Our founding fathers wanted a citizen’s government. They wanted normal people to be involved in choosing the direction of our nation, not just elite leaders, members of certain families, or special groups of people that got together to serve their own interests rather than the will of the people. At the same time they wanted to make sure that those who were in government and even those that voted had a vested stake in the future of this great nation.

This is why only land owners were allowed to vote at first. They also realized the challenges of an electorate that might utilize the government and take unfair advantage of the nation’s treasury and resources. That of course is very wise thinking isn’t it? The great thing about the United States is that we believe that anyone can become president and rise to that highest office, that everyone has a chance to succeed.

Still, it’s very important to understand who our leaders are, what they think, how they think, and if they are fully qualified. The position these days, seeing as the United States is the only world’s true superpower, mean our president is in essence the leader of the free-world and therefore, well let’s just say the stakes are quite high aren’t they?

Today, in 2012 the US electric has reelected our first black president, a testament to our diversity, and belief in our own system of freedom, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. A belief in opportunity for all – that’s a wonderful thing, a noble cause, an incredible accomplishment for humankind as I’m sure you will agree.

Nevertheless, there is a very good book to read about President Barack Obama, this is a book I do own and often recommend to those who voted for him. You see, I believe everyone should know all there is to know about our sitting president whoever that might be at any particular present period. The name of the book I want to recommend is;

“The Amateur – Barack Obama in the White House” by Edward Klein, Regnery Book Publishers (an Eagle Publishing Company), Washington DC, 2012, 277 pages, ISBN: 978-1-59698-2.

This author also wrote the book; “The Truth About Hillary” many years the prior. This book suggests amongst other things that “Bill Clinton loathes Barack Obama and attempted to get Hillary to run against him,” and “how Obama split from the Kennedy family,” and “how Obama has taken a personal role in foreign policy more than any president since Richard Nixon – with disastrous results.”

After I read this book, I was rather shaken up and I felt that I knew less about our president than I ever had despite all that I had learned from the media, and in reading the president’s three memoirs which account for most of his wealth, that we know about. I encourage everyone to read this book and take a balanced approach, and consider how very important it is to know all you can about our US presidents, including the present one. Please think on it.

We recently spent 4 days at the 2013 Australian Toy Fair, an opportunity for local Australian and international toy manufacturers to present their new toys for 2013 to the Australian retail industry. Unfortunately not open to the public, the Australian Toy Fair is where major toy launches are announced by multinationals such as LEGO, Mattel and Hasbro and where young, innovative toy companies can showcase their latest ranges.

When compiling this list of out Top 5 Toys for 2013,we looked for excellent play value, which we define as toys that can be played with again and again rather than tossed aside after the first or second outing. We also sought out toys that have educational value and assist in various stages of development at a price point which would be affordable for the majority of parents.

After much deliberation, as there were hundreds of toys to choose from our Top 5 list includes:

1. Aqua Dragons

Aqua Dragons are a slightly different take on the more traditional Sea Monkeys, however with the ever popular Sea Monkeys no longer on the market the Aqua Dragons are a sure hit with children from the ago of 3 years.

Aqua Dragons are simply sea dragons which are present in the oceans and look a little like a fish crossed with a piece of seaweed. They hatch from eggs and are easy to look after so as a first pet are ideal for young children who will love watching them grow. Aqua Dragons come with their own small aquariums.

Aqua Dragons will fascinate children as they grow as well as teaching responsibility. Aqua Dragons are due for release in Australia in June 2013.

2. Eurotrike Ultima Canopy Plus Trike

New for 2013 the Eurotrike Ultima Canopy Plus improves on the older designs making the trike suitable for children from 10 months of age until at least 5 years through the many innovative design changes incorporated into this latest model.

This trike allows parents to purchase for their baby from 10 months of age, with a three point harness, a laid back seat, parental steering and brake control a baby remains super safe. As the child grows up, the trike converts to a toddler trike then later into a young child trike quickly and easily.

We loved this Eurotrike for the enormous play value and broad age range.

3. Combat Creatures – Attacknid

The Combat Creatures Attacknid has been called the Greatest Toy in the Universe by many, and whilst we see enormous play potential in this robot, the price point of around $150 will make it inaccessible to many Australian families. The Attacknid won Boys Toy of the Year at the Australian Toy Fair.

We had an opportunity to play with the Attacknid whilst at the Toy Fair and the robot is a highly entertaining and very intuitive toy that combines remote control and robot technology with shooting discs. One of the more fun aspects of the Attacknid is the fact that it’s armour flies off if hit by a disc, which makes having two of them and engaging in battles so much more fun.

This toy won our vote, despite it’s price point, as it’s a great toy for older children that require co-ordination and can be quite interactive if played in a group.

4. Lil Fairy Doors

Lil Fairy Doors are the brain child of an enterprising Australian mum who wanted to offer high quality fairy products around which children could build their own fairy worlds and enjoy the make believe.

Lil Fairy Doors are not only gorgeous but come supplied with fairy dust and special notes which the fairies can leave for their young charges. The play value of these is excellent with the doors attaching to walls, cupboards or any flat household surface with accessories such as fairy footprints, fairy toadstools and fairy grass. The products engage the child’s imagination and foster their creativity and we love them for the uniqueness.

5. My Studio Girl Sew Your Own

The My Studio Girl range is developed in Australia and focuses on developing dexterity and creativity through the Sew Your Own range. The range is terrific value, and teaches the lost art of sewing whilst ensuring that children still produce a quality product at the end which increases their confidence.

The clever kids safe needle that comes in each kit makes the projects simple and reduces the need for parent assistance. The range is well designed with smaller kits for beginners and larger kits with more complex sewing tasks for more experienced children.

