Author Topic: Women's Issues (Read 392188 times)

MaryPage · « **Reply #1200 on:** February 17, 2014, 11:44:34 AM »

The Jamaicans came in 29th out of a field of 30.

Seems the Serbians crashed. And the Jamaicans didn't.

jane · « **Reply #1201 on:** February 17, 2014, 01:31:25 PM »

Lots on the internet today about the reporter who kept asking Bode Miller about the death of his brother until Bode completely broke down and walked away. Guess anything for ratings! I wonder how the ratings will be for these Olympics?

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1202 on:** February 17, 2014, 02:14:01 PM »

Not all Monuments Men were men........

http://museumethics.org/2014/02/not-all-monuments-men-were-men/

Steph · « **Reply #1203 on:** February 18, 2014, 09:00:23 AM »

Jean, What a wonderful article. It was amazing and of course now they have found a huge treasure trove hidden by the son of a art dealer in Germany.. How many things must have come home with GI's and are still sitting in someones attic. That is sad.

JeanneP · « **Reply #1204 on:** February 18, 2014, 12:45:19 PM »

Lots of the art work that was found never got given back to the original owners. Many had died in the camps but the Jewish organizations still finding art hanging in museums and places where some relatives are alive. The one museum in London just had to return some a few years ago. Other people know there are rightful owners but still have many hidden away.

Steph · « **Reply #1205 on:** February 19, 2014, 08:48:18 AM »

Human greed about things from war is amazing. They know they have stolen and refuse to consider giving it back. Or worse, the Taliban tears it down and destroys ancient artifacts.. Things never to be recovered. That should be a crime that is punished, but wont.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1206 on:** February 19, 2014, 01:01:59 PM »

To me one of the most colossal injustices in this world is the British holding on to Greece's "Elgin" marbles. Imagine stealing frescoes and sculptures from THE PARTHENON! Scheesch! And they justify it, or try to, that is, by saying that Lord Elgin "discovered" them. I beg your pardon!

Steph · « **Reply #1207 on:** February 20, 2014, 08:11:04 AM »

MaryPage,, many years ago , this person raised in a small town, out in the country, went to a comprehensive school ( farm type), off to U. Of Delaware, but it was later when I heard the term Elgin Marbles..So when my husband and I did our first trip in London in the 70'd, on my list was the British Museum, the Rosetta stone ( At that point, you could actually touch it) and the Elgin Marbles. Imagine my surprise when it was a marble frieze, not marbles as I thought of them.. Amazing, I was so embarrassed.. But you are right. Most museums have items that belong to another country and none of them are likely to give them back..Sad.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1208 on:** February 20, 2014, 12:42:23 PM »

I'm assuming that many if you know about Grace Hopper, but this is such a good, informative article, i thought i'd add it........

http://www.amazingwomeninhistory.com/amazing-grace-hopper-computer-programmer/

MaryPage · « **Reply #1209 on:** February 20, 2014, 12:47:36 PM »

Steph, I believe I was in the 9th grade at a prep school when our amazing Ancient History teacher, who was well traveled, explained about the marbles. I believe that was where and when, but I am flaky these days.
But thinking "marbles" makes perfect sense to me, so no embarrassment is due from you to yourself. Scheesch!
Have been trying without much success to get folk in SeniorLearn and Seniors & Friends to read what I consider to be one of the ALL TIME great essays. I mean, it will be listed right up there with Charles Lamb's A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig for me! And William Allen White's "Mary White."
I urge you to get the double issue of THE NEW YORKER dated February 17 & 24. It has the annual cartoon of Eustace Tilley on the cover. This year he is made up of lit up skyscraper windows against a dark sky. Go to page 60 and read THIS OLD MAN by Roger Angell. You will laugh and you will cry. And in the end, you will feel all the better for having experienced it. I swear!
Angell is royalty at The New Yorker, but to have written this piece at 93 blows me away. To have written it at ANY age is quite remarkable, but I guess the truth is you would have to be his age to get it down right. By the way, he is son of the famous Katharine White. Well born, well bred, well educated and an incredible writer. I could just wish (I am an all time prude) he had not indulged, as almost all males will, in joke telling. Otherwise, this piece is beyond perfection, Steph, and I hope you will manage to read it. Also you, Jean, and Barbara.
Angell wrote his FIRST piece for The New Yorker in 1944.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1210 on:** February 20, 2014, 12:54:19 PM »

Thanks, Jean. Being from this section of the country, I am well up on Admiral Hopper. But my terrible memory was telling me that she, too, (like Angell), was working into her nineties. I was mistaken, obviously, after reading here that she retired at 80.
I agree she is wonderful to read about. I can remember seeing her interviewed on television, too. Do not remember whether it was local or national. Probably local.

jane · « **Reply #1211 on:** February 20, 2014, 03:20:42 PM »

I, too, knew of her. What an amazing woman. I always wished I could have seen the faces of young men who didn't know of her and her accomplishments when they realized who she was and all she knew.

