Sometimes I count sheep. Sometimes I try the Crystal Countdown. Sometimes I just count and hope to be asleep before I get too far. Sometimes I actually get up and read or watch TV. I've tried all kinds of pills and just can't get my brain to turn off. A few nights ago, I figured I'd try reciting the alphabet and picturing something related to that letter, whatever fist came to mind, in the hopes that it would keep both sides of my brain busy and it would stop thinking of nonsense. Did it work? No. Not even a little. But I was so amused by the images my brain came up with that I decided to write them down, as best as I can remember...
Apple
Banana
Corn
Dandelion
Ephemera
Feather
Gorilla
Hippopotamus
Indigo
Jackalope
Kangaroo
Lemons
Mango
Nun-chucks
Ostrich
Purple
Quarry
Rucksack
Slime mold
Turtle
Uganda
Victrola
Woodchuck
Xylophone (of course)
Yellow
Zebra (pronounced zeh-bra, because of Weebks)
Any wonder that I didn't sleep?
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
history class
I've had an epiphany about middle and high school education and I'm going to put it out here where no one will read it and it won't do any good, but at least I'll have gotten it out of my brain.
I think that students should get a broad overview of world history in middle school, and then start small in high school.
In 9th grade, students should learn their local history. Local leaders, historical figures, origins, heck even local businesses. City and county, that's what they should concentrate on. There is a lot of stuff I'm learning now that I don't remember learning in school. For instance, I know about Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas, but who the heck was the Troup Howell Bridge named for?! (Robert Troup and Nathaniel Howell, if you were interested; also, Robert Troup's daughter, Charlotte, was the inspiration for that oft-mispronounced bit of land by the lake) For whom was the Town of Gates named? (Revolutionary War General Horatio Gates) Did you know that Canawaugus means "stinking waters" or that Genesee means "beautiful open valley" in the native languages of those who lived here? Do you know who Indian Allen was?
Exactly.
10th grade, then, should be state history. State stuff, state laws, state stupids, state courts, state origins, state figures...
11th grade should be US history -with the option to take the regular course or the AP version- and 12th grade should be European history -with the same regular/AP options- or possibly another world history overview elective.
People don't know shitall about history these days, even their local history, and I'll admit to being one of those people. It needs to change, and the change needs to start by making grumpy kids learn more. ...Don't get me started on the debacle that is standardized testing, though...
I think that students should get a broad overview of world history in middle school, and then start small in high school.
In 9th grade, students should learn their local history. Local leaders, historical figures, origins, heck even local businesses. City and county, that's what they should concentrate on. There is a lot of stuff I'm learning now that I don't remember learning in school. For instance, I know about Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas, but who the heck was the Troup Howell Bridge named for?! (Robert Troup and Nathaniel Howell, if you were interested; also, Robert Troup's daughter, Charlotte, was the inspiration for that oft-mispronounced bit of land by the lake) For whom was the Town of Gates named? (Revolutionary War General Horatio Gates) Did you know that Canawaugus means "stinking waters" or that Genesee means "beautiful open valley" in the native languages of those who lived here? Do you know who Indian Allen was?
Exactly.
10th grade, then, should be state history. State stuff, state laws, state stupids, state courts, state origins, state figures...
11th grade should be US history -with the option to take the regular course or the AP version- and 12th grade should be European history -with the same regular/AP options- or possibly another world history overview elective.
People don't know shitall about history these days, even their local history, and I'll admit to being one of those people. It needs to change, and the change needs to start by making grumpy kids learn more. ...Don't get me started on the debacle that is standardized testing, though...
Friday, September 10, 2010
I still have trouble watching it. (or, my angry 9/11 rant)
I wasn't there. I didn't lose anyone. I didn't know anyone there. I don't think I know anyone who lost anyone. And yet I still have trouble every time I see those damn planes hit those damn towers, and every time I watch a damn show about New York City they seem to find a reason to show that damn pancake dust explosion and every time it's like a vise around my heart and throat and stomach and my whole face scrunches up like I've bitten into a lime and I just can't watch it. And I just can't look away.
Nine years. Nine years, and the WTC site still hasn't been built on, and we're still arguing and squabbling about what a replacement tower should look like and who has the right to do what, where. Not to mention, the wars in Iraq (oh, sorry, the combat's over there so that's not really a war anymore?) and Afghanistan are using money like a sieve, so to speak, without much accountability or even much question at all.
And now a group of Muslims has purchased an old Burlington Coat Factory four blocks from "Ground Zero" and wants to build a community center there, and now everyone's all "ZOMGHOWDAREZTHEY?!" or alternatively and more PC "ZOMGIKNOWTHEYCANBUTIDONTTHINKTHEYSHOULD!!!" Because apparently religious freedom only applies to Christians in this country. But we knew that.
I mean, yeah, Islam can be a violent and dickish religion. Know what else? Christianity can be a violent and dickish religion. Atheists, while not for their unfaith or cause so much but more as individuals, can be violent and dickish. Heck, even Buddhists can be violent (though rarely) and dickish (see the Dalai Lama's comments about the supposedly-unnatural aspects of homosexuality, for instance).
So, everyone's all careful and tactful and saying "yes, they have a right to build there, but should they?" mostly because Muslims were responsible for the attacks on 9/11/01 so building a community center so close to the former WTC-site would be like them rubbing it in our faces, or something. And yes, maybe technically it's a bit tactless for them to build there. But maybe we should be the bigger and better country and get over ourselves. Maybe a community center is exactly what that neighborhood needs, even if it is the dreaded Muslim kind.
**begin tangent**
And have I mentioned that I really hate the use of the term "Ground Zero"? I do. I really, really do. But maybe that's another essay for another day.
**end tangent**
**begin secondary tangent**
And while I'm at it, fuck you "9/11 Truthers." Yes, the attacks likely could have been prevented and perhaps we do not have all of the information about how everything happened and why and when, but when a giant fucking airliner full of jet fuel crashes into a building and severs the support columns and sets the fucker on fire, you get FIRE and COLLAPSE. That's how that works. No, steel doesn't burn at those temperatures but it sure the hell melts and warps and weakens and that's all you need. And once one floor mashes, you set off a chain reaction and get yourself a nice mashy death-filled building squash. As seen on TV. I know people have questions. I know people have doubts. But it's really not that complicated. OH! And also while I'm at it, Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson and Fred Phelps can all go suck a collective bag of dicks.
**end secondary tangent**
In response to the "Ground Zero Mosque" (which is neither a mosque -it's a community center- nor AT Ground Zero -it's four blocks away- ...and there is already a mosque six blocks away), some pastor in Florida is all "I'm going to honor the memory of those lost on 9/11/01 by burning a whole mess of Korans at my church on Saturday." Forgetting, I'm sure, that there were Muslims IN the Twin Towers that day, who died as well, and whose families might be a wee bit offended by the burning of their sacred book. Forgetting that everyone in this country has the right to believe -or NOT believe- as they desire, rights granted in the Bill of Rights in the (wholly secular, by the way) Constitution that so many people seem to point to these days while clearly not having read the darn thing. No, religious freedoms seem these days only reserved for those Christians who want to offend others.
The NYC Muslims have every right to build a community center (or heck, even a damn mosque!) near the WTC site. They have every right to worship and pray and commune as they please so long as their beliefs and practices aren't harming anyone. Just as Christians have every right to worship and pray and commune as they please so long as their beliefs and practices aren't harming anyone. And that shit about Islam being inherently violent and cruel and discriminatory and misogynistic? Sure. But have you read your Bible lately, sirs? Yeah, that sucker ain't so great, either. So unless you're ready to give up your stupid backward religion and practice Humanism and rationality and logic and science, the way I think everyone should, you don't get to make demands of Muslims about their religion -so long as no one's harming anyone else. Extremist Islamic terrorist training centers? Not okay. Community centers with basketball hoops and craft tables? Not so scary, actually. And heck, it's not like fundamentalist Christians aren't training creepy little Christ warriors right here in this country, too, right?
And as for Koran-burning, (...If you're interested in some PZ perspective on this particular topic (and let's face it, who isn't?), please click here) like it or not, people have the right to disagree with other people. They have the right to do so in writing or in words or even, yes, by burning shit. In this particular care, said shit happens to be the holy book of another religion -and a religion that happens to be rather violently hostile to the idea of people burning their holy book. The pastor is within his rights to burn the book in protest. Muslims are NOT within their rights (as humans, as Americans, as Earthlings) to threaten or harm anyone with whom they disagree or by whom they feel slighted. THAT is the problem, that we as a planet and as a civilization allow Muslims (and others) to react with an inapproperiate level of insult and violence when they are offended, and that we are so afraid of their reaction that we let them get away with it. And I call bullshit.
If you defile the sacred objects of another religious group, you're kind of being a dick. But people don't have the right not to be offended. Maybe, if religionsists (and pretty much everyone) would stop taking themselves so damn seriously, they wouldn't come across as such assholes and everyone else would have a much easier time respecting them.
In closing, this September 11th I encourage you to not be a dick. Don't burn something out of spite. But don't not burn something out of fear. Rather, just do something good. Do something nice. Do something caring and thoughtful and necessary. Attend a service or ceremony in honor of those lost but not forgotten. Volunteer on the September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance.
Along with anything else I might do or attend or charitize this weekend, I, for one, will be attending the Roc City Roller Derby intraleague bout (Rottenchesters vs. 5-H8-5s), Sink or Swim at the Dome Arena. It's a charity bout benefiting Rochester Police Officers (Badge of Honor Association) and Rochester Firefighters (Benevolent Association). And it's derby. Eat a hot dog, watch some derby, do some good and be proud to be an American, where we can and do disagree and should be able to, as long as we can do it calmly and rationally. So let's try that, hmm?
Nine years. Nine years, and the WTC site still hasn't been built on, and we're still arguing and squabbling about what a replacement tower should look like and who has the right to do what, where. Not to mention, the wars in Iraq (oh, sorry, the combat's over there so that's not really a war anymore?) and Afghanistan are using money like a sieve, so to speak, without much accountability or even much question at all.
