Read the online article by clicking the link below:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/350257/changing_gender_roles_show_in_latest.html
Read the full artcle here:
Real Men DO Wear Pink
By Karyn Campbell
Published Aug 22, 2007
Fifteen-year-old Hiroshi lounged at the family dinner table in the fuzzy glow of a pastel pink sweat suit -- accented with a sparkling pink hair barrette. Like most adolescents in Japan, Hiroshi was glued to a cell phone -- a metallic pink one covered with bling bling.
A typical teen anywhere in the world, right?
Right.
Except for one thing. Hiroshi is a boy.
The feminine colors are decidedly not worn to make a statement about sexual preference, but the latest fashion craze among young Japanese men.
Masculinity and femininity have never been as wide apart in Japan as in the west. For hundreds of years, the basic garment for both men and women has been a kimono, for example. Even in modern times, gender differences have been limited. A study done in the year 2000 showed that Japanese men and women didn't score differently on a western scale of what is feminine, but the color pink was still reserved for little girls.
The latest craze for pink in men's fashions is part of the changing gender roles in Japan, according to an article in the Washington Post from September 2005. Not only are more women entering the work force, but more men are embracing their feminine sides. There's even a chain of spas for men, called, aptly enough, "Dandy House" where men can get facials, undergo weight-loss programs and get their eyebrows plucked.
The article quoted Marco Shimomura, VP of Dandy House: "Japan has never really stressed the concept of being macho in a Western sense, but what we find now is that men are actively seeking the soft and smooth look that is considered so attractive now. They aren't scared of getting their hairs plucked. And believe me, it hurts."
In fact, the second most popular cosmetics line in Japan is Mandom, which combines the words, "man" and "freedom." The bulk of Mandom's customers are not those with wrinkles and other facial flaws that might need some cosmetic correction, but 15 to 25-year olds embracing Japan's obsession with "kawaii" or over-the-top cuteness.
"Right now, the emphasis is on 'pretty', and nice, delicate men are in style," said Mayu Shimokawa, chief manager of product promotions at Mandom, in an article from China Daily published in August 2007. "Masculine men don't seem as young. Men who fight, men who try really hard and exert themselves seem old and outdated."
In fact, Japanese women find feminine men attractive. "Japan's latest heartthrobs are a far cry from the American masculine ideal of stoic, stubble-cheeked muscle men," the article stated. "Slender, smooth-faced and androgynous stars such as singer-actor Takuya Kimura, or Kimutaku as he's affectionately known, routinely top popularity polls among women, and men in Japan are taking note."
In fact, Kimutaku is the face of Mandom cosmetics. In one TV ad he wears frilled silk pajamas and twirls wavy shoulder-length hair while making faces in a vanity mirror.
In another male cosmetics ad, Actor Shido Nakamura also glances at himself coyly in a bathroom mirror. The married father gently plays with a calla lily while applying lotion under soft lighting.
Even the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, has softened its image. According to the Washington Post article, members have taken to wearing pink women's sandals and floral-patterned shirts while on their nightly prowls. No one knows why.
Nagami Kishi, head of the Research Institute for People and Corporations, says the trend was caused by the Japanese ethic of overwork prevalent since the post-war economic bubble. When fathers are absent at work 14 hours per day, six days per week, boys are left with the feminizing influence of mamas, sisters and aunties.
"When I was young, we were trained not to cry," said Kishi, who grew up in the late 1930s, "but nowadays, men in their twenties freely express their emotions and cry even in front of women," he added. "Young Japanese men are gentle, shy and sensitive; they've turned into a bunch of . . . mama's boys."
Monday, July 21, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Landscaping tips for upstate SC and Charlotte, NC
Published at AssociatedContent.com on June 14, 2008
Read the article online here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/821959/landscaping_tips_for_upstate_south.html?cat=32
Read the text of the story below:
Just as a lovely picture is enhanced with the appropriate frame, landscaping provides a border to embellish a beautiful home.
Even if you have a small budget, landscaping can add something for all the senses -- greenery for the eyes, blossoms for the nose and water fountains for the ears.
“You don’t have to do it all at once,” said local landscaper Ken Plyler. Your landscape design can be a work in progress. The most important thing, he said, is to have good anchor plants on the corners. He suggested Nelly Stevens or Foster hollies as focal plants. “You need something substantial on the corners,” said Plyler, owner of Ken Plyler Landscaping in Lancaster. After that you can lie out the beds and do even more if your budget allows.
