29th August 2011

I ran away from home when I was younger, but not necessarily in a traditional sense. I was 20 years old. When I realized that I really wasn’t the “southern belle” material, college material, or husband material, I didn’t know what to do with myself after high school, so I went to get a job a year later in 1980. I went to the Harris County Personnel Board.  The only job they had open was records clerk. How hard was that? I knew my alphabet. I applied and was rewarded accordingly a whole $989.00 per month. That was a lot of money for my first job! (Especially in 1980)

(For those of you who knew me then, relax. I am only using first names (three fake first names) except for my BFF and I (those are real.)  

This was a fascinating job from 11pm at night until 7am in the morning. I had never done this type of work. It took some getting accustomed to. I was soon promoted to 2^nd shift which was 3pm to 11pm after about 4 months. My job was to record court documents, check for outstanding wants/warrants, and verify all information whether a person could or could not be let out of jail from the Sheriff’s office. Another duty was to answer the phone. In the office next to us was the verification clerk for the actual warrant and her name was Donna.

Donna was this blunt, married red head that ran that office on the 2^nd shift.  She knew her stuff and taught me a lot about warrants and identifiers. Of course, the very nice finger print officers taught me also a lot about identifiers as well. One day, Donna and I were talking. She was breaking up with her husband and asked if I knew anyone looking for a room-mate. (ME!) We moved into to a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment (very sheik) and newly built off of Greenspoint Road in north Houston.  The rent was $300.00 a month.  My life began. I will not tell everything, but I will tell this story.

Donna and my job had expanded to hand delivery of active country warrants to Houston Police Department and to various sub-stations. We did this very well. Sometimes we were called the Dynamic Duo.  Donna had a cool car. She had a real life “Smoky and the Bandit” Trans-Am, t-tops, bird design on the hood, loud sound system, fully loaded. It was so cool my mother went a purchased one. But it was a “plain Jane” with no fancy detailing or t-tops. Sometimes, after work, really late at night, about 3am, she and I would get in both cars on I-45 and drag race. The Shepherd sub-station knew about this because they would often get involved just for the fun of it to break up their boredom. One night was really eventful that I recall.

We had just dropped off some warrants at the Shepherd sub-station when we ran into some of our Houston Police Department finest at a gas station called “O’Neal’s.” It was on the corner of Airline and Little York. It was where everyone who was anyone stopped by nightly. Peg O’Neal was the owner. He knew everything and said nothing about anything. In about 1981, he must have been at least 70 years old and still going strong. He moved like a really old sea turtle, was armed with a pistol and worked all night long every night that I can remember except Sundays. He once told me working all night long was the only way he and the wife stayed married for so very long.

When we saw our two friends up at the gas station, it was about 2:30am and I had a few drinks too many. Of course Donna was driving. (She could drive too.) We exchanged a few obscenities at each other and the race was on. They had bet us $10.00 they could beat Donna in her car against the special package police cruiser. We raced and followed them, gained the lead. Then they followed us a while and gained the lead. This went on for about 30 minutes. They (the police officers) wanted to be funny and shut off their headlights. Because they weren’t paying attention to where they were doing, we watched them hit a culvert and wreck the police cruiser. Everyone was ok, but not knowing the extent of the damage, they “boys” slowly drove the car back to Peg O’Neal’s while we followed.  They pulled around front and we pulled around back, drove into one of the bays, and closed the door. Another friend (officer), Randy, had just pulled up also. Donna and I were in the back room of O’Neal’s about to die laughing so hard and half numb from what had just happened.

Meanwhile, a police dispatch just went out on the radio from the wrecked unit. “This is unit number so-and-so, we are in pursuit of a red Camera, please stand by….disregard, we just hit something in the road. We have stopped pursuit, mechanical malfunction and we are on our way to O’Neal’s – will be advised.”  Of course that radio dispatch didn’t help but make us laugh even harder.  A few minutes later, Randy came walking in and told us, “Ladies you have two choices; shut up or get the hell out of here and never speak of this again. The supervisor is on his way.”  We shut up. We weren’t going to miss this for hell or high water! We knew the supervisor also.

The story was told about the “almost pursuit” and the supervisor stood there looking at the two police officers. We stayed in the back room with Randy (whose cruiser was out of sight as well.) We heard everything that was told. We dared not make a sound. The supervisor called for a tow truck. The axle was broken. He looked at the two patrolmen and said, “You better tell that story more convincingly than what you just did. I will accept it in written form as being fact.”  He shook his head and walked off.

What a night. I still talk to Randy. Occasionally, Donna and I will bring up that night and laugh about it still. I never thought I would write about this but what the heck. All involved have retired. Donna and I do not work in the field anymore. It was just one great memory in the Texas night. 

