MMM = MIA = Meh
Posted by Kathy | Filed under Movie Madness Mondays
You may have noticed that Movie Madness Monday has been Missing In Action for the past few weeks. The word “meh” has only recently entered my vocabulary, but I think that is the appropriate word to describe this unfortunate state of affairs. I’m sure Mari will correct me if I’m mistaken in my usage. 
Anyway, apparently Kendra thinks it’s more important to take care of her newborn son than to write a movie review, to which I say “Pfft!” As if Marcus were going anywhere. He just popped into this world! Where’s he gonna go? He’s a guy. He won’t even ask for directions.
Kristin is, I dunno, shooting a TV series or something. Apparently, this requires 14-16 hour days. You know what that means? That means there are still 8-10 hours left in the day to write a movie review! But I guess SOMEONE thinks it’s more important to use the remaining third of the day to do things like sleep. Or eat. Or, I dunno, breathe.
Tabby is off working on her master plan for world domination. I approve of this. I hope she remembers me when the time comes for her to pick a lieutenant.
And Mari…folks, can we please give poor Mari a break here? She already wrote the review for “Gray Matters” not that long ago. Plus, she’s a world-renowned expert in the use of the word “meh.” She’s done enough.
So what to do? Well, it has recently come to my attention that there’s a movie called “Twilight” coming out this week. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Apparently, it’s a very big deal. Because apparently, it’s based on a book that’s, like, a worldwide phenomenon. Dude…all I know is that there’s a guy who can run up trees or something, and he likes this girl, who likes him back, and there’s fighting. And there’s supposed to be a werewolf? But I didn’t see any werewolves in the preview, so I don’t know what that’s all about.
Am I clueless? Absolutely. But we’re not gonna review “Clueless”! We’re gonna review “Twilight”! Or rather…we were hoping that YOU hip and happenin’ gals would review “Twilight” because clearly, I haven’t the slightest idea what’s going on. So help us show Movie Madness Monday some love ladies. Who wants to review “Twilight”? Come one, come all! Whoohoo!
Tags: Movie Madness Mondays, twilight
From Desperation to Inspiration- A Personal Reflection
Posted by Brooke | Filed under Cool Shite, Empowerment, Fab Females, Inspiring Stories, Journey, Social Business
Desperate Brooke (2 years ago): Working at a restaurant in San Francisco finishing up college and living with a boyfriend that drained her that she really wasn’t very fond of in the first place. She is pictured here after she cut all her hair off in a desperate attempt to change her identity. Clearly, that didn’t go over so well!
Inspired Brooke (today): Living in Thailand working for 2 incredible organizations that empower people to change the world for the better by giving people opportunities that they never had before. She also has found herself in a happy and supportive relationship that proves to her that there really are great men out there. She is pictured below with Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Dr. Muhammad Yunus… in Bali!
If you would have asked me 2 years ago where I thought I’d be or what I thought I’d be doing today, I would have NEVER imagined that I would be here. Through what turned out to be an extremely fortunate series of events, even though it didn’t appear to be that way at the time!
It all began in mid-2006. I was fast approaching the end of my undergraduate career, and I was feeling overwhelmed with the state of the world. I was an International Relations major with a focus in Latin American studies and had been learning about how it seemed that everything had gone wrong in Latin America. In what was the span of my lifetime, there had been corruption, violence, intolerance, genocide and torture and the situation didn’t appear to be getting any better.
Then, one sunny mid-May afternoon, my life would be forever changed. We had a guest speaker in my Latin American Foreign Policy class. He was a torture survivor from El Salvador and he had come to America to speak to us about his experiences. At this time, I was also a double major in Spanish, so as he told his story, I could understand directly what he was saying, without the filter of a translator, and it was one of the most intense experiences of my life. Not only did this man look and sound similar to my own father, he also was kidnapped on my exact birth date. Needless to say, I felt a deep connection to this man and his experience.
After he left, I sat frozen in my seat not knowing what to do with myself. I was so deeply emotionally shaken by his story that I didn’t know how to move forward. What if this had happened to me? What if this had happened to my father? How can stories like this still be continuing today!? Torture is no joke.
Not long after this, the semester ended and I decided to take a semester off of school. Sure, I was 1 semester away from graduating but I became painfully aware that this particular area of IR just wasn’t for me. I thought, “If I am this emotional over guest speakers, how could I possibly be effective in this field? How would I be able to live a happy life when I personally felt so attached to these types of experiences?” I needed time to figure out what gave me strength. I knew what seemed to weaken me and make me feel helpless and overwhelmed, and while I knew that I wanted to be part of “the greater good”, I didn’t have the slightest idea about how I was going to contribute to it.
