tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20090595424507645892024-03-13T01:50:41.440-04:00MuttonChopsA writer and former news editor, I may not have the answers, but I will ask questions.
Why "MuttonChops"? Check out my introduction to the blog: http://muttonchopsbyiris.blogspot.com/2008/06/culling-herd.htmlIris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-78144427233625688462011-12-20T14:10:00.007-05:002016-11-15T11:07:50.553-05:00People choose: Ignorance or Information<span class="commentBody" jsid="text">As I write this, a friend is on Facebook making a strong plea for people to be more open minded </span><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">regarding the plight of immigrants. The so-called facts offered by conservatives are skewed, and my friend is trying to set the record straight.<br />He comments: "</span><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">They are being exploited and having their basic human rights denied as we speak. ... 3,000 US CITIZENS have been detained by ICE because of the <span style="font-style: italic;">assumption</span> they are </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwh_Fyrx3arVD__aZgcIaS_50YQEA_lcHOHSAIRZQVl4gnXuIZ40qNTV6Ku6kC6SsEskM1bgD_3c0l33yVNm9Ut7ys5UWXoU98clVCg_0tPWPxnQPF8gGyFhH3zEJpCJYh8igxN7y_iSI7/s1600/MB900439407.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688297096328202706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwh_Fyrx3arVD__aZgcIaS_50YQEA_lcHOHSAIRZQVl4gnXuIZ40qNTV6Ku6kC6SsEskM1bgD_3c0l33yVNm9Ut7ys5UWXoU98clVCg_0tPWPxnQPF8gGyFhH3zEJpCJYh8igxN7y_iSI7/s400/MB900439407.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 192px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 192px;" /></a><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">illegal </span><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">-based mostly on the color of their skin. Once in ICE's system, undocumented immigrants do not have a right to an attorney or trial, they are imprisoned indefinitely and abused while in custody (Raped and beaten) until released into countries many have never known. Now the government plans to extend the same treatment to </span><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">US citizens accused of being terrorists, turning us over to the US military for indefinite detention, without trial."<br />He also explains: "</span><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">Facts prove that undocumented labor is the backbone of our </span><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">economy in the state. Farmers are pushing for immigration reform so they can get enough labor for the fields and hog farms. (The cause of America's problems:) NAFTA, BIG Bank speculation, the greed of the 1 %, the world wide labor force that will work for dimes on the dollar. ICE predicted they would go after 400,000 undocumented criminals a year for capture and deportation- they couldn't find enough so roughly half are non-criminals; mothers caring for kids who are simply </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID2Bx-vS1FAzCL-lh4KbhvZqea8ZW-9af833sy6ZBybRmJnZxxkDae6upotX-SCeltmwL_xWam273fU_uXAtZ44wR2jFtwTSQBcl_vOXX9ao_uktwHQdxiqUH2dML3tEVFo8OxqSVnUy3/s1600/dunce.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688297010561447810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID2Bx-vS1FAzCL-lh4KbhvZqea8ZW-9af833sy6ZBybRmJnZxxkDae6upotX-SCeltmwL_xWam273fU_uXAtZ44wR2jFtwTSQBcl_vOXX9ao_uktwHQdxiqUH2dML3tEVFo8OxqSVnUy3/s400/dunce.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 297px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 104px;" /></a><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">stopped for a traffic violation."</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" jsid="text">Of course, his conservative "friends" are retorting with comments like, "Immigrants are taking </span><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">American jobs," and "They should all be deported." Unfortunately, it's comments like these that </span><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">breed racism. </span><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">I know people who are Americans by birth, speak with a southern accent, work hard, and yet are still called "wet-backs" because they are of Latino descent. </span><br />
<span class="commentBody" jsid="text">Everyone has a right to an opinion, but when the mind is closed, the person will never get </span><span class="commentBody" jsid="text">accurate facts to make a choice for an intelligent and informed opinion. I get frustrated with people who regurgitate the same rhetoric without trying to find out if their comments are accurate. Chances are, if the statement is short and repetitious, they are coming from a closed, robotic mind.</span><br />
<span class="commentBody" jsid="text">The uninformed are perpetuating lies and propaganda while spitting in the face of our ancestors who invaded (yes - invaded and brutally took over) an occupied nation. Our civilization merely deteriorates with the destruction of humanity at the hands of bigots.</span>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-90372147155889542242011-11-20T19:03:00.005-05:002011-11-20T19:27:34.378-05:00Robocops - UC-Davis to Kent State<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSLk5eFKLQo7QjQDfuF-Yg9OaEwXHY-cWgeRdN3J_6Thz02xext2TIEl1B-KnMfO2YclAfWAIfeT6ywpnnlHmXHg7E9hr82keYBCvhXwV-vyO2I91weBUKRriWBzzkxsthpK9klvyujcs2/s1600/kent+vs+ucd.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 260px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677239017785579490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSLk5eFKLQo7QjQDfuF-Yg9OaEwXHY-cWgeRdN3J_6Thz02xext2TIEl1B-KnMfO2YclAfWAIfeT6ywpnnlHmXHg7E9hr82keYBCvhXwV-vyO2I91weBUKRriWBzzkxsthpK9klvyujcs2/s400/kent+vs+ucd.jpg" /></a>As I read the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/20/us/california-occupy-pepperspray/index.html?hpt=hp_t1">stories and watched footage </a>of the UC Davis <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California_Police_Department">Campus Police’s </a>actions against peaceful protestors, I couldn’t help but think about the history of protests in our country, and more specifically, the slayings at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings">Kent State</a>.<br />One UC Davis officer held a canister of pepper spray, aimed at a line of students sitting on the ground, and began coating them as though they were a brick wall being spray painted. He walked down the line and back again, methodically disbursing a thick mist at point blank range. With 50 armed officers standing up to 200 protestors, the odds were well in favor of the police. Yet, the officers supposedly felt justified in their fears of losing crowd control.<br />History is coming dangerously close to being repeated. Only the choice of weapon stood between this incident being a blatant abuse of power and becoming a massacre that would have eclipsed the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnXeSTw5bHk&feature=related">Ohio four</a>. Perhaps “Freedom of Speech” is a misnomer because anyone exerting that freedom seems to do so at some cost.Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-54108745999469396832011-06-04T13:25:00.006-04:002011-07-20T19:25:04.614-04:00Plane crash story fails to fly<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPIF5OjWIhT0_KWLEnOFJKriNnpT_P0R5ORZDozOGXrDYpB8GbSCbum0E9Qg3YMsenvr9-x4vNWXUljA-zBSCOZhyphenhyphenYzwUKDwTKWyU3F4XruFJVcXun0ypS26m0-sqIzV-Z34S5JZSrNYG/s1600/frog.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 259px; float: right; height: 254px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614427457214892786" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPIF5OjWIhT0_KWLEnOFJKriNnpT_P0R5ORZDozOGXrDYpB8GbSCbum0E9Qg3YMsenvr9-x4vNWXUljA-zBSCOZhyphenhyphenYzwUKDwTKWyU3F4XruFJVcXun0ypS26m0-sqIzV-Z34S5JZSrNYG/s320/frog.JPG" border="0" /></a> I have just about reached my limit on hearing or seeing negative comments about Muslims. If the American population who show as much hatred towards this group of people, showed the same amount of hatred towards gangs, our cities would be much safer.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/03/iranian-aircraft-crash-caught-on-new-video/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl2%7Csec3_lnk2%7C68231">Today's article </a>on AOL news about newly emerged video of an Iranian plane crash caught my attention. While AOL is not my choice of news sources, I do glean news from the headlines and then look for indepth information elsewhere. In looking elsewhere, I discovered that the video is actually a military aircraft with 7 people on board. Regardless of who and how many are on board, <a href="http://youtu.be/w_Cp2anHN3U">the crash is horrifying</a>. </div><br /><br /><div>The comments made by people in regards to this story on the crash are evidence that some people only have brains to maintain their organs for bodily viability. Using any thought processes are beyond their capacity.</div><br /><br /><div>My response to those comments pretty much sum up my opinion, even though my statement was made on the assumption the article and someone referencing an airline crash was correct. That is <em>my </em>mistake, but doesn't change my basic message. I'm sure it is about as useful as the article that preceded, but it helped me let off some steam. <span style="font-family:georgia;"><em></em></span></div><em></em><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em><br /></em><div><em><br /></em><blockquote><em><br /></em><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em><em>As a former news editor, I agree - the reporting here is terrible... this is<br />not "new footage." </em></em></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em><em>New footage of a crash that happened two years ago is<br />impossible. A new discovery of footage, or newly-released footage IS possible.<br />The video is NOT new.<span style=""> </span></em></em></span></span></p><em><br /></em><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em><em>As for the idiots that are hoping a bunch of Muslims died and wondering why Americans should care 1) It is immoral to watch 168 people spiral and crash to the ground regardless of who they are.<span style=""> </span>2) Just because the plane is from a country that Americans distrust does not mean that all the people on board are from that same country; 3) Muslims are not bad people - terrorists are bad people.<span style=""> </span>Terrorists who claim to be Muslim but do not practice the laws of the Muslim religion have given an entire population a bad name.