Rupert Murdoch

If you've been keeping up with the news, you know that Rupert Murdoch, who owns FOX network here in the USA (among many other things), has purchased Dow Jones which publishes The Wall Street Journal.

No particular reason for me to mention the above but I got a kick out of the cartoon.

In other news:

Ray is outside watering the crab grass, Rochelle has gone swimming with friends, Elcie is visiting another friend, and Rebecca is hiding out in her bedroom. I don't think she feels well. She hasn't said that but she's very quiet and not interested in food. That's not Rebecca. It may just be heat.

I did my major shopping today. Fewer groceries than usual but the money I saved was eaten up by back to school stuff. (Counting down to August 13). New shoes for Rochelle, two new rolling backpacks (contradiction in terms there), pencils, binders, dividers for same, ruled paper. I think they have enough clothes for now since the weather is still so warm. I usually wait until the cooler weather to figure out what else they'll need.

Usually I wait to buy winter shoes too but Rochelle had either outgrown or worn out all her foot gear. She's much harder on shoes than Rebecca for some reason. Poor child - the sole of her shoe was flapping. She reminded me of Charlie Chaplin. The shoes she got for Christmas are in good shape but she's outgrown them already. Rebecca will inherit an almost new pair of Nikes.

Rebecca is going through a growing spurt finally and Rochelle towers over me as does Elcie. I doubt if much of their winter clothing except possibly for sweats will fit. I can probably pass much of Rochelle's down to Rebecca who occupies the unenviable position of being the youngest. After Rebecca they go to my friend Dawn for her daughter and from her to one of her friends. Considering many of their outfits came from yard sales and thrift stores to begin with, those clothes may be on their 6th or 7th child by now.

I'll have to spring for 3 PE sets at $15 each. Ouch. The 6th graders are exempt from dressing out but not the 7th and 8th. Elcie got away with just the shirt over her clothes in middle school. Now they want her to do the whole thing (I think I wrote about this before). Hoping they'll change their minds when they realize it will take most of the p.e. time for her to undress, dress, undress, and dress again.

It makes no sense. Her P. E. will be done mostly from her wheelchair (or scooter if it arrives on time) except for pushups. She won't run laps. She won't get very sweaty. Why this silly insistence on conformity? As Ralph Waldo Emerson said in "Self Reliance", "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds".

They can use store bought binders this year but they must not be blue or red (gang colors). I bought lavender and toxic green in the hopes that no gang has taken over those colors just yet. The dress code requirements arrived in the mail today. No major changes from last year.

What else? Elcie has requested white beans (probably Navies) and rice for the weekend. Girl, it's 95 (around 36 C) in the shade and there isn't any shade for miles. Oh well, I don't have to be in the kitchen for long. Beans are very low maintenance. I'd use the crockpot and start them tonight but it's too small for the amount I cook. I can barely fit a small roast in there and never mind adding any veggies except the onion, celery, and some bell pepper. ("In Australia, New Zealand and India, heatless species of bell pepper are called "capsicums". Thanks, Wiki.) I forgot to buy ham hocks and I used the ham bone from our last ham already but I'll find something to throw in with them. I'm not making another trip to the store.

Today I shoveled out two bathrooms. It used to be simpler but all 3 of the girls primp, they each have their own special conditioners and face products, brushes, hot comb, and all the other paraphernalia that goes with tween and teen girls. And they never throw away an empty anything.

Rebecca just came come out of hibernation. She organized her new binder, labeled her "back pack", and is singing. I'm watching the Giants (sort of - more like listening to the audio and looking up when the crowd moans - we're playing in San Diego). When they're at home, I listen for the cheers.

Yesterday evening, she composed the prettiest little ditty (sort of one-fingered Mozart - deceptively simple) on the piano (even a couple of chords). Then she couldn't remember how she did it.

That's about it from here. A lot of chatter about not much of anything, as usual.

