Surf Pal Postponed

The Surf Pal event has been postponed until tomorrow due to horrendous riptides off the coast of LI and elsewhere here in the NorthEast. (Three people are dead, three missing.) Shame - because we were really looking forward to the event.

The saddest part? No photos of me in the Cha Cha DeGregorio suit. But fear not! I am a creative woman. I was able to recreate how I would have looked at the event, taking into account my husband's comment that the suit made me look like a Tootsie Roll. (No, he will never live this down, I'm already ordering his tombstone to read "Mark Stagliano, who told his wife she looked like a Tootsie Roll in her swimsuit on July 25th 2008.") And the creep is right. We all have our "problem" areas in our figure. Mine is the two inches below my belly button and above never-you-mind. Those damn Steven's Bakery Whoopie Pies that I've taken to like a whale covets krill are taking their toll. I begged off them a month ago. I'm running. Hell, I've even taken two Jazzercise classes in an effort to look more like, hmmm, a Pixie Stick.

Anyway, here's a set of photos for you. Feel free to tell me just how ugly this suit really is. I'm giving it to Mia. My 13 year old. She'll wear it far better than I.

Here is the offending garment. Note Bella's look of pure disgust. "Mom, I mean really? What were you thinking?"

Here's the Cha Cha bottom. Note the pillow pouf over the edges, in a realistic rendition of my pasty white body spilling over the top.

This will give you an appreciation for what a closeout fabric looks like, as purchased by a low end bathing suit manufacturer.

Again, the pillow does not lie. This is pillow's fine, dead on accurate portrayal of how the top would have looked on me. Perhaps heavy on a feather or two. But damn close.

Ah! The only potential bright spot in my outfit. I had planned to wear my "John Elder Robison Free Range Aspergian" baseball cap. Alas, I fear the cap could never have competed with Cha Cha.

"Mock"olate Mousse

My girls are on the GFCF diet - no wheat, no dairy. I make all of their meals, and I pack their snacks and lunches for school. Every day. Five days a week. Three kids. The math eludes me.

I'm always on the lookout for something new and improved. I worry about their fat intake, since their diets are so healthy and naturally low in fat. (They do get fish oil supplements from NordicNaturals.)

Yesterday I created "mock"olate mousse. It's quite yummy. The kids are struggling with the consistency - they are not creamy food kids. But I managed to get a serving into Mia and Gianna. Bella practiced her P's with it.....

When I cook, I follow my Grandma Yoli's lead. Toss it in, measure nothing, taste often, put it on a dish, eat it. Here's the basic recipe:

1 large can unsweetened pumpkin

1/3 bottle of agave syrup (this is a low glycemic, natural sweetener that tastes like sugar, pours like honey and doesn't add a particular "taste", just sweetening.)

1/4 container of unsweetened cocoa. (Check often to make sure the cocoa has hidden the pumpkin flavor. You'll need a lot.)

1 can of full fat coconut milk (make sure to buy a brand without sulfites. Thai Gourmet, the black and red can is excellent.)

pinch of salt

4 eggs

I add the eggs LAST so I can taste as I go, judging the sweetness and chocolateyness. I can't stand the thought of eating raw, slimy eggs....

Mix ingredients until smooth. Pour into 9 x 12 Pyrex dish. Place dish into a larger pan of water, so water comes halfway up the side of the dish. Place into preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour, or until butter knife comes out clean from the center. Chill.

Barbara Fischkin on Michael Savage

From my friend Barbara Fischkin, on Huffington Post. Barbara's husband Jim Mulvaney runs Surf Pal. Their son Dan is 20 year old, handsome as the day is long and has autism. Please pop over to HuffPo to read the full, moving post and to comment: HERE.

If only it was true that the kids are mere brats and all we need is a visit from The Nanny. If you were right, then life would be monumentally easier for most of us.

I Bought The World's Ugliest Bathing Suit and will wear it in public.

I'm a Sandy. Before the latex catsuit. Yesterday, I bought two bathing suits. Our new house has a pool in the backyard, so I needed a new suit or two. The real reason I bought the suits was so that I would have something relatively decent looking to wear to Surf Pal on Sunday. We're taking the kids surfing with this fabulous organization run by my friends, journalists and Huffington Post bloggers Barbara Fischkin and her husband Jim Mulvaney.

I bought two Tankinis. Not quite a one piece (which will ride up my butt on the beach) and not a bikini, which will ratchet up my paranoia meter to deadly proportions.

Tankini #1: Fiasco. Pretty on the hanger. Black and white tropical pattern. Decent in the dressing room for the 18 seconds I actually stood in front of the mirror under the fluorescent "you may view the body" lights. I wore it into the pool yesterday. First problem: it has an underwire bra. I think they are steel cables ripped off the Brooklyn Bridge. The bottom reads, "size M." It fits fine. The top (unbeknownst to me until I looked at it last night) reads "B/C." The only thing "BC" about me is my diploma from Boston College. I was an A student and that letter has stuck, if you get my drift.

Once in the pool, I discovered that the bottom is not well lined. I have one word for you. ITALIAN. Got it? And the wires are digging into my sternum. Then Mark says, "Um, that bathing suit isn't, um, um," (you can hear his internal dialogue, "Do I tell her it makes her look like a short stack from IHOP and incur her wrath or not?") I got the point, the four points of those damn wires. Wires but no padding? I don't think so. My bathing suits need to resemble pillows at the Ritz, thank you very much.

