A Tender Story

A young man writes about his Mom.

It's a lovely read.

Long, but worth the time.

https://medium.com/matter/on-kindness-819ce388f976

It's All Relative

The size of things in the solar system, compared to things we're familiar with.

Interesting.

http://astronomycentral.co.uk/astronomy-the-size-of-stuff/

Science is Fun!

This hands on museum in the San Francisco Bay Area gives kids, young and old, a chance to have some serious, experimental, exploratory fun.

If you're in that area, you have to check it out . . . for me . . . and let me know what you think.

http://tinkering.exploratorium.edu//chain-reaction

Watch the quick video at the end of the article.  It's pretty darn cute.

Street Art

This can be a powerful medium.

Check out the murals below.

My favorite is #1.

What's yours?

http://news360.com/digestarticle/-EysSaX1Y0qBEv_zYfMIeg

Give Your Old House New Tricks

Some of the gadgets featured in this clip are easily doable and can give your old house some new tricks.

http://www.usatoday.com/videos/tech/personal/2014/11/02/18368769/

Technology - WOW!

These are folks performing in NYC's subway stations brought together by technology.

Incredible!

http://vimeo.com/109672232

Parenting Advice

This comes from Deion Sanders, aka Primetime.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/experience/weekend/entertainment/2014/10/29/deion-sanders-is-owns-primetime-papa/18125109/

I love this guy!

My Ad Man

Check out Ben in the ad below.

http://vimeo.com/110426711

Yes.

I'm a proud momma.

Powerful Short Film

The 14-minute movie captures the empathy, or lack thereof, of the heartache that has been reeling in the black community for years, with a bubbling up of incidents recently, that makes this message especially timely.

http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/11/with_american_short_film_nate_parker_hopes_to_inspire_white_empathy_about.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr%3Acontent%26

Riveting!

Not long ago, I mentioned a podcast that was getting a lot of attention.  I had not yet listened to it.

Now, I can speak from experience.

It's absolutely riveting.

I listen to it on my long drives, and I've actually slowed down to finish an episode before arriving at my destination.

It's called "Serial."

Like a good book, on the one hand I can't wait to finish the series, but on the other, I don't want it to end.

You can find it here:

serialpodcast.org

Don't take my word for it, check out a review of it below, and then, take some time and . . .

Listen up.

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/10/podcasts-so-good-you-want-to-binge-listen/382055/

Better Teachers

There is no doubt in my mind that the person teaching a class makes an enormous difference in the lives of the students in their charge.

They can propel the kids forward or retard their growth.

The effective ones can move mountains.

The ineffective ones become a part of the mountain that needs to be moved.

Should the responsibility of educating kids rest solely on teachers?

No.

Absolutely not.

Does it?

Many times, yes.

Are there institutional hindrances to some kids' succeeding, like poverty and neglected schools?

For sure.

Do we throw up our hands in defeat when face with these obstacles?

We shouldn't, but many do.

There are solutions, but the politics of getting them in place can be overwhelming.

The article addresses some things that could be done.

The success of the US as a competitive force in the world depends on us getting this right, and soon.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/29/opinion/frank-bruni-toward-better-teachers.html?src=me&module=Ribbon&version=origin&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Most%20Emailed&pgtype=article

Which One Are You?

Assuming you're a parent, are you the "default one?"

Find out below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/m-blazoned/the-default-parent_b_6031128.html

The Great Debate

Watch these elementary school kids debate country life vs. city life.

It's less than five minutes.

Too cute.

Note the teacher.

He looks like he's 12.

http://www.noisyclassroom.com/index.html

We Take This for Granted

As Americans, we take our freedom of speech for granted.

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/courts/online-verbal-insults-are-punishable-in-any-emirate-uae-supreme-court-rules?utm_content=

Another View

Here's a recent newspaper article in reference to ISIL.

http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/joint-us-uae-task-force-to-choke-off-isil-funding?utm_content=

A New Face

A lot has been written about Renee Zellweger's new face.  I've never been a fan so I kinda blew past all of the hoopla.

Until I read this guy's story.

Really, it's not so much his story, but the comments to it when it was published in a London newspaper.

Those British tongues can be quite tart.

See for yourself.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/rene-zellweger-and-me/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Differences

The are subtle, and not so subtle, cultural differences that we ex-pats experience every day.

For instance:

---Time is relative.  If you make an appointment and arrive sometime within the hour of when you're supposed to be there, you're OK.

---Meetings always begin with coffee and light snacks, for those folks who do arrive on time and have to wait for the late comers.

---The greetings here are lyrical.  There is the double cheek kiss and the litany of prayers that they say to each other, even when they see each other everyday.  It is especially pronounced when they greet each other sporadically.  Women greet women and men greet men.

---This elaborate greeting happens, no matter when they arrive.  We could be in the middle of a meeting, but everything stops for folks to greet each other.

---Cell phones ringing in a meeting is no big deal.  Answering the call and proceeding with a full-on conversation is not taboo either.

---Side bar conversations during meetings are constant.  It really rattles Western presenters.

---Deadlines are fluid.

---The art of calendaring events is virtually non-existent.  Things are happening all the time, but notice is by word of mouth.

---Last minute changes happen frequently, but again, the information goes out word of mouth.

---There is no such thing as a "working lunch."  When you break for lunch, that time is sacred and is expected to be undisturbed.  A new teacher made the mistake of keeping her class in to finish work during their lunch break, and was quickly called on the carpet for that faux pas.

---Correct spelling in not important.  Most everything is spelled several ways, and it's up to you to decipher what it is.  The town where I live has at least five difference spellings, all of them official, meaning they are found on maps, office buildings, etc.

---Kids play unattended in the neighborhood.  Even toddlers, as young as two or three.

---Kids run - full force, like they're outside - in the hallways at school, without restraint or reprimand.

---Many boys, when you're trying to reprimand them, run from you, like you're going to play a game of chase with them.

These are some of the things we experience that are quite different from what we're used to.  These things are not necessarily wrong, but they are different, and require an adjustment in thinking.

Looking Sharp

Emirates is the official airline of Dubai, and this article is about their flight attendants.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/21/emirates-flight-attendants_n_5999818.html

Un-invited

Bill Maher is scheduled to be the commencement speaker at UC Berkeley's December graduation ceremony.  Some of the students are not happy about this because of his recent comments on Islam.

So, an "un-invite" is in the works.

Check it out.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/27/bill-maher-berkeley-commencement_n_6058102.html

Not Black Enough, Part 2

What do you think?

http://blackamericaweb.com/2014/10/26/how-black-do-you-have-to-be-to-be-black-enough/?omcamp=es-baw-nl&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=BAW%20Subscribers%20%28Daily%29&utm_campaign=2014-27-10-%20BAW%20Daily