New Look

Ok, THIS is definitely the last new look for awhile. Now, SophistiCat sent me this excellent picture that I wanted to set up as my look...however, I just don't have time to really get into making a great layout. Or even a decent one. However, the image is saved and put away for a future in which I have a few hours to myself and can actually complete a thought that isn't interrupted with MOMMA.

I've had Barely Dressed for a while. Several years. I even did a stint off of Blogger hosting it myself, and will one day hopefully return to that. In all those years, it's been difficult to find a layout already made that so fitted the title. And finding an image that didn't show someone's snatch so I could make my own layout...well, the title is BARELY dressed, not totally nude. Then there's finding something fitting with class. Most half dressed pictures are overly suggestive for what Barely Dressed means to me. Some scantily clad gal in bright red lipstick sucking a lollipop/banana/chocolate strawberry/etc was NOT the point I was trying to get across.

Barely Dressed is not a phrase of sexuality. It has nothing to do with sex, lasciviousness, or physical nudity. I wanted a barely dressed image that didn't offer sex, bare genitals, and titillation. I wanted a statement, of class, of being just within the realms of decent while maintaining some pride. No nasty poses. No suggestive sucklings on various fruits and foods. But it had to have just a hint of salaciousness. Just a hint, mind you, of "naughty". Why?

Barely Dressed is an attitude, a way of thinking, of being. It's honesty with a little blunt force trauma. It's saying that thing you aren't supposed to in "polite" company, even if you ARE in "polite" company. It's being "naughty" and stating the things that "shouldn't" be said, just nakedly saying it in such a way that people stop, listen, laugh, but understand. It IS about making people feel stupid and look stupid, if they are being stupid. It's about standing up and knocking people around a little (verbally) and doing so while breaking the barriers with pride. When people stand up in their underwear, they feel shame and under dressed. This is standing in your underwear, hands on hips, straight backed, and telling people "Look into my EYES. Look beyond and really see."

This is who I am. I get a lot of grief over this. From everyone around me. Tact and diplomacy are two words I've heard ALL MY LIFE. People wanting nice. People wanting a spoonful of sugar. Where the hell they got the idea I'm Mary Poppins I have no fuckin' clue. They want to change what I say, how I say it, so no one feels bad. However, if you've gotten to the point that I feel I have to say it, then you deserve to feel bad. I haven't learned tact and diplomacy, I've learned silence. They see stand offish, aloof, superior. I'm just keeping my mouth shut. I'm not out to offend the whole world. Most people's problems aren't worth remarking upon. I'm content to leave others their perceptions and delusions up to a point. Then when they drop a piece of massive stupidity or cross the line between opinions and being a jackass, then I feel obligated to step up and call them out. I do not put up with racism, intolerance, forcing opinions on others. If someone doesn't call them out, then this type of behavior persists and spreads. I am the one who stands in front of the mob with pitchforks and burning torches and says "ARE YOU FUCKIN' KIDDING ME???? What has he ever done to YOU????" You see that person on tv, in some movie and think "Way to go! Someone with some decency and sense." You talk to me and what I hear is "She's so mean. What an asshole." All I can think is you didn't see yourself as part of the mob until I said something. I guess I made you feel bad, get over it.

So, the new layout, there it is. Hands lightly on hips, standing at a cocky angle, relaxed, proud, in her underwear. Covered enough for society's standards, but in her underwear. Not her bathing suit, her underwear. Yeah, I know her hands are positioned as if she's going to drop the panties, but look closer. Are you sure? Are you sure she's not standing there saying, thumbs hooked on the edge of panties as if hooked over a pair of Levi's, saying "Yes, I'm in my underwear, and you are all hiding your mouths behind your hands, and I don't even notice. I'm too busy, too busy yanking down your stupid boundaries, your stupid misperceptions, preconceived notions, your ignorant prejudices. I am already in my underwear and I'm proud. What happens when I yank all your clothes away?"

Love can keep us together (only if it's Jesus love)

What amazes me is how the "christians" can read the preachings of a man who counseled love in everything we do, and yet use it to spread so much hate and controversy. Liberty Counsel (the name an indication of heavy irony in itself) has begun it's annual hate campaign, during what is supposed to be a holiday of showing love to your fellow man. Did I call it a hate campaign? Oh yes I did.

And why not? They are acting like 4 year olds who aren't getting their way on the playground. From one of their sample ads "In essence, we will be a “Friend” to those entities which allow for the constitutionally protected right of expression but will be a “Foe” of those which attempt to
suppress religious liberty." In other words, if you don't play my way, I won't be your friend no more. Not to mention they're liars based on that statement alone.

Again, no one is "stealing" Christmas. (Don't even get me into where you stole it from to start with guys). No one is looking to rename it or remove it altogether (not like you did the original pagan celebrations). In fact, we all just celebrate in our own way...but you can't stand that can you? Let me explain this so your small minds can comprehend:

1. Happy Holidays is a saying that includes ALL holidays of the season. Yes, yours too. It's not taking away YOUR right to say Merry Christmas. If it helps, look on it as a way to remember Jesus and love your fellow man, regardless of his religious affiliation. "You're a different religion, but I wish for you to be happy at this time of year anyhow. I wish to show that I love you, as Jesus taught, because Christianity rocks that way." The funny thing is this is supposedly Jesus' birthday. Would you dream of attending a real person's birthday party and being rude to everyone who showed up? Yet you do it on Jesus' birthday..what an asshole.

2. Including OTHER holidays that are celebrated at the exact same time is not because we don't like YOU. It's because we like to make our fellow man happy and comfortable. I don't know if you noticed, but this is America. We are diverse. That means we have lots of different people. We have white folks, black folks, brown folks, "Christian" folks, Jewish folks, Pagan folks...take my word, many different people. All these people have the right to be recognized for ALL that they are, which includes their religion. They should all feel comfortable to be in our country (especially since most were BORN here) and live their lives as they wish without harming others. I'm sorry, but your campaign to emphasize your religion over others harms others. You show your children, every Christmas, that it's more important who you worship than being a good person. Those kids go out and do the same thing to the other kids in their class. What a shining example of the love Jesus preached.

a. When schools decide not to sing "Christian" songs during the play, that doesn't mean they are out to crucify "Christians" after the play. It means that thanks to your psychotic meanderings they are trying really hard to follow the Constitution AND not cause a scene that ruins the holiday because you guys are real assholes. See, to show a welcome to all religions then that means they gotta sing that Jewish song, Kwanza song, Chrisitan song, Pagan song. You people will show your true agenda (which is NOT to love your fellow man) by getting all pissy about the Hanukkah songs, Kwanza songs, and Yule songs. So they either have to drop ALL religious songs or sing them all. You've made them a nice catch-22 there. Dicks.

b. This also applies to displays of religious natures. See, it's all or nothing. Once again, you make sure they have no idea which way is right by hating whatever they do either way and making a big stink over it.