Tankini #2: Looks like I'm stuck wearing this bathing suit on Sunday. It's so freaking ugly I can't believe I was desperate enough to buy it. First off, it's brown with neon colored paisley all over it. It looks like what you'd see on the floor if you ate a bag of bright M&M's and then puked. The bottom has a ruffled skirty thing, a la Cha Cha DeGregorio from Grease. The top is OK - it's kind of an 80's straight across the top puckery thing (hides the invisible) with two straps that go behind your neck.

I'm sure I'll have photos from Surf Pals. I'll share them. Or burn them.

On Huffington Post Now.

Do not yankelovich the autism community.

ABC News Go Tackles Savage Story

No, not the cannibal kind of Savage. The talk radio version. Michael "Savage" Weiner, conservative radio blatherer. Hey, this is America. He has a right to say whatever he wants. Often times, the worst speech starts a conversation that can lead to change. And that's a good thing.

He was on Larry King last night. Dug himself an even deeper hole, when he compared autism to asthma and the "inner city kids whose parents use asthma to get more welfare money." Doesn't that just give you whiplash?Say WHAT? African American kids have an epidemic of asthma, and Savage claims it's a way to de-fraud welfare? It's kind of hard to fake wheezing and shortness of breath for more than a few seconds. Even for a Benjamin or two....

Savage called autistic kids "frauds" and claimed we parents covet the label so we can get government checks. Yeah, that's right. Excuse me while I go check my mailbox and my bank account. (insert footstep sound here.) I'm back. Here's what they look like:

The strange thing is, Savage should be a friend to the autism community. He's knowledgable about the pharmaceutical industry's "pill'ing" (I made up that word) of America. He's against the government telling us what to do. He's into holistic medicine. One visit with my gorgeous girls and I think he'd see we are not frauds. Unfortunately, he has so bitterly bashed the gay community in the past , that I can't find a way to reach out to him. No way, no how.

I'm quoted in THIS ABC News piece on the controversy.

BACKSPACE, The Writers Conference




Are you going to Backspace next month? If you're a writer, serious about your career and able to get into New York City for a couple of days, you should consider going. It also helps if you don't have three autistic children at home.... I'm not sure I can get away for the event. DANG!




I love Backspace. I met my agent at the author/agent mini-conference in the Fall of 2006. My very first HuffPo post had just been published and I had a copy in my sweaty little hands to show all the agents. "Look! I'm published!" LOL! I got these really cool banners from the Backspace board. I couldn't resist using all of them. They're fine, aren't they?

Girls! Girls! Girls!

We had a ball at Miss G's birthday party on Friday evening. You know your kids are getting older when the party starts at 5pm! Gianna has the most wonderful group of friends. These are all typical peers. Girls going into sixth grade. The pool is a great equalizer. If you can swim and splash and laugh, you're just one of the girls. What a great party. Miss G. was thrilled. I was even thrilled'er. Truly.

Autism Speaks' Mealy Mouthed Response to Michael Savage.

Sigh.... Short version since many of you aren't in the autism trenches: Talk Show host Michael Savage last week called children with autism, "idiots" and claimed autism is a fraud. Yup, all our kids are frauds. And Autism Speaks put a letter on their website where they say we should, "pity" Savage for his thoughts. Pity him? I think not. Anne Dachel wrote the piece below. She's our media editor at Age of Autism. I won't link you to the AS site. I'm not driving up their traffic.

Note: At 2:00pm this afternoon there will be a press conference at 111 Broadway, NYC, outside the offices of WOR 710, held by Autism United.

By Anne Dachel *

On his nationally syndicated radio show, Michael Savage claimed that autism is "[a] fraud, a racket. ... I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot.' " Click HERE.

I can't express my anger at these words. The outrage is shared by many groups like NAA and others who truly advocate for our kids ... except Autism Speaks. This is what they had to say about Savage's comments:

"One important goal of increasing awareness about autism is to foster a greater level of acceptance and understanding of the very real and significant challenges it poses to individuals with the disorder and their families. The good news is that we see more and more expressions of this compassion every day and everywhere, from classrooms and playgrounds to ballparks and supermarkets. Unfortunately, there are those who are apparently incapable of feeling compassion. They deserve our pity, not our scorn."

No Autism Speaks, you are wrong. Michael Savage doesn't deserve our pity. He's dangerous. The world has to learn what has happened to a generation of children. News stories tell about affected kids being kicked off planes, banned from churches, voted out of kindergarten classes, and asked to leave restaurants.

Where is the outrage over such inhumane treatment of the disabled?

In a few short years, all the children with autism will be adults dependent on the taxpayers for their support and care. The bill will be tremendous and many will be unwilling to pay it.
Will our kids be seen as burdens or as victims?

Autism Speaks, you do not speak for our children. If you really cared about about affected kids, you'd express the same outrage felt by parents struggling each day with their disabled sons and daughters.
--
Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.

* Pab·lum

1. Trademark. a brand of soft, bland cereal for infants.

2. (lowercase) trite, naive, or simplistic ideas or writings; intellectual pap.

They're in the poooool!

