:iagree::iagree::iagree: I too know people who have dealt with the worst of the worst, including child molesters, and they would never utter such an ugly dismissive statement against all men. What does it say for our world and the males in our lives if someone assumes they suck by their very existence?? We all of us have the potential for unkindness and evil in our lives. If we really want to look for some of the root causes, I think we have to face the reality that "broken" homes and boys growing up without dads to guide them, set an example (show them what it is to be a man and a dad) and correct them does cause harm. Social policies that work against that should be carefully examined for actual statistical effects. As for the Congressman, who knows what his excuse is? I heard on the news today that he's apologizing profusely to the Clintons since his wife is close with them and has worked for Hillary for 15 years.

YEP! Saw one of the young women interviewed yesterday. Aside from the fact that she knew she wasn't the only one he was texting and sending photos to, she wondered why he was so needy/what his issues were. Bottom line for her -- she said she often didn't respond to his messages because (get this) "I'm busy, I have a life. I go to school, I don't have time to sit around all day texting and sending messages." :blink: All I could think was -- but our Congressman does have the time to do that, to multiple women. What is up with that??? No wonder very few of the Congressmen and women actually read the legislation that they pass. :glare:

Chris Matthew's is saying that Mrs. W is partly to blame! :001_huh: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/06/06/chris_matthews_on_weiners_wife_maybe_shes_partly_responsible.html

That's what I meant by what's culled out and what's kept. Sometimes the easy pop is what's circulating the most but it seems to me that a library should keep "worthy" books available too. I've been surprised to find classics and good non-fiction pulled off for sales when they haven't been checked out for x # of months. Hope the loan system works. :001_smile:

Sadder still to see what's deemed worthy by looking at the shelves. :001_huh: A month or so ago, I was excited to see an interesting volume at several libraries. But when I went to the #s, no book -- the librarian looked, then called two other branches, no book. It's either walking out the door and not being noticed or replaced, or they're culling it and not updating the catalog. Just because things like captain underpants and psychobabble and twilight are all the rage, doesn't mean you have to dump more serious books to make all the shelf space available for that portion of the reading population. Are any of the libraries in your area having a seasonal sale soon? Or a hs convention with a used sale?

Yes, I've seen interviews last week with the young woman who received the tweets, etc. My surprise was that he's a newlywed -- I'd been thinking that he's been married for awhile. So much for the first year of bliss .... As always, it's sad for the spouse when these things come out, though I can't say that I'd be very attracted to a person that treats people the way that he does, both on camera and off. And that poor behavior to subordinates is not universal among politicians. But she would know that in the career she has.

But I'm often bewildered at how these major players are treated. Not to mention the amount of despicable behavior these women put up with -- not just the wives of wandering husbands, but in general, often by those you would expect to take their side of the issue. :confused:

:tongue_smilie: as opposed to the other photo he took of himself on the couch with his cats nearby ... lewd labels and all. ewww.

Yes! :iagree: The OP reminds me of Carroll O'Connor (Archie Bunker) and his poignant tv ad about his son. He looked straight at the camera and said, "get between your kid and drugs any way you can." And here's a list of values and activities to do just that -- put positive goals and aspirations in your children's hearts and minds -- keep them busy helping others and developing skills, participating, improving themselves. Great post. Gotta admit, you had me at the title, OP.

WHOA. Looks like he's had a very high opinion of himself for quite some time .... and now he's getting a bit of a comeuppance by his own efforts. Nobody "found" this story, he sent a lewd photo to a young person he'd never met and someone sent it to a reporter. But if it weren't this incident, it might be one of the other photos that he sent. There's at least one woman who's got a slew of sexting messages. The Congressman has been exercising very poor judgment for a while and getting away with it. No wonder the arrogance, he probably thought he was invincible. Jon Stewart's take on it a few days ago was hilarious. It'll be interesting to see his latest. (Just saw in the news today that he's a newlywed with an attractive younger wife ....:confused:)

Or double standards. :glare: He's got a very aggressive style, no surprise that he's blaming someone else right away, even when he knows the whole thing's a scam. And all the lewd jokes that he himself made all week long with reporters? The initial arrogance just keeps getting compounded -- more women, younger women, porn stars, messages, more photos. Sheesh. The guy who resigned over one bare chest photo would probably like a do-over now that he sees the bravado that AW is putting out there. Poor judgment exascerbated by lack of integrity and cowardice. A Congressman accusing others of federal crimes to cover up his own stupidity? Yes, he should be packing his bags. :glare:

Thanks Elaine. We did remember this early in the day. Then at our last ballgame of the season, I said, this is d-day and a couple of the kids laughed. It was nice to know they knew about the day. :001_smile:

The other NY Congressman resigned just for sending his bare chest photo. Like someone said, photographic evidence (and vulgar jokes -- heard about the photo with his cats?) of where his brains -- and his heart? -- are. bleh.

