F.D.A. Bans BPA From Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups
Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=16a96181e12265e335f30412a4c2d260
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Here?s a little puzzle for the lawyers out there. It?s pretty obviously copyright infringement to buy a legitimate copy of a CD, make a copy, and then give away or sell the copy. But how about the reverse? Millions of people in their 20s and late-30s have large CD collections acquired back in Ye Olden Tymes, when Australopithecus purchased music encoded on shiny plastic discs rather than our modern formats of MP3 and vinyl. Most of those shiny plastic discs are gathering dust in a closet somewhere, having long since been ripped to the hard drives and iPods from which we actually play them. Would it be legal to give away or sell those mouldering original discs while retaining the digital copy you actually listen to? And could the buyer then repeat the process, and on indefinitely?
Intuitively, the answer is: Of course not! That would be indistinguishable, in its practical effect, from the infringing act of selling or distributing an unauthorized copy. It would defy common sense for it to make a difference whether you keep the copy or the original. And when it comes to computer programs, the copyright statute is quite explicit: Archival copies have to be destroyed as soon as one ceases to be the lawful owner of the original purchased copy. On face, you?d think the same principle would have to apply to sound recordings.
Except it?s not obvious from the statute that it does, technically, and a little quick Googling didn?t turn up any cases directly on point. Here?s the probably-too-cute-by-half argument for why there might be a loophole here. The RIAA has been notoriously cagey about this?but even their attorneys have argued before the Supreme Court that the ubiquitous practice of copying a CD you?ve purchased to you hard drive (and from there to your iPod) is a protected Fair Use that doesn?t infringe the exclusive rights of the copyright holder. The Ninth Circuit implicitly relied on the idea that noncommercial copying for personal use is noninfringing in RIAA v. Diamond, which established (over the recording industry?s objections) that MP3 players are, in fact, perfectly legal.
Now the tricky bit. If the CD owner genuinely makes that copy purely for the purpose of personal use?not as step one in a larger plan to later sell the CD?that?s a lawful copy under the statute. The statute still limits the further copying, sale, and distribution of that lawful copy for anything other than personal use. But ?retention? isn?t one of the exclusive rights protected by copyright. Except for the provision covering software backups, there?s nothing explicitly suggesting that a lawful copy can become unlawful without some further triggering action?again, copying, sale, distribution, rental, and so on. Now flip back to the original CD copy sitting in a closet. The owner has a clear right under the First Sale doctrine to sell that particular copy without authorization from the copyright owner. And I can?t find anything explicit in the statute requiring anything be done about lawful copies previously made when the original CD is legally sold or gifted. Obviously if you?re trying to follow the spirit of the law, you?d delete those lawful personal copies when you transferred ownership of your original copy?though that might actually be a trickier than it sounds in a household where music is shared among several people with iPods and laptops. But technically, ?not deleting a copy? doesn?t appear to be an action that violates an exclusive right of reproduction, distribution, or display. And all the other allowances for personal use hinge on whether a particular copy was lawfully made?not lawfully retained. (It?s implicit in the whole idea of a ?backup copy? that one would continue to use it if the original is lost or destroyed, of course, so it can?t be that continued use of the music is contingent on physical possession of the original CD.)
Assuming the appropriate intention on the user?s part, then, there?s no infringement when the personal copy is made?unless we?re prepared to accept that essentially every legal CD owner is either an infringer or listens to their digital copies only at the sufferance of the RIAA, which could revoke permission at any time. Under the First Sale Doctrine, there?s no infringement when the original is sold. And there?s no infringement when the copy is retained, because ?not deleting something? isn?t generally an act of infringement. Your gut says this overall pattern of conduct has to be infringing?even if in practice it would be impossible to police?but it?s hard to actually pinpoint when the infringement happens if you hew strictly to the statute?s definition of infringement.
Since the result is absurd on face, I?m pretty sure this line of argument can?t be right. I?m just not sure where it goes wrong if we?re applying the actual statute and case law, as opposed to our intuitive feelings about what makes sense. Any IP lawyers want to throw me a life vest?
