My brother sent me thisvia email last night, with the question, "Aren't you glad you left Florida?"

I don't even know where to start with this one. I'm only 36 and I'm totally appalled that my first thought is, "Jebus, this country is going to shit!" I sound like my grumpy father. I don't want to be that, and in the worst way. I pride myself on being something of a Pollyanna. Peace, love and understanding.

So, how is this happening? What in God's name were these police officers thinking? How did the teachers let this happen? Is it a race thing, like what happened to 15 year old Shaquanda Cotton in Paris, TX? WTF???

My brother just sent me this article on research that a psychologist named Carol Dweck has done. It's about mind-set as it relates to talent and intelligence. Basically, that some children/people have what is called a fixed mind-set about intelligence - which means that they believe intelligence is innate, you can't "do" anything to change it, and so if you are intelligent, you shouldn't have to work to hard. Or if you aren't so intelligent, you get discouraged by failures and don't reach your full potential.

Whereas, if you have a growth mind-set, you enjoy taking on challenges and push yourself to achieve more. These sorts of people can go on to become the accomplished and talented people that we gush over in our lives.

So, per rule 2 up there, I'm not supposed to do this. But I think I can manage to write enough to make it not so one-liner-like.

I have a single mom friend, Jill, in Austin TX, who has her own blog. And damn, she writes really well! I know she's smart and all, but I didn't know she had such a knack for analyzing things so well. She draws cool metaphors and paralells and all that.

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2007
Release #07-137

Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 808-3111
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Infantino Recalls Infant Sling Carriers Due to Fall Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in
cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary
recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using
recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: SlingRider Infant Carriers

Units: About 100,000

Manufacturer: Infantino LLC, of San Diego, Calif.

Scroll down for the link if you need to alert someone...

I'm NO Roseanne Barr fan. Never have been. I find her pretty funny, but also  pretty grating. She's just too brash and her voice is too nasal for me, generally.

But I got this article, from the LA Times, off of a list-serve I subscribe to at work - for fundraising researchers. I probably wouldn't have read it, but the sender copied it into the email, and it looked short enough. Someone had emailed a different article on philanthropy earlier in the day, and this was something of a follow up/continuation.

Strangely enough, I kind of agree with what Roseanne says (save that draft thing). It's a bit reactionary for me, but I figured I'd throw it out there to you MTers. It's definitely relevant to our philosophy and mentions stuff that's been discussed here in the last week. So read and enjoy and discuss away. I'm looking forward to your comments.

Here's the link, to cover our copyrighted butt.

I get the emails on recalls and such from the CPSC (in case you don't already yourself, here's the site to sign up at: http://www.cpsc.gov/...

Anyway, I'm posting this list of poison safety info just to remind us all to watch it at home. Especially with the medicine and cleaning products.

I have been thinking - all weekend - about the news that came out about Newt Gingrich and his affair during the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. I'm close to obsessing on it.

Note - I haven't read a lot on it, haven't reviewed the transcript of his interview with James Dobson or anything, save the key quotes - I'm simply speaking to the basic story. Which, if you didn't catch it, is that Newt Gingrich was having an extramarital affair at the time he was rallying for the impeachment of Bill Clinton because of his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky. http://www.cnn.com/...

This has me so mad I could spit!

I am a member of a group here in my town (which I'm going to keep anonymous just to cover my butt legally). Since last year, we've been fighting the expansion of a hazardous waste landfill that sits on the edge of the city proper.

Approximately 52,000 people live within 3 miles of the site. There are 28 schools and daycares in that 3 mile radius, as well as innumerable other businesses.

Unfortunately, this landfill has been in this location for a very long time. It started as a regular landfill, but for a few decades now has taken in and treated hazardous wastes from a variety of industries. They take hundreds of kinds of chemicals, but predominantly heavy metals (i.e. lead, mercury, hexovalent chromium). They treat them by mixing them with portland cement and then bury them.