Yale contacted us to see if Leo could participate in a couple of longitudinal studies that required children born in 1998 that had made progress. I am not sure what their criteria was for progress, but the invitation to go made me investigate this possibility of going back to ground zero. Cutting to the chase, Leo officially lost his diagnosis by Yale, the evaluators that originally diagnosed him.
But here is the back story...Yale diagnosed Leo at 24 months, and assessed him two other times (at 3 and 5). I am eternally grateful for their comprehensive testing and detailed lengthy reports. Our springboard to direction, and eventually goals and objectives that would be carried out by various therapists for years.
At our last evaluation, Leo (just turning 5) still met the diagnostic criteria for an ASD. I didn't care so much about that, but what may have been uncovered during this evaluation that would help us hone in on therapy. After all, this was our 3rd year of preschool and I wanted to perfect his program so that he could go to elementary school with as little support as possible. Yale gave us his current deficits which validated our direction and our goals. It wasn't until 6 months after that eval. our therapy team said we need to construct a "fading program". In the midst of litigation and getting our house appraised for selling (so we could afford it all), I wasn't capable of believing anything as crazy as no therapy.
But, it indeed happened a year later. Leo was no longer disabled as far as we could tell. There was nothing left to teach him. He still had struggles (see previous posting), but he was happy and learning with no support. I had to let go of those precious daily records provided by our shadows. I had to let go of knowing that Leo was taken care of.
Interestingly, I routinely got emails from parents, therapists, and teachers, asking me if I ever got an official from a doctor. I said no, that I didn't feel I needed that. I learned to trust myself and the therapy team to decide what Leo needed. It bothered me though, that the skeptics, my "fans" didn't believe that Leo was functioning at this level because I am just a mom saying so. It still blows my mind how educated smart people will only believe traditional doctors.
After a little soul searching, I let go of my desire to prove our outcome . A fight I can never win. A person has to be open and accepting that our kids CAN make dramatic progress, can even recover, when they are given what they need. A person has to look beyond their own experience and their "baggage". I entertained it for a couple weeks though, thinking I could drag Leo out of school and spend five thousand dollars on an evaluation that wouldn't serve in his interest. No thanks. I figured I'd save the money for when he really needed it.
So here I was with an invitation for a free evaluation. What's a mom to do? I weighed the pros and cons.
Pros: 1) A free evaluation that may provide us with deficits that are now apparent 4 years later. 2) It's the right thing to do. 3) Because of Leo's anonymity, I can't shout out to the world what has happened with good ABA and the diet. No hocus pocus. Just the stuff you hear about day after day. I knew telling Yale (I filled out a 10 page form just on his therapy schedules) would be a way to shout. Telling them will go a long way. After all, they are doctors.
Cons: 1) P.T.S.S. for me, exhausting for Leo. 2) I may have to prematurely tell Leo about the label of Autism. That there is a name for all the stuff he knows about himself. Our plan was to wait until he needed to know, taking cues from him. 3) I questioned whether it may be too much to ask of Leo. He may miss a Little League game, he may feel it's so much.
After having long talks with him, he said he wanted to do it. So I prepared for our action-packed two days at Yale. Leo liked the fact he'd get an ITunes gift card for his participation. He did the ADOS and the CELF while I did the ADI and the Vineland. I filled out other measurements - parent and behavior. They were fascinating. I must have filled out almost 20 different surveys on top of all the interviewing. It was exhausting. Leo did an EEG, we both did blood tests.
The first day the evaluators (totally 6 in all including our "handler") seemed aloof and wary. I thought, hmm....scientist personalities or what? I insisted on meeting with our initial evaluator, one of the people that originally diagnosed him. I immediately burst into tears after not feeling teary all day. The meeting was a little forced, Leo didn't remember her, and it was hard because I couldn't talk about Leo since he was with us.
The next day seemed a bit better. I ran into that original evaluator and she seemed more available. I was able to take her aside and share the good news about Leo's functioning level and thank her for all that she's done for us. It was a great conversation, I felt I shared what I felt I needed to say, and I felt like I had some closure. At the end of the day, I got an unanticipated "wrap-up" where the lead evaluator went over her observations. She was very warm and friendly and immediately told me Leo no longer meets the diagnostic criteria for an ASD.
I wasn't surprised by the news but it got me teary. It's not all in my mind or something. I was really shocked because she was able to give me this information when I knew the testing was for their research, not specifically for us. She also told me this is so rare to tell a parent this news. That they regularly tell parents their child still has symptoms of Autism. Their behavior all made sense to me now - they didn't BELIEVE me, they just put up with my high-maintenance requests about anonymity and not using the word Autism around Leo. There was a shift in the air - the entire team seemed very happy.
They also noted that Leo appears to have a visual spacial processing deficit. She wasn't exactly sure what it means yet, but was going to process the testing and consult with the other evaluators. This area tested within the normal range, but with approximately a 20 point deviation away from all his other numbers. This led her to believe there may be an issue. Leo may have non-verbal learning disorder. Or it may be a milder deficit. I'll find out soon when they send my a write-up, another pleasant surprise. I love facts and figures (no surprise, right). They'll have 4 assessments to compare. I won't be thrilled if there's a new disability to learn about - I am already busy working on a new degree in Homeopathy and my endless search for my children's facial tics. But I know I have no place to complain.
