Mickey Goodman2013-05-25T22:30:17-04:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=Mickey-goodmanCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Mickey GoodmanGood old fashioned elbow grease.The Big Bang Theory Star Teams Up With HerWorldtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.28454552013-03-11T15:41:44-04:002013-05-11T05:12:01-04:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/
Actress Mayim Bialik inspires girls to study STEM fields (photo courtesy Mayim Bialik)
"I love playing the sweet and brainy Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, who has a quirky relationship with Dr. Sheldon Cooper (Emmy award-winning actor, Jim Parsons. "It shows a scientist's softer side," she says. She feels the program humanizes geeks and shows that their lives are normal and fulfilling.
This year, Bialik is the spokesperson for DeVry University's HerWorld, a nationwide initiative to encourage young girls to pursue STEM careers (science, technology, engineering and math). More than 7,000 girls are expected to attend the month-long event that takes place in 22 cities.
Bialik is keynoter at HerWorld kickoff (Photo by AP)
Ironically, Thursday evening's episode was about this very topic -- engaging young girls in the sciences. "It was totally random that it appeared on the eve of HerWorld," says Biakik, who was delighted with the coincidence.
It was her Biology tutor on the set of Blossom who first turned Bialik on to the sciences. "I thought passion was reserved for literature and the arts," she says. "I didn't know you could feel that strongly about science until I fell in love with the neuron. "It helps us understand the universe and the electrical properties of the mind and body."
She wants other young women to experience that same passion and prepare for careers in an expanding field. Although women in the STEM fields comprise only 25 percent today, a U.S. Department of Commerce study projects that jobs in the STEM fields will grow seven percent faster than those in other fields by 2018 when approximately 8-million STEM jobs are projected. The need will open up opportunities for qualified candidates of both sexes.
This is the sixteenth year of DeVry's HerWorld, a month-long program (HerWorld Month) that kicked off on March 8 in New York with Bialik as the keynote speaker. She told the audience of 300 girls about her own experience growing up in New York, the daughter of first generation Jewish immigrants, both school teachers, and her love of the sciences. She encouraged them to take a leap of faith, open their minds to the possibilities in the STEM fields.
"Girls often perceive the curriculum for these subjects as unapproachable," she says. "HerWorld challenges the perception by giving teenage girls a place to experience the excitement of STEM subjects firsthand and engages them in stories of successful women who are making a difference.
Attendees will interact with peers through hands-on workshops and confidence-boosting activities. They'll also hear inspirational stories from women leaders in the field.
In 2013, DeVry University launched STEM Career Assemblies to introduce more high school students to STEM subjects. The assemblies are designed to spark students' interest and curiosity by telling the story of The Science and Technology Behind Team USA, in partnership with the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC).
The first STEM Career Assemblies were held in Atlanta and Chicago. In Atlanta, 700 freshmen and sophomores heard from USOC guest speaker, Terrence Trammell , a former Olympian hurdler and sprinter.
In Chicago, more than 160 high school students from DeVry University's Advantage Academy participated in two assemblies. They learned about the impact STEM had on former Olympian bobsledder, Jamie Moriarty, and the ways science helped Team U.S.A.'s efforts to increase velocity as they raced.
DeVry, one of the largest private sector universities in North America, integrates the arts, technology, business and science. Because faculty members work in the fields they teach, they can best prepare students for high-growth careers.
Actress/Scientist
Bialik, the mother of two young boys ages 4 and 7, lives life on the fast track. In addition to starring in "The Big Bang Theory," she also homeschools her children. During time off from the show, she's teaches sciences to other kids in the homeschool community.
While pursuing her studies in college, Bialik was very active in UCLA Hillel, a Jewish organization, and led, composed and performed in an a cappella group of women as well as being a dedicated student. "A professor once told me that the way to get everything done is not to sleep much," she says laughing.
It's a skill she learned at a young age and still practices today. While starring on Blossom, Bialik had a tutor on the set and attended school one week out of three when the program was on hiatus. "I had to keep up and do everything everyone else did, so my days were really full," she says.
"As much fun as it is to be on The Big Bang Theory, being a public figure who can promote a positive role in the sciences is a blessing," says Bialik, a rare combination of celebrity and scientist.]]>Prophet or Predator?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.25750262013-02-26T14:47:32-05:002013-04-28T05:12:01-04:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/
Christine Marie today. (Photo courtesy Christine Marie)
Her horrific experiences are chronicled in Dangerous Persuasions, a documentary produced by Raw Television (U.K.) that aired on Wednesday evening, January 30, at 10 p.m. EST on Investigation Discovery.
"I'm telling it publicly to warn people that anyone can become a victim of a psychopath," she says. "It took eight years of therapy to realize it was not my fault."
Marie is not the typical runaway teen who falls prey to men who profess love and protection. She was a grown woman when she met Adam* at a Mormon singles dance. "He immediately charmed me because he looked exactly like the man who had appeared in a dream revealing the man I was destined to marry.
"I had always been taught that dreams are powerful because Joseph Smith's revelation about the ancient Gold Plates had come in a dream. His translations of the text became the basis for The Book of Mormon, a tenant of our faith."
Adam convinced her that he had found a new sealed version of the Gold Plates he was translating. Thus, he would become the new prophet and Marie would become his spiritual wife. Together, they would become as revered as Joseph and his wife, Emma.
"The thought was enthralling," Marie says. "I wanted to believe him. He even sent me the first eight chapters, written in the style of the Gold Plates, along with an updated version of the New Testament. My faith was so deeply rooted, I truly believed he was the next prophet."
Within a week, Adam began testing Marie's faith by telling her she would not be in heaven for all eternity with her children unless she began making sacrifices. She was to turn over all her worldly possessions to help the poor and needy, and even send her children to live with others. "He positioned himself as being the prophet between me and God and threatened if I doubted his instructions then God would not consider me worthy to become the wife of the new prophet," she says.
He groomed her with psychological tricks: telling her to do something, then denying it had been said; was sweet and loving one minute, then turned on her in anger and violence, all the while threatening her with Hell if she disobeyed - classic signs used by predators. Before long, Marie lost her critical thinking skills and became a victim of what experts call The Stockholm Syndrome where victims are psychologically manipulated to side with their perpetrators.
"I kept telling myself what he said was true. After all, God had sent me this man in my dream. The whole world rested on my obedience to him, even if it included being debased and sold to men. He compared it to Christ's suffering." Other so-called "believers" called and emailed her to affirm their beliefs that Adam was the new prophet.
Adam's "new" translations of the Gold Plates turned the traditional teachings of the Mormon faith upside down, particularly adultery and having sex outside of marriage. Her next test was to live among the poor and needy as Christ had done.
He sent her to live in an apartment among five men and three women in a dangerous part of town where she was beaten and raped repeatedly, all in the name of serving God. When two of his so-called followers finally confessed that Adam was a hoax, Marie teetered on the brink of suicide, realizing that all of her sacrifices had been in vain. "I was going to Hell anyway," she said.
Though homeless, Marie had the courage to reclaim her son and daughter. The other two children remained with their father. She went to the police, but because she only pressed charges for fraud, she was denied the support of a victim's advocate. The Church also refused to help, saying she had broken one of their most sacred beliefs, sex outside marriage.
It took a move to California before she told her full story and was accepted into a program for trafficked women who helped her rebuild her life. "Even though I was an adult, I didn't realize that people were evil enough to put a humanitarian face on evil," she says.
Ironically, Adam, who was in jail on unrelated charges, is now free and still perpetrating the same crime on other Mormon women.
