House of Estrogen

Dream, Hope, Future

 

CPSIA Blog-In Day

Some folks over at Etsy have organized a "Blog-In" event to try to raise awareness about the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act going into effect next month. I think this is an important issue, and one I have already written my congressman about. Not everyone knows about it though, so I thought I'd join the blog-in. The text of my post below was provided by some Etsy Sellers. While I think that some of the examples below are probably over-the-top alarmism, I think others are very real and valid. All of the examples are within the scope of the law the way it is currently written. The link at the very bottom contains information about how to write your representatives, petitions to sign, and other ways to take concrete action against the current incarnation of CPSIA. While this act certainly had excellent intentions in trying to keep our children safe from the lead-tainted toys from China, its wording has far-reaching unintended effects. The Wall Street Journal and Forbes articles linked below are excellent.

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And his update to that original article: http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/22/cpsia-waxman-cpsc-oped-cx_wo_0122olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.

You can get a badge (and tons of other helpful info) in the Etsy CPSIA Action Kit:
Download the PDF file here.
http://www.etsy.com/storque/media/bunker/2009/01/CPSIA-Etsy-Resources.pdf

Dear Mr. Obama,

Earlier this week, the New York Times published an op-ed piece with children's letters to Obama. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the letters, and so with the inauguration less than 48 hours away, I decided to have my children write letters to him too. You can click on the images to view a larger version, or just read the text below each letter.

Nina was practicing her "fancy" lettering where she wrote "Dear Mr. Obama." Then, she dictated the rest to me.

 

Dear Mr. Obama,

What are you going to do for kids? I hope you live very good togther. I hope it goes on and on and on very good. Maybe your dog can be named Sally or Jingles or Belle. Or you could name it Kaitlyn or Elizabeth.

Sincerely,

Nina

Elise decided to include a picture of the White House with her letter. As you can see, Elise is still very much in the mode of inventive spelling!

 

 

Dear Mr. Obama,

Cingagoashins! [Congratulations!] I voted for you. I hope you make good deshigins [decisions]. I am alargik [allergic] to dogs gist [just] like Malia.

Love,

Elise

History is Made

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."

    - Barack Obama, November 4, 2008

I often find myself wishing time would slow down, wishing the baby would stay a baby longer, wishing my kids weren't growing up so fast right before my eyes. This is one of the few times when I wish they were just a bit older. I would love for them to truly understand the history they are witnessing and remember living through it. Elise is old enough that she will remember this election. She'll remember the excitement in the air, the buzz around Obama, and going to vote. One day she'll understand the significance of this election and know that she was a part of it. With any luck, maybe Nina will too. As for Addison, if this election year is any indication of the future, she'll grow up seeing presidents and vice presidents who are men and women of every race, religion, and ethnic background... as it should be. She may not remember this day, but she will be the recipient of a new era in our country because of this defining moment in history.

Go Vote.

Today is your last chance. Do it. Go vote. Yes, I know it is cold and rainy. I know you have a million other things to do. I know about the mountain of laundry that needs to get done. I know the line may be long. I know you have kids in tow. I know things are busy at work. Still, you only get this opportunity once every four years, so take it. If you're in a swing state like me, your vote MATTERS this year - it really does. Even if you're not in a swing state, this is your chance to let your voice be heard, not only for president, but for local races and propositions. Go. Now. Do it.

As you can imagine, I'm never one to let an opportunity for themed outfits go by, so the big girls wore their "Future President" t-shirts today with their "Kids for Obama" buttons on their backpacks! Addie went the patriotic route with her red, white, and blue jumper. She wore her Hope-opotomus outfit to school yesterday.   

Vote

In 1988, three businessmen from Arizona traveled to Costa Rica on a fishing trip. During their visit, they learned that the country’s voter turnout is typically around 90 percent. This high turnout was attributed to a tradition of children accompanying their parents to the polls. The men were intrigued by the idea, but also recognized a missing link to education. They launched a school-based pilot project in a Phoenix suburb that has since grown into the national Kids Voting USA organization.

In the past three presidential elections in the U.S., the percent of US citizens over 18 who voted was: 58.4% (1996), 59.5% (2000), 63.8% (2004). Those numbers are moving in the right direction, but are still nowhere near 90%. Take your kids to vote.

Here are my little voters.

Obama Mama

After one unsuccessful attempt to go see the next president of the United States, a coworker convinced me to give it a second try today. I'm so glad he did. After waiting in a 5 city block line for two hours, we actually made it through security to see him. 28,000 other people had the same idea, and I believe we were behind 10,000 of them. The view wasn't great, but how cool is it that 28,000 people showed up midday on a work day in a red state to see this man? Wow!  The energy in the crowd was palpable. I think we all felt we were watching history in the making. Even though we were far away, we could hear every word, and as always, Obama energized the crowd.

The line in front of us...

 

The line behind us...

 

rooftop snipers...

   

and the man himself. I added an arrow, so you can find him. Wasn't my view fabulous?

 

OK, so not so fabulous, but it was still really exciting to be there. How often do you get a chance to see a President (or soon to be one) live and in person?

