Big sigh. But I suppose it was *my* turn... Spent yesterday at the ER because of my back. Of course I felt better for a few hours. But I must sleep a bit more now. (Praise God, at least I finally got some sleep). XOXO, Me

Adams Extracts & Spices

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm176343.htm


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --
August 07, 2009 --

Adams Extract and Spice, LLC. is announcing a voluntary recall of products because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The products contain a specific lot of ground red pepper supplied by Van de Vries Spice Corporation, 9 Elkins Road, East Brunswick, New Jersey 08816 This lot of ground red pepper initially tested negative for salmonella. Subsequently, Adams Extract and Spice, LLC. has been informed that another sample drawn from the same lot has been confirmed positive for salmonella.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The following lots of specific products were distributed in Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico through retail stores, mail order, internet sales and direct delivery.



The items listed below are in clear plastic (PET) bottles with yellow caps:

Adams Cayenne Pepper 2.61 oz Best by date 060311-060711, 062711-070111, 071811-072211, 080111-080511

Adams Brisket Rub 13.47 oz Best by date 062111-062511, 062711-070711

Adams Brisket Rub 8.5lbs Best by date 062811-070211

Adams Multi-Season Seasoned Salt 14.46 oz. Best by date 070511-070911

Adams Multi-Seasoning 30 oz. Best by date 071111-071511

REX Cayenne Pepper Ground 6.98 oz. Best by Date 072111-072511, 071111-071511

REX Cayenne Pepper 16 oz. Best by Date 071111-071511



The item listed below is in french square glass bottles with silver-tone caps:

Adams Reserve Cajun Seasoning 4.93oz. Best by date 061011-061711, 071311-071711



The items listed below are in translucent polypropylene jars with translucent caps:

Carniceria Texas Red All Purpose Seasoning Adams 14.25oz. Best by date 061711-062111

Carniceria B-B-Q Seasoning Adams 15.07oz. Best by date 061611-062011



The item listed below is in red trimmed "cello" packages:

REX Crab Boil Ready Mix 64 oz.



The item listed below is in green trimmed "cello" packages:

REX Fish Fry 10 oz.


Consumers who have purchased these products are urged to return them to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions may contact:

Jennifer Hawkes at 1-888-672-1850 x208 8a-4:30p CST Monday-Friday or jhawkes@adamsffi.com.

MIGRAINES... Nausea etc...

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"At first I was afraid I was going to die.

Then I was afraid I wasn't."

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Set forth below are a few of the most common and devastating myths surrounding Migraine, and the corresponding facts that counter such myths.

If you are not a Migraine sufferer, then remember the next time you offer advice to the person in your life that suffers from Migraines, make sure it's not toxic (i.e., you need to avoid stress, cheer up, don't drink Coke, or other well-meaning but emotionally debilitating statements).
Rather, offer to turn down the lights and the TV, and let them know you understand.
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Hi All;

As I write, there is a wall in front of my eyes- flashing, expanding, reducing itself- but ever present... The "dots" and "stars" - my blind spots, and am trying to refresh my mind, and my body- to relax enough to go to sleep is not possible right now...  I have found a site- www.migraines.org  and it is very informative.  For the most part, I have gone through this all- and how many times...  I live like this- and yet no cure is to be found.   A 30-0-6 perhaps... The site itself has a highly informative article about migraines "myth vs reality".I have copied it for you to read. 

****If you or anybody else you know and love ever gets these headaches, rest assured it is NOT all in their heads...  I thought I would share it so that these common myths can be dispelled once and for all...

I am going to try to rest anyway- a black room, a few pills and no noise, smells or touch-  Casey will bring me in tomorrow if it doesn't improve-   And when it does, I promise to try to get back to each and everyone who has written me a note-  I will try anyway-  And I will keep reading your blogs too- (soon as I can stand to keep my eyes open for more than a few minutes at a time).

Peace.

XOXO, Anne

    

Here is just a portion of that article-  Lengthy, but well written and informative- 

  Celebrities and historical figures with the Migraine disease include, among many, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Virginia Wolfe, Lewis Carroll, Mary Todd Lincoln, Elvis Presley, Loretta Lynn, and beloved American President John F. Kennedy just to name a few.

      It is important to arm yourself with the real facts and mechanics of this disease to improve your quality of life.

      Once the facts are known, proper treatment can be sought by Migraineurs, both through medication and management of controllable Migraine triggers. You would be surprised how understanding your combination of trigger mechanisms will do more to reducing the number and frequency of attacks than a prophylactic drug regiment (taking multiple drugs several times a day, every day, as a preventative treatment).

MYTH: A MIGRAINE IS JUST A BAD HEADACHE.

REALITY: MIGRAINE IS A DISEASE, A HEADACHE IS ONLY A SYMPTOM. IN ADDITION, THE CAUSE OF MIGRAINE PAIN IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE CAUSE OF HEADACHE PAIN.

      Migraine is disease, a headache is only a symptom. Migraine pain is caused by vasodilation in the cranial blood vessels (expansion of the blood vessels), while headache pain is caused by vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels). During a migraine, inflammation of the tissue surrounding the brain, i.e., neurogenic inflammation, exacerbates the pain. Therefore, medicine often prescribed to treat a headache, such as beta-blockers, dilate the blood vessels and therefore can make a Migraine worse.

      Unlike a headache, the Migraine disease has many symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, auras (light spots), sensitivity to light and sound, numbness, difficulty in speech, and severe semihemispherical head pain. One Migraine attack alone can last for eight hours, several days, or even weeks.

      Migraine is a genetically-based disease. We first learned this in the mid-90's, as it was specifically stated in correspondence with M.A.G.N.U.M. by Dr. Stephen J. Peroutka, M.D., Ph.D., President & CEO of Spectra Biomedical, Inc., a group of research physicians dedicated to understanding the genetic basis of Migraine and other illnesses, the "data are unequivocal: Migraine is a genetically-based illness. Individuals with a single parent having Migraine have approximately a 50% chance of having Migraine. This susceptibility is neither psychological nor induced by environmental causes."

