Copyright 2006-2012 Unless otherwise noted, all contents copyright 2006-12 Joy Kennelly. If you are quoting this blog, please provide a cite and link back. Thanks for this courtesy!
Rock Legends Will Come Together to Raise Money to Build Water Wells in Troubled South Sudan
On Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 at the Legendary Avalon Theater in Hollywood, Slipknot/Stone Sour's frontman Corey Taylor, Dave Navarro, Dave Lombardo of Slayer, Anthrax's Scott Ian, John 5 and members of Rob Zombie's band along with host Henry Rollins will perform at a star-studded benefit concert for Drop In The Bucket, a Los Angeles- and Gulu, Uganda-based non-profit that builds water wells and sanitation systems at large rural schools in sub-Saharan Africa.
Legendary artist Shepard Fairey, who designed the exclusive poster for the event, will be a guest DJ, and Kate Flannery of "The Office" will deliver a hilarious musical comedy routine with her ironic lounge act, The Lampshades. Many more surprises to be announced.
Taylor hot off his recent book tour for the NY Times bestseller "Seven Deadly Sins" is currently in the middle of a very successful and almost entirely sold out acoustic tour, had this to say "In a time when money is suspect, and politics looks a lot like schoolyard bullying, people forget that there are far greater issues going on in the world. One of which is the fact that millions of people live without water on a daily basis when we as Americans treat it like used tissue paper. Its only common sense to think that if I can do something to not only help, but also raise awareness, then that's exactly what I'm going to do. Drop in the Bucket is one of the most important and selfless causes I have ever had the privilege to be a part of. And I can only hope that I do some good for it. And to be able to do that by putting on an awesome show with friends like Roy Mayorga, Scott Ian and John 5 just shows how good this business can be sometimes!"
Rollins, a renowned musician, author and punk rock icon, has worked closely with Drop In The Bucket, traveling to Africa last year to see its work on the ground first-hand. "Drop In The Bucket is trying to make things better," says Rollins. "There's no profit incentive here. It's only about getting people to water and keeping them alive and healthy."
Funds raised at the event will be used to expand Drop In The Bucket's vital programs into the northern region of Bahr el Ghazal region of South Sudan. This area is on the verge of a major humanitarian crisis due to the sudden influx of returnees coming from North Sudan following South Sudan's recent independence.
Tickets will be available for pre-sale purchase at $25 through Ticketmaster http://www.ticketmaster.com and at the door for an increased price with availability pending. VIP tickets and Tables inquiries please contact 323.683.5390.
Special thanks to the always awesome sponsors Vans, Guvera, Revolver and The Avalon for coming on to support this event.
Drop In The Bucket believes we can help create a world in which children are safe, healthy, educated and free from fear. And we believe that the key to achieving those ends is clean water and sanitation. For more information on Drop In The Bucket, please visit www.dropinthebucket.org.
One of the foremost fashion and magazine cover photographers of the past two decades, American photographer Mark Abrahams has straddled the gap between fashion and celebrity portraiture with guileless simplicity and exacting care.
A self-taught photographer, Abrahams portrays his subjects with an introspective depth and candor. His subjects run the gamut of the A-list: Julianne Moore, George Clooney, James Franco, Dakota Fanning, Sean Diddy Combs, Ashley Olsen, Dennis Hopper, Lindsay Lohan, Larry Clark, Michelle Obama, Ed Ruscha, Philip Roth, Roberto Bolle, Evander Holyfield, Kate Winslet, Justin Timberlake, Tom Hanks, Rachel Weisz and countless others. This volume provides a dazzling parade of the glitterati under Abrahams' lens, devoid of affectation or artifice. Abrahams is donating his portion of the proceeds from this book to benefit Hope For Haiti Now.
Mark Abrahams was born in 1958 in Santa Ana, California. The gift of a Nikon FM from his mother ignited his passion for photography. Working as a truck driver by day, Abrahams transformed his tiny bathroom into a functioning darkroom to develop film, retouch negatives and manipulate surfaces at night. Against all odds, in the early 1990s Abrahams found himself shooting iconic musicians, jetting to Milan with supermodels and landing editorial shoots with L'Uomo Vogue, Deutsch Vogueand GQ.
