SMART CARS or GAS GUZZLERS ON PARADE

A friend of ours recently commented on how few gas guzzlers and how many fuel efficient "smart cars" that he was seeing on the roads. After this enlightening visit where he related his excellent environmentally encouraging news I could hardly wait to fill my semi-fuel efficient Honda with gas and hit the highway. I was so looking forward to riding with my eyes on bright hoping to see the first wave of the new age of consumers and automobiles on parade.

I knew that the earliest possible opportunity would be when we made a short trip out of town to deliver some Christmas gifts. We hit the interstate with high expectations and a carload of excited kids early. On the first leg of the trip there were very few cars or trucks sharing the road with us and there were more gas guzzlers than sippers by a long shot.

However, I still had high hopes as the church crowd had not joined us as of yet. Surely, the spiritual set would be some of the frontrunners for saving our planet for generations to come.

It was easy to see when the last hymn of the service had been sung as traffic increased by fifty percent or better. But I was very disappointed in the number of four wheel drive trucks and big SUVs over anything that could remotely lay claim to being a fuel saving model.

Let it suffice to say that my observations did not equal my friend's by any means. However, I have great hope for the future. Maybe everybody is just upside down in their loan and waiting (like me) for the day they can trade for a greener ride. Or else they think that the tree huggers made up the American gas guzzler myth to put GM, Ford and Chrysler out of business just for giggles.

RESISTING THE THROWAWAY NATURE OF SOCIETY

In the past I have touched upon the casual, unconcerned nature of society as far as keeping the world a safe and uncluttered space. It struck me this morning as I was running a load of pre-Christmas laundry that I had not touched on this subject recently.

You might wonder what washing clothes and the out of touch citizens of planet earth have to do with each other. If you had the opportunity to hear the clunking sound that my washing machine was making you would understand why my foggy brain made the connection.

Let me start by saying that my washer and dryer set is not ancient. They get a workout practically every day but at their young age they should sprint through my family's dirty stuff without sweating. They are not but five years old or maybe even a little less and they sound like they are ready to expire. Even if they happen not to be at death's door, they are gravely ill.

I am now faced with making the decision of calling the appliance repair service and hoping that the fix will be a quick and easy (read: cheap) one or biting the bullet and buying a new washer. The dryer seems to be heating and fluffing just fine. So, a replacement for the washing machine will be all that's required for the time being.

This hits me wrong as I am going to be stuck with a mismatched set for no telling how many years. If I were to follow suit and go along with the disposable nature of society, I'd kick them both to the curb, buy one of those cool front loading models and let future generations fend for themselves.

However, being an individual that is concerned with environmental issues I'll probably just call the repairman, let him replace a couple of gears and suffer with a noisy washing machine for a few more years. By that time I'll probably be so sick of the rocking and knocking that I'll succumb to the temptations and buy something new. Even environmentally conscious individuals such as myself show weakness in hard times.

It would also help if factories would stop manufacturing junk. I don't want new to keep up with the people next door. All I want is to be able to wash my family's sheets and clothes without the threat of going deaf or having to dip sopping wet clothes out of the tub that quit spinning before it was finished.

Return to Oooh Baby Baby Parenting and Environmental Issues to read more of my targeted rants on the unconcerned nature of society.

BABY DEER HUNTING

Don’t let the title fool you, the term "baby deer hunting" is not about grown men out hunting fawns. At least not in this article. What I’m talking about is little kids out hunting deer with guns taller than they are. Allow me to say that I am not anti-gun nor am I anti-hunting. It’s my personal belief that there is a time and place for both. That being said, only an idiot could think that high powered rifles and kids are a good mix.


When I saw the latest in a number of pictures in the local newspaper of kids holding the heads of dead whitetail deer up by their horns, I gave one of my women friends a quick call that is known to have a trophy rack or two hanging over her fireplace. Being less than knowledgeable on the subject, my goal was to find out what was up with parents who were taking their five year old kids out to kill animals. Knowing that she is a responsible mother, I felt that surely she would consider kindergarten age children hunting with guns a severe safety hazard and I wanted to hear her opinions on the subject.

I told her the reason for my call and after a minute of silence, where in retrospect she was probably wondering if she might be risking losing her privileges at the camp house, she informed me that the practice was called by those in the know "Baby deer hunting." Before going any further, knowing that I maintain a blog, she made me swear that I would not mention her name or tell where I got my information. I could easily understand where she was coming from. When you are prone to hang out in dense forests filled with crack shots, you can’t afford to have a lot of enemies.

After I was sworn to secrecy, she started to unload on the topic of baby deer hunting. Here are the basics of what she shared with me. WARNING: if you are one of the guilty parents who have been hauling your kids under the age of 12 with you into the woods, her comments are not going to make you feel very good about yourself.

