- How To Tie Your Shoe
- How To Tie Your Neighbor’s Shoe
- How To Find Shoes That Don’t Ever Need To Be Tied (Sponsored by Tieks
) - Junk Photography And Twitter: A Cautionary Tale. Leader: Anthony Weiner
- Snacking (Beginners)
- Snacking (Intermediate)
- Snacking (Advanced Snackers Only)
- How To Get Your Clothing Dry Cleaned (Field Trip; dry cleaning fee will be added to your registration)
- Stripey Straws, Old-Fashioned Soda Bottles And Bokeh Photoshop Filters For Dummies
- How To Travel To Bangladesh With A Former Supermodel
- The “For Dummies” Series Made Simple
- Dummies: So Glad You’re Not One!
- Dummies: How To Punch Them When You Need To
- Public Image Management And High School Friends (includes bonus pre-game trash-talking pantomime workshop). Leader: LeBron James
- Sorority Paint Pen Typography
- How To Get Your Money’s Worth From A Conference By Tweeting About How Wonderful It Is/Was (ongoing session held poolside, please install Tweetgrid ahead of time so you don’t miss out!)
Glossary terms: Broad Summit , Mighty Summit , Camp Mighty
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These do not sound any more ridiculous than the actual sessions offered.
Let me assure you it’s not for a lack of trying.
Where do I sign up? And which c-list adult contemporary musician will be performing at the after party??
Oh you know it’s that Chris Mann guy who always shows up at Blissdom. It pretty much has to be.
I’m still scratching my head over the Dooce & Christy Turlington trip. Does this make sense to ANYONE?
Well, I think they’re trying to raise awareness for a good cause. Dooce does have a lot of readers, and she can get people to click through and look at this organization. I’m not too spun up about it (although I am biased in favor of the cause for which they’re raising attention or money or whatever).
I am a huge proponent of changing the face of child birth, not only in this country, but around the world. I just don’t see taking Dooce to Bangladesh translating to big donations to Every Mother Counts. Maybe I’m wrong, I just don’t see this is as something the average Dooce reader gets or will get behind. I’m curious who else is going on the trip, because the birth junkies have been promoting the hell out of the film and this cause and I don’t think any of them have been invited.
I’m a huge advocate of volunteering and giving back in general, but this just reeks of hobnobbing. I know for a fact that Dooce at the Mighty summit told everyone she was going to start a non-profit for PPD, now which would make tons of sense, but this? This wasn’t an interest to her till a super model invited her. So where’s that non-profit? Does she need a model to back that as well to get it going as incentive?
Also I agree Dooce readers are not in the demographics for this. You need to know your market when you’re trying to rally a cause, and dooce readers are NOT this demographics–the birth junkie’s yes.
Oh and I know, I’m jaded on this subject or rather the person not the subject—hey at least I’m unwavering in my causes, it’s more than I can say for one. But, I also know a lot about fundraising and volunteering, it’s what I’ve spent my life doing the last 13 years.
I want to add again that I’m all for helping people out, I’m always digging in my wallet and giving of my time—my whole family does. I’m just not going to donate to this cause, when in our own backyards we’re watching education and health care of our own American infants/children being cut. Programs that have in the past assisted low income families are being cut, and I’m more apt to donate my money and time to educate and nurture those around me so I can have them as healthy, educated, individuals, who in turn can help others. How can we keep helping others when we are losing ground as a leader amongst other nations and falling behind? At this rate were going to have super model from China come over and teach our own how to demand better health care and nutrition.
P.S. the Mighty summit is an absolute joke of colossal proportions. Teaching someone how to iron is a throwback to more oppressed times and labeling women as simpletons. Wow, way to go Maggie, woman powers unite!
I think the supermodel is making the same mistake HGTV made (and what ever happened to that arrangement? I assume it went south because the readership was not delivered?) I agree – Dooce’s readership is really unlikely to embrace this cause. If she couldn’t get them over to the HGTV site, I don’t think she’ll get them to support meternal health care in the third world. I think Dooce’s readership is more likely to support something in their own back yard.
