Laptop Television Mom

on April 4, 2010

in Current Affairs, Family, Laptop Television, Silicon Valley Moms Group and Yahoo! Mother Board

. 6 Comments

9/11… Never Forget

Tragedy at the World Trade Center

Amazingly enough, it’s been eight years since this day. We all remember it; in fact, we can’t forget it. Stop, take a moment, and honor the Americans who died heroes.

– LTV Mom (who is too emotional to write a long blog post)

Photo Credit Phia Kushi

Published

on September 11, 2009

. 0 Comments

Activeion: I finally have my “Green Machine”

Activeion: My Green Machine

When I was a little girl, I really wanted a Green Machine to ride around the block with my friends. Do you remember those funky tricycle-like toys? I had a Big Wheel that I rode for hours and hours, but those Green Machines looked so darn cool. Alas, I never got one.

However, a few weeks ago I attended an event with Bill Nye the Science Guy who introduced me to a new kind of Green Machine… and this one is pretty cool too. It’s also environmentally friendly and my four-year-old loves to play with it. I am talking about the Activeion (pronounced Active-Ion) cleaning solution.

Those of you who know me can stop laughing now. I am not the uber-domestic type and I rarely (never?) talk about cleaning products. (After all, I hired a house-cleaner as soon as I could afford one, and I would lose my mind without her!) But, I am going to tell you about this particular cleaning product since I believe in its benefits and purpose.

After both fathers died of cancer within seven short months, my husband and I decided to do whatever we can to create a clean and green home for our family. We no longer cook with a microwave, we use chemical-free laundry detergent, we wash with plant-based soaps and shampoos, and we eat organic food whenever possible. We have tried some “green” cleaning supplies… some good, and some not-so-good. Needless to say, when the folks at Activeion invited the moms from the Silicon Valley Moms Blog to discover a healthier way to clean our homes, we were all ears.

Now, what I am about to tell you will blow your mind. The Activeion will clean your home, and practically eliminate germs and bacteria, using tap water. Of course, it took someone like Bill Nye to explain how it works. My husband (who, along with Bill, has a degree in Mechanical Engineering) was in love with the concept. Here’s what I heard:

“You fill the container with normal tap water, blah blah blah, electric charges flow through the water, blah blah blah, water grabs dirt, blah blah blah, water grabs germs, blah blah blah, windows are clean without streaks, blah blah blah, your house is clean without chemicals.”

I was sold. Of course, I took an Activeion home and “played” with it. (It lights up green when you use it!) I cleaned everything from my windows to my car to my toothbrush holder. Everything is clean, and there is not a chemical in sight.

So, there’s my pitch. I highly recommend you visit the Activeion Web site and check out the video that explains how it works. (Trust me, Bill Nye does a much better job than LTV Mom!)

ALSO, amazingly enough, the team at Activeion is giving an Activeion cleaner to one lucky LTV Mom reader! Please go to the comment section and share your best tip for keeping a clean and green home! I will draw one lucky winner at random on Monday, June 23. Yep, one week to share and enter.

You also can click HERE to order an Activeion, and you too can have your very own green machine!

– LTV Mom

LTV Dad, Bill Nye, LTV Mom

Published

on June 16, 2009

in Current Affairs, Giveaways, Laptop Television and Product Reviews

. 13 Comments

CBS Reports with Katie Couric: Children of the Recession

Katie Couric

News about the recession is everywhere. We watch it on TV, and read about it online and in print. Journalists spend hours trying to explain how we got here, what’s next, and how to fit the massive economic problems we face as a country. All the doom-and-gloom has me worried about my family, my job, my house, my retirement fund, and my future. Well, it took a journalist, the one-and-only Katie Couric, to make me stop thinking about my world and start thinking about the innocent people who truly suffer during the recession: our children.

We all know Katie Couric as the anchor of CBS Evening News, but you might not know she also has a YouTube channel, keeps a Twitter handle, and writes for NYC Moms Blog. Katie’s recent blog post and upcoming series on “Children of the Recession” made me stop and take a breath, and then inspired me to want to raise awareness of how kids are being affected by this very grown-up crisis. Here are staggering statistics Katie reported in her blog post and in her upcoming series:

Since this recession began sixteen months ago, one million children have lost their health insurance as their parents lose their jobs. [LTV Mom: What are the long-term affects of these one million children skipping wellness exams and dentist appointments year after year?]
A CBS poll found that 56% of parents surveyed have discussed the economy with their kids, and half of all the parents have discussed their own family’s financial situation. [LTV Mom: I come from a very tight-lipped family, but this seems so important and obvious. I need advice to teach the basics of "economics" to my four-year-old.]
The poll found that 21% of parents said they are now buying generic brands and less expensive food items for their children. [LTV Mom: Is it safe to assume these kids are now eating over-processed, super-fatty and unhealthy foods? Now see bullet one about no healthcare.]

You can learn more about how American kids are affected by the recession as the Early Show and the CBS Evening News feature stories all this week. Please watch and encourage others to watch. Let’s talk about what we learn, and then explore how we can help.

