Are you a woman?? Are you a business minded lady??

If you are a professional woman who has a book or product in need of promotion, then this is your lucky day! Here is a golden opportunity to share your talent, which also gives us the chance to purchase from you!

FRIDAY JUNE 20th marks YOUR day on our baby boomer calendar—

It’s the day we are celebrating who we are as women, once more showing the world why we are women who
are on the move, and making a difference!

June 20 is the 2nd annual celebration of Baby Boomer Diva Day.

Showcase your product for 15 minutes for the very low price of $10.

A few vendor slots still left so don’t wait until they are all gone!

Also, there will be plenty of prize giveaways with special guest speaker, Heidi Richards, who will discuss how blogging can turn into $$$ for your business or product.

It’s going to be the most fun you’ve had online in a LONG time. 10am-3pm

To get more information or to sign up now:
keybusinesspartners@verizon.net
Don’t you just love being a woman?!

AUSTRALIA and countries set on similar times: STAY TUNED>>>>

My sister’s sobs were echoed in the strange silence…there was once laughter and the rattling of pots and pans. Even the smell had changed, and I looked around and saw nothing but empty, pale faces. An uncle, and a father, both side by side, living their own grief. Where was I to go? The ambulance had already removed any trace of her existence, the traffic on that freeway had slowed me down, and any wish or prayer for wings, abandoned. Aimlessly I wandered into her room, the last place she had been. It was only there I could feel anything remotely close to the feeling that was, ‘mum’. My older sister never let go of my arm, but I needed to find my own moment, my own final goodbye. As we sat together on mum’s bed, I leaned for the pillow where her head had rested, there had to be something of her’s left to hold and with each squeeze, came one more flood of tears. Before we left the room, I was compelled to run my hands over the blankets and sheets, it was still warm in there so I knew it was the last time I’d ever be this close….and there it was. Upon the soft white sheet, lay one strand of my mother’s hair. Ever so carefully, I picked it up, and never said a word to anyone….this was mine, and it suddenly awakened me to the fact she was actually gone. That one strand of hair, remains locked away inside my personal belongings and to this day, for whatever reason, I never told a single soul….not until now. Life has a funny way of finding ways to get people to face things, and as I type this to you, I am again reminded how painful and how raw my emotions still are….I could never introduce you to the woman who was, my mother, but thanks to the internet I can share just a little of one other glorious angel. It’s the very least I can do to honour her beautiful life. I love you mum.

So what went wrong?? What caused this crisis to begin with? The economy is screaming “WARNING WARNING…Danger ahead!” Those frightening four words, ‘the cost of living’…the stories behind this heading differ with every person you approach, but the message is exactly the same. For one young Sydney man, his response to the morning tv show’s journalist, when asked how it was affecting him: “I just don’t eat as much now”…the elderly folk are going to bed earlier to stay warm..why? Because they cannot afford the cost of heating but they too are starving themselves from one fortnight to the next, doling out their pension to meet each household expense, cutting corners of groceries. PUTRID! This should NOT be happening in a modern world, it shouldn’t happen PERIOD!

Across the states, various journalists from the same morning programme were placed in position, putting the same question out to the public…”How has this affected you?” Another response from a newly wed couple”We just cut back, we don’t go out” The head of a family of five spoke with pain, telling the country of his disgust and concerns for others..”My family has had to cut back on many things yet it isn’t really making much difference”…..

