Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a consultant.
- Scott Adams
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
In Which I am a Super Hero...
You can entertain yourself making your own here. I have to say, though, I was a little disappointed that a laundry basket wasn't one of the choices for accessories... ;-)p.s. This is all Jenni's fault. ;-)
Friday, February 20, 2009
"The Trouble With Repeat Cesareans"
Good article in Time magazine. This is an upsetting example of the way insurance policies and the fear of litigation are trumping the medical evidence and the best interests of mothers and babies.
Some quotes from the article-
"Much ado has been made recently of women who choose to have cesareans, but little attention has been paid to the vast number of moms who are forced to have them. More than 9 out of 10 births following a C-section are now surgical deliveries..."
"In a 2006 ACOG survey of 10,659 ob-gyns nationwide, 26% said they had given up on VBACs because insurance was unaffordable or unavailable; 33% said they had dropped VBACs out of fear of litigation."
"With each repeat cesarean, a mother's risk of heavy bleeding, infection and infertility, among other complications, goes up. Perhaps most alarming, repeat C-sections increase a woman's chances of developing life-threatening placental abnormalities that can cause hemorrhaging during childbirth."
Some quotes from the article-
"Much ado has been made recently of women who choose to have cesareans, but little attention has been paid to the vast number of moms who are forced to have them. More than 9 out of 10 births following a C-section are now surgical deliveries..."
"In a 2006 ACOG survey of 10,659 ob-gyns nationwide, 26% said they had given up on VBACs because insurance was unaffordable or unavailable; 33% said they had dropped VBACs out of fear of litigation."
"With each repeat cesarean, a mother's risk of heavy bleeding, infection and infertility, among other complications, goes up. Perhaps most alarming, repeat C-sections increase a woman's chances of developing life-threatening placental abnormalities that can cause hemorrhaging during childbirth."
Thursday, February 19, 2009
DIY Coasters
I'm mostly just filing this here to make sure that I don't loose it, but doesn't this look really fun and classy? I never would've thought of making coasters with tiles and napkins, and I love how these only need a few supplies to make something with a lot of 'pop'!
I'll definitely be keeping my eyes open now for decorative napkins that would look good with my living room!
I'll definitely be keeping my eyes open now for decorative napkins that would look good with my living room!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Do you have rhinotillexomania?
I certainly hope not. But if so, here is a helpful guide from WikiHow, on how to stop picking your nose.
There are also insightful warnings included at the end, like this one-
"See your health professional if straight-talking and self-reasoning don't work. You might be suffering from compulsive nose-picking (rhinotillexomania) and this may need medical and/or psychological treatment and intervention, especially if it relates to a traumatic event in your life."
There are also insightful warnings included at the end, like this one-
"See your health professional if straight-talking and self-reasoning don't work. You might be suffering from compulsive nose-picking (rhinotillexomania) and this may need medical and/or psychological treatment and intervention, especially if it relates to a traumatic event in your life."
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Quotables
If the English language made any sense, a catastrophe would be an apostrophe with fur.
- Doug Larson
- Doug Larson
Monday, February 02, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
CPSIA - One year stay on 3rd party testing!
"The stay of enforcement provides some temporary, limited relief to the crafters, children’s garment manufacturers and toy makers who had been subject to the testing and certification required under the CPSIA. These businesses will not need to issue certificates based on testing of their products until additional decisions are issued by the Commission. However, all businesses, including, but not limited to, handmade toy and apparel makers, crafters and home-based small businesses, must still be sure that their products conform to all safety standards and similar requirements, including the lead and phthalates provisions of the CPSIA.
Handmade garment makers are cautioned to know whether the zippers, buttons and other fasteners they are using contain lead. Likewise, handmade toy manufacturers need to know whether their products, if using plastic or soft flexible vinyl, contain phthalates."
As of yesterday, the CPSC announced a one year stay of testing and certification requirements for certain products.
"Don't you know what causes that?"
Good post over at Tandem Mommy Lifestyle.
