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A New Republican Platform for Voter Consideration
The Republican Party traditionally has held that individuals should have the greatest freedom compatible with the same freedom for others, and that they should assume primary responsibility for their own welfare and for the betterment of the community. The Federal Government should provide services needed by the community that cannot be provided by individuals. This includes protecting America from domestic and foreign threats to security, fostering and regulating economy and trade, maintaining a "safety net" for its citizens in health and income in times of trouble, and supporting research in areas in which private resources are inadequate, such as health, science, space and energy.
The Republican party should put forward a specific and coherent agenda in a constructive manner.
We offer the following platform in an attempt to address current issues in our society, in the hope that it might provide a framework around which Republicans can coalesce and move forward.
Before we enter the main critiquen of specific problems, it may be well to think about some common Republican views, and current public sentiments, that will have a huge impact on the coming elections.
--Republicans must emphasize our committment to "equal pay for equal work"
--Republicans must emphasize our committment to raising the Federal minimum wage to at least be above the poverty level, thus $12/hr.
--We must emphasize fixing the flaws in Obomacare, not simply repealing it. Outright repeal is very unpopoular, in the absence of a clear, better, well discussed and acceptable alternative, but contolling costs is understood as neccessary.
-=We need to show that "all lives matter" and that we support the rule of law, for citizens and police, and that we strongly support our police forces..
--The disparity in incomes in USA is a hugely important and vital topics on every person's mind, and an increase in tax
rates on high incomes makes good sense from every viewpoint, save one.
--We must avoid as unfeeling the idea of sending every illegal home, and develop a forward looking program for some groups of aliens including familes born here, and students, and at the same time a larger temporary worker program.
--We need to strongly support our military, and our veterans, and at the same time look for ways to cut huge chunks of waste out of the defense budget.
--We must recognize that some post high-school education has become a requirement for most jobs, and thus we must make state run colleges and universities available to all capable and serious students at minimal cost.
Updated last 1 May 2016
Foreign Policy | Energy Independence | Trade Policy and Domestic Manufacturing | Economic Recovery | Medical Care | National debt |Social Security | Immigration | Taxes | Identity | Illegal Drugs | Firearms | Abortion
Foreign Policy
The US must aim to hold its position in the world as a beacon for democracy and freedom. It must:
- Develop a coalition of democratic nations from around the world, and moderate Muslim individuals and nations, to together destroy ISIS, that is clearly a threat to all civilization
- Accept Near East refugees into USA with care, and support alternative proposals such as safe settlements in the mid-east until onflict in Syria stops, allowing refugees to return home.
- Provide arms and support to Ukraine as they attempt to fend off a Russian controlled invasion of their eastern provinces.
- Support legitimate democratically elected but fragile governments, and include Iraq, Afghanistan, and Egypt.
- Campaign against nuclear proliferation in hostile countries, and be prepared to stop it by force.
- Press for a two state agreement in Israel/Palestine , and withdraw all financial aid to both in case of failure.
- Recognize that Russia under Putin will continue to infiltrate, dominate, and partition neighboring countries until and unless he understands that our country and our friends will not allow this activity.
Energy Independence
The US government should:
- Develop wind, solar, water, or wave power, bio-diesel and any other energy sources, while recognizing they are will not soon provide the amount of non-polluting energy needed. Provide loan, guarantees, and tax incentives to the emerging companies. This is exactly what our major competitor for world market share, CHINA, is doing, and is the technique that allowed Chinese companies to dominate wind and solar energy in the past 3-5 years.
- Promote conservation methods in use of fossil fuels.
- Stimulate research on all "alternative energy" sources by preferential tax treatment, and a series of awards for original ideas or developments.
- Expand nuclear power generation, starting now.
- Develop sources of oil and natural gas in US territory in an environmentally responsible manner.
Trade Policy and Domestic Manufacturing
US manufacturing has been decimated by decades of poor policy and neglect. This has led to a decline in real US wages toward Third World levels. We must develop a national policy to rebuild ourmanufacturing base, and support the return of industries from abroad. Our economic life and in fact our entire social fabric depends on a re-industrialization of America. Without it we will end up with chronic high unemployment and low paying service jobs. Unfortunately this problem has been neglected by the current admistration for the last seven years, making the required changes even more urgent and difficult.
Governmental financial support helped families weather the recession, but does not provide income security for the future, and adds to the debt load consuming a quarter of federal income. We need jobs- but how, what kind and where?. Infrastructure repairs are important and provide termporary work, but will not provide the quantity or quality of jobs needed for the long term. The service economy, and the financial sector, provide jobs, and high income for a few persons, but relatively low wages for most workers in these sectors. They do not contribute broadly to national wealth. In contrast, manufacturing can generate good wages for the workers, and has until recently been the engine contributing to the improved economic status of the middle class during the past century.
We need to re-industrialize America. Wholesale transfer of factories and jobs abroad, has wiped out huge segments of our economy. We no longer lead in diesel locomotives or wind turbines, and do not manufacute a single camera, cellphone , or TV. Iphones were designed in California, but 100 million were built in China (to Apple's shame!). We need industry- especially manufacturing, which 10 years ago provided 25 % of jobs in America, and now provides less than 12%. Manufacturing and construction generate wealth for workers. Human and mechanical labor transform material of modest value (steel, aluminum, glass, oil, coal) into items of complexity and major value-- cars, airplanes, computers, solar panels). This process was the source of US economic success for decades, and remains so in Germany and China. We have lived on borrowed money for a decade, losing our factories, our jobs, our engineers, and even the skills needed to man the factories. We need a national program to bring industry back to America. This has to be industry producing the products we need today , and tomorrow. We must jump start the process, and get America citizens working again:
We need trade agreements that provide truly equal access, not agreements, for example, that limit our export of 15,000 automobiles to Korea, while allowing them to export 800,000 cars to the US each year.
2) We should demand that our trading partners compete from a fair base. In particular, it is not "fair" to have US workers compete with workers abroad whose effective compensation does not include the costly benefits mandated for our workers, including unemployment benefits, health care and disability insurance, retirement benefits, and extensive public educational facilities. For competition to be fair, we must insist on trade agreements that require employees of companies that export to the US to receive benefits that are functionally comparable to those provided for workers in the US. This means provision of educational, health care, retirement, disability, and unemployment benefits. Obviously "comparable" depends on the wage scale in the local economy. We can not legislate foreign wages. But we can at least make trade more "fair" by applying tariffs if trading partners do not provide employment benefits in the partner country that are proportion to those mandated in the US, and do not allow equal access to markets. This is not a foolish or impossible idea. We already have extensive agreements with other countries covering some aspects of fair labor practices built into our trade agreements.
3) We must also provide tax incentives for investment in businesses, and tax dis-incentives for sending jobs and factories abroad. This an absolutely crucial part of the "fix". We should help provide loans, loan guarantees, and tax incentives to emerging industries especially in areas such as energy and technology. It is great that Apple sells 20 million I-Pads, but consider that 100% of the production is done abroad. Industry, making useful things out of raw materials,is the ultimate source of wealth in any country. We have lost millions of jobs and tens of thousands of industrial facilities during the past 2-3 decades. Unless we reverse this trend we are doomed to a stagnant low level economy. Service jobs do not create wealth for the country, nor do financial businesses, although they create major wealth for a few people.
4) We must insist that policies making currencies artificially cheap (as currently in China) be eliminated.
5) We need to enforce anti-dumping regulations with tariffs, such as a recent 35% tariff on Chinese tauto tires.
6) We should promote a buy-American policy in private, institutional and public transactions, and institute a "Buy American" policy for all Local, State, and Federal governmental purchases, and financial support programs. For example, we have govermental support for solar panel installations (30% cost rebate). But increasingly panels are made in China, so government rebates go to the Chinese. And the new steel bridge from Oakland to San Francisco is being made in China, then floated in sections to the USA. Government subsidies help development of "wind farms", but the turbines are made abroad. How insane!.
7) We must intensify our efforts to improve our educational system, which will foster a corp of re-industrialization leaders who can help us compete in the 21st century. We must support training of skilled workers , engineers and scientists at all levels- vocational, college, and graduate school.
8) We must reduce government regulations, and stop governmental interference with industrial expansion. A classic example of such misguided action was the National Labor Relations Board attempt to stop Boeing from opening an airplane factory in So. Carolina.
9)-Provide economic relief to busineses by introducing FAIR competion with foriegn manufacturing, stopping the flood of federally mandated regulations, through loan guarantees, by giving tax credits for new hirings, and many other ways.
10) Begin a serious policy of returning appropriately selected illegal immigrants to their home country. Obviously such a policy needs to pay attention to years residence in this country, family structure, education and other factors, to be humane and broadly applicable, and provide a route to citizenship. We have between 10 and 20 million unemployed or under-employed American citizens, and we have 11 million or more illegal immigrants working in this country. It is not sensible to pay unemployment and other assistance to our citizens, while illegal immigrant are paid under the table to do their work. Alabama's recently instituted law, as reported in the NYTimes, caused many illegal farm workers to leave. And hundreds of US citizens lined up for the jobs!
The "MINIMUM" WAGE
The minimum wage certainly lives up to its name. $7/hr becomes $280/week or $14,000 for a years (2000 hrs) work, and puts the worker well below the Federally determined poverty level of $24,000 for a single person. Cleary it does not pay to work, when welfare benefits including cash payments, Food Stamps, public housing, and medical benefits in total can exceed (especially for a family) the income from a minimal wage.
We must gradually and progressively increase the mimum wage to at least $12/hr for all employees who have held a position for >6 months ( to allow for a training period, if needed). This increased cost will be passed on to the consumer of the service/output, but there is widespread agreement that this is fair. It has been estimated that his increase would end up with a McDonald hamburger costing $0.05 more. An increase in minimum wage should also be indexed to inflation, just as Social Security payments, and with equal or greater justification. It also will, along with higher taxes on huge incomes, serve to redress in part the current tremendous disparity between the top and bottom income segments of our society. And as another important benefit, it will help prevent a major present abuse in our society. Huge numbers of illegal immigrants work in the "gray economy", with low wages and no benefits and paying no taxes, but basically competing unfairly with citizens who should have these jobs, and should earn a fair wage.
A related and complicated problem is to address thoughtfully the relation of welfare benefits, and corresonding responsibilities, to the minimuum wage. It seems both logical and fair that the total of welfare benfits for one individual should equal less than earnings from the minimal wage, in order to favor employment. What are the total fair benefits for a family, including 2 adults and children? This conundrum is discussed in another section.
Economic Recovery (See also National Debt)
We should:
- Extend re-training benefits.
- Support job creation through loan guarantees, tax relief and grants in crucial areas such a solar and wind energy, and fuel-efficient transportation. This stimulation of private enterprise is the most important issue.
- increase support for education as a route to an industrious, competitive and inventive citizenry. Lower or eliiminate tuition at state colleges and universities.
- Provide relief to home owners with mortgage delinquency.
- Allow banks and other financial institutions that created toxic assets to fail, in contrast to programs which reward many of these companies with huge tax-payer subsidies.
- Develop legislation that would limit the size of major banks, and grow many smaller competitors, so that failure of a single large bank will not threaten our entire economy.
- Prohibit banks from both lending funds, and trading in securities for their profit. This was the most direct problem leading to the recent fiscal collapse.
- Develop legislation that will inhibit banks from taking excessive risk when that is backed up by taxpayer dollars, or from providing excessive salaries to top officers.
- We should alter current policies that allow financial institutions to borrow public funds at near zero interest, and hord the cash, or loan at 5% or more.
Medical Care (for more on "Medical Reform")