And now a group of Muslims has purchased an old Burlington Coat Factory four blocks from "Ground Zero" and wants to build a community center there, and now everyone's all "ZOMGHOWDAREZTHEY?!" or alternatively and more PC "ZOMGIKNOWTHEYCANBUTIDONTTHINKTHEYSHOULD!!!" Because apparently religious freedom only applies to Christians in this country. But we knew that.
I mean, yeah, Islam can be a violent and dickish religion. Know what else? Christianity can be a violent and dickish religion. Atheists, while not for their unfaith or cause so much but more as individuals, can be violent and dickish. Heck, even Buddhists can be violent (though rarely) and dickish (see the Dalai Lama's comments about the supposedly-unnatural aspects of homosexuality, for instance).
So, everyone's all careful and tactful and saying "yes, they have a right to build there, but should they?" mostly because Muslims were responsible for the attacks on 9/11/01 so building a community center so close to the former WTC-site would be like them rubbing it in our faces, or something. And yes, maybe technically it's a bit tactless for them to build there. But maybe we should be the bigger and better country and get over ourselves. Maybe a community center is exactly what that neighborhood needs, even if it is the dreaded Muslim kind.
**begin tangent**
And have I mentioned that I really hate the use of the term "Ground Zero"? I do. I really, really do. But maybe that's another essay for another day.
**end tangent**
**begin secondary tangent**
And while I'm at it, fuck you "9/11 Truthers." Yes, the attacks likely could have been prevented and perhaps we do not have all of the information about how everything happened and why and when, but when a giant fucking airliner full of jet fuel crashes into a building and severs the support columns and sets the fucker on fire, you get FIRE and COLLAPSE. That's how that works. No, steel doesn't burn at those temperatures but it sure the hell melts and warps and weakens and that's all you need. And once one floor mashes, you set off a chain reaction and get yourself a nice mashy death-filled building squash. As seen on TV. I know people have questions. I know people have doubts. But it's really not that complicated. OH! And also while I'm at it, Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson and Fred Phelps can all go suck a collective bag of dicks.
**end secondary tangent**
In response to the "Ground Zero Mosque" (which is neither a mosque -it's a community center- nor AT Ground Zero -it's four blocks away- ...and there is already a mosque six blocks away), some pastor in Florida is all "I'm going to honor the memory of those lost on 9/11/01 by burning a whole mess of Korans at my church on Saturday." Forgetting, I'm sure, that there were Muslims IN the Twin Towers that day, who died as well, and whose families might be a wee bit offended by the burning of their sacred book. Forgetting that everyone in this country has the right to believe -or NOT believe- as they desire, rights granted in the Bill of Rights in the (wholly secular, by the way) Constitution that so many people seem to point to these days while clearly not having read the darn thing. No, religious freedoms seem these days only reserved for those Christians who want to offend others.
The NYC Muslims have every right to build a community center (or heck, even a damn mosque!) near the WTC site. They have every right to worship and pray and commune as they please so long as their beliefs and practices aren't harming anyone. Just as Christians have every right to worship and pray and commune as they please so long as their beliefs and practices aren't harming anyone. And that shit about Islam being inherently violent and cruel and discriminatory and misogynistic? Sure. But have you read your Bible lately, sirs? Yeah, that sucker ain't so great, either. So unless you're ready to give up your stupid backward religion and practice Humanism and rationality and logic and science, the way I think everyone should, you don't get to make demands of Muslims about their religion -so long as no one's harming anyone else. Extremist Islamic terrorist training centers? Not okay. Community centers with basketball hoops and craft tables? Not so scary, actually. And heck, it's not like fundamentalist Christians aren't training creepy little Christ warriors right here in this country, too, right?
And as for Koran-burning, (...If you're interested in some PZ perspective on this particular topic (and let's face it, who isn't?), please click here) like it or not, people have the right to disagree with other people. They have the right to do so in writing or in words or even, yes, by burning shit. In this particular care, said shit happens to be the holy book of another religion -and a religion that happens to be rather violently hostile to the idea of people burning their holy book. The pastor is within his rights to burn the book in protest. Muslims are NOT within their rights (as humans, as Americans, as Earthlings) to threaten or harm anyone with whom they disagree or by whom they feel slighted. THAT is the problem, that we as a planet and as a civilization allow Muslims (and others) to react with an inapproperiate level of insult and violence when they are offended, and that we are so afraid of their reaction that we let them get away with it. And I call bullshit.
If you defile the sacred objects of another religious group, you're kind of being a dick. But people don't have the right not to be offended. Maybe, if religionsists (and pretty much everyone) would stop taking themselves so damn seriously, they wouldn't come across as such assholes and everyone else would have a much easier time respecting them.
In closing, this September 11th I encourage you to not be a dick. Don't burn something out of spite. But don't not burn something out of fear. Rather, just do something good. Do something nice. Do something caring and thoughtful and necessary. Attend a service or ceremony in honor of those lost but not forgotten. Volunteer on the September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance.
Along with anything else I might do or attend or charitize this weekend, I, for one, will be attending the Roc City Roller Derby intraleague bout (Rottenchesters vs. 5-H8-5s), Sink or Swim at the Dome Arena. It's a charity bout benefiting Rochester Police Officers (Badge of Honor Association) and Rochester Firefighters (Benevolent Association). And it's derby. Eat a hot dog, watch some derby, do some good and be proud to be an American, where we can and do disagree and should be able to, as long as we can do it calmly and rationally. So let's try that, hmm?
Friday, September 3, 2010
why I never...
I often end up in a conversation which involves me saying, "oh, I never (...) growing up" and people look at me like my brain is crawling out of my ears.
I'm not looking for pity or pretending deprivation, I merely present this list as a statement of fact.
Why, I never...
1. read comic books (until Sarah Smart brought me back a couple from ComiCon 2010)
2. played video games (until college, where I played Mortal Kombat and Crash Bandicoot a handful of times, and that was it)
3. drank soda
4. made Christmas cookies (until last year)
5. watched MTV
6. watched cartoons
7. had candy other than at Halloween and even then only for a day or so, even if I won it in a contest
8. had chocolate of any sort (at least until I was three and my grandmother committed The Chocolate Felony)
9. had any topping on my pizza other than cheese and for the most part, still don't
10. had any kind of dressing on my salad until I was, what, 25?
11. had ketchup on anything except McDonald's cheeseburgers -and still don't
12. had mustard on anything, until I went to college and had to smother the food with something
13. knew there were football teams not named the Cowboys (until I was six or so)
14. fantasized about what my wedding would be like
15. wanted babies -except for a three-day period my senior year of high school
16. was a bridesmaid, and still my only in-wedding experience has been as a flower girl in my uncle's wedding when I was eight or so
17. watched an episode of "Sex in the City"
18. saw any Rocky or Godfather movie
19. had a Philly cheesesteak
20. had a Garbage Plate (heresy, I know) **EDIT: First official plate consumption (half plate grilled cheese, mac salad, fries from Martino's) occurred 9/11/2010!!**
21. drank coffee
22. ate a fruit roll-up
23.
FURTHER BULLETINS AS EVENTS WARRANT
I'm not looking for pity or pretending deprivation, I merely present this list as a statement of fact.
Why, I never...
1. read comic books (until Sarah Smart brought me back a couple from ComiCon 2010)
2. played video games (until college, where I played Mortal Kombat and Crash Bandicoot a handful of times, and that was it)
3. drank soda
4. made Christmas cookies (until last year)
5. watched MTV
6. watched cartoons
7. had candy other than at Halloween and even then only for a day or so, even if I won it in a contest
8. had chocolate of any sort (at least until I was three and my grandmother committed The Chocolate Felony)
9. had any topping on my pizza other than cheese and for the most part, still don't
10. had any kind of dressing on my salad until I was, what, 25?
11. had ketchup on anything except McDonald's cheeseburgers -and still don't
12. had mustard on anything, until I went to college and had to smother the food with something
13. knew there were football teams not named the Cowboys (until I was six or so)
14. fantasized about what my wedding would be like
15. wanted babies -except for a three-day period my senior year of high school
16. was a bridesmaid, and still my only in-wedding experience has been as a flower girl in my uncle's wedding when I was eight or so
17. watched an episode of "Sex in the City"
18. saw any Rocky or Godfather movie
19. had a Philly cheesesteak
20. had a Garbage Plate (heresy, I know) **EDIT: First official plate consumption (half plate grilled cheese, mac salad, fries from Martino's) occurred 9/11/2010!!**
21. drank coffee
22. ate a fruit roll-up
23.
FURTHER BULLETINS AS EVENTS WARRANT
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Trust women.
Leaving aside for the moment my personal feelings about IVF and the fact that I never really thought about this as an issue although of course it is, I want to share this blog post about women who choose to go through IVF and then for one reason or another choose to abort the outcome of that IVF: IVF and then Abortion
Trust women? Are you kidding? What a novel fucking idea. Act like women are separate independent entities with their own brains and thoughts and opinions, capable of making educated choices? WHAT? Now that's just crazytalk!
Sarcasm aside... DUH. Trust women. We're not stupid assholes. Individually, maybe on occasion, but on the whole not. And I couldn't have said it any better than Ms. Marcotte, and so I shamelessly co-opt her blog post instead of creating something moderately intelligent on my own. Because, you know, I'm not capable of independent thought.
And now I have "Just A Girl" stuck in my head.
Trust women? Are you kidding? What a novel fucking idea. Act like women are separate independent entities with their own brains and thoughts and opinions, capable of making educated choices? WHAT? Now that's just crazytalk!
Sarcasm aside... DUH. Trust women. We're not stupid assholes. Individually, maybe on occasion, but on the whole not. And I couldn't have said it any better than Ms. Marcotte, and so I shamelessly co-opt her blog post instead of creating something moderately intelligent on my own. Because, you know, I'm not capable of independent thought.