Tomorrow we're having Gianna's birthday party. Our new house has a lovely (safely fenced) pool in the backyard. So, we're having a pool party. I sent about 15 invitations. I think I've gotten 5 RSVP's. I hear that's normal today. RSVP means, "please tell me if your child is coming so I can have enough food for everyone and not so much that it goes to waste." But PTMIYCICSICHEFFEBNSMTIGTW is a tad long.

Meet Mike McConnell of 700WLW radio in Cincinnati.

I've reprinted this from Age of Autism about a talk show host who suggests we take our autistic kids out of restaurants. And his listeners suggest we take them out of school and basically the world. What a putz. Tom Lewis, wrote this post, not I.

On his July 14 program, Cincinnati radio talk show host Mike McConnell (of AM powerhouse WLW) addressed the topic of autistic kids. Among other things, McConnell opines that parents with autistic children should immediately remove misbehaving children from restaurants so the remaining patrons can enjoy their meal. ("Misbehavior" apparently means anything from mild crying on up.)

As McConnell put it: "it boils down to one word: 'manners'."

Find the podcast for Mike McConnell's 7/14 broadcast HERE and listen to the end of hour 2 and throughout hour 3. About 10 minutes into hour 3, this clearly ignorant host begins to pontificate about how we should not have our kids mainstreamed into public schools. Also, many callers have disturbing insights. One even claims to have friends with an autistic child but chooses not to go out with them because the child’s behavior upsets him.

Every single day, there's a story somewhere about one of our kids being tossed out of a business, or a school, or a church. It's like being punk-slapped over and over and over again. Well, I think we need to start making it clear that we're not going away, and that we have rights too. And we have long memories. We won't forget those who have treated our children well, or those who have hurt them or turned them away.

Please tell this dolt how you feel about his comments. E-mail him at midday@700wlw.com.

McConnell's boss at WLW is Program Director Darryl Parks. Tell him what you think at dparks@700wlw.com.

Finally, WLW is owned by Clear Channel. The head of Communications/Media Relations is Lisa Dollinger, who can be reached at lisacdollinger@clearchannel.com.

Tom Lewis is a Cincinnati, OH editor and writer with three children,
one of whom is on the spectrum.

I'm guest blogging at the writers grog (group blog) called The Debutante Ball today! Do come visit, won't you? Don't forget your white gloves!

What does a literary agent do?

I'm in the final leg of my novel's journey. Call it, "the pushing stage" for those of you who've had babies. Shortly, my agent will put it out on submission. If you'd have asked me three years ago, "what does a literary agent do?" I'd have answered, "He represents authors to sell their books to publishers." That would have been correct, but far too simplified.

My agent has ELEVATED my writing. The book I queried him with is not the book he is going to cast upon the publishing waters. It's so much better. Tighter. Funnier. Softer. Grabs you faster. Fits more snugly into a genre. And all of this, I hope and pray and beg and beseech the publishing gods, will make it sellable.

Eric has toiled with me on this manuscript. I've been wholly embarrassed at how much work he has put into it on my behalf. I'm new at this. I've thought, "Oh my God, am I SO horrible a writer that I need this much help?" And then I talk to my writer friends who assure me, "We all suck." LOL!

A good agent is a partner in your career and knows both publishing AND writing. If you think an agent is supposed to be your biggest cheerleader, I say, think again. Some of Eric's comment balloons have horrified me in their direct criticism. I can see the smoke coming out of his ears as he types, "WHAT were you thinking here? FIX IT!" If I were a crybaby, I'd have lost it once or twice during the process. Except-- he is always dead on right in his comments. And every change he has suggested has pushed me to become a better writer, so I can give YOU (my readers one day, I hope!) a fabulous book you won't want to put down.

I have a mother who can tell me I'm all that and a bag of chips. I have a husband who has vowed before God to tell me I am wonderful and beautiful and perfect just the way I am. My agent's job is to help me get my MS into shape so that he can do his job, which is to sell the book.

What do you think?

(Ugh! Today is Friday. Sesame Street is about the letter "p!" Someone get me my umbrella ppppplease!)

My Angry Camel! Help an Autism Mom???

Ms. Davis has asked for a photo of Bella. There she is. Bella has a new trick. You see, she learned how to make the sound of the letter "p." When you and I make the sound of the letter "p" a gentle popping sound wafts from our mouths. "Puh!" When Bella makes the letter "p" sound she becomes an angry camel, and spits. So now she is practicing. Every waking moment. (Pardon me while I wipe my screen again.) And she realizes that I become the angry mother of an angry camel when she spits - so now she's doing it to get attention.

On the flipside, she has also started putting her cheek to mine for a kiss. Truly darling. Except then she turns and spits in my face and I want to launch her to Neptune.

Oh, she's into "p" (Oops, wiping again) words too. Her latest is "pinch." So she pinches AND spits. I'm afraid the ladies at the Stop & Shop will think I'm a heroin addict when they look at my arms, with tiny dotted scabs. Bella's quite the little charmer. Good thing she's so cute.

Any ideas on how to stop these behaviors??? Please? My arms can't take the scratches and I'm running out of tissues.

NEW BLOG TO CHECK OUT!


If you're into politics, check out Smarty Jones' blog HERE. She gives Jesse Jackson a proper ass-whupping for his "off mike" (but from the heart?) comments about Obama.