For now, there's nothing to do about this deficit. She thinks perhaps high school math may be a problem. I love having this information - I can prepare. If any parent can take away any learning from reading this post, look how valuable it is to have regular assessments done. Expensive, hard to find at times, but the pay-off is exponential.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
May and June Highlights
Third grade ended with nothing exciting to report. Our final Parent/Teacher conference was more of the same. He ended his marker year with anonymity intact and no learning issues. His talking out-of-turn seems to be under control, as it hadn't come up on the report card or the conference. Even in math, a topic that prompted this to happen last year. Leo had a different teacher for math, and while she said he is a "talker", it didn't appear to be an issue. Without arising suspicion, I casually asked about how Leo seemed to do with the standardized testing. She said he did great, whatever that means.
But, paranoia aside, I think Leo's 3rd grade year was a success both academically and socially. Most importantly, he's a happy person that is confident and secure in his environment. What else, really, is a mother to want? He's now viewed as one of the "older" elementary school kids. You'll find him spending most of his time surfing for 70's classic rock music on ITunes, his new favorite genre thanks to Guitar Hero. At school, they made CD trades of music and bartered sharpened pencils for cough drops, squishies, and yellow highlighters. He's saving his allowance for a pair of D.C. shoes, and prefers to only wear sports shorts with those slick exercise shirts that look like sun shirts. I can barely keep up. He gets a few calls a week, mostly from his 3rd grade BFF. They trade Bakugons and scheme about how to get more from classmates at school.
Pool Politics: I've seen a snapshot into the future so far as I've watched the "gang" of 8 to 10 year olds at the local pool. They move in a pack, back and forth from the water to the sanded volleyball court. They spend about 10 minutes "debating" during the transition about what to play next, how to divide into teams if needed. The group leader is a boy that Leo went to preschool with. Back in the day he wasn't a very nice boy. We had a bus incident early on in 1st grade with this same kid. Today, he's not one of Leo's preferred boys to play with, but will play with him if there's no one else.
I see Leo right in the middle of it all, participating, waiting. I can't hear what they are saying, but I see him and I am in awe because he looks content and natural in the group. I'll never forget what he used to look like and how he'd struggle joining a group. He used to be always one or two steps behind as his playmates had already moved on. He'd still be playing dinosaurs while the boys had moved on to transformers.
Leo doesn't seem to miss any cues, goes with the flow, often playing something he doesn't really want to because he prefers to play with the group. Funny though, he'll often break off with one or two boys and do something else if the discussion takes longer. I wonder if this is typical, a preference of how much politics you want to put up with. I asked him if he understood what was happening, thinking maybe he was missing stuff. But it appears no, he was able to fully explain the situation and said it was "boring" to wait for it all to work out. When asked if he'd share what HE wanted to do, he said yes. I can believe that because in small groups of 2, 3 or 4 boys, he'll often iniitate ideas and naturally take the lead if they let him.
At the end of last year, he'd come back by himself sometimes if things got heated - say, the 5th grade boys taking over the court, if the arguing went on and on. It seems to bother him less, and it seems like he's comfortable enough to find something to do, with our without participating in a large group. Leo will always avoid conflict if he can. He said "we were here first" for the first time. But if the 5th graders don't budge, he'll walk away and complain it's not fair. As his mom, I know it would be suicide for me to say anything. If this continues, I'll have the pool manager observe and remind the older boys not to act like bullies and share the court.
Conversations: Leo and me (and dad) have had amazing conversations recently. So interesting how time goes by and we can go another layer deep about the war in Iraq, the election, and other current events. I'd find him looking at the election coverage on CNN up until Hilary lost. He loved voting this year as always. Like many kids feel, Leo thinks war is stupid.
Still A Kid: I've appreciated watching Leo still play Webkins with his younger sister. They've made up their own very sophisticated world where they 'babysit" each other's animals, and take on these elaborate personalities for each animal. He loves to play with the dog in the kiddie pool, play in the mud with Sydney, and still plays superheroes with some of his kindergarten friends.
Theory Of Mind Tidbit: We somehow started talking about Leo's classmates, and he began talking about how his teacher calls on certain people in certain situations. He noticed that a boy that never raises his hand will get called on the rare time he does do it. He seems to know the pecking order, and who favorites are, etc. None of it seems to bother him a bit, and finds it interesting. He is certainly a real behaviorist now.
Brain Fog and Face Tics: We had our usual couple day visit from "brain fog" where Leo acts like his old self and has an off-spectrumy day. It's still very distressing when he's that out-of-it. Our homeopath is close to recommending a remedy that will address it. Leo's tics came back the last month - they are not as strong as last time, and I've found a couple of homeopathic remedies that really help. My hope is that we can nail the tics permanently - I am positive we can do it! For Sydney also - hers are worse.
Little League: This was a great experience for Leo - he played AA and really learned how to play better and consistently hit the ball. He looked forward to every game and every practice, even riding me about getting ready and being there on time. It was really fun watching him this year while chatting with the other parents. I still am amazed by him, a kid that was so fearful of the ball and had a gazillion hours of OT and PT to get over numerous SI issues.
Yale: We had a very positive but draining experience at the Yale Child Study Center. Leo participated in a Longitudinal study and a couple other studies for ASD kids. Leo officially lost his diagnosis, which I'll be posting about later.
But, paranoia aside, I think Leo's 3rd grade year was a success both academically and socially. Most importantly, he's a happy person that is confident and secure in his environment. What else, really, is a mother to want? He's now viewed as one of the "older" elementary school kids. You'll find him spending most of his time surfing for 70's classic rock music on ITunes, his new favorite genre thanks to Guitar Hero. At school, they made CD trades of music and bartered sharpened pencils for cough drops, squishies, and yellow highlighters. He's saving his allowance for a pair of D.C. shoes, and prefers to only wear sports shorts with those slick exercise shirts that look like sun shirts. I can barely keep up. He gets a few calls a week, mostly from his 3rd grade BFF. They trade Bakugons and scheme about how to get more from classmates at school.