3. You are so in this war alone. It's funny, but every fuckin' year it's the "CHRISTIANS" who start the shit. Some innocent person goes off to the wrong activist and says "Happy Holidays" with all the good intentions of the world and YOU people go off. You cause resentment (I swear you guys' AQ is higher than anyone else's on the planet, that's Annoyance Quotient for you idiots out there), you cause ill will, and then get mad at US...that's balls for you. If I KNOW you're a "Christian" and every day do my damnedest to convert you, eventually you're going to start getting annoyed with me. Maybe even pissed off, then you might start pushing your religion just to get my goat. That's what you people do every fuckin' year. Newsflash: You're right, we DO wish you'd go away...just so you'll shut up and leave us the fuck alone. But we didn't until you started this shit. I don't like most of you people, you wouldn't know Jesus teachings if he came down here and gave you the Apple, but I never wished you gone until you started pushing harder and harder. Now I do wish you'd go away, but only for the peace factor. You can stay if you'll calm down and chill the fuck out. You can tell me Merry Christmas and I'll say Happy Holidays and we'll smile and wish each other well and MOVE THE FUCK ON.

4. Can you only feel love if you scream about Jesus? What is this thing you got here where no one can be thankful of what they have, appreciative of spending time with their family, basking in the glow of their loved ones UNLESS they have the Jesus sticker? Do you really think that NO other religion, or even no other human being, can feel those things except you? You had a nice idea going on: A holiday where you spend time with your family and show appreciation and bask in their love. We liked that idea...we used it. Ok, so for us it's not about the Jesus. But it seems we're doing what Jesus said, and apparently that's the only thing the man asked for for his birthday. At least WE are giving the man his wish...you're just too busy being a "christian" instead of acting like one. Damn near every one of you is nothing but a Sunday "christian" anyhow. You act all nice in church, but I see you on the internet. The only people carrying around as much hate and intolerance and childishness is Al Quaida. You people need some Jesus therapy, and I know just the perfect Christian to do it. Shame is, he's too Christian to want to be around you folks. It would sadden him, he'd try I know, but he'd be so ashamed of you....

Look, just enjoy the fuckin' holiday alright. Try a bit of that Jesus love he left behind and you've been thumbing your nose at. As Bill and Ted said:

Be excellent to each other. Party on, dudes.

Kids Cough Medicine; Or why you're an idiot THIS time

This isn't usually a problem I have myself, but atm, I DO have it. I foolishly took my son to the doctor (18 months) when he swallowed a very tiny fuse. The foolish part was taking him to the damn waiting room, where apparently we all caught a severe cold. (How do I know it was there? We hadn't left the house for a week except for the doctor appointment, how the hell else does the WHOLE family turn up sick on the SAME day? Anyone with more than one child knows if it's getting passed from child to child, each child generally turns up sick on a different day or a different time. Normally they don't all get sick at the same hour.) So anyhow, this is right after the big FDA warning: NO COUGH MEDS FOR THE LITTLES.

Naturally of course parents are now in the throes of the newest demand and so what you see online is "OMG, NO!! No cough meds!!!! IT'S THE DEATH!!!" And this classic suggestion from the apparently brilliant at CNN-massages and music....let's just sing the sick away...PRAISES...pray..er..sing the sick away...yeah....

Listen VERY carefully you morons-STOP GUESSING DOSAGE!!!! It takes 5 minutes to call the nurse, give her/him your child's weight and get a proper dosage suggested. If you don't (for some odd reason) have a doctor, you can also call the hospital and get someone to tell you (sometimes, they are so afraid of lawsuits. However, a nurse in a location not to be named did NOT tell my husband that sudafed is ok for pregnant women..get me? My doc's answering service was down). Also, why in the hell (unless there's some fever) would you give a child a dosage EVERY 4 hours just because the meds say so? How do you know if they are getting better??? ATM, my 3 year old is getting Motrin ONLY for fever, she has no cough, throat pain, congestion. Dosage naturally double checked since I'm not a complete moron. My 18 month old is getting tylenol cold and cough ONLY for sleeping. Not so *I* can sleep, I'm still not sleeping, but so HE can. Who doesn't know it's VERY important to get plenty of rest when you're sick? Hell, it's one of the things the doc ALWAYS says "drink plenty of fluids and get a lot of rest". If your body is wore out from lack of sleep, it's gonna be shit to fight off illness. So, except for nap and bedtime I leave him alone except to wipe his nose and check for fever. This also allows me to pay attention to his symptoms, so I can see if they are improving, worsening, or maintaining. If you're giving a child an anti-fever medicine, you're not gonna be able to tell if fever is a new symptom. (Yes, it does treat a symptom he doesn't have, however, he has all the rest). My daughter doesn't get her Motrin unless she shows signs of returning fever, not at the exact moment the medicine says so. Motrin says wait 6-8 hours, so I wait generally longer. If her fever isn't returning, kind of stupid to give her medicine for it, wouldn't you think?

Use a little common sense. You are all so quick right now to return to the methods of our grandmother's time. Some are great, I won't lie. My grandmother is one of the first I call too. But common sense applies. A tiny amount of whiskey and honey is suggested for over 1 year olds...that IS an old method, but not my idea of a GOOD one. Don't be so quick to throw out medicines. Remember, while some of these children's medicines haven't been tested on kids, neither has many of these home remedies. At least Robotussin has been on the market for 40 years and is something we can sue over if it's wrong. Yeah, echinacea has been around a lot longer, but my grandmother (much as I like to think she knows everything) does NOT know medicine. Also, what works for you not only won't work for others, but may prompt an allergic reaction. I'm allergic to belladonna, a staple in many natural sty remedies (and some pharma ones).

Look, I'm not a big one for meds myself. Quite frankly, except for yesterday I've been treating MY cold naturally. I had to finally take something to help me relieve my symptoms long enough to get some rest, just like I had to do for my son. But I'm for sure not stupid enough to throw out medicines that HAVE been tested publicly over 40 years just because you people are too stupid to give it properly. And I surely am not going to be shamed into letting my children suffer by a bunch of idiots who read a headline and start screaming like Chicken Little (or who are all too stupid to pay attention to their kids and the medicines they take).

As for the deaths that have occurred even when properly dosed...I believe it was 30 deaths in the last 40 years...not to sound too harsh, but really....there have been more deaths in the last 5 years from driving cars, we're not throwing cars out are we??

