Why Bodacious Women Would Be Insane Not To Vote
Every November all Bodacious Women in the United States get to vote - for our next President, members of Congress, and other elected positions. Personally, I'm less interested in WHOM you vote for, as much as that you vote AT ALL. This is especially true after reading the following by Jane Saks, Director of Advancement at the College of Architecture and the Arts in Chicago. I honestly had no idea how much our foremothers went through so that women in the U.S. had the right to vote.At one point Woodrow Wilson and his cronies tried to persuade a psychiatrist to declare activist Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. The doctor refused. He said Alice Paul was strong...
NOTE: This is comment, not straight reporting. I am trying to faithfully report the ideas and attitudes of each speaker, but I have chosen many terms because they made better reading. Especially please do not assume that any speaker has seen, or approves of, this report, or what I have said about them or their ideas.The Brisbane Social Forum 2006 was better than last year's, which was also good.While there are some on-going faults that should be looked at, I heard a lot of people who stood out because they were NOT just there to parrot the same old conservative-left* line.The Saturday morning session I attended was about human rights. I was skeptical, because I am not going to give my energy to help...
International Terrorists Have More Rights Than President of the United States?
Well now I have heard it all! The Supreme Court has ruled that The President of the United States of America, President Bush has indeed overstepped his authority in ordering military war crimes trials for Guantanamo Bay detainees says an official statement from the court. Yet consider if you will that in a way what the Supreme Court is telling us is that; The International Terrorists Have More Rights Than President of the United States?Since when is it okay to plot to kill innocent Americans and hold ones self out to be an International Terrorist? Since when do the International Terrorists deserve rights? Did they care about the rights of those innocent people that they slaughtered during 911? It...
India Is On Move
India fast emerging as manufacturing hubIndia's technological prowess coupled with a favorable industrial climate is making the country a hub for not just software, but also the manufacturing sector, the Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath reported at the World Economic Forum held at Davos. According to Kamal Nath, the hub of world economic activity is shifting from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. India's technological skills together with its attractiveness as a manufacturing centre are fast making it the hub of not only IT-enabled services but also manufacturing.Superior quality manufacturing centers: Geared up Indian Garment Industry The diversity of India can be discouraging for any...
The Beginner's Guide to Freelance Writing
The Big IdeaOkay. So youve figured out that you would like to write for magazines, newspapers, and e-zines. Unfortunately, so have about eight gazillion other people on this planet. Therefore, you have to stand out from the crowd. You have to sparkle. How do you do this? Simple. It all starts with The Big Idea. The first secret you must learn in this funny business is that you dont actually have to write the whole article to get a job. In fact, only bright green novices attempt to write the whole thing before selling it. What you do need, however, is the IDEA for the great story. You will use this great idea to convince editors to pay you exorbitant amounts of money via a proposal letter...
The Dilemma Of Human Rights - 1978 Editorial
October 11, 1978If only we will back off a little more on our demands that Russia live up to the Helsinki agreement on human rights, a strategic arms limitation treaty can be signed any day now.Secretary of State Cyrus Vance has given away the B-1 bomber, cruise missile, neutron war head and nuclear carrier. Now that all U.S. weapons advantages have been abandoned, the principle broadly defined as human rights is under final attack.In the end we can expect that the noble precepts of human rights will be accorded short shrift.Perhaps our retreat from principle is inevitable. Human rights is, after all, a campaign catch-word that greatly complicates the real world of power politics if taken...
Foreign Ownership of U.S. Airlines & Ports Deemed Troubling
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) on February 8, 2005, presented its decision before the U.S. House of Representatives House Aviation Sub-Committee, to change a rule which would clear the way for foreign corporations to own and control U.S. airlines. But members of the House Aviation Sub-Committee were all in agreement that the DOT may lack the legal authority to unilaterally make such a change. Yet it does not begin to reveal all of the implications of such a historic shift in policy in bypassing the U.S. Congress in order to do so.Trade negotiations with the European Union to loosen up regulations in ownership of U.S. airlines is seen as a tradeoff by the DOT in order for the U...