Our current "Health Care System" costs twice as much as in almost every other country,and does not cover the total population. The Obamacare law corrects a few problems, which is to its credit, but will surely add tremendous new expenses, despite all denials (and as already apparrent). If we really want to control and reduce health care costs, in order to free up some needed funds for other vital areas such as education, environment, and infrastructure, we may ultimately need to go to a "single payer" model as in Canada, but clearly the vast majority of USA voters do not currently favor this approach. Real reform may come, but for now several changes can greatly improve health care provision in general, and Obamacare in particular:
The most important single issue is to control costs through dramatic revision of Medicare fee schedules, which largely set the scale for all of physician practice, hospital care, and pharmaceuticals. Hospital charges are inflated several hundred percent. Currently medical fees to physicians allow incomes of multiple millions for proceedure oriented surgeons and radiologists. Reimbursement schedules that allow hospital CEOs and CEOs of medical insurance companies to gain multi-million salaries clearly end up costing patients more for medical care. We need to increase pay to internists, pediatricians and family practitioners who are currently underpaid, leading to a nationwide shortage in their ranks. Fund this primarily by decreasing pay to specialists and for procedures. This change is crucial if we are to have any hope of reviving family practice, and controlling costs. If we are ever to control costs within the current system, this the "ground zero" place to start.
- Consider treating medical insurance companies like utilities, with state-set rates allowing review of expenses and a reasonable but narrow profit margin. This model works effectively in Holland and Germany.
- Promote group practices or cooperatives providing comprehensive care on a capitation basis with salaried physicians. That is, move away from the strictly "fee for service" structure. It is entirely uncertain that this reduce health care costs, but it may promote better medical care.
- If a US "Public Option" medical plan is set up, make it honestly competitive with private companies, without government subsidies to the plan.
- Tax health benefits given as part of compensation, to equalize treatment of individuals who must buy their own health insurance.
- Support a "personally mandated" health insurance program, with subsidies for low income individuals. To date this idea has survived constitutional challenge. However almost the same response could be obtained, for instance, by offering participation in these subsidized insurance schemes on a "sign up only at one time of the year" approach, so that individuals who decide not to participate can not sign up "on the way to the hospital".
- Have competitive bids for drugs under Medicare.
- Support improved Information Technology in doctor's offices, which may not save money, but may assist patients and doctors in providing more comprehensive care.
- The current approach to medical malpractice litigation ends up being a financial bonanza for many un-scrupulous lawyers, and may inflate medical expenses by 10-12%. One logical change would be to have fair and honest malpractice awards to compensate for damages set by arbitation panels, and completely eliminate punitive award payments to patients. Any punitive award, in medical malpractice actions, should be a governmental action with the award going to the state. Punishing another person is correctly a matter of state or federal law, not private civil legal action
- Eliminate excess payments for out of hospital, home-care and home services, which have been abused and are vastly too costly. Use competitive bidding among providers, publicize payment scales, and scale back current payment levels.
- Stop disability payments for alcohol and /drug abuse, and stiffen the disability review system. The recent quadrupling of awarded disability benefits, coming with the recession. suggests the criteria for disability have been altered, changing the disability program into a pseudo-welfare program.
Social Security
There are fairly modest and reasonable changes that can make Social Security program viable well into the future.
- Gradually increase age requirement for partial (age 63)and full (age 67) SS payments.
- Assess SS tax on total income, not just the first $90,000, with a reduction in the basic tax rate, if possible, because of this change.
- Offer the opportunity to invest 10-20 % of SS benefits in a government sponsored IRA. Although derided by Democrats, this proposal is clearly logical since it offers a higher rate of return on a portion of the mandatory 7% of wages currently going to SS, does not damage the "safety net", and offers the chance for all employed persons the option of providing some support for descendants on death (in contrast to SS).
We must have immigration reform now, not one year or ten years from now.
- There is no blanket "right" to immigrate. The US must determine the number of immigrants offered an opportunity to come to the US each year, based on social, humanitarian, and economic criteria that Congress sets. We currently allow 400,000 legal immigrants each year.
- Continue the drive to stop illegal immigration by a non-porous border.
- Enforce laws against employment of illegal immigrants.
- Provide limited short stay work certificates for specific employment.
- Withhold welfare, sickness, or educational benefits unless the individual is here legally and has applied for citizenship.
- Provide a route to citizenship for illegal aliens who have been in the USA some specific period without legal offense, aliens with children born here, and students in high-school and college who maintain academic standing.
- Return other illegal aliens, especially lawbreakers/felons to their home country.
- Review regulations regarding "family member" immigration in the light of fairness and overall immigration policy.
Taxes (see also "Is a $50 million bonus too much"
- Make the income tax much more "progressive", with rates increasing above current limits beginning at $500,000, and escalating in stages to 70% tax for income over $5,000,000.
- Tax health benefits given as part of employment, to equalize treatment of others who do not get this exemption.
- HIgher tax rates on very high incomes may not generate great income for the government, but will produce a more "fair" society, an even more important outcome. It is possible that a tax on wealth (in contrast to just income) will be needed to re-equilibrate the enormous income disparities in our society. For this moment, it is sufficient to start with a much more progressive income tax.
Anonymity facilitates crime and raises problems for law enforcement.
- Require an federal or state-issued ID Card for all persons, with picture, thumb print, and citizenship status. Consider how easily we accomplish this with drivers licenses.
Illegal Drugs
- Develop a public moral/health campaign against the use of all illegal drugs, as we did for smoking. This needs to be presented and championed by our national, state and local leaders
- Stop further legalization of marijuana, which is clearly a social "first step" to widening the use of all illegal drugs. "Medical marijuan" is a sad and dangerous joke. For example, there are now an estimated 400,000 people certified by "doctors" in California to need medical marijuana to help their pain. A large variety of legal medications, included prescrition THC, are available if truly needed to manage pain and other illnesses.
- Provide one time free withdrawal programs for alcohol, drug and narcotic addiction.
- Disallow disability payments based on alcohol or drug addiction.
- Prohibit the sale of all automatic weapons and large bore guns.
- Allow rifles and handguns, based on a police certificate, available to any responsible citizen with a "clean" record.
- Promote conception avoidance, since no one is truly in favor of abortion as a means of contraception.
- Prohibit late (third) term abortion except in case of fetal abnormality, rape, or certain physical danger to the mother.
We currently hear much about "rights', specifically in relation to health care. 'Everyone has a right to health care". But it an interesting to consider where and how one acquires such "rights", and whether a "right" carries any responsibility on the part of the recipient.-
What is a right? Maybe we can define a right as the (presumably) non-alienable and un-impeded opportunity granted by some more powerful entity to an individual, or agreed upon by two independent entities, to behave in a certain manner, or to receive a certain benefit.
Our constitution states that we each have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The concept is, I believe, that these are innate rights of every citizen of this country (and leaves unanswered the rights of people outside of the USA) . These rights were not granted by our government, since the presumption was that these rights existed before the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, and were the philosophical basis for separating our territory from rule by England. Perhaps this means the particular rights were granted by God to each of us for being a member of the human race, or at least the part of it living in the area of the Colonies. In general the source of these basic rights is usually not examined in detail. And we should note that these rights have very distinct limitations. For example, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are limited by not interfering with the similar rights of other members of his society.
We also have a set of "universal: rights defined in our constitution and Bill or Rights;- to worship as we please, to have a private home, habeas corpus, the right to bear arms, to assemble, due process before the law. These are contractual rights, established and accepted by mutual agreement between the citizens, and the government the citizens establishing in 1776, that give freedom to behave in certain ways. The rights described so far do not require any specific action by the recipient, except that enjoyment of the right must be within the law, and must not interfere with the similar rights of others.
Beyond these basic rights we enter an equally important and often more controversial set of rights, bestowed by the government on its citizens, through the process of democratic action. These "rights' are qualitatively different from those described above. The rights described in our constitution and Bill of Rights have to do with guaranteeing our freedom. The next set of rights involve the legally mandated transfer of goods and property from citizens deemed to have more than is necessary, to other citizens who are deemed to have less. We have the right to Social Security payments, if we have been employed and paid in a proportion of our wages to support the system. Each worker, and his/her married partner, has the right to medical insurance (Medicare) upon reaching age 62-65. If we have no other source of financial support and give up most assets other than our home, we receive the right to another form of medical insurance (Medicaid). If we are without means of self support (as defined by law) and disabled (as defined by law), we are entitled to Disability assistance. And if we are without means of personal support, we can also qualify for Welfare aid (and food via Food Stamps) for an established period of time or indefinitely. Currently another right is established, the right of every citizen to have medical insurance, paid for by the government if necessary. And there are many, many other special programs that assist children, blind persons, people who have home mortgages, veterans, the mentally handicapped, etc.
All of these programs, now "Rights" by common acceptance, have been enacted by our representative government, since the body politic believed that it was correct for the government (acting on our behalf) to help citizens in need. Before about 1934 individuals in need traditionally received aid from churches, private philanthropy, and dozens of helping organizations. Because the felt need was so great, because of the desire to make the burden fall "equally" on all, and to make the assistance more uniform, the benefits have gradually become the responsibility of Federal, State, and Local government.
Clearly these rights are not assumed to be granted by God, and they are not agreements set up the original contract between the citizens and the government. They involve decisions mandated by the majority, acting via government, requiring transfers of goods and money from those who have some, to others who have less. These are not generally construed to be innate "rights" in the sense of being an intrinsic part of being a human. These are rights only in the sense that they have been deemed to be rights by our government. This is not to say the programs are morally wrong. In fact the vast majority of citizens probably believe that most, or all, of these transfer payments are appropriate, as an expression of our collective desire to help people less fortunate.
The question needing discussion is whether and to what extent these "rights" should carry some responsibility for actions on the part of the recipient. Do, or should, these rights carry an implied or real obligation on the recipient? We have in some areas already accepted this sort of "contract". Unemployed individuals who are able to work were required to seek employment (until this rule was abandoned by recent executive order), and their aid is for a limited period. Social security requires paying in, and benefits have some proportionality to prior contributions.
Beyond these areas the situation becomes murky, and raising questions can be interpreted as having an unfair and punitive intent. But for example, should a woman on Medicaid be eligible for fertility treatment? Should a woman on Medicaid and receiving welfare payments receive more support if she has additional children? Should the fathers of children receiving medical and/or financial aid be identified, as a requisite for receiving aid, and be required to provide support? Should provision of free medical care include an agreement with the recipient to combat obesity and avoid illegal drug use? Should purchases using food stamps be absolutely restricted to an approved list of food items that are logical for nutritional support, and not for snack foods, sweetened beverages and cigarettes? Should disability payments be made for drug or alcohol addiction? Should individuals in jail be required to do manual labor or attend school? Should all individuals who receive welfare be required to provide community service , or attend school, if not employed?
These questions arise because our government-administered welfare system obligates transfer of money from some working people, who often may have a good use for their earnings, to others who are for some reason unable or unwilling to hold a job. While the general concept of the welfare programs is supported by most all citizens, there is also concern about possible abuse. The questions raised are not intended as a general attack on welfare programs. Rather the idea is to promote the concept that these "rights" should come with recognized responsibilities, especially when the "right" involves transfer of funds from one citizen to another.
Is the premise reasonable, or unreasonable, or punitive, or foolish? Should there be recognized and agreed upon obligations on the part of the grantees? If so, regarding which "rights", and what should be the obligations? Should these obligations/responsibilities be defined by government? How should the "obligations" be monitored? Admittedly this discussion raises issues and fails to provide answers. But just recognizing that these are serious issues in need of discussion is a start.


