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“For the honor of Grayskull!” She-Ra is 25 year old.

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http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/06/she.ra.anniversary/index.html

Female superhero ‘She-Ra’ marks 25th anniversary
By Katie McLaughlin, CNN
October 6, 2010 9:19 a.m. EDT
She-Ra was the alter ego of Princess Adora in an animated series that began airing in 1985.
(CNN) — For the honor of Grayskull!

2010 marks the 25th anniversary of “She-Ra: Princess of Power,” otherwise known as “Princess Adora,” aka “The Most Powerful Woman in the Universe.”

Last week, “She-Ra” was released on DVD, iTunes and Hulu.com. And throughout the year, toy manufacturer Mattel has been releasing collectible action figures based on characters from “She-Ra” and the character’s twin brother He-Man, also known as Prince Adam.

“She-Ra: Princess of Power” began airing in 1985. Ninety-three episodes were produced, along with a Christmas special, books, a magazine, comics and of course, the toys.

At one point in every episode, Princess Adora would transform into her alter ego, She-Ra, whenever justice on Etheria was threatened.

She would reach for her sword and utter her famous phrase, “For the honor of Grayskull! I am She-Ra!” Then in a tornado-like swirl of colorful glitter (and a theme song), she would morph into her alter ego.

Lisa Baron, who runs a She-Ra fan site, told CNN, “She-Ra holds a special place in my heart because every afternoon for 30 minutes, I could escape into a fantasy world of the magic that was She-Ra. Her voice was captivating, she had great messages for children and kids looked up to her as a great female role model.”

CNN spoke to the voice behind She-Ra, actress and voiceover artist Melendy Britt, about the anniversary, her experiences on the series and the character’s lasting relevance as one of the first female superheroes.

CNN: How did you approach the character of She-Ra?

Melendy Britt: She-Ra was very different from any other character I did. She had more of an impact on my psyche and I had a strange instinct about the character when I auditioned for it and I knew she was a spiritual character who had a basic concern for everyone. I wanted to make sure my voice showed the change from Adora’s youth and innocence to She-Ra’s wisdom and self-assured power.

CNN: Did you know the actor who did the voices for He-Man and the other characters?

Britt: Absolutely! It was an incredible cast with a group of very, very talented people. John Erwin was the voice of He-Man. He has since moved away from California. He also did the voice of Morris the Cat. George DiCenzo, who was Hordak; he was another very talented man. Alan Oppenheimer, who played Skeletor in the series, gave us great laughs. He’s still in L.A., and we talk to one another every now and then.

CNN: Did you have any of the toys? What’s it like to have your own action figure?

Britt: I do have the She-Ra action figure. You see, my kids were in junior high when the series premiered, so they weren’t interested. But I got She-Ra, Swift Wind and Catra. Over the years, I’ve let kids who’ve been visiting me play with them, so they’re not in pristine condition.

As far as having my own action figure, I think if I’d received a lot of money from it, it would be like winning the lottery, but since I don’t get any payment from that, it just feels kind of interesting. I do remember that when I first saw the action figure, I thought, “Gee, I think she kind of looks like me.”

CNN: Did you ever meet kids who grew up with She-Ra? Did they make you say the lines?

Britt: When I was doing the series, I met lots of kids who watched the show, and they’d ask me to do the lines, particularly “For the honor of Grayskull!” And then many times parents would ask me to call their kids on their birthdays and talk to them.

CNN: If they made a live action movie version today, who do you think should play She-Ra?

Britt: That is such a hard one. I’d have to have a big list and kind of narrow it down to one person, if it could even be one person. Right now, my brain goes to Angelina Jolie, Beyonce and even Lady Gaga with a little Meryl Streep thrown in.

CNN: What other characters have you voiced in your career?

Britt: Well, on “She-Ra,” I did Catra, Castaspella, Hunga the Harpy and some others I can’t recall. Before “She-Ra,” I was Batgirl and Catwoman in “The New Adventures of Batman,” and Aura from “Flash Gordon.” I did various characters in “Transformers,” “The Wild Thornberrys” and I was the Wicked Queen in “A Snow White Christmas,” among many others.

CNN: Do you have a favorite episode?

Britt: I have a few, but for different reasons. Some because of the emotional content of She-Ra’s voice, and then some were my favorites because of the impact of the show.

CNN: What was really going on between She-Ra and Sea Hawk?

