TheMommyBlog
Critical Condition has posted a call to sign a petition to to President Obama to appoint Dr. George D. Lundberg as our next Surgeon General. As you may recall, Dr. Lundberg is my stepfather, and a damn good one. He is also a giant among men, and is by all objective standards, supremely qualified for the job.
Critical Condition’s mission is “to stimulate a meaningful, civil dialogue on the multidimensional crisis in US health care. We will draw attention to the existence of crisis, clarifying the nature of the crisis, and offering solutions. No nation on the planet has completely solved the health care delivery dilemma. US and multinational vested interests are not moving fast enough to address the depth and breadth of the US crises. More incrementalism is a formula for failure. Posts to Critical Condition will be evidence based.”
An excerpt from the call to action (full text in the extended entry and through the link):
On January 6, 2009 TV news giant CNN announced that Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Chief Medical Reporter, had been offered and accepted the offer by then President Elect Barack Obama to become our nation’s next US Surgeon General.
Respectfully, the signers of this petition, as both health care professionals and many thinking US citizens from all walks of life believe that the appointment of Dr. Gupta would be both a mistake and a very serious lost opportunity for this historic administration and for our nation. Conversely, we strongly recommend that Dr. George Lundberg would be an ideal appointment to this office in these times of unparalleled challenge…
Quite frankly, in short, we need a man or woman of gravitas, moral fiber and substance – not a sexy media star, flitting from one opportunistic subject to another, apparently tied to vested interests- for this venerable office of US Surgeon General
PLEASE HELP DR. GEORGE LUNDBERG BECOME OUR NEXT US SURGEON GENERAL BY SIGNING THE PETITION BELOW AND PLEASE PASS THE PETITION ON THE OTHERS OF LIKE MIND.
Click here to sign the petition
Thanks,
Dr. Rick Lippin
Southampton,Pa
Current AffairsGM Covered With Giant Tarp Until It Has Money To Work On Cars Again
DETROIT—The General Motors Corporation announced Monday that it has covered its main production plant with a 500,000-square-foot blue tarp until it can get some revenue together to work on its cars again. “The rear-axle assembly line is all out of whack, and the carburetor department needs a complete rebuild,” CEO G. Richard Wagoner, Jr. said while wiping his hands with an oily rag. “It’s going to be at least a $50 billion job. Goddamn piece of shit American car industry.” According to Wagoner, the automotive giant spent its last $18 on cinder blocks to help secure the tarp.
Related stories:
- Chrysler Names ‘83 LeBaron CEO September 8, 2008
- New Strain Of Jet Lag Devastates Airline Industry August 24, 2005
I’ve always been proud of the states which passed laws providing safe harbor for children to protect newborns from abandonment. Nebraska was determined to pass a safe harbor law for their constituents, but decided to compromise on the scope in order to get the bill passed. Turns out, you have to be very, very specific or you have a bunch of jackasses who dump their school-age children in the ER and bolt.
Nebraska ‘safe haven’ law for kids has unintended results
(September 26, 2008, USA Today)Between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, three fathers walked into two hospitals in Omaha and abandoned their children. One left nine siblings, ages 1 to 17.
The men, unless proven to have abused the kids, won’t face prosecution under a new Nebraska law that is unique in the nation. The law allows parents to leave a child at a licensed hospital without explaining why.
Other parents have also used the law to leave their children. Last week, a 13-year-old girl was left. The week before that, two boys ages 11 and 15. In all, fathers, mothers and caregivers in six families — some single parents — have bailed on 14 kids, including seven teens, since the law took effect in July.
“They were tired of their parenting role,” says Todd Landry of Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services.
My favorite part? They separated the oldest children from their younger siblings, who were sent to foster homes. Because as long as they’re abandoned by parents, why not just rip the Band-Aid off and take away the next best thing? The law states that the parents cannot be charged unless they had been abusing the children, so odds are that these are not abused children, right? Wouldn’t you rather have Big Sister and Big Brother around to help comfort and stabilize the younger ones?
None of the kids was in immediate danger, Landry says. He says the four oldest of the nine siblings were placed together in an emergency shelter and the others in a foster home. “They’re struggling to varying degrees with what’s happened to them.”
Landry says the courts will decide whether to require the parents to pay child support or to try to reunite them with their children.
“This was never the intent of the bill,” says Republican state Sen. Arnie Stuthman. He says he co-wrote it to protect newborns from abandonment, but to get enough support for passage, it was changed to cover all children.
