Showing posts with label newsworthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newsworthy. Show all posts
20100225
Toxins and Autism
The below article is a must read for all, I think. I jumped on the "I dislike plastic" bandwagon a few years ago and have been slowly removing it from our home. Will thought it was crazy talk, so its been a slow process. It is hard to never use plastic, its just so darn convenient. But of course its up to all of us to for our own opinions and chose what is right and best for our own families.
Do Toxins Cause Autism?
Do Toxins Cause Autism?
20100118
In Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
I read a news article a while back about race. Even Babies Discriminate (Newsweek; September 5, 2009.) Read it, its a really good article.
"We all want our children to be unintimidated by differences and have the social skills necessary for a diverse world. The question is, do we make it worse, or do we make it better, by calling attention to race?"
I know that I am guilty of what the article talks about. I have shushed my children when they talked about someone with a different skin color. I have glossed over it, thinking that by ignoring skin color I was teaching them that there is not a difference. Instead am I harming them? I remember clearly, when Rhayn was young, she told me that "those people (pointing to a group of African-Americans on TV) say 'yo"." That is what she had picked up from television, it was how she distinguished between them and us. Instead of have a frank discussion with her about race at that point, I swept it under the rug.
I am trying to find ways to explain race to my kids, luckily for me (and all the the United States of America) we have a president whose very being opens us to these discussions. We see his picture on everything and every time, it is a segue into a discussion that yes, his skin is a different color than ours, but he is just like us. Maybe they will understand equality better than we do, and that makes the future shine brightly.
And of course an obligatory link to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech because I listened to this on NPR this afternoon and it was what sparked this post. Listen to it, and feel yourself be inspired to talk to your children.
"We all want our children to be unintimidated by differences and have the social skills necessary for a diverse world. The question is, do we make it worse, or do we make it better, by calling attention to race?"
I know that I am guilty of what the article talks about. I have shushed my children when they talked about someone with a different skin color. I have glossed over it, thinking that by ignoring skin color I was teaching them that there is not a difference. Instead am I harming them? I remember clearly, when Rhayn was young, she told me that "those people (pointing to a group of African-Americans on TV) say 'yo"." That is what she had picked up from television, it was how she distinguished between them and us. Instead of have a frank discussion with her about race at that point, I swept it under the rug.
I am trying to find ways to explain race to my kids, luckily for me (and all the the United States of America) we have a president whose very being opens us to these discussions. We see his picture on everything and every time, it is a segue into a discussion that yes, his skin is a different color than ours, but he is just like us. Maybe they will understand equality better than we do, and that makes the future shine brightly.
And of course an obligatory link to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech because I listened to this on NPR this afternoon and it was what sparked this post. Listen to it, and feel yourself be inspired to talk to your children.
20080916
Signs of Idiots
Look at that sign on that giant door near Roosevelt Dam. Wait what does that say? Lets zoom in shall we?
Further? Like I should not further my education? I must not advance myself by entering there. If I go further I will be prosecuted. I will be reported to the FBI! and DPS! (in that order, too. Because it only makes sense to report in that order, right?)
Yet another lovely sign. Let us zoom in on this one as well. This apartment complex is located near the Phoenix Zoo.
What exactly is a "Golf Experince"? It must be like golf experience, only less intense.20080714
Don't Take Away My Rights
Read this article.
This is going to become a battle. Homebirthers are well educated and fight for their rights, tooth and nail, all the way. If the AMA and ACOG chose to pursue the legislation that they are talking about this will be all over the news before long.
It seems like those doctors feel threatened by women who want choices. Threatened by women who say birth is natural and our bodies are strong. If women start believing in our bodies, and the "magical power" our bodies have to fight to survive, then women will help their children believe it, too. As the years go by, we will go to doctors less and less for trivial little things that hey can't help us with anyway. The pharmaceutical companies will actually need to spend time developing cures for things like CANCER and AIDS, and not things like pills to help women grow eyelashes.
Really, how likely is that to happen? There are many people now who rarely go to the doctor (myself included... oh wait, I am one of those crazy homebirthers, aren't I?) Americans are not, on the whole, ever going to get off of their asses and do something to better their lives. That is not the American, get rich quick and have a beautiful body, dream. We as a people are l-a-z-y. We love movies where heroedom is thrown into an unsuspecting normal person, while he whines about it being too hard (Luke Skywalker.) But really, the only way to insure that we will do well in life it to actually do something. Get off of your bottom, turn off the television, or computer, and get out of the house. Just do something.
I can tell you that I will be doing something to help the Midwives and Homebirthers of America retain their right to practice midwifery, and birth where they choose. I don't know how, but I will.