West Wing

Sunday morning, we woke up bright and early in hopes of getting tickets for the Washington Monument. We arrived to a line of about 20 people, so we took our place in line and read for an hour until ticket distribution started. Our assigned tour time was 11:30. That worked out perfectly. It gave us a chance to go back to the hotel, have a big breakfast at the fabulous buffet (brie on bagels, anyone? simply divine!), get packed and check out before the tour. We were right on schedule for our tour when we stepped off the Metro at the station near the monument when J.C. casually turned to me and said, "You've got the tickets, right?"  I won't repeat my response as it should be censored, but suffice it to say, I did NOT have the tickets. We raced up the escalator and back down the other side, hopped on the train, and ran back to the hotel. Out of breath, I dashed up to the bellhop, quickly explaining that the tickets for our tour that was to start in 15 minutes were in one of the bags in their baggage check room. He led me back to the luggage where I retrieved the tickets and ran out to the front of the hotel. We hopped in a waiting cab, yelling, "To the Washington Monument!!!!" like you might expect to see in a movie. And there we sat... and sat... and sat. There were so many people checking out, loading luggage into cars, that the cab couldn't move. It was one of those situations where every second that ticked by felt like an hour. We eventually started moving and thankfully the cab got us to the monument without a minute to spare. Whew! The tour was great. The weather was beautiful, so the views were spectacular.

 

 

After the Monument tour, we headed over to the White House for the next item on our itinerary - a private tour of the West Wing. I have to give a little background on how this tour came about. When my friend S in Virginia found out that we were going up to D.C. for our anniversary, she casually said something along the lines of, "If you need help with planning or would like me to try to get White House tickets for you or anything, let me know." I took her up on her offer of White House tickets, asking jokingly if she had friends in high places. I don't remember her exact response, but it was something to the nature of, "No - just a friend who worked on Capitol Hill."  She informed me a few days later that she had hooked us up with a 1:30 private tour of the West Wing if we were interested. Are you kidding me??? A private tour of the WEST WING? Of course we were interested! The tour was going to be with her friend Liza Wright who had held a position in personnel with the White House.

So... that is what we knew leading up to this tour. We were thrilled and honored with the prospect of touring the West Wing, but we had no idea just how special this tour would be.

We arrived at the Northwest Appointment gate at the specified time, were let in and issued visitor badges. We met Liza and began our tour. There were several other private tours going on at the same time. They seemed to be scheduled every 10-15 minutes with various White House staffers. We quickly began to realize our tour was not with just any staffer. As Liza was showing us around, besides the typical "history of the White House" stories that all the tour guides were telling, Liza's stories included her own personal experiences - her first meeting in the Oval office, where she sat in Cabinet meetings, riding in the president's motorcade, the early morning meeting every day with the Chief of Staff, and where her first office was located in the West Wing. I finally got up the guts to ask her to clarify what her job had been in the White House. She was not simply "somebody who worked in personnel." She was the Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel which is equivalent in rank to a Four Star General in the Army. She was in charge of all presidential appointments during her tenure under George W. Bush. Her office was one floor up from the Oval Office, directly over Dick Cheney's office, and around the corner from Karl Rove, Tony Snow, and Dan Bartlett. We were definitely NOT getting the standard West Wing tour. Wow! Can I say that again? WOW! Not only were we seeing things we never imagined we would see in our lives - the Oval Office, the Cabinet Room, the Roosevelt Room, the Rose Garden, the Situation Room (well, technically just the door to it since we weren't allowed in that one) and the Press Briefing Room, but we were being shown all this by someone who had worked very closely with the President for over four years.

The tour in itself was spectacular. The history of the building, the rooms, the artwork, and the furniture is riveting. Add to that Liza's stories, and it was all a bit surreal. She told us about riding in Marine One with President Bush and Karl Rove, and about the stress of riding in the President's motorcade (apparently the motorcade takes off the instant the president's bum hits the seat, so you need to race to your car before the president to ensure you aren't left behind.). She told a couple funny stories about the president's dogs, and talked about differences in daily schedules from the Clintons to the Bushes. We were treated to such an intimate look at life inside the West Wing and what it is like to work there. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Photography is not allowed inside the White House, but we took several pictures outside. In this first photo, we are in the Rose Garden with the Oval office just behind us.

 

More of the Rose Garden

 

The Oval Office is at the end of this walkway.

   

This is one of the entrances to the West Wing. Notice the Presidential seal over the door.

 

J.C. in the press briefing room. Every chair is labeled for a news organization (ABC, CNN, New York Times) with the exception of one. Helen Thomas, who has covered presidents since John F. Kennedy, is the only reporter with a seat labeled with her name.

 

And a couple last views of the White House before we left

 

 

Washington D.C. may not be the romantic destination of choice for many for an anniversary trip, but it sure proved to be a wonderful weekend for the two of us. We started the weekend with a bang with the Segway tour, and ended on a high note that couldn't be topped with our West Wing tour. The kids and grandparents all survived without us, and we came back energized and ready to tackle parenting duties again.

A New Candidate for President?

This morning, Nina found the latest issue of People magazine with the McCain family on the cover. She came running in holding the magazine up in the air exclaiming, "Mommy! Mommy! Look!!!  It's Barack O'McCain!"

The Heart of my Heart

Did you watch Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention last night? Was she not fabulous?  I love this quote from her:

"I come here as a Mom whose girls are the heart of my heart and the center of my world - they're the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing I think about when I go to bed at night."

"The heart of my heart" - love that. Here's a recent picture of the heart of my heart...