Momathon Blog

Hello, November! {A Time of Thanks and Gratitude}

Hello, friends. What a week...

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, I send a HUGE thank you to all the first responders, the anonymous good samaritans, the city and state leaders, President Obama, the donors who help disaster relief charities, and those countless heroes who helped out with hurricane rescues and disaster relief efforts. Words can't begin to express my gratitude.

I'm sending out special mommy hugs to my family and friends on the East Coast. My son in college in NYC survived the storm and has been giving me updates on the recovery and relief efforts.

My wish for November can be summed up in four words: A spirit of gratitude. If we join together to support each other that is what has the power to make each day truly awesome. Our perspective and acts of generosity can lift us up even during the most overwhelming situations. When disaster strikes we might see the glass as half empty. However, our acts of kindness—small or big—is what gets poured into the glass to make it half full. 

If you want to help relief efforts for Hurricane Sandy, this is a great post with links. (If you are a blogger please share that link.)

xo, Chris

 

Image: MAKE TODAY RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME illustration by me, Chris Olson. Feel free to Pin it on Pinterest with a link back to this post. Thanks!

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Your Vote Matters {Presidential Debate Is Tonight}

If you watch tv or listen to the radio then you've heard the campaign ads. You know it's crunch time for President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Only 33 days to go until until election day on Tuesday, November 6th.

So what are the candidates talking about? Have your political questions regarding the next four years been answered?

If you want to hear more than prepared speeches, listen in to the debate tonight. In many ways the debate is a like a job interview for the candidates—and the questions in the debate tonight might be tough. According to CNN, half of the debate tonight will be focused on the economy. Other topics open for discussion include health care and the role of government. One of the hot topics that might not get discussed is climate change. Groups including @Sierra_Club are lobbying to have this topic included.

Watch the debate with your family

If you have kids—especially kids in middle school or above—I encourage you to sit down and watch the debate together. What topics are most important to your kids and your family as a whole?

The debate will be a live broadcast starting at 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time today, October 3rd. PBS NewsHour's Jim Lehrer will be moderating the presidential debate.

Social media and the election
Of course you can follow the debate and the election on social media. Check out these Twitter accounts:

• @BarackObama
• @VP (VP Biden account on Twitter)
• @MittRomney, 
• @PaulRyanVP

Looking for more news on the campaign to follow? Try searching on Twitter using these hashtags: #election2012 or #debate. Although it would be impossible for me to find a nonpartisan list, here are a few people or organizations to follow on Twitter: 

• @NewsHour, 
• @pewresearch, 
• @nytdavidbrooks, 
• @cbellantoni, 
• @AnnCurry, 
• @JudyWoodruff, 
• @nprpolitics, 
• @David_Gergen, 
• @AC360 (Anderson Cooper 360°).

Keeping the facts straight

Are you interested in how factual the information given during a campaign is? Check out @politifact on Twitter or at PolitiFact.com. Another resource is Vote 2012 at PBS NewsHour.

Women and the election

Are you interested in women's issues regarding the campaign? Check out 

• @BlogHerNews
• @iVillage
• @HuffPostWomen

Presidential Debate Schedule

• 1st debate: October 3rd, 2012, University of Denver
• 2nd debate: October 16th, 2012, Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York
• 3rd debate: October 22nd, 2012, Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida

 

VP Debate:

• October 11, 2012, Centre College in Danville, Kentucky

Images: VOTE image by me, Chris Olson. Feel free to Pin it Pinterest with a link back to this post. Thanks!

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You might enjoy this post also:

 Your Ballot, Please

 

Your Ballot, Please

It's crunch time. No more excuses. Today's the perfect day to make sure you are registered to vote. On November 6, 2012, people in the U.S. will vote for the next president, as well as other state and local offices—including issues relating to school districts.

Are you unsure if you are registered to vote? The Can I Vote? nonpartisan web site created by state election officials helps eligible voters figure out how and where to go vote as well as help you determine if you are already registered to vote. You can also go online to the USA.gov web site Register to Vote and Voting for registration information and voting locations. 

If you need to cast an absentee ballot, go to the Federal Voting Assistance Program website for information on how to vote absentee. 

You can also register to vote via the nonpartisan organization Rock the Vote.

See the Good in Your Self

Hello, Friends. One of the best parts of blogging is being able to share the big things and the little things that happen in my life. If you read my post yesterday then you know I am eternally grateful to the AMAZING firefighters who saved my house and continue to put their lives on the line battling the Waldo Canyon Fire in the mountains surrounding Colorado Springs. I was evacuated from my house for a week. When I came home, the phrase "there's no place like home" had a special meaning that I can't even put into words. At many points during the past week I had a sick feeling in my gut that my house was on the verge of being gobbled up by the fire. Today, I feel calmer because I am one of the fortunate ones, my house has only minor damage. At the same time, my heart aches for the 346 families that lost their homes and the two people who perished in the terrible fire.  

No one can ever be prepared for a natural disaster. I thought I could be. I even wrote a post about getting your pets ready for an evac. In theory I could be prepared, but when the reverse 911 call comes telling you to LEAVE NOW you don't think in a logical checklist manner. How can you ever decide what to to put in your car because only so much can be carried to safety with you. As you hear the clock ticking in your head reminding you to leave ASAP, all you really can do is focus on keeping the essentials—the living things—safe. I still think it was a miracle—with lots of help from neighbors helping each other—that thousands of people in the fire zone were able to leave safely.

When I sat down at my computer to write today's post I didn't know how to begin because I was so emotional about everything. Even noticing that I had let the dog water bowl go empty brought me to tears. I was feeling extremely sad and grateful and even guilty for feeling fortunate—all at the same time. My favorite place in the world now has emotional and physical burn scars from a fire that today is still sending flames into the sky from hot spots in the foothills above my home. 

Then I remembered something Holly Becker said in her Blogging Your Way 2.0 class: "See the good in your self." See the good? Is that possible? All I can see is trouble. Images of fire rolling down the mountain still make me shake. I can even smell trouble. I open and shut the front door quickly so I don't let too much of the campfire stench into my home.

After a very long week watching the wildfire spread, I feel guilty when something good makes me smile again. It's human nature to feel defeated when we focus on the scars from our struggles or the what we percieve to be flaws in our lives. Or sometimes, we try to sweep those sad feelings under the rug so we don't have to deal with them. Here is what I know: Feeling paralyzed by the problems that develop in life is one part of the healing process. But don't drop everything and give up. I probably will always feel fear build inside me when I look at the blackened earth and skeleton trees in my neighborhood or at the homes reduced to rubble by a ferocious fire. At the same time, I need to remind myself that the good in my self will not evaporate when a disaster strikes. I can still see the good in my community because together we will rebuild and even make the area safer.

I will probably write about that rebuilding experience because that's the kind of sharing bloggers do. I'm sending (((HUGS))) to all my friends at BYW2 for their kind words of support—bloggers are really the sweetest people on the planet!