Christine Marie and husband, Tolga Katas (photo courtesy, Christine Marie)
As for Marie, her children are grown and she has re-married. "I'm not my past," she says. "I can choose what I want to be." Her hope is that Dangerous Persuasions will help other women avoid falling victim to similar schemes.
(*) His real name is withheld to protect the victim.)]]>Be the One to Report Child Abusetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.14030102012-04-06T12:30:02-04:002012-06-06T05:12:01-04:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/Huffington Post article by Theresa Huizar, executive director of the National Children's Alliance, on National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
My now grown daughter, Beth, was a tweenager and had asked if a new friend could spend the night. Though I had met the mom who was on a PTA committee with me, I hadn't met "Elsie," a pretty little thing -- petite with blond hair and enormous blue eyes, but painfully thin. She was also sweet and docile, an unusual pick for my high-energy soccer-playing daughter. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but Elsie seemed overly eager to please, hanging around and offering to set the table and help me with dinner. (I secretly hoped my daughter was taking notes.)
That night when the girls began getting ready for bed ("sleeping" was not in their vocabulary), Beth asked me if I had anything for burns. My mother radar went up. "How did you hurt yourself?"
"It's not me," she said. "Elsie has a bad burn on her back and she's crying."
I grabbed some aloe salve and charged up to the bedroom. Three angry red stripes ran down Elsie's back which was so thin that her spine and ribs stuck out. "How on earth did you get these, hon?" I asked.
She stammered. "I dropped the curling iron down my back this morning," she said, trying to hold back the tears.
I looked more closely at the outlines. There was no way it could have happened the way she described. Elsie would have had to be a contortionist to position the marks in such a way, and why three bad burns? Instead of being tip down as a burn might have been had she dropped the curling iron, the tips pointed up. I shuddered, thinking how painful the blisters must be. Looking even closer, I noticed similar healed scars.
As I gently applied the aloe, I thought about her mother, a large, boisterous woman who talked too loudly and was a bit of a thorn on an otherwise agreeable PTA committee. I knew knew little about the family other than that Elsie's parents were divorced and she was an only child. Who else could the abuser be but her mother? But how to ask Elsie?
The soothing cream did its job, and she gingerly pulled her loose nightgown over her head, taking care not to touch her sore back. We sat on the bed -- my daughter's eyes as wide as saucers.
"You didn't drop the curling iron, did you, sweetie?" I asked quietly. Again her eyes filled with tears. She ducked her head and shook it from left to right.
"Was it your Mom?"
By that time she was sobbing. "It wasn't her fault. I didn't listen when she told me to hurry up and make my bed," Elsie said. "If I had just done what she asked, she wouldn't have burned me. You won't tell her I told, will you?" Her voice was panicky. I promised Elsie I wouldn't say anything to her mom, but that was where the promise ended. I knew I couldn't sit idly by. But who should I tell? A teacher? Social worker?
I tossed and turned all night long. After deliberating with my husband, we decided our only choice was to call Child Protective Services and ask them to investigate. I had no idea what I had gotten into, but I knew I had to do something.
My fingers fumbled when I dialed the number and asked for a caseworker. She listened carefully, wrote down the pertinent information and promised to look into it. "It's the law," she said. "We have to follow up on every report." She also assured me she wouldn't reveal the source of the report.
"Will you let me know your findings?" I asked.
"No," she explained. "The information is confidential."
After Elsie went home the next morning, my daughter asked if she could ask her to spend the night again. "Absolutely," I told her. "But you're not allowed to go to her house." Beth nodded, totally understanding why.
There was a PTA committee meeting scheduled the following week, and I was more than a little paranoid. Did Mrs. S. know I had reported her? Had anything been done to help Elsie? How would she react when she saw me?
I needn't have worried. She was a no-show. "Elsie went to live with her father," a neighbor of theirs told us. "There's a 'For Sale' sign on the house, so I guess we'll have to replace her on the committee."
I said a prayer of thanks that Elsie was out of harm's way, at least for now. But not knowing if she were going to a better or worse situation haunted me. The school was no help. They were bound by confidentiality rules too.
I hadn't thought of Elsie in years until Huizar's timely article on the One With Courage campaign that encourages people to take a stand and report abuse when they see it.
The signs of Elsie's abuse were obvious me because she bared her back to me. Had she been fully clothed, who would have known? Subtle signs are easy to overlook. But we must pay closer attention. According to Huizar, five children die every day in America due to abuse and neglect. Last year Children's Advocacy Centers across the country served over 279,000 child victims of abuse and their non-offending family members.
We owe it to them to stand up and "be the one with courage."
Warning signs of abuse:
1. Unexplained burns, cuts bruises or welts in the shape of an object.
2. Bite marks.
3. Over compliance or anti-social behavior.
4. Sudden changes in school performance.
5. Fear of adults.
6. Apathy or depression.
7. Hostility or stress.
8. Lack of concentration.
9. Eating disorders.
10. Lack of adult supervision.
11. Unsuitable clothing for the weather.
12. Dirty or un-bathed.
13. Extreme hunger.
Soccer great Mia Hamm has never been accused of being an underachiever. Sixteen years after winning Gold at the 1996 Olympics, the busy mother of twin girls and a new baby boy is still promoting her sport, speaking out for young women and running a non-profit.
Olympic Gold Medalist Mia Hamm (center) and Girls at HerWorld Event In New York. (Photo by Jason DeCrow/AP for DeVry University)
As DeVry University's 2012 spokesperson during National HerWorld Month, the three-time Olympic medalist and two-time World Cup soccer champion is on a mission to empower high school girls to "go for their goals." The month-long program is designed to attract young women to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers that they have been discouraged from pursuing.
"Mia Hamm is the perfect spokesperson to encourage girls into non-traditional STEM careers," says David Pauldine, president of DeVry University, an Olympic sponsor. "We focus on career-oriented education at the associate, undergraduate and graduate levels, and HerWorld helps raise awareness that young women must begin preparation early in high school to pursue their goals."
"We think of Olympians as perfect, but many are so devoted to their sport, they never finish college," says Pauldine. "We offer scholarships so they can take classes online in a time frame that works for them."
Hamm, the all-time international leading scorer -- male or female -- knows all about naysayers who tell students "your goal is unrealistic." Prior to getting a full soccer scholarship to the University of North Carolina (UNC), she was told her passion for soccer was a waste of time for girls. There was no career path beyond college. But with her mind bent on being the best she could be, Hamm persisted and helped lead UNC to four NCAA titles and catapulted women's soccer into a professional sport.
Her determination paid off. At age 19, she became the youngest team member in history to win the World Cup. In 1996 and again in 2004, Hamm and her teammates won Gold for the United States. Other accolades include Soccer USA's Female Athlete in the Year five years in a row (1994 to 1998) and Most Valuable Player of the Women's Cup, Soccer Player of the year and Female Athlete of the Year in 1995. In 2004, Hamm and teammate Michelle Akers were named to The International Federation of Association Football's (FIFA) list of 125 greatest living soccer players -- the only two woman and Americans on the list.
As a busy mother and wife to Major League Baseball standout Nomar Garciaparra, Hamm is still opening doors. She remains heavily involved in promoting her sport as well as running the Mia Hamm Foundation which is dedicated to bone marrow research in memory of her brother, Garrett, who died shortly after Hamm won Gold in the 1996 Olympics. She has also authored two books, Go For the Goal: A Champions Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life and Winners Never Quit, a children's book.
Why HerWorld?
