A Month Before Christmas
'Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.
See the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas ... No one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday."
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit,
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X-BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken and Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas was nowhere to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-is-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Durbin, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Reed, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say ...
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!
~ author unknown ~
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Pregnant women exposed to a common chemical found in plastics
Pregnant women exposed to chemical more likely to have aggressive girls: study
Provided by: The Canadian Press
Written by: Camille Bains, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Oct. 6, 2009
VANCOUVER, B.C. - Pregnant women exposed to a common chemical found in plastics are more likely to have daughters with aggressive and hyperactive behaviours, suggests a new study that tested two-year-olds.
The University of North Carolina study, which included a senior scientist from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, is the first to examine the link between exposure to bisphenol A during pregnancy and behavior problems in kids.
The results are consistent with other studies showing the impact of the chemical on juvenile female animals.
Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, has also been linked to reproductive problems and diabetes.
It's used to make hard, clear reusable water bottles, baby bottles and resins that line the inside of metal food and beverage cans.
Last October, Canada became the first country in the world to ban BPA-containing baby bottles. Some U.S. jurisdictions, including Cincinnati, have legislation that bans or limits the use of the chemical in consumer products.
Bruce Lanphear, a Simon Fraser University professor of children's environmental health, said the study suggests pregnant women start thinking about the effects of bisphenol A long before they lug home baby bottles.
The study, published Tuesday in the journal "Environmental Health Perspectives," measured the BPA levels in urine samples taken from 249 pregnant women in Cincinnati at 16 and 26 weeks pregnancy and again when they gave birth.
Lanphear said the women were followed from early pregnancy until their children were two years old.
He said the chemical concentrations between 13 and 16 weeks of pregnancy were most strongly associated with behavior problems in girls, but the study found no significant effect on boys.
The girls will be tested again when they're five, at an age children's behaviours tend to be more stable, said Lanphear, who is also senior scientist at the Child and Family Research Institute at B.C. Children's Hospital.
He noted that industry initially fought results of various studies that suggested there were only inconsequential links between lead-based paint and children's behaviour and that pattern appears to be repeating itself for companies producing plastics using bisphenol A.
"What we found over the past 10 or more years is that the kinds of subtle shifts in behaviors or cognition in very young kids oftentimes become manifest as (psychological issues) in older kids and adolescents," Lanphear said.
"At a minimum, we should ask industries to begin to label their products as to whether they contain bisphenol A so we give families a choice when they make purchases."
"Environmental chemicals should be tested for their safety or their toxicity before they're marketed."
Rick Smith, executive director of Toronto-based Environmental Defence, called the study significant, saying the chemical industry can no longer point to animal studies as not being applicable to human health.
"Not only does this underline the importance of getting the chemical out of baby bottles but we now need to take the next step and get it out of other areas where kids are exposed, most notably infant formula containers," Smith said.
However, the American Chemistry Council expressed its reservations about the research pointing out what it called "significant limitations" in the study design and its inability to establish cause-effect relationships.
"The results of this preliminary, and severely limited study cannot be considered meaningful for human health unless the findings are replicated in a more robust study," the group representing the industry said in a statement Tuesday.
In February, researchers at the University of Guelph warned that parents should get rid of anything containing bisphenol A that will be used by babies or pregnant women.
A study by a toxicologist and a graduate of the southern Ontario university found that the chemical lingers in the bodies of newborns and infants.
Posted by aisto at 8:11 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
How to Detoxify Your Home
How to Detoxify Your Home
The products you use every day could be impacting your family's health.
By TVOParents.com
We’ve talked a lot about taking care of our external environment, but there are things you can do for your internal environment as well.
Take a closer look at the chemicals you use every day to make your life hassle-free. The recent decision to pull plastic baby bottles off the shelves frightened many parents and showed all of us that the products we rely on to make our lives easier may not be healthy for our families.
If they're available on the market, don’t assume they’re safe:
What’s the big deal, we wouldn’t be allowed to use these if the government didn’t think they were safe, right? Wrong.
The Toronto-based group Environmental Defence tested five families across the country for 68 chemicals. They found 46 known toxic chemicals in the blood of these families. In many cases, the toxins were higher in children than in adults.
They found 38 carcinogens, 23 hormone disruptors, 12 respiratory toxins, 38 reproductive/developmental toxins, and 19 neurotoxins in their volunteers. Read the report.
Fe de Leon from the Canadian Environmental Law Association, says, “We don’t know what’s in the various products that we are being exposed to on a daily basis. We’re getting evidence that there are problems and certainly the way that the regulations are implemented doesn’t adequately deal with toxic chemicals that we already know about.”
So where should you start to detoxify your home?