Appears Swiss Watchmaker, Raymond Weil, knows quality when they see it as they partnered with the Labyrinth Theater Company on their annual signature benefit "Celebrity Charades" recently. This charity event features four celebrity teams that participated in a fearsome and hilarious speed charades competition to support the Labyrinth Theater Company’s 2011/12 season.
Hearing this makes me want to go see a play there! Check 'em out here: http://labtheater.org/The theme for this year’s event followed that of a horse race and was titled Celebrity Charades 2011: Down and Derby. Players included:
Each celebrity player was gifted a RAYMOND WEIL timepiece.
Labyrinth Theater Company is one of the nation’s leading ensemble theater companies driven by a diverse group of over 120 actors, directors, playwrights and designers from a wide array of cultural perspectives.
RAYMOND WEIL, both nationally and internationally, has created a strong presence in the arts. A sponsor for the last four years of Brit Awards, a supporter of American Idol and a VH1 Save The Music sponsor, RAYMOND WEIL takes pride in the support of new and emerging talent within the theater business.
Sponsoring Labyrinth Theater Company was the ideal partnership with not only a strong non-profit organization, but actors and actresses, that all hold the same core beliefs. RAYMOND WEIL prides itself in aestheticism, watch making know-how and creativity, the core values that consolidate the basis of the brand’s philosophy.
(This blog copy has been brought to you by Raymond Weil. No celebrities were hurt in the making of this blog post. No gifts were exchanged either, although I did ask.:) I know I could look wistfully into the camera moving my wrist around just like that model did in their ad. I just know it!:)
Because you know, ‘‘ Precision Is My Inspiration ’’ too!:)
A friend sent me this story and I thought I’d share it too since we have so much to be grateful for today. Happy Thanksgiving!
This short doc is well worth your time. I had no idea this was going on that day. Probably a lot of other people didn't realize it either.
This is so good. It really depicts the heart and character of the American spirit. It really makes you proud to be AN AMERICAN...
An amazing video of the 9/11 disaster you may not be aware of; "The largest boat rescue in history ever. Bigger than Dunkirk World War II where 350,000 soldiers rescued by boat.” This is a very moving video about 9/11 and something I’d never heard of before.
This is amazing. I hope you take the time to watch Boatlift, An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience. Narrated by Tom Hanks. You will be blessed. Try to watch it without crying. I doubt you can.
"I believe everyone has a little hero in them. Look inside. It's in there." I love New Yorkers!
Here's a highlight and exhortation from the President of Atlanta's High Tech Ministries with Lincoln's full proclamation linked below. As valid today as back in 1863.
"Several years ago the Stevens family started a Thanksgiving tradition. One that I hope you will share with us tomorrow. Each year as our Thanksgiving dinner is being served, we read an excerpt from President Abraham Lincoln's Proclamation, which set aside the last Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving and praise. This is a stark reminder not only of the source of blessings, individually and collectively, but also of the national conscience regarding God's sovereign hand in the matters of state.
This year, will you start your Thanksgiving meal by sharing in our tradition?
Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation
'The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.
I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.'
President Abraham Lincoln
October 3, 1863
*To read the full text of Lincoln's Proclamation, click here.
1 Chronicles 16:8 "Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done."
Everyone is invited -- bring your family and friends for a truly grateful Thanksgiving. If you don't have plans, consider joining Dave Sloan of Serving God's Kids as he organizes this amazing charity outreach.
It's not too late and every little bit helps...
8:00 AM Start cooking (Gateway has an awesome kitchen)
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM NEW -- DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS! Fellowship/arts/crafts/activities. Also coffee/tea/pastries/snacks
1:00 PM Meal is served (volunteers and residents all eat together)
2:00 PM Short gathering for group sharing and message of encouragement
3:00 PM Until . . . After-party at home of Larry Schauer: Address provided upon rsvp.
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HOW TO HELP -- WE STILL NEED: <> 10 hams <> 400 servings dressing <> Side dishes 400 servings
For 120 women and 40 kids of various ages: <> Gloves, pull-over caps, socks <> Hygiene kits (travel sized toiletry items) <> Towels (bath and hand towels)
<> Christmas decorations (Once we finish in the overflow we can do the upper floors, so the more the merrier)
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MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION:
ONLINE: www.ServingGodsKids.org -- click “give,” put the amount in “Local Mission.” If desired, use adjacent box to designate targeted gift such as turkeys, Marta cards, etc.
