Fiddling as America Burns

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Irwin Redlener in his recent book American at Risk sings the common refrain of all Emergency Managers, Contingency Planners and Disaster Preparedness Educators nation wide. The need for a coordinated disaster preparedness effort is not news. The need for meaningful and effective disaster preparedness funding is not a recent revelation. The Institute of Medicine and later the National Academies of Science have published a total of 3 reports calling for increased funding, more coordinated planning, effective and meaningful drills and the widespread adoption of High Fidelity Immersion Simulation by the medical community and the rest of the disaster response community. Together Redlener and other outspoken advocates for the American people form a cacophonous symphony of concern. But is anyone listening as this band plays on?!

In the past it has been painfully obvious that those in the private sector in charge of spending on preparedness have been unwilling or unable to invest in this most critical of priorities. Some hospitals have begun to invest in the education and the equipment, but most have not. Even fewer major American corporations have "seen the light."

There have been some shining stars:

* The National Disaster Life Support Foundation has created a series of courses often characterized as "The CPR of the 21st Century."

* The American Board of Disaster Medicine has begun a process of Board Certification for Physicians in Disaster Medicine

* Training for disaster preparedness has moved from the university environment to become a growth industry in the private sector

* The National Center for Biodefense Solutions, Inc.

* Nationals Disaster Life Support of Florida, Inc.

* Burgess and Associates, Inc.

* The State of Texas has created the Texas Medical Rangers as a disaster medical reserve corps.

But more is needed:

* A commitment by corporate healthcare to Disaster Preparedness and Community Emergency Response Integration regardless of whether grant funding is available.

* An understanding that Disaster Preparedness is a personal, family, community, business and healthcare responsibility, independent and separate from the Federal responsibility.

* An acceptance of the financial responsibility for personal, family, community, business and healthcare preparedness.

Irwin Redlener is singing the right song, but is finally America ready to sing along?

Karen Maunu - Love Without Boundaries

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Eighteen years ago, Karen Maunu of Minnesota was a team leader and software engineer for Honeywell. Today she finds herself as associate executive director of Love Without Boundaries (LWB) saving the lives of children in China. Computers are still in her life but now for getting the word out about the top-ranked Love Without Boundaries via Twitter and other social networks. She selflessly is dedicated to educating others and helping in fundraising efforts for this worthy cause. This is her story.

Karen's love and passion for the children LWB helps can be felt in every conversation. She is a wife and mother who gave up a successful career in computer science to devote herself to her family. Karen Explains, "I went to school and majored in computer science, because I was good at it, but it wasn't exceptionally meaningful to me. It was a job," Karen says. She continues, "After our second child was born, I quit work to stay at home to be a mom it was the most wonderful thing that I could have ever done. I loved the time that I had with my children."

Her decision to join LWB was in part influenced by a neighbor early in her life. "One of the events that touched me the most growing up was the family who lived across the street who adopted a child from Korea. Watching her adoption touched me deeply," she added. She continued about her decision to adopt. "When the younger of first started kindergarten, I knew that I wasn't ready to be done and the visions of adoption came back into my head. At first my husband said "no". As I showed him photo after photo of waiting children, he relented." She continued, "I researched many different countries, but for a number of reasons, we were drawn to China. We started our paperwork and a year later, we were in China receiving our beautiful 2 ½ year old daughter. It was the most incredible experience being in a conference room with 11 other families all receiving our children at the same time." The Love for her husband radiates from her next statement. "While we were in China, my husband turned to me and said that this was the best thing that we had ever done and he would do it again."

Karen took up her husband up on his offer to adopt once more and less than two years later they traveled back to China to adopt again. Unlike with their first daughter the orphanage where their second daughter had been raised was much closer and they were able visit. They were overwhelmed by all the lovely toddlers reaching up and wanting to be held and comforted. The image of all those children in need of a home stayed with Karen, "I often thought of those children left behind but knew that our family was done. How could I help?" she thought to herself.

Karen and her husband did not adopt again because she believed that there was more she could do in other ways as well. As she watched the Yahoo! list of parents adopting children from China she noticed a woman who had adopted a child a year earlier. Karen followed her blog and watch as she traveled back to China to visit her daughter's orphanage. "It was hard not to see the parallels between hers and the experiences of Amy Eldridge." Karen said, "Later that year, I saw that she had formed a nonprofit and soon learned her story. While visiting her daughter's orphanage, she had seen a very blue baby dying of heart disease. When she asked when the baby would have his surgery, she was told that there was no money and he was going to die. Amy prayed and began to ask family, friends and adoption community for fund to save this baby. She was overwhelmed by the volume of donations and soon had enough to heal three children. Amy Formed Love Without Boundaries (LWB) an all volunteer charity that put children first. In 2009 CharityNavigator.org gave LWB its highest rating of 4 Stars.