The the really exciting genetic discoveries where yet to come! And it came from down under by an Australian genetic research team at Grithiths University, north of Sydney. The Millennium year was a breakthrough year for Migraineurs as the Australian team, lead by Professor Lynn Griffiths, discovered not one, not two, but three genes for Migraine disease! MAGNUM had the opportunity to interview Dr. Lyn Griffiths, one of the world's top experts on Migraines and genetics. Dr. Griffiths is the director of the Genomics Research Center at the Gold Coast campus of Griffith University, in Queensland, Australia. She told us that the research clearly shows that almost all Migraineurs have a close relative who is also a Migraineur. Migraineurs have a real ally in Dr. Griffiths as we where very impressed with her resolve for follow her research as far it goes, which just may lead us to a cure in the future.

A Migraine is induced by various controllable and uncontrollable triggers. Uncontrollable triggers include weather patterns and menstrual cycles, and controllable triggers include bright light, aspartame, and alcohol. The severity and frequency of Migraines for one person depends upon how many triggers an individual must experience before a Migraine is induced. The combination of triggers is different for each person.

MYTH: MIGRAINE IS CAUSED BY PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS, SUCH AS STRESS AND DEPRESSION.

REALITY: MIGRAINE IS A NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE, NOT A PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDER.

      Migraine is a true organic neurological disease. A Migraine is caused when a physiological (not psychological) trigger or triggers cause vasodilatation in the cranial blood vessels, which triggers nerve endings to release chemical substances called neurotransmitters, of which the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HTT) is an important factor in the development of Migraine.

      Dr. Saper stated in his endorsement letter to M.A.G.N.U.M. that "[Migraine] is not a psychological or psychiatric disease but one which results from biological and physiological alterations." Similarly, Dr. Fred D. Sheftell, M.D., Director and Founder for the New England Center for Headache specifically stated in his letter of endorsement that "Migraine is absolutely a biologically-based disorder with the same validity as other medical disorders including hypertension, angina, asthma, epilepsy, etc. Unfortunately, there have been many myths perpetrated in regard to this disorder. The most destructive of which are 'It is all in your head,' 'You have to learn to live with it,' and 'Stress is the major cause.'"

      Misdiagnosis of Migraine as a psychological disorder can lead to a doctor prescribing unnecessary, counterproductive, and even dangerous medication. It is common for a Migraineur to be diagnosed, for example, with clinical depression and prescribed unnecessary drugs, leaving the Migraines unaffected. The continued presence of the Migraines may lead the doctor to believe that the Migraineur is unable to "handle" problems and is still "depressed", leading to continued unnecessary drug treatment ... and so on.

      As mentioned above, the Migraine disease is induced by various trigger mechanisms. Trigger mechanisms can be broken down into two primary categories: uncontrollable and controllable. The Migraine triggers usually work in combinations.

      Remember, Migraine is a disease that involves a heightening of one's senses, all of one's senses. A Migraineur is more sensitive to his or her surroundings, including light, sound, smells, taste (chemicals in foods), and touch (including the touch of the atmospheric pressure on one's body). Awareness of one's environment is critical for a Migraineur.

      A good example of an uncontrollable Migraine trigger is weather patterns. Germany, for example, offers a telephone number that people such as weather-sensitive Migraine sufferers can call to find out the risk to their health of that day's weather pattern. A recent study entitled "The Effects of Weather on the Frequency and Severity of Migraine Headaches" conducted in Canada arrived at the following conclusions: 1) "Phase 4" weather, characterized by a drop in barometric pressure, the passing of a warm front, high temperature and humidity and oftentimes rain, is closely associated with higher frequency and severity of Migraine attacks.; 2) a high humidex discomfort index during the summer is associated with an increased frequency of Migraine attacks; 3) wind from the southeast was shown to be associated with more attacks than wind from any other direction; and 4) a number of Migraine sufferers may be sensitive to extreme rates of barometric pressure changes.

      Another common uncontrollable trigger is the menstrual cycle. As explained by Dr. Stephen D. Silberstein, M.D., F.A.C.P., Co-Director, The Comprehensive Headache Center at Germantown Hospital and Medical Center, Migraine usually develops around the time of the first menstrual period, called the menarche. The Migraine appears to be the result of falling levels or reduced availability of estrogen. Migraine sometimes becomes worse in the first trimester of pregnancy, but many women are Migraine-free later in their pregnancy. Menstrual Migraine is often more difficult to treat than other types of head pain. Women who have Migraines only with their period can often achieve relief by taking preventive (prophylactic) medication just before their period begins. If severe menstrual Migraine cannot be effectively controlled by any of these medications, hormonal therapy is a possibility.

      Controllable triggers, on the other hand, include bright light, chemical smells, second-hand smoke, particular alcohols such as red wine and some hard alcohols such as scotch, foods that are known vasodilator such as fish, some chocolate, aged cheese, and foods which contain nitrates and/or the radical vasodilator MSG.

      Therefore, if one avoids controllable triggers during Migraine-weather or menstrual cycles, one may be able to escape a Migraine attack. Another tip: take abortive medication prescribed for Migraine at the earliest sign of a Migraine attack. Oftentimes, if one waits to take the medication until the attack has matured, the medication may prove practically ineffective. The drugs commonly prescribed to Migraineurs fall into two groups: abortive and preventative (prophylactic). There are some common problems and adverse effects associated with a host of the medications. Some of the more pronounced are: from abortive drugs, dizziness from Stadol, tolerance to barbiturates, rebound headache from overuse of Ergotamine and over-the-counter non-narcotic analgesics (e.g., Tylenol, aspirin and NSAIDS); and from preventative drugs, beta-blockers and calcium channel-blockers can trigger headaches/Migraines. Get to know your pharmacist, he or she can be an important source of information.

MYTH: MIGRAINE IS NOT LIFE THREATENING, JUST ANNOYING.