BY CHECK: Make check out to “Youth Support,” write “Gateway” in the memo, mail to:
Youth Support, Inc. 462 E. 4th Street, St. Charles, MN 55972
If donating by check please send an email letting us know to expect your donation: dave (at) servinggodskids (dot) org
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ABOUT THE GATEWAY CENTER (Gateway, which used to be the Atlanta Jail, sits immediately adjacent to the new Atlanta jail)
In addition to its other, more comprehensive, services, Gateway offers the only large-scale emergency shelter for women and kids in Atlanta. 80-150 women and kids sleep on mats on the concrete floor of the lobby.
DIRECTIONS / PARKING (Pay attention. This area is DANGEROUS) 75-85 S to exit 248A MLK Blvd. Continue to Peachtree St. and turn left. Continue 2.5 blocks and look for "Free at Last Bail Bonds" on your right at 233 Peachtree Street SW 30303. The BACK of The Gateway Center will be on your left. Park for $3 in the lot immediately after "Free at Last Bail Bonds." Park and come around to the FRONT of the Gateway Center on Pryor St.
*Alternative: $8 parking is available in several lots on Pryor Street, which runs parallel to Peachtree.
10 simple steps we all can take to help make this season less wasteful and more plentiful
Washington, D.C.----The holiday season is a time for gifts, decorations, and lots and lots of food. As a result, it's also a time of spectacular amounts of waste. In the United States, we generate an extra 5 million tons of household waste each year between Thanksgiving and New Year's, including three times as much food waste as at other times of the year. When our total food waste adds up to 34 million tons each year, that equals a lot of food. With the holidays now upon us, the Worldwatch Institute offers 10 simple steps we all can take to help make this season less wasteful and more plentiful.
"Family, community, love and gratitude are all unlimited resources," says Worldwatch President Robert Engelman. "Unfortunately, food and the energy, water and other natural resources that go into producing food are not. The logical strategy is to let ourselves go in enjoying the unlimited conviviality and communion of the holidays, but to avoid wasting the limited resources. Even simple shifts toward sustainability----and reducing food waste is an easy one----can have major impacts when multiplied by millions of people."
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, roughly one-third of all food produced for human consumption----approximately 1.3 billion tons----is lost or wasted each year. Consumers in developed countries such as the United States are responsible for 222 million tons of this waste, or nearly the same quantity of food as is produced in all of sub-Saharan Africa.
"With nearly a billion people going hungry in the world, including 17.2 million households within the United States, reducing the amount of food being wasted is incredibly important," says Danielle Nierenberg, director of Worldwatch's Nourishing the Planet project. "We need to start focusing on diverting food from going into our trashcans and landfills and instead getting it into the hands of those who need it most."
The Nourishing the Planet (www.NourishingthePlanet.org) team recently traveled to 25 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, and soon will be traveling to Latin America, shining a spotlight on communities that serve as models for a more sustainable future. The project is unearthing innovations in agriculture that can help alleviate hunger and poverty while also protecting the environment. These innovations are elaborated in Worldwatch's annual flagship report, State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet.
As Americans prepare for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, here are 10 tips to help reduce the amount of food we waste:
Before the meal: Plan your menu and exactly how much food you'll need.
1. Be realistic: The fear of not providing enough to eat often causes hosts to cook too much. Instead, plan out how much food you and your guests will realistically need, and stock up accordingly. The Love Food Hate Waste organization, which focuses on sharing convenient tips for reducing food waste, provides a handy "Perfect portions" planner to calculate meal sizes for parties as well as everyday meals.
2. Plan ahead: Create a shopping list before heading to the farmers' market or grocery store. Sticking to this list will reduce the risk of impulse buys or buying unnecessary quantities, particularly since stores typically use holiday sales to entice buyers into spending more.
During the meal: Control the amount on your plate to reduce the amount in the garbage.
3. Go small: The season of indulgence often promotes plates piled high with more food than can be eaten. Simple tricks of using smaller serving utensils or plates can encourage smaller portions, reducing the amount left on plates. Guests can always take second (or third!) servings if still hungry, and it is much easier (and hygienic) to use leftovers from serving platters for future meals.