Today I listened to the man who spoke on behalf of his bank, defending it and almsot commending its actions…which bank? The RESERVE BANK! Glenn Stevens, [no, absolutely NO relation to me] spewed out his misery in his morning address to his many public servants, and the media. Words like ‘a strong economy’ ‘widening of their equity’ and through all the garble he was able to downplay Australia’s plight! “It’s JUST LIFE” Did you hear that?? JUST LIFE! I am sudenly taken back to former Liberal Prime Minister, Sir Malcom Fraser’s unforgettable phrase..”Life wasn’t meant to be easy” and what about “This was the recession we HAD to have” [again] former Labor Prime Minister, Paul Keating…

So as petrol prices soar out of control, groceries hike up their food costs we now watch as the word ‘homeless’ takes on a whole new meaning and look! Just yesterday it was announced there has been a 50% increase in the rental market, a growth of 30%! And it doesn’t stop there…no, it is going to get a alot worse with landlords grabbing a piece of the billion dollar revenue! Tenants are subject to sudden rent increases, one case is that of the 82 year old man who’s rent had been a stable $175 per week….and now???? Well, they hit him up to $290 a week! Families are being forced to pack up and move out while landlords stand over them, with the power to evict for their own self-centred purposes! The most common excuse, the owner has decided they want to move back in…OR, there will be a sudden maintenance check where the tenant is forced to cop a list of grievances and bone-picking arguments, even when they have been a model tenant!

Now we come to today- The daily task of searching the rental markets, dropping in to Real Estates, being told ‘Yes, the place you wish to view is still available and will be shown on the date supplied…usually with twenty other people all queued up alongside you! In Sydney yesterday morning, almost 100 hopefuls gathered to see a property, what an awful sight but one that is not unfamiliar these days! Now we even have been given tips on what to do to increase our chances of being approved over the next person, and this is just a few of those rude requests:

• BE prompt to an inspection
• DRESS SHARP! [How dare they]
• Dress code: No things or shorts!
• Have all  neccessary documents on hand THAT day!
• Here’s a classic….instead of offering to pay extra, offer to give the place a coat of paint or renovations as this always adds money to the property…oh and an added inclusion of an air-conditioner would be great! WHAT?????????????

Where does this all end?? There has to be a solution, a reasonable resolution to get the numbers down on the vast waiting lists for Public Housing, surely! Maybe if our Government had the guts to admit our country has only room enough to deal with the people already residing in it, opposed to openeing the flood gates to let more in??? Australia might seem big in the geographical sense, but ((((HELLO)))) most of the land is water or desert!!! Where then do we think we can house this influx of people once here? In the suburbs, of course.  Yep, I am upset alright, my grandfather and uncles fought for this land, and their forefathers were the men and women who tossed out here as convicts, with NO SAY! Well, I had to have mine for I fear if we don’t speak our minds, the problem in society will never be sorted. This doesn’t HAVE to be a division bewteen cultures, we merely need to know when enough is seriously, enough!

WRITING EDGE-Boomer Bound!

WRITING EGDEThe publisher asked me to announce the latest news about this truly unique lifestyle magazine, and invites all readers AND writers, to subscribe.

With a view to open a line of Romance books, Writing Edge has complied a simple and fun survey to gauge the interest of its readership.

You can locate this survey online, and also on the back page of this month’s issue.

By filling out this survey, Writing Edge are giving away a free t-shirt!This is also an opportunity to learn more about the women that make up the group known as the Baby Boomer Divas~as a boomer, I can vouch for this wide list of talented women-They include many celebrities, business savvy women, magazine editors, virtual assitants, managers,radio announcers,nutritionalists, herbalists, authors, artists, mothers and much more!
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Bern Nadette Stanis (”Thelma” from the 70’s comedy sitcom, “GOOD TIMES”) and you can read all about her days on the set and what she is doing today. A wonderful lady with a wonderful story!

Now better than ever, Writing Edge offers the ultimate women’s magazine, for every age!

The coming issue consists of approximately 60 - 70 pages, full gloss colour, split into 3 supplements:

Metro-Seven - For modern thinking readers

Fasion, travel and beauty…Just some of this ‘little women’s’ magazine

*Boomer Diva Nation-

Dedicated to the Baby Boomer Divas-This section focuses on the women who make up Beverly Mahone’s amazing group of ladies, a wide list of members from housewife to celebrity. Baby boomer women, all over the age of 40, all with various backgrounds, leading the way and helping others by their own inspirational example.

