I love Jimmy

I believe this is a "both/and" situation.
While I do agree that the bible itself is already skewed to make it easy to control and keep females down, it's still possible to interpret it with a loving heart.
I'd like to point out, maybe even brag, that my mom goes to places like Uganda to teach how the bible actually promotes equality between men and women. And in doing so, she (and others in their organization called Life Together) hopes to lift women out from under the crushing rock of oppression as well as end the practice of female genital mutilation.

Oligarchy

If you have any interest in, regard for or even a mild sense of duty as a citizen of the U.S. to know and understand how our government operates, I strongly recommend you read this article. We are on a path towards total collapse; indeed, I could argue that in many ways the government is already a shambles (and has been for a very long time), and the destructive effects on the greater population are already obvious to anyone who cares to LOOK.
This is *not* a Red vs Blue, Left vs Right, Democrat vs Republican thing. In fact, the parties have largely been boiled down to side show acts, which the media circus happily uses to distract, divide and divert the population's attention away from the  real power players.
Read the article. Its not about opinion or gut feelings, this is a breakdown of long term, well organized research which clearly shows the ever-growing divide between our perception of the government and the reality of who actually rules our country and why. And I know this isn't happening only a federal level, it also affects state and even local politics.
Like I said, this country's political system is on the verge of total collapse, BUT! But we might still have a chance to steer the collapse. The way I see it, it's going to either be like the French Revolution or the Fall of Rome/Egypt/Greece (your pick) OR a world of total submission to our corporate overlords by allowing them to continue to further sedate us by pandering to our lowest human desires, food, sex, vanity, comfort and materialistic groveling.
As for me, I choose LIBERTY, FRATERNITY AND EQUALITY.

Good Question

http://www.slate.com/blogs/quora/2014/02/06/how_do_german_students_learn_about_the_holocaust.html

I have been asked many times about this because I went to German schools (in Stuttgart, Germany) from the ages 12-17. I would say her account is pretty standard for most German kids.
I was actually living in Germany when the movie Schindler's List came out and we went on a class trip to see it. I had known about the war (though mostly in the nostalgic way that I'd seen in old B&W musical movies that were made to be uplifting to the war torn people of the time) and I'd read The Diary of Anne Frank but Schindler's List, and especially the girl in the red coat, really opened my eyes.

It made visiting with my German Opa and Oma (grandpa and grandma) feel awkward for a while. I was curious but also afraid to find out their own histories. Had they been Nazis? And what about when we visited my Uropa (great grandpa) that one time? I vaguely recall the story he told about when he was a new soldier; something about not taking his spoon out of his metal coffee cup and therefore not getting any refills in the mess hall. Did he fight? Or was that WWI?
And what about my friends and their parents and grandparents? Were they all Nazis? Were they ashamed or proud? The discussion we must've had after movie couldn't have been very revealing because I don't remember it at all (and despite my youth, I'm the kind of person who would've been paying attention for this kind of thing. Should've been an anthropologist)

I wouldn't say the topic was glossed over or sugar coated but the teacher did tread lightly. Maybe because these are just 7th graders and maybe because it really wasn't so long ago.

I moved back to America in 1994. I was 17 and one year behind in the 11th grade  (bc my 1st school yr in Stuttgart was in a class for just learning German and didn't count as a grade yr).

And I discovered something that has shaped much of my sense of America and my american-ness (as well as the fact that I also consider myself to have a good dose of german-ness). Much like the author of this article, certain topics I'd learned about in elementary school were taught again in high school.

I discovered that the Thanksgiving story* is a crock of beans. I learned about America's own "internment" camps for Japanese Americans. I found out that we had let inflammatory ideologues persecute and murder "witches." I read about pre-union child and generally unsafe (at best) labor practices. And then there's that inconvenient slavery thing...oopsies!
Are you picking up what I'm laying down?

So if you really want to know what Germans think and how they feel about the holocaust, take a trip down our very own memory lane of atrocities. Or just read a current newspaper. We're still pretty damn busy treating "others" like dirt.

Also, just to say for the record: yes, many of the German people were Nazis by choice and they knew not all but a good bit about what was happening to the Jews. But many more (probably most, at first) succumbed to the propaganda about "returning Germany to it's former glory"** but didn't truly comprehend or know about the holocaust. And then there were plenty of "Nazis" who were very much against the whole thing but had no choice but join or watch their families starve.

That concludes today's lecture. Please see me in the comments section of you have any questions.

*that's a gross oversimplification of how our ancestors nearly decimated an entire people

**sound familiar? Like kinda very much exactly like Teapublican "take our country back!" Just saying...

Traveling with a Toddler Tips!

I've already written here about traveling with a small baby, which is so not the same as with a toddler. In fact,babies are SO much easier than toddlers because they will sleep most of the time and usually won't be fussy unless they're sick or you didn't put in the numbing ear drops like I told you.

