mint and I love it. A great service although they try to solicit upgrades. JS]
This personal finance app puts all your bank, credit card, investment and loan accounts in one place, making it easy to stay on top of your budgets and spending. You can add cash transactions – a handy on-the-go feature that will help you track where your money goes at all times.
4. Quit Bad Habits- Answer: MyQuit Coach
MyQuit Coach application allows you to design a personalized plan to help you quit smoking. Through this intuitive iPhone app, you’ll evaluate your current status, set attainable goals and adjust preferences according to your needs. You’ll have the option to choose to quit smoking right away or gradually decrease your daily nicotine intake. Personalized inspirational photos, motivational tips and progress charts will keep you on track while achievement badges will reward you for progress. And you’re not alone with a
built in social support circle and the ability to update your Facebook and Twitter as friends cheer you on. [Note: I think this one is a good idea now that it looks like Nicotine gum and patches aren't doing the trick. JS]
5. Get Organized and Improve Time Management- Answer: Action Complete
Action Complete app is a task manager allowing you to create Projects, which are the larger goals comprised of individual Actions, Waits and Pending items that may come with completing a project. Every task and project can be tagged and associated with specific people and places, and the app offers several sorting options to sort by tag, people, places, urgency, or project. [Note: I'm a big fan of Google applications -- and I use Google Tasks relentlessly. Takes time to transition to a paperless to-do list, but it really works well. JS]
Let me know how you are doing on your resolutions and if any apps you have found are doing the trick for you!
January 31st is my daughter’s birthday and I always seek something special on that day. And I think I’ve just found it. Due to the technology that allows it, on Tuesday, January 31st, my daughter and I will attend a virtual concert of The Goat Rodeo Sessions LIVE featuring Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan and guest vocalist Aoife O’Donovan.
NCM Fathom and Sony Masterworks have brought the four string virtuosos together to perform songs off their collaborative album, The Goat Rodeo Sessions, at the House of Blues® in Boston, which will be broadcast live to theaters nationwide.
Tickets for The Goat Rodeo Sessions LIVE are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom website (theaters and participants are subject to change). The event will be broadcast to more than 430 select movie theaters across the country, which I think is extremely cool on many levels. It is rare for most people to afford to go to a live concert with artists of this calibre. It is even rarer for mainstream population to have access to these artists unless they are in a city where a tour is taking place. This brings the power of live to 430 different venues across the US and the chance to see such talent in this type of collaborative effort is stunning. The music is not for everyone’s tastes. The combination is like a blue-grass, jazz, structured jam session. It is exciting music, with unexpected and intense twists, jumps, and turns. From Sony:
While each artist is a prominent figure in his own music sphere, the group came together as a unified ensemble on a most remarkable and organic cross-genre project. The Goat Rodeo Sessions is an 11-song recording of original compositions that has been dubbed “genre proof” by the group. The music feels both new and familiar – it’s composed and improvised, uptown and down home, funky and pastoral, and above all, uniquely American.
I agree. For a partial sound sample of the released album, here you go. “Attaboy” will have your heart racing, your feet tapping and your head bobbing in about 5 seconds. And “No One But You” will have just have your heart. Great talent and great music. LIVE. Enjoy. At $15/ticket, I know my daughter and I will!
There is a new search site/community board focused on plastic surgery (breast). At About Plastic Surgery, you’ll find FAQs on topics from breast augmentation to breast reduction. There is a national surgeon locator and other good information on the topic. The following advertorial, from the staff at ABS, previews some of the info you’ll find there.
Many people do not understand exactly what the process of a plastic surgery procedure entails. Generally, we have been socialized to think that plastic surgery options are sought as artificial enhancement to retain their youth. And, while this view is not entirely false in all cases, it is important to know, if you are curious about the subject of plastic surgery, that there is often more to
it than this. While plastic surgery does indeed involve artificial changes in appearance, we all know of the broad scope of applications — from breast enhancment, to recontruction and reduction.
A good procedure to use as an example in exploring this assertion is breast-centered plastic surgery, often referred to simply as breast augmentation.