Source: http://www.juliansanchez.com/2012/07/17/a-first-sale-legal-hack/
China told Japan Wednesday to respect its "indisputable sovereignty" over islands claimed by both countries in the East China Sea, in the latest territorial row between Beijing and its neighbours.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba in Phnom Penh where he "reaffirmed China's principled position" on the islands known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese.
"He stressed that Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islets have always been China's territory since ancient times, over which China has indisputable sovereignty," said a statement from the Chinese delegation.
Japan summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo as three Chinese patrol boats approached the chain of islands, which are privately held by Japanese owners.
The crew of the Chinese vessels, which have since left the islands' immediate vicinity, initially rebuffed Japanese orders to leave, Japanese officials said.
"We are conducting official duty in Chinese waters. Do not interfere. Leave China's territorial waters," the Chinese crews said, according to the Japanese coastguard.
The waters around the disputed islands, which are close to oil reserves, have been the scene of previous rows, including the arrest of a Chinese trawlerman in late 2010.
Wednesday's spat is the latest clash over disputed territory between China and its neighbours that threatens to overshadow attempts to smooth regional relations at an Asian security summit in Cambodia this week.
The 10 members of Southeast Asian regional body ASEAN have been trying to agree a long-stalled "code of conduct" for the South China Sea that would help settle overlapping claims in the resource-rich waterway.
The Philippines is leading a push for ASEAN to unite to persuade China to accept a code based on a UN law on maritime boundaries that would delineate the areas belonging to each country.
Manila also wants ASEAN to condemn a standoff last month between Philippine and Chinese ships over Scarborough Shoal, an outcrop in the South China Sea.
Yang urged Japan to adhere to agreements and understandings with China "in good faith" and said it should return to "the right path of managing differences through dialogue and consultation with the Chinese side."
Japan-China relations this year had seen "some acute problems", the Chinese foreign minister acknowledged.
China's assertiveness over disputed territories in the South China Sea, which is home to vital shipping lanes, is seen by analysts as pushing anxious neighbouring countries closer to the United States.
Beijing also recently angered Vietnam by inviting bids for exploration of oil blocks in contested waters, sparking protests in Hanoi.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Cambodia on Wednesday to press for closer relations with ASEAN, part of Washington's strategy of "pivoting" towards Asia to challenge China's influence.
She is to take part in the ASEAN Regional Forum on Thursday, which brings together 26 nations and the European Union.
Source: http://www.spacewar.com/reports/China_Japan_in_new_spat_over_disputed_islands_999.html
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It is one of 9 groups recently awarded a pediatric obesity prevention grant funded by the New York Department of Health. She also says kids are eating all the time, which means their bodies digestive system never gets a break, and that's not healthy. Pride -Boon works at Seton Pediatrics in Troy - one of 9 groups recently awarded a pediatric obesity prevention grant funded by the new york department of health. WNYT welcomes a lively and courteous discussion as long as you follow the rules of conduct set forth in our Terms of Use . You agree that anything you post may be used, along with your name and profile picture, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the license you have granted pursuant to our Terms of Use. Read Childhood Obesity
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Hillary and Erdogan, together, in Istambul: Today, the CT Forum; tomorrow, the umma!
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This week's column:
The Washington Free Beacon reported this week on the continuing omission of Israel from a U.S.-sponsored organization called the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF). At a recent forum meeting in Spain, Maria Otero, U.S. undersecretary of state for civilian security, democracy and human rights, delivered a speech titled "Victims of Terrorism," but, in her roll call of victims, she didn't mention Israel. The conference at which she spoke was described as a "high-level conference on the victims of terrorism," but Israel wasn't a participant.
It bears repeating because it is so fantastic: At an international conference devoted to victims of terrorism, the world's leading victim or, better, leading target of terrorism -- Israel -- was nowhere in sight, or mind.
Welcome to the GCTF -- U.S. counterterrorism's new "normal." This 30-member organization got its official start last September as a "major initiative" of the Obama administration when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced its launch in New York.