So here are my tips for flying with the little adorable tyrants we call toddlers. (I'm writing this using voice to text, so if any of this comes out weird um or does make sense just let me know.)

Okay so the number 1 most important in my opinion is Numbing Ear Drops. Either go to a natural food store or get a prescription from your doctor for your numbing drops. They're what you would put in your child's esr to soothe ear infection pain. You put the drops into the child's ears when you're at the gate waiting to board. Be prepared with plenty of napkins to get the greasy drops that escape and to hold your hand over each ear to gently rub them so the drops really get in there. They help with the ear pressure pain.

Of course, you can also be armed with something for the kid to suck on, like a lollipop or bottle when the plane is going up and later starts to descend. The drops I use last over two hours so there's no need to put more in unless you're on a long flight.

2) To bring a car seat or not - that is the question. Well, and the other question is whether or not to bring a stroller. Both of these have a lot of things depending on them: will you need either of them where you're going? If not, then the car seat can definitely be left at home. It's heavy and not necessary to bring on the plane.

In fact, oddly, as far as safety regulations are concerned, you're better off NOT bringing the car seat onto the plane with you. I'm not against it, I'm just letting you know it may not even be allowed unless it's been approved. For example, most backless booster seats are NOT allowed on the plane.

Also, they're a huge PITA to get clipped into the seat. You'll probably need a seat belt extender, which the flight attendants are always annoyed to have to bring to you. Or, as it happened to us once, we boarded early with the "special assistance" crowd and immediately asked for an extender specifically because it takes so dang long to install the seat. But the flight attendant ignored our please and didn't bring the extender until everyone else boarded so then we got threatened with getting thrown off the plane because the seat wasn't installed yet.

Anyway, here's the thing: if your child doesn't hate their seat and has a tendency to fall asleep in it, then it may be worth bringing it. But, if the kid doesn't sleep, then all the hassle will be in vain PLUS you'll have a harder time keeping your precious little offspring from kicking the back of the seat in front of them (because their feet are closer to it in the seat).

Not to worry if you will need the seat where you're going but don't want to use it in the plane! Double checkwith your airline to be sure but as far as I know, they will check the car seat with the rest of the luggage for NO COST. There are covers/carriers you can buy but they're expensive. You can ask if they have a large plastic bag to wrap it in, especially if the weather at your destination is wet, because it gets thrown around with all the other suitcases. But the ticket people don't always have them or they charge you $5, so I pack two huge, heavy duty garbage bag - one for each way, because they never survive the trip fully in tact.

Okay, and now for the stroller - this is some I suggest you DO bring. It's a lifesaver when you're running to your gate with your child who must get stuck in some time-slowing warp whenever you're in a rush. Plus you've brought along a sizeable portion of everything you own in as many bags and purses as you can justify (of course my 3 year old daughter has a hiking backpack full of shoes AND an oversized purse with a laptop in it!).

The stroller is only annoying when you're going through security as most times they'll make you unload the aforementioned crap, and the kid, and clap it down for going through the x-ray machine. Just be sure to bring one that folds and opens easily and has a basket storage thing on the bottom.

Note: if you have hung any purses, computer cases, etc on the back of the stroller, it is not advisable to let the kid just jump out of the stroller because then your hanging items will be making contact with the floor in a swift and loud manner.

When you get to the gate, ask the desk person for a baggage ticket and then you'll just leave the stroller (folded up and with nothing important in it) at the bottom of the jetway. It'll magically reappear in the same place at your destination.

3) The dreaded security check becomes slightly less dreadful if you've brought the stroller because many airports have a separate entry for them! Look for signs pointing to a handicapped/service members/fast access entrance and hopefully a stroller or family line will be there as well.
*Wear shoes you can take off without much effort - your hands will be full.
*Children are no longer required to remove their shoes - so don't.
*Get several bins - and stake out a place on the roller conveyor belt that's at least three bins long.
*Fill the first and last bins right away to mark your territory. If people are glaring at you, say sorry but with a "tough shit" look on your face. Practice that face a lot before the trip - you'll need it.
* Keep your kid IN the stroller until after you've put everything else in the bins. Like strapped in with a chain. This is THE worst place for the kid to run around. But don't wait too long - people will start loading their stuff right behind your bins and then there's no room for the stroller. Tell the poor person behind you that you still need to put the stroller up there.
* Know your stroller! Some strollers are just that much too big to fit int the x-ray machine and you'll need to remove wheels or something to make it fit. Now, it does happen that you get the one helpful TSA agent who lets you bring the stroller with you and just uses the wand thing to check it, but don't count on it. I even was crying once because I was so exasperated and they still made me take the dann thing apart because their machines were crazy small.
*Liquids! You ARE allowed to bring baby and kid related liquids through security. Just be prepared to spend 10 more minutes while they use some contraption that confirms it's milk/juice/pedialyte. Pack these liquids in easily accessible places so they don't have to dig everything out.
*Try your best to take your time getting reorganized after the security debacle. It's worth the time to take a deep breath and confirm everything is where it should be.

