Boardash: Women for Monday December 28, 2009

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Women
For You
Monday December 28, 2009

Health and Beauty Tip -- Hair Care for Busy Moms
Women ski jumpers out of options
Annie's Mailbox
Quote of the Day
Get Healthy in 2010

Health and Beauty Tip -- Hair Care for Busy Moms

Want great-looking hair, but don't have time to style it? Get a simple, straight cut. You can let your hair air-dry when you get out of the shower, and it'll still look great! For a simple cut, you don't have to spend top dollar -- a small, inexpensive salon will do fine, so long as you make sure to go back and keep your cut maintained once in a while.

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Women ski jumpers out of options

OTTAWA (UPI) -- Canada's highest court Tuesday declined to hear an appeal by women ski jumpers seeking to compete in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

The Supreme Court of Canada provided no reason for not hearing the appeal by the 14 jumpers, who contend they are being discriminated against by the Vancouver Organizing Committee on the basis of gender, Canwest News Service reported.

The plaintiffs, led by Women's Ski Jumping USA, argued they should be allowed to compete in the Olympics under Canada's Charter of Rights, which prohibits sex-based discrimination. The British Columbia Court of Appeal ruled previously this year that the Olympics are governed by the International Olympic Committee, not the Vancouver committee, and that it had no jurisdiction over the IOC.

The international group contends the women ski jumpers failed to meet three standards for inclusion in the 2010 Olympics but promised a review before the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.

"We are very disappointed the Supreme Court of Canada does not view this as matter of national importance and will not have the opportunity to hear our arguments," Ross Clark, the women's lawyer, said in a statement.

Deedee Corradini, president of Women's Ski Jumping USA, said the fight to allow women jumpers to compete in the Olympics will continue.

"Although we are hugely disappointed by the Supreme Court's refusal to hear us this time, we won't give up," Corradini said in a release. "This is about human rights and discrimination. It's a wrong that must be righted."

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Annie's Mailbox

Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar

Dear Annie: My son's friend "Josh" confided to their group that he is gay. Josh's parents are pretty strict and often comment that they have to keep an eye on him because he is a teenager and "interested in girls."

Since Josh came out to his friends, he doesn't socialize with them as much and spends a lot of time on his computer. I am concerned that he is meeting the wrong kinds of people through the Internet. It doesn't matter to me whether he is gay or not. If he is socializing over the computer, it could be dangerous.

Do I have an obligation to say anything to his parents about his sexual orientation? I know he will eventually tell them when he is ready, but I am worried about what he is going through now. -- A Concerned Mom

Dear Concerned: Please don't tell Josh's parents that he is gay. That is up to him. You can, however, talk to his parents about the risks of meeting people over the Internet, which are the same for every child. We're sure you can find a way to bring up your concerns without betraying any confidences. You also can discuss this directly with Josh if you have the opportunity. And while you're at it, it wouldn't hurt to have this conversation with your own son, as well.

Dear Annie: I have been engaged for almost two years. The wedding will happen when my fiance and I both have full-time employment.

The problem is my future mother-in-law. I can't stand her. She talks about me behind my back and is critical of things she knows nothing about. I don't want this woman at my wedding. I want to enjoy myself and not have her ruin the day. However, my fiance says his mother needs to be there. I think she will make the day miserable by drawing attention to herself and causing trouble. Any suggestions? -- Aggravated in the USA

Dear Aggravated: Welcome to the world of marriage. This is your husband's mother. She's a pain in the behind, but he wants her at the wedding. So put on your best happy face and treat her as part of your family, because that's what she is going to be. If you shut her out, she will never forgive you, and neither will your groom.

Dear Annie: I read the letter from "Disgusted," whose co-worker was a victim of domestic abuse. Your advice was good, but there is more she could do:

Advise the victim to talk to the supervisor, employee assistance manager, human resources manager, owner, etc., and complete a safety plan that includes a recent photograph of the perpetrator. Encourage her to save any threatening e-mails or voice-mail messages. Co-workers can discreetly keep a log of any injuries observed and dates when the victim is absent. Have her name an emergency contact person and designate a code word or phrase to alert them to danger. If possible, move her workstation away from public access, elevators and stairs, and maybe even place barriers between the entrance and her workstation.

Can she be given priority parking near the building and a security escort? Can others answer her phone? Can her calls be screened? Can her phone number be changed? Can caller ID be installed? Can her name be removed from automated phone messages or directories? Can her paychecks be delivered to another location?

Encourage her to obtain a restraining order that includes the workplace and keep a copy on hand at all times. Don't give out any contact information to others. Perpetrators often have excellent skills in obtaining information from co-workers. Make sure employees know how to report any incident. Most importantly, ask the victim what changes could be made to make her feel safer. The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence has more suggestions on its website at caepv.org. -- Former Domestic Violence Worker

Dear Former: Many thanks for your expert advice. We hope every workplace keeps this information on hand.

Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, P.O. Box 118190, Chicago, IL 60611. To find out more about Annie's Mailbox, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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Quote of the Day

Mistinguette

A kiss can be a comma, a question mark, or an exclamation point. That's the basic spelling that every woman ought to know.

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