Pool Politics: I've seen a snapshot into the future so far as I've watched the "gang" of 8 to 10 year olds at the local pool. They move in a pack, back and forth from the water to the sanded volleyball court. They spend about 10 minutes "debating" during the transition about what to play next, how to divide into teams if needed. The group leader is a boy that Leo went to preschool with. Back in the day he wasn't a very nice boy. We had a bus incident early on in 1st grade with this same kid. Today, he's not one of Leo's preferred boys to play with, but will play with him if there's no one else.
I see Leo right in the middle of it all, participating, waiting. I can't hear what they are saying, but I see him and I am in awe because he looks content and natural in the group. I'll never forget what he used to look like and how he'd struggle joining a group. He used to be always one or two steps behind as his playmates had already moved on. He'd still be playing dinosaurs while the boys had moved on to transformers.
Leo doesn't seem to miss any cues, goes with the flow, often playing something he doesn't really want to because he prefers to play with the group. Funny though, he'll often break off with one or two boys and do something else if the discussion takes longer. I wonder if this is typical, a preference of how much politics you want to put up with. I asked him if he understood what was happening, thinking maybe he was missing stuff. But it appears no, he was able to fully explain the situation and said it was "boring" to wait for it all to work out. When asked if he'd share what HE wanted to do, he said yes. I can believe that because in small groups of 2, 3 or 4 boys, he'll often iniitate ideas and naturally take the lead if they let him.
At the end of last year, he'd come back by himself sometimes if things got heated - say, the 5th grade boys taking over the court, if the arguing went on and on. It seems to bother him less, and it seems like he's comfortable enough to find something to do, with our without participating in a large group. Leo will always avoid conflict if he can. He said "we were here first" for the first time. But if the 5th graders don't budge, he'll walk away and complain it's not fair. As his mom, I know it would be suicide for me to say anything. If this continues, I'll have the pool manager observe and remind the older boys not to act like bullies and share the court.
Conversations: Leo and me (and dad) have had amazing conversations recently. So interesting how time goes by and we can go another layer deep about the war in Iraq, the election, and other current events. I'd find him looking at the election coverage on CNN up until Hilary lost. He loved voting this year as always. Like many kids feel, Leo thinks war is stupid.
Still A Kid: I've appreciated watching Leo still play Webkins with his younger sister. They've made up their own very sophisticated world where they 'babysit" each other's animals, and take on these elaborate personalities for each animal. He loves to play with the dog in the kiddie pool, play in the mud with Sydney, and still plays superheroes with some of his kindergarten friends.
Theory Of Mind Tidbit: We somehow started talking about Leo's classmates, and he began talking about how his teacher calls on certain people in certain situations. He noticed that a boy that never raises his hand will get called on the rare time he does do it. He seems to know the pecking order, and who favorites are, etc. None of it seems to bother him a bit, and finds it interesting. He is certainly a real behaviorist now.
Brain Fog and Face Tics: We had our usual couple day visit from "brain fog" where Leo acts like his old self and has an off-spectrumy day. It's still very distressing when he's that out-of-it. Our homeopath is close to recommending a remedy that will address it. Leo's tics came back the last month - they are not as strong as last time, and I've found a couple of homeopathic remedies that really help. My hope is that we can nail the tics permanently - I am positive we can do it! For Sydney also - hers are worse.
Little League: This was a great experience for Leo - he played AA and really learned how to play better and consistently hit the ball. He looked forward to every game and every practice, even riding me about getting ready and being there on time. It was really fun watching him this year while chatting with the other parents. I still am amazed by him, a kid that was so fearful of the ball and had a gazillion hours of OT and PT to get over numerous SI issues.
Yale: We had a very positive but draining experience at the Yale Child Study Center. Leo participated in a Longitudinal study and a couple other studies for ASD kids. Leo officially lost his diagnosis, which I'll be posting about later.
Advisory Panel Approves 2 New Combination Vaccines
June 26, 2008
Advisory Panel Approves 2 New Combination Vaccines
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 5:55 p.m. ET
ATLANTA (AP) -- A federal advisory panel on Thursday endorsed two new combination vaccines designed to reduce the number of needle sticks that young children must endure to get the recommended immunizations.
The panel gave its nod to a four-in-one shot made by GlaxoSmithKline. It offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio and costs $45. It's given once to preschool-aged children.
Also getting approval was Sanofi Pasteur's five-in-one shot for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and illness due to Haemophilus influenzae type b, or HiB. It costs about $69. Youngsters get four doses by age 2.
Both combinations shots were recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The combo shots don't change the recommended vaccine schedule, just the number of needle jabs needed.
The vaccine advisory panel OK'd the shots for the federal Vaccines for Children program, which pays for vaccinations for about 36 million children who are covered by Medicaid, are uninsured or meet other eligibility guidelines.
The panel's recommendations are also considered influential with private health insurers.
The approval brings to six the number of multi-disease combination vaccines available to children.
Dr. Gregory Wallace, chief of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vaccine Supply and Assurance Branch, said he expects more combination vaccines to become available.
The availability of both combination vaccines and individual vaccines will likely cause confusion and storage issues at many doctor's offices, panel members acknowledged.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press
Advisory Panel Approves 2 New Combination Vaccines
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 5:55 p.m. ET
ATLANTA (AP) -- A federal advisory panel on Thursday endorsed two new combination vaccines designed to reduce the number of needle sticks that young children must endure to get the recommended immunizations.
The panel gave its nod to a four-in-one shot made by GlaxoSmithKline. It offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio and costs $45. It's given once to preschool-aged children.