First Holy Communion

Sorry these took so long to post. In true Stagliano fashion, Bella dropped my camera on Communion day - and the lense twisted just enough that I couldn't consistently get the damn thing to open. However, we got a few photos, then I had to pull out the card - I couldn't download from the camera. I have new camera - and here are the two girls. Mia is taller, Gianna has the lighter, shorter hair.

Tomorrow, Miss G. turns 12!

Perez Hilton has a terrific post about NAA HERE!



Please go over to his site and leave a comment thanking him for recognizing The National Autism Association! Thank you again, Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey for putting autism in the national spotlight. (Someone get Dr. Jenkins from AAP, whose recent hissy fit against parents is backfiring mightily, a Bromo, won't you?)

Why I write. Or, "Janet Evanovich is a Goddess."

I write fiction - no, really, I do. You just haven't SEEN any of it because.... Well, because writing fiction, a book that an agent really thinks he can sell, in a preposterously difficult market (women's fiction, debut) is about a million times more challenging than I realized, when I typed my first sentence back in Spring of 2005. The first draft took me three months. The version I am about to email to my agent is vvveeeerrrryyyy different. And far better. Amazing what a professional (that would be the agent) can do for a newbie who is greener than Kermit's behind.

My writing mentor (not that she'd know me from a hole in Stephanie Plum's spandex shorts) is Janet Evanovich. She's the author of the fourteen "Stephanie Plum" books, thirteen of which I have devoured, savored, re-read and looked forward to, for many years. Number fourteen is on order from Amazon.

If you haven't read the Plum books, start with, "One for the Money" and work your way up to "Fearless Fourteen."

SEND HIM BACK!!!!

Pool Boys R Us has made an error. A biiiig error. Story of my life.

Slow down, you move too fast. You've got to make a young life last now. Doo doo doo, feeling scared...

Caution prevails. At last. I think/hope pediatricians are starting to realize that vaccines are not infallable, purely beneficial gifts from God that can be dosed in any number to every child. They are serious, immune system-changing medicines, that can come with side effects, like any drug. Do they save lives? Indeed they do. Are they important? Yes. And yet.... Are our children more susceptible to all sorts of health problems today? Let's see, asthma, food allergies, neurological diagnoses.... Um, yes, I'd say American (Western?) kids are chronically sicker than ever. Is it the plethora of vaccines? Are drug companies pushing new vaccinations through the system too fast, without enough regulation and/or oversight? (Like so many other drugs.) Is the fact that the CDC is responsible for promoting vaccines and policing them a potential conflict of interest? Questions, questions, questions. And one more dead child. I'm scared shitless. You?

Just got this from Judicial Watch, who used FOIA (Freedom of Info Act) to learn about hidden Gardasil deaths and reactions. HERE. My stomach is sick. But my girls will NOT be. Not from Gardasil.

OK, Now I Just Need a Cocktail.....

DISGUSTING.

FIFTEEN REGISTERED GARDASIL DEATHS!!

Click HERE to see the reports on FIFTEEN deaths from Gardasil in females age 11 to 26. Are you kidding me? Fifteen deaths since 2007? Did YOU hear about the 12 year old who died in April of 2008? No, but you heard about the killer tomatoes, right?????

This reports is from The National Vaccine Information Center, and pulls data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting system, which docs use to track vaccine injuries. Even a fainting spell or rash should be reported. These reports are like rapes - GROSSLY underrerported, as often docs do not relate the "event" to the vaccine, which may have been administered days, or weeks prior to the event.

FIFTEEN DEAD GIRLS AND WOMEN!!! This is serious shit. This isn't, "The Mercury Militia and Crazy Anti-Vaccine People" talking out of our arses. How about a dead 11 year old? For what? The hope of MAYBE not getting a tiny portion of the HPV (in five years when she has sex, that is IF the vaccine lasts that long?) that can lead to cervical cancer? When 95% of HPV resolves itself ON ITS OWN in a woman's body?

And get ready, parents of boys. They're gunning to give Gardasil to your son next, so he won't pass the virus onto his partners. A laudable cause - of course. No one wants their kid to get a venereal disease, certainly not one that can lead to cancer. That's a "duh", right?

Teach your kids to use condoms. Have I said that often enough? Or keep it zipped. That's an option too. Although it ain't much fun, and goes against raging hormonse.

UGH! Just moved on Monday. Will be back ASAP with a lovely, funny, informative blog post. Or a picture of my pool boy. Sit tight!

SKITTLES FOR AUTISM? UGH!!!! GOT ADHD? GET RID OF COLORS!*

If your pediatrician or doc didn't tell you about THIS before he prescribed THIS, then he or she is not doing a proper job for your child.

ABC News recently ran THIS report on artificial colors and behaviors in children.

So many therapists use Skittles candy (and other artificially colored candies) as behavioral incentives for kids on the spectrum. Check out this article From LOVAAS.com. Most autism schools probably have weekly shipments of this high fructose laden, artificially colored and flavored treat delivered to their doors for use as rewards and incentives.

Boy is that ever stupid. Studies show (See NYT article here) that artificial colors can affect behavior. By affect, we don't mean "turns the child into a charming, compliant pussycat." Please get rid of the artificial colors in your practices, classrooms and centers, or really, you're like an AA counselor sharing a drink with an alcoholic during each session.