Karen made contact with the then medical director of LWB as he had a daughter from the same orphanage from where her first adopted daughter was born. He and Amy were arranging a clef healing trip to China but he had to cancel as he was about to adopt another child. Although Karen had the opportunity to travel to China with LWB, she decided not to go on this occasion. Karen explained, "Not going on this trip was the biggest regret I had ever made. I vowed afterwards to live without regrets and that I would try hard to go on the next trip."

Soon another trip was being planned and Karen immediately became involved. "We planned a trip that was two weeks long, had 4 surgeons, two dentists, and we set up an operating room with recovery in an orphanage. I actually look back at that trip and think we were just crazy but it was the most amazing trip," Karen beamed. She adds, "We had 75 volunteers, both with and without medical experience. We ran three shifts and by the end of the two weeks, 125 children were healed and we had done numerous dental exams. It was truly a remarkable time and there are many funny stories but it was so wonderful."

In China Amy told Karen she was looking for a new medical director for Love Without Boundaries. Karen recounted their conversation, "Amy was busy with so many different projects and running most of the programs, but medical was the largest. I kept asking her, How could I? I was just a mom?", but I kept hearing a voice in my head tell me, "Why can't you?" In the back seat of a taxi, in Luoyang, Henan, I said yes."

Karen began studying the information about all the special need children in their care. She surrounded herself with a team of doctors both in the USA and China. "I continued to form a support network of doctors both in and out of China that Amy had started, the experts that were needed to make sure that the children we helped received the very best care."She adds, "With the help of wonderful people, we found the very best hospitals to use in China." I always had the thought in the back of my head, "Would I send my own child to have surgery at this hospital?"

Karen also facilitated the creation of LWB's special needs manual which has currently been translated into Chinese and Spanish. This valuable manual helps orphanage workers and the families that are considering a special needs child for adoption. This past spring during the reorganization of LWB Karen was promoted to associate assistant director. Karen now aids Amy Eldridge in seeking new ways to raise additional funds for LWB. "Amy and I have been working hard, submitting grants, researching social media, and looking at other funding opportunities. Karen says, "This new restructuring has allowed us this time and in the long run, hopefully more children's lives can be saved."

With the gracious assistance and support of the Chinese government, Love Without Boundaries has five programs that provide vital services to children in China. The Medical program allows LWB to help over 400 children each year by bringing them to the U.S. and Spain for surgery. It also sends surgical teams to China and donations are always needed to send more physicians. . LWB's Foster Care has almost 300 children in more than 13 orphanages and foster families throughout China. They believe that the loving care of a foster care family allows orphaned children an opportunity to blossom and grow. Healing Homes include the Heartbridge Pediatric Healing Unit in Beijing that cares for children both pre and post surgery. LWB has two cleft healing homes one in Anhui and the other in Henan. These healing home provide vital care for the vulnerable orphans. The LWB Education program currently has 5 "Believe in Me Schools" located with the orphanages children unable to attend public school. Higher Education is providing funding for over 100 students to attend high school or college so they can be successful adults. The fifth program is orphanage assistance and it provides supplemental nutrition, clothing, coats, shoes, cloth diapers, cribs and beds, quilts, air conditioning and heating units, and incubators to over 54 orphanages.

So again, Karen finds herself on a computer several hours a day, but she's not engineering software on it. She's using this modern technology in between her trips to help orphans in China by educating the public, physicians, philanthropists and others of her worthy cause, LWB, now a #1 ranked charity on Charity Watch.

Endow Your Capital in the Wholesale Sporting Goods

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You can come across the numerous procedures which can be used to buy and advertise the wholesale items which are linked with sports. There are many tips which can help you to give a bounce to the wholesale sport items which can benefit the people who are linked with sports. The present wholesale retailers are dealing with every accessory which is linked with the sports.

Every person tries to add a charm and grace to the personality when they invest their money for the objects which are being purchased by them. We are becoming prone to the grace and style which has deeply affected every phase in our life. Sports like table tennis, volleyball, baseball, tennis, softball, badminton and football can be played at the surrounding areas of your home. This is the main reason for which you must invest your money for the wholesale sporting goods.

These goods are generally over-priced and costly. This is the main cause for which you must try to get the best and most coordinated deal for the wholesale items which can serve your purpose. The basic reasons for which you must switch over the wholesale sporting goods are the grand and tempting discounts which can serve your purpose. You can also take a note of the online stores which can bring you close to the wholesale retailers. This can bring you close to some grand and effective discount rates which can save your money.

The wholesale goods are very effective and cheap. They are better than the sporting goods which are offered by the retailers or the departmental stores. You can make the listing for the wholesalers who deal with these items. You must try to approach an experienced and reliable vendor who can dish up this purpose. You must always opt for the good class of these items. It can help you in enjoying these goods for long span. You must check the superiority of these items and invest your money for durable and effective sport accessories only.

