Apropriate Development

I have to admit that I am a secret addict of reality shows - not all of them, just a few of them, but I do enjoy watching them over watching other shows. I just saw the first few minutes and a few commercials about Shaquille O'Neil's reality tv show where overweight kids are put on a training program with him. I think it's a great idea and a good investment by a big name star. There appear to be very good intentions behind this program, and I think it's good that there is attention being drawn to the obesity problem among children in the US. There are a few foundations that are also working on this problem. I believe the Clinton Foundation is trying to make schools healthier. Good luck to all involved. The program is on Tuesday evenings at 9 p.m.

I was looking at the NY Times and then at the CBS News web site and wasn't seeing anything worth feeling good about so deciding to use Google to see what was out there, I googled "positive news." I got a news magazine website that is based out of the UK and tells positive stories. You can even sell their papers to make money for your non-profit or even business. This was a good stumble. www.positivenews.org.uk

I used M-Bags in Peace Corps to receive books and educational materials from people at home and schools in the US that were trying to help the children I worked with out. It's much less costly. On May 14, the US Postal Service eliminated these International Surface Bags, otherwise known as M-Bags. To learn more - or get involved in a possible online petition - check out http://peacecorpsconnect.typepad.com/peacecorpspolyglot/

Check out this song done by Green Day. http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1560839&vid=151866 It's part of an effort by Amnesty International called Instant Karma, The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. Green Day and other artists are recorded singing John Lennon songs on a CD that will be released June 12. You can also see the Amnesty International Press Release at this address: http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGUSA20070525002

An article in the online New York Times today at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/04/us/04adopt.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&hp&o... called "Surge in Adoptions Raises Concern in Ethiopia" got me thinking about international adoption. It's a topic that I don't have a hard stance on though I do have some strong feelings. I dislike hearing about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's many international adoptions. I think the worst when I hear about these celebrities and make assumptions about how they, or their nannies, are raising their kids when I don't really know. But I think what frustrates me the most is the fanfare in which it is done. I also wish they and others would adopt the many American children who aren't being adopted, who are aging out of the foster care system without families and who are more likely to go to jail or be homeless because of it.