The amount of food dye certified for use in 1955 was 12 mg per person per day, but that has risen sharply, according to FDA. In 2007, the figure had reached 59 mg per capita per day, or nearly five times as much, was certified for use. (Read more here.) Look at kids' goods on the shelves. Yogurt is neon pink. Goldfish are now in "rainbow" colors. Cereals are laden with artificial colors. Even ketchup and french fries come in colors. Check your Crest toothpaste - see the chemical colors? Why can't Mom just feed kids F-O-O-D instead of a technicolor nightmare? Even at my daughters' school, they serve ice cream that is pink and blue. The Stagliano girls bring a packed lunch each day, in the drab colors mother nature made. My language may be colorful (think six of George Carlin's seven words) but my food is NOT.

And how about pediatricians? Do you see signs in their offices warning you about artifical colors and promoting alternatives next to the posters for the latest allergy drug? Come on, docs, get the red dye out of that amoxicillin and every other kid-friendly drug you prescribe. You might even see your Ritalin prescriptions drop. Oh. Nevermind.

Readers might want to know that M&M Mars and other candy manufacturers have removed the artificial dyes from their candies, Skittles included, sold in Europe. But not in America (click here.)

Check out these simple Google searches to see what we mean about how commonly used are these candies for children with developmental delays and behavior issues:

ABA and Skittles

autism and Skittles

*PS: Some of my very closest friends' kids are on powerful drugs. I'm not against drugs. I'm against drugs as a first and only line of defense.

Today I will Use the Seven Words You Can't Say on TV (at least before cable.)

Comedian George Carlin has died. Mark and I saw him in Cleveland 4 years ago. I grew up listening to George Carlin at the home of my friend Annette Bedard. Her older brothers (Alan, Andrew and Armand) must have snuck the record from their Dad. They way the snuck Mr. Bedard's Playboys. Yes, I saw my first naked woman at the Bedard's house too. Fortunately it wasn't Mabel. Mrs. Bedard.

If you've never listened to George Carlin, click HERE to order a copy of CLASS CLOWN from Amazon. Buy some Poise Pee Pads while you're at it - you'll need them.

Now, how shall I artfully weave the seven words into my day today? What? You don't KNOW the seven words? Sigh. I was afraid of this. All right. Six of them are easy for me to say, shout, write and lace into my conversations. Number four? Not so much. The words are: S#it, Fu(#, Piss, C#&t, Co!ksu#er, motherf*c#er and tits. Learned 'em all in seventh grade.

I wonder where Annette Bedard is today? I'd love to find her.

Dr. Randy Schulman on Autism and Vision

This piece is from Age of Autism today. Randy is also the Mom of Gianna's bestest friend.

Dr.Randy Schulman treats my daughter Bella. Bella's eyes were not tracking, and you could see each eye "wander" as she lost focus. After a long exam by a top pediatric opthalmologist, her ocular health was pronounced, "intact." Mind you, this doc spent over two hours with Bella. He was really interested in her health and we chatted amiably. I'd go back to him in a second for opthalmological care. (Heck, he even drives a Prius!) He said that Bella's vision problem was neurological, not muscular. So while he sent us off, we still had a real eye problem. We went to Dr. Schulman, who created a pair of glasses that have helped Bella noticeably. The moral of the story is that even the best docs in the medical field are often unable to help a child on the spectrum. We require specialists within specialties. Isn't that special? Dr. Schulman was kind enough to prepare this post for our readers. Enjoy. Kim

By Randy Schulman, MS, OD, FCOVD

Many of the behavioral characteristics of those falling within the autism spectrum involve the visual system. Poor eye contact, staring at lights or spinning objects, looking askance, side viewing and general difficulties attending are often symptoms of visual dysfunction. Thus, any individual with a diagnosis of autism, PDD, learning disability, speech-language delay, sensory integration dysfunction, Asperger syndrome, non-verbal learning disability or with psychological problems should most certainly undergo a thorough examination by a developmental optometrist.

Read the full article at Age of Autism HERE.

Sweet Jesus! Ohio Teacher Brands CROSS on Students' Arms!

The bitter irony of this story is that it is plucked straight from Harry Potter. Remember when Delores Umbridge made Harry Potter write, "I will not tell lies" with a quill that cut into his skin? Call me a crazy Catholic, but I'm guessing this teacher has vowed to never read Harry Potter because it's Satan's work! This man, who teaches children, burned crosses into his students' arms. Forget the fact he's a science teacher teaching creationism. That's Ohio for you. Basically a lost cause south of Canton. Well, maybe that's a little harsh. But parts of the state are very conservative. Very very very very conservative. Mapplethorpe ring a bell? Bueller? Bueller?

This teacher can't be fired until a hearing? Maybe dump him head first in his namesake and hold him there for a while a la the Salem Witch Trials. Dude, go to work in a Christian school already. Oh, what's wrong? Doesn't pay enough? Not good enough benefits? At least the nuns just whacked us on the knuckles....

COLUMBUS, Ohio - An Ohio school board has voted to fire a science teacher accused of using a device to burn the image of a Christian cross on students' arms.


The Mount Vernon school board passed a resolution Friday to end the contract of middle school teacher John Freshwater. He can't be fired until after he is given a hearing to challenge the decision.


