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franklin avenue blog: atomic cafe hosts rest stop in 11-21 “great los angeles walk 2009″ (2061)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Mid-City Gets Into the Great Los Angeles Walk Spirit November 12, 2009 GREAT NEWS from the Mid-City Neighborhood Council! They’ll be sponsoring a water and supply station for this year’s Great LA Walk! Here are the details, from Bruce Durbin of the Mid City Neighborhood Council: The Mid City Neighborhood Council is going to sponsor a “Water & Supply Station” for the Great LA Walk. We will be setting up a table outside the Atomic Cafe, located at 5001 W. Washington Blvd. (on Washington, a block west of La Brea). We will have free bottled water, snacks, sunscreen/band-aids, and also a limited numb...
Source: aids-write.org - November 16, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Richard Kearns Tags: LA city AIDS coordinator's office McCAB McNC aging and HIV/AIDS asian-pacific hiv/aids atomic cafe beingALIVE-la black msm gay hiv/aids black women with aids citizen journalism community blogger cultural activism faith-based activi Source Type: blogs

Eradicate Autism SpeaksEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Apparently in today's America, you can be hailed as a philanthropist if you are seeking to "eradicate" a minority group. Of course, it helps if your husband recently was the CEO of the media entity responsible for publishing this Goebbels-esque propaganda. Many of us already knew what a genocidal loon Suzanne Wright is, but just in case anyone needs more proof, here it is:Philanthropist wages fight to eradicate autismIn the interview, this was her response to a question about how long Autism Speaks plans to host celebrity fundraising events: "Hopefully until we eradicate autism. Once we finish autism, then we’re not doin...
Source: Whose Planet Is It Anyway? - November 13, 2009 Category: Autism Tags: Autism Speaks ASAN activism Source Type: blogs

Methuselah Foundation PSA VideosEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
I'm slipping behind the times here, it seems; the recently produced batch of Methuselah Foundation public service announcement video slots were mentioned by the deathist authors at Futurisms before that topic made it to the head of my "yet to post" list. Those folk write well, actually; it is a pity that they feel, like Leon Kass, that the spirit and purpose of their conservatism is to stand in support of present suffering and barbarism against a bright future of cures, change, and progress. History will judge them unkindly, if it recalls them at all. In any case, here are some of the videos that the Methuselah Foundation...
Source: Fight Aging! - November 13, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Activism, Advocacy and Education Source Type: blogs

BringChange2Mind.orgEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
More than a few tears of understanding, and being understood, came to my eyes tonight as I watched NBC Nightly News. Brian Williams featured a report on an initiative of Glenn Close called Bring Change 2 mind.  Ms. Close and her sister Jessie, who is bipolar, were part of an amazing public service announcement shot at [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - November 12, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: AIDS and HIV YouTube activism autobiography bipolar bipolar II health-care mental health stigma Glenn Close Jessie Close Source Type: blogs

Evaluating an Industry that Doesn't ExistEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Imagine an industry poised to burst into existence. The signs are there: the advocates, the tinkerers, the potential business models and user demand, the promising early scientific work yet to be fully exploited. But how you determine whether this is real or all an illusion? How to find out whether an explosion of progress and growth is just about to happen, or whether the seeds of this nascent industry will continue to germinate at low levels of activity for years longer? There is only one useful method: invest a significant amount of money and see how much interest, activity, and follow-on investment it attracts. This i...
Source: Fight Aging! - November 5, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Activism, Advocacy and Education Source Type: blogs