Avoid the purchase of substandard of goods. You must make yourself sure that the dealer who is endorsed or selected by you must hold the experience to handle the wholesale dealings. You can bargain for these goods and get a remarkable discount on these items. I hole that you will not face any difficulty when you are investing your money for the wholesale goods by the online means.

I am sure that you will be profited by the remarkable discount offers which are availed to the patrons who invest their currency in the wholesale sporting goods.

What to Expect from the Home Study Process for Domestic Adoptions

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Whether you are considering doing an agency or independent adoption, one of the first things that you will have to do is to work with an agency to complete a Home Study. The Home Study is comprised of information that you give to the agency in the form of questionnaires, interviews and forms. For many couples, this is the most nerve racking part of the whole adoption process.

The first thing you should do is to choose an agency that you feel comfortable with. You have to share a lot of information during the Home Study process and you need to feel good about the agency that is getting all of this information. Most agencies will hopefully try to make you feel as comfortable as possible during the process. They are not there to judge you or to give you a pass or fail grade. They are there to help you become a family. They recognize that in many ways it is not fair that adoptive families have to go through the Home Study process to become parents when they would not have to have a Home Study if they weren't building their family through adoption.

The purpose of the Adoption Home Study Process is two fold. As a legal document, it lets the court know that families have met certain state and federal guidelines surrounding adoptive families. It also lets Birthparents who are choosing adoption to know that their child will be with a loving family in a safe home and they will be well cared for. Typically in agency adoptions the written Home Study that contains identifying information is not shared with the Birthparents, but non-identifying information is shared if they have questions. Birthparents are given a copy of the Home Study in many independent adoptions.

Although each state has its own specific guidelines surrounding the Home Study, most states agree on the same basic information to be included in the Home Study. This basic information includes a local and nationwide police background check (sometimes done by fingerprints, sometimes done by name and social security number), a child sexual abuse, child abuse and sexual offender registry background check, a physical including blood work, a TB test and a drug screen, reference letters from friends, family and other people and a financial form that basically needs to show that there is more money coming in that going out.

There are forms or questionnaires that cover such subjects as parenting, marriage, views on adoption and your fertility process. You can expect to write a short autobiography and should receive a basic outline for the autobiography from your agency. You will have individual interviews and interviews conducted as a couple. At some point, the agency will conduct a home visit. During this visit you will need to have working fire alarms, a fire extinguisher and you will need to show that any fire arms you own are locked and secured so that no children can get to them.

Although the Home Study is quite extensive, it takes a lot to not be approved as an adoptive family. Minor offenses that happened 20 years ago or traffic violations typically do not affect being approved as an adoptive family. Illnesses that are controlled by medication and are not terminal or minor mental health issues that are controlled by medication and counseling typically do not affect the Home Study process either. Terminal illnesses, current police records, being on the sexual offender registry or child abuse registry are all things that would more than likely keep you have having an approved Home Study. Not being honest during the Home Study process can have a negative affect on approval as well.

If you have a police record and do not discuss it with your casework, it can cause more problems in the long run, even if it was just a minor incident. They will find any records, arrests, charges you have had when they do the background check even if the charges were dropped, so it is best to be up front about everything.

Many agencies also have agency specific guidelines or items that they include in the Home Study. Some agencies might include information about your religion, even including a statement of faith. They might ask you about your views on disciplining and have a special section in the Home Study that discusses your discipline plans for your child. They might have you fill out a form that states what kind of placement you feel comfortable with including Birthparent medical and social background and activity during pregnancy, such as a Birthmother who smokes during her entire pregnancy or a Birthfather whose family has a history of Schizophrenia. Many agencies want a statement from you about openness and adoption and how you feel about continued contact with the Birthparents, sharing pictures and letters and talking you to your child about adoption.

When doing an agency adoption, you may have to go through a Home Study group with other couples who are currently going through the adoption Home Study Process at the same time you are. The groups are like the educational part of the Home Study. They will include such topics as talking to your child about adoption, openness in adoption, meeting Birthparents, grief and loss surround infertility and how to put together a picture profile/resume to be shown to Birthparents. Sometimes Birthparents, adoptive parents and adult adoptees come and speak to the group about their adoption experiences so that you can get information from everyone's viewpoint.

This is all the basic information that you can expect to be included in your Home Study process. You may find that the agency you use has a few additional things that they will have you do. You should feel comfortable asking your agency questions along the way and discussing what you need to have completed when they do the Home Visit, such as child proofing, fire extinguishers, etc. You need to remember that they are here to help you become a family, not to judge you or stamp you with a pass or fail grade. Work with your agency and be open and honest during the process. By doing these things, it will help your Home Study process to go smoothly and it will be easier on you in the end.