The instructor is accused of preaching his Christian beliefs in class and teaching creationism.
A family says Freshwater burned a cross into a child's arm that remained for three to four weeks. The family has sued the teacher and the school district. Read the Yahoo article HERE.

A New Spin on "WTF????"


GLOUCESTER, Mass. - A pact made by a group of teens to get pregnant and raise their babies together is at least partly behind a sudden spike in pregnancies at Gloucester High School, school officials said.
Read the rest of this sad story HERE.


When I was a "youngster," the goal was NOT to get preggers. You know, first comes love, then comes marriage and all that old fashioned stuff? I blame the hot new maternity clothes. Yup. When I was pregnant, clothes were starting to look a lot better than the tents my Mom wore. But now? Gals slap on a t-shirt that looks like a sausage casing so we can all see their belly buttons and a pair of low rise jeans. Yeah, we KNOW you're pregnant, you really don't need to wear a belly shirt. We don't need the fashion equivalent of an ultrasound every time we see you in Target.... WE GET IT.

You?

Who can guess what is tomorrow?

Autism and Progress

Today, as Mia left the house for school she said, "Today is Wednesday." I didn't prompt her. She's more alert. More aware. And speaking more. Thank you biomedical interventions.

K

Happy Father's Day!

I hope to have a piece up at HuffPo later today for Dads.

Here it is: http://tinyurl.com/58y9ch

Well THIS is kind of cool. I'm on Yahoo News!

We now return to our usual programming.

Are you in a panic about tomatoes?? Feel safe knowing the gov't has tracked down the five tomatoes on the planet that might have caused 200 people to become ill with Salmonella and caused stores and restaurants to pull tomatoes nationwide? What a joke.

TWO MORE GARADSIL (?) VACCINE DEATHS


Remember my posts from ages ago? Gardasil was not properly tested. It came out too soon. It makes a fucking fortune for Merck. And girls and women are paying the price. Scroll down to see a paralyzed 14 year old. For the complete story from Europe click HERE.

TEACH YOUR DAUGHTER HOW TO USE A CONDOM.

This just in: Merck is now advertising Gardasil in MOVIE THEATRES. How's that for date night. Popcorn? Hand around her shoulder? HPV chit chat for a perhaps deadly vaccine? Keep your medical ads away from me, Merck. Let my DOCTOR tell me about these things. Not the dancie weenie and soda at the movie theatre. READ HERE.


Gardasil has been implicated in the deaths of two more young women, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has reported. Though no official cause of death has been listed, the young women apparently died shortly after receiving Gardasil, and the EMEA is characterizing their deaths as “sudden and unexpected.”

The two deaths bring the total number of fatalities possibly linked to the Merck cervical cancer vaccine to five. In the U.S., three young women have reportedly died after receiving Gardasil. However, there could be more such incidents, as health officials believe that adverse effects of medication are widely underreported.

Underreported?? Dr. David Tayloe, Jr. , head of the AAP, was on Larry King with Jenny McCarthy last spring. He has been in practice for DECADES and he said, "I've never reported a vaccine injury event." His implication was that he'd never seen one. Impossible! Absolutely impossible that a pediatrician has NEVER seen an adverse reaction to a childhood vaccine. So yes, reports are like RAPES - grossly underrepresented in the official numbers. By the way, Dr. Tayloe's DAD lost the largest medical malpractice suit in the state of NC many years ago for what? A VACCINE INJURY (from a vaccination administered by his nurse.) And yet, his son has never seen an adverse reaction. Protecting Daddy? Denial? Not on MY KIDS BACKS.

Don't Have a Pool Boy? FEAR NOT!

I've been looking for just the right moment to share this tidbit and here it is. Many of you seem to be coveting my imaginary pool boy.


So.... I am a HUGE fan of the very retro, customer service oriented purveyor of old fashioned products known as The Vermont Country Store. Love the place. They have brands from the past like Lemon Up shampoo and Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific. Skye Bars and NECCO wafers. Grandma clothing with sweater bands and vein squishing socks and bras that look like army tanks. Grandpa apothecary items like 2 foot long toenail trimmers and tinnitus drops. Plus perfumes your great-aunt Marjorie probably wore and soaps that may have been on the Titanic.

Imagine my surprise when earlier last spring, I opened the catalog to find THESE!!!!!

Yes, "neck massagers*" for the Viagra crowd. I kid you not.

* Remember the Sex and the City episode where Samantha's vibrator broke and she returned it to The Sharper Image? The sales clerk said, "Madam, we do not sell vibrators. We sell neck massages." To which Samantha responded, "Well, your NECK massager failed to get me off!" as she flung it on the counter. LOL!

IOW-et

Dear Lord, these poor people in Iowa. New England is blissfully weather-boring. No tornadoes (those poor boy scouts!) no earthquakes, only the occasional hurricane or blizzard, each of which comes with ample warning, no major wildfires. So our gas costs $4.50 a gallon and a decent house costs $500K. I'm dry, not on fire, not on my way to Oz and not crushed inside a crevasse in the earth. I call that lucky.

Book Contest at Manic Mommy!

My pal and fellow writer "Manic Mommy" has a contest running for two books for "dads to be." Head on over and check it out at MANIC MOMMY.

And check out Manic's work at "Betty Confidential" HERE!

Guess What Our New House Has???

We're moving into a new house in town on July 1st. Wanna visit? Bring your own sunscreen and your own poolboy... or girl.