And now I have "Just A Girl" stuck in my head.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
my number one bad boy
To be fair, he should be everyone's number one bad boy. That's right, the one and only badass Bad Astronomer, Phil Plait. And he says neat, smart things. And I link to them because my neat, smartness pales in comparison. So here, without further adieu, is something I think you should read:
The world is subtle... and that’s why it’s beautiful
The world is subtle... and that’s why it’s beautiful
Monday, June 28, 2010
book recommendation: Putting Children First
Yesterday, my mother and I attended a book reading at the Pittsford Barnes & Nobel, by one of our friends, Dr. JoAnne Pedro Carroll. She is an award-winning clinical psychologist who helps families survive and thrive times of big transition in their lives, such as separation and divorce –especially where it relates to how the children are affected.
Her new book, "Putting Children First: Proven Parenting Strategies for Helping Children Thrive Through Divorce" provides sound advice based on an abundance of research and the wisdom acquired through three decades of research and clinical experience with thousands of children—all offered with clarity and genuine compassion.
The reading/ lecture was incredibly insightful and moving for me and I belatedly realized that I should have posted this on my Face in advance of the talk so that others could have benefited from the information and had a chance to buy the book or talk to JoAnne and ask questions.
If you know someone who might benefit from the information in this book, please do direct them to JoAnne’s website so they can take a look at the information, and to Amazon for those interested in purchasing. This is also an excellent resource for families that are not separating but have internal turmoil that needs addressing.
Her new book, "Putting Children First: Proven Parenting Strategies for Helping Children Thrive Through Divorce" provides sound advice based on an abundance of research and the wisdom acquired through three decades of research and clinical experience with thousands of children—all offered with clarity and genuine compassion.
The reading/ lecture was incredibly insightful and moving for me and I belatedly realized that I should have posted this on my Face in advance of the talk so that others could have benefited from the information and had a chance to buy the book or talk to JoAnne and ask questions.
If you know someone who might benefit from the information in this book, please do direct them to JoAnne’s website so they can take a look at the information, and to Amazon for those interested in purchasing. This is also an excellent resource for families that are not separating but have internal turmoil that needs addressing.
Friday, March 19, 2010
oh man oh man oh man oh man they did it again!!
I know I mentioned the spectacular typo possibilities surrounding the large Hadron Collider in a post last January, but krikey they've done it again!!
It just makes me giggle.
It just makes me giggle.
Friday, February 5, 2010
in which I talk about knocked-uppery
Yes, I am child-free but yes, I'm still going to talk about pregnancy and babies, just a wee bit. Mostly, how bullshit weaves its way into pregnancy and what you can do to ensure you're getting accurate information.
If you are an alive person, chances are you know someone who had to deal with THE CANCER. Chances are, too, that someone you know is or has been or will be pregnant. Now, I have no interest in having children myself, but I do have a vested interest in knowing that future generations are wanted, loved, cared for and provided with appropriate education and health care. The best time to start in on that is before you know you're pregnant, of course, so if you're of "child-bearing age," unless you know you don't want kids, you should probably be taking folic acid. And if you're actually trying to get pregnant or think you might want to soon, quit. fucking. smoking. Actually, you should quit smoking now, regardless, but specifically if you're going to be pregnant. And talk to your doctor about any meds you are on that might affect your ability to conceive or bring a pregnancy to term.
That's basic common sense. But you will get mad crazy advice about everything from everyone, most annoyingly from people like me who have never had babies but still know exactly what you should be doing about everything. Because, let's face it, what's more American than spouting off about shit about which we know nothing?
In this case, though, while I may not have any practical womb-on experience, I do have some resources and some recommendations -and what else is a blog nobody reads for, if not for linking to junk you think is important for everyone to read?
Enough rhetorical questions. On to the meat of the matter! (mmmm, meat)
Like I said, everyone will be giving you advice and anecdotes but in reality I have no advice other than this: don't take any shit from anyone. You'll know what's right for you and if you want info, ask ask ask, but don't be afraid to tell people to shut the hell up.
Just keep in mind, there's a lot of crazy out there on the internet so try not to panic and check with your doctor before worrying about things! Actually, that holds true for everything, not just knocked-uppery.
Certainly, depending on your situation and risk factors it might make sense to stay away from certain foods and beverages for the duration -but that's something you learn from your doctor.
Books you might like:
A Child Is Born by Lennart Nilsson (reviewed by a friend of mine as "very interesting and informative"
Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine, reviewed as "a cute light read"
What to Expect When You're Expecting, the basic 'bible' to pregnancy, by Heidi http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifMurkoff and Sharon Mazel, reviewed as "good to answer all the neurotic questions" [EDIT 9/09/11: ACK!! I take it back! I take it back! Too much CAM!!]
And might I also recommend another viewpoint? What to Expect When You're Expected: A Fetus's Guide to the First Three Trimesters by David Javerbaum
Internet resources (yes, much of this is science- and reality-slanted, because that's the only thing that makes sense to me):
BabyCenter, where you can sign up and receive weekly updates on how baby is developing.
My Labor Nurse, practical, evidence-based information about birth from a labor and delivery nurse
Skepdad, one man’s thoughts, opinions, and ideas about bringing up kids to be critical thinking adults in a world filled with superstition, mysticism, and pseudoscience
Science-Based Parenting, promoting quality science and refuting different types of speculative claims such as the supernatural, pseudoscience, alternative medicine, and any other extraordinary claim that contradicts facts established by science and/or reasoning (see especially the page on vaccine resources)
Parenting Beyond Belief, on raising ethical, caring kids without religion
Also, Skepchick is a blog of no-bullshit (mostly) women, some of whom are pregnant from time to time and post entries debunking many myths and nonsense around pregnancy. Specifically and recently,
What Pregnant Women Won't Tell You -warning: if you're wavering on the kid-fence, this post might push you over to the no-way-in-hell!!! side...
Oh and PS... I'm sure people will give you some recommendations and advice for "sure-fire cures" or "natural health care" or what-have-you and some of it may be fine and harmless and may even work, but keep in mind that herbs and supplements are drugs, too, and can interfere and interact with other substances but are not regulated by the FDA in the same way as more conventional medicine so you want to check with your doctor about that stuff -but if you want to get some fact-based information from the internet on something that may have been recommended or suggested, might I recommend my two "sure-fire cures" ;) for bullshit?
Snopes and What's the Harm.
These are good for every day baloney-detection, but if someone tells you acupuncture or chiropractic (or what-have-you) will cure your morning sickness, you can check out the dangers or ineffectiveness of such treatments.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And if it sounds like bullshit, it probably is, too.
Talk to your doctors, people.
Oh yeah, and: vaccinate the shit out of those kids!!
If you are an alive person, chances are you know someone who had to deal with THE CANCER. Chances are, too, that someone you know is or has been or will be pregnant. Now, I have no interest in having children myself, but I do have a vested interest in knowing that future generations are wanted, loved, cared for and provided with appropriate education and health care. The best time to start in on that is before you know you're pregnant, of course, so if you're of "child-bearing age," unless you know you don't want kids, you should probably be taking folic acid. And if you're actually trying to get pregnant or think you might want to soon, quit. fucking. smoking. Actually, you should quit smoking now, regardless, but specifically if you're going to be pregnant. And talk to your doctor about any meds you are on that might affect your ability to conceive or bring a pregnancy to term.
That's basic common sense. But you will get mad crazy advice about everything from everyone, most annoyingly from people like me who have never had babies but still know exactly what you should be doing about everything. Because, let's face it, what's more American than spouting off about shit about which we know nothing?
In this case, though, while I may not have any practical womb-on experience, I do have some resources and some recommendations -and what else is a blog nobody reads for, if not for linking to junk you think is important for everyone to read?
Enough rhetorical questions. On to the meat of the matter! (mmmm, meat)
Like I said, everyone will be giving you advice and anecdotes but in reality I have no advice other than this: don't take any shit from anyone. You'll know what's right for you and if you want info, ask ask ask, but don't be afraid to tell people to shut the hell up.
Just keep in mind, there's a lot of crazy out there on the internet so try not to panic and check with your doctor before worrying about things! Actually, that holds true for everything, not just knocked-uppery.
Certainly, depending on your situation and risk factors it might make sense to stay away from certain foods and beverages for the duration -but that's something you learn from your doctor.
Books you might like:
A Child Is Born by Lennart Nilsson (reviewed by a friend of mine as "very interesting and informative"
Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine, reviewed as "a cute light read"
What to Expect When You're Expecting, the basic 'bible' to pregnancy, by Heidi http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifMurkoff and Sharon Mazel, reviewed as "good to answer all the neurotic questions" [EDIT 9/09/11: ACK!! I take it back! I take it back! Too much CAM!!]
And might I also recommend another viewpoint? What to Expect When You're Expected: A Fetus's Guide to the First Three Trimesters by David Javerbaum
Internet resources (yes, much of this is science- and reality-slanted, because that's the only thing that makes sense to me):
BabyCenter, where you can sign up and receive weekly updates on how baby is developing.
My Labor Nurse, practical, evidence-based information about birth from a labor and delivery nurse
Skepdad, one man’s thoughts, opinions, and ideas about bringing up kids to be critical thinking adults in a world filled with superstition, mysticism, and pseudoscience
Science-Based Parenting, promoting quality science and refuting different types of speculative claims such as the supernatural, pseudoscience, alternative medicine, and any other extraordinary claim that contradicts facts established by science and/or reasoning (see especially the page on vaccine resources)
Parenting Beyond Belief, on raising ethical, caring kids without religion
Also, Skepchick is a blog of no-bullshit (mostly) women, some of whom are pregnant from time to time and post entries debunking many myths and nonsense around pregnancy. Specifically and recently,
What Pregnant Women Won't Tell You -warning: if you're wavering on the kid-fence, this post might push you over to the no-way-in-hell!!! side...