<span style=""> </span>If you believe terrorists represent the Muslim community, then you must believe that Westboro Baptist Church is representative of ALL Christians.</em></em></span><em></em></p></blockquote></div></span>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-3662412658668063432011-05-10T16:12:00.013-04:002011-05-10T16:52:55.198-04:00Inverted bobs put on the dogInverted bobs are the coifs that have sparked a new wave of wedge haircuts, popularized by the likes of Victoria Beckham and Rihanna. From the front, these sassy, crisp hair-dos can be attractive. The longer strands in front frame the face with a linear look, elongating the chin.<br />From the back, the hairstyle tells a different story. When I first saw this hairstyle emerge, I immediately stifled a laugh because my only thought was, "That looks like a dog's butt."<br />Women - stop it - please. Because, dare I say, you look like an ass (albeit a canine one).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0WBsN3r0X0K2Ac6TMuAivI50f0QEjiVXAyzr74mhanlf5inuhNEA6-_WcGfiADAPo4NfCneJeTqVJU4IKihf-240zSCVh7Gt-GHbrcq9UwqC-iBMq6upELggLjNC0KvKs5sE8c6tsSIA/s1600/dogbutt.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODue9uI6FDqaFmoKK7Tma2KS2HX4KL3fpsc1GNlVqHWVNoUsWAdiqGHN-z4qcc2rK5cp65wqf-3QYwdLBk5D4Kr4kMqms6H5IBEJBRt5TDO2bGhJ5Wz911wQhTczI_4BzOC4BVBxl4kzf/s1600/dogbutt.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 137px; height: 104px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODue9uI6FDqaFmoKK7Tma2KS2HX4KL3fpsc1GNlVqHWVNoUsWAdiqGHN-z4qcc2rK5cp65wqf-3QYwdLBk5D4Kr4kMqms6H5IBEJBRt5TDO2bGhJ5Wz911wQhTczI_4BzOC4BVBxl4kzf/s320/dogbutt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605191204397017954" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vJmbHhwLEgakncW0cSE5YvHraPPeUEXnZKfcADiCk0WsJlGDa4uVo5cv-LJ1FtoX48FVcAUuQf8IaofsdZUOcHwe32go7Js2YK1_kFW2Br86AJ7kVqJbGsIcfOJdEMPCklg-QwZZeo93/s1600/beckham+bob.jpg"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdfnu96GXVhIFVOknkaosHi4NIXvdQRWIZgDujzJVO_q7f9QUyHw8yO_gaoYUDWo0bKUgvqNuvGiZGxtYQyR0vuAf-7FbQUnyLKlrbwnzLNbUHe6tv4T3gOby19ufRfMxvO6b8JYEG5KK/s1600/beckham+bob.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 82px; height: 105px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdfnu96GXVhIFVOknkaosHi4NIXvdQRWIZgDujzJVO_q7f9QUyHw8yO_gaoYUDWo0bKUgvqNuvGiZGxtYQyR0vuAf-7FbQUnyLKlrbwnzLNbUHe6tv4T3gOby19ufRfMxvO6b8JYEG5KK/s320/beckham+bob.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605191358967863666" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha550rgDFp39QSa7oplKPbVBGiQkPPdBi5FmElCVuYkF3bgX9dTiSQmcVKqtR47DkKFRgiv7qI1KxgOgTbDFS4LEzO2HIasu0Utnsv0G0e7ypW-W02NDfMxg50TXVwkV8pYEMDCuknYfyI/s1600/dog2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 117px; height: 104px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha550rgDFp39QSa7oplKPbVBGiQkPPdBi5FmElCVuYkF3bgX9dTiSQmcVKqtR47DkKFRgiv7qI1KxgOgTbDFS4LEzO2HIasu0Utnsv0G0e7ypW-W02NDfMxg50TXVwkV8pYEMDCuknYfyI/s320/dog2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605191949206949938" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zhkT3_hohWGrXhZaSNIAHyHKr8DPmUVBhNAxaWGbRPVSi8z-WIvN7JQTAgm73_Km90ebl8_m0fOkbO_99rscqBLWbVcLEa-VzwyzhXOdfGkwd7DOHA6NkdGuSZK_RFA2YeHHkWVna8jp/s1600/dog.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 91px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zhkT3_hohWGrXhZaSNIAHyHKr8DPmUVBhNAxaWGbRPVSi8z-WIvN7JQTAgm73_Km90ebl8_m0fOkbO_99rscqBLWbVcLEa-VzwyzhXOdfGkwd7DOHA6NkdGuSZK_RFA2YeHHkWVna8jp/s320/dog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605191809883239650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTY2xNierJKRnG7ftrCNLfpySplwQj-u5Yp0ep__WbcwsIeOklYWONVJHZwGqmHv13xQaX3UuLoz6Ro1y96v_apoDWwBg3bEwYeuUieajmnVf2nzCT5b34BPHvLPM0Gt1vS-xb01U6nMdQ/s1600/beckham+2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 162px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTY2xNierJKRnG7ftrCNLfpySplwQj-u5Yp0ep__WbcwsIeOklYWONVJHZwGqmHv13xQaX3UuLoz6Ro1y96v_apoDWwBg3bEwYeuUieajmnVf2nzCT5b34BPHvLPM0Gt1vS-xb01U6nMdQ/s320/beckham+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605191576548394722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMWY4X2ZPjbmGgiijWVGnxFdOUvVr2uS59js7FBtCstNbaIfpE2kPU2NZNbJXUJU1l7fEB_BneWb16sDGwDa43oun8vUD2Cd-O6LPDLsljapd9VDY0nMwLx55KPF9fPOktTey39j3Pf8c/s1600/shih_tzu_grass.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 115px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMWY4X2ZPjbmGgiijWVGnxFdOUvVr2uS59js7FBtCstNbaIfpE2kPU2NZNbJXUJU1l7fEB_BneWb16sDGwDa43oun8vUD2Cd-O6LPDLsljapd9VDY0nMwLx55KPF9fPOktTey39j3Pf8c/s320/shih_tzu_grass.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605192001330781506" border="0" /></a>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-19532916226647920102011-05-01T23:36:00.006-04:002011-05-02T06:18:43.983-04:00Crowd mentality over Bin Laden's deathThe hour is late, and with the rest of the world, I am watching President <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Obama's</span> announcement of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Osama</span> Bin <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Laden's</span> death. As the news cameras focus on growing crowds in the street, cheering and singing, I cringe a bit. I am hesitant to rejoice in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">anyone's</span> death because of my profound spiritual belief that there is a higher justice. Karma is a bitch, and as soon as I bleat with the sheep over Bin <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Laden's</span> death, justice may turn the shears on me.<br />I also stop myself from joining the pep rally because Bin Laden may have been the mastermind behind Al <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Qaida</span> and terrorist acts, but he did not act alone. When <a href="http://mtt.justicegonewild.com/Meltdown/">Dorothy </a>killed the witch, the guards looked upset, but quickly hailed her actions. I have a feeling members of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bin Laden's</span> clique' will not be so quick to jump the fence into greener pastures. They are trained; they know how to retaliate. Americans cheering on worldwide television is merely going to piss off the terrorists. The crowd mentality is merely cementing the misconception of Americans being evil and self-absorbed.<br />Yes, Bin Laden was evil; yes, he issued an attack against the US; yes, the world is better off without him. Shouldn't we recognize these points without deteriorating to the same level of the terrorists that cheered when <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Americans</span> died on 9/11?Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-6986225302356470572011-04-30T08:22:00.002-04:002011-04-30T08:49:32.246-04:00Sleeping on the JobAccording to a recent study, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2011/04/30/endo.power.naps.cnn?iref=allsearch">napping on the job </a>is a good thing because it increases productivity. Perhaps the fired <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/04/29/washington.faa.jobs/index.html?iref=allsearch">air traffic controllers </a>should be reinstated, compensated for undue stress, and given raises for actually doing a <em>good</em> job.<br />Personally, I often wish I could take a nap, but the situation is not conducive for plunking down my head and dozing. I realize that the average five-hour-a-night rest that I get is not sufficient. I also heard about a study that says lack of sleep can cause weight gain. So, for my sanity, and in hopes of repairing my metabolism, I have made an effort to wedge out more time for a good night's rest. The result: I wake up after five hours, and when I go back to sleep, the remaining time is fitful with odd dreams, multiple awakenings, and a lot of movement. Maybe I can concentrate my efforts to have dreams about fitness classes and channel my movement to a workout in order to gain physical benefit to combat the effects of sleep loss.<br />Anything beats counting sheep .... one, two, three, four, fi... baaaaaa.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/12926328?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/12926328">Nabih's Sleepless Night</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1041975">Patricia Perkins</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-74112035026288631682011-03-09T16:39:00.004-05:002011-03-09T17:45:57.209-05:00Ted Williams Update<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXBMnySOF1-8k9nq8zOok8qtzArNLG93JVqEiwnMsXo-cg0K2sgi9gXQ_4d-Uo16m7hj3s7DaYe_GfhHQdcHtC1MA8xgwsIG-F5e-3USF3EatVg_Vjwu3xLyiwYU4pb9wUTLRm9DYi7wH/s1600/3660827485_34e36c295d_o.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582214275173408178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 251px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 153px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXBMnySOF1-8k9nq8zOok8qtzArNLG93JVqEiwnMsXo-cg0K2sgi9gXQ_4d-Uo16m7hj3s7DaYe_GfhHQdcHtC1MA8xgwsIG-F5e-3USF3EatVg_Vjwu3xLyiwYU4pb9wUTLRm9DYi7wH/s320/3660827485_34e36c295d_o.jpg" border="0" /></a>I wrote an earlier blog about <a href="http://muttonchopsbyiris.blogspot.com/2011/01/ted-wiilliams-debacle.html">Ted Williams </a>and his fast lane to popularity followed by the plummet to rehab. As a guest on The Today Show, Williams provided <a href="http://video.aol.com/video/one-day-at-a-time-today/3679679077">a positive update</a>. (<em>video is not available for embedding yet - click the link provided). </em><br />Time will tell if Williams is indeed on the road to recovery. Addicts are great manipulators and will say what they believe people want to hear. Sometimes, they want their tales to be true, and believe voicing the words will create the reality they want. They also try to minimize their problems and are trying to control the negativity of the situation.<br />Certainly we can hope Ted is doing well and will stick with his recovery program. His road has become difficult and steep. Hopefully those around him will let him traverse at his own pace, provide support, and avoid enabling him.<br /><br /><br /><br />(<em>Photo by </em><a href="http://www.blogger.com/flickr.com/photos/ncreedplayer/3660827485/"><em>Brian/NCReedplayer</em></a>)Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-84843463325041041542011-03-08T19:25:00.005-05:002011-03-08T19:57:09.022-05:00License plates and watermelons<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZT08ZyZCjlN_VbCfsaiU7zlyoR5lBJtCFc5Tbe0DPg4qxkfe9N8L2Hy4ZEcBfaCbRtVFKxGdxqRJdJtI0_0VrqlUc9NVELh0qyJiV7GosmLw71t4dG_cuXgT5pGpPyk5NYrM438nIwaDW/s1600/watermelon.