She said:

Kids who have never taken a gun safety course should not be hunting. There have been studies that baby deer hunters (under 19 years of age) are responsible for 50 percent or more of firearms accidents. Children have trouble making the distinction between real guns and toys and point accordingly. Furthermore, dads (and moms) who would put the gun on the shoulder of a their child so that he or she can kill an animal are irresponsible idiots.

And here’s another little tidbit of information; your fellow hunters don’t enjoy the company of baby deer hunters. The animals they kill or the ones that you bring down and say that they killed fail to impress. If you are doing this to make your friends think that you are a big man to have raised such a mighty hunter; please know that it has the opposite effect. Your fellow club members may not show it, but they dread the sight of you and who could blame them? Buying deer rifles for kids is not cool.

My friend said that she remembered one such incident where a man in her club pulled this stunt and while bragging in the clubhouse, the baby deer hunter seemed to reflect his father’s enthusiasm. Later, she heard the child crying in the bathroom. How traumatic would it have been if that same young person had accidentally killed another hunter?

The moral to this lesson is that it might be best to teach kids about deer rather than take them hunting while they are young. Spend time with them and teach them to appreciate nature. Take them into the woods and show them the scrapes, rubs and tracks and prepare them for the day that they will be old enough to join the hunt. Leave the guns at home. Your fellow hunters will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

If your toes have been stepped on, I apologize. You are welcome to your opinions and I wish you the best success with your parenting methods.

Return to Family, Parenting, Environment Issues and Kids to see more articles on the challenges facing the modern family.

THE BLACK FRIDAY WALMART STAMPEDE of DEATH

ATTENTION WALMART SHOPPERS


I was glad I stayed home after I read the news on the Black Friday Walmart death. How did we get here, people? Since when has a hot video game or baby doll become more valuable than the life of a human being? It's not unusual to hear of an angry mob leaving carnage in its wake during times of political unrest when blood is running high. But, a raging stampede to get to toys and electronics is hard for me to swallow.

This man was trampled not by scared individuals running from a Tsunami or taking shelter in somebody’s basement because a twister was on the horizon.
His life was taken by a bunch of maniacs looking for cheap DVD players and flat screen television sets. In case you did not notice, this might indicate that our society has become disturbingly and dangerously obsessed with STUFF!

Even one of the articles reporting the details of the Black Friday Walmart death wound up reporting on same store sales and how Walmart was benefiting from the poor economic environment. (Their sales are reported to have gained over 2% in October beating even their own forecast.) We can’t resist spouting percentages and sales figures long enough to stay on topic a few minutes out of respect for a person who died in a horrific and painful way. Has exposure to violence on television made us immune and desensitized to such a senseless tragedy?

A pregnant woman was also injured in the rush of bargain hunters. Remember the good old days when gentlemen would offer their seat to a lady who was expecting? These days that must only apply if she is not between you and that flat screen you wanted for the den. If that baby bump gets in the way, all bets are apparently off. American greed trumps a lady in weakened condition during the holidays, right?


I have wondered what kind of lessons are we teaching our kids when we are willing to get up at dawn to be first in line for some gadget that is at best a fleeting status symbol. Are we now willing to prove that it's ok to kill so long as you do it on Black Friday at Walmart defending your right to get the best buy on what you want at rock bottom prices?

Return to Oooh Baby Baby Parenting and Environmental Issues to stay abreast of more Christmas miracles and acts of human compassion as they happen.

LEFTOVER TURKEY RECIPES - SOUTHERN TURKEY POT PIE RECIPE

For those of you left with some turkey, I thought I'd share my leftover turkey recipes. Not that I mind the occasional sliced turkey sandwich, but I have a low tolerance for one after the other. I can change the kind of bread that is used. I can substitute condiments that I would normally not reach for. But no matter how you sliced and dice it; a sandwich is a sandwich.

SOUTHERN STYLE TURKEY POT PIE RECIPE


21 and a half ounces of leftover broth right out of the turkey roaster or 2 10 3/4 oz. cans of chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 half tsp. white or black pepper (southern cooks don't care)
2 cups of raw cubed potatoes (peels on or off is up to you)
1 16 ounce package of mixed vegetables or 16 ounces of leftover green peas, string beans and carrots (did you think this was a leftover turkey recipe that would leave you stuck with pans of unused vegetables?)
1 stalk of chopped celery
3 tablespoons of oleo or butter
3 tablespoons of plain, all purpose flour
3 cups of cubed, luscious leftover turkey
4 sliced hard boiled eggs
1 deep dish 9 inch pie crust

Pour broth, bay leaf and pepper into a big boiler and bring to a rolling boil. Add potatoes and allow to return to a boil before reducing heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes. After that time, add celery and mixed vegetables (if you opted for frozen, if not you can wait 10 minutes as they are already cooked) and return to boil and cook for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf, drain vegetables while reserving the broth.