In Winning the Global Talent Showdown: How Businesses and Communities Can Partner to Rebuild the Jobs Pipeline, author Gordon E. Edward, an international expert on talent, training, careers and education, predicts that because of the world's increasing dependence on technology and the projected retirement of Baby Boomers, there will be a shortage of 8,000 highly skilled workers by 2020. Without a new influx of qualified STEM candidates, nearly two-thirds of these high-paying jobs will go unfilled.
Statistics are particularly unsettling. According to a Pew Research Study, "Is College Worth it?" more than half of today's college presidents say that students arrive less prepared than a decade ago.
"Both education and sports played a huge part of my life and taught me about setting goals, time management and pursuing my dream," says Hamm. "I tell girls to invest in themselves. 'Look in the mirror and say, darn it, I have value and worth. I can make a difference. The sooner I start, the better I will become.'"
Occasionally, girls complain that a big star like Hamm can't possibly understand the struggles they face. "I tell them that I didn't get it right all the time. I worked hard. Don't close any doors," she says.
HerWorld began 15 years ago in Columbus, Ohio, when DeVry faculty members found a way to help demystify careers in technology for women. The idea caught on system-wide and takes place every March. This year's partners are Microsoft, Cisco and Hewlett Packard, tech companies all concerned about filling jobs in the future. The final 2012 events take place this week in Miramar, Fla., and Atlanta, Ga.
"We invite both public and private high schools to attend events which are accepted on a first come, first serve basis," says Pauldine. "We hope HerWorld will be a myth buster. Not only are the STEM fields appropriate for women, they can be as good or better than their male counterparts."
The university's approach is working. According to Pauldine, in 1985, 75 percent of the student body was male. Today, it's nearly even. "We owe this changing mix to women wanting be enter the tech and business fields," he says. "Not all tech jobs go to India or offshore. American companies are seeking qualified employees here at home."
"Involving women in STEM careers is essential, not only to the American economy, but to their futures," says Pauldine. Taking tough preparatory courses in high school will prepare girls for college and help them land lucrative jobs in non-traditional careers in the future.
]]>Are We Raising a Generation of Helpless Kids?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.12497062012-02-13T18:29:53-05:002012-04-14T05:12:01-04:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/Warning signs
When a college freshman received a C- on her first test, she literally had a meltdown in class. Sobbing, she texted her mother who called back, demanding to talk to the professor immediately (he, of course, declined). Another mother accompanied her child on a job interview, then wondered why he didn't get the job.
A major employer reported that during a job interview, a potential employee told him that she would have his job within 18 months. It didn't even cross her mind that he had worked 20 years to achieve his goal.
Sound crazy?
Tim Elmore with Young Gen Y Students (photo courtesy Tim Elmore)
Sadly, the stories are all true, says Tim Elmore, founder and president of a non-profit, Growing Leaders, and author of the "Habitudes®" series of books, teacher guides, DVD kits and survey courses. "Gen Y (and iY) kids born between 1984 and 2002 have grown up in an age of instant gratification. iPhones, iPads, instant messaging and immediate access to data is at their fingertips," he says. "Their grades in school are often negotiated by parents rather than earned and they are praised for accomplishing little. They have hundreds of Facebook and Twitter 'friends,' but often few real connections."
To turn the tide, Growing Leaders is working with 5,000 public schools, universities, civic organizations, sports teams and corporations across the country and internationally to help turn young people -- particularly those 16 to 24 -- into leaders. "We want to give them the tools they lack before they've gone through three marriages and several failed business ventures," he says.
Older Gen Y Kids Demonstrate to Tim Elmore How to Dress the Part (Photo courtesy Tim Elmore)
But why have parents shifted from teaching self-reliance to becoming hovering helicopter parents who want to protect their children at all costs?
"I think it began in the fall of 1982, when seven people died after taking extra-strength Tylenol laced with poison after it left the factory," he says. Halloween was just around the corner, and parents began checking every item in the loot bags. Homemade brownies and cookies (usually the most coveted items) hit the garbage; unwrapped candy followed close behind.
That led to an obsession with their children's safety in every aspect of their lives. Instead of letting them go outside to play, parents filled their kid's spare time with organized activities, did their homework for them, resolved their conflicts at school with both friends and teachers, and handed out trophies for just showing up.
"These well-intentioned messages of 'you're special' have come back to haunt us," Elmore says. "We are consumed with protecting them instead of preparing them for the future. We haven't let them fall, fail and fear. The problem is that if they don't take risks early on like climbing the monkey bars and possibly falling off, they are fearful of every new endeavor at age 29."
Psychologists and psychiatrists are seeing more and more young people having a quarter-life crisis and more cases of clinical depression. The reason? Young people tell them it's because they haven't yet made their first million or found the perfect mate.
Teachers, coaches and executives complain that Gen Y kids have short attention spans and rely on external, instead of internal motivation. The goal of Growing Leaders is to reverse the trend and help young people become more creative and self-motivated so they can rely on themselves and don't need external motivation.
Family psychologist John Rosemond agrees. In a February 2 article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, he points out that new research finds that rewards often backfire, producing the opposite effect of that intended. When an aggressive child is rewarded for not being aggressive for a short period of time, he is likely to repeat the bad behavior to keep the rewards coming.
Where did we go wrong?
• We've told our kids to dream big - and now any small act seems insignificant. In the great scheme of things, kids can't instantly change the world. They have to take small, first steps - which seem like no progress at all to them. Nothing short of instant fame is good enough. "It's time we tell them that doing great things starts with accomplishing small goals," he says.
• We've told our kids that they are special - for no reason, even though they didn't display excellent character or skill, and now they demand special treatment. The problem is that kids assumed they didn't have to do anything special in order to be special.
• We gave our kids every comfort - and now they can't delay gratification. And we heard the message loud and clear. We, too, pace in front of the microwave, become angry when things don't go our way at work, rage at traffic. "Now it's time to relay the importance of waiting for the things we want, deferring to the wishes of others and surrendering personal desires in the pursuit of something bigger than 'me,'" Elmore says.
• We made our kid's happiness a central goal - and now it's difficult for them to generate happiness -- the by-product of living a meaningful life. "It's time we tell them that our goal is to enable them to discover their gifts, passions and purposes in life so they can help others. Happiness comes as a result."
The uncomfortable solutions:
"We need to let our kids fail at 12 - which is far better than at 42," he says. "We need to tell them the truth (with grace) that the notion of 'you can do anything you want' is not necessarily true."
Kids need to align their dreams with their gifts. Every girl with a lovely voice won't sing at the Met; every Little League baseball star won't play for the major leagues.
• Allow them to get into trouble and accept the consequences. It's okay to make a "C-." Next time, they'll try harder to make an "A".
• Balance autonomy with responsibility. If your son borrows the car, he also has to re-fill the tank.
• Collaborate with the teacher, but don't do the work for your child. If he fails a test, let him take the consequences.
"We need to become velvet bricks," Elmore says, "soft on the outside and hard on the inside and allow children to fail while they are young in order to succeed when they are adults."]]>Turn Super Bowl Sunday Into a Celebration of Givingtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.12475072012-02-02T14:01:26-05:002012-04-03T05:12:01-04:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/
Emma Grace (Photo courtesy of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital)
But despite her happy demeanor, Emma Grace is far from typical. She's been battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common childhood cancer, at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital since December 2009. Thankfully she's winning the war. "She's in remission now and scheduled to finish treatment in July," says her relieved mom, Marcy Heppner.
"To help give back to St. Jude, we'd like to host a real Game Day. Give Back. party on Super Sunday to watch the New York Giants take on the New England Patriots," she says. But because Emma Grace's immune system is compromised and she can't be in crowds, they've settled on a virtual party for the annual event to raise money for the hospital that has literally given Emma Grace back her life. "We've set our goal at $1,000," Marcy says.
