Yet another voice in the wilderness
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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "nontacitare" journal:[<< Previous 20 entries]
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10:17 am
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Attn: bloggers who support the new government guidelines re mamograms
How not to sound condescending or sexist while chiding breast cancer survivors who disagree with you:
( Read more... )
Tags: feminism, health, politics
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12:20 am
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More on mammograms, plus a protest in Maryland
Here is more information on the controversial recommendation against women getting mammograms before age 50. Just to clarify a few points:
This government recommendation is so dangerous because insurance companies will use this to prohibit women under 50 from getting mammograms, even though it's KNOWN that mammograms save lives.
Yes, I am high risk. I carry the BRCA1 mutation. (And yes, that makes me a mutant.) However, this was not known when I got my baseline mammogram.
Because I am a high-risk survivor, I am supposed to get two mammograms and two MRIs a year. My insurance company allows one mammogram a year. This is due to legislation requiring insurance companies to cover mammograms for women age 40 and older. Guess how many screenings I get a year? What would happen if that legislation were to be rescinded?
11,000 women UNDER 40 are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the US. I was one of those.
70% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have NO risk factors.
My baseline mammogram at 39 saved my life.
( Read more... )
Current Mood:  angry
Tags: feminism, health, politics
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11:39 pm
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The value of my life
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/health/story/1337124.html
If I'd followed this advice I'd be dead now. My cancer was caught by a base-line mammogram when I was 39.
The scientific analysis also found that to save one woman's life, 1,904 women need to have mammograms starting at age 40 over the course of a decade -- even though most of them aren't at risk of getting cancer.
When they say that one life isn't worth the economic cost of 2,000 mammograms - and this is about economic cost - understand that by this analysis I am one of the lives not worth saving.
Current Mood: angry
Tags: feminism, health, human rights
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10:32 pm
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Great quote stolen from ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) wishesofastar
http://wishesofastar.livejournal.com/102901.html
It came out of a phone conversation between us.
On a completely different note, the Kent State Folk Festival is going on right now, culminating in free concerts on Friday and free workshops on Saturday.
http://www.kentstatefolkfestival.org/
I plan to go.
Current Music: classical
Tags: events, live journal, music
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01:34 pm
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Victory for Americans!
The House passed health care reform!
Update All right, when I posted this I hadn't read beyond the front page of the paper last Sunday. I was so excited. I didn't really hear about the Stupak amendment until afterwards. I've been so disillusioned, I haven't been able to read the newspaper all week. Sorry about the misleading post.
Current Mood:  ecstatic
Tags: health, human rights, politics
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11:15 pm
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Smallville prediction
( Read more... )
Think that's far-fetched? Check out this former prediction of mine that will come true next week.
http://nontacitare.livejournal.com/38737.html
Current Music: "Somebody save me"
Tags: smallville, soap operas, television
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05:16 pm
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2009 Election endorsements
State Issues 1, 2, and 3 NO
County Issue 4 (Portage County Children's Services) YES
Kent Issues 9 and 10 (tax levies) YES
Portage County Municipal Court Judge Becky Doherty, Mark Fankhauser
Kent Mayor Rick Hawksley
Kent Council at Large Michael DeLeone, Robin Turner, Erik Valenta
Kent Board of Education Brian Boykin, Marlene Dorsey, Ryan Ferrara
Tags: politics
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10:10 pm
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Ohio Valley Filk Festival
I had a great time this weekend. A few highlights:
1) wishesofastar and oknight are wonderful hosts who loan me books and give me DVDs and things. Leelu thinks I'm an evil burglar.
2) Musical highlights: "Das UberTuber," by Ookla the Mok; "Mad Scientist's Love Song;" and "Gabriel Gray's Song," a wonderfully creepy tribute to Sylar from Heroes. It was also great jamming to "Women with Drums." (Thanks to jayene for lending me her drum.)
3) braider, talk to jayene about teaching a musical theory 101 class next OVFF.
4) I got to rap "Castle in the Clouds" from Les Miserables.
5) While working the ConSuite, I found myself chatting with one of the people in charge of Marcon programming. I found out that her husband is a big Dragonlance fan, and got to pitch my Dragonlance panel idea. She actually seemed interested rather than bored when I launched into a brief Dragonlance history lesson. ;-) We might actually have a Dragonlance panel this year!
6) I got to meet the Orthodox Jewish contingent from New York and Israel when I was sent to see if food was Kosher or not.
7) I had a nice visit with my parents.
8) Storytelling at Fly-by-Night went very well, and I might be back in the spring.
Thank you, braider, for arranging for me to be staff; wishesofastar, for giving me a place to stay; and jayene for keeping me company in the ConSuite and for the music lesson.
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: "Castle in the Clouds"
Tags: events, filk, friends, storytelling
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09:45 pm
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Statement of belief
African-Americans, Hispanics, Jews, women and transgendered people do not deserve to be judged or punished for their race, ethnicity or gender.
( Read more... )
Current Mood: angry
Tags: human rights
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04:54 pm
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Ghost stories in Columbus
Next Saturday, Oct. 24 from 3:00 - 4:00, I will be telling ghost stories at Fly By Night bookstore in Columbus.
http://www.flybynightbookstore.com/announce.php
The rest of the weekend I'll be volunteering at Ohio Valley Filk Festival.
Tags: events, filk, folklore, plans, storytelling
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10:06 pm
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Confederate States of America - Yet more revisionist history
There must be something in the air. nicosomething, you started it. Everywhere I turn I see revisionist history.
I just stumbled upon a truly frightening mockumentary, Confederate States of America, about what would have happened if the South had won. Among other things - an ongoing cold war with Canada, the enslavement of Chinese immigrants, the prohibition against non-Christian religions (Catholics were almost kicked out, but made it by a hair; Jews were allowed to stay on reservations in Rhode Island), attempts to conquer the world for white people, alliances with Nazi Germany and South Africa, the primacy of capitalism over all other considerations as the defense of slavery, a sneak attack on Dec. 7, 1941 by the Confederate States on a Japanese naval base, horror movies such as "I Married an Abolitionist", "terrorist" attacks by slaves wanting freedom, a feminist movement in the 1970s of women wanting the vote and a law prohibiting husbands from beating their wives, anti-depressants expressly for slaves, homeland security looking for non-pure-white people passing, internet slave-trading (second only to internet porn), Martha Stewart-like shows on "what to look for when purchasing an Asian gardener," and a host of truly terrifying commercials.
I have to hand it to the actors - they just oozed evil, especially Fontroy V. I kept having to remind myself that if the actors really believed what they were saying, they wouldn't be participating in this project.
If you ever get a chance and have any interest in US history, you should see this, but I warn you, it will turn your stomach.
Tags: history, human rights, television
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11:02 am
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Brief history lesson stolen from mseuphrates
Talk about not knowing history.
Current Mood: amused
Current Music: "Der Commie Zsar"
Tags: history, humor, politics
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12:58 pm
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I must be psychic - Smallville edition
Remember this post?
http://nontacitare.livejournal.com/145611.html
Last night on Smallville, zombies invaded Metropolis. Maybe wishesofastar is right that I should launch a soap opera fortune-telling website.
Current Mood: amused
Current Music: "Somebody save me"
Tags: dreams, smallville, televison
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01:12 am
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Sometimes I despair (redux)
1) To preserve democracy in Honduras, Micheletti and his cronies oust democratically elected President Zelaya at gunpoint; to protect the Honduran constitution, they suspend the civil liberties granted therein; to prevent anyone from thinking they're dictators, they raid and shut down major news outlets.
2) A government census worker is murdered in Kentucky, most likely because he worked for the government.
3) There was a facebook poll asking if President Obama should be assasinated. (I'm telling you, Facebook is evil.)
Here's the scoop on democracy, folks - it only works if we agree not to kill each other when the other side wins. Without that, we got nothing.
Current Mood:  pessimistic
Tags: human rights, politics
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06:44 pm
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Mabon musings
Five Things for which I am grateful
1. My solid oaken wood futon, which someone left out by the dumpster this weekend at my apartment complex; my apartment managers who were willing to help me carry it into my apartment; my creative and intelligent mind, with which I was able to repair the futon; the wooden noter I was given for my dulcimer last OVFF, which I used to fix the futon (I am still playing the dulcimer - I just don't use the noter); and my old metal futon, which is now a couch in my living room.
2. Having my own place.
3. Having two part time jobs in this economy.
4. Being able to receive health insurance through COBRA, and having reduced payments because of Obama's American REcovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
5. Having passed all of my recent cancer screenings with flying colors.
Current Mood: content
Current Music: "Candlelight, a river," by me
Tags: holiday, pagan
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10:54 pm
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Farewell to Guiding Light
After 72 years on the air, the Guiding Light has been extinguished. The soap opera began on the radio, and moved to television when that medium became mainstream. It was the first soap opera to have a cloning storyline, and I believe the first soap to have a superhero. I began watching in high school, channel-flipping between that show and its rivals - General Hospital and Santa Barbara - at 3:00 every weekday.
Everyone got a happy ending, and much of what I wanted to see happened. Olivia and Natalia, who made history by being the first gay soap couple with actual chemistry, ended up together. Lizzie got her daughter back. Ashley's (and Daisy's) happy ending was going off to Berkeley. And while Josh and Reva did reunite, the show was very respectful of Reva and Jeffrey fans, keeping us in suspense about Reva's choice until the very end of the last episode.
Ironically, this last year showcased the best of Guiding Light. Over the past two decades, I had walked away from the program on more than one occasion because of the sexism and sheer illogical storylines. But in the year of its cancellation, Guiding Light finally found its stride. The outdoor settings added greatly to the verisimilitude of the program, making me believe that these were people living in a town called Springfield. Women were allowed to be strong and independent. And while I never liked Reva, I was blown away by Kim Zimmer's performance of Reva at Jeffrey's memorial service. Kim Zimmer is an amazing actress who deserves the Emmys she's won. Reva was annoying because of the storylines she was in, not because of any lack of talent on Zimmer's part.
Of course, without India, the reunion of the four musketeers fell flat. But maybe that's just me. ;-) *Shout out to Andrea Clark.*
I've seen a number of soap operas end - Edge of Night, Santa Barbara, Another World. But there is something especially tragic in the demise of the oldest program on the air. Thank you to all of the writers, actors, directors, set designers, producers and camera people who told the story of Springfield for the last seven decades.
Current Location: an old light house
Current Mood:  nostalgic
Current Music: Release, Telling Point
Tags: soap operas, television
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07:46 pm
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Health Care
No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick. If you agree, please post this in your own journal.
Current Mood: angry
Tags: health, human rights, politics
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07:21 pm
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A philosophical question
If a zombie were to bite Superman, what would happen?
The question came up in a dream last night.
Current Mood:  curious
Current Music: "She moved through the fair," John ap Wynn
Tags: dreams, horror, superheroes
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11:35 pm
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Good news
The results of my sister's biopsy are in and she does NOT have cancer.
Current Mood: relieved
Tags: family, health
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06:32 pm
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An essay on the fear of universal healthcare
http://ginmar.livejournal.com/1776217.html?view=57392729#t57392729
Tags: health, politics
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