This is going to become a battle. Homebirthers are well educated and fight for their rights, tooth and nail, all the way. If the AMA and ACOG chose to pursue the legislation that they are talking about this will be all over the news before long.
It seems like those doctors feel threatened by women who want choices. Threatened by women who say birth is natural and our bodies are strong. If women start believing in our bodies, and the "magical power" our bodies have to fight to survive, then women will help their children believe it, too. As the years go by, we will go to doctors less and less for trivial little things that hey can't help us with anyway. The pharmaceutical companies will actually need to spend time developing cures for things like CANCER and AIDS, and not things like pills to help women grow eyelashes.
Really, how likely is that to happen? There are many people now who rarely go to the doctor (myself included... oh wait, I am one of those crazy homebirthers, aren't I?) Americans are not, on the whole, ever going to get off of their asses and do something to better their lives. That is not the American, get rich quick and have a beautiful body, dream. We as a people are l-a-z-y. We love movies where heroedom is thrown into an unsuspecting normal person, while he whines about it being too hard (Luke Skywalker.) But really, the only way to insure that we will do well in life it to actually do something. Get off of your bottom, turn off the television, or computer, and get out of the house. Just do something.
I can tell you that I will be doing something to help the Midwives and Homebirthers of America retain their right to practice midwifery, and birth where they choose. I don't know how, but I will.
20080604
Being A Pet Owner
A part of this recession, the foreclosures, loss of jobs, and high gas prices; that doesn't occur to a lot of people is how it affects pets.
In this article on CNN's website discusses that aspect of it all. There are food banks that now offer pet food as well.
You might think, "Well if they can't offord their own food, why should they feed a pet? Why not just get rid of the pet." Or maybe, "That is ridiculous, now we are not only helping lazy people who don't have a job, now we have to help out there pets." (Not how I feel at all... in fact opposite of my feelings.)
For some people pets can be a source of joy. Their cat or dog might be the only thing that is keeping them sane. Pets are used as therapy in hospitals and nursing homes. Pets seem to be able to tell when a person needs them most. We have experienced that first hand in our house, as Mean Kitty will always curl up with you when you are ill, even when she normally wouldn't even come near you.
In my life, we have always had a pet or two. Since I can remember there have been cats and dogs aplenty who kept us safe, taught us about life, and loved us. I try to imagine a childhood without at least a cat who came and went, and it feels lonely. I know that some people don't like cats, or dogs, or both and I guess I can understand that. My dad claims to not like pets, but he gets attached to them, especially the dogs. Without those pets, my teenage years would have been harder, without having a cat curl up next to me when I was sad or depressed. I still think my cats help me when I am sad and lonely. Which happens a lot more now that Will has been gone.
I fully support food banks giving pet food to families who need food help. I fully support the family's right to keep their pet with them. I do not support families who just let their dog or cat go. Or do other sick things to them to be rid of them.
In this article on CNN's website discusses that aspect of it all. There are food banks that now offer pet food as well.
You might think, "Well if they can't offord their own food, why should they feed a pet? Why not just get rid of the pet." Or maybe, "That is ridiculous, now we are not only helping lazy people who don't have a job, now we have to help out there pets." (Not how I feel at all... in fact opposite of my feelings.)
For some people pets can be a source of joy. Their cat or dog might be the only thing that is keeping them sane. Pets are used as therapy in hospitals and nursing homes. Pets seem to be able to tell when a person needs them most. We have experienced that first hand in our house, as Mean Kitty will always curl up with you when you are ill, even when she normally wouldn't even come near you.
In my life, we have always had a pet or two. Since I can remember there have been cats and dogs aplenty who kept us safe, taught us about life, and loved us. I try to imagine a childhood without at least a cat who came and went, and it feels lonely. I know that some people don't like cats, or dogs, or both and I guess I can understand that. My dad claims to not like pets, but he gets attached to them, especially the dogs. Without those pets, my teenage years would have been harder, without having a cat curl up next to me when I was sad or depressed. I still think my cats help me when I am sad and lonely. Which happens a lot more now that Will has been gone.
I fully support food banks giving pet food to families who need food help. I fully support the family's right to keep their pet with them. I do not support families who just let their dog or cat go. Or do other sick things to them to be rid of them.
20071022
Dumbledore is Gay.
Instead of watching TV lately, I have been listening to the Harry Potter books on CD. I think I am getting too involved in them though, because today I finished up the Prisoner of Azkaban, and I sniffled through the last few chapters.
This morning on CNN there was a bit about J.K. Rowling announcing that Dumbledore is gay. (Not that there is anything wrong with that.) I wish she hadn't. No, not because I want him to be straight. But because I want to make that decision myself. That is one of the things I don't like about reading stories written by someone who is alive, and quite talkative. She doesn't leave anything to our imaginations, does she?
