We left Wednesday night at around 6:45 p.m., drove non-stop through the desert, and arrived in Las Vegas at about 10:30 p.m. Considering we drove 70 MPH maximum, that was pretty good time.

Once we got there, however, it was the usual Las Vegas Ritual that included finding a parking space (we used valet most of the time), checking in, finding the room (26th floor) and then lugging the suitcases to the room. We opted to have the bellhop bring them to the room since we had an extra person that, um, brought a suitcase filled with Hot Wheels.

Thursday saw us walking on The Strip and going to M&Ms World, seeing the lions at the MGM Grand and a few other things. We pretty much had to keep Anthony occupied since he was in a strange place--literally and figuratively. He did, however, have fun swimming in the Excalibur pool as did Mom and Dad.

Friday I attended the funeral in Boulder City, which is about 30 miles from Las Vegas. It was a military service so it was very honorable and humbling, and reminded me of my dad's over 30 years ago. (An aside: both of our fathers fought in Korea.) Later that night we all went to dinner at Russ' dad's favorite Mexican restaurant which, I have to admit, was very, very good. The man had good taste.

We left Friday evening to avoid the mess of traffic we would surely become a part of. Not only that, Ann thinks our room was haunted. The first night, she felt somebody tap her on the shoulder and when she woke up, she saw Anthony lying beside her dead asleep. No biggie; she figured he did it in his sleep and forgot about it.

The second night her back was facing the wall--and she claims she felt somebody (or something) rub her shoulder! Now that freaked her out and I do have to admit, I did hear assorted noises in the room--26162 at the Excalibur if you're keeping score--all night long.

Las Vegas is very pedestrian and after those few days of walking around, my knees definitely felt their age. In fact, I have my right one wrapped in a neoprene bandage right now. Ouch.

And finally, I have a picture to share with you all. I'm proud of it because it actually shows that I've lost some weight and believe it or not, I think I look thin. Well, thinner than I've looked in previous photos. Anyway, here you go.

Here's me and Tony at the Luxor, striking a pose where just about everybody poses for a picture (besides the giant Siegfried and Roy heads outside The Mirage). For comparison purposes, you can see all of my weight loss progress photos at my other blog.

At any rate, it was a quick and busy trip. It's good to be home.

WHAT DUH FCUK!

What if you're one of the passenger of this airplane?

]]> http://ladyboomernyc.wordpress.com/?p=67 Tue, 13 May 2008 04:03:07 +0000 Lady Boomer NYC http://ladyboomernyc.wordpress.com/?p=67

Hillary has always put women and children first, which is reflected in her plan to help West Virginia parents. Here's a plan sent out in the morning briefing. Actually, it's my abridged version without the Mothers' Day intro, containing a few edited out Hillaries and more compound sentences than the original. I took the liberty to condense it, so you might actually read it, and do so without a bunch of ellipses breaking it up. It's still darn long, so kudos if you can get through it. The point is, she is thinking about this, has fleshed out her ideas which are based in compassion, and has some proposed solutions. (I'll link to a full version if they post one on the HRC website.)

Hillary's Plan to Help West Virginia Parents Balance Work and Family

. . . These days, more and more families are headed by two working parents, and today’s parents work longer hours than ever before. As a result, American parents have 22 fewer hours a week to spend with their kids than they did in 1969. A 2002 report by the Families and Work Institute found that 45 percent of employees say that work and family responsibilities interfere with each other and that 67 percent of working parents say they do not have enough time with their children.

. . . [The plan] will work in partnership with America’s businesses to ensure that pro-family work policies and increasing workplace flexibility helps improve American competitiveness and economic growth. Hillary’s work-family agenda includes:

A New $3,000 Caregiving Tax Credit. A new $3,000 Caregiving Tax Credit to any person with substantial long-term care needs or to their caregivers. On average, unpaid caregivers pay more than $5,000 in out-of-pocket costs. The credit would be available directly to any individuals with substantial long-term care needs or their caregivers and would provide generous new assistance to at least 29,000 West Virginia residents [CRS, 2007; Census 2007].

A New Long-Term Care Insurance Tax Credit. A new tax credit to help those planning for their long-term care needs afford high-quality insurance policies that are right for them; will cover 75 percent of long-term care insurance premiums up to $1,500 per year for qualified long-term care insurance policies that meet strong new consumer protection requirements; will reward middle-class families that take steps to prepare for their long-term care needs; would benefit at least 73,000 seniors and near-retirees in West Virginia [www.ahipresearch.org (p. 27)].

