Month: February 2010

Hope – Is It in Your Genes?!?!

Most mothers will do anything to protect their child’s best interests and help them succeed. It’s part of being a mom – a reflection of that overwhelming, all-encompassing love that we feel for our tiny mini-mes.

So I guess it’s hardly a surprise that battalions of mothers (and fathers!) out there have joined together to support the campaign effort to raise awareness about Rare Disease Day, February 28. The slogan for this year’s campaign is “Hope – It’s in your genes.”

These parents are simultaneously just moms and dads like any of us, and amazing individuals willing to step forward and try to make a difference. They, and the campaign, deserve our support.

Continue reading Hope – Is It in Your Genes?!?!

A new front in the Fat Wars?

Here are my questions for the day …

  1. should director Kevin Smith be getting an apology from Southwest Airlines because he was pulled off a flight for being too large?
  2. And if he did deserve the apology – why him and not every other fattie who has ever been pulled off or charged extra for taking up too much space?
  3. And more broadly, what do we all think about airline plans to charge obese people more for air travel?

I mean seriously, at a time when a higher percentage of Americans, Europeans and Asians are overweight than ever before, these are questions that get some seriously emotional responses.  

Continue reading A new front in the Fat Wars?

In support of Special Teams

For years I’ve told the stories of men, women and children struggling to survive amidst conflict, poverty, human right abuses and a wide array of life’s challenges. Every single one of them had a story to tell that contributes to the diverse tapestry of the global family.

And now it’s my turn.

At a time when globalization and the Internet have connected people across the world in more ways than ever possible before, it’s profoundly disconcerting to feel completely alone. And yet, as my family battled to not only survive – but thrive – though my son’s special needs reality that is exactly how I felt.

Most friends, family and colleagues simply could not understand, no matter how much they loved us. When it came time to put in a feeding tube or make the difficult decisions concerning our son’s health, we were inexorably alone. And scared. And angry. And overwhelmed by the amazing love we felt for our son.

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Changing Reality: A jihad we can all support

What do Mick Jagger, Coca-Cola and Lahore, Pakistan all have in common?

They are all elements in one man’s ongoing jihad to build bridges across borders.

Salman Ahmad is a modern warrior, armed with weapons of mass destruction aimed straight at hatred, mistrust and divisiveness. Using his favored tools – a guitar, haunting melodies and poignant lyrics – he is out to tear down barriers and get people around the world to stop and really take a look at each other.

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Saints not the only winners on Super Bowl Sunday

Honestly, what is Danica Patrick thinking?

Patrick has an impressive racing resume as the most well known female contender in the Indy Car series and the ARCA Racing Series in recent years. She was the first woman to win an Indy car race with her victory in the 2008 Indy Japan Race and her 2009 third place finish in the Indianapolis 500 was the highest finish in the event’s history for a woman. Patrick is on track to make her debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this coming weekend.

In that respect she is a great role model. She’s a capable, determined, gutsy lady breaking down barriers. And she and/or her managers are smart enough to market Patrick elsewhere while she’s a hot commodity.

But beside her late night talk show guest spots, most of her appearances outside the racing world – including two Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues (like this one from 2009), numerous racy photos shoots and the GoDaddy.com commercials – seem more apropos to a centerfold wannabe than a race car driver.

Continue reading Saints not the only winners on Super Bowl Sunday

Rogue’s Gallery

If recent history is anything to go by, both traditional and new media are going to be flooded with verbiage on Sarah Palin’s appearance this weekend the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville. Love or hate the former-Alaska governor, only a fool would argue the lady doesn’t have an attention-grabbing public persona.

Her supporters believe this the real Mrs. Palin. An attractive do-it-all-modern mom who shoots from the hip, holds nothing back and brushes off emotional punches like a prizefighter.

Her detractors blast her as a manipulative and dangerous talking head that spews vitriol without checking her facts first.

Continue reading Rogue’s Gallery