I also can confirm that Katie Couric is passionate about this topic. In fact, she invited writers from the Silicon Valley Moms Group to join her and her team to discuss the upcoming series and to explore how she can keep the series going throughout the upcoming months. During our hour-long call, Katie wanted to hear what is happening in our hometowns, learn about our experiences, listen to our frustrations, and praise those who are helping children through this time.

I happily shared information about a San Francisco Bay Area organization called Shelter Network that provides housing and support services that create opportunities for homeless families and individuals to re-establish self-sufficiency and to return to permanent homes of their own. Shelter Network is more than “a cot and a hot” — they teach life skills, they do the leg-work to get families back in homes, and they keep children with their parents as the families get back on their feet.

I have been inspired to get off the couch — and perhaps turn off the laptop AND the television — to help the children in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the country. Please join me.

– LTV Mom

Published

on May 21, 2009

. 8 Comments

The Alzheimer’s Project on HBO

Calif. First Lady Maria Shriver

Maria Shriver calls it “an unprecedented television event” and “television at its best.” As a mom who spends hours writing about unimportant television, it is my honor to raise awareness of the new documentary called “The Alzheimer’s Project” which begins on HBO starting May 10, 2009.

Last week, writers from the Silicon Valley Moms Blog network were invited to join a private conference call with California First Lady Maria Shriver, who is raising awareness of the disease and the impact on patients and dedicated caregivers. Ms. Shriver appears in the four-part HBO documentary to help parents explain the effects of the disease to their children.

Maria Shriver is no stranger to the issue; in fact, she wrote the book called “What’s happening to Grandpa?” when her father, Sargent Shriver, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s six years ago. She speaks with conviction, passion and reality. Not only was I moved by her, but also by the story she shares:

Alzheimer’s claims a new victim every 70 seconds.
70 percent of patients are living at home.
76 percent of caregivers are (uncompensated) women, many of whom also have small children in the home.
Caring for an Alzheimer’s patient is overwhelming — financially, personally and spiritually.
Alzheimer’s could bankrupt the American healthcare system as we know it.
This is a family disease, and there are no survivors.

The part of Ms. Shriver’s story that struck me the most — and has stayed with me for days — is this: Alzheimer’s is an old person’s disease, but a young person’s burden. I never thought of it that way. As our parents are getting older, many will become ill. It will become our challenge to take care of them both physically and financially, regardless of healthcare aid that is available or not available. Equally important, we need to solve the health and financial issues of Alzheimer’s before my generation goes from caregivers to patients. As Ms. Shriver said, “we don’t want our children to spend their lives — or their life savings — taking care of us.”

The documentary will appear on HBO or on-demand for everyone to see. For more information, click HERE.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s, visit the Alzheimer’s Association web site or call 1-800-272-3900 (24 hours a day).

– LTV Mom

Published

on May 11, 2009

in Current Affairs, Laptop Television and Trying to be Cool

. 2 Comments

The Simpsons’ Apple Spoof

Have you been to the “Mapple” store recently? Watch the Simpson’s spoof on Apple-mania… no commentary from LTV Mom necessary for a good belly-laugh! Thanks to the folks at Obsessable for the video, which also is found on Hulu.

Published

on December 2, 2008

in Current Affairs, Trying to be Cool and Useless News

. 3 Comments

SNL on HRC; Huckabee on SNL

SNL is finally back on the air, and the amazing Tina Fey is hosting the evening. The SNL crew was sorely missed during the beginning of the election season, due to the writers’ strike, but last night’s show was back in full-force with commentary on Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Gov. Mike Huckabee himself. Here are my favorite skits of the night:

"Bitch is the new black." "Bitches get stuff done."

"I’ll exit out with class and grace."

Published

on February 24, 2008

. 0 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day

Thanks to the folks at Mashable for sharing some great Valentine’s Day logos around the Web.

Published

on February 14, 2008

. 0 Comments

My new favorite t-shirt

Published

on February 6, 2008

. 0 Comments

Super Duper Tuesday

I have heard actual journalists call tomorrow’s big election day "Super Duper Tuesday." (Wow. I have a three-year old, and even I skip the "duper" part.) Well, the debate is heating up in California and *all* sides are passionately sharing opinions. Interestingly enough, in my blogger-world, the Democrats are blogging a lot more than the Republicans.

I’m not sure anyone is listening while they are talking, but I find the following posts (and comments) quite interesting:

Mommy Bloggers are opinionated!
Mommy Bloggers Chat with the Clinton Campaign
Why This Election Matters
The Sheep in the Meadow: An Afternoon at Oprah’s
A Mitt Romney for Prez Sign up in the ‘Hood
2008 Election Through the Eyes of a 4th Grader
I Just Want to VOTE

My Personal Favorites
Vote for Mom
My Ballot Remains Unchecked
A Primary Thrill
Hillary, Barack and Gender Double Standards

If you have opinions to share, please include thoughts and links in the comments section of LTV! If you have none to share publicly, I understand (I am unusually quiet about my voting patterns), just be sure to get out and VOTE! I will proudly take my daughter to vote tomorrow.

Published

on February 4, 2008