Paid Family Leave. Expand the Family Medical Leave Act to cover employers with 25 or more workers, a change that will provide legal protection for unpaid leave to 13 million additional workers; will also create a State Family Leave Innovation Fund to support the establishment and expansion of state-level leave programs for new parents and those caring for their aging parents. She will ensure that every state has a paid leave program by 2016. In West Virginia, this proposal could impact many of the more than 490,000 private-sector workers who do not have paid family leave [Institute for Women’s Policy Research].

Equal Pay for Equal Work. Today, American women earn just $.77 for every dollar men earn. African American women earn .68 cents and Hispanic women earn only .57 cents for every dollar men earn. On average, the wage gap costs families $4,000 a year. As one of 16 female U.S. Senators, Hillary has championed this issue. She introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would toughen the penalties associated with violating the Equal Pay Act; strengthen the ability of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to crackdown on equal pay violations; prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who share their salary information with their co-workers; reward model employers; and more. In West Virginia, women who work full time earn 76.2 percent of what men earn [Institute for Women’s Policy Research].

Seven Guaranteed Sick Days for Full Time Workers. Forty-one percent of all workers in West Virginia do not have sick leave. These workers must go to work sick or forgo pay when they become unexpectedly ill. Hillary will ensure that every full-time worker has access to 7 sick days. Part time workers will receive a proportional share. Hillary’s policy would impact the more than 280,000 workers in West Virginia without access to sick leave [National Partnership for Women & Families].

Increased Funding for Child Care. Hillary has worked to expand access and improve quality of child care in our country for decades. The Bush Administration has essentially frozen the level of child care funding for the last eight years. As a result, the real purchasing power of child care subsidies has fallen significantly. According to the Bush Administration’s own estimates, 300,000 children will lose child care assistance by 2010, and 150,000 have already lost child care assistance since 2000. Hillary believes we need to increase child care funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant and return the program to it’s original intent: to serve working families. Hillary’s policy would help the 64,000 children under six in West Virginia who need child care [National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies].

Here's a top 10 list of why I love, and like, my wife so much:

10. She's hot
9. She puts up with me, Mr. Crabby
8. She always does her best
7. She takes fantastic care of our kids (and me too!)
6. She always supports & believes in me
5. She looks good in a pair of jeans (remember, she's hot)
4. She's smart, so I'm a little smart by default
3. She's a massage therapist, and she's really good
2. She loves me (sometimes I wonder why)
1. She saved my life

I love you honey!

And remember, you are not alone...

Had this happened to anyone with a "normal" life and limited access to buy freedom through a high-priced celebrity attorney, he/she would have been locked up years ago.

Trapped in a closet? I think that song title has more than one meaning for R.

-end-

Making Babies, a documentary film, takes a critical look at the reproductive technology that has raised important questions surrounding the use of the costly, time-consuming, and perhaps dangerous processes of in vitro fertilization and related technologies. The video also questions ethical issues that challenge individuals confronted with their decision to use assisted reproductive technologies. Couples have turned to reproductive technology either due to physical ailments, disease, and/ or infertile reproductive problems. Other reasons include same-sex couples desiring a child or a mother seeking the perfect baby from the perfect egg. Reasons aside, the process and technology now employed for reproduction has sparked major debates questioning its validity.

People believe that the desire to reproduce is one that is guaranteed, thus leading physicians and laboratories across the globe to seek the perfect technology in the quest of best reproductive process. Couples turn to technology for a multiple of reasons. Largely, women and men seek assistance to due disease, reproductive problems, and/or past medical conditions affecting the mothers. Other conditions such as diabetes, heart problems or severe high blood pressure may prevent an otherwise fertile woman from carrying a baby to term. Therefore many seek to have a child through technology, sadly though one-third of all reproductive births are failures. Hence, people begin to express their legal and ethical opinions when compromised births occur from reproduction.

Currently, there is no specific legislation on artificial insemination. However, the ethical issue raised by many is simple, technology is not natural. Interestingly in the video, the physicians and those involved in the reproductive industry were not opposed nor moved by any ethical issue that might otherwise jeopardize their business. The vast majority of Americans including those worldwide believe that birth is natural, and that to manipulate birth using gene splicing or manipulation in any manner is compromising ones faith, their higher power, and/or natural order of the human species.

