Bye Bye Bush
Posted by Michelle Moquin on January 16th, 2009
Good Morning…
Well…I didn’t get to see Bush’s farewell speech last night, but honestly, I really didn’t care to. I mean what could he possibly say in his final words when his actions have said it all? Oh yeah, I can just see him squeeking out excuses of how he had to make some ‘tough decisions’…blah blah blah. No thank you. I did peek at a few minutes of it and I just couldn’t watch any more. The only thing that went through my mind was, ‘wimpy, wimpy, wimpy.’ I know I’ll look back at the Bush years (if I ever grant him more than a moments thought), as just a really long bad dream, that unfortunately was our reality for eight years. And yes, let’s not forget, there are lessons to be learned here. We do not want to repeat this part of history EVER. I am so delighted that for the next four+ years a real man will be running our country.
I’ve given all the space I want to give to Bush this morning…So what else?
I’m sure all of you heard about the plane crash in the Hudson River – amazing save. It was the talk of the day yesterday, and Bush didn’t even bring it up in his farewell speech. Talk about disconnect – Dare I expect anything more from him in his final days that is anything different than the last 8 years? Unfortunately no. But didn’t I say I already gave him all the space I want to give him today? Okay I’m done.
Anyway, back to plane crash – what a pilot…talk about having to make a tough decision…under stress, in a short amount of time – ‘Good’ tough decisions, one should be rewarded for. He obviously made the ‘right’ touch decision. ‘Wrong’ tough decisions shouldn’t get rewarded just because they were ‘tough’. Oh, but Bush expects to. He could take a lesson from this pilot. Yes, he thinks that just because he made some ‘tough decisions, albeit they were ‘wrong’ decisions, he thinks he should get credit. Well let me tell ya Bush, “The only thing I’m going to give you credit for is for screwing up our country. And I blame us for being stupid enought to elect you again.” Yeah, even though I didn’t elect him, we are all accountable. No excuses. Okay, I know, I know…I just had to throw in one last one. :)
Really…I’m done.
~~~~~~~~
Hi ZL: In honor of women around the world and their desire to blossom, I have this vision of thousands coming from everywhere embracing their favorite flower: a representation of the blossoming beauty within themselves, or if held by a man: a flower that represents his blossoming love….creating a sea of beauty and color. Hmm…just the beginning of this peaceful lovefest protest…
Anyway…Happy Birthday to Miss Lily! Give her a big hug and kiss from us. Nine years? Feels like we have known each other much longer….I too am honored. I remember the day that we met – such fun. And the fun continues…. :)
Hello Anonymous: Any woman would love to be the receiver of this beautiful poem. Are you a known poet? I would not be surprised if you were.
Hi Anonz: Short and sweet. Thanks always, for enlightening us on such that we are not privy to. I hope that you are getting done what you need. Be safe.
Hello Thomas: Lorri’s cousin. Sorry about that yesterday. Seeing a flying saucer is an incredible thing to say the least! Lucky you. I wish I could say that I saw what you saw. I also wish you had gone into more detail in your comment. Any chance you could come back and tell more? Thanks.
Well…it’s that time. Happy Friday!
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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January 16th, 2009 at 8:15 am
SUNSCREEN SAFETY
Most people’s knowledge about sunscreen products is limited to two tidbits: first, we shouldn’t go in the sun without it… and second, the higher the SPF, the more protection we have. Actually, neither of those items is exactly correct. Since I’ve written before about how we actually need a bit of unprotected sun exposure (see Daily Health News, August 7, 2007), I’ll leave that topic aside right now in order to concentrate on the latter point — that SPF ratings alone are not exactly on target, in part because of new scientific information and in part because the current system is misleading. This has led to its proposal for new rules about the labeling of sunscreen products. So here’s what you need to know when picking your sunscreen…
LOTS MORE ON THE LABEL
The current system classifies sunscreen protection with the familiar SPF (short for “Sunburn Protection Factor”). Many organizations, including the American Academy of Dermatology, claim that a sunscreen with SPF 15 would allow a person who would ordinarily burn in, say 12 minutes, to stay in the sun for 180 minutes (12 x 15) before getting the same burn. However, the FDA disputes this theory since SPF is related to the amount of solar exposure, not time, and is dependent on other factors including geographic location, time of day, skin type, amount of sunscreen applied and rate of reapplication. However, these ratings only apply to UVB rays when, in fact, UVA light is also damaging to the skin.
