I have made a conscious effort to keep this blog light and fun, exploring the trials and triumphs of motherhood... and life in general. My preference is to try to be as honest and entertaining as possible, avoiding things that might make you squirm in your seat.
Every once in a while, however, I come across something that shakes me to the core... that rocks my world so substantially that I feel like I've been given a gift that I cannot keep to myself.
Clearly, I am pro life. Just in case there's any confusion, I'm also anti-firearms, anti-death penalty, and anti-abortion. (I'm also anti-octomom, but that has nothing to do with my pro-life stance; it's just a personal pet peeve I have with anyone who decides to use government assistance to get a regular nail fill-in every 10 days... and to clarify, I don't wish her any ill-will, I just wish she would shut up and take care of her children instead of making the media rounds, spending time on plastic surgery, and asking for handouts. But, I digress.). I've run my car off the side of the road and into a mailbox to avoid hitting a squirrel. No lie. I figure that I'm not the one who made another living creature's heart beat, so why should I have any role in making that beating heart stand still. If this makes you uncomfortable, you should probably step away now. I'll return to our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow.
For those of you who are still reading, thank you.
I'm surrounded by a lot of selfishness. It's a fact of life... we all are; there is just a lot of self-centric thought in the world. "I, I, I... me, me, me..."; "How will this affect me", and "how will I be impacted'" is the prevalent theme of today. If you're thinking, "that's not me" or "my situation is different", maybe it's time to take a long, hard look in the mirror. This isn't a judgment; just a suggestion.
At any rate, I came across this video when it was shared on Facebook by an old elementary school classmate of mine. It's powerful, heartbreaking, thought provoking, controversial, and beautiful. It may make you squirm. It might make you angry. It will make you think.
If you're not uncomfortable by this post so far, I encourage you to take fifteen minutes of your day to Gianna's speech. And if you are, I encourage you to challenge yourself and watch anyway.
Part One:
Part Two:
Love, hugs, and blessings,
The Mama
Showing posts with label legislation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label legislation. Show all posts
April 2, 2009
January 18, 2009
More on the CPSIA
The Wall Street Journal has a good editorial that I found via jcarolinecreative.com's blog. You can find a link to it here.
She also notes that Target has started their sales on toys. She poses a brilliant question:
I couldn't have asked it better myself.
Finally, here are two products that reflect the inflated costs necessary to cover the expenses resulting from the CPSIA legislation. A two thousand dollar felt fortune cookie and a three thousand dollar sock doll... need I say more?
I guess my writer's block is gone after all.
Love, hugs, and blessings,
The Mama
She also notes that Target has started their sales on toys. She poses a brilliant question:
"Let me make sure I understand-- I can get a great deal on various children's products right now. But do they become dangerous on February 10?"
I couldn't have asked it better myself.
Finally, here are two products that reflect the inflated costs necessary to cover the expenses resulting from the CPSIA legislation. A two thousand dollar felt fortune cookie and a three thousand dollar sock doll... need I say more?
Fortune Cookie
Yes, these cookies do cost $2,274.00. Thanks to the new law that goes into effect Feb. 10, 2009, the CPSIA will require that I test each product in my shop for lead. Each component will cost $70 and since these cookies have 4 components (felt, thread, ribbon and polyfil), that will bring the total to $280. Add in the additional $350 per component for phthalates testing for a total of $1400. (And increased overhead for Etsy and Paypal final value fees). This makes my once $6 cookies $2,274.00.
For more info please read http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/cpsia-deadline-for-changeorg-vote-cnn-article-3247/
Sock Doll
Yep, you read the price right. This price reflects the added cost of $70/component for lead and $350/component for phthalate testing that will be required once the CPSIA goes into effect.
For more info please read http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/cpsia-deadline-for-changeorg-vote-cnn-article-3247/ or http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html.
I guess my writer's block is gone after all.
