Mom’s Soap Box

I thought it was fantastic that my 15 year old wanted to get a job. He got his first girlfriend and he knew if he wanted to go to the movies and buy her a gift on her birthday it takes money. I was not going to hand it over like so many parents do.

Your child’s senior year is one of the most exciting years you and your child will have. It is filled with the last of many times he/she will have as a school student. The rush of excitement as they draw closer to the moment they hold out their hand to receive their high school diploma.

You want it to be the most memorable, and rewarding time in their life and the beginning to a wonderful future. There is much to do this last year: year book pictures, homecoming, and then the prom, leading up to graduation day.

I was excited when my son took his senior picture and then the proofs came back with the cost of the portrait prices, ok there a little high, I can managed it. It’s his senior year anyways.

Then I get in the mail yesterday the senior ad page for the yearbook. With a nice message on it that read “As part of your child’s yearbook, a personalized ad will stand as testament of your support for years to come.

Then, the kick in the ass- for a full color page- get this-$230.00 dollars!
The lowest price is a 1/8 of a page-$90.00 which is a tiny little square!

I will spend $230.00 dollars on senior pictures
230.00 On a page for the yearbook
65.00 On the yearbook!
Total price-525.00

I love my son to death, but come on!!

The price of a Yearbook, priceless!

There is a Time and Place.
Yesterday, on Oprah , the topic was 237 reasons why people have sex. This would be a great topic for a 10:00 p.m. slot, but not at 4:00 p.m when most children under 13 are just getting home from school, and sitting down to watch television before they hit their homework.

I happened to have the television on, while I was making dinner. I could not believe some of the guests she had on her show. Some topics included open marriages, and pornography, just what you want to hear before dinner. I am far from being a prude; I watch the new HBO show, “Tell me you love me”, which should be X rated. I just watched “Knocked Up” and “Super Bad.” There is a time and place for these types of graphic shows, and 4:00 p.m. is not the time.

If this is the type of television Oprah is going to promote in the future; I would rather not watch. I don’t have young children; however, I do have young nieces and nephews who may catch some of the show by mistake. My 18 year old , left the room in disgust, after seeing an overweight woman discuss having an open relationship while her feminine husband looked on. First off, what kind of man would allow his wife to have an on going relationship with another man, exactly?

Oprah is a respectful, intelligent journalist who has been on the air for over a decade; if this is all you have left to offer, it’s time to pull the plug.

Each morning is a challenge in my life. Some day’s go smooth without a raised voice and then there are the day’s that — well shall I say are a little nut’s.

My oldest son was running around the house this morning yelling, “where are my shoes’.”
“I don’t know where, did you put them,” I yelled back spilling hot coffee down my chest.

I looked upstairs, in the garage, in his room, no shoes’.

“Just put on one of your old shoes’,” I finally say as I walk back in the kitchen.

“Mom I’m leaving,” my other son says rushing out the door, “wait”, I said as I kiss his cheek. “You brother must of left his shoes’ at the football field yesterday when he had intramural football, fifty buck’s out the window.”

I checked the car, no shoes’ anywhere. I yelled back to my oldest at the bus stop. “Check the lost and found at school,” I look down at his feet. He looks so nice except for those black, grass stained clod hopper’s he is wearing.

I hurry back inside and picked up the phone and dialed the high school.
“Penn Trafford High School Mrs. Fix speaking.”
“Mrs. Fix Jennie Nicassio, by any chance did anyone turn in my son’s shoes, he had intramural football yesterday after school and he might have left them at the field.”

“He can come in the office and check in the lost and found, she said matter of factly, “Ok–I said with a heavy sigh–.”

I get in my car and proceed to the high school. I pull in front of the field, no shoes’ anywhere. I get back home and call the high school again.
“Penn Trafford High School Mrs. Fix speaking.”
“Mrs. Fix, Jennie Nicassio calling again, can I come up in look in the lost and found.”

“Jennie we found your son’s shoes.”
“Great.”
“We just don’t know how were going to get them down.”
“Get them down, where are they?”
“Hanging up in the wire’s.”

She laughed.

She called back and said we got your son’s shoes; he just needs to get new shoelace’s because we had to cut them to get them down.

I rolled my eye’s, and took a sip from my second cup of coffee.

First our Children’s Toys, Now our Pet’s Toys

Wow! First it was our pets’ food, now China is targeting our pet’s toys. Walmart told the press earlier this week that they will start reviewing a laboratory report on two Chinese-made pet toy’s that were sold at its stores world-wide. According to a forensic toxicologist whose company tested the product’s for ConsumerAffairs.com found a high level of lead, chromium, and cadmium.

