Taking The World On With A Smile!

I try to stay positive in all my thoughts and dealings but some of last week’s news has left me feeling a bit grumpy.

Most distressing of course was the release of Louis Freeh’s report and his press conference on July 12th with regard to the actions of Pennsylvania State University surrounding the child abuse committed by former coach, Gerald Sandusky.

In short, the five most powerful and cowardly  leaders men (and I use that term loosely) at Penn State failed to take the necessary steps to protect children and made an active decision to conceal.

Shame.

As a parent of a 13-year old football player, I’m dismayed and disgusted.

And while there is great debate, there still stands a bronzed statue of one of these men on campus.

Why?

My heart and sadness go out to the victims and their families.

Then, although on a much lighter (but disheartening none-the-less) note, there was the reveal of  the 2012 U.S. Summer Olympic uniforms designed by Ralph (Lipschitz – yes that is his given name) Lauren.

Seriously, is there a brain surgeon on hand that could lend some intelligence to the Ralph Lauren design team that put these uniforms together? I concede that someone on this team did a fair amount of homework in the beret department. It’s true, members of the U.S. Army and Army Rangers as well as U.S. Special Forces have a long history of wearing a variety of colored berets. Indeed, a black beret was authorized for wear by Women soldiers in 1975. Still, it just doesn’t feel, let alone, look right. I don’t claim to be a patriotic fashionista but don’t most Americans wear baseball caps? Instead we have blazers, white slacks, skirts and berets. This is All-American sportswear?

The uniform, wreaks of upper-echelon snobbery.

It’s disappointing.

And did it not occur to anyone on the Lauren staff that there might be the slightest, tiniest, public or political outcry from American patriots when we learned these gems were outsourced and made in China? China? Isn’t that a competing country in the Olympics? To his credit (only after all of this media hullabaloo) Mr. Lauren stated that he will make the 2014 uniforms in America.

I’m happy to hear at least that, as our team is supposed to representative of our nation.

What’s your opinion about either of these news topics?

Photo Credit #1 Google Images

Photo Credit #2 Google Images

Photo Credit #3 Ralph Lauren U.S. Olympic Uniforms