It was quite an occasion; Hillary curled her hair. Seated next to her Turkish co-chairman, ensconced amid ministers from Algeria, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and 18 other miscellaneous member-states plus the European Union, she then said the magic words: "From London to Lahore, from Madrid to Mumbai, from Kabul to Kampala, it's innocent civilians who have been targeted ..."
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ashkelon? Poof, gone. And that's the point: This new counterterrorism organization, with its related counterterrorism center coming soon to Abu Dhabi, is Judenfrei. Not coincidentally, it is also heavily Islamic. Eleven member-states -- slightly more than one-third of the organization's membership -- also belong to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a bloc of 56 Islamic countries working to impose Islamic law (Shariah) on the world. Six of those 11 members additionally belong to the Arab League. Both groups have defined "terrorism" to exclude Israeli victims (sometimes U.S. soldiers), and "terrorists" to exclude groups dedicated to the destruction of Israel, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. It is no wonder the Arab-Islamic members would now unite in "counterterrorism" without Israel.
What is both shocking and shameful, however, is that the U.S. would, too. It shows that the U.S. has implicitly but clearly accepted the Arab League/OIC definitions of terrorism and terrorists.
As in Libya, where the U.S. supported the jihad-linked side, as in Egypt (same), as in Syria (same), this side-switching sparks scant comment. Oh, sure, there was some media yapping last month when Hillary jetted to Istanbul to pronounce another Israel-free incantation about efforts to "defeat extremist ideology." Two -- count 'em, two -- U.S. senators (independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Republican Mark Kirk of Illinois) wrote her letters. But such complaints are nothing next to the smiles and cooperation coming our way from the Islamic core of the GCTF. And it was so easy! Why didn't we think of this before? All we have to do is see things the way the Islamic world does; pretend things like Israel don't exist (just as maps in Arab countries already indicate); and insist that Islam is a boon to mankind -- not the animating doctrine of global jihad against Israel and the wider West.
I would like to say this is all something President Barack Obama initated, but such appeasement goes back a long way. If we look to the Gulf War in 1990-1991, we see this same denial of Israel's existence take shape in the makeup of President George H.W. Bush's "international coalition" -- sans Israel. The same is true in 2003 with the formation of President George W. Bush's "coalition of the willing" in Iraq (also Afghanistan) -- sans Israel.
These omissions were in no way due to Israel's unwillingness to join the "war on terror." They were due to the same Islamic pressure in force today. Both Bushes bowed to it, accepting a state of dhimmitude (inferiority of non-Muslims under Islam) for the high privilege of spilling American blood and treasure into the ungrateful desert. Israel, both Bushes agreed with their Islamic "allies," just wasn't fit to fight on Islamic sand. Thus, Israel was excluded from these wartime alliances.
Such dhimmitude only intensifies, as the latest developments show. Under the Bushes, after all, while Israel was not permitted to fight alongside coalition forces, at least it was still recognized for withstanding more than 60 years of Islamic terrorist attacks. Today, under the auspices of the Obama administration, Israel no longer rates mention even as a victim. "Big Satan" has thrown "Little Satan" to the sharks. Which says two things about Big Satan. Our institutions now see the world from the Islamic perspective, and, as far as the sharks go, we're next.
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As the search for Amelia Earhart's plane probes the deep waters off Nikumaroro, a tiny desert island between Australia and Hawaii where the legendary aviator may have landed 75 years ago, new clues have surfaced in the artifacts unearthed on the coral atoll.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/48179759#48179759
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When you arrive at an airport and are on your way to pick up a rental car, be sure to pick up a map and information about the area so that you will have it handy should you get lost once you exit the airport and are looking for your next destination.
Adjust to a new time zone faster by spending time in the sun. When you arrive at your destination, try to get plenty of sun exposure on your first and second days. This will help ?set? your circadian rhythm to be in line with the local time zone and help you get over jet lag faster.
If you are planning on going on a cruise and want to do a little shopping aboard, do your research. Different cruise ships offer different amenities. Find the boat that is right for you. There are so many things to do on a cruise boat, so find the one that will be fun for you and your companion.