Also getting approval was Sanofi Pasteur's five-in-one shot for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and illness due to Haemophilus influenzae type b, or HiB. It costs about $69. Youngsters get four doses by age 2.
Both combinations shots were recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The combo shots don't change the recommended vaccine schedule, just the number of needle jabs needed.
The vaccine advisory panel OK'd the shots for the federal Vaccines for Children program, which pays for vaccinations for about 36 million children who are covered by Medicaid, are uninsured or meet other eligibility guidelines.
The panel's recommendations are also considered influential with private health insurers.
The approval brings to six the number of multi-disease combination vaccines available to children.
Dr. Gregory Wallace, chief of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vaccine Supply and Assurance Branch, said he expects more combination vaccines to become available.
The availability of both combination vaccines and individual vaccines will likely cause confusion and storage issues at many doctor's offices, panel members acknowledged.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press
This is very scary. Such bullies, how brazen, approving this after the walk on Washington and everything else. Another example how the government makes their decisions. By not being told what to do, never admitting mistakes. They'd rather trudge on down the path they know is wrong than protect our children from future damage.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Warning About Uncooked Red Tomatoes
Hi all. I pulled this off the FDA news list. This confirms what my sister recently said, that many fruits and vegetables are discovered to have certain bacteria INSIDE the fruit or vegetable. Like lemon. Very disturbing...will investigate more on this...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning people in Texas and New Mexico not to eat uncooked red tomatoes due to possible contamination.
The FDA said an outbreak of salmonellosis appears linked with consumption of certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes. The bacterium causing the illnesses is Salmonella serotype Saintpaul, an uncommon type of salmonella.
The federal agency said it hasn't determined the specific type and source of the contaminated tomatoes, although preliminary data suggest raw red plum, red Roma or round red tomatoes are involved.
At this time, consumers in New Mexico and Texas should limit their tomato consumption to tomatoes that have not been implicated in the outbreak, the FDA said. These include cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and tomatoes grown at home.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.
The FDA said from April 23 though June 1 there were 57 reported cases of salmonellosis in New Mexico and Texas, including 17 hospitalizations. Approximately 30 reports of illness in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas and Utah are being investigated to determine whether they are also linked with tomatoes.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
Publication date: 04 June 2008
Source: UPI-1-20080604-09260200-bc-us-tomatoes.xml
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Antibacterial Wipes, Hospitals, and Staph
Antibacterial wipes can spread superbugs: study
By Michael Kahn
Tue Jun 3, 1:11 PM ET
Disinfectant wipes routinely used in hospitals may actually spread drug-resistant bacteria rather than kill the dangerous infections, British researchers said on Tuesday.
While the wipes killed some bacteria, a study of two hospitals showed they did not get them all and could transfer the so-called superbugs to other surfaces, Gareth Williams, a microbiologist at Cardiff University, said.
The findings presented at the American Society of Microbiology's General Meeting in Boston focused on bacteria that included methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.
"What we have found is there is a high risk," Williams, who led the study, said by telephone. "We need to give guidance to the staff on how to use the wipes because we found there is a possibility of cross transfer."
MRSA infections can range from boils to more severe infections of the bloodstream, lungs and surgical sites. Most cases are associated with hospitals, nursing homes or other health care facilities.
The superbug can cause life-threatening and disfiguring infections and can often only be treated with expensive, intravenous antibiotics.
Experts have been saying for years that poor hospital practices spread dangerous bacteria, and yet many studies have shown that health care workers, including doctors and nurses, often fail to even wash their hands as directed.
The findings from a study of intensive care units at two Welsh hospitals suggest that even cleaning with antimicrobial wipes may not be enough depending on how staff use them.
The researchers found that many health care workers cleaned multiple surfaces near patients, such as bed rails, monitors and tables with a single wipe and risked sweeping the infections around rather than cleaning them up.
"We found that the most effective way to prevent the risk of MRSA spread in hospital wards is to ensure the wipe is used only once on one surface," Williams said.
Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited. A
By Michael Kahn
Tue Jun 3, 1:11 PM ET
Disinfectant wipes routinely used in hospitals may actually spread drug-resistant bacteria rather than kill the dangerous infections, British researchers said on Tuesday.
While the wipes killed some bacteria, a study of two hospitals showed they did not get them all and could transfer the so-called superbugs to other surfaces, Gareth Williams, a microbiologist at Cardiff University, said.
The findings presented at the American Society of Microbiology's General Meeting in Boston focused on bacteria that included methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.
"What we have found is there is a high risk," Williams, who led the study, said by telephone. "We need to give guidance to the staff on how to use the wipes because we found there is a possibility of cross transfer."
MRSA infections can range from boils to more severe infections of the bloodstream, lungs and surgical sites. Most cases are associated with hospitals, nursing homes or other health care facilities.
The superbug can cause life-threatening and disfiguring infections and can often only be treated with expensive, intravenous antibiotics.
Experts have been saying for years that poor hospital practices spread dangerous bacteria, and yet many studies have shown that health care workers, including doctors and nurses, often fail to even wash their hands as directed.
The findings from a study of intensive care units at two Welsh hospitals suggest that even cleaning with antimicrobial wipes may not be enough depending on how staff use them.
The researchers found that many health care workers cleaned multiple surfaces near patients, such as bed rails, monitors and tables with a single wipe and risked sweeping the infections around rather than cleaning them up.
"We found that the most effective way to prevent the risk of MRSA spread in hospital wards is to ensure the wipe is used only once on one surface," Williams said.
Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited. A
Not Autism related. Or is it? Either way it's just too darn gross and sad not to share it.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Anti-U.S. beef protest draws 100,000 S.Koreans
Anti-U.S. beef protest draws 100,000 S.Koreans
Sat May 31, 8:52 AM ET
South Korean students, parents with toddlers in tow, and union members took to the streets on Saturday in a massive protest against a government decision to resume imports of U.S. beef that they see as dangerous.
The organizers of the candle-lit vigil said 100,000 people were at the rally that stopped traffic on the 16-lane central Seoul main thoroughfare, after more than a week of daily protests against President Lee Myung-bak.
South Korea, once the third-largest importer of U.S. beef until a 2003 outbreak of mad cow disease in the United States, said it would start quarantine inspections of U.S. beef, a move that opens its market fully for the first time in four years.
Lee, who came to power with the largest margin of victory in history, has been caught by surprise by the protests and his popularity has plummeted over the decision to import U.S. beef.
Critics said the decision, announced during his visit to the United States in April and just before he met President George W. Bush, was a move to please Washington.
College student Ju Ha-na, 24, who took part in a head-shaving ceremony in protest with 19 others, said the people at the protest were not only alarmed by U.S. beef.
"Not just the beef deal, but the Lee Myung-bak government's policies are anti-working people and are not right," she said.
U.S. and South Korean officials have said U.S. beef is safe but that has not placated South Koreans.
Several hundred people have been detained from the daily protests, but police have so far refrained from using full force to contain the crowd. Officials again ordered restraint on Saturday.
The protests have grown over the past week as the government stood by largely idle and public discontent grew. People felt the government was ignoring public outcry and waiting for the protests to die down.
Chung Hye-ran, 38, at the downtown rally, said she did not like being ignored. "I came out here as a mother and as a member of the public to protect the health of my child and that of the people of this country."
Under the deal to reopen its market, Seoul agreed with Washington to accept all cuts of beef from cattle of all ages, while other U.S. trading partners such as Japan still will not do so because of concerns over mad cow disease.
President Lee last week apologized for ignoring public health concerns and promised to restore the ban if there was a fresh outbreak of mad cow disease.
Critics said the apology came too late and did not adequately address public concern.
(Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Jack Kim)
Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited.
Sat May 31, 8:52 AM ET
South Korean students, parents with toddlers in tow, and union members took to the streets on Saturday in a massive protest against a government decision to resume imports of U.S. beef that they see as dangerous.
The organizers of the candle-lit vigil said 100,000 people were at the rally that stopped traffic on the 16-lane central Seoul main thoroughfare, after more than a week of daily protests against President Lee Myung-bak.
South Korea, once the third-largest importer of U.S. beef until a 2003 outbreak of mad cow disease in the United States, said it would start quarantine inspections of U.S. beef, a move that opens its market fully for the first time in four years.
Lee, who came to power with the largest margin of victory in history, has been caught by surprise by the protests and his popularity has plummeted over the decision to import U.S. beef.
Critics said the decision, announced during his visit to the United States in April and just before he met President George W. Bush, was a move to please Washington.
College student Ju Ha-na, 24, who took part in a head-shaving ceremony in protest with 19 others, said the people at the protest were not only alarmed by U.S. beef.
"Not just the beef deal, but the Lee Myung-bak government's policies are anti-working people and are not right," she said.
U.S. and South Korean officials have said U.S. beef is safe but that has not placated South Koreans.
Several hundred people have been detained from the daily protests, but police have so far refrained from using full force to contain the crowd. Officials again ordered restraint on Saturday.
The protests have grown over the past week as the government stood by largely idle and public discontent grew. People felt the government was ignoring public outcry and waiting for the protests to die down.
Chung Hye-ran, 38, at the downtown rally, said she did not like being ignored. "I came out here as a mother and as a member of the public to protect the health of my child and that of the people of this country."
Under the deal to reopen its market, Seoul agreed with Washington to accept all cuts of beef from cattle of all ages, while other U.S. trading partners such as Japan still will not do so because of concerns over mad cow disease.
President Lee last week apologized for ignoring public health concerns and promised to restore the ban if there was a fresh outbreak of mad cow disease.
Critics said the apology came too late and did not adequately address public concern.
(Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Jack Kim)
Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited.
The Koreans, so much more enlightened than us. In America, we just don't protest like this (not that I think violence is the answer). We are just so "civilized" and "nice" about stuff like this. We just lay back and take it. Take the mother quoted in the article, Chung Hye-ran. Just trying to keep her children healthy just like any of us.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Inconvenient Wired Magazine: Inconvenient Truths: Get Ready to Rethink What It Means to Be Green
WIRED MAGAZINE: 16.06
Inconvenient Truths: Get Ready to Rethink What It Means to Be Green
The environmental movement has never been short on noble goals. Preserving wild spaces, cleaning up the oceans, protecting watersheds, neutralizing acid rain, saving endangered species — all laudable. But today, one ecological problem outweighs all others: global warming. Restoring the Everglades, protecting the Headwaters redwoods, or saving the Illinois mud turtle won't matter if climate change plunges the planet into chaos. It's high time for greens to unite around the urgent need to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
Just one problem. Winning the war on global warming requires slaughtering some of environmentalism's sacred cows. We can afford to ignore neither the carbon-free electricity supplied by nuclear energy nor the transformational potential of genetic engineering. We need to take advantage of the energy efficiencies offered by urban density. We must accept that the world's fastest-growing economies won't forgo a higher standard of living in the name of climate science — and that, on the way up, countries like India and China might actually help devise the solutions the planet so desperately needs.
