Outback Bowl and A Good Educations

I heard on the news that one of the TN team members will not be playing in this year's Outback Bowl. When I did a search to see the story behind this "academically ineligible" player, I found that a lot of players aren't playing because their academic downfalls.

I'm glad to see that Institutions are looking at the whole picture regarding these 'stars' of the football field. How many players have slipped through the cracks of the academic world because of the 'need' to have them play? How may school officials have turned and looked the other way when a young person's academic standing wasn't where it should be so that they could have a chance to play in what ever game was deemed important at the time? It's comforting to see that some seriousness has been placed on the educational guidelines of college sports.

Hey, I'm as much for notoriety as the next guy, but I'm also for people's futures and for fairness!

A Diffferent Military Experience

When I think of the military I think of war. I think of battles and shooting, fear and agnst. I also think of the protection we Americans are enjoying anad hardly ever question, like it's a right rather than an amazing privilidge. I think about all the souls whom have chosen the military as a way of life and have made the decision that protecting this wonderful country and the citizens here is their life's purpose.

There are the other parts of the military that I don't think about too often and that are just as important. There are branches that assist in feeding our active soldiers, branches that fix the military equipment... And then there are these branches:

Creativity

This is one of those things that make you wonder at the creativity of people.

jerome murat
Uploaded by segalier

How impressive that someone can come up with this, let alone carry it off!

A Company to Do Business With

I receive a lot of catalogues throughout the year because I once made the mistake (?) of ordering some things once. Around this time of year the amount I get is increased by about 50% and my recycle bin overflows way before the weekly pick up date.

I usually browse through these catalogues, sigh about how much paper and energy is wasted, and then toss them into the blue bin to leave by the curb… But this month something from Coldwater Creek caught my eye:








This is a company that I will spend more time looking at. I'll give their products more consideration becuase I feel that they've gone an extra step to help our planet. I wish more manufacturing companies would all follow their example!

If I Had Only Known

I've had issues with my two dogs. I have a pit bull/Shepard mix and a German Shepard/Rottweiler mix. They're sweet and lovable, but they have been such PITAs! They bark and anything and everything, have problems listening when we walk them (the pit has actually tried to attack the Shepard when she sees approaching dogs, so I'm sure you can guess that heeling has been out of the question), and only the pit actually understands what I mean when I say "sit!".

It's been a rough road, but I've finally found something to help us. I was considering going to a training class with them, but I just don't have the time. When could I fit it in with 3 jobs, a home to take care of, and my three year old son? I found the answer: On-line dog training help! There are tons of helpful techniques for even the 'toughest dogs' out there, and they focus on positive training techniques which was very important to me.

Click Here to begin the first step to bettering the your relationship with the 'tough dog' in your life!

Dawn

I'm not a big product freak. What I mean by that is if I find a product I like, I may mention it if the topic comes up (sure, becuase I'm always sitting around discussing the benefits of liquid versus powder laundry detergent or something), but I hardly go out of my way to talk about my experiences.

However; I actually have found a dishwashing liquid that I cannot live without. Dawn Direct Foam is the best product for washing dishes that I have EVER used. I usually burn food in my pots and pans, and the usual way for me to deal with that is to soak them... for days. I hate cleaning that crap and scrubbing them while my hands burn from the hot water! Now I don't have to! I don't know what's in that stuff, but it's fantastic. Just a tiny drop goes in, some water, then a bit of scrubbing and *bam*! all clean.

A Doll is a Doll... Right?

Barbie is no longer a prominent presence in Middle Eastern toy stores; she had been replaced by a more culturally reflective Fulla doll. Fulla forgoes the skin-tight, low neck-line outfits that Barbie usually wears, and instead wears a black abaya and a head scarf which portray a more conservative and culturally 'proper' Middle Eastern system.

There is some controversy surrounding the new Fulla doll. Some say that Fulla is "just a plaything" like Barbie is to the world at large, but other's say that this new Fulla doll represents the pressure to conform to the limiting female role within the Middle East.

It seems that Fulla is everywhere in the Middle East, just as Barbie is here in America. Fulla is on breakfast cereal, is used to sell chewing gum, and is a marketing figure for bikes and backpacks. Some parents complain, saying that Fulla has taken over, but others claim that having a role model that is shown in commercials to be praying before sunrise and acting in the more 'traditional' roles of a woman, are good to have.