Let's Make a Deal

Each morning when I check my email, I normally have at least two dozen sitting in my inbox since I checked it approximately 10 hours prior. While some of these are late-night notes from friends, many are emails from various "deal" sites that I willingly signed up for.

At first, it seemed quite harmless and beneficial. I mean, who wouldn't want access to great restaurants and shops at a fraction of the regular price? But as time went on, I realized that this new trend was becoming something of an addiction. Instead of saving me money, these so-called "deals" sometimes end up costing me. I often lose track of the things I purchase, only to find them expired by the time I remember. Or, something that seems enticing in the moment, loses its sparkle once I've shelled out my $19 to spend on a random website, museum, art store or ice skating rink I rarely visit.

I've no doubt I'll keep logging into these emails daily, lest I miss out on a fabulous find that I can't live without. I guess I should be grateful I live in Atlanta and not Denver, as I just read about a crazy deal site that just went live there earlier this month.

You might say that MMJdailydeals.com caters to a niche market. While they claim to have a following of 10,000 in just two short weeks, this coupon site isn't one that offers exclusive access to the latest in haute couture or laser hair removal -- rather, MMJ deals in something a tad more controversial -- medical marijuana.

Each day, subscribers get access to coupons for things like pot-infused cookies and brownies, smoking accessories and other cannibis-related discounts. Playing on the Groupon/Living Social model, clients get a kickback when they reefer (oops, Freudian slip, I mean refer) friends.

Seriously?

Since Colorado is currently the only state allowed to sell medical marijuana at a profit, I don't think this little startup is going to start a new revolution. But the fact that this exists begs the question, is there any limit to what consumers are willing to buy these days?

Guess some inboxes have officially gone to pot.

Save Sesame Street!

Did you know that Congress is contemplating a bill that could cut all funding for Public Broadcasting? I don't know about you, but I consider Ernie, Bert and Cookie Monster old friends and I'd feel awful if they were taken off the air. I seriously love PBS and the quality programs they provide.

"Sesame Street" first went on the air just months before I was born and I still remember many of the skits, songs and themes from those shows. Now, my own kids get a kick out of shows like "Sesame Street," "WordGirl" and "Curious George" and I feel good knowing these programs are consistent with my values without major commercial interests.

If you care about PBS too, take 5 minutes and go to www.170millionamericans.org. Here you'll find great information, including links to letters you can quickly send to your Congressman via email, voicing support for Public Broadcasting.

While there are certainly other reasons to support Public Broadcasting, other than just their offerings for kids, aren't the Muppets enough?

The death of common sense?

Summer Infant recalled millions of baby monitors today after two infant deaths were linked to their products. When I first read the headline, I thought perhaps the deaths were due to the electromagnetic field around the monitor or something innocuous and terrifying like that. But no, these two children died because their parents were such geniuses that they put the cameras and cord in reach of their kids and the babies strangled on the cord.

Now, I don't mean to be flip or callous, but honestly, is this the manufacturer's fault or the parent's? Do we need warnings on EVERYTHING to protect us from our own stupidity? If this is the world we live in now, shouldn't everything have a warning label on it because frankly most things we own can be treacherous if misused.

I am so so sad for these parents and their infants who died needlessly. But truly, our job as moms and dads is to be on the lookout for hidden dangers (though I'd argue that this one was not so hidden). If you choose to mount a camera and cord to your child's crib and your baby suffers as a result of it, who is to blame?  And not that their lives are not precious, but these are two kids out of millions who's parents presumably know how to properly place a baby monitor. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, only seven kids have died since 2004 as a result of baby monitors placed too closely to their cribs.

If a parent leaves a loaded gun on a table and their toddler accidentally shoots himself, is it a horrible accident that the gun manufacturer should be held responsible for? If you leave coins out and a baby swallows one, should we sue the bank the money came from? Or the federal government who issued the coins?

Wake up and take some accountability people!

I know those examples seem like a stretch compared to the baby monitor recall, but you get my point. As parents, we do all sorts of things on a daily basis to protect our kids -- we hold their hands crossing busy streets, place them in car seats, keep them away from sharp objects or hot stoves, stay with them while they bathe so they don't drown etc., etc. We do all these things precisely because small children can't be trusted to look out for themselves. As parents our brains should always be attuned to things that might pose a risk to our kids. So just as we teach our children to take responsibility --  unless an accident involves some tragic unforeseen event -- I believe parents need to look within and not be so quick to seek blame elsewhere.

Golden Moments

Okay, so in homage to my former life, I'm going to step into my entertainment writing shoes (wow, they feel so comfy, even though I haven't worn them for soooo long!)