Two veterinarians’ said the level of the toxic metal’s in the toy’s were not harmful enough to pose a health risk to dog’s and cat’s; however, they were not sure about if they may pose a risk to human’s!

What’s it going to take for United States companie’s to stop importing junk from China,brain damaged children and pet’s. Companies’ have to stop being so cheap; they will risk the live’s of innocent children and animal’s for the almighty buck.

There are so many people here in the United State’s that need good job’s, these big companie’s need to stop being so greedy and put American’s back to work!

Every time you step into a dollar store you are stepping into China , look around at all the junk from China, look who is running these store’s. Maybe we should call Rosie up about this, it sounds like a conspirarcy too me.

I think the American population should boy-cott store’s who sell merchandise from China, unfortunately that most likely would be every toy-store in America.

Haven’t we learned anything from the tainted pet food, America stop buying from China.

One of the biggest companie’s who buy from China is Walmart, maybe we should boycott Walmart, and then there is Mattel, Fisherprice, Oivis Company, and Playschool to name a few.

For a full list of the toy’s and companie’s
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html

As a mother I am outraged over the tasering of a college student in Gainesville, Florida Monday.

The young man was brought down to the floor by college security guard when he attempted to speak at a forum with Senator John Kerry. Andrew Meyer, 21, wanted to ask Kerry why he did not contest the 2004 presidential election, which he lost to President Bush, and why there had been no moves to impeach Bush.

As a mother I saw a student trying to voice his concern’s about the 2004 elections, what I saw outraged me.

Andrews’ freedom of speech was violated in a violent way. As I watched in horror at the video of the arrest I was stunned, and angry at the number of police officer’s who tried to subdue Andrews’. Was it really necessary to taser him? Listening to the tape, I heard him plea not to be tasered and I heard him protest,”What did I do?”, then he was tasered.

While I was watching the 11 o’clock evening news last night in my hometown, a police tasered a high school student. When is there warrant to taser? I disagree with the tasering of the Florida college student; I feel he was unjustly arrested for wanting to question Kerry.

I disagree with the Penn Township Police in my home town for tasering a high school student. Unless there is a gun drawn, and there is imminent danger a taser should not be used. They should not be used whenever police officer’s want to prove authority.

There seems to be an epidemic of unnecessary tasering done when there does not seem to be merit. I believe these tasering are being done without regard to the person being tasered, and if the person doing the tasering is not properly trained they can cause injury and death.

While watching the Biggest Loser last night I thought about how overweight American kid’s are.

Even in my sphere almost all the kid’s are considered over weight by health official standards. Our school’s don’t have nutritious lunche’s.

Take for instance this weeks’ lunch menu at Penn Trafford School District in Harrison City , PA.

9/17:
Popcorn chicken with bread slice or hot dog on bun, green beans, pears, milk

9/18:
Spaghetti with meat sauce & bread slice or warm Italian hoagie, tossed salad, mandarin oranges, milk

9/19: Pizza Hut Day
BQ Shredded pork sandwich or french bread pizza, baby carrots with dip, peaches, milk

9/20: Middle School Pizza Hut Day
Italian Dunkers with sauce or turkey, ham & cheese double decker, seasoned green beans, red apple, milk

9/21: PTHS Pizza Hut
Nacho’s with meat, cheese & dinner roll or fish sandwich on bun, corn, pears, milk

This is why our school’s are so fat. This menu is loaded with high fat and high carbs. This menu needs to clean up its act by adding lean protein, whole wheat breads, whole wheat pasta , sauces made with tomato sauces that are made from scratch and not from a processed can. This menu is pre-packaged and too processed loaded with high fat foods.

Fruits and vegetables should be top on the list.

American children are developing adult diabetes, high blood pressure.

Schools should be bring back recess and gym class from k-12 grades; not just once a week it should be at least three times a week.

This is a problem that we all need to speak up about, at local school board meetings and stop childhood obesity. If we ignore this epidemic our children will grow up to be obese adults with a short life expectancy.

One other thing to consider fat kids get picked on, bullied, and humiliated in school. It’s not fair, unfortunately it’s the truth; ask any kid who’s been through it.

The bold and beautiful fashion icon speaks out about the “too young to model Maddison.”

Maddison Gabriel, 13 of Australia is taking over the run ways in Europe. But when is it too young to model. There seems to be something wrong with dress designers wanting to have children being exploited and exposed to such a lifestyle. Parents need to protect their daughters from the harsh world of modeling.