When considering your landscaping plan, first determine whether the space gets morning or afternoon sun. This dictates the type of plants to use. With morning sun, there are more options, Plyler said, since only hardy plants can take hot afternoon sun. If your landscaping space gets that burning late-day sun, Plyler suggested using plants like hollies and juniper. If you are working with morning sun, try dwarf gardenias or spreading yew.
Even if your area is in the shade, you can use a shade-loving plant like hostas. “People like those,” said Plyler. “They come up in the spring with a delicate leaf,” he said, describing the plant. Linda Tominson of backyardgardener.com, points out that plants grow more slowly in the shade so you will want to get large plants. “Plants often grow differently in the shade and some experimentation with size and blooming times are in order,” she said on her Website.
One of the most popular blooms for shady areas in South Carolina are azaleas, according to Clemson University’s Home and Garden Information Center website. However, they don’t do well in heavy shade. Try planting them under pine trees since the filtered shade and acidic soil are ideal conditions for growth, according to the Website. Don’t plant them under trees like maple, ash and oaks with shallow roots since the trees and plants will both compete for moisture and nutrients.
Kip Beam of the Clemson Extension Service said the first thing to keep in mind when choosing plants is accessibility. “I could give you a list of 1,000 plants, but it will do no good if they are not available,” he said. He suggested looking at plants, choosing the ones you like and then cross-referencing them with a book. He recommends “Landscape Plants of the Southeast” by Gordon Halfacre. “I reference it all the time,” he said. The book divides plants by height, deciduous versus evergreen, acid-loving, water-loving, sun or shade plants and much more.
Another excellent reference is the Clemson extension Home and Garden Information Center Website (http://HGIC.Clemson.edu), which contains detailed information on how to plant flowers, vegetables, container gardens, and special gardens that will attract butterflies or birds.
Plyler agreed that many do-it-yourselfers choose the wrong type of foliage. “You can spend a lot of time and expense with plants that aren’t conducive to your particular lawn,” he said.
Another thing to keep in mind are the growth habits of the plants you’re using. For example, many people will force plants with unruly growth patterns into rigid shapes. “You can’t make one plant look like another,” said Plyler. “Each plant has its own beauty.” For example, yellow bells (Forsythia) have a rugged natural shape, but many homeowners round them off like shrubs, forcing them into an unnatural shape. “I don’t want to offend anyone who does that,” said Plyler, but he likes to maintain the natural shape. “The beauty of those plants is the way they grow,” he said. He suggested, instead, choosing a plant like Carissa holly, which is good for shaping.
Another plant that is often forced into an unnatural shape is the Magnolia, he said. Although many people like to cut them high so the trees have long trunks with no branches, Plyler prefers the natural beauty of the low-hanging branches. He pointed out that with such a variety of trees available, it is easy to simply choose a different type of tree with the natural shape you want.
Probably the most important thing to keep in mind when choosing plants is the type of soil they will be growing in. “I had a customer who planted shrubs two years in a row and two years in a row they died, so he called me,” said Plyler. The problem was the soil.
“People don’t consider the type of soil in their lawn,” he said. “You need to consider that before planting things,” he added, mentioning the red clay in this area. “You have to do something to it so plants will look good,” he said. “You can amend the soil.”
Although this may sound complicated, it simply involves adding mushroom compost, topsoil or fertilizer. And that’s what Plyler learned to do when he took a horticulture course at York Tec. “There’s so much to learn to do it the right way,” he said. “It’s been very valuable.”
Plyler’s dedication to his work shows in his customer service policy. Not only does he design and create a landscape, he shows clients how to maintain it as well. “They can pick up the phone and ask any time,” he said. “I could have done the landscaping job four years ago and I still support you.” Just like any artist, Plyler takes pride in what he does. “It’s my work and I would rather it continue to look its best,” he said.
You don’t have to be wealthy to take advantage of the expertise of a landscaper. Plyler works with clients who want a complete landscaping overhaul all at once, those who want the work done bit by bit on a budget and those who just want some advice on a small space.
“Small places are wonderful,” he said. “You can take a small amount of money and make a small place look wonderful.” He even designs balcony gardens for apartment dwellers. He suggests using ivy, which works well in planters, and pansies in the fall and winter. Beam said the Home and Garden Website has a leaflet on container gardening that can be downloaded free. It has general rules of thumb for growing vegetables, flowers or plants in containers outside or indoors.
Planters are not just for balconies, either, according to Plyler, who uses them in his designs. Not only do they allow creativity in choosing the planters themselves, they add variety since the plants can be changed seasonally. “You can stay hands-on even if you have limited time,” he said. Just be sure to add particles that absorb and hold moisture since potted plants dry out more quickly than those planted in your back yard.