I'm sitting her on my basement couch watching the Golden Globes -- Ricky Gervais, cutting, offensive but also wickedly funny -- gorgeous gowns, beautiful people, a bevy of talent, some of whom may be worthy of the awards they receive. And in case you are wondering what business I have blogging about these awards, there is a tie-in, believe it or not! (wait for it).

You might have missed it. After all, it's the cutaways -- the unscripted moments before the show fades into a commercial -- that are really most fun to watch. In these short clips, we get to see all these big name celebrities talking amongst themselves, exchanging cheeky kisses, chomping on gum, laughing at each other's jokes, fixing their partner's tie (hello Angelina!). Do you really think for one second that most of them would rather be home in their sweats watching the festivities on tv? Honestly, if I'm ever nominated (hey, it could happen), I promise you I will not join the throngs of those who make this claim.

Before I get to the offending moment, can I just make up my own category -- And the award for cutest mama-to-be goes to a glowing, expectant Natalie Portman who gushed over her win (for "The Black Swan"), sending love to her grandmother (who she thanked for giving birth to her mother), parents and husband-in-waiting in such a genuinely sweet speech. Indeed, it was a night where nearly every winner took time to thank their kids and their own parents as well (a nice touch).

Okay, here's the mama moment in question: During her acceptance speech for her win as best actress in a drama series, Katye Segal, ("Sons of Anarchy") thanked her kids. No, that didn't offend me -- it's what she said in the way of thanking them that I take issue with. She said "Thank you for having such patience with a mommy who works." Now, perhaps I'm being harsh. People do tend to get flustered when put on the spot during these ceremonies and I will assume she didn't mean it the way it sounded to me. But, I couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to shout out to enlighten her to choose her words more wisely because all mommies work. Whether they work in the home, at an office, or on a film set, let me say it again a bit more strongly-- ALL MOMMIES WORK. Her sentiments should have been short and sweet and more PC, like Annette Bening (winner for the awesome film,"The Kids are All Right") who simply thanked her kids "for all their love and support."

There, now I feel better. I'd like to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for letting me get that off my chest.

Words to live by

For those of you who missed the President's remarks tonight at the memorial in Tucson, AZ, here's a quote that stood out to me. Whether you are a democrat or republican, you can't argue with this sentiment. And I think, for parents, the message has unique resonance.

"So sudden loss causes us to look backward — but it also forces us to look forward, to reflect on the present and the future, on the manner in which we live our lives and nurture our relationships with those who are still with us. We may ask ourselves if we've shown enough kindness and generosity and compassion to the people in our lives. Perhaps we question whether we are doing right by our children, or our community, and whether our priorities are in order. We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame — but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in making the lives of other people better." -- President Barack Obama, speaking at the memorial in Tucson, AZ.

Sad News Sunday

So sad to hear the news that one of the innocent victims in the Arizona shooting over the weekend was a nine-year-old girl. How horribly ironic that she was born on another terrible day in our nation's history -- September 11, 2001. After her birth, she was featured in a book called "Faces of Hope: Babies born on 9/11."

Christina Taylor Green had just been elected to student council and had gone to this "meet and greet" to learn more about politics. How incredibly unfortunate that her brief life was bookmarked by the tragedy of domestic terrorism.

Yet another innocent victim. When will it end?

What a bright idea!

Eco, meaning economical AND good for the environment is the word of the day at Danish furniture retailer, IKEA. Kudos to this company for no longer carrying traditional light bulbs in any of their stores and replacing them with a more energy efficient variety.

Even the most lazy environmentalist among us can surely manage to swap out their incandescent bulbs for the more eco-friendly ones that use up to 80 percent less energy and last much longer than their old-fashioned predecessors. When we moved into our house three years ago, this was one of the first changes we committed to making. Yes, these lights do cost more at the get-go, but they quickly pay for themselves when you see how infrequently you'll find yourself replacing them.

This is not the first time this mass retailer has rallied for the earth. All wood products used by the company are garnered from responsibly harvested forests (meaning all products are certified as originating from wood overseen by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).) All stores themselves are moving toward reliance on 100% renewable energy sources. The company also minimizes the use of chemicals in the production of both their textiles and their catalogs. Many products also use recycled materials in the manufacturing process. All glass sold is lead-free and many food items stocked are organic with more healthy offerings in the works.

Hopefully other major companies will follow IKEA's example. The next time you're in the market for some inexpensive household goods, make an effort to support stores like this that are committed to more than just their own bottom line.