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Updated with coverage of the oil spill!

Check it out:

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=education/2010/05/27/sn.0528.cnn

The site is “a ten minute, commercial-free daily news program” geared to middle and high-school students.

If you’ve been looking for ways to get your teens interested in the news, I recommend bookmarking the CNN Student News site and showing it to your kids. It’s geared to them, so it’s a bit more hip, clean and concise than the main CNN site.

And, yeah, they’re on Facebook, too.

So here’s what I’ve been trying:

when my kids are screwing around, laughing and wasting time instead of doing their homework, I start to sign a song that I know they really don’t like (e.g., What Do You Want From Me?). It gets their attention much faster than saying expected phrases (like, “Focus, guys.” or “Get back to work now, please.”). Before long, they’re begging me to stop and agreeing to focus on their studies.

Believe me, when they become teens you have to get creative.

This fact becomes especially important if you have teen drivers.

April 30 is National No-Phone Zone Day, declared to raise awareness about the dangers of using a phone while driving.

I’m on board and signed the pledge. Will you?

http://static.oprah.com/npz/text_pledge_v1.swf

You may have heard of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, the movie that came out Friday, February 12, 2010.

Many people have been calling it a Harry Potter knock off. To begin with, the book series is not another Potter. The only comparison one could make is that the main characters are two boys and a girl, and the male protagonist doesn’t fully know about his true powers until he goes somewhere away from home (Camp Half Blood/Hogwarts) to train.

Would Potter ever go to Vegas?!

We both read The Lightning Thief (along with the rest of the books in the series) at a young age and were captivated by how exciting it was. Both of us still consider it the best book we’ve ever read (tied with Stephen Colbert’s I Am America (And So Can You!) and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird). We have also read the Harry Potter books and seen the movies and the Lightning Thief series differs in many ways. The Lightning Thief is a fun way for kids and teens to learn about Greek mythology.

The Lightning Thief brings Greek mythology to the modern world, with the gods and goddesses hidden at the top of the empire state building. Camp Half Blood is the where the demigods gather, the only place they are safe. Demigods are the offspring of a god and mortal, so they are half-human and half-god. Harry Potter, however, is about witchcraft and wizardry. Magic. Contrast that with gods and Greek mythology. Nowhere close to the magic that is described in the Harry Potter series.

Have you seen this promo, where water roars behind Percy?

Percy is the son of Poseidon (god of the seas, which must be noted because the naysayers probably didn’t even know that), not a recently-trained-in-magic Quidditch captain. The people who accused The Lightning Thief of being a cheap knock-off probably didn’t even know that the book was released in 2005, before five of the Harry Potter movies were released. Also, one could make the argument (an inane, ignorant argument) that The Half Blood Prince and Camp Half Blood have something to do with each other. Well, unless Snape’s dad was Zeus or Ares or any other god, they have no connection except for the words “Half Blood.”

Anyway, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series of books was hugely successful, a New York Times #1 Bestseller and given five-star reviews by many, including the writers of this article. The people who criticized The Lightning Thief probably did no (or very little) research and just looked at the ad for the movie while tweeting “Am I the only one that thinks that Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is a total Harry Potter cop-out? #iamnotamused.” (@clawtooth35) or “hilarious: billboards for ‘Percy Jackson and the lightning thief’ don’t even try to hide the fact that it’s a facile Harry Potter ripoff…” (@estherdbrazil) or “the lightning thief dd not lve up 2 my expctations. almost juvenile for my liking. it’s like harry potter with a better looking protagonist.” (@bookletjeff) Uh huh. To quote @pfpaul, “BF#1: “The Lightning Thief looks stupid. It’s exactly like Harry Potter. Different people, same names.” That doesn’t even… “what?!”

Exactly. Different people, same names?! No they don’t…oh, whatever.

We just disagree.

Go see The Lightning Thief.

Let us know what you think.

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First of all, can you imagine Potter using an iPhone or iPod Touch? Ever? HA!

These American kids know how to use technology! W00T!

Our kids loved the Percy Jackson book series and enjoyed the movie. They tire of the comparisons between it and the Potter series. Actually, I wish the promos would have downplayed the Chris Columbus connection and any other similarities.  Millions of Potter fanatics do not want anything to try to replace or follow Potter. Attempting to draw similarities was a mistake.

Instead, I recommend putting Potter aside and opening yourself up to something new or, at least something a little different, based on myth and legends.