Direct from the online Baby Boomer Nation Blog, to you, the reader- share their stories each month, now in glorious print!
On the move, and making a difference!

http://www.babyboomerdivas.com
http://www.boomerdivanation.com/

Sassy Girl -

An internationally spread section for all young readers and writers!

For the modern young woman
Sassy Girl is especially designed for the girls between 16 - 26 years of age. 

For all advertising, and any other queries please address your email:

enquiries@scuppari.com

As a woman, and a baby boomer diva, I am now writing more on romance and was recently invited to submit a small piece I’d included in a previous book, and turn it into something more. Okay, so what is more? A novella! With so much Chick Lit buzzing about the literary scenes, my publisher and I put our thinking caps on, and decided it was high time we found out what women readers, really want in a romance book?!

Thanks to the genius of SCuppari Publishing, I have my ideas already flowing and once a few loose ends elsewhere are tied up, I will be plunging deep into the romance story, “Turning Right”-

Meanwhile, we would LOVE to gather some feedback from other women, those reading romance and longing for more! Here’s your chance, especially if you are anywhere between the ages of 35+ to surf on over to Writing Edge, and fill in the online survey! Helps us, help you! We want to deliver the kind of romance fiction older women, mature women, sassy wome want to sink their teeth into! Check it out: http://writingedgemagazine.tripod.com/id174.html

If you have any queries, or would like to submit your own little piece of romance, drop us a line at enquiries@scuppari.com or magazinestaff@bigstring.com

As deputy editor for this magazine, I am open to any new ideas so put on those thinking caps ladies, let’s inspire others!

If you would like to subscribe to our magazine, stop by www.scuppari.com or www.writingedgemag.com

A cool heavy-duty canvas, cotton tote bag courtesy of Writing Edge, with your subscription order!

I started school, kindergarten, age five, the year, 1965. We were taught to understand General Knowledge from the first day of shcool! I can remember sitting in a huge auditorium with many other children, on the poilished timber floors, legs crossed, and alot of adults standing around us. A woman was sitting up on what seemed to be the stage, and she was throwing out some questions to see what we knew. I was so eager to answer a question, excited and nervous, all at once, then she asked:”What is another name for a house?” I didn’t see any other hands except for mine, a big moment! ‘Yes Debbie?” “A home??” came my reply. And I was right! I felt so special, so clever! I had answered my first question from a teacher, and this was my introduction to Primary School. From here on, year after year, my knowledge grew along with my love of writing stories!

We were taught mathematics every morning! It was routine, you had to know your times-tables, and every morning in class, the blackboard always had a set of examples ready to go. These were drilled into our expanding brains,beginning with the smaller scale, leading up to the largest. It wasn’t long before most of us in the school knew them, off by-heart! We were taught the alphabet, everyday! We sang songs in class, everyday. There was that reward of either a star glued onto your page, or some other novel sticker! Your names were placed on the board if you had achieved in some class task, or if you had been mucking up in class! The teachers back then never missed a thing! That myth that they had ‘eyes in the back of their heads’, often believed! If you had been good some teachers felt the job of wiping the board clean deserved a special mention, you were the ’special helper’. Our desks either had ink-wells for dipping our pens into, or we were being introduced to the HB lead pencils! Our books were covered with brown paper, if you were extra lucky, an extra coating with clear plastic made the book really stand out!
When it came to writing stories, the subject was called Compositions, and I found this to be the best thing since Lemon Meringue Pie! In 2nd/3rd/4th/5th class, I really excelled receiving class awards and stickers of every colour! One of my award-winning stories was typically, non-fiction, for I loved sharing some of the funny & interesting things that happened outside of school. These were my best-submissions! The only thing I really didn’t enjoy about Primary School, was the thought of drinking a bottle of milk every school morning. For those of you who aren’t from the sixties, you may have been spared this ritual. lol The milk crates were delivered to the playgrounds, early. When the children arrived at school, they were always instructed to grab a bottle to drink…9 out of 10 times, your bottle had been sitting in the sun so you just KNEW, your milk was going to horrible and HOT! Some kids got to school earlier…now I know why! lol Our class sizes averaged 20 - 30 children, which was normal. The teachers never seemed to have any problem coping, and you never heard of a teacher going on strike? So what has changed? You be the judge!

