As you read e-mail, check your stock portfolio, post a status update on Facebook and consult weather sites to keep an eye on that storm headed your way, you leave invisible tracks on the Internet. How can you protect your personal information from being misused? The simple answer: Be smart!

1. Learn how to read online privacy policies. Almost every Web site — from Amazon to YouTube — silently records what you are doing. Web sites can collect information without your knowledge, such as what kind of hardware and software you are using or the address your ISP has assigned to you. Some Web sites plant a “cookie” on your computer to identify your machine and keep track of your activity. That said, those same Web sites have privacy policies that describe the kind of information that is collected, stored and used, as well as with whom it is shared. But just because a site has a privacy policy doesn’t mean it’s protecting your privacy. Often buried in the fine print are broad statements about how your information could be disclosed to third parties.

2. Opt out and use any other privacy options offered. Pay attention to the privacy options Web sites offer, including the ability to opt out of the lists that share your information. While some companies make it easy by asking your permission to opt in before sharing any information they collect, too many do just the opposite and then make it difficult to opt out.

3. Get a separate account for your personal e-mail. Keep your work and personal e-mail separate. Why? Your boss has the legal right to read your work e-mail correspondence, as well as any personal information you may have stored on your personal work computer.

4. Teach your children not to give out personal information online without your permission. While federal law prohibits companies from collecting personal information from children under 13, there are some Web sites that violate or skirt the law. Take the time to impress upon your children how important it is they ask your permission before they give out their name, address or other information about themselves or their family. Make sure your teenagers who use Facebook and MySpace have privacy settings that allow only their real friends to see their information.

5. Be careful when using social networking sites and picture/video sharing sites. If you use a picture or video-sharing site to share photos with friends and relatives, pay attention to the privacy settings to be sure you are not sharing photos with strangers, especially photos of your children.

6. Learn about and then use the privacy features in your browser. Whether you use Internet Explorer, Safari, Camino, Firefox or Chrome, there are a variety of tools and plug-ins available to help protect your privacy and the security of the information you use on the Internet. Take the time to learn about these features so you can better control the planting of “cookies” on your computer, as well as identify insecure or fraudulent sites before you visit them. If you use a computer in a library or other public place, clear your browser history and memory cache when you are finished. Depending on the specific browser, you can delete cached images from the “Preferences” menu or the “Tools” menu.

7. Make sure that online transactions are secure.Most e-commerce sites have a secure way to receive your credit card information. In most cases, the address for a secure Web site will start with “https.” The “s” indicates it is secure. In addition, most browsers display a small picture of a lock to indicate the site is secure. Just because the site has both these features doesn’t mean it is legitimate. The company running it could be fraudulent or the Web site may be a fake.

8. Learn how to spot phishing and other scams. Before giving out personal information online, know who you’re dealing with. You have to be especially careful because fraudsters create Web sites that look like those of legitimate businesses, trying to get you to enter information. “Phishing” is a scam designed to steal your personal information under false pretenses, usually by tricking you into disclosing personal information, such as credit card numbers, your Social Security number and account passwords. Some clues of fraud:

• If an e-mail address that purports to be from a bank or business headquartered in the United States ends with .cn or any other country code, it is not legitimate.

• Messages marked “Urgent” are usually fraudulent.

• Many fake sites will place a picture of a fake lock icon on their site. Make sure the secure lock icon is in the browser frame and not inside the browser window.

9. Reject or delete unnecessary cookies. Cookies are small bits of computer code planted on your computer by most of the Web sites you visit. They allow Web sites to collect and store information about your online activity and to recognize your computer when you return again or visit an affiliated site. For example, if you signed up to a Web site and obtained a user name and password, cookies remember that information for you. Consult your browser’s Help section to find out how to delete unnecessary or unwanted cookies.

10. Safeguard important files and communications. Secure your laptop, your phone and other portable devices with a strong password that cannot be guessed easily by someone who knows your name. Never use family names or birthdates as passwords. Keep your important files out of any shared or public folders. In situations where there is a particular need for security, you should use encryption.

PerfectSpeed Protects Your Privacy

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Click here to find out more,

The Center for Democracy and Technology has developed tips for protecting your privacy online. Some are easy, some are just common sense and some will involve a bit of work.

