Mother’s Day gift ideas from Etsy

Posted on 30. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in shopping

I just got a new car today, so I think that counts as Christmas, birthday, Mother’s Day and anniversary combined. But if you’re still looking for a great gift for mom/wife, here are a few of my faves from Etsy.com. Of course, if the item is sold out by the time you click on the link, see what else is in the seller’s shop. They often have duplicates or similar items.

(Sorry I don’t have pictures of everything…I need to get off the computer and read the car manual!)

“Because I Said So” Earrings
They’re in French! Oooh la la!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11402360

Apron
I know it’s tres 50’s, but these aprons are beautiful!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11374055

Bird nest locket
Perfect for a mom with three kids
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10940843

“Love You To the Moon and Back” Sterling Cuff bracelet
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11404425

Custom Photo Pendant for Mother’s Day
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11404422

Personalized Sterling Heart Mother’s Necklace
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11404243

Motherly Meddling – Vintage Text on Soldered Glass Charm Necklace
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11401462

Custom Circle Necklace…Your Words, Phrase, Quote…Choice of FONT
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11401514

Rock Star Mama antiqued sterling charm necklace
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11399998

“There will be a 5.00 charge for whining” (sign)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11252620

Personalizable Angel Cherub Digital Artwork
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11364357

Should someone be fired for divorcing?

Posted on 30. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in my life, religion

Have you ever answered a question that was so far-fetched you couldn’t believe it was even being asked?

That’s how I felt today when I saw the following poll in the Christianity Today email newsletter:
“Should a Christian school fire members of its faculty who divorce?”

Here are the results so far:

I’ve been happily married for nearly 21 years, so this isn’t a personal issue for me.

I think it would be awful for someone to either be afraid to divorce because they’d lose their job, or to get divorced and then lose their job at the same time. I’m all for putting lots of effort into making a marriage work, but I’m not going to judge someone who’s made the painful decision to get a divorce.

Maybe the people who think it’s ok to fire someone for divorcing are themselves perfect. Somehow I doubt it, however. I think we should be showing divorcees love, not judgment.

“Bloom where you are planted.”

Posted on 29. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in education, parenting, quotes

That’s my favorite quote from today’s NY Times article about college admissions (or lack thereof): College’s High Cost, Before You Even Apply. The message: kids (and parents) should mellow out and not define themselves by the “prestige” of the college that accepts them.

Students complain about lack of sleep, stomach pain and headaches, but doctors and educators also worry that stress tied to academic achievement can lead to depression, eating disorders and other mental health problems.

“There are some kids who can handle it,” says Denise Pope, a Stanford University education lecturer and author of , a book about stress and academics. “But some of these kids have had college on the brain since sixth or seventh grade or even earlier. When you have that kind of stress over that kind of time, that’s where it starts to worry us.”

Ms. Pope is trying to teach students and parents to get some perspective:

“College admission is how a lot of people are defining success these days,” says Dr. Pope, founder of the group. “We want to challenge people to achieve the healthier form of success, which is about character, well-being, physical and mental health and true engagement with learning”

Amen to that! I hope my children work hard but retain balance in their lives, develop healthy relationships with others, and stay ethical (no cheating or Ritalin!) in their quest for excellence. I hope they’re genuinely excited about where they wind up going to college, and make the most of wherever they go.

Is Obama White or Black? WHO CARES?!?

Posted on 28. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in my life, politics

Viva Berkeley Breathed! Yesterday’s Opus cartoon spoke volumes to me:

Are my kids White with a Latino father? Or are they Latino with a White mother?

WHY DOES IT MATTER?!?!?!?

Vote for the best candidate, not one just because they match your gender or race. Appreciate the fact that our country has advanced enough that race and gender don’t prevent a person from being a viable candidate, then vote for the person you think has the best leadership qualities.

I’m so sick of this race.

What if David Rockefeller gave $100 million to public schools instead of Harvard?

Posted on 28. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in education, things that bug me

How ironic that the following two news stories wound up next to each other on my LA Times news feed:

1. 
   The report, prepared by a youth group with help from Loyola Marymount, says that the conditions of their schools is contributing to a loss of hope and drive.

   A survey of 6,008 South Los Angeles high school students shows that many are frightened by violence in school, deeply dissatisfied with their choices of college preparatory classes, and — perhaps most striking — exhibit symptoms of clinical depression.