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Sun Feb 26, 2012, 06:20 PM
Lex (34,105 posts)
Just curious--did you grow up in a house full of various books
and magazines and newspapers? I did, mostly because my mother was a high school and middle school English teacher so there were books her class was reading at the time. Plus, she just plain loved to read so there were always books and magazines about. Not cluttered, but plenty of things to read always. She even had several boxes of books in the attic from her high school and college days and she always let me go up there and see if I found any of those books interesting. I would bring those down to read (Great Expectations, Gone With the Wind, Robinson Crusoe, etc.) and I saw her handwriting and the notes she made to herself in her literature classes as a student. And we went to the library regularly too since as far back as i can remember as a child. I was very lucky in this way.
It still always seems weird to walk into someone's home and see no books on the shelves whatsoever. No magazines folded over where someone is in the middle of reading an article. So unlike how I grew up, or my own home now.
17 replies, 6532 views
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Response to Lex (Original post)
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 06:32 PM
ret5hd (13,650 posts)
1. growing up we had lots of books, and, now grown, i still do.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 06:41 PM
NRaleighLiberal (48,433 posts)
2. Not really - it was me who brought the books into the house (via library) and eventually, purchase.
My dad was not a reader at all, and my mom not much of one. They always wondered where I came from!
Not only books, but music - listening, then playing.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 06:51 PM
MaineDem (18,161 posts)
3. We always had lots of books around
I had one uncle who always gave me a book as Christmas and birthday presents. I hated it at the time, especially when I was really young, but I have most of those books still and I'm thankful for the world that they opened to me.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 07:42 PM
Curmudgeoness (18,219 posts)
4. We always had them too.
My mom was a stay-at-home housewife, and she loved reading, especially novels. My father worked in a mill, and I never saw him read a book, but he was an avid newspaper and magazine reader. There are not a lot of books visible at my house (the same one I grew up in), but the bedrooms have built-in bookcases, as does the basement.
My mother read to us at bedtime every night from as far back as my memory goes. My mom told me that she got to the point where she hated Goldilocks and the Three Bears because I wanted to hear it every night. I remember we had a subscription to some young readers hardback books with several stories in each book. My favorite story was Penny and the Horse, and my sister's fav was The Man Who Never Washed His Dishes.
We also always went to the library when I got older. I loved our old library, in a grand old building with spiral staircase and that smell. I still feel like our new one is inferior, although I still go there all the time.
I cannot imagine what it would have been like if there were no books around me when I was growing up.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 07:56 PM
zbdent (35,392 posts)
5. I read whatever I could get my hands on ...
but when it came to newspapers/magazines, we were out in the rural area, so you had, essentially, two newspapers - 1st was the daily, which eventually was bought out by Scaife (Valley News Dispatch), and on Sunday you got the Pittsburgh Press.
Found in the basement some older books, including one that introduced me to Norse mythology (and other stories) ... the tale of Thor and Loki getting lost, and having to face challenges from some "hosts". Rather interesting.
But the library was about 5 miles away, so that was a luxury.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 07:58 PM
Arkansas Granny (24,627 posts)
6. I don't remember that we actually owned very many books, but we read
library books and a few magazines that my mother subscribed to. We had access to a small school library (in a 1 - 2 room rural schoolhouse), the bookmobile that came by every two weeks or so (I always checked out as many as they would let me have) and sometimes we would go to the big library in town. We were encouraged to read and got lots of practice reading to my dad, who was blind. He had great curiosity and interests, so by reading to him we were exposed to a lot of ideas that we might not ordinarily encounter.
When I had children, I bought books for them and read to them from the time they could sit up in my lap and listen. Their reading skills and comprehension were always several grades above their current grade levels. In turn, they have encouraged their children to read with similar results. My grandson who just turned 5 taught himself to read after my son and dil told him what sounds the letters make when they taught him the alphbet. He reads books on his own and is able to sound out some pretty difficult words.
A couple of years ago I bought a Kindle. Oh, happy day! To have access to thousands of books, newspapers and magazines right there at my fingertips, any time of the day or night, is definitely a luxury.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 09:00 PM
Little Star (17,051 posts)
7. Nope! Not unless you call....
Last edited Mon Feb 27, 2012, 06:04 PM - Edit history (1)
religious propaganda books, magazines and newspapers. Then yes I would have grown up in a house over-flowing.
It's a long sad story that ended long ago so I won't go into it. But I will say that even to this day, especially when I hear how others were encouraged to read actual books, magazines and newspapers, I feel cheated. At the same time, I'm glad that others were not stunted in the way my sister and I were and that's good to hear about!
I did sneak off to the library which was just up the street when I was old enough to walk there alone. But I basically started my real love for reading when I was a young married mother and I started with Harlequin romance novels then came true crime, then some more non-fiction. I eventually developed a love for fiction, mostly mystery and their subgenre cozy mysteries, suspense and a few westerns. I still do enjoy some non-fiction occasionally.
Response to Little Star (Reply #7)
Tue Feb 28, 2012, 11:57 AM
fadedrose (10,044 posts)
15. LS, you stole my childhood
The why's of why I feel cheated are too numerous to mention. Didn't even have a lot of religious junk - I had to memorize that from hearing it.
At 11 we moved into a house that had books in the bookcase - my very first experince with books and it was love at first sight. Robinson Crusoe will always be my best buddy...
In 4th grade, switched schools and the nuns "made" us go "way up" to the library thru the cemetary. What fun that was. Loved the books, the library and enjoyed doing book reports. My mother thought books were a waste of time and electricity.
rip mother
Lex, you know how some guys don't like to talk about their war experiences. For some of us, it's childhood.
Response to fadedrose (Reply #15)
Tue Feb 28, 2012, 02:07 PM
Little Star (17,051 posts)
17. Yes Rose, your point to Lex is a good one. For some of us it's childhood....
Some parts of my childhood I wouldn't change for the world. Other parts, not so much.
My mother thought books were a waste of time and she thought education was too. She held the firm belief that armageddon would be upon us very soon and this wicked world would be no more. I now just accept that she was brainwashed and her neglect of such important things were due to that. I love her and feel sorry for her. Oh well....
I also loved doing book reports! Thank gawd for mandatory school for children! It saved me and gave me some skills I never would have got at home.
btw: I made reading a priority in my house and my grown children automatically did it too with my grandchildren. All's well that ends well.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 10:11 PM
Lydia Leftcoast (48,217 posts)
8. Oh yes, I come from a long line of people (going back at least to my
maternal great-grandmother) who simply must read before falling asleep.
My father always had tons and tons of books, one ton, mostly theology and church history, in his office at the church (he was a Lutheran pastor) and another couple of tons at home. He especially liked to buy the Time-Life series on science and American history, the Horizon books on world history, and the National Geographic books about nature, history, and anthropology.
Both my parents had been schoolteachers at one point, and the year that I was in kindergarten, I was sick a lot, so they taught me to read so that I could amuse myself. I never stopped.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 11:12 PM
applegrove (88,759 posts)
9. Non fiction in the bookcases. Magazines & newspapers everywhere. We were not big talkers in our
family. Going up to the cottage mostly meant sitting around reading... but in a nice cottage setting.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Mon Feb 27, 2012, 06:55 AM
Chemisse (28,450 posts)
10. We had a few books, but never enough.
I was often desperate for reading material, and I read everything I could get my hands on.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Mon Feb 27, 2012, 08:27 PM
dixiegrrrrl (57,697 posts)
11. I read from the age of 5, I have been told
but most of the "good" books were in my grandmother's house, where I lived off and on for many years.
She had all the classics of the time, I read every one.
I remember she had a gigantic Mirriam Webster dictionary on a stand and I used to spend hours looking up words.
I have the same kind of dictionary in my house today, 2nd edition, on a swivel oak stand, I cherish it.
In my mother's house was mostly Reader's Digest type books,
but I had easy access to the town library and was SO frustrated by their 3 book limit!
When my children were born, I read to them starting at 18 months, and they grew into avid readers.
I still consider that the most important gift I could have given them, and so do they.
My house today is overflowing with books in several rooms, plus on the Nook, plus hundreds of e-books on several discs.
No way will i live long enough to read them all, but I sure save time by not having to go to the library!
Response to Lex (Original post)
Mon Feb 27, 2012, 11:18 PM
SheilaT (23,156 posts)
12. We didn't have a whole lot of books
when I was growing up, but then in the 1950's people simply didn't own as many books as now.
My older brother belonged to the Science-Fiction Book Club back then, and I used to sneak the s-f books off his shelf to read. We did have a set of The Book House Books, which most people have never heard of, but were really quite a wonderful thing for that day. Volume 1 was basically nursery rhymes, Volume 2 simple stories and so on, until Volume 12 was fairly serious literature.
Once I learned to read, I got a library card, and in first grade I'd go to the library after school and take a later public bus home. This was in Utica, NY, the wonderful Carnegie Library that's still there. The library has remained an important part of my life ever since.
My mother was very good about reading to us, and I read to my kids from early infancy. Both of them are avid readers as adults.
Response to Lex (Original post)
SheilaT This message was self-deleted by its author.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Tue Feb 28, 2012, 11:50 AM
seabeyond (110,159 posts)
14. five people in the house. i was the only reader.
eating breakfast, i would have to read cereal box. i read. the only books were the occassional ones parents picked up, and my books. lots of books.
now i am in a family of four. we are all readers. our hosue is overflowing with books. books are much appreciated gifts. from the time kids were babies.
Response to Lex (Original post)
Tue Feb 28, 2012, 12:26 PM
Lex (34,105 posts)
16. I'm loving reading all your responses!

