So, there's a Flemish town that's got a ban on speaking French in schools.

(Outside of French classes, I assume.)

I'm not sure it's going to work...

I have a few thoughts related to this article:

1. My mom keeps saying that sooner or later there's going to be a war in Belgium. Having not been there since I was a kid (I need to get back in touch with my family!), I have no clue on how accurate this information is. What say you?

2. On the argument of whether or not it's Dutch or Flemish, I offer proof positive that it's Flemish. Even 2-year-old Elliot told me, when finding out that I have family in Belgium, that this means "You speak Flemish!" Of course, I don't - my family speaks French - but that's not the point. Even two year olds are taught that the language they're kinda bilingual in is Flemish and not Dutch.

Knit? Crochet? Have a bunch of baby hats lying around, taking up space?

Boy, I know *we* sure do! That yarn just piles up, doesn't it?

How'd you like to save cute little babies? Or, for that matter, ugly babies? WHILE using up your spare yarn! It's a win-win situation!

Heck, it's sure a lot less silly than telling people you knit sweaters for penguins. (They're full up on sweaters over there, anyway.)

An article on breastfeeding and economics and all for those interested in the subject

Just remember - this is a classless society.

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I was so annoyed today.

Annoyed isn't even the word.

Here I am, eating lunch with Ana, one of her friends, and the friend's family (mom, brother, nanny), and I pull out a bottle for the baby.

The mother happily (she thinks this is cool and impressive, I gather) tells the nanny that "the baby's still nursing at ten months. This is breastmilk - her mom pumps for her at work!" which is all true. (And to interrupt, that pumping thing makes the weirdest noise.)

And the nanny makes a face - actually makes a face like a child - and goes "Ew. I didn't need to hear that. I don't like seeing that."

Now, let's count how many ways she was rude:

1. She was, first off, rude to her boss, who clearly doesn't tell her things just to gross her out.
2. She was rude to me. I support Jenn in her breastfeeding and pumping. The pumping, I know from being told, is a lot of work. It's not an easy thing. And here I am, with a bottle of breastmilk in my hand, I don't need to be told it's disgusting.
3. She was rude to Ana, who also doesn't need to be told that other people might think what her mother does is gross.
4. She was rude to the baby. Granted, Evangeline doesn't understand any of this, but it is still *never* polite to make faces and rude comments about what another person is eating, especially not in their hearing. Which means...
5. She did wrong by all the kids at the table by setting an *incredibly* bad example.

I don't know. Maybe the woman just doesn't have any self-control. But it really pissed me off. For crying out loud, Ana regularly lifts up her shirt and sticks a doll there! She did that just today! She doesn't need people discouraging her from breastfeeding before she even has breasts, thanks very much.

*sighs*

Saw somebody telling another person that a goldfish might be a good choice for a young kid because "a short lifespan could be a benefit if the kid gets bored in a month."

Let's get this out of the way right now. Goldfish, if properly cared for, live for... not months. Not years. Decades. As in "You get your kid a pet now, and he'll be taking it to college, and showing it to his kids (assuming he has any)".

And they're not "low-maintenance" either (as that person also claimed). If they were low-maintenence, they'd live a lot longer than a month in most people's minds.

I've had my fill of taking care of animals badly. It was a mistake. Now? I don't want to hear of so much as one maltreated fish, do you hear me? If you can't care for them properly, don't bother at all.

And the first step of caring for them properly is doing the research before getting one. Just because popular culture and your next door neighbor tells you that goldfish die fast doesn't mean they actually do. Nor would it mean that they aren't entitled to proper care, even if they *did* happen to have short lifespans. Which they don't.