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581872394431890514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 140px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZT08ZyZCjlN_VbCfsaiU7zlyoR5lBJtCFc5Tbe0DPg4qxkfe9N8L2Hy4ZEcBfaCbRtVFKxGdxqRJdJtI0_0VrqlUc9NVELh0qyJiV7GosmLw71t4dG_cuXgT5pGpPyk5NYrM438nIwaDW/s320/watermelon.jpg" border="0" /></a>Just like the Japanese came up with an idea for square watermelons, the <a href="http://www.ncmelons.com/index.html">North Carolina Watermelon Association</a> has their own creative juices brewing. Specialized plates with a watermelon can be purchased for an extra fee that is far less than Japan's $82 food price tag.<br />Obviously, the message is working because I was compelled to come home and look up our local growers. Watermelon is my favorite vegetable - yes veggie, not fruit. The summer delicacy is part of the cucumber and gourd family. (I looked that info up, too!).<br />Like any other produce association, watermeloners have a queen. <a href="http://www.ncmelons.com/queen.html">Queen Madelyn </a>hails from Denton and is a student at <a href="http://www.highpoint.edu/">High Point University</a>. The public is invited to <em>Make a Melon Memory</em> at the annual <a href="http://www.ncwatermelonfestival.com/">Watermelon Festival </a>which will be held July 22-24, 2011 in Fair Bluff.<br />I would be amiss if I did not give a nod to the watermelon's cousin - the pickle. Mount Olive in Wayne County hosts the <a href="http://www.ncpicklefest.org/">Pickle Festival </a>in April. Pickle puns and tongue twisters abound whether one is sweet, sour, or earns their bread and butter in the industry.<br />With gas prices escalating, shipping costs for produce will be passed on to the consumer. Homegrown produce is better for our local economy, and after knowing a bit about the local growers, the urge to buy locally is even greater. To explore more about local growers and farmers' markets, check out <a href="http://www.ncfarmfresh.com/">NC Farm Fresh</a>.<br />I never would have believed a license plate could be so educational.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ncmelons.com/DMV_Watermelon_Application.pdf"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581874668068222914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTsIhgGDZE8yCWSrr9mozB6X9UJAR66mxGz6TeCFf0pRyIeXfUX7SMHPhGgZozX18bvIsONIRxbN-7T8AaTpsGpiNM070419Mr0Pe7897YWlISLuGU51KPe07sp15N4f-js9Q6Dmy0Dtc/s320/WMN.jpg" border="0" /></a>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-5865385845404736862011-01-15T10:37:00.007-05:002011-01-15T13:17:06.469-05:00Ted Wiilliams DebacleI am constantly astounded by the ease of which the general public will display their baaaaad tendency to follow the herd. Ted Williams' rise to fame was fueled by the same frenzy. He was panhandling, using his smooth voice to bait a soliciting trap when he was discovered by an Ohio news reporter.<br />The story unfolded like a fairytale, and everyone wanted to see Williams take his rightful place in society. Like the young boy who drew the sword from the stone to become Ki<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bvblackspin.com/2011/01/07/behind-ted-williams-golden-voice-is-a-woman-with-a-golden-heart/"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fC47qgp6ESs1ak4lgLraaKGqt5_muO_ea0bDcmcqij0sZnm__hyzu_xj7I76tBDpe58QN2ekkRWhUo2P_DZ7smXFqTkZsU3GUXiagFwhti3E20yH7d9TAN-wNQrzHS6a86aXKljSo3Dn/s320/voice.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562477897268101378" border="0" /></a>ng Arthur, the public was eager for the derelict to sit on the throne with everyone singing his praises. Perhaps this is fueled by each person's secret desire to be rescued in some way.<br />Living vicariously through Williams, each of us can imagine what it's like to be plucked off the streets, to have executives clamoring for our talent, to be propelled into the spotlight. Everyone wants to win the lottery, hit the jackpot, get a piece of the proverbial pie. When someone like Williams does it, the average person sees hope. If a bum on a street corner can reach success, certainly the hard-working, honest, family man has an even better chance of grabbing the gold ring - right?<br />Instead of being enamored with his rise and disappointed by<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/01/13/2011-01-13_ted_williams_goldenvoiced_homeless_man_timeline_from_rags_to_riches_to_dr_phil_i.html"> his plummet</a>, the public should recognize Williams for serving another purpose: he is an example. People are looking for an easy solution to these tough economic times. Williams reminds us that nothing comes easily or without strings attached. Instead of giving up or escaping with drugs, people should stay strong. Being fortitudinous as the economy recovers will be more beneficial.<br />Williams also serves as a reminder that each individual controls his own life. When that control is turned over to other people, to drugs, or to any other element, life falters. Any situation provides choices, but by letting other people, influences, and chemicals make those choices, a person is not controlling his life. When those influences disappear, no one is in control; no one is steering, causing life to spin out of control.<br />Homelessness has spread beyond the victims of insanity and addiction, and now engulfs those who have lost homes to foreclosure, lost jobs to overseas manufacturers, and lost hope in themselves. While it is important to recognize not every homeless person is archetypal, Williams is a reminder that each should be judged on his own merits.<br />Blaming Williams for betraying trust, disappointing followers and supporters, and for destroying ideological plans, is much like blaming an actor for portraying a fictitious character in a realistic manner; it is up to an individual to discern fact from fiction, and to separate what might be from what actually is.<br />People should also remember that panhandling is illegal in most (if not all) areas; give money to the homeless by giving money to shelters and services - not individuals; and don't blame anyone else for a personal lapse in judgment. No one is infallible.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Related article:</span> <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-banks-20110115,0,6086522.column">"Blinded by Ted Williams' surprisingly silky voice"</a>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-54168814085973170042011-01-11T18:09:00.004-05:002011-01-11T18:52:38.403-05:00Telemarketers bewareIn spite of listing with the <a href="https://www.donotcall.gov/register/reg.aspx">Do Not Call</a> registry, I still get a few annoying solicitations. I've read the <a href="http://www.dobhran.com/humor/GRhumor350.htm">funny lines</a> that can be delivered to telemarketers and often wish I could think on my feet fast enough to deliver them smoothly. One of the funniest was delivered by my own mother. A number of years ago, MCI and AT&T were competing for customers. An MCI representative called and delivered his opening line. Mom said, "I'm sorry, but we don't have a phone." The flustered caller said, "Oh, okay," and hung up.<br />My latest calls have been from the local newspaper. I <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6pUFyKtfGbrA2iRwSi1SS41aty37fG3T-1vdCWUo_MQJ176QEutJ5LEiPzC1gTVyll_pBZ9Qqlh3mim9B8jwUwmMVDERRQ2lz_XJBmhxQO6wbKDzLaibZT818V92AvPhxIaFNwkFlK3h/s1600/phone.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6pUFyKtfGbrA2iRwSi1SS41aty37fG3T-1vdCWUo_MQJ176QEutJ5LEiPzC1gTVyll_pBZ9Qqlh3mim9B8jwUwmMVDERRQ2lz_XJBmhxQO6wbKDzLaibZT818V92AvPhxIaFNwkFlK3h/s320/phone.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561079821937115938" border="0" /></a>used to subscribe, so I suppose I'm in their database, and once in a while they decide to call.<br />"I'm calling from the News & Record, and we wanted to be sure you received your paper today."<br />I used to fall for the line, responding that I don't receive it, to which the caller then wanted me to subscribe. They have called often enough that I now have a pat response which I deliver eloquently: "No, I did not receive a paper this morning because I don't subscribe. But you already know that since you are calling to coerce me into subscribing. I'm not interested, thank you." Then, I hang up. Sometimes, I have to add, "And I told this to a representative last week." After two or three calls, I'll remind them they are harassing me, they remove my number, and I won't hear anything for six months or so.<br />I can't bring myself to be too aggressive because they are trying to earn a living. Yet, I have reconditioned my early childhood lessons when I was taught to be polite and never hang up on anyone. My mother, like many older adults, has become more tolerant with age. This woman who used to keep a police whistle by the phone to discourage obscene callers by blowing out their eardrums, will now complain that a telemarketer kept her on the line, and "I couldn't just hang up on him."<br />Instead of being a slave to the phone, it's much easier to remember:<br /><ul><li>When the phone rings, I do not have to stop what I am doing and run. </li><li>Walk, do not run, to the phone because <a href="http://www.murphys-laws.com/">Murphy's Law</a> guarantees the call is not that important, I will trip, or I will stub my toe.</li><li>If I don't get to the phone in time, the caller can leave a message.</li><li>I have caller ID, so I have the option to not answer at all.</li><li>If I do answer, and I do not want to hear what the person has to say, I can say "No thank you," and hang up. </li></ul>The caller chooses to dial my number which makes him the risk-taker. If a voice enters my home without permission, I can blow out the person's ears without remorse.Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-52557972492600149712011-01-10T18:40:00.007-05:002011-01-10T19:29:01.099-05:00Loughner, Clarke make perfect pairEven though <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/10/arizona.shooting/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1">Jared Lee Loughner</a> was caught with gun in hand by witnesses to his shooting rampage in Arizona, he has the same rights and privileges as anyone else arrested for crime in the United States: He is innocent until proven guilty, and he has the right to legal represen<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.newsweek.com/2011/01/09/jared-lee-loughner-details-on-gabrielle-giffords-alleged-shooter.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 139px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCzitYujgHS16i9f34Pz5snNs8HPyy4o5htllmBlr1gMfF-4fUs57FKjakrFoRt-XmeyLG_r6KWjqvP_u4CONmlWIe0_-FdPbCLh5ALD24kQC1qQ6eO_cL8uLkGJywsSn4ZTzdQErh5RJ/s320/loughner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560716488451469650" border="0" /></a>tation.<br />The attorney is court appointed, thousands of tax dollars will go to his food and shelter, and even more will be spent on increased courtroom security, importing an out-of-state judge, and various other costs involved in a high-profile case.<br />The entire situation is a double-edged sword - the world knows he is guilty, but the laws can't be changed for this situation. Maintaining a free society with blind justice requires the judicial system to follow specific protocols.<br />However, in this case, I wonder if there was some backroom justice in the works when the court appointed Asheville native Judy Clarke as Loughner's attorney. Now practicing in San Diego, she has defended some very famous criminals:<br /><ul><li><strong>Theodore Kaczynski</strong> - Unabomer who killed three and injured 23 others, sentenced to <span style="font-weight: bold;">life in prison</span> without parole.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Susan Smith </span>- South Carolina mother that killed her so<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/us/11defender.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdqtxkkrMlsgVTYZ_9MtKvvR6cORnHCmS9Xg5_ocPiok4sR_3K_fWqYm_h5itisxAZyuLgQfbKADOz87D5uvf6aQTrSY9jOjY7oK1mDiiy1ieSd0Wyu0DbK5hEqzHVqQ3-UcV-BrMDRxy/s320/clarke.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560716586081963426" border="0" /></a>ns, aged 3 and 14 months, by pushing her car into a lake and drowning them. She is sentenced to <span style="font-weight: bold;">life in prison </span>with first chance of parole in 2024.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Eric Rudolph- </span>Olympic Park Bomber that was a fugitive for five years, spending much of that time in North Carolina mountains is now serving <span style="font-weight: bold;">multiple life sentences</span>.</li><li><strong>Zacarias Moussaoui -<span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:100%;" > 9/11 conspirator</span></strong><span style="font-size:100%;"> now serving <span style="font-weight: bold;">life</span> in a maximum security prison.</span></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Timothy McVeigh </span>- Oklahoma City Bomber killed 168 and wounded 450, was <span style="font-weight: bold;">executed</span> in 2001.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">O.J. Simpson </span>- Accused of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman hired "Dream Team" of lawyers including F. Lee Bailey, Robert Shapiro, and Johnnie Cochran. Oh, wait ... <span style="font-weight: bold;">Clarke wasn't on this team</span>, and O.J. was found <span style="font-weight: bold;">not guilty.</span></li></ul> Thankfully, Loughner confirmed in court that he does want Clarke as his attorney, so perhaps, with her ineffectual track record, justice will be served.<br /><br /><strong><br /></strong>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-29255920834026952032010-10-21T14:02:00.011-04:002011-12-15T21:27:00.341-05:00Tormented by Bullies<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eric_brechemier/3319489352/"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530690040816067730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_W6X2CKcQ9Dk0EP9Re0ckzjGyBjWkwYrTASWt-aP_JlTs7mgMMayWRl_jjme2vlSnUpGIGc_LpkyB7dfqYRLIpP1L_y5iiMIxlDbkbQDWE3v6LLwEpUgsqnvJ3Gv_hBLYWO4PFf8cSrBS/s320/sad+girl.jpg" /></a> <br /><div><br /><blockquote>"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."<br /></blockquote></div><br /><div>Kids being harassed to the point of attempting - or succeeding - suicide is not only tragic; it is happening everywhere. From big cities to tiny towns, there are bullies. In third grade, our class bully was a larger-than-average guy with a buzz cut and a scowl. I avoided him purely because of his reputation. When I finally was side-by-side in line with him, I mustered the courage to speak and found out he was actually civil. Later, I learned he was abused at home and acted out at school. </div><br /><div>A few years later, and no longer afraid of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">quintessential</span> bully, I learned that pubescent friends, (particularly girls) can be cruel. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tweens</span> tend to be insecure, hormonal, and territorial - which can be a deadly combination. My experiences seemed to correlate with scholarly observers who determined that somewhat uncivilized behavior may occur in otherwise domestic social groups sharing similar demographics. In other words, adolescent girls can be bitchy.</div><br /><div>As a working adult, I have held jobs that gave me contact with teen socialization. I've observed, as technology improved, social interactions changed, transforming the benign teen angst of yesteryear to today's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">vicious</span>, high-tech, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">vitriolic</span> hatred. A rumor that was spread by word-of-mouth 30 years ago, can now zip around the world in mere minutes. Hearsay could be scoffed as twisted words, but now those words are in print or photos on the web. Kids could only harass peers for a limited spectrum of taunts. We didn't have access to <a href="http://www.webmd.com/"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">WebMD</span></a>, pornography, and <a href="http://www.wikipedia.org/"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wikipedia</span></a> to provide fodder for contrived accusations and ailments.</div><br /><div>Even low-tech, person-to-person bullying seems more hateful and potentially more damaging than ever because of the exposure kids have to television and movies. Some may see people acting out on reality television shows and assume bad behavior is the norm. </div><br /><div>A few years ago, a parent told me about her daughter being harassed by a girl at high school. The rift was trivial, but the aggressor was on the warpath. She would stalk the victim by driving by her home or the recreation center during extracurricular activities. At one point the victim feared the angry teen would use the car as a weapon. When the defensive mother talked to the other mom, she was met with an attitude similar to the teen's - like mother, like daughter.</div><br /><div>Just this week, one of the adult students in my class talked about the trouble her 13-year-old daughter is facing. Her daughter is quiet, shy, soft spoken, and by her photo, very attractive. For three years, another girl has tormented this woman's daughter. The two played soccer together and the aggressor would deliberately trip the weaker girl. The mother talked with the coach and ultimately pulled her daughter from the team. She then realized it wasn't fair to punish her daughter for the actions of the other player.</div><br /><div>Now, the two girls ride the same bus to school. The aggressor threatens and teases, making the victim cry. The mother has tried to encourage her daughter to stand up to the bully, but the daughter won't. At the same time, she doesn't want her daughter to lose her sweet nature, anyway. </div><br /><div>Because the daughter usually meets a close friend to ride the bus together, the bully now accuses the girl of being a lesbian. The daughter has actually talked about committing suicide because she is so tormented and ashamed. The mother has been to the teacher, the school administrators and the school board to no avail. </div><br /><div>As I and a couple of others listened in shock, I spoke up. I noted that even if the girl was a lesbian, it shouldn't matter. (Maybe she should threaten to kiss the bully?! I have an old friend that belonged to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dykes_on_Bikes"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dykes</span> on Bikes </a>- I'd love to sic her on this bully!). The girl has nothing to be ashamed of, though at that age, sexual identity is such a personal and precarious topic. Everyone wants to "fit in" and doesn't want to appear different. </div><br /><div>Regardless of what the taunts are, and regardless of the victim's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">temperament</span>, the most important thing is for the individual to realize the bully is the one with the problem. Someone should not have to change their personality and become <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">aggressive</span> to ward off victimization. I encouraged my student to let her daughter know that self-confidence is her biggest mode of defense. If she knows that the bully is wrong, at least, perhaps, she will stop contemplating suicide.</div><br /><div>I just gave my students an assignment that included contemplating <a href="http://www.kipling.org.uk/kip_fra.htm">Rudyard Kipling's </a>"If" along with a few quotes. He was spot on when he said, "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." And, like drugs, words can heal or they can kill.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by </span></em><a href="http://eric.brechemier.name/"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Eric <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Brechemier</span></span></em></a></div>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-16176013405579514252010-10-15T11:12:00.005-04:002010-10-15T19:18:18.388-04:00Keeping the process simple<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqGmMALRdKTxcsthZ0pYgJo9lu31FNWOZWERDa7XIdex0-HmmvEms3DHri3NYknsUoENQcMjO8akOX3yyYZPqSY5mA5KORCLxhapOezh9v0T5z_0uU42R4mz3a69dId5ta-kN3CQ4Vo2k/s1600/jetsons2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 258px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 145px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528299493845654210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqGmMALRdKTxcsthZ0pYgJo9lu31FNWOZWERDa7XIdex0-HmmvEms3DHri3NYknsUoENQcMjO8akOX3yyYZPqSY5mA5KORCLxhapOezh9v0T5z_0uU42R4mz3a69dId5ta-kN3CQ4Vo2k/s320/jetsons2.jpg" /></a>Instead of engaging in a long diatribe about current events or subjects that rattle my brain, today I bring you an observation - a ponderance or, in more common terms, "WTF?"<br /><div>The onset of the '70s brought in instand foods. "Just add water," and coffee, hot cocoa, soup, oatmeal, and a deluge of other palatable items were available. In many homes, a tea kettle was a staple and a flip of the stove switch provided hot, boiling water in a quick moment.</div><br /><div>Within a short time, quick foods were followed by quicker cooking methods via the microwave. A cup of water takes roughly the same amount of time to boil on the stove as it does in the nukerator, but the image of a mug circling the inside of a box, illuminated by a single bulb, and screened by a black web of fibers seems far more Jetson-esque. Cookbooks addressed the new contraption, telling the modern cook how to create multi-course meals. Those that never bought into the idea of baking a cake in the microwave, found the appliance indispensable for baking a potato, popping popcorn, and reheating leftovers.</div><br /><div>For some reason, the producers of instant foods feel that there is a need for separate "stove top" and "microwave" instructions when adding hot water to dry substances. Why does one need more hot water on the stove top than in the microwave? Is water from the microwave able to absorb better?</div><br /><div>The instructions often have the dry ingredients mixed in with the water before heating in the microwave. Do the ions in powder get jolted in order to accept the nuked water? Perhaps the dry ingredients need to be at one with the water; zapped water is only received by zapped powder, and stove-boiled water is accepted by the regular, unhindered powder. </div><br /><div>Though I'd prefer to understand the why of it all, I find that adding hot water - conventionally heated or microwaved -to the package contents achieves the same results. Afterall, isn't the process supposed to be <em>simple</em>?</div>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-47383896610941618042010-09-01T00:21:00.005-04:002010-09-01T00:37:56.491-04:00The Ones You LoveWritten almost 20 years ago, the song is as relevant today as ever. Some things, unfortunately, never change. Bottom line - when one is living a good life and chooses to ignore the needs of others, the least he can do is tend to the ones he loves.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gbNFcV8VI_M?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gbNFcV8VI_M?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.rickastley.co.uk/discography/singles/singles15.html">The Ones You Love</a></strong><br /><br />Children cry on the street<br />They don't have enough to eat<br />Mothers wait for days on end<br />A hopeless situation they can't mend<br /><br />Is it good for you?<br />Is it good for me?<br />I don't know how the world can sleep<br />It's just not right to close the door turn out the lights<br /><br />They'd better be the ones you love<br />The children ought to get some love<br />If no one else should ever get enough<br />They'd better be the ones you love<br /><br />Daddy waits there in line<br />A little work he hopes to find<br />Something wrong with times like these<br />It's enough to bring a man down to his knees<br /><br />Is it good for you?<br />Is it good for me?<br />I don't know how the world can sleep<br />It can't be right to close the door turn out the lights<br /><br />They'd better be the ones you love<br />The children ought to get some love<br />If no one else should ever get enough<br />They'd better be the ones you love<br /><br />They'd better be the ones you love<br />The children ought to get some love<br />If no one else should ever get enough<br />They'd better be the ones you love<br />Thinking of the children<br />The children need oh some love<br />You'd better be thinking about the children<br />The children need out love<br />Better be, you better be thinking of<br />They better be the ones you love<br />Better be, you better be<br />Better be the ones you love<br />- <a href="http://www.rickastley.co.uk/index.php">Rick Astley</a>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-38778235040228669452010-08-23T17:12:00.003-04:002010-08-23T18:34:34.723-04:00Stop the hatred<p><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mASbP3Eq1VE?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mASbP3Eq1VE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></p><p><strong>Hate is expressed when people are:</strong> </p><p>Scared - Greedy - Jealous - Hateful - Mean - Selfish - Ignorant - Uninformed </p><p><strong>Hate comes in the form of:</strong></p><p><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/persecution">Persecution:</a> <em>a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate a people because of their religion, race, or beliefs: the persecutions of Christians by the Romans.</em> </p><p align="left"><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/denigration">Denigrate</a>: (Denigration n.) 1. <em>to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame: to denigrate someone's character.</em> 2. <em>to treat or represent as lacking in value or importance; belittle; disparage: to denigrate someone's contributions to a project</em>. </p><p><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/discrimination?o=100074">Discrimination</a>: <em>treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit: racial and religious intolerance and discrimination. </em></p><p align="center"><strong>Victims of Hate</strong></p><p align="center">Muslims * Christians * Jews * American Indians * Cherokee * Navaho * Disabled * African-Americans * Japanese * Asian * Haitians * Romani * Cubans * Women * Homosexuals * Elderly * Latinos * Irish * Italian * Pilgrims * Gypsies * AIDS * Mentally Ill * Smokers * Poor * Short * Obese * Alcoholics * Drug Addicts * Biracial People * Ugly People * and too many others</p><p align="center"><strong>It's time to STOP!</strong></p>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-83807890445365386752010-08-20T22:18:00.004-04:002010-08-20T22:46:51.664-04:00Cordoba Initiative: Middle East meets West<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NrG-JRSRE-vGhLzuYa1pCwTPiveHCjzAtU-OJxPVAcDwm0T7ogE9QLM7J7OnTjHOqrsxyLKVMQBCLahEQTEem-myZV7Kt1Se6gsQ3hlby3o2Wtu_SpqbUe-Ypzv34KzJ2mfmh9hfJjRj/s1600/Imam+Feisal+Abdul.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 141px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507686802176464546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NrG-JRSRE-vGhLzuYa1pCwTPiveHCjzAtU-OJxPVAcDwm0T7ogE9QLM7J7OnTjHOqrsxyLKVMQBCLahEQTEem-myZV7Kt1Se6gsQ3hlby3o2Wtu_SpqbUe-Ypzv34KzJ2mfmh9hfJjRj/s200/Imam+Feisal+Abdul.jpg" /></a> In the days when <a href="http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=6921">Jerry Falwell</a> was at his peak, he led the Religious Right which critics found to be a paradox, retorting, “The <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,958023,00.html">Moral Majority </a>is neither.” This generation has a new misapplication of terms when referring to the “Ground Zero Mosque,” as there is no mosque being built on Ground Zero, the former site of the <a href="http://www.wtc.com/about/wtc-history">World Trade Center</a>.<br />The 16-acre site of the former twin towers is undergoing reconstruction with a total of <a href="http://www.nyc.com/arts__attractions/1_world_trade_center__freedom_tower.998440/editorial_review.aspx">seven new buildings </a>and a memorial for those lost in the attack on 9/11.<br />The surrounding area is like other districts in New York, with shops, restaurants, offices, and other sites for service and commerce. Lower Manhattan has been in need of a community center, much like those in other cities, where people can view and learn the arts, take fitness classes, hold meetings, and enjoy other activities related to serving the surrounding neighborhood.<br /><a href="http://www.park51.org/vision.htm">Park51</a> is being developed to do just that, and more. In an effort to meet current needs, unite the community within, connect with the world, and bring the world to New York, the structure. which will take over the prior site of the Burlington Coat Factory a few blocks from the World Trade Center, is going to be 15 stories tall.<br />The <a href="http://www.park51.org/cordoba.htm">Cordoba House</a> is part of this structure, from which the <a href="http://www.cordobainitiative.org/">Cordoba Initiative </a>will operate under the leadership of Imam Feisal Abdul-Rauf. Unfortunately, Islamophobia has infected many casual observers, turning mainstream Americans into intolerant, fearful, uninformed activists who have not learned details of what they are protesting.<br />The Cordoba Initiative has a mission of outreach to “cultivate multi-cultural and multi-faith understanding across minds and borders.” The effort is being made to dispel the mysteries about Islam and the Muslim community, but instead of accepting the offering of peace and brotherhood, narrow-minded westerners are slapping the welcoming hand and extinguishing the light of knowledge.<br />Imam Feisal has accrued an impressive <a href="http://www.cordobainitiative.org/?q=content/staff-bios">curriculum vitae </a>and has worked for a number of years with the <a href="http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/u-s-sends-muslim-center-imam-to-arab-world-to-promote-religious-tolerance/">U.S. Government </a>to improve Islamic relationships; he currently is on a trip in the Middle East, encouraging religious tolerance.<br />“He is the most liberal, forward-thinking Imam I have ever met,” said my friend <a href="http://www.deonnakellisayed.com/">Deonna Kelli Sayed</a>. Her husband, a UN diplomat, will be meeting with Abdul-Rauf this week in Bahrain. I sensed a bit of dismay in her voice when she mentioned this tidbit, since she will not be there to welcome this man about whom she discusses with great admiration.<br />Imam Feisal is a true visionary in his efforts to create peace and understanding amid such turbulent topics. His project, the Cordoba Initiative, is being met with vitriolic backlash, much the way peacemakers before him have been addressed.<br />- Socrates was forced to die by poison for his belief that humans had souls.<br />- Jesus was crucified for his efforts to peacefully introduce new doctrine into mainstream society.<br />- Gandhi was a victim of prejudice, yet sought peaceful co-existence and political reform which was met with aversion.<br />- Martin Luther King, Jr. sought equality and peaceful race relations, but faced adversaries in mainstream America.<br />There is a long history of people seeking integration, peace, and unity while being met with hatred and violence. I only hope that Imam Feisal and the Cordoba Initiative can pave a new road for Western advancement, setting an example for world peace efforts.<br /><br /><blockquote>Reporter: "Mr. Gandhi, what do you think of Western civilization?"<br />Gandhi: "I think it would be a very good idea."</blockquote><blockquote>"All we are saying, is give peace a chance" - John Lennon</blockquote>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-23676147637558456812010-08-12T17:55:00.005-04:002010-08-12T19:16:09.777-04:00Park51: Much ado about Mosque<div align="left"><a href="http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 296px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 190px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504652689910148194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_4AuY2qE8qIcfjNwleTuRuP5K8HzPZUJuSaXl4P1vlDOWFJIeXyUcLiCsndQLgHrZoEvfhsHdKd3BWJ7zgAGFwNAjLqX7T4gLgmI_81QQLsBeEXfyo2XgXEb0IHPujfNS5yyRxwJiEJS/s320/universal+human+rights.jpg" /></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/artmakesmesmile/2516476754/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Val Kerry</span></a></em><br /><br />Uproar over the building of a mosque on <a href="http://www.wtc.com/news/hope-for-ground-zero">Ground Zero </a>continues, yet those who protest once again prove my belief: the general population are sheep that will bleat loudly while blindly following a shepherd, instead of looking for the truth.<br /><br />I often get agitated with people who panic or work themselves into frenzy before assessing a situation. Why waste energy? If there’s a problem, energy is better spent in finding a solution, rather than chewing on the issue. But, alas, I digress.<br /><br />First and foremost, the fret over a <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mosque">mosque</a> being at a location near the site where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center stood is not necessary because <a href="http://www.park51.org/vision.htm">Park5</a>1 is not a mosque, but is actually a community center designed to celebrate diversity and culture through arts, contemplation, and communication. Within the center, a wide variety of programs will be offered, intended to bring the best of the world to New York and the best of New York to the world. A childcare center, restaurant, culinary school, auditorium, and fitness facilities will also be included. Odd is the fact that people worry over the building of a mosque, citing it as an insult to those who died in the vicinity, yet, there are already long-standing mosques within a few blocks. A separate, unrelated, 501(3)(c) mosque will be housed at Park51 but will only be a small part of the multi-cultural, multi-storied building, and will welcome all visitors, carrying out the spirit and intent of Park51. Such a center is an honorable tribute to those affected by the attack on 9/11, and in no way defames them.<br /><br />Perhaps the root of the distress is not over the building, but rather the fact that a Muslim is heading up the project. Mainstream America must get over irrational fears of Muslims. Again, the lack of knowledge is the cause of hatred and mistrust. Unfortunately for the majority of Muslims, extremists have misrepresented the religion’s true ideology. The same can be said for Christian extremists who have contributed to misconceptions about <a href="http://www.godhatesfags.com/">Baptists</a> and <a href="http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/multimedia/video/2008/wallace/lally_francis_t.html">Catholics</a>. Every religion has its stereotypes, drawn from the actions of a few bad apples. Then there are those that twist religion to fit their mission. The <a href="http://www.kkk.com/">Ku Klux Klan</a> extends Christian love, but is it fair to say all Christians embrace the ways of the KKK? In the same way, many Americans have unjustly linked Muslims to the Taliban – a group that distorts its religion to carry out extremist actions.<br /><br />My friend, <a href="http://www.deonnakellisayed.com/">Deonna Kelli Sayed</a>, is a blonde-headed, American, born and bred in the South, but embraced the Muslim religion because of its values. She and I have had many discussions regarding world culture (her husband is United Nations diplomat in <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ba.html ">Bahrain </a>) and the purported “mosque” has been among the topics. “I wonder if we should call it a mosque, indeed,” she conveyed. “A new kind of mosque for a new kind of Muslim, a community center that embodies what Islam is about at its core: dialogue, relationship building, community development, and interfaith exchange.”<br /><br />The World Trade Center stood tall and proud over the gateway of America, holding international commerce and racial, ethnic, and religious diversity. Muslim extremists chose to attack that site because of all that it represented. How appropriate for a Muslim man, reflecting the religion’s true doctrine, lead the building of Park51 which will be tribute to unity aside the new <a href="http://www.wtc.com/">World Trade Center</a>. “So if people want to call it a mosque, so be it,” said Deonna. “Let it be a transformative mosque, the kind that issues in a new paradigm.”<br /><br /><em>For more information and a toolkit on interfaith relations, visit <a href="http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/interfaith/">http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/interfaith/</a> </em></div>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-30858990140129422402010-05-19T22:28:00.005-04:002010-05-20T11:22:35.865-04:00Single Ladies, little girls<embed height="345" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="425" src="http://www.ebaumsworld.com/player.swf" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="pageurl=http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80988408/&file=http://media.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/video/467563/80988408.mp4&mediaid=80988408&title=7 year olds Dance to "Single Ladies"&tags=year,olds,dance,single,ladies,lol,lmao,omg,wtf&description=they're good and all, but who teaches a 7 year old to dance like that?&displayheight=325&backcolor=0x0d0d0d&lightoclor=0x336699&frontcolor=0xcccccc&image=http://images.ebaumsworld.com/thumbs/video/467563/80988408.jpg&username=Falthor" wmode="transparent" loop="false" menu="false" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff"></embed><br /><br /><br />For centuries, little girls have emulated their mothers or other adult female role models around them. Wearing mom’s high heels, donning make up, and exhibiting adult mannerisms are all child’s play. Yet there are certain lines children shouldn't cross, and they depend on those same role model adults to teach them their limits. Good sense tells reasonable adults to not let a six-year-old smoke, drink alcohol, or wear stilettos on the street. Why, then, have certain parents and leaders of a dance competition gotten so defensive over public outcry regarding a troop of six- and seven-year- old children dancing provocatively?<br />The parents and contest spokesperson have weighed in saying there is nothing wrong with the dance. They believe that the people calling the gyrations perverse, are indeed perverse themselves. Even the little girls have been asked to weigh in on the topic, which is another bad move on the parents’ part because the girls are biased. The responses from all of those in the “pro” corner are nothing more than what is expected. If parents admitted to letting their children dance obscenely, the adults would be arrested. <br />No one likes to have other people judge his or her parenting skills. At the same time, this was a large dance competition, and these girls practiced endlessly in preparation. Did no one step up and even question the costume choice? Mid-drift tops, short shorts, and thigh high bowed stockings are not appropriate for elementary school girls who are kicking their legs over their shoulder and hugging their ankles to their ears. Gyrating hips are exactly that. Such moves are universal for fertility and sexuality. <br />Denying there is any resemblance to other choreographed versions of “All the Single Ladies,” one parent stated that the inspiration for this team was the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvaR9QlthJo&NR=1">trio of Chipettes </a>from “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j1OEOgW4u4&feature=player_embedded">Alvin and the Chipmunks Squeakquel</a>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Parents should first and foremost, refrain from teaching their children to emulate cartoon characters, but in this case, the Chipettes were clothed conservatively and any hip gyrations are indiscernible. Unfortunately, this knocks out the mom’s effort to put a cutesy spin on the sordid tale.<br />To compound what seemingly was a one-time faux pas, a second video, from the 2009 competition has surfaced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Once again, little girls are dressed in mid-drift tops, over-the-knee-high stockings with bows, and similar choreography to the song, “My Boyfriend’s Back.”. The links are being booted off the Internet almost as quickly as they appear. <br />The team of dancers did nothing wrong. They did as they were instructed by the adults around them, and their efforts were rewarded. The public scrutiny must seem like insane criticism to these girls since they have been praised for their hard work. Their technique, precision, and execution of style were exceptional and beyond the abilities of those three times their ages. <br />Parents, don’t make your kids grow up any faster than they already do. Besides, nothing can compare to the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN5YbfFszlI&feature=related">knock-out version </a>of the now controversial tune.Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-49639691340558028932010-05-16T14:19:00.007-04:002010-05-16T14:52:54.852-04:00Nashville - still waters run deep<p><object style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/pFjaQoOdJvI/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pFjaQoOdJvI&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pFjaQoOdJvI&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Note: I've made multiple efforts to correct the sizing on this video to no avail. If it appears skewed on your monitor, view on </em></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFjaQoOdJvI"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>YouTube.</em></span> </a><br /></p><p></p><p>I heard about it on the news - briefly. Tennessee was hit with terrible rains a few weeks ago; Nashville flooded. That was all. No rallying cries for aid to a community devastated by a 500-year flood; no ads for fund-raising concerts; no celebrity endorsements through <a href="http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/king.larry.html">Larry King </a>interviews. Like the rain, the news dropped the flood waters and moved on to other locations.</p><p>Thanks to my sister from the Memphis area, I have been enlightened. One thing you will notice in this footage - the photos are varied. Most news stories latch onto a<a href="http://digitaljournalist.org/issue1002/ebits-haiti-up-close-from-a-distance.html"> few photos that are shown over, and over </a>... and over again, as though the producers have <a href="http://www.daylightforensic.com/pdfs/news/09-22-07_Crains_NY_Devin.pdf">Asperger's Syndrome. </a></p><p>Read more at "<a href="http://www.section303.com/we-are-nashville-4366">We are Nashville</a>."<br /></p>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-80237389582782056452010-04-12T22:59:00.004-04:002010-04-12T23:42:38.042-04:00Greensboro Children's Museum Stepping on TowsWhen I pulled into the parking lot on March 17, only a few cars were there, which was status quo for early in the evening. Yet, the sign caught my eye -- a warning that vehicles in the lot after hours would be towed. "Has that sign always been there?" I dug around in my brain trying to recall my prior visits. Everything else looked normal, and in spite of the voice on my shoulder warning me to move, I was sure I'd be fine parked in the lot across the street from the main branch of the <a href="http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/Departments/Library/">Greensboro Public Library</a>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ01v0X_QQGdhK1K65qtW8U5lMw9acn-htmFxvUp9seOs9qP4ImG33ltOXIxVKdavJgnK1QdqMlbgrKZhOtYcej_HikBvm9L4lhZireXAg0j_WrzpsDEao8n_1B4ltz05s7XQOn4yG2RI7/s1600/tow+truck.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 264px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 116px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459462326285683602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ01v0X_QQGdhK1K65qtW8U5lMw9acn-htmFxvUp9seOs9qP4ImG33ltOXIxVKdavJgnK1QdqMlbgrKZhOtYcej_HikBvm9L4lhZireXAg0j_WrzpsDEao8n_1B4ltz05s7XQOn4yG2RI7/s320/tow+truck.JPG" /></a><br /><div>About 1 1/2 hours later, I came out of the library to find my car was gone. Sure it was my fault - I ignored the sign, thinking that the lot would be cordoned off if trespassing was a problem. The Greensboro Children's Museum is non-profit and across from the library, so I assumed there must be some consideration for community neighbors. I assumed wrong.</div><br /><div>I am even more disturbed that The <a href="http://www.gcmuseum.com/flash.htm">Children's Museum</a> is going to great lengths to ensure its lot is clear of trespassers, yet the <a href="http://www.gcmuseum.com/cityfunding.html">CEO has her hand out </a>to the Greensboro City Council in hopes of getting around $500,000 to keep the museum going. </div><br /><div>I suggest that Ms. Grant exemplify being a good neighbor before she breaches the pockets of the taxpayers. I hand-delivered a letter to the museum on Sunday, while I was there with my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. I don't know if Ms. Grant has read it yet, but I invite you to do so!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Betsy Grant, CEO<br />Greensboro Children’s Museum<br />220 North Church Street<br />Greensboro, North Carolina 27401<br /><br />Dear Ms. Grant,<br /><br />On a recent evening, I was visiting the Greensboro Public Library for a monthly community meeting. I have parked in the deck before, but also have parked in the lot of the Children’s Museum as it is after hours and does not deter from patron parking. Doing so is safer than walking to the deck alone at 9 pm where traffic and security are scarce.<br />I was astounded to find my vehicle had been towed from the museum lot and even more shocked at the $195 fee to retrieve my car. (Not to mention scrounging up a ride to get to the towing lot.)<br />As a lifelong resident of Greensboro, I have been proud of how the downtown businesses seem to work together to promote the area’s revitalization. The city does not charge for parking after 6 pm and encourages visitors to migrate to downtown for evening gatherings.<br />The fact that your non-profit agency would collaborate with a towing agency to profit off of such an endeavor is quite distressing. Such actions are contrary to the usual camaraderie among the community. I also find it interesting that you would ask for financial support from the City of Greensboro with such adversarial actions against the local residents and the instigation of this creative method of income.<br />What if a parent were visiting the museum with his or her child and, upon leaving, decided to visit the library? If the towing has begun because of loitering, then merely install a chain, rather than take advantage of those that would support your ventures.<br />I am a patron of the Children’s Museum, taking my family, my granddaughter, and several children’s groups from a local recreation department. Just as I have frequently recommended your attraction to others, I will also spread word of your lack of community fellowship. I also plan to share this information with the Greensboro City Council, News & Record, post to my online blog, and social media connections. Rather than blindside you with dispersal of my statements, like I was blindsided by towing, I have chosen to share my story in hopes that someone else will not suffer the same financial and mental duress I have endured.<br /><br />Sincerely, </div>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-3806555632180774352010-04-01T01:50:00.005-04:002010-04-01T02:47:22.043-04:00Beyond Tolerance to Acceptance<p><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NEiwBCpiA0E&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NEiwBCpiA0E&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br />During a <a href="http://muttonchopsbyiris.blogspot.com/2010/02/prejudice-classroom-adventure.html">recent class discussion</a>, I questioned my students about their understanding of the difference between tolerance and acceptance. Immediately, I saw facial expressions change with their recognition of the relationship between the two terms. When discussing such issues in a classroom filled with adult students from a rural community, I steady myself in case there is backlash. I also make every effort to create an environment of open discussion rather than judging comments. Still, I was pleased that students nodded in agreement when considering the point that mere tolerance is not conducive to diversity. Several people in the class even noted that "the Bible doesn't say anything about 'tolerating' others; it says we should be accepting of each other."<br />Since the discussions in my classes, I have continued to mull over the attitudes and comments made, and from that I have drawn a few observations:</p><ol><li>Even though I am helping them polish their communication skills through writing, these students are eloquent in their expressions of diversity and acceptance. </li><li>A closed mind can not expand or grow, thus any form of education, including life's lessons, comes to a halt. </li><li>Fear of the unknown, which includes lack of knowledge, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">hinders</span> acceptance. </li></ol><p>As for <a href="http://www.godhatesfags.com/">Fred Phelps </a>and his cult at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Westboro</span> Baptist Church, what are they so afraid of, that they find it necessary to travel from Topeka, KS to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Palo</span> Alto, CA to criticize students for celebrating diversity and acceptance? Congratulations to the forward thinking <a href="http://gunn.pausd.org/home/web/">high school</a><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">ers</span> in their efforts to demonstrate peaceful unity and for embracing those that claim to be enemies. In order for someone to be an enemy, his aversion must be reciprocated. May others learn to follow <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gunn</span> High School's example by letting their little lights shine brightly to shrink the dark shadows of hatred.</p>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-15022680167597293392010-02-27T15:25:00.007-05:002010-02-28T11:52:53.224-05:00Prejudice: A classroom adventure<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikyr4RGzxJ5C-E1Oj003LnFlxQCxXPCcxXbVPbiWafya4xTvbfS4F5HxK7qpz6mFhy_xZdMlIOjXUeafs7epsBN1mcBbzpKMag-ddk-l-KYPlC-cwIJjl5dPBmNpiyVCbaxPNFqM9v0RRb/s1600-h/yingyang.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 203px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 191px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443027006268484722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikyr4RGzxJ5C-E1Oj003LnFlxQCxXPCcxXbVPbiWafya4xTvbfS4F5HxK7qpz6mFhy_xZdMlIOjXUeafs7epsBN1mcBbzpKMag-ddk-l-KYPlC-cwIJjl5dPBmNpiyVCbaxPNFqM9v0RRb/s320/yingyang.jpg" /></a> <span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-: EN-USfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">In order to get creative juices flowing and open up dialogue among students in my English composition classes, I decided to delve into prejudice and discrimination. </span></span><br /><div><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-: EN-USfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span></div><div><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-: EN-USfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">The community college where I teach is tucked away in a rural county of North Carolina that has been hit hard over the years with the demise of the tobacco and textile industries. Last year’s economic downturn resulted in an enrollment spike as people try to recreate their career goals. The Ku Klux Klan still thrives here, along with moonshine, stills, and backroom gambling. The communities within the county have deep roots in heritage, family, and tradition. Newcomers are observed with discriminating eyes, yet residents are generally friendly, warm, and sincere.</span></span></div><br /><div><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-: EN-USfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">I am impressed with the diversity in my classes, with students ranging in age from 17 to 60+, male and female, married, single, divorced, parents, straight, gay, and a variety of skin tones, though many would only see black and white. Everyone gets along, and I’ve never seen any negative interactions. In fact, students seem to want to help each other. Still, I know that prejudice can be a touchy subject, and with an eclectic mix of students, I wasn’t sure what the responses would be. </span></span></div><br /><div><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-: EN-USfont-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">I opened with a passage from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It</i>, by Robert Fulghum:</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"></div></i></span><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">“It’s hard to judge without a lot more information. Oh sure, we go ahead and judge anyhow. But maybe, if judgment were suspended a bit more often, we would like us more.”</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Pointing out that “prejudice” is derived from “prejudge,” I focused early discussion on why and how we prejudge. People learn from their surroundings, others, and by expanding their boundaries to explore beyond their limitations. We rely on what we know to guide us through the unknown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Current understanding is applied to fit into the unknown – the proverbial square peg in a round hole. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">“Why do some people not like the dark?” I asked. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">“Because they are scared,” was the general response.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">“Why?”</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">“Because they don’t know what’s there.”</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I pointed out that the same bias applies to prejudice. We <em>prejudge</em> other people because we don’t know them. We apply what we DO know and use it against what we DON’T know because we are afraid of what we don’t understand.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The nods and smiles around the room let me know I had made a connection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The discussion continued, as will further installations in this blog to share some of the revelations from class.</span></p>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-55231082937767245762010-01-30T13:39:00.003-05:002010-01-30T14:12:04.517-05:00Metal Storm of DestructionWhen <a href="http://nobelprize.org/alfred_nobel/biographical/articles/life-work/index.html">Alfred Nobel </a>developed a way to control nitroglycerin for explosions, his intent was to make construction and blasting rock safer. He was a man with strong interest in social and peace-related issues and his invention of dynamite was intended to promote industry and progress - not as a giant step in the arms race. As a result, his fortune was used to begin the legacy of the Nobel Peace Prize.<br />I was reminded of Nobel's story upon learning of<a href="http://www.metalstorm.com/"> Metal Storm,</a> a company that is developing new technology in weapons systems. Their concept is impressive and powerful, as shown in the video below.<br />Radical idiots in other countries have proven the need for defense, so I don't question those necessary, yet loathsome, tools. However, I am terrified of this next generation of weaponry. I can only wonder what these devices can do in the wrong hands, and I question if they are in the right hands now. The term "boys and their toys" also comes to mind when I consider that no women are on the executive board of this company. Men like Nobel and <a href="http://www.mkgandhi.org/">Gandhi</a> head the list that proves men to be peaceful, yet it seems to take a great deal of testosterone to <em>develop destruction</em>. (Oxymoron intended!).<br />The U.S. Department of Defense may be ecstatic about the progress, but do they have the technology to defend our soldiers when these weapons are turned against our own forces - and do local police forces have the funding and know-how when these guns are in the hands of gang members and other criminals?<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TXECU3YKMfI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TXECU3YKMfI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-56830286792985471222010-01-18T21:29:00.003-05:002010-01-18T21:57:42.087-05:00Technical "Support"?God bless the technical support person that has common sense as well as knowledge of their product. I presume they are few and far between, leaving their jobs due to frustration with the multitudes of co-workers that have absolutely no sense at all. These imbeciles can’t find their way through a conversation, much less deal with the average person. Yet, the tone of their canned rhetoric often is demeaning or condescending.<br />My experience tonight was a carbon copy of prior encounters. The textbook I use to teach a community college course has an instructor’s companion site, and I was having trouble gaining access. To contact tech support online chat, a form must be completed that includes the ISBN for the book, the URL for the site and a statement of the problem. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3d8KMo35-3n59JwSueyePU6NKVx2VKmNwcsu-GYRMEqXLVMqKTGkryBSRYvp27RfB9GC7HQ_E0XcNWJa-3KYfkAjJkN5HGNvMRn7jIDORjLncZh215HHQuUwn80iFFF0sGBtNDzVEmbv/s1600-h/j0422412.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 162px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428279559737384178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3d8KMo35-3n59JwSueyePU6NKVx2VKmNwcsu-GYRMEqXLVMqKTGkryBSRYvp27RfB9GC7HQ_E0XcNWJa-3KYfkAjJkN5HGNvMRn7jIDORjLncZh215HHQuUwn80iFFF0sGBtNDzVEmbv/s320/j0422412.jpg" /></a><br />I stated that I was unable to access the instructor resources at xyz.com, giving the exact URL.<br />The conversation is self-explanatory, but I’ve added comments in parentheses:<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#00cccc;">You are now chatting with robert r</span><br /></em><span style="color:#66cccc;">robert r:</span> Thank you for contacting<em> (Name of Company)</em> Tech Support, my name is Robert. How may I help you tonight Iris?<br /><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> Hi Robert - I'm trying to go from the url and click on Instructor Resources but am getting an error code Perhaps I need to re-sign in but can't find the sign in screen either<br /><span style="color:#66cccc;">robert r:</span> May I ask what website you are trying to do this on? <em>(What happened to the info I just entered?)<br /></em><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> oh yes - let me get it again I had it on the form to fill out for chat ... just a sec<br /><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> http://(complete address) /ins_resources.html <em>(five minutes pass)<br /></em><span style="color:#66cccc;">robert r:</span> Thank you, just one second please. <em>(another five minutes)<br /></em><span style="color:#66cccc;">robert r:</span> May I ask what you are trying to access when you get to this page? <em>(And I filled out that stupid form because ...?)<br /></em><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> instructor resources<br /><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> the first thing on the center of the page <em>(tick tock tick tock … several more minutes)</em><br /><span style="color:#66cccc;">robert r:</span> Does it take you to a login page after you click that?<em> (Did I mention that I might need to sign in but there's no sign in prompt???)<br /></em><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> no i get an error message<br /><span style="color:#66cccc;">robert r:</span> What does the error say? <em>(Ok – you asked for it …)<br /></em><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> It says an error has occurred while processing your request. Contact technical support Error details: <em>(I sent about 20 lines of technical lingo)<br /></em><span style="color:#66cccc;">robert r:</span> Ok, Just one second please. <em>(10 minutes pass)<br /></em><span style="color:#66cccc;">robert r:</span> Have you cleared your cookies and cash from the computer?<br /><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> yes <em>(Stumped again, I suppose … another five minutes)<br /></em><span style="color:#66cccc;">robert r:</span> May I ask what web browser you are using?<br /><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> not sure - IE 7 or 8<em> (That was in that form, too!)<br /></em><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> I accessed the site earlier today without trouble<br /><span style="color:#33ffff;">robert r:</span> Have you tried to restart your computer since this problem started?<br /><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> no<br /><span style="color:#66cccc;">robert r:</span> Ok, go ahead and try to restart it. If it still having the same issue, you can chat back and ask for me and we can go from there.<br /><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Iris:</span> ok thanks<br /><br /><div>It seems rebooting is the universal cure-all. I don’t mind, but did he have to take 30 minutes to figure it out? And would someone please tell me what these folks are doing when the consumer is waiting? I used to give them the benefit of the doubt, thinking they must be juggling several calls at once.<br />Now, I think they must take coffee breaks, play solitaire, or yell, “Hey Stan … This lady has a problem and I can’t figure it out.” Stan then replies, “Tell her to reboot!” That’s a sure way to make a problem disappear! </div>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2009059542450764589.post-24656400135485320862010-01-17T10:03:00.004-05:002010-01-18T21:58:56.777-05:00Haitii profiteersWhile I acknowledge credit is a priviledge, the credit card companies also are in business for profit. Perhaps<a href="http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/20100117_Consumer_10_0__Consumer-protecting_credit_card_changes_afoot.html"> recent interest rate and policy changes </a>have them scrambling for creative ways to pull profits, but dipping into Haitian relief efforts is like making change from the church offering plate. With millions of dollars donated by credit card, a 3% transaction fee adds up quickly. Don't fall for the news that some card companies are waiving fees for specific charities - the lists are missing major groups such as <a href="http://doctorswithoutborders.org/">Doctors Without Borders</a>. Taking advantage of tragedy and goodwill is wrong. No one should profit from disaster. For more information, and to sign a petition, please visit <a href="http://pol.moveon.org/nofees/?r_by=18607-17295176-WJw6Akx&rc=mailto">http://pol.moveon.org/nofees/?r_by=18607-17295176-WJw6Akx&rc=mailto</a>.<br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://www.atmexperts.com/"><img title="Automated Teller Machines" border="0" alt="Automated Teller Machines" src="http://www.credit-card-logos.com/images/multiple_credit-card-logos-1/credit_card_logos_15.gif" width="176" height="35" /></a></p>Iris Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09493628773816626887noreply@blogger.com0