I Want to Make a Difference, Can We Stop Crime in our Communities?

There have been a flood of found missing children who were locked away and abused for years.  These stories horrify us and demand our attention, yet we do nothing because we feel powerless to do anything to stop it.   We believe someone else will do something, that is someone else's problem, or it makes a good headline but beyond that we really don't care because we are not directly effected. 

We see homeless people on the street and believe that somehow they deserve to be there.  They are criminals, drug addicts, or choose to be there.  We throw them a bit of change and feel we've done our part.  They make us uncomfortable so we avoid them, look away, and do our best to avoid them.  We tell ourselves that their are government programs to help them and that its not our problem.

We don't feel safe in our neighbourhoods, our kids are corralled in our yards, we have alarms and more locks then when we were kids.  We fear home break ins and know that thefts are common place.  We want the police to get crime under control but we don't want to get involved.  Even worse we buy stuff at discounted prices from sites like Craigslist or ebay and pat ourselves on the back for saving money, not acknowledging that we are perpetrating the reward of crime. 

What can we do to help make this world a better place?

Clean up our neighbourhood graffiti
Clean up litter and our yards
Write letters to our political leaders asking for tougher laws
Buy fair trade products
Watch social documentaries to educate yourself
Check out non profit websites, send them an email to ask what you can do to help
Buy a homeless person lunch
Smile more
Volunteer
Help a neighbour
Recycle

Here are some sites to get started on learning more about what you can do to help change the world for the better.

Not For Sale - Abolish Child Slavery
Crime prevention
Human Trafficking
Against Crime & Drugs

Do you know of some non profit organizations that are committed to making the world a better place.  What things do you do to help make the world a better place?

People I'd like to Have a Coffee With

The world is filled with amazing people with amazing stories. Some of which I have been fortunate enough to meet, although their names are not known nor are they celebrities. There are few celebrities I would want to spend time with, too many are shallow as reality TV has shown us. Today I heard a 76 year old woman speak about her experiences running an orphanage in Cambodia and was amazed by the stories of the children in her care. If I could fill an autograph book it would be with signatures from people like her, people who make a difference. I want to use my time better, fill it with learning about courageous people and those who truly have made a difference in this world.

A list of people I would like to sit and have a cup of coffee with to hear their story:

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt: Ok so they are celebrities, but they live their life to make a difference in this world. Their stories are interesting because of the stories they can share about those they help on a regular basis. I don`t care about what kind of toothpaste they used or if they are getting married. I do care about why they make the choice to help others, what drives them to make the decisions they make.

Lt. General Romeo Dallaire: Former UN leader to Rwanda, author of two books about his experiences in Rwanda, and Senator of Canada. He choose to be a witness to one of the most horrific events of modern times. His courage to inform the world about the war crimes he saw and how the international community did nothing to stop it is an example of a hero. His first book, Shake Hands with the Devil, was made into a movie starring Canadian actor Roy Dupuis.

Bobby Sager and Family: This amazing family left behind a life of luxury in the pursuit of helping others. As a family they gave up their wealth centered life to invest in those that want to help themselves build a better life. The short lived TV series, the Philanthropist, was loosely based on his life. The stories he must still have to tell about how and why he helps helps others. He has met with leaders of compassion such as Mother Teresa and the Dali Lama.

Bono: I don`t want to talk about music or his fame but about how his fight for Africa. He has convinced many influential and rich people to give their wealth to charity. I want to know what drives him and his stories about what motivated him to focus on the needs of the African nations.

Survivors of Conflict: I have met a Sudanese lost boy, a Serbian refugee, and people who lived behind the former Iron Curtain. I have heard missionaries share their stories, struggles, and need. These people are amazing and there is so much to learn from their stories about how to succeed in life.

Hilary Clinton: A strong woman who is truly amazing.

Canada`s Justice System is too Expensive and Needs to Be Revamped

I`m tired of hearing how much is being spent on trying criminals and knowing that our society is only getting more violent.  Robert Pikton`s trial cost over $100 million and the BC Rail trial is at over $17 million.   Our tax dollars are wasted everyday with continuances and appeals with the result in most cases being a slap on the wrist or an acquittal.  Has the pendulum swung too far to the left? 