subset: commoncrawl


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January 1 – 7: 2nd Week of Christmas
Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God + St. Zdislava Berka + St. Elizabeth Ann Seton + St. John Neumann + St. André Bessette
Get MISSION:CHRISTIAN for January as a PDF download for daily missions and live links to readings, saint biographies, and other resources. Or pre-order Volume 3 (February – May) now to make sure you get it in time.
May your children fall asleep before midnight, and may God bless your family abundantly in 2017. Happy New Year, everyone!
Reflect on the old year, look ahead to the new. Use our handy-dandy worksheet for doing a little "examen" of 2016 with your family . . . and look forward to what you want to accomplish spiritually in 2017.
Pray in the New Year. Pray the "Prayer for the New Year" with your family on New Year's Day.
Read Pope Francis's message for the 50th World Day of Peace. It's titled "Nonviolence: A Style of Politics for Peace," and you can find it at the Vatican website. Read it in advance and digest the main points for your kids, or find any number of summaries online by searching the title in your favorite search engine.
Visit Poverty USA. The U.S, Catholic bishops have made a big investment in trying to help out the 1 in 6 Americans who live in Poverty USA. Educate your kids about poverty and find out what you can do to help at the Poverty Awareness Month page, where you can download a PDF calendar full of activities to observe the month; and at Poverty USA, where you can find stories of hope, explore an interactive county-level map, take a tour of Poverty USA, and find out what your family can do.
Observe the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother Of God by praying the Magnificat and by downloading our free coloring page (the first piece we're publishing from fourteen-year-old Maria!).
Be amazed. That's what the shepherds were after seeing the infant whose coming the angel had announced to them. Check out more about this week's readings with Jen Schlameuss-Perry in Breaking Open the Word at Home.
Imagine us dressed in a red Santa hat, ringing a bell. Now, imagine dropping a coin into Peanut Butter & Grace's little red kettle. (Thanks!)
Liturgical Training Publications' Year of Grace 2017 Liturgical Calendar, available from the publisher or on Amazon. We're a little late with this one, since the liturgical year began with Advent . . . but this is such a great visual aid for teaching kids about the liturgical year, it's worth getting a little late. This 26-inch square calendar comes in a plain paper format ($8) or laminated ($16). The liturgical year is presented in a very visually appealing, circular format, with art at the center and in the corners. Here's the catalog description: "LTP's circular display of the liturgical year makes its key features easily understandable. Everyone can see at a glance the liturgical seasons in their characteristic colors, Sundays on the outer rim, and the days and weeks radiating from the center, where the artist has portrayed John baptizing Jesus and the Holy Spirit descending."
St. Zdislava Berka (Monday), Zdislava ran away from home at the age of seven to become a hermit in the woods, but was caught. Later, she was forced to marry a count. She had four children, attended Mass regularly, and while her husband was away at war, she opened up their fortified castle to refugees. The count didn't always like her generosity; when he chased a sick man out of his bed, Zdlislava sold the bed and put a crucifix in its place. The count never complained again!
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Wednesday), who said: "Cheerfulness prepares a glorious mind for all the noblest acts." Elizabeth (1774-1821) grew up in high society in New York City, but
when her wealthy husband died, she completely changed her life. She joined the Catholic Church, which led to her rejection by friends and family. After taking care of her children, she began a new religious order that started the first Catholic schools in the U.S. Her story is a reminder that the lives of Christians—even (and especially) the saints—are not any easier than anyone else's: After her conversion, "Elizabeth's close relatives chose to forget that they had ever known her and would not lend her money or help her pay her bills," the Catholic Community of St. Elzabeth Ann Seton in Plano, Texas, tells us. "Elizabeth was now a destitute widow with no means to care for her children. It was almost impossible to make ends meet. The bills were piling up. Elizabeth had to work night and day to make a simple living for her children. She started a school, but that soon closed when students would not come to class simply because their teacher was a Catholic. Elizabeth was seriously thinking about moving her family to Canada, where she hoped life would be easier. Fortunately, Elizabeth did not have to make that move. A priest in Baltimore, Maryland learned of Elizabeth's plight and invited her to begin a girls' school in that city." Pretty amazing that she could remain cheerful in the face of such adversity! By the way, Elizabeth had three reasons for becoming Catholic: 1. Jesus' real, physical presence in the Eucharist. 2. Devotion to Mary. 3. The Catholic Church's direct, historical connection to Jesus and the apostles.
St. John Neumann (Thursday), the Bohemian who came to the United States in 1836 to minister to immigrant Catholics. He eventually became the bishop of Philadelphia and began a network of Catholic schools. He said: "Everyone who breathes has a mission, has a work. God sees every one of us; He creates every soul, . . . for a purpose. He deigns to need every one of us. As Christ has His work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we must
rejoice in ours also."
St. André Bessette (Saturday), the doorman at Notre Dame College in Montreal. There,
he welcomed people, listened to their problems, and prayed for them. He became so well
known for curing people of sickness that thousands of pilgrims flocked to his door.
- Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God (Jan 1)
- World Day of Peace (Jan 1)
- Poverty Awareness Month (January)
- Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (Jan 8)
- National Migration Week (Jan 8 – 14)
- Baptism of the Lord (Jan 9)
To be true followers of Jesus today also includes embracing his teaching about nonviolence. As my predecessor Benedict XVI observed, that teaching "is realistic because it takes into account that in the world there is too much violence, too much injustice, and therefore that this situation cannot be overcome except by countering it with more love, with more goodness. This 'more' comes from God".[4] He went on to stress that: "For Christians, nonviolence is not merely tactical behaviour but a person's way of being, the attitude of one who is so convinced of God's love and power that he or she is not afraid to tackle evil with the weapons of love and truth alone. Love of one's enemy constitutes the nucleus of the 'Christian revolution'".
—Pope Francis, in his message for the 2017 World Day of Peace
Get more peanut butter! Get more grace! Join us on Facebook @peanutbutterandgrace and on Pinterest.
Pre-order MISSION:CHRISTIAN Volume 3 (February – May) now! Pre-ordering helps us know how many books to print, and ensures that you'll get your copies on time.