Amazing play value for an Aussie home grown product range.

I hope you enjoyed our Top 5 Toys for 2013, there are many more toys with excellent play value on the market and as always buying toys that work well with your children’s interests whilst at the same time broadening their horizons will result in a terrific toy purchase.

She’s a blazing star in every sense of the word. At 43, Sheryl Sandberg’s life story reads like a bestselling novel. Now that Sheryl joined the billionaires’ club when Facebook went public earlier this year, what will her future bring?

Timeline, Facebook’s life story feature, received a lot of attention when it debuted in 2012, but it only covers the past and present. Does Sheryl’s own timeline include a future element? If so, how does she plan to invest her time, energy, and passion among the big buckets of work, family, friends, education, and service?

If Sheryl mapped out her work and service lives, from when she graduated from college in 1991 to her future senior years, it might have looked like this:

Life Title: WOMEN LEAD THE WAY

First Twenty Years – Ages 1-20 (1969-1988) – Laying the Groundwork

Grew up in Florida, always at the top of class. Attended Harvard College, majoring in Economics. Met professor Larry Summers, who became mentor and thesis advisor. Graduated from Harvard in 1991 and awarded Phi Beta Kappa.

Second Twenty Years – Ages 21-40 (1989-2008) – Building Public and Private Sector Foundation

Public Sector – Work at World Bank from 1991 to 1993, concentrating on health projects in emerging countries. Work as Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers in Clinton Administration in Washington D.C. from 1996 to 2001.

Private Sector – Graduate from Harvard Business School in 1995 at age 27 as a Baker Scholar, the highest distinction. Work at McKinsey for one year as a management consultant. Leave private sector to work in White House for several years. Return to private sector in 2001 to join Google in Silicon Valley as Vice President of Online Sales and help start Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org. Hired by Mark Zuckerberg to become chief operating officer at social media giant Facebook in 2008. Mentored Mark. Became national spokesperson for women in business.

Third Twenty Years – Ages 41-60 (2009-2028) – Putting It All Together

Help take Facebook public in 2012. Become a billionaire on paper at age 42. Facebook stock tumbles after the IPO. (The facts so far – now for the future imagined… ) Orchestrate a successful online advertising strategy that leads to strong revenue growth and a stock recovery. Leave Facebook in 2014 to create Women in Politics think tank. Write a memoir/activist book about women in business at age 46. Run for U.S. Senate in seat for California vacated by Barbara Boxer in 2016 at age 48.

As U.S. Senator, champion landmark bill to integrate solar panels into rooftops for all new housing construction. Run for President in 2024 at age 56. Become the first woman President of the United States. Pass Equal Pay Act to remove final institutional barriers to equal pay for equal work. Put Elizabeth Warren on the Supreme Court.

Fourth Twenty Years – Ages 61-80 (2029-2048) – Redefining the Post-Presidency

Second term as President of United States from 2029-2033. Pass Education Act to revamp K-12 public education to global leadership standards. After the presidency, start a foundation for encouraging women to campaign for peace in the Middle East. Travel the world to encourage and support women running for political office.

Fifth Twenty Years – Ages 81-100 (2049-2068) – Life Re-Imagined

Become an American Association of Retired Persons advocate for aging well through lifelong learning. Focus on use of virtual classroom training to foster global learning communities.

Graphic of Sheryl Sandberg’s Timeline

For some people, it’s easy to predict what their future will bring based on looking at their past and present. For others, it’s not so clear. One thing’s for sure; people who are able to imagine and articulate a positive future for themselves are far more likely to make it happen. What’s on Sheryl’s private life map? She hasn’t told us, but we bet that if she does put the U.S. Presidency on her life map, she just might get there.

With all the nutrition debates that are taking place in modern society, more and more people are interested in consuming vegetables; nevertheless, for most of them, making a vegetable tray attractive and pleasant to the eye, can be a challenge. When we prepare a meal for ourselves it does not matter that much how we present it; things change entirely when we need to “cook” for our family and friends.

I must add that in my experience, it is much easier to convince a meat eater to savor your vegetable tray when it looks in a special way.

Let’s see what secrets are there to make your vegetable plate look delicious.

1. Color

Be as generous as you can with the visual sense. Remember that most people will choose their meal by the way it looks. With vegetables you have nature’s creativity by your side. Choose as many different colors as you can: red tomatoes, pink reddish, green lettuce, yellow pepper, purple eggplants, white horseradish and orange carrots. When arranged with taste, you’ll see a rainbow displayed before your eyes.

2. Love

Yes, indeed! Love what you’re doing, every moment of it, and everyone will enjoy it. From the plate you’re choosing to display the vegetables on, to the sorts you buy from the market, you must feel enthusiastic every step of the way. Cut them with care and let your creativity take hold of you when preparing the tray, play with colors and texture, don’t bother to follow some “rules” you read or heard about. The best way for you is what comes from your heart. People have a six sense and will perceive the feeling you put into it; they will feel attracted to your vegetable plate like bees are to honey.

3. Dressing

Choosing the right dressing to dip the vegetables into can be a little difficult. You can try something special and fancy to surprise your guests, but this can be tricky if you are not a greatly experienced cook. The one thing that will not fail you is garlic sauce, with or without sour cream. Alternatively, you can have a lighter dressing, for people who don’t fancy garlic that much. Try an easy mixture of salt, oil, vinegar and spices that would season the vegetables just the right way.

Don’t panic if your plate of fresh vegetables is not the queen of the party right away. Set an example by taking some on your plate and presenting it to the people that you know already love fresh food. If you receive some “yumms” and “mmms”, you’ll generate interest even in the confirmed meat eaters. Whatever you do, don’t lose confidence in your culinary masterpiece and enjoy it yourself.