Make your travel plans more affordable by looking through the website of the airport that you will be visiting. You can get information about charter airlines that will not show up in other online flight searches. The airport will also have information on low-cost carriers. Both of these options can save you money, but make sure that you check for hidden fees.
Set up an account on a ?cloud? site and upload scans of important documentation that you may need on your trip. Loss and theft occur quite often during travel in-country as well as abroad. By having documentation stored in a ?cloud? location you can easily access them from anywhere you have Internet access.
When packing for a trip use space management techniques that make the most of your luggage space. For instance, consider rolling your clothing items instead of folding them. This will cut down on wrinkles and make additional space so you can fit a few more items in each piece of luggage.
Never skip the safety orientations on cruise ships. These are mandatory information sessions that take place onboard major cruise liners before the vessel leaves the port of call. If an emergency happens, it will be too late to familiarize yourself with evacuation procedures and exit routes. After the safety orientation, practice what you have learned by starting in your own cabin and simulating your route in case of an emergency.
Try to adjust your sleep schedule to the local time of your destination as early as possible. This means that if you are flying overnight, but it?s only mid-afternoon where you?re going, don?t go to sleep as soon as you get on the plane. Waiting until it?s night-time in your destination to sleep will allow you to overcome jet lag much more quickly.
Hopefully, you have found the tips above helpful to your own needs. No doubt, you want to make the best of your time away from home! Apply the information provided the next time you go. Welcome to the world of travel! Your destination is awaiting you!
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Source: http://articlereference.net/travel-leisure/ensure-safe-travel-with-these-tips-and-tricks.html
Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/07/12/stephen-daldry-directing-wicked/
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With nearly 9 million Americans falling victim to identity theft and also other fraudulent actions each and every year, it really is critical to understand the signs of an identification theft and the proper preemptive measures to carry. An id thief may have, on regular, a three calendar month head to start to open new traces of credit ratings, obtain loans, or commit crimes without having the sufferer possessing a clue. An id theft doesn't just come about by chance and leaves behind numerous indications. After somebody is capable of identity the symptoms rapidly and proficiently, they will spoil an identification thief's prepare just before any legitimate hurt is carried out. If an identity theft does arise along with the victim understands what to look for and also the proper methods to require, it could possibly dramatically reduce the amount of time it normally requires to get rid of any damaging effects of fraud. It is an unfortunate circumstance, but when an individual's id is stolen they can be held accountable except the correct safeguards are used.
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To avoid being a sufferer of cyber crime a person has to be properly-informed and often one-move forward of your identity thieves. Somebody ought to at all times keep alert and keep up-to-date data. Despite the fact that most id thefts carry 3 months to explore, quite a few signals are left when an identification theft occurs. One particular with the main pink flags could be the look of prices on bank cards as well as other accounts that ended up being not authorize, or receiving repayment invoices of items he or she didn't invest in. A person also needs to frequently verify for inaccurate details located on credit reports. This might contain aliases, prior employers, or freshly opened accounts. One more indicator of id theft is continuously lacking payments. Payments that by no means display up, but must be receiving can necessarily mean an ID thief has taken around the accounts. Often adhere to-up with creditors to make sure repayments have been manufactured and particular facts may be updated. A person may come across that they have bank cards that she or he did not authorize or signal-up for. This doesn't suggest the prescreened kinds that should be applied for, but precise ready-to-use charge cards. Yet another important sign of identity theft is having a credit history test occur spine damaging causing increased rates of interest or staying denied credit in standard. This really is assuming the person has great credit ratings and shouldn't be denied or be supplied unfavorable credit phrases.