BTW, for those of you too stupid to pay attention, if your kid isn't improving after 3 days TAKE THEM TO THE DOCTOR. I know some of you people are giving these kids this crap for a week with no doctor visit...that's beyond stupid. If my kids haven't improved by tomorrow morning they go to the doctor. I don't keep dosing them for a week. And if they are improving, they not only don't need a doctor, they don't need the damn medicine. You don't keep giving kids this shit for a week, that's just idiocy. That also includes home remedies...TAKE THEM TO THE DOCTOR. Yeah, it may still be a cold, but if you're kid isn't improving, isn't it safer to be sure they don't have something worse than to wait and let it really settle in? You think a doctor visit is expensive, try hospital bills.

Observations of Hypocrisy: Or Nothing New Today

There was a huge outcry when the Iraqi war began. Bush said "You're either with us or against us". Republicans called democrats "traitors to America" for not supporting the war. Dems cried out that they weren't traitors, the war was wrong. Many were angered that their loyalty to our country was called into question because they felt the best thing for America was staying out of the Iraqi war. Dem's weren't "patriotic", they were supporting Osama, giving aid to the terrorists. Dems were, naturally, very upset over these accusations. As they should have been. t shouldn't be one way or the other. We should be allowed to hold opinions against something without having our loyalties called into question. And the dems said that.

But apparently, the dems don't see their own form of "you're with us or against us". Yeah, those dems have one of their own. "FOR THE CHILDREN". If you don't do what THEY think is best "FOR THE CHILDREN", then you obviously hate THE CHILDREN. You're not allowed to have general disagreements about an idea because it's FOR THE CHILDREN, so you HAVE to support it to prove you really love THE CHILDREN.

So, the dems have made it clear that they really ARE unpatriotic, traitorous supporters of Osama. Because if they want to hold the repubs to FOR THE CHILDREN, then we should hold them to "YOUR WITH US OR AGAINST US". It's only fair.

Well said.

First They Came For the Smokers…Then They Came For the Overweight

August 31, 2007

By Jacqueline S. Homan

It’s funny…well, maybe not so funny…that every time there is a group of people whom it is legally, socially and politically acceptable to discriminate against for jobs, deny all around equitable treatment and abuse with impunity; there is some “study” concocted by “intellectuals” and “experts” to justify it.

When overweight people, especially middle-aged overweight women, are denied jobs and consequently end up poor; they are then berated for “not doing anything” about their appearance. Fitness clubs aren’t cheap. Neither is fitness equipment often advertised on the shopping channel by fitness gurus. They cost a lot of money – money that low income or unemployed people simply don’t have when paying the rent, mortgage and utilities is of paramount importance and there isn’t any discretionary cash to be had.

For those who are overweight and who are fortunate enough to have enough economic security and financial stability to belong to a fitness club, keeping up with an exercise regimen is often fraught with abuse by the “pretty and thin” people who treat them with disdain, or as one poster put it: the attitude of “How dare you bring your obese body into MY gym where I have to LOOK at you!” Those who are overweight who are trying to do something positive for themselves by going to the fitness clubs to swim or work out get treated so disrespectfully and cruelly by those who enjoy thinner leaner figures that it’s too mentally and emotionally exhausting to continue going. Thus, they often never return to the gym after being discouraged by the shabby treatment from inconsiderate and judgmental people. It is these same superficial and judgmental people who, ironically, are always the first to admonish the overweight to “get off their fat asses and exercise”. No one wants to willingly subject themselves to such abuse – unless they have masochistic tendencies.

Some of the discrimination and poor treatment the overweight, the smokers and those over age 40 experience is because of personal preferences, but more often it is a problem compounded by the media. The media plays the whore by pandering to the special interest groups funding these “studies” – which are largely based on junk science as fancy excuses to marginalize a given target group of people, be it the overweight or those who smoke.

What is more reprehensible about this is that these special interest groups who are causing untold pain and misery for those targeted for vilification are doing so for a profit. With all the appetite suppressants, nicotine replacement therapy drugs, antidepressants, botox shots, liposuction and plastic surgery; there is a lot of money at stake. Trillions of dollars in wealth would literally vanish if there actually was a proven means of curing weight problems, preventing aging, or preventing people from smoking. Despite all the medical technology and wonder drugs, there are still people who are overweight, there are still people getting old, and there are still people who won’t quit smoking. In the end everybody dies – regardless of how good they looked before being shot up with formaldehyde and crammed into a pine box.

Obviously, the diploma’d elite are not omniscient and do not have all the right answers. The definition of an “expert” is someone who has been educated beyond their mental capacity, and who makes up fancy excuses to justify discrimination and the abuse of others – using the media to bolster their agenda.

The media is especially at fault for prostituting itself to these sanctimonious “experts” and the special interests that fund their “studies.” While I firmly believe in preserving freedom of speech and of the press, it should be noted that freedom and responsibility are two sides of the same coin. Freedom of speech does not entitle you to yell “Bomb!” on an airplane. When freedom of speech is used in conjunction with freedom from responsibility by the media, there is a major problem. This lack of responsibility on the media’s part has contributed significantly to smokers being thrown out of their jobs and denied the right to consume a legal product in public for which they are taxed oppressively. This same lack of media responsibility is also a major contributing factor to the overweight being denied jobs and older people being forced out of jobs – causing severe economic hardship and poverty for many who do not deserve it.

The media is also largely responsible for the false elevation of the medical community to god-hood. This largely contributed to the false sense of security and invincibility so many people have developed. An extreme example is that of a teenager who underestimated the risks and dangers of climbing around a parked freight train in order to cross the tracks to hurry home for a friend’s birthday party. When the 6,000 ton train lurched forward, the teen fell and the train rolled over his left arm and left leg, crushing and severing them. The young man nearly bled to death. While he was being carted to the hospital and realizing that he lost two limbs, he underestimated the severity and permanent nature of his injuries because he thought that his severed arm and leg could simply be surgically reattached due to the marvels of modern technology and modern medicine. He had seen and heard about limb reattaching on educational medical programs on TV. The doctors could fix everything for him and make him all better, or so he thought. He now wears a hook for an arm and a prosthetic leg. His injuries resulted in the medical revocation of his drivers’ license – permanently.

If the media can lull people into a false sense of security that causes them to underestimate the dangers of fooling around on train tracks and the severity of losing a limb, then it is no surprise that the media has caused smokers to be unjustly criminalized and that the overweight are denied jobs – then labeled “lazy slobs” for failing to join fitness clubs in order to “do something about it”. In our gerontophobic society, it’s also perfectly okay to deny older people jobs, benefits, or promotions and career advancement opportunities. The concept of older people, overweight people or smokers actually having happy and healthy sex lives is reviled as “gross” – because of what the media projects. Thin young Barbie Doll types may prance about on beaches and swimming pools in thong bikinis with impunity, but women who are plump from recently giving birth are abused and discriminated against for daring to breast feed in public – however discreetly they do so and with minimal breast exposure. The media reaffirms this point of view: thin girls in bikinis that show it all are desirable, beautiful and sexy – nursing mothers with their post-partum figures are not.