Well, I don’t necessarily think you have to have a documented, lifelong interest in a charity in order to be willing to help when someone asks you to. I mean, if a model (or a non-model) called me and said, this is our cause, we think it’s a fit for you and we could use your help, and I investigated and found it was something I believed in…yeah, I’d help.
And I think if the situation had gone differently, and we found that Christy Turlington had called her and asked for her help and she’d said no, we’d be ripping her apart for that. So she kinda can’t win here.
In general, I’m not a fan of trashing someone who is helping out a good cause. The fact is that a lot of women around the world DO die of preventable complications from childbirth. Not everyone realizes that, or knows that there’s so much that can be done to fix it. This isn’t one of those totally unsolvable problems. If Dooce is raising awareness and money for that, and it helps even a tiny bit…well, good for her.
This feels like one of those things where somebody can’t do anything right, and it sucks. She’s doing charity work. She’s not hurting anybody. Geez.
I agree, it’s totally just to get publicity for the cause. I do agree that I don’t think it will translate into money or support for the cause from her audience, but they don’t really know the market that well (the people who put these things together). The mommyblogosphere has so many different factions, and they are just going for the biggest audience in terms of numbers, since that is how media always works. If I were really involved in a cause like this it would piss me off, but as it is I just find it kind of amusing.
Kerry, I think if Dooce wanted to help the charity she could’ve cut a check and written a blog post. This trip, to me, just feels like poverty tourism. And as Anna said, if it’s a cause you are actually involved in, this sort of thing will piss you off, but you can’t say anything without it coming off as sour grapes.
Are people equally pissed at Christy Turlington then?
How do we know she wasn’t involved before this? And how does she (Dooce, not the supermodel) get involved if she doesn’t, y’know, get involved? Is there not a starting point to these things? And wouldn’t it be likely that one would be more attracted to a cause like this after having two children, and/or having someone contact you and ask you to help?
I tend to agree with Kerry’s point that, in this case, Dooce is kind of screwed either way. She would be criticized for not going, and for going, for the coverage she provides — there really isn’t a winning standpoint to take here.
A couple of things: Dooce’s audience is (likely) largely uninitiated in this particular issue. So, to have her go opens up the cause to a totally new audience, whereas to choose somebody who is more active in this kind of thing might not have that same effect. Also, for whatever the changes in Dooce’s influence have been, it’s still a big deal to have a link on her site — she still drives traffic considerably. So, in that sense I definitely get it. It is basically the same thing as all of the celebrity activism that takes place these days — how did George Clooney become a go-to name on Darfur? By going there and getting the media to look at it. That’s what they do with celebrity now, and Dooce is an internet celebrity, even if there are lots of other people who know more about this kind of thing and have been dedicated to it longer.
I still think the whole thing is hilarious for reasons I don’t understand, though. I’m sticking to that. It’s kind of like that commercial where Phil Mickelson says, “I’m Phil Mickelson, Pro Golfer.” Hilarious, and I still don’t know why.
Christy Turlington has been a huge advocate for many causes for over a decade. I remember her commercials urging people to stop smoking from when I was a freshman or so in college. In addition, she has been a part of the Red campaign and maternal health campaigns for a looooong time. She has a connection to this from a trip she took to El Salvador, where her mother was born. Her advocacy has just come more organically. Like someone mentioned above, Dooce doing something with a PPD organization? Totally makes sense. This? Not so much.
Can I just say this ? If ONE more privileged WHITE woman comes back from Africa or Bangladesh or ANYWHERE to document THEIR “life changing ” experience amongst the poors, my head is going to explode.
THANK YOU.
This, too!
Agree.
That is one particularly annoying trope that shows up in this space, I agree. It makes me cringe.