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Private information really should be monitored habitually. A person can detect identity theft sooner if they routinely check out their account details. The primary info to monitor is personalized accounts/fiscal statements and credit score studies. Personal Accounts must be monitored closely. Even though these accounts are for constrained use, examining the accounts at least as soon as a calendar month ought to be a precedence. Monetary statements must be seemed above completely to check out for any unexplained charges or incorrect balances, all of which ought to be used care of instantly. All accounts, for example charge cards, needs to be used at the least once each month to make guaranteed accounts are still valid, and that month-to-month statements are currently being appropriately sent. A private credit report really should even be monitored at the least after a yr. Federal regulation mandates that the three credit score reporting corporations need to give a cost-free replicate in the credit report after each calendar year. Alongside while using free credit report, anyone really should discover their credit score and monitor it one more one or two periods every calendar year to make sure information is stored nearly date and also to detect any earlier warnings of identification theft. Due to the fact every single credit score bureau calculates scores differently it's crucial to monitor all 3. In accordance to the Honest Credit score Reporting Act, a totally free credit rating may very well be requested within 60-times of currently being declined credit or housing, or if an unfavorable motion is brought towards you because of for the report.
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Although the variety of victims and fraud total has decreased around the previous number of decades, this crime is more common than previously considering it's very low-possibility and large-reward for the criminals. The unfortunate victims of identity theft face an average resolution time of 25 hours every human being, but a number of details could be carried out to ensure everything is back to standard as quickly and painlessly as possible. If you're afraid that the identity may well have already been stolen or fraudulently used, motion needs to be used straight away to create sure that the hurt to dollars, credit, and reputation are minimal. If there are any concerns and think an id theft has occurred, the primary issue to perform is record a report while using FTC and personally report it on the neighborhood or think police division. Alas, many police departments consider this crime lightly, but a documented report in the fraud is essential to acquire, in particular just in case any warrants have already been issued from the victim's identify. The Federal Trade Fee has an incredible number of assets and forms to obtain for the sufferer of an ID theft. The FTC site will stroll you as a result of developing an Identity Theft Report, which will guarantee particular protections. This report will permanently prevent fraudulent details from appearing on any future credit rating studies. It'll also guarantee any money owed brought on by id theft will not likely appear, or reappear, around the credit rating, or make it possible for an organization to collect funds for money owed placed by an identification theft. An Id Theft Affidavit, which can be a a smaller amount comprehensive version of your Identity Theft Report, ought to also be ready in case an organization wants to find out the data from the theft before releasing details. Possessing this data will present protection from your misuse of data, specially if your thief continues to be committing crimes inside the sufferer's name. Creditors or perhaps the Credit history Bureaus may nevertheless deny credit rating within the potential if the Id Theft Report isn't thorough sufficient or is incomplete. Any accounts that have been compromised or corrupted must be closed straight away. Just about every business could have their own strategy of dealing with these promises, which may possibly contain fraud dispute kinds, or basically writing a letter on the company. Retain a thorough history of all correspondences and if something wants to be mailed use certified mail with return receipt expertise so it is possible to hold a comprehensive log in the circumstances.
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Although these approaches are used that can help protect a victim from further damage as a result of an id theft, it can be not the conclusion-all answer. Identification thieves can even now open up accounts with utility organizations, as well as other such firms that don't need a credit check, and can also still use existing accounts that have by now been established because of the credit score bureaus. A theft victim also needs to place a fraud alert with one particular from the credit history bureaus, which will relay the meaning towards the other folks. This entitles the sufferer to some free of charge duplicate of their credit ratings studies so they can examine for any fraudulent or unauthorized activity. Fraud alerts can take two forms: initial or prolonged, or even the victim may possibly want to location a freeze on his or her credit. An initial fraud alert, employed largely by individuals who worry they may be a victim, will stay lively for 90 days and nights and forces creditors to go as a result of a little extra stringent of the procedure to discover your credit and verify your id. An prolonged fraud alert calls for an Id Theft Report and is for individuals who have basically been a sufferer of identity theft. This sort of alert will allow for two cost-free credit ratings experiences each season and will indicate up to the victim's credit ratings for 7 several years. Prolonged alerts demand collectors to personally speak to the victim, whether or not by cellphone or in human being, to grant credit ratings. A freeze is essentially the individual restricting any obtain to their credit report and have to temporarily be lifted for any person to view the credit profile. The freeze needs to be placed with every bureau and limits a thief from being able to open accounts due to the fact collectors have no access on the credit score score.