4. Encourage self-serve: Allow guests to serve themselves, choosing what, and how much, they would like to eat. This helps to make meals feel more familiar and also reduces the amount of unwanted food left on guests' plates.
After the meal: Make the most out of leftovers.
5. Store leftovers safely: Properly storing our leftovers will preserve them safely for future meals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that hot foods be left out for no more than two hours. Store leftovers in smaller, individually sized containers, making them more convenient to grab for a quick meal rather than being passed over and eventually wasted.
6. Compost food scraps: Instead of throwing out the vegetable peels, eggshells, and other food scraps from making your meal, consider composting them. Individual composting systems can be relatively easy and inexpensive, and provide quality inputs for garden soils. In 2010, San Francisco became the first U.S. city to pass legislation encouraging city-widecomposting, and similar broader-scale food composting approaches have been spreading since.
7. Create new meals: If composting is not an option for you, check out Love Food Hate Waste's creative recipes to see if your food scraps can be used for new meals. Vegetable scraps and turkey carcasses can be easily boiled down for stock and soups, and bread crusts and ends can be used to make tasty homemade croutons.
8. Donate excess: Food banks and shelters gladly welcome donations of canned and dried foods, especially during the holiday season and colder months. The charity group Feeding America partners with over 200 local food banks across the United States, supplying food to more than 37 million people each year. To find a food bank near you, visit the organization'sFood Bank Locator.
9. Support food-recovery programs: In some cases, food-recovery systems will come to you to collect your excess. In New York City, City Harvest, the world's first food-rescue organization, collects approximately 28 million pounds of food each year that would otherwise go to waste, providing groceries and meals for over 300,000 people.
Throughout the holiday season: Consider what you're giving.
10. Give gifts with thought: When giving food as a gift, avoid highly perishable items and make an effort to select foods that you know the recipient will enjoy rather than waste. The Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit, works with farmers and producers in tropical areas to ensure they are practicing environmentally sustainable and socially just methods. The group's certified chocolates, coffee, and teas are great gifts that have with long shelf-lives, and buying them helps support businesses and individuals across the world.
As we sit down this week to give thanks for the people and things around us, we must also recognize those who may not be so fortunate. The food wasted in the United States each year is enough to satisfy the hunger of the approximately 1 billion malnourished people worldwide, according to Tristram Stuart, a food waste expert and contributing author to State of the World 2011. As we prepare for upcoming holiday celebrations, the simple changes we make, such as using food responsibly and donating excess to the hungry, can help make the holiday season more plentiful and hunger-free for all.
(I did not write this, but I liked it so much I just copied it in full from a media pitch. Hope you enjoyed it. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!)
Every time you have a perception of a certain thing, it will grow and evolve as time goes on and my opinion on Andy Stanley's church and members has drastically taken a turn for the better over the course of the past few weeks.
Not that I thought everyone was bad, but I was allowing certain attendees to influence my opinion poorly. Not that you care, but for those who want to hold a negative view of the church and Christianity because it makes you feel better, this is one story where you won't be able to once you read what I am about to share with you.
I know it changed my mind and opened my heart like nothing else could.
Being new to the South everything is new to me and I love seeing how people do church and community out here. Years ago I ran across Pastor Louie Giglio's 7:22 singles service online and was so encouraged to see young people worshipping and learning about God here in Atlanta, Georgia as I sat at my computer watching them all the way across the country in Hermosa Beach, CA.
I always wondered why we didn't have a dynamic singles ministry out there in CA like this one and would send prayer requests to Louie and his church to pray for Hermosa Beach and our surrounding beach cities at the height of my politicking to change the drinking and partying culture there.
God moved in Hermosa and we did see some change. Then I moved out of the area and stopped my involvement because I was burnt out. Trying to change a beach community built on years and years and years of drinking and partying wasn't what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing.
Plus, when you're the only single person speaking out on the issue, it doesn't necessarily make you popular with other singles who happen to like drinking and partying very much.:)
I realized sometimes you have to let go and let God. God is moving there without me since I know others who have picked up the cause, or continue to fight for it.:) Just not my issue any more.
God continued to move in my life and eventually after a short stint back in Hollywood and other factors, decided it was finally time to leave CA altogether and made the trip out to GA in late July. Upon arrival, my friends invited me to attend Andy Stanley's Buckhead Church and Louie Giglio's Passion City Church which I gladly did.
