How do Media and Politics intertwine with social issues?

What drives unrest and civil disobedience?

Looting In London

London in Flames, On Point Newscast from NPR August 10,2011
National Public Radio Newscast

Did a student protest against rising tuition fees get taken advantage of?


Why are these 10-20 something youths fighting for human rights, as they violate them toward others?  Are the strong or the poor entitled to help themselves in a pinch?  


Now there are vigilante groups forming and the authorities in London do not want to find themselves unable to distinguish the law abiding citizens from the gangsters. 


Can these communities grow beyond their racial and economical prejudices and differences? 




Human Trafficking

Photo courtesy of the Eugene Weekly, see link to article below
Illustration by Sam Wolfe Connelly

People for Sale, Sex Trafficking hits home in Eugene Oregon 


Article in the 8/4/11 Eugene Weekly by Shannon Finnell




Good story on human trafficking and how it is more common than most of the public realizes


I am not so sure that laws that fund entitlement programs for communities with this problem is 


the best tactic, as that creates people wanting there to be a problem to fix. 


We even have people trying to get in jail for room and board in this current economy.




What do you think your community can do to address this issue impacting the I-5 corridor?


How STAR TREK the original series reflected troubled times in history


Squidoo lens about the later 1960s and how social unrest wove itself into society, including the television shows of the day.   


Do you like this lens, and did you realize that America landed on the moon, changed public opinion against winning the war in Vietnam, and Martin Luther King jr and Bobby Kennedy were shot down at the same time the Original episodes of Star Trek were aired on NBC? 

The Dog Park is just a Howl and Skip away if you live in Olympia, Lacey or Tumwater

Lucky had some fun at the dog park weekend before last, this is a great place for the dogs to run and play. It is over the Land fill.

Paper in, Paper out, Paper Paper Paperwork

This is gonna work this time, I know it. A five step plan to managing all our incoming and outgoing paperwork. Except now I gotta figure out where we will be eating our meals


Five trays:

1. Triage (New)
2. Determine (Is action needed? Is there a deadline? Can it go in the recycle right now?)
3. Prioritize and Delegate (must have action & deadline label, person delegated task puts it on thier planner)
4. Ship (must have action label, stamp  or cash or what ever it need to "ship" out, and person who is gonna do it on label)
5. File (must have catagory label and who will be doing the filing)

How do you do paperwork? I try not to if at all possible.  

http://www.squidoo.com/Homeless-Experiences

http://www.squidoo.com/Homeless-Experiences


The lens link above, and several others are by Squidoo author Kylyssa. Worth a read to expand the discussion and understand common realities and perceptional errors about the homeless population in America. 

If you have not before logged onto Squidoo, you will be asked to set up a user name and give them and email to log in.  

Lots of information and perspectives from many sources can be found in Squidoo.  


I was impressed with the reminder on the lenses  that panhandler and homeless person are not the same thing. The author indicates that only about 1% of the homeless population are actively panhandling and that is held up by those who know this population well. This is a political issue and it affects our community socially and our public life and safety. 


Do you think it is important to separate homeless issues from panhandling ones? 


Below is an article from Tampa City Council that gives some more perspective to the topic. 


 http://www.wmnf.org/news_stories/tampa-city-council-hears-grim-homelessness-stats-skirts-panhandling-discussion


Do you think communities are better to support or shun the homeless populations?   Does it help us and how?  Is it all bad or all good? Who is interested enough to attend and follow city council meetings on this topic? 

Tiny Houses

I got to read this rather long and fascinating article in the New Yorker Magazine while waiting 45 minutes at the doctor's office yesterday. The tiny house movement has it's coding and zoning challenges, and the groups that are taking to them most are older people who wish to downsize, those who have defaulted on mortgage, and the small footprint crowd.


My kid got to see one at his elementary school last year, the owner was able to bring her house over for a viewing. 


http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/07/25/110725fa_fact_wilkinson

http://www.squidoo.com/waste-naught-well-like-worm/151882535-slug-vs-worm?utm_source=mapshare&utm_medium=waste-naught-well-like-worm&utm_term=duel&utm_campaign=facebook


Ok Northwestern Experts, here is your chance to awe the web with your slug stories!  The link above will take you to the duel module in Squidoo.  If you want to further dig into worm behavior, there is more ....

Slug vs Worm

Who is the slimiest?

From the lens waste naught well like worm.

There are many slugs in my area and I have yet to find one practical use for them.

What has more appeal, the slug or the worm, and why?

Natahsa Kimbrel is home!

http://dazedamazed.blogspot.com/2011/06/helpfind-natashakimbrel-missing-from.html

Lakefair wrap up in the Rain will be a Blast

Here is the link to navigate for details about the kit car races Sat am, Parade Sat late afternoon, Fireworks and more.  (times, parade routes, etc.)

the Beer Garden was buzzing about half past 8 Friday night, but more fun to look at the lights from across the lake at dusk.

http://www.lakefair.org/activities.html

Maple Bar Cake and Zombie Nerf Wars in the Rainiest City on Earth

Two Teens have planned an afternoon to celebrate a 15th and 16th birthday.

All out Nerf War at Yauger Park and  a ginormous Maple Bar Cake from Twister Donuts.  First one ever baked there.   We stopped by tonight to let my son taste test the smaller ones.  He consumed it, and commented "These guys know their maple bars."

He is making the biggest maple bar that will fit in his oven for Mark's birthday  tomoprrow

the ginormous maple bar will be two thirds this tray 

Yep, the donuts are tasty

Lakefair in the Rain and the Air is soft and warm tonight

Chairs set up for tomorrow's parade

Freeway entrance after roundabout

Riding in the passenger seat with my 16 yr old!

Kit Car races tomorrow 8 am

One Piano going back to Mom's this weekend