April 16, 2010

Racially Influenced Comments Versus the Race Card

by Arthur Doyle

Why has racism become such a cliché in America? Around the holiday season in 2009, I read about Heather Ellis, an African American daughter of a pastor, who cut in line in a Wal-Mart in Missouri. She claims that she merely switched checkout lanes to join her cousin. Whatever the truth may be- is this particular incident honestly worthy of the national exposure it's receiving, or is this just another great example of built-up racial anger that was horrendously unnecessary? I guess we need to face the R-word... racism. It grabs the average person's attention and nothing makes a better crutch to lazy journalism than this softball, dilettantish drivel.

The general public will consume it and the media will force it down our throats like green cough syrup. Many people realize that racism is still a real problem in America, and there still are many injustices committed to minorities even in today's day and age. Yet in this particular case of an African American female, who allegedly cut in front of people at a Wal-Mart checkout line, accused police officers and patrons of racism and inappropriate remarks which caused her outrage. Maybe? Or maybe now this small town in the southern/mid part of the U.S might get a special visit from the ever-opportunistic Reverend Al Sharpton if the people of Kennett, Missouri can scrape together $65,000 for his appearance fees. If she was in the right, then why was she treated like a criminal; because she became angry, because she is angry, or because she is a black woman living in the southern part of the United States? But, if she was completely in the wrong, in the sense of appropriate public behavior as one human being to another, then what? Why can’t facts and logic dictate who’s at fault without blurring the issue with color? Why does there even need to be a discussion about ulterior motives for someone neglecting the existence of another human being two feet away from them? I believe that may say it all, if that was the case.

Here is a genius quote from a sixteen year old ward of the state that I used to mentor in 2001. He said, “Sometimes an inconsiderate jerk is called an inconsiderate jerk for being an inconsiderate jerk.” If she was inconsiderate and cut in line, then she’s an extremely selfish and entitled person who happens to be black, and her action was wrong, period. Yet race is the focus? If racial slurs were thrown at her then it was handled wrong, period. I guess the eye-for-an-eye biblical fallacy or the Machiavellian egocentric idea that the end justifies the means are still popular American misconceptions. Legally, who wins a stalemate?

On a side note, doesn't a racial comment usually begin by looking over your shoulder or something like that? How angry does a "Christian Caucasian American" living below the Mason-Dixon Line have to be to say those things to another human being? Here's the reality of the situation- if a person thinks it (racially charged comment) and doesn't say anything at that moment it's just as bad as saying it. This person isn't any different from the white hooded angry racist who blames minorities for this country's problems and who usually detinates the “N- word” into the air like a pipe bomb for emphasis. Instead, they’re covert like the CIA or PETA for that matter. This person may feel vindicated by showing restraint of their impulses, or on the other hand, they may just verbalize these racial comments when driving in their car with the windows up. Either way, that's where the problem originates in people, with a thought.

The truth is that these words only hold weight because many people allow these words to affect or control their emotions in either direction-as a victim or as an aggressor. Unfortunately, let’s face it, the unconscious result of anger comes from being hurt, and in this case, anger got the best of many involved. Ask yourself this, if someone intentionally says something hurtful to you, deserving or not, and you become angry, do you want to hurt the person responsible or do you hurt the person responsible? Some may retaliate by force, others by words, yet some just don’t care to engage in negativity because of its irrelevance. Which one are you?
Whitewashing Race: The Myth of a Color-Blind Society

Here's a question- What is the easiest insult to come up with about another person? The obvious easiest insult is what you can see. Is it human nature to want to hurt when you are hurt? Maybe for some, but the fact is it shouldn't matter. Today, the punitive ideology of control especially with race has become more subtle, less obvious. Thankfully, the days of drawing the racial line with German Shepherds and fire hoses are long gone, but since when did Newton’s Law of Reciprocal Action, “for every action there is an opposite action or reaction,” develop an exception to the rule because of the race card?

Between Barack and a Hard Place: Racism and White Denial in the Age of ObamaLike the Tawana Brawley incident in 1988, the impact it had on the racism only widen the rift between everyone's view. Will the race card ever be tossed away and replaced by “you know what, I was wrong. I’m sorry.” This crying wolf scenario in the name of racism has been overused to the point that it’s unemotionally numbing and discredited even if there is truth in the matter. It’s disheartening to know that minorities with legitimate complaints may be stereotyped by most, right from the start. And those stereotypes are ramifications to stories like the woman who couldn’t wait in line at Wal-Mart; like the Harvard Professor who broke into his own home and was arrested, or the Columbian Professor who punched a white lady in the face during a heated racial discussion at a local bar. Being a minority isn’t an excuse for acting impulsively. Maybe this insignificant racial tug of war about blame won’t change in my lifetime, or maybe I’m being idealistic, thinking that we can evolve past these petty differences. The discussion needs to be addressed with emotions turned off and the beliefs which initiate them. Here in the United States, we can only begin to achieve this by taking personal responsibility for ourselves, without any internal blame or outside influences. This would undoubtedly eliminate the invisible battle lines and true progress can occur. But if lines of communication fail, so does this experiment called America.

April 15, 2010

The truth about the swine flu vaccine

By Scott Beck, DC

With the 2009-2010 flu season in full force, many Americans are searching for protection for them and their families. This year is particularly scary since we are faced with the first pandemic (global outbreak) in over 40 years because of the H1N1 influenza virus. As growing controversy over the safety and effectiveness of the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines spread, the question “what am I to do” often arises. To make an informative decision on your families health care options, we must first take a look at the facts.

Each day the media reports additional cases of H1N1 infections and rising death tolls attributed to the pandemic disease. In July of 2009, the World Health Organization issued a press release stating that it will no longer release the global table of H1N1 infections because it is “extremely difficult, if not impossible” to determine swine flu cases in laboratory testing. The Centers for Disease Control issued a similar statement on October 2, 2009. “Influenza diagnosis will not distinguish between infection with seasonal influenza vs. infection with A-H1N1.” However, we are told by our doctors and the media that it is imperative to have the flu and “swine” flu vaccine this season.

Here are a few facts on that:

Swine Flu / H1N1 - The Facts (Export Edition)The nasal spray vaccine by MedImmune has demonstrated evidence in clinical trials of shedding the live virus for 3-21 days post-vaccination. This means that vaccinating large populations, especially school children, with the live nasal-spray vaccine may actually cause a rise in the number of those infected! Also, pregnant woman have been identified as a targeted risk group for H1N1 and seasonal influenza, therefore, they are urged to get the vaccines. However, Influenza vaccines are Category C pharmaceuticals, which means that no animal or human studies have been conducted for safety. Influenza vaccines have not been tested on pregnant women.

As a concerned and informed parent, you are now wondering what you can do to protect your family with a safe and natural approach. The simple answer: CHIROPRACTIC. One of the most important studies on chiropractic and the immune system was performed by Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York's Preventive Medicine Institute and professor of medicine at New York University.

Dr. Pero measured the immune systems of people under chiropractic care as compared to those in the general population and those with cancer and other serious diseases. His initial three-year study was of 107 individuals who had been under chiropractic care for five years or more. The chiropractic patients were found to have a 200% greater immune competence than those people who had not received chiropractic care, and they had 400% greater immune competence than those people with cancer and other serious diseases. The immune system superiority of those under chiropractic care did not appear to diminish with age. Dr. Pero stated “When applied in a clinical framework, I have never seen a group other than this chiropractic group to experience a 200% increase over the normal patients. This is why it is so dramatically important. We have never seen such a positive improvement in a group.”

H1N1 and Swine Influenza (Flu) Protection Kit w/ N95 Masks - Meets CDC Guidelines for H1N1 and Swine FluThe immune system is affected by the nervous system through the connections with the endocrine and the autonomic nervous system. And chiropractic care improves the function of the nervous system through improving the movement of the spinal bones that encase and protect the spinal cord. Stressful conditions lead to altered measures of immune function, and altered susceptibility to a variety of diseases. Chiropractic care is a safe, gentle and effective way to enhance your immune system this flu season.

April 14, 2010

Helping Children Overcome Fears

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Open

Give children information about their fears. Answer their questions about things like wars, death, hospitals, disease, etc. Knowing about things helps to make children less fearful (but not too much detail for young children).



Validate
This means listening to, understanding and not making fun of your child's fears. Respond to your children's fear or cries by reassuring your children that they are safe, and cuddling or patting them until they calm down.
However, while you show your child that you understand that her fears are real, it is important not to let her think that you are also afraid (unless it is genuine) because it will make her more fearful.

Encourage
Praise and reward your child when he makes a step towards fighting or confronting his fear, eg. getting closer to a dog if he is frightened of dogs. Help your child work out small steps he can take to overcome his fear, eg. first just look at pictures of dogs, then get close to a gentle puppy, etc. Don't force your child to fully confront his fear, but take it a small step at a time and let him know you are proud of him when he does.

Freeing Your Child from Anxiety: Powerful, Practical Solutions to Overcome Your Child's Fears, Worries, and PhobiasRoutines
These help children know what to expect and make children feel more secure and confident, eg. bedtime routines can help a child with fear of the dark. Prepare children in advance if there is to be a change of routine.

Control
Having some control of the situation often helps with fears.
Make sure your child has his own comforters, eg. dummy, blanket, night light etc.  If your child is old enough, ask him what he thinks would help him, or make some suggestions and let him choose. For example, if the child is afraid of burglars, he could check that the room or house is safe, with windows locked, etc.

Opportunities
Provide opportunities for your child to develop skills and gain confidence in her own ability. Confidence can't be developed on praise alone. It is success and being able to do things that build up a child's confidence.
Practitioner's Guide to Treating Fear and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach (Child Therapy Series)Let your child try things that she can do, and then give her lots of support and approval. Read children's stories that deal with fearful events that children overcome. Provide times for fantasy play, dress-ups, drawings, etc., where children can express their fears and take control of them.

Model
Children learn most by copying important adults in their lives (using you as a model to copy from).
Show that you are calm and confident in the situation which is frightening to your child. Remember that children can learn fears from parents, and if you show anxiety in a situation your child may pick it up.

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April 13, 2010

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April 9, 2010

The U.S. Market of Fear

Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from ViolenceIf behavioral finance teaches us one thing, it is that Fear trumps Greed. In fact, it's not even close. Fear is like the Harlem Globetrotters playing the Washington Generals. Sure, ostensibly it's a real contest, but despite the ups and downs along the way, we always know who's going to win in the end. The outcome is predetermined, inexorable.

Fear drives the market. Why? Because losing hurts more than winning feels good. Because the future is uncertain, and the default emotion in cases of uncertainty is fear. Because you're not paranoid, the Market really is out to get you, and fear is the greatest weapon in the Market's arsenal.

How do we fight our fear? With "reason"? Well, some people do. And by "some people" I am chiefly referring to Vulcans - the supremely rational beings from the eponymous planet who are not afflicted by such human weaknesses as emotion. (Then again, Vulcans mate only once every seven years, so you can see why emotions could be a big drawback.)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
No. For most of us on Planet Earth, we are forced to fight the battle on an emotional level. Reason definitely helps, but only so far as it helps us reacquire our emotional equilbrium.

Fear is a poison. But there is an antidote - Control. Not actual control (which is irrelevant) but the belief that that you have control. Fear beats Greed. Perception beats Reality - at least where our emotions are concerned.

We have seen this play out recently on marketwide level with the recent actions of the Fed Charmain, Ben Bernanke. The market flagged due to fear. (It always does due to fear.) But the fires of fear were stoked in large part because one of the main sources of investors' (sense of) control is the Federal Reserve Board.

After months of hearing "Inflation remains our primary concern", investors began to wonder if the esteemed Dr. Bernanke really "got it". The Market was saying; "Does he understand our concerns? Does he even care?"

Investors were riding shotgun with the Fed Chairman on a dangerous road. They were concerned there may be a cliff up ahead, but they were even more concerned that the Fed Chairman was asleep behind the wheel.

The first shot of control was injected back in July when Chairman Bernanke acknowledged that the mortgage crisis (and credit crunch) were on his radar screen. (Whew! He's not sleeping after all.) The second shot of control came when he lowered the discount rate. (He's awake and he's willing to hit the brakes.)

People called his decision to lower the discount rate a "largely symbolic move". Exactly. Symbols are important, especially when the symbolic gesture tells people, "Relax. I'm on it".

The Market has been calling (or is it whining?) for an interest rate cut. And I, for one, think that would be splendid. But investors got something even more important. They got back their sense of control.

It's like the immortal words of Mick Jagger:

Primal Fear"You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need."

April 6, 2010

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April 1, 2010

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March 29, 2010

Fear: Preschool and School Age Children

Evidence-Based Practice in Infant and Early Childhood PsychologyChildren (and most people) are afraid of things that they cannot understand or control, and strange or new situations or objects. They can be fearful of many things, because so much of the world is new to them. Fears may also be learned. Sometimes they come from a direct experience with something that hurt, eg. being bitten by a dog.

A fear can also be taught by parents, brothers and sisters, playmates, teachers, etc. For example, if the parent always gets afraid when she sees a spider or goes in a lift, the child is likely to be afraid of these things. Fears can also be caused by seeing or hearing about a danger, eg. on TV. Fear of being left alone at night or of the dark is still common among preschool children. Children also have vivid imaginations, and some of the things that they imagine they also believe are real, eg. monsters (especially children under three, who don't yet really know what is real and what is not real).

Journal of Early Childhood And Infant PsychologyYoung children need to be reassured if something is not real, but it may take them some time to really believe there is nothing to be afraid of. It is important that you don't act as if you believe the fears are real. There can be a fine line between pretending to look for monsters yourself, and showing your child that there are no monsters. Children of school age may be worried about burglars, afraid of having no friends, afraid of bullies, anxious about school work, or starting a new school or starting high school.

Older children often worry that their parents may separate, especially if they see this happening to friends' families, or if there are a lot of family arguments. Many children worry that a parent may die. Anxiety is infectious and can pass easily from one person to another. Worries and fears can pass easily from parent to child, and from child to parent.

From Neurons to Neighborhoods : The Science of Early Childhood DevelopmentIn some ways, this passing of anxieties from parent to child can be helpful to keep the child safe, eg. the child learns that it is not safe to go on the road because you show that this is something dangerous. However, if you are too worried about too many things, the children are likely to be more anxious.

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