I'm sure I have lost what little readership I have by now, but I ran across this story and couldn't resist reposting:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45034031/ns/today-today_health/
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Blood is Thicker than Money
Omaha, Nebraska, USA
At their wedding last July, Nicole Thomspon and Matthew Arce were as hopeful for the future as any bride and groom. A happy couple in their 20s, the pair planned to live on Arce's salary while Nicole found a new job. They would soon be able to buy a house, settle down, and embark on their life together. Like many Americans, however, Nicole and Matthew were about to face unanticipated and insurmountable financial trouble. By the end of the year, Nicole had only managed to find temp jobs and Matthew had lost his high-paying job and started to work as a Wal-mart cashier instead. The couple began to descend into debt, and hope seemed to be lost.
Just before Christmas, 42 year-old Craig Thomspon offered to let the struggling newlyweds move into his 3-bedroom home with him. They gratefully agreed. Most people would likely have refused the offer; After all, Craig is Nicole's ex-husband.
In 2005, Craig and Nicole were in the snarls of a messy divorce. Battling for custody of their two daughters, now 6 and 7, the Thompsons were bitter and angry towards each other. Living together in the future would have been unimaginable. However, after finally agreeing to joint custody and letting the dust settle, Nicole and Craig found that they could be friends. In fact, they grew close. Craig's mother was even in Nicole and Matthew's wedding. "There are so many families that go through divorce and can never let it go," says Nicole. "I'm thankful, and hopefully our situation can help people rethink things because if they have kids, it's in their best interest to get along."
And get along they do, apparently well enough to diffuse the tension that most ex-spouses would experience if they moved in together. The Thompson daughters, Victoria and Caitlyn, now get to live with both of their parents instead of switching back and forth.
Against all the odds, Matthew Arce has become fast friends with his wife's ex-husband. Craig Thomas describes their relationship by saying "We just clicked." The two of them work on household projects together, build plastic models together, and even hang out on the days when neither of them has to work. It is an unusual family, but it is a happy one. Matthew and Nicole plan to continue living with Craig for at least another five years.
To read more, visit http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/03/26/couple.lives.with.ex/index.html
There is plenty of news right now about the country’s economic troubles and how families are suffering. Advertisements invariably begin with "in these hard times. . ." Strangers comment to each other in grocery store lines about how it's hard just to get by. I hope that, like me, there are others out there with an eye on the good things coming out of this recession. The Thompson/Arce family, for example. Or even the fact that strangers are bothering to talk to each other in grocery store lines at all. With the right attitude, Americans can come out of this difficult period sturdier, more united, and more compassionate. Stay strong, everyone. ~mg
At their wedding last July, Nicole Thomspon and Matthew Arce were as hopeful for the future as any bride and groom. A happy couple in their 20s, the pair planned to live on Arce's salary while Nicole found a new job. They would soon be able to buy a house, settle down, and embark on their life together. Like many Americans, however, Nicole and Matthew were about to face unanticipated and insurmountable financial trouble. By the end of the year, Nicole had only managed to find temp jobs and Matthew had lost his high-paying job and started to work as a Wal-mart cashier instead. The couple began to descend into debt, and hope seemed to be lost.
Just before Christmas, 42 year-old Craig Thomspon offered to let the struggling newlyweds move into his 3-bedroom home with him. They gratefully agreed. Most people would likely have refused the offer; After all, Craig is Nicole's ex-husband.
In 2005, Craig and Nicole were in the snarls of a messy divorce. Battling for custody of their two daughters, now 6 and 7, the Thompsons were bitter and angry towards each other. Living together in the future would have been unimaginable. However, after finally agreeing to joint custody and letting the dust settle, Nicole and Craig found that they could be friends. In fact, they grew close. Craig's mother was even in Nicole and Matthew's wedding. "There are so many families that go through divorce and can never let it go," says Nicole. "I'm thankful, and hopefully our situation can help people rethink things because if they have kids, it's in their best interest to get along."
And get along they do, apparently well enough to diffuse the tension that most ex-spouses would experience if they moved in together. The Thompson daughters, Victoria and Caitlyn, now get to live with both of their parents instead of switching back and forth.