Women in Colonial Latin America
The role of women in colonial Latin America was very much determined by what racial group and social class they were born into. In her book, The Women of Colonial Latin America, Susan Migden Socolow identifies additional factors that caused differences in women's lives. These other factors include "demography, life cause, spatial variations, local economy, norm and reality, and change over time" (Socolow 1).Socolow contends that among these additional variables, demography was the most important. This is due to the fact that the "ratio of men to women could enhance or limit women's choices" (Socolow 2). The experiences of women also changed as they grew older and moved into different roles in life...
Vice as Old as Recorded History
Prostitution we know exists as far back as Christ. How? Because of the references made to it by Jesus and his saving Mary Magdalene from stoning. Then we know that dice then called lots were cast for h is clothing by the Roman Soldiers as he upon the cross was dyingIn determining the good and evil and whether the good our weighs the bad the following questions must be asked and the reasons for asking examined:Is Prostitution necessary as a protection for respectable women and girls against violent and brutish attacks of men? In all stages of civilized life it has been maintained by men and women that there would be no end to criminal assaults, rapine and murder of good women and girlsEarly western...
Milestones in the Sexual Revolution
Ever wonder whom you have to thank for all the sexual freedoms afforded to you? Pioneers, both women and men, have worked hard to make sexual freedoms possible. Here we will celebrate them and their accomplishments:From the fifties and before, girls who had premarital sex were considered to be bad girls who would end up unwed mothers or in need of a back alley abortion. The only contraceptive device was a condom, and most of those were made out of sheepskin, which was porous and had the propensity for breaking.In the early sixties, girls were still though of as sluts if they slept with you, but Playboy was coming out with its first edition, which condoned a free sex lifestyle for men. By the mid...
Mukhtar Mai is a shy Pakistani woman with such extraordinary courage that she was named Glamour's Woman of the Year, one of Asia's Heros by Time, and last week was honored by the United Nations. Most importantly, her unprecedented action after being raped by a gang of men in her village to settle a score against her brother, has led to the transformation of the culture of justice and education for her entire village.In 2002, a tribal council in rural Meerwala ordered the rape of Mai as a solution to "restoring the family's honor" after her brother was accused of being with a girl from a rival tribe. Instead of being cowed by traditional strictures under which she was expected to commit suicide out...
Guerrilla PR- Chapter One
THE NATURE OF MEDIAThirty years ago, Marshall McCluhan, the father of modern communications, wrote the immortal words, "The medium is the message." Today I would amend that to, "The medium is the media." Our civilization is utterly dominated by the force of media. After our own families, no influence holds greater sway in shaping the text of our being than do the media that cloak us like an electronic membrane.We all think of ourselves as unique, unlike any person past or present. Indeed, what gives human life its divine spark is the distinct quality of every individual. Yet in many ways we are all the same. The task of market analysts, pollsters, and...
The History of Formula Milk
Despite recent detractors, there can be no doubt that baby milk formula has saved countless lives over the years. The first successful milk formula was produced in the 1860s by Henri Nestle, in Switzerland. It was based on cows' milk and cereals and was the first scientific attempt to imitate breast milk.It isn't just in modern times that some mothers have difficulty is producing enough breast milk to feed their baby: t has always been a problem and remains so. This inability to produce breast milk is more prevalent in mothers who themselves have poor diets and is a major problem for mothers living in grinding poverty. It was whilst visiting mothers living in poverty and children in orphanages that...
Multinationals: Why Don't They "Just Do It?"
Business Ethics: Worth a thought?The corporate world today faces rising ethical dilemmas in every day operations. Ethical issues, often confused with corporate scandals, are not necessarily as dramatic as that. Every department of every organization face moral and ethical dilemmas in their day to day functioning, and often enough corporations get away with unethical or immoral behaviour. Of course, reasons vary. Arguably, organizations cannot afford the risk of not investing their time or resources in developing a comprehensive approach to corporate ethics. This report looks at two multinational organizations, Unilever and Nike Inc. and draws a comparison on their discriminatory practices in the...
The Curious History Of Wine Consumption In America
The history of wine consumption in America has been frought with starts, stops, and inconsistencies. The American population has always had a love-hate relationship with alcohol. Historic prohibitionist attitudes amongst much of the American population have blurred the line between moderate wine consumption and detrimental alcoholism. As a result, regular, moderate consumption of wine by the American public continues to face ideological and legal impediments.The History of Wine Consumption During the Colonial YearsSince its origins, the history of wine consumption in America has been both encouraged and despised by different demographic groups. Spanish missionaries produced the earliest New...