Breast augmentation tends to be an easy surgery to point to for people who are cautious regarding plastic surgery. Regardless of the reason (cosmetic or surgical necessity), breast surgeries address all sorts of different issues that people may have with their bodies. Many women with naturally large breasts explore plastic surgery as a means of breast reduction, due to soreness or discomfort resulting from heavier breasts. Additionally, many women who have battled cancer and had to have part or all of their breasts amputated, turn to plastic surgery for reconstructive purposes. Our site, About Plastic Surgery, offers specific and focused information on this topic, explaining different types of breast surgeries, and the specific medical procedures involved in them.
While breast augmentation is often used as a procedure for enlargement, researching some of its other uses can help you to understand the general scope of plastic surgery, and its implications. Understanding the full scope of the concept and range of procedures may help you to determine your own feelings on the subject. Some people turn to breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, etc. out of a desire for more youthful and attractive appearances. Others seek to address natural imperfections, or areas affected by sickness or injury. Whatever the case, and whatever your feelings on it, the capability of plastic surgery reaches beyond what you might expect.
A couple more gift ideas. This small gift-selection focuses on low price options, given the state of the economy and our pocketbooks. I particularly like when companies offer more than a token donation to a charity.
Help others
Here are two that I like:
The American Heart Association is already taking donations toward their Go Red for Women February fundraising campaign. Here are a couple of companies supporting the cause with donations.
IsabelleGraceJewelry.com is donating 20% of proceeds from their fill in names of necklaces to the American Heart Association.
The Ruby Squared Necklace ($85) is a funky little piece — an outline square accented with a ruby in the corner, and is available in either Sterling Silver or Vermeil. The Ruby Heart Necklace ($42) has a tiny heart center and ruby stone accents. Also available in Sterling Silver or Vermeil. The Puffy Gold Heart w/ Ruby ($80) is completely handmade out of .999 fine silver and 22kt gold. It is finished with a hammered effect and topped with a ruby stone — all great ways to Go Red!
Edible Gifts Plus has pledged to donate 15% of proceeds from their Go Red Collection to the American Heart Association. I love these.
The Gourmet Getaway Tote ($19.99) comes in Cranberry Red and is made out of neoprene with a sturdy zip closure to keep food hot or cold for up to four hours. Check out the adorable Big Hug Mug ($14.95)! The mug sports a huge heart; a great way to show you support the American Heart Association.
Here are a few great coupon deals from CouponSherpa.com. The following list details just a few of the top coupons for December. I’d not heard of this online coupon site before.
1. Macy’s
Receive free shipping plus 20% off on orders of $99 or more with coupon code PERFECT.
2. Coldwater Creek
Use Coldwater Creek coupon code AFLC439 to save $25 and receive free shipping on orders over $100.
3. Gamestop
$15 off in-stock orders of $100 or more using coupon code MERRY.
4. Footlocker
Use the Footlocker promo code LKS1VR37 to receive free shipping on orders over $75.
5. eBags
Free shipping plus a 20% discount using the coupon code LINKSPEC20.
6. Vans
Get free shipping on any order by using coupon code OKBYME.
7. Neiman Marcus
Use code DECFS to receive free shipping on orders of any amount.
8. Finish Line
Save $20 on an order of $100 or more using the Finish Line coupon code BFCM.
9. Bath & Body Works
Spend $50 or more and receive free shipping with the promo code FREEGIFT50.
10. Crocs
Save $15 on your order of $75 or more with promo code HOLIDAY15.
Help yourself
AND if you want to give yourself a real gift under $20, go see Hugo and definitely in 3D. This brilliant film by the more human than human Martin Scorcese, takes us into the world of Hugo, an orphaned boy living in a Paris train station in the 1930′s. The book “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” by Brian Selznick, is magic and is created almost in storyboard form. A vist to the website, an absolute must. There are a million plot summaries out there, so I won’t do the reveal, but I will tell you why this is a must-see movie. This is a movie in the old school style of character discovery combined with the sheer magic of superlative direction, camerawork and 3D technology. The reason the 3-D effects are so wonderful is because the set staging is so deeply layered. From looking through layers and layers of clock gears, to staircases that seem to descend to the bowels of the earth and up to the heavens, smoke, steam, and all the “Dickens”-ian texture that an imagination can evoke, makes the 2-D version rich. The 3-D takes you right into this 1930′s world.
