Nothing much going on, I'll be spending most of the day doing schoolwork, so instead I give you a PSA:

AMERICA READY TO TURN OUT AND TAKE ACTION FOR WWF’S EARTH HOUR

Friday, March 27, 2009

From Coast to Coast, Hundreds of Major U.S. Cities, Iconic Landmarks and Millions of Citizens to Vote for Change on Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 p.m.

WASHINGTON – March 27, 2009 – As Earth Hour cascades through time zones around the world on Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 p.m., millions of Americans across the country will be showing their support for action on climate change by voting with their light switch on this historic night.

From intimate candlelit dinners to the darkening of the Las Vegas Strip, Americans from all walks of life will be turning out for Earth Hour, and taking action by making a global statement of concern about climate change and a renewed commitment to finding solutions to the escalating climate crisis.

Organized by World Wildlife Fund, the world’s largest multinational conservation organization, participation in Earth Hour continues to grow dramatically in the U.S. by the hour as iconic landmarks, major cities, corporations and organizations of all sizes, schools, towns and villages unite in this global effort.

Earth Hour organizers have commitments from nearly 300 U.S. cities and towns, with some of the nation’s most famous skylines darkening on Saturday night, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Tucson and Washington, D.C. In each of these cities, individuals, businesses and organizations are participating in activities to engage, enlighten and spread the message that together, each one of us can make a difference on this global issue. Flagship states include Arkansas, California, New Mexico and Pennsylvania...

Most, if not all, of you dear readers are friends of mine, and you know a lot about me that doesn’t get shared on this space. I don’t often write about my family because I try to respect their privacy and that Niels is the only one whose name I share. But I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately and I feel I need to get it out there.

 

My childhood best friend’s father passed away last weekend; his illness and subsequent passing has had me thinking quite a bit about my own parents. My heart goes out to her because I can’t even being to imagine what it’s like to loose a parent. It’s not something I think I’ll ever be prepared to deal with.

 

When I was growing up I, like most children, sometimes wished I had different parents. I always thought my parents were the only ones in the world who said “No”. Like most there were things I wasn’t allowed to do, certain TV shows were off limits (they were too risqué or too violent). I didn’t have the hippest, newest clothes or toys, video games weren’t even an option. As a child I didn’t understand why they wouldn’t get me the things all my friends had (at least I thought all my friends had them).

 

Do I still have those feeling? Not way. I wouldn’t want anyone else to be my parents. I thank the Universe every day that I’ve been the parents I have. That’s not to say we’ve had a perfect relationship, because we all know there’s no such thing. We’ve had our share of fights. I’m very much my parents’ child, stubborn, outspoken and I sometimes don’t know when to let things go.

 

I know they haven’t always agreed with the choices I made, but they very rarely stood in the way of me making those choices. Dad still groans when he sees the tattoos and asks how I could do that to myself, but when he asks what made me choose a design he’s genuinely interested in knowing what lead to the decision. They were NOT keen on me and Niels going to China, but didn’t try to change my mind because they knew it was something we had to do for ourselves.

 

They want to know my friends; what was it about these people that made me want to be their friend? I used to hate it, especially as a teenager, but now I love it. Most of my friends consider my parents to be their second parents. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “Your parents are so cool” or “Your parents are the first to not freak out over my [insert here]” They’ve taught me that a person isn’t to be judged by what they wear, the color of their skin, religion or sexuality, but from how they treat others. I’m not always good at remembering that, but you can be sure they’re good about reminding me.

 

I can’t say enough about them, they’re truly amazing people who make me want to be a better person.

FDA Ordered to Make a Decision Based on Scientific Fact, Not Politics

03.23.09 - 

New York, NY—Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York rejected the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to limit over-the-counter access to the emergency contraceptive Plan B to women over 18, ruling that it was based on politics and ideology, rather than science. The court ordered the agency to reconsider its decision.  It also ordered the FDA to act within 30 days to extend over-the-counter access, which is currently limited to 18 year olds and over, to 17 year olds. 

“Today’s ruling is a tremendous victory for all Americans who expect the government to safeguard public health,” said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which brought the suit against the FDA.

“The message is clear—the FDA should put medical science first and leave politics at the lab door.  We are encouraged that the agency, now under new leadership, will take that message to heart.”

The Center for Reproductive Rights sued the FDA in 2005 for failing to grant over-the-counter status to Plan B against the advice of scientific experts and in violation of its own procedures and regulations.  In 2006, the FDA agreed to make Plan B available without a prescription, but only to women over 18 and only behind the pharmacy counter. The Center continued to pursue its lawsuit, Tummino v. von Eschenbach, to ensure that Plan B would be granted true over-the-counter status and made available to all women, including young women who might benefit most from this form of contraception.

“According to the FDA’s own rules, the only legitimate criteria for making a drug available without a prescription are safety and efficacy,” said Northup. “Emergency contraception is proven safe and effective and today, all women—including young women for whom the barriers and the benefits are so great—are one step closer to having the access they need and deserve.”

The Court found that the FDA “acted in bad faith and in response to political pressure,” “departed in significant ways from the agency’s normal procedures,” and engaged in “repeated and unreasonable delays.”  In addition, the court found that the FDA’s justification for denying over-the-counter access to 17 year olds “lacks all credibility,” and was based on “fanciful and wholly unsubstantiated ‘enforcement’ concerns.”