Against all the odds, Matthew Arce has become fast friends with his wife's ex-husband. Craig Thomas describes their relationship by saying "We just clicked." The two of them work on household projects together, build plastic models together, and even hang out on the days when neither of them has to work. It is an unusual family, but it is a happy one. Matthew and Nicole plan to continue living with Craig for at least another five years.
To read more, visit http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/03/26/couple.lives.with.ex/index.html
There is plenty of news right now about the country’s economic troubles and how families are suffering. Advertisements invariably begin with "in these hard times. . ." Strangers comment to each other in grocery store lines about how it's hard just to get by. I hope that, like me, there are others out there with an eye on the good things coming out of this recession. The Thompson/Arce family, for example. Or even the fact that strangers are bothering to talk to each other in grocery store lines at all. With the right attitude, Americans can come out of this difficult period sturdier, more united, and more compassionate. Stay strong, everyone. ~mg
One Family's Tragedy Becomes Another Family's Miracle
Mentor, Ohio, USA
The McCracken family of Mentor, OH was enjoying a friendly game of baseball in their yard last week when 7 year-old Morgan was accidentally hit with the ball. Her parents, Donald and Connie, put ice on their daughter's head to reduce the goose-egg swelling that immediately followed the injury. Within hours, the swelling was down and Morgan was back to her happy self. She went back to school the next day and aced a spelling test.
Two nights after the accident, like many of us, Donald and Connie saw the tragic news story of Natasha Richardson's sudden death from a seemingly minor head injury. The actress, mother, and wife had suffered a bump on the head, talked and joked about it with no apparent trouble, and, within days, died. The McCrackens were immediately worried for Morgan, who went to bed that night complaining of a headache. They decided to call their daughter's doctor, just to be safe.
"Because of Natasha, we called the pediatrician immediately. And by the time I got off the phone with him, Morgan was sobbing, her head hurt so much," reports Donald. The McCrackens rushed to the emergency room, where Morgan was given a CT scan to determine whether she had a brain injury. The scan confirmed her parents' worst fear: Morgan had an epidural hematoma, just like Natasha Richardson.
Unlike Natasha, however, Morgan made it to the emergency room in time. She was air lifted to a hospital in Cleveland for immediate treatment. "I knew it was bad when she had to get there by helicopter in six minutes, instead of the 30 minutes it would have taken to get to Cleveland in an ambulance," said her father.
Morgan received life-saving surgery that night, and, after five more days in the hospital, she returned home. And this time, she really IS fine. It was a very close call; According to Donald McCracken, "Dr. Cohen told us that if we hadn't brought her in Thursday night, she never would have woken up."
In the wake of Natasha Richardson's heartbreaking story, there is some comfort in knowing that a child's life was saved as a result. And for the McCracken family, it is more than comforting; it is miraculous.
For more on this story, and for tips on recognizing serious head injury symptoms, visit http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/26/head.injury.emergency/index.html
The McCracken family of Mentor, OH was enjoying a friendly game of baseball in their yard last week when 7 year-old Morgan was accidentally hit with the ball. Her parents, Donald and Connie, put ice on their daughter's head to reduce the goose-egg swelling that immediately followed the injury. Within hours, the swelling was down and Morgan was back to her happy self. She went back to school the next day and aced a spelling test.
Two nights after the accident, like many of us, Donald and Connie saw the tragic news story of Natasha Richardson's sudden death from a seemingly minor head injury. The actress, mother, and wife had suffered a bump on the head, talked and joked about it with no apparent trouble, and, within days, died. The McCrackens were immediately worried for Morgan, who went to bed that night complaining of a headache. They decided to call their daughter's doctor, just to be safe.
"Because of Natasha, we called the pediatrician immediately. And by the time I got off the phone with him, Morgan was sobbing, her head hurt so much," reports Donald. The McCrackens rushed to the emergency room, where Morgan was given a CT scan to determine whether she had a brain injury. The scan confirmed her parents' worst fear: Morgan had an epidural hematoma, just like Natasha Richardson.