Oh and PS... I'm sure people will give you some recommendations and advice for "sure-fire cures" or "natural health care" or what-have-you and some of it may be fine and harmless and may even work, but keep in mind that herbs and supplements are drugs, too, and can interfere and interact with other substances but are not regulated by the FDA in the same way as more conventional medicine so you want to check with your doctor about that stuff -but if you want to get some fact-based information from the internet on something that may have been recommended or suggested, might I recommend my two "sure-fire cures" ;) for bullshit?
Snopes and What's the Harm.
These are good for every day baloney-detection, but if someone tells you acupuncture or chiropractic (or what-have-you) will cure your morning sickness, you can check out the dangers or ineffectiveness of such treatments.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And if it sounds like bullshit, it probably is, too.
Talk to your doctors, people.
Oh yeah, and: vaccinate the shit out of those kids!!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
in which I talk about The Cancer -or, more specifically, The Chemo
If you are an alive and aware sort of person, it's likely you or someone you know has been "touched by cancer" (as they say) in one way or another. There's a lot of blather about what causes cancer and how to prevent it, and there are of course dangerous misleading criminals out there who purport to be able to "cure you," but that's not what this post is about. You can do everything right to minimize your risk and maximize your quality of life and still get walloped with The Cancer. It sucks, but it happens and it happens a lot.
Luckily, we have modern medicine (you know, the dreaded "western" kind which actually works as opposed to "traditional" or "alternative" treatments which will just empty your wallet at best and hasten your death at worst), which has greatly improved the likelihood of survival for most kinds of cancer.
Unfortunately, modern medicine treatments for cancer are often pretty brutal. Surgery, chemo and radiation totally kick your ass. It's shitty, but that's just the way it is. And for anyone crowing about "natural alternatives" to chemotherapy, may I remind you that anthrax and rattlesnakes and arsenic are all "natural." Chemotherapy, for that matter, is synthetically derived now but it was originally derived from plant alkaloids. So, yeah. Pipe that in your smoke and stick it.
That said, there are always resources and therapy groups and little tricks a chemo patient can employ in order to help combat the effects of chemotherapy and that is what this post is actually about.
I make no medical claims with this information and it is, granted, anecdotal and based on one woman's experience with chemotherapy, not any sort of peer-reviewed research. Insert "your mom joke" here, because these tips and hints are, in fact, from MY MOM.
[disclaimer: I know, I know. I'm all blahblahblah anecdotes are not data and blahblahblah "boost your immune system" doesn't actually mean anything, but none of this stuff is medicinal and should not interfere with any of your treatments except to hopefully help you feel better]
[disclaimer 2: Please talk to your doctor before embarking on any sort of complementary regimen, even those involving exercise, foods, vitamins, herbs, etc., because everyone is different and everyone's chemo experience is different and your doctor may have better or other recommendations, or reasons to avoid certain of the above suggestions. And your doctor knows best. After all, s/he went to fucking medical school for this shit.]
Resources:
* American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org/)
* National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/), part of the US National Institutes of Health
* NCI Resources for Financial Assistance
* For Rochester-area residents with breast cancer specifically: Elizabeth Wende Breast Care and Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester and the Pluta Center (this link takes you to prosthetic, clothing, and wig resources -my mom got hers from Alternative Hair, and they were beautiful and very self-image-boosting for her)
* For all-around baloney detection: What's the Harm and Snopes.
Luckily, we have modern medicine (you know, the dreaded "western" kind which actually works as opposed to "traditional" or "alternative" treatments which will just empty your wallet at best and hasten your death at worst), which has greatly improved the likelihood of survival for most kinds of cancer.
Unfortunately, modern medicine treatments for cancer are often pretty brutal. Surgery, chemo and radiation totally kick your ass. It's shitty, but that's just the way it is. And for anyone crowing about "natural alternatives" to chemotherapy, may I remind you that anthrax and rattlesnakes and arsenic are all "natural." Chemotherapy, for that matter, is synthetically derived now but it was originally derived from plant alkaloids. So, yeah. Pipe that in your smoke and stick it.
That said, there are always resources and therapy groups and little tricks a chemo patient can employ in order to help combat the effects of chemotherapy and that is what this post is actually about.
I make no medical claims with this information and it is, granted, anecdotal and based on one woman's experience with chemotherapy, not any sort of peer-reviewed research. Insert "your mom joke" here, because these tips and hints are, in fact, from MY MOM.
Surviving and Thriving through Chemo
(Different chemo cocktails have different side effects, or none, but these tricks and products got me through...)
On queasy days:
bland foods (be sure to eat! Cancer patients die from malnutrition... not good, not necessary!):
* Ore-Ida frozen mashed potatoes (healthy ingredients, easy to prepare)
* white rice
* plain waffles
* whole grain white bread
* whole wheat saltines
By the bed or sofa: (in a handy basket)
* Newman's Ginger-O's
* ginger lozenges
* bottles of ginger ale (room temp.)
* individual natural apple sauce servings & spoon (room temp.)
* Archway gingerbread men
To build you up and fight cancer cells:
* almond butter
* all kinds of berries
* green tea
* Z-bec vitamins
* orange food
* dark green leafy vegetables
* Bolthouse Farms drinks (in produce section)
To soothe and sustain you:
* rose & vanilla scented oil candles
* massage oil in the bath
* lots of long hot bubble baths
* gallons of moisturizers
* drops of pure lavender oil on a tissue put between pillow & pillow case
* lavender sachets
* lots of cool fresh air (ceiling fan, if you have one above the bed, ON on rough days or nights)
Drink lots of water, especially right after chemo. If your chemo potion might cause mouth sores, rinse twice a day with very warm water & 1 tsp. salt.
If you get the YUCK! taste in your mouth, Tic-Tacs or other hard candy or mints help (in the car, purse, end tables, have some wherever they're within easy reach).
Be selfish and take care of yourself! You can make it up to people later. Don't feel guilty. Good luck!
[disclaimer: I know, I know. I'm all blahblahblah anecdotes are not data and blahblahblah "boost your immune system" doesn't actually mean anything, but none of this stuff is medicinal and should not interfere with any of your treatments except to hopefully help you feel better]
[disclaimer 2: Please talk to your doctor before embarking on any sort of complementary regimen, even those involving exercise, foods, vitamins, herbs, etc., because everyone is different and everyone's chemo experience is different and your doctor may have better or other recommendations, or reasons to avoid certain of the above suggestions. And your doctor knows best. After all, s/he went to fucking medical school for this shit.]
Resources:
* American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org/)
* National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/), part of the US National Institutes of Health
* NCI Resources for Financial Assistance
* For Rochester-area residents with breast cancer specifically: Elizabeth Wende Breast Care and Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester and the Pluta Center (this link takes you to prosthetic, clothing, and wig resources -my mom got hers from Alternative Hair, and they were beautiful and very self-image-boosting for her)
* For all-around baloney detection: What's the Harm and Snopes.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
good news for the reality-based community
We don't have it often enough, but here's some: Andrew Wakefield was found by the British General Medical Council to have acted "dishonestly and irresponsibly" in doing his research, and The Lancet has (finally) retracted that bloody paper that started the hysteria in the first place.
For a great write-up -with links- explaining further, I send you to the inestimable and brilliant Phil Plait, from Bad Astronomy.
Yes, autism is tragic and yes, we need to find the answers, but blaming and scapegoating vaccines when every peer-review study clearly shows no link is irresponsible and dangerous, and only leads to more injury and death when diseases like polio and measles and whooping cough come back.
For a great write-up -with links- explaining further, I send you to the inestimable and brilliant Phil Plait, from Bad Astronomy.
Yes, autism is tragic and yes, we need to find the answers, but blaming and scapegoating vaccines when every peer-review study clearly shows no link is irresponsible and dangerous, and only leads to more injury and death when diseases like polio and measles and whooping cough come back.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
the most controversial issue of all (upgrayedded)
Vaccines. Do Not. Cause. Autism. Jenny McCarthy is an ignorant monster with a body count attached to her name, and she needs to be stopped. Andrew Wakefield is a lying shill. He made it all up to sell a treatment. Even the courts have ruled that there is no link between autism and vaccines.
Please take a moment (or a few moments) and read this science-based medicine run-down of the anti-vax movement and why they haven't a leg to stand on.
This is why we vaccinate. Choosing not to do so actually puts children, and everyone else, in even greater danger.
Of course you want to protect your children, and if they do get sick you want answers. But blaming vaccines is not the answer. Vaccines help protect us all against acute chronic illness, and diseases that can lead to encephalitis and seizures, deafness, heart defects and mental retardation, myocarditis and polyneuritis, or be crippling and disabling, disfiguring and deadly, deadly, deadly. They also give us herd immunity. The very old and the very young and those with compromised immune systems depend on the rest of us to get the vaccines they cannot, to ensure they do not contract these diseases.
The evidence is all in favor of vaccines promoting health and wellness. It seems fair to say now that Andrew Wakefield had ulterior motives and faked his research and data. All the other scientists from that study have disavowed it. Intuition and coincidences are not evidence, and every well-conducted study indicates that we do not know what causes autism, but that it is not the vaccines.
Of course we shouldn't put weird and crazy stuff into our bodies, but vaccines have years and years of trials and tests to ensure their safety. You can't say the same for your bottled water. And have you read the ingredients on your ice cream lately? There's scary stuff everywhere, but the stuff in your vaccines has been proven safe and effective. Not vaccinating may keep the vaccine out of your kid, but without the vaccine your kid is vulnerable and a health risk to everyone around. And for an overview of sixteen vaccine-preventable diseases in all their horrible horribleness, look no further.
I don't have children, so what do I care, right? Well, I care because Jenny McCarthy is wrong, and she is dangerous, and she is putting people's lives at risk because she doesn't understand science and medicine. She also, apparently, doesn't understand irony.
You don't have to believe me. I'm not a doctor (but then, neither is Jenny McCarthy and that doesn't stop her from dispensing medical advice). But Steven Novella is, and so is Orac. And so is Mark Crislip, the Chief of Infectious Diseases for Legacy Health System (see also here).