Before I sign off for the day, I have a favor to ask. If you can do one thing for me, the next time you see a firefighter thank him or her for all they do. And please keep these brave people in your prayers. 

xo Chris

Note about the class: For the past four weeks I have been absolutely loving a very special class called Blogging Your Way 2.0 with the awesome design/decor guru and inspirational teacher Holly Becker (decor8) and her talented friends Jeanette Lunde (3 BY FRYD e-magazine), Nicole Balch (Making it Lovely), Katrina Tan (Pugly Pixel) and Thorsten Becker (Alternate:Words) — plus all my new blogging friends taking the e-class with me. (If you want to hear more about Holly's classes, check out her newsletter here.)

Image: Photo and graphics above by me, Chris Olson. Feel free to Pin it on Pinterest with a link back to this post. Thanks!  

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Update

 

Waldo Canyon Fire, photo date 7-23-12

Hi Friends. Just a short update for those of you who know I live in the "fire zone" in the foothills directly west of the Waldo Canyon Fire—a fire that has destroyed over 2000 acres in Colorado in the last 24 hours. Temps in my area are already soaring into the 100s. My neighborhood has been put on standby evacuation. We have our car packed and ready for an evacuation with three dog crates and supplies for my family and pets. It's a bit disturbing to have quarter-size ash embers landing on sidewalks and streets. 

Instead of editing this blog, I have been working on the social media for the local animal rescue organization I also work for. Fortunately I did have a couple of MomathonBlog.com posts all ready to go this week before the fire started yesterday.

A big thank you to the brave fire fighters battling the forest fire in the canyons and ridges. Also, thank you to my reader friends who have contacted me. My family is doing fine and we are keeping our fingers crossed.

If you want to help out with the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado, here are some important links: 

-- HelpColoradoNow.org helps support firefighters in the region: http://helpcoloradonow.org/
-- Humane Society or Pikes Peak Region: http://www.hsppr.org/
-- Fire updates and detailed evacuation notices: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2929/

Pet care in the fire zone:

Hope everyone is safe today. If you live in  the Waldo Canyon Fire area or another fire area, then you are probably smelling the fire too. Chances are your pets are also feeling very anxious. Pet experts are suggesting the following tips to relieve stress in your pets:
1) Dogs have a great sense of smell, washing your dog or wiping down your dog with a wet towel to remove the smell of fire in the fur helps relieve anxiety.
2) If your dog is barking or whining, give the dog an alternative activity like a game with a toy inside the house to keep your pet busy away from the smoke outside.
3) Telling your dog to be quiet will not be helpful because your dog is warning you about what they perceive to be a dangerous situation. Try to get your pet involved in a new activity and praise them when they participate.

More pet safety tips here.

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Reflections on Resilience

Elizabeth Edwards was and will always be an inspirational figure. She overcame both public and private adversity as she struggled with some of life's toughest challenges including the death of her 16-year-old son Wade who was killed in a freak car accident, her six-year battle with cancer, and her husband's infidelity. In her book Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities, Elizabeth writes about life lessons she hopes she has taught her children:

When they are older and telling their own children about their grandmother,
they will be able to say that she stood in the storm,
and when the wind did not blow her way—
and it surely has not—she adjusted her sails.

If you want to read this wonderful book, let me recommend buying the audio book that is read by Elizabeth herself. Her voice is strong, passionate, and always inspiring.

What lessons do you want to teach your children about facing adversity?

For me, I believe living each day is a gift—make today extraordinary.

Image above by  me, Chris Olson.

What we end up saying when we point fingers

Chances are if you caught the news this morning you saw the picture of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer pointing her finger at President Obama by Air Force One that landed in Phoenix Wednesday. 

They were both smiling in the photo, but the body language that stands out is her finger wagging at him. We've probably all pointed a finger at someone. As a mom these are not my proudest moments. In fact, I've learned pointing fingers at kids (or adults) doesn't work. It usually backfires. It's almost like waving a mini white flag. 

Kids see right through the finger pointing. When I point, I usually am so frustrated that I am unable to say the best words to make my point. And if somehow I miraculously manage to utter the right words, the pointing finger is far too distracting. 

Back to the President and the Governor. In the age of cell phone cameras, you would think we would learn the lesson. Photo ops are every where. And photos often speak louder than words--or worse, say the opposite of what you were really saying.

Remember to Vote Today

 

 

Art by me, Chris Olson.

Remembering Steve Jobs: Legendary Quotes

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, died yesterday at the age of 56. Back in 1984 when the first personal computer by Apple came out, I was fresh out of college and wrote my resume on my sister-in-law's Mac 128 K. (Yes, I'm that old.) I know my job search turned out better because of him. Here are some of my favorite quotes by Jobs, in no particular order.

“Your time is limited,” Jobs added. ”So don’t waste it living someone else’s life. … Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”
via Steve Jobs' Stanford University Commencement address (2005)

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something -- your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."
via Steve Jobs' Stanford University Commencement address (2005)

Picasso had a saying: "Good artists copy, great artists steal." We have always been shameless about stealing great ideas.
via  ABC News

"There's an old Wayne Gretzky quote that I love. 'I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.' And we've always tried to do that at Apple. Since the very very beginning. And we always will."
via ABC News

"It's really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them."

via  BusinessWeek, 1998

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes ... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. ... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things. ... They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."
via ABC News

"My model for business is The Beatles: They were four guys that kept each other's negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. And the total was greater than the sum of the parts. Great things in business are not done by one person, they are done by a team of people."
via The Exception Magazine

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."
via Steve Jobs' Stanford University Commencement address (2005)

"I’m the only person I know that’s lost a quarter of a billion dollars in one year…. It’s very character-building." 
via Apple Confidential 2.0, 2004, ABC News

"That's been one of my mantras -- focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end, because once you get there, you can move mountains."
via BusinessWeek, 1998

"Picasso had a saying. He said 'Good artists copy, great artists steal.' And we have always been shameless about stealing great ideas. ... I think part of what made the Macintosh great was that the people working on it were musicians and poets and artists and zoologists and historians who also happened to be the best computer scientists in the world."
via"Triumph of the Nerds: The Rise of Accidental Empires," 1996, ABC News

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.” via WSJ, May 25, 1993

More memorable Steve Jobs's quotes via

• Steve Jobs’s Best Quotes - Digits - WSJ
• Steve Jobs quotes: the man in his own words | Technology | guardian.co.uk
• Steve Jobs  - ABC News 

Art by me, Chris Olson

We will miss Steve Jobs's genius vision and innovation

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life."

"Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking."

~ From Steve Jobs's commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005 

More tributes: 

• Steve Jobs dies: Remembering a legacy  - The Washington Post
• How Steve Jobs reshaped the tech industry  - CNET News
• Steve Jobs dies; obituary; Apple's co-founder transformed computers, culture - latimes.com
• Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder, dies – USATODAY.com

Royal wedding countdown widget from the BBC

 

On April 29 at 11 am London time (6 am EST), history will be made--the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey.