I'm amazed that, through what must be a very deep pain, one can see a shining light and focus on the good.

Take Heather at Mom4Life as an example.  This is a woman who's level of faith, strength and composure absolutely robs me of breath.  One week ago, Heather learned that the baby (Sawyer) she was expecting in only 3 weeks, no longer had a beating heart.  In the past 7 days...she has gone from an excited expectant mother to a mother preparing for a funeral.  Late last week, she labored and gave birth to baby Sawyer.  Through it all, she has continued to look for the rainbows through the rain, she has focused on the plan she is certain God has in place and has taken the love and support from friends and strangers (like me) to heart.

It appears to me that her journaling is helping....but it is tremendous to me that she can sound so composed, that she can speak so eloquently and that she is managing to focus on the beauty in her life.

I admire Heather and the many people like her, who are capable of putting their hurt in God's hands.  I am humbled by the faith they exhibit and the trust they live. 

I am confident there will be loss and pain in my life....I can only hope to be as grounded in faith, as strong, as sure, as Heather is.   Many more prayers are coming your way, Heather.

www.ExtraordinaryMommy.com

This year, the global humanitarian organization's report included the first-ever Basic Health Care Report Card. It ranks 55 developing countries according to their ability to reach children with basic health care.

At the top of that list are the Philippines, Peru, South Africa and Indonesia. Although these countries have been able to extend health care services to many children, the benefits usually go first to the richer segment of society.

Save the Children's Mary Beth Powers says poor children are dying at alarmingly higher rates

"The poor are dying at alarmingly higher rates," Save the Children's Mary Beth Powers. "We really have to double efforts to reach the poor with basic health care."

Powers says common diseases among children in developing countries, like pneumonia, diarrhea and measles, can be treated easily and inexpensively. However, millions of mothers still lose their children to these diseases every year. They are either unaware of the treatments or unable to get them.

"As a mother, the tragedy of losing a child is, I imagine, unbearable," says actress Jessica Lange, Save the Children's newest spokesperson, "but to lose a child for something that's treatable is a thousand times worse."

Last month, Lange, a mother of three, visited Ethiopia, which ranks last on the Basic Health Care list. Eighty-three percent of Ethiopian children don't get basic services, such as immunizations, antibiotics and skilled care at birth.

During her trip to Ethiopia, Lange visited a community training program that Save the Children established in a remote area

"In Ethiopia, only 6 percent of deliveries are attended by a skilled practitioner," she says.

During her trip to Ethiopia, Lange visited a community-training program that Save the Children established in a remote area.

"I think one of the biggest things that surprised me was the idea of the community training of health care workers and establishing clinics that are accessible to people because traditionally transportation was almost impossible for them," she says. "They would talk about having to walk a full day to bring their child who was sick to health care centers."

Training local caregivers in remote areas is essential for bringing health care services closer to home, according to Mary Beth Powers. Those local health workers, she adds, can also help raise awareness among mothers who are usually uneducated.

"Knowing the difference between a bad cold and something that's more severe, suggesting pneumonia, that's a critical judgment," she says. "A lot of parents are not well enough educated to know the difference so you need a health worker or a Mom in the village who can help them make the assessment."

Another section of Save the Children's report compares the well-being of mothers and children in 146 countries. Sweden is rated the best country in which to be a mother, Niger is last.

The United States ranks 27th, and Powers says there's a reason. "So many mothers do not get adequate health care during pregnancy and at childbirth," she says. "We have high rates of maternal mortality and child mortality especially among minority communities in the U.S."

Save the Children Ambassador Jessica Lange says fixing the U.S. health care system is one of the top issues in this year's Presidential election campaign. She'd like to see more health services available for all Americans regardless of their financial situation. She also hopes the United States and other Western countries will do more to help save children's lives in the developing world.

"I think people have to become aware. They have to become conscientious about it," she says. "We have before the Congress right now the Global Child Survival Act. I think people, if they care about children around the world, can contact their [representatives in] Congress and let them know how important it is for this to be passed."

The act would expand funding for proven health measures like antibiotics and immunizations. Passing it, Lange says, will recommit the United States to leading the way in improving children's health. She says with such efforts, the global community will be able to save millions of young lives every year.