Would you help? Cutting and pasting is mostly all that’s required!Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Except for the first paragraph, which I wrote, this letter is available for you to cut and paste here at http://www.essentialmedicine.org/add-your-voice/camr/ Don’t worry about the October 23 deadline having passed. The bill is only at the committee stage. Here’s my letter: Dear Legislator, As a Canadian living with HIV for the last 20 years I [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - October 30, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: AIDS and HIV Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime Planet Earth has AIDS activism health-care human rights politics social justice Source Type: blogs

how cool is this?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Yesterday morning, I got a call from Oresta. She told me that she had read my article in the Centretown Buzz and wanted to reach out to me.Even though I love her store and spa (I asked for gift certificates for Christmas last year), I was not on her mailing list and had not received the letter that I posted above.It's hard to read, so here is the text, in full:OCTOBER is BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTHPinkwasher: (pink’-wah-sher) noun. A company that pur-ports to care about breast cancer by promoting a pinkribboned product, but manufactures products that arelinked to the disease.Dear clients,ORESTA organic skin care confec...
Source: Not just about cancer - October 28, 2009 Category: Cancer Tags: complementary treatment joy breast cancer lucky chemotherapy community activism my love show and tell cancer blog good stuff don't buy pink crap Source Type: blogs

Why Advocacy For Longevity Science?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Why advocacy for longevity science? Why is it important for us to be building megaphones, educating people about the scientific foundation for extended healthy life, and persuading everyone we can to help? Put simply it is because this advocacy is a necessary part of the only reliable, proven path to establishing a research community capably of getting the job done. One of the most active Immortality Institute activists, brokenportal, sent me the text below today, which I reproduce with his permission. The dedication is a reminder to the rest of us just what it takes to make things happen in this world of ours: Will we ...
Source: Fight Aging! - October 28, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Activism, Advocacy and Education Source Type: blogs

We’ll Be Back, ArnoldEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In a disappointing and short-sighted move, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently vetoed two breastfeeding bills. One was the bill I took the time to ask my state senators to support — SB 257 the Pavley-Employee Notification/Lactation Accommodation that would have required state entities to inform pregnant employees about the existing California law that requires workplace lactation accommodation. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Image: Zuma PressGovernor Schwarzenegger believed that there was not adequate evidence that mothers are not aware of their right to workplace lactation accommodation. H...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - October 21, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism law Arnold Schwarzenegger breastfeeding bills breastfeeding legislation California law Governor Schwarzenegger lactation accommodation WIC Source Type: blogs

de-bunking the pinkEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
"Three years ago, I saw a story on the news while I was at the gym. An investigative feature on the breast cancer awareness contributions that various corporations pledged during Breast Cancer Awareness Month found that most of these promotions led to increased sales and windfall profits that dwarfed the piddling donations that the extra sales generated. Until that moment, I was gung-ho about buying products marked with pink ribbons."And so begins the best article I have ever read on the subject of the pink-washing of October (and not just because the author says you should all go out and buy my book). Suzanne Reisman hits...
Source: Not just about cancer - October 20, 2009 Category: Cancer Tags: blook breast cancer community activism rants good stuff don't buy pink crap Source Type: blogs

Taking to the StreetsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
People who don't understand that autism prevalence has remained stable often ask how there can't be an epidemic when they have seen large numbers of autistic children only in recent years. Where were all the autistic people before now?Of course, before the diagnostic criteria were broadened, most were not identified as autistic and were looked upon as part of the general population. Others were rarely or never seen in public because they were kept hidden away at home by their families or were sent to institutions.As reported by Hard Won Wisdom, it appears that at least one older autistic person is taking part in the ADAPT ...
Source: Whose Planet Is It Anyway? - October 14, 2009 Category: Autism Tags: Autism Speaks ASAN activism ADAPT Source Type: blogs

Supporting AlliesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This morning, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network released a joint letter from over 60 disability rights organizations calling on sponsors, donors, and supporters of Autism Speaks to end their support for the organization because of Autism Speaks' hateful attitudes and exploitative practices. ASAN also issued a press release and set up a petition site where individuals can endorse the letter.The disability rights advocates who are supporting ASAN and the autistic community in this effort are not receiving any financial benefit whatsoever from doing so. Rather, they are standing in solidarity with our community because it is...
Source: Whose Planet Is It Anyway? - October 7, 2009 Category: Autism Tags: Autism Speaks ASAN activism I Am Autism disability Source Type: blogs