If you’re looking for respectable teen action heroes for your teens or preteens, I believe this is your film (and I hope an entire series of films). In it, smart, brave, attractive kids discover their demigod selves and embark on a quest which eventually leads them to Zeus and Poseidon. In fact, it’s a fairly good introduction to Greek mythology.

Exercise caution with sensitive tweens or younger kids, though.  Ms. Dodds’ morphing into a flying fury and the minotaur chasing Percy and Grover were quite frightening scenes, though probably the scariest moments of the film. After those two, the intensity eases a bit.

Kids who have read the book series (or at least the first book, “The Lightning Thief”) will enjoy the movie but may quibble over differences and omissions. The parts of the book that were necessarily left out of the movie are not crucial to the storyline. My kids believe that the few aspects that were missing can be easily added in to future movies.

Logan Lerman (as Percy Jackson) strikes the right balance between seeming a little awkward with his new-found abilities and being as confident and strong as one would expect from a demigod. He’s more like Peter in Heroes than Potter at Hogwarts. No wands, just hands (and occasionally a sword).

The attraction between Percy and Annabeth was believable (I don’t really care that Annabeth wasn’t blond) and Luke was a terrific antagonist.

Bottom line? Get over Potter and give this movie a chance.

Images from Google Images

Do you have a girl in middle school? Chances are good that she (or her friends) has considered wearing eyeliner.

My bottom line advice? Don’t let her wear eyeliner.

Many years ago, I spent some time in the world of fashion and beauty where we learned voice and diction as well as make up application.  We were never taught to only wear eyeliner.  I have never only worn eyeliner.  I would never wear only eyeliner on a bare face.

Makeup is about enhancing features.  For everyday looks, it’s intended to make someone more beautiful without attempting to create a mask or simply color the face.  Drawing lines around the eyes doesn’t enhance them.  It brings attention to them, sure, but that’s about it.  And I mean it brings attention to the lines, not the eyes.  Imagine a large canvas with a black frame.  Would your eyes be drawn to the canvas or the frame?

But don’t try to explain that to your daughter.

Instead,

plan a day of beauty with her. Take her to a department store for a free makeover at a counter whose brand focus is on a natural looking face. My recommendations include Clinique or Bobbi Brown. Many girls seem to be drawn to MAC, but some of their looks, IMHO, are too dramatic for middle schoolers.  One example, the Peacocky look, is beautiful artistry but  not appropriate for middle school:

That might be great for my older sister (well out of her teens) but not for my daughter.

Another idea is to take her to Bare Escentuals (whose mineral powder foundation is being copied by many companies). With mineral makeup, I’d be less worried about her leaving it on all night.

The makeup artists at these counters will most likely begin by talking about skincare.* Then they’ll apply a full face of makeup, explaining each step in the application process.  Your daughter will see the transformation and how much (or how little) makeup makes her look better. Odds are good that they will not just apply eyeliner. In fact, they may apply no eyeliner, yet still sufficiently enhance her features to achieve the look she’s envisioning.

Keep in mind, the goal of the makeup artist is to sell those products.  You are usually under no obligation to buy any of them at that time (in most cases, at most departments stores).**

After the makeup application, take her out to lunch and talk to her about the experience.  Is it what she expected?  Does she like how she looks?  Can she imagine going through all of those steps every day (and removing all of it every night)? Does she understand the importance of skincare and how it goes hand in hand with the use of makeup? How about the cost?  Did she understand how quickly the costs can accumulate?

Beyond that, I found that, as with most things, books can be very helpful.  Specifically, Sonia Kashuk’s Real Beauty, Bobbi Brown’s Makeup Manual, Bobbi Brown’s Teenage Beauty and Diane Irons’s Teen Beauty Secrets provide useful information.  Having said that, our kids are less likely to refer to a book for “how to” information and more likely to look online or watch a video tutorial.  So, to satisfy a parent’s desire for a book and the teen’s viewing preference, I recommend that first book (Real Beauty) by Kashuk because it includes a DVD.  Pop it into your (or your teen’s) laptop and watch it with her.  Or heck, just give it to her.  It provides basic makeup and skincare advice that should help your teen understand why one wouldn’t wear just eyeliner.

And when you see her walk out the door looking appropriately beautiful, you can rest assured she feels it, too.

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*I will save the information about skincare for a separate post.

**Some exceptions exist.  Particularly in New York City. I’m strictly speaking about my experience in the department stores in our area.