Watching the six o’clock news tonight, the report was discussing the difference between children going to school in the sixties, to that of kids in today’s era.

Report shows students in 1960’s better educated
By Jane Metlikovec

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/Sun

• Report shows literacy, numeracy not improving
• Authors suggest Government spending misguided
• Declining teacher salaries not good for students

SCHOOL students in the 1960s could read, write and count better than those today, according to a new report. Australian National University researchers found student literacy and numeracy had not improved since Sir Robert Menzies was prime minister and the Beatles topped the charts. Dr Andrew Leigh and Dr Chris Ryan tracked literacy and numeracy standards by comparing student results from the same tests over successive years for their report, How has school productivity changed in Australia?
“Over the past three to four decades, neither literacy nor numeracy have improved, and may even have declined slightly,” Dr Ryan said. “In numeracy, the typical young teenage student in 2003 was approximately a quarter of a grade level behind his or her counterpart in 1964.”The researchers said this was despite increased government spending on education over the past 40 years.Spending increased by 238 per cent from 1964-2003, they said. “It is possible the additional education spending over the past few decades was misdirected,” Dr Leigh said. “This additional expenditure does not seem to have succeeded in raising literacy or numeracy.” Dr Leigh said government policy could have contributed to the declining student standards. “Decisions to reduce class sizes while allowing teacher salaries to decline relative to other professions may not have been in the best interests of students,” he said. Dr Leigh said lower salaries had led to a fall in teacher quality from 1983-2003, which would have contributed to a decline in student results. State education departments need to focus on evidence-based policy making, he said. “We need to measure different practices to see which are the best,” Dr Leigh said. “Results from one class with small student numbers should be compared against another class which has a top teacher.”  Victorian Education Minister Bronwyn Pike recently applauded grade 3, 5 and year 7 students for meeting, and often exceeding, national benchmarks for literacy and numeracy.

Figures from the National Report on Schooling in Australia, released earlier this month, showed more than 96 per cent of grade 3 and 5 students met the writing benchmark, out-performing every state and territory in Australia.

The Victorian Government has also committed $11.7 million to employ 45 literacy specialists.

This organisation, like many others now up & running are great networks fot the patient, and the family/friends of the patient. My contribution goes beyond this…I have been concentrating on the use of my books and the internet to gain a wider audience, it also allows more time to focus on work committments and my family!

I hope it won’t be much longer before this disease has a known test…one that women and girls from all walks of life will have access to, and one that gets the cancer in its early stages! This is why I fight on…..even though we have come a long way since my own mother was first diagnosed, we still have much work to do!

Seven years ago, I had never heard of this cancer…today, thanks to alot of hard work, advocating, fundraisers & websites, we have gathered more information togather as a society, and have spread it out so others pick up on the word. Just before Christmas, I managed to get hold of a gynaecolgist-researcher from Sydney’s University who has offered to share an update from the research perspective, wonderful news! This article will be published in our Writing Edge magazine, hopefully in time for our Autumn Issue! Please stop by www.writingedgemag.com sign up for our newsletter and perhaps add your name to the subscription list! We plan to bring more articles like this as we expand in our issues, and as deputy-editor, I often have free-range on choosing what will suit so I am very excited!

Well, it is getting late here so i should wind up…remember ladies, ‘when in doubt, rule those ovaries out!’

It pains me to see others copping a raw deal, and that’s why I am usually the first to speak up on their behalf, but what about me? Well, thanks to the world of blogging I am going to use it as my venting-vehicle!