"what's wrong with breast cancer awareness month?"Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
"October is breast cancer awareness month, which again fills the stores with pink products and pink ribbons. But many people with breast cancer are feeling exploited."It's only September 30th and I already have pink ribbon fatigue. I ranted about about this in 2006, 2007 and 2008 (there is also a version of this rant in my book, Not Done Yet).This year, let me point you to an excellent article by Maija Haavisto (and I don't just say this because she quotes me):Since 1985 October has been celebrated as breast cancer awareness month, often symbolized by pink ribbons and the color pink. It is interesting to note that the awar...
Source: Not just about cancer - September 30, 2009 Category: Cancer Tags: blook breast cancer activism pissed off preventing cancer cancer blog rants don't buy pink crap Source Type: blogs

SolidarityEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Image: Unionists challenge the Communist regime in Poland, 1981In response to the despicable "I Am Autism" video by Autism Speaks, the autistic and cross-disability communities have been standing strong in their united opposition. Today in Portland, Oregon, 15 activists organized by ASAN's Portland chapter protested at an Autism Speaks walk and got local news coverage on two channels. Video parodists, bloggers, and others are all over the Internet showing their outrage. I've compiled a list of websites critical of the video below. Please feel free to copy and repost elsewhere to show your solidarity, too.Parody/Response Vi...
Source: Whose Planet Is It Anyway? - September 27, 2009 Category: Autism Tags: Autism Speaks activism I Am Autism Source Type: blogs

Rick Ward: Pioneer Prostate Cancer ActivistEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Rick Ward, of Deer Lodge, Montana and San Antonio,Texas, a pioneering prostate cancer awareness advocate and activist, died recently of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Rick, an Air Force veteran aged 71, will be remembered for his tremendous contribution to Seedpods brachytherapy mailing list, for his dedication to helping Veterans faced with cancer and other [...] (Source: psa-rising.com/blog)
Source: psa-rising.com/blog - September 24, 2009 Category: Cancer Authors: admin Tags: Brachytherapy Early detection Obits Obituaries Prostate Cancer VA Activism Prostate Cancer Ribbon Rick Ward Seeds Source Type: blogs

Would I dare – for the Stephen Lewis Foundation? Maybe, with some ideas!Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
After President Obama’s lively, wide-ranging chat with David Letterman Monday it was a treat to watch as another President, Bill Clinton, occupied the guest chair on Tuesday. Clinton is in New York for the international gathering of his Clinton Global Initiative which he times to coincide with the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - September 23, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: AIDS and HIV Stephen Lewis activism Kenn's 50th birthday Stephen Lewis Foundation A Dare to Remember Source Type: blogs

Michigan Breastfeeding Legislation SponsorsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Great news out of Michigan this month! State representatives Rebekah Warren and Tonya Schuitmaker plan to introduce a resolution and a bill in support of mothers’ right to breastfeed. Rep. Warren states: Michigan is one of only a handful of states that still fails to protect breastfeeding moms from being harassed, segregated, or otherwise discouraged from breastfeeding in public. Breastfeeding moms must be allowed to feed their infants wherever they may otherwise legally be. This is more than a lifestyle choice; it is an important health choice. While the bill has not been formally introduced in the House yet, it appears...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - September 19, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism law nursing in public Source Type: blogs

Senator Edward Kennedy: The LactivistEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health Subcommittee, Senator Edward Kennedy played a crucial role in the 1978 Senate hearing on the marketing of f*ormula in developing countries. In his opening speech, Senator Kennedy asked: Whose responsibility is it to control the advertising, marketing and promotional activities which may create a market in spite of public health considerations? In the hearing itself, Senator Kennedy put a Nestlé executive through a very pointed line of questioning on the company’s social responsibility in countries where poverty and the lack of a sanitary water supply make f*ormula-feeding partic...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - September 19, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism quotes and literature Edward Kennedy international health lactivism Nestle Senator Edward Kennedy Source Type: blogs