Steph · « **Reply #1212 on:** February 21, 2014, 08:47:45 AM »

Ah the young, who are convinced they know everything and then discover somewhat later, probably not..

MaryPage · « **Reply #1213 on:** February 21, 2014, 10:10:02 AM »

Wasn't she on 60 Minutes once? Years ago, I think it was. When she was still working.

jane · « **Reply #1214 on:** February 21, 2014, 10:36:45 AM »

That could have been it. She was still in the Navy, though in her 60's maybe, and I watched fascinated by her.

Steph · « **Reply #1215 on:** February 22, 2014, 09:10:50 AM »

Isaw the 60 minutes quite a long time ago. Fascinating what a woman did with so little fanfare.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1216 on:** February 22, 2014, 02:25:42 PM »

It is built in, Steph. Women accomplish a lot quietly, while men accomplish very little with great fanfare. Knew ye not?

Steph · « **Reply #1217 on:** February 23, 2014, 10:03:50 AM »

I do agree, but she did a lot of things that should have gotten attention right away.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1218 on:** February 23, 2014, 12:05:06 PM »

But when they gave out bullhorns, they all went to men.

Men who were not about to use them to cheer about a woman's success.

Steph · « **Reply #1219 on:** February 24, 2014, 08:36:08 AM »

I am starting to get uncomfortable about The Texas woman.. Davis?? Wendy, I think. She really seems to have stretched her story into something entirely different. Now she speaks as if going to Harvard to law school and leaving two young children behind with a husband was strictly for them.. and that's hooey...l

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1220 on:** February 24, 2014, 02:23:10 PM »

But why should she be challenged about going to law school and "leaving her children behind" with her husband, in the first place??? Really!?! Has any man ever been asked such a question, or had any denigrating comments about him furthering his education and his job options and "leaving his children behind"? Altho my husband and i were a good parenting TEAM, i had no concerns leaving him in charge of the children when i had to travel for my job. He is also their parent. Mothers, theoretically, are no more important as a parent, as Fathers, altho some Fathers have been allowed to shy away from that responsibility. If Davis didn't improve her skills and went on welfare as a single mom, or lived solely on child support and alimony (usually a very poor living) her critics would be calling her a welfare queen, or parasite. I wish they would make up their minds!

I smiled ruefully to myself when my DH got invited to dinner when i was out of town, as though he couldn't feed himself and the children, and NOBODY invited ME to dinner when he was out of town!!!

This kind of hypocrisy is one of my top five pet peeves.
Jean

nlhome · « **Reply #1221 on:** February 24, 2014, 03:04:40 PM »

I agree, Jean. If the mother were the one left with the children, who would have questioned it?

MaryPage · « **Reply #1222 on:** February 24, 2014, 08:07:53 PM »

JEAN, I am with you all the way on this one.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #1223 on:** February 24, 2014, 09:33:57 PM »

The opposition is doing everything they can to hang Wendy for NOT being a 1950s woman - She is strong and has Ann Richards daughters behind her and Ann Richards was a formidable governor. If she wins she changes the dynamics of the last 20 years in this state.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1224 on:** February 25, 2014, 09:00:23 AM »

Do you really, really, really realize what we are up against re the attitude of a very large and very determined contingent of the opposite sex regarding the status of women vis a vis the superior perogatives of all males?
I am serious. And yes, I exempt my beloved late husband, and many other dear souls who were born male, from this indictment. However, too many women just quickly brush off any mention of this subject and refuse to even consider for a nanosecond that such a mindset is controlling the fate of billions of members of the female gender. My husband COMPLETELY agreed with me!
So they set out to ruin any woman who dares defy their edicts! Wendy Davis will receive the full blast of their ire.
DID YOU KNOW? Seriously, did you know that in 31 states of these United States of America if a woman becomes pregnant from a rape and keeps the baby she can be sued for custody or visitation rights by the rapist father? This is a true fact. This can mean a lifetime of connection to and with her rapist for any woman who dares to keep the child.
At this moment, Ohio, New Hampshire and Vermont are considering changing their laws. In Ohio, State Senator Nina Turner has introduced the "Protect Rape Survivors" bill. Now we shall see if the men will yet again stop legislation protecting women from men guilty of this vicious crime.