(Originally posted 4/03/09.)
Additional links:
- Remember, just because B happens after A DOES NOT MEAN that A caused B!!
- Orac search results
- Dr. Novella search results
- video from Dooce made by MOMS
- countering anti-vaxxers with Amanda Peet
- The Truth About The Evils Of Vaccination
- Anti-Vax KILLS, and now Oprah Winfrey helps (see also here and here)
- Do Children Get Too Many Immunizations? The answer is NO, in case you don't want to read the whole thing.
- Holding people accountable for "shouting fire" and fanning the flames of panic.
- For those of you who speak Spanish...
- Why a mother stopped vaccinating and then realized her mistake.
- Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Ice-T, and Stephanie March should so celebrity death match Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carey.
- Why Does the Vaccine/Autism Controversy Live On?
- 10 Vaccine Myths: BUSTED
- Toxic myths about vaccines by David Gorski
- A website for those who DO choose to vaccine: www.whyichoose.org, with info and resources.
- Don't Listen to Jenny McCarthy, from Cracked.com
- An Open Letter to Frightened Parents, by Skepchick Elyse Anders.
- Get The Picture: Child Immunizations, released by the CDC, unfortunately, but still important and informative.
- Roald Dahl, 23 years ago, recognized measles as a dangerous illness and encouraged parents to vaccinate in order to not suffer the same terrible loss of a child as he did when his daughter died of measles encephalitis. His words still ring true, and I wish he were still alive so that he could bitch-slap that booger-eating botox-filled bag of nonsense.
- Cracking The Autism Riddle: Common Sense About Vaccines And Autism, by Harvey Karp
- help re-establish herd immunity in Nevada with the JREF!
- New anti-vax lies just in time for the swine flu vaccine, debunked by the SkepDoc, Harriet Hall
- Also, Phil Plait and Dr. Steven Novella talk about swine flu and new lies from the antivaxxers. To quote from Phil's blog entry, "That’s something to always remember: despite the garbage conspiracy theory-toting antivaxxers are purveying, diseases tend to be a lot more dangerous than vaccination. Talk to your doctor, read what Steve Novella has to say, and get the real scoop on vaccination."
- Phil Plait on Gardasil
- How Safe is the HPV vaccine?, 10/12/09.
- More vaccine nonsense debunking from the Skepchicks. No, really, it's NOT people.
- More Evidence for Vaccine Safety
- Autism rates back MMR jab safety
- Dr. Harriet Hall lecturing at TAM7.
- Orac and Dr. Steven Novella bitchslap Bill Maher for his ridiculous anti-vax statements.
- Skeptoid podcast about vaccine ingredients.
- Quackcast podcast about flu vaccine efficacy (and taradiddles).
- An anti-vax parent decides to vaccinate. Why? Because of evidence!
- Plus, Andrew Wakefield (the guy who started all this nonsense in the first place) has been found to have acted "unethically" during his trails where he allegedly concocted a link between autism and the MMR. Unfortunately, they didn't mention that alleged concoction or his conflict of interest, but it's still good news for science, reason and evidence. Aaaaand. he's been barred from practicing medicine in the UK! Aaaaaand here's a thorough evisceration of Wakefield worth the read.
-
Really good overviews:
- Vaccines and Autism, Topic Editor: Steven Novella, MD
- Dr. Steven Novella: The Truth About The Evils Of Vaccination
- super cool: GiveVaccines.org, For each word you get right, we donate funds to purchase .01ml of vaccine through the GAVI Fund to help end disease world wide.
One final image to leave you with: this is how Jenny McCarthy reacts when presented with valid scientific evidence which completely destroys her arguments:
Please take a moment (or a few moments) and read this science-based medicine run-down of the anti-vax movement and why they haven't a leg to stand on.
This is why we vaccinate. Choosing not to do so actually puts children, and everyone else, in even greater danger.
Of course you want to protect your children, and if they do get sick you want answers. But blaming vaccines is not the answer. Vaccines help protect us all against acute chronic illness, and diseases that can lead to encephalitis and seizures, deafness, heart defects and mental retardation, myocarditis and polyneuritis, or be crippling and disabling, disfiguring and deadly, deadly, deadly. They also give us herd immunity. The very old and the very young and those with compromised immune systems depend on the rest of us to get the vaccines they cannot, to ensure they do not contract these diseases.
The evidence is all in favor of vaccines promoting health and wellness. It seems fair to say now that Andrew Wakefield had ulterior motives and faked his research and data. All the other scientists from that study have disavowed it. Intuition and coincidences are not evidence, and every well-conducted study indicates that we do not know what causes autism, but that it is not the vaccines.
Of course we shouldn't put weird and crazy stuff into our bodies, but vaccines have years and years of trials and tests to ensure their safety. You can't say the same for your bottled water. And have you read the ingredients on your ice cream lately? There's scary stuff everywhere, but the stuff in your vaccines has been proven safe and effective. Not vaccinating may keep the vaccine out of your kid, but without the vaccine your kid is vulnerable and a health risk to everyone around. And for an overview of sixteen vaccine-preventable diseases in all their horrible horribleness, look no further.
I don't have children, so what do I care, right? Well, I care because Jenny McCarthy is wrong, and she is dangerous, and she is putting people's lives at risk because she doesn't understand science and medicine. She also, apparently, doesn't understand irony.
You don't have to believe me. I'm not a doctor (but then, neither is Jenny McCarthy and that doesn't stop her from dispensing medical advice). But Steven Novella is, and so is Orac. And so is Mark Crislip, the Chief of Infectious Diseases for Legacy Health System (see also here).
(Originally posted 4/03/09.)
Additional links:
- Remember, just because B happens after A DOES NOT MEAN that A caused B!!
- Orac search results
- Dr. Novella search results
- video from Dooce made by MOMS
- countering anti-vaxxers with Amanda Peet
- The Truth About The Evils Of Vaccination
- Anti-Vax KILLS, and now Oprah Winfrey helps (see also here and here)
- Do Children Get Too Many Immunizations? The answer is NO, in case you don't want to read the whole thing.
- Holding people accountable for "shouting fire" and fanning the flames of panic.
- For those of you who speak Spanish...
- Why a mother stopped vaccinating and then realized her mistake.
- Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Ice-T, and Stephanie March should so celebrity death match Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carey.
- Why Does the Vaccine/Autism Controversy Live On?
- 10 Vaccine Myths: BUSTED
- Toxic myths about vaccines by David Gorski
- A website for those who DO choose to vaccine: www.whyichoose.org, with info and resources.
- Don't Listen to Jenny McCarthy, from Cracked.com
- An Open Letter to Frightened Parents, by Skepchick Elyse Anders.
- Get The Picture: Child Immunizations, released by the CDC, unfortunately, but still important and informative.
- Roald Dahl, 23 years ago, recognized measles as a dangerous illness and encouraged parents to vaccinate in order to not suffer the same terrible loss of a child as he did when his daughter died of measles encephalitis. His words still ring true, and I wish he were still alive so that he could bitch-slap that booger-eating botox-filled bag of nonsense.
- Cracking The Autism Riddle: Common Sense About Vaccines And Autism, by Harvey Karp
- help re-establish herd immunity in Nevada with the JREF!
- New anti-vax lies just in time for the swine flu vaccine, debunked by the SkepDoc, Harriet Hall
- Also, Phil Plait and Dr. Steven Novella talk about swine flu and new lies from the antivaxxers. To quote from Phil's blog entry, "That’s something to always remember: despite the garbage conspiracy theory-toting antivaxxers are purveying, diseases tend to be a lot more dangerous than vaccination. Talk to your doctor, read what Steve Novella has to say, and get the real scoop on vaccination."
- Phil Plait on Gardasil
- How Safe is the HPV vaccine?, 10/12/09.
- More vaccine nonsense debunking from the Skepchicks. No, really, it's NOT people.
- More Evidence for Vaccine Safety
- Autism rates back MMR jab safety
- Dr. Harriet Hall lecturing at TAM7.
- Orac and Dr. Steven Novella bitchslap Bill Maher for his ridiculous anti-vax statements.
- Skeptoid podcast about vaccine ingredients.
- Quackcast podcast about flu vaccine efficacy (and taradiddles).
- An anti-vax parent decides to vaccinate. Why? Because of evidence!
- Plus, Andrew Wakefield (the guy who started all this nonsense in the first place) has been found to have acted "unethically" during his trails where he allegedly concocted a link between autism and the MMR. Unfortunately, they didn't mention that alleged concoction or his conflict of interest, but it's still good news for science, reason and evidence. Aaaaand. he's been barred from practicing medicine in the UK! Aaaaaand here's a thorough evisceration of Wakefield worth the read.
-
Really good overviews:
- Vaccines and Autism, Topic Editor: Steven Novella, MD
- Dr. Steven Novella: The Truth About The Evils Of Vaccination
- super cool: GiveVaccines.org, For each word you get right, we donate funds to purchase .01ml of vaccine through the GAVI Fund to help end disease world wide.
One final image to leave you with: this is how Jenny McCarthy reacts when presented with valid scientific evidence which completely destroys her arguments:
Thursday, December 17, 2009
'tis the season to think of others...
On the heels of a post about charities I specifically avoid, I'll rehash some I think are worthwhile. Because I know you care.
Let's start out with a list of Skeptical and Atheist Charities, courtesy of TechSkeptic.
And now for those I care to support:
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Purpose: to provide comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in settings which preserve and protect the essential privacy and rights of each individual; to advocate public policies which guarantee these rights and ensure access to such services; to provide educational programs which enhance understanding of individual and societal implications of human sexuality; to promote research and the advancement of technology in reproductive health care and encourage understanding of their inherent bioethical, behavioral, and social implications.
Donors Choose
An online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need.
Here's how it works: public school teachers from every corner of America post classroom project requests on DonorsChoose.org. Requests range from pencils for a poetry writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class.