Scorsese brings us into the intimate world of Hugo (Asa Butterfield), along with the sub-plots of all the rich characters that spend their lives in and around the train station — all stuck in time. Through Hugo’s clock-eyes, they gradually all move from their stiff time-bound existences into lives that can be lived. There is magic within magic as, again, through Hugo, we meet George Melies, (sigh…the great Ben Kingsley) – historically considered one of the great filmmakers from the 1890′s to the 1920′s, particularly regarding his amazing use of film and special effects, and experience Scorsese’s craftmanship as he brilliantly recreates Melies film life from Hugo’s still innocent, yet street-hardened eyes.
The movie runs long, but you need that time to absorb the incredible detail, the unweaving of the plot by a top-tier cast and when the movie ends, you don’t want to leave the party.
There is nothing more frustrating, especially when you are scrimping and saving on every last dime, to find the right gift for those you love, know well and…who basically…don’t need anything. So here is the first installment of some of the sweet pickings I’ve been able to find. Unique, interesting, and since they all appealed to me, I figure they might appeal to you!
First is an unusual memoir/cookbook by none other than the always amazing Linda Evans. Yes, I have a fireplace, and yes, I LOVE to curl up with a good book. But what I love the best is when I can curl up with a good book and smell dinner cooking in the other room. For those of us boomers who watched every episode of Dynasty with bated breath, Linda Evans was beauty personified. But who knew she was a great chef, too? In her truly delightful book, Recipes for Life, My Memories, Evans weaves her life story with recipes from those periods in her life, including recipes from many of her celebrity friends (like Leslie and Tony Curtis’ Lemon Souffle with Raspberry Sauce!). It’s an inventive take on creating a memoir and the peek inside her life and her ability to rebound (with gusto) from the bumps in the road of her life, make for a really fresh read. Here’s a freebie recipe:
Linda’s Famed Artichoke Dip
By Linda Evans,
Author of Recipes For Life: My Memories
I’ve been making my artichoke dip for years. Practically everyone who has ever tasted it has asked me for the recipe. It’s perfect for large parties or for smaller, intimate gatherings. Or when your husband’s ex-wife comes to dinner! The secret here is to use the artichoke bottoms, not the hearts. Artichoke hearts may be easier to find, they don’t produce the same results. The recipe easily doubles or triples for large gatherings. You can also replace the artichokes with 7 ounces of lump crab meat for a delicious variation.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Tabasco (or more, to taste)
1½ tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (white part only)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (I prefer Parmigiano-Reggiano)
1 (13¾ ounce) can artichoke bottoms (not hearts), drained and finely diced
Preheat oven to 350°F.
With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the mayonnaise. One by one, blend in the Tabasco sauce, scallions, and Parmesan.
Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the artichokes (don’t use the mixer for this).
Spoon the mixture into a 3-cup baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm with crackers.
The above is an excerpt from the book Recipes For Life: My Memories by Linda Evans.
Here’s a coupon site that gives as it receives. What if every purchase you made at 2,500 retailers (from Amazon to Zales) earned a free donation for your favorite charity?
GoodShop.com is an online shopping mall that donates a percentage of each purchase from more than 2,500 stores to the charity or school of your choice. I’ve tried it out and while I couldn’t find some of the charities I wanted to donate to, I was able to find enough to make this site worthy of a mention. It also provides over 100,000 of coupons and free shipping deals so you save a bit of money. If you are an online shopper, like me, this is a good find.
Chocolate. Chocolate. So many choices and isn’t it nice to find something new and interesting in the world of chocolate? Yum…Frangelico Truffles are created by renowned chocolatier, Maribel Lieberman, chef/owner of MarieBelle Fine Chocolates in New York.