Steph · « **Reply #1225 on:** February 25, 2014, 09:10:11 AM »

No, darn it all. She did not go to a local law school and at least one of the children was not her current husband at the time.She went all the way from Texas to Harvard. That is quite a different situation from my point of view. I am really saying that I don't like that she prettied up the story and made herself a genuine heroine... Maybe she is and maybe not. I loved Ann Richards, but have no thoughts on her children and politics.

nlhome · « **Reply #1226 on:** February 25, 2014, 01:55:33 PM »

My husband went "all the way" to various places through the years, leaving me alone and later with the kids, to earn money, to expand his education, to serve our country. Many men do this. Why can't a woman? And wouldn't it be better to keep the children in a familiar environment? What makes it wrong to go to a school that might give a person a better chance at a high-paying job? It's all in perspective, I think. I don't know that she "prettied" up her story so much as shortened it and cut out some facts that some people seem to have grasped as more important than others.

I'm sorry, but right now our state is living through a Governor who has prettied up his own story, and we're told to ignore that and various other omissions and questionable political maneuvers. He's a man - apparently that gives him a bye?

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #1227 on:** February 25, 2014, 03:53:41 PM »

Massachusetts may be a far piece from Texas but I have worked with many Asians who think nothing of their daughters and even their wives, that are mothers of young children, coming here to the US, alone to attend college and medical school - mostly Chinese and Indonesians - almost makes them, both men and the women appear more liberated. When I helped the first mom I was amazed and then as I helped other Asian moms along with Asian teenage sons and daughters going to UT, I quickly learned, to them education is the most valued goal in life.

Yes, the young ones buy a condo and the mature, most often the Moms get a small house - Asian families do their money very differently - everyone in the family, sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents put all their money into one account with an agreed upon monthly stipend for each member and then when a large purchase is requested there is one family members that runs the account and they have to look at the request to see if all the family needs a say-so before approval - then after they find a property the one running the account must approve and with the time difference when our market is hot that can pose a problem but we have done it and they have successfully purchased. With this way of handling money the credit is excellent and they are able to get the best interest rates.

When they move on for their job or go back to their family upon graduating more often the property remains as an investment and leased using a property managing company. Some do sell using the proceeds to buy, if they remain in the US, again, with the family account managers approval. When they do buy a more permanent, after graduating home there is always one room more than needed to accommodate parents who alternate with their "mate's" parents every other year for 6 months and so a couple here have 6 month visits every year.

Over the years I have worked with about 60 Asian families or singles - None from Japan but Hong Cong, China, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia, Korea, Laos, Pakistan - The only one who did not follow the family banking plan was the women I helped from Pakistan. Her husband ran out on her which is considered a divorce and her sister helped her so she bought a small motel for herself and her two middle school age kids to run and live in.

Steph · « **Reply #1228 on:** February 26, 2014, 08:53:58 AM »

Barb, how interesting.. Extended families do things quite differently. I do know a young oriental woman, who came to California to marry . She was born in China.. She had two children fairly quickly and he abandoned her. She had an Aunt who lived in Florida, came here and started working in restaurants. She is now a partner and manager of a small Chinese restaurant here, bought a house two years ago (that was such an exciting day for her), makes her children do extra homework , because she considers American schools as too lenient and is bursting with pride and joy. Two weeks ago, she told me that she had sent for her Mother in China and she would be arriving soon.. No idea if she has brothers and sisters still there, but she wanted her Mom.. I am so proud of her. We met because I eat alone most of the time and love Chinese. I always read and one day a few years ago,I was reading an Amy Tan and she touched it and said she had read that too. We started to talk and since it was after lunch, she sat down and we talked and talked. A very sweet girl,,

MaryPage · « **Reply #1229 on:** February 26, 2014, 11:13:14 AM »

Steph and Barbara, you have each had interesting experiences which I envy you for having. How lovely!

Steph · « **Reply #1230 on:** February 27, 2014, 08:59:31 AM »

I love listening to her stories of China.. child rearing and the man she was briefly married to. She loves to hear about where I have lived, since she hopes someday to travel all over the US..She loved the RV stories..

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1231 on:** February 27, 2014, 01:02:49 PM »

Yes, Steph and Barbara, thanks for sharing those interesting stories. Barb, i had no idea about that concept of investing by Asians. I knew that education was important, but didn't understand the process, that's fabulous. How smart and it's nice to hear that at least some of them are not sexist about the process.