Britt: Not a lot. I think honestly that She-Ra had a calling, maybe as Adora. If she was only Adora, maybe there could have been a relationship with Sea Hawk, but she had a much higher calling that really didn’t include him.

CNN: If the show had continued, how do you think it would have wrapped up?

Britt: Maybe they’d have continued with She-Ra and her challenges with people trying to bring evil into Eternia, but if she exhausted all the challenges, I don’t know if there’d be any drama.

CNN: How does She-Ra compare to the current crop of cartoons? Could She-Ra even be made today? Or would there be too many parental concerns about violence?

Britt: The only one [current cartoon] that I have watched that I think is funny is “Spongebob Squarepants,” and it seems there’s a lot of white-collar violence going on there.

CNN: Why do you think She-Ra’s 25th anniversary is so special?

Britt: For me, it’s a chance to, again, have these memories of a series character which made me realize that I had a real part in people’s lives and that they love and remember her. For others, it’s a chance to relive and share the days of their childhood. I think each person has their own memories.

CNN: Why do you think She-Ra still holds a special place in the hearts of women who grew up watching She-Ra as little girls?

Britt: She was one of the first role models who combined femininity with feminism making her truly, really the most powerful woman in the world. I’ve been told by some of the female fans — particularly this one woman who set up a fan site for She-Ra, and for me — that they were really able to identify with her. That they felt great that not only boys had someone to look up to and meant something special to girls who were able to watch it.

Personally I identified more with Madam Razz then I did the long legged blonde, funny that.
razz

Who was your cartoon role model growing up?

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School homework has ‘no real benefit’.

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http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1008/education.htm

School homework has ‘no real benefit’
Friday, 8 October 2010 15:58

There is little evidence to suggest that school homework in its current form has any real benefit, according to a primary school principals’ group.

In a submission paper to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Curriculum Reform, The Irish Primary Principals Network says the role of homework in the education system ‘requires serious research and analysis.’

IPPN says that principals and teachers have serious concerns about the impact of homework.

The Network has highlighted nine areas of concern in its submission paper to the committee.

It says ‘effective teaching in the classroom, which differentiates both children’s learning styles and learning abilities far outweighs any value of homework.’

‘Homework can often be the source of a huge amount of stress between parents and children,’ says IPPN Director Sean Cottrell.

Pointing to the fact that quality time can be scarce among families on weekday evenings, Mr Cottrell said it this time can often be spoiled by homework.

The majority of stress and strife around school in this house over the last 6 years has been homework. Not that it’s too hard but the resistance to doing it has lead to rows and tears. I do think that it can be good in terms of letting parents know what the kids are doing and how they are doing but there has to be a better way, esp when it only becomes an exercise in undermining a child’s confidence.

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CAO first offers.

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It’s been intresting watching the traffic graphs for the cao site
http://www.hea.net/mrtg/cao4.html

We have come a long way from trying to read the tiny number by an orange street light having gone into town for the earliest edition.

So many young adults will be on tender hooks to today convinced that to have the life they dream of or to have any hope of it they need to get into the right college and into the right courses. Life is never that simple and there are many paths up the mountain.

I often worry that the points system and the CAO entry system leads to hot housing and that an education should be aiming at making a person well rounded rather then tasking them to just preform well in a set of exams spaced over two weeks.

As mishmash as the america direct applications system seems to be there is an inclusion of extra curricular activities, be it sports or arts or community work into the process.

As freaky as the thought is that it has been 18 years from when I stood under that street lamp and that kids which were only and not yet born are looking at the offers today, is the fact I will be trying to deal with my son no doubt pressing f5 like a loon in 5/6 years time.

At least he will have parents who have been through the system, I didn’t which made it even more daunting. And 18 years ago I didn’t get any of the course which I wanted and looking back this was a good thing as I was 17 and 2 months old and I knew better when I applied two years later and got exactly what I wanted.

I was blessed that I ended up working in DCU as a member of staff and in the evening took on City and Guilds courses in electronics and went on then to apply for electronic courses which would mean I would have to live away from home during the week but could come home at weekends.

So not getting my first preferences was a blessing. Hopefully those who don’t get their today will know it is not the end of the world but just a different adventure.

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10 years…

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This day 10 years ago I took my bag, went into the hospital and eventually my daughter was born it took nearly every trick to get her moving, she is still a stubborn miss at times but I look and wonder where the last 10 years went and what will happen to and for her in the next 10.

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“Pride” and famlies and teachers.