Living With a Roommate

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There are many reasons that a person gets a roommate in their life, and many different ways that you can deal with this person. The biggest thing is to make sure you get along, as living with a stranger can be a big challenge!

Before your new roommate moves in, make sure you discuss what is and is not expected of them. Do they get their own space for food, do you expect them to clean the common areas, do they have to help with the outdoor work, and whatever else may come up. If this person is a total stranger, you may want to put everything in writing so that both of you know what to expect. If you search on the Internet, you can find samples of rental agreements and just fill in the blanks.

Sharing space can be a challenge especially if you have to share a bathroom. You want to make sure you know each others schedules, especially in the morning if you are both getting ready for work at the same time. If that is the case, you may need to make a time schedule and each person gets the bathroom for a certain amount of time each morning, and beyond that, its free game.

Another tricky place can be the kitchen. If you are sharing the kitchen, you need to determine how you are going to share cupboard, fridge and other space. Do both of you cook meals, or does one of you eat out more than the other? Maybe a kitchen schedule can be made, where you share the food bill and take turns cooking, or one might cook and the other do dishes.

Of course, the more space you share, the more space that needs to be kept clean. Just like everything else, you need to make an agreement in regards to this. If your roommate keeps to their room and only comes out to eat, then it is not a big deal, but most people aren't like that.

Having a roommate can definitely have its trials and tribulations. For some it works out, and for others it doesn't, but you will not know until you try. Good luck.

Healthier Food For Your Cats

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Cats are very special animals and need very healthy food. Since cats are obligate carnivores which means they are meat eaters they do not have the ability to process corn or wheat as food.

If you think about what a cat would eat in the wild if they had to provide their own food, they would be catching birds, mice or other small prey. If in this search they ran through a corn field, would they stop to eat some corn? Have you ever thought about this? About the only food other than meats and bone that they would find would be the food in the stomach of the prey that they have caught. Thus when feeding our cats, we would want to closely emulate their chosen diet.

When feeding dry food or kibble, read the listed ingredients. The first ingredient listed is of course the largest amount of the ingredient in the container. Meal is the name of the meat or other substance that is included in the package. Chicken Meal is chicken that has been cooked to a meal so that it can be processed into kibble. If the ingredients listed contain corn or wheat you do not want to feed this to an obligate carnivore. Potatoes are not a food that is used by the cat nor are vegetables in larger amounts. Remember when you think about the prey that they hunt a minimal amount of these substances are in the stomach and can be handled by the cat as nutrition. Food color is very needless in cat food as are garlic, yucca, salt and pepper. The more items that you read that you do not understand and have a hard time pronouncing are useless in your cat food. A little brown rice is much more digestible.

In recent years it has come to the attention of the public that cat foods with ingredients coming from China carry an ingredient called wheat gluten which has been found to be a contamination that has caused death in numbers of pets being fed foods that were thought to be safe and in essence have caused kidney failure and death. Recently this same ingredient has been found in baby milk formula in China and has sickened or killed some children. How horrible! This ingredient, Melamin, is used to boost the protein content and is deadly. Reading the labels of the foods you feed your cats is essential to their future health and life.

Preservatives are another ingredient that needs to be looked at closely. If you have used a cat food recommended by your vet and made by the Hills Company, it quite possibly contains two ingredients that have been removed from the human food sources. They are BHA and BHT. Why on earth would that be included by a company that makes food for animals that have a need for very specialized foods when it is a known killer of humans? Why would a Veterinarian knowingly prescribe this for a pet that is sick or in need of special food? Most veterinarians have very little training in the feeding of healthy cats and dogs. As a breeder of a very special cat, the RagaMuffin, I have done much research in the care and feeding of cats. I want the best for the cats I place in homes where they are loved and cared for as very special family members.

My recommended food, if you are feeding a dry or kibble type of food is one made by a company in Florida by the name of Trilogy. This food is the safest and healthiest that I have found for pets. It is produced and shipped directly to your door so there is no warehouse storage for long periods of time. It does not go to a retailer that must then put it into storage in their warehouses prior to it's being sent to the retail store for sale to the public. You will not find wheat mites from lengthy warehouse storage. Since it does not contain any corn or wheat it is totally usable by the cat so it is nutrient dense. Your cat does not have to eat a large amount in order to satisfy its nutritional requirements. This also prevents overly used litter boxes which is a wonderful thing.

Just a reminder, cats are a sensitive animal and many can be affected by ingredients that are harmful so use care and caution in feeding your feline companion.

How To Organize A Successful Family Reunion

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Since the advent of the personal computer and network technology genealogy research by family members has become an addictive pastime that has contributed to many happy reunions while others have discovered family members they never knew they had the world over.

If your reading this article you're probably one of those family members who have a spot in your heart for such reunions. But what if you were asked to organize the next event? Where would you start? When should you start? Should you hire a family reunion planner? The answers to these questions are three fold.