This party is far from exclusive. Anyone can join the fun by going to Emma Grace's website and making a donation. It's not even necessary to align yourself with Emma Grace's team. "She'll likely pick her favorite that day based on the coolest helmets and the uniforms with the prettiest colors," says her mom.
Game Day. Give Back. began last year when Fox Sports teamed up with St. Jude for a year-long effort to raise money for the hospital that has pioneered ground-breaking research and innovative treatments.
"Proceeds totaled $1.4 million," says Steele Ford, senior director of sports marketing at St. Jude. Former NFL star Michael Strahan, a defensive end for the New York Giants and current NFL Fox Sports analyst, and Food Network's, Lisa Lillien (aka http://hungry-girl.com ) have stayed involved.
NFL star/Fox Sports analyst Michael Strahan and friends at St. Jude. (Photo courtesy of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.)
Though $1.4 million sounds like a tremendous amount, consider that it takes $1.7 million per day to treat critically ill children from all 50 states and around the world. The annual budget is a whopping $700 million because St. Jude covers not only the child's treatment, but food, travel and lodging for each patient and a family member. "Families are never required to pay for anything," says Ford.
"Large donors are greatly appreciated, but 75 percent of our funds come from small donors. The average is $30," says Ford. Short television spots featuring Hollywood's A-list stars like Jennifer Aniston and Robin Williams working alongside patients have made an impact. Emma Grace was thrilled to appear as Morgan Freeman's co-star.
Still Time to Support St. Jude
It's not too late to turn your own Super Sunday celebration into a party with a purpose. Simply sign up for Game Day. Give Back. here. The website does all the work like tracking guest RSVPs and tallying donations. All you need to do is host the party, set a dollar goal, ask guests to contribute to St. Jude and cheer for your favorite team.
For months last year prior to the Super Bowl, Brad Bosi had been urging his friends, Nikki and Heath Cummings of Memphis, to tour St. Jude where he works. "We immediately fell in love," says Nikki. "We know people in our community and church whose children are ill and have been treated at St. Jude. Over lunch, Brad asked us if we'd be interested in hosting a Game Day. Give Back. party during the Super Bowl. How could we refuse?"
The couple set a modest goal at $500, invited a slew of guests, and prepared all the food. To their surprise, more than 80 people filled their house, garage and yard -- some bearing gifts of food. Heath built a football game for guests to play in the backyard during halftime. All contributed to St. Jude.
Television sets were placed in the garage, family room and even outside, but at one point, it seemed everyone crowded into the family room to watch together. "We didn't think the house would hold that many or that we'd raise $3,500," says Heath. "When we were cleaning up, friends told us it was the best game day party ever. They wanted to know if we would do it again next year."
Despite their success, they had to think twice this year. In the interim, now 9-month old, Lily, was born and Nikki wondered how she would manage taking care of an infant and preparing all the food for such a large crowd. They needn't have worried. Wild Wings and the German Town Commissary came to the rescue, donating their respectively famous wings and barbecue for the crowd who will gather at the Heppners. Numerous guests also volunteered to bring a dish. They also set a goal: $25 for adults and $10 for children -- all tax deductible contributions.
Kids Helping Kids
Because she's such a huge football fan, Emma Grace was adopted by her brother's college team at Central Methodist University. They showered her with princess gifts for her birthday, and many of the players wear pink "Praying for Emma" wristbands. The coach presented her with an official #200 dog tag so she would feel part of the team. Despite the family's turmoil, Jacob graduates in May with a 4.0 average in mathematics, and Emma Grace's sister, Sarah, a college junior in Virginia, also has a 4.0 average.
To get your own Game Day. Give Back. party (virtual or real) off the ground, head to the website, Tweet, Facebook and reach out to friends and neighbors. The lives of kids like Emma Grace depend on your generosity.
]]>Actress Julia Ormond Speaks Out Against Human Slaverytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.11281002011-12-26T18:21:57-05:002012-02-25T05:12:01-05:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/etics. Though her appearance is completely un-Hollywood, there's something decidedly magnetic about the beautiful actress who dazzled audiences in Legends of the Fall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and many more.
Once dubbed "the new Vivian Leigh," she portrays the famous actress in her current film, My Week with Marilyn. It is based on Colin Clark's memoirs, The Prince, The Showgirl and Me about Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier and his real-life wife, Vivien Leigh.
But instead of dishing Hollywood gossip or talking about the new film, her topic was deadly serious -- human trafficking -- and the organization she founded, the Alliance to Stop Slavery and End Trafficking (ASSET) which is on a mission to find solutions. Thanks to Porsche's partnership with Womenetics, Ormond was brought to Atlanta to talk to women executives at the top rung of their corporate ladders, all associated with the organization founded by Elisabeth Marchant to empower women and their companies.
L to R: Elisabeth Marchant, founder of Womentics with actress Julia Ormond.
Photo by Paula Gould
"Do you want to know where human slavery is the worst?" Ormond asks. "It's in my own kitchen. The tomatoes on my counter were potentially picked by people living in slave camps in Florida where 90 percent of the tomatoes are harvested. They end up in restaurant chains, grocery stores and our own tables."
According to Ormond, nearly all of the fresh foods we eat, the clothes we wear and the athletic gear we use are likely produced by slaves somewhere along the supply chain. "Without our knowledge, it's a problem that has received little, if any, scrutiny," she says. "If we don't deal with it now, the problem will only get bigger."
The statistics are appalling. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that there are 12 million victims of forced labor worldwide of which 2.5 are trafficking victims. Half of those are underage. "But for every person forced into the sex trade, nine are forced to work in agriculture and manufacturing," Ormond says. It's common to use children in mines and fields, a number estimated at 200 million worldwide by the International Labor Organization (ILO). Corporations benefit by being able to offer lower prices. Reform has been far too slow, and consumers are largely left in the dark.
Until now.
Thanks to the efforts of ASSET and other nonprofits, there's been a breakthrough. On January 1, 2012, California will become the first state to enact a bill requiring companies with revenues of more than $100 million to publicly report on their websites voluntary efforts to monitor their direct supply chains to eliminate exploitation.
Named the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 (SB 657), it affects 3,200 different brands doing business in the state. By visiting company websites, consumers can use their buying power to convince corporations that human slavery is bad for business.
But why would a Hollywood actress who continues to land plum roles get involved?
"While working in Eastern Europe, the issue of human trafficking kept popping up," says Ormond, a long-time activist. She couldn't get the problem out of her mind and decided to talk with survivors. "Hearing their stories was like walking through a tunnel of horror. I also talked with experts who were struggling to find systemic solutions -- not just something reactive like setting up shelters and refugee centers."
Out of those conversations came ASSET and an effort to bring all the stakeholders together -- government, law enforcement, non-governmental organizations, corporations and consumers. Since those associated with Womenetics are in positions to think about best practices in their own companies and strive to eliminate the use of forced workers, they are the perfect audience to effect change.
Although stopping slavery, whether sexual, agricultural, manufacturing or mining is definitely part of their DNA and one of the main reasons Porsche signed on as a major sponsor of Womenetics, their main focus is empowering women. "Companies that have women at the top get better results," says Marchant, whose decision to become a virtual organization was to focus on women around the globe.
The reasons can be counted in dollars and cents. In 2009, women became the majority gender in the workforce, topping 51 percent. Many are the sole breadwinner. They make 90 percent of the buying decisions in the household, control $12 trillion of the $18.4 trillion total global spending, generate $1.3 trillion in revenue, own 8.1 million businesses that employ 7.7 million people, and control 51.3 percent of private wealth (www.womenetics.com).