25th August 2011

I had such a wonderful morning! I do like I have done some many times in the morning since we have become an age of high technology. I get my coffee and I read my Yahoo News. This morning, I noticed that inspectors of the Customs and Border Protection found a Khapra beetle in a ten pound bag shipment of rice to the US from India.  After reading this report, I am glad they are there to prevent a potential catastrophic situation.  We as American Citizens pay good tax dollars for this protection and I for one am glad to see that it is working. However, when I read, I like to also read the comment sections of these articles. This morning was no different. Although I did enjoy the humor of it all!  I would like to share a few posts.

(1)    Why would we be importing rice from India? Texas produces most of the rice consumed in the US. Posted by R.M. 

Well do they? Upon investigation rice production is down. Texas does not produce the most rice consumed in the US. The biggest crop Texas produces is cotton but not rice.  We produce import and export rice on availability, season, and the type of rice that is grown. There is more than just one variety produced. The export of rice from the US and import to the US is big dollar business that changes with every given week. For more information investigate sites like:

The U S Rice Producers
 http://www.usriceproducers.com/
Rice Trade
http://www.rice-trade.com/
Texas Agriculture
http://www.agclassroom.org/kids/stats/texas.pdf

(2)    100 times this year, - STOP IMPORTING THEIR CRAP! Posted by J.P

Well do we import CRAP? I did not know rice was crap. I thought the US had enough crap of its own and we didn’t need to import anymore. When we import this CRAP does it come with toilet paper? Are you using some type of acronym that I am not familiar with like Central Rice Associated Producers? Is there such a creature? I researched it and couldn’t find anything that even resembled the acronym of CRAP. Do we just import CRAP 100 times only?

(3)    We have had these PESTS in this country for a long time, they are called Socialist Liberal Progressive DEMORATS. Posted by SM

The Socialist Liberal Progressive Demorats does not equal the acronym for PESTS.

(4)    If no pest strips had been used in granny panties, well this headline would be moot. Posted by YUS.

Well I am not exactly sure about this. I have never met a “granny” who has ever worn a no pest strip in their panties.  Do you know someone personally? Now that would be headline news! Do you wear granny panties? If not are you an authority on what granny puts in her panties? When do grannies have pest in their panties? If you know a granny with pest in her panties, you need to do the humanitarian thing and get her some assistance if she is not able to do so.  

(5)    Does any one wonder why we are getting a re infestation of bed bugs, head lice, Try the border patrol, Obama won't let them crack down on the illegals entering this country, I hope he gets infested with these pests in the White house. Then he and his family can live on the street and eat the tainted grain we are being sold. If it is good enough for the American public , It is good enough for the White House. Posted by G.

From what this posting is conveying, we are getting re-infested with bed bugs and head lice because Obama will not crack down on the “illegals” entering this country. So does this mean the border patrols are allowing lice and bed bugs to spread?   What is an “illegals?”

“The resurgence of bed bug infestations in recent years has been reported in parts of Europe, North America, and Australia. Modern-day bugs are said to have come from Africa, Asia, and Europe.”

Associate Content from Yahoo Submitted contributor was Jason Urkel, 1^st October 2010.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5838978/where_do_bed_bugs_come_from.html

The last time I read an article on bed-bug infestation, they had narrowed the carrier down to an international elite business travel who brought in some unexpected visitors with him and they decided to stay in that upper class New York Hotel.
Head-lice are a different matter and have nothing to do with cleanliness. I know. My children caught lice at their elementary school from a higher socio-economic child that lived in an extremely influential neighborhood.

Residential Community and Structural Pests, Insect Notes by North Carolina Cooperative extension.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/lice-faq.htm

(6)    Don't buy from black countries, their standard of hygiene is disgusting. Posted by HN

I can really tell by this post that this “poster” has been to India a lot. Is India a black country and why is it black? I have never seen a black country.  

(7)    Shove them up your mayors arse. No crisis should go to waste right? You all suk for voting a major racist anti-gentile into office. Posted by K.

I am not sure about this post. “arse” “suk” “major racist anti-gentile” What mayor? I thought this subject on bugs? Is there a mayor in office somewhere that is of the Jewish faith that is against gentiles? You used the word “suk” in your comment. You want voting people to go to a market in an Arab country? Oh “arse” you were being vulgar!  

(8)    I thought they grew it in Louisiana and it was one of their most productive crops. What up? Posted by B

Earlier someone thought it was Texas. According to my sources 40% of all US Exports in grain come from Louisiana; but, there is good news. Louisiana is number 3 in the nation for rice growth.