1. Get Help Early In The Project
Form a reunion committee comprised of at least one member per 25 attendees. Delegate all tasks. Your task is to follow up with the progress of each task and keep everyone on the same page.

2. Good Communication
You've heard it said "if you build it they will come?" Not if no one told them you build it.

3. Provide Plenty of Time To Rally Support
Often good communication and plenty of time is all that's needed to rally support. You want to let the family know that your planning a reunion well in advance. At the very least give them a date. Details can follow later. Now they can schedule time off or adjust their vacation plans to include the reunion.
To that end Mark recommends that the reunion be planned at least one year in advance providing plenty of time to foresee and execute action items.

To keep reunion meetings from getting bogged down with too much information and little time to follow up with delegated tasks make use of good scheduling, planning tools and action items lists.

For example, if there is a need to schedule a tour of a memorial site, order catering and have a professional on location photo shoot one needs to know when to make calls, who to contact and when to follow up with that person. To avoid forgetting important tasks all that's needed is a good scheduler. Family reunion planner organizers help to keep everyone on the same page.

Good Reunion Planning Tools
A good planner organizer should contain a time line preparation reminders, scheduling worksheets, committees assignment sheets, reunion needs lists, meal planner checklists, as well as other essentials for time and cost efficient family reunion planning.

Raising Reunion Event Funds
Collecting funds often becomes a major concern. Figuring out how to get family members to dig deep into their pockets is always a challenge. The key is to plan a fun event early in the year that features activities the family will enjoy. Mid-way into the event, not at the end, schedule to have a live or silent auction of several items highly valued by the family.

Another helpful fund raising activity is a rummage sale. Make certain the location for the sale is in a high traffic public place. Be certain to have more that enough items to sell. Don't turn anything down so long as it's presentable. Tip: collect and sell DVD's and music cd's. Everyone loves rummaging through movie and music collections.

With plenty of time set aside for planning, rallying support early in the project, a family reunion committee to delegate tasks to and good follow up using a family reunion planner the task of planning a fun and enriching family reunion can be an enjoyable one for all.

What Is An Adoptive Parents' Profile?

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One of the things you will need if you are looking at domestic adoption is probably going to be an adoptive parents' profile. An adoptive parents profile usually includes a letter to the birth mother as well as a couple of photos of the family and perhaps some other information regarding the family. In this article we are going to look at these elements of an adoptive parents' profile and how you can go about putting together a good adoptive parents' profile.

Your counselor will probably help you put together your adoptive parents' profile but generally this will include your "Dear Birthparent" letter, some photos, autobiographies of your family, as well as some other information documents. Before putting together your profile think about which photos you are going to include in the profile and why and also what you want to say about yourself in the letter and the autobiographies.

The first thing to remember when creating your adoptive parents' profile is to always remain honest. One of the hardest things for a birth mother to do is to give her child up for adoption in most cases and so you need to be sensitive to this and try to help her by being as honest as possible with regards to your family.

When creating your adoptive parents' profile think about what questions you would like answered if you were considering giving your child up for adoption and try to answer these questions for the birth mother. You may even think of questions which she has not thought of but which she would consider important in evaluating who she would like to raise her child.

Be sensitive to the needs of the birth mother and her feelings when creating your adoptive parents' profile. We mentioned this before but this is a very emotional time for the birth mother in most cases and if you come across as harsh and judgmental then it will just make it even more difficult for her to give you her child. Show love and acceptance and then she will know that her child will also be loved and accepted by you.

You should also include a variety of photos showing your family (you, your spouse and any other children you may have) in different settings and of course, the more cheerful, loving and supportive these photos look the better for you. The photos you include in your adoptive parents' profile should also give a sense of who you are, what you enjoy and what your family is like.

In conclusion, an adoptive parents profile is a collection of photos, information documents and a letter which enable the birth parent to choose the right adoptive family for their child. This profile should be made to give a true reflection of your family and it should be sensitive to the feelings of the birth parent and also include a number of photos which show what your family is like. By creating your adoptive parents' profile in this manner you are giving the birthparent the best possible information you can in order to help them decide whether you are the people she wants to raise her child.

Fun Family Home Decorating Project - Window Well Diorama

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Is that a diorama in your basement...or is that a dinosaur in your casement? That could be the opening line of a Dr. Seuss book, or it could be a silly rhyme you make up while having some family fun.

Here's a terrific home decorating project the whole family can participate in. It's not expensive, it will just take an hour or two, and the results are a standout conversation piece with long-lasting decorating value.

You literally can make a diorama in your basement if you are lucky enough to have one or more of those big window wells in your basement. (First you have to be lucky enough to have a basement. If you don't have a basement, read the end of this article.)

The big egress window wells are eyesores--who wants to look at that much galvanized metal or concrete? But those big window wells are just what you need for this project.