Because Atlanta is home to Porsche's North American headquarters and the geographic center for human trafficking in the United States, the company wanted to reach out to women like those associated with Womenetics who could take action. By bringing Julia Ormond to the city, they hope to raise awareness of this issue on a local and national level. ]]>Collegiate Foster Kids Need Homes for the Holidaystag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.11443022011-12-15T17:01:03-05:002012-02-14T05:12:02-05:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/
Last year Antoinette Rucker, 18, of Albany State University dined on popcorn the entire holiday. Jasmine Grant, 19, spent Thanksgiving alone in her Georgia State University dorm room with only a bowl of white rice to eat. This year the two young women were among 16 foster youth in college hosted for the entire Thanksgiving break by Chateau Élan Winery & Resort in Braselton, near Atlanta. "I have my own room, a big bed and a flat screen," says Rucker, a social work major. It was a first for her.
For Sabastian Mensah, 19, a biology major at Paine College in Augusta, it was his first Thanksgiving meal ever. He says he was completely at peace at Chateau Élan -- a feeling he has rarely experienced.
The event came about due to a call from Points North magazine publisher, Carl Danbury, Jr. to Henk Evers, president and CEO of Chateau Élan, who immediately agreed to partner with the Orange Duffel Bag Foundation (ODBF) for the first ever "Holidays of Hope."
ODBF Co-Founder, Echo Garrett and Kenya Adeola enjoy Thanksgiving at Chateau Elan. Photo with permission of Carl Danbury.
Olympus Worldwide Chauffeured Services offered transportation services for the students, and Delta Airlines helped get Florida International University student Kenya Adeola, 20, who wants to be a pediatric neurosurgeon, to the event.
"When we learned about the situation these young people face, we wanted to give them a first-class experience and treat them as welcome guests," says Evers.
"Holidays of Hope" included not just a place to stay, but gourmet dining, a private demonstration by the executive chef, a Thanksgiving buffet, access to resort activities, makeovers for the girls by L'Bel Cosmetics, a concert by ODBF celebrity spokesperson Kevin Montgomery and a $100 shopping spree provided by the nearby Tanger Outlets.
Garret and Elena Schneider team up as "mother-daughter" for Chateau Elan's Zooma Race benefiting the nonprofit. Photo with permission of Kevin Garrett.
On Saturday, several of the students either participated or volunteered for the Zooma Atlanta 5k/Half Marathon run on the property, which designated ODBF as its charity partner. ODBF President /Co-Founder Echo Garrett and Elena Schneider, 24, who spent virtually all of her childhood and teen years in foster care, participated in as "mother-daughter" team.
"The kids we serve face so many barriers, yet somehow keep fighting to achieve," says Garrett. "We hope smart business people will look at the problems these kids face once they age out of the system and partner with us to find creative solutions. Wouldn't it be wonderful if other hotels stepped up to the plate to offer similar programs for foster kids in college with no place to go for the holidays?"
"We think 'Holidays of Hope' is the first event of its kind in the U.S." says Garrett, who founded the organization with Sam Bracken, a former Georgia Tech football player who is now an executive at Franklin Covey. They turned Bracken's story of abuse and neglect during his own childhood into a multi-award winning young adult book, My Orange Duffel Bag: A Journey to Radical Change, that is currently available at www.amazon.com. The book will be re-launched in May during National Foster Care Month by Crown Archetype, a division of Random House.
The title of Bracken's book came straight from his life. An outstanding high school athlete from Las Vegas, he arrived at Georgia Tech carrying all his worldly possessions in a small orange duffel bag. He keeps the beat-up bag as a reminder of the hard times and the helping hands he received from total strangers.
Seeing the continuing need for services in 2010, Bracken and Garrett founded the ODBF, which provides life plan and goal achievement coaching, training and ongoing mentoring to at-risk youth ages 12-24. They have developed a 12-week course based on the book and Bracken's "Seven Rules for the Road," which has been introduced to approximately 1,000 students in Georgia and Utah (Bracken's home state). They hope it will spread from state to state as each graduate teaches others how to use the "rules" to overcome even the most horrific circumstances.
Though many of the students participate in Georgia's Independent Living Program to help youths age 14 to 25 transition into adulthood, there are definite gaps in an overworked system.
"I can't believe that 30 years after I graduated from Georgia Tech that the same problems I experienced still exist today for kids who have nowhere to go for the holidays," Bracken says. "I used to pray every time a break was coming up that someone would invite me home."
Tanisha Baker, 23, who grew up in Georgia's foster care system, knows all too well the difficulties kids face. The social work major is launching a food and "essentials" pantry for items like detergent and personal care items for foster care students at Savannah State University. She's not only happy to help supply needed items, but to find a support group herself. At Chateau Élan she got advice from Garrett about her fledgling nonprofit.
According to Garrett, far too few foster kids know how to seek help when it's needed. "After years of being labeled as 'legal orphans,' they are loathe to come forward, so institutions they attend are unaware of their needs," she says. "We tell them to speak up and let people know they need help. We need more safe, caring adults like Henk Evers who have the ability to make a difference in their lives to come forward. They need to know that people care."
Statistically Speaking:
• More than 500,000 youth are in foster care in the U.S.
• 28,000 aged out of the system in 2010
• The number aging out without one caring adult has skyrocketed by 41 percent over the past decade
• 3 out of every 10 homeless adults were in foster care
• 4 percent graduate college
• Less than 50 percent graduate from high school
• An astounding 80 people of people in U.S. prisons report having been in foster care or homeless shelters as children
]]>Stars of the New Muppet Movie Speak Up About Holiday Safetytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.11354792011-12-12T18:34:12-05:002012-02-11T05:12:01-05:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/
To make sure the holiday season is full of fun, the furry stars of the new movie, The Muppets, have teamed up with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to produce public service announcements, "Commit a Minute to Safety."
According to the Center for Disease Control, 9.2 million children visit emergency rooms each year due to accidental injuries -- that's 17 kids every minute. The holidays are so dangerous that John Drengenberg, Consumer Safety Director UL, calls December through February the "mean months." That's when a whopping 12,000 injuries occur.
Far too many injuries during the holiday season are due to Christmas tree fires. "One out of two involves a death," Drengenberg says. Dry Scotch pine trees can ignite within seven seconds, and in less than a minute, flashover occurs (when an entire room erupts into flames and toxic black smoke engulfs the room). "Make sure everyone is safely outside before calling 911."
UL and the Muppets are asking families to take time to make safety a priority this season.
Easy Tips:
• When buying a tree, run your hand down a branch. If the needles fall off, choose another one.
• Either ask someone at the tree lot to cut two-inches off the trunk so the tree can absorb water, or do it as soon as you get home.
• Most important, add approximately a quart of water every day.
Light up the Season:
Use only lights bearing the UL label -- (indoor-use-only light strings are marked with UL's green holographic label. Indoor-or outdoor-use light strings are marked with UL's red holographic label.) Though no pre-strung artificial trees currently bear the UL label, Drengenberg predicts that many will be certified before next holiday season.
• Never string more than three sets of UL approved incandescent Christmas lights end to end. (LEDs use 25 percent less energy and burn cooler, so five sets can be strung together safely.)
• Get rid of extension cords with broken sockets and frayed wires.
• If the cords or lights are hot to the touch, throw the string out.
• Never staple cords to the floor or place an extension cord under a rug.
• Turn off the tree lights while the family is sleeping or away from home.
Outdoors:
• Use only lights with red hologram labels that are UL approved for outdoor use.