United Families International spends much of our time and resources defending the family and protecting motherhood around the world. We understand and value the importance of families and the role of the mother in the family.

As a mother of 13 children, I know how crucial the role of mothers are to a healthy society. Mothers matter because it is in the home that the virtues of integrity, love of liberty, honesty, compassion and confidence are facilitated in the early and constant care of a mother's love.

Mothers matter because it is upon these virtues that strong civilizations flourish.

Mothers matter because their work in the home where healthy children are nurtured moves our communities and our nation and our world forward.

Mothers do matter!

Studies and statistics reflect it. But, honest, loving people know in their hearts and their minds what experts have proven over and over again.

"We should no longer allow a mother to be defined as "just a mom." It is on her back that great nations are built. To play down mothering as small-is to crack the very foundation on which greatness stands. The world can only value mothering to the extent that women everywhere stand and declare that it must be so. As we affirm other mothers and as we teach our sons, husbands and friends to hold them in the highest regard, we honor both the mothers whose shoulders we have stood on...and the daughters, who will one day, stand tall on ours."
---Oprah Winfrey ("The best of Oprah's, What I know for Sure")

Thank you Mothers! Every child knows you matter and that you are making a difference...

Happy Mothers' Day,

Carol Soelberg,
President United Families International

As posted in everydayhealth.com

Diet and pollutants can worsen symptoms of ADHD

An increasing number of children are kicking, screaming, hitting, and otherwise acting out. Some are so violent that they can't be in the same room with other children. The reason: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition that affects up to 5 percent of children. While some people think that sugar, TV, and video games are to blame, experts claim there's no evidence to support such theories.

"We seem to keep revisiting these urban legends when the research has overwhelmingly been either inconclusive or contradictory," says Floyd Sallee, M.D., Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati. But there are other environmental factors that do have an effect:

Nicotine
Several studies have shown that children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy display more signs of attention deficit and are more likely to exhibit learning problems in school. "The risks aren't only posed by mothers smoking but also, more alarmingly, by exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy on into the first year of life," says Sallee. Why? Nicotine exposure in the womb and during early ages is toxic to developing brain tissue and may have sustained effects on behavior.

Alcohol
While fetal alcohol syndrome is not directly related to ADHD, its symptoms — inattention and cognitive impairment — are similar to those of ADHD. Drinking during pregnancy can certainly increase the risk that the child will develop ADHD or ADHD-like symptoms. In adults who have ADHD, drinking can exacerbate symptoms, especially as regards impulsivity.

Heavy Metals

"There's a known relationship between lead toxicity and detrimental effects on the functioning of a child's central nervous system that look like ADHD," says Sallee. "We've cleaned up the lead in gasoline, but there's a lot of lead in the environment — for example, in paint." And it's not just lead. Heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury (which is harbored in large predatory fish like swordfish and mackerel) have similar effects. Pregnant and nursing women as well as children should avoid these fish.

Food
More than 30 years ago, Benjamin Feingold, M.D., suggested that food additives — colorings, flavorings, and related substances — have a pharmacological effect and may influence hyperactivity in children. After reviewing a series of studies, however, the National Institutes of Health concluded that food additives affect only a small number of children with behavioral problems. That said, a balanced, healthy diet does improve focus by stabilizing blood sugar levels, a key to managing ADHD symptoms.

Secondary Conditions

ADHD does not occur in a vacuum. In fact, many researchers believe it is a syndrome or cluster of behaviors rather than a single disorder. In a study of 152 parents with ADHD, 87 percent had at least one psychological disorder, such as depression, multiple anxiety disorder, or substance abuse. "When the brain is abnormal on one circuit, there's a propensity for further abnormality — sort of a chain reaction of negative events," says Sallee. "If you're depressed, you don't pay attention and you have difficulties with performance" — symptoms that are similar to those of ADHD. It's the same thing with insomnia. After all, sleep deprivation makes the best of us cranky, inattentive, and irritable. Even in a person without ADHD, insomnia and depression can result in behaviors that are not all that different from those of a child with ADHD — irritability, inability to focus, inattention, and so on.

This section created and produced exclusively by the editorial staff of EverydayHealth.com. © 2008 EverydayHealth.com; all rights reserved.

