Dory Devlin, Shine staff’s Blog

After the White House released President Barack Obama’s address to school children, there remain schools that will not air the president’s educational pep talk because of pressure from parents who don’t like the president’s political positions.

Even if you are aghast at the vitriol spilling at public meetings about health care reform proposals, you can understand that many people are worried about what changes to our current health care system will mean  for those currently insured as we attempt to insure the 46 million Americans who have no coverage. But to oppose an address by the president to students about taking their studies seriously at the start of a school year--why? At best, it’s “silly,” as Education Secretary Arne Duncan put it. At worst, it’s downright frightening, uninformed, and terribly, unnecessarily alarmist and disrespectful. Read More »

It wasn't the biggest news story of the week but it made the front pages of some of the major (still-standing) newspapers and news web sites: Diane Sawyer will replace Charles Gibson as anchor on "ABC World News" and become the second woman to lead a nightly network news report. Lots of the stories framed the announcement as one more fair-minded leap to put a woman in a spot traditionally reserved for a trustworthy man. See, the network is in essence saying, we know you are ready to accept a woman delivering the news of the day, and not yet another avuncular, worldly, authoritative man. How bold of us to be ready for such...a...big...change!

Isn't the bigger question: Why are network execs finally choosing women for these top prestigious jobs after the audience for them is on the decline? Read More »

For all that has happened to Sarah Palin since she was tapped by John McCain to be his presidential ticket running mate, you can be pretty sure that when her daughter Bristol started dating Levi Johnston she could not have envisioned reading his inside-the-Palin house take one day in Vanity Fair.

But that, of course, is exactly what has happened in the bizarro post-election Palin world. Read More »

We are a week away from the start of school at our house, and we are wringing every last bit of summer out of these final days. That means we are not running from store to store, grabbing up armfuls of notebooks, pens, and jeans. My kids all love back-to-school shopping as much as most kids, but after a few years at the back-to-school routine, together we've come up with back-to-school strategies that help us save money and precious end-of-summer time.

Even if school has started for your family, chances are you're still picking up the odd notebook or folder required by a certain teacher, or starting to look for clothing sales and deals as the weather turns cool. So, here are a few last-minute school shopping tips before the homework really starts to pile up. Read More »

If there is anyone out there who doubts just how important is to have laws that allow women to take maternity leave, even unpaid leave, and not lose their jobs, and to protect us against being fired and discriminated against for being pregnant, meet Marina Chavez. Read More »

He was known as the liberal lion of the Senate, and as President Barack Obama said following news of his death, "the greatest senator of our time," for good reason. The list of Senator Edward M. Kennedy's legislative accomplishments is long, and at the heart of many of his championed bills are the people least championed: Disabled Americans, immigrants, minimum-wage workers, domestic abuse victims, and minorities who were not long ago denied the right to vote along with access to education and jobs.

 Look over the long list of his legislative wins, and you'll also see a focus on bettering the lives of women. Read More »