Therefore, the proposed new rules will also require sunscreen products to display on the label a four-star rating to indicate level of protection from UVA rays. One star means low protection and four promises the highest level available. If a product does not offer UVA protection, the label must say “No UVA protection” near the SPF. So, each sunscreen product label will feature two separate ratings — stars for UVA and an SPF number and descriptor for UVB protection.
This reflects the current understanding in the scientific and medical communities that UVA light — the ultraviolet rays that tan your skin — causes skin cancer and other damage, whereas it was previously believed that only UVB light (the “burning” rays) could be destructive. There’s a third kind of ultraviolet light, called UVC, that could also be destructive but it is absorbed by gases in the atmosphere so there is no need to add sunscreen protection for it.
PRECISE RULES FOR MARKETING CLAIMS
The new labeling rules are all very good for the consumer, I was told by Darrell Rigel, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center. He was enthusiastic about several aspects of the new labeling system. In addition to providing specific information about UVA protection, the manufacturers must now be more precise in their use of descriptive terms on sunscreen labels. For instance, manufacturers can no longer use the term “broad spectrum.” Some labeling will stay the same. Sunscreens labeled “water resistant” are those that need to be reapplied after 40 minutes of swimming or sweating, and after towel drying. Otherwise, every two hours. Those labeled “very water resistant” or “very sweat resistant” would survive 80 minutes of water immersion. The terms “sweatproof” and “waterproof” never had any legal meaning, added Dr. Rigel, and once the new rules become law, they can no longer be used.
NEW AND BETTER SUNSCREENS
Additionally, Dr. Rigel told me that much better sunscreen products are being developed. In his view, some of the best current products (including Aveeno products and Neutrogena products using an ingredient combo marketed as Helioplex) are made with the ingredients avobenzone and oxybenzone, which protect against both UVA and UVB. Other companies will soon introduce versions like these as well.
The FDA approval process takes time so it’s hard to predict exactly when the new regulations will become law. Dr. Rigel postulated that the new labeling system will be mandated in time for summer of 2009, but he says we’ll start seeing products using the dual star-SPF system this summer. When you see these new and improved labels, he recommends purchasing only sunscreens with a rating of three stars or higher for UVA protection and an SPF of 30 or higher for UVB protection.
Source(s):
Darrell S. Rigel, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center. Dr. Rigel is a past president of the American Academy of Dermatology and is a recipient of a Presidential Citation from the American Academy of Dermatology for Public Education Programs and of the American Cancer Society’s National Honor Citation for Skin Cancer Programs. He practices in Manhattan and can be reached at rigelderm.com.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Hi Mischa, I like the peaceful protest so far, what day(s)/date(s) shall we do this?
Thanks for your e comment on my biz announcement, the company gives cash/clothes/time to charities specifically for the betterment of women around the world AND they manufacturer in the USA still (except knits, apparently the US no longer has that kind of factory anymore) – those two things definitely got to me and is something that won’t be a stretch for me to represent with a smiling face.
Ok, long day ahead, very funny video for a good giggle on my site today, click through if you could use a :smile:
Ciao, Luv, Zen Lill
January 16th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Michelle
I’m in the USA came to see President Obama take his oath of office. Will you be attending the cereonies?
Riis
January 17th, 2009 at 6:19 am
Michelle
This is my 14th try. I have been trying to get in since your blog about the movie Slumdog Millionaire. Indian movies are usually about the man. Women are only portrayed as assessments.We have dress codes, kissing codes, even word codes. The woman’s rights movement is practically dead here.
The movie was good, but like most Indian movies, it glossed over the plight of women here while focusing on the sufferings of the man. We are forced into prostitution at every turn. We are forced into arranged marriages. We are burned alive if our families fail to pay the dowries demanded by the male’s family. The custom has been outlawed by the government. But the male dominated government often looks the other way.
Men here use religion to keep women in “their place.” We can not argue for equality because we would be labeled blasphemers. That scene in the movie where the girl is said to be still a virgin is the usual gloss over by bollywood. She would have been living many years of prostitution by the time she was rediscovered by the young boy. The scene where he went to look for her in the brothel was a lie. In those brothels they are mostly filled with very young girls from ages 5 – 19. After that they stay on to mange the young girls or are forced into the streets to work on their own to be preyed upon by pimps and criminals, and police for protection.