Look at Louisiana Agriculture
http://www.agclassroom.org/kids/stats/louisiana.pdf

(9)    Stupid Asians. Posted by KF

The last time I checked the Asian IQ was a bit higher than the US IQ.

Average IQ of Countries
http://sq.4mg.com/NationIQ.htm

    (10) Arkanas grows the most rice per state. Making the U.S. the largest rice grower in the      world.  Why do we need Idia rice??? or socks from Pakastan? Or Oil from Quate??
At least we buy oil from Canada, they support Unions. Posted by P

First it was Texas – no. Then it was Louisiana – no. Now it is Arkansas – no, not this year anyway due to flooding and rice (plant) diseases. Arkansas is generally the largest rice producer in the US.

University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, Arkansas Row Crops
http://www.arkansas-crops.com/category/crops/rice/

Where are the countries of Idia, Pakastan, and Quate?  Idia is the Institute for Dental Implant Awareness. Pakastan is not a word that I could find. You must be considering Pakistan. Quate has several web sites, but they deal with cognitive therapy and nuerolinquistics.  Futhermore, what state is Arkanas? It is Akansas.

For my investigation the US only produces and exports 18% of the rice on an international basis. That means we will need to be getting some imports.  We only consume 85% of the rice grown in the US. But even an elementary child can see that 18 + 85 = 103. So either the US figures are off or The Delta Farm Press is incorrect from 2009.

The Delta Farm Press, 2009.
http://deltafarmpress.com/rice/rice-grown-usa

What is the gist of all of this? Ladies and gentlemen, you want to be informed. Well the place to start is by getting an education or simply learning how to research. The subject was a ten pound bag of a shipment of rice had one bug in it.   But, I am now of the opinion people are spiritually angry and they have no idea at what or concept of why or a reasonable explanation to be angry as conveyed on some of these posts.   
Not only do people not understand what subject matter is for a simple objective discussion, I noticed something terribly sad. Most of the posts (1,000+) on this site were written very emotionally and by people who were just plain uninformed, uneducated, or didn’t want to use their common sense. There were a few exceptions but that was a small, small percentage.
In the day of the internet and simple computer programs with spell/grammar check, why are people not using those capabilities?  The internet is a wonderful resource for both good and bad information. What is even worse, these people are the reason our country is in a mess.  They have allowed anyone to persuade them about anything.
A few lessons to those who want to get involved:

(a)    Question everything. Just because it is written and published doesn’t make it true or fact.

(b)   If you are going to be representing the people in America then learn how to represent our USA through intellectual means. Learn how to express yourself in a manner befitting an American and not an “urchin” from a country of that which really doesn’t exist.

(c)    Do not pick on anyone unless it is objectively-- not hateful or harmful. We are supposed to be a country that is humane in the treatments of others. Well, I just read 1,000+ post where people were rude and hateful – wishful thinkers of evil thoughts toward others.

(d)   Last but not least, try to use good grammar, punctuation, and spelling. We wouldn’t want the other countries to think we were a bunch of DUMB ASSES would we?

22nd August 2011-- Why we moved.

Today is the starting of a new school year for most of the country and for many Universities as well. I have been having trouble sleeping because of my financial woes and not being about to find a job at this time since I have moved to the metropolis of the North Carolina cities. When it is quiet at night I sit up and search the internet for employment and then I sometimes write. Today is no different than any other.

Last night, I spent a little extra personal time with my son. He will be leaving in a week for that prestigious culinary school that I have signed my life away to pay for. We watched a few movies together. The first one was called “The Help.” It was based on the book written by Kathryn Stockett.  I do not know whether or not this book is based on historical events with fiction added in, but from my perspective, what she wrote was probably very true, because I knew of the Jackson, Mississippi society and life back in the early sixties. I also asked a lot of questions of my Mother and Father about those times. We were living in Jackson, Mississippi from about 1961 – 1965.

I suppose we were no different than anyone else in that respect of having a housekeeper, a maid, a nanny who was a hard working African American woman. Ours was named Eloise. She was a special lady to me. She would watch “Edge of Night” as she did the ironing.  Mother spent her time working with the Ladies Home Mission League through church a few days a week and then working with Daddy in his office occasionally. We were living in Country Club Estates which backed up to Mynelle Gardens and the Country Club golf course (which we were proud members of.) It was the place to live in for the rising young family.

Eloise was a God-send. Mother loved her too. She kept everything so organized and clean. When it came to her pay, Mother, a tough negotiator, paid her more than the going rate and provided her with transportation. (If I am not mistaken, it was about $5.00 - $10.00 more per week.)  If my memory serves me correct, along with what I was told by my parents, this was going to be around the time that Mr. Evers was killed and then late President Kennedy. I was just a little girl and didn’t know these were troubled times.