In sum, the problem isn’t the overweight, the smokers, or those over age 40. It’s the prejudice and lousy attitudes by those who lack sufficient intelligence and the discipline to resist brainwashing by the media and the powerful special interests controlling it.

© Copyright 2007 The Smoker's Club, Inc. Please repost with link back to this original article.

Lifestyle War

So here I am, chatting in the comments of Gas-doc's blog, when I make a statement that, after I typed it, made me jump in my seat. We are in a Lifestyle War.

Did I dare say it, yep, I sure did. Lifestyle War. We are in a battle to be left alone and live our lives in peace. I say this because there's the smoking thing, because apparently some people are too functionally retarded to see a Smoking permitted sign and go elsewhere...or shouldn't have to go elsewhere. Then there's the Obesity war...you do realize our government is declaring war on us, the citizens, on a fairly regular basis here lately, don't you? I mean, diabetics are assholes, smokers are assholes, fat people are assholes, mothers are assholes. We cause all the world's problems, so therefore we are going to be regulated. We are too fat, too sick, too ewwy. The entire basis of the smoking problem is based on "I don't like the smell". Fat people are gross. Diabetics cost too much. You realize Americans are being punished for 9/11? Yeah, our phones can be tapped without a warrant, we can see every book you check out...the guy who actually DID it? Our government not only has no real clue where he is, but they don't CARE. Gays can't marry. Mothers are being told not to eat too much because they'll get fat. Oh we can't have that!!! FAT PEOPLE!! ARGH!!!!! However, they played with mom's weight back in the 60's and we ended up with a bunch of dying, ill, or defected children. The current weight gain was decided after that. Go ahead moms, worry about your figure...Jr. doesn't really need to be healthy.

To top it off, every bit of it is a lie. You people are being played for fools. I'd laugh, but you idiots are fucking us all over.

What really gets me is while we're worrying about how people look, or how ewwy they are, our kids have become ruder, there is still crime at high rates, people are actually less intelligent (that's what you get for getting your information through sound bites). We are, as a group, actually bigger assholes. But character isn't important, how you LOOK,now that's the real factor huh? We don't even hold our politicians up to any decent kind of standard anymore. Just don't smoke, don't get a blowjob, you're in. You can torture folks, I mean it's not like they are REAL human beings. We have a football player making national news for going to court for abusing his dog while we discuss denying health care to people because we don't like something they do. If we let a dog starve to death, someone gets arrested. But hey, we'll let that person that can't function on any level slowly starve to death because it's not ok to let people be humanely put to sleep. If we let them die, we'll let them starve to death, that's much nicer. We wonder why our kids do so much drugs while we let sports figures "juice up", they don't get fired. Maybe banned a few weeks, maybe dock 10k from their 3.5 million dollar salary. But hey, they WIN..standards be damned.

Do you get it yet? As a country, we are depraved, selfish, assholes..but who cares..we need to stop smoking and fat people!!!!!! Clarion is CHARGING people money (employees mind you) from the paycheck they earn, if they smoke or are fat. That's theft people. But that's ok, we can steal some of their paychecks, because theft is ok when it's something we don't like. We wonder why our children have become such scuzzy little, criminal bastards...maybe that's why. Maybe because you're too busy declaring Lifestyle Wars instead of being a good person.

Don't you ever wonder, if smoking is so horrible, why isn't it banned? And don't give me that prohibition doesn't work shit. It hasn't stopped you on drugs, and backdoor prohibition is still prohibition, except it hurts more because apparently the backdoor is you fucking a smoker in the ass. You take our money, tell us you will take away our rights, want to remove our children.....honey, that's prohibition. Actually that's a pathetic manipulative tactic, but it's ok to manipulate people instead of just remove the problem. It's ok to prohibit it in every way possible, that's not REALLY prohibition. You people really suck at justification. Oh fuck it, I hate you. I hate you all. Not because I'm a smoker, but because I'm a human being. A real one, with standards...and you aren't. You are just a bunch of selfish, egotistical, depraved animals with serious intelligence issues.

"Public Health" or How Stupid is Our Country?

I've been reading so much here lately about "public health" and it's bullshit. I think what irritates me the most is not that these people are talking, as it is the rest of you are listening. What, did you brain just shut off? Are you perhaps, functionally retarded? And if you are, why are you up to treating me like I am just because you don't want to hire your own personal nanny?

It's not that I don't hear you. I agree to some extent. Health care access in this country sucks ass. Yes, someone needs to do something about it. I have an idea, very productive actually too. More productive than standing in the I'm a fuckin retard line with the rest of you idiots. Why don't we push for legislation that stops allowing hospitals to charge $14 for ONE tylenol??? You have seen the price of tylenol right? $14 will buy you 3 bottles of the stuff, 2 bottles if you get the big ones. I know you people have bought aspirin...you know how much it costs. If you really want to lessen the costs of health care, let's start with, oh I don't know the PRICE GOUGING???? You idiots want to write your congressman, let's at least start with the cost of ONE TYLENOL before we go refusing treatment to folks. Before we blame diabetics, smokers, and fat people, why don't we show just a little, a smidgeon, of fuckin' intelligence. You know as well as I do that $14 for a tylenol is about $13 too much. You'd rather be an inhuman monster, blaming other people for your idiocy, than to address the real issue here? Before we call out Big Brother, can we at least take a wittle look see at the hospital bills? Go ahead and click the subject link, I'll wait. See, there it is, $126 for a box of tissues?? How much do YOU pay for a box of tissues? I know I pay $1.26, not $126. How much are tissues really worth to you?

I just don't understand you people. All ready to hand your body to the state so they can decide for you, but not near willing to look at a fuckin' medical bill and go "This is fuckin' ridiculous". You will write your congressman because fat people, smokers, and diabetics "cost too much" not realizing you cost too fuckin' much too! But yours is for being STUPID.

National Health Care isn't the answer. You obviously don't want to pay for others decisions (fat, smokers, diabetics). Fine, I have no disagreement with that. I don't want to pay for your stupid decisions either. So how about a little price control? It's been done, in Maryland, and apparently, there are still hospitals in Maryland! How about that? They can live without severe overcharging. Quit donating to the ACS, the ALS, they've made no inroads on cancer. Why don't you make it easier for cancer patients to get their meds and pay their bills so they don't leave their families in destitution? Let's stop weighing them down with medical bills. Maybe if we stop paying the ACS and the ALS money they'll understand that we won't pay unless we get real results. Kill two birds with one stone? Go donate to the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association. Tell them you want realistic prices for health care. National health care will put us all in the same sinking boat, don't you think it's time to get your head out of your ass and bail some fuckin' water you selfish assholes?