2. 
   David Rockefeller’s donation for use in the undergraduate arts and travel programs sets a new alumnus record.

   Philanthropist David Rockefeller donated a record $100 million to Harvard University’s undergraduate program, the largest gift by a Harvard alumnus in the history of the oldest and richest U.S. college, the school said Friday.

Good for Harvard. But honestly, aren’t those students already provided for? Imagine what $100 million could do for the public school students in South Los Angeles…

Circus elephants stuffed into truck

Posted on 27. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in animals, art, books, my life, things that bug me

Who cares how many clowns you can stuff in a car when you can stuff elephants in a truck?

This picture was taken by esteemed photographer Jill Freedman, and a slide show of her amazing work can be found on the NY Times website.

Note the name of the circus on the truck: Clyde Beatty. This picture was taken in 1971. In June, 1973, that same circus set up camp on the Roosevelt Common field next to the high school in Tenafly, NJ. I was 10 at the time, and attended it with my family.

What I remember most is that an elephant stepped on a trainer and killed him. Thankfully, I didn’t see it happen. But now I understand better why one of those elephants might be angry enough to do that.

What a tragedy. People shouldn’t treat animals this way.

I actually found an article about the incident in the NY Times archives. Here’s an excerpt,

Circus Helper Crushed to Death By Elephant He Was Handling

TENAFLY, June 4 – A 45-year-old circus laborer was picked up and thrown to the ground twice yesterday before being crushed to death by an elephant he was handling after a performance on Roosevelt Common.

The laborer, Alvin Kelly of Dallas, was helping to water a group of 13 elephants following the afternoon performance of the Clyde Beatty Circus.

…

“We have reports that Kelly had been drinking heavily earlier in the day and that might have had something to do with the elephant’s actions,” the spokesman said. “He also was carrying a big stick, which he may have poked the elephant with at the wrong time.”

The elephant, the police spokesman said, is now with the circus in New City, N.Y., where it had a performance today. “The elephant is a problem for the circus to take care of, not the police,” the spokesman continued.

About 10 years ago, I took my kids to see the Clyde Beatty – Cole Brothers circus perform in the parking lot of the Freehold, NJ mall. One of the guys in the motorcycle/hamster wheel act lost his timing, and almost fell. The act stopped abruptly. I wonder if small circuses take more risks than bigger ones, to get more attention. I felt that as a paying customer, I was complicit in encouraging them to take potentially life-threatening risks.

———————————

PS – If you haven’t already read , I highly recommend it. It’s about life in an old-time circus.

Are there Scientologists in Iran?

Posted on 27. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in international, movies, religion, sports

Just kidding. Bad idea.

But I couldn’t resist the analogy after watching the following two shows back-to-back on my Tivo last night:

• An with Jenna Miscavige, daughter of Scientology leader David Miscavige. Jenna spoke about what it was like to grow up in the Church of Scientology, and what drove her to leave.
• The movie Offside, about Iranian girls who dressed like boys to try to see a 2006 soccer match between Iran and Bahrain which will determine which team goes to the World Cup finals.

I felt like we had a Repression Film Night. The Nightline interview reiterated for us how wacky Scientology is, and how it has serious issues with anyone who disagrees with it. (I guess this blog post means I won’t be invited to Tom & Katie’s any time soon!) As for Offside, it offered a view of Iran that we seldom get in the West. The girls tried to use logic to convince the soldiers to let them see the game, but the soldiers weren’t driven by logic. They lived in fear of their Captain, and didn’t want to mess up their own chance to finally get out of the military. So the repression continues.

Ironically, as repressive as Iran is, Offside made it clear that Iranians are quite proud of their country. In fact, my husband pointed out that it’d be folly for us to ever think we’d have a chance of winning a war against such a patriotic country. I agree.

So once again, last night I was once again reminded how fortunate I am to live in a country that values freedom, and to practice a religion based on love, not repression.

Additional links:

• Great blog posting about Offside
• Legendary Spy Magazine article about Scientology
• Tom Cruise expounding on Scientology (video)

Get in the Blue Zone and live longer

Posted on 26. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in health

The Blue Zones Vitality Compass is the best web application I’ve ever seen for calculating life expectancy. Not only does it take into account basic body size/weight information, but it also accounts for whether you’ve ever been diagnosed with a disease and what your eating, exercising and social habits are. And it’s free.