“We really opened a can of worms,” he says. “We have a mess.” He says the law needs to be fixed.
All 50 states have “safe haven” laws, but the others apply only to infants less than 1 year old.
The Nebraska law is the “worst-case scenario of unintended consequences,” says Adam Pertman, executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, a research group. He says it allows parents to walk out on troublesome teens.
“We don’t endorse the way it was done,” says Tracey Johnson of the National Safe Haven Alliance.
Ya think? My kid, whom we call The Loophole, would have been all over this one. “Mom, watch out or Grandma will leave you at the hospital.”
Makes me wonder if any of them had siblings over nineteen, who would be ineligible for dumping. What do you do with them? Send them a strongly worded letter?
Current AffairsHey campers, I got a heads up from someone at CBS Evening News with Katie Couric on a hot topic: students, teachers, parents, and what’s considered inappropriate for posting on the Internet.
I responded, “This is very timely - both because it’s the end of the year and people are feeling more open about speaking out (they won’t have to see the teacher or student every day anymore) and because my middle-school teacher boyfriend came home from graduation last night and told me that this something a few of the teachers talked about lately.
As reported in the news recently, there are the obvious poor judgment calls, like middle- and high-school students sending naked photos from their phones and winding up on MySpace, and then there are the innocents, like a teacher getting drunk and silly at his brother’s wedding and having that photo spread around. Parents run the gamut from demanding perfect behavior round the clock from people in positions of authority, to believing that time not in the classroom is private and not subject to the same standards.
I’ll mention it - and thanks for the heads up!”
TONIGHT (6/5) on the CBS EVENING NEWS, Correspondent Daniel Sieberg examines college gossip web sites that have students, parents and administrators all worried about when their private secrets might spill out over the Internet for all to see.
“Like it or not, there’s growing acceptance to let it all hang out online,” says CBS Correspondent Sieberg. “Facebook even offers the honesty box - where you actually ask people to post what they really like of you, anonymously.” Sites like JuicyCampus.com has been most noted, but there are smaller ones as well that are must-read sites for college students. Although some gossip researchers (yep, they do exist) are saying there are some positives about this increasing rumor mill trend.
Tune in tonight at 6:30 PM EST to the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC to find out more. Also read what Katie Couric has to say about gossip blogs here.
Current AffairsI received this note from my pal Jeanne Fitzmaurice yesterday and immediately signed up for the Gal-to-Gal Walk!
Dear Gal Pals-
At last our hard work over the past 10 weeks is about to come a-live! I can’t believe that I dared take this project on in such a short period of time and certainly next year we’ll be able to add lots more bells and whistles, but the spirit and intent is there. It takes only 3 minutes (literally!) to log onto www.galtogalwalk.org and create your virtual walker to join this journey.
I hope you will help us reach our goal to register 1 million walkers over the next 30 days to raise funds for Stage IV breast cancer patients through our Gal to Gal Foundation. The donation is minimal - $3 (although we always gladly accept more!) - but the result will be priceless as they say! So many women (and men) who are living with and going through the most critical phase of this insidious disease will benefit from your effort.
On Monday, October 1st (the first day of breast cancer awareness month) we will begin our journey in Boston in honor of my cousin Robin (who you may know passed away at 45 after losing her brave battle to Stage IV - leaving behind a wonderful husband and a six year old daughter). Tune in to Martha Stewart that day when she features herself joining the Walk! 31 days later we cross the “finish line” on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco in memory of Janis Armstrong - who even during the final months of her life - helped us craft the Gal to Gal Foundation’s mission statement. We will walk through 29 additional cities (one each day) along the way.
Our intent is to utilize the internet as the powerful and positive tool it can be. To unite us in a way that crosses all faiths, ethnicities and belief systems. For this journey there are no “blue” or “red” states but only “PINK” ones. The fact is, as my dear friend Carrie Dederich has said - “breast cancer is an equal opportunity destroyer.” Please pass this along to all your friends, business associates or anyone you should meet on the street!! Once registered you will be able “find your friends” on the site and check in every day to watch yourself walk amongst celebrities and thousands of others. You can even create your walker on all the Design-her Gals stationery and gift products.
Although it’s not my nature to ask personal favors - I am now. Please take the time to help us spread the word! I can’t do it without you and all of our amazing sponsors! I hope to see you at the finish line!