Some other special situations that need individual attention are homeowners with pools or small children. For example, when landscaping around a pool, you don’t want anything that looses leaves. “They create a pool maintenance problem,” said Plyler, mentioning a client who had a pool and a crepe myrtle plant. Those with pools should use evergreens that don’t lose leaves in the fall. Another good design element is stones. “They’re wonderful around a pool because the wind won’t pick them up,” said Plyler.
Families with children want to avoid using plants that have sharp leaves or thorns such as barberries and certain kinds of hollies. “They have sharp thorns, “ said Plyler. “I get scratched up when I put them in.”
Although water features are trendy, many people are wary of them because they can attract mosquitoes, said Plyler. Beam pointed out that the water in a birdbath needs to be changed at least one a week so it won’t grow stagnant.
“People install them and don’t take care of them, then uninstall them because they look bad,” said Beam. BT pellets, which kill bacteria, should be used with any garden feature that incorporates water. Beam also pointed out that there are mosquito-eating fish that can be added to garden ponds.
He thinks people may be worried about standing water after last year’s flooding. “We had 50 inches of rain in the first six months,” he said. Small mud puddles turned into large ponds and the BT pellets didn’t work. Rather than using pesticides, which can run off into the soil, Beam said mosquito fish is the way to go. The Home and Garden Website has information on where to get these fish, he said.
Read the article online here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/821959/landscaping_tips_for_upstate_south.html?cat=32
Read the text of the story below:
Just as a lovely picture is enhanced with the appropriate frame, landscaping provides a border to embellish a beautiful home.
Even if you have a small budget, landscaping can add something for all the senses -- greenery for the eyes, blossoms for the nose and water fountains for the ears.
“You don’t have to do it all at once,” said local landscaper Ken Plyler. Your landscape design can be a work in progress. The most important thing, he said, is to have good anchor plants on the corners. He suggested Nelly Stevens or Foster hollies as focal plants. “You need something substantial on the corners,” said Plyler, owner of Ken Plyler Landscaping in Lancaster. After that you can lie out the beds and do even more if your budget allows.
When considering your landscaping plan, first determine whether the space gets morning or afternoon sun. This dictates the type of plants to use. With morning sun, there are more options, Plyler said, since only hardy plants can take hot afternoon sun. If your landscaping space gets that burning late-day sun, Plyler suggested using plants like hollies and juniper. If you are working with morning sun, try dwarf gardenias or spreading yew.
Even if your area is in the shade, you can use a shade-loving plant like hostas. “People like those,” said Plyler. “They come up in the spring with a delicate leaf,” he said, describing the plant. Linda Tominson of backyardgardener.com, points out that plants grow more slowly in the shade so you will want to get large plants. “Plants often grow differently in the shade and some experimentation with size and blooming times are in order,” she said on her Website.
One of the most popular blooms for shady areas in South Carolina are azaleas, according to Clemson University’s Home and Garden Information Center website. However, they don’t do well in heavy shade. Try planting them under pine trees since the filtered shade and acidic soil are ideal conditions for growth, according to the Website. Don’t plant them under trees like maple, ash and oaks with shallow roots since the trees and plants will both compete for moisture and nutrients.
Kip Beam of the Clemson Extension Service said the first thing to keep in mind when choosing plants is accessibility. “I could give you a list of 1,000 plants, but it will do no good if they are not available,” he said. He suggested looking at plants, choosing the ones you like and then cross-referencing them with a book. He recommends “Landscape Plants of the Southeast” by Gordon Halfacre. “I reference it all the time,” he said. The book divides plants by height, deciduous versus evergreen, acid-loving, water-loving, sun or shade plants and much more.
Another excellent reference is the Clemson extension Home and Garden Information Center Website (http://HGIC.Clemson.edu), which contains detailed information on how to plant flowers, vegetables, container gardens, and special gardens that will attract butterflies or birds.
Plyler agreed that many do-it-yourselfers choose the wrong type of foliage. “You can spend a lot of time and expense with plants that aren’t conducive to your particular lawn,” he said.
Another thing to keep in mind are the growth habits of the plants you’re using. For example, many people will force plants with unruly growth patterns into rigid shapes. “You can’t make one plant look like another,” said Plyler. “Each plant has its own beauty.” For example, yellow bells (Forsythia) have a rugged natural shape, but many homeowners round them off like shrubs, forcing them into an unnatural shape. “I don’t want to offend anyone who does that,” said Plyler, but he likes to maintain the natural shape. “The beauty of those plants is the way they grow,” he said. He suggested, instead, choosing a plant like Carissa holly, which is good for shaping.