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Our Builds
Feel free to explore some of our past projects. We have detailed a lot of our design decisions and build process from our work and posted them here on our website to give potential customers an in depth look at the quality of our work. Feel free to reference these examples when consulting with our designers and developers.


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The Santa Fe Trail was a route from Franklin, Missouri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mexican traders created the trail in 1821. The 900-mile trail remained in use until 1880, when the expansion of railroads made the trail obsolete.
Although the Santa Fe Trail was established by Mexican traders, Americans were quick to use the route for trade and other purposes. Americans who wanted to claim free land on the frontier sometimes used this trail when traveling west. In 1846, the U.S. Army used the route during the Mexican-American War. As a result of the war, the United States expanded into what is now known as the Southwest, and the Santa Fe Trail helped connect the new territory to the rest of the country.
During the 1860s and 1870s, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a railroad that ran parallel to part of the Santa Fe Trail. The trail ceased to be major trade route. With the advent of automobiles, the trail was paved. Today, U.S. Routes 24 and 56 include portions of the Santa Fe Trail.
Parts of the Santa Fe Trail are on the National Register for Historic Places while another section is a National Historic Landmark. The Santa Fe Trail Association works to preserve the trail and its landmarks.


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Omg! This car was SO cute! Darlene wanted one SO badly. Never mind that it was so small you couldn't fit so much as a suitcase or a even a large watermelon in it, it was undeniably adorable. Never mind that she'd never be able to afford such a well-kept vintage car, she wanted it. WANTED it. How could you not want this little ray of vehicular sunshine? It was SOOO cute!!!
The H-Less Wonder Goes to the Washington Auto Show: Vintage Fiat Edition5 02 2011
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: classic cars, fiat, humor, photography, rabbits, washington auto show, yellow
Categories : Darlene
It'll Grow Out Eventually8 12 2010
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: dogs, fail, hair care, humor, new look, rabbits, salon style
Categories : Darlene, Puppy
And The Lobster's Red Glare…4 07 2010
Happy Fourth of July from the H-Less wonder! Sadly, this is the only combination of red, white and blue we could come up with.
Comments : 1 Comment »
Categories : Darlene, Laurent St. Bisque, The Hippo Kids
Boogerface17 05 2010
Darlene had spent the entire day lying on the couch blowing her nose and watching reruns of Desperate Housewives on Lifetime. She hated being sick (doesn't everyone), but she was especially peeved about all the nose-blowing. Her nostils were beginning to chafe (those tissues with lotion and aloe made it less bad, but didn't eliminate the problem entirely), and she really had to wonder where all the snot came from. No matter how many times she blew out her sinuses, two minutes later there was more snot. She had to have blown out an entire head's worth of the stuff by now. Gross.
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: bunnies, kimberly-clark
Categories : Darlene
In The Doghouse, Unknowingly9 03 2010
Lucky couldn't figure out why this date night was not turning out as he had hoped. He thought he had planned this evening so well, with the wine, the flowers and the roaring fireplace. This was supposed to be every girl's dream of romance, wasn't it? Darlene was stewing silently though, angry that Lucky had forgotten her birthday last week. If he couldn't figure out why she was mad, she definitely wasn't going to tell him. She was going to make him suffer. She'd let him wallow in insecurity for at least another week before forgiving him.
Comments : 2 Comments »
Categories : Darlene, Lucky
No Love In This Elevator24 02 2010
Pinky lived on the second floor of a ten-story apartment building. There was an unspoken rule that anyone who lived on the second or third floors should take the stairs, leaving the elevator free for those who lived higher. Any second- or third-floor tenant who rode with an upper-floor tenant risked dirty looks when exiting the elevator, because the higher-ups didn't like the delay in their ride. So when Pinky brought her friends over one evening and didn't see anyone else waiting for the elevator, she took the opportunity to be lazy and catch a rare ride up one floor. Unfortunately, it seemed that elevator karma had given her a swift kick in the ass, as they just happened to get stuck between the first and second floors. They'd been stuck for 45 minutes so far, and tensions were running high. Darlene really had to go to the bathroom, and Ellie was beginning to succumb to an attack of severe claustrophobia. Plus, Pinky was afraid that when they finally did get out, her upper-floor neighbors would discover that she was the source of the elevator hold-up and unforgivingly shun her at the apartment pool parties come summer.
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Categories : Darlene, Ellie, Pinky Tuskadero
Stop Me If I Start To Turn Orange15 01 2010
Darlene wondered why in the world she should pay top dollar to go to some fancy-schmancy tanning salon when she had a perfectly practical and cheap option at home. She was just using the light, though. She wasn't going to pull a Sylvia Plath or any nonsense like that.
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Categories : Darlene


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Quick: what do you remember about the last three ads you saw or heard? Can you even remember the companies or what they were trying to sell? When I think about how successful a business is in attempting to sell to me, I've found that most times, I don't have a very good memory about the business itself. Whether it's that I am distracted, or just not immediately drawn to whatever good or service is being advertised, nothing is setting these businesses apart from their competitors. Therefore, my brain skips over the ad, and the company's message is lost in translation.
But, I've noticed that those few ads that really pique my interest have one thing in common: the advertisers plainly, frequently, and often humorously, share how I can reach them if I want to know more. Even more interestingly, this is often done through sharing one small (but important!) piece of information: their toll-free numbers.
Easy, right? And effective, too! Here's why using a toll-free number means business:
1. Toll-free numbers grab—and keep—your customers' attention.
Do you remember the opera-singing Vikings who demanded, "It's my money, and I need it now!" If you've seen this ad, then you're probably humming the tune right now. Or, maybe you don't know what I'm talking about; if not, check out this video, but beware: it may be stuck in your head for weeks to come!
It's for a firm called J.G. Wentworth, and the entire gist of the spot is to point their core customer group to calling their toll-free number. According to financial analyst Lance Margolis, "the appropriate combination of quality television commercials and excellent financial services spelled success and national recognition." But I'm going to go one step further. The ads were catchy not only because of the quality television commercial, as Margolis said, but because of the key pieces of information provided in the 30-second spot.
As ridiculous as the premise of Opera is, the ad is a good example of direct branding, in this case the 877-CASH-NOW phone number, said Carl Marucci, the managing director and senior editor of Radio and Television Business Report.
It was catchy, yes, but also an extremely effective means of sharing a toll-free number that ultimately drove the commercial to viral success: winning national and international awards and, most importantly, driving record inbound phone and web volume to J.G. Wentworth's sales center.
2. A toll-free number is all about location, location, location; but not like you may think.
With a toll-free number, you can do business anywhere and provide your clients a single toll-free number to use to reach you. If you have team members working from locations across the country, or if you don't need your customers to know where you're located geographically, toll-free numbers centralize your business to the customer and signify both a local and nationwide presence.
You own your number, so as your business grows and changes, transferring the toll-free number is easy and automatic; your toll-free number will work wherever you do.
3. The toll-free number you choose is unique to your business needs.
Think back to the earlier J.G. Wentworth example. What set the company's approach apart from its competitors was knowing its business well enough to utilize its strengths; for instance, its use of the toll-free number 877-CASH-NOW. In choosing its toll-free number, the company not only provided viewers a good experience, but drove people to action in a way that resulted in record-setting business. Toll-free numbers give you the features you need to ultimately improve your bottom line, and they are tailored to your business' needs with the flexibility to grow over time.
4. Your business' toll-free number isn't just digits. With it come the features you need to control and improve your business.
Call tracking data, used in conjunction with your toll-free number, shows how your business is succeeding in its efforts, and also gives you the ability to see how the money and time you're spending can be used more effectively to share your message. Without excellent data to back up creative messaging, it is purposeless, and, to your company, without value.
5. Authority and Credibility.
It's true of most relationships in life and absolutely in business: we want to partner with, work alongside, and give our business those we have faith in. Toll-free numbers, on a smaller scale, begin customer relationships well by first establishing trust and convenience. For a smaller company with an excellent reputation but that is relatively unknown, the credibility of a toll-free can draw in customers who may have initially shied away. It then becomes the company's duty, through top-notch service and product, to leave the customer saying "wow!" and sharing his or her experience with other potential customers.
At first blush, it may seem like an insignificant detail to include a toll-free number as a prominent part of your campaign or branding material. But it's not! For me, and for many potential customers like me, a toll-free number is that small but significant feature that we remember about your company. Ultimately, a toll-free number has the potential to differentiate you from everyone else and increase business, and therefore, your bottom line!