Vote for LLLI to Win $10,000!Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
La Leche League International (LLLI) calls upon breastfeeding supporters to nominate LLLI to win $10,000 in The Christie Cookie Charity Giveaway! It just takes a minute to select your charity (scroll down to get to La Leche League) and enter your email address (which the company promises not to sell to third parties). If LLLI receives enough nominations it could win $10,000 in cash! You have until October 15, 2009 to register your nomination but please take a minute now so that LLLI can gain momentum in the voting! Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3)
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - September 15, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism charity giveaway contest La-Leche-League LLL LLLI The Christie Cookie Source Type: blogs

Thousands rally in Thunder Bay for Jake Raynard, who speaks out on gay-bashingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Thousands, the numbers always vary, gathered in Waverly Park in Thunder Bay, Ontario’s Port Arthur district Friday to support the victim of a horrendous beating a week ago. Earlier, Jake Raynard had released this video statement via YouTube: Like many LGBT youth Jake has lived in larger cities such as Toronto where being different, while not always [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - September 12, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: YouTube activism coming out of the closet queer sexual orientation social justice stigma youth Jake Raynard Source Type: blogs

A Tale of Two StoresEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
My sister appreciated all of the advice on what to include in a baby gift registry. She took the list of items and registered at both Babies R Us and Target. When she finished her Babies R Us registry, the store gave her coupons for breastfeeding-related items! When she finished her Target registry, the store gave her coupons for formula. Shame on Target! And what’s worse? Not knowing about the formula coupons, I happened to be at Target and bought some hair bands for my older girls to celebrate the start of the school year. The hair bands were sold in the baby section, and when I paid for them, with my receipt I got...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - September 11, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism Babies r us baby registry baby-gift formula marketing Target Source Type: blogs

san diego news channel 10: multiple medical cannibis clinic raids (1184)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Authorities Raid Local Medical Marijuana Dispensaries September 9, 2009 SAN DIEGO — Multi-agency law enforcement teams raided medical marijuana dispensaries across the San Diego region Wednesday. Personnel from federal, state and local departments served warrants at an undisclosed number of cannabis-dispensing storefronts in various locales in the county, according to Monica Munoz, a spokeswoman for the San Diego Police Department. Authorities refused to release details — including the reason for the raids and the number of related arrests, if any — about the operation, which apparently began around midda...
Source: aids-write.org - September 10, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Richard Kearns Tags: McCAB McNC aging and HIV/AIDS americans for safe access / la apla asian-pacific hiv/aids beingALIVE-la black msm gay hiv/aids black women with aids champ citizen journalism criminalization of HIV/AIDS faith-based activism first n Source Type: blogs

Please support me in AIDS Walk NiagaraEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
I am going out on a limb and making a commitment to participating in AIDS Walk Niagara on Sunday, September 20. This was my home-base, if not always my stomping grounds, through my twenties. The link is to AIDS Niagara’s page on the Canada Helps page. Otherwise you can pay me by cash or cheque. [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - September 10, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: AIDS and HIV activism health-care AIDS Niagara Source Type: blogs

Canadian International Air Show sold out all weekend – many downtown residents unimpressedEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
As Toronto continues to welcome more and more residents to downtown high-rises and neighbourhoods the hazards and inconveniences of the Canadian International Air Show mount exponentially – to which the show responds, trumpeting the economic benefits. Note the sponsors. It is one thing to honour grandfathers and great-grandfathers with fly-pasts of World War II planes, [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - September 7, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: Toronto Centre activism environment pollution Canadian International Air Show Canadian National Exhibition Source Type: blogs

LA Times editorial: open medical cannabis research contracts (1179)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Pass pot research around september 4, 2009 For 40 years, federal marijuana studies have been conducted in one place — the University of Mississippi. Contracts should be awarded to several different institutions. When the federal Department of Health and Human Services recently issued a request for proposals, seeking competitive applications for the production, analysis and distribution of “marijuana cigarettes,” the request might have seemed a bit unusual to those unfamiliar with Washington’s dance around cannabis research. The federal government, after all, is not widely known to support marijuana...
Source: aids-write.org - September 6, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Richard Kearns Tags: McCAB McNC aging and HIV/AIDS americans for safe access / la apla asian-pacific hiv/aids barak obama beingALIVE-la black msm gay hiv/aids black women with aids champ criminalization of HIV/AIDS faith-based activism first nations Source Type: blogs

