Saturday, September 24, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day: The Service of Play - Make it a Fun Day Tommorrow
Here is an article written by Maria ShriverEmmy-winning journalist, best-selling author and activist
My mother was a warrior. No, not someone who carried a sword and went into hostilities to harm, but rather a warrior for good, and for the well-being of people with intellectual disabilities worldwide.
My mother's battlefield was the Special Olympics organization she founded in 1968. Her weapons of choice were compassion, an enormous heart, a sharp intellect and a competitive spirit. She used her full arsenal of talents to fight for those who were not viewed by society to be capable, to be fully human, to be deserving of the opportunity to play, to compete, and to contribute to their community worldwide.
This Saturday, September 24, over 100 countries will celebrate the second annual Eunice Kennedy Shriver (EKS) Day. Athletes, families and fans from around the world will play unified -- people with and without disabilities playing sports together -- to teach the world how to live unified.
My mother's genius was in using the power of sport to transform the world -- on the playing field, on playgrounds, in gyms and at schools. And the power of sport will be on full display this weekend with unified activities ranging from a Bart Conner-hosted gymnastics event in Norman, Oklahoma, a cricket tournament in Pakistan and football matches in Namibia to track and field competitions in Myanmar and Family Forums in Korea. I could go on and on.
EKS Day promotes play as a form of service. My mother believed in the very fiber of her being that, regardless of who we are or where we live, each of us has something to give, something the world needs from us. We all have talent, value and worth in the eyes of God and in the eyes of our families and communities. At the very least, all of us can play.
Play Unified is the theme for this year's EKS Day. Our hope is that people with and without intellectual disabilities will be inspired to play together and compete together. Playing Unified means that every child and every adult can be included in activities that are challenging and fun, healthful and joyful.
So, get out and play tomorrow. Volunteer, coach someone, referee, cheer or do anything else that includes people with intellectual disabilities. My mother believed that, by doing so, our nation would be a better place and indeed the entire world would be a better place for everyone.
All of us can be warriors like my mother -- architects of change, as I like to say -- by giving the best of ourselves this weekend, all in the service of play.
To find an EKS Day event in your area, visit www.eksday.org
My mother was a warrior. No, not someone who carried a sword and went into hostilities to harm, but rather a warrior for good, and for the well-being of people with intellectual disabilities worldwide.
My mother's battlefield was the Special Olympics organization she founded in 1968. Her weapons of choice were compassion, an enormous heart, a sharp intellect and a competitive spirit. She used her full arsenal of talents to fight for those who were not viewed by society to be capable, to be fully human, to be deserving of the opportunity to play, to compete, and to contribute to their community worldwide.
This Saturday, September 24, over 100 countries will celebrate the second annual Eunice Kennedy Shriver (EKS) Day. Athletes, families and fans from around the world will play unified -- people with and without disabilities playing sports together -- to teach the world how to live unified.
My mother's genius was in using the power of sport to transform the world -- on the playing field, on playgrounds, in gyms and at schools. And the power of sport will be on full display this weekend with unified activities ranging from a Bart Conner-hosted gymnastics event in Norman, Oklahoma, a cricket tournament in Pakistan and football matches in Namibia to track and field competitions in Myanmar and Family Forums in Korea. I could go on and on.
EKS Day promotes play as a form of service. My mother believed in the very fiber of her being that, regardless of who we are or where we live, each of us has something to give, something the world needs from us. We all have talent, value and worth in the eyes of God and in the eyes of our families and communities. At the very least, all of us can play.
Play Unified is the theme for this year's EKS Day. Our hope is that people with and without intellectual disabilities will be inspired to play together and compete together. Playing Unified means that every child and every adult can be included in activities that are challenging and fun, healthful and joyful.
So, get out and play tomorrow. Volunteer, coach someone, referee, cheer or do anything else that includes people with intellectual disabilities. My mother believed that, by doing so, our nation would be a better place and indeed the entire world would be a better place for everyone.
All of us can be warriors like my mother -- architects of change, as I like to say -- by giving the best of ourselves this weekend, all in the service of play.
To find an EKS Day event in your area, visit www.eksday.org
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
RedHeads Being Discriminated Against as Sperm Donors !!! WTH
The world’s largest sperm bank isn’t taking any more donations from men with red hair because demand for redheaded children is low.
News DeskSeptember 19, 2011 21:08
Redheads like the comedian Carrot Top need not apply: The world's largest sperm bank is no longer taking donations from men with red hair. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)The world’s largest sperm bank isn’t taking any more donations from men with red hair because demand for redheaded children is relatively low.
"We have nothing against red-haired donors," Ole Schou, director of Denmark-based Cryos Intl., told msnbc.com. "Our stock is about to explode. We have just too many on stock in relation to the demand for the time being."