NOTE: This is comment, not straight reporting. I am trying to faithfully report the ideas and attitudes of each speaker, but I have chosen many terms because they made better reading. Especially please do not assume that any speaker has seen, or approves of, this report, or what I have said about them or their ideas.The Brisbane Social Forum 2006 was better than last year's, which was also good.While there are some on-going faults that should be looked at, I heard a lot of people who stood out because they were NOT just there to parrot the same old conservative-left* line.The Saturday morning session I attended was about human rights. I was skeptical, because I am not going to give my energy to help...
Rape Victim Hero of Womens' Rights, Changing Culture in Pakistani Village
Mukhtar Mai is a shy Pakistani woman with such extraordinary courage that she was named Glamour's Woman of the Year, one of Asia's Heros by Time, and last week was honored by the United Nations. Most importantly, her unprecedented action after being raped by a gang of men in her village to settle a score against her brother, has led to the transformation of the culture of justice and education for her entire village.In 2002, a tribal council in rural Meerwala ordered the rape of Mai as a solution to "restoring the family's honor" after her brother was accused of being with a girl from a rival tribe. Instead of being cowed by traditional strictures under which she was expected to commit suicide out...
Israeli Forces Hit a United Nations Observation Point
During the Israeli-Hezbolla war Israeli forces accidentally took out a United Nations observation point and yet one has to ask what in the world was a United Nations sitting in the middle of a war zone for? And if the United Nations wanted to sit in the middle of a war zone well then why didn't they notify both Hezbollah and Israel that they were doing so? And if Hezbolla put up a Hezbolla flag very near the United Nations observation point then one has to ask if the United Nations is collaborating with international terrorist organizations and if so why?As far as human wars go they are unfortunately part of the species and it is a plight on humanity. Nevertheless, one has to ask if the United...
Female Basic Multiple was designed as a general nutritional maintenance product for women of all ages. Many important ingredients include a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other constituents. It also includes ovarian substances. Important ingredients in the product and their functions are discussed below.Vitamin AFemale Basic Multiple contains 4,167 IU of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that is used by the body to maintain vital bodily functions like bone growth, cell division, etc. Female Basic Multiple uses this compound for multidimensional uses. It is used to regulate the immune system, which helps prevent infections. It keeps surface linings of eyes and the respiratory, urinary...
Are Bumper Stickers A First Amendment Right?
If you get out and drive around town at all you have surely seen all kinds of different bumper stickers ranging from just a timid "Virginia is for Lovers" to "I hate Bush" and many variations between. We see parents displaying stickers stating they are proud of their child like the "my child is an honor student" ones, and conversely the negative parody, "my kid beat up your honor student". What you may not know is that many states have statutes prohibiting certain kinds of statements or illustrations. Is this a violation of our rights under the First Amendment? Let's take a look at what is being said.The U.S. Supreme Court has stated that "the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea...
Why the United States just doesn't get the United Nations
For years I have been amazed as I've listened to people here in the United States demonstrate their complete ignorance of the purpose and tremendous value of the United Nations, even to the point of our country not paying dues to the organization. Ambassador to the United Nations has often been viewed as a second-class or B-level diplomatic job and with the current Presidential perspective, the UN has become a troublesome entity and the appointment of an Ambassador a hassle. John Bolton, denied the appointment, knows what I'm talking about here.To understand what value the United Nations brings to the world, you have to start out by understanding where the UN came from...The year is...
Invisible Stains Of The Soul, Part II
I began this series with a brief description of the primary eight invisible stains of the soul. I will continue Part II and here I will focus with the first stain. You Are an Illegitimate Child.Society will have you believe that being an illegitimate child is not important anymore. Society will have you believe that every child is considered important and has the same opportunities in life. While yes, in an Utopian Society this would certainly work and ideally this should, indeed, be the way we think and treat our children, I will argue that this is not so.From my simple observations of life, I will state that the world is in a state of hurt and there is no such thing as a normal family. I will...
