We all know the little things matter. They can make or break a mood, bringing frustration or joy. To help keep a smile on your face -- and in the good spirit of sharing -- each week we will post 10 Little Things that have made our days good days. Here's to the folks who are doing it right!

 

I remember when I got my first pair of Levi’s. I was shopping for new school clothes at JC Penny’s with my grandma and cousin. I tried on about five pairs until I found the perfect one. It was great for tight rolling to show off my sweet Keds at grade school. As we got older, my cousin and I stopped finding JC Penny’s very cool, and we went through the phase where looking grunge and shopping at vintage stores was all the rage. And that is when I found my favorite pair of jeans ever.

 

You’ve seen plenty of them: DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) pharmaceutical ads that mention the drug, but not its purpose. That’s because the FDA mandates that if a drug states its purpose in an ad, the side effects must be clearly communicated.

 

The State Examination Commission in Ireland has voiced concerns about the effect the growing popularity of text message is having on writing standards among Irish schoolchildren. According to a brief article on CNN.com, a report written by the Commission after reviewing the 2006 exam performance of 15-year-olds cites a growing frequency of errors in grammar and punctuation.

 

What’s wrong with the current preoccupation with all things green? I have friends who say the environmental initiatives sprouting like weeds are the consumer and the market taking control – AT LAST! - of issues the White House would rather ignore. A global, cultural surge towards sustainability. Something to applaud and encourage! Maybe. But I don’t believe everything green is worth celebrating this spring.

 

Last night I watched the stunning "Buying the War," a Bill Moyers investigative piece for PBS about the failure of the media to dig for the truth prior to Bush administration taking the country to war in Iraq. It was a chilling indictment of the Fourth Estate, and several top media professionals admitted they had been taken in by the sales job and propaganda waged by the administration.