Comments for BERRY STREET BEACON

Comment on A NATION OF CHINESE JUNK by Charlotte A. Weybright

Charlotte A. Weybright — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 15:27:25 +0000

Also, I went in to my settings page, and I think I found the problem. I had been working on revamping, and I had to check a box to allow comments. It is checked, so I think that should take care of it. I changed themes, so I am still learning my new theme.

Comment on A NATION OF CHINESE JUNK by Charlotte A. Weybright

Charlotte A. Weybright — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 15:17:20 +0000

CW – and God’s will also includes decreasing the ability of males to procreate, yet the Catholic Church and other anti-birth control churches provide coverage of ED drugs. No interference, right? Hypocrisy to the max. Again, watch the ED commercials – they are selling intimacy and sexual relations – not procreation. You can’t have it both ways. How is ED a horse of a different color? ED drugs interfere with God’s plan that males lose the ability to procreate at a certain point in their lives. If they cannot have sexual relations, they cannot procreate. Thus, God has established that at some point perhaps it is time to top procreating. Thus, the provision of ED drugs interferes with God’s plan.

And, I totally disagree as to your statement that it is “old men” telling women what to do. Of course it is. Who makes the rules in the Catholic Church or the other ultra conservative churches that argue birth control is forbidden? How many women are in those hierarchies helping to make those decisions?

Does it not even concern you that stats show that most want coverage of birth control – even Catholic women? Again, this is where you are not acknowledging who controls church policy. It is the old male clique that is in control.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2012/02/contraception-catholic-bishops-obama-hhs/1#.UQ5-HPLYGBs

Comment on A NATION OF CHINESE JUNK by CW martin

CW martin — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 15:01:21 +0000

Charlotte, I don’t seem to be able to figure out how to comment directly on your blog without joining wordpress, which seems a little inconvenient to me as I have no desire to move my own blog from blogger. The alternative, it seems, is to click on one of your “recent comments” which is the only way I can get there.
That said, excuse my having to comment on your post on birth control on this post but so it goes. Anyway, you misinterpret vastly the Catholic reasoning behind the banning of birth control. Catholics believe that the genesis of life should be God’s will, not mans. It has nothing to do with a bunch of old men trying to tell women how to live their lives- it is respect for the potentiality of life in every sperm, every egg. And plus, it is their faith, and as liberals so often say when they scream at Christmas creches, all faiths should be respected. McDonalds recently was sued by the Muslim community in Dearborn because the allowed non- “kosher” (not the right term for Muslims, I know) chicken to be served AS kosher. Surely you wouldn’t brush them off with an, “Oh, it’s no big deal,” would you?
When you are directly affected by a Catholic policy, then you have every right to speak up. This is not the case hear. Your belief system and your pocketbook is not harmed if a Catholic organization opts out of providing birth control. And ED is certainly a horse of a different color, but I hear liberals use it as an example all too often. One involves a potential life, one doesn’t. Simple as that.

I realize the basic difference here is your conception of where life begins versus someone elses. That’s fine, not gonna try to change your mind. But you ask for respectful discussion on your comments section… and I think you fail it here on your post.

Comment on A NATION OF CHINESE JUNK by Charlotte A. Weybright

Charlotte A. Weybright — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 14:20:21 +0000

Kathryn – thank you for stopping by. You are right, we have done a lot to ourselves, but government officials have taken the extraordinary role of approving literally every Free Trade agreement that comes across their desks. I have been very disappointed in President Obama’s support of Free Trade Agreements. And, consumers compound the misery by flocking to Walmart, Meijer, etc., for cheaply-priced goods. But, with the outsourcing, the war on unions, the increased use of robots, and the unemployment situation, business pretty much has the worker in its control – at least at this time. Lower wages mean less money to spend, and, sadly, that means shopping wherever prices are cheap.

I have made it a point to vote with my wallet since I feel that is the primary way I can make my opinions count. I have become pretty much die hard on the issue. I even avoid chain restaurants and frequent our many amazing urban core restaurants in Fort Wayne. I like to buy my groceries at our local coop and an international market as well as local ethnic markets. I do buy sometimes at the nearby Scott’s Grocery – but, much to my disappointment, it was sold to Kroger’s a few years ago. Its one saving grace is that it is still just a grocery store – no mega-store like Meijer. It carries some non-grocery items such as a small number of toys, some cookware, but all in all, it is still a food store.

I do admit the one big-box I still frequent is Lowe’s. I am on my own and work on my home as much as I can. I have my own workshop, but I will search for and pay extra for a tool or item made in the USA.

Comment on WHY A “BLEEDING HEART LIBERAL?” by Charlotte A. Weybright

Charlotte A. Weybright — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 14:04:58 +0000

Beth – Thank you! It is good to know I am not alone in this. Being a Hoosier, life can sometimes be rough as a BHL. I hope you enjoy my articles.

Comment on WHY A “BLEEDING HEART LIBERAL?” by Beth Appel

Beth Appel — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 16:58:50 +0000

I just discovered Berry Street Beacon when searching for the source of Bleeding Heart Liberal since I am a self-identified BHL. I plan to go back and read more of what you have written. I wish we were neighbors.