I do remember Miss Eloise speaking to Mother about a garbage strike and that her husband was out of work temporarily. Mother promptly responded by calling Daddy and he hired her husband for odd jobs. Daddy was a builder. Those simple acts of kindness didn’t seem to sit well with the little community in which Mama and Daddy were members of.  Dixon Pyles (I had later found out) was Daddy’s personal and professional lawyer. Anyone who had anything to do with the “civil rights attorney” Mr. Pyles was in the dog house to begin with. It didn’t matter to Daddy. He liked Mr. Pyles and Ms. Bess (his wife) was part of my mother’s maternal relations. From this point, things started to go downhill for the family. Business deals started to go sour for Daddy. Mother and Daddy were upset all the time. I really didn’t know why, unless it was because of those strange phone calls with people yelling “ugly words” in the phone. We children had been forbidden to answer the phone. I also remember Mama getting upset because several of her lady-acquaintances told her it wasn’t proper to pay a “colored person” so much money because they would just squander it.  Mother also said something about being “black balled” from some social clubs.

One day, Mama and I had spent the day shopping at McRae’s. The last thing I remember about that afternoon was falling asleep in the backseat. What woke me up was a lot of screaming, the car rocking, and a strange man jumping in the front seat.  The car came to a screeching halt and me being thrown into the floor board. Mother grabbed me out of the backseat and she was crying. I found out a few years later, that the brakes on the car had been tampered with. Mother had pulled into the inclined drive driveway, parked the car, and put the parking brake on (which was always a standard practice.) She had taken the packages in the house and was returning to get me only I wasn’t there. The car was rolling down the driveway into the neighbor’s house. One of the retired neighborhood husbands was doing yard work and came to the rescue. Again the brakes had been tampered with.

My memory after that point was a bit fuzzy. We were then on our way to Houston, Texas. We stayed in a hotel room for a month with my Uncle Mike as our baby sitter while Mama and Daddy found us a home. I do not know what ever happened to Eloise. But I do remember, she was full of hugs, kisses, hummed like an angel and was just a wonderful, wonderful lady. My parents wanted nothing further to do with the evils of those fighting civil rights injustices.

15th August 2011

I know I am suppose to do a blog on fast cooking. I cook great, but I realized my cooking skills are personal to me and that is one thing I do have a habit of not sharing.
I would like to post a paper I wrote on the American Dream. It meant something to me because I like to get to the point and get people to think "What is it that we believe in and why?"

As a society we have so many beliefs and sometimes,  people do not even know why we believe that way. I reaed a book while writing this class by Cal Jillson. It is an eye opener.

There is not a single American Dream; there are many different versions of what the American Dream was and is suppose to be. The American Dream was a fantasy and a nightmare to some of what was in American History.  Now the American Dream is an illusion by politicians on unsuspecting people who do not want to use their common sense to find out what may or may not be true because society has lost the overall communal concept of what virtue and respect is. It has definitely evolved over time.

As Jillson points out, the American Dream really wasn’t coined until the twentieth century. (pg 6)  Prior to that time period the American Dream was more like a creed – a religious ideal of men.  This “American Creed” was the struggles that our ancestors faced early in the 1600’s when they came as a collective group to settle a new land.  They all had a basic shared concept of liberty, equality and individualism as mentioned but as a whole in the community. (pg 3-4)  But as a collective group, they had ideas of how life was supposed to be in order to have that would be blessed by God. Puritans and Quakers were among the first of these groups to ascend the shores of a new beginning. (Jillson pg 15)

Religious leaders like John Winthrop (Puritan) and William Penn (Quaker) had similar dreams that religious authority for direction in their lives and communities in this new land would up lift themselves and show Europe how to purify their own societies to have early security and success. (Jillson pg 16-34) After all Jillson elaborates, “To live well required good land and hard work. The earliest settlers believed that God had created a particularly rich and receptive land for them.” (pg 34)  The only difference between the Puritans and the Quakers were that Puritans were a closed community and the Quakers wanted to build, establish, and expand.  “Unity, order, and discipline were the keys to their survival.” (Jillson, pg 35) Of course as Jillson notes to what Perry Miller states that this type of living did not continue, because as time evolved, the local governments established were nothing more than a religious dictatorship. (pg 43)  This is a prime example of a fantasy.  The promise of life in the New World is like following Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple of 1978.  Jones was a strong religious leader in his community like the Puritans and the Quakers.  That society did not last like the Puritans and the Quakers were smart enough to change with the growth of the population. They enjoyed material possessions.  