REALITY: MIGRAINE CAN BE LIFE THREATENING, INDUCING SUCH CONDITIONS AS STROKE AND COMA.

      Migraine can induce a host of serious physical conditions: strokes, aneurysms, permanent visual loss, severe dental problems, coma and even death.

      According to the New England Journal of Medicine, "migraine can sometimes lead to ischemic stroke and stroke can sometimes be aggravated by or associated with the development of migraine." Twenty-seven percent of all strokes suffered by persons under the age of 45 are caused by Migraine. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in this country. In addition, twenty-five percent of all incidents of cerebral infarction were associated with Migraines, according to the Mayo clinic. Most recently the British Medical Journal reported that after evaluating 14 major Migraine & stroke studies in the U.S. and Canada that Migraineurs are 2.2 times greater risk for stroke than the non-migraine population. That risk goes up to a staggering 8 times more stroke risk for women Migraineurs on the pill!

      Migraine and epileptic seizure disorders are also interrelated. The most intimate interrelationship between the two being Migraine-triggered epilepsy. Migraine affects up to 15% of the epileptic population. In basic terms, Migraine and Epilepsy are both disorders characterized by paroxysmal, transient alterations of Neurologic function, usually with normal Neurologic examinations between events (attacks).

      Not only can the Migraine disease be life threatening, but it can have a devastating and disruptive effect on normal living. Migraine sufferers experience not only excruciating pain, but social ostracism, job loss, disruption to personal relationships, and prejudices in the workplace.

      Oftentimes people think that those with Migraines just can't handle life, or, in reality, are drug addicts or alcoholics. Such perception can be formed when, for example, people see a Migraineur wearing sun glasses indoors (photo sensitive), lying in a dark and silent room (photo and sound sensitive), making frequent trips to the rest room (nausea and vomiting), leaving early, working late, slurred speech, all what they may think is erratic behavior. According to Dr. Sheftell, "Historically, patients with the most intractable Migraines experience a downward spiral in terms of income and contributions to society at large."

      Also, a recent study showed that the loss of labor time and lost productivity of Migraine sufferers may exact a significant toll on U.S. business. According to a position paper signed by the American Academy of Pain Medicine, et. al., 150 million work days per year, equivalent to 1,200 million work hours, are lost each year to head pain. The corresponding annual cost to industry and the health care system due to Migraine amounts to $5 to $17 billion.

MYTH: ANY DOCTOR WILL RECOGNIZE AND PROPERLY TREAT MIGRAINE.

REALITY: MIGRAINE IS ONE OF THE MOST MISDIAGNOSED, MISTREATED AND LEAST UNDERSTOOD DISEASES.

      The fact that so many doctors don't take Migraine seriously can be as disabling to the Migraineur as the disability itself. The leading doctors in the areas of neurology and head pain have themselves stated that this disease is grossly misunderstood and misdiagnosed. In fact, 60% of women and 70% of men with Migraine have never been diagnosed with this disease. This medical ignorance and corresponding inaccurate writings unfortunately perpetuate the myths and misunderstandings about Migraine and convey this to the general public.

      Dr. Saper stated that "Migraine is a serious and underestimated health problem ... Patients with Migraine are shunted along an assembly line of misdiagnosis, undertreatment, or frank mismanagement. They are subjected to unnecessary procedures and preventable consequences." And as Dr. Silberstein wrote to M.A.G.N.U.M., "Migraine sufferers must not only cope with their pain, but also with society's misunderstanding of the disorder. Migraineurs are frequently dismissed as neurotic complainers who are unable to handle stress. The truth is that they frequently battle against great odds in order to hold down jobs and support families ... Young Migraine sufferers sometimes miss enough school so that they are unable to graduate with their peers."

      Similarly, Dr. Sheftell stated "In addition to misdiagnosis and under-diagnosis, Migraine sufferers will bear the brunt of discriminatory policies by a variety of health care agencies." Such agencies may deny reimbursement for emergency room visits and for hospitalizations for the most severe sufferers. It is not uncommon for doctors to think that a Migraine sufferer is in the emergency room to receive drugs, and dangerously turn them away.

      Because Migraine is a genetically-based disease, severe Migraine, according to Spectra Biomedical, "will be diagnosable by objective DNA tests with in the next few years. These tests should also lead to a significant improvement in the disease management of this common and often disabling illness."

      Improved health care related to the Migraine disability is one way in which M.A.G.N.U.M. is working to improve the life of Migraineurs. M.A.G.N.U.M. is working with U.S. Senator Charles Robb to include Intractable Migraine in the Code of Federal Regulations "Listing of Impairments" Parts A & B. This is an immediately achievable health care reform on which Senator John Warner (R-VA) & Congressman James Moran (D-VA) have committed to work with M.A.G.N.U.M. on.

According to the world’s leading Migraine disease epidemiologist, Dr. Richard Lipton, of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, -- "Education and empowerment are the keys to successful Migraine management. Patients, who understand their disease, identify their triggers and learn to use both behavioral strategies and medications effectively can dramatically reduce their burden of illness." MAGNUM in working hard to continue to empower Migraineurs by keeping access to quality information about their disease ever available and current.

      We are far from a cure, let alone a sure-fired treatment, for Migraine. But understanding that Migraine is a real and debilitating disease goes a long way toward improving the quality of life for Migraineurs and their loved ones.

      And if you are not a Migraine sufferer, then remember the next time you offer advice to the person in your life that suffers from Migraines, make sure it's not toxic (i.e., you need to avoid stress, cheer up, don't drink Coke, or other well-meaning but emotionally debilitating statements). Rather, offer to turn down the lights and the TV, and let them know you understand.

Remember: Migraine is an "invisible" disorder. "Well! I've often seen a cat without a grin," thought Alice; "But a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing I ever saw in all my life!" Like Alice's Cheshire-Cat who sat in a tree revealing himself only to Alice, he nonetheless had great impact on her daily travels, as Migraines do on individuals who suffer from them.

Michael John Coleman and Terri Miller Burchfield are both Executive Board Officers of M.A.G.N.U.M.: Migraine Awareness Group: A National Understanding for Migraineurs, a non-profit health care public education organization dedicated to bringing public and government awareness to Migraine as a true organic neurological disease. Mr. Coleman is a nationally-recognized artist who has suffered from intractable Migraines since the age of six. If you would like further information or would like to help M.A.G.N.U.M. achieve its goals, please contact them at their 300 year old historical landmark building headquarters at 113 South St. Asaph Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 phone: (703) 739-9384 fax: (703) 739-2432

HealthCare Facts ~or~ "Trying to keep the rage out of my inbox"

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

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FACT #1: Medicare will not be ended, and no benefits or services will be cut.

Your services will not be ended, nor will your benefits be cut. AARP's position on this could not be clearer. And we have sent this message loud and clear to Congress. While the current proposals include savings in Medicare by cutting out fraud, abuse, waste, and inefficiency, we're standing up and making sure benefits for Medicare recipients are not only fully protected, but are improved.1

FACT #2: No legislation currently in Congress would mandate the rationing of care. Period.

Our staff has read all of the legislation circulating in Congress and there are no provisions in these bills that would ration care for our members. None. If any ever did, we would vigorously fight to stop that legislation.2

FACT #3: There is no provision of any piece of legislation that would promote euthanasia of any kind.

The rumors out there are flat out lies. Right now Medicare does not cover counseling for end-of-life care. The portion of the bill in question would simply provide coverage for optional end-of-life consultations with doctors, so that the patient can be aware of all of the treatment options on the table. It is not mandatory and it has nothing to do with euthanasia. 3

FACT #4: We have not endorsed President Obama's plan.

In fact, we haven't endorsed any plan.
We are supporting reform of our health care system, something that has been pushed for many years.
We're working closely with Republican and Democratic members of Congress to lower health care costs and to ensure quality affordable coverage for older Americans – and we want reform legislation passed and signed by the president this year.4

So what are people fighting for in health reform?

1. Stopping insurance companies from charging older Americans unaffordable premiums because of their age.

2. Ending the practice of excluding people from insurance because of pre-existing conditions.

3. Holding down health costs and making insurance coverage more affordable for all Americans.

4. Making prescription drugs more affordable by narrowing the Medicare doughnut hole, bringing generics to market faster, and allowing Medicare to negotiate better drug prices.

Find out more and take action at HealthActionNow.org.


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Having argued with many already and trying to set people straight more than a few times, I have decided to put this info here for y'all.

In a nutshell, I do not want everyone elses opinions on the matter. Those emails are ONLY hearsay anyway and mean nothing)!
Not sure of you all, but as a voter, I want ONLY the facts.

And so here is the 1038 page bill for you to read.
I haven't received but 4 emails that have actually "QUOTED" the bill itself.
Rather my inbox reeks of fear- only a few peoples sadly uninformed and ignorant renditions of that bill before us.

http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf
Read it and weep.

As small children, supposedly we were taught not to spread rumors or malicious lies.
UM, weren't we?

XOXO
Anne



1. "AARP to Congress: Don’t Make Medicare More Expensive," AARP, July 30, 2009 http://www.aarp.org/aarp/presscenter/pressrelease/articles/rand_medicare_statement.html

2. "Debunked: Health Reform Means Rationed Care For Seniors," AARP, August 4, 2009 http://blog.aarp.org/shaarpsession/2009/08/debunked_health_reform_means_r.html

3. "AARP Responds to Health Reform Scare Tactics," AARP, July 24, 2009 http://www.aarp.org/aarp/presscenter/pressrelease/articles/mccaughey_statement.html

4. "Obama Vows No Cuts To Medicare Benefits," AARP, July 29, 2009 http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/policy/articles/
obama_fields_tough_questions_on_health_care_reforms_at_aarp_tele_town_hall.html

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Full Frontal! (And "the moon" too)!

This is what popped up on my weather screen earlier today.
Interesting!
And gives us a bit more rain today too.

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Good Morning!
We are finally to get out of the high 60's and lower 70's - And perhaps even a chance of seeing a bit of sunshine today too!

That sunshine, mixed well with the rains we have already gotten, have caused a few more flowers to blow up!

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Pretty!

"If the first week of August is unusually warm, the winter will be white and long."
From The Old Farmer's Almanac

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No worries there. The first week of our August was unusually cool.
Today to be in the mid 80's, with plenty of humidity. And a chance for a nasty T~storm later on in the afternoon or evening.
Tomorrow will be in the 90's, with a heat index over 100. (Me no likey)!

Damn fine thing that pool is all shocked, and de~algae~ed, (among other things).
We will be using it!

You giggled at the shot I took of Greg, er, "filling the pool". hehehe
(I giggled too)!

So, without further adieu...     

Here's that full frontal shot...

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hehehe
Such a helpful cutie! (um, "I guess").

Hey, I didn't say Full Monty.

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Having had to go 'shopping' for a few things to re~secure my home, Casey and I had stopped and bought a box spring for their new bed.
When Jenne left town, she had told me to $ell the rest of the stuff she had left behind.
Casey has paid me a dollar for the handmade bed I had originally given to Jenne. I had also given her a brand new pillowtop Serta, which she had also left behind. (Another dollar has exchanged hands).
While we were out shopping that day, I had made my way back to the car to pull up front.
I had to wait for these guys to cross...
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Brave little buggars they were too!

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We got back here and worked a while more on the pool. Straightening out the pool cover, Casey got a wasp in her jeans...
Stung her 4 times too!
Up until that point, I really didn't know how well Casey could dance.
~More of a jig, complete with sound effects, than a real dance though.
Must have been the Sullivan "Irish" in her blood coming out-
(The drunken Irishman also rearing his ugly head)! hehehe
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After a generous splattering of Extra~Strength Benadryl cream
she then attached an ice pack to her back side
before heading down to Kelli's to help with the horses.

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The pool at moonrise- Thursday evening...

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We are invited to go over to Laurie's this afternoon. A party for my godson.

Sean is home from Iraq!
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Sean Klein
(Sorry I couldn't make it any bigger)...

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If the weather doesn't get too hot too early I may stay a bit longer than Casey and Greg- (They will be dining on Sushi tonight).
Even if those storms come later, maybe they will be gone by moonrise tonight.

I took this picture as I wandered outside on Thursday night...

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Hope all is well in your little corners of the world!
Have a "wunnaful" weekend!

XOXO
Me

Fatal Car Crash- Right down the road from here, by Wouters Front. We do not yet know who- Road is closed

Laying Low...

Well, isn't she having fun!

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Good Afternoon!
Thursday already, and am still having a few problems with respect to my back.
Ok, so it hurts to breathe even.
And it Reeeeeeeeee~Leeeeeeee  hurts to move

Laughing is out of the question, although giggling is very much allowed

Yes, it has been long enough.
And no, it has proven itself time and time and time again that it won't kill me.
Damn hey? 

• First off, my apologies to a few on my email list that might have been taken aback by my bitchiness in my last "sent" to you.  (But it really is my blog)! hehehe  I will reassure you that it certainly has nothing to do with anyone receiving this through email each posting.

It doesn't happen often; and usually only happens when my fur is rubbed the wrong way for quite some time.
I believe the immediate problem has been resolved on my part.

And life goes on!   ......Say "YAY "

I have a few more pictures of our trip- Seems as though that is all I have been doing is trying to upload my pics to Flickr.
It is tedious, but worth it to me. (Dang dial up).
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While at my grandmothers home in Sault Ste Marie, I took pictures of pictures.

I took this one especially for Cousin Buttercup, Tiffany.
This is her favorite, and since it is her birthday today, it's quite appropriate.


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It is my grandmothers coffee table
complete with all her grandbabies photos as they grew.
I am not in there, so stop squinting-
(I hadn't done my adoption search for those years).

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And this one is of my 2 Uncles and my Aunt Marlene- (She's the one that sends me all the funnies in my email)!
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Aren't they sweet?!?!
Uncle Hector in back,
From left,  my birthfather, Aunt Marlene, and Uncle Chum

(Missing is Uncle Marvin, who hadn't been born yet)

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And then a picture of my grandmothers family as she was growing up.
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The Mayotte Family
Yes, she is in there.
No, I do not know which one she is.

But I really think that Master Gabriel will be looking much like my Great Grandfather.

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Another of my Grandfather, Louis Menard.
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The first night Casey and I were there, I had lay down on the couch.
I couldn't sleep, but I surely had my camera nearby.

Curious, I took the first two with the night vision setting on...

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And then two regular pictures too...
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My new friends may not have had the opportunity to read what I had previously written about my belief in the paranormal, or of my Grandma Rose's home; recalling my first trip to The Soo.
Please CLICK HERE for that conversation blog.

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Those that knew my grandmother will know how much she loved puzzles, among many other things-  Every time we go there, we always put a puzzle together.  During the course of this trip, Casey put two of her own together...

Yes, I helped find some pieces. (I found at least 3 of them too)!   

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Greg had bought Casey 10 puzzles for Valentines Day.
These are only two of those puzzles...
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We had to leave... (God, I really HATE that part).

As we left town, I snapped this picture looking towards Canada.
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I think that someone had built a fire to say goodbye with smoke signals.
hehehe

.
.
And it surely rained while we had been there too. The sound of the wind and the rain, thunder etc, were sounds that we had to reacquaint ourselves with.
So nice to hear though.

As we drove west on highway 2, the skies darkened a bit, and we were heading into even more rain.

And a bit of entertainment too...


.
.

The picture represents about 1/3rd of what that family had in their field
AND, it was ALL for sale!

.

hehehe

.
.

.
.

Nearer to Manistique, the clouds became even more evident...
So pretty too!

.
.
Casey was driving as my back was not up for it at all.
I sat in the back with Punk, and this is what we saw out of the windows for the rest of the ride home.
.
.
.

Looking out over the Bay of Green Bay, near Escanaba

.
.
Has anyone read the book, "Truck" by Michael Perry?

This next picture reminded me of that book...
.

?????????

.
.
Am thinking that it's pretty cool to be riding in the backseat in the rain!

And soon we were home!
.
.

.
.
We had even gotten rain here while we were gone!

.
.
?????????

.
.

Punk was not satified by just seeing the rain gauge, and demanded to be the first in the pool...

.
.

 

.
.
And then she demanded more water...

Greg offered to help her out...

.
.

.
.

hehehe

.
.

 

.
.

Casey was hungry for a treat, so she went inside...

.
.

.
.
All joking aside, she is one hell of a good cook!
.

.

 

Fish and Taters!
(Are you hungry yet)?!

.
.
Have a "wunnaful" day!

Love to all

XOXO
Me

· There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.

PRIVATE- For my friends, Re:Paranoia

Help please.
I am losing my mind...

As a few of you might recall, when Casey left for college 4 years ago, all the shit with Randy had been coming to a head.
He had already had his stroke, (to date he is still a changed man, and has never recovered his personality).

It was right after Casey had left for college, (and she had come home, unnaounced, for a weekend), that my garage door came falling down, 2 rollers completely missing.  Although I have my suspicions, I do not know if those 2 incidents are related.
I had fortunately been bending over, holding Miss Milly, or that door would have possibly knocked me out for good.

A few weeks later, as I returned home, and upon opening my garage door, those 2 rollers were right in the middle of the floor of the garage.
To say I was freaked out would be an understatement.

Long story short(er), I had put those rollers into a plastic bag, not touching them, and had locked them in my safe.

Yesterday, Casey and I had reason to go in the upstairs closet for something or another.

My safe sat directly in front of the closet door (One couldn't miss it)! Keys and whatnot IN it.
AND the rollers gone.

• Randy ?
• Daughter ? (Which one? Why?) ?
  
• Gaslight ?
• Paranoia ?
  

Am I being paranoid?
Again, there is NO way I can go to the police. (Although Miss Nyk was good enough to calm Casey down last evening)...
Thank you Nykquee

No. I am not in love with him.
No. I have NOT trusted him since.
But GAWD, I do sure need the help around here...

Additionally, Casey has a key. Kelli has a key.
NO ONE else has any keys.


XOXO
Me


Steely Dan - Gaslighting abbie lyrics

Funny

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

While I sat in the reception area of my doctor's office, a woman rolled an elderly man in a wheelchair into the room. As she went to the receptionist's desk, the man sat there, alone and silent. Just as I was thinking I should make small talk with him, a little boy slipped off his mother's lap and walked over to the wheelchair. Placing his hand on the man's, he said, 'I know how you feel. My mom makes me ride in the stroller too.'.

* * *

As I was nursing my baby, my cousin's six-year-old daughter, Krissy, came into the room. Never having seen anyone breast feed before, she was intrigued and full of all kinds of questions about what I was doing. After mulling over my answers, she remarked, 'My mom has some of those, but I don't think she knows how to use them.'

* * *

Out bicycling one day with my eight-year-old granddaughter, Carolyn, I got a little wistful. 'In ten years,' I said, 'you'll want to be with your friends and you won't go walking, biking, and swimming with me like you do now. Carolyn shrugged. 'In ten years you'll be too old to do all those things anyway.'

* * *

Working as a pediatric nurse, I had the difficult assignment of giving immunization shots to children. One day I entered the examining room to give four-year-old Lizzie her needle. 'No, no, no!' she screamed. 'Lizzie,' scolded her mother, 'that's not polite behavior.' With that, the girl yelled even louder, 'No, thank you! No, thank you!

* * *

On the way back from a Cub Scout meeting, my grandson asked my son the question. 'Dad, I know that babies come from mommies' tummies, but how do they get there in the first place?' he asked innocently. After my son hemmed and hawed awhile, my grandson finally spoke up in disgust. 'You don't have to make something up, Dad. It's OK if you don't know the answer.'

* * *

Just before I was deployed to Iraq , I sat my eight-year-old son down and broke the news to him. 'I'm going to be away for a long time,' I told him. 'I'm going to Iraq .' 'Why?' he asked. 'Don't you know there's a war going on over there?'

* * *

Paul Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for children stricken with cancer, AIDS and blood diseases. One afternoon he and his wife, Joanne Woodward, stopped by to have lunch with the kids. A counselor at a nearby table, suspecting the young patients wouldn't know that Newman was a famous movie star, explained, 'That's the man who made this camp possible. Maybe you've seen his picture on his salad dressing bottle?' Blank stares. 'Well, you've probably seen his face on his lemonade carton.' An eight-year-old girl perked up. 'How long was he missing?'

* * *

His wife's grave side service was just barely finished, when there was a massive clap of thunder, followed by a tremendous bolt of lightning, accompanied by even more thunder rumbling in the distance. The little old man looked at the pastor and calmly said, 'Well, she's there.

* * *

May happiness smile on your world and in your heart...

Thank You to my Aunt Marlene!

XOXO
Me

Risk of Pancreatic Cancer Linked to Variation in Gene that Determines Blood Type,

http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2009/nci-02.htm
August 2, 2009
News Release -
National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Common variants of the gene that determines human blood type are associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a study by scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and colleagues from many universities and research institutions. The study, published online Aug. 2, 2009, in Nature Genetics, is consistent with an observation first made more than 50 years ago.

In the study, the researchers discovered that genetic variation in a region of chromosome 9 that contains the gene for ABO blood type was associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Individuals with the variant that results in blood types A, B, or AB were at an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, compared to those with the variant for blood type O. This finding is consistent with previous research, some of it dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, that had shown increased risks of gastric and pancreatic cancer among individuals of the A and B blood groups (i.e., blood types A, B, and AB). The latest results provide a genetic basis for those earlier observations.

A person's blood type depends on which form or forms of the ABO gene they inherit from their parents. The protein produced by the ABO gene determines the type of carbohydrates (complex sugars) that are present on the surface of red blood cells and other cells, including cells of the pancreas. The proteins encoded by the A and B forms of the gene transfer different carbohydrates onto the cell surfaces to make A and B blood types. The O form encodes a protein that is unable to transfer carbohydrates. Studies by other researchers have shown that ABO protein encoding in pancreatic tumor cells is different than in normal pancreatic cells.

To discover genetic variations that contribute to pancreatic cancer risk, the research team conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS). In a GWAS, researchers analyze common variants, called single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), in the genomes of people with a disease and people without the disease. Initially, the research team studied the genomes of 1,896 patients with pancreatic cancer and 1,939 control subjects to identify SNPs with a strong association with pancreatic cancer. The team then verified its findings by studying the genomes of another 2,457 people with pancreatic cancer and 2,654 people without the disease. In the end, they identified several SNPs on the long arm of chromosome 9 that were associated with pancreatic cancer risk and mapped to the ABO gene.

"Only by working across disciplines and with more than a dozen research groups were we able to make this important discovery of the potential role of the ABO gene in pancreatic cancer risk," said co-author Patricia Hartge, Sc.D., of NCI's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG). "Although it will take much more work, this finding may lead to improved diagnostic and therapeutic interventions that are so desperately needed."

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. It is difficult to detect, and in many people it is not diagnosed until after the disease has spread to other parts of the body. Less than five percent of Americans with pancreatic cancer survive five years past diagnosis. Risk factors include smoking, diabetes, race, and a family history of the disease.

"Pancreatic cancer is the newest beneficiary of so-called high-throughput genotyping that, over the past two years, has yielded scores of genetic hot-spots linked to risk for cancer and other diseases," said co-author Stephen J. Chanock, M.D., chief of NCI's Laboratory of Translational Genomics in DCEG. "As more variants are discovered and follow-up studies are conducted to examine the biological effects of these variants, a better understanding will emerge of the inherited risk factors and mechanisms that lead to the development of pancreatic cancer."

The study was part of PanScan, a GWAS of pancreatic cancer conducted by the Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium, composed of 14 academic centers. The investigators are conducting whole-genome scans to identify common genetic variants that may be markers of susceptibility to pancreatic cancer.

Analyses and data from PanScan will be available through NCI's caBIG (Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid). The summary results for similar data on breast and prostate cancer are already freely available to other researchers at this Web site.

For more information on Dr. Hartge's research, please go to http://dceg.cancer.gov/about/staff-bios/hartge-patricia.

For more information on Dr. Chanock's research, please go to http://dceg.cancer.gov/about/staff-bios/chanock-stephen.

For more information about PanScan, please go to http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/PanScan.

NCI leads the National Cancer Program and the NIH effort to dramatically reduce the burden of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers.
For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI Web site at http://www.cancer.gov or call NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Reference: Amundadottir L., et al.
Genome-wide association study identifies ABO Blood Group Susceptibility Variants for Pancreatic Cancer.
Nature Genetics.

Longleat - As featured on BBC's Animal Park

http://www.longleat.co.uk/attractions/hedge-maze.html

---------- Travel site picks world's top mazes -----------

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - The Longleat Hedge Maze in
Warminster, England, topped a California-based travel
Web site's list of the "Top Five Most Amazing Mazes."
VirtualTourist.com said it chose the Longleat Hedge
Maze for the top position on the list because of its
observation tower at the end that allows those who have
completed the maze to observe people who are still lost.
Coming in second was the Ashcombe Maze & Water Gardens
in Victoria, Australia, which was cited for its more
than 1,200 rose bushes including 200 varieties of the
flower. The Web site chose Cowtown Cattlepen Maze in
Fort Worth, Texas, for the No. 3 spot, saying the maze
is made more enjoyable by prizes offered for beating
the clock and other maze-goers. Soekershof Mazes and
Gardens in Klaas Voogds West, South Africa, was given
a mention for its local history-related clues that help
visitors find their way through the maze and the final
maze on the list, Schonbrunn in Vienna, Austria, was
chosen to round out the list for its rich history,
having been built in the 17th or 18th century and
restored at the end of the 20th century.
From here: www.bizarrenews.com

Click at top for more pictures...
Would you, could you do this?

XOXO
Me

Recall ~Soups, Hot Chocolate and Cappuccino (Salmonella).

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm174749.htm
United Food Group, Inc. Recalling Product Because Of Possible Health Risk



Contact:
Barbara Boyer
(847) 622-1803



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- July 30, 2009 -- United Food Group, Inc announced a voluntary recall of products that contain instant nonfat dry milk manufactured by Plainview Milk Products Cooperative. This recall is a precautionary measure due to the voluntary recall of instant nonfat dry milk announced by Plainview Milk Products Cooperative on June 29, 2009.


Due to the products potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, the following are being recalled:



Victorian Inn®
Cream of Mushroom Soup
.66 lb Can


Victorian Inn®
Baked Potato w/ Bacon Soup
.66 lb Can


Victorian Inn®
Cream of Chicken Soup
.66 lb Can


Victorian Inn®
Cream of Broccoli Soup
.55 lb Can


Victorian Inn®
Cream of Chicken Soup
21g Single Serve Packet


Victorian Inn®
Cream of Broccoli
21g Single Serve Packet


Victorian Inn®
Baked Potato w/ Bacon Soup
21g Single Serve Packet


Perfect Servings™
French Vanilla Cappuccino
1.5 lb. Bags


Perfect Servings™
Cream of Mushroom
1.5 lb. Bags


Perfect Servings™
Potato w/ Bacon
1.5 lb. Bags


Perfect Servings™
Cream of Chicken
1.5 lb. Bags


Perfect Servings™
Cream of Broccoli
1.5 lb. Bags


Victorian Inn®
Cappuccino Topping
1.1 lb. bags


Victorian Inn®
Cappuccino Frothing Milk
1.5 lb. Bags


Herico™
Horchata, Can
1.25 lb. Can


Herico™
Horchata, Bag
1.25 lb. Bags


Herico™
Horchata, Bucket
25lb. Bucket


Perfect Servings™
Double Dutch Hot Chocolate w/ Marshmallows
1.5 lb. Bags



No other products other than these listed above are involved in the recall and only if distributed between 6/4/2007 and 6/4/2009. These products were distributed nationwide.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged to return them to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-847-622-1803.

United Food Group, Inc. has not received any reports of illness in connection with the items listed above to date, and no other United Food Group, Inc. products are affected by this action. For more information on Salmonella, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Website at http://www.cdc.gov.

#

How Many Americans Die Yearly Without Health Insurance? ~PolitiFact ~

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/jul/30/bill-pascrell/pascrell-says-22000-americans-die-yearly-because-t/
"As many as 22,000 Americans die each year because they don’t have health insurance."


*********************************

Bill Pascrell on Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 in a speech on the House floor
Pascrell says up to 22,000 Americans die yearly because they don’t have health insurance
True

The debate over reforming the U.S. health care system has inspired a torrent of often conflicting statistics. We will look at three assertions made by Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey. In this item, we will test his assertion that “as many as 22,000 Americans die each year because they don’t have health insurance.”

On July 28, 2009, Pascrell took to the House floor to counter assertions by Republicans and others that a Democratic bill under consideration in the chamber would lead to the rationing of health care. Pascrell’s larger point was that rationing already exists today, just a different type – thanks to the financial barriers to coverage faced by millions of Americans.

Specifically, Pascrell said: “Forty-five percent of Americans went without needed care because of costs in this country in 2007. That’s rationing. Fifty-three percent of Americans cut back on their health care in the last year because of costs. That’s rationing. … As many as 22,000 Americans die each year because they don’t have health insurance. My brothers and sisters, that’s rationing.”

We are not going to weigh in on the question of whether it’s fair to equate Pascrell’s examples of “rationing” with what the bill’s critics charge the bill would do if enacted. Rather, we wanted to gauge whether Pascrell’s numbers were sound. So we looked at these three claims individually.

The number in this claim comes from “Uninsured and Dying Because of It: Updating the Institute of Medicine Analysis on the Impact of Uninsurance on Mortality,” a paper published in January 2008 by the Urban Institute, a think tank. Stan Dorn, a senior research associate, wrote the paper to bring up to date a 2002 study by the federally chartered Institute of Medicine that estimated that 18,000 Americans died in 2000 because they were uninsured.

Dorn replicated the methodology of the Institute of Medicine, which developed long-term studies that measured the links between insurance status and death rates. The intitute’s researchers then used annual statistics on insurance rates and deaths to determine an estimate of extra deaths attributable to the lack of insurance. Dorn used newer data to redo the calculations and concluded that 22,000 people died due to lack of insurance in 2006. We tried to contact Dorn to see if the numbers could be brought even further up to date, but we were unable to reach him.

In his paper, Dorn acknowledges important caveats. He writes that his numbers are estimates that should not be viewed “as precise ‘body counts.’ The true number of deaths resulting from uninsurance may be somewhat higher or lower than the estimates in this paper,” adding that that number “is surely significant.”

To his credit, Pascrell appears to understand these uncertainties, saying “as many as 22,000” in his speech, rather than settling on a specific number. And he’s also more up-to-date than his colleague, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who cited the older, 18,000 figure on the July 28, 2009, edition of MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show

*********************************

One day you may know and love one of these 22,000 people.
(If you don't already).

XOXO
Me

PLEASE ALSO SEE: my blog entry here:
http://flintville.multiply.com/journal/item/840

Entitled Simply: "Health Care (No Fear, Only FACTS)"

~H1N1 Flu~ U.S. Situation Update CDC

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm

The 2009 influenza pandemic has spread internationally with unprecedented speed. In past pandemics, influenza viruses have needed more than six months to spread as widely as the new H1N1 virus has spread in less than six weeks.

Novel H1N1 Flu Situation Update
July 31, 2009, 11:00 AM ET

Map: Weekly Influenza Activity Estimates Reported by State and Territorial Epidemiologists
(Activity levels indicate geographic spread of both seasonal and novel influenza A [H1N1] viruses)
(Posted July 31, 2009, 1:30 PM ET, for Week Ending July 25, 2009)

~



**********
*(If your state is now counted in "regions" here is that US map).
~

~


**********
Percentage of Visits for Influenza-like Illness (ILI) Reported by the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet), National Summary 2008-2009 and Previous Two Seasons
(Posted July 31, 2009, 1:30 PM ET, for Week Ending July 25, 2009)
~

~

~

Changes in reporting requirements for pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 briefing note 3 (revised)
(From here): http://www.who.int/en/

16 JULY 2009 | GENEVA -- As the 2009 pandemic evolves, the data needed for risk assessment, both within affected countries and at the global level, are also changing.

At this point, further spread of the pandemic, within affected countries and to new countries, is considered inevitable.

This assumption is fully backed by experience. The 2009 influenza pandemic has spread internationally with unprecedented speed. In past pandemics, influenza viruses have needed more than six months to spread as widely as the new H1N1 virus has spread in less than six weeks.

The increasing number of cases in many countries with sustained community transmission is making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for countries to try and confirm them through laboratory testing. Moreover, the counting of individual cases is now no longer essential in such countries for monitoring either the level or nature of the risk posed by the pandemic virus or to guide implementation of the most appropriate response measures.
Monitoring still needed

This pandemic has been characterized, to date, by the mildness of symptoms in the overwhelming majority of patients, who usually recover, even without medical treatment, within a week of the onset of symptoms. However, there is still an ongoing need in all countries to closely monitor unusual events, such as clusters of cases of severe or fatal pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection, clusters of respiratory illness requiring hospitalization, or unexplained or unusual clinical patterns associated with serious or fatal cases.

Other potential signals of change in the currently prevailing pattern include unexpected, unusual or notable changes in patterns of transmission. Signals to be vigilant for include spikes in rates of absenteeism from schools or workplaces, or a more severe disease pattern, as suggested by, for example, a surge in emergency department visits.

In general, indications that health services are having difficulty coping with cases mean that such systems are under stress but they may also be a signal of increasing cases or a more severe clinical picture.

A strategy that concentrates on the detection, laboratory confirmation and investigation of all cases, including those with mild illness, is extremely resource-intensive. In some countries, this strategy is absorbing most national laboratory and response capacity, leaving little capacity for the monitoring and investigation of severe cases and other exceptional events.
Regular updates on newly affected countries

For all of these reasons, WHO will no longer issue the global tables showing the numbers of confirmed cases for all countries. However, as part of continued efforts to document the global spread of the H1N1 pandemic, regular updates will be provided describing the situation in the newly affected countries. WHO will continue to request that these countries report the first confirmed cases and, as far as feasible, provide weekly aggregated case numbers and descriptive epidemiology of the early cases.

For countries already experiencing community-wide transmission, the focus of surveillance activities will shift to reporting against the established indicators for the monitoring of seasonal influenza activity. Those countries are no longer required to submit regular reports of individual laboratory-confirmed cases to WHO.

Monitoring the virological characteristics of the pandemic virus will be important throughout the pandemic and some countries have well-established laboratory-based surveillance systems in place already for seasonal influenza virus monitoring. Even in countries with limited laboratory capacity, WHO recommends that the initial virological assessment is followed by the testing of at least 10 samples per week in order to confirm that disease activity is due to the pandemic virus and to monitor changes in the virus that may be important for case management and vaccine development.

Updated WHO guidelines for global surveillance reflect in greater detail these recommended changes, in line with reporting requirements set out in the International Health Regulations.