• Take down exterior lights at the end of the season. They are not intended for year-round use.
• Never thread an extension cord through a window or under a door.
• Even those adorable inflatable Santas, reindeer and snowmen can be hazardous. To avoid a painful shock, don't place them in low-lying areas where water can soak the electrical box at the bottom.
Tradition:
Candles play a major role in Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanza, but flames can reach 1,000 degrees and quickly ignite everything around them. Make sure all candles are in sturdy holders placed on level surfaces away from draperies, live or artificial flowers and fresh boughs. Regardless of religious tradition, candles should always be extinguished before leaving the room, even for a brief period of time.
Food, Glorious Food:
Mouths water at the very mention of traditional holiday dishes and cooking is always part of every festivity. But even the Swedish Chef occasionally ignores the rules:
• Don't put anything metal in a microwave oven.
• Don't leave cooking unattended.
• Point pot handles away from the room to avoid accidentally knocking over the pots.
• Be very cautious when it comes to deep fat turkey fryers. NONE has earned the coveted UL label due to the ease with which serious accidents and fires can occur.
Kermit the Frog adds a tip all his own: "Never mix mistletoe and romantic pigs. Trust me on this," he says. "And always look for the UL label."
]]>Veterans Day and the Heroes at Hometag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.10809852011-11-11T14:57:06-05:002012-01-11T05:12:01-05:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/The Boys and Girls Clubs of America celebrate 20 years of service to military kids around the world.
It's not just the heroic servicemen and women who have fought on foreign soils that should be honored this Veteran's Day. The family members who stay behind to keep the home fires burning are also heroes. They become both mother and father while holding down jobs and helping their kids adjust to new homes and schools.
Photo courtesy: The Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The impetus to help fill the void came during Operation Desert Storm when thousands of men and women in the Reserve and National Guard were called up to duty. "Their kids needed a place to have fun, experience new things, lead healthy life styles and serve their communities," says Roxanne Spillett, President and CEO of The Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA).
Roxanne Spillett and Club members Photo courtesy: The Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
To provide a consistent home-away-from home for children of Armed Forces parents, the BGCA developed a relationship with the State Department. "We're now on 386 bases around the world (Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force and Coast Guard) and serve 17,000 military kids," says Spillett. "We also reach out to military families living off base. I've been with the organization for 34 years and this is one of the most significant things in my career."
Because military families move an average of six to nine times, kids live in stressful environments. In addition to missing parents who are in danger every day and serving in far off places, they have the added stress of adjusting to new schools and new friends.
"Gen. Colin Powell, former Secretary of State, who is on our Board, emphasizes how important it is for children to have continuity in their lives," Spillett says. Statistics from the military newspaper, Stars and Stripes, provide another reason. Military kids are two times more likely to carry a gun, join a gang and get involved in fights than civilian kids - particularly if they live off base. Without an organization like the BGCA that serves a total of 460,000 kids, they would find little support.
For single mom Army Reserve Sgt. Sabrina Root, who has moved 12 times in the last seven years, The BGCA has provided a life line. "I work, go to school and serve one weekend a month," she says. "I don't think I could manage without them for my 10-year old son, Brandon Dishman."
Because she's getting a degree in cyber security, she's excited that Brandon is involved in the club's Lego League, a competition involving problem solving, technology and computing. "Their current project is preventing food borne illnesses," she says. "They've created a robot and programmed it to move farm animals and equipment made from Legos to avoid cross contamination," she says. "The technology involved is something we can both relate to." So can other military kids whose parents are working in technical areas.
Dawn DuRette of Bel Air, Maryland is one of the lucky ones. After a year's deployment in Kabul, Afghanistan, her husband, Army Reservist Maj. Jamieson DuRette, a high school teacher and 24-year Army National Guard veteran, is now safely home. But while he was gone, she was the solo parent to their active 6-year old twin boys, Alex and Josh, and 7-year old, Duncan, while holding down a full time job.
"I don't know how I could have done it without the Boys & Girls Club of Hartford County," she says. "It was one less stressor to know they were in a safe, fun environment until I could pick them up at 6 p.m. They really loved the computer lab, playing on the Wii and the field trip to the IronBirds baseball game."
Spillett knows that as the drawdown to the war in Iraq begins, the number of families like the Roots and DuRettes now living off base will swell, and the kids will face more stress when parents return home. It might mean another move, an injured parent, or even dealing with the death of a parent.
"We've formed a partnership with New York Life to help kids with the grieving process when they lose a loved one," she says. The staff has also been trained to help kids cope. And wherever they go, they will be able to find another club for support.
"This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Atlanta-based organization's work with military kids. They are not just an appendage to the BGCA," says Spillett. "They are our family."]]>Make Sure Halloween Is a Treat, Not a Tricktag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.10241852011-10-21T12:34:17-04:002011-12-21T05:12:01-05:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/
Add in pumpkin patch hunts, carving scary faces, and donning costumes of their heroes, and the holiday takes on huge excitement for an estimated 41 million Trick or Treaters ages 5-14 and the 85 million households that hand out candy.
But according to a nine-year study by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) http://http://www6.aaos.org/news/pemr/releases/release.cfm?releasenum=932, it's not all fun and games. Halloween ranks third after the Fourth of July and New Years Eve for the most emergency room visits due to injuries and even death. Ten to 14-year olds have the greatest proportion of injuries.
Costumes:
1. Make sure they are made from flame-resistant materials that can be extinguished quickly.
2. Choose colors that are light and bright enough to be visible by motorists, and decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape.
3. Make sure they are short enough to prevent tripping.
4. Cosmetics and face paints are safer than loose-fitting masks that obscure vision and even breathing.
5. Knives and swords should be soft and flexible enough not to cause injury.
6. Forget the high heels. Kids should wear sturdy, skid-resistant shoes.
7. Nix costumes with baggy sleeves and billowing skirts that are fire hazards.
8. Tie on hats and scarves to prevent them from slipping over their eyes.
Decorations:
John Drengenberg, consumer safety director at the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) offers sage advice. (The well-respected organization that certifies products for safety is independently funded and receives no government monies.)
1. When buying electrical decorations, make sure to look for the UL mark on lights and extension cords to ensure they have been thoroughly tested for safety. Cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires and loose connections can pose a fire or shock hazard.
2. Be sure to check the rating so you don't exceed the recommended wattage (heavy duty cords are needed for fog machines and electrically powered inflatables.)
3. Inspect all decorations for wear and tear. Replace damaged light strings with energy-efficient LED lights with the UL mark. A green mark indicates they are certified for outdoor use.
4. Jack-O'Lanterns with candles should be off the ground and out of children's reach. Substitute battery-operated LED candles.
]]>7 Ways to Have Fun and Go Green in Denvertag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.10162452011-10-19T16:30:56-04:002011-12-19T05:12:01-05:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/
I was more than a bit surprised when an uber-environmentalist and animal lover asked me to join her on an eco-trip to Denver.
What I found delighted me.
1. Denver's green movement is nothing new. It was sparked by Mayor John Hickenlooper in 2005 when he signed the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement and committed to reducing greenhouse gases by 10-percent per capita by 2012. And he's nearly there. On bustling chic 16th Street, there's nary a car in sight. We walked, biked or rode the free gas-powered MallRide where passengers can hitch up to RTD buses or light rail. The green movement is further exemplified by the public art and re-cycled hand-decorated pianos where musicians and amateurs sit and play for a spell, creating a party atmosphere. Eclectic restaurants and hotels throughout the city have embraced the green movement by conserving water, serving superbly prepared locally grown foods -- not to mention more than 100 brands of locally brewed beer. The combination makes the city a Mecca for tourists and residents alike.
