Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Happy Equal Pay Day!

Today is Equal Pay Day, and the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has just released a new state by state earnings comparison by gender. And guess what? Mississippi is not last! In fact, we're ranked 40th in earnings ratio between male and female full time workers, age 16 and older, all educational levels . Since they consider DC in their results, that means we didn't even make the bottom 10. YEAH!

However, looking at the earnings ratio between male and female full time, college educated workers, age 25 and older, Mississippi moves into more familiar territory - a ranking of 49th. Hmmm. What does this mean? Should women in Mississippi not bother going to college since it won't benefit us much financially? On the other hand, it might motivate some of those sexist good ole boys to go to college, since they're virtually assured of earning more than those uppity women.

Along these same lines, did you know that the United Nations has had a Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women since 1979? Over 90% of the nations belonging to the UN have signed on. Guess who hasn't? The United States! Guess those guys in Washington are just too intimidated.

"Must Do" Events for the Weekend & More

Greetings All... Just taking an opportunity to do a little community broadcast for those of you who aren't traveling to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this weekend and are wringing your hands over what to do instead. Well, the Symphony of Gardens Tour is this weekend, rain or shine, and the highlight of the event takes place on Friday evening at 6 p.m. in the Natchez City Auditorium. HGTV's gardening guru, P. Allen Smith, will be giving a talk on How to get more from your garden than a backache. I don't know about you but I don't profess to have a green thumb, just maybe two left ones, so I plan to go find out what I can do with the flower bed I built in front of my house last year to make it work and not die. I love those brilliant colored snap dragons, but good grief, they're everywhere; give me variety or give me...oh you know the speech! Tickets are just $10 for P. Allen and are available at the Natchz Visitor Center (but you can also buy them at the door). Information about the rest of the weekend's garden extravaganza can be found on the tour's website at http://www.symphonyofgardenstour.com/. So that takes care of Friday night for you.
On Saturday, Shannon Brennan-Mayeaux will be sharing a compelling story over Grits & Grillades at Natchez Coffee Company on Franklin St. She is indeed a member of the infamous Brennan's that seem to own every dining establishment in the Crescent City, but she's coming to Natchez to share her life changing experience gained when she visited Medjugorje in 1987. To purchase tickets, learn more about Shannon or the event itself, please contact Hedy Boelte at 601-446-7700 or drop her an e-mail at hedykboelte@aol.com The event is being held to benefit the Natchez Festival of Music.
Jumping a tad ahead, on May 7th, bridge fans (the kind you play, not the kind you cross), are in for an all day treat as Monmouth Plantation hosts A Hand of Bridge and a Delightful Lunch. As you dine and play, you'll be treated to an array of Broadway hits as performed by some of this year's festival talent. Tickets are $60 for Lunch & Bridge, $50 for Senior Citizens, or $35.00 for just lunch and music. The proceeds for this event will also go to The Natchez Festival of Music. Please give Frances Trosclair a call for tickets and more information. If you'd like to learn more about what this year's Festival of Music has to offer throughout the month of May, logon to their newly refurbished website at http://www.natchezopera.com/ for showtimes, locations, and more. If you poker fans feel a little left out, don't fret because the NFoM is putting together a fund-raiser for you guys & gals too.
You can also call the Natchez Convention & Visitors Bureau for information on these events as well. Call 601-446-6345.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

English pubs are dying

I read this article on a US website. It certainly romanticizes English pubs. The ones in London can be really nice but, lemme tell you, the ones near where I live are gross things, full of unhealthy people where fights break out and property is damaged.

In the old days, English men used pubs to avoid family life. You can still see them doing this today. On Saturday mornings when 'the wife' is shopping for the family, the husband will be in the pub, drinking pints and reading the paper or playing darts.

Here's the article, and you can see what you think:

LONDON -- Nothing can stay the same forever although Britain is one country where they try like the Dickens to fight that basic truth. The lyric of an old World War I song said it best:

There'll always be an England
While there's a country lane,
Wherever there's a cottage small
Beside a field of grain.

And down the lane from that cottage beside the field of grain there will always be a pub serving imperial pints (20 ounces) of beer. Well, that is changing rapidly.(Although you can still find some authentic pubs.)

Rural life is unrecognizable from 20 years ago and British drinking habits have undergone a sea change, as well. Both of these factors have led to a crisis for British pubs. Thirty-nine a week are going out of business forever.