Faithfully yours,
Jeanne Fitzmaurice
Founding Gal
P.S. Pick up this week’s copy of In Touch Weekly where Bobbie Thomas features the Walk in her BUZZ section! Visit Bobbie’s MySpace and become one of her friends!!
I think I mentioned earlier this summer that I met my long-lost twin when I went back to Sweet Home Chicago. It’s funny how you can chug along at just one degree of separation for years and never know how close you were to having this friend in your life sooner.
Anyway. She is none other than the fabulous Dr. Val Jones of RevolutionHealth.com (you might have seen they were a sponsor if you were at BlogHer ‘07 ). As senior medical director and expert medical blogger, Val writes “The voice of Reason: My take on health, medicine, and the pursuit of happiness.” Amen to that.
Last week Val had a podcast scheduled on the topic of pregnancy after age 35. She shot me a quick email the day before telling me about it and asking if I’d like to sit in, if only to help keep things moving.
A growing number of women are becoming pregnant in their 30s and beyond - and delivering healthy babies. Revolution Health’s Dr. Val Jones recently hosted a conversation with Dr. Mary E. D’Alton, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons on this topic. Dr. D’Alton is an expert in multiple pregnancies and medical complications in pregnancy. Dr. Val and Dr. D’Alton were joined by bloggers who are interested in pregnancy after the age of 35.
Sure, why not? I’m not too under qualified. All my babies were born before I was 34 and each of them had horrifying emergencies that while uncomfortable at the time, make for very good stories now. I am not the person you want other women to consult when thinking about how to minimize mishaps and maximize health during an at-risk pregnancy. Invariably, I’ll answer, “YOU CAN’T! No matter how healthy you are, no matter how much you plan, no matter how good your karma and knowledge and instincts are, things can and will go horribly wrong. Not that you don’t recover, and not that it happens to everyone, but I am definitely not one of those uncomplicated, serene cases. And it’s a damn good thing I have a caring family and titanium sense of humor.
Back to the podcast. I was honored to be asked, and was really looking forward to it because I like Val. Plus? She is one of those persons whom the camera, video, and the radio loves. She sounds crisp and warm, and forget about how she presents herself. She was born to it. (I? Was not. If you’ve heard any of my other interviews, I generally laugh too much, say “um” a lot, and end up babbling somewhere off topic before being dragged back on point.)
Well, grab a seat for this intimate interview between a top medical expert, the head of OB at Columbia, and me. Heh. Listen here.
And try not to hold your breath during the incredibly long, awkward pause in the middle where I offer speculative, big-picture views that totally flummox data- and science-driven women. Hello? Scientists? They like facts and data. In fact, at one point I’m aching to move on, meekly retracting and saying that there’s no data whatsoever to support anything I said, but we can’t leave it alone, and then Val is mistaken for me as the questioner and we’re both all NO THAT WAS NOT VAL IT WAS MINDY. Because, I suppose, as a mommy blogger I can be forgiven for touring left field now and again.
Oh! And speaking of touring, we’re hopping down south to join Val and her husband at a fancy-pants beach resort, where we will sip champagne, eat til we’re sick, and totally not care what people think of us in our bathing suits. I cannot, cannot wait!
I have six new toothbrushes now.
In other news, I watched the video of Britney Spears in her SUPRISE! COMEBACK! PERFORMANCE! at the MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas.
All I could think was, “She looks like been she’s been granted a wish to dance with some of the greatest back-up dancers in the world.”
The looks on the audience’s faces are priceless.
(The Make a Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to give “hope, strength and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions.” She does qualify, no?)
Current Affairs
DESIGN-HER GALS™ ANNOUNCES GROUND-BREAKING VIRTUAL WALK TO RAISE FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR STAGE 4 BREAST CANCER THROUGH GAL TO GAL FOUNDATION
Bend, OR – The hugely successfully Design-her Gals website, designhergals.com will be making “virtual” history when they launch their interactive virtual walk to benefit the Gal to Gal Foundation, the non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Stage 4 breast cancer patients and their families. Design-her Gals hopes to create a viral outpouring of support during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month with a goal of registering 1 million walkers in 31 days. Pre-registration for The Gal to Gal Walk will begin September 24, with official walk dates of October 1 - October 31, 2007.