International Adoption - Is it possible to find Triumph from Tragedy
In the early hours of Dec 26th 2004 the Western world awoke to the unfolding horror that we came to know as the Asian Tsunami. Those of us still recovering from obscenely large amounts of food and drink from the previous day sat transfixed as we watched a horror story of biblical proportions unfold before our very eyes. The United Nations estimated that the Asian Tsunami left more than five million people homeless, including about 1.5 million children most of whom became orphaned. The outpouring of emotion from around the world was of mixed benefit as far as the region was concerned in that yes we all dug deep into our pockets and yes we all lobbied our Politicians to something about it and yes...
The Self-Appointed Altruists
Their arrival portends rising local prices and a culture shock. Many of them live in plush apartments, or five star hotels, drive SUV's, sport $3000 laptops and PDA's. They earn a two figure multiple of the local average wage. They are busybodies, preachers, critics, do-gooders, and professional altruists.Always self-appointed, they answer to no constituency. Though unelected and ignorant of local realities, they confront the democratically chosen and those who voted them into office. A few of them are enmeshed in crime and corruption. They are the non-governmental organizations, or NGO's.Some NGO's - like Oxfam, Human Rights Watch, Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Amnesty - genuinely contribute to...
A Legacy of Warriors
There lies in the heart of every man a quiet hunger. A longing for an earth shaking significance. It can be heard in the quiet, most unedited times like when our head hits the pillow at night. As the pressures of the day fade away the voice catches our attention. "I was meant for more than this, there has got to be something more." This calling catches us by surprise at the strangest times. We have felt it as a fire-in-the-belly as we watch movies like Braveheart and Gladiator. We remember the zealous times of our youth when our ideals and passion seemed to rule us. The world, however has ended up cold and somewhere along the road something was lost. Many men and women alike have learned to accept a...
Women in the Martial Arts
1st Lady Assistant to Sensei Henry Ellis Ellis Schools of Traditional AikidoI was born in West London in 1963, my father was very involved in the martial arts and a dan grade in Karate he was also a dealer in ancient Japanese arms and armour, although my father has an antiques shop in London's Bond Street, my home was more like a samurai warriors dressing room, with original suits of Japanese armour complete with very frighting face masks that would frighten the life out of my friends when ever they came to visit, there were also very many valuable swords yari and naginata spears.The MastersMy father would travel around the world searching for the best quality weapons, what intrigued me the most...
Why I Am A Communist
RightsWhenever any moral, ethical, political, or even economic question comes up, there is often a question of rights involved. "Does the woman have the 'right' to abort her fetus?" or "Does a man have the 'right' to kiss women he is not involved with?" or "Do corporations have the 'right' to avoid paying livable wages?" Whatever it comes down to, there is always the question of rights. In Capitalism, there is one distinguishing right: the right to private property. In this system, a person can offer their property for sale at ANY price, can offer ANY price for the property they want. It doesn't mean that someone will buy it, or that someone will accept their offer. They simply have this one...
Music: The Beginning of Rock and Roll For Me! (1955)
In the 1950's, television sets were only affordable for the privileged, so my family could not afford one, and so we listened to radio. My uncle had a television at his house, and when us kids first saw a television set for the first time, we were afraid of it! Hey, we were 10-12 years old, and there were few television sets anywhere in the country! We wondered, as kids, how they could get all those little human figures in such a little box! (Isn't that crazy?)In the late 1950's, my father bought a television set, and we watched shows like Lucy; the Honeymooners; Leave It To Beaver; Ozzie and Harriet; 77 Sunset Strip; Life of Riley; Flash Gordon; the Millionaire, etc. Television was new to...
NOTE: This is comment, not straight reporting. I am trying to faithfully report the ideas and attitudes of each speaker, but I have chosen many terms because they made better reading. Especially please do not assume that any speaker has seen, or approves of, this report, or what I have said about them or their ideas.The Brisbane Social Forum 2006 was better than last year's, which was also good.While there are some on-going faults that should be looked at, I heard a lot of people who stood out because they were NOT just there to parrot the same old conservative-left* line.The Saturday morning session I attended was about human rights. I was skeptical, because I am not going to give my energy to help...