Lucky for me, I had an opportunity of a lifetime to help out with a small start-up non-profit based in San Francisco. Through my Nana, I learned that my grandfather’s cousin’s grandson (so this makes second cousin twice removed.. maybe?) was helping to build a website that had “something to do with international relations and the internet” my Nana had told me. She said, “It sounds like it’d be right up your alley. You should contact him.” I wrote an email to this newfound “cousin” of mine and learned that they were just started what would turn out to be Kiva- the world’s first online microlending platform that lets you connect directly with an entrepreneur in the developing world and loan them as little as $25 to start or grow their small businesses. A few days later I met with the handful of people that were starting Kiva.org and I became more involved.
From the moment I stepping into Kiva’s humble looking office I knew it. I knew that I had found my inspiration. I was in a room full of young, creative, motivated, energetic and intelligent people that were all working towards making the world better. They wanted to be the change they wanted to see in the world. And from this mixture, Kiva was born. I just happened to be in the right place in the right time- both physically and mentally.
As I continued to work with Kiva doing whatever they needed me to do, I found myself still struggling. I was working with Kiva on a volunteer basis and was still earning my money from hostessing at a restaurant. The incestuousness of the restaurant got the best of me and before I knew it I had been living the chef-turned-boyfriend in our apartment for about 4 months. Things went bad really quickly and I found myself extremely unhappy with my restaurant job and my relationship. I knew I needed to make a real change. I knew that a better life was possible. I needed to make a move.
So I ended the relationship, quit my job and bought a 1-way ticket to Bangkok, Thailand! Talk about a bold move! Before I knew it, it was bye-bye San Francisco and helloooooo Bangkok!
Not too long after my move I decided to look for a job in the social business sector. Social business is essentially a business that does something to make the world better. Not just selling a product, but actually doing something with the primary goal being to help 1) a marginalized group of society (often poor or uneducated or physically disadvantaged people), 2) the environment (helping to do things such as restoration, recycling or having little to no “carbon footprint”) and 3) make enough money to stay in business and ideally to expand. So basically, it’s a business with a triple bottom line: people, planet and profit.
Through some research and emails I got a job as a “Regional Coordinator” at amazing organization doing incredible work here in Asia. The organization is called ChangeFusion, and they believe that any young person with innovative ideas, commitment and vision for social change should have a chance to emerge as a force to create a lasting impact by helping to solve global challenges. ChangeFusion is currently working with 23 ventures in the South and East Asia region, ranging from fair trade crafts venture in India to a social outsourcing venture in the Philippines.
Pretty exciting stuff if you ask me!
Now, I’m trying to think of how I can blend my passion for Kiva with my new found excitement with the profit making social business sector….
If you get anything from my story, please let it be confirmation that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE once you take good hard look at yourself, take a chance, make a change and follow your passion!
News Day Tuesday: Gay Marriage
Posted by Kathy | Filed under News Day Tuesday
At San Francisco City Hall, as many as 10,000 gathered, carrying signs, flags and even copies of their marriage licenses. (photo: Jim Wilson / NYT)
Tags: News Day Tuesday
Idea-ology 101
Posted by Tabby | Filed under Journey
Ideology. What a funny word. What does it even mean? Do you ever hear it and feel a bit puzzled? Do you ever use it and feel a bit puzzled? Have you never heard it before? Feeling puzzled?
Good, me too.
The last week has been an interesting theme for me in regards to my choices and purpose with regards to the kind of person that I want to be. Due to a specific proposition passed in California this election day, I have decided to take some time to think about what I stand for and the kind of person I want to be in this world and the values that I want to uphold, and what it might mean for me to uphold myself and my values. What could I lose to uphold them at any given cost?
I recently asked an amazing friend of mine the following question (paraphrased because I’m not that good at remembering speech verbatim): “In light of the recent popular-vote decisions regarding minorities made in government, what is the best method in effecting change in the world for minority groups?” I was looking for something along the lines of “Rally! Of course!” or “Don’t Rally! Sit peacefully like Gandhi.” or “Get everyone on your side.” Or “don’t support the system at all.” or some action that I could do that would somehow move the world around me.