Here are my results:

I can only hope it’s correct! (Kaynahora!!) Of course, it can’t take into account drunk drivers, natural disasters, undiagnosed diseases, terrorism, etc.

Unfortunately, to find out how I could add two years to my life I’d have to pay $9.99. But I can guess what they’d say: eat more nuts (but they don’t know I’m allergic), exercise more (I already exercise about 3x a week) and eat more than 9 servings of fish per month.

This site’s a good reminder to stick with or adopt healthy habits.

Daryn Kagan’s new book shows us “What’s Possible!”

Posted on 25. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in books, inspirational people, international

Do you ever get tired of reading about all that’s wrong in the world? I do. The world is full of wonderful people who do amazing things, but their stories are often ignored by the media.

Former CNN anchor (and fellow college classmate) Daryn Kagan is determined to find these people and tell their stories. Her website, www.DarynKagan.com, uses videos to tell the stories of people who have accomplished extraordinary feats for themselves and others.

Daryn’s summarized many of these stories in her new book, “” I couldn’t put this book down. I thought that fifty stories might be a bit overwhelming, but each one of them was so special and inspirational that I wanted to read more. Each one of the stories is sticking with me, and I’ve mentioned some to my family and friends. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Sebri Omer, an Ethiopian immigrant who gave up half of his successful gas station business to fund a hospital in his native land;
• Henri Landwirth, a Holocaust survivor who founded “Give Kids the World,” a group which treats children with life-threatening illness to a memorable visit to the attractions of Central Florida;
• Zainab Selbi, who survived Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship and went on to found Women for Women International, which helps other women war refugees;
• Bob Nameng, who went from being a Soweto street child to founding Soweto Kliptown Youth (SKY) to help give the children and young adults of Kliptown hope for the future;
• Paula Lucas, who founded the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line to help women like herself who were being abused on foreign soil;
• Ken Wyniemko, who got heavily involved in The Innocence Project after he was released after being wrongfully imprisoned. (The Innocence Project estimates a 5% failure rate in the judicial system, which translates to 100,000 people wrongly imprisoned!)
• Jacquelyn Mitchard, who emerged from a tough time in her life to write , which wound up being selected for Oprah’s Book Club.

These are only a few of the amazing stories Daryn tells. By the end of the book, I think anyone would be compelled to stop any future whining and find a way to make their own mark on the world. Read this NOW!

$4.8 billion cut to the California state’s public schools (petition)

Posted on 24. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in education

I signed the following online petition, and urge you to also. You can find it here.

$4.8 billion cut to the California state’s public schools

Target:U.S. House of Representatives, California State Assembly, California State Senate and US Senate

Sponsored by: Laure P Carnahan

Governor Schwarzenegger proposed a suspension of the minimum school funding guarantee, Prop 98. That funding currently constitutes more than 70 percent of total K-12 funding in the state.

Such suspension equals a $4.8 billion cut to the California state’s public schools.

Quality education is the most valuable asset for present and future generations. Achieving it requires a strong commitment from everyone, including governments, teachers, parents, community and students themselves.

Prop 98 is a good thing for schools because it makes sure we have increases in funding. I am in support of keeping Prop 98.

I was signature #9,982. Perhaps you’ll wind up being #10,000! (or even higher would be better!!!)

Check it out. Was what I said pointed enough?

Why 1 in 100 American adults is in prison, and what to do about it

Posted on 23. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in politics, things that bug me

If you commit a crime, don’t do it here! According to today’s NY Times,

The United States has less than 5 percent of the world’s population. But it has almost a quarter of the world’s prisoners.
…

If you count only adults, one in 100 Americans is locked up.

The article cites the following reasons:

• Americans are locked up for crimes — from writing bad checks to using drugs — that would rarely produce prison sentences in other countries.
• Our prison terms are often longer.
• We have higher levels of violent crime, primarily due to guns.
• We have a legacy of racial turmoil.
• The war on drugs is taken more seriously here.
• Americans believe in more severe punishments.
• Many people lack a social safety net.
• Many judges are elected, and try to prove themselves by being tough.