2. Even though it's really all about the spectacular animals, the 100-year-old Denver Zoo is one of the nation's most beautiful and well-visited. In September it was named "the greenest zoo in America" by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums' (AZA). The facility is also aiming for Platinum or Gold LEED certification for its development of an innovative waste-to-energy system in the new Asian Tropics exhibit. By combining elephant poop (with generous contributions from other species) and human garbage, it will convert 90% of the zoo's total waste stream into clean energy and reduce the zoo's landfill contributions by 1.5 million pounds annually -- a savings of $150,000. Even the bi-product, ash, will be used to amend the soil in the dozens of flower beds that dot the walkways.
3. Hopefully, the scores of lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) at the Wild Animal Sanctuary are grateful to be living on the 720-acre facility just outside Denver in Keenesburg. Thanks to founder, Pat Craig -- only 19-years-old at the time -- these exotic animals once scheduled to be euthanized now roam free in separate habitats. To our shock, experts estimate that there are 4,000 tigers living in private homes in Texas alone -- more than exist in the wild. But what to do when those exotic pets develop big teeth and gy-normous anger issues? Owners often drop them off in remote areas where they either die or cause havoc in populated areas. The sanctuary offers a much better option.
4. More than 330 species, including buffalo, bald eagles and deer now roam on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal and Wildlife Refuge, a former WWII weapons manufacturing facility once considered too toxic for habitation. As we toured the largest environmental cleanup project in the U.S., we were fascinated, not only by the enormous buffalo and the peaceful setting, but the prairie dogs nibbling on grasses. (They consider them "pests"; we call them "adorable.")
5. Nearby, The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is the largest of its kind in the U.S. and showcases technologies that can save energy, create jobs, and generate clean electricity and fuels from plentiful domestic, carbon-free sources. On our self-guided tour through the interactive exhibits, we learned how scientists capture alternative energy resources to produce electricity and fuels. Outside, we gawked at the utility-scale wind turbines and wondered if small-scale versions in our backyards might one day save us bucks on utilities. Not a bad tradeoff.
6. I was a bit cranky when my travel buddy insisted that we spend some time at the National Center for Atmospheric Research visit in Boulder. Boy, was I wrong! Just seeing the buildings that fit snugly into the surrounding mountains that inspired world-renowned architect I.M. Pei's design, is worth the drive. The interior does not disappoint. We were fascinated by the world's fastest computers that comprise an entire room and learned about new advances in earth sciences and its relevance in our world. As we hiked along the Weather Trail to study weather phenomenon, we
were treated to stunning views.
7. One of the coolest aspects of Denver's green obsession, is a company called B-cycle, an automated bike sharing company designed for visitors and residents taking short trips. Twenty-four-hour access passes are available at any station or people can sign up online at http://www.denver.bcycle.com for seven-day, 30-day or annual passes. Using credit cards, we easily checked out two bikes (from one of the 50 stations), rode to our destination, and checked the bikes in. Once we had soaked up some retail therapy at the mall, we hopped back on the bikes and tooled around the city, saving money on gas and parking, and getting some well-needed exercise.
As we settled into our cramped airline seats to head back home, we chatted about how cool it would be if our hometown of Atlanta adopted Denver's green mindset. By spending money on green endeavors today, our cash-strapped city would likely save big bucks in the long haul, as well as our little corner of the planet.
]]>Family Fun - 48-Hours In St. Augustine, Floridatag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.8921762011-07-07T10:51:00-04:002011-09-20T17:55:48-04:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/Where youth and history co-exist
"The oldest city in the U.S." may sound stodgy, but St. Augustine, Fla., is anything but. The higher the temperatures soar, the friendlier the residents become, and the more there is to do on both land and sea. (Warning: once you've seen it, you'll understand why St. Augustine is also known for romantic getaways, destination weddings and honeymoons.)
Friday evening:
Make reservations at the spectacular Casa Monica, the city's only AAA Four Diamond Hotel in the epicenter of the historic district. To take full advantage of the city's Spanish vibe, request a room overlooking the Lightner Museum with views of gorgeous Flagler College.
Before dinner in the AAA Four Diamond 95 Cordova or Cordova Café in the hotel, enjoy owner Richard Kessler's signature art gallery in the lobby. All co-exist beautifully with the intricate details of the Moorish décor, and many were commissioned especially for the property. After dinner, stroll down to the wharf or enjoy a moonlit swim in the rooftop pool.
Saturday:
No time to lollygag in bed if you want to see and all the sights. Grab breakfast, then purchase tickets for the Old Town Trolleys and enjoy and hour-and-a-half of "transportainment" while getting an overview of the city. Pick three or four of your favorite sites, and since the tickets are good for the three days of unlimited use, you can stay onboard for the full tour, or hop off at will. Simply catch another trolley when you emerge.
Must-sees:
• The star-shaped Castillo de San Marcos built in 1672 is known as "the fort" by locals. Because it was built from coquina, a rare form of limestone and soft shells with small air pockets that absorbed shells rather than shattering, it is the oldest fort of its kind that was never breached. Kids gleefully scramble up the steps to the turrets and wander through the rooms around the periphery of the courtyard that also provided refuge for townspeople when the city was under attack. Strategically located to guard the entrance to the walled city and Matanzas Bay from invaders, the Castillo did its job well.
• Directly across the street, the new St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum combines Disney-esque kitch, history and 21st century technology. It relives the golden age of piracy with artifacts - such as one of only two surviving Jolly Roger flags in the world, a journal about Captain Kidd's final voyage and shipwreck treasure dating back to the 16th century.
• Hop back on the trolley for a short ride to The Fountain of Youth Archeological Park at the site of a former Timucua Indian village. Of course, sip a bit of the pungent (but yukky-tasting) "magical" mineral spring water (pre-poured paper cups), but there are far more intriguing exhibits - the planetarium, Indian exhibit, archeological dig and diorama depicting 500 years of history. Stunning albino and iridescent blue/green peacocks strut their stuff for guests and pose for photos.
• Head back to the Lightner Museum across from Casa Monica for a delicious lunch at Café Alcazar in the deep end of what was once the world's largest indoor swimming pool in the former Alcazar Hotel. The eclectic menu varies from soup, salad and sandwiches to Chicken Artichoke Sauté and Crepes Alcazar.
The Lightner Museum, once known as a home away from home to New York's social register, was built in 1887 by railroad magnate Henry M. Flagler. Far ahead of its time, the hotel had a steam room, Turkish bath, gym, spa and even a cold water plunge. After it closed in 1932, the building remained empty for 14 years before being purchased by Otto C. Lightner to house his extensive collection of Victoriana. Adults and kids alike will love the intriguing collection of mechanical instruments in pristine working condition that are demonstrated throughout the day, plus the mysterious desk with hundreds of small secret drawers rumored to have been owned by King Napoleon's secretary.
• After a full day of sightseeing, head back to the hotel for a refreshing swim before heading to dinner at O.C. White's across from the wharf, just a short walk from the hotel.
• End the evening with a ride on Ripley's Ghost Train Adventure, the city's only ghost tour that takes guests inside the first ever Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum. The tour includes tales of the paranormal, an Electro Magnetic Field ghost meter and a disposable camera to record the visit.
Sunday:
• What's a trip to Florida without time to enjoy the beach? Visit the 219-step St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum for spectacular views (and bragging rights) before exploring the Maritime Museum. Pause to watch volunteers build ships from a former era and view the ancient artifacts found in nearby waters that are catalogued at this archeological site.