Please keep a good thought or say a prayer for my online friend Dem Soldier who attends the University of Minnesota and for all the other residents of the Twin Cities - Minneapolis and St. Paul. In the midst of that disaster and subsequent injury and loss of life, there was a ray of sunshine. I keep seeing in my mind the photos of that big yellow school bus. 50 young people and aides walked to safety. (The last I heard, the driver and one other person were seriously injured - I haven't seen an update since last night but I hope they make it).

Thanks for all the comments on the last few posts. I've managed to get back to some of you despite my cranky internet. Have a wonderful weekend (half a weekend for those of you enjoying winter about now) and take care everyone.

Get the Lead Out - Updated 8-3-07

This post is primarily directed to my American visitors although any of you with kids or grandkids (or great-grandkids) might find it of interest..

This is a little different from the subjects I usually address here.

Parent Dish (formerly Blogging Baby) devotes much of its space to recalls. For the past few months, one of the writers has focused on toys containing lead - most from China. In the beginning, it was trinkets, mostly jewelry, that we see in all of the dollar stores.

It isn't just junk jewelry anymore and it isn't just the dollar stores. It's Mattel and Fisher-Price. Those of you with kids will recognize the names. You'll also recognize Dora the Explorer, Elmo, and especially Thomas the Tank Engine. For a while, when my girls were little, we were covered up with Elmos, all giggling or "rocking" at the same time but not necessarily in sync. Except for the damage to my own brain from the noise, I never thought twice about safety from an established brand that I trusted and thought I knew. All of my own kids had at least one Mattel "See & Say" and Fisher-Price may even go back to my generation.

And let's not forget the poisoned dog and cat food. My girls have outgrown most of Mattel and Fisher-Price, they've certainly moved past the 99¢ necklaces, but they haven't outgrown cats. Now I have to check recall lists for cat food. As for human food, I'm waiting for that shoe to drop.

It's approaching an epidemic.

Cooper & Emily of Been There and The Motherhood have written about it. (By the way, I recommend The Motherhood for those of you either with kids or interested in their welfare. Anything Cooper & Emily put their names to will be honest and worthwhile.)

This has nothing to do with economics or the political aspects of trading with China or any other nation. I'm not even going to get into the treatment of the workers. I'm not talking about outsourcing and the loss of American industry and jobs. They are all worthy subjects for another time and have been covered exhaustively by folks far more expert than I. It has everything to do with the safety of our kids, our animals, and ourselves.

I will say though, as an experienced shopper I've discovered how difficult it is to find products that are made entirely in the USA. For many of us, we buy what we can afford. I either watched or read online the other day about a couple who bought entirely made in USA products for an entire year. They were obviously in a much higher income bracket than I. It was difficult and it was expensive. I believe they went without one major appliance for months because there was no American replacement. Even items assembled here usually have foreign components.

Back to lead based products. Lead based paint has been banned here for years. Federal, state, and local ordinances are in place. In some areas, Public Health conducts inspections of older houses to check for paint. I know they do here. The dangers to children, including brain damage, have long been established.

And yet unsafe products are being allowed onto the shelves of our stores. It shouldn't be happening. By the time a recall is issued, how many little kids have been happily munching away on a toy containing lead? Far too many, I imagine.

Moms Rising, another group I've joined and promoted, has an online petition to Congress. I've signed it.

China seems to be the main offender; possibly because they are our largest importer. They must be pressured somehow to clean up their act.

Update: When I went back to The Motherhood to add this link to their discussion, I discovered a link to The Sierra Club They've compiled statistics and taken action. Interesting reading.

Update #2. I'd forgotten about the pacifiers being sold on line by American companies in Florida. I don't know where the crystals came from but obviously China isn't the only offender.

Update 3. My friend Tina just advised me that Mattel/Fisher-Price has a comprehensive recall list I looked it up and she's right. Thanks Tina.

Help Me Welcome a New Arrival

Congratulations to Kuri & Ping at International Marriage - What the Heck Is That who have their first child, a brand new baby girl.

Mom and baby are doing fine; dad is hanging in there.