(Source: The Center for Democracy and Technology)

Readers: I think there is so me good advice here. And, no I am not getting any kickback from PerfectSpeed. Have a perfect day though :) Peace out…

Zen Lill: I had a beautiful weekend too! – thanks. The TAO is not around except for Roy. Pose your question to him and perhaps he will chime in if it is something he can address and is able.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my ‘loyal’(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the ‘Donate’ button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my ‘Donate’ page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

For archives dated before January 17, 2008 click on my Blogroll:

or click here: “A Day in the life of…”

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2010

John Curley Photography

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

A long time ago I was advised, firmly but gently, by the TAO, that I must control my emotions when I am dealing with life matters. The problem, is that I am a very emotional being. I always have been. That’s the good news and the bad news. And when life matters that are important to me, when they are dear to my heart, and I feel empathy or anger from danger or plight, the first thing that I do is cry. I cry because I feel so much, and at times feel helpless, wishing that there were more that I could do.

The reason that I was advised that I must control my emotions is because when one gets emotional and overwhelmed by feelings it is difficult to be levelheaded, which is needed to think clearly. I was advised to address the issue by merging with the situation, and by merging with it, one creates the environment needed for a solution to arise. Don’t waste energy protesting or complaining. Except the ‘isness’ of the moment: This is how it is. Then act from being, not ego. Actually the last two sentences were my additional advice to myself. :) But nonetheless, good advice all around – thank you TAO.

Now, because of my blog, I have much more exposure to world issues and matters. I dive much more deeply into things that touch me deeply. Therefore, I have had to heed this advice or I would mostly be a wet-eyed, tear-stained face, useless mess of a girl, going nowhere, lost in her emotions and drowning in unresolved affairs. Okay…that’s pretty dramatic…so maybe not that bad, but on some issues, yes, I was that bad.

Quick to tears, I still am, but now I don’t let me emotions overwhelm me…well most of the time I don’t. I allow myself a few minutes, no more. And then, like I have said here before, the words, ‘Deal with it’ pops into my head and stop my tears in their tracks. They are words that I say to myself all of the time, else I would be that girl described above a lot more.

And what good would I be to anyone then? Compassion is a wonderful quality that I do pride myself in having. I used to think that if I didn’t emotionally feel…if I didn’t physically feel (tears), I wasn’t compassionate, I wasn’t alive. Compassion alone only goes so far. I have learned that I can still feel really deeply about something, not be overwhelmed by my emotions, and actually do something that can help. To have an impact and create change, compassion needs to be hand in hand with action.

So why am I writing all of this?  I got on the Huff Po last night and saw the photos of the animals soaked and matted with oil from the BP spill.

An oil covered seabird sits on the beach at East Grand Terre Island along the coast of Louisiana, June 3. As the Gulf of Mexico oil spill continues to extend, concern is growing for the wildlife that stand in its path, especially since many of the coastal animals are currently in their reproductive seasons.

I posted this photo wondering what was going on in the mind of this bird. One day this bird is in Paradise and the next day in peril, and having no clue as to why.  And this morning I can still feel my emotions begin to arise (I am still learning :) I am so familiar with this feeling now; it is the same feelings I get when I receive a PETA catalog in the mail, or read about women being abused.

But now, I can still feel compassionate but I am able to deal with it, and every day I get stronger and stronger, and I learn how to deal with it better and better. And yes, when I am in a calm state accepting the ‘isness’ of the moment, I create the environment for solutions to arise.

But today, as I stare as this photo of this bird matted in oil, I am calm, but I have no solution. I can only feel its pain and confusion…and I wish I was there to give this bird care, and return her to paradise.

Readers: This bird can not flap its wings, but you thankfully can still flap your lips. Does anyone have any solutions for this monstrous disaster that this oil spill is causing? Blog me.

************

Hi Helena: How are you? Nice to hear from you. I have nothing to add to your comment except to say that your point is well said.

Beatrice: Please don’t take this personally as I would say this to anyone asking this request.  I am sure that you will understand, once I explain:

If I posted your photo today, everyone else would then blog me expecting me to post theirs. The reason why I posted a photo of Zen Lill is because she has not only been an avid reader of my blog for over two years now, but she is a regular commentator and has a following. If you or anyone else puts the time and dedication that ZL does into my blog and you too have a following, then I would most certainly consider posting your picture. But I am sorry, not until then.