Some will reject this approach as dangerously single-minded: The environment is threatened on many fronts, and all of them need attention. So argues Alex Steffen. That may be true, but global warming threatens to overwhelm any progress made on other issues. The planet is already heating up, and the point of no return may be only decades away. So combating greenhouse gases must be our top priority, even if that means embracing the unthinkable. Here, then, are 10 tenets of the new environmental apostasy.
Autopia:
Go Green — Buy A Used Car. It's Better Than A Hybrid
10 GREEN HERESIES
Live in Cities:
Urban Living Is Kinder to the Planet Than the Suburban Lifestyle
A/C Is OK:
Air-Conditioning Actually Emits Less C02 Than Heating
Organics Are Not the Answer:
Surprise! Conventional Agriculture Can Be Easier on the Planet
Farm the Forests:
Old-Growth Forests Can Actually Contribute to Global Warming
China Is the Solution:
The People's Republic Leads the Way in Alternative-Energy Hardware
Accept Genetic Engineering:
Superefficient Frankencrops Could Put a Real Dent in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Carbon Trading Doesn't Work:
Carbon Credits Were a Great Idea, But the Benefits Are Illusory
Embrace Nuclear Power:
Face It. Nukes Are the Most Climate-Friendly Industrial-Scale Form of Energy
Used Cars — Not Hybrids:
Don't Buy That New Prius! Test-Drive a Used Car Instead
Prepare for the Worst:
Climate Change Is Inevitable. Get Used to It
COUNTERPOINT
It's Not Just Carbon Stupid:
The Danger of Focusing Solely on Climate Change
Inconvenient Truths: Get Ready to Rethink What It Means to Be Green
The environmental movement has never been short on noble goals. Preserving wild spaces, cleaning up the oceans, protecting watersheds, neutralizing acid rain, saving endangered species — all laudable. But today, one ecological problem outweighs all others: global warming. Restoring the Everglades, protecting the Headwaters redwoods, or saving the Illinois mud turtle won't matter if climate change plunges the planet into chaos. It's high time for greens to unite around the urgent need to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
Just one problem. Winning the war on global warming requires slaughtering some of environmentalism's sacred cows. We can afford to ignore neither the carbon-free electricity supplied by nuclear energy nor the transformational potential of genetic engineering. We need to take advantage of the energy efficiencies offered by urban density. We must accept that the world's fastest-growing economies won't forgo a higher standard of living in the name of climate science — and that, on the way up, countries like India and China might actually help devise the solutions the planet so desperately needs.
Some will reject this approach as dangerously single-minded: The environment is threatened on many fronts, and all of them need attention. So argues Alex Steffen. That may be true, but global warming threatens to overwhelm any progress made on other issues. The planet is already heating up, and the point of no return may be only decades away. So combating greenhouse gases must be our top priority, even if that means embracing the unthinkable. Here, then, are 10 tenets of the new environmental apostasy.
Autopia:
Go Green — Buy A Used Car. It's Better Than A Hybrid
10 GREEN HERESIES
Live in Cities:
Urban Living Is Kinder to the Planet Than the Suburban Lifestyle
A/C Is OK:
Air-Conditioning Actually Emits Less C02 Than Heating
Organics Are Not the Answer:
Surprise! Conventional Agriculture Can Be Easier on the Planet
Farm the Forests:
Old-Growth Forests Can Actually Contribute to Global Warming
China Is the Solution:
The People's Republic Leads the Way in Alternative-Energy Hardware
Accept Genetic Engineering:
Superefficient Frankencrops Could Put a Real Dent in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Carbon Trading Doesn't Work:
Carbon Credits Were a Great Idea, But the Benefits Are Illusory
Embrace Nuclear Power:
Face It. Nukes Are the Most Climate-Friendly Industrial-Scale Form of Energy
Used Cars — Not Hybrids:
Don't Buy That New Prius! Test-Drive a Used Car Instead
Prepare for the Worst:
Climate Change Is Inevitable. Get Used to It
COUNTERPOINT
It's Not Just Carbon Stupid:
The Danger of Focusing Solely on Climate Change
Go to the full article to read each of the 10 points they make in detail. My only problem with all of this is that they don't do a good job on referencing. They make some good points though. It looks as though, per usual, we must choose between our planet (the future) and the health of our families today. I like the counterpoint article a lot which is at the bottom of the article (a link) on the website.
Food Prices To Stay High on "Grain Drain" Fuel
Food prices to stay high on "grain drain" fuel
By Brian Love
Food prices will remain high over the next decade even if they fall from current records, meaning millions more risk further hardship or hunger, the OECD and the UN's FAO food agency said in a report published on Thursday.
Beyond stating the immediate need for humanitarian aid, the international bodies suggested wider deployment of genetically modified crops and a rethink of biofuel programs that guzzle grain which could otherwise feed people and livestock.
The report, issued ahead of a world food summit in Rome next week, said food commodity prices were likely to recede from the peaks hit recently, but that they would remain higher in the decade ahead than the one gone by.
Beef and pork prices would probably stay around 20 percent higher than in the last 10 years, while wheat, corn and skimmed milk powder would likely command 40-60 percent more in the 10 years ahead, in nominal terms, it said.
The price of rice, an Asian staple expected to become more important also in Africa in the years ahead, would likely average 30 percent more expensive in nominal terms in the coming decade than over the 1998-2007 period.
"In many low-income countries, food expenditures average over 50 percent of income and the higher prices contained in this outlook (report) will push more people into undernourishment," the report said.
Millions of people's purchasing power across the globe would be hit, said the report, co-produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the U.N. food agency in Rome, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris.
The cost of many food commodities has doubled over the last couple of years, sparking widespread protests and even riots in some of the worst affected spots, such as Haiti.