LA Timed editorial: open medical cannabis research contracts (1179)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Pass pot research around september 4, 2009 For 40 years, federal marijuana studies have been conducted in one place — the University of Mississippi. Contracts should be awarded to several different institutions. When the federal Department of Health and Human Services recently issued a request for proposals, seeking competitive applications for the production, analysis and distribution of “marijuana cigarettes,” the request might have seemed a bit unusual to those unfamiliar with Washington’s dance around cannabis research. The federal government, after all, is not widely known to support marijuana...
Source: aids-write.org - September 6, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Richard Kearns Tags: McCAB McNC aging and HIV/AIDS americans for safe access / la apla asian-pacific hiv/aids barak obama beingALIVE-la black msm gay hiv/aids black women with aids champ criminalization of HIV/AIDS faith-based activism first nations Source Type: blogs

september 18 marks 2nd annual National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD) (1168)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day: September 18, 2009 Washington, DC – September 18, 2009 marks the 2nd annual national awareness initiative of The AIDS Institute titled National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD). This national campaign highlights the complex issues related to HIV prevention, care and treatment for aging populations in the United States. It is the goal of the campaign to highlight challenges such as the need for prevention, research, data and medical understanding of the aging process and the impact of HIV/AIDS. There are important groups that will be highlighted in this work: (1) the g...
Source: aids-write.org - August 31, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Richard Kearns Tags: ahf aids apla asian-pacific hiv/aids awo call to action black msm gay hiv/aids black women with aids champ citizen journalism criminalization of HIV/AIDS cultural activism faith-based activism first nations indigenous hiv/aids ga Source Type: blogs

To the Editor, Perth CourierEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Thanks for your article on Andrea Raymond’s work. I look forward to a renewed commitment to heritage conservation in Perth in the spirit of Glenn Crain and others. During a recent picture-taking tour of the always photogenic downtown I noticed that the Scotiabank branch on Foster Street (pictured) stands out for [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - August 31, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: Perth activism architectural heritage Source Type: blogs

There is No Overpopulation: Only Waste, Corruption, and InhumanityEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Advocates for rapid and widespread development of engineered longevity are making some progress in dismissing the Tithonus Error - the common and mistaken belief that longevity-enhancing medicine would make a person spend more years as a frail and decrepit elder rather than more years in the prime of life. As more people come to see a future of longevity therapies as personally beneficial, however, a more insidious form of opposition will come to the fore. By far and away the most common reason I see given these days in opposition to engineered longevity is fear of overpopulation. Environmentalism has become almost a reli...
Source: Fight Aging! - August 30, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Activism, Advocacy and Education Source Type: blogs

Working on the Methuselah Foundation WebsiteEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
As a few of you might know, I've spent the past couple of months rebuilding the Methuselah Foundation web presence and support systems on a quasi-volunteer basis. What's above the waterline and visible to the public is now largely beaten into shape and reinforced with steel rods, set in the form it will occupy going forward. While I take a break from all that for a little while, it'd be nice to hear what you folk think of the result; does it do it for you? More importantly, it would be helpful to gather outside and unbiased opinions both on what does exist on the website and what might exist in the future - whether in you...
Source: Fight Aging! - August 24, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Activism, Advocacy and Education Source Type: blogs

Breastfeeding Laws in the NewsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
It never fails to amaze me how companies manage to get themselves into hot water for failing to follow the law regarding breastfeeding in public or in the workplace! Here are just a few of the most recent incidents. Acosta Tacos: The owner of Acosta Tacos in Los Angeles, California has been ordered to pay Marina Chavez $21,645.00 in lost wages plus $20,000.00 for emotional damages after the owner fired Chavez for breastfeeding her baby on her breaks. In this groundbreaking case, the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission found that breastfeeding is intrinsic to the female sex and thus breastfeeding discriminatio...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - August 24, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism law nursing in public Acosta Tacos breastfeeding discrimination breastfeeding-in-public Chick-fil-A nurse-in Olive Garden sex discrimination Source Type: blogs