So, tonight we are watching "Designing women" on TV Land.  It was a great episode about beauty contest.  Any ways I was telling Jeff and our daughter about one of my cousins.  Her name is Peggy and when I was little, Peggy entered a Beauty contest in Seattle.  So I was telling Jeff and our daughter that Peggy on my mother's side was in this contest.  Then I said, come to think about it I have three Peggy's in my life, two Peggy's on my dad side of the family and one on my mom's side of the family.  It gets quiet and then our daughter says, mom which side are you on?  Jeff and I burst out laughing, our daughter is asking what, what did I say.  So we had to explain it to her. 

Isn't that the way, I am sure that God laughes about alot of our questions.  "Why was I created?"  What do I do with this life you gave me?"  etc.  He is God, and He knows all the answers, I sometimes wish He would tell us, huh?  Any ways I thought you might like a good laugh.  God bless all of you, love Tanya

They've been having a blast emailing everyone they know. Andie has emailed me quite a bit, telling me how much she loves me and that I'm the best mom ever. I always email her back, and try to remember to send both the girls a short message even if they haven't written. 

So, I was thinking today that these emails I write are sort of the equivalent of the little notes that our moms tucked into our metal lunch boxes, right? Whoa. That's a weird thought. The two seem so unbelievably unconnected.

This sort of correlates to my post on becoming antiquated. It's another one of those now-commonplace parts of our lives that makes me feel a little on the *old* side.

Next thing I know, I'll be texting my kids.

Makes me wonder what technology will be like when my children have kids of their own.

Does technology ever make you feel like you arrived fresh from the Stone Age?

Place your order by Friday at noon and you will receive 8 free wallets or one 5x7 of your choice.

Go to www.shippphoto.com and place your order now!

Some of them are stupid and artificial. Like money and social status. Who can walk free and who get's to be stalked. Who get's to be loved and who get's to be hated in this world and why.

Some are completely unneeded. Color barriers, age, race, gender, fear, trust, anger. However these are used in society all the time to keep people apart. To control many in society. Being targets of Gang Stalking many of us have seen these barriers used to try to create fear, and hatred within us. Used to manipulate and separate in society.
Others are ones that we are not even aware of. Walls that separate one realm to the next. However once you become aware, you can never become unaware again.

Someone just reminded me how us targets put up these walls. How we learn not to trust, and learn not to hold onto things. It's true in a lot of ways. It's a survival instinct. I mean over the last 2 years, people that I should have been able to trust, are some of the people that have betrayed me the most. Your instinct for survival becomes to go for the hills without looking back.

People who you thought would always be there for you, situations that you always trusted, your government, family, friends, all gone. You are betrayed by everything in your life, and you learn to view things with those shades on. It's a wall of thorn that is needed for survival. It's what's sane in a world that suddenly becomes insane.

Are all the walls that go up needed? Hard to say, each person has to judge this for themselves. I mean for some they have been able to keep those walls down, I say good for them. For me it was not the case. Does it mean that you always have to leave these wall up? Not always, but maybe.

There are some walls that targets do not want up. Eg. Targets with children, do not want to have the walls up around their children. Children are too important and the walls should always be left down where they are concerned.

If you happen to already be in a situation with someone who you love and who loves you back, who is not out to destroy your life, then try to keep the walls down. I get so many people writing in to me, to tell me that their families are being destroyed. One partner is being affected by the stalking more than the other. They are stressed and the family is about to fall apart, and I always tell them to fight for their families. It's one of the best defences you have. You might want to put up a wall to defend your family, but keep the walls down within your family. I always thing that people with families would have it better, but in some ways they don't cause they have more to loose. Yet if they can hold it together, they have more to gain.
Being single in this realms is tuff in some ways, but it's nice in others. It's a balance.

The idea as a target is find some of that balance. I think being a target you can get into a really closed off place, not a bad thing for survival. However as a person who has become aware that there is more to life than just what we see and experience with our physical beings, I am aware now that we sometimes live in 2 worlds at once. I realise that if you want to explore and have access to those worlds, you have to let yourself be open. Also I realise that by letting yourself get closed off, to the mystic, the divine, the happy, the joyful, the laughter, etc. You give these people what they want, you let them rob you of what they don't have. You let them feed off of you, and that is not a good thing.

