Barbara Curtis's Blog, page 186

Consumer-proof your kids

Consumer-proof your kids Been involved in a project that's leaving me no time for blogging. Hope to be back soon though. In the meantime, be sure to check out my Giveaways, and my latest from Catholic Herald, taken from my book Dirty Dancing at the Prom and Other Challenges Christian Teens Face: How Parents Can Help:

Someone's out to get your kids - and they mean business. A special PBS Frontline report named them The Merchants of Cool in their in-depth look at the aggressive marketing used to control how American teens spend their money.

At 33 million strong, today's generation of American teens represents the "hottest" consumer demographic ever, with far more spending power than their Boomer parents had - last year topping $100 billion.

If you missed The Merchants of Cool you can catch the complete 53-minute show here, along with a host of other chilling insights into how the media and big corporations target our teens by encouraging and selling to the weakest parts of their character.



Okay, so what's a parent - who needs more than a slingshot to battle the giants - to do?

You can counter the pressure of consumerism by helping your teens understand how susceptible we all are to advertising. Take product placement, for instance (type those two words in google and you'll find a heap of information). Product placement took off in 1982 when the movie E.T. portrayed the irresistible little alien following a trail of Reese's Pieces. Sales for the candy shot up immediately.

Now it's a rare film that doesn't add cash to its coffers with product placement contracts. . .

Read more at Catholic Herald

Read all my Catholic Herald columns.

NYT: Praise for Palin, finally

Who would ever have believed that a writer from the Hew York Times might actually wake up and hear what Sarah Palin is saying? While this begins with a lot of qualifications as though she knows what a risk she's running with the "in crowd," once the author finally starts talking in reportorial style, it is an honest evaluation.

You will want to click through to read it all. And if you haven't, you really should see and/or read the transcript from Palin's 9/2 I owa speech - links below:

Some of Sarah Palin's Ideas Cross the Political Divide
By ANAND GIRIDHARADAS
Published: September 9, 2011

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS -- Let us begin by confessing that, if Sarah Palin surfaced to say something intelligent and wise and fresh about the present American condition, many of us would fail to hear it.

That is not how we're primed to see Ms. Palin. A pugnacious Tea Partyer? Sure. A woman of the people? Yup. A Mama Grizzly? You betcha.

But something curious happened when Ms. Palin strode onto the stage last weekend at a Tea Party event in Indianola, Iowa. Along with her familiar and predictable swipes at President Barack Obama and the "far left," she delivered a devastating indictment of the entire U.S. political establishment -- left, right and center -- and pointed toward a way of transcending the presently unbridgeable political divide.

The next day, the "lamestream" media, as she calls it, played into her fantasy of it by ignoring the ideas she unfurled and dwelling almost entirely on the will-she-won't-she question of her presidential ambitions. [note from Barbara: why does the author call it a fantasy even while giving evidence of its truth?]

So here is something I never thought I would write: a column about Sarah Palin's ideas.

There was plenty of the usual Palin schtick -- words that make clear that she is not speaking to everyone but to a particular strain of American: "The working men and women of this country, you got up off your couch, you came down from the deer stand, you came out of the duck blind, you got off the John Deere, and we took to the streets, and we took to the town halls, and we ended up at the ballot box."

But when her throat was cleared at last, Ms. Palin had something considerably more substantive to say. [note from Barbara: this author has so far just been clearing her own throat, too!]

She made three interlocking points. First, that the United States is now governed by a "permanent political class," drawn from both parties, that is increasingly cut off from the concerns of regular people. Second, that these Republicans and Democrats have allied with big business to mutual advantage to create what she called "corporate crony capitalism." Third, that the real political divide in the United States may no longer be between friends and foes of Big Government, but between friends and foes of vast, remote, unaccountable institutions (both public and private).

Read more at New York Times

Read transcript and or/watch video of Palin's 9/2 speech in Iowa at Beltway Confidential

Giveaway deadlines 9/27!

I'm gonna be busy the next few days, but want to make sure you scoot over to my giveaway page to check out some very special items. Leave a comment there under each one you want to enter. I will be drawing winners 9/27.

I'm gonna be busy the next few days, but want to make ...

I'm gonna be busy the next few days, but want to make sure you scoot over to my giveaway page to check out some very special items. Leave a comment there under each one you want to enter. I will be drawing winners 9/27.

Big Apple Circus Dulles 9/22-10/10 discount

Whatever you do, don't miss the Big Apple Circus coming to Dulles Town Center 9/22-10/10!