Bulgarian Property - Market Update 26 Jan 2006
Bulgarian Real Estate - The Growth Continues Figures from the National Statistical Institute indicated that the average prices of flats in the Regional capitals of Bulgaria have shown a rise of over 36% in 2005. The prices of flats in the capital of Sofia saw the highest rise of 20.2% with prices averaging 1,222.4 leva/sqm. The highest percentage of growth was registered in Vratsa, where the prices of flats rose by an astounding 86.1% and prices are at 464.8 leva/sqm. Other areas of growth for the same period include: Yambol up 72.1 per cent to 513.6 leva/sqm Silistra up 70.1 per cent to 406.5 leva/sqm Varna up 25.6% to 1,198.1 leva/sqm Bourgas up 46.2% to 1,126.5 leva/sqm * * * Sofia Olympic Bid...
The Smoking Fetish: Is It The Newest Form Of Sexual Stimulation?
In the last several years I've noticed a steady increase in a certain type of sexual stimulation known as the smoking fetish.The question I posed to myself was of a different nature. What does olfactory stimulation, or the sense of smell, as related to exhaled cigarette smoke, have to do with sexual excitement?For thousands of years it has been known that the sense of smell can stimulate sexual response in human beings and other animals.Pheromones are chemical molecules secreted and fit specifically at olfactory receptor sites at locations in the nasal canal. These receptor sites, in turn, send signals to the brain. These signals usually cause a sexual stimulatory response in the opposite sex, and...
The Beginner's Guide to Freelance Writing
The Big IdeaOkay. So youve figured out that you would like to write for magazines, newspapers, and e-zines. Unfortunately, so have about eight gazillion other people on this planet. Therefore, you have to stand out from the crowd. You have to sparkle. How do you do this? Simple. It all starts with The Big Idea. The first secret you must learn in this funny business is that you dont actually have to write the whole article to get a job. In fact, only bright green novices attempt to write the whole thing before selling it. What you do need, however, is the IDEA for the great story. You will use this great idea to convince editors to pay you exorbitant amounts of money via a proposal letter...
Differences Between Men and Women in the Workplace
A very important issue concerning diversity is the difference between men and women at workplace. As the matter of international experience of hiring people it is very important to point out that there have been a great number of cases connected with discrimination. We consider this to be a vital problem even nowadays, in spite of the change of the reasons for discrimination. If in the past it was a major problem for women to find a job and to prove that they can provide results equal to men, in the present time the situation has quiet changed. In addition to that women start getting benefits and are sometimes the only possible employees for a given workplace. Women establish a very strong...
Music: The Beginning of Rock and Roll For Me! (1955)
In the 1950's, television sets were only affordable for the privileged, so my family could not afford one, and so we listened to radio. My uncle had a television at his house, and when us kids first saw a television set for the first time, we were afraid of it! Hey, we were 10-12 years old, and there were few television sets anywhere in the country! We wondered, as kids, how they could get all those little human figures in such a little box! (Isn't that crazy?)In the late 1950's, my father bought a television set, and we watched shows like Lucy; the Honeymooners; Leave It To Beaver; Ozzie and Harriet; 77 Sunset Strip; Life of Riley; Flash Gordon; the Millionaire, etc. Television was new to...
Golf History - A Female Perspective
Ladies, the next time you grab your clubs and head out to the golf course for your weekly foursome, take a moment to reflect on the amazing contributions that women in golf have made throughout history. The contributions were not only to the game itself, but to your "right" to play this sport which was once reserved for men only.Our first tip of the hat goes to Mary Queen of Scots who in 1552, despite being a woman, was allowed to play golf anytime she cared to. History credits Her Royal Highness with coining the term "Caddy" which was a derivative of the her favorite word for these indispensable golf helpers who she called "Cadets". It should also be noted that it was during her reign that St...
Expanding Diversity in American Television
In the US, the average American bought their first TV set and began to experience television entertainment via antennae in the 1950's. Cable followed soon thereafter for those in rural areas who had no reception and gradually expanded over the next 40 years. Comedies, westerns, and later variety and spy shows filled the airwaves. Shows in the 1950's were mostly conservative, representing an ideal average American family which was "nuclear", complete with mom, dad, and the kids. An occasional minority had a supporting role and the lifestyles were generally middle class with a stay-at-home mom. This ideal-based programming is part of the charm of 1950's television for many people.In the 1960's...