Supporters will participate in The Gal to Gal Walk by creating their virtual likeness online and then watching themselves take a virtual walk across America. The walk will commence in the Virtual World of New York City’s Times Square and conclude on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, visiting 31 cities along the way. The landscape walkers travel through will change on a daily basis, giving people a reason to return to see where they are walking that day. New walkers will be joining all the time – sharing their stories and building momentum as more people participate in this innovative fundraising effort.
“Imagine joining celebrities, politicians, entrepreneurs, authors, musicians, artists, newsmakers, mothers, fathers, grandparents, students and others on a walk that will help benefit a group of individuals who are facing one of the most difficult battles of their lives,” commented Jeanne Fitzmaurice, founder of Design-her Gals and Gal to Gal Foundation. Fitzmaurice was selected by Yoplait and Susan G. Komen as a 2007 Yoplait Champion. “As we strive to raise awareness and funds for Stage 4 breast cancer patients and their families, our goal is to bring dignity and comfort to those who need it the most.”
Beginning August 22nd, visitors can register for the Gal to Gal Walk at www.galtogalwalk.org...
My neighbors and I were alerted Thursday of increased West Nile virus activity in our neighborhood.
The district mailed more than 4,400 postcards to residents Thursday, saying that four WNV-positive birds were found in the area within the past two weeks.
The area of concern includes residents within a one-mile radius of where the birds were found.
In addition to offering WNV precautionary tips, the postcards also ask residents to alert the district of any possible mosquito sources in the neighborhood.
“It is very important that the residents in these areas know how to protect themselves and their families,” said District Manager Tim Mulligan. “Even though the virus could be anywhere in the county, all signs are pointing to the fact that this area may have the greatest potential for infected mosquitoes at this time.”
Uh, I guess that explains the dead crow in my yard two weeks ago. The one I picked up and bagged for the trash after it had been there a couple of days.
...residents throughout the county are asked to report any dead crows, jays or raptors such as hawks, falcons or owls, or tree squirrels that have been dead less than 24 hours, and show no signs of trauma from other animals or vehicles, to the California’s WNV hot line at 877-968-2473.
So I called it in, and was thanked profusely by the operator. As of yesterday, seven confirmed cases were reported, and I reported the eighth. On my front flippin’ lawn.
Now that I am at home again I can spend my days on the pergola, hidden in the wisteria, with binoculars strapped to my neck. I wonder if that pays.
Current Affairs
My interview with Elizabeth Montalbano of IDG News Service ran today on Computerwold.com!
Melinda Roberts, who published “Mommy Confidential: Adventures from the Wonderbelly of Motherhood” on Lulu, raved about the benefits of self-publishing, and said she was happy to skip tricky navigation of the publishing industry to get her book on the market.
“The business model puts total control into the hands of the author,” she said. “You can print something just for yourself, just this once, or you can go whole hog and publish it to the world. ...Lulu.com allows authors to publish on their own terms, in their own time, for free. No one, including the author, pays a dime until a book is purchased. If that’s not freedom of the press, I don’t know what is.”
Current Affairs
I was having trouble selecting a charity for my new Network for Good badge until I saw Childquest’s Safety Tips for Children. I immediately copied it into an easy-to-read page I can tape up next to the children’s breakfast spot for them to read each morning. I’ve pasted the text in the extended entry, or you can click here to download the PDF.
Please consider getting a Network for Good badge of your own. Select your own charity and post it on your site. More than 325,000 donors have given $112 million to more than 25,000 charities through this organization. I think that’s pretty awesome.
Current Affairs
Or trying to, that is. For the lazy (or frantic), I recommend the California Online Voter Guide.
Or, if you have time, youcan memorize The Proposition Song.
Thanks for the reminder, Bob!
Yes, Robert Redford called this morning.
Every woman (and most men) I know has been touched in some way, by some degree of separation by breast cancer. I had my own scare last year, and Phil lost his longtime girlfriend to it some years ago, before she was thirty. Please support the cause during National Breast Care Awareness Month this month, either through the DesignHer Gals site or through the Susan G. Komen Foundation (pink and black box in the right sidebar) or in whatever way feels right to you. And, please, perform regular exams! The key is early detection.
From my dear friend, Jeanne Fitzmaurice, the goddess behind DesignHer Gals, via Thrifty Boutique :
Dear Gal Pals - What an exciting way to launch National Breast Cancer Awareness Month -being a guest on the Martha Stewart show!
This Friday, October 6th I will be talking to Martha about Design-her Gals and the purpose behind our site—to raise funds and awareness for The Gal to Gal Foundation, the first national organization to dedicate 100% of its resources for breast cancer patients diagnosed in Stage IV. I hope you will be able to tune in or Tivo for later.
