It’s that time of year again; the time when homes smell like cinnamon and pumpkin pie, when I tend to gain about five pounds, and when fleece feels like heaven on your feet and also the time to get a FLU SHOT.

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus. It causes mild to severe illness and sometimes death. The single best way to protect yourself against the flu is to get a vaccine each year. Symptoms of the flu include a high fever, headache, extreme fatigue, sore throat, dry cough, runny and stuffy nose, muscle aches and stomach symptoms more common in children include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

According to the CDC, each year 5%-20% of the population gets the flu and more than 200,000 are hospitalized for complications such as pneumonia, dehydration and worsening of other chronic medical conditions. Older people, young children and people with other health conditions like asthma, diabetes and heart disease are at a higher risk for suffering complications and this group especially should get vaccinated. About 36,000 people die.

You should get vaccinated as soon as vaccine becomes available as early as September. Flu season usually peaks around January but outbreaks can occur earlier in the winter and closer to the holiday season.

Visit the CDC website page here to read more about how FLU spread and how to protect yourself.

The following people in particular should be vaccinated:

Children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday

Pregnant women

People 50 years of age and older

People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions

People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities

People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:

a. Health care workers
b. Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
c. Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

For information about flu shots for children CLICK HERE.

A recent story on CNN.com titled My REAL life as a call girl proposed some very interesting and circular questions. Stating factually, the article asserts that experts disagree on whether or not prostitutes are victims. The sordid and not so sordid stories of how women fall into prostitution are as numerous as there are prostitutes. Is a high-end escort or call-girl different at all from a prostitute or are we just splitting hairs over semantics?

This story discuses one woman, Natalie McLennan moved from Montreal to New York City eight years ago at the age of 20 to pursue an acting career. She met a pimp, Jason Itzler, at a cocktail party who convinced her that “dating” men would be better than waiting tables while she waited for her acting career to take off.

Within four years she was earning $2000 an hour. She would see two or three clients a day for about two hours each. She was earning upwards up $12,000 A DAY, as a prostitute. In 2005 she was the July cover of New York Magazine and three months later her escort agency was shut down. She was arrested for prostitution and spent 26 days in jail.

McLennan knew what she was doing. She made a conscious choice to engage in those behaviors. Should that be illegal? She wasn’t coerced. She wasn’t selling herself for drugs or other criminal money. She was simply trading sex for money. The bottom line is that prostitution according to Wikipedia is the act of performing sexual activity in exchange for money. The legal status varies from one jurisdiction to another; in some parts of the world it is legal and in others it is punishable by death.

Do you think this is a slippery slope of legalities and situations or is it just wrong, morally? Legally?

Your thoughts?

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Natalie McLennan’s tell-all book The Price: My Rise and Fall As Natalia, New York’s #1 Escort is due out soon.

The votes are in.  Enough have been counted.  Barack Obama keeps raking in the electoral votes and has surpassed the minimum of 270 needed to become the next President of the United States.  At the Democratic National Convention in August of this year, then-Senator Barack Obama, now-President-Elect Barack Obama gave an uplifting, informative, and emotional riveting speech. He concluded with this thought:

America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

There is a lot of work to be done and I am hopeful that we are on the right track, a better track.  I don’t expect him to achieve all of his goals immediately and some probably not at all but I am pleased and humbled that we have elected a new president who is intelligent, informed, inspiring and worthy of being a leader.  I trust that he will represent those who have gone unnoticed for so long.

Winning a ridiculous amount of battleground states Obama clinched the election and will be the next President of the United States of America.  It is on this night, Tuesday November 4, 2008 that this country has elected a new president, an African American to the highest office.  He will be our 44th president. He will  take office on January 20th, 2009 when he is sworn in at the Inauguration in Washington, DC.

To read Barack Obama’s nomination speech in full, click here.

SOURCE

There are a lot of women living safely in our nation with a burning memory of childhood that is unforgivable and unshakable. Their lives began in small villages of West and North Africa where tradition in local tribes includes a rite of passage ceremony known as female genital circumcision, or female genital mutilation (FGM). This practice, believed to make a girl more chaste and more marriage-worth occurs across religious, class and tribal lines but is more common in rural communities than in cities. In Africa, three million girls are at risk each year of being subjected to FGM.

The United States has granted political asylum to many victims of forced circumcision after a landmark immigration ruling in 1996, however, recently, immigration courts are narrowing the grounds on which they will issue legal sanctuary to these frightened women. Only a few hundred have won asylum claims due to FGM.

The Washington Post reports that “Today, despite world condemnation, legal bans in many nations and years of educational efforts, female circumcision is still widely practiced in Africa. In nine countries — Egypt, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Somalia, Mali, Eritrea, Gambia and Djibouti — more than 75 percent of women have been circumcised.”