Mark Twain Was A Scrapbooking Addict
Scrapbooking can frequently be viewed as a woman's hobby. There are however, many instances throughout the long history of this popular craft where men have played significant roles in developing the art that is loved by millions of hobbyists today. Unfortunately, the pull for men in scrapbooking was often the money, while there is plenty of evidence that some of them truly did enjoy scrapbooking as a hobby. Here are some of the finer achievements of men in scrapbooking history.- In the mid 1800's, London based "W. H. Rock" began producing leather albums with pre-printed pages of flowers and birds. These albums became popular for scrapbooking hobbyists.- In 1857, the production of "carte-de-vista...
Female Basic Multiple was designed as a general nutritional maintenance product for women of all ages. Many important ingredients include a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other constituents. It also includes ovarian substances. Important ingredients in the product and their functions are discussed below.Vitamin AFemale Basic Multiple contains 4,167 IU of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that is used by the body to maintain vital bodily functions like bone growth, cell division, etc. Female Basic Multiple uses this compound for multidimensional uses. It is used to regulate the immune system, which helps prevent infections. It keeps surface linings of eyes and the respiratory, urinary...
Create Your Ideal Female Body Shape Now
No woman needs to be told whether it's "safe" to go to the beach wearing a bikini. Women's body shape sensitivity is legend. Who can doubt the powerful drive to create the optimal body image, when looking to attract the perfect man, create a marriage with children and all that goes with it. The good news is that a world of science, technology and money has combined to create a host of low impact body contouring treatments as well as proven safe cosmetic surgery techniques to create the ideal female body shape right for you.Modern gadget-rich convenience-food culture creates a world of temptations, yet the body shape penalties can be overwhelming. You don't have to be middle aged these days to...
Guerrilla PR- Chapter One
THE NATURE OF MEDIAThirty years ago, Marshall McCluhan, the father of modern communications, wrote the immortal words, "The medium is the message." Today I would amend that to, "The medium is the media." Our civilization is utterly dominated by the force of media. After our own families, no influence holds greater sway in shaping the text of our being than do the media that cloak us like an electronic membrane.We all think of ourselves as unique, unlike any person past or present. Indeed, what gives human life its divine spark is the distinct quality of every individual. Yet in many ways we are all the same. The task of market analysts, pollsters, and...
The Christian Social Mandate: A Biblical View Of Lots Of Stuff
This thought-provoking article introduces the reader to various applications of the Christian worldview to a host of political, social, theological and economic issues. Seat belts are required for this ride.The issues chosen represent a selective sample from Carson's studies. The Mandate aims to provide something of an overview of what a Christian nation would look like; for "righteousness exalts a nation," and "blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord." Boy, is this going to be controversial or what.1. National Covenanting.The Law of God requires the conjoining of U.S. churches and citizens into a National Christian Covenant with Almighty God, to honor the Person, Redemptive Work (Gospel), and...
Human Life is Sacred
Genesis 1:1 -- In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.There are many arguments by religious people today in defense of the idea of what is sacred and what is not. Many of the people who profess to believe in god are convinced that they have a very close, personal relationship with their creator; some are not as convinced of this proposition, and allow the idea of god or spirits to enter their lives only when every other means has failed. For those whose lives are focused around religion, their beliefs and ideas about society or government will have the influence of the doctrines of their church, temple, or synagogue. Their support or opposition to one social movement may primarily...
The Tarot, Terrorism And Global Warming: What The Tarot Has To Say About The Modern World
I wanted to write this article to demonstrate how the ancient philosophy behind the Tarot is still relevant to us today, and to show how these ideas can be used to illuminate our modern world. Whether or not the Tarot has any mystical power I believe a lot can be learned from the view that it gives of the universe, which goes back to antiquity. As someone who teaches and practices Tarot I also wanted to create a guide to help people understand the meanings behind each card, by reframing tarot in a modern context which can be related to more easily.When someone receives a Tarot reading the cards offer meanings that are universal but also personal to the questioner. If one was to carry out a reading...