Before you accuse me of being patently insane (autism + pool = catastrophe) I'll point out that this house has a proper, tall, locking pool fence around the pool itself. And will have a pool alarm. And door chimes on the doors. And probaby a video camera on it. And Sven, when he is not holding my "loofah!" will be on guard.

We've never had a pool (duh) and this house is a rental - so we'll give it a try. If we hate it, we close it and cover it. Compared to chasing my girls like a shark that never stops at the town pool, nice as it is, I think it will be a real treat to sit a pool while the splash and swim.

Pass the Bain de Soleil for that San Tropez tan!


SAT: I just bought the Safety Turtle pool alarm, three wristbands and a gate alarm add to the already locking, self latching gate. This will leave me more time with Sven.....

GARDASIL REACTION? Please read.

I received a link to THIS blog about a 14 year old who may have been seriously injured by the Gardasil vaccine. Please click over to the blog and add your comments or recommendations. Thank you.

Jenny is a 14 year-old girl who lives in Northern California.

Over the last year, she has gone from being a fully healthy 13 year-old to being nearly completely paralyzed. She retains movement only in her neck and mouth and faintly in her left hand.This rapid decline in motor ability has understandably shocked and concerned us [her family]. We have responded by working with the best doctors in the field, fighting continuously to reach a diagnosis and find treatments.

Despite the best efforts of an extremely talented array of medical professionals, we have not been able to stop her decline. Doctors don't know for sure why Jenny got so sick but some think it may be connected to the Gardasil vaccinations she got (last one in March, 2007) and the weakening that seemed to start in spring and gradually built up. One sign was in April 2007 when everyone in her PE class laughed at her because she couldn't jump a hurdle they considered really puny. It is hard to say when the weakening started but by summer she had a terrible limp.

It sounds so cliche, but please send your thoughts and prayers to JenJen and her family. If you have a suspected vaccine reaction make sure your doc reports it to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System!

Happy Birthday, Stephen Parrish!

Today we celebrate my blog buddy and fellow writer Stephen Parrish. Stephen is generous, funny, kind, insightful, politically astute, philosophical and a writer who can grab your attention in three words and then HOLD you.

Go on over to his BLOG and wish him felicitations!

1999: Regular unleaded: $.99 (I saved a receipt)
2000: Regular unleaded: $1.49
2008: Regular unleaded: $4.59 (today in CT.)

WHAT'S A BIOSTITUTE???

So here's an example of a BIOSTITUTE. That's RFK's word for scientists, doctors and jerks who sell our health down the river for profit. The NYT just wrote about a HARVARD doc who took over a million dollars from Pharma and who has single-handedly created the pediatric psychiatric medicine flood of the last decade.

Many of my Kim blog readers have children on drugs for ADHD, autism and more. These are my friends. I respect their medical decisions for their own children. I do think a parent should look into every non-drug option before starting on these drugs, as I have three kids who are living proof that diet, supplements and therapy can stave off the use of these drugs. Did you know that the Feingold diet can completely remove the symptoms of ADHD? Sadly, most docs don't review these options with parents prior to writing that scrip. Happily, there are many ways to do your own homework.

I do want to point out that much of what pharma companies are selling for these kids is done with the market in mind, perhaps more than the kids themselves. I'm just asking you to read and file the info away. It's not my intention to frighten or instill agita. But this is reality.

Here's the article I wrote for Age of Autism about the NYT article which you can read HERE.

This is a frightening glimpse into how opportunistic is the Psychiatric profession, which still controls autism treatment for many. Millions of American kids are on Prozac, Risperdal and other powerful drugs AS A FIRST LINE OF TREATMENT recommended by your neurologist, psychiatrist, developmental pediatrician, pediatrician every day for autism, ADHD, bi-polar and other diagnoses because so-called "world renowned" men like Harvard's Dr. Joseph Biederman are being paid consulting fees by the drug companies. Is that the same as being on "the take?" Not necessarily. Decide for yourself. The NYT reports:

A world-renowned Harvard child psychiatrist (Dr. Joseph Biederman and his colleague Dr. Timothy Wilens) whose work has helped fuel an explosion in the use of powerful antipsychotic medicines in children earned at least $1.6 million in consulting fees from drug makers from 2000 to 2007 but for years did not report much of this income to university officials, according to information given Congressional investigators.

The non-biomedical world berates us for using DAN! (and other) protocols for our kids and labels chelation as "voodoo science." What do you call it when Harvard professionals make money to recommend unapproved uses of powerful drugs on children as young as two years of age? Voodoo times two?

In one example, Dr. Biederman reported no income from Johnson & Johnson for 2001 in a disclosure report filed with the university. When asked to check again, he said he received $3,500. But Johnson & Johnson told Mr. Grassley that it paid him $58,169 in 2001, Mr. Grassley found.

The Harvard group’s consulting arrangements with drug makers were already controversial because of the researchers’ advocacy of unapproved uses of psychiatric medicines in children.

RFK JR SPEAKS AT THE GREEN OUR VACCINES RALLY

The following provides video of RFK Jr.'s speech from the June 4th Green Our Vaccines rally. It's in three parts. Videography by Brad Woodville, WORLD MERCURY PROJECT. That's Age of Autism's Dan Olmsted speaking with Robert.