You want to know his answer? “You must think about your ideology. You must be mindful of what you want to uphold. You must fully explore your values and know how it might effect the world before it can effect the world.” How interesting of a thought… I think this response goes along the lines of something that Gandhi might have said with regards to change in “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” How can one be the change if one has no firm concept of what that change is? How do you get this concept? What drives you to create and define these concepts of change that you must be to effect the world?
I was just thinking in terms of rallies and protests, what does it take to be the kind of person to march down a street with signs and chants, peacefully stating their disenchantment. What must you know about yourself and what you believe to take up that sign and march? Furthermor, what kind of person does it take to do this peacefully, compassionately, and non-blaming… and how different would this effect change as opposed to doing it more forcefully and disgrunted? Is there a difference in the potential effect?
I was just thinking about this because I heard, recently, of a movement of people who choose to do it more creatively and peacefully and include crafts and arts in the area that they stood, vigilant, singing. Do you think that this type of protest would or could be any differently moving than a more disenfranchised protest may be? Are there greater benefits for one over the other?
All of these questions are questions that I have been asking myself over and over this week. What is the greatest way to effect change in the world? To effect change in yourself, I think, is the only way to effect change in the world. At least that’s the realization that I’m working through right now. What do you guys think?
Tags: change, effects, ideology, tabby chapman
Marcus Terry Voth
Posted by Kendra | Filed under Baby
Hey Everyone!
The last two weeks have been a crazy wonderful blur. I really wanted to jump on here sooner and share so many things with all of you, but wee little Marcus and I are taking some quality time to get to know each other. Everyday he is learning more and more about being a baby and I am learning more and more about being a mommy. I am excited for you all to read our next newsletter about Marcus’s Halloween arrival. But in the mean time I want to thank you all for the amazing messages and all the love everyone has been sending out to MTV. hahaha! and NO! I soooo didnt not realize (until my mom pointed it out) that Marcus’s initials are MTV. Lets hope the kids in school go easy on him :).
Lots of Love!
Kendra and Marcus
Tags: Baby, Birth, Love, marcus
News Day Tuesday: Oy…The Economy. Pass me the aspirin.
Posted by Kathy | Filed under News Day Tuesday
(cartoon by Paul Hoppe - click on cartoon for more readable version)
By now, most of us have heard about the turmoil gripping many of the world’s economies. Governments left and right have been stepping in with multi-billion dollar packages to help prevent an economic apocalypse. The U.S. Congress approved a $700 billion bailout several weeks ago, and most recently, China unveiled a $586 billion stimulus plan. The sheer size of these numbers illustrates how gigantic the problem is, and as is typically the case with gigantic problems, a lot of people end up getting hurt - including young people.
Some teenagers might experience these economic aftershocks as hearing the word “No” more often from their parents when it comes to purchases. Other teens are cutting back on their own spending - eating out less, buying fewer clothes, etc. Still others are having a tougher time finding part-time jobs. And for many high school seniors, the upcoming months will be more difficult as they struggle with decisions about college and how to pay for it.
So what has been your experience so far? Have any of you been affected by the economic downturn?
And just to mix it up a little…for any of you out there interested in economics and economic policy…what do you think of the debate about government regulation versus free market capitalism? Some are arguing that the current disaster is proof that the free market doesn’t work - that when you give it free reign, it will fall victim to greed and corruption, and when the “invisible hand” purges the market of these negative excesses, that the people who are hit hardest are the people who are least able to weather the storm - in other words, the middle-class, the working class, and the poor. On the other hand, others argue that regulation is the real cause of the economic crisis. In the U.S., critics argue that if the government hadn’t interfered by exerting pressure to increase home-ownership among lower-income people, then the whole subprime mortgage/housing bubble mess wouldn’t have happened in the first place because people who couldn’t afford to pay for houses wouldn’t have been approved for loans to pay for those houses. Then others counterargue that the blame doesn’t lie with these home-ownership programs at all, but with the investment firms and credit rating agencies that made these mortgages worth more than they were, and the lenders who exhibited predatory behavior by targeting people with lower credit ratings and/or who didn’t fully undertand the terms of the loans. But then others argue that the people who applied for those mortgages should’ve known better than to agree to pay for something that they couldn’t handle - just because the banks approved the loans didn’t mean the borrowers had to sign the contracts.
Whew! That’s a lot of back-and-forth. So what do you think? What should the balance be when it comes to government regulation and the free market?