Our justice system is based on precedents and interpretations of laws by judges.  It has taken on a life of its own where the rights of the accused are valued more then the rights of the victims or public safety.  The hands of the police force are so tied that it makes their jobs to keep the public safe harder and harder every day. 

What Canada`s justice system needs is some accountablity.  Judges need to be accountable to the public they are suppose to protect.  Laws need to be written with consquences that are harsh and will deter criminals or ensure they will be seperated from the public better.  However, can it be done?  Is there anyway for our society to call for stiffer penalities? 

International Centre for Criminal Law Reform

Criminal Justice Reform BC Government

Pre Teen Decisions and the Effects of Violent Video Games like Call of Duty

My son came home from a friends house and proceeded to ask permission to buy Call of Duty Black Ops.  I knew that this day was coming... when he was playing or watching something at a friends house that I didn't approve of.  I wasn't shocked that he'd played the game at some of his friend's houses, but I was surprised to find out that it was a particular friend.  I know his mom and consider her more over protective then I am, so why did her 11 year old own this particular game?  Was I being overly sensitive to media reports, is this game harmless or should I continue to ensure that these types of violent video games stay out of our house?

I value knowledge and having facts to back my opinions so I started to do the research online.  It wasn't enough for just me to come up with an argument - it was up to my son to convince me that the game was harmless for 11 year old boys.  We both hit the Internet to find information to back up our arguments. 

The result of our little exercise was a mutual agreement that maybe now wasn't the best time for him to own such a violent game.  Owning the game would mean he would be playing it too much and with the storyline mode, which is the worse mode.  He agreed that he got too focused when playing video games alone had a hard time limited the amount of time he played.  Ok so it took me asking leading questions for him to come up with that conclusion, but at least he did.

As for playing the game at a friend's house,  I'm not stupid I know he will play the game when at his friend's house.  I told him that I knew he would do things I didn't agree with, like drink alcohol underage, but I wasn't about to make it easy for him or condone it by allowing it in our home.  I also think that playing with friend's in multiple player mode not only limited the amount of time he played the game but also eliminated the storyline mode, which is the goriest mode.  Playing with others also kept him from getting hyper focused on the game when he played, which is the biggest issue with violent games - hyper focus results in blurring reality and fantasy. 

As for his friend that owns the game, I called his mom to find out why she had agreed to allow the game in their home, she didn't know what she was buying.  She was going with the Christmas list and her husband's recommendation to buy it.  Now that he has it she feels she can't just take it back.  She'd rather it wasn't there but what is done is done.  Her son's time on video games is limited due to his extra curricular activities and he only plays with friends. 

I wish that my son wouldn't have access to violent video games, but its not a perfect world and other families have a different value system.  I can't protect him from everything, I can only hope that he makes better decisions.  He has to develop his own belief system and information as a tool to help him make decisions.  I wish I could say that he was strong enough not to be effected by peer pressure but he's not.  As kid's get older our control over them is diminished and we know less about what decisions they face every day.  It's not good enough to give them rules to follow, they have to understand the reasons behind the rules and buy into the argument.  Once they drink the Kool Aid, they will hopefully make better decisions. 

Violent Video Game Atrraction and Effects

Impact of Violent Video Games on Kids

Video game management for pre teens

Video games and Children's Health

Mental Health and Video Games

Scientific Studies of the Effects

New Puppy = No Sleep. Who's Bright Ideas was This Puppy thing Anyway?

Puppies, who's bright idea was it to get one?  Oh ya mine.  What was I thinking?  I thought getting a dog would be simple, it was not.  I thought everyone would help out, I was wrong.  I thought it would be a great thing for the kids, I was right.  It may be more work then I thought but seeing the kids play with the puppy instead of sitting in front of the TV is worth it. 