"If the church doesn't see children as a blessing and a gift from God, why should we expect the world to?"
___________________________________
Edited to add-
After writing and publishing this earlier today, I read a post from Lora Lynn over at Vita Familiae, in which she discusses a series of events in which she was asked this question.
It's hilarious, and you can (and should!) read it here.
"If the church doesn't see children as a blessing and a gift from God, why should we expect the world to?"
___________________________________
Edited to add-
After writing and publishing this earlier today, I read a post from Lora Lynn over at Vita Familiae, in which she discusses a series of events in which she was asked this question.
It's hilarious, and you can (and should!) read it here.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Benefits of full term pregnancy...
"A study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in October calculated that for each week a baby stayed in the womb between 32 and 39 weeks, there is a 23% decrease in problems such as respiratory distress, jaundice, seizures, temperature instability and brain hemorrhages...
...What's more, experts warn that a fetus's estimated age may be off by as much as two weeks either way, meaning that a baby thought to be 36 weeks along might be only 34.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the March of Dimes are now urging obstetricians not to deliver babies before 39 weeks unless there is a medical reason to do so."
Rest of the Wall Street Journal article here.
I would just add that a baby thought to be 39 weeks could be 37, just as the 36/34 example in the article. That would mean that when it was supposedly safe to schedule an induction/c-section, for example, you would be risking an over 40% significant increase in respiratory distress, jaundice, seizures, etc.
There is a reason to wait for the beginning of labor on its own, whether at 40 weeks, 41, or 42! Finally, medical research is catching up with common sense... ;-)
...What's more, experts warn that a fetus's estimated age may be off by as much as two weeks either way, meaning that a baby thought to be 36 weeks along might be only 34.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the March of Dimes are now urging obstetricians not to deliver babies before 39 weeks unless there is a medical reason to do so."
Rest of the Wall Street Journal article here.
I would just add that a baby thought to be 39 weeks could be 37, just as the 36/34 example in the article. That would mean that when it was supposedly safe to schedule an induction/c-section, for example, you would be risking an over 40% significant increase in respiratory distress, jaundice, seizures, etc.
There is a reason to wait for the beginning of labor on its own, whether at 40 weeks, 41, or 42! Finally, medical research is catching up with common sense... ;-)
Forbes article on the effects of CPSIA...
Some quotes from the article...
"Hailed almost universally on its passage last year--it passed the Senate 89 to three and the House by 424 to one, with Ron Paul the lone dissenter--CPSIA is now shaping up as a calamity for businesses and an epic failure of regulation, threatening to wipe out tens of thousands of small makers of children's items from coast to coast, and taking a particular toll on the handcrafted and creative, the small-production-run and sideline at-home business, not to mention struggling retailers. How could this have happened?"
"For a given hand-knitted sweater, for example, one might have to pay not just, say, $150 for the first test, but added-on charges for each component beyond the first: a button or snap, yarn of a second color, a care label, maybe a ribbon or stitching--with each color of stitching thread having to be tested separately.
"Hailed almost universally on its passage last year--it passed the Senate 89 to three and the House by 424 to one, with Ron Paul the lone dissenter--CPSIA is now shaping up as a calamity for businesses and an epic failure of regulation, threatening to wipe out tens of thousands of small makers of children's items from coast to coast, and taking a particular toll on the handcrafted and creative, the small-production-run and sideline at-home business, not to mention struggling retailers. How could this have happened?"
"For a given hand-knitted sweater, for example, one might have to pay not just, say, $150 for the first test, but added-on charges for each component beyond the first: a button or snap, yarn of a second color, a care label, maybe a ribbon or stitching--with each color of stitching thread having to be tested separately.
Suddenly the bill is more like $1,000--and that's just to test the one style and size. The same sweater in a larger size, or with a different button or clasp, would need a new round of tests--not just on the button or clasp, but on the whole garment. The maker of a kids' telescope (with no suspected problems) was quoted a $24,000 testing estimate, on a product with only $32,000 in annual sales."
The rest of the article here.
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