Another plant that is often forced into an unnatural shape is the Magnolia, he said. Although many people like to cut them high so the trees have long trunks with no branches, Plyler prefers the natural beauty of the low-hanging branches. He pointed out that with such a variety of trees available, it is easy to simply choose a different type of tree with the natural shape you want.
Probably the most important thing to keep in mind when choosing plants is the type of soil they will be growing in. “I had a customer who planted shrubs two years in a row and two years in a row they died, so he called me,” said Plyler. The problem was the soil.
“People don’t consider the type of soil in their lawn,” he said. “You need to consider that before planting things,” he added, mentioning the red clay in this area. “You have to do something to it so plants will look good,” he said. “You can amend the soil.”
Although this may sound complicated, it simply involves adding mushroom compost, topsoil or fertilizer. And that’s what Plyler learned to do when he took a horticulture course at York Tec. “There’s so much to learn to do it the right way,” he said. “It’s been very valuable.”
Plyler’s dedication to his work shows in his customer service policy. Not only does he design and create a landscape, he shows clients how to maintain it as well. “They can pick up the phone and ask any time,” he said. “I could have done the landscaping job four years ago and I still support you.” Just like any artist, Plyler takes pride in what he does. “It’s my work and I would rather it continue to look its best,” he said.
You don’t have to be wealthy to take advantage of the expertise of a landscaper. Plyler works with clients who want a complete landscaping overhaul all at once, those who want the work done bit by bit on a budget and those who just want some advice on a small space.
“Small places are wonderful,” he said. “You can take a small amount of money and make a small place look wonderful.” He even designs balcony gardens for apartment dwellers. He suggests using ivy, which works well in planters, and pansies in the fall and winter. Beam said the Home and Garden Website has a leaflet on container gardening that can be downloaded free. It has general rules of thumb for growing vegetables, flowers or plants in containers outside or indoors.
Planters are not just for balconies, either, according to Plyler, who uses them in his designs. Not only do they allow creativity in choosing the planters themselves, they add variety since the plants can be changed seasonally. “You can stay hands-on even if you have limited time,” he said. Just be sure to add particles that absorb and hold moisture since potted plants dry out more quickly than those planted in your back yard.
Some other special situations that need individual attention are homeowners with pools or small children. For example, when landscaping around a pool, you don’t want anything that looses leaves. “They create a pool maintenance problem,” said Plyler, mentioning a client who had a pool and a crepe myrtle plant. Those with pools should use evergreens that don’t lose leaves in the fall. Another good design element is stones. “They’re wonderful around a pool because the wind won’t pick them up,” said Plyler.
Families with children want to avoid using plants that have sharp leaves or thorns such as barberries and certain kinds of hollies. “They have sharp thorns, “ said Plyler. “I get scratched up when I put them in.”
Although water features are trendy, many people are wary of them because they can attract mosquitoes, said Plyler. Beam pointed out that the water in a birdbath needs to be changed at least one a week so it won’t grow stagnant.
“People install them and don’t take care of them, then uninstall them because they look bad,” said Beam. BT pellets, which kill bacteria, should be used with any garden feature that incorporates water. Beam also pointed out that there are mosquito-eating fish that can be added to garden ponds.
He thinks people may be worried about standing water after last year’s flooding. “We had 50 inches of rain in the first six months,” he said. Small mud puddles turned into large ponds and the BT pellets didn’t work. Rather than using pesticides, which can run off into the soil, Beam said mosquito fish is the way to go. The Home and Garden Website has information on where to get these fish, he said.
New Year's Health Resolutions for Mothers and Daughters
Read the article online here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/460166/resolutions_for_motherdaughter_new.html?cat=5
Read the full article below:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/460166/resolutions_for_motherdaughter_new.html?cat=5
Read the full article below:
I don’t know what happened to the healthy lifestyle I used to stick to, but I think it got lost somewhere in the hectic whirlwind of being a working, single mother. However, now, more than ever, I need to get back to eating vegetables and exercising since my daughter is faithfully following my slothful example.
The good news is that it’s easier to make lifestyle changes when you have a buddy and I can kill two birds with one stone by sharing healthy experiences with my daughter. Not only will we both become healthier, but we can spend time together and motivate each other.
Rather than making well-meaning resolutions that will be broken before you start, why not try these eight activities with your daughter to have a healthier year in 2008?
