3 Ring Binder

While I haven't forsaken my love of my silver fox collar , red-soled stilettos , and the Metropolitan Museum of Art , I find that I am inexplicably drawn to all things small farm. Specifically I want a small herd of dairy goats to make cheese, a pair of Randall oxen to pull stuff (and because they're beautiful ), an Anatolian Shepherd Dog to watch over pastures, and enough land for them to all frolic in the fields surrounding my new super modern home . Beautiful Baby Randall from Buttonwood Zoo. I really shouldn't follow up a trip to the agriculture pavilions at the Big E  by reading  Dwell  Magazine. It confuses me.

No doubt, the No Child Left Behind law enacted in 2001 under President Bush has serious problems mostly stemming from false notion that percentages of test passing students equals educational success while resting on the even more destructive false premise that government-run schools is a proper function of government, but the President's recent proposal to grant waivers to the law does one thing of note and -- make no mistake about it -- it isn't for the children : Under the waiver program, the annual identification of schools along with the mandate for changes would come to an end for qualifying states. While wielding the power of government favors --" The Obama administration has said states c an qualify [for waivers] if they sign on to the president’s education agenda, which Massachusetts did last year  when it won $250 million from President Obama’s Race to the Top fund, a competitive grant program. "  -- for states who comply with his politics, President...

She makes muscle-ups look quite balletic.

Or How to Make $5K in Your Jammies.  From the American Jobs Act , SUBTITLE D – PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ON THE BASIS OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S STATUS AS UNEMPLOYED, employers may not explicitly dismiss currently unemployed applicants when hiring a new employee [Section 374 (a)(1) and (b) (1)]. This prohibition is disgusting! An employer should have the right to use whatever criteria he deems necessary in determining the best fit applicant for the position he is offering; he is taking all the risks in engaging that person for employment. But wait! It gets far worse. Explicit language prohibiting the hiring of the unemployed is easy to prove; what's threatening and will by all logic produce a chilling effect on any hiring is the second part of the remedies in that subsection. (2) In any claim alleging a violation of any other subsection of this Act, an individual, or any person acting on behalf of the individual as set forth in Section 375(a) of this Act...

I can sing this - and others - at the top of my lungs.

As part of his recent budget reduction plan, President Obama once again seeks to decrease the biotech drug market exclusivity from twelve years, as shoveled in under Obamacare , to seven years . The biotechnology industry argued it needed 12 years of freedom from lower priced competition to recoup research and development costs. Any less, it argued, would retard innovation. The generic industry, as well as many insurers and employers who pay health care bills, said a much shorter period would suffice. So if I read this correctly, the folks who develop new drugs say they need more time as the exclusive owner’s of their products in order to guarantee a return on their significant investment in the lengthy development process. On the other hand, the folks who want their formula to capitalize on their initial investments, the folks who pay for these drugs in service to their clients, and the folks who offer their employees health care plans, say they know better how much time/money is...

Today. Three weeks later.

Proud to support the Let's Move! initiative championed by First Lady Michelle Obama, the White House blog hosts her recent praise of the Darden Restaurants (like Olive Garden and Red Lobster) in their efforts to comply with her healthy food suggestions.  In November, Darden Restaurants was exempted from provisions of the new healthcare law. Connect the dots. Companies that use the force of government to further their business should be exposed. Government that grants special privileges to further its administration's goals should be voted out. Follow the force and find out what that fishy smell is.

Where I rocked that bikini like nobody's business. 

See you Friday! I hope.

I love Gavin De Becker’s Gift of Fear . It’s not about being afraid, it’s about respecting your sense of fear and deciphering between what is real fear, which should be respected, and what is not. It’s about examining your environment, assessing different signals, and respecting the inner voice that tells you to remove yourself from the threatening situation no matter how much the second-handed voice says, don’t be a silly baby . I gave the book to my oldest daughter before college and have Protecting the Gift of Fear lost among the piles of book depositories strewn wildly throughout my house (some are more formally known as bookshelves – others, formerly known as clear horizontal surfaces).   Someday I need to find that one; it specializes in talking to kids about assessing risk without causing fear.   I could have used it on Sunday. My youngest, 13, asked to go bike riding with a friend at the cemetery at the end of our street: nice paths, almost no cars, lovely trees. ...

Stephen and I watched this show On Demand last night and it did not disappoint.  Zooey Deschanel is so damn cute that even if the writing wasn't good, I still might like the show.  But it was hilarious!  A lot, but not all of the hilarity can be seen in this 160 second trailer.  I recommend it. Premiering September 20th on Fox after Glee. Damon Wayans, Jr. is so much like Damon Wayans (love him) and the Schmidt guy is a total. . . well. . . douche; the third character is iffy, but Deschanel is pure delight. Bonus for me: she completely reminds me of the some of the best quirky bits of both of my daughters. 

I love my giraffe print purse purchased on the streets of New York several years ago. It’s big and strong enough, and has a good top zipper and a bold, yet neutral colored animal print on it. What more could I ask for? Sadly, it’s time to say goodbye to that purse. She has served me well, but my constant flinging her about onto rough surfaces has caused the bottom to fray. Sad. I know.  But I was all excited by the challenge of finding a subtle animal texture , but more boldly-colored purse, like my toxic green snakeskin.  How I loved that fake Prada purse. Anyway, with the fall fast approaching, I had my heart set on orange or red. Red crocodile to be precise, with silver metallic accents (I don’t like gold plated things).  After weeks of online searching – and finding in the $200-$300 price range! – I decided to hit the local stores.  Lo’ and behold, I found a red croc cross-strap purse with excellent compartments that spoke to me.  It was only when I got...