…and tears began to slide down my blindingly white skin as I watched all those eager primitives reaching out to me, blindingly white smiles ripping apart their beautiful dark faces, as I mentally redecorated the second guest room at my 10,000 sq. foot mansion and calculated the amount of hits this would bring to my website. And suddenly it hit me. Yes. The easy chair would be done in leather, not suede. A dark brown leather to remind me every time I sat on it and counted my money..a chair to remember the time I visited those simple, kind people living in mud huts.
Bahaaaaaa.
BINGO.
Well played!
People and companies get tax deductions for charitable giving. They also get recognition. That’s why they do it. That’s why when you go to Target, you see a big wall dedicated to all of their work in the “community.” That’s why there are Kohl’s Cares stuffed animals for sale at every checkstand there. If people didn’t give with some self-interest, no giving would ever occur. Some of the people who help charities are real assholes, but that doesn’t mean their help is not needed or that they don’t do some good.
Plus, as a practical matter, I would be surprised if doing something like this drives up traffic. Are a whole lot of people sitting on the edge of their seat clicking “refresh” to see what she has to say about Bangladesh? I’m guessing not. In fact, I would expect that depressing posts about crushingly poor people are bad for business. People read a blog with a lot of CAPS LOCK POOP TALK because they like to laugh. This isn’t going to be in line with that.
Honestly, I think my credentials as a snarky bitch are as good as anyone else’s…but I’m not going to shit all over someone for saying yes when asked to help a charity.
(Yes, I know i’m annoying the crap out of anyone and I can hardly stand my own self-righteousness.)
I’m totally with you, Kerry. So what if it’s a new cause for her? So what if she’s dazzled by the possibility of traveling with a supermodel? So what if it doesn’t fit her “event” and “theme”? So what if it is a charity that may or may not fit the profile of her average reader? For heaven’s sake, are you really going to build boxes around bloggers and slap their hand every time they reach outside? Is this where “branding” has gotten us? How dull.
She’s bringing attention to a worthy cause to a new audience. What is there to criticize in that? I’m just not seeing it.
Drhoctor2′s original point stands, however. Seriously, if Dooce tells me that seeing how the rest of the world lives makes her feel “blessed” and then we go back to talking about throw pillows, there may be vomiting.
I’m taking the advanced snacking class. I am a total pro.
(I also have a list this monday: http://thepsychobabble.net/wordpress/toys-i-have-stepped-on-this-week/)
Nice!
Having once upon a time worked for the company who publishes the For Dummies books (briefly! and not that division! but still!), #11 made me snort diet coke. For real.
But I personally think I need the graduate level snacking class. I mean, really, the super duper advanced stuff.
My list is up: http://rambleramble.com/2011/06/20/toddler-vs-parent-who-wins-this-round/
Graduate level snacking will be covered in University Mighty, which will cost $5,000 and begin next year.
I am obviously way ahead of the curve—last year I admitted I don’t own an iron and when I need something be de-wrinkled I just take it to the dry cleaner (http://thekate.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/twenty-two/). I hope you will consider letting me guest-teach session #8.
Well, you could learn that incredibly useful skill, you know, if you’re willing to pay about a thousand dollars to attend this camp. Just saying.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/29/blogging-poverty-tourism-developing-countries
We’re not the only ones who find it to Poverty tourism on Dooce’s part.
How DARE anyone call a blogger trip poverty tourism!
You banner is rude, chick. Like, so are your twitter comments and posts and stuff but I really wasn’t expecting that when I clicked over from twitter. Good God – I guess this is what you want for your kids? Ready to pounce on whatever you can criticize? Really the most disappointing blog I’ve clicked onto in a while. Shutting people down for trying to do some good and then laughing about it? I just imagine trying to make a difference and then having someone smash me for it – really makes me sick
Sorry you feel like you have to be like this or something? But I guess Dooce gets you tons of blog hits so its all worth it. Selfish.