4) Food. In case you haven't flown since 1992 and don't know this, they don't give you food in the plane anymore. Well, aside from pretzels or the $6 snack box, which, when not in the air, would only cost $2.34. So I pack plenty of snacks. It's only liquids they're not fond of, so go ahead, make that triple decker club sandwich and bring along those goldfish crackers. Also, food keeps the kid busy or at least not screaming.

5) In Flight Entertainment. For keeping the peace, this is a must! Bring that portable DVD player, three favorite discs and a set of headphones. Bring the lovey or blanket. Bring crayons and coloring books. Bring a LeapPad or Tag Reader. Bring anything you've ever not allowed them to play with. Just don't bring toys that are noisy, have small parts or multiple parts, have wheels or can roll, that is heavy or could cause harm if used as a projectile as a way to inform you they disapprove of your parenting.

You can also use the bathroom as entertainment center. Once your fellow passengers have completed their post-snack cart bathroom break, take a fussy kid in and let them discover the wonders of the lavatory! Tell the flight attendant, who will be reading People magazine in that little fold down chair, to knock if someone needs to use the loo and then go crazy with the toilet seat liners, splash in the water, whatever keeps your kid occupied.

I've regularly killed up to 15 minutes doing this. Just don't drink the water or care what anyone may think. It's that or I release the screaming beast, people!

6) Last but definitely not least, go into the whole thing  with a realistic perspective. Do not for one minute expect your child to not fuss at all. That's crazy. Go easy on the booger and on yourself. You're doing the best you can in an environment that is barely humane  for adults and certainly not for kids.

Use the "Sorry but Tough Shit" look liberallly. You don't have to be a jerk but don't let other people make you anxious about your child. That'll only result in an anxious kid and that never goes well.

If your child does melt down, try not to freak out on him/her. Try to soothe them but while also being firm that acting out isn't okay. Sing in their ear or start reading their favorite book.

Good luck and God Speed!

My belief system, or part of it, in a nutshell

So very true. The widespread condemnation of the poor/undereducated/mentally or physically ill makes my heart sick - and my thoughts angry.
How completely ungrateful or ignorant must a person be to so swiftly and easily judge anyone ANYONE to be less than themselves in value or worthiness?
How broken are our hearts and souls when we, as supposedly the best nation, willfully allow and even CHOOSE to make happen such suffering?
My own failure is that I pray more for the poor than those who reject them. I should pray for the body of the poor but also, if not more, for the hearts and minds of those condemn them.
Am I wrong?
http://m.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2013%2F11%2F28%2Fopinion%2Fkristof-where-is-the-love.html&h=iAQGvyc4l&s=1&enc=AZMdOmeqbGaAc9DkGnzMM2Jb9lm7wCpR_o9IPHAhw293V59CTwIuo2zKBl10QU0opOw

Response to All Songs Considered question, What is/was your family song?

When I was 7, after my dad left, the songs that define(d) that time for me and my mom were Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper and, later, This One Goes Out to the One I Love by REM.
Then, when my mom became serious with the man she eventually married, the songs were Handle with Care by The Traveling Wilburys and Graceland by Paul Simon (which my sister and I altered to reflect our moving with our Stepdad Holger, "We're goin to Deutschland, Deutschland, Stuttgart, Germany!")

Another response

This is about whether you are betraying the feminist movement by actively rejecting the title of feminist.
I think it's important also to really separate the title "feminist" from the belief set that men and women have equal value.
While I do get annoyed by Katy Perry style statements (saying she does not want to call herself a feminist) because it makes it easy for feminist haters to use that to prove something on their end, I also have to say it's also not totally cool to force people to use a title they're not comfortable with.

Take other titles as an example, such as "gay" or "boyfriend/girlfriend" - plenty of people are gay even if they don't want to use the title to describe themselves. And there's also toms of people who intentionally avoid using bf and gf.
Granted, one huge reason people don't wear a big "I'm gay!" sign is because of fear, just as is the case with making a relationship "official" with titles. And that's fine. But it also doesn't essentially change who/what they are.

The word feminist is very loaded. It carries weight, both good and bad. It should have negative connotations, but then again, it also shouldn't even have to be a word AT ALL. But it is and it's important.

The word (and the movement that is inherently associated with it) has been around the block a few times, getting stronger and trampled on along the way. All of this has meant we (very collectively speaking) have had to fine-tune it's meaning not only from the people who want to make it a bad word, but also because over time we realized that certain aspects of the word/movement weren't quite what we wanted after all.

So for a young woman today, the word almost presents more hazards than help. Not that it wasn't always that way, but it's just different now. Maybe.

If the point of feminism, ultimately, is for a female to define herself HOWEVER SHE WISHES, then that would also mean she doesn't have to use the word as a title, even if she does believe in the movement.