I kept thinking something looked familiar and it wasn't till a few weeks of attending that I realized this was the same pastor and church environment I had watched online so many years ago which I had wanted so badly to be part of back then.
Now that I'm here it's hard to believe how much God is doing in and through this community. Buckhead Church, which is part of Northpoint Ministries and one of the five campuses, is where I've been attending most regularly. These past few weeks seeing God's love in action through the lives of those who attend has blown me away.
What I really like about Pastor Andy Stanley is he gets how people need challenges (men especially. Ever read Wild At Heart? I did and it really helped me understand men and their need for challenges. More pastors need to read it!), BIG challenges, and he and his team created the Be Rich 11 campaign to do just that.
Apparently, every year for seven weeks in November through December, the entire church is encouraged to Give and Serve to bless the community. Donations are given above and beyond our regular tithing which are not used by the church at all. Just donated straight to the charities designated as beneficiaries. Last year they raised $500,000 which all went straight to a range of charities spread throughout all of Atlanta, GA.
This year, Andy encouraged us to give more and gave us a goal of 1 million for the entire seven weeks of this Be Rich 11 campaign. Here's the video to show you what the entire Be Rich 11 Campaign is all about:
WELL! Not only did we as a Christian body raise ONE MILLION DOLLARS, but we did it in a week's time and raised a total of ONE POINT SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS! I was blown away hearing this because I know they will distribute it straight to so many charities throughout the city that are really hurting financially in this economy.
Amazing generosity out here in Georgia! What one of my friends pointed out that he appreciated and I do too, is that now that goal is achieved, we're moving onto the next one rather than continuing to raise money like other fundraisers might have been tempted to do.
Our next challenge was to commit to volunteering as a church community for a total of 8,000 service hours during that specific time frame yet again and these opportunities are explained in the following videos as recommended suggestions.
Please watch because the quality is amazing and this will explain everything much better than I can:
Not only did people volunteer, we now have 13,000 service hours on the books which will be done over the next few weeks! Again, amazing generosity and seeing God's love in action blows me away!
Now that it's Thanksgiving week, we're invited to help collect 25 TONS OF FOOD to fill pantries of local food banks. That's 25 NFL teams in food form and will serve 5,000 people a week. The church broke it down and that's 2 lbs per person to achieve our goal.
I know, sounds impossible, right? But as I begin to know these Southern Christians the little I do, I have no doubt it will happen. Here's the video to explain it all visually if you learn by hearing:
Isn't this amazing? No wonder the church is busting at the seams to hold everyone. Did you know this Christian community at Northpoint is the second largest church in the country? Wouldn't you want to be part of something this dynamic? I know I do.
I love how all these efforts are based on the Bible verse found in I Timothy 6:18 too: "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share."
God's love in action. I love it.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'll keep you posted on the results of this 25 ton food goal!
Celebrity dancer, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, made a visit to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to deliver toys and books to the children participating in dance therapy recently a publicist was kind enough to share with me, perhaps knowing how much I like cute guys giving back to society?:)
Maks danced and interacted with patients in the Mark Taper-Johnny Mercer Artists Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, which brings a wide array of arts experiences to critically and chronically ill children, teens, and families.
The donated toys were collected by Cost Plus World Market, as a part of their Share the Joy program. (Gotta love the name!:) You can see all of the photos from the event on Wire Image here.
Now wasn't that nice? I know many non-celebrities do charitable things for others as unsung heroes in their communities (DD!:), but since Hollywood can be so self-centered and selfish I like to recognize those stars who do give back because children need to see positive TV role-models.
"When 'My Week With Marilyn' hits theaters next week, Marilyn lovers will have the opportunity to watch actress Michelle Williams channel this fashionable global icon.
Monroe was a private woman off set and when not strutting her sex-kitten persona, she stuck to a monochromatic wardrobe. Hardly did she ever veer from white, cream, beige, camel, red and black. Aside from her signature white halter dress, Marilyn was also famous for being photographed in chunky caridgans, capri pants and pencil skirts.
Check out how you can achieve Marilyn's simple and luxurious look for less at UniqueVintage.com."