Tags: economy, News Day Tuesday
News Day Tuesday: Race and the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election
Posted by Kathy | Filed under News Day Tuesday
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain greet each other before their 2nd presidential debate. (photo by Paul J. Richards)
Citizens of the GBD! By the time you read this, I will have entered the booth, closed the drapes, flipped the switches, and pulled the lever! Whoohoo!! Yeah Election 2008!!! Should I calm down with the exclamation points? Ok.
This is my 4th presidential election. The first one was exciting because it was my first. The second one was a nail-biter (Bush vs. Gore, Florida, chads…this election was ultimately decided by 537 votes out of the almost 6 million votes cast in Florida. In other words, it came down to 0.009% of the people who voted in Florida). The third one was a heartbreaker. But this one, my fourth one, is by far the most exciting and intense election I’ve had the privilege to participate in.
As many of you have probably already heard about a bajillion times…this election is historic. One of the reasons for this is that Barack Obama is the first black American to have an honest-to-goodness chance at becoming the next President of the United States. In an ideal world, race would never have been an issue in this campaign. But unfortunately, we do not live an ideal world. And so, given this state of affairs, much has been written about how much of a factor race has played in this election.
Some have written about the “race card” or the “elephant in the room.” Others have written about the “Bradley effect.” There are articles about ordinary citizens and their honest responses to the topic of race. And finally, there are tons of articles about polling. One of the polls that has been written about is an Associated Press-Yahoo News poll, conducted by Stanford University, that asked participants questions related to race. You can read about the poll and its results here.
In order to gauge the participants’ views on race, the poll asked them how well certain adjectives (both positive and negative) described blacks. It also asked them how much they agreed with certain statements. For example, one of the statements was: “If blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites.” According to the poll, people who agreed with this statement were much less likely to support Obama than those who didn’t.
What’s interesting about this poll is the relatively new methods used to gather responses. One of these new (and somewhat controversial) methods is called the Implicit-Association Test (IAT). The IAT was developed to explore “the instant connections the brain draws between races and traits.” The IAT is administered on a computer, and the participant is instructed to associate a set of words with a particular set of images. The idea behind this test is not to accuse people of bigotry, but to heighten their awareness of attitudes or prejudices they may have, but which “are so deeply rooted that people may not realize they have them.” You can read more about the IAT in this article from Time Magazine. It’s a really interesting article about race and the brain, and not that long, so give it a read if you can. 
Anyway, the people who developed the IAT made one for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election. Participants are told whether they “slightly,” “moderately,” or “strongly” prefer either blacks or whites, and either Obama or McCain. I took this test and found the results both predictable and surprising. It doesn’t take long…about 10 minutes. And again, this isn’t a “test” test. The results are meant to open you up to yourself and to reflect, not to classify you as this or that type of person. If you’d like to take the test, or just read more about it, go here.
According to a New York Times article that came out a couple days ago, Barack Obama would lose if the election were restricted to only white voters. However, the article also says that Obama has more support among whites than Democratic nominees normally do. So what do you think? Has race played a major factor in this election? The latest Gallup poll shows Obama leading McCain by 11 percentage points. Do you think that’s more or less how things will turn out? Or will Obama win by significantly less than that? Or will he lose? If the actual results differ far from what the polls are predicting, how much do you think race accounted for the disparity?
Tags: election, News Day Tuesday, race
Marcus!
Posted by Kristin | Filed under Baby, Uncategorized
Here is the very first image of Kendra and Terry’s babe… He is awesome… I am in awe.
I visited today, and everyone is healthy, happy and tired. Kendra will write you all as she gets settled.
Love,
Kristin (and Kendra and Marcus)
Tags: Baby, kendra voth, marcus
A drum rolls somewhere
Posted by Tabby | Filed under Baby, Journey
YAY!!! I got this message from Kendra this morning:
Little Marcus Terry Voth joined the world on Halloween. 8lbs 1oz…
Kendra is doing fine! Full of joy and in awe of the child birth process that women go through. More to post from one of us with lovely photos and maybe a more personal story from Kendra herself. Hang tight, through the weekend at least.
Tags: Baby, childbirth, kendra voth, marcus
Movie Madness Mondays - The Others
Posted by Kendra | Filed under Movie Madness Mondays, Uncategorized
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Sooo…to stick in line with Halloween, I thought a great scary movie to watch over the weekend and review would be THE OTHERS! Check out the trailer gals….FREAKY!…maybe a good scary movie will scare me enough to get Extra Little (Big) to come on out of the womb. Tee hee!
xo
Kendra
Tags: Halloween, Movie Madness Mondays