Benjamin Franklin could be classified as a “mover and a shaker.”  He grew up in a cloistered way of life but left.  He went out and lived to see all that could be seen.  He may not have a formal education, but he grew and used his knowledge to build from.  (Jillson pg 30-31) The stage was already set in the generations of men who had resided in the New World, that men had already developed their political and social aspects from the certain old world traditional opinions which did not represent all people. (Jillson Page 2) With time came change, an economy, a need of wealth – to possess. It was a time of man to be conquerors; to tame a wild land that was bigger than they expected. (Jillson pg 13) With that said came the formation of America and the leaders (the owners of property) were the ones who had equality and liberty—not women, not African American and not Indians. As understood “liberty can conflict with equality.” (Jillson pg 4)

“Robert Beverly and Benjamin Franklin had similar points about “poor and servants being sober, industrious and frugal, they soon become Masters, establish themselves in business, marry, raise families and become respectable citizens.” (Jillson pg 5).  “If Abraham Lincoln and Bill Clinton can become president and Andrew Carnegie and Bill Gates can become the world’s richest man, then others can reasonably seek to rise as well.” (Jillson pg 7) This would lead us to believe that there is such a thing as the American Dream and that it is alive and well.  This too is a fantasy.

I consider the American Dream as somewhat of a nightmare of injustices because of too much individualism and too much liberty; this has compromised the virtues of our youth.  Take a good to look at what is considered as respectable, sober, industrious and frugal then in comparison to now. For example, is former President Bill Clinton (an adulterer) respectful?  Did Andrew Carnegie become famous and respectful during or after his life? Use former President George Bush who was (according to his wife, Laura) was very seldom sober. Was he frugal in his business practices? Were any of these men poor and did without the simple basic needs in life?  Ted Bundy, Heidi Fleiss, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Bernie Madoff were sober, industrious, frugal, Masters, established businesses, one raised a family, and they were all respectable citizens in their own communities.  I was once told by an administrator who worked at HUD years ago, “good credit tells about a person’s character.” Bundy, Madoff, and Fleiss had great credit; they must have been of good character! In comparison to then and now, the American Dream was a fantasy and to some a nightmare because it was hypocritical in a religious dictatorship. Now it is just an illusion because the society as a whole has lost the concept of virtue and respect that should be exercised by all. We as a society have put our American Dreams in our possession which is an illusion and not in our selves for what is just, right and best for our societies.  

Jillson, Calvin C., "Pursuing the American Dream". University of Kansas Press. Lawrence, Kansas.  2004.

Looking back at this, I have to ask, do we believe what we learned as being truth? Is it really truthful in what we believe?  Do you understand the concept that a lie can be the truth?

11th August 2011 -- A little gene humor.

    What is a gene? According to new data that has been discovered the definition of gene has changed. A gene is a complete chromosomal segment responsible for making a functional product. I must have missed something. Yeah, like a lot of genes because I sure am dysfunctional and so is the majority of society. Therefore, we must be missing some genes in the chemical makeup of our brain. Interesting theory!  Would gene therapy help? I am not sure because I do not know what gene therapy is. Is gene therapy where you sit the “little boogers” down on a gene psychiatrist couch and discuss how the parental unit missed something in the copulation exchange of genital fluids? What can I say? Was there a nuclear cytoplasmic explosion causing a thin tare in the membrane lining?

      Wait a cotton picking minute. A tare is dealing with a vetch. What the hell is a vetch? Well it is any various herbs of the genus Vicia. I meant to say tear in the membrane lining. Well there is that word genus. You know what a genus is? A genus is a little boy referring to a female “vagina.” What can I say? The XX in the chromosome is a default according to the scientific community. If a Y pops up it is a male. Just like a male to pop something up. Here were go again, blaming a woman for having a genus! Have you ever looked at a “Y” chromosome? The “V” (part of the Y) is the woman and the “I” (the bottom part of the Y) is what the woman needs to watch out for! It will cause her a world of problems, especially on a Saturday night or drinking in the company of a man!

    Thinking of the scientific community, I met the kids of this well noted professor/scientist called Interphase, Phrophase, Regulatory, and Wanda482. Well now, I wanted those initials for my only son, “IPRW.” But, my father objected terribly to the entire name. I. Pee Rain Water. Go figure! I was curious about Wanda482 though. The name Wanda482 is not scientific. Well Wanda was a test tube baby. That is why she was round, looked circular, and had a glassy stare.

NEXT WEEK'S BLOG IS ABOUT HOW TO COOK FAST, CHEAP AND EASY!