This is shameful. Aren’t we supposed to be The Land of the Free? Our society is failing people if we need to lock so many away. It’s also failing them after they’re locked up. Many of our prisons are human warehouses, where criminals crowd together in dangerous conditions and don’t make any progress toward rehabilitation. It’s no wonder our recidivism rate is so high.

This high incarceration rate has ripple effects. Families are ruptured and prisoners who aren’t rehabilitated have difficulty finding employment. So much money is used to maintain the prisons that the schools aren’t able to adequately educate students to help them avoid falling into a life of crime. And let’s not forget that if they do commit a criminal act as a minor, they’re likely to fall victim to a bait and switch and be tried as an adult, with a longer prison term.

Does this high incarceration rate reduce crime? Results are mixed.

“The simple truth is that imprisonment works,” wrote Kent Scheidegger and Michael Rushford of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation in The Stanford Law and Policy Review. “Locking up criminals for longer periods reduces the level of crime. The benefits of doing so far offset the costs.”

There is a counterexample, however, to the north. “Rises and falls in Canada’s crime rate have closely paralleled America’s for 40 years,” Mr. Tonry wrote last year. “But its imprisonment rate has remained stable.”

So here’s what I prescribe:

• Find creative alternatives to incarceration for crimes such as writing bad checks.
• Revamp our prisons so that they actually rehabilitate prisoners and prepare them to be valuable members of society.
• Reform and fund our schools so that they produce graduates who are prepared for the workplace, not just a life of desperation and crime.
• Consider reducing the length of prison terms.
• More severely restrict the sale of guns and other firearms.
• Drugs. Hmm. Perhaps put the effort / money into finding more innovative ways of educating people why they’re so dangerous?
• Make sure the homeless and the mentally ill are taken care of.
• Appoint judges. Really – do you know much about the judges you elect? I don’t.

These reforms would take a whole lot of time, imagination, effort and money. But I think the longterm savings and social benefits to society would be worth it.

Since when is “elite” a bad thing?

Posted on 22. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in politics

Here’s how the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “elite”:

a. the choice part : cream
b. the best of a class
c. the socially superior part of society
d. a group of persons who by virtue of position or education exercise much power or influence

What’s wrong with that? I prefer the best of the best. I’d love it if my kids got into “elite” universities, or were defined as “elite” athletes. I don’t want an “elite” person to be a snob, but I think we should all strive for excellence in what we do.

I’m sad to see that think that calling Barack Obama “elite” is a bad thing. After all, don’t we want the cream of the crop, the best educated and most talented, leading our country?

$90 spent on a tank of gas

Posted on 21. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in environment

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw what the person before me paid for gas today: $90.00. They had purchased 23.023 gallons of gas.

Wow. It’s probably not long before someone pays $100.00 for a tank of gas.

It’s no surprise that I just received this breaking news alert:

Breaking News from ABCNEWS.com:

AVERAGE PRICE OF GASOLINE HITS $3.51, BREAKING RECORD SET IN 1981, THE ENERGY DEPARTMENT REPORTS

The skeletons in the closets of presidential candidates since 1995

Posted on 20. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in politics

Here’s a fascinating website: The Skeleton Closet. It includes substantiated information about presidential candidates, both past and present.

Anyone who reads this blog knows I’m an Obama supporter. Even so, I’m all for making an educated decision at the polling booth.

So check out the candidate(s) you’re considering and see what you learn…some of the dirt might surprise you…

Laying off the best teachers hurts California kids

Posted on 19. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in education, politics

From today’s Associated Press:

SAN DIEGO – Precious Jackson has two years of teaching under her belt and two school teacher-of-the-year awards to show for it. She also has a pink slip.

Now Jackson is a prime target for growing school districts across the country hoping to cherry-pick from thousands of California teachers who have been warned they could be laid off because of state budget woes.

This makes no sense. You’ve got a two-time teacher-of-the-year, and she’s being laid off because she’s got the least seniority. That’s so wrong, but that’s how the union contract works. And ironically, she’s probably also the lowest paid since she’s got less seniority, so the district isn’t getting much bang for the buck letting her go.

I will endorse any politician who can manage to fix that system, no matter what the party. Our kids deserve to be taught by the BEST, not just the most experienced.