Before its action on Plan B, the FDA had never restricted a non-prescription drug based on a person’s age, nor had the Bush Administration ever been consulted by the FDA about an over-the-counter drug application.  Depositions of senior FDA officials by the Center in 2006 indicated that the Bush Administration sought to unduly influence the agency during the Plan B application review process. Testimony also indicated that officials involved in the decision-making process were concerned about losing their jobs if they did not follow the Administration’s political directives.

Other evidence uncovered during the lawsuit showed that the agency repeatedly departed from its own established procedures during the FDA case, from filling the reproductive health committee with political “operatives” to making a decision to reject over-the-counter access to Plan B before completion of the standard review.

The Center’s battle to make Plan B available over-the-counter to women of all ages began in 2001, when it filed a citizens’ petition with the FDA on behalf of over 70 medical and public health organizations to grant the drug over-the-counter status.  On January 21, 2005, the Center filed Tummino v. von Eschenbach in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on behalf of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP), National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, individuals from a grassroots advocacy group, the Morning-After Pill Conspiracy, and parents who seek over-the-counter access for their daughters.  On March 30, 2007, the Center asked for summary judgment in the case, arguing that the evidence gathered during discovery made it unnecessary for the court to hold a trial and that the court should order the agency to make Plan B available without a prescription to all women.

We had friends over last night and one of them showed us this video, I thought it was hysterical.

Simon's Cat 'Cat Man Do'

The increased money to education is wonderful, but the fact that it's not being distributed to the schools who really need it, is another reason why I'm all for nationalized education.

Some Rich Districts Get Richer as Federal Money is Rushed to Schools

My niece's birthday was yesterday, but we celebrated it last Saturday with the cake made by my Mom. Mom is one awesome cake decorator. She took a class, maybe 15 years ago, and I'm always blown away by what a great job she does for my niece and nephews.

My niece loves Hoops and Yoyo the way I love Hello Kitty, so this was her cake:

Am still home, although I was able to eat a real meal today and didn't get sick. I'm glad of it because I'm sick of being sick and need to get back to work, I've lost too many hours and have lots to do. I've done some schoolwork today but am hoping to get a whole lot more once I'm 100%.

Here are a couple photos for you.

Buffalo was awesome and horrible.

Awesome because I went to the chiropractor, got my hair cut (so cute!), spent some one on one time with my Dad (which we don't get to do very often), hung out with my sister and went to Rochester to celebrate my niece's birthday.

Horrible because I got ridiculously ill Saturday night, had to cancel plans to hang out with friends, no special Sunday dinner, and I'm still recovering.

I did however, get to block niece's shawl/wrap without interference from kitty cats, and I think she really liked it.

Call me crazy, but I think the creation of a national educational system is long overdue...

Obama Pitches Strategy to Improve Teaching Corps, Overhaul US Education System 

Obama Calls for Overhaul of Education System

I think the implementation of vouchers has too many flaws to be beneficial. The ATF makes me nuts, and I don't think the tenure system is still needed.

My future teaching colleagues are going to LOVE me.

Niels and I have decided to go to the Law School's Barrister's Ball next Friday, which means I need a dress. As most of you know I'm a jeans and tshirt girl and I don't have any a lot of formal wear. I found this dress on the Nordstrom website.


I absolutely LOVE it. Love. Love. Love.

They don't have it in my size. Of course they don't. That would make life too easy.

So I spent a couple hours last night looking for another one, but couldn't find anything I liked as much as the awesome dress.

I went with this one.


It's really pretty, but definitely my second choice.

Now I've to buy shoes...

All around it was a good weekend.

Friday - Lounged at home crocheting and hanging with the cats. Took an early evening nap. How I love naps. Why didn't I appreciate them when I was a little kid?

Saturday - Had lunch with a friend and her fiance, at one my most favorite restaurants. I'd not seen either of them since leaving for China the first time, so it was super awesome to spend some time with them. Afterward, I ventured down to Stitch DC, bought some crochet hooks and some yummy Lorna's Lace Shepherd in Red Rover. It's so yummy. I can't wait to figure out what I'll make with it.

In the evening I went to a classmate's 30th birthday party, met some really cool people and had a great time.

Being in DC proper for a good portion of Saturday really made me miss living in the city. And after the cockroach incident Saturday morning, I'm more willing to move if necessary once our lease is up or even sooner if we can get out of it without penalty. (Was getting dressed, put on a shirt and when I walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror there was a HUGE COCKROACH ON IT. How I didn't notice it while putting the shirt on I'll never know. Needless to say, freakout ensued and I smashed it with a sneaker.)

Sunday - Didn't do nearly the amount of work I should have. But I did clean the apartment and crocheted a bit. I'm running out of yarn for the project, so it'll get put on hold until the additional yarn I ordered for it arrives,  which I'm hoping will be this week. Niels came home and we got our geek on and watched the Sunday night Fox lineup. Then stayed up way too late talking about education policy and I'm totally paying for it today.

Unfortunately, Ginger's not feeling well. I was worried I was being neurotic, but I was petting her and touched her tail, and she meowed in pain. :( She spent most of yesterday hiding under the bed and barely ate or drank anything. I thought it was the weather change, but she was still out of sorts this morning. If she doesn't improve by Wednesday, we'll be taking her to the vet.

Sorry the posts have been cat heavy lately, it's the most exciting thing that's going on in my life right now. Although I have picked up crocheting again after many many years & I'm digging it. I'm hoping my skills will allow me to make one of these in the very near future.