National Foundation for Women Legislators Hones Leadership, Governing Skills
National Foundation for Women Legislators Hones Leadership, Governing Skills 30th May 2006 Author: Kris Nickerson "The greatest rising force in American politics is not the influence of lobbyists or a single political party. It is women," says Robin Read, President and CEO of the National Foundation for Women Legislators ( "Women hold 1,686 seats in state legislatures, eight governorships, 15 lieutenant governorships, and 81 congressional seats." These powerful women also comprise the membership base of the NFWL, which may be the most powerful organization you've never heard of. The NFWL is a non-partisan non-profit organization that provides sitting women legislators with strategic resources to...
Gay Marriage 'Rights'
We have been brought up in a society where homosexuality is not acknowledged. To be in love with someone of the same sex is a sin and now to want the rights to live united under the bonds of matrimony is even a huger sin. But my thoughts are if a same sex couple want to unite for the rest of their lives let them. It's none of our business.Maybe allowing people the right to marry someone of the same sex is upsetting to you but how would you feel if our culture believed in say arranged marriage and you were forced to marry someone you didn't love. Now think about it. Is it really fair for us to force the gay community to be with someone they do not want to be with. Should they not have the same rights...
The Affair of the Vanishing Content
"Digitized information, especially on the Internet, has such rapid turnover these days that total loss is the norm. Civilization is developing severe amnesia as a result; indeed it may have become too amnesiac already to notice the problem properly."(Stewart Brand, President, The Long Now Foundation )Thousands of articles and essays posted by hundreds of authors were lost forever when surprisingly shut its virtual gates. A sizable portion of the 1960 census, recorded on UNIVAC II-A tapes, is now inaccessible. Web hosts crash daily, erasing in the process valuable content. Access to web sites is often suspended - or blocked altogether - because of a real (or imagined) violation by the webmaster of...
Benefit of Pilates
One of the main benefits of Pilates is it refreshes your physical and mental well-being. Pilates is a series of controlled movements that unite the body and mind and creates a direct connection to the muscles.The benefit of Pilates is it helps condition your body without punishing it. It is designed to stretch and strengthen muscle without adding bulk.The Pilates abdominal exercises require mental concentration along with coordinated breathing beginning in the body's core (abdomen, back and buttocks) to build a balanced strength and agility in your body.Joseph Pilates, a legendary physical trainer, developed this exercise system in the 1920's. Pilates routines can benefit men and women of any age...
NOTE: This is comment, not straight reporting. I am trying to faithfully report the ideas and attitudes of each speaker, but I have chosen many terms because they made better reading. Especially please do not assume that any speaker has seen, or approves of, this report, or what I have said about them or their ideas.The Brisbane Social Forum 2006 was better than last year's, which was also good.While there are some on-going faults that should be looked at, I heard a lot of people who stood out because they were NOT just there to parrot the same old conservative-left* line.The Saturday morning session I attended was about human rights. I was skeptical, because I am not going to give my energy to help...
Human Life is Sacred
Genesis 1:1 -- In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.There are many arguments by religious people today in defense of the idea of what is sacred and what is not. Many of the people who profess to believe in god are convinced that they have a very close, personal relationship with their creator; some are not as convinced of this proposition, and allow the idea of god or spirits to enter their lives only when every other means has failed. For those whose lives are focused around religion, their beliefs and ideas about society or government will have the influence of the doctrines of their church, temple, or synagogue. Their support or opposition to one social movement may primarily...
Guerrilla PR- Chapter One
THE NATURE OF MEDIAThirty years ago, Marshall McCluhan, the father of modern communications, wrote the immortal words, "The medium is the message." Today I would amend that to, "The medium is the media." Our civilization is utterly dominated by the force of media. After our own families, no influence holds greater sway in shaping the text of our being than do the media that cloak us like an electronic membrane.We all think of ourselves as unique, unlike any person past or present. Indeed, what gives human life its divine spark is the distinct quality of every individual. Yet in many ways we are all the same. The task of market analysts, pollsters, and...
African American Inventors
He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world- This epitaph on the grave of George Washington Carver is proof enough of the contribution this great African-American made by inventing new agricultural technologies that revolutionized farming in several parts of the US. He refused several lucrative offers and kept working to produce several patents on farms and industrial products in the late 18th century and then in the first few decades of 19th century.Many experts consider Benjamin Banneker the first African-American inventor, who blazed a trail of invention to be followed later by many other African-Americans. Banneker was a...