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An identity theft victim shouldn't delay the resolution course of action. Many firms require you to document a claim inside a selected time period of time so it truly is critical to speak to them easily just before any unnecessary time elapses. The extended the victim waits, slightly more harm is carried out to his or her popularity and credit history. It truly is by now a protracted and arduous journey to acquire again to "standard" and prolonging the resolution course of action will only find yourself producing the circumstances much worse. These ideas needs to be performed on a regular basis so the id theft might be thwarted. The final sacrifice, and survive resort, is for your victim to change Communal Security amounts mainly because from the theft. The top preventative measure should be to vacation on job and report any irregularities as quickly as you possibly can. Inside the unfortunate case a fraud has occurred, motion really should be used straight away so the healing course of action can get started.
Source: http://buylegalshield.blog.co.uk/2012/07/11/staying-alert-and-avoiding-identity-theft-14088063/
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Does Disney-Pixar's 'Brave' ? featuring the atypical Princess Merida ? present an original storyline and overcomes stereotypes of animated female characters? One critic says yes, although others claim the opposite.
This film image released by Disney/Pixar shows the character Merida, voiced by Kelly Macdonald, in a scene from "Brave." With her wild red mane and her killer skills with sword and bow, Merida has become the latest in Hollywood's growing line of successful female action heroes.
Disney/Pixar/AP
EnlargeI saw Disney-Pixar?s "Brave" the day it debuted in theaters, and I?m glad that Merida is a different kind of princess ? one who can be read as a critique of both the trope that princesses are passive and the trend to tell their stories as romances.
Skip to next paragraph Rebecca HainsGuest blogger
Rebecca Hains, Ph.D. is a children's media culture expert. A professor of advertising and media studies at Salem State University, in Salem, Mass., her research focuses on girls and media. The author of "Growing Up With Girl Power: Girlhood on Screen and in Everyday Life,"? she blogs about children's media and popular culture at rebeccahains.wordpress.com. She lives with her husband and son in Peabody, Mass.
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But I also have some mixed feelings. For example:
With all that in mind, since the release of "Brave," I?ve been reading reviews and commentaries of the film with interest. There are two strands of criticism that I would like to address: 1) that the film is unoriginal, and 2) that Merida is a brat.
Is?"Brave" an unoriginal film?
When Joanna Weiss of?the?Boston Globe?and I?talked about "Brave," she mentioned that a lot of early reviews complained the film was unoriginal ? ?just another princess movie,? she said. Reviewers were complaining that unlike other Pixar films, "Brave" didn?t feature a fully fabricated, fantastically unexpected world; it seemed to be treading old ground.
For example, Todd McCarthy?wrote in?The Hollywood Reporter?that "Brave" is ?familiar? and treads ?startlingly well-worn territory.? He also complains that it is ?laden with standard-issue fairy tale and familiar girl-empowerment tropes.? But is it, really? It?s a story about a mother-daughter relationship. How is this ?familiar? and ?well-worn?? He and?other reviewers?complain that?Brave?is too Disney and not enough Pixar. In reading reviews like these, I sensed the reviewers just couldn?t get past the fact that "Brave" is about a princess, rather than something as unexpected as talking cars or talking toys or talking fish.
Ask any girl who?s been raised on princess films, and she?ll tell you that Merida is different, and very unlike her Disney Princess peers. As far as the narrative goes, what does Merida have in common with Disney Princesses, exactly? The fact that she?s a princess who has utterly fantastic hair. That?s about it.
(Even the witch in "Brave" seems perfectly nice. Unlike Disney?s approach, there?s no vilification of old ladies in Pixar?s film, which is refreshing.)
Other than that, while watching "Brave," I was amused to notice how closely the film follows Pixar?s formula for its protagonists:
Merida goes through a similar journey. She begins as a self-absorbed teenager who wants to avoid the responsibilities of being a princess. After a fight with her mother, she finds herself someplace new and strange. Merida makes a bad decision that turns her mother into a bear. While trying to save her mother from this predicament, Merida then spends an awful lot of time insisting that it?s?not her fault.