The truffles are available at Neiman Marcus stores and online (for those without a Neiman Marcus near them) and come beautifully packaged in five different assortments to chose from, starting at just $15– a reasonably priced for the chocolate lovers in your life!
Forever in Blue Jeans, Baby.The master of making a Boomer swoon, Neil Diamond, is justabout to release a long-awaited compilation CD of 23 of his best-loved hits from the 1960′s to 2008. With his inside recollection liner notes and the authenticity behind the original studio recordings, who wouldn’t want this as a Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza or … ANY kind of reason for a present? Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings The Very Best of Neil Diamond – The Original Studio Recordings on Tuesday, December 6.
I’ll let you know what else I find that is super special.
Far too many friends and acquaintances have been unemployed for more than a year. Some since the recession hit and the first wave of layoffs came roaring in.
It is no surprise that our aging Boomer population would be hard hit, but the length of unemployment is. Watching savings dwindle to zero and finding yourself unemployable due to age and often skill set, can be heartbreaking. Here’s a rundown of the pickle we are in.
If I’ve been suspiciously silent over the past few weeks it is because I was caught up in end-of-summer business frenzy combined with selling my old home and moving to my new home. I held onto my home of 12 years after having decided when I initially moved in, to move in 3-5 years. And before the blink of an eye, I had stored a decade plus of memories inside those lovely walls.
It was very hard to make the choice to move (I had my house on and off the market for about 2 years) but I saw a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. To sell my house (yes…at a big markdown because of the housing market collapse) and convert the remaining equity to a home that would satisfy my needs for another decade.
As a self-employed person, it was almost impossible to get a mortgage (just as it is impossible as a small business owner to grow a business other than self-financed and organically in this bank-driven market). I can personally say that the banks have the money and don’t want to lend money, even to those that can prove they can repay their debt. But I found the one bank and loan officer that were willing (and excited) to partner with me.
The conversion from one home to another will only increase my monthly outlay by a small bit, and one that I can shoulder, even if the economy recedes a bit. So that was the financial challenge.
The process of moving, both financially and emotionally, so greatly parallel the political arena that I am compelled to make the comparison. In order to get the credit, my past laurels didn’t count. I had to show I could repay debt in a way that the banks would accept. That was tough. Virtually impossible and required leveraging every possible opportunity. My family came through where I needed them to, and I’m financially beholden to them now, in addition to the banks. I doubt that blood will pursue me for favors as a lobbyist would, but, say I were running …. I don’t know…let’s say…a country…those that had given me money for my house might want to use a bedroom, or a bathroom, or part of the garage from time to time, if they needed it. And I’d have to agree.
The emotional challenge was something else and much worse. Like a political party, my memories and emotions were deeply entrenched in the home I had lived in. My daughter’s childhood flavored the wood walls. My dogs scratched their ways across the oak floors. My mother and I enjoyed many an afternoon breathing in the scents of rose and lavender and jasmine from our beautiful garden. We had a multitude of family gatherings and celebrations around our dining room table. We shared zucchini and freshly baked muffins with our neighbors, watched their cats and dogs when they needed help with a feeding or a potty break. My daughter learned to ride a bike on our street. We ate peaches and apples from our trees. Knew the best candy at the best houses on Halloween. Built a community. Shaped my life and my business around my home.
Packing up was painful. What to toss, what to keep, what to donate. What furniture was a must keep and what was a do not move? In the end we tossed about 50 full garbage bags of unusable items (found in every nook and cranny you can imagine), donated about 20 full bags and boxes of items to Vietnam Vets, gave away a piano, washer, dryer and fridge. I deliberated over so many items and cried many times due to my reluctance to give up my past.
When we walked away from our home for the last time, I thought my heart might break. My daughter hated me for ripping her away from her home and my mother was definitely a bit wobbly on her feet after, literally, a month of packing and a couple of years of wavering upheaval.