My mother’s awesome chicken salad recipe

Posted on 19. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in food

This is what I’m making for the Pasadena-area blogger’s picnic today:

Chicken Salad

3 cups cooked chicken*
1 cup celery (I’m leaving this out since I’m allergic)
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 cup green grapes
11 oz can mandarin oranges
1 cup mayonnaise ( I used about 2/3 of a cup and i was fine.)
2 tsp. curry powder (my mother only uses 1 tsp, but I like curry so I’ll stick to the recipe)
1 tbsp. soy sauce

Mix chicken, celery slices, salt and lemon juice
Add 1/2 cup each grapes and oranges. Set aside.
Mix remaining ingredients to make dressing. Fold into chicken mixture.
Arrange remaining grapes and oranges on top.

————————–
*Cooking chicken breasts for salads:

1) Place in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Add salt to the water if you wish, but it is not necessary.

2) Bring slowly to a simmer over moderately low heat. Simmer skinless, boneless breasts for 10-15 minutes; chicken on the bone with skin for 15-20 minutes. The chicken breasts are done when they are slightly opaque, no longer pink in the center, but still moist and juicy.

China 2008 Olympics rehearsal

Posted on 18. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in international, sports

Too bad China’s so repressive, and that Beijing is so smoggy, for it sure looks like they’re going to put on this summer:

I’ve never seen so many people in one performance.

I wonder how many of them agree with their country’s policies? I doubt that all of them do, but I’m looking at them from my biased American “freedom” perspective.
Then again, maybe many do agree. After all, this poor Duke freshman can tell you all about what it’s like to be perceived as a traitor in China. I’m sure that there are many people who disagree with China’s policies that are afraid to speak out.

Our new oak trees, courtesy of the city

Posted on 18. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in environment, local news, my life

Forget our tropical, palm tree landscaping theme: two days ago our fair city planted two California Live Oaks (I think) in our front yard. The trees are intended to remind drivers that the curb now juts out on the south side of our property, and therefore they need to slow down and swerve around it. Cars have been clocked at 55 mph on our 30 mph street, so slower traffic would be much appreciated.

I’m setting up a reminder to take a picture each year on the anniversary of these trees being planted. I hope they thrive and grow quickly. And for my mother’s and son’s sake, I hope they don’t become a spider sanctuary.

Pasadena-area blogger’s picnic tomorrow

Posted on 18. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in local news, my life

Mwahaha!!! I had a great time at the picnic last summer, and can’t wait for the one tomorrow. I’ll probably arrive around lunch time. Cool people, great food, fun times. See you there?

Saturday, April 19, 2008
10am to 3pm

Sunnyslope Park
700 N Sunnyslope Ave (at Orange Grove)
Pasadena, CA 91107

Blogger’s Picnic & Softball Snark
Potluck, Tea Party, Anonny Convention

Bring chair/blanket & something to share.

Be square and be there.

Born to Run: Bruce Springsteen backs Barack Obama for President

Posted on 16. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in my life, politics

Think Obama doesn’t speak for working-class Americans? According to the Associated Press,

Rock star Bruce Springsteen endorsed Democratic Sen. Barack Obama for president Wednesday, saying “he speaks to the America I’ve envisioned in my music for the past 35 years.”

In a letter addressed to friends and fans posted his Web site, Springsteen said he believes Obama is the best candidate to undo “the terrible damage done over the past eight years.”

“He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next president,” the letter said.

“He speaks to the America I’ve envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that’s interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit.

Brush with stardom admission: I “met” The Boss once. I held the door open for him at Crazees. How funny: I guess I’m not the only one who’s seen him there!

UCERF predicts So. Cal. due for big quake

Posted on 15. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in environment, local news

It’s a good thing that the Macy’s on South Lake Ave. in Pasadena is closing temporarily for seismic upgrades. According to the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF) website:

According to the new forecast, California has a 99.7% chance of having a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake during the next 30 years (see Figure 1). The likelihood of an even more powerful quake of magnitude 7.5 or greater in the next 30 years is 46%. Such a quake is more likely to occur in the southern half of the state (37% chance in 30 years) than in the northern half (15% chance in 30 years) (see Figure 2).