Get moving together every day
You can do something as simple as walking every day after dinner or going for an afternoon bike ride. If your daughter isn’t walking yet, strap her into the baby carriage or invest in a bicycle stroller. Not only will you entertain your bored child, you will spend quality time together and you may even lose some weight. For a change of pace you can stroll through the park, walk around downtown or window shop at the mall (just be sure you walk at a steady pace without stopping for 20 minutes at a time to get the maximum aerobic benefits.)
Sign up for an exercise class together.
Don’t settle for watching her practice ballet or fly on the uneven bars at gymnastics (although these activities are great and she should continue doing them). Find something you both enjoy. My daughter is interested in martial arts and I know some dojos have classes for both adults and kids. You may even be able to start out in a class together, but don’t be surprised when your daughter zips ahead of you in skills. When she does, let her move on at her own pace, but continue going to your own class. Not only will you make new adult friends, but you and your daughter will have something special in common.
Cook together
My daughter is a picky eater and it’s almost impossible to get her to eat vegetables – unless she prepares them herself. One of her favorites is my famous corn casserole which you can make together.
Here’s my recipe: Have your daughter pour two cans of creamed corn and two cans of regular corn into a large casserole dish. Next, add about one cup of grated cheddar cheese. You may want to supervise the grating to make sure that little ones don’t cut their fingers, but most kids love watching the sold chunk of cheese transform into crumbles. In a separate bowl, help your daughter break open two eggs. If a few egg shells fall in, just fish them out before beating them. Pour that into your casserole and stir it all together. You can also add some chopped onion or green pepper if you want some extra flavoring. Finally, get out a box of saltines and crush about two cups of them on top. You child will have a blast doing this part. Melt some butter in the microwave (make sure you let your child push the buttons to program it) and carefully drizzle that on top. Put the whole thing in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes and take it to your next potluck gathering. You child will be thrilled to hear people praising this delicious creation that she helped make.
De-stress together
Watch your favorite chick flick. I’ll admit that when they are in pre-school this can be a little challenging, but I enjoyed reliving my childhood through such timeless favorites as Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Now that she’s in second grade, it’s even more fun as she is beginning to graduate to mild comedies like Look Who’s Talking and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In addition to busting stress, watching movies together allows you to explore topics with your child like the meaning of family, making good choices, how to handle hard times and more.
There are many ways you can show your child the joys of vegging out in a healthy way. Take her to your favorite bookstore and introduce her to the joys of reading. Most of them have an area for kids to play in and coffee shops for you to relax in even if you don’t actually buy a book. Use the time to find out what’s going on in her life and share a personal story or experience. Have a girls’ night where you give each other facials and pedicures while all the men in the family are gone. Listen to some classical music together. Studies show that classical music is good for children’s brains. Get your little baby Einstein started early.
Take her to a health screening
We’re not talking about bringing her in for your annual pap smear, but why not take her when you get checked for your new glasses? My daughter was fascinated with all the gadgets our optometrist used to peer into my retina and test my vision. Who knows? It may even have sparked her curiosity to work in the health field one day. And don’t forget to keep her up to date on her own immunizations and screenings. Learn what screening tests and immunizations you both need at http://www.4woman.gov/tools/#screenings.
Sing together
When my daughter was a preschooler, I nurtured her fascination with music from the Disney princess movies by singing these songs with her almost every night as part of her bed time routine. Recent studies have shown that music develops the left side of the brain involved with processing language. There is also a link between music and “spatial intelligence,” the ability to perceive things accurately. This kind of intelligence is critical for activities from packing a book bag to solving advanced mathematics problems. You can find the lyrics for almost every song, ranging from popular childhood favorites like Three Blind Mice to today’s latest hits free online. Try lyrics.com for your favorites.
Take a safety quiz together
My daughter isn’t quite ready for this yet, but if yours is an adolescent, visit http://www.girlshealth.gov/safety/index.htm for quizzes on safety in relationships, in cyberspace and on the street. Girls can find out the definition of cyberbullying, why some people are violent and how to get out of an unhealthy relationship by taking quizzes and reading stories geared toward teens. If you do it together, you can discuss specific relationships with your child, ask pertinent questions and listen to her concerns.
Visit a a healthy website for women
Try http://www.4woman.gov/, which was developed by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health. You can discover updates to clinical trials, health highlights for the week and daily health tips. Your daughter can click on http://www.4girls.gov and go to a website focusing on health concerns for adolescents ranging from the safety site mentioned above to teen topics such as body, fitness, peer pressure, suicide, self-esteem, nutrition, bullying, relationships or drugs and alcohol. The interactive, user-friend format will be attractive to today’s My Space generation.
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