Then, you can browse project requests and give any amount to the one that inspires you. Once a project reaches its funding goal, we deliver the materials to the school.
The Humane Society of the United States
Purpose: The HSUS seeks a humane and sustainable world for all animals—a world that will also benefit people. We are America's mainstream force against cruelty, exploitation and neglect, as well as the most trusted voice extolling the human-animal bond.
Victory Junction Gang Camp
Purpose: to enrich the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment.
Public Broadcasting Service
Purpose: is a non-profit public broadcasting television service with 354 member TV stations in the United States, with some member stations available in Canada.
Heifer International
Purpose: to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth; providing gifts of livestock and plants, as well as education in sustainable agriculture, to financially-disadvantaged families around the world
Guttmacher Institute
Purpose: to advance sexual and reproductive health through an interrelated program of social science research, policy analysis and public education, designed to generate new ideas, encourage enlightened public debate, promote sound policy and program development, and, ultimately, inform individual decision-making.
Human Rights Campaign
Purpose: America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality.
Secular Humanist Aid and Relief Efforts
Purpose: a secular alternative to faith-based relief efforts; a program of the Council for Secular Humanism; working with Americares (purpose: to provide immediate response to emergency medical needs and support long-term humanitarian assistance programs for all people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion)
Secular Coalition for America
The national lobby representing the interests of atheists, humanists, agnostics, freethinkers and other nontheistic Americans.
Freedom From Religion Foundation
The FFRF works to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism, and to promote the constitutional principle of separation between church and state.
Center for Inquiry
The mission of the Center for Inquiry is to foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values.
James Randi Educational Foundation
Its aim is to promote critical thinking by reaching out to the public and media with reliable information about paranormal and supernatural ideas so widespread in our society today.
Plan USA
Our vision is of a world in which all children realize their full potential in societies that respect people's rights and dignity. If James "The Amaz!ng" Randi thinks this is a worthy cause, it must have something going for it.
The National Organization for Women
Purpose: NOW works to eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace, schools, the justice system, and all other sectors of society; secure abortion, birth control and reproductive rights for all women; end all forms of violence against women; eradicate racism, sexism and homophobia; and promote equality and justice in our society.
Kiva loans that save lives
Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.
Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.
To restate what I said last year:
Remember, these organizations need support, donations and volunteers year round and not just during the holidays, but if you can give anything, even a little, it helps a lot. Send an anonymous check or request not to receive solicitations if you are worried about getting on a mailing list, but do send something. Perhaps in lieu of dinner out some night you could buy dinner for a less well-off family. Perhaps in lieu of buying a new DVD you could help others. Perhaps in lieu of another new pair of sneakers, you could help supply warm shoes for a needy person. We all likely have more than we need, especially if we have the time to wile away on a blog, so we should take a few moments this season and see what we can share with others.
As always, check out the Charity Navigator to see how your chosen charities are rated.
Besides, 'tis the season for giving, after all, and 'do unto others' applies to secular folk, too.
Let's start out with a list of Skeptical and Atheist Charities, courtesy of TechSkeptic.
And now for those I care to support:
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Purpose: to provide comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in settings which preserve and protect the essential privacy and rights of each individual; to advocate public policies which guarantee these rights and ensure access to such services; to provide educational programs which enhance understanding of individual and societal implications of human sexuality; to promote research and the advancement of technology in reproductive health care and encourage understanding of their inherent bioethical, behavioral, and social implications.
Donors Choose
An online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need.
Here's how it works: public school teachers from every corner of America post classroom project requests on DonorsChoose.org. Requests range from pencils for a poetry writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class.
Then, you can browse project requests and give any amount to the one that inspires you. Once a project reaches its funding goal, we deliver the materials to the school.
The Humane Society of the United States
Purpose: The HSUS seeks a humane and sustainable world for all animals—a world that will also benefit people. We are America's mainstream force against cruelty, exploitation and neglect, as well as the most trusted voice extolling the human-animal bond.
Victory Junction Gang Camp
Purpose: to enrich the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment.
Public Broadcasting Service
Purpose: is a non-profit public broadcasting television service with 354 member TV stations in the United States, with some member stations available in Canada.
Heifer International
Purpose: to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth; providing gifts of livestock and plants, as well as education in sustainable agriculture, to financially-disadvantaged families around the world
Guttmacher Institute
Purpose: to advance sexual and reproductive health through an interrelated program of social science research, policy analysis and public education, designed to generate new ideas, encourage enlightened public debate, promote sound policy and program development, and, ultimately, inform individual decision-making.
Human Rights Campaign
Purpose: America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality.
Secular Humanist Aid and Relief Efforts
Purpose: a secular alternative to faith-based relief efforts; a program of the Council for Secular Humanism; working with Americares (purpose: to provide immediate response to emergency medical needs and support long-term humanitarian assistance programs for all people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion)
Secular Coalition for America
The national lobby representing the interests of atheists, humanists, agnostics, freethinkers and other nontheistic Americans.
Freedom From Religion Foundation
The FFRF works to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism, and to promote the constitutional principle of separation between church and state.
Center for Inquiry
The mission of the Center for Inquiry is to foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values.
James Randi Educational Foundation
Its aim is to promote critical thinking by reaching out to the public and media with reliable information about paranormal and supernatural ideas so widespread in our society today.
Plan USA
Our vision is of a world in which all children realize their full potential in societies that respect people's rights and dignity. If James "The Amaz!ng" Randi thinks this is a worthy cause, it must have something going for it.
The National Organization for Women
Purpose: NOW works to eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace, schools, the justice system, and all other sectors of society; secure abortion, birth control and reproductive rights for all women; end all forms of violence against women; eradicate racism, sexism and homophobia; and promote equality and justice in our society.
Kiva loans that save lives
Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.
Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.
To restate what I said last year:
Remember, these organizations need support, donations and volunteers year round and not just during the holidays, but if you can give anything, even a little, it helps a lot. Send an anonymous check or request not to receive solicitations if you are worried about getting on a mailing list, but do send something. Perhaps in lieu of dinner out some night you could buy dinner for a less well-off family. Perhaps in lieu of buying a new DVD you could help others. Perhaps in lieu of another new pair of sneakers, you could help supply warm shoes for a needy person. We all likely have more than we need, especially if we have the time to wile away on a blog, so we should take a few moments this season and see what we can share with others.
As always, check out the Charity Navigator to see how your chosen charities are rated.
Besides, 'tis the season for giving, after all, and 'do unto others' applies to secular folk, too.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
why I do not give to the United Way
...because charity is supposed to be private and personal
...because charity should never been mandatory or compelled or bribed
...because I would prefer to donate to the organizations directly rather than go through a giant umbrella organization -that way I'm sure that my money is going where I want it to
...because, while the United Way undoubtedly does a great deal of good, and while it certainly meets the Better Business Bureau's Standards for Charity Accountability, I have a hard time supporting a charitable organization whose President and CEO makes $973,535 a year
And if anyone's curious as to why I do not give to the Salvation Army and why I avoid establishments in front of which they are allowed to panhandle, look no further than their stance on homosexuality -not to mention the fact that they are, you know, ridiculously faith-based.
RAmen.
...because charity should never been mandatory or compelled or bribed
...because I would prefer to donate to the organizations directly rather than go through a giant umbrella organization -that way I'm sure that my money is going where I want it to
...because, while the United Way undoubtedly does a great deal of good, and while it certainly meets the Better Business Bureau's Standards for Charity Accountability, I have a hard time supporting a charitable organization whose President and CEO makes $973,535 a year
And if anyone's curious as to why I do not give to the Salvation Army and why I avoid establishments in front of which they are allowed to panhandle, look no further than their stance on homosexuality -not to mention the fact that they are, you know, ridiculously faith-based.
RAmen.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Whew! Marriage is safe, for now.
Since we all know how damaging it would be if consenting homosexual couples were allowed to get teh married, it's kind of a relief that the NYS Senate voted to NOT extend equal marriage rights to teh gays -by 38-24, no less, meaning that not only did ALL the Republicans vote against the bill (including my state senator, George D. Maziarz) but some Democrats, too. Oh wait, except that it's not. It's actually stupid and awful and shameful.
Seriously. Shame, shame, shame on you, NYS. FSM-forbid consenting adults all be given the same rights and protections. And no, "civil unions" aren't the same. I'm not going to get into the whole marriage-is-a-religious-institution b.s. (because if anyone wants a good example of how it's totally not, well, haaaaaaaaave you met me?!), but if straight folk get it, then so should gay folk. If you make marriage a religious thing only, and everyone else gets secularly civil unioned, then fine. We'll get un-married and will get civil union'ed. That's cool. But if it's a matter of different terms based on the gender of the person you love or denying equality all together, then no, that's not okay.
Blah, blah, blah "sanctity of marriage" blah, blah, blah "fragile children being taught teh gay" blah, blah, blah "Adam & Eve"... Yeah, shut up. I'll see your marriage myths and I will bust the fuck out of them.
Interestingly, Senator Maziarz sent out a special health bulletin to his constituents regarding H1N1, which I received yesterday. That's great and fine and good, the information is valid and accurate as far as I can tell, and it's good to get the word out to his constituents about this. The irony (that's irony, right?) in it is that he showed clearly on Tuesday that he really only cares about the well-being of SOME of his constituents. Namely, the straightees. Harrumph.
Seriously. Shame, shame, shame on you, NYS. FSM-forbid consenting adults all be given the same rights and protections. And no, "civil unions" aren't the same. I'm not going to get into the whole marriage-is-a-religious-institution b.s. (because if anyone wants a good example of how it's totally not, well, haaaaaaaaave you met me?!), but if straight folk get it, then so should gay folk. If you make marriage a religious thing only, and everyone else gets secularly civil unioned, then fine. We'll get un-married and will get civil union'ed. That's cool. But if it's a matter of different terms based on the gender of the person you love or denying equality all together, then no, that's not okay.