10th August 2011 -- A few facts of Sexuality Education - Key Communication

How much do children need to know about sex education? Of course, there is a 30 minute show that comes on MTV (occasionally) that young children/teenagers can learn from. What are the parents and the schools doing to educate children on sex?

This is the “United” States and that means they are a group of collective states that are united in a societal relationship. The societal relationships make up communities of vast and similar cultural differences with considerations to various religions. That was a tidbit to educate the reader! Do you know where your state stands on sex education being taught in school? Is being educated about a sexuality a national issue or an issue strictly for parents or an issue that should be guided by our religious preferences?  (That was a mouth full!)

Never underestimate the power of today’s children to comprehend the mechanics of sex, especially as young as 12 years old and possibly younger. According to reports issued by the Guttmacher Institute, the average United States teenager is more likely to have sex before the age of 15 years old. This report further goes on to relate, 46% males and 33% females did not receive formal instruction about contraception before they first had sex. Males were also less likely to have received information of any kind in comparison to females. (Guttmacher Institute, 2011)  These figures are alarming, but according to the same sources, unintended pregnancies are down.

Some other facts that were discovered, were about sexually transmitted diseases (infections) commonly known as STD’s.  According to the CDC, there were numerous listed sexually transmitted diseases as follows:

1.     Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
2.     Syphilis
3.     Trichomoniasis
4.     Chancroid
5.     Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV)
6.     Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
7.     HIV/AID
8.     Genital Herpes
9.     Viral Herpes
10.  Gonorrhea
11.  Chlamydia
12.  Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) (United States Government, 2011)

This is not a complete and total list. It does go on. After speaking with 3 young adults (18-21 years old--friends of my children who are very sexually active), they were not even familiar with three of the diseases listed above.

It is further stated that 50% of all STD’s occur in people 25 years or younger. 1 in 4 occurs in teenagers at an alarming rate of Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. In 2006, 5,259 (13-24 year olds) in 33 states were diagnosed with HIV/AID’s which actual represented about 14% of the people diagnosed that year. (United States Government, 2011) Some states have even begun legislation requiring health care settings to offer HIV testing to all persons beginning at the age of 13 years. New York is one of those states. Their legislation will begin next month. (Adolescent Aids Program, 2011)

This article is meant to scare parents as well as educators of the growing problems in dealing with sex education. To add to these examples is Human Papilloma Virus (HPV.) This was generally a virus which affects cervical cells. If they become mutated, there is a big possibility of cervical cancer will grow in an infected female. A booster (immunization) was recommended for young girls starting puberty. However recent studies have shown that HPV is not strictly a female issue. A study was done with 1,159 men that were HIV negative with no history of cancer. This study was done for more than 6 months with 27.5 months of follow up. 50% of the men were found infected with HPV. The infection lasted for about 7 ½ months. Men infected with HPV-16, the infection lasted 12 ½ months.  HPV-16 is the cancer causing type virus. Other studies are being done as to whether a vaccine should be recommended or be mandatory for both men and women. (Anna R Giuliono, 2011)

To actually address these issues, how much do children need to know about sex education? They need to know enough to save themselves from committing suicide because of a moment of unplanned pleasure.  They need to know enough to help curve the unintended pregnancies born into poverty. How can parents, schools, religious leaders, young people, and our government come together as a joint effort to help with these problems?

Most organized religious groups are definitely in agreement that all people should abstain from sexual activity until they are married in accordance with God’s plans.  According to the Pontifical Council for the Family, “A person is thus capable of a higher kind of love than concupiscence which only sees objects as a means to satisfy one’s appetites; this person is capable rather of friendship and self-giving, with the capacity to recognize and love person’s for themselves.” (Catholic Position Papers , 1995) The Catholic Church like so many other religious denominations feel that sex should not be a repressive type state but where two people share their love, have the capacity for compassion, tolerance, and generosity in a marital union and that without all of this love cannot endure.  Along those lines, parents are suppose to teach their children in an age appropriate manner about sexuality down grading certain subjects like sexual perversions and homosexuality. How can a parent protect their child and or would not they be lying in essence if they do not explain homosexuality and sexual perversions to their child? Why would we only teach children ½ truths especially in an academic setting? 

In North Carolina there are Sexual Education classes like in schools like in many states. According to the State Law, STD’s and HIV/AIDS education is required. Abstinence must be covered and stressed only as the effective protection against unplanned pregnancy and STD’s. Parent’s permission to participate in sexuality education is not required. Permission slips are sent out in some school districts in North Carolina. Sex Education generally takes place in high school. The teaching about contraceptives is not required.  There is a lot to be desired in this type of curriculum. In Texas, in 2001, a sex education class was offered in the 5^th grade in one school district. The film shown for sex education is “How Bat’s Mate.”  In North Carolina, (an un-named school district and school) more than 50% or the class corrected their instructor—because the instructor’s information was outdated personally as well as professionally.  What is sad this is one that question actually arose in a freshman biology class: “If you have unprotected sex while you are pregnant, can your unborn baby get pregnant?” Under the rules and regulations of the school board for this district, the biology instructor could only reply “Ask your parents.” The biology instructor was not allowed to answer the question; not even objectively with a biological answer.