Although at Design-her Gals, every month is Breast Cancer Awareness month, October is a wonderful opportunity to join together for a very important cause. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one woman dies of breast cancer on average every 13 minutes. My cousin Robin, and our dear friend Janis were two of these women. Because of them we realized that as important as it is to find the cure and continue funding research - we must dedicate resources to men and women that are living with advanced stages of breast cancer today. That is exactly what the Gal to Gal Foundation is doing.
This year, the funds that are raised will be going to Making Memories (http://www.makingmemories.org), a wonderful organization that fulfills wishes for Stage 4 breast cancer patients and their families. In addition, we will be helping sponsor the first global internet site designed exclusively for patients in advanced stages of breast cancer. This site will be multi-tiered and multi purpose and will serve as a centralized location for all Stage IV resources.
We need your help this month to reach our goal of $50,000. We can do it! In addition to buying products on our site (from which Design-her Gals donates 10% of the net proceeds) - this month we also have many other companies who are also joining our cause. The following list are those companies that are helping us reach our goals. Please support them!
MD Skincare - 10% purchases year round
Palm Beach Pearls - 50% profits from Terry Bracelet
Goosy Gear - 20% sales from Comfy Fleece Hats
Black Bags - 10% sales
Kimono Momo - X% sales of pink scarves
Frosted Brownie - 100% profits from Gal to Gal bracelets
Chat Chew & Chocolate - designated national charity
Wellness & Beyond - 100% profits from Arbonne products
MommyTrack’d - 10% sales from notepads
Bacio Bacio Bridal Salon - 100% DHG commissions
Ready Set Shoppe - 10% sales from web design packages
TeePee for Me - 10% all website sales
In addition I want to thank all those wonderful websites, blogs and e-zines that have helped support us through their community spirit.
secondcitystyle.com
rolemommy.com
themommyblog.com
thriftyboutique.com
integratedmother.com
widowswearstilletos.com
beautifulmakeupsearch.com
lipstickpowdernpaint.blogspot.com
gottaspa.blogspot.com
BagTrends.com
trashionista.net
Here’s to meeting our goal and you meeting your personal goals!
Jeanne Fitzmaurice - Design-her Gals
Current AffairsAsha Dornfest of Parent Hacks has had my admiration for months; now she has my attention. She has posted a plea for those who are able, to send toys, school supplies, etc. to an American soldier stationed in Iraq who will distribute them to the local children.
I Googled Edmay to find out more, and came upon this amazing article about her passion for Iraqi children, posted just days ago on Operation Iraqi Freedom: Official Website of Multi-National Force - Iraq…
I am speechless. I just got an email from Edmay Mayers, a member of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers who is currently stationed in Iraq. She read the post on where to donate stuffed animals, and offered her own suggestion:
“Please, please, please – I know where you can give all the stuffed animals and toys away – I am presently stationed (deployed) in Iraq. The children here love the stuffed toys – I can hardly keep up with the cost of them – I am continuously ordering more and more from Oriental Trading Company and candy for the young ones too. If there is any way at all please have any and all sent to me at the address listed below and I will ensure that the children in Iraq receive all that is sent.”
When I sent a followup note to be sure I had the proper address, here was her reply:
“The mailing address is as follows:
Edmay Mayers
USACE - GRS
APO AE 09331That is all there is—- it will reach me and I will give them to our PSD teams who will be more than happy to give them to the children. Please see attached photo of some of the children here that were given candy and stuffed animals on the road. These are the poorest of the poor here in Iraq - down the back roads. They are precious, innocent little ones who are just caught up in all the mess - they are beautiful.”
Parenthackers, please spread the word! Wouldn’t it be amazing if Edmay were able to distribute toys donated by people from all over the United States? Think of the good will such a simple act could create…in a place that needs all the good will it can get.
Margaret of Thereby Hangs a Tale had a great suggestion for those who, like me, had a flash of what it would be like convincing the children to part with even one of their stuffed lovies… go to Oriental Trading Company and load up on stuffed toys, pencils, anything you think might be appreciated. Yes, I am out of work, yes, things are tight, but for just a little over a hundred dollars, I was able to send almost ninety stuffed toys and two hundred eighty-eight pencils. Please, see what you can do.
Thank you, Asha, and thank you, Edmay!
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