Blah, blah, blah "sanctity of marriage" blah, blah, blah "fragile children being taught teh gay" blah, blah, blah "Adam & Eve"... Yeah, shut up. I'll see your marriage myths and I will bust the fuck out of them.
Interestingly, Senator Maziarz sent out a special health bulletin to his constituents regarding H1N1, which I received yesterday. That's great and fine and good, the information is valid and accurate as far as I can tell, and it's good to get the word out to his constituents about this. The irony (that's irony, right?) in it is that he showed clearly on Tuesday that he really only cares about the well-being of SOME of his constituents. Namely, the straightees. Harrumph.
Monday, November 30, 2009
It's not the snow, it's the assholes.
And so it has begun. Wednesday 11/25 marked the beginning of a month of you all hearing me bitch about the lights. If I throw my hat into the "War on Christmas" ring this year, it will be solely prompted by the blasted Christmas lights. What a bloody waste of time, money, energy and resources... But if you want to Griswold your house up for one month of the year, fine. Have at. It doesn't really affect anyone else. Except that, oh wait, it does! And it's not your lights and it's not your holidays or your Christianity or any of that. No, it's the assholes.
You like to drive around and look at lights? Great. But when you do, could you possibly try to remember that you are driving? On a street? You know, where other people might be driving?! Yeah, I'm just suggesting that you might want to keep an eye on the road instead of both eyes on the lights. That way, you don't have to slam on your breaks and hammer your horn and glare and flip the bird at people who are just trying to get home and might be expecting you to pay attention to your driving. Good? K, thx.
And today, Monday 11/30, we had our first spotting of snow flakes here at work -accompanied by the first grumblings and bitchings about said snow, even though it's practically December, people! And we live in upstate New York. It's supposed to be snowing! And to be fair, snow is pretty. See, it's not the snow that bothers me. It's supposed to snow during the winter. It's not the cold. I have cold weather gear. It's not the potential for storms and power outages -see, I know what to expect from a Rochester winter and I have a snow brush and shovel, we have a generator, we have emergency food and water. No, it's none of those things that bother me during the winter. Once again, it's the assholes.
You know you live in upstate New York, right? You know it's going to snow, right? It does it EVERY year. So can you explain to me why the first snowfall of the year makes you drive like you've never seen snow before? Come on, people, if you can't drive in the snow then get off the road! And is it really appropriate to stock up the day before a big storm is predicted? Wouldn't it maybe make more sense to already have your supplies on hand? And maybe could you quit bitching about the weather that is the same every damn year, and just try to appreciate the beauty of the turning of the year? Maybe just a little?
Also, you know, Christmas. The war on it and all that. I'm an atheist, but I don't get all pissy and offended when people choose to celebrate Christmas or when they wish me a 'merry Christmas.' What does bother me, unsurprisingly, is the assholes. The people who think it's their business what holiday anyone else celebrates (or doesn't), the people who flat-out say that everyone should be a Christian and misunderstand the entire origin of the holiday, the country and the Constitution... Guess what, folks? It's pagan! They're secular! So, shut up and celebrate in your own way, already, and I'll celebrate in mine.
Celebrate your holiday any way you want, with all the lights and presents* and hypocrisy* you want. Have at. Just don't be an asshole about it. Hmm?
In conclusion, dear readers, do me a favor this season and don't be an asshole. Otherwise, I'm gonna have to beat you.
*another topic for another post
You like to drive around and look at lights? Great. But when you do, could you possibly try to remember that you are driving? On a street? You know, where other people might be driving?! Yeah, I'm just suggesting that you might want to keep an eye on the road instead of both eyes on the lights. That way, you don't have to slam on your breaks and hammer your horn and glare and flip the bird at people who are just trying to get home and might be expecting you to pay attention to your driving. Good? K, thx.
And today, Monday 11/30, we had our first spotting of snow flakes here at work -accompanied by the first grumblings and bitchings about said snow, even though it's practically December, people! And we live in upstate New York. It's supposed to be snowing! And to be fair, snow is pretty. See, it's not the snow that bothers me. It's supposed to snow during the winter. It's not the cold. I have cold weather gear. It's not the potential for storms and power outages -see, I know what to expect from a Rochester winter and I have a snow brush and shovel, we have a generator, we have emergency food and water. No, it's none of those things that bother me during the winter. Once again, it's the assholes.
You know you live in upstate New York, right? You know it's going to snow, right? It does it EVERY year. So can you explain to me why the first snowfall of the year makes you drive like you've never seen snow before? Come on, people, if you can't drive in the snow then get off the road! And is it really appropriate to stock up the day before a big storm is predicted? Wouldn't it maybe make more sense to already have your supplies on hand? And maybe could you quit bitching about the weather that is the same every damn year, and just try to appreciate the beauty of the turning of the year? Maybe just a little?
Also, you know, Christmas. The war on it and all that. I'm an atheist, but I don't get all pissy and offended when people choose to celebrate Christmas or when they wish me a 'merry Christmas.' What does bother me, unsurprisingly, is the assholes. The people who think it's their business what holiday anyone else celebrates (or doesn't), the people who flat-out say that everyone should be a Christian and misunderstand the entire origin of the holiday, the country and the Constitution... Guess what, folks? It's pagan! They're secular! So, shut up and celebrate in your own way, already, and I'll celebrate in mine.
Celebrate your holiday any way you want, with all the lights and presents* and hypocrisy* you want. Have at. Just don't be an asshole about it. Hmm?
In conclusion, dear readers, do me a favor this season and don't be an asshole. Otherwise, I'm gonna have to beat you.
*another topic for another post
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
excerpt of thanks
Excerpt from Robert Green Ingersoll's Thanksgiving Sermon of 1897.
RAmen.
Whom shall we thank? Standing here at the close of the 19th century -- amid the trophies of thought -- the triumphs of genius -- here under the flag of the Great Republic -- knowing something of the history of man -- here on this day that has been set apart
for thanksgiving, I most reverently thank the good men. the good women of the past, I thank the kind fathers, the loving mothers of the savage days. I thank the father who spoke the first gentle word, the mother who first smiled upon her babe. I thank the first true friend. I thank the savages who hunted and fished that they and their babes might live. I thank those who cultivated the ground and changed the forests into farms -- those who built rude homes and watched the faces of their happy children in the glow of fireside flames -- those who domesticated horses, cattle and sheep -- those who invented wheels and looms and taught us to spin and weave -- those who by cultivation changed wild grasses into wheat and corn, changed bitter things to fruit, and worthless weeds to flowers, that sowed within our souls the seeds of art. I thank the poets of the dawn -- the tellers of legends -- the makers of myths -- the singers of joy and grief, of hope and love. I thank the artists who chiseled forms in stone and wrought with light and shade the face of man. I thank the philosophers, the thinkers, who taught us how to use our minds in the great search for truth. I thank the astronomers who explored the heavens, told us the secrets of the stars, the glories of the constellations -- the geologists who found the story of the world in fossil forms, in memoranda kept in ancient rocks, in lines written by waves, by frost and fire -- the anatomists who sought in muscle, nerve and bone for all the mysteries of life -- the chemists who unraveled Nature's work that they might learn her art -- the physicians who have laid the hand of science on the brow of pain, the hand whose magic touch restores -- the surgeons who have defeated Nature's self and forced her to preserve the lives of those she labored to destroy.
I thank the discoverers of chloroform and ether, the two angels who give to their beloved sleep, and wrap the throbbing brain in the soft robes of dreams. I thank the great inventors -- those who gave us movable type and the press, by means of which great thoughts and all discovered facts are made immortal -- the inventors of engines, of the great ships, of the railways, the cables and telegraphs. I thank the great mechanics, the workers in iron and steel, in wood and stone. I thank the inventors and makers of the numberless things of use and luxury.
I thank the industrious men, the loving mothers, the useful women. They are the benefactors of our race.
The inventor of pins did a thousand times more good than all the popes and cardinals, the bishops and priests -- than all the clergymen and parsons, exhorters and theologians that ever lived.
The inventor of matches did more for the comfort and convenience of mankind than all the founders of religions and the makers of all creeds -- than all malicious monks and selfish saints.
I thank the honest men and women who have expressed their sincere thoughts, who have been true to themselves and have preserved the veracity of their souls.
I thank the thinkers of Greece and Rome. Zeno and Epicurus, Cicero and Lucretius. I thank Bruno, the bravest, and Spinoza, the subtlest of men.
I thank Voltaire, whose thought lighted a flame in the brain of man, unlocked the doors of superstition's cells and gave liberty to many millions of his fellow-men. Voltaire -- a name that sheds light. Voltaire -- a star that superstition's darkness cannot quench.
I thank the great poets -- the dramatists. I thank Homer and Aeschylus, and I thank Shakespeare above them all. I thank Burns for the heart-throbs he changed into songs. for his lyrics of flame. I thank Shelley for his Skylark, Keats for his Grecian Urn and Byron for his Prisoner of Chillon. I thank the great novelists. I thank the great sculptors. I thank the unknown man who molded and chiseled the Venus de Milo. I thank the great painters. I thank Rembrandt and Corot. I thank all who have adorned, enriched and ennobled life -- all who have created the great, the noble, the heroic and artistic ideals.
I thank the statesmen who have preserved the rights of man. I thank Paine whose genius sowed the seeds of independence in the hearts of '76. I thank Jefferson whose mighty words for liberty have made the circuit of the globe. I thank the founders, the defenders, the saviors of the Republic. I thank Ericsson, the greatest mechanic of his century, for the monitor. I thank Lincoln for the Proclamation. I thank Grant for his victories and the vast host that fought for the right, -- for the freedom of man. I thank them all -- the living and the dead.
I thank the great scientists -- those who have reached the foundation, the bed-rock -- who have built upon facts -- the great scientists, in whose presence theologians look silly and feel malicious.