There are a lot of things I don't want to be closed off to, but still am cause I like feeling safe, and for the longest time those walls were my protection. Trusting people does not come easy for many people, it's just one of the things that holds us in place here. As a target we learn not to trust 100 times more than that. Not each other in some cases, and not the world at large. There are still some good people in the world, but we must help light their way as much as we must light our own, no one else is going to do it for us.

So though walls are good for somethings, and they can keep a lot of bad stuff out, sometimes they are restrictive, and preventative, and they separate you from things, people, places, realities that you really do want to be in touch with. It's all about finding a balance.

Walls are just like people, some people are open and they share everything, and they have no walls up. I think that's great. I think that gives you the ability to touch base with so many things, and it's a wonderful way to be, but then other people are like me, and we are walled off, for safety, yet that also shuts things out. I realise now that both can be a bad thing, and it's good to find balance. As a target you might tend to forget this overtime, because these people tend to strip our humanity, and they often rob us of what is good and beautify within. I think we have to fight really hard not to loose sight of that.

I am walking around the department store, when my six-year-old daughter Isabella stops me and utters the words: “Mommy-Huggy”.

I am absolutely mortified, and ask her: “Honey, how many languages do you speak?”

She thinks for a second, and then answers: “Three.”

Just as I am starting my spiel about how, if one knows that many languages, one certainly doesn’t need to use baby words, she interrupts me: “No, wait; Three-and-a-half.”

“What?”

She goes on to explain that, where grandma and grandpa live, ‘dinner’ is called ‘supper’, and I realize: she’s figured out dialect. When did that happen?

It is true that there are many different variations of English; I found that out myself when, years ago, someone held a door for me, I said thank you, and the other person responded with a hearty You Betcha! Back then, I had to ask my husband to translate on a regular basis. I have learned a little more about the sounds of the region since then, and can understand most of those colorful expressions that you don’t find in any high school vocabulary book. I know, for instance, that Well, I suppose ends a conversation. I understand that Well, I’ll be! expresses surprise, and that Jiminy Christmas has nothing at all to do with the holidays. I also found out, through trial and error, that when people say How are you? they don’t really care how your day is going; it just means hello.

Although these regional oddities don’t bother me much, nothing gets me more worked up than misuse of language in general. A small cup of strong coffee is not an expresso, you can’t substitute of for have, and everybody should learn the difference between then and than. And yes, I’ll say it: text messaging doesn’t help. OMG! LOL! Using these types of abbreviations whenever the mood strikes us doesn’t allow us to express more, it makes us express less. It’s a way to rubber stamp the language until there is no originality left.

Of course, I am anything but innocent; I, too, have moments of word poverty, when my grammar sucks, my spelling takes a vacation, and my colloquialisms are invented on the spot. I, too, color outside the lines.

My biggest weakness is the Hm that I substitute whenever I feel like it. Hm, I say to myself when I walk away from a particularly nasty bit of writing, and it means: Not now.

Hm, I’ll say when I open the fridge and see nothing I like. Hm, when my husband doesn’t clean up after himself, and Hm, when I want to watch CNN but can’t because Lou Dobbs is on. If other people notice it, they might get irritated; I don’t know. Nobody’s ever said anything. Until they do, I’ll happily Hm my way through life, subconsciously abbreviating all my private thoughts, and speaking my own version of baby talk.

Scars remain a decade after Japan's Kobe earthquake

The 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit western Japan at 5:46 a.m. on Jan. 17, 1995, killing 6,433 people, forcing more than 300,000 to take refuge, destroying homes, factories, roads and railways. Total damage was estimated at 10 trillion yen ($96 billion).

A decade later, Kobe is again a glittering modern city of more than 1.5 million people.

But scars remain, especially among the poor, the elderly and the children who were hardest hit when the disaster stuck.

The same is all certain to be true for victims of the tsunami, which ravaged the weak and the poor most of all.

"Those who suffered (in Kobe) most were already worst off economically, and it was hard for them to rebuild their lives. That situation persisted and caused stress and ultimately, health problems," said Hitoshi Kato, director of the Hyogo Institute for Traumatic Stress, set up after the quake.

LONELY ELDERLY, TRAUMATISED CHILDREN

Yoshiko Fujita, 78, also remembers the fires that destroyed her home. "I lived in that house for 20 years, but I didn't have the money to rebuild it," said Fujita as she sat on a park bench.

Fujita now lives in an apartment building in her old neighbourhood, but many aged residents were less fortunate.