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN star Michelle Williams, co-star Dominic Cooper and Director Simon Curtis on the red carpet at AFI FEST presented by Audi 2011.
David Kim is convinced that success comes to those who start!
And start he did. David Kim “Ignited” his life and started forward. His story is about how he went from a new American immigrant to the CEO and owner of numerous food brands, including: Baja Fresh, Sweet Factory, La Salsa and several others.
What does it take to think big? What principles can you adopt to get started, and stay on the path to success? And once success starts happening … come to grips with what life is really all about?
David Kim is the Gathering of Men speaker for our 2011 Fall breakfast events in Torrance, Anaheim, and Pasadena. He’s going to talk business, personal development principles, profit-boosting insights for building toward success, but he’s also going to talk about what really matters in life. The bottom-line principles that all of us men can use to fuel our journey toward true success and significance.
How can we survive in this day and age? By incorporating the right principles into our lives out there in the marketplace. We all want to survive and thrive – David’s personal testimony will inspire you and warm your heart to move your life forward to significance.
You won’t want to miss the unique story of David Kim’s success story, and the transformation he has experienced along the journey.
My friend said they should rename it the Peach Pitch Summit.:) Robert was very gracious. I'm not normally starstruck, but I was with him!:) He's a Hollywood legend.
Since I know I'm too "Christian" for some, and perhaps not Christian enough for others, I thought I'd post some factual data on the sociological, economic and emotional impact of divorce on society just because it's not discussed much publicly and needs to become more a part of public discourse.
As someone who has grown up with parents who have stayed married for over 40 years I never realized how much divorce impacts people until recently. I had no idea how to answer my friend when she asked me why she was always struggling, always wondering why God hadn't stepped in to help her, and why she felt so alone until I began researching divorce recently. All the pieces fell into place on why she has this victim mentality when I realized she grew up in a divorced household with an absentee father whereas I did not.
What I found fascinating though, in reading Long-Term Influence of Divorce and Single Parenting on Adolescent, Family- and work-related values, behaviors, and aspirations, is that it really comes down to the individual and how they respond to these situations. That gives me hope and encouragement because I know my childhood wasn't perfect, yet I continually strive to grow and change through reading, speaking to people, taking constructive criticism when needed, seeking counseling, attending seminars and conferences to aid in my learning about how to be a better person which I believe has lead to a more centered, forward-thinking, positive viewpoint on life overall.
I believe your past doesn't have to own you, although it will shape you. It's up to you on how you choose to live your life and deal with life's issues. However, I don't agree with throwing away a marriage after 72 days.
Britney Spears throwing hers away after 55 hours was a little much, but at least we didn't get bombarded with billboards, advertisements, magazine covers etc touting that Las Vegas wedding. Look at how it affected her for awhile after too.
Not to say there aren't certain circumstances when divorce does seem to be the only option, but I really doubt it in Kim's case. However, I do want to say I admire single parents immensely because according to this research, "Single parent women experience the highest rate of unemployment, and receive the lowest rate of pay regardless of their education." (Economic Roundtable, 2004)
On the flip side, "Fewer than 17% of all single moms receive government assistance even in the minor form of food stamps." (Economic Roundtable, 2002) Women are doing an amazing job of raising children by themselves, often without ex-spousal support: "$39 billion dollars is owed in back child support to 29 million children of single parent women." (2000 National Child Support Report)
I guess what's shocking and sad to me is this statistic: "Of the 27 industrialized countries studied by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. had 25.8 percent of children being raised by a single parent, compared with an average of 14.9 percent across the other countries."
What does this say about America? I believe Kim Kardashian's flippant attitude towards marriage on such a vast platform as E! Entertainment Television plays a part when she is supposedly a role-model for young, impressionable girls. Is this really who we want influencing society today?
I found this statistic to be shocking too, even though it doesn't relate to the Kardashians. "72% of all African American children will be raised by a single parent." I don't understand this cultural phenomenen. Don't believe me? Read it all here: 72 Percent Of Black Kids Raised By Single Parent, 25% Overall In U.S. That's a huge statistic!
"Dr. Natalie Carroll, an obstetrician who has dedicated her 40-year career to helping black women, feels (this) is unfortunate.