Another new layout

Don't worry, I'll end up changing it around often the next several months until I find one I can stick with...but hey, this is much better than Shrek.

New Layout

Naptime got screwed so I went and chased down a new layout. Why Shrek? Well, why not Shrek? It's not really that I'm a huge Shrek fan, it's cute, but not my overwhelming passion. However, I couldn't find a huge finger flipping people off, so hey, why not disgust and confuse people with a layout like this on a page that uses the word "fuck" more than the letter "e"? I just get so damn sick and tired of those tired little layouts that are our options...and I like to fuck with people. THAT'S my overwhelming passion. Let's see how it works out. Maybe I'll come across that finger, but if not...well, like I said...why not Shrek?

OMFG--I did it AGAIN

I went off and got myself pregnant AGAIN. TOTAL surprise. I suppose it could be a false positive (actually 2 false positives) , so I have a doctor's appointment July 23 (soonest they'd get me in) and maybe we'll see. However, I don't hold out much hope and I'm sure number 5 will be arriving sometime in late February, early March. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. I'd do a poll, but I'm afraid to see the results (laugh or cry). For the moment, I just put it out of my head and go on with my day with a few minor changes (no alcohol, no unnnecessary meds..not that I have unnecessary meds, but I mean, if it's a small headache I just go take a nap..Hey, I'm sleeping for two here!) Anyhow, point is, I'm tired, I'm fuckin' starving to DEATH, and running after the other children...kind of...more like jogging very slowly, perhaps a fast walk with a break for a nap or a huge plate of nachos.

Therefore, posting is growing even more erratic. Go read those over on my list there. Watcher's got up some good stuff and so does Sophisticat and Did We Say That Out Loud (Lucy and Ethel, I love you) are writing up a storm with some really good stuff. And as always, Junk Food Science is a MUST read immediately. Will be adding more blogs to that list soon I imagine as well....ah shit...it's naptime again.

Kids should be seen and not hear, EVER

I don't have to comment on this:

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — It's what kids do: squeal in delight when they're having fun.

But to some Long Island residents those squeals were unwelcome noise, and they wanted two neighborhood girls playing in a backyard pool to pipe down.

The complaints fell on deaf ears Wednesday night when Bayville's acting village justice dismissed a summons accusing the girls' parents, William and Rachel Poczatek, of violating a village noise ordinance.

"I think the village did the right thing," William Poczatek said.

Poczatek said he was shocked when he and his wife were slapped with a summons. Sure, he said, Ashley, 11, and 5-year-old Chloe make noise when they're outside enjoying their aboveground swimming pool.

"What, are you telling me that a kid can't make noise?" he protested. "It's not fair."

The Poczateks were cleared because the ordinance is usually reserved for "the shouting and crying of peddlers, hawkers and vendors, which disturbs the peace and quiet of the neighborhood," their attorney said.

The statute didn't apply," insisted attorney Andrew Campanelli, who got no argument from the judge or prosecutor.

Before the hearing, neighbor Sheila Brown said the children's squeals were not your usual brand of merriment.

"I have five dogs," Brown said. "Five dogs don't make this much noise. This is not something that started yesterday. They have been asked politely, but this is an ongoing issue far beyond children just playing in the pool."

Neighbors did not speak with reporters after the court proceeding.

Poczatek offered a conciliatory message: "Yes, we will try to keep them quieter."

Screw keeping them quieter. If these people don't like the noise of children, I suggest they find another place to live away from them. 5 dogs make less noise than 2 children???? I have FOUR children, and when we get them all together my mother's 4 dogs make more noise than my 4 kids at full throttle. What, kids can't laugh and yell when playing? Fuck off...you don't like it, MOVE where there are no children. I'm sure you think children shouldn't exist, and you have your right to feel that way. But you have no right to stop them from being what they are, children, who laugh and play.

Oops, forgot the link: Fox News

Men and Women

There's a new book that's made the America's Best list..one of them..called The Dangerous Book for Boys. Geared to...you guessed it, boys. Now I could give a shit about gender roles, really. I really don't care. My kids will be whatever they want to be and be happy at it, society's views mean nothing. Boys and girls are different. I'm sorry to break any hearts on the whole equality thing, but we are. And it goes a lot further than boys have a penis and girls have a vagina. Men are better able to perform certain feats better, but then again, women have their own feats they do better. That doesn't make men better than women, or vice versa. We are simply different. Men's bodies are made to do these things, women's are made to do those things. I can admit that simply because, I don't care. Men's bodies are more capable of certain physical activities than females. Females bodies are more capable of certain physical activities than male. It really evens out in the end, and none of it has anything to do with whether or not a girl can work on a car. Quite frankly, I'm a much better mechanic than my husband, even with that one little incident (don't ask). At least I think I am, I'm more apt to fix my car myself, he takes it to a mechanic. But then again, my husband has a much more extensive knowledge of geography and history than I do. It doesn't matter if we're boys or girls, just we have different talents.

One little tangent, you ever notice how some women tend to look down on the homemaker? If this was REALLY about equality, why do some women feel that all women MUST be doing something traditionally male to support the cause? Really, if you feel that men and women are equal and a woman *can* do anything a man can do.....why do you look down on women that do cooking, baking, marriage, kids? You're looking down on that role yourself. So you perpetuate the idea that "women's things" are less than "men's things". When in all actuality, it's all pretty individualized and all very much equal in it's fashion.

So why are we bitching about the book? Just 'cuz Boys is in the title? Who cares. Traditionally these were the guidelines for boys..there is nothing wrong with wanting to give those same guidelines to boys who follow the traditional mode in behavior. If you're a good parent, you've read the book first and are teaching your child where your views separate from the traditional guidelines. And if there are girls that prefer to do more boy type things, then the book serves for them. Again, read the book and tell her where you're own views separate from the book's.

Look people, men and women are different. We aren't capable of quite the same things. I'm sorry. WHEN there is a woman capable, she ought to be able to compete with men and vice versa. But sometimes you people carry it way too far. You have a severe hangup....

The problem with people

While I type this, instead of smokers sitting back, cigarette in hand, quietly chuckling, I see many afraid. And those with some intelligence in the non-smoking side of things sit in fear as well. Naturally the stupid and the anti's out-scream them both. We smokers watched as you enroached upon everything. Talking bullshit about "choice", while steadily removing real choice in favor of the the false "choice" you offered...the anti-smoker way alone. ANd we told you then, "They will be after your food next." And everyone of you stupid little twats said "Well that'd be stupid!" Stupid or not, yep, they are. However, we smokers can't sit back and chuckle, because quite frankly, this shit isn't funny. It's a long article, but it's definitely worth the read. I know you don't want to be scared, but you damn well better prepare yourself. A couple of quotes and we'll get on to the real point of this entry.