Catch the latest news leading up to the royal wedding with the BBC widget that features updates every weekday including:

• photos
• videos
• Q&As
• breaking stories
• and all things William and Kate

 

You can get the handy, embeddable Royal Wedding Countdown Widget here. Embed it into your website or blog and/or share on Facebook, Twitter, or any profile page.

 

 

 

Observing a moment of silence Monday at 11:00 a.m. EST

 

Words seem so powerless in times like this--unable to fully express the sadness of the tragedy in Arizona. My heart goes out to the families of the victims shot while attending Representative Gabrielle Gifford's meet-and-greet in her Tucson neighborhood. And I pray for those still fighting for their lives. 

President Obama is calling for a nationwide moment of silence at 11 a.m. eastern standard time on Monday. According to NYTimes.com, Obama says "It will be a time for us to come together as a nation in prayer or reflection, keeping the victims and their families closely at heart."

(Illustration by me, Chris Olson)

Week of VOTE doodles: Day 6

 

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost."
~John Quincy Adams

 

Check out more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.
Illustration: Chris Olson © 2010.

Week of VOTE doodles: Day 5

 

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
~ Margaret Mead

Check out more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.
Illustration: Chris Olson © 2010

 

 

 

 

Week of VOTE doodles: Day 4

 

 

"Those who stay away from the election think that one vote will do no good: 'Tis but one step more to think one vote will do no harm."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

Check out more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.
Illustration: Chris Olson © 2010

Week of VOTE doodles: Day 3

Every VOTE matters.

Check out more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.
Illustration: Chris Olson © 2010.

Week of VOTE doodles: Day 2

"A politician thinks of the next election.
A statesman, of the next generation."
~ James Freeman Clarke

Check out more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.

Illustration: Chris Olson © 2010.

Daily doodle: Vote!

 

 

"If  you have knowledge,
let others light their candles in it."
~ Margaret Fuller

 

Check out more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.

Illustration: Chris Olson © 2010.

Will bed bugs be visiting your house?

If you have watched the news this summer, then you probably think bed bugs--also known as Cimex lectularius--are taking over the world, or at least NYC. The bed bug population in the U.S. has grown at an alarming rate in recent months.

A Joint Statement on Bed Bug Control in the United States from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) was issued in August. Although the exact cause of the resurgence is not known, according to the CDC:

"Experts suspect the resurgence is associated with increased resistance of bed bugs to available pesticides, greater international and domestic travel, lack of knowledge regarding control of bed bugs due to their prolonged absence, and the continuing decline or elimination of effective vector/pest control programs at state and local public health agencies."

When bed bugs bite
Bed bugs are a pest. The yuck factor of these blood sucking external parasites (ectoparasites) is huge. Fortunately they do not transmit disease. Some people may get an allergic reaction to the bites. It is also possible to get a secondary infection from the bite. You probably won't even feel their bite because the bugs inject a type of anesthetic and anticoagulant. What you will notice is the small swollen red mark at the bite site that becomes itchy.

Bed bugs and head lice both feed on the human blood, but are not known to transmit disease like other external parasites such as body lice.

How to identify bed bugs
Bed bugs are similar in appearance to a small wood tick. When bed bugs have a meal of blood, their color changes from brown to a purple red and they become more elongated. According to the US EPA:

• Adult bed bugs are 1/4 to 3/8 inch (4-5 mm) long, brown in color, with a flat, oval-shaped body; 
• young bed bugs are smaller and lighter in color

Bed bug photos
Helpful photo illustrations of bed bugs and where they hide can be seen at these links:

• US EPA 
• Univ. of MN: Traveler Q & A: Preventing bed bugs from hitchhiking to your home
• Bed bug versus Bat Bug

Where do bed bugs live?
Bed bugs are tiny hitchhikers that latch on to an object and move around unnoticed. In general, they don't hitch a ride on human skin or hair, but prefer to ride on clothing or other objects. That's why you need to check out furniture, beds, suitcases, purses, clothing, etc. Bed bugs like the dark and are known to travel up to 100 feet in one night. They often hide in crevices. Common hiding places are near mattress seams, labels or piping--even in the head board. A major infestation in a home warrants checking all furniture, draperies, storage areas, and even appliances. If you can slip a credit card under an object such as loose wall paper, consider this an easy entry space for the tiny bugs to find a place to hide. Because the young bugs are tiny (1/16" -1/4") and nearly translucent, they are difficult to see. Bed bugs are found in places people sleep, but they can also infest stores and theaters or any place people hang out.

Bed bugs in clothing
When removing clothing you think is infested, stand on bare floor and not on carpet so you can spot them if they fall to the floor. You can even get the floor slightly wet before you remove the clothing because this will make it more difficult for the bugs to escape. High temperature (100 -120 F) washing and drying can be effective in killing bugs on clothing. For detailed instructions check out this Univ. of MN link.

Bed bugs in luggage
If you suspect your luggage is infested, place luggage in an air tight plastic bag to contain the bugs. Some methods of getting rid of the bugs inside luggage include high temperature washing (100 - 120 F), heating the bags to a very high core temp (120 F), or freezing (-15 F) the bags. Exact directions for these methods can be found at the Traveler Q & A link at the Univ. of MN.

Signs of bed bug infestation
According to the US EPA here are some warning signs:

• small dark spots the size of dot made by a pen are bed bug excrement
• tiny white eggs and eggshells (about 1mm)
• skins that young bed bugs shed when they mature
• live bed bugs
• rusty or reddish stains on sheets or mattresses caused by bed bugs being crushed

What to do if you find bed bugs
Both the US EPA and the CDC offer detailed instructions for what you can do if you find bed bugs in your home or office or dorm. A few tips to keep bed bugs away include:

• thoroughly checking luggage and clothing when returning from a trip
• using luggage racks when staying at a hotel
• keep purses and briefcases off the floor
• removing clutter that provides a hiding space
• vacuuming
• sealing cracks that might be hiding spaces 
• using heat treatment such as washing and drying clothing and linens at high temperatures to kill the bed bugs
• seal mattresses, box springs, and pillows in special encasements to trap bed bugs

If you suspect your dorm room is infested, contact the housing director or your dorm RA immediately. Getting professional help is key to getting rid of them. According to a recent article in The Huffington Post, simply vacuuming and washing your sheets is not a solution to getting rid of the bug hitchhikers in crowded areas such as dorms.

Pesticide safety
If bed bugs take up residence in your house, the National Pesticide Information Center has useful information on how to select and use pesticide products safely.