You can make a diorama out of the deep well by lining the curved window well with a decorative scenic liner to make the backdrop and then by customizing the foreground with whatever materials you choose--landscape materials like rock or mulch, driftwood, boulders, figurines or sculptures, water features, and artificial or potted real plants. If you have a window well grate covering the opening at the top, you could even hang items down from the grate using clear fishing line. Think about flying birds, insects, and pterodactyls! Or how about jumping dolphins, whales, or fish! Each person in the family can contribute to the project by adding an item to the scene.

That scenic backdrop serves two purposes--it covers up or camouflages the ugly metal or concrete window well, and it provides a gorgeous scene to enjoy.

You can find just what you need to make the backdrop at http://windowwellscenes.com/. Do you want a colorful perennial garden right outside your window? Or maybe you would like a serene waterfall. You might wish you had a mountain or river view. Or perhaps you'd like to live on a golf course. There are beautiful and impressive scenes of a woods, canyon, lake, and countryside. If you're into sunrises, there's a gorgeous one available. Paradise awaits with the dramatic ocean scene with lots of sand and palm trees. Add a miniature beach chair and beach umbrella or a bucket and shovel, and you're there.

Every one of the scenes could make an impressive focal point in your basement. Just make your choice, collect the items you want to add, and you have the makings of a great family decorating project. You will have a great time together!

Oh yes--if you don't have a basement or you don't have window wells, these huge scenic panels make great one-piece wall murals. Since they are waterproof, they can be wiped off if anything splashes on them. Just staple or tack the panels up on the wall. Trim them out with wood molding, and they will look like huge framed art on the wall.

Your family can still have fun adding things to the pictures like plastic bugs. Now where is that hot glue gun?

Will the Euro Currency Bloc Fail?

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Twenty-seven European nations currently belong to the European Union, a loosely-woven partnership designed to empower Europe's competitiveness with the United States, China, and India. Sixteen of the EU's member nations have adopted the euro as their official currency, and five other European states unofficially use the euro.

As continental Europe forged its economic partnership, leaders hoped adoption of a single currency would protect the member states against radical fluctuations in the value of their national currencies and would serve to protect their national credit ratings. In the EU's brief history, the euro has fulfilled members' hopes. Recently, however, precipitous declines in several member states' economies have triggered sharp drops in the euro's value and raised new doubts about the long-term advantage of an international currency.

In theory, the use of a uniform currency facilitates the flow of goods and services across international boundaries, sustaining the Eurozone as the world's second largest economy. Just as importantly, robust economies in the EU's member states maintain the value of currencies tied to the euro-especially in emerging African nations.

History shows that, as long as European nations' economies sustain at least 2.5% annual growth, the euro remains strong in international trading, and all the partners benefit. More recent history shows, however, economic decline in just a handful of member states triggers dangerous uncertainty throughout the European market. Most recently, Greece's profound economic woes have dropped the euro near record lows against the US dollar and the pound sterling.

Although no one anticipates dissolution of Europe's bold economic partnership, widespread economic difficulties cast a very dark, ominous cloud over the EU's prospects for expansion.

Disease and decay at the core

Two of the Eurozone's most important economies struggle in the throes of severe economic crisis, and all twenty-seven member nations feel the ripple effects as the Euro's value declines. Spain's government battles negative growth and skyrocketing unemployment with little hope of relief in 2010. And Greece, its credit downgraded by the leading international investment services, labors under massive national debt and a budget deficit greater than 12% of GDP.

Since the beginning of 2010, both governments have acted aggressively to curtail public spending and increase revenues, but harsh measures intended to reassure EU partners exact a heavy toll from both nations' impoverished workers. In both Greece and Spain, labor unrest has curtailed productivity, contributing to trade imbalances and cutting into government revenues.

Discontent and disarray around the fringes

Especially in the wake of Greek misfortunes, five leading candidates for EU membership have put-off their plans to join.

For at least a decade, European leaders have looked forward former Communist nations joining the Union, naturally increasing the community's trade, and substantially boosting its manufacturing capacity. In the last several years, Poland and the Baltic states have shown their eagerness for membership and have taken steps to bolster their economies to meet the membership requirements.

Especially in the Baltic states, economies grew rapidly until recession set-in during 2008. Now, the most promising candidates battle their own recessions and swelling budget deficits, making their sovereign currencies "good shock absorbers" for declines in the euro, and draining public support for EU membership. Nearly half of all Poles and Czechs now wish indefinitely to postpone consideration of EU membership.

Fortune Telling Party Theme Ideas

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I see a fun theme party in your future...

This popular theme party can be prepared in less than a day, or in only a few hours for those high energy hosts!

Activity Ideas

The central part of a fortune telling party is telling fortunes and reading tarot cards.

Have a least one table with a crystal ball. If you can't find one, you can always use a large snow globe of some kind.