So ladies and gentlemen…readers of my blog, do not e-mail me any photos or send them to me via the post office. I will not be posting them on my blog, nor will I return them.  Thank you.

Zen Lill: Well….hey, nice to know I’d be on your radar should that thought ever come to mind :) I liked your comment to ‘Disappointed’ in regards to loving yourself – well said. Speaking of…

Disappointed: I wasn’t sure if Zen Lill was going to ignor you or say something, and I wanted to follow her lead so I withheld my comment to you until now.  And since she did, I will give you my two. It seems to me that when a man cuts down a woman as you have, it is not only rude, and disrespectful (What did she do to you to deserve such words?), but what this really tells me is that you know that you’ll never get close to anything as pretty as this woman. That’s what men like yourself do when they know they can’t have it – they cut a woman down like what she has is nothing special (She’s not good enough for me!) They reject before they are rejected. Yeah, that’s your ticket all right.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my ‘loyal’(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the ‘Donate’ button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my ‘Donate’ page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

For archives dated before January 17, 2008 click on my Blogroll:

or click here: “A Day in the life of…”

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2010

John Curley Photography

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning!

Doug sent this to me the other day and I wanted to post it today. (Thanks Doug!) This is a video from a Ted conference. Brian Skerry, the guest speaker, who has a love for the underworld and all of its beautiful life,  is an amazing photographer who gives us a peek at the ocean’s glory and horror.  If you are a lover of the ocean and all its beauty, like I am, and how can you not, I think you’ll enjoy and appreciate Skerry’s perspective.

I titled my write this morning, from a quote that stuck with me that Skerry said in his talk. “The ocean is not a grocery store”. I never thought of it that way, and yet we treat it that way. This is how we treat the life that sustains us…by taking and taking and taking as if there will always be more to take…an endless supply, as if ‘someone’ is going to continue to stock the sea for us. But there isn’t and there won’t be unless it’s us – unless we give back to the ocean by not taking.

The ocean, and all that lives there, doesn’t have time to replenish itself and thrive because of the impact we make by our take. And just what are we giving back?

Readers: It’s our time to give back.  Thoughts? Blog me.

Zen Lill: I’ll have to check that website out. Thanks for the gratitude. :) I miss writing those to my friends and family. I so enjoyed it when I did. I was hoping that it would get paid forward in some way and I think it did. Speaking of gratitude, I see many of your admirers showed you some gratitude. :)

Una: Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind. :)

Mike: That is a great question. I’m sure MSNBC is but you know FOX isn’t addressing that question. And I find that our society moves so quickly that people only take notice of what is currently being repeatedly said. To blame Obama for this is just ridiculous. Opinions can be so short-sighted and lazy. ‘Selective’ memory comes to mind too.

Beatrice: My Intro for the day was all about ZL. And while I don’t doubt you are a hot chick, I posted her photo because Zen Lill is a regular visitor to my blog and I thought Zen Lill’s admirers would like a peek at her prettiness.

Anon: Believe me, I know. But to answer you, ‘No you are not being shelved for ZL.’ She is just a good pal – Plus ZL’s has voiced she’s not into women. Besides that, I don’t believe either of us are each other’s type. Hmm…do I have a type? Not sure if I do – I appreciate all women in their glory – Anyway…So if I am yours, make yourself known.  :)

Homer: Good point. Typical stance for hypocrites isn’t it?

Frances and Connie: I can not imagine what it must be like to live there. Katrina was more than enough, and now this. I feel for you and everyone there.  Perhaps this hard lesson will lead us to a cleaner source of energy sooner.

Gary: Do you see me smiling as I read your write? I am. Thank you for your kind words – such a delightful read.

Sylvia: Thanks for posting that very informative article. I hope the best for your brother.

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my ‘loyal’(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the ‘Donate’ button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my ‘Donate’ page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

For archives dated before January 17, 2008 click on my Blogroll:

or click here: “A Day in the life of…”

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2010

John Curley Photography

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Or more importantly, what are they not eating?

TOKYO — The world’s oldest person, a Japanese woman on the southern island of

Okinawa, has died a week before her 115th birthday, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Kama Chinen, who witnessed three centuries, died Sunday, according to Kaoru Shijima, a spokeswoman at her care facility.