The recent bed bug resurgence requires that all of us be watchful. New bed bug infestations in public spaces crop up daily. Since bed bugs are very hardy and can survive for over a year without feeding, I am guessing we will be lifting up the sheets and checking our mattresses for a long time. However, bed bugs are not stopping me from traveling. In August I attended BlogHer 10 in NYC with my daughter. We followed the necessary precautions on our trip and kept are eyes open for warning signs. I am happy to say we didn't see a single bed bug. 

For more information:

• Bed Bugs CDC-EPA Joint Statement - CDC
• Bed Bugs - Pesticides - US EPA
• Bed Bug Prevention and Control - Univ. of MN
• Bed bug hotel safety
• Traveler Q & A: Preventing bed bugs from hitchhiking to your home
• Bogdan Rau: Keep Bed Bugs Out of Your Dorm!
• University of Kentucky Bed Bug Fact Sheet
• NYC.gov - Bed bugs
• Bedbugs Crawl, They Bite, They Baffle Scientists - NYTimes.com

The high cost of low-cost foods

Finding a deal on a pantry staple at the grocery is a great feeling. That is, until you realize that the low cost of some foods comes with a high price--our safety. Critics of the centralized food production system note the current practices allow for lower costs, but the voluntary recall by large corporations means they are also overseeing their own safety measures. 

The current egg recall by large-scale egg producers involves more than a half-billion eggs linked to a Salmonella outbreak. I recently wrote about the egg recall at BlogHer. The egg recall is only one of many current recalls including a deli meat recall from Wal-Mart. For more details on recalls check out: FDA: Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts.

Improved safety measures
Under current legislation the FDA does not have the necessary power to trace safety violations and impose a recall. The bipartisan Food Safety Bill (S510) under consideration in the Senate now might be the key to improving the situation by giving the FDA new powers to safeguard our food and track down violators.

Meanwhile, cook your eggs thoroughly and prevent cross-contamination by cleaning all surfaces and utensils.

For additional information on recent food recalls, check out these links:

FDA: Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts

Deli Meat Tests Positive for Bacteria - US News and World Report

Nationwide deli meat recall announced - CNN.com

Egg recall points up need for Senate action on food safety - Washington Post

Got egs? Read this - Momathon Blog

Got eggs? Read this

 

 
A growing number of people nationwide are getting salmonella infections from the recent outbreak linked to the tainted eggs from Wright County Egg in Iowa. This is not a regional outbreak--the number of eggs recalled is 380 million and growing.  

Recent FDA rules now make eggs safer, but unfortunately before the new July 9th rules large-scale egg producers did not have to comply with the safety measures that cover the refrigeration of stored and transported eggs, pasteurization, rodent control, cleanliness and a Salmonella prevention plan.

How to identify recalled brands
The Egg Safety Center has a detailed chart on recalled eggs listing the brands, codes, and possible stores. You can find it on this link: Egg Safety Center: Recall -- Effected brands and descriptions

Brands listed in recall according to a CNN.com article from August 20th include two recall groups:

Wednesday's (8/18) recall covers eggs branded as
• Albertsons
• Farm Fresh
• James Farms
• Glenview
• Mountain Dairy
• Ralph's
• Boomsma
• Lund
• Kemps
• Pacific Coast 

Eggs in this recall group are marked with
• plant numbers 1720 and 1942
• three-digit code ranging from 136 to 229

The earlier recall covered these brands

• Lucerne
• Albertson
• Mountain Dairy
• Ralph's
• Boomsma
• Sunshine
• Hillandale
• Trafficanda
• Farm Fresh
• Shoreland
• Lund
• Dutch Farms
• Kemps brands

 Eggs in this recall group are marked with 
• plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946.
• a three-digit code ranging from 136 to 225  

Reading the codes on packaging can be tricky. Note that the four-digit plant number begins with "P - " and is followed by the three-digit code.

The plant number begins with a P. The Julian date is a 3-digit code.

If you cook the eggs properly they are safe. However, cross contamination is possible if cooking utensils like pans and spatulas are not washed correctly. Of course, the recall is changing daily. Before consuming eggs please check the most update information. 

Salmonella infections symptoms

Please consult your doctor for complete information on the illness, symptoms, and treatment. The recent egg recall involves Salmonella enteridis. Symptoms can occur from 6 to 72 hours after eating an egg. Some symptoms include lower abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, chills, headache. Please consult your doctor for complete information on the illness, symptoms, and treatment. You can also check these links

     Salmonella Symptoms: Are My Kids Safe? - CBS News 

     Salmonella Infections - KidsHealth.org

     Salmonella infection: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com

     CDC - Salmonella enteritidis: General Information

For more information:

 CDC - Outbreak of Enteritidis Infections - August 19, 2010 - Salmonella

 This link includes detailed advice to consumers regarding identifying recalled eggs and how to handle eggs.

 FDA: Consumers -- Playing it Safe With Eggs

 FoodSafety.gov: Eggs and Egg Products

 Egg Safety Center

 Eggs, salmonella, recall: What you need to know - latimes.com

Photos above 1) Photo of one egg in a carton by Darwin Bell, 2) Egg codes on carton is a screenshot from the CNN.com online video.

Geotags: Will the photos you post online give away your location?

I am a GPS addict when it comes to maps and driving directions. Perhaps it is because I'm directionally dyslexic. However, when I post photos online, I don't want my iPhone's "location services" to geotag my photos and give away personal information. In a nutshell, photo geotags store location-based data in the form of latitude and longitude. Smartphones love creating geotags--and you probably never noticed this feature. 

According to an article by Kate Murphy in San Jose Mercury News

When Adam Savage, host of the popular science program "MythBusters," posted a picture on Twitter of his automobile parked in front of his house, he let his fans know much more than that he drove a Toyota Land Cruiser.

Embedded in the image was a geotag, a bit of data providing the longitude and latitude of where the photo was taken. Hence, he revealed exactly where he lived. And since the accompanying text was "Now it's off to work," potential thieves knew he would not be at home.

via www.mercurynews.com

You can disable photo geotagging. On the website I Can Stalk U, go to the heading "How do I disable this" to find detailed instructions for disabling geotagging photos on your iPhone (iOS 4.x and iOS 3.x), Palm WebOS, or Google Android. 

Do you know if a sex offender lives in your neighborhood?

The story of missing Chelsea King and the arrest of the repeat sex offender John Albert Gardner, who police suspect raped and murdered the teen, sends shivers up my spine. Do you know how many sex offenders live near your home or your child's school? 

With FamilyWatchDog.us,a free national US search for registered sex offenders, you can type in your address or zip code and find out how many registered offenders live in your area. The site even provides pictures and a physical description of the offenders and lists their convictions. You can also sign up for email updates to let you know when registered offenders move into your neighborhood.

 

B&N "Meet the Author" Podcast with Carl Hiaasen

Carl Hiaasen writes about the connection kids have with animals and wildlife in his books for young adults: Hoot, Flush, and now his newest novel, Scat.