This extraordinary development, which will forever change the face of pediatric medicine and private family life — eliminating the ability of doctors to practice quality medicine and of families to make their own choices on their foods and lifestyles, and even how parents may parent — was completely ignored by mainstream media.

This may sound melodramatic, but it won’t after you’ve read the new recommendations for the medical management of fat children and teens just released by the AMA, CDC and HHS from the “Expert Committee on the Assessment, Prevention and Treatment of Child and Adolescent Overweight and Obesity.” Before getting into just who is this Expert Committee and who is funding it, let’s get right to their harrowing clinical practice guidelines, which were posted on the AMA website.

Every well-child visit is now to include a qualitative assessment of eating behaviors, which must include identifying how often the family eats meals away from home, consumption of sweetened beverages, portion sizes, how often and what children and teens eat for breakfast, how much fruit juice is drunk, how many fruits and vegetables and foods high in fat or calories are eaten, and the frequency and types of snacks.

Each pediatric check-up should also include a determination of physical activity which is to include “at a minimum” if the young person is meeting recommendations for 1 hour of moderate to intense physical activity everyday and, if not, why and what social, environmental or familial situations are standing in the way; and how many hours they watch TV or videos, play video games and use the computer, to ensure screen time is less than 2 hours a day.

Every child deemed “overweight” or “obese” by these new standards should have not just blood pressure measurements, but a complete work-up for all “obesity-related risk factors” — one that appears more appropriate for an elderly, ill cardiac patient — as the referenced table shows:

If this doesn't scare you, you're a retard. Not the "I'm going to insult you by calling you names" kind of retard. I mean you HAVE to be functionally retarded. I mean, like Corky. Go read the article. It SHOULD be required reading. Check her links...and now on to the point of this entry:

The trouble with most of you people is you can't be bothered to think. You have your work, your tai-bo classes, your suburban mommy playdate suck your husband's cock every Wednesday at 10 bullshit. And while you're living your life in your little perfect fuckin' bubble, those of us with more intelligence than, say, the average pile of shit are to sit here and run your life. "We'll let the doctors/lawyers/politicans figure it out, that's what they are there for." "Doesn't the DOCTOR know more about this than we do?" "That's what those scientist guys do is figure this out so I can sit on my porch with those neighbors I hate and brag about little Timmy's little league homer?"

I have a little newsflash for you: We're no more honest than you are. And some of us smart people DO look down on you and say "Yeah, we can fuck you in the ass without lube, because your too busy hiding your little pharmaceutical addiction to worry about how much it's gonna hurt when we're done." You're too busy worrying about a non-existent "War on Christianity", your next tai-bo class, when you're gonna cheat on your wife, or whether your little Timmy gets the grade you WANT him to have rather than the one he deserves. You sit in your little bubble, voting in retards and power hungry warmongers cuz your afwaid. You sit in your little bubbles, where nothing has changed except the cost of everything, thinking about shit that means NOTHING. You sit in your little bubble, with your big ass skeletons in the closet, judging smokers and fat people and drug addicts while you tell us how to live our lives. Your perfect little bubble, that really isn't so perfect. Because obviously if everything was perfect at home, you wouldn't be out looking for ways to bug others. You'd be at home in your perfect life.

And now they're after your food...and to torment your children. But that's ok right? You're still stupid enough to think that little Tommy hasn't noticed the pharmaceutical company you keep in the medicine cabinet. Don't you think it's time to wake the fuck up?

As I said, teaching kids religion should be criminal

Religion and Child Abuse

You guys should read this, I've provided some excerpts. Realize this is RELIGION and child abuse, not Christianity and child abuse...but hey, Christianity is mentioned as well.

Such abuse begins with the involuntary involvement of children in religious practices from the time they are born. All religions, through ritual, preaching, and religious texts, seek to bring children into day-to-day religious practice. This gives holy books and scriptures, as well as those who teach them, an early grip on the developing minds of young people, leaving an indelible impression on them. In many cases, most notably in the Catholic Church, this forced and prolonged exposure of children to religious institutions has also been a key factor in the physical, mental, and sexual abuse of children by religious leaders.

This early grip is so strong that very few people, once grown, ever get an opportunity to change their minds, despite being exposed to science and rational thinking, or even other religious systems. Religious beliefs thrive by imposing themselves upon impressionable minds and gaining their blind adherence to certain dogmatic practices.

.........

There is a global unwillingness to acknowledge that all religions use their educational institutions and programs, be they Sunday schools, madrassas, or Jewish or Hindu temples to indoctrinate children. Sometimes, this is in the guise of conveying good moral values, but, while it may be much more rigid and overt in, say, a madrassa, it is no less influential on young minds in a Christian Sunday school.

Ultimately, all such programs try to instill a belief in the superiority of one religion and inculcate an unquestioning faith in that system.

............

The Death of Common Sense

Stolen from Stephanie:

Sunz--
No worries about excess Common Sense. Alas, Common Sense died recently. Here's the obit:

Obituary

The Very Sad Passing of Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old common sense was since the birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
Common sense will be remembered as having cultivated valuable lessons such as knowing when to come out of the rain, why the early bird catches the worm, that life isn't always fair and that just maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults not children are in charge).
Common Sense's health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place....Reports of a six year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing his classmate, teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student , only worsened his condition.
Common sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer panadol, sun lotion or sticky plasters to a student, but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from an intruder in your own home and the burglar got the right to sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman working in her office failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled some in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust. His Wife; Discretion; His daughter; Responsibility; His Son Reason....

He is survived by three stepbrothers, I Know My Rights; Someone Else Is To Blame and I Am A Victim....
Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing!

Amen

ROFLMFAO

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *Jalestra falls on the floor rolling, almost pissing her pants*

How many times have I said to just give the Christians what they wanted under the laws of our country? How many? And a place did it, and the Christians got back right what they asked for! TWICE!!! There's a link on the blog title too, don't miss it..it's where I got most of my info!

A group of Pagans in Albemarle County, Va., was recently given permission to advertise their multi-cultural holiday program to public school children – and they have the Rev. Jerry Falwell to thank for it.

The dispute started last summer when Gabriel and Joshua Rakoski, twins who attend Hollymead Elementary School, sought permission to distribute fliers about their church’s Vacation Bible School to their peers via “backpack mail.” Many public schools use special folders placed in student backpacks to distribute notices about schools events and sometimes extra-curricular activities to parents.