Melt butter in dutch oven or large skillet. Add flour and stir until mix is smooth. Cook 1 minute while stirring constantly. Begin to gradually add broth stirring all the time until mixture is thickened and bubbly.

Stir in your drained vegetables, cubed turkey and sliced boiled eggs.

Put the mixture into a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish and cover it with your pie crust. Trim the edges of the crust, flute the edges and seal. To give your dish a unique and fancy look, cut the trimmed pieces of crust into leaves or shapes to make your leftover turkey recipe into something that will impress the kids.

Layer your shapes on top of the crust. Cut slits in the pastry crust and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the top is browned and filling is hot and bubbly.

You should be able to serve least six hungry people with this quick and easy leftover turkey recipe.



So, I came up some leftover turkey recipes like the one above that are filled with creative ways to use even the smallest pieces of breast meat that will appeal to families that are used to good, southern cooking. Some are best suited for white meat and others will give you a place to use the meat from the leg and thigh. I would advise you to use the most attractive pieces for casseroles and save the shreds for soups. I give this recommendation because of appearance, not taste. Presentation is a large part of getting the best out of the holiday bird and extending your grocery budget. Even the most attractive won't cut it as acceptable for your holiday party or mesh with the most basic baby shower recipes or decorations. But they are tasty, very cheap and easy to make as you have most of the ingrediants there and they are already cooked!

Camouflaging the turkey in your dishes may be the most crucial part of the process. The last thing you want is for your family members to get wise to your money saving, penny pinching practices and start to voice their protests. It's no fun to spend hours cooking a tasty recipe only to get comments on how they are sick of eating turkey rather than the favorable reviews that you were hoping for. Kids just don't get how important good leftover turkey recipes are or how to make good use of what you have until they are grown and faced with grocery budgets of their own.

RESTAURANTS OPEN ON THANKSGIVING

I was amazed at how few of the local restaurants open on Thanksgiving. Not that I could have squeezed even my favorite lasagna or fried raviolis down after all that pie I had awhile ago, but for those who had planned on going out to eat tonight might be in for an unpleasant surprise!

The trendy, upscale restaurants that are rather expensive usually do a booming business on evenings following major holidays around here. Working mothers don't want to spend the rare day off slaving over a hot stove. Or if they do cook a big turkey dinner with all the trimmings, they may want a little reward and well deserved rest after the family gathering is over and done with.

If you can find restaurants open on Thanksgiving and Christmas it would be ever so romantic to be treated. What a luxury to slip away to enjoy dinner where you and your husband could indulge yourselves in a little adult conversation not to mention some wine and food that would be somewhat less than appealing to the kids.

Speaking of the kids, I noticed a few of their favorites among the restaurants open for Thanksgiving; Burger King and McDonald's were the most noticeable with long lines. Kentucky Fried Chicken was closed as was Taco Bell, so their fast food selection would have been rather limited, but not nearly as much as the adults in the area with discerning culinary tastes.

I found this to be disappointing as it seemed the children were being rewarded with alternatives to leftover turkey and dressing, but nothing special for me. And I was the one who got up at dawn to make sure the meal was on the table by noon. Such is the life of a dedicated mother.

Return to Oooh Baby Baby Parenting and Environmental Issues to see what was on our family's holiday menu as soon as I have time to take inventory and make a list!

Teen Commits Suicide Live on Web

It's a sad day when a teen commits suicide live on the web. As if a young man at the young age of nineteen feeling so hopeless that he felt compelled to end his life were not tragic enough it's being reported that as Abraham K Biggs, of Broward County FL, was taking the fatal dose of pills that rather than alert the authorities some forum members reportedly spewed insults believing him to be faking. Apparently there were at least some responsible viewers that alerted the police as they broke down the door and found his body. Now morbid surfers are clamoring to find the Abraham Biggs suicide video.

Abraham is said to have posted a suicide note (on the forum?), in which he said that he had hurt other people and considered himself to be a failure. I can't help but think that everyone has had those same feelings at one time or another. Do you wonder what keeps some going while others take more drastic measures? Is it the knowledge that your family members will be devastated? Perhaps religious beliefs give you solace or instill the fear of what could be waiting on you when you reach the other side? We are told that God does not appreciate our disrespect of the earthly bodies that he gives us nor of us making the decision on when to leave them behind.

If there is a surefire antidote to self loathing and suicidal thoughts, I want to know what it is. Many young people respond to inspirational, motivational poems that give them hope to move beyond what's bothering them or reading the experiences of others and hearing that time heals all wounds. Whatever works, I'm for it.

