The Gift of Women

This was a thought for the day that one of my co-workers forwarded to us. Most of us are women in my office, except for the director and two inspectors but I know they will appreciate this, too.

'Whatever you give a woman, she's going to multiply it. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.'

So - if you give her crap, you will receive more shit than any one human being can handle.....

I almost fell off my chair laughing. Please know that I don't use that word in the last sentence but I fully agree with the sentiment.

Stimulating Commentary

I was going to respond to a comment on the previous blog by my friend Maeve. She always shares a good point of view and usually results in me rethinking about my point of view. I've clarified and maybe repeated myself but here are the results.

Maeve wrote:

If I remember correctly, the vaccine is encouraged for young women to protect them against 3 forms of the human papillomavirus virus or HPV that has been linked to cause cervical cancer. Now if this is causing problems then yes it needs to be stopped, but I don't see anywhere in their advertisements where it is "MANDATORY".

There are certain vaccines that need to be given. Chicken pox happens to be one if a person has gone through their life somehow without getting chicken pox. For an adult that disease can be deadly. There are many diseases that are there that if we can prevent a body from getting it then it means the person has a better quality of life.

Majority of vaccines though are not mandatory. Heck I got a Hepatitis B vaccine while a lifeguard to ensure that a preventive measure against any possibility as I was doing my work as a lifeguard to not risk getting it. This though was my choice and due to my job at the time it was felt to be a good precaution. It was not mandatory for my profession but I was told it might be a good idea. This though happens to be basically on the subject of vaccines and immunization a topic that you and I are going to differ on strongly.

My response to this is as follows:

I understand what you are saying. And I'm o.k. that we differ. I'm all about knowledge. This is about informing people of the risk, which I don't think has been done aggressively enough.

You are right about vaccines for highly contagious disease that are easily passed from person to person. We need to have those, and we do. And they ARE mandatory for children to go to school. In many states, you can't enroll a child until they have all their shots. That's mandatory vaccination. Even most day care facilities will no longer allow a child to attend until you provide a shot list. Sarah had to actually get shots before she could go to a day care. So, mandatory vaccines are here. But these are childhood diseases that are highly contagious and can cause serious epidemics.

As a side note, there are some who say there is a connection between child vaccinations and the increase in autism in this country. This disorder begins around 3-4 years of age. The increase in cases has been rapid, and began after the increase in vaccinations began in the late 50's and early 60's. So, the connections appears obvious and you can find articles and people who believe there is a direct correlation. This is unproven but still questionable. The latest reports are that they can't find a reason for the increase in autism. Hmmm.

However, HPV vaccine is for a virus that is spread by unsafe sexual practices. It is a sexually transmitted disease. It can be avoided the same way we avoid typhoid, ecoli, and staph -- cleanliness. If a woman wants to have unprotected sex with 35 people, she can expect to pick up the germs of more than 500 people. That is assuming each of her partners had 10 other partners. That is the number was released when the aids epidemic began and people were told to consider when having sex with someone. I always felt it excessive but they are the experts. So disease is highly probable. BUT -- HPV is a very avoidable disease and is only contagious from a specific source.

The cancer this virus causes is not contagious. Merck touts this cancer as as a result of the HPV that results from unsafe sexual practices. Some women, a vast number, will never, ever get this disease, no matter how many partners they have. In fact, the research I read said the body usually fights off HPV disease.

My research also indicated that the federal government is being pressured by Merck to make this vaccine mandatory. http://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/457/31/ We have several vaccines that are already mandatory for children to go to school. They are for diseases that are easily passed from one person to the other.

Catching the virus is a gamble the participants take of their own free will. The cancer is the payoff some will get from the gamble. So, I oppose drug companies forcing citizens who make better choices to take a drug that will result in even worse disease that can't be cured with a vaccine. I oppose the taxpayer having to pay for the results of someone's promiscuity. I oppose drug companies manipulating legislation that takes the right to choose away. How is enforced vaccination different from an enforced ban on abortion? Or China's enforced abortion laws? It isn't.

I oppose abortion and I oppose legislation to force me to take a medicine that I don't want or that may make me sicker. The person who takes the risk had a choice. Why can't I?

If a woman wants the vaccine, go for it. But Merck should publish, loudly, the effects this vaccine can have. Not some fast talk shoved in over smiling faces and stuff I have to read while you are warning me. Publish loudly, that it is a choice. People cry about a woman's right to choose but from where I sit, it only applies to those who want other people to pay for their bad choices. I resent that. Publish, loudly, how this disease is spread and prevented. And don't use taxpayer dollars to pay for the shots for those who say they can't pay.

So, guess who the maker of Vioxx was? Yes, Merck. "FDA analysts estimated that Vioxx caused between 88,000 and 139,000 heart attacks, 30 to 40 percent of which were probably fatal, in the five years the drug was on the market." That little fiasco has cost them billions and they are still setting aside money to pay for the litigation.