The procedure itself is brief, it is known in the West as female genital mutilation. Part or all of the external genitalia are cut off, usually with a hot knife or sharp stone for no medical reason. There is no anesthesia, there is no sterile surface or bandages or medication. The procedure is usually done to pre-puescent girls. Bleeding after the procedure is often severe and can result in shock, infection and death.

International health organizations report that these victims suffer lifelong complications with urination, menstruation, childbirth and intercourse. It is estimated that 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide currently live with consequences of FGM.

FGM is internationally recognized as a human rights violation.

Source: World Health Organization, Washington Post

Merck& Co. developed Gardasil a few years ago, the first vaccine to fight any form of cancer.   This alone is quite remarkable.  Cervical cancer is aggressive, deadly  and often goes undetected.  It is also overwhelmingly caused by a virus.  Originally marketed to girls between the ages of 12 and 26, Gardasil is now being advertised and marketed to older women.

Gardasil is a vaccine used to protect against HPV, human papillomavirus, strains 16 and 18 which cause approximately 70 percent of all cases of cervical cancer.  A recent study by the University of Alabama found that vaccinating older women could also significantly reduce the rates of cervical cancer.  This study found that cervical cancer rates could be reduced up to 55 percent for a 45-year old woman.

HPV is transmitted through sexual contact and the original thinking was that women should get the vaccine prior to becoming sexually active.

The CDC recently released the statistic that one third of girls ages 13-17 have received the Gardasil vaccine.

Gardasil has received sharp criticism because of the issue of side effects.  Click here to read more from WebMD on that issue.

Source: Dulcinia

Jennifer Hudson, a finalist from season three of American Idol and Academy Award winner in the 2006 motion picture Dreamgirls is also the unfortunate victim of a tragic crime that struck her family just last weekend on the South side of Chicago, Illinois.

Hudson’s mother Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were found murdered, shot to death, in the living room of their home and to make a horrible, senseless crime even more difficult to swallow, for almost two days, her seven year old nephew, Julian King was missing and later found with multiple gunshot wounds, in the backseat of her brother’s stolen SUV.

Julian’s stepfather, William Balfour was detained for questioning in connection to the case. He was later transferred to prison for a parole violation charge.

Jodifur, from MamaPop said, “Ironically, October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. It is often overshadowed by Breast Cancer Awareness month, which is also a fabulous cause. But domestic violence touches so many lives, and this case is a prime example of the collateral damage caused in DV relationships. We think the batterer may just kill his wife or partner, (and I use his because 95% of the time it is a man, but not always) but that is not always the case. They often do kill the children or other family members. As is what may have happened in this case.”

Learn more about Domestic Violence, or call 1-800-799-SAFE, and Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Hudson sang at the Democratic National Convention in August 2008 at the request of Senator Barack Obama’s campaign.

SOURCE: CNN, MamaPop

The East African nation of Rwanda is trying something new. Historically dominated by men, women are driving the economy by working on construction sites, in factories, as truck and taxi drivers and also holding seats in the government.  With a population of 10 million, 55percent are women.

Rwanda is integrating women into government far more aggressively than any other African nation and this is putting them at odds within the continent.

Women currently hold a third of all cabinet positions. The foreign minister, education minister, police commissioner general, and Supreme Court chief are all women. Rwanda’s parliament is the first in the world where women are in the majority.

The countries of Africa have historically been ruled and governed by archaic patriarchal laws, including one that prohibits women from inheriting land. The legislature, now ruled by women is passing bills aimed at ending domestic violence and child abuse. There is hope that discriminatory laws will be purged from the legal code now that women are in charge and looking out for the greater good of the country, particularly one that requires a women to get her husband’s signature on a bank loan.

While the scars of recent genocide run deep, there exists a strong sense of national purpose among these women.

The capital of Rwanda is Kigali. Rwanda is bordered by Congo to the west, Burundi to the south Tanzania to the Southeast and Uganda to the northeast. It rests just south of the Equator and just west of Lake Victoria.

Source: The Washington Post, Print Edition, Monday October 27, 2008

Karen Hughes spoke on Larry King Live tonight (CNN) about Sarah Palin’s wardrobe and she was wearing a leopard print silk blouse.  And as I type this I am wearing unmatching pajamas and old ratty stained slippers.  So who has a better leg to stand on?  I don’t know, actually.

Within moments of being chosen as John McCain’s running mate the Republican National Convention had shoppers at Neiman Marcus and Saks shopping for new clothes for Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.  They have spent over $150,000 so far on clothing, make-up and accessories.  It was also reported by the Huffington Post and the Politico that the RNC also purchased clothing for her husband Todd Palin and her infant son.