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This week is Pride week in Dublin as well as many places around the Globe.
It has been great to see it become a full week with many events on which show a lot more
of the diversity of the LGBTQ community.

The listing of the events can be found here: http://www.dublinpride.ie/

Two which caught my eye is the week long showing of The Wizard of Oz in the Screen Cinema.
Who wouldn’t want a chance to see this on the large screen also it is something I can bring my brats to.

Usually Pride and kids would be something which most people would not think would or should mix,
I have had encounters which were less then friendly when I have been in town with them and brought them to have a look at the parade in previous years. Indeed most people seem to think ‘gay’ people don’t have kids or don’t have contact with kids or should not have contact with kids both those in the ‘straight’ and ‘gay’ communities but that has got to change.

This year Outhouse is having a family fun house event.

Come to the Family Fun House afternoon where there will be clowns, face painters, a bouncing castle, a games console on the big screen and make-and-eat chocolate treats. This is a day for parents to unwind and let the kids have fun, so bring your sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, cousin’s and younger siblings along for some great fun and bring out the kid in you too. (All Children must be accompanied by an adult)

For further information please contact Fiona on (01) 873-4999.

Admission: Free
No tickets required.

I am really glad to see this, people who are lgbt are also parents, aunt, uncles ect and children should in my opinion aware that there are lgbt family members. My own two know that some people like men, and some people like women and some people like both it’s not weird it’s just how people are. This way children grow up with positive messages about
being lgbt and if they are when they grow up they don’t feel so isolated and have no one to relate to which can cause a lot of issues.

This year also in the Pride Parade all the primary and second-level teaching unions (INTO, TUI, ASTI) will have an official presence. This is a huge step forward.

Currently under Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act, schools can fire teachers who are LGBT as it is said to conflict with the ethos of the school, which means as 92% of all primary schools have a catholic ethos, all of those schools can fire a teacher if they are outed. Hopefully this will change there have been calls to have it abolished.

I think all of this is a massive step forward towards shifting away from the idea that ‘Gays’ don’t have families we are after all, someone’s sons and daughters, brother, sister and being lgbt does not make a person anti family, or that they don’t have pride in their family.

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Reply from the ASAI re Largo Foods ads.

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I was disappointed when I saw the latest ads from Largo foods. They produce all Irish crisps in the country and I had been a fan of the product the ads were used for from when they first appeared on the Irish market over 10 years ago. There was no other crisps for me.
This then filtered into the household as I do the weekly shop and what crisps my kids eat.
They both like the buffalo flavored ones and found those adds to be funny.

The controversial ads pissed me off, as here was a brand I trusted, was regularly seen in the house was never one I had to worry about image wise re the kids and my own personal values getting it wrong, very wrong.

So wrong in fact that when I out with my kids when the ads were put up they both expressed discomfort at seeing them and wanted to know why such sexy images were used as they made no sense and they were right they made no sense what so ever in the selling of snack foods. The kids asked is there something we can do, as I have tried to bring them up to do something when they see something they think is wrong.

We got home and wrote emails to Largo Foods expressing our disappointment and to their pr firm to which we have had no reply and we lodged a complaint via the ASAI website.
We got a letter today from the Advertising Standards Authority For Ireland.

letter

The kids were pleased to see that at least we got one reply, I look forward to seeing if the investigation bears out or will the ads be pulled by Largo Foods before they are instructed to remove them. We are still how ever boycotting those crisps and will be unless there’s a statement from Largo Foods which doesn’t sound like some smug git saying lighten up their just boobs.

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Did you know that today is international Women’s Day?

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Did you know that today is International Women’s Day?

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Did you know that it’s a 100 years from the first one?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women%27s_Day

In 1910 the first international women’s conference was held in Copenhagen (in the labour-movement building located at Jagtvej 69, which until recently housed Ungdomshuset) by the Second International and an ‘International Women’s Day’ was established, which was submitted by the important German Socialist Clara Zetkin, although no date was specified.[1] The following year, 1911, IWD was marked by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, on March 19.[2]

However, soon thereafter, on March 25, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City killed over 140 garment workers. A lack of safety measures was blamed for the high death toll. Furthermore, on the eve of World War I, women across Europe held peace rallies on 8 March 1913. In the West, International Women’s Day was commemorated during the 1910s and 1920s, but dwindled. It was revived by the rise of feminism in the 1960s.