Ripping, Running, and AdvocatingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Like many people, I usually get busy toward the end of the summer and have a lot of distracting errands that interrupt my routine; there's an expression "ripping and running," which describes such days. For others who might also have been busy and not had the time to put together comments for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), I'm taking a few minutes to post this quick reminder that IACC comments are due today. (Details here.)Even if you don't have time to write long detailed comments, please take a few minutes to put something together. It's important to make sure we get enough responses from self-advo...
Source: Whose Planet Is It Anyway? - August 21, 2009 Category: Autism Tags: activism Source Type: blogs

Which Side Are You Really On, Jane Chin?!Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
I received what is probably the most passionate email from a reader of this blog that I’ve ever gotten since creating NakedMedicine.com in 2006. The email concludes with this: I can’t figure out what your agenda is Ms Chin. Are siding with the poor hard working physicians who are fighting a losing battle with their idiot patient’s lifestyles? Are you siding with the tirelessly industrious pharmaceutical scientists who are selflessly dedicating their efforts to cure our ills? Are you siding with the poor neglected suffering individuals who are bravely pushing onward in their lives, struggling with disease,...
Source: NAKEDMEDICINE.COM - August 21, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Jane Chin, Ph.D. Tags: Activism & Advocacy Affordable Healthcare Antibiotics Business of Medicine Critical Consumer Doctors Drug Companies Health Advertising Humanity in Medicine Legal Side of Medicine Medical Innovation Medical Malpractice Medical Marke Source Type: blogs

The Medela Breast Milk CommercialEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
After I posted about the Advertising of Infant Milk, two commenters mentioned how much they liked the Medela commercial that has been running on the Discovery Health Channel. Curious to see the “breast milk commercial” myself, I found the 31-second ad on Medela’s website. (Go on, watch it. I’ll wait. Then come back and let me know what you think please!) What do you think of the ad? My first thought was, “Way to go Medela! You actually showed actual breastfeeding, on television!” (Yes, actually, that is how I actually thought it LOL). Apparently though this version of the ad is a revisi...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - August 19, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism breast milk products pumping advertising breastfeeding on television breastmilk medela WHO Code Source Type: blogs

New Breastfeeding Picture BookEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
A new breastfeeding board book captures the beauty of breastfeeding in striking black and white photography: Breastfeeding Portraits in Black and White by Stacie Turner of Stacie Turner Photography. Stacie is the mother of breastfed twins featured in her personal blog The Twinkies. Book Review The sturdy 5″ x 6″ board book features 12 gorgeous images on six (front and back) pages. The pictures include nurslings ranging from a 4-day-old newborn (make me cry will you?!) to a 3-year-old toddler. The pictures stand alone without captions or other text. I was curious to see how my children would like the book. My ...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - August 18, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism books breastfeeding photos breastfeeding portraits in black and white Breastfeeding-Book breastfeeding-photo breastfeeding-pictures stacie turner stacie turner photography Source Type: blogs

Fundraising Success For Laser Ablation of LipofuscinEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The good news for today is that the longevity science grassroots centered at the Immortality Institute have successfully raised $8,000 to fund research into laser ablation of lipofuscin. Those funds will be matched up to $16,000 at the SENS Foundation and put towards work on a method of eliminating one form of damaging metabolic byproducts that build up with age: Lipofucsin is an aggregate of many different biochemical byproducts that builds up in your longest-lived cells, leading to dysfunction and disease. Lipofuscin levels are a very straightforward difference between old and young people, and removing it at regular in...
Source: Fight Aging! - August 17, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Activism, Advocacy and Education Source Type: blogs