Unlike Natasha, however, Morgan made it to the emergency room in time. She was air lifted to a hospital in Cleveland for immediate treatment. "I knew it was bad when she had to get there by helicopter in six minutes, instead of the 30 minutes it would have taken to get to Cleveland in an ambulance," said her father.
Morgan received life-saving surgery that night, and, after five more days in the hospital, she returned home. And this time, she really IS fine. It was a very close call; According to Donald McCracken, "Dr. Cohen told us that if we hadn't brought her in Thursday night, she never would have woken up."
In the wake of Natasha Richardson's heartbreaking story, there is some comfort in knowing that a child's life was saved as a result. And for the McCracken family, it is more than comforting; it is miraculous.
For more on this story, and for tips on recognizing serious head injury symptoms, visit http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/26/head.injury.emergency/index.html
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Perfect Win-Win Situation
Denmark
Mikkel Vestergaard-Frandsen is the third generation of his family to run the Vestergaard-Frandsen company, based in Denmark. The privately owned company's sole business is helping the world's poor and disadvantaged.
While there are several public companies which aid the poor as part or even all of their business, Vestergaard-Frandsen has a unique attitude about the work. Kevin Starace, who is a malaria adviser for the United Nations Foundation, sums it up well: “They think of the end user as a consumer rather than as a patient or a victim.” This outlook is behind many of Vestergaard-Frandsen innovations, such as adding a cell phone pocket to a mosquito net, making insecticidal fabrics in patterns suitable for hanging as curtains, and designing a LifeStraw, which is not only capable of rendering dirty water safe to drink, but is also so beautiful as to be included in museum design collections.
It seems too good to be true, but Vestergaard-Frandsen's work is more than charity; the company has prospered. According to Dr. Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben, who directs a program to rid the world of guinea-worms (microscopic larvae that wreak havoc on the body if ingested), Vestergaard-Frandsen is “very reliable and they have good quality control. . . We’ve bought millions of dollars’ worth of product from them.” Seems like the perfect win-win!
Read more about the company and its products at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/health/research/03prof.html?_r=2&ref=science
Mikkel Vestergaard-Frandsen is the third generation of his family to run the Vestergaard-Frandsen company, based in Denmark. The privately owned company's sole business is helping the world's poor and disadvantaged.
While there are several public companies which aid the poor as part or even all of their business, Vestergaard-Frandsen has a unique attitude about the work. Kevin Starace, who is a malaria adviser for the United Nations Foundation, sums it up well: “They think of the end user as a consumer rather than as a patient or a victim.” This outlook is behind many of Vestergaard-Frandsen innovations, such as adding a cell phone pocket to a mosquito net, making insecticidal fabrics in patterns suitable for hanging as curtains, and designing a LifeStraw, which is not only capable of rendering dirty water safe to drink, but is also so beautiful as to be included in museum design collections.
It seems too good to be true, but Vestergaard-Frandsen's work is more than charity; the company has prospered. According to Dr. Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben, who directs a program to rid the world of guinea-worms (microscopic larvae that wreak havoc on the body if ingested), Vestergaard-Frandsen is “very reliable and they have good quality control. . . We’ve bought millions of dollars’ worth of product from them.” Seems like the perfect win-win!
Read more about the company and its products at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/health/research/03prof.html?_r=2&ref=science
Thursday, January 29, 2009
One Small Step for Equal Rights
Washington DC, USA
Lilly Ledbetter may not be a household name, but she stood today in the White House and watched President Obama sign off on an equal-pay law that's named for her.
For 19 years, Ms. Ledbetter worked for Goodyear Tire and Rubber. All the while, she was paid 15%-40% less than her male coworkers. Performing the same job for which Lilly received 3,727$ a month, Goodyear's male employees were paid anywhere from $4,286-$5,236 a month. She never would have known, but for an anonymous letter left in her mailbox containing documentation of the pay discrepancy.
In 1998, Ledbetter filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Co mission. The EEOC and a jury sided with her, and she was awarded 360,000$ in back pay. However, a federal appeals court later threw out her claim on the grounds that it had not been made quickly enough. According to law at the time, such complaints needed to be filed within 180 days of the first discriminatory paycheck. The case escalated over the years until it was brought before the Supreme Court, where Ledbetter was defeated 5-4.