The probability of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake over the next 30 years striking the greater Los Angeles area is 67%, and in the San Francisco Bay Area it is 63%, similar to previous WGCEP estimates (see Figure 3). For the entire California region, the fault with the highest probability of generating at least one magnitude 6.7 quake or larger is the southern San Andreas (59% in the next 30 years; see Figure 4). For northern California, the most likely source of such earthquakes is the Hayward-Rodgers Creek Fault (31% in the next 30 years). Events of this size can be deadly, as shown by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake (magnitude 6.9) and 1994 Northridge earthquake (magnitude 6.7).

Here’s a snapshot view of what’s expected in my neck of the woods. My fair city, La Canada Flintridge, is right where the bottom of the (1) is on the map:

Many thanks to Ken H. for posting the UCERF link on his Facebook page. I REALLY need to get more earthquake supplies. I bought a bunch of dog food, but then my dog ate it too quickly. I guess I’d better get some human food, too.

Try Google’s free voice-activated directory assistance, 1-800-GOOG-411

Posted on 14. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in technical

Leave it to Google to improve business directory assistance and make it free!

Just dial () and state the city and state you’re looking for, then the business name or category. (It’s not for residential listings.) It’s all voice-activated, unless you prefer using a keypad. It’ll give you the choice of what listing you wish to be connected to, and will even send a text message to your phone. If you think it heard you wrong or you wish to change your search, just say “back.” If you say “details,” it’ll even give you the address.

Note: If you’re looking for a listing in La Canada, California, say you’re looking for one in La Canada Flintridge. Otherwise, you might get listings in Cambria.

I’m going to program “GOOG411″ into my cellphone.

College Search: Separating Fiction from Non-Fiction

Posted on 14. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in education

Save the date! My website client Meredith Reynolds of Head Start College will be speaking at the Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse on Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 7:30pm. Hear Meredith’s tips on how to take the stress out of the college search process, the completion of applications and the final decision.

The web of bureaucracy?

Posted on 13. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in art, politics

I just returned from visiting my mother and stepfather in Escondido. We visited Grand Ave. on Friday night to see the classic cars cruise the boulevard. It made me appreciate California’s modern emission standards!

Here’s a picture I took from beneath the dome of the Escondido Civic Center. That’s the moon in the middle:

I was pretty pleased with how well my Canon Powershot SD800 point-and-shoot camera performed in the dark. I put it on the manual setting and overexposed it. I took a few in case my hand shook.

I think this looks like glow-in-the-dark lace.

MySpace is not the Antichrist

Posted on 12. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in parenting, social networking

“As far as I’m concerned, MySpace is the Antichrist for children.”

So says Patrick Lindsay, whose 16-year-old daughter was brutally beaten by six teenage girls after she posted defamatory comments on MySpace. A videotape of the 30-minute beating was then posted on YouTube.

I feel for Mr. Lindsay and his daughter, but I disagree. MySpace is a communication tool that can be used for good or evil, just as YouTube, Facebook or even Microsoft Word can. It is not inherently evil.

On the other hand, I think it’s easier to make bad judgments with greater ramifications on MySpace than on most other websites. When MySpace was popular among our local teens a year or two ago, I saw scantily clad adolescents, cursing, and mean-spirited remarks on some of their public pages. I think the MySpace culture often doesn’t encourage people to take responsibility for being their real selves, and naive and immature teens often wind up posting things they come to regret. As a result, I didn’t let my kids create MySpace profiles. (I do let them have Facebook pages, however.)

The bottom line: parents need to monitor their kids’ internet usage. Most parents want to know where there kids are in the “real” world, so they shouldn’t abdicate that responsibility in the virtual world. As the sheriff’s deputy who spoke at one of our PTSA meetings said when asked about whether parents can monitor their kids’ internet usage: if you don’t, then “Shame on you.”

La Canada Flintridge finally on Google Streetview…sort of

Posted on 10. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in local news, technical

I was so excited to see that La Canada’s finally got pictures on the Street View feature of . Here’s what the Sport Chalet construction looked like recently:

I wish we knew what restaurant is going there! I vote for Daphne’s.
Here are the streets that Google Maps currently shows on Street View for LCF:

I was pretty jazzed until I saw that they’ve mapped nearly every street in Pasadena and other surrounding cities:

Maybe Google’s waiting until our sidewalks are completed.

I didn’t see any people or cars I recognize on Foothill Blvd. Maybe we’re not a rural community?

If I were a dog, I’d bark too!