Demonstrations marking International Women’s Day in Russia proved to be the first stage of the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Following the October Revolution, the Bolshevik feminist Alexandra Kollontai persuaded Lenin to make it an official holiday in the Soviet Union, and it was established, but was a working day until 1965. On May 8, 1965 by the decree of the USSR Presidium of the Supreme Soviet International Women’s Day was declared as a non working day in the USSR “in commemoration of the outstanding merits of Soviet women in communistic construction, in the defense of their Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War, in their heroism and selflessness at the front and in the rear, and also marking the great contribution of women to strengthening friendship between peoples, and the struggle for peace. But still, women’s day must be celebrated as are other holidays.”

How is Women’s Day Celebrated?

On this day it is customary for men to give the women in their lives – mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, colleagues, etc – flowers and small gifts. In some countries (such as Romania) it is also observed as an equivalent of Mother’s Day, where children also give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union celebrations of IWD were abandoned in Armenia. Instead April 7 was introduced as state holiday of ‘Beauty and Motherhood.’ The new holiday immediately got popular among Armenians, as it commemorates one of the main holidays of Armenian Church, Annunciation. However, people still kept celebrating IWD on March 8 as well. Public discussion held on the topic of two ‘Women’s Days’ in Armenia resulted in the recognition of the so called ‘Women’s Month’ which is the period between March 8 and April 7.

In Italy, to celebrate the day, men give yellow mimosas to women.[19][20] Yellow mimosas and chocolate are also one of the most common March 8 presents in Russia and Albania.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Croatia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, Moldova, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Serbia the custom of giving women flowers still prevails. Women sometimes get gifts from their employers too. Schoolchildren often bring gifts for their teachers as well.

The 2005 Congress (conference) of the British Trades Union Congress overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for IWD to be designated a public holiday in the United Kingdom.

This year the theme is equality.
[YOUTUBE=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye8iGQ1d9Cg]

There are 47 events happening in Ireland to mark the day.
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/search.asp?country=102

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Symphysiotomy covered by Primetime finally.

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It is on the real player on the rte.ie site this morning.
http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1066881

I knew about this, I knew about this long before Dr Neary’s scandal broke.

Growing up there was one of the local mammy’s who was on crutches all the time and this operation was the reason why. She had been an unmarried mother giving birth at the start of the 70s and this procedure was done to her. She lived her life in agony due to it being ‘done for her own good’.

The abuse of women when they are their most vulnerable was rife, esp those who were ‘fallen women’ with out a husband to ‘protect’ them.
http://emmarogan.wordpress.com/2009/10/25/symphysiotomy-the-story-of-a-cruel-childbirth-practice-in-ireland/

Symphysiotomy is a discredited childbirth operation severing the pelvis that persisted in Ireland until as recently as the 1980s. Hundreds of Irish women, who were unknowingly subjected to the surgery, say they were left with severe and life-long side-effects, including walking disabilities, chronic pain, incontinence and depression.

Their doctors chose to perform symphysiotomy instead of Caesarean section, a safer alternative. They saw Caesareans as leading women into temptation, the ‘temptation’ to practice birth control.

Yes, they sawed open the joint of the pubic bone under local anesthetic and ruin women’s lives.

http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?level=4&id=5009

Symphysiotomy survivors demand inquiry

[Posted: Tue 24/06/2003]

By Deborah Condon

Irish women who unknowingly underwent symphysiotomies, an operation performed during childbirth between the 1950s and 1980s, are demanding a public inquiry into the practise, which they say, has left them with severe side effects, including extreme pain, incontinence and depression.

A symphysiotomy is a surgical procedure which is carried out to permanently widen the pelvis of a woman who might normally require repeat Caesarean sections. The cartilage of the symphysis pubis, which is the point where the pubic bones come together, is surgically divided during the procedure.

According to support group, Survivors of Symphysiotomy (SOS), Irish obstetricians sought to establish this operation as an alternative to Caesarean sections because it was thought that women subjected to repeated Caesareans ‘might be tempted to use contraception’.

SOS is now demanding answers as to why women were subjected to this procedure without their consent and in many cases, without their knowledge.

Rose, now aged 57, was 17 and pregnant with her first child when she went into labour on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, a doctor told her that her baby would soon be delivered. She was given what she later learned was a local anaesthetic and was then unknowingly subjected to a symphysiotomy.

“The pain was excruciating. My arms were pinned down by nurses and my legs were held up, like the way you would hold a turkey”, she explained.