Jean

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #1232 on:** February 27, 2014, 05:13:57 PM »

Yes, I remember one young women - all of 16 who came and was referred to me - her brother came after a couple of weeks and stayed for about 2 months - her family believed to get into UT with the increased demands for high placement scores she should attend two years of High School in American - I could see the fear in her eyes but she gutsed up - we found her a condo in a good safe area not next to the university where she could walk to grocery stores, cleaners and a couple of small neighborhood restaurants and where she could peddle her bike to get a bus on quiet streets. Our buses have bike racks. Her brother helped her enroll in school and a friend from Indonesia who lived in another area of town acted as her guardian - the brother went back and then 7 or 8 months later her mom came for nearly a year and yep, she got into UT. Upon graduation she got a good job in Kansas City as some sort of Bio Technician in medicine and her brother is now here in America after doing a masters at UT he is over in Houston.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1233 on:** February 28, 2014, 05:47:10 AM »

Steph - isn't it great when you meet someone like that in the least likely circumstances? A woman came into the gallery where I volunteer recently and asked me about places to have lunch in the area. We got chatting and now we meet for coffee or lunch from time to time - she is such a good and interesting person, as is her partner, who is a psychotherapist here in Edinburgh. The partner had a foster son who died a few years ago; he was severely disabled by cerebral palsy. Undaunted, they took him all over the world on holidays, and Caragh has told me about all the joy and light he brought into their lives. They are both practising Buddhists, which is also a fascinating thing for me to learn about.

I would probably never have met her if I hadn't been in the gallery that one morning she decided to visit Haddington.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #1234 on:** February 28, 2014, 07:53:54 AM »

Buddha, Now that is a religion that I would love to sit and discuss with a practioner.. Yes, every once in a while in my life, I have met someone under casual circumstances and they turned out to be a good and true person who really changed me in many ways.l

MaryPage · « **Reply #1235 on:** February 28, 2014, 10:58:14 AM »

One of my daughters, the eldest, has become a Buddhist. Can't remember the dates for sure now, but I think she has been one for, oh, thirty years or more. I have a number of DVDs of documentaries on the subject, and the lecture The Great Courses (The Teaching Company) puts out is marvelous. Just about everyone in my family has watched that one.
My problem is that I have a sense of an all seeing eye within my brain that searches into the deepest, fartherest recesses of our history and tells me that all religions are man made. Not from "God" at all, but made up fantasies by men who have a natural born tendency to organize other humans. We each of us have a deep need for reassurance and immortality, and these stories of heaven and forever afterwards fulfill that need. In many instances, these power broker shamans have used a person who was something of a leader or innovator when alive and around whom it is easy to quickly build up a word of mouth around the fireside kind of folklore. If they died a violent death, all the better; i.e., Joseph Smith and Jesus of Nazareth. There is also a deep need within us to worship. Worshipping a god figure can actually be better for our ability to live our daily lives in a fairly normal way than to worship a person. People who have worshipped Elvis Presley or Jim Jones, for instance, can be pretty unstable. Women seem to have a deep need to adore men, accompanied by a willingness to blindly follow and obey them. Being a dedicated feminist, I, of course, deplore this. But this is my vision, be it right or wrong. I wish there to be a forever for what I see as "Me." I do not expect it. Sincerely. And please know that in sharing my thoughts with you, I am NOT trying to convert you to my way of thinking. Not at all. Sincerely.

maryz · « **Reply #1236 on:** February 28, 2014, 11:49:18 AM »

I'm with you on that, MaryPage. Well said!

JeanneP · « **Reply #1237 on:** February 28, 2014, 12:24:56 PM »

I have not followed any religion since my early teens. Questioned it then and got no good answers. I have read about the Buddhist and met people who follow it. We have 2 of their meeting places in my area. Listening is quite interesting.

Octavia · « **Reply #1238 on:** February 28, 2014, 07:35:20 PM »

I have a Thai daughter-in-law who is a Buddhist. I haven't met her yet, so I don't know how seriously she follows the religion. I envied her in the heat and madhouse of pre Christmas shopping, and organising. Easter is always about how many will die terribly on the roads, and leave broken hearted families.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1239 on:** February 28, 2014, 08:51:25 PM »

I do not think of Buddhism as a religion, truly I don't. I know, there are a lot of traditions associated with it, but they are not all that important, really. Building stupas and the like. There is no dogma, no rite, no required anything. No baptism or confirmation or initiation or any such. It is more a way of thinking and aspiration. You try hard to reach perfection. You meditate a lot. And pray.
There are what can be thought of as rites in connection with some of the traditions. But you can be a Buddhist all by yourself alone without any of that stuff.
There are stages to be reached and passed in your journey toward perfection.
At least, this is my view of it.

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Author Topic: Women's Issues (Read 392188 times)