After thorough consideration, this issue is very similar to teaching evolution and religion in school. Children should be taught sexual education starting in the 4^th grade.  It should be taught objectively on the appropriate age level without the parents consent. Children are sponges and should learn the mechanics, pregnancies, the diseases, and the ways these types of diseases can be prevented including but not limited to abstinence adding religious views as well. For example, this is the mechanics and these diseases that can happen because of the mechanics.  Many of the television shows have already been showing live births. Many of these 4^th graders have already viewed these types of shows. Classes involving parents with their children in a learning atmosphere could also be useful as well. What are the parents doing?

People with children in school systems should take a stance and they already have according to SIERUS. National surveys of adults demonstrate overwhelming public support for comprehensive sexuality in American schools:

93% of parents of Jr. High and 91% of parents of High school students feel it is important to have sexuality education in the schools. 95% of parents of Jr. High and 93% of parents of High school students feel that birth control and other methods of preventing pregnancy are appropriate topics in sexuality education in schools.

Isn’t this a little late to be teaching these students about subjects they are already familiar with? Isn’t this like closing the barn door to keep these “children on the family values farm” when they have already tasted worldly pleasures? High school students on the other hand, should be educated on the “now” of sexuality. Whereas elementary students should be educated before the problems arise or they come into contact with sexually active peers.

Parents do not come with a book of instructions for their children. But, they need to learn communication in detail with their offspring. If a parent believes that children shouldn’t have sex for religious reasons, then honesty is the best policy. Each parent needs to be informed before they speak with their children. It is ultimately the goal of the parent, to take charge of their children’s education in sex (because not all children are the same.) In the same token, it is up to the parent to make that their child understand what is truth in today’s society. Teaching sexuality in schools can be an effective tool when the parents become involved. When this happens, the religious preferences and the governmental instructions can help strengthen the core knowledge that children so desperately need to save their lives and help further curve the statistics on unintended pregnancies.

Adolescent Aids Program. (2011). A A P . Retrieved August 6, 2011, from Adolescent Aids Programs: http://www.adolescentaids.org

Anna R Giuliono, P. e. (2011, March). New Study Reveals High HPV Rates for Men. Retrieved August 6, 2011, from SIECUS - Sexuality Information and Education Council for the U.S.: http://www.siecus.org

Catholic Position Papers . (1995). Guidelines for Sex Education . Retrieved August 6, 2011, from Catholic Education Resource Center : http://www.catholiceducaton.org

Family First Aid. (2011). Teen Sex Statistics. Retrieved August 7, 2011, from http://www.familyfirstaid.org

Guttmacher Institute. (2011, February). Facts on American Teens' Source of Information about Sex. Retrieved August 7, 2011, from In Brief: Fact Sheet: http://www.guttmacher.org

United States Government. (2011, August 3). Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Retrieved August 2, 2011, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention : http://www.cdc.gov

NEXT WEEKS BLOG IS ON RECEIPES FROM FAR AND BEYOND...

6th August 2011

Budget Cuts – budget cuts – everyone is losing their money! The federal government is broke! They are going to shut down! Well after what has been studied recently, it is very surprising that the US Government has been closed yet.

In the recent budget cuts, there seems to be an awful lot of complaining, moaning and growing for our nations two party system. To set the record straight, both parties were involved in making the mess listed below. This intricate detailed spider web of who did what is not important for the “blame game.” It will be noted that the administrations involved in helping make this mess is George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush and they are all three equally responsible for the crisis that we are having today.

Here are 10 of many budget cuts available on line at the Office of Budget Management. It can also be viewed through the White House web-site as well as the Congressional web-site. The cuts listed here are from waste, duplicated programs, and programs that are not working.

1.       $17 million in cuts from the HHS to address the issues of teen pregnancy prevention and provide quality prenatal care to teen mothers and families through the Pregnancy Assistance Fund; there is already a fund established in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The PAF is being cut which is run out of the Adolescent Family Life (AFL) Program.

2.       $23 million is being cut from the Agricultural, Forestry and Fishing Program in the HHS. Seems that (AFF) program overlaps with the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) at the CDC with each other and neither is near as comprehensive as the same program with the USDA and Departments of Labor (DOL) programs. – There are 4 programs – dealing with Agricultural, Forestry and Fishing? According to documentation the CDC and HHS were not utilizing this program nor regulating it.