Comment on A NATION OF CHINESE JUNK by kathryn

kathryn — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 05:25:34 +0000

I agree, we did do it to ourselves, but we also had help. It is the governments who put on tariffs, or take them away. I think if we could do it over again, the governments might not be so quick as to allow cheap imports in. As they say, 20/20 hindsight is perfect. For political reasons, governments may be unwilling to install tariffs. That doesn’t mean we can’t vote with our wallets. It seems the factories are slowly returning. After having access to such cheap junk, it will take awhile before we may be able to get our heads around paying for quality again. In the meantime, if you can’t find what you want made in your own country, consider buying secondhand. (buying something new from another country, doesn’t help you own country, even if it isn’t from China). This way a business isn’t needing to restock their shelves from overseas. Continue to talk to friends and family about wanting to buy nationally. They may have never considered it before, but may start to become more aware.

Comment on AN ACRID AIR – 2,000,000 CHICKENS HEADED FOR JAY COUNTY by kristi

kristi — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 20:13:37 +0000

Charlotte, I found this a couple years too late! Oh well. Just wanted to comment, I assume you have heard of the bad health prolems that can be caused by all of the hormones used in agricultural production? Well I had heard of it, but a couple years ago, it hit close to home. A very dear friend of my daughters, she was NINE at the time everything started, was affected horribly. I would have never known, had it not been for my chatty nature. My daughter and I were at the friends home, I was visiting with her mom in the kitchen. When she opened the fridge, I noticed organic milk. I always use organic, but was surprised that she did, so I asked her why she had organic milk. She told me that her daughter (which I had noticed though obviously never commented on) had been developing very large breasts. The poor little thing was mortified, none of her friends had breasts yet. They took her to a specialist, he told they had to stop letting her eat anything that was raised with hormones. She was full of hormones, and NOT her own. So all of their meat, milk, everything, they have to make sure is organic, NO hormones! Now I am even more pleased with my decision to raise my daughter as healthy as I can, and that means buying all of our meat etc from farmers that do not use hormones or antibiotcs. (I do not eat meat, but her father and she do. Am hoping she will choose a vegetarian lifestyle when she is older.)

Comment on VERA BRADLEY – THE ULTIMATE OUTSOURCER TO CHINA by Charlotte A. Weybright

Charlotte A. Weybright — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:07:47 +0000

Oh, and many 501(c)(3) nonprofits are tax exempt and donations/contributions to them are tax deductible. I am president of my neighborhood association, and we are a tax-exempt 501(c)(3). Donations are tax deductible to our contributors. The VB efforts are certainly laudable, but the donations, etc. that come in are tax deductible as charitable contributions.

Comment on VERA BRADLEY – THE ULTIMATE OUTSOURCER TO CHINA by Charlotte A. Weybright

Charlotte A. Weybright — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:34:42 +0000

Greggory:

For starters, here is your statement:

“PS CindaB was started by a man who stole everything he knew from his time spent working at VB. I wonder how long it takes him to get “greedy” and go overseas!”

That is a pretty clear statement. You had not done your research before you started responding. Although Mandelbaum was a co-owner, Barbara Baekgaard made the decision to close the company. And, of course, the products said “Made in China” – they were a company affiliated with Vera Bradley, and VB started outsourcing back in 2005-2006.

Pat Miller, as Daniels’ new head of the Indiana Department of Commerce, made trips to China circa 2005 and 2006. Coincidentally, right after those trips, VB started outsourcing. I have three VB products – all given to me because I certainly would not pay the outrageous prices for outsourced products. The first bag I received because it was part of a display at a local company, and VB did not want the products back. A friend asked me if I was interested in the bag for free. It was an $85 bag, so I said yes. That was 2006, and the bag said “Made in the USA.” The next year the same thing happened, and I was again offered a product for free – a bag that retailed for about $50. I took it, and I looked at the label out of curiosity some time after I brought it home. That was 2007, and the bag said “Made in China.” In fact, the tag had been slit to make it more difficult to read. I was shocked. In the one year’s time, VB had started outsourcing. So I then started looking at products carried by local companies such as Barnes and Noble. All made in China.

About two years later, I received a VB satchel as a Christmas gift, and the tag said “Made in China.” You are deluding yourself if you believe the reason VB outsources is to provide more jobs here in the U.S. Outsourcing overall has a negative job creation number. VB let go the three companies with 500 workers who had worked for VB for years. The owner of those companies then was fortunate enough to link up with Cinda B and is now producing products for her.

Outsourcing does not create jobs. It eliminates jobs. And, how is it you are so certain outsourcing would have created jobs? VB was growing as it was. Outsourcing is simply a form of exploitation of foreign countries: workers are paid a dismal wage, human rights are violated in the work place on a consistent basis, and the environment is trashed due to lack of regulation.

Outsourcing is based purely on profit. If companies want to outsource, then fine. But put a tariff or tax on them for doing so. And, finally, if Cinda b decides to outsource, you will see the same treatment on my blog as you see for VB.