Barbie Banned in West Virginia

Barbie dolls maybe banned in West Virginia because they make girls think they need to be beautiful.

What's next? No movies allowed because all of the actresses are beautiful? Or Catalogs with women models showing off the items they want others to buy? Or...

Pirates pick up option on Russell

The Pittsburgh Pirates picked up manager John Russell's contract option for 2010 despite going 67-95 in his first season.

General manager Neal Huntington called the decision easy, although the club has been in spring training only a week.

"J.R. met or exceeded expectations in his first year as the Pirates manager," Huntington said Saturday. "His club worked hard to play the game properly and battled from the first out until the last. His leadership, knowledge, attention to detail, ability to see the big picture and passion for things being done the right way made him the ideal choice as our manager a year ago."

Good thing the Pirates goal was to win in 2008

Could the Pirates be this year's Devil Rays?

I cannot believe anyone could honestly believe this but this is what the big free agent signing the Pirates did thinks of the Pirates after playing with the Devil Rays last here

"I see a lot of comparisons," Hinske, the Pirates' top-billed offseason acquisition, said yesterday on the second full-squad day and fifth overall. "A lot of talent. And not a lot of winning.

"Tampa had lost for what, 10 straight years? They had talent. They had to learn to win. Luckily, we got on a roll. It's contagious."

Okay, he's got the "not a lot of winning" down but the talent... Where?

Pluck forums

I have collected comics since I was 4 years old (1977 for those that don't know). As such I will check comic book sites. One of them is newsarama which for years was run on the the good messageboard software vbulletin. Well newsarama was bought by a company and last summer they switched to Pluck forums. The result is less traffic, less users, and those that remained are angry, complaining ect... I stopped going there until recently and saw that people were still angry about it. As looking at this forum will tell you

So I got to thinking, is it just comic book fans that are this mad? So I decided to check LiveScience.com and lo and behold, more Pluck hatred and still more.

They don't have forums on their other Pluck linked sites. Wonder why?

So how does Pluck survive? Confideniality agreements for one. Promising upgrades that are always pushed back is another.

In my opinion the best forum software is the free phpbb and another free one that looks good is smf. But if you really want to pay, it should be vbulletin. Pluck should be paying its customers to use it.

Sounds like Dekker's Sinner

With this fear by the Christian broadcasters, it feels like the contents of Ted Dekker's novel, Sinner is coming to pass

Banks balk

Certainly is nice to see that executives would balk at low interest money because their pay is going to be capped at $500,000 when most Americans make less then $50,000. It also is nice to see them not caring how this will effect the economy and how they won't use the money the way it was intended to get the economy going again.

The Sale of Children's Books to be Banned

Got this in an email from a friend. This is beyond absurd.

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Oh, how I wish this were a joke! But it is a grim and looming, almost Orwellian, reality.

Effective February 10th, in the United States, the sale of all children's books (books intended for children ages 12 and under) is to be PROHIBITED. Every single book printed prior to the ruling is affected, whether new or used. New books in production are required to include a "lead-free" certification and will be the only books that are legal to offer for sale.

What does this mean to the homeschooling family?

Well, for one, curriculum fairs across the country will be cancelled as book vendors scramble to figure out how to comply with the new ruling. Complete book inventories will have to be destroyed -- the ruling even prohibits giving away the books! Local thrift stores will be hard hit -- most will likely have to close their doors -- yes, even Goodwill and Salvation Army.

Clothing, toys and books -- even CDs and DVDs are included in the ruling. Thrift stores will no longer be able to accept or process anything (including clothing) that would be intended for a child.

No more library sales. Libraries will not be permitted to give away or sell book donations. It is unsure yet, however, how the libraries' shelves themselves will be impacted (the ruling doesn't explicitly mention "loaning" books, just selling or giving them away). The key word, however, is "distribution" -- libraries may well be required to destroy books from their shelves.

(The ruling that originally passed was about toys, but the EPA has since made a statement that clothing, books and media are included in "children's toys".)

Just how serious is this new law?

Amazon.com has already notified all vendors of their need to comply. No book can be sold at the Amazon site that was printed prior to compliance. And the "compliance" must be coordinated at the manu- facturing stage. At the time of this article there is no clause to be able to grandfather-in older books or even rare out-of-print books. It can cost between $500 and $1500 to test a book for lead.

I happen to own a children's bookstore specializing in living books from the 1950s and '60s. My punishment for selling a book after February 10th? Up to $100,000 and 5 years in jail. And yes, it is a felony charge. For selling a SINGLE book.

(Although I don't think the S.W.A.T. team scenario would become a reality overnight, at the same time I would be leery of blatantly violating Federal law.)

So what can you do to help save your local used bookstore that sells children’s books? Or that homeschool curriculum business? Or your EBay business selling children's items?

ACT NOW before the quickly approaching deadlines:

1) Email or call the CPSIA - the office of the CPSC ombudsman at 888-531-9070. http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/newleg.aspx

Comments on Component Parts Testing accepted through January 30, 2009. Or email: Sec102ComponentPartsTesting@cpsc.gov

2) Contact your local representatives. For their contact informa-tion, just enter your zip code. http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/dbq/officials/

3) Make your voice heard by voting on this issue! The top 3 in each category will be presented to President-elect Obama. http://change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

4) Sign the petition.

http://ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html

5) Spread the word! Forward this article. Send an email. Write about this on your blog. Tell others about this issue and encourage them to do the same.

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For the complete story, read the following links:

http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Consumer Product Safety Commission Summaries on Legislation Index page for Children's Products Containing Lead; Lead Paint Rule and other rulings

http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/legislation.html#summaries

Office of the General Counsel FAQ on retroactive inventory require- ments -- The use of forward effective dates appears to force current inventories to adhere to the ruling on February 10th, 2009

http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/summaries/101brief.html

Specific FAQ on their interpretation of books and other media to be

included in the testing of lead based products

http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/101faq.html

Effective Date: Lead content limit of 600 ppm becomes effective 180

days after enactment. An advisory opinion regarding the application

of the new lead limit to inventory existing at the effective date

can be found on our web site at

http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/advisory/317.pdf

Getting the Lead out: There is no lead in children's books

http://news.bookweb.org/news/5695.html

There is no lead in Children's books: From a Pedtrician

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/childhealth/3955/is-there-lead-in-baby-books

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Do you have comments to share? Please do!

Send your emails to: mailto:heather@familyclassroom.net

Militant's rockets kill Two Palestinian girls

A crude rocket fired by Palestinian militants fell short of its target in Israel on Friday, striking a house in the northern Gaza Strip and killing two schoolgirls.

The attack came as Israel sent mixed signals over its plans to respond to continuing Palestinian rocket fire. Israeli defense officials say politicians have approved a large-scale incursion into the territory once rainy conditions clear. But at the same time, Israel appeared receptive to international pressure against an invasion, opening the Gaza border Friday to allow in deliveries of humanitarian aid.

None of Gaza's militant factions claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on the house in Beit Lahiya. Gaza Health Ministry official Dr. Moiaya Hassanain said the two victims, ages 5 and 12, were cousins. Three other children were wounded, he said.

The girls were the first Palestinian civilians inadvertently killed by militants since their truce with Israel began collapsing six weeks ago. Family members and medics said they were killed by rocket fire.

You know this has to be Israel's fault somehow. Maybe they forced the militants to fire short. After all everything that goes wrong in the Middle East has to be blamed on Israel somehow.

50% not popular

Teachers are complaining about the ridiculous rule that no student can earn less then 50% on a test or assignment. They say its grade inflation. And it most certainly is. It is ridiculous that this was even considered to be a good idea.