Posted on 09. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in local news, my life

Many years ago I bought my husband a t-shirt that said, “Plan for the day: Let dog in, Let dog out, Let dog in, Let dog out…”

Today is one of those days. Thank goodness the kids are on spring break and can help.

But who can blame our vigilant dog? The city is tearing up our curb to build a bulb-out to slow down traffic on our street. There are lots of guys operating all sorts of loud construction equipment. Here’s the view from my window:

If I were a dog, I’d bark too.

By the way, if you’re a local, take the “no left turn” sign at the top of the street seriously. There’s usually a Sheriff’s deputy waiting nearby to catch scofflaws.

Don’t fear an endoscopy

Posted on 08. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in health, my life

Having an upper endoscopy? Never fear. It’s better than having your teeth cleaned.

Then again, that might mean I need a new dental hygienist…

Julia Child would never cook frozen fish sticks

Posted on 07. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in books, food, inspirational people, my life, parenting

After my parents divorced, my sister and I each cooked one meal a week. As I recall, our meals mostly consisted of fish sticks or spaghetti. After I graduated from college, I bought some cookbooks and taught myself to make finer dishes such as jerk chicken and key lime pie. After reading Julia Child’s “,” I realize that even my most ambitious  culinary efforts pale in comparison to her vast accomplishments.

Julia Child was an unlikely candidate to become an authority on French cooking. She grew up in a wealthy family with a cook who made standard beef and potato meals every night. When she arrived in France as a newlywed, she could neither cook nor speak French. She enrolled in a six-week course at the world-renowned Cordon Bleu cooking school, but soon realized she’d signed up for the yearlong course by mistake.

It turned out that she loved French cuisine, and wanted to learn far more than she would have in six weeks. Her infectious enthusiasm attracted friends and patrons who were chefs and gourmets. She toiled incredibly hard at translating what she learned into American ingredients, measurements, and sensibilities. One time she used over 250 lbs. of flour perfecting a baguette recipe for American flour, baking sheets and ovens.

That’s what I love most about Julia Child. She found her passion, and worked hard at perfecting it. It’s a dictum I try to follow in my own life, and that I try to teach my kids. Julia’s towering figure and unique diction were easy to mock, but the woman was a genius.

“From them I learned why good French food is an art, and why it makes such sublime eating: nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should. Good results require that one take time and care. If one doesn’t use the freshest ingredients or read the whole recipe before starting, and if one rushes through the cooking, the result will be an inferior taste and texture – a gummy beef Wellington, say. But a careful approach will result in a magnificent burst of flavor, a thoroughly satisfying meal, perhaps even a life-changing experience.”

I just purchased on Amazon. I can’t wait to make one of her recipes!

Additional Links:

• YouTube video of Julia Child on her tv show, ““
• . A book about a woman who decides to make every one of Julia Child’s recipes every night for a year.

We’re all “Under the Same Moon”

Posted on 06. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in international, movies, politics

Meet Carlitos. He’s nine years old, and hasn’t seen his mother in four years. She’s an illegal immigrant living in Los Angeles while Carlitos lives in Mexico with his grandmother. “Under the Same Moon” (“La Luna Misma”) chronicles what happens when the grandmother dies and Carlitos decides to cross the border and find his mother.

I loved this movie. The acting was superb, the story was engaging, and even the hardest of characters were touched by Carlitos’ determination and heart. No matter what your views are on illegal immigration, I think this story will touch you, too.

We went as a family, and we all enjoyed it. Besides the entertainment value and political discussion that ensued, I’m glad it allowed my teens to see one view of what life can be like in Mexico and for illegal immigrants here.

The dialogue and music were in both English and Spanish with English subtitles. I’ve often wondered if mariachis ever play songs with subversive words to unsuspecting cholos, and now I know that if they play the corrido, “Superman es Ilegal,” they’ll be singing words such as,

He came from the sky but is not a plane
He came in his spaceship from Krypton
And though it hurts to admit it
Superman is an illegal
He’s a journalist?
Well so am I.
He didn’t serve in the army.
What’s up with that?
But he’s blond, blue-eyed and well-built
And I am dark and fat and really short
Why do they let him work?
Without Social Security or a green card?
They let him fly without a license
And even call him Superman!

Not so subtle! You can see the clip from the movie that includes the song on YouTube by clicking .