The Ross Brittain Report

Friday, September 03 ** Bulldog Edition

Reporting this morning from WOGL /Philadelphia... and the city of brotherly love!
   Weather: Media hyperventilates over Hurricane Earl as it brushes past North Carolina.
   Holidaze: Your three-day Labor Day Weekend awaits.
   Power politics: Will Tea Party politicians lead to senate paralysis?
   Election Central: GOP will take House, predicts respected political analyst.
   Business: Is owning a home worthwhile anymore?
   Watercooler: What do panhandlers really do with the money they make?
   People: PARIS HILTON exposed for a liar.
   Television: Could MARTHA STEWART be the next BARBARA WALTERS?
   Movies opening this weekend: GEORGE CLOONEY's "The American," (R); DREW BARRYMORE and JUSTIN LONG "Going the Distance," (R); and the action flick, "Machete," (R).
   Music: "Idol" adds another audition date.
   Extreme: ZSA ZSA's hub sez he'd like to preserve her body by "plastination" after she dies. Does it get any better than that?
   Stupidity: Russian government urging its citizens to smoke and drink more to help economy.
   Strange: Immortality awaits for those who bake their cremated ashes into a vinyl record!
   Health: Active minds deteriorate more quickly once dementia strikes --study.
   Rocket Science: Physicist STEPHEN HAWKING gets the God Squad upset.
   --And-- more of the trash you've come to expect!
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Subscriber note
Reminder: We will *not* be publishing the Ross Brittain Report next Monday on Labor Day, Sep 06, 2008. Suck it up, Buttercup. (RB)
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Labor Day Weekend:
Labor Day weekend marks the traditional end of summer and beginning of fall (even though fall doesn't begin for almost three more weeks).
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   The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on Sept 05, 1882, in New York City. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the federal marshals and military troops during the Pullman Strike. President GROVER CLEVELAND made reconciliation with the labor movement a top political priority and as a gesture of good faith, pushed legislation to make Labor Day a national holiday. The legislation was unanimously approved by Congress (a tradition of bipartisanship that continues even today!)
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   The weekend also marks the beginning of the football season. The NCAA opens with a full slate of college football games and the NFL traditionally plays their first regular season game the following Thursday.
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   Even though many school districts now start classes in August, the long weekend tends to be a five-star farewell to summer, usually celebrated with a big ol' family barbecue. Fire up the grill, chow down, and remember: The best thing about a 3-day weekend is that you come back to a 4-day work-week! (Maiman)
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Things you don't want to hear at your Labor Day barbecue (Maiman):
   --"Beef is great, but squirrel's so much cheaper"
   --"Take a photo of me lighting this cigar with an M-80"
   --"Hey, how 'bout that Ground Zero mosque"
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   --"To give it a little 'kick,' I put charcoal starter in the punch"
   --"Oh God, Dick Cheney's shirtless again"
   --"I'd like to tell you why scientology is so important to me"
   --"Hey look, it's Larry King --oh, sorry grandma"
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   --"All right, detainees, line up over here for your gitmo-style powdered baked beans"
   --"I'm afraid the only fireworks tonight are between me and your wife"
   --"I don't think that's mayonnaise in the cole slaw"
   --"My hot dog has a knuckle"
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Seven Secrets of Low-Stress Families:
Life should be easy when you have a mommy, daddy, the pitter-patter of little feet and the family dog all under one roof, right? Unfortunately, that's not always the case! Redbook magazine reports researchers from UCLA went on a mission to find how families with two working parents, at least two kids and a mortgage manage to keep it all together --peacefully!
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   1. Low-Stress Couples Don't Divvy Up the Chores. The key word here is "we" --no keeping score, no keeping track --happy households are focused on their common goals and partners pitch in without being asked.
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   2. Low-Stress Families Find Small Moments of Togetherness. While "bonding" may be nice to look at on the front of a Hallmark card, the true connections don't have to made on family vacations at Disneyland. Taking time to help out with homework, brushing your little girls' hair or making everyday tasks like laundry fun can go a long way.
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   3. Low-Stress Parents are Role Models --Not Pals. When mom and dad are patient and supportive of one another the kids can feel it and will be more inclined to act the same. Furthermore, parents who delegated chores to children as opposed to asking which ones they'd prefer suffered through fewer tantrums.
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   4. Low-Stress Moms Make Dinner From Scratch. Researcher MARGARET BECK discovered that almost every family spends an hour getting supper on the table, whether or not they're using "convenience" foods. Have a picky eater in the house? Put the little ones to work --Ms. Beck found that kids who assisted in food preparation always ate what was served and the mood in the house was lighter with a little team effort.
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   5. Low-Stress Moms Take Five Minutes of Me Time. The working woman is under a lot of pressure, but unwinding for just a few minutes is a key to keeping mom healthy.
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   6. Low-Stress Families Watch TV Together. If the gang wants to kick back with some tube time, don't sweat it! Believe it or not --laughing together over a sitcom or checking out your favorite sports teams can be a great way to bond.
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   7. Low-stress Families Embrace Daily Rituals. Routine and continuity helps families thrive. Reading bedtime stories every night, saying what you're thankful at dinner or any "little moment" repeated daily makes life comforting. (Lee)
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