• Grab a quick lunch at AIA Ale Works, a kid-friendly micro-brewery that overlooks Lion's Bridge before boarding an afternoon cruise on the Black Raven Pirate ship. This one-of-a-kind entertainment ship regales the kids with face painting, pirates songs, and sights along the Matanzas River.
If you have a craving for the beach instead of pirates, take advantage of Casa Monica's partnership with the beautiful Serenata Beach Club (for a small additional room fee). The plethora of beach activities include parasailing, surfing, kayaking, golf and full use of the clubhouse and pools (charges appear on your hotel bill). A Casa Monica shuttle provides once-daily transportation, but guests can come and go at leisure using their own transportation.
• For your last night in this historic city, dine at Bistro Leon on Cathedral Place. With New Orleans-style Cajun seafood for the adults and a kid's menu, it's the perfect way to end your 48-hours in St. Augustine and plan a return trip.
]]>Potty Paritytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.8892902011-07-05T13:54:25-04:002011-09-04T05:12:01-04:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/
Poor planning is apparent in every public building, particularly theaters where everyone makes a beeline to the restrooms at intermission. Men stroll in and out their doors at leisure, while the line to women's room snakes across the lobby. Why architects don't account for this well-known phenomenon and expand the number of stalls in ladies' rooms is a mystery. The reasons seem obvious:
1. Men don't feel the need as often.
2. They merely have to unzip, point in the right direction and zip back up. Women deal with zippers, buttons and Spanx, clearly a longer procedure.
On occasion, I've ventured into that male bastion, both by design and mistake. At a women's conference in an upscale Denver hotel, a large contingency (including me) commandeered all but one of the men's rooms on the meeting room floor. Before the hotel staff could say, "The health department will shut us down," we simply printed neat signs saying, "Off limits to males," then did a happy dance.
On another occasion, I inadvertently turned left instead of right and found myself in a den of urinals. I counted 12, plus six stalls. I was so annoyed at the obnoxious over-abundance, I uttered an expletive, then stormed through the door, only to come face-to-face with a confused red-faced male who quickly backed out.
When I stomped into the ladies restroom (who rests there, anyway?), I was doubly enraged. I counted the same number of stalls -- six . The problem? Ten women were standing uncomfortably in line. Why not stalls for 12 to equalize the facilities in the men's room across the hall?
I suppose I learned to be discerning about porcelain thrones at my mother's knee. "That bathroom is an absolute disgrace," she would tell me. "Don't touch a single thing!"
Good advice, but impossible to accept when Mother Nature calls.
Apparently, the obsession is hereditary. When my then two-year old daughter was doing the Tinkle Dance, she would take one look at the only gas station restroom in a 200-mile radius, put her hands on her tiny hips, stomp her foot and declare vehemently, "I'm not going in there." Although I begrudgingly agreed - the alternative was using the woods on the side of the road, and the very idea of snakes and creepy-crawlies near my baby girl's buns made me crazy.
What's a mother to do?
She and I apparently passed the anti-dirty potty "gene" to the fourth generation. Both of my granddaughters refuse to use nasty bathrooms, no matter how far away the next one might be.
Since my boys didn't care one way or another, I thought "potty particularity" was the prerogative of the female of the species. But I recently spied a little boy sitting on a potty seat in a retail parking lot, his round, bare pink bottom facing the street. Like an ostrich with his head in the sand, he was happily tending to business while his embarrassed mother apologetically explained to customers, "He refuses to use the bathroom inside."
Remembering the days of our bathroom dilemmas, I gave her a big thumbs up. How I wish I had been a 'Have-Potty-Will-Travel" kind of mom like that woman.
Over the years, I've developed my own rating system patterned like to the "star" and "diamond" method used for hotels and restaurants. Top-of-the-line ladies' rooms like those in Ritz-Carton lobbies rate five rolls of premium toilet paper. McDonald's gets four for clean, utilitarian necessary rooms. Country gas stations earn nary a roll, and porta-potties -- well, they owe me one.
]]>Father's Day - Saying I Love You Without Wordstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.8797772011-06-20T12:30:00-04:002011-08-20T05:12:01-04:00Mickey Goodmanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/
I seriously doubt if he ever changed a dirty diaper or cleaned me up when I was icky-sick, but he'd wake me in the morning with a tickle, and kiss me goodnight at bedtime whenever he was home. In all my growing years, through good times and bad, I never doubted that he loved me.
As a very young child during WWII, I remember his long absences, as much as his presence. When I'd asked my mom why he was never home, she would reply, "He's helping save America from the Nazis."
I had no idea who the Nazis were, but from the tone of my mother's voice, they were really, really bad people, and I was sure my daddy was the savior of the world. I didn't learn until year's later that he was actually a pilot in the China-Burma-India Theater -- not even on the same continent with Hitler -- transporting troops and equipment over the treacherous Himalayas (the Hump) to the beleaguered Nationalist Chinese.
But I forgive my mother. A world at war was a far too complicated and scary to explain to a pre-schooler. Whenever the radio blared news about a battle that had been won or lost, Mom and I would huddle near the big wooden console and I'd listen in rapt attention, hoping the announcer might mention my Dad's name.
Try as I could to understand the need for his long absence, I longed for him to swing me high over his head and give me a "goozle" (a kiss on the neck that sent me into wails of giggles) and call me his pet name, "Monkey." This same tough guy whose words of love were few wrote me letters on razor thin Air Mail paper inquiring about the health of my favorite doll, Plassie, who would strangely come down with the chicken pox or measles at the same time I did.
When victory was declared and Daddy came home to us, he continued to travel, first as a pilot for the Flying Tigers and then as a residential lighting sales representative. Every Monday morning, he drove off into the sunset, and every Friday night he returned home. Those days were particularly anticipatory, as he would roll in bringing something far better than toys we couldn't afford -- brand new matchbook covers he had picked up from fancy hotels or roadside dives for my fast-growing collection. I carefully preserved each one in a special scrapbook, and we admired them together.
He wasn't the kind of dad who ran carpools since he traveled on business in our one family car or took me on excursions by himself like Jeff Pearlman ("A Father's Day Wish: Wake the Hell Up!") -- unless it was to his favorite private airport to observe "touch and go" landings. I didn't care where we went, as long as he held my small hand in his giant-size paw.
As I grew up, we experienced the usual parent-child struggle, "No, you're not leaving my house wearing that outfit," or "be home at midnight sharp," and we'd have sharp exchanges. Miraculously, a few years after I graduated from college, I realized that he had seemingly learned even more than I had. He became my financial mentor and financial adviser, the one I consulted on stock investments and home ownership. "Never spend more than you can pay for, only buy blue-chip stocks, don't lend more than you can afford to lose and invest in real estate." He rarely steered me wrong.
Years passed. I married, had kids, matured; Dad aged, and I knew he wouldn't be with me forever. Then in a span of two weeks, I lost both my dad and my husband -- one to a weariness brought on by old age and the death a year earlier of my sweet mom, the love of his life. The other to that demon named Cancer. Both slipped from my arms and left a double void that can never be filled.
Each Father's Day brings back memories of time and love shared and lost. My children and grandchildren gather around the three trees we planted in memory of Mom, Dad and Phil to send balloons aloft, hoping they reach their destination. Though our gifts are symbolic, we hope that somehow our loved ones will know how much they are missed.
Did Dad and I miss the kind of father-child relationship Pearlman describes? Perhaps. Would I trade him in for a model that was more hands on? Probably not.
For those who still have an opportunity to tell their imperfect dads in person, say "thank you for your presence in my life" and skip the fancy presents.
And for the dads out there who are still tuned out, I echo Pearlman. "Wake the hell up." ]]>