When we first went to the breeders to meet the little guy he was so cute and playful. Just a tiny bundle of fur running after the kids on the lawn. The 2 week wait until we could take him home was killing the kids, to be honest it was hard for me too. Everyone was so excited and impatient we ended up getting him one day early. That was the beginning of the end for me. The next day I had to go pick up my mom from the airport and I didn't know what to do with him. He'd never been in a kennel and I didn't want him to be running around the room on his own. I finally decided to leave him in the kennel and hope the experience didn't make kennel training any harder then it was going to be. I couldn't believe that I cared he would be sad in his kennel.

Sure he's a cute and lovable bundle of black fur with the sweetest little puppy eyes that burn into your soul but could he please sleep.  I need my sleep, consistently.  Trying to get him to stop whining and to sleep in his new home was a flashback to my kids baby years.  Getting up in the middle of the night to let him out to go "potty" is better than having to change a messy diaper but the interruption in sleep can be taxing.  The result of all this missed sleep? Irritability which lead to fighting with everyone.   I have not been the easiest person to live with this past week.  My family should have been more understanding but obviously that would be asking too much. 

My husband and daughter have all these rules when it comes to the puppy's care and worry about every little thing.  The dog's shampoo is more expensive then mine, now that's pathetic.  What to feed the dog was a whole other issue, lets just say I have an easier time feeding the kids.  Heaven forbid I even think about giving the dog something without first having a discussion based on scientific research.  My daughter panics if I'm not paying attention to everything the puppy does and allow him to chew on a cardboard box or two. You'd think that with all the rules and demands these two have, they'd be picking up some of the slack.  I could only be so lucky. 

The amount of attention the kids give the little guy isn't enough but when they do pay attention to the little guy it is heart warming. The first day they fought over who got to play with him, by the third day I couldn't get either of them to do anything with him.  At least until I threatened to send him back to the breeder, then they were front and center to help out.  I love to watch them play with him and take him for a walk.  If anything this new addition to our family has us outside more then ever before.  I may be his main caregiver but I won't be his favorite one for long.   I may wonder what I got myself into and if its worth all the extra effort but when I'm honest with myself I'd have to say 'yes'.  I mean who could say 'no' to a face like his.

Gotta Make a Chocolate Bar Halloween Costume - OH HENRY!!!!

This year my daughter has her mind set on being a chocolate bar for Halloween, at first I thought OK easy enough - cardboard, paint, and some tin foil.  Well, she never takes the easy route, she wants to be an Oh Henry bar. 

When it comes to sewing I have no skills - none!  Rounded cardboard box, not so easy to come by.  Perhaps some yellow poster board.  I know if it doesn't look exactly like the chocolate bar she's going to pout and then all that work will have been for nothing.  So, I did some Internet surfing and here's what I've found when it comes to making a chocolate bar costume:

Homemade costumes.
How to make a Chocolate Bar Costume
Hershy Bar from Garbage Bag
 A S'more anyone?
Buy A Snickers Bar Costume
Buy a Three Muskateers Costume

Today I went out to Wal Mart - found a box for free and bought 2 yellow poster boards to glue on it. Now to get out the paint and start making it look like an oh henry bar!  It will be a rectangular oh Henry bar but at least people will get what she's suppose to be.

In the end my daughter made the costume herself.  She used my cricut to cut out the letters using black contact paper and red construction paper.  She used markers to write the smaller details on the bar.  We attached it to a cardboard box and painted her face brown to cover it in chocolate.  Everyone loved her costume and she ended up with a lot of oh henry bars in her trick or treat bag.

My son's costume is a whole other issue - Artillery Zobie Soldier.......  What ever happened to pirates, princesses, and superheros?

What to do? What to do? It's a PD day..... again.

PD days, there is a lot of them and my on a rainy day with no money are..... not much.  Right now they are playing video games after sleeping in.  I've been checking the Internet for things to do in Vancouver for next to nothing.  There are lots of parks, beaches, and pools but its raining. 

There may not be anything free to do but there is a lot to do for cheap and thankfully a local family has listed them all with valuable information for people like me.  Check out their Find Family Fun website.

Today I think we'll go to Steveston for fish n chips and to check out the local fisherman's catch. 

We might get a little wet but the fish and chips will be worth it.