School officials originally denied the request from the twins’ father, Ray Rakoski, citing a school policy barring “distribution of literature that is for partisan, sectarian, religious or political purposes.”

A Charlottesville weekly newspaper, The Hook, reports that Rakoski “sicced the Liberty Counsel on the county,” and the policy was soon revised to allow religious groups to use the backpack mail system. Liberty Counsel is a Religious Right legal group founded by Mathew Staver and now affiliated with Falwell.

Some local Pagans who attend Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church, a Unitarian-Universalist congregation in Charlottesville, decided to take advantage of the new forum as well. They created a one-page flier advertising a Dec. 9 event celebrating the December holidays with a Pagan twist and used the backpack system to invite the entire school community. (There's more if you click the link)

So that was the first incident..then, as you gather from the link in the title, it happened again:

So, the Religious Right got want they wanted from the federal courts (the same federal courts they accuse of “kicking God out of the public schools”) and now they’re hopping mad…again.

World Net Daily reports that the Albemarle School District is under attack by a Religious Right group for sending students home with flyers for Camp Quest, an overnight summer camp for young atheists, agnostics and freethinkers.

This time, however, the problem has been exacerbated by a handful of teachers who have refused to send the flyers home. The group assailing Albemarle School District, Rick Scarborough’s Vision America, says “it’s outrageous to force teachers to distribute these flyers.” He’s urging members to contact the district to protest its “establishment of disbelief.”

An anonymous spokesman for the rebelling teachers told World Net Daily some teachers refused to hand out the Camp Quest flyer because they were “disgusted” and were concerned parents would think the school was endorsing the camp. Even though there is a disclaimer distancing the school from all extra-curricular information sent home, “it’s still coming from me and my classroom,” he said.

Mr. Anonymous is partly right. Anything that comes home from a public school, no matter how strong the disclaimer is, may be perceived as having the school’s stamp of approval. But that’s water under the bridge. Religious Right activists, through the 4th Circuit ruling that they sought, have forced public schools to allow their religious messages in the “backpack mail” system

.

Now that they have opened the forum, they can’t close it to perspectives they don’t like. Although these religious conservatives demand people listen to them, they appear unwilling to listen to others.

I can only close with a comment from the blog:

Well, Cathy and Jeff, it’s a new day. Your pals Falwell and Staver have opened up this forum, and now everyone gets to use it. Isn’t that what you wanted all along – freedom of religion? That freedom means all religions – even ones you don’t happen to like.

Let's go after ME!ME! Roth again

Why not, she's made a target of herself. What a bitch....to look at a human being and see nothing but disease??? Not an individual but disease??? What a disgusting, sick INDIVIDUAL ME!ME! is. And what a mean little bitch. Yeah, I know,coming from me that's rich..pot meet kettle..HOWEVER, I would NEVER tell someone what a cow she is unless she ASKED me. And then at least I'd TRY to be nice, not saying I'd succeed, but I would TRY. Of course, ME!ME! is the type that would steal candy from a baby.

I repeat, what a sick, disgusting, lazy person ME!ME! is. To not see the good things about Jordan, but only to see what's bad, and not even THAT bad at that. To want to hold Jordan back for no other reason than Jordan is "fat". I'm sorry, but the girl ain't fat..chubby? Maybe. I hear her father is an NFL linebacker...that girl will NEVER be a size 2. Obviously the Jordan has SOME talent (apparently more than ME!ME! has) and that's what we should see. Look, it's none of my business how she eats or how she chooses to live. Quite frankly, she's a breath of fresh air. I'm really sick of the anorexic bitches. It's hard to find pictures of ME!ME! that haven't been doctored, but the head shots I saw aren't encouraging. You can "count her vertebrae from her neck" to quote someone else.

Look, with people like ME!ME! it's no wonder that we have two conflicting problems, NOT EPIDEMICS, problems: obesity and anorexia. If you harp on one to the extent ME!ME! does, you're going to have a problem with the other. She is entirely too skinny to try to tell fat gals to lose weight. She and the Olsen twins are poster kids for anorexia, I wouldn't be going and giving shit to folks who aren't THE perfect size. Especially when YOU can afford a personal trainer. Especially when I can count your rib bones when you're slouching.

Look, ok, so some people are fat, guess what, NOT YOUR BUSINESS. You need to be taking care of you and your family, not sticking your nose in other people's faces. This isn't just for ME!ME!, but for all you nosy bastards. And no, it's not FOR THE CHILDREN. The children are quite well protected, ever heard of the CPS and doctors? Well, if your kid gets obese, they can have your kid removed for that. There is NO reason for people to make new little laws and rag on other people. There is NO reason to stick your nose in another adult's business.

Look guys, you wanna know where this shit leads? Here's some links for you:

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2007/05/medical-privacy-update-healthcare-for.html

Massachusetts: According to the CCHC, like all managed care plans, the MA state plan includes a provision for monitoring people’s lifestyles and their compliance with “wellness” goals established for them by the state

Minnesota: People would have no choice but to buy the health plans the state determines and these, again, are managed care programs, not true insurance plans. People would be forced to get the screening and preventive care, treatments and medications the state determines; lower their health indices to state-approved numbers; and their medical care would be managed by the state.

California: As the Los Angeles Times reported, “people who refuse to obtain health insurance could be tracked down by the state or a private contractor, enrolled in a plan and fined until they pay their premiums.”

U.S. Health Freedom on Verge of Collapse

This new bill panders to concerns of Americans regarding the safety of drugs. This legitimate worry is used by Kennedy and Enzi to garner support when in reality the bill does just the opposite - exposing Americans to almost unfathomable new drug risks and dangers while simultaneously making it possible to remove super safe, therapeutic, and helpful dietary supplements. The entire Critical Path initiative is a plan to race new and untested powerful biological drugs onto the market and experiment on patients all over the country – throwing caution to the wind as far as drug safety is concerned.

While S1082 also pretends to address the issues of drug safety, in reality all the needed Big Pharma loopholes are firmly in place. Additionally, the establishment of a clinical trial database as written in this proposed law will enable Big Pharma to hide experimental and undesirable side effects. Instead of full disclosure we will have a sterilized clinical trial database that will have the net effect of being used as a tool by Big Pharma to promote off label use of drugs. This is a far cry from disclosure that results in safety.

Be afraid, be very very afraid.

Top Ten Signs You're a Fundamentalist Christian

10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.

9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.

8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.

7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!

6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.

5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.

4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving."

3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.

2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.

1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian.

-----stolen from a craigslist thing

In all fairness

The national office of the ALA has seen the ad and pulled it from the air and YouTube. They apologized and expressed their disgust.

To quote Dr. Siegel (link on the right)

Apparently, the spot was produced by an ALA affiliate, and the national office was not aware of it until seeing my blog post this morning.

