Good morning and welcome to the simple Sophisticus weekend edition Aukuron Weekly.

I'm your host Shannon Ables and part of living well is being in the know.

Whether it's being knowledgeable of news from around the world or informed of goings on

right in your own community, because it's not what you think, it's that you think.

All of the information shared in each week's Aukorant Weekly will enable you to go forth into the weekend

ready for either an engaging conversation or being mindful of the most recent current events.

From that point it is your job to formulate your very own opinion. So thank you

for joining me and in fewer than 15 minutes I will have you a kurrah. Let's get started.

Welcome to Sunday, January 31st, 2016, the last day of the first month of the year.

Let's

get right in today's current events. In international news, the Atlantic magazine

has reported this last Thursday that Mattel's new barbies

will be available in different sizes and different skin tones.

In response, you guessed it, to low sales.

Dropping 20% between 2012 and 2014 capitalism has had its way it looks like and now curvy, petite, tall and differing

ethnicities will become available.

By the way, did you know that a man created Barbie?

Yep, Reinard Betham.

Bravo to you shoppers for exercising your power

to institute change.

In national news here in the United States, the standoff in southeastern Oregon at the

Malhear County Wildlife Refuge has all but wrapped up.

...