Other great games include a Ouija board and Magic Eight ball.

Decorations

*Hang beaded curtains at the door entry.

*Hang zodiac pinatas around the room for a fortune telling theme.

*Use lava lamps as table centerpieces.

*For a mystical effect, add plenty of glow products.

Costumes/Dress Attire

A gypsy type garb is perfect for a fortune telling party. Complete your outfit with scarves, lots of bangle type bracelets, and hoop earrings.

Invitations

Purchase decks of tarot cards and place an invitation inside. The decks can be mailed or hand-delivered to each recipient.

You can also create you own theme by drawing fortune telling themes such as a moons, stars, astrological signs, etc.

Food/Drink

Snack and finger foods are most popular, since they can be eaten while participating in games and readings.

The best drinks include popular mixed drinks with a neat blend of colors. Be sure to have soda on hand for the non-alcoholic set as well as water for all.

Have a mystical theme party!

The Cost of Beauty

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For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others. Audrey Hepburn

When you wear your hair short--as I do--you're well aware of the exact day you need to get it cut. It's the day when you wake up and it lays flat on top of your head. When your usual tricks don't work. When extra root lifter or mousse or control gel have all lost their power.

Friday was my day. But I couldn't get to my salon at the mall, so I knew that Saturday would be haircut day whether I liked it or not. My twelve-year-old daughter had slept over at a friend's house the night before; I got the brilliant idea to take her and a fellow sleepover buddy with me. She needed to be picked up anyway, so I had to be out and about early. And it was one Saturday when we had little schedule conflicts: just a couple of sporting events easily handled by my hubby. "You do the girls; I'll do the boys," he ordered. Got it.

Being mall professionals, these two girls, I knew I had to take official control of the day, lest they seize it and become the boss of me. So on the drive over, I clearly laid out the plan: we would first check on the availability of my hair lady, and then we'd map out the mall. Lunch. Ice cream. Whatever. I go to one of those "no appointment necessary" haircut places. You know: the kind where you just walk in and get the next available hairdresser. My friends think I'm nuts. But at $14 a haircut, you can't beat it with a stick. I always ask for the same cutter...and I always get her. She knows my hair as well as any of my fussier friends' hairdressers know their clients'. I also color my hair with stuff from the drugstore; it costs about $6 a month. Contrast that with the $50-80 haircuts around here--not to mention the upwards of $200 ones in NYC--plus those $100 coloring-highlighting-streaking jobs...and, excuse me, but who are the nutty ones?

Cedia, my Brazilian cutter, couldn't see me for forty-five minutes, so it was off to the food court for lunch. It was uneventful; I ordered my usual blackened chicken strips with sautéed green beans; the girls ordered pizza and donuts. I started doing the carb count on that one and got too whigged-out to add it all up. Then it was on to our master-mall-game-plan, with a divide-and-conquer scheme befitting an organizational guru and two faithful apprentices. The girls would quickly scatter to their favorite shops while I got a haircut, and we'd meet at the Lancome counter at Macy's one hour later.

My haircut went as usual: Cedia did her thing, we small-talked, and fifteen minutes later I was outathere. I got the hankering to splurge on some new lotions and potions, so I headed for the shop famous in malls across America for such things. It was "beauty day" after all, what with me just having had a haircut and feeling perky and well-groomed. A new organic line had been introduced, and everything looked and smelled wonderful. New salts for the face, new anti-age wrinkle oils, and new firming-up-the-butt creams all containing olive oil, ginger, rosemary, mint, fig, or vanilla. Who could resist? But the maze was complicated. Did I want to go with the all-fig thing...or was I more mesmerized with the ad claiming that ginger had been used for its medicinal and beauty agents for centuries? Or should I let the fresh scent of rosemary and mint filtrate my master bath? And would those salts clog my shower drain, as they did in our Miami home, costing me $150 in plumbing bills to snake them out?

Just when I gathered up a handful into a basket, I looked at my watch and realized that I needed to meet the girls. Dumping them out, it was down to the other end of the mall, where I quickly found the Lancome lady at Macy's who was very eager to sell me a "ready glow" line for summer. "C'mon, it's only $50," the girls pleaded as they met me there with a quick "Sorry we're a little late; we got stuck at Abercrombie." I passed, with a "Let's ride the elevator upstairs and see what's on sale." They happily agreed and wandered around looking at bikinis while I scoured the clearance rack at the Ralph Lauren corner.

We left the mall with nothing but my haircut and three full tummies. Call it "I wasn't in the mood to buy." Or call it mid-life sensibility. As we walked upstairs towards the parking lot, both girls giggling mightily as they clunked their sandals down onto the steps in perfect unison, I did some mental gymnastics on our short-lived shopping experience: lotions and potions almost purchased but put back on the shelves due to time constraints saved me at least $80; bikinis almost purchased by the girls that never materialized because their MasterCard holder was at the other end of the store saved me another $72; and a fabulous spring top that I "had to have" never made it out of the store because they didn't have it in my size, saving me another $40. And, oh yeah...I passed on that $50 "instant tan." Did I mention all that money saved on my cheap haircut?