The scientists never persecuted, never imprisoned their fellow-men. They forged no chains, built no dungeons, erected no scaffolds -- tore no flesh with red hot pincers -- dislocated no joints on racks, crushed no hones in iron boots -- extinguished no eyes -- tore out no tongues and lighted no fagots. They did not pretend to be inspired -- did not claim to be prophets or saints or to have been born again. They were only intelligent and honest men. They did not appeal to force or fear. They did not regard men as slaves to be ruled by torture, by lash and chain, nor as children to be cheated with illusions, rocked in the cradle of an idiot creed and soothed by a lullaby of lies.
They did not wound -- they healed. They did not kill -- they lengthened life. They did not enslave -- they broke the chains and made men free. They sowed the seeds of knowledge, and many millions have reaped, are reaping, and will reap the harvest: of joy.
I thank Humboldt and Helmholtz and Haeckel and Buchner. I thank Lamarck and Darwin -- Darwin who revolutionized the thought of the intellectual world. I thank Huxley and Spencer. I thank the scientists one and all.
I thank the heroes, the destroyers of prejudice and fear -- the dethroners of savage gods -- the extinguishers of hate's eternal fire -- the heroes, the breakers of chains -- the founders of free states -- the makers of just laws -- the heroes who fought and fell on countless fields -- the heroes whose dungeons became shrines -- the heroes whose blood made scaffolds sacred -- the heroes, the apostles of reason, the disciples of truth, the soldiers of freedom -- the heroes who held high the holy torch and filled the world with light.
With all my heart I thank them all.
RAmen.
Friday, November 20, 2009
more getting-my-nerd-on
Speaking of nerd-dom, I just celebrated my 30th birthday (no, not my "dirty thirty," as there was no mud wrestling or dust storm or anything, just a regular old birthday like any other birthday except this one had a nice round number -which I am doing my best to emulate with my dietary habits of late) and man, I got my nerd on.
My beloved indulged me with a trip to the planet-arium so we could watch Cosmic Disasters and snicker at all the sillies who buy into the 2012 b.s. (more on that from my corn crap blog post), and then to the Titanic exhibit and the Rochester Museum and Science Center. That was really interesting, and sad of course.
But don't worry, it wasn't all nerdness and smrts. We went to the final Roc City Roller Derby bout of the season (which is an entire other kind of geek-out) on Saturday and to see Zombieland (which is a whole other kind of kick ass!!) on Sunday.
I highly recommend doing all of these things, whether it's your birthday or not, although it does make for a great excuse.
see more dog and puppy pictures
My beloved indulged me with a trip to the planet-arium so we could watch Cosmic Disasters and snicker at all the sillies who buy into the 2012 b.s. (more on that from my corn crap blog post), and then to the Titanic exhibit and the Rochester Museum and Science Center. That was really interesting, and sad of course.
But don't worry, it wasn't all nerdness and smrts. We went to the final Roc City Roller Derby bout of the season (which is an entire other kind of geek-out) on Saturday and to see Zombieland (which is a whole other kind of kick ass!!) on Sunday.
I highly recommend doing all of these things, whether it's your birthday or not, although it does make for a great excuse.
see more dog and puppy pictures
Did I ever tell you about the time...
Did I ever tell you about the time we visited Cleveland? No, not the character from Family Guy, the actual city in Ohio, the one named for General Moses Cleaveland (yes, we've been spelling it wrong all these years). No? I didn't tell you. Blast. I totally meant to. I musta got all caught up in my nannerversary and mah birfday and the news of the world and whatnot. My bad.
So, yeah, at the end of summer my beloved and I took a day trip down to Cleveland in his kickass new grumbly GXP. The point of the trip was to visit the A Christmas Story House and Museum (and gift shop!), and since the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in in Cleveland, too, we figured we'd stop there as well.
The story in "A Christmas Story" took place in Indiana, but Indiana had changed too much by 1983 when they made the movie, so the director (Bob Clark) sent out location scouts for the exterior shots and they decided that this house, in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland's west side, was the house that best fit.
Of course, the house was a duplex at the time, so those scenes looking into the front room where the leg lamp is proudly displayed? Yeah, that was someone's bedroom.
So anyway, we took a tour of the house and learned the history of the house and how the current owner (Brian Jones) bought it off of E-bay without even seeing it, how he had to gut the whole place and recreated the interior as best he could to match the movie scenes. And there's a gift shop so we could get some loot. Plus, there's a museum of memorabilia across the street with props and photos and elves and everything. Wait, elves? Yep. Elves. Patty Johnson (Lafontaine), who played the head elf (you know "come on, kid!") in the Santa Visit scene, was there signing autographs. Jim Morelavitz, who helped deliver The Major Award in the movie and basically babysat the child actors during the filming, was also there. An obscure but informative addition -especially since she told us we couldn't leave Cleveland without visiting the Great Lakes Science Center.
The what? Science, what? I won't lie, my brain got a nerd boner right then.
Turns out, right next to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is in fact the Great Lakes Science Center. We hit the Rock Hall first and my first and loudest reaction is WHAT A FREAKING WASTE OF SPACE!!! Don't get me wrong, it was cool. There's a lot of neat stuff there and the exhibits are cool (if cramped and crowded) and if you're in Cleveland or passing through anyway (and now that you know that the A Christmas Story house is there, too, why wouldn't you go?!), you should stop and see the Hall. Watch out, though, it's damn expensive. And I have to say, maybe if they hadn't built half the walls out of glass, their HVAC bills would be lower and they could charge less... So yeah. Cool stuff, but a bad use of space and a bad design over all.
There was a special Bruce Springsteen exhibit at the tippy top of the museum, which was way better than the Kiss exhibit we were somehow afraid might be there. FSM, I hate Kiss.
But then there was the Great Lakes Science Center (insert choir-of-angels-like-ahhhhhhhhhhh! here). Oh, the Great Lakes Science Center. Right on Lake Erie, it's a big ol' science museum with an Omnimax theatre. We saw Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk (GORGEOUS -get it?) and went through the museum. Specifically, they had an exhibit on Charles Darwin for the 200th anniversary of his birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of "On the Origin of Species." Perfect timing for our visit! And there was a renewable energy exhibit and all the regular awesomeness that is museum stuff.
Yeah, totally got my nerd on.
Plus, the cafeteria at the science center recycles pretty much everything and even uses compostable utensils. Granted, it has to be composted professionally because of the high-heat required to actually ensure that they do compost, but the idea is a nice start anyway.
Plus, dinner at the Texas Roadhouse in Erie, PA. Mmmmmm, bread.
And then the drive home. Interestingly, as soon as we crossed the border into New York State and began driving on toll roads, it was potholes galore. Ahhh, our tax dollars at work... Although, to be fair, driving from W 11th St to the science center kind of tried to kick the GXP's ass, too.
So, yeah, at the end of summer my beloved and I took a day trip down to Cleveland in his kickass new grumbly GXP. The point of the trip was to visit the A Christmas Story House and Museum (and gift shop!), and since the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in in Cleveland, too, we figured we'd stop there as well.
The story in "A Christmas Story" took place in Indiana, but Indiana had changed too much by 1983 when they made the movie, so the director (Bob Clark) sent out location scouts for the exterior shots and they decided that this house, in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland's west side, was the house that best fit.
Of course, the house was a duplex at the time, so those scenes looking into the front room where the leg lamp is proudly displayed? Yeah, that was someone's bedroom.
So anyway, we took a tour of the house and learned the history of the house and how the current owner (Brian Jones) bought it off of E-bay without even seeing it, how he had to gut the whole place and recreated the interior as best he could to match the movie scenes. And there's a gift shop so we could get some loot. Plus, there's a museum of memorabilia across the street with props and photos and elves and everything. Wait, elves? Yep. Elves. Patty Johnson (Lafontaine), who played the head elf (you know "come on, kid!") in the Santa Visit scene, was there signing autographs. Jim Morelavitz, who helped deliver The Major Award in the movie and basically babysat the child actors during the filming, was also there. An obscure but informative addition -especially since she told us we couldn't leave Cleveland without visiting the Great Lakes Science Center.
The what? Science, what? I won't lie, my brain got a nerd boner right then.
Turns out, right next to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is in fact the Great Lakes Science Center. We hit the Rock Hall first and my first and loudest reaction is WHAT A FREAKING WASTE OF SPACE!!! Don't get me wrong, it was cool. There's a lot of neat stuff there and the exhibits are cool (if cramped and crowded) and if you're in Cleveland or passing through anyway (and now that you know that the A Christmas Story house is there, too, why wouldn't you go?!), you should stop and see the Hall. Watch out, though, it's damn expensive. And I have to say, maybe if they hadn't built half the walls out of glass, their HVAC bills would be lower and they could charge less... So yeah. Cool stuff, but a bad use of space and a bad design over all.
There was a special Bruce Springsteen exhibit at the tippy top of the museum, which was way better than the Kiss exhibit we were somehow afraid might be there. FSM, I hate Kiss.
But then there was the Great Lakes Science Center (insert choir-of-angels-like-ahhhhhhhhhhh! here). Oh, the Great Lakes Science Center. Right on Lake Erie, it's a big ol' science museum with an Omnimax theatre. We saw Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk (GORGEOUS -get it?) and went through the museum. Specifically, they had an exhibit on Charles Darwin for the 200th anniversary of his birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of "On the Origin of Species." Perfect timing for our visit! And there was a renewable energy exhibit and all the regular awesomeness that is museum stuff.
Yeah, totally got my nerd on.
Plus, the cafeteria at the science center recycles pretty much everything and even uses compostable utensils. Granted, it has to be composted professionally because of the high-heat required to actually ensure that they do compost, but the idea is a nice start anyway.
Plus, dinner at the Texas Roadhouse in Erie, PA. Mmmmmm, bread.
And then the drive home. Interestingly, as soon as we crossed the border into New York State and began driving on toll roads, it was potholes galore. Ahhh, our tax dollars at work... Although, to be fair, driving from W 11th St to the science center kind of tried to kick the GXP's ass, too.
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