More and more households have women as the breadwinner and men staying home raising the kids. Over 50% of the workforce are women, plus women are owning their own businesses AND entering the political arena. It really depends who you ask if this scenario is comfortable with men.

Some men want to preserve one section of the business arena for themselves. And other men, who have worked with women their whole career, are comfortable with women being the breadwinner. One banker, who has recently lost his job, appreciates his wife even more. Her job provides him with his health insurance which is a nice complement when you only have unemployment insurance to live on.

Don’t be fooled that women being the breadwinner is a perfect scenario. With women working and men staying at home, there is often times jealousy and resentment at home. The psychological disorder proves that career and marriage really don’t mix well. You can have it all, but not at one time.  

Since so much of the workforce are women, flexible time for men and women is becoming more available. Men too are finding flex time beneficial in allowing them to get more done during the day. Also, men have taken a cue from women in turning down transfers. Men realize, as women have always known, that moving a family around the country isn’t conducive to raising kids. 

People who have been dismissed from their job will identify with the George Clooney movie “Up in the Air.” It’s about professional sackers. There are companies who will fire your employees for you.

Roger Bingham is a corporate downsizer. That is public relations talk for someone who flies around the country firing people. The character considers his job as nothing more than a chance to collect frequent flier miles. Clooney interpretation of his character, Roger Bingham, has won him a nomination for an Oscar.

The movie will show you the emotions involved when you end someone’s livelihood. In today’s market, many folks have had this experience so the movie is a good outlet for any pent up frustrations.

The reason the Human Resources Director brings in an outsider to do the canning is fear based. They are not afraid of terminating people - some have a little smile on their faces just thinking about it. Rather, there is so much red tape involved that an outsider makes the corporation less liable.

HR Directors know that it is cold to end someone’s professional life. That’s why they do it with respect and dignity. There are no emotions involved.

As is true of movies, the story told in “Up in the Air” is an exaggeration for the sake of entertainment. The basics of the story are true. However, a lot more time and work goes into terminating someone.

The 1940s‘ movie star, Bette Davis’ portrayed a sophisticated character by lighting up a cigarette. Glamorous movie stars made cigarettes look sophisticated which influenced movie viewers. The message sent was that you want to look sophisticated or look rugged then smoke a cigarette. The tobacco industry couldn‘t have been more happy.

Then the Surgeon General said that cigarette smoking was bad for your health, and movies made an effort to change. It became wrong to send a message to adults about cigarettes being sexy. Smoking in films isn’t the imprint movies have on adults.

Man has evolved from killer apes which is manifested by wars, inter-personal aggression, and violence. The Ten Commandments, laws, and rules of conduct have toned down these innate, violent tendencies. However, graphically violent and bloody movies excite some human beings in a mildly sexual way. The horror film and the war film appeal to their murderous innate instincts.

The movie “Die Hard” is based on a hostage scenario in a closed place. Many have speculated that mindless violence and gun violence seen in movies is causing violence in society. There has arisen over the last decades school shootings, such as the Virginia Tech shooting. At a school institution, a young student killed 32 students; then, he killed himself. Do students get these ideas from movies?

Movies also portray movie icon cussing, doing drugs, or drinking. These are other problems which impact people. Movies are rated PG-13 so that young kids will stay away from movies with bad messages. However, kids see these violent movies on television, and think that they’re cool.

Taliban Religious Police beating a woman

The good guys always win at the end. And you are seeing Pro-Taliban fighters changing sides and reconciling. They are shaking hands with United States soldiers. God Bless America!

It has been a rocky road, literally, to get to this point. To get to Kabul, the soldiers had to drive through a mountainous trail; then the road opened up to this beautiful countryside. There were gun shots, and the shots were getting closer. The soldiers put foot to pedal to the medal and got out of there. It wasn’t going to be that day.

The American spirit of never giving up had the soldiers trying another day to meet those who want to change sides. This time, though, they went by air and landed at Jabaladad. The soldiers arrives safely at the  city and, at the grandly titled office of the Afghanistan National Independence Peace and Reconciliation Commission. The soldiers  finally met Taliban commander Qari Mohibullah and his men.

The sat on floor cushions surrounded by inscriptions from the Koran. The commander - like all his men - wore the traditional shalwar kameez (tunic and loose trousers) and a black headscarf, which they fidgeted with frequently.  Qari Mohibullah is the leader of the group of men who want to change side. The lies that the Taliban have told them is starting to show. The clear picture that they are seeing is the motivation for them to stop fighting.