3.       $18 Million was cut from HUD. The Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) was a smaller duplicate program of larger programs in HUD that addressed the same needs for local governments. Government Accountability office in 1999 reported $413 million was in a reserved obligated and $25 million distributed out.   

4.       $2 million cut from the Department of Labor to eliminate the Bureau Labor Statistics (BLS) International Labor Comparison program. This information is a collection of international comparisons to equivalent domestic hourly compensation costs and according to the study this information is very seldom used.

5.       $2,500 billion from the Department of Defense for C-17 transport aircraft production. What C-17s have already paid and ordered with the C-5 (which is a larger transport) is more than enough. The two have a life expectancy of about 30 years.

6.       $125 million from the Department of Labor in the Career Pathways Innovation Fund. This provides competitive grants to community college partnerships to help workers prepare for jobs in growing and emerging industries. The same funding was put into the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Program at 500 million annually from 2011 to 2014. The Career Pathways Innovation Fund would be a duplicate.

7.       Cut of $3 million to HHS for the program of Children and Families Services Job Demonstration Program through the Job Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals. This is a duplicate program in which the Department of Labor has $6 million to do the same thing and its program is more effective with an increasing budget for this and increasing the Green Jobs Innovation Fund.

8.       $318 million cut to end the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education Payment Program through the HHS. This was supposed to be for competitive health workforce grant programs that will train more primary care providers. This money has set on the books for an entire year and has been redirected to the Medicaid GME to help with the health care cost of children on Medicaid to have been medical services.

9.       Cut $1 million from the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation which continues to operate until its current existing funds are expended. This was established in 1992 as a fellowship to encourage and support research study and labor designed to produce new discoveries in all fields of endeavor for the benefit of mankind. The Foundation has not consistently demonstrated clear outcomes from its awards and has high overhead costs since it began in 1992.

10.   Repeal to terminate coal subsidies that are costly to the American taxpayer and do little to create incentives to boost production or reduce energy prices in 4 areas for the Department of Energy – cuts totaling $2,579 billion dollars (gradually over 10 years.) It makes little to no sense to provide incentives for fossil fuel producers when the Nation’s priority is to increase the demand for and supply clean energy.  

This all comes to a total of $5,586 billion dollars. The only bad thing about all of this is that there seems to be the lack of accountability for this type of mismanagement. The only group of people that should be blamed in all of this is the American People! Wondering why? How many take the time to look up the annual budget every year? How many take the time to contact Washington, when something seems amiss?

The outcome assumption can prove very interesting though. $413 million dollars that HUD had in reserve could have gone to the Section 8 funding – which is broke according to the large HUD waiting list for each state. It could have also been directed to assist many homeowners that had their homes foreclosed which were guaranteed through HUD. It also seems that $19 million dollars was possibly used as a party fund for a foundation that basically did nothing. $318 million wasn’t actually cut but redirected and a total of $5.173 billion dollars was actually trimmed from the budget on the ten items listed.   

In our office there is a multi-racial President. It seems he may be trying. Whether or not he will succeed is another issue. So often, the American public criticizes the person in the office because they are not of their party. But what should be done, the Americans should be content with the leadership at hand but watch them like a “hawk.” That leadership includes Congress more so because there is more than one on the payroll. Being supportive of our Commander in Chief as well as the congressional body is vitally important for the overall health and well being of this united nation. Being supportive doesn’t mean give the leadership a free reign! After all shouldn’t there be a legacy for the children?  Be thankful to live in a free nation to express ourselves!

3rd August 2011

Now the time has come to where the summer classes are over.  If feel that I have put so much into these classes this summer to really boost my grades. I ended up with two A's and a B -- which is really great!

This particular blog was a personal student project for my American Motherhood class through the BLS program at UNC at Greensboro. I had to think long and hard about some of the stuff I wanted to cover because it was so very personal. I have learned, though, in re-inventing myself, I have to face some cold hard truths! Which means looking at the past, present, and the future. The question is what am I going to do with this blog now?

I think I will continue. Next week I will be writing on similar things but more from a different approach. I would like to discuss a broader spectrum other than motherhood. Although, I still might throw at you some interesting things that my adult children, or mother, or my brother.  Life in our household is never dull and it is full of ups and downs like crazy.

In the long run, this will end this weeks posting. I will keep everyone posted whether or not I make cum laude. I will be graduating in December of this year and I can just about smell that really wonderful accomplishment of have great grades, working, taking care of a family and trying to be true to myself.