In a Barnes & Noble Meet the Writers interview, Hiaasen talks about writing Scat, a book about a fearsome biology teacher who never returned from a field trip to Black Vine Swamp and the endangered elusive panther in the Florida Everglades. (384 pp, Hardcover, $16.99)

Buy Scat on SALE

Barnes & Noble is currently running a special 40% discounted price on this book in their Great Kids' Book discount coupon. If you are a B&N member you can get the book at 50% with the coupon.

Podcast link

Want to listen to the Hiaasen interview podcast? Just click on this B&N link and then click on the "Meet the Writer" audio player.

You Can't Overestimate the Power of Giving

Blake Mykoskie calls himself the Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS Shoes. For every pair of canvas shoes his company sells, they give a pair away to a child in need.

This year the company's goal is to give away over 300,000 pairs of shoes.

Since the company's beginning in 2006, TOMS Shoes has given over 140,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina, Ethiopia, and South Africa. 

Women understand the lure a great pair of shoes, but in places like Ethiopia, even the most basic shoe is priceless. Having a pair of shoes means living a healthier life. According to the Los Angeles Times, Mykoskie also hopes donating shoes will help eradicate podoconiosis in Ethiopia, "a form of elephantiasis believed to be caused by walking barefoot in silica-rich soil."

Shopping for shoes never sounded so great. TOMS Shoes start at $44 for men, women, and children. They also feature some styles made with recycled materials. You can buy them at Nordstrom, Whole Foods and over 500 more stores nationwide and internationally. 

Way to go Mykoskie. TOMS Shoes is a Momathon Fave!

Feeling H1N1 Cabin Fever?

If you are feeling a bit of H1N1-related cabin fever, no worries. You can travel virtually from the comfort of your own home with your laptop. Check out T + Ls gorgeous new travel website.

I want to go to there.

Happy Tax Day? It's Time to Get Free Stuff!

Today is tax day. Most of us dread it. Especially those of us who are procrastinators. According to the IRS, last year approximately 27 million people waited until the last week to file.

The good news is many retailers want to make the day a bit sweeter and maybe even less stressful:

Dunkin' Donuts
Customers get a free donut with the purchase of any size cup of Dunkin' Donuts' hot coffee.
 
MaggieMoo's 
They ares going e-cone-nomic and giving away a free single scoop ice cream cone today.

Cinnabon
Get free Bites at participating mall-based Cinnabon bakeries.

Taco Del Mar
Get a free taco if you fill out a form on their website and they will email you the free taco coupon.

T.G.I. Friday's
Customers today get a $5 Bonus Bites gift card for food and beverage (excluding alcohol and tax) purchases of $15 to $25. Gift cards or $10 will be given to those who spend more than $25.

P.F. Chang's China Bistro
Take 15% off your bill today when you dine at one of 130 P.F. Chang’s across the country.

Chick-fil-A
If you eat at a participating Chick-fil-A on April 15, hold onto your receipt and come back on April 30.  You can get the same meal with your receipt for free as part of Chick-Fil-A's "tax relief" promotion.

eHarmony for Pets: ASPCA's "Meet Your Match"

Spring is here and we've got puppies on our mind. The Obama's first dog Bo is set to arrive tomorrow and it seems like the whole country is thinking about adopting a dog.

If six-month-old Bo could talk, I'm sure he'd tell you to give one of his furry relatives a forever home. Since he is a such a smart pup, he'd also tell you to do your homework before you go to a dog shelter.

Thanks to the wonderful folks at the ASPCA, now you have the wonderful online tool Meet Your Match that will help match you (and your family) with the perfect dog (or cat). Wouldn't it be great to know more about your new dog's personality before you adopt her? According to the ASPCA:

The Meet Your Match Canine-ality/Puppy-ality assessment begins with an initial MYM SAFER™ (Safety Assessment for Evaluating Rehoming) behavior screening to make sure each pooch is a good candidate for adoption. Dogs are then tested on their friendliness, playfulness, energy level, motivation and drive, and placed into one of nine color-coded Canine- or Puppy-alities. Some pooches are laid-back “Couch Potatoes,” others are curious “Busy Bees,” and then there are the action hero “Go-Getter” types. 

Here are some of the specific tools at MYM:

Canine-ality 101
Just the facts on finding your perfect dog.

Meet the Canine-alities
Who’s your favorite color? 
Puppy-ality 101
Just the facts on finding your perfect puppy. 

Puppy-ality 101
Just the facts on finding your perfect puppy. 

MYM also has wonderful online tools for selecting the perfect cat for you.

Feline-ality 101
Just the facts on finding your perfect cat. 

Meet the Feline-alities

Who’s your favorite color? 

Go Orange! Go all out for animals this April because it is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. Click here to find out how to Go Orange.

She's Got a Big Dream: This Will Make You Smile

Ann Curry on Twitter alerted me to this YouTube link. I don't want to give the video clip away, but suffice it to say I'm cheering for 47-year-old Susan Boyle in Britain's Got Talent singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables.

Even when every one in the crowd seems to be against her before she even begins singing, something extraordinary can happen! This story is a great reminder to never let the cynics get you down. 

Here is the YouTube link

YouTube - Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009

I love stories like this. You go girl!

If You Wonder What Michelle Is Wearing...

Do I wake up wondering what Michelle Obama will be wearing today? Not usually, but I still find it fascinating to check the blog called Mrs O. that's all about her fashion choices. Michelle's definitely a modern fashion icon. And I like the fact she often wears clothing the rest of us can afford. Some fashionistas have called her look "recessionista chic." 

In London today she wore a mint-green skirt and sparkly cream cardigan by J. Crew. The cost for the entire outfit? Under $500. I probably won't be buying that ensemble because it is a tad more expensive than most at J. Crew, but compared to other pricey couture at the G-20 summit this outfit is a bargain.

Will 5 Simple Changes Save You $20,000?

If you adopt five simple changes, you could end up richer according to an interview on the TODAY Show with Jeff Yeager, the author of “The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches." 

Simplify your life and you'll save money. Seems obvious, but I'm not so sure my family could follow all of Yeager's rules.  

1. Cancel your cell phone plan
Possible yearly savings: $1,200 per phone

2. Get rid of your second or third car
Possible yearly savings: $8,000

3. Prepare more meals at home
Possible yearly savings: $2,000

4. Stop shopping and wear out your clothing
Possible yearly savings: $1,800 per person

5. Give up college room and board

Possible yearly savings: $9,000 per student

Most of Yeager's  ideas make sense, but I don't think they are realistic. Take the first idea, cancel the cell phone. I think shopping around for the best deal is a smarter choice than pitching the phone all together. I depend on the cell phone to keep track of my kids and their schedules. 

Could my family live with only one car? No. In a family with both parents responsible for working and running errands, I don't believe you could cut out one car. In my case if we lived in a city with adequate mass transit, we probably would love to give up one of the cars. In my opinion, shopping for a good car and keeping it maintained so it lasts makes the most sense.