I am sure also that this "outting" of Dumbledore will make the right wing conservatives cringe as their children read the books, and watch the movies. There will be uproar and they will try to get the Harry Potter books removed from schools. The headmaster is a homosexual. He is not what they thought and therefore, WRONG.
In Star Wars, watching Yoda fight Count Dooku ruined him for me. I know he had to be "great" and take on the enemy but he always seemed like he was the wise one, not the one who wielded a mad light saber. It irked me that Georgie Porgie Lucas took that ideal of Yoda away from me. I think that is the moment when I stopped even liking Star Wars, and started hating George Lucas.
On a side note and peaking of Mr. Lucas, he and Harrison Ford send their kids to a Waldorf school, an interesting factoid. Also Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock are alumni of Waldorf schools.
This morning on CNN there was a bit about J.K. Rowling announcing that Dumbledore is gay. (Not that there is anything wrong with that.) I wish she hadn't. No, not because I want him to be straight. But because I want to make that decision myself. That is one of the things I don't like about reading stories written by someone who is alive, and quite talkative. She doesn't leave anything to our imaginations, does she?I am sure also that this "outting" of Dumbledore will make the right wing conservatives cringe as their children read the books, and watch the movies. There will be uproar and they will try to get the Harry Potter books removed from schools. The headmaster is a homosexual. He is not what they thought and therefore, WRONG.
In Star Wars, watching Yoda fight Count Dooku ruined him for me. I know he had to be "great" and take on the enemy but he always seemed like he was the wise one, not the one who wielded a mad light saber. It irked me that Georgie Porgie Lucas took that ideal of Yoda away from me. I think that is the moment when I stopped even liking Star Wars, and started hating George Lucas.
On a side note and peaking of Mr. Lucas, he and Harrison Ford send their kids to a Waldorf school, an interesting factoid. Also Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock are alumni of Waldorf schools.
20070828
Treat ME With Respect?
This blog article came to my attention recently. Let me just say I am APPALLED by it! Be forewarned, if you think of pregnancy as a natural state of being and birth as a natural part of life, you will also be appalled by this. The discussion between the two bloggers (the comments) is really interesting. Read the other blog article, too.
The title of the blog "Treat Me with Respect" seems wrong. This article in particular doesn't treat the pregnant woman with any respect. It basically states that without the c-section the pregnant woman and her baby would DIE.
"Pregnancy demands a healthy diet. No it doesn’t. More than 99.9% of all babies ever born were born to women who lived on subsistence diets. The impact of diet on pregnancy is minimal."
What? Is it just me, or does this person discount
a) the health of the baby and
b) the health of the mother?
Hasn't it been proven over and over that healthy diet directly affects the outcome of pregnancy- the baby? Doesn't a healthy diet help the mother avoid gestational diabetes?
I am done, I am just done thinking about the total crap that this person is spewing on the internet. TOTAL CRAP!
(I am not saying that c-sections are NEVER necessary, believe me, I know that sometimes they are. This isn't an anti-c-section post. But our bodies were DESIGNED to bring a child into the world, either our bodies have evolved to do that, or God created us this way, which ever YOU believe, they both point to "our bodies are made to vaginally birth our babies.")
The title of the blog "Treat Me with Respect" seems wrong. This article in particular doesn't treat the pregnant woman with any respect. It basically states that without the c-section the pregnant woman and her baby would DIE.
"Pregnancy demands a healthy diet. No it doesn’t. More than 99.9% of all babies ever born were born to women who lived on subsistence diets. The impact of diet on pregnancy is minimal."
What? Is it just me, or does this person discount
a) the health of the baby and
b) the health of the mother?
Hasn't it been proven over and over that healthy diet directly affects the outcome of pregnancy- the baby? Doesn't a healthy diet help the mother avoid gestational diabetes?
I am done, I am just done thinking about the total crap that this person is spewing on the internet. TOTAL CRAP!
(I am not saying that c-sections are NEVER necessary, believe me, I know that sometimes they are. This isn't an anti-c-section post. But our bodies were DESIGNED to bring a child into the world, either our bodies have evolved to do that, or God created us this way, which ever YOU believe, they both point to "our bodies are made to vaginally birth our babies.")
20070119
No Dancing ALLOWED!
Apparently this is such a big deal we heard about it on CNN Headline news this morning! Pretty crazy when I heard them say "You can not dance in Pinal County." What a lovely reason for that area to be on national news, huh? Here is a link to the article posted on msnbc's website. I love this line "'It's impossible to ... ensure no one breaks out in the waltz or two step,' Bell said."
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