NOONE marries a slumdog girl. NOONE marries an Indian girl who has no family because the man would get no dowry. Just as white america use to portray their blacks always happily dancing as if content with their place forced upon them in a racist oppressive society so do the movies made in India for exportation.
We the classed as “untouchables” slumdogs, etc are slaves to the new class of successful Indians who have access to an education.
Mahima
January 17th, 2009 at 8:04 am
In one of President Bush’s final acts in office, he issued an outrageous new regulation that represents a tremendous step back in women’s access to reproductive-health services, including birth control.
Urge Obama to make it a priority to fix this dangerous regulation once he takes office >>
Bush’s regulation could undermine state laws that require hospitals to provide emergency contraception to rape survivors. It could allow health-care corporations to refuse services and referrals for birth control.
And it could hurt low-income women in particular by allowing family-planning and Medicaid providers – even the receptionists at their front desks – to deny contraception services and referrals to women.
President Bush snuck this regulation through at the last moment – a regulation is radically out of step with the way we live, as 98 percent of women use birth control at some point in their lives.
This January, President-elect Obama can reverse this outrageous law – but he needs your support.
GO HERE AND VOICE YOUR SUPPORT NOW!!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/591236237?z00m=19143084
January 17th, 2009 at 8:30 am
THE SEVEN LEVELS OF HEALING FOR CANCER
Despite recent significant advances in cancer care, a cancer diagnosis is still so frightening that many people shrink from just hearing the word. Once diagnosed, patients enter a world in which time is no longer their own, they may be subjected to painful procedures, and they may, understandably, worry about their outcome. In the face of these challenges, many patients respond as if cancer is just another illness to get over and get past. But according to oncologist Jeremy Geffen, MD, author of The Journey through Cancer: Healing and Transforming the Whole Person, this approach is a missed opportunity. He encourages us to recognize that cancer affects all dimensions of a person — not just your physical body, but your mind, heart and spirit as well. Dr. Geffen believes that caring for all these dimensions can enhance every aspect of the cancer journey, and lead to profoundly meaningful healing and transformation.
In 2004, Dr. Geffen left the cancer care and research center he had founded in Vero Beach, Florida, to start Geffen Visions International in Boulder, Colorado, http://www.geffenvisions.com, where the mission is to integrate state-of-the-art conventional medicine with leading edge complementary and mind-body approaches to healing and wellness. In addition to his extensive medical education and training, Dr. Geffen spent years learning about complementary therapies by traveling and exploring the great spiritual and healing traditions of the world, including those from India, Tibet, Nepal and China. I interviewed Dr. Geffen about the program he has developed for cancer patients and families called “The Seven Levels of Healing.” He told me that recognizing and experiencing the seven levels offers patients the opportunity to enhance their treatment experience and overall wellness. He says they can even emerge from the cancer journey with a greatly enriched understanding of themselves, their lives, relationships and goals. The program he developed provides a map of the entire terrain encountered by patients and loved ones, and helps them navigate the journey as skillfully and effectively as possible.
THE SEVEN LEVELS OF HEALING
Level one: Education and information. Dr. Geffen encourages patients to educate themselves about the specific type of cancer they have and to explore and understand their treatment options as fully as possible. “Cancer” is a term that refers to what is actually a complex and multi-faceted range of very different diseases. Knowledge and understanding can help you make the right decisions for yourself and achieve the optimum results from your medical care. Dr. Geffen acknowledges that anxiety is common and understandable, but he emphasizes the importance of making decisions based on reliable information, rather than fear.
Level two: Connection with others. Social isolation can put patients at higher risk for morbidity and mortality from just about every disease, including cancer, and loneliness can be a factor in weakening the immune system, says Dr. Geffen. Still, it’s not uncommon for patients with cancer — who may already feel isolated — to withdraw even more from their social networks. It can be hard to rise above depression, anger and frustration about the unfairness of it all. During difficult times, maintaining connectivity can be challenging. Nonetheless, it is important and can be very comforting. Options include participating in a support group, an educational program or an on-line chat room — or can be as simple as sitting and sharing thoughts with a loved one or trusted friend. Regardless of the format, making connections with others, including people who are going through the same experience as you, can be very helpful and reassuring.