No Special Breastfeeding Doll NecessaryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The new Bebe Gloton breastfeeding doll has some people up in arms although I do not quite understand all the fuss. I heard the concern expressed that young girls might play with the doll, decide they like breastfeeding (yay!) and then — here’s the inexplicable leap — suddenly decide they want to have a baby! Yet somehow we let our little girls play with dolls with baby bottles, and there’s no concern there? Does that mean that breastfeeding is sexual or that a breastfeeding doll sexualizes the young girl who plays with it? Give me a break! I suppose I can see some people’s concern with the &...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - August 12, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism baby-dolls bebe gloton breastfeeding doll breastfeeding education toys Source Type: blogs

Push for Regulation of Infant FormulaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In response to a call for ways in which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could advance the health needs of children, the United States Breastfeeding Committee submitted a letter detailing its concerns with the safety and efficacy of infant formula. In summary, the Committee seeks: 1. Adequate testing of new ingredients prior to their addition to infant formula and updated FDA review and approval procedures for those ingredients. 2. Close monitoring for adverse reactions to the products and a public report of those reactions. 3. Review and any necessary repudiation of the health claims made in the marketing of formula...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - August 11, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism child health FDA formula safety infant formula USBC Source Type: blogs

Laser Ablation Research Fundraising Deadline is Monday, August 17thEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
As you no doubt know by now, the Immortality Institute is raising $8000 in public donations that will then be matched up to $16,000, that money going towards the validation of laser ablation of lipofuscin as a longevity therapy. From the project and donation page: This research proposes to further study the use of laser pulses to destroy lipofuscin. The technical term for this approach is Selective Photothermolysis. LEDs, lasers, and infrared light have already found their way into many clinical and cosmetic applications. This research will investigate the use of laser pulses to improve human health at a much more fundame...
Source: Fight Aging! - August 10, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Activism, Advocacy and Education Source Type: blogs

Advertising of Infant MilkEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Ever since the first artificial baby milk became commercially available in 1867, the infant formula makers have battled for market share — battled amongst themselves and battled against breastfeeding. At times it seems like breastfeeding is losing that battle in spite of a clearly superior “product” and a price that can’t be beat! Why is that? Well, when we examine why breastfeeding rates are not where we would like them to be, we can certainly look to questionable birth and hospital practices, poor breastfeeding support, and lack of proper education in the medical community. In the end though, the ...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - August 9, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism products advertising artificial baby milk breastfeeding awareness month formula marketing infant formula World-Breastfeeding-Week Source Type: blogs

some further and disjointed thoughts on my blogher09 experienceEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
A non-virtual connection with Melissa from Stirrup Queens (and author of "Navigating the Land of If"). We are both holding Nora's head on a stick.1. If Twitter was played a role at last year's BlogHer conference, this year it was front and centre.Many of us followed what was happening in other sessions we attended by following the keyword (called a hashtag with a #sign) blogher#09. These are my tweets from the session I attended about "Online Safety for Your Kids Who Are Online Themselves" (I had expressed in my previous post the concern that it would be all about scaremongering but was delighted to find that it was not):"...
Source: Not just about cancer - July 30, 2009 Category: Cancer Tags: blook joy travel community activism my friends my love show and tell books BlogHer good stuff Source Type: blogs

IACC Season AgainEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Otherwise known as the season when good patriotic folks go hunting for ignorant anti-autistic prejudice in the US government, armed (figuratively, of course) with everything from bows and arrows to Thelma's shotgun. For those who have been wondering, I am not an author of that blog, but it does crack me up.The dates for IACC comments are not actually the same each year, or even in the same season. I still haven't figured out if the committee members are just hopelessly disorganized or if it's some nefarious plot to confuse the auties. Anyway, I've reposted the commenting notice below. As usual, I hope my readers will make ...
Source: Whose Planet Is It Anyway? - July 30, 2009 Category: Autism Tags: activism Source Type: blogs