Petite and gray-haired, Chinen spent her final years at a care center in Nanjo on southeastern Okinawa. She was born on May 10, 1895, according to the Gerontology Research Group , which tracks individuals of extremely old age.

Her family guarded her privacy closely, and details regarding her death were not released to the press – many Japanese newspapers didn’t even give her name.

Chinen became the world’s oldest known person when Gertrude Baines died in a Los Angeles hospital at age 115 in September.

The oldest human is now 114-year-old Eugenie Blanchard, a French woman born on Feb. 16, 1896, according to the research group. The group has validated 75 “supercentenarians” worldwide who are at least 110 years old, according to its website.

Japan has a high percentage of the world’s centenarians, many of whom are from the southern Okinawa region.

There were more than 40,000 Japanese over 100 years old when the government released its annual report in September. Over 86 percent of them were women.

By 2050, Japan’s centenarian population is expected to reach nearly 1 million, according to U.N. projections.

**********

Readers: Especially my readers from Japan….really….you have the world’s highest percentage of centenarians – what are you doing over there? What is your secret? Blog me.

ZL: Wow, I’d like to see that outfit. Perhaps you could e me a photo and I could post it for all of your admirers here to see? Oh, and I look forward to borrowing that book -thanks!

Lydia: Hi, nice to hear from you. I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be to post here, but I’m delighted that you keep trying. :) And thanks for the compliments. There are days when I feel really good about my writing, and days that I just don’t have the time to invest in my write as much time as I would like to. And editing myself...ugh…I am grateful if I get to. And it really bugs me when I don’t.  And when it is one of those days, this is where my frustration is felt with my blog.

But you…you are a professional writer, you write for a newspaper. How wonderful! – you must be good or they wouldn’t have hired you. I would love to get paid for my writing. You are blessed to be able to make a living doing what you love.

As far as what I write warranting a mouth wash? Well…you haven’t been reading here as long as your mother. For the sake of my new business as a ‘Specialist in Styles’, it behooves me to watch what I say. So yes, all of you can say what you wish – you are basically anonymous. But me? It is my blog and my name and photos are everywhere. I can not be anonymous.

When I started my new biz, I knew that I would not be able to speak as freely as I think. So yes, I do edit myself now, and that is frustrating for me too as it is important for me to be creative in all areas of my life, no holds barred. But my professional  ’image’ is important to me too, and I certainly do not want to offend or turn off my growing clientele.  It would not serve me well to say some of the things that I am thinking. So I try to say what I want to, I try to express myself clearly…..without the colorful language.  :)

Suz: I love The Temptations and actually saw them perform a time or two in the last 5 or so years.  Whether ‘Ollie’ was performing then I can not say, but I send my condolences too.

Chuck:  Thanks for even more info on Vit D.  I had the pleasure this past weekend to soak in some rays on my entire body and I can’t tell you how good it felt, emotionally and physically :) This was the first time of the season that I donned my bikini. Twenty  minutes without sunscreen and then another 40 with. I used to be a sun goddess but the risk is too high these days. Still, it felt good and now I have a bit of color which always makes me feel good.

Peter: That is good news – I am sure you are partly responsible for this -you have been working so hard to protect your island. Good job!

Maria: You got that right. Otws need to stick together in order to make things happen for them. I hope that they, like you, are aware of this and do what is needed.

Hi Robert: Thanks for the news. I had no idea that this passed. So now, one needs to vocally tell officers that you are invoking that right before it goes into effect. This kind of thing drives me crazy.

Readers: Here’s an article of what Robert is speaking of. Click here.

Got to go…Peace out…

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my ‘loyal’(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the ‘Donate’ button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my ‘Donate’ page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

For archives dated before January 17, 2008 click on my Blogroll:

or click here: “A Day in the life of…”

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2010

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning.

Whenever I think of our men and women that are at war, I always wish for their safety. But what I rarely think about is after they come home and the challenges they must face being home and trying to live their ‘normal’ lives again, when they have witnessed so much death and destruction.

We ask so much from the men and women who risk their lives in war, yet what happens to them when they go home? How do they deal, and what us being done about it so that they can cope and live a ‘normal’ life again?

The answer is PE: Prolonged Exposure. I want to recognize and congratulate Edna Foe for her PE therapy that she developed not only for veterans who suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), but also for people who suffer from the horror of rape, childhood sexual abuse, and natural disasters.