If you are unfamiliar with the vaccine controversy this speech provides an excellent summary without bashing vaccines as a public health policy. Truly. You'll learn how the CDC massaged the data to make sure vaccines and autism did not show a correlation (the Simpsonwood meeting, the Verstraeten data, the Denmark study) and you'll learn a new word! "BIOSTITUTE." Scientist and doctors who take money from the government and pharma companies to put out info that is contrary to our health.

Each segment runs 6 minutes.

PART 1

Part 2

Part 3

Barack Obama!

Is this the next President of the United States with his First Lady?

Imagine how the world will start to change their thinking about America now that we have proven that we are not ancient Rome or the backwoods of South Carolina. The world will perceive a real shift in America. It feels like promise to me. Like hope. Perfection? Hardly. Our economy and world standing are so low right now that rebuilding is going to take a long time. And no one man (or woman) can fix them. But, I do think change is coming. We need a clean sweep.

I have great respect and admiration for John McCain for how he served this country. But he is not the catalyst for change or the maverick he calls himself any longer.

Go Barack Go! Feel free to disagree.

THE RALLY!

The rally was fantastic. I live blogged it throughout the day at http://www.ageofautism.com/. Go check out the photos! Perez Hilton ran a shot and look at the gal to the left of Jenny, smiling. Guess who?!

Just one day until Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey's GREEN OUR VACCINES rally! Click HERE to learn all about it!

How does a mother of three kids with autism get out of town? Twice in two weeks no less (Autism One was just a week ago.) Very carefully. I have one daughter (Miss Bella) home with a stomach bug, two who have had the bug and might be over it and a husband who is going to have a VERY good Father's day for holding down the fort while I'm gone!

See you in DC friends. I'll be blogging as much as I can live at www.ageofautism.com from the march. Not sure if we can use cell phones during the march.

I'm off to DC tomorrow where I'll be live blogging Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey's GREEN OUR VACCINES rally, sponsored by TACA. The rally is Wednesday morning at the Washington Monument Grounds. Over 7500 people are signed up already.

Click the green link to learn more. I'm going to stay with my brother and his partner. I haven't to their townhome since I was preggers with Bella and she's almost 8! I really don't get out much.

First Communion went really well. And yesterday I allowed the girls to wear their dresses again. Unbeknownst to me, the girls' names had been printed in the weekly bulletin! And Father Cipriani, who said Mass, singled them out during the closing notes as having made Communion. Everyone clapped! And then Fr. Cipriani proclaimed that Mark and I are some of the best parents' he ever seen. And everyone clapped.

Are you a Soprano's fan? Mark laughs at me that Fr. Cipriani is like the priest from the Sopranos that Carmella and her friends fawned over for his attention. They always brought him baked Ziti or Rigatoni. At the risk of being hit by a bolt of lightning... the good Fr. is really handsome - and surely plays a lot of hockey or rugby or something. OK, am I going to hell now? We also have a doll of a priest named Fr. Dunn (not Will. B. Dunn like the comic) who is also quite handsome, although the fact that he too, like every darn priest at the Church, is a die hard Yankee fan slightly diminishes his matinee idol looks. Fr. Murphy runs the Parish - and celebrated the Communion Mass with great joy. Fr. Flynn gave me his business card and a wonderful pep talk at Poricelli's when I ran into him in the freezer section and told him that Mark had lost his job. (He found a job in April!) And we have sisters at Church too who wear real habits! I've never enjoyed a Church so well. Maybe because it feels kind of retro to me. I'm not a big fan of round, spaceship design churches. My husband Mark refers to me as a heathen quite often, but I think that's just because of my potty mouth and snarky attitude. BTW, Fr. Cipriani prayed for the Giant's to beat the Patriots too. AND THEY DID! And he even gave us a little "beat you to death" with his fists the morning of the SuperBowl when we Staglianos sat proudly in the front pew wearing Patriots sweatshirts in the row. Not from the altar mind you, he was in the back area for which I'm sure there's a fancy Latin name but I don't know it. Yes! A priest gave us the "beat you up" hand. Madonn'! We laughed. Then his team beat our team and we cried. I'm sure our envelope was a bit lighter the next Sunday as a payback. Therefore St. Theresa was short the cash for say, one lightbulb.

So the folks in Church clapped for us as fabulous parents. Man are they dumb! LOL! Little did they know that earlier last week I had baked a four layer cannoli cake for the priests to thank them for having the special needs class at St. Theresa's Church. This cake is a work of art - not in its beauty but in its taste. It's four layers of butter cake with a cannoli filling (sweetened cooked ricotta cheese mixture) between the layers and smothered in thick, dark chocolate ganache. It takes two days to make that bad boy, but let me tell you, it stands on the plate like a 10" round brick sh.... Wrong analogy. Like a tall, round chocolate super hero! I hated to give it away without a taste. I used to make it for my nephews in Ohio for their birthdays. Good Lord, maybe I AM Carmella Soprano? If that's the case, I'm going into the backyard to dig for a stack of hundreds.

I know I'm rambling today. It was a long night. More on that later. 85 year old Dad, stomach flu, Gianna, stomach flu, my Mom, just had stomach flu. And the spew flew!

I'll be live blogging the Rally at http://www.ageofautism.com/ on Wednesday. And probably a post tomorrow. Stop by!