Love, hugs, and blessings,
The Mama
January 7, 2009
CPSIA Outrage
I find it ironic that just as I was posting pictures from the children's goods I made today, my inbox was filling up with emails asking for my opinions regarding the new CPSIA legislation.
In a time when American families are struggling to make ends meet, the government NOW decides to step in and do something about the tainted toys that have been pushed across the checkout lines of mass market retailers. Bravo?
See, the problem here lies in the fact that this hurts the very individuals that it is supposedly intended to protect: Families. Children.
I am a work at home mom. When I sell some of my products - which are, by the way, largely for children, I take about half of what I make (which is marginal) and put it back into purchasing supplies, and half to buy groceries. Yes, you read correctly. My small income from making burp cloths, boutique wipe cases, and lovie blankets covers a portion of the cost of our groceries.
Our legislative body passed a 700 billion dollar bill to bail out big businesses who made poor financial decisions in an effort to help boost the economy of our country. Did anyone ever stop to think about the HARM that the CPSIA legislation will cause?
I find it difficult to think that a WAHM (translate: Work At Home Mom) who is trying to support her family, her children, would sell a product knowing that it is harmful to children. Furthermore, I find it even more difficult to believe that a conscientious parent would give a product to a child without personally checking to make sure it would not harm their child first.
Maybe I'm way out in left field here, but this size XL non-waterproof bandaid approach to fixing a problem that should have been address long ago seems to be more of an infection breeder than an injury preventor.
I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, suggesting that there should not be legislation to protect our children from irresponsible manufacturing of harmful products that can cause injury or even death. However, I am outraged that the single mother who is posting handmade onesies, burp cloths, soft blocks, and blankets on Etsy to support her children is being held to the same strict regulations as mass market toymakers like Mattel and Fisher Price.
I am appalled at the number of small businesses and private shops that are now going out of business as a result of this legislation. How is this going to help our economy, our trust in our government, and the progress of our country?
I encourage you to go to www.change.org to learn more and contact your local and state representatives to push for revision of this bill.
Love, hugs, and blessings,
The (very angry and frustrated) Mama
In a time when American families are struggling to make ends meet, the government NOW decides to step in and do something about the tainted toys that have been pushed across the checkout lines of mass market retailers. Bravo?
See, the problem here lies in the fact that this hurts the very individuals that it is supposedly intended to protect: Families. Children.
I am a work at home mom. When I sell some of my products - which are, by the way, largely for children, I take about half of what I make (which is marginal) and put it back into purchasing supplies, and half to buy groceries. Yes, you read correctly. My small income from making burp cloths, boutique wipe cases, and lovie blankets covers a portion of the cost of our groceries.
Our legislative body passed a 700 billion dollar bill to bail out big businesses who made poor financial decisions in an effort to help boost the economy of our country. Did anyone ever stop to think about the HARM that the CPSIA legislation will cause?
I find it difficult to think that a WAHM (translate: Work At Home Mom) who is trying to support her family, her children, would sell a product knowing that it is harmful to children. Furthermore, I find it even more difficult to believe that a conscientious parent would give a product to a child without personally checking to make sure it would not harm their child first.
Maybe I'm way out in left field here, but this size XL non-waterproof bandaid approach to fixing a problem that should have been address long ago seems to be more of an infection breeder than an injury preventor.
I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, suggesting that there should not be legislation to protect our children from irresponsible manufacturing of harmful products that can cause injury or even death. However, I am outraged that the single mother who is posting handmade onesies, burp cloths, soft blocks, and blankets on Etsy to support her children is being held to the same strict regulations as mass market toymakers like Mattel and Fisher Price.
I am appalled at the number of small businesses and private shops that are now going out of business as a result of this legislation. How is this going to help our economy, our trust in our government, and the progress of our country?
I encourage you to go to www.change.org to learn more and contact your local and state representatives to push for revision of this bill.
Love, hugs, and blessings,
The (very angry and frustrated) Mama
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