Fast forward, exactly a month later. I didn’t think about my old home with any sort of regret from the moment I set foot in my new home. Nor has my mother. Not one second. That surprised me more than anything else. My daughter hated me for a couple of weeks, but is starting to love me (and her new room) again.
Big lesson learned? Much of the furniture I had such angst over keeping (and which is now here) doesn’t match this house in character or style, and I should have donated or sold it without batting an eye. We took our old memories and let them drift into this new home. What is really clear is that those old memories really are in the past. The new home is for new rules, new memories, new celebrations, new budgets, new neighbors, new resources, different and new.
When I ponder the standoff between the two political houses (well, really 3 now with the fractured Republican/Tea party) I see them sitting in their houses, glaring at each other across the aisle (like neighbors fighting over building a shared new fence), holding onto past glories, past doctrine and…basically…the past.
Obama gained traction because he really thought he could effect change, and in our imaginations, we thought he might be able to. The Tea Party (I don’t agree with their position, but recognize their popularity) gained traction because their supporters really thought they could effect change. No one expected this level of stalemate, posturing and obstructionism. Occupy Wall Street is continuing to gain traction, because the people have had it. The political dysfunction needs to end. To change a house, all parties really, really need to move from the old house. Toss out old, carefully choose who they accept favor from (not just go for the money) and create a different house. New, different, no old furniture. A new kitchen and see how to make an omelette in a differently configured workspace. Shore up the infrastructure, fix the electric panel so the house doesn’t fry, forget the fence feud and make friends with the new neighbors, cut down the big tree if the roots are threatening to pull up the entrance to your driveway (cuz you HAVE to be able to go in and out), fix the sprinklers if the grass is dying of thirst, and change the pool water if it hasn’t been emptied in 25 years, cancel DirecTV, Netflix, and landlines, if you need the extra $ to balance the books, buy local and organic to support your new ‘hood and build this new experience from a new perspective.
Hang an old picture in a new spot. Buy a new picture.
Such a dramatic juxtaposition of the disconnect between ideology and governance.
A post on Time Goes By captures Tea Party members cheering to news of the S&P downgrade of the US economy.
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Well, as a country we are in a bit of a pickle. The government is being held hostage by a very right wing agenda. The concept of compromise, which is the foundation of any good functioning government, has been replaced by intransigence. The rich will get richer and the middle class, working classes and disenfranchised are at the short end of the stick. Our debt load is too high from 8 years of Bush-era spending and then the Bush/Obama infusion of capital to the finance industry…again, on the backs of our children and grandchildren. It’s not looking pretty.
As I ponder all this in my apparent addiction to the news and the messages coming from both parties, I can’t help but think of my own house and how most Americans survive when revenues fall short and costs climb.
So here’s how most of us do it.
1) We look at our revenues so that we know what is coming in. In my case, being a small business, I have seasonal trends and an unstable revenue stream, but I generally know what is coming in and can project what will be coming in based on the economy as it is today. A huge number of people are on unemployment and that income may be all they have to count on. Another chunk of the population are working part time or are bringing in virtually no revenue at all. In the past, Americans counted on increasing their debt load to manage revenue shortfalls in order to pay the bills. Currently, all those with challenged credit either have no credit cards, lines of credit or any equity to leverage, or have chosen to go the cash only route.
2) We look at our expenses. From mortgage or rent payments to chocolate chips cookies. We look at all of it.
3) We figure out what is a must-have and what is a nice-to-have. For each person those definitions are slightly different, but I think we can agree on shelter, transport, food, education, health care, shoes, clothing (things to cover our otherwise naked bodies), emergency fund. Everything else can go if money isn’t there to support it.
I’m a single mom.
I must care for my child — have a safe place for her to rest her head at night. If I had no money for my rent or mortgage, I’d have to move in with friends or family. If I had no friends or family in LA, I’d have to move to where friends and family were willing to help.
I must have a car in Los Angeles. In other cities, I could abandon the car. In LA, not an option. I don’t need a new car with high payments. I could have a used car, or even a severely used car as long as it was safe. If I had to give up the car, I would. I’d bike, take public transit, change my routine if possible.