Call it "I have four kids to put through college." Or "We have summer vacation to think about." Or "I need to buy some shrubs for the yard." And "Ben's room still doesn't have blinds on the windows."

Or call it much, much more. Call it visiting indigenous tribes 200 miles from the outskirts of civilization in Panama in need of textbooks and language instructors--not to mention shoes, clothing, or clean drinking water. Call it listening to the challenges of friends seeking adoption in China--and of the needs there that make any of my personal financial challenges pale by comparison. Call it a commitment to tithe so that others might live more fully, and scaling back our lifestyle to ensure just that.

It's not a lecture on living a "sackcloth and ashes" existence. It's not denying good hygiene and a fashionable, up-to-date wardrobe. Hardly. That stuff adds color to life. It's about finding balance in this culture that continually seeks to convince us that we need more, more, and even more to be satisfied. It's a lesson, learned over this past decade and verified yesterday by hanging out at the mall with two happy-go-lucky pre-teens who were just happy to be together, that the cost of beauty has less to do with product than it does with spirit. For beauty doesn't exist in expensive haircuts and color jobs, or in the youth dew in the bottle, or in the outfit hanging on the mannequin in the shop window. Beauty exists in a heart grown old enough to know when she has everything one needs and then more. When she would rather see kids buoyed up with laughter rather than burdened down with shopping bags. When she can leave the mall without more stuff to hang into her closet and line up on her bathroom shelf. Beauty has more to do with going without so that others may go with. Beauty might just mean being happy with clean skin, clear eyes, and freshly shampooed, efficiently cut and styled hair. Simple things. Without a lot of the other stuff.

Because the cost of beauty can never be measured by the price of stuff anyway.

Birthstones and Their Meanings

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A gift that incorporates birthstones is a thoughtful one for a mother or grandmother, especially when a new baby has come into the family. And of course, they make great birthday presents!

January

Traditional Gem(s): Garnet, Rose Quartz

Modern Gem(s): Garnet

The garnet was once thought to be connected with the blood. This stone is supposed to protect the wearer from nightmares and offer guidance through the dark.

February

Traditional Gem(s): Amethyst, Onyx

Modern Gem(s): Amethyst

The folklore attached to he amethyst associates it with sobriety, tranquility, protection and peace. This birthstone as also been linked to improving the skin and preventing baldness, as well as protection from deceit.

March

Traditional Gem(s): Bloodstone

Modern Gem(s): Aquamarine

The aquamarine has been linked to the making of new friends as well as affection and love, hope and health. This stone was once also thought to protect those at sea.

April

Traditional Gem(s): Diamond

Modern Gem(s): Diamond

One of the most popular gems throughout history, diamonds are linked to love, eternity, and strength.

May

Traditional Gem(s): Emerald, Chrysoprase

Modern Gem(s): Emerald

The emerald was once linked to health and the curing of ailments, as well as being associated with the ability to see in to the future, giving them an almost bewitching, magical reputation.

June

Traditional Gem(s): Alexandrite

Modern Gem(s): Pearl, Moonstone

The pearl has been linked with chastity and modesty, making it something of an angelic, pure birthstone. It is also linked to successful and happy marriages.

July

Traditional Gem(s): Ruby

Modern Gem(s): Ruby, Carnelian

The ruby is traditionally linked with protection and harmony. This birthstone has been mined since ancient times, and boasts a spectacular beauty.

August

Traditional Gem(s): Sardonyx

Modern Gem(s): Peridot

Peridot was commonly linked with protection against evil and night terrors, as well as a gem that enhanced the properties of healing drugs.

September

Traditional Gem(s): Sapphire, Lapis

Modern Gem(s): Sapphire

The sapphire has been linked with faith and purity, as well as foresight. It was thought that the stronger the sparkle of the gem, the more faithful and honest the wearer.

October

Traditional Gem(s): Tourmaline

Modern Gem(s): Opal, Tourmaline

The opal has been linked to purity, hope and innocence. This gem has also been linked to healing forces, friendship and emotion, so it has experienced its fair share of folklore over the years.

November

Traditional Gem(s): Citrine

Modern Gem(s): Yellow Topaz, Citrine

Topaz was once linked with sanity, healing, and life, as well as being connected to strength by the ancient Greeks. This stone has even been linked to an ability to make the wearer invisible in dangerous situations.

December

Traditional Gem(s): Zircon, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli

Modern Gem(s): Blue Topaz, Turquoise

Turquoise was once linked to happiness, fortune and luck, making it a very popular gem in centuries gone by.

Hope you found this helpful!