'"The girls don't think they have to get married. I tell them children deserve a mama and a daddy. They really do. A Mama can't give it all. And neither can a Daddy, not by themselves,"' Dr. Carroll says. '"Part of the reason is because you can only give that which you have. A Mother cannot give all that a man can give. A truly involved father figure offers more fullness to a child's life."'
This is not just an opinion. According to Children-our investment.org, homes without fathers ultimately affect children in numerous tragic ways:
63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes
90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes
85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes
80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes
71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes
75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes
85% of all youths in prison come from fatherless homes.
Not only are these statistics heartbreaking, it applies to African-American homes in disproportionate numbers. Compared to the 72 percent in our communities, 17 percent of Asians, 29 percent of whites, 53 percent of Hispanics and 66 percent of Native Americans were born to unwed mothers in 2008, the most recent year for which government figures are available. The rate for the overall U.S. population was 41 percent."
If you're a regular Kardashian watcher like I have been, again, "have been" being the operative word, do you remember when Khloe came to Kris K. to make sure a pre-nup was in place to protect their empire just before the Kardashian million dollar wedding?
I do and it bothered me then to see this marriage considered a business transaction, as it does to me even more so now. Or, do you remember when Kim chose not to change her last name on the wedding license for fear of damaging her brand? C'mon! This isn't normal "in love" behavior - it's a calculated business decision, more concerned with brand and money than love.
Yes, protect your assets, but if getting a pre-nup and no-fault divorce wasn't so easy, perhaps people would really think hard about getting into a marriage in the first place rather than thinking, let's make sure our exit strategy is in place first like Kris Jenner did for Kim.
I like this mediator's perspective on the Psychological and Emotional Aspects of Divorce. What's interesting to note here is that none of the typical "emotional stages of divorce" have manifested in the Kardashian union. Read this and see why so many are calling this merely a publicity stunt because wouldn't it make sense that maybe ONE of these might have been observed?
So, for all intensive purposes, the Kardashian wedding appears to be nothing more than a business transaction if all indicators continue to play out on what a real marriage entails. Is this really who we want influencing youth? I don't think so which is why I'm asking E! Entertainment to take Kim Kardashian off the air for awhile.
Let her be human, deal with her mess, and live a real life for once away from the incessant cameras and publicity machine E! and her mother and agents perpetrate with no thought of her as a human being. Take money out of the picture and put humanity back in.
Society deserves better. Kim deserves better. TV viewers deserve better.
My heart physically hurts in my chest over the state of marriage in society today. I haven't felt this heart ache since the pain I felt over the drunken, out-of-control Six Man Volleyball Tournament in Manhattan Beach years back when I worked diligently to change it for future generations to a more sane environment.
It literally breaks my heart that people like Kim Kardashian are throwing their marriage away rather than work things out. I have seen, read and heard so many stories of marriages that were on the brink of divorce that God was able to bring healing to, it's painful to hear her story and others. I know, it's stupid to be so caught up over a celebrity, but she impacts the society we live in whether you want to admit it or not.
Again, I've never been married, but I have avoided marriage with many guys I've loved because I knew we'd never last as a married couple. I remember dating one guy for three years and finally going to couples therapy to see if we could save our relationship or should get married. Even the counselor said we weren't right for each other.:)
Ever sincethat time I always swore I would attend pre-marital counseling with whomever I did fall in love with and become engaged to just to make sure I was making the right decision for the long-term success of my marriage. I know it doesn't always work out even if you get counseling though, but at least it's a step in the right direction. More than what Kim took apparently.
Here's one resource Associate Pastor Charles Qualls recommends: "PREPARE/ENRICHis the leading relationship inventory and couples assessment tool. Scientifically validatedas a foundational program for premarital counseling, marriage enrichment, couples therapy, marriage mentoring and marriage education. PREPARE/ENRICH automatically tailors the content of the relationship assessment to fit each couple's unique relationship stage and family structure."
He's written numerous books on the subject too which you can see here.
There's a myriad of issues that can affect a relationship you won't know until you're in it, but to casually end something simply because of the no-fault divorce rulings in this day and age rather than work through it as I feel Kim Kardashian is doing, breaks my heart because she influences so many young people today.
I've decided I have to let this go or suffer a heart attack it bothers me so much. I know, stupid, but for some reason the flippant manner in which Kris Jenner is "handling" this "business proposition" only indicates to me this "marriage" was never taken seriously and that bothers me too.