Finally, however, Merida changes, developing a better understanding of her mother and growing as a person. She realizes it?is?her fault, and by the movie?s conclusion, she has incorporated some of her mother?s statements into her own worldview, such as ?Legends are lessons. They ring with truth,? and ?How do you know you don?t like it if you won?t try it?? (At this, a young child seated behind me and my son in the theater marveled, ?She?s acting like her mother!?)
So if the film seems familiar to reviewers, I don?t think it?s because it?s a Disney princess story.?Merida is so different from the other Disney Princesses.?Do Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or Ariel have journeys in which they learn something about themselves and change? No. Their problems are solved by others. What about Belle? No. She longs for ?adventure in the great wide somewhere,? but ultimately she is reduced to a catalyst of change for someone else ? the Beast.
I really think that "Brave" feels familiar to many viewers because it?s telling the same type of story Pixar has been trading in for years.?And so, as I?told Joanna, it seems a little sexist for reviewers to place the blame for the film?s familiar feeling on the fact that Merida is a?princess.
Is Merida a brat?
Another strand of conversation that has caught my eye is the debate over whether Merida is more bratty than brave. After all, she?s sassy and outspoken and argues openly with her mother. A reviewer at SFGate.com expresses?concern?that ?the movie may tilt the balance too far in Mom?s direction, so that the film?s ostensible heroine ceases to seem adorably spunky and becomes more like an awful brat.?
Indeed, in some audience members? opinions, this seems to be the case. One blogger writes that the movie ?seems to accept and perhaps even glorify the defiance of the diva, the ?coolness? of being a brat, and the idea that insolence is synonymous with independence. When did respect for one?s parents, a gentle spirit, and a longing for a loving partnership involving mutual sacrifice become sexist and outdated?? Another?argues, ?I worry that our culture perpetuates a sort of entitled-brat attitude in girls these days: that our daughters deserve to get what they want, when they want it simply because they are girls. And nobody can tell girls these days what to do or what to want. They?re in charge.?
In all of this, I haven?t seen anyone acknowledge the reality of teenagers? relationships with their parents. As the book Nurture Shock?explains, studies indicate that 96 percent of teenagers lie to their parents, often about really big issues. Which teens lie the least? Those whose parents consistently enforce rules while being the most warm and having the most conversations with their children. They explain why rules exist but are supportive of their children?s autonomy and freedom.
This, perhaps, can be understood as Elinor?s big parenting mistake: She dictates things to Merida without really explaining them to her, and so it seems to Merida that her mother does not support her freedom.
Yet ironically, Merida?s protestations and efforts to change her mother?s mind are not signs of a bad mother-daughter relationship. Studies also show that the teens who argue more openly with their parents are the teens who are the most honest. According to?Nurture Shock, one study showed that families with less deception had ?a much higher ratio of arguing/complaining. Arguing was good?arguing was honesty.? However, ?The parents didn?t necessarily realize this. The arguing stressed them out.?
Meanwhile,?another study of mother-daughter arguments summarized in?Nurture Shock found that while?nearly half of mothers felt arguments with their daughters were bad for their relationships, less than a quarter of daughters felt the same way. For daughters, what was most important was how these arguments ended. The daughters needed to feel heard by their mothers, and over time, they needed to win some arguments and get small concessions from others. But they did not need to win every battle; they mainly needed to feel heard. (As Merida says to her mother, ?Just listen to me!?)
In other words, the fact that Merida makes her disagreements clear to her mother does not make her a brat. As unpleasant as this may be for parents to consider, Merida?s argumentative nature may actually be a sign of respect and a mother-daughter relationship that is fundamentally sound. That?s important to keep in mind. When Merida and her mother begin to really consider one another?s perspectives, both parties grow as individuals, and their relationship becomes stronger.?For parents worried that Merida is a ?brat? who is setting a poor example for their children, these facts could provide useful talking points for the entire family.
The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best family and parenting bloggers out there. Our contributing and guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor, and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. Rebecca Hains blogs at?rebeccahains.wordpress.com.
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