Foe, along with 99 others made Time magazine’s list of the ’100 most influential people in the world’. She was honored in the category of ‘Thinkers’:

Human beings are hardwired to fear things — the lion in the grass, the assailant in the alley — and if one of those fears gets realized, we may never settle down again. The pain associated with that condition is known as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mix of depression, anxiety, anger and isolation. No one is doing more to end that suffering than psychologist Edna Foa, 72, of the University of Pennsylvania.

The severity of PTSD is matched by the horror of the things that set it off — rape, childhood sexual abuse, natural disasters. And then there’s war. Half a million veterans from the Vietnam era alone may suffer from PTSD — and up to 300,000 from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Too many cope with the disorder by working to exhaustion, drinking to unconsciousness and never, ever talking about it.

Foa, who studied first at Bar-Ilan University in Israel and later in the U.S., always found that unsatisfactory. Thirty years ago, she began studying post-rape trauma, cobbling together therapeutic bits from other anxiety disorders. But it wasn’t until 2000 that it all began to come together. That year, she and her husband visited Israel on sabbatical. Just five days after they arrived, the second intifadeh began. It was a crucible for trauma, and that got Foa focused specifically on combat-related PTSD.

The therapy she developed is known as prolonged exposure, or PE, and involves identifying thoughts and situations that trigger the most fear and then gently exposing sufferers to them. Patients first summon up memories of the trauma. Next comes physical exposure to places or circumstances that call it up more vividly. Facing the memories strips them of power. The approach not only works; it works fast — usually within 12 sessions.

The U.S. military — which isn’t easily wowed — is embracing PE. The Department of Veterans Affairs is putting the protocol into wide use and implementing programs to teach it across the various services. “The national rollouts are historic,” says psychologist Joan Cook, of Yale University, who is studying PTSD in veterans of the Korean War and World War II. “They are unparalleled in the mental-health field.”

To Foa, spreading the word is what matters most now. “If you develop a wonderful protocol, it’s useless if nobody uses it,” she says. There’s little danger of that — as hundreds of thousands of service members may one day be able to attest.

Readers:The one thing that I have always heard when our soldiers return from war is that they suffer from PTSD and there is not much, until now, that has helped relieve them of their memories of war. So many soldiers have gotten so little support after they return home that they have very little chance of a ‘normal’ life.  But now with PE therapy, facing your fears can really make them disappear.

I want to end by giving gratitude to those that lost their lives, and gratitude to those that continue to risk their lives daily, so that we can go on living a ‘normal’ life.

If you feel that you want to do more than just honoring our soldiers this Memorial Day, here are some ways to get involved:

• Honor fallen heroes by volunteering at a veterans cemetery on Memorial Day or any time of year. Volunteers can give cemetery tours, help with maintenance, raise and lower flags and more. Use the National Cemetery Administration website to find a volunteer opportunity near you.

• Attend a Memorial Day parade. Search theU.S. Memorial Day Parade Directory to find an event in your community.

• The American Red Cross is asking volunteers to honor Memorial Day by giving blood to save American lives. Call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit the Red Cross website to make an appointment to donate.

• Bring a smile to the faces of deployed troops around the world by sending them a USO Care Package. Each care package is $25.

• Make a contribution to Cell Phones For Soldiers, an organization collecting donated cell phones to help troops abroad call home. Donors can give their old cell phones or make a financial contribution to the program.

• Support veterans in your community by volunteering at a local VA hospital. The easiest way to get started is to fill out a volunteer form with the VA Volunteer Service and a representative will help you find the right volunteer opportunity for you. Read Causecast’s How To Support Veteransguide for more suggestions on how to make a difference for local veterans.

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Hi Lydia: Looks like you did. I wish there was more comments from you though. :)

Hi Jorge: Is this the Jorge with “Careta”? Or the other Jorge who chimes in? Either way, nice to hear from you again. And sad but true….where has all the honesty gone? I always try to remember the statement, ‘If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is’, and that alone saves me from making huge mistakes. Once you fall for a scam, hopefully you learn and you don’t fall for one again.

Have a lovely Memorial Day! Peace & Love: ‘Live it, Give it’

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my ‘loyal’(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

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