I'll let you judge the rest of the ideas. Yeager tells us that less could be more. Our family is trying to make more meals at home, spend less at the mall, but the college option is still too far in the future to judge. 

Come Twitter With Me

If you haven't joined Twitter yet, check it out. You might even want to create your own account. You can follow my tweets on Twitter.com/Momathon.

Julia Angwin recently wrote an insightful how-to article on Twittering at WSJ.com. Angwin, WSJ.com's senior technology editor, sums it up:

"Twitter is a mass text-messaging service that allows you to send short 140-character updates -- or "tweets" -- to a bunch of people at once. They are your "followers." It was designed to be read on a cellphone, though many people read it online, too... On Twitter, however, you do not exist without followers, who subscribe to receive your messages."

Why Twitter? I like Twitter because it allows me to tap into an amazing community of people from around the world.

Twittering can be addictive. Networking with your followers and updating your Twitter page is time consuming. Beware: Spending too much time in Twittersphere means your "real" relationships could suffer.

Will Twitter create the next wave of break ups? Today geeksugar reports that Twitter may be to blame for splitting up celebrity couple Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer. According to a post on geeksugar: 

"Mayer told Aniston that he was too busy to get in touch with her, yet he always managed to have the time to update his Twitter page. Eventually, Aniston got fed up with John putting his Tweeting priorities ahead of his relationship so she decided to call it quits."

The bottom line: Have fun on Twitter, but if you can't remember when you last talked face-to-face with your family, then it is time to take a Twitter break. A very long break from Twittersphere.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Go Green

 

With all the green mania today, why not join the sassier shade of green folks at Ideal Bite and get their eco-living tips for "light green" consumers, delivered daily via email, Twitter. and Facebook. Tip archive available on their blog. As their name implies, Ideal Bite offers bite-sized ideas for light green living. Tips cover everything from biodynamic wine to organic cosmetics, to seasonal recipes from local chefs.

Recently they added an Ideal Bite for Mamas to:

"Give you the scoop on everything from junk in the trunk (we're talkin' chems in disposable diapers that aren't great for babies, baby daddies, or Mama Earth), to safe alternatives to conventional plastic toys. Ideal Bite delivers easy eco-mommy tips via a short, sassy email each weekday."

Here's a recent tip from Mama at Ideal Bite:

"St. Pat's Day have you coveting green-colored foods?

The Bite

Eat your heart out, just make sure you use organic and plant-based food coloring in your holiday recipes. You'll keep artificial ingredients off your kid's plate without begrudging them a clover-hued cookie." 

(Images from Ideal Bite)

You Go Girl: Katie Couric Wins Walter Cronkite Award

I am a news junkie. Even as a child it bugged me that women were not more prominent in the news. When Couric became the first solo woman anchor in the history of network evening news, some wondered who let the girl into the boys' club? She hasn't always been popular in that post, but something about her style makes her the top news anchor in my opinion. 

Katie Couric, Emmy-winning journalist, cancer-awareness advocate and devoted mom, doesn't just read the CBS evening news, she talks to me. She's a modern Everywoman. She asks the tough questions about world events and politics as well as those real world questions many of us want to ask such as when she asked Starbucks C.E.O. Howard Schultz about their the quirky coffee cup sizes: "Why do you have to do that? Why can't you do 'small," medium,' 'large," like normal people?"

When Vanity Fair asked Katie Couric to describe what is her idea of perfect happiness she said, "At the kitchen table, laughing with my daughters."

The CBS Evening News anchor was honored by Reliable Resources for her "extraordinary, persistent, and detailed multi-part interviews with Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin," according to CBS News. The Cronkite Awards are presented biannually by the USC Annenberg School of Communication.

New Rubik Puzzle: The Rubik 360

In the age of iPod apps and Xbox games, can a puzzle that requires no electricity or batteries build a cult following like it's popular predecessor?

Some of us have been waiting nearly 30 years for the second generation of the Rubik's Cube that was invented back in 1974. Guess it takes a while to make a new version of this puzzle. The sculptor/engineer/architect and inventor of the original Cube, Erno Rubik, 64, says he has a new puzzle called the Rubik 360 that will go on sale in August.

"The 360 is one of the most innovative and exciting puzzles we've developed since the cube, adopting elements of my original design, challenging the solver to use skill, dexterity and logic," says Rubik according to the Herald Sun.

Looking forward to it already. Watch out Eric Akkersdijk, the Rubik Cube world champion who completed the puzzle in a speedy 7.08 seconds. A new crop of Rubik fanatics is waiting to challenge the speed record for the 360.

Not sure if Eric needs to worry about Graham Parker, 45, of England. Evidently Parker finished his Rubik Cube after 26 years.

Thumbs Up: My Inaugural Favorites

Favorite image

After taking the oath of office President Obama's daughter Sasha offered an enthusiastic thumbs up for her dad.

As a mom, seeing how proud Barack and Michelle were of their beautiful daughters at the inauguration was meaningful. How sweet it is to see kids back in the White House.

Favorite words

Inauguration speech by President Obama: "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America."

Favorite music

The inauguration was filled with meaningful music to inspire Americans to step up and remake America--Aretha Franklin's rousing performance of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at the Capital Building in Washington, D.C. as well as the composition written by John Williams and performed by the A-List quartet including Venezuelan-American pianist Gabriela Montero, Chinese-American cellist Yo-Yo Ma; Israeli-American violinist Itzhak Perlman, and African-American clarinetist Anthony McGill 

I must admit my very favorite music selection caught my attention when President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle glided through an inaugural dance number by Etta James classic "At Last" crooned by Beyonce.

A New Voice of Hope

Millions flocked to the capital and millions more watched their television or had an online view of the historic swearing-in of Barack Obama. President Barack Obama took the oath of office and delivered a memorable address.

Change has come. President Obama reminds us of our role as Americans in the change in his address: 

"America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come."

"Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

Veteran's Day: Looking Forward with Hope

I'm not sure my kids will ever really understand the sacrifices veterans have made serving our country over the years. Can they even imagine what our world might be like if not for veterans? 

When my kids sat by the pool at the World War II Memorial, we talked about the fact this memorial honors 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and many more who supported the war effort from home. 

Today, Veteran's Day, is set aside as a day to honor their sacrifices to country. At dinner tonight as a family we will remember to thank a veteran in our table prayers. 

In my heart, as a mom I hope this day also marks our dream as a country to build a brighter future. We just voted to elect a new president. I join Madeleine Albright  and hope that we can build a future of "greater justice, broader prosperity, and larger freedom, with the United States once again serving as a cornerstone."

Go Vote: It's Good For You

This Tuesday, November 4th, is election day. If you haven't already voted, I urge you to read up on the candidates and ballot issues in your area. If you can, use a voter's information guide for your area to fill out a sample ballot. Bring this sample ballot with you when you vote to simplify the process.