Many factors, including drought in big commodity-producing regions such as Australia, explained some of the acceleration in prices, as did growing demand from fast-developing countries such as China and India, the report said.
GRAIN DRAIN
But it singled out the big drive to produce biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels, a push the U.S. government is sponsoring heavily, and Europe as well.
"Biofuel demand is the largest source of new demand in decades and a strong factor underpinning the upward shift in agricultural commodity prices," said the report, adding it was time to consider alternatives.
The benefits at environmental and economic level as well as in terms of energy security were "at best modest and sometimes even negative," the report said.
Under U.S. plans, about a quarter of the U.S. corn crop will be channeled into ethanol production by 2022 while the European Union is also aiming for as much as 10 percent of road transport fuel to be produced using crops by 2020.
While it was hard to always identify exactly how much retail food prices were affected by food commodity prices, the direct impact was clearer in poorer countries where there is less of the value-added, packaged and processed food that is consumed more in wealthy regions, the report said.
The proportion of total funds that households use to pay for food varies hugely, from more than 60 percent in Bangladesh, to 40 or 50 percent in many other developing countries, and just 10 percent in the United States or Germany, or 27 percent in China, the report said.
It also highlighted the impact of financial investors in the commodities futures markets, saying this added upwards pressure on prices in the short term but that the jury was still out as to the long-term impact, beyond generating greater volatility.
(Additional reporting by Sybille de la Hamaide, Editing by Peter Blackburn)
Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited.
By Brian Love
Food prices will remain high over the next decade even if they fall from current records, meaning millions more risk further hardship or hunger, the OECD and the UN's FAO food agency said in a report published on Thursday.
Beyond stating the immediate need for humanitarian aid, the international bodies suggested wider deployment of genetically modified crops and a rethink of biofuel programs that guzzle grain which could otherwise feed people and livestock.
The report, issued ahead of a world food summit in Rome next week, said food commodity prices were likely to recede from the peaks hit recently, but that they would remain higher in the decade ahead than the one gone by.
Beef and pork prices would probably stay around 20 percent higher than in the last 10 years, while wheat, corn and skimmed milk powder would likely command 40-60 percent more in the 10 years ahead, in nominal terms, it said.
The price of rice, an Asian staple expected to become more important also in Africa in the years ahead, would likely average 30 percent more expensive in nominal terms in the coming decade than over the 1998-2007 period.
"In many low-income countries, food expenditures average over 50 percent of income and the higher prices contained in this outlook (report) will push more people into undernourishment," the report said.
Millions of people's purchasing power across the globe would be hit, said the report, co-produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the U.N. food agency in Rome, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris.
The cost of many food commodities has doubled over the last couple of years, sparking widespread protests and even riots in some of the worst affected spots, such as Haiti.
Many factors, including drought in big commodity-producing regions such as Australia, explained some of the acceleration in prices, as did growing demand from fast-developing countries such as China and India, the report said.
GRAIN DRAIN
But it singled out the big drive to produce biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels, a push the U.S. government is sponsoring heavily, and Europe as well.
"Biofuel demand is the largest source of new demand in decades and a strong factor underpinning the upward shift in agricultural commodity prices," said the report, adding it was time to consider alternatives.
The benefits at environmental and economic level as well as in terms of energy security were "at best modest and sometimes even negative," the report said.
Under U.S. plans, about a quarter of the U.S. corn crop will be channeled into ethanol production by 2022 while the European Union is also aiming for as much as 10 percent of road transport fuel to be produced using crops by 2020.
While it was hard to always identify exactly how much retail food prices were affected by food commodity prices, the direct impact was clearer in poorer countries where there is less of the value-added, packaged and processed food that is consumed more in wealthy regions, the report said.
The proportion of total funds that households use to pay for food varies hugely, from more than 60 percent in Bangladesh, to 40 or 50 percent in many other developing countries, and just 10 percent in the United States or Germany, or 27 percent in China, the report said.
It also highlighted the impact of financial investors in the commodities futures markets, saying this added upwards pressure on prices in the short term but that the jury was still out as to the long-term impact, beyond generating greater volatility.
(Additional reporting by Sybille de la Hamaide, Editing by Peter Blackburn)
Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited.
Another reason to make sure I water my garden today. I wish I could grow rice!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Kindergarten ASD Student "Voted Out" of class By Peers
St. Lucie teacher reassigned after student 'voted out' of class
By Colleen Wixon
Originally published 10:12 a.m., May 27, 2008
Updated 06:30 p.m., May 27, 2008
PORT ST. LUCIE — Morningside Elementary kindergarten teacher Wendy Portillo has been reassigned until further action may be determined, according to St. Lucie County School District spokeswoman Janice Karst.
Last week, Portillo held a vote in her classroom in which kindergarten students "voted out" 5-year-old Alex Barton, who was in the process of being tested for Asperger's Disorder, a type of high-functioning autism. Alex's mother, Melissa Barton, said the vote was taken after classmates were allowed to tell Alex what they didn't like about him.
The class voted Alex out of the room, by a 14 to 2 margin.
Portillo was reassigned out of the classroom at the district offices on Friday, as soon as Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon heard about the incident, Karst said. She said it could be up to two weeks before the district's investigation on the matter is concluded.
Portillo has been a St. Lucie County teacher for 12 years, and at Morningside Elementary for nine, Karst said.
Barton said Tuesday morning that Alex had officially been diagnosed with an autism-spectrum disorder and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. He is not in school, but misses the one friend he made in the classroom, she said.
"He's a little better today," she said. "He's just being Alex."