Our family has been going every year since 2002 and wouldn't miss it (see 2010). Every year is new and unique! And it is the very best circus environment for young children - every seat within 50 feet.

YOUR CIRCUS DREAMS COME TO LIFE UNDER THE BIG TOP!



JOIN GRANDMA IN HER FINAL SEASON AT THE BIG APPLE CIRCUS!

Big Apple Circus performs its all-new show,
Dream Big
Sept 22 - Oct 10, 2011
at the Dulles Town Center

The Big Apple Circus is Back in Dulles!

Let your imagination soar and summon the most amazing acts. Your dreams will inspire a Big Apple Circus of living thrills and marvelous delight -- an astonishing circus world of wonder!

Special Circus Discount Offer for MommyLife Readers!

Save up to $15* per ticket!

September 22 - October 10, 2010

Dulles Town Center

(Intersection of Routes 7 & 28)



Save up to $15* on these select performances:

Thu. Sept. 22 - 7:00pm

Fri. Sept. 23 - 7:00pm

Sat. Sept. 24 - 12:30pm & 4:30pm

Sun. Sept. 25 - 12:30pm & 4:30pm

Tue. Sept. 27 - 7:00pm

Wed. Sept. 28 - 7:00pm

Thu. Sept. 29 - 7:00pm

Fri. Sept. 30 - 7:00pm

Sat. Oct. 1 - 12:30pm & 4:30pm

Sun. Oct. 2 - 4:30pm

Tue. Oct. 4 - 7:00pm

Wed. Oct. 5 - 7:00pm

Thu. Oct. 6 - 7:00pm

Fri. Oct. 7 - 7:00pm



To purchase your discounted tickets to the Big Apple Circus:



• Online:

o Visit www.bigapplecircus.org and use Promo Code MOMMY12



• By Phone:

o CALL 888-541-3750 and mention code MOMMY12



• In Person:

o VISIT the Big Top Box Office at the Dulles Town Center and mention code MOMMY12. Opens Tuesday, September 20. Hours: Tue - Fri 10am-8pm, Sat - Mon 10am - 6pm. (No service fees at the Box Office.)



*Offer good on select seat locations and performances. Must present this email to receive discount at the box office. Performance schedule subject to change. Offer is subject to availability; not valid on prior purchases; cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions. This offer can be revoked at any time. Discount amount varies. Limit 8 tickets per order. No refunds or exchanges. Telephone and Internet orders are subject to standard service fees. Children under 3 are free on the lap of a paid adult, one child per lap.

Car Seat Recommendations

View full-size image


From my Inbox:

Each year, thousands of children are tragically injured and killed in motor vehicle crashes. In fact, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 1-13.



The reason? Most parents and caregivers don't understand how car seats work and are not familiar with the milestones a child must reach before he or she can be safely transitioned to the next car seat type or seat belt. We're aiming to increase awareness during Child Passenger Safety Week (September 18-24) by educating parents and caregivers about this issue and motivate those who think they are securing their child properly to seek help, even if they're sure their child is correctly restrained. Child Passenger Safety Week concludes with National Seat Check Saturday on September 24, where community events nationwide will have Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians available to provide hands-on car seat inspections and advice -- for free!


Child Car Seat Inspection Station Locator





Child Passenger Safety Week

September 18-24, 2011


THE RIGHT SEAT.  THE RIGHT SIZE.  THE RIGHT USE.

Find a child car seat inspection station nearest you.

Certified technicians will inspect your child car seat, in most cases, free of charge - and show you how to correctly install and use it.

The ReStore: Jonny at work

Tripp came home last night after a 13-day business trip which took him to the Republican debates and also the 9/11 Memorial at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA.  Needless to say, we were very glad to see him.

Doing a lot of catching up today.  Tripp stopped to see Jonny at work and take him to lunch.

Research shows that hiring a person with Down syndrome brings up the morale of all the other employees.  I guess this picture shows why :)

If you've never been to the ReStore, it's worth stopping at now and then. I've found some useful things now and then - including a Viscount Music Player for $100, which is an endless source of entertainment for Jesse.  And I've donated stuff there too.

If you so stop by, be sure to say hi to Jonny and tell him his mom is proud of him! 

Pat Robertson: Alzheimers and divorce - stunning rebuke

Anyone out there remember CF Husband?  He attracted a huge Internet following a few years ago as he chronicled the incredible challenges
faced by his wife who was diagnosed with CF and chose to continue carrying her baby, then gave birth to a premie less than 2 pounds.