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How far a small matter of trust goes
It was the last day of the school term, but that doesn't matter when you're a three year old doing a tour of the local parks. We made our way, by random child's choice, from the least used park (a poor, hidden, under-used little place at the bottom of my road), via another, to the most open and full park on the circuit. The latter of these, although just as dull in fixed play equipment to my adult eyes as the others, filled with the overflow of variously aged school-children released for the holidays. In short, there were plenty of people there of different ages and genders.
After a while of sitting in the sun, observing Gack's usual comings and goings about the place, something just a little out of the ordinary took place. I thought that here was something I needed to write about. Here's the build-up: Gack saw another boy of about his age pushing himself around the tarmac areas of the park on what must have been, to Gack, a wondrous sight; something coveted; something needed — a four-wheeled scooter! Not the ordinary common or garden two-wheeler, like his, not even the three-wheeler 'two at the front, one at the back' variety — a full-on four-wheeler! Gack needed to ride that scooter. He told me so.
It's not yours, I told him. Deal with it. 'But I want to have a go,' he said straight up, though not taking his eyes off it. 'So go ask.' I sat on the grass and refused to do anything to help him because this was something he ought to man up about and just do. After a short while, it seemed, Gack realised I wasn't going to do anything. The other boy was scooting around, oblivious to the desperate need of this other child a few yards from him. Eventually, Gack's little voice peeked out from somewhere in the entrails of the static wooden train structure. The other boy rode past. 'He didn't hear me,' Gack said on coming back to report to me. I shrugged. He went off and tried again.
Again and again the other boy circled around in his oblivious way. Eventually, there was eye contact, smiles, something connecting taking place. Somehow, the next scoot round the train was Gack scooting round with the other (laughing) boy in tow. The play took hold, and the other boy made use of Gack's two-wheeler scooter in return (even having a need to wear Gack's bike helmet). I watched on, slightly surprised that all this had taken place, and the play tumbled around and around.
That's the build-up because at some point soon after this I started taking more notice of what the other boy's father was doing: or rather, I started taking notice of what he wasn't doing. He wasn't doing anything. He sat about twenty yards from me: him on the bench under the tree, me on the grass. We both couldn't see both of the boys all of the time. He wasn't doing anything to get in the way of the play, and he especially didn't do anything (apart from knowing where his boy was) when the child gravitated over to me. This happens (the gravity thing) sometimes, I find. It's almost as if some children can sense the playworker sensibility. I don't know. Maybe.
The other child didn't speak with me at first: he just wandered closer and I sensed that he was curious, or then he wanted his scooter back for a while, or that he was checking to see if I was paying attention, or something like this. When the boy came over and sat with me and Gack, out of the corner of my eye I sensed from his father . . . just no panic. When the two children and me chatted on the grass, the boy's father could see us but didn't call his son over. He didn't change the way he sat. He didn't show any agitation or alarm of any sort. There was no negative vibe (not even when his son asked me to help him put Gack's helmet on — I thought quickly about this, but in the moment it felt OK). I wondered if I should make at least eye contact with the boy's father, but I didn't because I knew it wasn't needed: he didn't seem to need me to ask for distant affirmation that this was OK, and I didn't need him to say so in so many words. It was just fine. When Gack and the other boy wandered over and chatted with the other boy's father, it was all fine.
Why am I surprised by all of this? Frankly, I see and feel a lot of the opposite when out and about in the parks with Gack on any other day. Generally speaking it's the maternal protection instinct that I feel come at me in waves (even when with a three year old who, even if it's not always clear that I'm related to him, then at least it's evident that I'm on 'snot-smearing on bare arms' terms with!) I'm sorry to say that (although not by a long shot always) I've had enough knee-jerk 'man in the playground' reactions from over-protective mothers to warrant being pleasantly surprised by a father's 'everything's fine' approach (though the female au pairs and suchlike don't seem to be as bothered as the mothers).
After a while, when Gack and I needed to get on, and when the boys had swapped their scooters back again, I did talk briefly with the other man. He'd come over to support his boy and I told him a quick story about what I'd seen earlier in the play. That was all. I didn't feel it necessary to say thank you for the trust, or suchlike. It was all implicit within the overall communication. Off we all went on our separate ways.
What had happened here? Was I lucky enough to come across an unusually understanding play-appreciative and, most importantly, trusting father? Are the adult genders so far apart really in protective stances towards their children? I can only tell it the way I felt it at the time.
Gack and I left the park to go hunt down a bus. The heaps of released and variously aged school-children who were also in the park also didn't seem to have any concerns about any of the adults around them. Trust, in a society that a lot of adults seem to have forgotten about how to do, goes a long way.


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"Let's get started. What are you afraid of? No, that's not a rhetorical question - I'm not suggesting you are afraid of writing a manuscript a day. But really. What are you afraid of? List all of your fears, all of the frightening experiences you have ever had. Add to that list the fears and frightening experiences of your children, your siblings, your friends. And then, start asking questions.
For example, I am afraid of walking home alone at night in the dark. During the day, no problem. I can see that that bush is just a bush, that there is nothing behind that tree, that on the hill next to my driveway there are no mountain lions ready to pounce on me. But at night, oh my! Is that a bush or a bear? Is there a tiger behind that tree?
So I decided to write a story about someone walking home alone at night in the dark. The first question -- who? The next -- why was she walking home alone at night in the dark? What did she see? How did she respond? How did the story end? Step-by-step, question by question, I wrote the story. It was published by Putnam. A Very Hairy Scary Story.
Now, pick one of your ideas and start asking questions. Who? What are the problems? What are the goals? What are the obstacles to achieving them? Who else is involved? How do they achieve their goals? Writing a story is like piecing a puzzle together. You do it one piece at a time. As long as there are questions unanswered in your story, keep asking. When there are no more questions, your story is done. (Hint: don't skimp on the brainstorming! One prompt might keep you going for several days.)"
Thanks Rick, for that story prompt that many of us probably sorely need by now!
If you've been anxiously waiting for the 2012 t-shirts, totes, and mugs featuring Will Strong's fabulous "Leap!" logo, check the now-updated marathon store. But don't spend too much time there - get back to writing!