According to fashion icon Janice Dickson’s The worlds’s first run way model, “There’s lots of drugs, there’s lots of alcohol, there’s lots of photographers preying on these girls,” Dickinson said Tuesday on TODAY. “Thirteen is way too young.”

I could not agree with her more. Why are parents in such a hurry to have their 11, 12, 13 year old daughters to grow up. Even in the elementary schools teens are dressing much more provocative and mature for their own good. I look in my own sphere and I see 11 year olds wearing padded bras. These children have not even had their periods yet.

Society needs to look around at all the teen pregnancies and stop wondering how this could be taking place when right in their own homes their letting their children dress, and do things that are not age appropriate. When is too young to model; when they can’t legally drive to the runway, that is still too young.

Maddison just had her 13 birthday on Sunday; she recently was chosen as the “face” in the fashion world, and the ambassador of Gold Coast Fashion Week in her home town. Maddison is a beautiful young lady standing 5-feet-7; she has the look that the fashion world desires-way too sexy designed for women three times her age.

This makes me wonder.

This weekend I was watching home movies with my son. I was so disappointed after I saw the condition of some of the tapes. I decided it was time to transfer them to DVDs. There are so many services who can transfer your old home movies, super 8, to DVD. It’s worth the price because VHS and super 8 film degrade over time.

I was lucky to find my local video store in Harrison City, PA transfer video to DVD for only five dollars a DVD.

You too may have home movies in your basement or attic—degrading before your eyes- all those precious memories; your wedding, birth of your children, Christmas, and those unforgettable family vacations. You can convert them to DVDs before they fade away forever for a reasonable price.

Before you spend hundreds of dollars buying equipment, check out these related links.You should also call your local video store to see if they convert film to DVDs.

Related Links

http://www.sunrayvideo.com/film_transfer.htm
http://www.43things.com/things/view/22047
Family Guy’s home movies

PA’s Rep. Katharine Watson, R-Bucks, hopes the bill she presented to the House Transportation Committee earlier this week would prevent junior drivers, 16 and 17 from carrying more than one passenger at a time while behind the wheel.

The bill would also let police cite junior drivers if their seat belts are not buckled.

State Sen. Jim Ferlo, D- Highland Park wants to add to the proposed bill. He wants to prevent motorists of all ages from driving while talking and texting on hand-held cell phones.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but anyone who would text while driving should not be driving at all.

It’s bad enough drivers are sipping coffee, applying makeup; I am guilty of this also. But to text, is absolutely the stupidest thing. I don’t care how good you are at texting your eyes are off the road.

I am one hundred percent behind the bill. If I ever find out that my kids are texting their driving privileges will be suspended.

I also agree with limiting passengers in a vehicle for junior drivers. The more kids in car the more likely they are to be in an accident. Driving is a privilege, and should not be taken lightly.

Tonight at 9:00 p.m est., Bush will address the nation to discuss his plan for the troops in Iraq.

Earlier this week Petraeus, argued against shifting troops from their current mission of securing the population and counter terrorism to one focused strictly on counter terrorism and training the Iraqi security forces.

Bush hopes to lower the number of troops next summer.

 Our boys and girls need to come home.

What is next? Iran

 I worry about this everyday since I have two sons, one who just turned 18 yesterday. Why should we have our children murdered for a country who does not want our help.

I would like to have Bush send his daughters to Iraq. Let’s see how fast we would be out of there.

I am anxious to see how C0ngress will react to Bush’s speech.

At least 3110 U.S. military men and women have died in Iraq since March of 2003. Click below to learn more about the individuals whose names have been released by the Pentagon.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3359080/
Bring our troops home.

 Flight 93 Crash Sight

Yesterday while taking my son to work , I was listening to Thomas Burnett Sr. of Northfield, Minn., the father of the Flight 93 passenger, Tom Burnett. He was planning on taking his sons name off the Flight 93 memorial. He finds the memorial “fatally flawed.”
He was talking with KDKA radio’s, Fred Honsburger. He has concerns about the symbol on the memorial he claims it has reference to Islam. He alleges that architect Paul Murdoch’s design is a tribute to Muslims because it may contain a crescent symbol and faces Mecca.
He also stated that Alec Rawls, of Palo Alto, Calf., has written a book, “Crescent of Betrayal,” that references to a number of examples to contributes to his belief that the memorial is not a tribute to the hero’s on Flight 93, but a memento to the terrorists.
The symbol that is said to be a crescent, used on Arabic flags in various countries is what would be engraved on the Flight 93 monument. No wonder Mr. Burnett is outraged. He does not understand what motivated the designer or the government’s betrayal.
I did not lose any family members on September 11, 2001 ; I lost my sense of security, and I look at the world differently , I don’t trust so easily, and as an American I now give un American’s a second look and that is not a pleasant look but suspicious.
If I lost a son or daughter, mother, or father, brother, or sister on Flight 93 I would be dammed if there were any reference to Islam on a monument meant to serve as a testimonial to the brave men and woman who lost their lives aboard Flight 93.