Did you donate money to the RNC?  Do you mind that your money was spent on such adornments? I have heard that they plan to donate the clothes to charity but I do not have a source to back up that claim.

With all the crisis going on in this country right now it is shameful that we are discussing this issue.  Shameful that thirteen days before the most crucial and pivotal Presidential election in our nation’s history we are discussing a state governor/Vice Presidential candidate’s clothing as the headline story on Larry King Live.

McCain headquarters has said this is a trivial issue.

I think I agree.

Be careful what you say Democrats, it wasn’t too long ago that Republicans jumped on John Edwards for getting a $400 haircut with his own campaign funds.  He later paid the campaign back with his own money.  It isn’t unheard of for candidates running for a major office to treat themselves to some fancy tailoring and primping.   It really just gives us something to talk about on a slow news day, or when the DOW drops yet another 500 points.

More evidence of what RNC donors paid for:

…. at least she wears it well?

We credit the information age with allowing us faster communication, rather, instant communication. Email, text messages, twitter, blogs, Blackberries and cellphones with cameras, video baby-monitors and TiVo; we can see our sleeping children in the other room while pausing live television so that we can send a message via Twitter that we have updated our blog with a photo taken with the camera on a cellphone. There is nothing that cannot be communicated around the world in a matter of minutes, er, seconds.

But what if that email contained some information that you would rather hear in person and possibly over muffin laced with a serious apology. inSpot.org, launched in 2004 is a website that allows users to notify partners anonymously that they need to be tested for the STD HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis.

I think it is great that there exists a way to notify past partners that they could have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease, however, this is a little, oh, odd? The benefits of someone getting tested and therefore early treatment outweigh the inhumane and potentially insensitivity of this notification method.

The site reported to CNN that over 50,000 cards have been sent since their launch and while the potential of misuse was a concern they have actually had very few complaints, specifically less than 10 cards that were received in error. Started in San Francisco this site has spread to New York, Chicago, Canada and Romania.

The website inSpot also provides information about where to go for testing and treatment. It also provides great and accurate information about treatable and curable STDs.

inSpot’s RESOURCE link is also quite well stocked.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast Cancer is the most common cancer affecting women today in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 182,460 women in the United States will be found to have invasive breast cancer in 2008. About 40,480 women will die from the disease this year. In the United States alone there are two and a half million survivors.

The best methods of breast cancer detection and ergo, eradication is a trifecta of behavioral practices: mammograms, an x-ray of the breast, for screening, clinical exams performed by your health care provider and monthly breast self-examination, BSE. Women over the age of 40 should have yearly mammograms. Women in their 20s and 30s should have regular yearly exams with a physician and it is advised that BSE begin in the 20s. Early detection is the key to survival. It saves lives. Breast cancer survival rates are the highest when detection occurs before symptoms begin.

The American Cancer Society also lists the follow as symptoms. If you experience any of these, see your health care provider immediately.

• swelling of all or part of the breast
• skin irritation or dimpling
• breast pain
• nipple pain or the nipple turning inward
• redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
• a nipple discharge other than breast milk
• a lump in the underarm area

Survivors improve physically with exercise
On a more positive note, breast cancer survivors often are left with a limited range of motion in their arms and upper body after surgeries and treatments. CNN recently reported that paddling these ancient Chinese boats is great therapy and exercise for breast cancer survivors. It increases the range of motion, improves strength and minimizes swelling in the upper body.

SOURCE: CNN

I think Michelle Obama would make an excellent First Lady and I hope and dare to say, I think she will get that chance in just a few short weeks from now.

I heard her really speak for the first time when she gave her introductory speech for Barack Obama at the recent 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver, Colorado.  A video and transcripts are available on this New York Times website.

I think she a classy, educated, balanced, ambitious and incredibly poised woman, wife and mother.  I think she truly understands the hardships that average women face on a daily basis.  She also speaks candidly about how she and Barack make their daughters a priority and check in with them on a daily basis at an absolute minimum.  She is working tirelessly to help Barack get elected next month which is only the beginning of some excellent change for this nation.

She recently said on Larry King Live and in other news outlets that she is not mad at Sarah Palin for the negative campaigning and that she isn’t angry at John McCain for refering to her husband as “that one” during the debate last night.  She speaks articulately about her life as a mother and wife and how she is listening to and identifying with other women across this nation who are struggling each day with the juggling act of motherhood.

If you Google her name the results are endless.  Among the media clips and news articles is a site designated to keeping track of all of her appearances and media mentions, Michelle Obama Watch is a repository of photos and media captions.

Postpartum Support International, (PSI) was founded in 1987 to “eliminate denial and ignorance of emotional health related to childbirth.  I’ve written about this topic before but after reading about another mom and blogger who is a little bit overwhelmed right now I feel this is a good opportunity to once again talk about this unfortunately taboo-topic.

