What I find even more offensive is when the evangelists go and knock on the door of developing countries. We've already colonized them once, destroying their culture in the process; how about leaving well enough alone?

https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/cookie-troubleshooting-guide

Invest in a kitchen scale.

What's not to love indeed. 😊

Here too, but we teach DS to always address people formally when corresponding. Better more formal than less, and the recipient can always invite you to use less formal address. I think it is actually fairly important for kids to know this - you only get one chance to make a first impression.

You could give her one of those electric shaving wand things (I think they are marketed for nose and ear hair, but they might have a prettied up version for girls). No exposed razor to make mom nervous and no pain involved.

Thanks, Scoutermom! That's very helpful. :)

Bookmaking might be a good project, too. It has cutting, pasting, sewing and you need to be patient and exacting, but it is also fairly easy and you get a nice product and a sense of accomplishment at the end. He could start with easy projects using Japanese stab binding and work up from there. What I like about bookmaking for older kids is that they get to practice basic skills, but it isn't babyish, so they don't feel like they are practicing basic skills.

And the FUD winner is.... the Pibella. I ordered it from REI (they don't carry it stores, or at least not in the stores near me). It is all it is cracked up to be. I look forward to using it in the wild. ;)

It is for residents of EEA countries.

Welcome, little one.:) Congratulations, maize.

Thank you, regentrude. And Lanny, really, I wish you would get off your "Radical Islamic Terrorism" warning kick. It's offensive.

I have no idea what your friend was talking about. Did you ask her? Maybe she lacks critical thinking skills. I will say that among people who lack critical thinking skills, I will always choose those who go with "all that P.C. nonsense" over those who go knee-jerk anti-PC. Why? Because even though both groups might be stoopid, the former is at least kind. As for your second point, subscribing to "P.C. nonsense" and trying to resolve social problems are hardly mutually exclusive. I'd hasard a guess that people who are aware (or at least kind) enough to realize that our society is not equal are the ones who are more likely to be supporting efforts to correct problems. If you have an unaware kind person and and unaware asshole, which one do you think would be more likely to help someone in need?

Defensores de la Naturaleza. I am personally acquainted with members of this organization and can tell you that they do good and important work. I recommend an earmark for this area, which is particularly vulnerable and in need of protection. ETA English language site: https://defensores.org.gt/en#conocenos

Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory and A History of Western Music.

I think that your earring example must be referring to the "White girl, take off your hoops" message written on the free speech wall at Pitzer College. And yes, offended whites have had a field day with that one. I believe the message writers were referring to white women who they felt were appropriating the chola aesthetic, not Bitsy from Miss Porter's wearing her discreet preppy hoops from Tiffany's or any random middle-aged, middle-class, mid-level worker wearing her Napier gold-tone hoop earrings from Kohl's. But credit where credit is due: mixing them up to rile up the beleaguered whites was a stroke of genius. Way to go, BreitbartFox and Ilk! Time to call out all those brown people on their reverse racism, amirite?! (Oh, and black women should stop trying to "appropriate" white women's straight hairstyles while we're at it!) As for there being only a small percentage of the population who are racists, eh, I think you must have an awfully exacting definition of racism because I see a hellish lot of examples of it, often right here on this board.

I find this flippant attitude so distressing and depressing. :( Sure, maybe sometimes innocent things are taken the wrong way, but why do you suppose that is? Instead of just dismissing people as "far too quick" to assume malevolent intent, why not think about *why* malevolent intent is assumed. Why be dismissive? Why not try to listen and understand?

DS's whining and complaining earned him a copy of What To Do When You Grumble Too Much. It was actually very helpful. I prefer to take a sensitive rather than a snarky approach to curb whining because I well remember how hurtful it was when my mother was sarcastic about what was, admittedly, probably really annoying behavior on my part. So I would continue to try engaging in constructive conversation before I went the less kind route.

Two great iPad apps are Essential Skeleton and Essential Anatomy. The first is free.

I will add that a sound knowledge of French and Spanish will help her inordinately. French for technical terms and pursuing stages in top restaurants in the US and, of course, France. Spanish because it is the lingua franca in restaurant kitchens.

CIA is considered the premier culinary school in the country. I would take a look around their site. I would also try to get her into a kitchen or bakery to make sure that is what she really wants to do - often the reality is far removed from the dream. In addition, she will need experience to get into school (or at least one used to need experience, perhaps it is different now). But never too early to start. ETA one used to be able to train by doing stages in various kitchens, but increasingly a degree is needed if one wants any sort of managerial job, particularly in a hotel or other large operation.

Here's something geared for children his age from the American Anthropological Association: http://www.understandingrace.org/kids.html Here is a teacher's guide: http://www.understandingrace.org/resources/pdf/racemiddleschoolteachersguide.pdf There are also some valuable links in my signature that many board members helped to assemble.

And I didn't even mention the food! Miam! Really, I love some of the other places mentioned, but as a first adventure trip with a large family and particularly with a baby (I've had a baby get very sick while traveling in a developing country, and it is not good, even when you know the country well and speak the language fluently), I think the Yucatan Peninsula would be an ideal choice. It would hit all the spots.

Have you considered the Yucutan Peninsula? It would be a nice compromise between what you want (ruins, adventure) and what your husband wants (beach, ease). Roads are good and you can easily rent a car or take inter-city buses.

Yep, I'd probably need to be packed out too. Although I don't think a week would be the record... http://memento.muttermuseum.org/detail/giant-megacolon