I have two issues that are foremost on my mind. The first, Vetenarians who see the almighty dollar as more important than the animal. Just recently, my 8 year old short-haired collie x border collie, became ill, and it wasn’t looking good. For 6 days she couldn’t hold her food and I was thinking the worst. It was during the holiday break, as luck would have it, that this all took place but on the 5th day, did manage to get hold of a vetenarian hospital who were willing to discuss via the phone. The nurse was wonderful, you could hear real sincerity in her voice and she gave me a couple of tips to see if it helped my baby. By the sixth day, her diet changed for bland food, boiled rice with chicken broth, she still was unable to keep it down, so now I was panicking! Her normal vetinarian was just back from his break, so I gave his shop a call.

The response I received was not at all what I had expected-Describing in tears my dog’s poor condition, then emphasising our own financial crisis, the young girl  became vague and evasive. Unable to offer us any support, she suggested I place a call to the RSPCA, Sydney’s main shelter for homeless and mistreated animals. “They have a credit system and should be able to help you.” her reply. At this stage I had nothing to lose, my dog needed immediate attention and without the cash, this young girl had made it perfectly clear they could not help. In haste I called the number supplied to me……the phone rang out! By now my youngest boy was in the room with me, also anxious to know what was wrong with his dog. We had bought her for his eighth birthday, just months after he had lost his Nanna. Sophie was a very special addition to this family, and throughout the phone-calls, this came seeping through to the forefront of my mind. Don’t cry Deb, just DON’T cry!

When the phone continued to ring-out, I placed another to Information…they gave me a DIFFERENT number from that of the one I’d been desperately dialling! SUCCESS! The lady who answered seemed pleasant enough, listening to my plight and asking what I had been doing to treat our pet. I was quickly placed through to another line, where I was met with a brick-wall! The first question: “How much can you give us?” Explaining it was still the beginning of my pay week, another four days before my account would see a payment…this was when the whole conversation took a turn for the worse! No compassion for the animal, just dollar signs! Now slightly frustrated, I explained our current situation, but this girl, without a consultation used a ‘crystal ball’, telling me my dog required an intravenous drip and so on…”She is drinking water!” I clearly emphasised, “She is NOT vomiting!” A pause of silence, then again, the same instructions…the consultation only cheaper by a mere two dollars, and definitely NO credit being offered! Her next suggestion had me seething…”Maam[now being patronised]the only other thing I can suggest to you would be to surrender her over to the shelter.” I had fought off the dam of tears but now the gates were open! Did she care? Of course not! This wasn’t affecting her in the slightest…all I could see was our family pet, handed over to strangers and then facing an even more sinister futre. The odds of people coming to buy her would be minimal, and I just couldn’t even put that image inside my head, and now, was furious it had been put on the table to consider. “How dare you!” I retorted “This is not just a stray dog we are talking about, she is FAMILY! I hate to think if one of your elderly family members suddenly took ill?”

The bedroom door swung open and in walked my hero! My husband took the phone from my hand, announced his disappointment in their mannerism and absolute disgust with their way of handling the situation. Meanwhile I sat terrified on the end of our bed, my youngest doing his best to comfort me, when I should have been doing the same for him. My husband hung up, placed another call back to our Vet, who suddenly had a change of heart! “Bring her in and we will see what’s going on, it’s probably just a virus!” And indeed, it was! Our dog required no treatment, other than the love and attention she had already been receiving, and in a day or two, she would be back to normal. They gave us 24 hours of keeping watch, but when we awoke the next morning, she was so much better!

So, I sat back and considered the lousy options I had been given care of the RSPCA…the people who we rely heavily on to PROTECT our animals….oh sure, they do a fine job in every other area of work, but having experienced first-hand the importance placed upon the almighty dollar, OVER my dog’s well-being, has left me very doubtful, offended and furious!

I now wonder just how many other families, faced with a shortage of money [in hand] are being dealt with? And I then worry for the amount of family pets that have needlessly been surrended over, opposed to being treated! SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!!! This is truly, EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL!