The Bush-McCain Challenge
WHAT: MoveOn.org's Bush-McCain Challenge
WHEN: Wednesday, May 28, 2008, at 12:00 PM
WHERE: Schenley & Forbes (in front of hot dog stands, Pittsburgh PA
"Tomorrow, MoveOn members are making sure people in Pittsburgh know John McCain is just like George Bush. The Bush-McCain Challenge works like the old Pepsi-Coke Challenge—we'll ask passersby to guess whether a quote or position is Bush's or McCain's. It'll be lots of fun."
RSVP: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3133&event_id=46620&id=12725-1367448-pXL8MD&t=10
May 29, 2008
Cocktails for a Cause
WHAT: Planned Parenthood Western Pennsylvania Action Fund's Cocktails for a Cause
WHEN: Thursday, May 29, 7:00PM
WHERE: Firehouse Lounge, 2216 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
"Join us for Cocktails for a Cause to benefit Planned Parenthood of Western PA on Thursday, May 29th from 6 to 9pm at Firehouse Lounge, 2216 Penn Avenue in the Strip District."
RSVP: http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?event=QTWKVFRHAOLMHRBGEAMY&unknownUser=true
i LOVE the bush v mccain challenge.
ReplyDeletetoo funny!
So... what exactly is the "cause" benefitted by the Planned Parenthood fundraiser?
ReplyDeleteLet's see... maybe, more Americans that are either killed before they can see the light of day (they were aborted)-- or perhaps, the other millions that were never even allowed to exist (they were contracepted).
Yeah, that sounds about right. That's right up PP's alley.
Fundraising? There aren't enough words in the English language to be synonymous with "NEVER."
LK,
ReplyDeleteTHANKS for the "contracepted" comment!
Let's keep 'em barefoot and pregnant!
WOO-HOO!
l.k. is either a virgin, or sterile.
ReplyDeleteeither that, or there must be a community of little l.k.'s roaming the earth.
hmmm... are the tax payers supporting those babies?
As for Maria- surely you jest. I wish it were otherwise, but I know this blog well enough by now, sadly.
ReplyDeleteAlthough-- I must say, if that IS your true thought, then that's cool too.
Anyway, as for dear cathcatz... hmm... You're an interesting one.... : )
You are incorrect, by the way, in your "assessment" of me and my life, although I am flattered to think that there might be a little community of "me"s somewhere. (But I must maintain my humility.)
Regarding the babies being supported by taxpayers-- um, excuse me, but I am a taxpayer-- and I do support them as we speak (my own!)-- but I would gladly support other unwanted children. And if I couldn't-- I know MANY others who would.
Hey, maybe I DO have other "me"s running around out there.
Well, all kidding aside, there are so many of us, I can't even count. Many people who know the value of human life, and the brokenness that contraception and abortion cause.
Let's keep up the discussion. It's always good stuff.
l.k.-sorry to be so crass, but do you think that every time a man masturbates, that he's killing "babies" because they ended up in a tissue and not in a woman?? i just don't get the contraception argument at all. its necessary. the world cannot support that much humanity.
ReplyDeleteoy.
Eve-ry sperm is saa-cred/
ReplyDeleteEve-ry sperm is greaaat/
Iiif a sperm is waaasted/
God gets quite irate!
Sorry, couldn't resist.
- Shawn
l.k., what a brave one you are. I see kids every day, unwanted, with Fetal-Alcohol Syndrom which leaves them with little or no ablty to tell right from wrong. They are all in juvenile detenton centers, and so your taxes are keepng them. How about giving some of your Grace to handling them everyday? You need to visit a few tax supported facilties before you get too confirmed to your destructive faith.
ReplyDeleteHi cathcatz.
ReplyDeleteWe should have a little talk show of our own, it seems....
Please take no offense, but the question you raise regarding masturbation is oddly ignorant of biology. No, masturbation is wrong for other reasons, the most important of which is that it does not do what sex is supposed to do-- which is to help the couple to be more closely bonded with one another. Yes, an orgasm is a wonderful thing-- but if it is to be had without one's mate, it is ultimately unfulfilling.
Regarding the biology, though- certainly you must realize that a sperm is a gamete, not an embryo, not a zygote, not even a blastocyst. These terms all refer to the child at very early stages of development. A sperm is "just" a sperm. No children lost there... only self-respect, unfortunately.
As for the contraception issue in general-- I'll keep it brief- let's just say it means taking a normal, healthy function of a person's body (usually the woman's), and rendering it dysfunctional. Since when is that okay? The last time I checked, medicines, and the like, are supposed to help our bodies to work, not to help them be "broken." But that's what many contraceptives (like the pill, IUD, patch, etc.) do.
Let's stand up for the REAL feminism we should all desire... for women to appreciate the way their bodies are made... fertility and all.
Yes, ladies. You're "broken" if you're not pregant.
ReplyDeletenotice how l.k. ignored the idea of taking on any responsibility for damaged kids. But God forbid an orgasm should be unfilled. What a great crock of shite!
ReplyDeleteLet's get back to something interesting and productive (no pun intended).
No Maria, that is not what I said.
ReplyDeleteAnon, I choose to ignore foolishness.
"I choose to ignore foolishenss." = "I can't win that argument, so I'm just gonna go around it."
ReplyDeleteAs for masturbation being wrong, well, my suggestion is that you don't knock it 'til you've tried it.
- Shawn
l.k. said...
ReplyDeleteNo, masturbation is wrong for other reasons, the most important of which is that it does not do what sex is supposed to do-- which is to help the couple to be more closely bonded with one another. Yes, an orgasm is a wonderful thing-- but if it is to be had without one's mate, it is ultimately unfulfilling.
says you. i think you might be doing it wrong.
A sperm is "just" a sperm. No children lost there... only self-respect, unfortunately.
umm, but the sperm have the POTENTIAL to make a sacred life. i was just extrapolating your theory out a bit. again, i stand by the statement that contraception is necessary to control population growth for the whole of humanity.
As for the contraception issue in general-- I'll keep it brief- .....The last time I checked, medicines, and the like, are supposed to help our bodies to work, not to help them be "broken."
you didn't say that? i think that you did. i take the pill because i enjoy intimacy with my BF and i do not want anymore children. to me, that IS the right thing to do.
Let's stand up for the REAL feminism we should all desire... for women to appreciate the way their bodies are made... fertility and all.
i do appreciate the biology of the female body, but i CHOOSE not to be a baby factory. that IS me exercising my real feminism.
IK,
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of "foolishness" where on earth did you get the idea that pregnancy is "healthy" for women?
If you really cared about women, you would know how much they risk to be pregnant and honor that instead of blithely asking them to be pregnant as often as possible (which is what you are doing with you plea for no contraceptives):
Normal, frequent or expectable temporary side effects of pregnancy:
exhaustion (weariness common from first weeks)
altered appetite and senses of taste and smell
nausea and vomiting (50% of women, first trimester)
heartburn and indigestion
constipation
weight gain
dizziness and light-headedness
bloating, swelling, fluid retention
hemmorhoids
abdominal cramps
yeast infections
congested, bloody nose
acne and mild skin disorders
skin discoloration (chloasma, face and abdomen)
mild to severe backache and strain
increased headaches
difficulty sleeping, and discomfort while sleeping
increased urination and incontinence
bleeding gums
pica
breast pain and discharge
swelling of joints, leg cramps, joint pain
difficulty sitting, standing in later pregnancy
inability to take regular medications
shortness of breath
higher blood pressure
hair loss
tendency to anemia
curtailment of ability to participate in some sports and activities
infection including from serious and potentially fatal disease
(pregnant women are immune suppressed compared with non-pregnant women, and
are more susceptible to fungal and certain other diseases)
extreme pain on delivery
hormonal mood changes, including normal post-partum depression
continued post-partum exhaustion and recovery period (exacerbated if a c-section -- major surgery -- is required, sometimes taking up to a full year to fully recover)
Normal, expectable, or frequent PERMANENT side effects of pregnancy:
stretch marks (worse in younger women)
loose skin
permanent weight gain or redistribution
abdominal and vaginal muscle weakness
pelvic floor disorder (occurring in as many as 35% of middle-aged former child-bearers and 50% of elderly former child-bearers, associated with urinary and rectal incontinence, discomfort and reduced quality of life)
changes to breasts
varicose veins
scarring from episiotomy or c-section
other permanent aesthetic changes to the body (all of these are downplayed by women, because the culture values youth and beauty)
increased proclivity for hemmorhoids
loss of dental and bone calcium (cavities and osteoporosis)
Occasional complications and side effects:
spousal/partner abuse
hyperemesis gravidarum
temporary and permanent injury to back
severe scarring requiring later surgery (especially after additional pregnancies)
dropped (prolapsed) uterus (especially after additional pregnancies, and other pelvic floor weaknesses -- 11% of women, including cystocele, rectocele, and enterocele)
pre-eclampsia (edema and hypertension, the most common complication of pregnancy, associated with eclampsia, and affecting 7 - 10% of pregnancies)
eclampsia (convulsions, coma during pregnancy or labor, high risk of death)
gestational diabetes
placenta previa
anemia (which can be life-threatening)
thrombocytopenic purpura
severe cramping
embolism (blood clots)
medical disability requiring full bed rest (frequently ordered during part of many pregnancies varying from days to months for health of either mother or baby)
diastasis recti, also torn abdominal muscles
mitral valve stenosis (most common cardiac complication)
serious infection and disease (e.g. increased risk of tuberculosis)
hormonal imbalance
ectopic pregnancy (risk of death)
broken bones (ribcage, "tail bone")
hemorrhage and
numerous other complications of delivery
refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease
aggravation of pre-pregnancy diseases and conditions (e.g. epilepsy is present in .5% of pregnant women, and the pregnancy alters drug metabolism and treatment prospects all the while it increases the number and frequency of seizures)
severe post-partum depression and psychosis
research now indicates a possible link between ovarian cancer and female fertility treatments, including "egg harvesting" from infertile women and donors
research also now indicates correlations between lower breast cancer survival rates and proximity in time to onset of cancer of last pregnancy
research also indicates a correlation between having six or more pregnancies and a risk of coronary and cardiovascular disease
Less common (but serious) complications:
peripartum cardiomyopathy
cardiopulmonary arrest
magnesium toxicity
severe hypoxemia/acidosis
massive embolism
increased intracranial pressure, brainstem infarction
molar pregnancy, gestational trophoblastic disease (like a pregnancy-induced cancer)
malignant arrhythmia
circulatory collapse
placental abruption
obstetric fistula
More permanent possible side effects:
future infertility
permanent disability
death.
Regarding the babies being supported by taxpayers-- um, excuse me, but I am a taxpayer-- and I do support them as we speak (my own!)-- but I would gladly support other unwanted children. And if I couldn't-- I know MANY others who would.
ReplyDeleteWell i.k, you prove yourself a hipocrate and a lier by referring to my challenge to help damaged kids by saying you don't respond to "foolishness".
Your transparency is showing.
As I sit here and shake my head, I can only think, "Oh, if only I WERE ACTUALLY as transparent as I desire to be." (in response to Anon.) Blogging is such a hard way to share important information. Kudos to you, Maria, for attempting to do so! (Regarding your list, however, there are just as many side effects from contraception and abortion.)
ReplyDeleteSigh... I know this isn't the typical forum for such discussions (although Maria DID do the initiating with the blog info)... but I do hope that we can continue sometime to chat calmly and charitably with one another.
All of your thoughts and claims of outrage are things I have heard before.... And yet I find it important to share information in the small ways that I can. Unfortunately, this makes many angry people even angrier.
But I'd like to think that it makes soft-hearted, hopeful people even more hopeful and soft-hearted.