"Many elderly, who already had shaky finances, lost everything. They were too old to borrow to rebuild and had to be relocated to public housing," said the Hyogo Institute's Kato.

"Those who were moved far away to new homes suffered stress and were unable to cope with the unfamiliar environment."

When the tsunami struck Indian Ocean coasts, children were among the its biggest victims. UNICEF estimates about 50,000 children died, a third of the total death toll. Tens of thousands were orphaned and are likely to suffer trauma for years.

In Kobe, Tomoyuki Nagake, 17, lost his father to a stress-induced stroke three months after the quake.

"When I lost my dad, I had no one to rely on and I stuck to my mom, developing a kind of mother-complex and was bullied," Nagake said last week at a gathering in Tokyo of orphans from 11 countries.

An estimated 1,300 children in Kobe still require mental care for disorders they suffer as a result of the quake.

Reuters AlertNet 11 Jan 2005

This article in full reviews some of the long term known effects of the 1995 Kobe area earthquake on children and the elderly, and so highlights the need for many years to come for focused and sustained mental health care of the hundreds of thousands of children and elderly people who are currently already suffering the trauma of the Indian Ocean eathquake and tsunami. - Timi

We spend the first twelve months of our children's lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up. (Phyllis Diller)

A child becomes an adult when he realizes that he has a right not only to be right but also to be wrong. (Thomas S. Szasz)

But, then there are days like today. I started out with the same misty water-colored memories as I dodged the jay-walking girls on Central Ave. and repeatedly swerved to avoid hitting the cars that just stop. In the middle of road. Nowhere near a traffic light. For no apparent reason. Just stop.

Anyway --

After stocking up on 8.5lbs of organic oats (no lie), fiddleheads and some jasmine rice, Conal and I drove back over the bridge to our local library. There, we ran into two good friends: Janis and Stacey were there with their daughters, and had just finished up with story time. In the library, one of the librarians remarked that she hadn't seen us in a while and that Conal was really getting big. Later in the afternoon, I took Conal for a walk around the neighborhood and we chatted with another walker and a neighbor who was out weeding in her flower beds.

These little interactions -- especially unexpectedly running into friends, which is starting to happen more and more -- make me feel like we're part of a community here. And that is what I have wanted for Conal and what I was afraid we might not get when we moved out to this suburb. In the city, houses were close together and not everyone could park in their garage so you saw your neighbors going in and out. You were kinda in each other's business. Here, the houses are pretty far apart and people drive into the garage, close the door and then get out of the car. You rarely see anyone. You have to make an effort. I've made an effort to be friendly, wave and chat with the people in my neighborhood as I walk or run around it. And it is paying off. People are friendly in return. Now, we have this whole friendly-waving-chatting thing going on. And I see my friends out and about in the community and there is great comfort in that. It is a real community and we are part of it. I love that.

So, that was today.

Yesterday, as you know, was Mother's Day. And I took some pics of the little jobber outside, enjoying the warm weather:

I do wonder what's going on here. He seems a bit nonplussed. Perhaps one of the cats was talkin' trash through the screen? I wouldn't put it past them, especially that Mo.

Um, yeah. That is a gas can. We don't normally have gas cans just hanging out on the lawn. It's just -- I don't know. I don't know why it was there. It was. And, I didn't notice it. Was I blinded by those tall teeth? I may have been.

But it wasn't all a wash. I did catch this cutie:

Conal seems happy, enjoying the great outdoors. I love living here. Maybe I've put those wistful feelings behind me for real.

These fish were produced using milk cartons, etching ink... and my precious press.

The lines are part of the design - those are the folds of the carton. My good friend Tamae from the STPI introduced me to the technique.

Traditionally, etching and the various types of engraving are quite toxic techniques. However, having found a simple material for the plate, a non-dangerous method of creating the lines and textures (a simple needle is needed, following the drypoint method) and a less toxic etching ink (these inks are traditionally oil-based, but this one contains less turpentine and can be cleaned up with cooking oil and soap), I am now ready to let the kids explore for themselves.

If you want to design your own fish out of milk cartons, and discover other simple printmaking techniques, sign up for the first workshop of the coming June holiday:

Tuesday 27th May, 2-5 pm, at the Hay Market Studio. From 7 year old. Fees (inc. Materials: $50). Places are limited to 8 students, so sign up early. Oh, and start drinking milk and bring your own cartons!