Get rid of the worst offenders:
PFOA (pentadecafluorooctanoic acid), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) have been linked to cancer and hormone disruption. Some of these chemicals do not break down at all, ever. They are in the air we breathe, our food, our homes and our workplaces. Major lawsuits have been won against the manufacturers using these chemicals in other countries and some companies in the U.S. have been forced to phase out their use in the next decade. They are found in:
* Non-stick pans (brands such as Teflon, Dupont, T-Fal, Silverstone)*
* Stain-resistant clothes
* GORE-TEX
* Microwave popcorn bags
* Fast food containers
* Fire fighting foam
* Candy wrappers
* Pizza boxes
The solution? Chuck your non-stick pans and buy stainless steel or cast iron ones that require elbow grease to keep clean. Buy cotton, hemp or bamboo fabrics that are not treated with stain-resistant chemicals.
* Many people believe that if their non-stick pan is not scratched, it’s safe. Not true. Toxic cancer-causing fumes are released into the air when the pan is heated at high temperatures.
Pitch the plastic:
Bisphenol A is the real baddy here and it’s not just found in baby bottles. Take a look at the hard plastic bottle you might use when you work out. If it has the recycling # 7 on the bottom, it may contain bisphenol A. Throw it out.
Bisphenol A is also found in the lining of metal food cans, plastic wrap and dental sealants. It is a hormone disruptor that has been linked to birth defects, reproductive problems, breast cancer and prostate cancer.
What should you do?
* Do not heat plastic if you must use it.
* Do not put plastic in the dishwasher.
* Microwave food in non-plastic, microwave-safe containers.
* When microwaving, cover food in paper towel rather than plastic wrap.
* Use glass baby bottles.
Clean green:
You may have a shiny, clean, germ-free home but the cleaners you are using to get it that way could be dangerous. Why not try some greener solutions?
Here is a list of products that you can use:
* Good old vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner. Mix one cup with one cup of water and clean away.
* Baking soda is great for getting rid of odours. Leave an open box out and it will absorb odours.
* Castile soap is soap made with vegetable oil and can be mixed with vinegar and water to clean wood floors.
* Instead of bleach, use a ½ cup of borax in the wash to get those whites whiter
* Check out more recipes to clean green.
~~
Conclusion:
The bottom line is we need to be more aware of the products our families use every day. If you're unsure about the safety of products in your home, try greener alternatives. Also, call on the government to take action.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For a link to this article, go to:
http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/family-relationships/articles/parenting/tvo/4019
To find out more about the products that I prefer:
www.saferisbetter.com/freedon
Provided by: The Canadian Press
Written by: Camille Bains, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Oct. 6, 2009
VANCOUVER, B.C. - Pregnant women exposed to a common chemical found in plastics are more likely to have daughters with aggressive and hyperactive behaviours, suggests a new study that tested two-year-olds.
The University of North Carolina study, which included a senior scientist from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, is the first to examine the link between exposure to bisphenol A during pregnancy and behavior problems in kids.
The results are consistent with other studies showing the impact of the chemical on juvenile female animals.
Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, has also been linked to reproductive problems and diabetes.
It's used to make hard, clear reusable water bottles, baby bottles and resins that line the inside of metal food and beverage cans.
Last October, Canada became the first country in the world to ban BPA-containing baby bottles. Some U.S. jurisdictions, including Cincinnati, have legislation that bans or limits the use of the chemical in consumer products.
Bruce Lanphear, a Simon Fraser University professor of children's environmental health, said the study suggests pregnant women start thinking about the effects of bisphenol A long before they lug home baby bottles.
The study, published Tuesday in the journal "Environmental Health Perspectives," measured the BPA levels in urine samples taken from 249 pregnant women in Cincinnati at 16 and 26 weeks pregnancy and again when they gave birth.
Lanphear said the women were followed from early pregnancy until their children were two years old.
He said the chemical concentrations between 13 and 16 weeks of pregnancy were most strongly associated with behavior problems in girls, but the study found no significant effect on boys.
The girls will be tested again when they're five, at an age children's behaviours tend to be more stable, said Lanphear, who is also senior scientist at the Child and Family Research Institute at B.C. Children's Hospital.
He noted that industry initially fought results of various studies that suggested there were only inconsequential links between lead-based paint and children's behaviour and that pattern appears to be repeating itself for companies producing plastics using bisphenol A.
"What we found over the past 10 or more years is that the kinds of subtle shifts in behaviors or cognition in very young kids oftentimes become manifest as (psychological issues) in older kids and adolescents," Lanphear said.
"At a minimum, we should ask industries to begin to label their products as to whether they contain bisphenol A so we give families a choice when they make purchases."
"Environmental chemicals should be tested for their safety or their toxicity before they're marketed."
Rick Smith, executive director of Toronto-based Environmental Defence, called the study significant, saying the chemical industry can no longer point to animal studies as not being applicable to human health.
"Not only does this underline the importance of getting the chemical out of baby bottles but we now need to take the next step and get it out of other areas where kids are exposed, most notably infant formula containers," Smith said.