I will post a statement of regret from John Kirkwood, the president and CEO of the ALA, momentarily.

I applaud the American Lung Association for pulling the ad, expressing its thoughtful sentiments, and for its sincere apology.

ALA, John, this is called "damned if you do, damned if you don't". You're own fault however. You have spent so much time lying, I don't believe your sorry for your, albeit distant, involvement in this commercial. I think you're only sorry it wasn't the reaction you hoped for. I like this quote from a reader over at Doc's website:

The lies and frauds of the antismoking movement go beyond the damage to science: they hurt people and they hurt our society. The action of the ALA with regard to this ad is commendable, but I wouldn't give them an award any more than I'd pin a ribbon on a soldier who spared a month old newborn after gunning down its mother and a half dozen of its 1 to 8 year old siblings.


Michael J. McFadden
Author of Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"
http://pasan.TheTruthIsALie.com

Smoking commercial more offensive than you think smoking is

I have posted it elsewhere and repost it here. I can not link the video at the moment because it was taken down and I must find a new site. Suffice it to say that a anti-tobacco commercial was made (please read this first paragraph before you go view it, for your mental health) by Ramaa Mosley at Triofilms.com. It is a very emotional video and if you've ever been the victim of child abuse, please be warned that this video may be very...well offensive, but look, be sure you're ready to deal with a possible reliving of your childhood if you watch it. I'm so angry right now I can't hardly think straight. Her post to her right to air such a tasteless commercial is here as well as my own response.

Her post:

I directed this commercial because I believe that people who are complacent enough to continue smoking in front of their children need a huge jolt - something powerful to alter their way of seeing their actions.

People may be furious with the comparison between second hand smoke and child abuse - this is not a surprise. It is extremely disturbing to hear the sounds of the child in the spot being abused - as it should be. It's also extremely disturbing that there are still parents out there who know that smoking causes illness and possible death in children, yet they continue to smoke in front of them!

First off, the definition of abuse is "to treat in a harmful, injurious, or offensive way..." In webster's it's "a corrupt practice or custom".

What happens to babies when they are exposed to cigarette smoke?
--Babies and children who are exposed to cigarette smoke have a much higher incidence of pneumonia, asthma, ear infections, bronchitis, sinus infections, eye irritation, and croup.
--Colic occurs more often in babies whose mothers or fathers smoke or if
a breastfeeding mother smokes.
--Researchers believe that not only does the nicotine transferred into mother's milk upset baby but the passive smoke in the home acts as an irritant.
--Babies of smoking parents fuss more, and mothers who smoke may be less able to cope with a colicky
baby (due to lower levels of prolactin).
--Heavy smoking by breastfeeding moms occasionally causes symptoms in the breastfeeding baby such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
--Babies of smoking mothers and fathers have a seven times greater chance of dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
--Children of smoking parents have two to three times more visits to the doctor, usually from respiratory infections or allergy-related illnesses.
--Children who are exposed to passive smoke in the home have lower blood levels of HDL, the good cholesterol that helps protect against coronary artery disease.
--Children of smoking parents are more likely to become smokers themselves.
--A recent study found that growing up in a home in which two parents smoked could double the child's risk of lung cancer later in life.

I will confess that I grew up in an extremely abusive household - this commercial is tame in comparison to some of the things I experienced
and witnessed as a child. I also have have known a child raised in a family of smokers who died from cancer. Growing up I was friends with two other children who had terrible asthma and chronic respitory infections - all were raised in families where the parents smoked around the children.

Now that we're adults who is worse? I've gotten counseling, resolved most of the issues with my family and am living a productive life. My
friends still have constant asthma attacks and have had respitory infections that have lead to three bouts with pneumonia. Not to mention the fact that their father passed away ten years ago from lung cancer. So... who is worse off?

No one is is. That's the point. Child abuse is horrible. Smoking around your children is abuse.


As a mother of two small children, I believe that no child should be subjected to abuse of any kind. I'm proud of this spot - I believe it is a powerful statement on the behalf of children. My sincere hope is that parents who are currently smoking around their children will see this spot and make the right decision to NEVER smoke around their child again. We're not telling people to quit smoking - just quit smoking around your child. Take that cigarette outside, don't smoke in the car...

Sincerely,
Ramaa Mosley
Triofilms.com

Ramaa, not all victims of abuse would agree with you at all. I know I don't. I WISH my parents had ONLY smoked around me. That never bothered me at all. It didn't bother my asthma, no one in our family or neighborhood died of lung cancer.

MY children and the children of my neighbors and the children I grew up with are just fine. I did know a girl way back that died of cancer, but she was in a non-smoking family, and even if she wasn't it was a brain tumor, something I have yet to see attributed to smoking. If we were going by anecdotal evidence alone, my evidence would be just as important as yours.

I am also highly offended at your trivialization of my childhood. While YOU may feel that you have some right to do something like this because you are a fellow sufferer does not make it true or even ethical. To think so would to also say that since I was abused I have the right to rob your house and you must acknowledge that right and NOT file charges. Your commercial did shock me into one reaction, reliving briefly my own childhood. What right did you feel you have to do that? Just because you have an agenda you'd like to push? Just because I have overcome my childhood does not mean I want to relive it EVER, especially not for your lies, not even for a few seconds. It takes a lot of work to put that behind you, which you OUGHT to know if your claims are true. Even if the information was factual, it was still in VERY poor taste.

Also, if you people would BOTHER to check the information you've been fed you'd find that many are inaccurate. The WHO found that children of smokers were 22% LESS likely to develop lung cancer. Link here: http://www.obscurious.co.uk/ comp...smoking1440.pdf

You would also find that "there are no documented allergens in cigarette smoke. An asthmatic is potentially allergic to thousands of things, the most common being dust, pollen and pet hair. If cigarette smoke contained allergens there is no possible way millions of asthmatics could possibly be smokers." I am a smoking asthmatic, and the man who wrote the quote is a 40 year smoker and asthmatic, Warren Klass.

You would also find information about SIDS, linked here:
1. a letter from the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Alliance to John Bazhaff http://www.forces.org/evidence/f...iles/ cohe01.htm in which it's stated very clearly:

"To date, no direct causal relationship has been established. " I encourage you to actually read and understand the whole thing.

2. http://www.data-yard.net/10p2/sids.htm

Brain Stem Abnormality Seen in SIDS Babies, Study Shows

Thank you very much for leaving your company name. I will be sure to include it and your name to every abuse victim who finds this a disgusting, tasteless act. And I can assure you there will be many. Unfortunately, not being as callous as you, I will be sure to let them know that the commercial is extreme and they may want to consider it before viewing it based on their own feelings and whether or not THEY have gotten over their childhood. Not everyone has you know.