If there is interest, we might also use this technique for the Parent-Child workshop of the first week-end of July:

Saturday 5th July, 2-5 pm, at the Hay Market Studio: Make a Book. From 4 year old (with an adult), or from 8 years old (alone), or adults alone too (Fees: $50 - 55). Limited to 8 people or 6 teams. Sign-up.

If you like the technique and would like me to run the workshop for you and a group of your friends, feel free to leave a comment below.

Date: 1st June 2008
Venue: Singapore Recreational Club, Padang
Time: 8am - 12pm

Introducing children to the fun of running at a young age is a fabulous way to aid in the development of healthy habits within them.

The organizing committee is currently looking for friendly, outgoing and helpful volunteers to be part of this exciting event. Plus you get to meet new people, whilst being part of a first-time-ever event in Singapore! With a HUGE variety of positions available, I'm sure you would find something of your liking!

Or you could opt out volunteering, and simply drop by to enjoy the fun under the sun (hopefully). The run, also features a carnival with bouncy castles, game booths and cartoon characters. What a wonderful way to bond with your loved ones.

Image courtesy of www.kidsrun.com.sg

Each branch has a collection of picture books, easy-to-read books, fiction, non-fiction and reference materials. Books are available for children and adults in English and French. Books are available in other languages including Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Arabic and Hindi. The proportion of the collections by language depends on the area the branch library serves.

The branch libraries have a variety of programs and services including: story-time, science club, chess club, homework help, internet access, and guest authors. In addition, the Atwater branch has an outreach program with the nearby Montreal Children's Hospital.

Upcoming Event:
DAVID HOMEL AND MARIE-LOUISE GAY. Reading from their new book:
On the Road Again: More Travels with My Family.
Ages 7-11 *Registration Required.
Wednesday, May 14 at 10:00 a.m. Atwater Branch. 514-931-2304
Wednesday, May 14 at 1:00 p.m., Richmond Square Branch. 514-931-6265 ext. 28

To find out more about books, events, programs and services at the Montreal Children's Library visit:
www.mcl-bjm.ca

Let's teach LOVE to our kids! Not WAR & fighting!

"What the world needs now is LOVE SWEET LOVE!"

Photo by Bethann Shannon (c) 2007

Smiling Yin Yang Man T-shirts

are an original design of mine!

(Registered TradeMark & Copyright)

Available at: www.cafepress.com/theartangel 

Your purchase will support my winged run for PEACE!

THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Duchene Muscular Dystrophy is a disease that decreases the muscle mass in the body as years go by. It is one of the leading diseases that is a cause for death in many children. Duchene is caused by a mutation within the X chromosome. It occurs mostly in infant boys than girls. Girls can be carriers of the disease but not show any symptoms. With each happy birthday, parents start worrying about the kid's health and lifespan. When the child is about 10, he is most likely going to be in a wheelchair. And, the disease degenerates from there.

No one wants to believe that their child has a disease that could kill them. The Lefflers are dealing with this in their everyday life. Finally, we are close to finding a cure for Muscular Dystrophy. But, there are not enough federal funds for it. The Lefflers have to pay $10,000 every year just for an experimental drug; but, unfortunately, medical insurance doesn't pay for experimental drugs. For all the Lefflers have done, Sammamish High School in Bellevue, WA is organizing its 2nd student-run Walk for Aidan. This student run event is a fundraiser that includes a lot of activities, a car wash, fun activities for kids, raffle giveaways and a lot more!!!!

Sammamish High School's ASB team has proved itself once again that the school cares about the community. The donations from Walk for Aidan go into Aidan's medical expense fund and Charley's Fund, a fund that is a part of finding cure for Duchene Muscular Dystrophy.

20 years later, when you think about a teacher that could have used your help, you don't want to regret it then. For a person who helps you find your career, for a person who moulds you into who you are, it doesn't hurt at all to help them when they really need it. School is not just about learning, it is about growing into a responsible and caring person. Sammamish High School has proved that it is a place that teaches students not only Math and Science but also compassion and responsibility.

""Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. " ~Margaret Meed"~SHS Walk For Aidan Promo Video

WALK FOR AIDAN, Saturday, May 17th, 08...Sammamish High School, Bellevue, WA..Be there to lend a helping hand to the community!!!

~Snow

May 12th..6:40pm