We must eat healthy food, she must go to school and we both need shoes and clothes. We do eat healthy — it costs a bit more, but we also give up buying packaged and preserved foods. It balances out but we are healthier as a result of good, fresh food. My daughter goes to public school. If she were in private school, I’d transfer her to public school in order to make ends meet. We could both make do with one or two pairs of good shoes and a few changes of clothes.
Medical coverage – If I could continue to afford my medical coverage, it would remain a top priority for this family. If I needed government support, I’d take it.
Austere? Yes. But we’d survive in the short term. In the long term, while we could survive in austerity, we wouldn’t grow. Because we’d be stuck in poverty. So I’d have to look at my revenue options. Ways in which I could earn money. If my business dried up, I’d look at anything from cleaning peoples homes, to consulting on small business and everything in between, until I figured out a way to bring in sufficient revenues to climb out of the hole.
Does that ring true to you?
Wouldn’t you like to see all our politicians live on unemployment for a year and see how they’d do? What would they do? Where would they cut and how would they find ways to bring in additional revenues while cost-cutting. At some point they’ll remember what life for most Americans is. And maybe at that point they’d understand how to balance out the country’s budgeting woes, stop catering to the top percentage of the uber-rich who will continue to earn tremendous amounts of money as they swoop in and buy bargain price stocks yet again. You can cut costs all you want, but in a recession/depression/shrinking world economy/double triple dippity-doo, KNOWING that your tax revenues will falter, you have to look at where to possibly bring in more tax revenues and from those that are hurting the LEAST, not suffering the most. In your own house, you would NEVER say you wouldn’t look at ways to bring in more revenue. That’s shooting yourself and your family through your two pairs of shoes.
If you haven’t received this via email (you can get on the email list at www.whitehouse.gov), here is a good schematic that shows you a top line view of what the debt ceiling agreement contained and how it was structured.
I’m so stunned by the dysfunction of the Republican party and the carryover to overall governmental dysfunction, that I’m beside myself. There is a huge divide between ideology and governance. Ideology has to do with believing in a particular viewpoint. Governance has to do with doing what is best for the largest majority and for the country as a whole. Tea Party pledges, right wing ideology, and an uncompromising set of beliefs are fine in theory. They encourage discussion and debate and help to move all ideologies (right or left) closer to the center, which is where the best of government can typically be found. But when we are in a fabricated crisis, one created by fairly new political players, at a certain point ideology has to give way to governance. In order for any solid union to govern, both ends of the spectrum compromise on their overall beliefs to come to a resolution that all can live with. Balance comes when both parties are equally unhappy, but the country comes out the winner.
For some reason, in this battle, the idea of compromise has become bad. As if compromise means losing political ground, rather than as an agreed upon negotiation to a fair end. I’m a Democrat through and through, as most of my readers are aware. At the same time, the bulk of readership is Boomer and 50 plus and hits to entitlement programs are direct hits to us. I’m pretty sure most of us would be OK with medicare being delayed to 67 or our social security starting a year or two later with a few less dollars. It would hurt our pocketbooks as our earnings diminish, but we’d live with it knowing that we make up about 30% of the population that needs support from these programs. To categorically allow companies like Exxon and Chevron to boast profits of 41 and 43% when most of us can barely pay the rent or can’t find work and then say that closing those companies tax loopholes will hurt job creation is more than just hooey. It is a slap in the face to the poor, working, middle and retired classes of America. So to the priveleged of the tea party, those like Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin, or child support welsher, Joe Walsh, or any of the other newbies who can’t possibly run the greatest country, I say, it is time to re-examine what compromise means. Do any of them ever compromise in their relationships or it is always “my way or the highway”. Everyone in life has to compromise. It is the way of the world. A bissel of this and a bissel of that, as my great grandmother used to say while making a meshuggenah (crazy) sign behind my uncompromising grandmother’s back.