In one of my posts a few weeks ago I mentioned the most memorable moment in my opinion from the third and last presidential debate of 2008 with Senators Barack Obama and John McCain might have come from moderator Bob Schieffer: 

 

Like Bob's Mom said, "Go vote now. It will make you feel big and strong."

A Big Shout Out to Bob's Mom

The most memorable moment from the third and last presidential debate of 2008 with Senators Barack Obama and John McCain might have come from moderator Bob Schieffer: 

Election day on November 4th is fast approaching. So with only days to go, I urge you to read up on the candidates and the ballot issues in your area. 

Like Bob's Mom says, "Go vote now. It will make you feel big and strong."

Make A Difference: Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF

This October make Halloween count by Trick-or-Treating with UNICEF.  Participate in one of the many UNICEF activities and you and your kids can help get clean water, education and medicine to the children who need it most.

Fun and easy ways to participate:

• UNICEF Trick-or-Treat Boxes: Order today and get everything you need to Trick-or-Treat for Unicef.
• Trick-or Treat for UNICEF Online: Create your own UNICEF fundraising webpage in just a few easy steps and invite your friends and family to help raise funds for UNICEF.
• Text-or-Treat for UNICEF: Now you can Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF with your mobile phone. Just text the word "TOT" to 864233 (UNICEF) to make a $5 donation and help UNICEF save kids' lives. 
• Host a Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Halloween Party 
• Send a Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF e-card: Before Halloween let your friends and family know you are fundraising for UNICEF.

Make A Difference: Send a Net, Save a Life

The financial meltdown yesterday makes me want to stay in bed and hide from the news. Obviously that's not the best idea. Just to make easing into the day better, I had an extra muffin for breakfast and I added an extra dollop of honey to my morning tea. But perhaps the best thing to keep me going isn't sugar or carbs, it's realizing I still am a very lucky person and I need to give back. All this week I will focus on simple ways as moms we can help the moms in the world live healthier, safer, and happier lives.

Giving Back:

Nothing But Nets Campaign

Malaria is the single greatest cause of death for the world's children. But there is a simple way to save lives: Send a net.

The rainy season is fast approaching and now is the time to prevent more devastation and loss of life from malaria. Malaria is a major threat to the women and children in the refugee camps in Eastern Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Nothing But Nets is a global campaign to fight one of largest killers in Africa's biggest killers: Malaria. It was initially inspired by by Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Riley who would go across the country to raise $10 per bed net to help prevent the spread of malaria across Africa. Nothing But Nets is an initiative in partnership between the United Nations Foundation, Sports Illustrated, the people of the United Methodist Foundation, and the National Basketball Association.

How to Help:

It's simple: Send a net, save a life.

Log on to Nothing But Nets Campaign and donate $10 to buy a bed net.

More information on malaria and Nothing But Nets is available at these links

• United Nations Foundation » Nothing But Nets- It Only Takes a Net to Save a Life
• Kathy Bushkin Calvin: Malaria Kills. Nets Save Lives.
• World Leaders Embrace Goal of Ending Malaria Deaths by 2015 - washingtonpost.com

Banners and ecards

If you want to add a banner to your blog or website, please visit this link Nothing But Nets widgets and banners.

You can send an ecard to friends or family at the Nothing But Nets Campaign: "Send" an e-card

Special Needs Kids and the Future of Health Care

No one wants to get sick. But it happens. If you have a child with a chronic illness you probably visit the doctor office more than you ever imagined possible. As a parent you try to do everything humanly possible to keep your child healthy, but if you have a child with chronic illness your child might end up visiting the ER or being admitted in the hospital.

As a mother of a special needs child, I worry about the outcome of the election in November. Will my child be denied health care coverage because of a pre-existing condition? At the RNC the VP candidate Sarah Palin, mother of 4-month-old Trig, born with Down syndrome, promised voters she has a place in her heart for all special needs children, yet with the McCain health care plan too many special needs children with chronic illness will fall between the cracks.

It's just a piece of plastic, but the health insurance card you carry in your wallet can mean the difference between getting adequate health care for your family and getting denied appropriate health care. That's why the upcoming election is vital.

Here's my concern: If you vote for McCain, let's hope your family stays healthy or only gets "moderately" sick. But good luck if you or your children have a pre-existing condition like a chronic illness, cancer or severe food allergies because then you risk getting denied coverage. If you vote for McCain, then you better be rich enough to afford top-notch private health insurance.

McCain's solution to the health care crisis: tax rebates. Wow! Talk about blind faith in the free market. His plan might work for some of us, but what happens to the poorest people who won't benefit from McCain's $5000 family tax rebate because they don't pay $5000 in taxes? Will the cost of health insurance decrease if we shop for our own insurance? No guarantees. Since administrative costs can dramatically increase on the open market, private health insurance could end up being more expensive and less generous according to the WSJ.com.

It's ironic that under McCain's health plan, McCain himself would not be covered. Under his plan insurance companies do not have to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions like melanoma and breast cancer. 

McCain wants more competition between private health insurers. He wants to bring down the cost of health care by having individuals/families shop for their own insurance. McCain would give direct refundable tax credits to individuals to offset the cost of buying private insurance. The "human price" of McCain's health care cost cutting will be that some people with pre-existing conditions like cancer will be denied insurance by private insurance companies. Corporations will be less likely to offer health insurance benefits to employees because McCain's plan would eliminate the current tax exclusion for health care benefits. The McCain campaign has mentioned a plan that would require individual states develop plans to help those with pre-existing conditions, but I haven't seen the details on this program. And will it really work? Makes me wonder if under his plan, those under-insured people will then be forced to move just to find the best state health care for their family's health issues. Let's hope McCain develops a safety net for those with pre-existing conditions.

Obama would increase federal regulations on health care while still giving consumers more options like private insurance. His plan would set up a new national health plan to cover everyone so no one would fall between the cracks. To help pay for this national program he would tax large corporations that do not provide health insurance. Obama's plan would include private insurance plans with increased federal regulation to ensure coverage to everyone, at consistent prices and ensure even those with pre-existing conditions get coverage. Private insurance plans under Obama's plan would feel the pressure to offer the same generous benefits as the government-run plan. The cons? This would lead to higher premiums for private insurance. How would the uninsured fare under Obama's plan? Much better. Sometimes children--the most vulnerable--are the ones who lack appropriate health care because under the current plans they are not insured. By mandating health coverage for all children, Obama's health plan would improve the health care of these children. Obama's plan is expected to reduce the number of unisured people by 18 million in the first year according to the Tax Policy Center. 

Elizabeth Edwards forcefully denounced the McCain health care proposal during the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing last week. 

"Sen. McCain and I have something in common, and that is neither one of us would be insured under his health care plan...If you're 55 with cancer...good luck to you," said Elizabeth Edwards during the hearing according to The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report.

Not sure if Obama solves all my health care concerns, but I'll keep listening to what Elizabeth Edwards has to say. Hope the candidates are listening too.