With her legal options exhausted, Ledbetter appealed to Capitol Hill for legislation. Earlier today, 10 years after she filed her claim, she was vindicated; President Obama signed the The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. Under the new law, employees have until 180 days after their last discriminating paycheck to file a complaint, not their first. Employees like Ledbetter, who discover the discrimination only after they retire, will now have a chance to recoup all of their losses.
As for Lilly Ledbetter, she feels that this battle has been well worth fighting, saying "Goodyear will never have to pay me what it cheated me out of. In fact, I will never see a cent from my case. But with the president's signature today, I have an even richer reward. I know that my daughter and granddaughters ... will have a better deal. That's what makes this fight worth fighting."
For details, visit http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/29/obama.fair.pay/index.html
Thanks to The Bruce Goose for alerting us to this good news!
Lilly Ledbetter may not be a household name, but she stood today in the White House and watched President Obama sign off on an equal-pay law that's named for her.
For 19 years, Ms. Ledbetter worked for Goodyear Tire and Rubber. All the while, she was paid 15%-40% less than her male coworkers. Performing the same job for which Lilly received 3,727$ a month, Goodyear's male employees were paid anywhere from $4,286-$5,236 a month. She never would have known, but for an anonymous letter left in her mailbox containing documentation of the pay discrepancy.
In 1998, Ledbetter filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Co mission. The EEOC and a jury sided with her, and she was awarded 360,000$ in back pay. However, a federal appeals court later threw out her claim on the grounds that it had not been made quickly enough. According to law at the time, such complaints needed to be filed within 180 days of the first discriminatory paycheck. The case escalated over the years until it was brought before the Supreme Court, where Ledbetter was defeated 5-4.
With her legal options exhausted, Ledbetter appealed to Capitol Hill for legislation. Earlier today, 10 years after she filed her claim, she was vindicated; President Obama signed the The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. Under the new law, employees have until 180 days after their last discriminating paycheck to file a complaint, not their first. Employees like Ledbetter, who discover the discrimination only after they retire, will now have a chance to recoup all of their losses.
As for Lilly Ledbetter, she feels that this battle has been well worth fighting, saying "Goodyear will never have to pay me what it cheated me out of. In fact, I will never see a cent from my case. But with the president's signature today, I have an even richer reward. I know that my daughter and granddaughters ... will have a better deal. That's what makes this fight worth fighting."
For details, visit http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/29/obama.fair.pay/index.html
Thanks to The Bruce Goose for alerting us to this good news!
Endangered Lowland Gorrilla Gives Birth at the National Zoo
Any time a permanent resident of the National Zoo has a baby, there seems to be an "awwww" heard 'round the world. But when Mandara, a 26 year-old western lowland gorilla, gave birth to a healthy baby earlier this month, there was more than just cuteness to celebrate.
Mandara and her baby, who has not yet been named, are members of a species that has been classified as critically endangered. Fewer than 200,000 of the majestic creatures inhabit the tropical forests of West and Central Africa, where they live under the constant threats of poaching, dwindling habitat, and the Ebola virus.
These first few weeks of the infant gorilla's life are a critical time. Out of concern for the baby's safety, zoo officials have not even gotten close enough to determine its sex. Mandara, however, is taking careful care of her baby. 10 year-old DC resident Max Block told the Washington Post "It's pretty amazing. She's been holding it, tickling it, stroking it on the head. . . . She's a great mom." Max raised $2,500 for a wildlife preservation group at a lemonade stand this summer.
Not only is Mandara's baby a promising new addition to an endangered species, the adorable newborn will provide the National Zoo with an opportunity to educate the public about the growing need for conservation.
Visitors can see the mother and baby, along with the other gorillas, in the Great Ape House between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily.
To read the full article, (and see an adorable picture!) visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/11/AR2009011100697.html
Thanks Papa Goose for tipping us off to this story!
Mandara and her baby, who has not yet been named, are members of a species that has been classified as critically endangered. Fewer than 200,000 of the majestic creatures inhabit the tropical forests of West and Central Africa, where they live under the constant threats of poaching, dwindling habitat, and the Ebola virus.