I may not be technically “gray” since I do admit to coloring my hair, but the void for boomers and 50 plussers who want to have their own voice in the “green” market is finally filled. Gray is Green, developed with the expertise of parent organization, the Natural Resources Defense Council, is grabbing interest with their website and actionables all focused on, and dedicated to giving a voice to our generation on green issues. Check it out (www.grayisgreen.org) and sign up for their newsletter to stay on top of who is doing what in which communities to promote and protect our fragile blue planet.
So, you want to be ahead if the latest viral trends? Remember planking, where people would take pics of themselves, lying like a plank (in a stiff as a board position) in odd places. Except that a few errors in judgement had a couple of kids falling to their deaths from planking in unsafe spots…like on a balcony railing many floors up…yeah. Well here it’s the latest viral trend. Owling. Couple of days old. Silly, funny. Caution advised in choosing staging areas. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/15/owling-replacing-planking_n_896415.html
I truly have a love-hate relationship with the US political system. Watching the fight for the Republican nomination is kind of like the rubbernecking Southern Californians are famous for passing car accidents on the 405, the 101, the 10, the 5…
It seems to be gearing up to be the Bachmann (ugh) gob smack of the next year and a half and I’m already addicted.
My view: Michele Bachmann is a polished, polarizing, candidate who is a bunch smarter than Sarah Palin, so stands to gain more support from the ultra right and right wing Republicans. I can’t stand her and haven’t been able to stand her since she started sharing her 2 cents on Anderson Cooper. She caters to a very white, very Christian, very ultraconservative segment of the US population, holds onto a narrow and dated view of how to run this country and simply doesn’t represent many segments of today’s America. But heck, she’s telegenic.
Here she is today:
I hate to speak against another woman at any time. But she doesn’t represent a single thing I believe in. Nuff said. Here are a few snippets from various new organizations:
From USA Today:
The lack of a firm commitment from some of the Iowans who attended Bachmann’s
events reflects the findings of a recent Des Moines
Register poll that said 69% of likely caucusgoers could still be
persuaded to support another candidate — a fact that could encourage an
undeclared prospective candidate to consider a bid. One of those potential
candidates, ex-Alaska governor Sarah
Palin, could be particularly troublesome to Bachmann given that many voters
look at them as very similar politicians. Palin is scheduled to arrive in Pella,
Iowa, today to screen a movie about her life.
From the BBC:
BBC North America editor Mark Mardell says Republicans feel that next year’s
presidential election is winnable if only they have a candidate who sparkles -
and Michele Bachmann is the latest to catch their eye.
She is already a darling of the Tea Party movement for her plain talking and
forthright conviction politics.
While she has made her share of harsh statements – seen by opponents as
gaffes – some think she has many of Sarah Palin’s qualities with fewer of the
drawbacks, our correspondent adds.
Ms Bachmann stresses her record as a tax lawyer and founder of a charter
school, as well as repeating frequently that she is a mother of five children
and foster mother to 23.
She is an economic conservative who says she will not vote to raise America’s
debt limit and is urging big tax cuts.
And Ms Bachmann is also a social conservative – a born-again Christian and a
fierce opponent of abortion and gay marriage.
That goes down well with Republicans in Iowa, but may not be such a draw to
those in the middle ground, our correspondent says.
From The Globe and Mail:
Republican voters could shy away from Ms. Bachmann if they are more concerned about choosing the most electable candidate in a position to defeat Mr. Obama. But she rejected questions about whether she can reach beyond the Republican base to appeal to the moderate independent voters needed to defeat Mr. Obama in November 2012.
“The liberals, and to be clear I am not one of those, want you to believe the Tea Party movement is just the right wing of the Republican Party,” she said. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Ms. Bachmann is known for piercing commentary that has endeared her to some voters, but at times her inaccurate commentary has led others to label her as a fringe candidate. She once falsely complained that taxpayers would be stuck with a $200-million per day tab for an Obama trip to India and accused the first black U.S. President of running a “gangster government.”
“Her trick is going to be to maintain that boldness and to somehow rein it in and discipline it so it works for her and not against her,” said Republican pollster Mike McKenna, who isn’t working for any 2012 presidential candidates.
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