Barton said she thinks Portillo should be fired.
"She has no business being near children at all," she said.
As to the news of Portillo being reassigned, Barton responded, "That's just a slap in the face."
© 2008 Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers
By Colleen Wixon
Originally published 10:12 a.m., May 27, 2008
Updated 06:30 p.m., May 27, 2008
PORT ST. LUCIE — Morningside Elementary kindergarten teacher Wendy Portillo has been reassigned until further action may be determined, according to St. Lucie County School District spokeswoman Janice Karst.
Last week, Portillo held a vote in her classroom in which kindergarten students "voted out" 5-year-old Alex Barton, who was in the process of being tested for Asperger's Disorder, a type of high-functioning autism. Alex's mother, Melissa Barton, said the vote was taken after classmates were allowed to tell Alex what they didn't like about him.
The class voted Alex out of the room, by a 14 to 2 margin.
Portillo was reassigned out of the classroom at the district offices on Friday, as soon as Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon heard about the incident, Karst said. She said it could be up to two weeks before the district's investigation on the matter is concluded.
Portillo has been a St. Lucie County teacher for 12 years, and at Morningside Elementary for nine, Karst said.
Barton said Tuesday morning that Alex had officially been diagnosed with an autism-spectrum disorder and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. He is not in school, but misses the one friend he made in the classroom, she said.
"He's a little better today," she said. "He's just being Alex."
Barton said she thinks Portillo should be fired.
"She has no business being near children at all," she said.
As to the news of Portillo being reassigned, Barton responded, "That's just a slap in the face."
© 2008 Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers
I am beyond disgusted by the ignorance of this school district and teachers. I hope this case can be used as an example of how we need to EDUCATE THE EDUCATORS. Autism Vox has one of the more popular blogs about this issue.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Things That Make My Head Explode
Some people have been asking why I haven't blogged about the recent "articles" in the news, such as the one that I can't even mention that again points fingers at the parents rather than at the true culprits. And the usual vaccine garbage. I am just too PISSED. I am trying to make "better choices" in what I go crazy about - things I can hopefully make a difference on. Like keeping my family healthy and that includes myself. I am trying to get myself mentally (and physically) healthy these days or I think I'll really lose my mind. So there ya go.
Vinyls vs. PVC, What is What?
I just found this when I researched buying these reusuable sandwich bags I use for the kids. One side is cloth and the other side is wipeable/cleanable plastic that's PEVA. They are about $6 a piece. I spend that on a couple boxes of plastic bags not to mention how much they add to my list of environmental infractions. I decided to be a jerk and buy them as teacher gifts. This isn't California, it's stodgy old New England where we are a bit behind on "green " stuff like that. Boy will I be unpopular, but I don't care. This year's theme is "It's All About ME." I'll go ahead an force my values on my well meaning AWESOME teachers that we've had this year. Of course, I'm too lazy to give credit where credit is due regarding the plastic info...that's my mood for today and I'm too tired to fight it. ResusableBags.com also has water bottles (other than Nalgene) and other pricey greeny thingys. Fun fun fun!
Sorting out the Vinyls – When is "Vinyl" not PVC?
Vinyl is commonly used as a shorthand name for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic as used in a range of products from flooring to siding to wall covering. Most commonly, when a product is referred to as "vinyl," it is comprised primarily of PVC. Occasionally it also may refer to polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) a closely related compound, used in food wraps ('Saran') and other films, that shares most of the same environmental health problems.
In chemistry, however, the term "vinyl' actually has a broader meaning, encompassing a range of different thermoplastic chemical compounds derived from ethylene. In addition to PVC, "vinyls" in building materials also include:
- ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), used in films, wire coating and adhesives
- polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA) a copolymer of polyethylene and EVA used in shower curtains, body bags
- polyvinyl acetate (PVA), used in paints and adhesives, such as white glue, and
- polyvinyl butyral (PVB), used in safety glass films.
What differentiates PVC from the other vinyls is the addition of a chlorine molecule (the chloride "C" in PVC and PVDC). Chlorine is the source of many of the environmental health concerns with PVC, such as the generation of dioxin, a highly carcinogenic chemical produced in both the manufacture and disposal of PVC. Due to its persistent and bioaccumulative nature (it travels long distances without breaking down and concentrates as it moves up the food chain to humans) dioxin has become a global problem and an international treaty – the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) - now prioritizes the elimination of processes that produce dioxin.
Some of the non chlorinated vinyls (EVA, PEVA, PVA and PVB) are now beginning to be used as direct substitutes for PVC. EVA has been in use for several years as a chlorine free substitute for PVC – primarily in non building materials like toys and athletic shoes, but occasionally as a protective film or binder. In the building industry, post-consumer recycled PVB is now beginning to be used to replace PVC in carpet backing. Absence of chlorine alone does not make these other vinyls the final answer in the search for green polymers. There are still plenty of toxic challenges and untested chemicals in the life cycle of any petrochemical product. As is the case with most other polymers competing with PVC, however, the weight of available evidence indicates that the absence of chlorine in the formula will generally render the lifecycle environmental health impacts of PVB and the other vinyls less harmful than PVC and initial study is bearing this out. Like the polyolefin plastics, the use of PVB and the other non chlorinated vinyls represents a step forward in the search for alternatives to PVC.
In summary, with the exception of paints, glues and certain films, "vinyl" as a product description almost always means made of PVC. The term vinyl in ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA), polyvinyl acetate (PVA), and polyvinyl butyral (PVB), however, does not refer to PVC and does not raise the same concerns associated with chlorinated molecules like PVC.
When in doubt about the use of the term "vinyl", ask if it is PVC.
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