"Merck has reserved $970 million to pay for its Vioxx-related legal expenses through 2007, and have set aside $4.85bn for legal claims from US citizens. Patients who claim to have suffered as a result of taking Vioxx in countries outside the US are campaigning for this to be extended." Wikipedia article.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vioxx

Could Gardasil be their saviour? Could the high cost of this medicine be their way to pay for Vioxx? Do they often rush drugs out and tout them as 100% effective without revealing evidence to the contrary? If the Fed makes this vaccine mandatory, will taxpayers have to share the cost of any litigation? Why yes, you will.... Uncle Sam can be sued as a result of any deaths or other serious injury that results from a mandatory vaccine. Find and read what Vioxx has cost Merck and tell me they are purely interested in protecting innocent young girls. I don't buy it.

Sorry. My drug company soap box! You should read Michael Crichton novel "Next". The novel itself is not as good as most of his books but the information he shares in his Bibliography on how much control these companies have over our genetic codes is frightening. Their power with our government is the second most frightening. Third most frightening is how much stuff Critchton knows!

Thanks, Maeve for a stimulating comment! I always like it when someone does that!

American Association for Health Freedom - Update On Merck

Some time ago, I posted a blog about the vaccine, Gardasil, that is supposed to prevent cervical cancer. Obviously, I do not agree with enforced vaccines and particularly one that is unneeded. This is one more example of big drug companies getting help from the Federal Government to increase their profits by forcing citizens to take a medicine that is unproven and unnecessary.

The side effects from this drug are devastating and the public is not being given enough information. We are simply bombarded with smiling women ion essence saying "get the shot" and you can have safe sex. This is deceptive. Over 9,000 reports of severe side effects reported since 2006. Maybe that sounds like a minimum number to you. Is it YOUR daughter? YOUR wife? An excerpt has this to say about the side effects.

"As of July, the federal government's Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System has received over 9,700 reports of problems since the vaccine's introduction in 2006. These include paralysis, seizures, and miscarriage. Twenty deaths have been reported although the government has not acknowledged a link yet."

You can read complete article here. Link

50,000 Word in 30 Days

It is that time of year again. I am gearing up for the NaNoWriMo. I am totally bummed. I have NO CLUE! Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to be going into this thing with no clue? I've done it once and it was terrible. 50,000 words folks and not a single idea. 2006 I did it that way and got behind from the beginning. Last year, in June I had a clue and I planned.

O.k. deep breath.

You know, the pain doesn't help. I can't focus a lot of the time so I know that is the problem. I sort of drift around. And I need to cut my time in other places to devote to the project.

50,000 words in 30 days! Every year it strikes terror in to the staunches heart and sends shivers of excitement up ever participating spine. It is daunting and overwhelming but the most fun you've ever had. Unless you'd rather be on a beach in Tahiti. You could carry a laptop.

Anyway, you shall be hearing more of this for the next two months. I know I have other writing projects going that are withering on the vine. Alice is my conscience in that area. Actually, I am working there but right now it has reached another knotty place and I'm checking the map.

Anyone willing to participate in the madness join me. Here is the link to sign up.

Link

Coward.

Dream or Nightmare

This morning I was dreaming I was in the most excruciating pain. My shoulder was as hard as a rock and I was writhing. My son was going to try and rub it to make it stop but when he touched it I screamed. Then, I woke up.

You guessed it. In the worst pain. My shoulder, from neck to rotor cuff is just so painful. It feels as if someone hit me with a hammer. For a little bit my back hurt but that has eased off.

Actually, the week has not been too painful except for a migraine I've had for four days. The meds for that have kept it manageable but not eliminated it. I had that as well but I suspect the shoulder is the culprit. Usually when one hurts the other is aggravated.

I have been very depressed this week. My friend's son died on Monday and it was just so terribly sad. I think my week reflected this. I was depressed a lot. I went to the viewing on Thursday and then the funeral on Friday. The wife was just a wreck as expected. I felt so very sorry for her. She cried and cried. She'd go stand beside the coffin and weep, then, she'd sit in a chair nearby for a few minutes and then get up again and lean over the coffin and weep. It was terrible.

Twenty-nine year-olds should not die in their sleep. I will be glad when they all know what happened. People feel there should have been a sign to tell them something was wrong. The coroner make the comment to his father that it could have been his heart. The father has a very serious heart condition and he is feeling guilty because his son may have inherited the condition and they didn't know. Then, my friend is worried that this could take a fatal toll on her husband. It is just such a terrible burden on top of his death. I think when the results is in, they will find some peace. I truly feel it was the fall he had a few weeks before. I think something was missed in the ER and it slowly killed him.

Well, my bills are calling me so I must go. I hope you all have a good weekend. If I get a chance and my pain levels off I will drop back in.