Good Fun Precedes Reality.

Let's start out Monday with a fun article. Remember the Edsel? They go down not only as one of the worst cars ever made but they also rank as having one of the worst logos in history:

http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/10/08/what-are-the-best-and-worst-company-logos/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk3%7C181389

McDonald's & Nike ranked one and two. I really don't like either one of them and think this is a case of them more memorable then they are good. What do you think of the list? Do you have a favorite logo?

Let's move on from fun and report on the good. During a couple of years in my storied past I used to donate my time one Saturday during the year on the last weekend in April to a program called Christmas In April. Home Depot would donate materials. Safeway would donate the food. Crews of twenty-five would go to houses throughout the Portland area and would fix them up for the senior citizens and the disabled. It was always one of the most enjoyable Saturdays of the year. It usually was between eight and twelve hours of hard work but at the end of the day you could see both what you accomplished and smiling faces. Could there be anything better? Christmas In April changed their name to Rebuilding Together.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/10/volunteers_whisk_in_and_make_o.html

I'm happy that the program has expanded to more than just April rebuilding. I'm also glad that a War Veteran benefited. What do you think of the story and the work the organization does?

Now the troubling story. This is Monday after all and we can't be all good fun. A little reality has to slap us in the face to start out the week. Steve Duin started his career at The Oregonian as a sports writer then moved on to be a columnist there. His writing continues to improve. This is the first in a series of articles about the tragedy of the criminal just system:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf/2010/10/part_one_in_the_dark_of_nights.html

The second in the series will be posted tomorrow.

Your comments are appreciated.

WHO AM I?

I am not the chef or the blues singer that share my name. I was born in 1950. I am a teacher and aid worker that worked to ban land mines and who received the Nobel Peace Prize. I have a B.A. Degree in English As A Second Language and a Master's degree in teaching Spanish. I later received a second M.A. in International Relations. I taught ESL in Mexico, The United Kingdom, and D.C. before my first appointment in aid work. In aid work I became a grocery worker of the "Nicaragua-Honduras Education Project" Then I became deputy director of a Los Angeles based charity focusing on medical aid for El Salvador. That lead to my position with The International Campaign to Ban Landmines. We succeeded in 1997 when a treaty was signed in Ottawa. I was one of the founders of The Nobel Women's Initiative along with six sister Nobel Peace Laureates. Six women representing North America and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa decided to bring together their experiences in a united effort for peace with justice and equality. It is the goal of the Nobel Women's Initiative to help strengthen work being done in support of women's rights around the world. I was also the Head of Mission of the High-Level Mission dispatched by the Human Rights Council to report on the situation of human rights in Darfur and the needs of Sudan. If you don't know who I am by know maybe you should think about "An Individual's Impact on Social and Political Change."