Childbirth can be physically stressful.  It IS emotionally stressful, in most cases it is a good stress, a new and positive life change, but it can take time to adjust to a good change.  I really like the mission of PSI: “eliminate the ignorance” of postpartum depression.  Too often women are struggling, silently and even those closest to them do not know or don’t recognize the behaviors and symptoms.

I don’t like the name POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION. The implications are incorrect.  Sometimes the manifestation is in the form of anxiety.  Depression doesn’t always mean you mope around in dark cloud of sadness.  Some women do.  Many other sufferers are actually well functioning mothers and wives.  They wake up each day and smile at their baby, clean the house, shop for groceries, make dinner for their husband and even find some time to post to their blogs.  However, in silence, in their minds they are often riddled with anxiety, worry, and self-criticism, irritability and inadequacy haunt their minds.  Most women don’t even get close to hurting their children.

PSI has a great website for any new mother or mother-to-be.  The resources are up to date and easy to read.  If you suspect you or someone close to you is affected, please reach out and talk to them, show them this posting or this or this.

It’s been a few months since we last heard about the Mormon Polygamists in Utah and Texas in the news but there are a few books out right now that really give an amazingly heartbreaking and rather informative portrayal of life inside the cult of polygamy.

I am not talking here about the stray and random family who chooses to live in the modern world in a home with one man as husband and several women as “wives”. I am referring here to the large populations that live in a few specific towns on the Utah-Arizona border.

First off,Stolen Innocence is a personal account of Elissa Wall, a most brave and courageous woman who suffered unimaginable abuse of the mind and body for years. Wall writes openly and honestly about her life inside a polygamist family.

I read this book a few months ago as soon as it came out. I read all 500 pages in about three days. I didn’t sleep. It was that good.

Another warrior of a woman, Carolyn Jessop has also written a book about her life. Escape is the story of a mother of eight children, married to a man 32-years her senior when she was a mere 18-years old and her eventual escape in the middle of the night with her children. Neither woman has looked so much as looked back.

I have just started reading this book and just like Stolen Innocence, it is stunning and eloquently written.

Polygamy is illegal in The United States of America. The polygamist sect of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, known as the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, or FLDS, is not part of the more common Mormon Church, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Alaska Governor and Republican Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin has been woefully and shamefully absent from the media in this presidential election.

“MomsRising is working to bring together millions of people who share a common concern about the need to build a more family-friendly America. Started in May of 2006, MomsRising has gained over 140,000 citizen members and is rapidly growing. More than 85 national and state organizations have signed on to be aligned with MomsRising.”

The group organized a petition of over 21,000 signatures, mostly mothers, to deliver this letter to Sarah Palin. The letter emphasizes that they are pleased that a woman, rather, a mother is on the forefront of this election and may very well become the next Vice President of this country. More to the point, this letter lays out specific issues of crisis level importance facing women, rather, mothers and children right now in this country. It asks Palin what she will do to support women and children. It doesn’t challenge her beliefs, her family or any of her personal or past issues. This letter asks Sarah Palin to list her goals for helping mothers and children.

MomsRising intended to hand deliver the petition of signatures asking that she read a letter, which was attached. Palin’s office wouldn’t accept the letter. They claimed that they had no process to receive letters like that and they were not able to accept it.

This story was written about on DC Metro Moms by Devra Renner who also writes here.

The story was also covered on the local evening news.

Canadian blogger and mother, Catherine Connors of Her Bad Mother, was asked to cover-up recently on a WestJet flight from Vancouver to Toronto as she breastfed her four month old son. Connors, not one to take things lying down and also outraged at the treatment of a nursing mother, blogged about it here, and then talked about it here on the CBC news. (skip to minute 16)

We need more women championing for those of us who nurse our children. While I’m not personally a fan of letting my tube-sock boobs flap freely in the breeze, nor would I encourage anyone to do that, the point I make is that it is natural and NORMAL to breastfeed a baby. Most women at least attempt to cover up and are vaguely discreet while simultaneously wrangling a loose boob and a baby.

Sorry guys, but the actual purpose of these boulders is for nursing, not your own entertainment. We’ve gotten far too lackadaisical by giving babies bottles, so much so that we balk and gasp at a nursing mother in public as if that is wrong. What if we chastised women for giving bottles of formula?? I don’t think that will ever happen. If the mother of a three month old wants to go a park or the mall or fly on an airplane she shouldn’t feel any more ashamed to open her blouse than another mom feels to shake-up a bottle of formula.

There are other breastfeeding bloggers out there who keep up posted about their situations and encounters with un-breast-friendly folks. And another one can be found here.

For a complete list of breastfeeding laws in your state, click here.

It doesn’t hurt to know this either. Child’s Right to Nurse Act.