However, the American Chemistry Council expressed its reservations about the research pointing out what it called "significant limitations" in the study design and its inability to establish cause-effect relationships.
"The results of this preliminary, and severely limited study cannot be considered meaningful for human health unless the findings are replicated in a more robust study," the group representing the industry said in a statement Tuesday.
In February, researchers at the University of Guelph warned that parents should get rid of anything containing bisphenol A that will be used by babies or pregnant women.
A study by a toxicologist and a graduate of the southern Ontario university found that the chemical lingers in the bodies of newborns and infants.
Posted by aisto at 8:11 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
How to Detoxify Your Home
How to Detoxify Your Home
The products you use every day could be impacting your family's health.
By TVOParents.com
We’ve talked a lot about taking care of our external environment, but there are things you can do for your internal environment as well.
Take a closer look at the chemicals you use every day to make your life hassle-free. The recent decision to pull plastic baby bottles off the shelves frightened many parents and showed all of us that the products we rely on to make our lives easier may not be healthy for our families.
If they're available on the market, don’t assume they’re safe:
What’s the big deal, we wouldn’t be allowed to use these if the government didn’t think they were safe, right? Wrong.
The Toronto-based group Environmental Defence tested five families across the country for 68 chemicals. They found 46 known toxic chemicals in the blood of these families. In many cases, the toxins were higher in children than in adults.
They found 38 carcinogens, 23 hormone disruptors, 12 respiratory toxins, 38 reproductive/developmental toxins, and 19 neurotoxins in their volunteers. Read the report.
Fe de Leon from the Canadian Environmental Law Association, says, “We don’t know what’s in the various products that we are being exposed to on a daily basis. We’re getting evidence that there are problems and certainly the way that the regulations are implemented doesn’t adequately deal with toxic chemicals that we already know about.”
So where should you start to detoxify your home?
Get rid of the worst offenders:
PFOA (pentadecafluorooctanoic acid), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) have been linked to cancer and hormone disruption. Some of these chemicals do not break down at all, ever. They are in the air we breathe, our food, our homes and our workplaces. Major lawsuits have been won against the manufacturers using these chemicals in other countries and some companies in the U.S. have been forced to phase out their use in the next decade. They are found in:
* Non-stick pans (brands such as Teflon, Dupont, T-Fal, Silverstone)*
* Stain-resistant clothes
* GORE-TEX
* Microwave popcorn bags
* Fast food containers
* Fire fighting foam
* Candy wrappers
* Pizza boxes
The solution? Chuck your non-stick pans and buy stainless steel or cast iron ones that require elbow grease to keep clean. Buy cotton, hemp or bamboo fabrics that are not treated with stain-resistant chemicals.
* Many people believe that if their non-stick pan is not scratched, it’s safe. Not true. Toxic cancer-causing fumes are released into the air when the pan is heated at high temperatures.
Pitch the plastic:
Bisphenol A is the real baddy here and it’s not just found in baby bottles. Take a look at the hard plastic bottle you might use when you work out. If it has the recycling # 7 on the bottom, it may contain bisphenol A. Throw it out.
Bisphenol A is also found in the lining of metal food cans, plastic wrap and dental sealants. It is a hormone disruptor that has been linked to birth defects, reproductive problems, breast cancer and prostate cancer.
What should you do?
* Do not heat plastic if you must use it.
* Do not put plastic in the dishwasher.
* Microwave food in non-plastic, microwave-safe containers.
* When microwaving, cover food in paper towel rather than plastic wrap.
* Use glass baby bottles.
Clean green:
You may have a shiny, clean, germ-free home but the cleaners you are using to get it that way could be dangerous. Why not try some greener solutions?
Here is a list of products that you can use:
* Good old vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner. Mix one cup with one cup of water and clean away.
* Baking soda is great for getting rid of odours. Leave an open box out and it will absorb odours.
* Castile soap is soap made with vegetable oil and can be mixed with vinegar and water to clean wood floors.
* Instead of bleach, use a ½ cup of borax in the wash to get those whites whiter
* Check out more recipes to clean green.
~~
Conclusion:
The bottom line is we need to be more aware of the products our families use every day. If you're unsure about the safety of products in your home, try greener alternatives. Also, call on the government to take action.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For a link to this article, go to:
http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/family-relationships/articles/parenting/tvo/4019
To find out more about the products that I prefer:
www.saferisbetter.com/freedon
Friday, December 4, 2009
Letter from Jesus about Christmas
By Steve Kee
Letter from Jesus about Christmas --
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1 - 8.
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
4. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
5. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.
6. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families
7. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.
8. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them,buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.
9. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :
I LOVE YOU,
JESUS
Letter from Jesus about Christmas --
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1 - 8.
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
4. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
5. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.
6. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families
7. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.
8. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them,buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.
9. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :
I LOVE YOU,
JESUS
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