I wish Bruce Jenner would step up for once and speak words of advice into this situation. He's been married to Kris, who hasn't been the easiest woman in the world to be married to, yet he's done it for years and years and years. He's got to be doing something right and have some words of wisdom on how to deal with being married to a Kardashian, right?
I still feel Kris Jenner needs to step back from her manager role and simply be Kim's mother for once. It's like they're a machine and since this cog has broken, they're just picking up and creating a new business cog without any remorse, any effort, and any acknowledgement of the mockery they've made of the sanctity of marriage, or the impact this stupidity will have on impressionable young girls who look up to her as a role-model
(Why? I have no idea, but know they do for a fact.)
If, Kris Jenner, you are a Christ follower as you say you are, then live your life according to the Bible not E! and recognize God hates divorce. Share this with your daughter too. Here's an article which goes into greater detail if you're interested:
Yes Kim, it's painful to see your immature husband acting out right after you're married. Yes Kim, his being messy when you're OCD is upsetting. Yes Kim, not wanting to leave your career in CA for the cold winters of MN is an issue, but is this really worth breaking up over? I've seen worse issues and people come out the other side fine!
Grow up! Honor your vows. Be different than all the other celebrities who so casually throw away marriage like it's an old blanket they don't feel will keep them warm any longer. If you truly follow Christ, then live differently. Even in the public eye. Maybe more so!
I have seen so many marriages turn around by the grace of God when they were considered a loss I have faith God can do a miracle in any relationship. I've seen, heard and read about too many not to. I've also watched my parent's marriage and seen them weather many storms together the 40 plus years they've been married.
I can remember going away to summer camp after high school and praying they'd stay married until I returned it was such a rocky road back then, but they love each other and even though it's not the lovey dovey relationship I know my Mom would like, they are each other's rock.
I guess that's why my heart breaks when I see people divorce. I know the horrible statistics for children's future success as the unintentional victims of divorce and it's painful to read here in this article: The Effects of Divorce on America
"Richardson and McCabe (2001) conducted a study on the impact of parental divorce, conflict, and intimacy with parents during the adolescent stage. In their study, Richardson and McCabe pointed out that adolescence is a time of change and divorce can be an added stressor that can impact adjustment. Conflict within the home negatively impacts interpersonal relationships. Previous research has shown that parent-child relationships are predictors for young adult interpersonal relationships.
Richardson and McCabe measured seven aspects: life satisfaction, depression, anxiety, stress, opposite-sex relations, same-sex relations, and self-concept. 167 undergraduate students participated in the study. They found that participants from a divorced home had lower life satisfaction, higher anxiety, and poorer same-sex relations as compared to participants form intact homes. Overall, divorce and inter-parental conflict was found to impact adjustment."
Is this really the direction we want to continue to live as a society? I totally agree with Comedian Rob Delaney about suing Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian to stay married. Have you seen it?
'"I'm suing Kim Kardashian and Ryan Seacrest and E! Entertainment Television and Comcast for perpetrating what we now know to be a hoax, their marriage,"' he told MTV News on Tuesday. '"It can't be real. I want them to stay married. I want them to stick it out, so as an incentive, I am suing them for monetary damages — but only $18 million, not a lot. That's just what she was paid for the wedding episodes themselves."'
I hope he's serious. Someone, even a comedian, needs to be the voice of reason in this stupid "reality" play. Don't you agree?
This is the best news I could have read on this topic. I really hope they take it off the air for awhile at least to give time for Kim to actually deal with the consequences of her actions in private rather than in public. At a certain point, the show must not always go on and this is detrimental to society as a whole.
If you're a role-model for young people, then be a good role-model. Not a greedy, money-focused family because that's how this has played out. I used to really enjoy watching the show as my guilty pleasure because it's fun to see the mishaps, fights and issues they've dealt with, but divorce is too serious an issue to dramatize and play out before the cameras.
If all involved are serious about this not merely being an opportunity for everyone to make millions, then do the right thing for once and take this show off the air indefinitely. Let's see how the family survives away from the spotlight and see if Kris Jenner becomes more a mother, than a machine like she comes across so often lately.
This truly, truly, truly breaks my heart. I have cried over this and hope at least one person will look at their own marriage a little differently as a result.
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