Either one works in this situation. Actually both. He sends a photo of his weener and then spends the rest of the week as a whiner. Now we hear there are several photos and a slew of messages. What is it with these guys and their mid-life crises??? Now it's a credibility issue. The original act(s) were sophomoric, thoughtless (of his family), vain and stupid. The coverup, including blaming innocent parties, accusing people of federal offenses and poor conduct as a Congressman are the more significant issues. Wonder if he'll be a "winner" in all of this? :001_huh:

We know a family headed to Turkey later this summer. They'll be there for a few years and the kids are headed to school for the first time too. When I was in your situation, I got together with a few friends and hired a woman to come in and teach us the language. It was great fun because we in turn taught her some of our foods and customs. I would look for things like that. Anyway you could learn some of their native crafts or handiworks? Short tours that don't take you too far? Volunteer nearby? It can be tough to be far from familiar -- friends, family, language. :grouphug:

That's exactly what I was thinking. I do a vinegar wash with some of my veg. even when I'm buying directly from the farmer.

I think it goes to the basic needs -- food, clothing, shelter -- and the programs that were initially set up to cover emergency and short-term subsistence that have become generational existence instead. There's a stigma with that. In this country, we generally value independence and initiative and self-reliance, so seeing some individuals who don't pursue those but rather opt for long-term assistance (as a way of life type choice) is seen with a stigma attached. Government education was set up to educate the "masses" to work. Before that homeschooling, tutors, governesses, and small schools had been in communities for a very long time. Wasn't it seen as a progressive move for all children to be "equally" educated? But the basic 3Rs of those early educations have long since morphed into the current comprehensive social and "SOL" systems. Funny that in some communities there's actually more of a stigma about homeschooling than about having kids attend even a mediocre public school. :confused: I've been interested to run into a number of people in the last few years (not homeschoolers) who do think it's their job to teach their own kids to read -- i.e. not relying on the school to do it. They're not saying "my kid has to read by the age of 5" -- more like "I'll make sure that my child is able to read well." I found that interesting. I think it's on the order of "teach a man to fish...." :001_smile:

Your dd sounds a lot like I was at that age. I loved reading classics and the books well beyond my "age" -- many of my friends were reading VC Andrews and things like that. I read those but I also read Shaara on the Civil War and books on Idi Amin Dada, the gang of 4, etc. She sounds like a wonderful person -- well-rounded, sensible, funny and self-aware, besides smart. That's good. Also sounds like you're doing a great job, she's a nice person and comfortable with who she is. She's moving easily among people that interest and challenge her. The converse would be sad for you -- that she was a loner or didn't easily mix with good, wise people or that she was all-consumed by the mental candy that many teens are. She will find friends who have similar interests that she can really enjoy. But she probably won't be a big crowd kind of person. And that's ok. I wouldn't sweat the occasional awkwardness about social fluff. For me, not being knee-deep in all of that high school nonsense helped me to focus on life outside my tiny little town. A dozen of my classmates were married by the time we finished h.s. and some had babies. (I give them big credit for finishing!) I knew I wanted more and that reading and thinking on deeper things was more important. You've heard that old saying, "These are the best 4 years of your life" often said about high school. When I heard that, I thought, "No way! I have a whole life to live -- and it's over by the time I'm 18? No way!" The other thing is that dh & I have always had friends of all ages. I think that's partly due to having friends through h.s. that were unconventional ... older, younger, outside my "peer" group. Kwim? (Now I'm interested to see these books recommended here....)

What a hoot. Can you imagine the moment someone "cooked" up this idea? Thanks for sharing this!

Gerbils are diurnal so they're interesting to watch and play with during the day (for dc) as opposed to some of the more nocturnal critters commonly in vogue.

How cool is that!!!! There's a short list of people I'd like to see/hear speak and she's on it. (Ayaan Hirsi Ali is too.) When we watched the movie, we played it through again with the commentary on -- the director, dir. of photography who created all the interpretive visuals and Temple herself. It was so interesting to hear her talk about it. Where was she speaking -- the forum/audience?

No I don't. I don't want to see photos and I'd rather they not be out there. My point is that I find it interesting that nearly every other minute-by-minute detail is out there, but the decision of whether to show/not show any photo should be made without worrying about some crazy reaction from extremists. I think we've covered that here -- it's pretty much a given that this is what their reaction will be, it's pretty much their reaction to most everything.

I remember this. It's like those ghost cities in China....only in decay.

:iagree: So true. But if it lays it to rest for allies, citizens of other countries not to mention ours, prevents conspiracy theories or doubt, then it's worth considering (showing a photo). The crazies and the ones who blame us for everything will do it over an ink sketch or (false) rumour of their book mis-handled or ..... anything. You're right, it's not about them and we shouldn't be worrying too much about "them." For that matter, when did we start getting all concerned about details of the raid? After the 10th simulation of troop movements, after the details of items confiscated, after pictures of bloody rug and room in disarray, after info on items sewn into clothes? Imnsho, we should be a bit more circumspect about the mission, show a photo that's not too grisly but that people can understand for the evidence and move on to other pressing matters of the days ahead.