After the procedure, when Rose had woken up, she was obviously eager to see her baby, who was in a nursery next door to her ward. However when she tried to stand up, she fainted with the pain and was told not to attempt to get up again. Rose ended up crawling on her hands and knees that night in a desperate attempt to see her baby, before a doctor found her and told a nurse to get a wheelchair for her.

A couple of days later, two nurses came to ‘teach me how to walk again’. She was let out of hospital 10 days after the birth, while her baby remained there for a month. Rose, whose partner died nine years ago, did go on to have more children. However her life has been marked by chronic pain and anger at what has happened to her.

“I have spent 40 years locked up for having a baby. I kept having to give up jobs because of the pain. I have never been on a holiday and I never go out. I have to wear sanitary towels all the time because of bladder problems. I have been to a psychiatrist and I am eventually going to be left on my own in a wheelchair”, she said.

Another survivor, Claire who was 29 and pregnant with her fifth child, was initially told she needed a Caesarean section, but was later told this was not necessary. Referring to what happened in the delivery room, she said she felt as though a ‘red, hot poker’ had been passed through her, the pain was so excruciating. She passed out and when she awoke, she was told that there had been complications, her pelvis had been broken and she would be in bed for five days. She was also told she would have to learn how to walk again.

“I was never followed up. I was never told that I would not be able to hold or nurse my baby. That child was raised in a pram because I couldn’t hold him, the pain was so bad. I couldn’t even play with him. It is 31 years later and I want answers”, she said.

SOS has requested a meeting with Health Minister, Micheal Martin, to discuss the situation. However to date, Mr Martin has failed to agree to meet with the organisation. SOS believes a public inquiry is necessary in order to determine:

-Why symphysiotomies were carried out when alternatives were available.

-Why the procedure was carried out here so often, compared to other European countries.

-Why no-one has been held accountable for the suffering of the women involved.

-Why this procedure was carried out without these women’s consent.

Apart from the inquiry, SOS would also like to see the establishment of a counselling service and helpline. It also believes that those affected should be provided with home help and home modifications where necessary.

“There are a lot of women in wheelchairs and housebound because of this. Who is going to look after them?”, the organisation added.

Knowing about this and some of the other abuses of women’s reproductive rights in this country is why I am such a contraceptive and women’s health information advocate.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1001/symphyisotomy.html

Martin promises Symphysiotomy review
Wednesday, 1 October 2003 18:32

The Minister for Health, Micheál Martin, has promised that his department will carry out an independent review of the procedure of Symphysiotomy in Irish hospitals in the 1940s and 1950s.

He has also promised counselling and free health services for the victims.

This follows a meeting with representatives of over 200 women who are suffering serious health problems from the procedure.

The review still has not happened…

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Bespectacled

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My daughter is now bespectacled.
She had been having some difficulties in school and I knew she has a slight turn in her left eye or stigma which mirrors my own esp when she is tired, so we had the dreaded chat and prepared her for going to the options and having to wear glasses.

She had a dentist appointment earlier in the day which was just a check up and cleaning and then on to the opticians. I found that I prepare her for such events in the same manner that I do her brother. The same running through what will happen, answering as many questions beforehand, explaining what will be acceptable behaviour and make the process easier for then they are in a place they have not been before.

All of which means they both thankfully tend to be cheery and confident and ask only a small amount of questions and focus on what they have to do, which makes things easier on the person examining them and the trip less stressful over all.

It is also fun as a parent to see thing from the point of view of the wonderment of your child as they have a new experience. I was also 9 when I first had to get glasses and I remember by parents doing their best to make sure it was a positive experience for me.
I wanted to do the same so that getting glasses wasn’t a negative thing but just a thing which some people have to do.

Yes, they are, Pink!. There was some difficulty with getting a pair in Pink to fit her as she has it seems a wide head which made finding a pair that fit properly and comfortable an issue to begin with never mind a pair which is Pink. But it was managed with the staff at Vision Express being very helpful and as she likes them and how they look on her, she has been told if they have to be replaced due to her breaking them or being lost then I get to pick the next pair for her.

So far she has had two days in school with them and they are making a difference and thankfully she only has had positive comments from classmates and teachers. Her Dad on discovering she is shortsighted like me did comment that it was my fault but bless her she was swift to correct him saying it wasn’t my fault it was just my and her genes and she may have gotten cool things from having my dna not just short sightedness. I do how ever hope that she will ‘grow out of it’, but the same was said of me and it didn’t happen, so we will see.