Slate: Women feared in Iran, and how to keep track of our personal threads

My friend Amy Betts from NYC sent me this great piece from Slate.com about how women are asserting their power in Iran. Very thought-provoking. http://www.slate.com/id/2221033/

On a totally unrelated topic, I found a piece in the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune on Sunday that is very nicely written by a local financial planner Ross Levin about how we must find our own "thread" in this life. And despite changes in the economy, etc. we must stick to our personal threads.

http://www.startribune.com/business/49222977.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU

In today's warp-speed culture, we must take the time to consider our personal threads and install them as priorities; as life moves faster and faster, we must pause for introspection.

So where am I going with this blog?

I want this blog to focus on essays about public policy, what’s going on in the media (what’s worth reading today?) and ways women can improve their lives.

I will try to be more opinionated than most and encourage you to be the same– not mean, just definite. And given my academic background, I'll strive to include research and theoretical context when possible.


I will link regularly to good stuff:

Maureen Dowd: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/maureendowd/index.html

Ellen Goodman:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/ellen_goodman/

And I'll try to throw in some fun stuff. We often take ourselves too seriously, don't we?

LIN

Why is it so hard to protect our children on school buses?

This story is about a female kindergartner who was sexually bullied on the bus. Her parents asked for the bully to be disciplined, but it resulted in another case of "blame the victim." She was moved to another bus, and the young students on the bus were separated from the older students. No repercussions for the bully.

My son was bullied in middle school, and I remember many sleepless nites. Once he was put in a "safe room" by school officials after there was a rumor that he would be jumped again on his way home. After a party one night, he came home with bumps and bruises on his head and face.

His attackers had siblings with gang connections. Dealing directly with the family wasn't going to hurt more than help. My best recourse was working with school officials.

In this video, the family takes their case to the U.S. Supreme Court and wins. What should parents and school officials do in cases such as these?

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=4226712&cl=14053852&src=news

Women + listening or lack of it

My friend Susan and I were talking this AM about how hard it is to get members of the opposite sex to listen to us.

Gloria Steinem speculated that it has to do with being the primary parent, so we get tuned out because that's what kids do as they gain independence.

Anyone have suggestions on why we have trouble being heard?

What can we do to improve our odds?

I know I listen more to those who say less.

And I am going to try to listen to others better myself and see what happens.

It won't be easy.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Lynn

Epoch moment: David Letterman's apology

Many of us have a love/hate relationship with GOV. Sarah Palin.

I have to admit I mostly love her.

And today I have to give her another "atta girl".

Who among us doesn't bubble up with glee when they watch Dave Letterman apologize for his crass joke about Palin daughter(s)?

See the link to Palin's response and Dave's apology on Good Morning America's site: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Politics/story?id=7849798&page=1

Way to bring a media icon to his knees.

Go Sarah!

LIN

If you couldn't attend the event featuring Gloria Steinem in Minneapolis today, here's a

link to MPR's Midmorning show with host Kerri Miller.

http://download.publicradio.org/podcast/news/midmorning/2009/06/15_midmorn1_pod_32.mp3

tho many don't like what she has to say, Gloria Steinem tells it like it is.

I was impressed that she was very thoughtful and inclusive, not blaming and hyperbolic.

A self-proclaimed "hope-aholic". She's worth a listen. Can't believe she's 75. Very vital. LIN

Do we have to be in politics to run the world?

This past 6 mo., I've had a very disappointing experience joining my local DFL committee. To be honest, I was spread a bit thin and did not give it my all. But there was a definite lack of leadership in the city/state DFL, and those most familiar with traditional policies and practices didn't clue us newbies in.

Given all the craziness that women in politics have to put up with, I'm beginning to wonder -- are there other arenas where women can more efficiently help run the world. Many of my friends run small businesses, and of course, I do too. In large part, many of us have become small biz owners to avoid the barriers inherent in large organizations.

I know things are becoming incrementally better, and that our daughters will have a much broader spectrum of choices than we did. Still, it's a bit depressing when most of the stories about Michelle Obama have to do with what she is wearing and how toned her arms are. Hillary is out of the lime light, and Sarah Palin is the butt of David Letterman's jokes. Bottom line, how can we change a sexist society without burning ourselves out?