Level three: The body as garden. Dr. Geffen describes this level as an invitation to begin to regard your body not just as a machine, but as a precious, living organism that can be cultivated and tended like a garden. To apply this metaphor, drink lots of water and enjoy foods that are nourishing and vibrant, just as you would water and fertilize a garden. Sunlight is also important, although people undergoing cancer treatment may have some restrictions on sun exposure. Exercise, even now, remains extremely beneficial — aerobic activity such as walking and running improves circulation and promotes deep breathing that brings oxygen into the cells and stimulates the lymphatic system. Dr. Geffen adds a reminder: People who love their plants have healthier ones and this message carries over to the body — love your body as a garden, care for it tenderly and consciously and send it messages of appreciation. An additional way to do this is to incorporate complementary practices like massage, acupuncture, yoga and Reiki into your treatment program.
Level four: Emotional healing. “Health and wellness are intimately connected to our emotions,” says Dr. Geffen. “Feelings and emotions affect every aspect of our physiology. This can be especially important on the cancer journey, which is often an emotional roller coaster.” He urges people not to shrink from exploring emotional issues — including ones from the past that may still trigger strong feelings. Understanding and expressing emotions can promote health and vitality, and can liberate energy and important inner resources for healing. One easy way to open yourself to your feelings: Write daily in a journal including how you feel about your disease, how it is affecting your life and what you can do to feel better today. Dr. Geffen says many people may benefit from personal counseling or therapy to help them through the emotional demands of this time. Beyond just helping you cope, emotional healing can be transformational and positively impact all areas of your life.
Level five: The nature of mind. Here, Dr. Geffen focuses on three aspects of the mind: thoughts including the stream of chatter that constantly fills our head… beliefs, which are thoughts that we have elevated to the level of truth… and finally the meanings that we attach to events. All of these are subjective, yet they profoundly impact the healing process and all aspects of our life experience, he says. To heal at the deepest level requires understanding our thoughts, beliefs and the meanings we give to what is occurring in our lives… releasing those that are negative, and choosing others that are supportive, empowering and life-affirming. For example, patients who believe that all chemotherapies are “poison” may reject treatments that are potentially life-saving. Similarly, other patients who reject all complementary therapies as “hocus-pocus” may miss out on receiving their many documented benefits. Being willing to question and reconsider previously held thoughts, beliefs and meanings can open up worlds of new possibilities — physically, mentally and emotionally.
Level six: Life assessment. Knowing your deepest purpose in life and living it as fully as possible each day — even in the face of cancer — is very powerful, says Dr. Geffen. In this level of the program, he invites patients and loved ones to explore and identify their purpose in life and determine their most important goals, including the top 20 for the next year. This helps you focus on the good things you want from life, and direct your energy and attention to what matters most to you. A potential “gift” of cancer is increased clarity about your priorities in life. Dr. Geffen says that after cancer many people make long-delayed changes, such as embracing a healthier diet and lifestyle, finding a new career or creating deeper and more satisfying relationships.
Level seven: The nature of spirit. Energy, focus and action are important — but people who rely on will and intention alone are in hyper-drive all the time, says Dr. Geffen. He urges balancing this by taking time for rest and relaxation, and for looking to the deeper part of the self — your spiritual core. It is, he says, “the source of everything we ultimately want in life, and the source of the deepest experience of fulfillment we can have.” There are many ways to get in touch with your spiritual essence — it might be by spending time in nature or with loved ones, going to church, meditating, making love or riding a bike. “Whatever you choose,” he says, “embracing the nature of spirit involves letting go of the outer world and taking a break from striving and effort.” Instead of asking “why me?” he urges going deep within yourself to ask how you can learn and grow from all that you are experiencing. Above all, don’t miss the opportunity to fulfill the purpose of your life and use the journey through cancer to discover who you really are.
Source(s): ??Jeremy Geffen, MD, FACP, is a board-certified medical oncologist, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and oncology. He is president of Geffen Visions International and director of integrative oncology for P4 Healthcare and Caring4Cancer.com. Author of The Journey through Cancer: Healing and Transforming the Whole Person and integrative medicine program “The Seven Levels of Healing,” he lectures widely and offers workshops, retreats and personal consultations on the multidimensional aspects of medicine and cancer care. To learn more visit http://www.geffenvisions.com.