Global Breastfeeding Challenge 2009Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Women and babies will gather at sites around the world for the 9th annual Breastfeeding Challenge! The Quintessence Foundation sponsors the global event: On October 3, 2009 at 11:00 am mothers and children at sites across Canada, the United States and other countries will compete to set the record for the most children breastfeeding at one time. The winners of the competition will be the site with the most children breastfeeding at one site, the country with the most children breastfeeding at registered sites and in North America the region (province or territory or state) with the most children participating as a percenta...
Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - July 29, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor Tags: activism breastfeeding challenge Canada global breastfeeding challenge lactivism lactivists nursing in public Quintessence foundation Source Type: blogs

Enough with the “honour killings”Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
As a gay man with HIV/AIDS I know of my condemned standing within the hard-line Islamist, Jewish and Christianist faiths. (I’m taking my chances, and feeling fine thanks, with liberal spirituality.) What no one, however, whether in Canada or anywhere else in the world should tolerate is paternalistic violence and murder – almost always exclusively [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - July 24, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: Human Rights Sharia activism child abuse family violence fundamentalism gender honorcide sexual orientation social conservatives spousal abuse stigma Linda Ahmed Raheel Raza Tarek Fatah Source Type: blogs

Raging like our lives depend on it – because sometimes they do!Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The vote, 52-1, was not even close but Manhattan New York State Senator Tom Duane took no chances after rival Republicans killed two of his bills earlier in the day. He unleashed this impassioned speech, with long pauses and end-of-phrase shouts – in the state legislature in Albany, speaking in favour of capping subsidized [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - July 21, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: AIDS and HIV YouTube activism autobiography grief life and death politics social justice NYS Sen. Tom Duane Source Type: blogs

Speech by Stephen Lewis, co-Director, AIDS-Free World, to the International AIDS Society Conference on Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention – Cape Town, South Africa, July 19, 2009Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In my younger days, decades upon decades ago, we were consumed by the threat of nuclear annihilation. The forces of darkness, East and West, seemed in the ascendance. The Doomsday clock inched its way to midnight. And then there arose, across a spectrum ranging from the scientists and engineers writing in the Bulletin of Atomic [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - July 20, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: AIDS and HIV Human Rights Stephen Lewis activism gender politics public health sexual orientation stigma Source Type: blogs

John Jost on System Justification TheoryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
* * * To read a selection of related Situationist posts, see “John Jost’s “System Justification and the Law” – Video,” “Independence Day: Celebrating Courage to Challenge the Situation,” “Thanksgiving as “System Justification”?” and “Patriots Lose: Justice Restored!“  To review the full collection of Situationist posts related to system justification, click here. (Source: The Situationist)
Source: The Situationist - July 19, 2009 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: The Situationist Staff Tags: Ideology Implicit Associations Situationist Contributors Video distribution John Jost political activism system justifcation theory System Legitimacy Source Type: blogs

Rejuvenation Research for June 2009Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The latest edition of Rejuvenation Research (volume 12, number 3) is available online - I'd already noted what I consider the most interesting scientific paper over at the Longevity Meme, an argument for DNA damage as an important cause of aging. Here, however, I'll note that this edition of the journal opens with a characteristically punchy editorial from biomedical gerontologist Aubrey de Grey: A brief perusal of my publication record will reveal something about my recent activities that may - indeed, probably should - strike you as sad: I hardly contribute anything to the biogerontology literature any more, essentially...
Source: Fight Aging! - July 14, 2009 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Activism, Advocacy and Education Source Type: blogs

Updated (with link to video): John Marks reminds me of my struggles with faith – and that we don’t have to be rightEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Here’s a recent video of author John Marks being interviewed on The Bully Pulpit. It’s a great way (if you’ll take the 45 minutes or so to watch) to get a sense of where he’s coming from in his book and why I was so fascinated by it. The Bully! Pulpit Show: John Marks from [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS)
Source: My journey with AIDS - July 14, 2009 Category: HIV AIDS Authors: Kenn Chaplin Tags: AIDS and HIV United Church of Canada YouTube activism autobiography blog therapy coming out of the closet family homosexuality mental health personal journal politics social conservatives social justice spirituality Christian Source Type: blogs