Von wrote to me today to say that she had not checked in on their family for a long time, but felt led to today.  Here is what she found:

Thursday, September 15, 2011







Dear Pat Robertson





Dear Pat Robertson,

You
remember that one time a few years ago when your Cristian Broadcasting
Network (CBN) contacted me about running a story about our family? Do
you remember that I decided not to allow you to run a story about us
because I disagreed with many of the theology and values of CBN? Do you
remember that I told you that I didn't want people to associate my
beliefs and the beliefs of my family about God, sickness, family values,
etc. with your beliefs? Remember how it was a tough decision, and I
didn't really tell anybody about it then because I didn't want to look
like I was being judgmental?

Well, right now, I'm incredibly
thankful that God helped me make that decision, because it is painfully
(and yes, I do mean that it pains me) obvious that the God and Bible you
believe in are very different than the God and Bible I trust.

A question posed to you, Pat Robertson this week:

"I
have a friend whose wife suffers from Alzheimer's. She doesn't even
recognize him anymore, and, as you can imagine, the marriage has been
rough. My friend has gotten bitter at God for allowing his wife to be
in that condition, and now he's started seeing another woman. He says
that he should be allowed to see other people, because his wife as he
knows her is gone...I'm not quite sure what to tell him. Please help."

Your, Pat Robertson's response:

"I
know it sounds cruel, but if he's going to do something, he should
divorce her and start all over again...to make sure she has custodial
care and somebody looking after her. If you respect that vow...you say
until death do us part...this is a kind of death."







Bring It On: Alzheimer's - CBN.com

Read more at Confessions of a CF Husband.  And be sure to read the summary of the trials this family endured and their testimony of love and faith.

As I wrote back to Von, the workings of the Holy Spirit are so amazing - giving her an impulse to check in on CF Husband and finding something so important that needed to be shared.

I so appreciate all the tips my readers send me!

Dinner with Obama! Only $5 to enter

The campaign letter setting up a lottery - in exchange for a contribution, a chance to win dinner with the president - was followed up today with this plea (I guess I got subscribed to everything Obama when I signed up for updates from AttackWatch.com).

I highlighted the funnest sentence:

How this dinner thing works
Jim Messina, BarackObama.com to me show details 12:38 PM (57 minutes ago)







Barbara --



You got an email from the President a couple days ago, inviting you to sit down to dinner with him.



I know some people might think this is just some kind of trick or something. It's not.



The fact is that someday soon, four people reading this note right now
will be on a plane to have dinner with President Obama in Washington, or
Chicago, or wherever he might be that day.



Think about that for a second. The four people who win will sit down
with the President of the United States of America -- not for a
two-minute photo-op or a quick meet-and-greet, but for a private meal
with face-to-face conversation. That's just not something too many
people will ever get to do.



The President obviously has very little time to spend on anything
related to the campaign. And this is how he chooses to spend it --
having real, substantive conversations with people like you.



This is really something you should be a part of.

Donate $5 today and you'll be automatically entered for the chance to have dinner with the President and three other supporters.



Worst-case scenario: you don't get selected. But if you donate, you'll
have pitched in to support an organization that's funded at the
grassroots level by folks across the country -- not Washington lobbyists
or special-interest PACs. You'll have given this campaign a boost,
however small, to hire organizers, open offices, and build our
organization this fall so it's ready for the hard work ahead of us.



And best-case scenario, you'll find yourself sitting across the dinner table from President Obama.

So give it a shot -- donate $5 or more today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Dinner



Thanks,



Messina



Jim Messina

Campaign Manager

Obama for America

Hallelujah - Brazilian prodigy's Christian version

In spite of how it sounds, the biblical references and our yearning to hear it on a spiritual level, Hallelujah as penned by Leonard Cohen is not really a spiritual anthem per se (though I do think it catches the spirit of David's relationship with God - an imperfect man after God's own heart). When Maddy sings it, she only includes a few of the eight verses Cohen wrote.

But Dorothy Vining - Musings at 85 - sends this link to a couple of Brazilian child prodigies singing fresh and unabashedly Christian lyrics to the stirring melody:

Programa Raul Gil Jotta.A e Michely Manuely - Hallelujah 10/09/2011

This one takes a while to warm up, but man, this kid has not only an incredible voice but incredible poise:

Jotta A -Oh Happy Day -Programa Raul Gil.