Beautiful photo, Dave!

I find it is best to allow people into one's personal life who add to it. Your Unfriended was certainly not adding anything positive to your life. Good for you for pressing that button. It's his loss! 

Part of the picture seems to be that it is necessary to grow more food, more efficiently, to feed the people of China. I was talking to a friend today who is just back from China and she was pointing out that the farmers of China have had small plots from which they feed their own family only. They are generally pleased to be paid for their plots, and given new homes. Often, they are also given jobs. 

This time let's hope China will make the great leap forward successfully.

What a beautiful baby! When you look back, these will be among the loveliest, happiest, days of your life. Relax and enjoy! They go too soon.

At the end of life, nothing else seems as fulfilling as one's children. They bring so much joy. :-) 

If we believe the latest statistics, it would appear that the military are an extremely randy lot, and not in control of their sexual urges. Surely this is not true, generally speaking.

Also, aren't male on male sexual assault cases higher than those male on female?

Having lived in mining towns that have disappeared almost overnight, and in Northern Rhodesia, Africa, which became Zambia, and transformed overnight, when economic activity ceases, most people have to leave. 

Very sad! But, on the other hand, when one door closes, another opens.

Life is to be enjoyed!

Music:  The New World Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, by Antonin Dvorak, 1893. It evokes in me the beauty of the spirit of America.

Book: Little Women and Good Wives, by Louisa May Alcott, 1880. I still remember my mother reading these books to me at bedtime, when I was around five years old. They aroused in me a love for America, and would give the aliens an insight into what kindly people Americans are.

.Movie:  Gone with the Wind, 1939. The aliens will be thoroughly entertained while learning something of American history. 

Beautiful music, enjoyable book, and fascinating movie: the aliens will be wanting to become Americans. :-)

Casey: I've tweeted your link four times already this morning! Best thing I've read so far on the subject of how to deal with sexual assault in the military.

Women senators publicly shaming military personnel is not the way to do it. So demeaning all round. I am amazed those women could behave in such a disgusting way. Obviously, they didn't realise it makes them look like Inquisitors. 

No sooner wished for, than done! How do you like my latest avatar?

Crimson Kitty, with a gun! :-)

Stephen Harper is my man! I am a total fan! What he has achieved in restoring the Canadian Armed Forces to their rightful place is admirable.

I liked him bringing back the "Royal", and having each Force have its own distinctive uniform once again. 

Apparently, the Canadian military has been having discussions about sexual assault, but nothing like the public shaming of the military people that has been going on in the States. The National Post reports on a private survey being given to the troops on this subject.

Wow! I am impressed, Casey! How right you are, the place to begin is with one's self.

I used to run my business WITH my employees, and I found that made for a close team, and better work performance all round, including from me. 

I like "crimson kitty", Casey. Just for that, I will tweet that great article again this morning, more than once. :-)

Do you notice the gun my crimson kitty avatar is holding. I wish I could find a better picture of a ginger cat with a gun. 

It really is time that women got their act together! Just be yourself, and if someone wants you to wear heavy makeup, or do anything you don't want to do, either just ignore them, or tell them, with a smile, where to go. Too bad if they don't like you, that is their problem.

And this applies in the military too. Are those women soldiers so weak they can't take care of themselves? Is the situation so bad? Are the male soldiers such predators?  

I obviously don't know the answer to these questions, but perhaps it is time they were asked. The picture given is of sexually frustrated male soldiers preying on the women soldiers and constantly harassing them and raping them. Surely this is not true.

What a good question, Zafar! 

Perhaps the Israeli women are taught to take care of themselves? And the men too, for that matter? :-) It would be interesting to know.

I think it is great that women nowadays have the same opportunities as men, but when we talk about men and women, we need to be honest. Many studies that have been done by social scientists on the realities of what men and women are like, and the differences between them. These present us with an honest assessment that it might be good for us to accept.

That was one of the things I didn't like about seeing those women senators lecturing the military men. It seemed too like "Mummy" lecturing little boys. To my mind the women senators are not in the real world, but in some judgmental place where they are pontificating from on high, divorced from empathy and reality.

In my lifetime I have had quite a few men try to "come on" to me. Admittedly, none of them was in a position of authority over me, which I can understand must make things difficult. Perhaps, too, I was fortunate in who these men were, but I had very little difficulty in making them realise that they could forget it, otherwise things might become a little difficult for them. I find it hard to believe that women trained as soldiers can't deal with a man who is trying to do them harm by sexually abusing them. As you say, Guru, what do they call sexual assault?

I grew up with a crowd of boys, so perhaps that helps. I see men  as people, not creatures from a different planet. I find it sad that this assault on the military might lead to lack of trust and communication between the sexes in the everyday work environment. It is also dangerous what it might do on the battlefield.