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May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
June 1, 2006
/ 5 Sivan, 5766
Perky people of the world, unite!
By
Lenore Skenazy
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
To be perky in America is to be treated like a pet (or pinup): People may adore you, but they're not expecting you to explain the implications of higher grain tariffs. That's why Katie's accession to anchor is so important: Not that she made it to the big time, but that she made it while being perky!
She didn't hide her sunny nature she flaunted it. She knew she could dress up like Marilyn Monroe and interview a Saudi prince (though, wisely, not at the same time). She could even show us her colon a brilliant idea but a little wacky, too. She could have become a national joke, but she didn't, because we all knew her personal story a sad one. And yet, she was happier than most of the folks in TV news. She kicked it up (nice legs!) and smiled shamelessly. As such, she gave new hope to a group long dismissed as lightweights: the perky people.
Katie Couric is the Jackie Robinson of Perky Liberation.
Now, perky folk may seem like the last people to need liberating, but in fact, there's still a heap of prejudice against them.
"I was at a barbecue on Monday and everyone was talking about, 'How can you take Katie Couric seriously?'" says Lois Whitman, president of a PR firm here in the city. "I said, 'You've got to be kidding! Yes, she's perky, but there are very few people on Earth who can take the front page news, understand it and get us all to comprehend it. I was pretty astounded at everyone's attitude just because she's female, pretty and perky."
Well, I wasn't. "Perky" may sound sweet, but it hints of condescension, too. "You never hear anyone lanky called 'perky,'" notes my diminutive friend Marla, who is, in fact, perky. "It's only the short ones."
It's also only the female ones. "I cannot think of any male who'd be called perky," said Nancy Deihl, a professor of fashion history. "It carries a certain cheerleader edge."
A cheerleader edge is not the quality we usually associate with intelligence or promotion, or leadership.
Or anchorship. Until now, the quality most sought after was (snore) "gravitas," which somehow always came coupled with a deep voice and zero giggling.
Then along came Katie (never Katherine) an actual former cheerleader who combined smarts and smiles for 15 years. She showed America that just because you sometimes act silly doesn't mean you're not a heavy, too.
It's called rolling with the punches. It's called intelligence. It's called being perky, and it's something to be proud of.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Lenore Skenazy is a columnist for The New York Daily News. Comment by clicking here.
Lenore Skenazy Archives
© 2006, NY Daily News
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