As a parent, I can't imagine what it would be like to be informed that one of my children had made such a final and irreversible decision. I'm sure that if any teen who considers killing himself live on the web or in private would stop to think how much they are loved and will be missed that they will have to stop and reconsider. My thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones that Abraham Biggs left behind.

If you know of a troubled teen who you feel is having suicidal thoughts, please try to get help before it's too late. The Teen Suicide Hotline may be an excellent place to start.

Return to Oooh Baby Baby Parenting and Environmental Issues for more thoughts from a stay at home mom.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2008

I’m sure most of us remember the story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas from the Dr. Seuss book. Remember that poor little puppy dog with antlers strapped to the top of his head that pulled the wicked Mr. Grinch up and down the mountains? The little fellow skidded and tumbled and made his way through the shoulder high snowdrifts only to make his way to Who-ville where the mean creature that had cracked the whip to drive him onward slithered his way into sweet little Cindy Lou Who's house to steal the gifts from under the Christmas tree. For that matter, if memory serves me, he stole the tree along with everything else.

I said all that to say that in my opinion, the news is the Grinch of 2008. I can scarcely turn on the car radio or the television without being bombarded with the percentages that major retailers project their sales will have dropped when compared to 2007. My oldest daughter heard one such report with a catch phrase that went something like "Worst Christmas in a Decade". She was very curious to know exactly what a "decade" was. I believe that she thought it was some kind of Christmas stocking or a place where presents were dropped off by the jolly old elf himself.

This put me in the less than enviable position of having to explain economic slowdowns in words that a four year old could fathom. I can remember asking my mom, "Why did the Grinch hate Christmas"? She never had an answer for me because she probably felt that I would not understand. I felt her pain as even with my best efforts, this child could not understand what all this had to do with Christmas.
She simply could not make the connection between Jesus and sub-prime mortgages even when explained in the simplest of terms. Then it hit me; there IS no connection.

If you want to know How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2008, it was by making the celebration too much about purchasing power and too little about blessings of faith and the innocence of children. We may be in a recession and there may be fewer or less expensive presents given to our loved ones, but let’s rise above it and show the world that the quality of our lives is not based on purchasing power and credit limits. It would probably do us all good to get back to the basics of the holiday spirit and not to have so much focus on what we get but rather on what we have.

Return to Oooh Baby Baby Parenting and Environmental Issues to read more opinionated diatribe from this stay at home mom.

GOOGLE FLU TRACKER

The Google Flu Tracker could not have been brought to my attention at any better time. Why wait to see symptoms of the flu in the line at the grocery store when the master of search results can do it for me? As those of you who subscribe to my blog already know, my little one is allergic to eggs (and just about everything else you can name) and every year I go through the angst of making the decision whether or not to subject her to the vaccination process.

A few weeks ago I came across an article that stated that in their opinion that the flu vaccines which are made in (where else?) China were not sufficiently tested for safety. Why can't these people get it right? As if I didn't have enough to worry about with the Thimersol thing, now they are throwing this at me. These are the same jokers that can't keep melamine out their own baby's milk.

Should we believe that they care more about a bunch of people in the United States not getting the flu than they do about their own kids? Does anybody know what percentage, if any, of the flu vaccines that are used in the USA comes from China? Or do we primarily use products made by Sanofi Pasteur and Wyeth Lederle? I know that a few years back when there was a shortage that overseas companies were mentioned. I wonder if that has changed.

Meanwhile, the time is closing in on me to make my move. Google Flu Tracker shows that there is not much activity in our area at the moment. However, with all the travel that takes place from state to state during the holiday season we know those statistics can change in a New York minute.

One thing that I'm having a hard time understanding is why my baby's allergist insists that she needs the shot in spite of the fact that she has an egg allergy as well as the research that has reported that flu shots don't reduce the risk of death. I know she has asthma and the flu would be very dangerous for her, but if they say the shots don't work what's the good in it? Perhaps I should just pay close attention to the Google Flu Tracker tool and flu trends in the United States and run from the risk of viral infection the same way storm trackers run from storms?

Return to Oooh Baby Baby Parenting and Environmental Issues for more on my decision whether or not to vaccinate my family for the flu.

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

It's time to start digging in granny's trunk for vintage Halloween costumes! I belive that the best costumes ever are found in old trunks, cedar chests and dusty boxes in the attic. Part of the fun is putting together outfits made from stuff that once belonged to your ancestors.

If your mom threw everything away you can always start to beg and borrow clothing and accessories from your packrat friends. Offer to help reorganize their linen closet or garage in exchange for a dramatic feather boa, spike heels, hat and gown covered in sparkling sequins from a cocktail party from long,long ago.

As kids, we begged our moms to help us design funky, vintage Halloween costumes. I was lucky enough to have a mother who knew her way around a sewing pattern. As long as her Singer sewing machine was working, the sky was the limit. If she had time and something to work with, she let me use my imagination and take my pick of costumes.