These first few weeks of the infant gorilla's life are a critical time. Out of concern for the baby's safety, zoo officials have not even gotten close enough to determine its sex. Mandara, however, is taking careful care of her baby. 10 year-old DC resident Max Block told the Washington Post "It's pretty amazing. She's been holding it, tickling it, stroking it on the head. . . . She's a great mom." Max raised $2,500 for a wildlife preservation group at a lemonade stand this summer.
Not only is Mandara's baby a promising new addition to an endangered species, the adorable newborn will provide the National Zoo with an opportunity to educate the public about the growing need for conservation.
Visitors can see the mother and baby, along with the other gorillas, in the Great Ape House between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily.
To read the full article, (and see an adorable picture!) visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/11/AR2009011100697.html
Thanks Papa Goose for tipping us off to this story!
Pet's Sixth Sense Saves Infant's Life
The Goose would like to bring you a special story today, provided to us by author Jean Barto. The following is an excerpt from her latest book, (POD) PET WONDERS:
"With joy and anxiety, we brought Alicia, our preemie, home from the hospital. We were happy to have our baby home, but anxious because her physical condition necessitated a heart monitor.
Now another baby, Mandy, an 80 pound Old English Sheepdog, who had had attention plus until Alicia arrived, was a little put out that she was not allowed near the baby. She was a bright, silly, sometimes stubborn dog, but lovable. She had always been fastidious before, but now she started pooping and peeing all over the house. I guess negative attention was better than no attention at all. After a few days, we allowed Mandy to come close to the baby and even lick her face. That changed everything. Using the rug as outside grass and a chair leg as a private fire hydrant stopped. She must have felt that, finally, she had a place back in the family inner circle.
The baby's room was next to ours, and we kept the doors open in case the heart monitor sounded an alarm. Days went by, and all went well. One night, Chuck felt Mandy scratching and pulling his arm. She was barking and whining to awaken us. Chuck jumped up. Mandy ran into the baby's room, Chuck close behind. The monitor had malfunctioned. The alarm had not sounded. Alicia had gone into cardiac arrest. We grabbed her and immediately started CPR. We brought her back. Thank God and Mandy.
Alicia is now a healthy college student. We will always wonder how Mandy knew something was wrong. Had Alicia made a sound or was Mandy so tuned into her labored breathing that she sensed a change? We'll never know, but will always be extremely grateful to our shaggy friend."
Told by Valerie Rayca
Written by JSB
A special thanks to Ms. Barto for contributing and spreading the good news!
"With joy and anxiety, we brought Alicia, our preemie, home from the hospital. We were happy to have our baby home, but anxious because her physical condition necessitated a heart monitor.
Now another baby, Mandy, an 80 pound Old English Sheepdog, who had had attention plus until Alicia arrived, was a little put out that she was not allowed near the baby. She was a bright, silly, sometimes stubborn dog, but lovable. She had always been fastidious before, but now she started pooping and peeing all over the house. I guess negative attention was better than no attention at all. After a few days, we allowed Mandy to come close to the baby and even lick her face. That changed everything. Using the rug as outside grass and a chair leg as a private fire hydrant stopped. She must have felt that, finally, she had a place back in the family inner circle.
The baby's room was next to ours, and we kept the doors open in case the heart monitor sounded an alarm. Days went by, and all went well. One night, Chuck felt Mandy scratching and pulling his arm. She was barking and whining to awaken us. Chuck jumped up. Mandy ran into the baby's room, Chuck close behind. The monitor had malfunctioned. The alarm had not sounded. Alicia had gone into cardiac arrest. We grabbed her and immediately started CPR. We brought her back. Thank God and Mandy.
Alicia is now a healthy college student. We will always wonder how Mandy knew something was wrong. Had Alicia made a sound or was Mandy so tuned into her labored breathing that she sensed a change? We'll never know, but will always be extremely grateful to our shaggy friend."
Told by Valerie Rayca
Written by JSB
A special thanks to Ms. Barto for contributing and spreading the good news!
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