If you want to read more about the health care plans of the candidates, check out the health care comparision on CNN.com and  WSJ.com.

--Posted by Chris at Momathon Blog. A version of the post also appears in my blog Political Hotdish.)

Teen Sex Happens: More Often Than We Want to Admit

Recently we have been reminded by candidates in both parties that the candidate's families should not be targets of media scrutiny. Some say it's politically incorrect. Some say it's just common sense. I agree. Today I'm not talking about a specific teen, I'm talking about teens in general and the increase in teen sex. 

Teen sex happens and more often than some parents are willing to believe. In fact, "the decade-long decline in sexual activity among high school students leveled off between 2001 and 2007," according to a recent government study reported in the Washington Post.

In the same article they report another troubling trend, "One in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease and that the teen birth rate has increased for the first time in 15 years."

For those parents with their heads still buried in the sand, listen up: Teen sex happens and now teen pregnancy and STDs are also increasing.

Some say teen sex is a moral issue. Some say it's a family issue. Some blame the parents. Some blame the media. 

No matter how you look at the topic of teen sex and teen pregnancy, it can't be ignored in family discussions. I believe that parents need to keep the line of communication open with their teens about all the tough topics including sex. In fact, I don't think parents should wait around for their teens to come to them first, I think moms and dads need to be prepared now--not wait for "tomorrow" or "next week"--to have a frank talk with their teens (and in some cases even preteens) about sex. I'm not saying this is easy or that talking to your kids will solve every problem, but it can help your teen understand that you are there for them when and if they have a concern.

The obvious consequence of sex is pregnancy, but the more common consequences are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The high STD rates among teens is a clear signal that parents and doctors are not getting the message about the risks of sex and STDs through to teens. Because so many STDs do not have any symptoms in the early stages, teenage girls might not get appropriate medical care and they can pass it on without knowing. 

What should we say to our teens? Teaching abstinence-only sex education is one method, but this may only delay sexual activity. Even if you believe abstinence is best, giving teens information about STD prevention and pregnancy prevention is a powerful way to explain that "casual sex" is a myth. So what is another option for sex ed? Teaching comprehensive sex education is another option--one that doesn't ignore the fact that more and more teens are engaging in a wide variety of sexual activities. 

In a recent post I blogged about why parents need to talk to their kids about sex. Here is a snippet from that post:

STDs are on the rise among teenage girls. A recent study by the CDC found that 1 in 4 (26 %) teenage girls between the ages of 14 and 19 is infected with at least one of the most common STDs. That translates to about 3.2 million female adolescents estimated to have at least one of the most common STDs in the US. Fifteen percent in the study had more than one kind of STD. This is not a study to dismiss because parents want to believe this could never happen to their daughters. Sex among teens is common--estimates suggest approximately 40-50% of teenage girls are sexually active. If teens think sex is just another form of communication, they need to rethink the consequences and know how to protect themselves. Buying into the message from peers and the media that says “sex is casual” is a big mistake for teens. The severe health effects of STDs for women – from infertility to cervical cancer – shouldn’t be ignored. Teens need to know a condom isn’t always enough protection. According to the FDA, latex condoms do not protect against all STDs.

Even if you'd like to believe teens don't have sex, they do know where to find condoms in the drug store. But do they know they can talk to you about sex if they have concerns?

(Looking for more information? After I posted on this topic on BlogHer, Barb at www.NurseBarb.com  sent me a great link to her interview on ABC's View from the Bay in San Francisco. You can also read more about health issues on her blog Barb's Daily Dose.)

Seven-Year-Old Singer Deemed Not Cute Enough For Beijing Olympic Opening: Child's Voice Was Dubbed

Nearly a billion viewers saw the adorable, pig-tailed Lin Miaoke, age 9, singing a patriotic ballad at Friday's Olympic opening with fireworks dazzling in the sky above. Her song, "Ode to the Motherland," sounded so beautiful it was inspiring. Except for the fact that she wasn't really singing it. Evidently, the song in the ceremony was sung by Yang Peiyi, age 7, whose voice was deemed better, but organizers decided she wasn't as "cute."

I may be a bit goofy about kids cause I am a mom, but aren't all little kids cute? I mean, really, who can resist their grins--chubby cheeks, imperfect teeth, and all? I guess the pressure to choose the perfect voice and appearance got the best of them. And this was definitely not the best idea--especially when dealing with little kids. The ceremony organizers wanted an impossible image. Too much perfect is not a good thing. Lip-syncing a seven-year-old's voice makes me think of mini Stepford wives. Or the strange obsession with the starving models during fashion week. 

Why did it happen? Here's the explanation given from Chen Qigang, general music desinger of the opening ceremonies according to a NYT article, "The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feeling and expression."

Flawless? I thought that was reserved for evaluating diamonds, never children. 

At one of the last rehearsals a member of China's powerful Politburo demanded that a new voice must be substituted for Miaoke. 

Hmmmm. Didn't know that members of this ruling political party were trained to evaluate singing. Sounds sort of like putting Bush and Cheney on as celebrity judges on American Idol. 

No one knows if Lin Miaoke on stage even knew her voice was dubbed. I realize dubbing voices at outdoor events happens, but usually the voice lip-synced is the performer's own voice. Luciano Pavarotti used lip-syncing (they used his own voice) at the Turin Winter games in 2006 because he had difficulty singing due to his pancreatic cancer.

If you can believe the reports in the media, according to Miaoke's father, little Lin was not upset when she found out about the lip-syncing. Haven't heard what Yang Peiyi, the girl with the beautiful voice but "imperfect" image, thinks about the dubbing. At least she knew ahead of time no one was seeing her face. Can't imagine how she could sing so sweetly knowing that her identity was hidden on purpose because she failed the cuteness test. 

At least Wang Liping, Peiyi's tutor, has better judgement. According to MSNBC, Liping wrote in her blog that Peiyi is "both cute and well-behaved, with a love for Peking opera." 

The only thing that might make Peiyi feel better is the fact that there are rumors that event fireworks exploding in the sky were deemed not "cute enough" too, so some footage of fireworks exploding across Beijing were digitally inserted into television coverage. It's just a rumor, but it makes you wonder who are the Games organizer's trying to please?

Paris vs. WHD (White-Haired Dude) Video

No more dumb blonde jokes. Paris rocks in this video. And not just because she is a Celeb, but because her comments make you think. Her energy plan--even with the flying to Maui just to get a tan reference--makes me wonder who she hired for her  advisors. She suggests a hybrid that combines both Obama and McCain energy policies. She actually said "limited offshore drilling" and  "energy independence" in one sentence. 

Although I think growing old is a good thing, you gotta admit the WHD (white-haired dude) campaign ad against Obama's "Celeb factor" was childish.

Even if she wants to paint the White House pink, I say we should listen more to Paris.

And, yes, I am a blonde too--and proud of it.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die