Schou said that his company, which “harvests” donations in Scandinavia and ships semen to 65 countries worldwide, had reached its maximum capacity of 70 liters of semen from men with red hair. The company’s already got 600 redheaded donors on a waiting list should redheaded children become more fashionable.
Schou speculated on the reasons for the lack of interest in redheads to Danish newspaper Ekstrabladet. "I do not think you chose a redhead, unless the partner – for example, the sterile male – has red hair, or because the lone woman has a preference for redheads. And that's perhaps not so many, especially in the latter case,” he said, according to the (London) Telegraph.
Customers that do request redheaded donors are mostly based in Denmark, Germany and Ireland, Schou told the Irish Times.
Given that many of Cryos’ clients are in Spain, Italy and Greece, the company needs more brown-eyed Scandinavians, Mediterraneans and men of other ethnicities as donors, he said.
News DeskSeptember 19, 2011 21:08
Redheads like the comedian Carrot Top need not apply: The world's largest sperm bank is no longer taking donations from men with red hair. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)The world’s largest sperm bank isn’t taking any more donations from men with red hair because demand for redheaded children is relatively low.
"We have nothing against red-haired donors," Ole Schou, director of Denmark-based Cryos Intl., told msnbc.com. "Our stock is about to explode. We have just too many on stock in relation to the demand for the time being."
Schou said that his company, which “harvests” donations in Scandinavia and ships semen to 65 countries worldwide, had reached its maximum capacity of 70 liters of semen from men with red hair. The company’s already got 600 redheaded donors on a waiting list should redheaded children become more fashionable.
Schou speculated on the reasons for the lack of interest in redheads to Danish newspaper Ekstrabladet. "I do not think you chose a redhead, unless the partner – for example, the sterile male – has red hair, or because the lone woman has a preference for redheads. And that's perhaps not so many, especially in the latter case,” he said, according to the (London) Telegraph.
Customers that do request redheaded donors are mostly based in Denmark, Germany and Ireland, Schou told the Irish Times.
Given that many of Cryos’ clients are in Spain, Italy and Greece, the company needs more brown-eyed Scandinavians, Mediterraneans and men of other ethnicities as donors, he said.
Playboy's History, in Pictures - The Atlantic
Funny pictures. I think the best one of all is the Marilyn Monroe first publication. You have to admit, the lady was dripping with style....
Playboy's History, in Pictures - The Atlantic
Playboy's History, in Pictures - The Atlantic
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
FREE TO SERVE - Don't Ask - Don't Tell - IS HISTORY !!
By ROBERT BURNS, Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- After years of debate and months of final preparations, the military can no longer prevent gays from serving openly in its ranks.
Repeal of a 1993 law that allowed gays to serve only so long as they kept their sexual orientation private took effect Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. EDT.
Some in Congress still oppose the change, but top Pentagon leaders have certified that it will not undermine the military's ability to recruit or to fight wars.
The Army was distributing a business-as-usual statement Tuesday saying simply, "The law is repealed," and reminding soldiers to treat each other fairly.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, scheduled a Pentagon news conference to field questions about the repeal. And a bipartisan group of congressional supporters of allowing openly gay service planned a news conference on Capitol Hill.
Gay advocacy groups planned a series of celebrations across the country.
The lifting of the 18-year-old ban also brings a halt to all pending investigations, discharges and other administrative proceedings that were begun under the Clinton-era law.
Existing standards of personal conduct, such as those pertaining to public displays of affection, will continue regardless of sexual orientation.
WASHINGTON -- After years of debate and months of final preparations, the military can no longer prevent gays from serving openly in its ranks.
Repeal of a 1993 law that allowed gays to serve only so long as they kept their sexual orientation private took effect Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. EDT.
Some in Congress still oppose the change, but top Pentagon leaders have certified that it will not undermine the military's ability to recruit or to fight wars.
The Army was distributing a business-as-usual statement Tuesday saying simply, "The law is repealed," and reminding soldiers to treat each other fairly.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, scheduled a Pentagon news conference to field questions about the repeal. And a bipartisan group of congressional supporters of allowing openly gay service planned a news conference on Capitol Hill.
Gay advocacy groups planned a series of celebrations across the country.
The lifting of the 18-year-old ban also brings a halt to all pending investigations, discharges and other administrative proceedings that were begun under the Clinton-era law.
Existing standards of personal conduct, such as those pertaining to public displays of affection, will continue regardless of sexual orientation.
Anderson Cooper on Daytime TV - Interview with Mother Gloria Vanderbilt
This is a very sad story and I remember hearing about it years ago, when Anderson Cooper had his CNN Show. The brother had mental problems for years and I believe he was on and off his meds and was just having a bad day. Such a tragic story and as a Mother, what a sad sad thing to have to witness. You can still hear the emotion in Gloria's voice and she is probably very correct; There is No Closure when something like that happens.
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