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I cannot believe that we're in November already. Seriously. October absolutely flew by and left me wholly unprepared for November. But at last, I have drawn up a pretty little bullet journal monthly spread that makes me finally feel ready to take it on. So let's dig in, shall we?
A Few Changes
One of the reasons I put off setting up my bullet journal monthly spread was because I was a bit bored of the usual set up and didn't know how I wanted to change it up. I've been thinking about it for a while, but I settled on a few subtle and not so subtle changes that I think are pretty neat. First and foremost, I used my gold Finetec watercolor palette! I'm pretty much obsessed with this palette, but Moon Gold (the one I used here) is perhaps my favorite. If you love gold or watercoloring at all, this set is amazing and I highly recommend it!
I also changed some formats of common spreads and used a few more new tools, but let's dissect it piece by piece.
October Wrap-Up
October was a mad, crazy, amazing month for me. So many great things happened and I devoted myself to my new sticker shop Coffee Fox Creations. I have spent more time with stickers in these last few weeks than I am comfortable saying. The stickers and I know each other's secrets. We're very close. So how did it effect my numbers?
Goals, Trackers, and Logs!
Anyway, I spent so much time on getting the shop ready that I didn't spend as much time as usual on the blog. Or myself. Or anything that required time (you should see this stack of laundry). My October data sorta shows that fact,too. I didn't do a great job of hitting my personal goals. Whoops!
So close on so many goals! But my Habit Tracker doesn't look too spotty. There's several lines of nearly solid Staedtler color!
I did, however, do a much better job about filling out my Gratitude Log and Habit Tracker than in past months. So go me! I also tried something different with my Memory page. Not hugely different, but different! I recently got this nib set, so I thought I'd have fun and use one of them to write out my memories the old-fashioned way! I used some old calligraphy ink I had lying around and felt like a dandy! If you have never tried dip pens then you have not known this peculiar Harry Potter kind of fun.
Blog Goals
Then we have my blog goals. Oh dear. I had such high hopes for October! I got all caught up in achieving the one goal of launching a new product that I sorta sacrificed the other goals. I more than sacrificed them. I threw them into a volcano to pay tribute to the sticker shop. I mean, totally worth it. The stickers look amazing. But yeah. Not my finest month in terms of numbers.
November's Bullet Journal Monthly Spread
Without further ado, let's look at my November bullet journal monthly spread!
The Calendar
I drew out my calendar boxes freehand with my Pentel Pocket Brush Pen (after measuring them with my baby ruler, of course!). Then I went wild with my Prang watercolors and my Pentel Aquash Water Brush Pens. Perhaps I went overboard. But I wanted some pizzazz, and I delivered the pizzazz! Besides, I'm nearing the end of my Leuchtturm and I'm feeling like pushing the limits a little bit. And it can handle more than you think. Check out my post about the basics of using watercolors in your journal. It's less scary than you think, believe me! I also used my trusty Microns to write in the detail. These don't buckle or bleed under water, so they're safe with the paint!
Like I said earlier, I kinda went nuts with the Finetec gold. But can you blame me? It's so gorgeous! Here, check it out on an angle to get the sparkle.
I added the little thumbnail of next month again. I just really like that thing, I don't know why. I'm freaking out a bit about Christmas being so close and me having no idea what to do for gifts, but…. you know, that's just a problem for future Shelby. Especially with balancing my vacation budget for Las Vegas this Christmas!
Introducing – The Master Plan
After my calendar page, I made a pretty significant change to my bullet journal monthly spread set up. Usually I jump right into my Gratitude Log, but not this time! I have really struggled with future planning and breaking big tasks down to smaller tasks in advance. So I implemented a master list (not to be confused with the Master Grocery List – totally different) with two categories: work and personal.
This will allow me to pull tasks from my future log, break them down, and distribute them evenly among my four week sections. That way deadlines don't come and smack me in the face like they usually do. I'm trying to get a decent scope on my big plans and how I can make them happen bit by bit. November gets to be a guinea pig for this style of planning. I feel pretty confident about it. I'll report back in December!
Gratitude Log
After my master plan (which was lettered with the pocket brush pen, BTW), I have my Gratitude Log. But wait! It's all different!
I was super bored with the tired old list that I've been doing for months and months. I decided to give a neat little free flow design a try. As I write each day's two pieces of gratitude, I'll decide how I want the shape to grow. Hopefully this makes me really think about how thankful I am with more depth and create a beautiful spread in the process. We'll see how it goes! I feel super fuzzy and giddy about it. Is that weird?
Yo, if you want to keep your gratitude log in its original list format, be my guest! You can always sign up for the Fox Den Resource Library right here and grab your own printables for the gratitude log and the habit tracker, to list a few. Go snag them now!
Habit Tracker
Then we have the standard Habit Tracker. Nothing huge has changed here, but a few details did get a mix up. Obviously there's the colorful arrows next to my habits, which are totally utilitarian (but super cute too). In the early parts of the month, I usually have to count out the colors so I keep the rainbow in order. I decided to make it easier on myself and just mark them already! Turns out that I kinda love it. I used my Staedtler Triplus Fineliners, if you hadn't guessed. They are my go-to for filling in my habits, goals, and other miscellaneous data!
Ever wonder why there are always two spots that appear blank? Those are my lil' private habits that I don't really want to share. Just in case you were curious 🙂
You also might notice that I added a few habits: Begin work at 11 and Go to Bed by 10:30. I would totally start working sooner, but Jon needs a ride to class, which begins at 10:30. I don't sleep in THAT late, guys, jeez. I do, however, stay up stupidly late. Every. Single. Night. So I'm spending the next month imposing a bedtime like we are children. Adulthood is a very sleepy thing, and I won't let it win!
And here, my friends, we have my Memory page.
Notice anything…. glossy? No? Look again.
IT'S A STICKER!!! Totally fooled ya! I used a clear sticker and laid it over a dried wash of watercolor. And it looks pretty darn fabulous, if I do say so myself.
Blog Stats and Goals
I'm gonna be honest: I didn't quite fill out this page. I began to, got sidetracked, and took pictures before I noticed the missing data! It was dark when I realized, so these are the pictures I have. Sorry!
I can tell you that my blog did experience a little bit of a hiccup in numbers. Nothing too crazy, but visitors did drop by a few thousand. I'm not worried, though! I'm sure that it was because of my wild sticker craze, so I'm confident that I can work hard and bring those numbers up in November. That's just the life of a blogger!
Over on the goals side, you can see yet another sticker. Find it? They're like well camouflaged lizards, I tell ya!
Let's Kick November's Butt!
While I may have been resistant at first, I think I'm ready to take on November. Letting go of Halloween is hard for me, so it takes a little bit of time. Soon enough, though, it'll be Thanksgiving time. Then very quickly it will be Christmas time, Las Vegas time, and New Year's Time! So it's not all bad. Honestly, I'm just ready for November 8th to be done so I can stop thinking about politics and get back to normal life. The election cycle has been exhausting and I'll be thrilled when it's finally over. Plus, I have some plans that I can't wait to put into action! So what do you say? Let's go knock November's socks off!
*This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you click on a link and buy something, I may get a portion of the sale at no cost to you. I have affiliate links so I can promote products and services that I think are excellent. It also helps me make a living off of this site so I can keep creating content for you. Thank you for helping me live my dream!*


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I'm admittedly horrible at following other design blogs, but one that I have kept tabs on over the years is Shelterrific. A few days ago they posted this fantastic paint chip Easter egg garland idea that they found on Modern Parents Messy Kids. What better way to spend an afternoon than raiding your local paint store and getting crazy with scissors and string.
DIY Paint Chip Easter Garland Tutorial