Here are some ideas for children’s vintage Halloween costumes:

• A gypsy with a large gold earring, a colorful headscarf, long peasant skirt and off the shoulder blouse (if you could slip it by the parent in charge)
  
• A pirate with a homemade eye patch, tattered pants and tall black boots
  
• A hobo wearing grandpa's old fedora, shoes with cardboard stuffed inside to compensate for the holes in the sole of the shoe and a stick over your shoulder decorated with a stained bandana holding your worldly belongings tied on the end
  
• A cowboy wearing your little brother's plastic holster, fake cap guns and cowboy boots and hat
  
• A witch with a wart on your nose with your face painted puke green and tall pointed hat.
  
• Break out the black leather bomber jackets, the black boots and the hair oil to go out Trick or Treating as James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause
  
• If push comes to shove, pull an old sheet out of the rag bag and fall back on the Charlie Brown ghost costume

It drove mom crazy when, I started bugging her about making my Halloween costume as early as late August! I knew that if I didn't get started that I might end up having to suffer through the night in one of those uncomfortable vintage Halloween costumes (that are now very expensive on EBay as it turns out) with a sweaty plastic mask with tiny holes and inadequate ventilation. As if the masks weren't awful enough; the matching suits that tied in back were the equivalent of an embarrassing hospital gown. Wearing one of these poorly made Halloween costumes was kind of like Trick or Treating in a plastic garbage bag with little oxygen. Is there any wonder I was hell-bent on making my own? I'm starting a little late this year but with a little nip of fall in the air this morning, I'm reminded that it's time to open up the antique Singer sewing machine and pray that the tension is working properly, so my girls won't be wearing tacky costumes stuck together with duck tape and double stick tape. If the Singer isn't working, the vintage Halloween costume of choice will most likely be Charlie Brown's version of a ghost costume for the big girls and a pair of white footed pajamas with bunny ears for the babies' vintage Halloween costumes. Nothing fancy but they should be happy that I'm generous with the size of the air holes which is more than I had on those unfortunate Halloween nights when my mom was too busy to sew. Please remember to only buy Halloween candy that contains no peanuts. Kids with peanut allergies like to join in the fun, too! Return to Oooh Baby Baby Parenting and Environmental Issues for more stories about my old style Halloween costumes and adventures when I was a kid.

YOUR KID HAS A FOOD ALLERGY - DOES ANYBODY CARE?

I have posted so much about my daughter’s food allergies as well as other health and medical problems that we have endured. Between the MRSA, the asthma and various lesser food allergies, peanuts is the worst. I have a child that will someday be away from my ever watchful eyes and at the mercy of teachers and other children whose lunchboxes are filled with peanut butter sandwiches or tempting candy that may or may not contain the tiniest bit of peanut that would send my baby into anaphylactic shock.

Knowing that the day will someday come, I have gone on a one woman crusade of how not enough is done to protect schoolage kids in the way of educational materials for teachers and parents. I have spent many hours on the telelphone requesting meetings with school officials to talk about the dreaded peanut allergy. I have asked that they:

• Consider the use of allergy buttons
• Classroom door signs
• Send notes home to ask parents to refrain from sending peanut containing foods to school with their kids
• Compile and distribute a list of peanut free foods

Those suggestions might seem over the top to parents whose children have no such problems, but please put yourself in the position of a mother who has lost her child to an allergic reaction.

Some considerate parents say that even though their children have no symptoms of peanut allergies, they always check the contents labels so that they don’t put an allergic child in danger. And then I’ve been slammed by some who say it’s not their responsibility to keep allergic kids from dying. Their attitude is that it’s a personal problem and that their kids should not be deprived of peanut butter because it might kill somebody sitting next to them.


As a person who would crawl across hot coals and broken glass to save another person’s child if I could, this has been a painful realization of how desensitized many people have become to other people's problems. What ever happened to the charitable and caring concepts of "Do unto others" and "Don’t judge until you walk a mile in another person's shoes"?


Would these same parents be alright with their child being surrounded by guns, knives or illegal drugs? Of course they would say no and my reply would have to be that any of the three shocking items I just mentioned may in fact be LESS DEADLY to a child with a peanut allergy than the lunch they send to school with their kids.
I’m not ramping up a crusade against the peanut industry as there are all kinds of food allergies peanuts are just one albeit a deadly one. Before I had a baby with a peanut allergy I enjoyed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as much as the next person but not enough to risk somebody’s death.


Even if you are lucky enough not have to deal with kids' food allergies in your own home, please educate yourself by visiting any of these informational sites.


Peanut Allergy Information

Mayo Clinic's page on various allergies including peanuts


Food Allergy Information


Return to Oooh Baby Baby Parenting and Environmental Issues for more information on this topic and other subjects of interest to new parents.

SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME and NURSERY FANS

A study was recently released that suggests using fans to fight sudden infant death syndrome. We can always use another weapon in our arsenal in the battle against SIDS so I’m willing to give it a shot, aren’t you? The information in the study says fans might do more than just save energy in the baby’s nursery. Who would ever have dreamed that running a fan in your baby’s nursery may lower a baby’s risk of SIDS but that indeed seems to be the case.

We have heard for quite a while that we should take steps to prevent baby from overheating as well as to place baby on his or her back to sleep as multi-pronged risk reduction tactics. Now they are adding another step to our growing list of preventatives in the battle against the devastating sneak thief, SIDS.

The findings of the study were that when babies sleep in a room where fans are used to circulate the air that there is a 72 percent reduction in SIDS. This is the biggest breakthrough since the “Back to Sleep” movement that recommended placing babies on their backs to sleep rather than their stomachs. This recommendation reduced the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome to approximately one in every 2,000 births.


With the news came a warning that running fans alone may not do the trick. Rather they wanted to let us know that air circulation and room ventilation looked promising, especially when combined with our other prevention methods. But the real message here is that there is still more work and research necessary before we can put the fear of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome behind us forever and that takes lots of money.


Findings like these keep us hopeful and keep the awareness that sudden infant death syndrome still exists in the headlines. This is a good thing because SIDS should stay high on the list of priorities of researchers and pediatricians alike. More studies are desperately needed to solve the mystery surrounding SIDS and here again it might take a village to get the job done. Educating new parents and healthcare professionals, and raising money to fund more sudden infant death syndrome research are excellent goals that should be pursued until we know exactly what causes it and what to do to stop it in its tracks.



We all suspect by now that there is not going to be one simple answer. But every little bit of information helps so please familiarize yourself with known ways to reduce sudden infant death syndrome.

HOWARD STERN SHOW OBAMA VIDEO from HARLEM INTERVIEWS

I'm not a fan of Howard Stern's vulgarity. Nor am I politicking for either the Democrats or the Republicans. I am trying to bring focus to the fact that the time frame is narrowing and Americans have very little time to familiarize themselves with which of the politicians stands for what. Listening to the interview on this video scared me to death. Unless the interviews were staged (which we are aware can happen) these voters were blindly choosing Obama on basis of the color of his skin. This is racism, plain and simple.

Wake up Americans! It's not about race. It's not about gender. It's about who is going to run our great nation in the way that YOU want it run. Everybody's always moaning about having no power and acting like victims. Educating yourself on the candidate's voting record and casting your personal vote according to who you feel will do the best job is a tremendous responsibility as well as a way to exercise your power and have a hand in bringing the United States back to greatness.

FALL: A GOOD TIME TO KILL YELLOW JACKETS

I want to go on the record that I would rather not kill yellow jackets even though we are all extremely allergic to their stings. My attitude has always been that they deserve to be here as much as we do and have a place in the order of things. But, this year they have overstepped and decided to build a nest right next to my front door.

Fall is such a lovely time of year when the trees are turning the oppressive humidity and temperatures are dropping. But, unfortunately it's also the time of year when yellow jackets start to become even more of a problem than they were earlier in the year. The reason for this is that the colony is breaking down and the ones that are left become desperate to protect their remaining young and to feed them.

They spoiled the joy of the first cool, crisp morning as when I stepped outside I found myself and the girls being swarmed by flying pests. So, I’m now of the mind that I need to kill them before they have a chance to kill us. That epi pen will not be used if I can help it.

I respect their instincts, but they have worn out their welcome at my house; I have the same protective feelings toward my young as they do and if I must kill yellow jackets to protect them I felt that I must do so. So that I could set about killing yellow jackets without feelings of guilt, I wanted to get the facts on how to get rid of yellow jackets without poisons, chemicals and sprays. I'm a big believer in natural pest control but if it comes down to me or them; Baby, it's going to be them. Picture me as Rambo wielding a can of Raid.

I found there are several ways to get the job done but unfortunately with the problem being right on my front door step I’m afraid that I will have to spray the little buggers and then put some of the less poisonous and more natural methods to work.

Here are some ways to kill yellow jackets without using chemicals:

• Wasp traps – You can build a homemade wasp trap using the instructions yourself for practically nothing. The supply list is very cheap compared to wasp killing chemicals.
• Pour boiling or soapy water into the entrance of their nest. This method is for the well prepared and well covered person who is not allergic to stings and in my opinion, very brave.
  

For this round of the battle, I’m going to buy several cans of wasp killer that sprays from as far away as I can possibly find. Then I am going to follow some of this guy’s instructions on how to kill yellow jackets in a more natural way. He has lots of tips on how to make your home and yard less inviting to the dangerous insects and how to trap or kill the first scouts that might show up before they can colonize and build nests that force you to resort to poisonous elimination.

NATURAL PESTICIDES - GREEN PEST CONTROL for the HOME

As a homeowner and parent who has an intense dislike for bugs I’m interested in natural pesticides. My youngest daughter has breathing issues and I’m not fond of exposing the rest of the family to unnecessary chemicals so common poisons are not an option. It’s my opinion that the bugs and rodents may be no more dangerous than toxic solutions commonly used to control them.

I have been doing my homework on how to set up deterrents for the inevitable invasion of bugs and rodents that happens each and every year. The first cool snap we have each fall has historically turned my home into the safe haven of choice for wolf spiders, roaches and the occasional mouse.

While searching for solutions I was surprised to find that many natural bug control remedies are not that natural at all. Mopping with borax and enzyme cleaners was not what I was searching for. My favorite roach control remedy that I plan to try involves some detective work but if it works, it might eliminate the need to sprinkle baking powder or whipping up recipes for roach bait. Sticky traps work well for spiders, but if the picture that I included on this page is any indicator, spiders might be the perfect natural pesticide where bugs and mosquitoes are concerned. Once the bugs are all eaten for dinner, the giant spiders should leave on their own, right?

HOW TO PICK A NEW PRESIDENT

I'm as confused as the next person over what to do in the next election. I know that we can't afford eight more years like the last eight. Is McCain just another Bush with a better service record? He's a war hero and we should honor and respect him for that, but is he up to the job of turning the tide? I heard that he voted in lock step with our current president 95% of the time. For that matter has President Bush been a victim of circumstances that may cause him to be remembered unfairly as the person in office preceding a major recession/depression? Does Barack Obama have a track record that indicates that he will do better?

As voters we have a lot of homework to do researching the Sarah Palin voting record as well as that of McCain, Obama, and Biden.

Here's an idea; let's shop for our next president using the same techniques that we use to shop for a new car.

• 
  Read reviews: What opinions do their constituents have about them?
  
• History: Did they vote how you would have liked for them to have voted on
• issues that are important to you in the past?
  
• Performance: Did they leave the voters that elected them into office in debt up to their eyeballs?
  
• Environment: Are they environmentally friendly?

PALIN'S VOTING RECORD - SHE'S PRETTY - NOW WHAT?

Before you start bashing me (or patting me on the back for that matter) let me say that I'm not anti-Palin...or pro-Palin. I simply don't have enough information on her voting record or political history as an elected official in the State of Alaska to say at this point. But what I do want to say is that I hope that my fellow Americans are not going to allow their vote to be swayed on the merit of looks rather than the candidate's ability to run the country. Repeat after me: This election is not about looks.

I would like to think that the McCain camp didn't choose Governor Palin because she's attractive and they felt they needed some weaponry in their arsenal to fight the rock star appeal that Obama had going for him. I hope that the Sarah Palin voting record can be brought more into focus rather than what her teenage daughter is doing or the color of her lipstick. I'm more concerned that my choice is environmentally friendly and interested in alternative energy sources than cute.

I don't object if a politician is easy on the eyes, but they don't get my vote because Mother Nature blessed them with shiny hair or pretty teeth. Abraham Lincoln was hard what one could call handsome, but he is rather well thought of and remembered.

So what if John McCain's wife is drop dead gorgeous, or if Barrack Obama is handsome? It should not matter to us how they look. Do you want a president that is beautiful, handsome or stylish when walking by you while you are standing in a food line or sick from exposure to radiation? Or do you want to elect a president that will make a contribution to the planet and turn this country around for the benefit of our children and grandchildren?

Don't just study the Sarah Palin political voting record, study them all!

Can MRSA Spread be Spread with a Toothbrush?

Maybe I am being paranoid, but when your baby has MRSA you can't afford to play around. I am faced with a very odd situation. The call has already been made to the pediatrician’s office to discuss this situation with him or his nurse assistant and in the meantime I will record it in a blog entry. It may seem that I’m going around the world to get to the point, but stick with me and you will see what’s bugging me.

Three days ago, I noticed that my little girl (the one who was infected with MRSA as a baby) was gnawing on something. Knowing that I had not given her a cookie, cracker or anything else as a snack, I set out to see what it was that she had in her mouth.

As it turned out, the yummy treat was my middle daughter’s toothbrush. How the baby managed to get it is a mystery. The only feasible explanation is that in the morning rush the older girls must have knocked it out of the toothbrush holder and onto the bathroom floor where the little one found it.

Even though I do my best to keep the facilities clean (MRSA will make a better housekeeper out of you when nothing else will!), the thought that one of my kids was chewing on something that had been kicked around on the bathroom floor was not exactly a pleasant thought. After failed attempts at cajoling her to relinquish her treasure willingly; I eventually had to forcibly remove it from her grasp. The results of this wrestling match were a screaming baby and a mommy that was late for an appointment. I threw the toothbrush on the bathroom counter by the sink, picked up my unhappy baby and headed out the door to see if I could manage to make it to my appointment without being more than a few minutes late.

While I was busy, my husband was responsible for picking the older girls up from a play date and preschool and feeding them their lunch. By the time the baby and I got home the rest of the family had eaten and was busy folding a basket of laundry. I couldn’t help but feel how lucky I was to drift in to find things so very under control. Mentally searching for what I needed to take care of while the rest of the crew was otherwise engaged; my mind drifted to the toothbrush incident and I remembered I had not cleaned it nor thrown it away.

I headed off to the bathroom to dig out a new toothbrush and throw the dirty one away. Imagine my surprise when I found that dad had not only fed the girls, but made sure that they brushed their teeth afterwards albeit with a nasty toothbrush. I’ve learned that it’s useless to cry over spilt milk so I just substituted the new brush and moved on.

Under normal circumstances that may have been the end of it except our middle girl woke up in the middle of the night screaming in pain saying that her mouth hurt. I took a look and sure enough there were blisters inside her cheeks (MRSA or something else?), the roof of her mouth and her gums looked red and inflamed.

Could this have resulted from using her sister’s toothbrush? We are cautioned not to use the razor belonging to a person with MRSA, but what about their toothbrush?
The baby has not got any active blisters at this time, but I want to hear it from the pediatrician that we don't need antibiotics as a preventative measure. Wish me luck.

THE USA'S LOSS OF WORLD STATUS

The buzz on the street is that in fifty or less years that the United States will no longer have the superpower status that it has enjoyed since the beginning of the last century. There are quite a few reasons given as the cause of our country’s diminishing importance in the world community.

Some say that it’s because we have dropped the ball where originality and innovation is concerned. Others maintain that it’s not so much that we are sinking, but that other countries are rising to meet and greet us and possibly wave in delight (and scorn?) as they pass us by.

Do nations have to make it a competition? Aren’t we in this boat together? The one encouraging development on the horizon is that I see more thought along these lines. I find hope in the realization among the broader thinking of great minds that third world countries deserve to have clean water, pollutant free air and basic infrastructure. Nothing is to be gained by keeping the more deprived regions of the world from gaining in status.

Does America have to continue to decline to achieve these goals? The answer to that question is an unequivocal no. Will we? The answer to that question is yet to be determined.

It’s my opinion that we have an excellent chance to lead the world in new technologies regarding alternative energy resources if we will make that our focus and not drop the ball where funding and dedication are concerned. For the sake of the planet not just for ourselves, I hope that we are up to the task.

ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP and BODY WASH BE HANGED

I was trying to remember when America became so germ phobic. It came to me that the early 90s was when antibacterial became a buzz word. Everything from antibacterial body wash to baby clothes was manufactured along with increasingly powerful antibiotics all with the purpose of keeping super bugs away from our families.


For those just cruising through, my baby has MRSA. And antibacterial products may have been a contributing factor. Yep, antibiotics and antibacterial products may be partially to blame for the misery and worry MRSA has put us through. Putting the questionable safety of the chemicals contained in household antibacterial products aside; we have killed the good guys and handed a free pass to the criminals and reprobates of the bacterial world.


The big joke is on us because it has been proven that triclosan doesn't wipe out the germs, but may cause them to mutate and become powerful beings intent on destroying all in their wake (read: become resistant). Indeed, early studies have found that e-coli that we were all sweating bullets about morphed into resistance when exposed to as little as 0.1 triclosan in soap.


That doesn’t exactly make me feel very secure when I see shelf after shelf in our family discount stores filled with products with these chemicals. It makes me wonder who is at the wheel and how many new germs are coming our way. I can't help but wonder why, when studies clearly show that plain soap is just as effective at bacteria removal as antibacterial soap, is this stuff still going strong? Would consumers go into a tailspin at the prospect of not getting their daily dose of toxic, superbug breeding chemicals?


Here’s something else that should be of interest to triclosan fans. The results of one study stated that when triclosan was exposed to sunlight after having been mixed with water the results were (drum roll) chloroform! Do we really want more of that in our planet’s water supply?
Here’s the rundown as I see it. Antibacterial soaps may have the ability to increase the number of super bugs. They may contain dangerous chemicals. Triclocarban, another handy dandy chemical with antibacterial properties, is believed to disrupt endocrine function in rodents and humans which could lead to an increase in cancer and reproductive issues. They are more expensive than more environmentally friendly household products. The average person should be able to find at least one reason to bypass antibacterial body wash in that list even they aren’t concerned with the world’s ecosystems.