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Spring Framework
Spring is an open source framework or light weight framework for the development of enterprise applications. Many developers use spring to create high performing, easily testable, reusable code without any lock in. Spring framework works in modular fashion that means it permits to use in parts and leave the other component which is not used by the current application.
Investment and retail banking organizations, well-known dotcoms, global consultancies, academic institutions, government departments, defense contractors, several airlines, scientific research organizations etc are the users of spring. Spring is unique because,
- Other frameworks don't addresses important areas but spring addresses important areas.
- Spring is modular and comprehensive.
- Spring is a test driven projects. That is the code is write from the ground level.
- Spring is an increasingly important integration technology.
The spring framework implements Inversion-of-Control and Aspect Oriented Programming mechanism. The key points here are "layered application framework" and "Inversion of Control and Aspect Oriented Programming." These can be divided into two broad categories:
- Patterns
- Components of the Framework
The former refers to the design patterns supported by Spring Framework and the latter refers to the components that build up the Framework.
Spring has two patterns at its core. They are:
- Inversion-of-Control
- Aspect Oriented Programming
The former is also called IoC and the latter is known as AOP. Here are the details.
Inversion-of-Control is called IoC for short. IoC "is a concept, and an associated set of programming techniques, in which the control flow is inverted compared to the traditional interaction model expressed in imperative style by a series of procedure calls." In other words, the framework calls the procedures created by the programmer, rather than programmer calling the procedures or methods of the framework. IoC is used to 'inject' dependencies at runtime. When one uses this pattern, the dependencies of a particular object are not satisfied at compile time. Instead, the framework provides the required dependencies to the object at runtime. Thus, this pattern releases the programmer from the chore of providing all the dependencies at compile time.
Aspect Oriented Programming or AOP for short, is by definition "An approach to programming that attempts the separation of concerns, specifically cross-cutting concerns, as an advance in modularization." Here, the key point is separation of concerns. Concern is another term for a module of an application, where module refers to a functionality of the application.
Separation of concerns means that the applications are divided into modules that do not overlap in terms of functionality. However, some functionalities or modules/concerns always overlap other modules/concerns. Logging is an example of such a concern. AOP provides techniques to encapsulate cross cutting or overlapping concerns. In other words, by using AOP a developer can encapsulate cross cutting concerns.
Spring provides both IoC as well as AOP. They are built into the core of the Spring Framework. The next aspect of the Spring Framework worth noting is its support for layered architecture. It provides this support through its various components. Some of them are:
- MVC Component
- IOC container
- DAO support
These three cater to the Presentation, Business, and Persistence layers. Here is a brief overview:
- MVC Component: The flexibility of the Spring Framework is that one can use any MVC framework with it. However, it also provides its own framework, called Spring MVC. Spring MVC implements MVC-Model 2 for JSP. It does this by providing controller Servlet and JSP taglib for you to view.
- IoC Container: The business logic layer can be developed without coupling it with any other layers by using IoC provided by the Spring Framework. The IoC container is the core component of the framework. IoC lets the developer implement the business logic as Plain Old Java Objects (POJO) and wire them up so that they can be injected or called at runtime. This approach lets you avoid specifying the business objects as dependencies at compile time.
- DAO Support: Any of the technologies, including JDBC, Hibernate, and iBatis, can be used with the Spring Framework to access persisted data. The Spring Framework provides this functionality through its DAO support component. A developer can plug in almost any of the persistence framework by using the DAO component.
That completes the bird's eye view of the Spring Framework. Next, let us have a look at the steps involved in using the Spring Framework, specifically the IoC capability of the Spring Framework.
Architecture of Spring framework
Spring framework is a layered architecture and this architecture consists of seven modules. The modules of spring framework are built on the top of the container, which defines how beans are created, configured, and managed.
The modules in the spring frame work are,
- Spring AOP (Source-level metadata SOP infrastructure).
- Spring ORM (Hibernate support iBats support JDO support)
- Spring Web (WebApplicationContext multipart resolver Web utilities).
- Spring DAO (Transaction infrastructure JOBC support DAO support).
- Spring context (Application context UI support validation JNDL EJB support and remodeling mail)
- Spring Web MVC (Web MVC Framework Web Views JSP/Velocity PDF/Export).
- Spring core (Supporting utilities Bean container).
Spring AOP
The one AOP framework is the one of the key components of spring. The Spring AOP module integrates aspect-oriented programming functionality directly into the spring framework, through its configuration management feature. As a result you can easily AOP-enable any object managed by the spring framework. The Spring AOP module provides transaction management services for objects in any Spring-based application. With Spring AOP you can incorporate declarative transaction management into your applications without relying on EJB components.
Spring ORM
The Spring framework plugs into several ORM frameworks to provide its Object Relational tool, including JDO, Hibernate, and iBatis SQL Maps. All of these comply with spring's generic transaction and DAO exception hierarchies. The ORM package is related to the database access.
Spring Web
The Web context module builds on top of the application context module, providing contexts for Web-based applications. The spring framework supports integration with Jakarta Struts. The Web module also eases the tasks of handling multi-part requests and binding request parameters to domain objects. This module is a part of spring web application development stack, which includes Spring MVC.
Spring DAO
The Spring JDBC DAO abstraction layer offers a meaningful exception hierarchy for managing the exception handling and error messages thrown by different database vendors. The exception hierarchy simplifies error handling and greatly reduces the amount of exception code you need to write, such as opening and closing connections. Spring DAO's JDBC-oriented exceptions comply with its generic DAO exception hierarchy. So we can say that the DAO support in spring primarily for standardizing the data access work using the technologies like JDBC, Hibernate or JDO.
Spring Context
It is a configuration file that gives context information to the spring framework. The spring context consists of enterprise services such as JNDI, EJB, e-mail, internalization, validation, and scheduling functionality. This package creates on the beans package to add support for message sources and for the Observer design pattern, and the ability for application objects to obtain resources using a consistent API.
Spring Web MVC
The Model-View-Controller (MVC) framework is a full-featured MVC implementation for building Web applications. The MVC framework is highly configurable via strategy interfaces and accommodates numerous view technologies including JSP, Velocity, Tiles, iText, and POI.
Spring Core
The core container provides the essential functionality of the spring framework. A primary component of the core container is the
BeanFactory, an implementation of the Factory pattern. The
BeanFactory applies the Inversion of Control (IOC) pattern to separate an application's configuration and dependency specification from the actual application code
Advantages of Spring Framework
- Transaction Management: Spring framework provides a generic abstraction layer for transaction management. This allowing the developer to add the pluggable transaction managers, and making it easy to demarcate transactions without dealing with low-level issues. Spring's transaction support is not tied to J2EE environments and it can be also used in container less environment.
- JDBC Exception Handling: The JDBC abstraction layer of the spring offers a meaningful exception hierarchy which simplifies the error handling strategy.
- Integration with Hibernate, JDO, and iBATIS: Spring provides best Integration services with hibernate, JDO and iBATIS.
- AOP framework: – Spring is a best AOP framework.
- MVC Framework: Spring comes with MVC web application framework, built on core spring functionality. This framework is highly configurable via strategy interfaces, and accommodates multiple view technologies like JSP, Velocity, Tiles, iText, and POI. But other frameworks can be easily used instead of Spring MVC Framework.
- Struts to Spring
- Spring IDE
- Spring Interview Questions
- Spring Dependency Injection and Inversion of Control
- Spring Dependency Injection using the setter method
- Spring Framework
- Spring MVC Framework
- Spring Annotations
- Spring Tiles Integration
- Spring JDBC
- Spring Exception Handling
- Spring AOP
- Spring Core


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Golf Box or Centerpiece
Golf Box or centerpiece You get 12 decorated golf theme lollipops (golf bags, golf balls, golf club) in a golf theme box. Each lollipop is individually wrapped. Perfect centerpiece, fathers day gift, birthday gift, or just for a golf lover. Each box comes wrapped in clear cello and tied with ribbon.
Click To Enlarge
- Item #: 180


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NSW WeedWise App
The NSW WeedWise smartphone app is free and available for iPhone and iPad on the App Store and for Android smartphones on Google play. The app will also scale up for use on most Android tablets. You can download the App at the iTunes Store or Google Play.
In addition to the NSW WeedWise App, the DPI has revamped its online weed information with a new component called 'NSW WeedWise'.


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To Thomas Jefferson
May 13. 1798
Dear Sir
I have recd. your favor of the 3d. instant. My last acknowledged your preceding one. The successful use of the Despatches in kindling a flame among the people, and of the flame in extending taxes armies & prerogative, are solemn lessons which I hope will have their proper effect when the infatuation of the moment is over. The management of foreign relations appears to be the most susceptible of abuse, of all the trusts committed to a Government, because they can be concealed or disclosed, or disclosed in such parts & at such times as will best suit particular views; and because the body of the people are less capable of judging & are more under the influence of prejudices, on that branch of their affairs, than of any other. Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to provisions agst. danger real or pretended from abroad. The credit given to Mr. A. for a spirit of conciliation towards France is wonderful, when we advert to the history of his irritations from the first name in the Envoyship, down to his last answer to the addressers. If he finds it thus easy to play on the prepossessions of the people for their own Govt. agst. a foreign, we ought not to be disappointed if the same game should have equal success in the hands of the Directory. We have had little or no rain for a month, and the evil has been increased by much windy & cold weather. The Thermr. yesterday morning was at 38°. and the frost such as to kill the leaves of tender trees in low situations. I hope now you will soon be released from the thorny seat in which you are placed, and that I shall not be disappointed of the pleasure of seeing you on your way. You must so arrange your time as to be able to ride a mile while with me to see a Threshing machine I have lately built on Martins plan. It is worked & attended by five or six hands at most, and I think promises more for general use than all the other modifications. I shall not describe it, because your own inspection will so soon give you a more perfect idea of it. Yrs. always & affey.
I recd. no paper by last mail but Fenno's. I hope the bridle is not yet put on the press.


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Rupert Murdoch was cosying up to Apple again today as he spoke at a media debate in Sydney earlier today, saying tablets are "a perfect platform" for cheap, convenient and up-to-date News Corp content.
News Corp has "tens of thousands of readers" through apps for the Wall Street Journal, the Times and the Australian, he said, and then added that Apple will sell many more iPads than predicted.
Photo by myuibe on Flickr. Some rights reserved
"It looks like they will sell around 15m iPads this calendar year and more than 40m by 2012. And the iPad is just one of many tablet or slate computers in the pipeline. News Corp fully intends to be across all those platforms too."
Without giving any precise figures, he insisted subscriber levels for the newly paywalled Times and Sunday Times websites are strong and described the strategy as "the start of a new business model for the internet". "The argument that information wants to be free is only said by those who want it for free," said Murdoch.
Murdoch loves the iPad because it is an attractive, highly desirable and well-executed walled garden – arguably the exception, rather than the rule, in selling paid content. It also has a wealthy user base wll suited to News Corp's quality news titles, but is still a niche product.
Whether the Times paywall gamble pays off is far less certain. Charging a subscription to access website content isn't a new business model, but pulling it off on a mainstream news site would be quite something.
The Times will want to quickly vindicate its decision, and the numbers probably will add up in the short term. But in the long term, the thing that will be harder to calculate is the cost of losing much of its voice in the international, online news market. That's the bottom line we'd really like to see.


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Stefism #4: When you are at the pediatrician's office and the nurse asks, "How many wet diapers a day?" try not to stare blankly as you think, "Is she asking how many times a day he pees or how many times I actually change him?" Just respond with my go-to answer for any question: "Normal."
Ahhh…diaper changing. I once had a friend that changed her kid's diaper every single time she peed. Every. Single. Time. She said she could smell it. Luckily, I am not blessed with a very good sense of smell, and therefore do not smell it when my child pees.
This lack of olfactory skill leads to only changing my kid's diaper three times a day – when he wakes up, after his nap, and before bed. And of course, when he goes, you know, number 2. Occasionally I change his diaper and think, "How in the world is there so much pee in here?" His diaper is hanging down to his ankles!
So kudos to diaper manufacturers! They've given us the ability to let our kids walk around with 5 gallons of pee hanging off their bums!