Don’t give me any bull that it was a coincidence either!

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_526504.html

http://fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/2005/09/flight-93-memorial.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/02016/i_symbols.htm

Where were you when the towers came down?

Last week I read an article saying that Americans are feeling 911 fatigue.

How can we even think of such a thing in American? All of us must never forget the horror of 911. At 8: 32 a.m the first plane hit the first tower, 8:42 a.m the second plane hit the second tower.

This morning I am watching the re-broadcast of NBC coverage of 911.

I hear the trembling of Katie Couric’s, and Matt Lauer’s voice as they report on the terrorist attacks.

As I watch I remember, goose bumps cover my body and all at once I get a rush of sadness.

We must never forget the lives that were extinguished by one man’s hatred of our country and his contemptible version of an ancient religion.

September 11 at 10:00 a.m the first tower came tumbling down. All those lives brought down in an instance. Katie describes the scene as being beyond belief, her voice holding back tears; then they confirm a third plane did hit the Pentagon.

10:29 a.m . the second tower came down. A declaration of war was declared by President Bush.

All government buildings have been evacuated.

As I watch again the horrific, scene– the untold loss of life,  rage begins to take hold of my whole being.

We must never forget—

As I watch MSNBC re-broadcast I hear rain pounding down outside my window. This sets the mood—tears—from above –the tears of so many.

We must never forget—

 At 10:40 a.m. A report from wpxi in pittsburgh that a fourth plane has been brought down near somerset County .

Nothing like this should ever happen again.

We must never forget–

We must never forget–

Recently the students from Penn Trafford School District were sent home with a letter from the school nurse warning parents and students about an increase in the “staph” infection MRSA-CA.

The nurse stated in her letter that MRSA was not a problem for healthy people who’s immune system was not compromised. That statement is not true according to the Mayo Clinic. Staph infections are generally harmless unless they enter the body through a cut, or wound; however,if it’s a MRSA bacteria which is a strain that is resistant to antibiotics a healthy person who does not clean the wound properly may develop the infection.

One of the few antibiotics effective against the strain is in Vancomycin; however, the drug may not work in all cases.

MRSA was first detected in the 1990’s in hospitals when the Staph infections started to outwit antibiotics.

“Staph bacteria are normally found on the skin or in the nose of about one-third of the population. If you have staph on your skin or in your nose but aren’t sick, you are said to be “colonized” , but not infected with MRSA. Healthy people can be colonized with MRSA and have no ill effects, however, they can pass the germ to others”(http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mrsa/DS00735

MRSA is responsible for many serious skin, soft tissue infections and for a serious form of pneumonia.

I don’t think MRSA-CA( METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREAU) IS THE PROBLEM .

THE PROBLEM IS OUR SCHOOLS ARE FILTHY!

You can put shiny new paint on classroom walls the start of each new school year, cover the floors with new carpet, but this only masks the real problem. The problem is ,our schools are dirty, bacteria ridden, mold infectious breeding grounds.

Instead of spending money on athletic equipment such as, Nike spikes , full body gear for all the players of the football team; schools should be spending money on a professional cleaning service who are trained in professonal cleaning and sanitizing procedures.

Why cut costs on our children’s health.

While studying for my undergraduate degree I worked as a substitute administrative assistant and I spent time as a cafeteria monitor. I saw first hand how dirty the schools really were.

I witnessed cafeteria workers using filthy towels that reek on the lunch tables that our children ate at. I saw bathrooms that were dirtier than some rest stops on the turnpike. The inmates at the county jail probably have cleaner bathrooms.

The schools are too warm. They should be kept cool; germs spread in warm confined enviroments. Tempertures in the elementary schools are about 72 degrees and higher, this too warm. Carpets should be ripped up and replaced with tile or wood. Carpets are havens for all types of bacteria.

I know for a fact that some football players in the past had left their sweaty practice uniform, and pads in their locker room for weeks at a time without washing them; no wonder MSRA spreads throughout the football team every year.

Signs and Symptoms of Staph and MRSA

Staph and MRSA usually begins with a small pump that resembles a pimple, boil or even a spider bite. They rapidly develop into a very painful abscess that needs to be drained. Sometimes the bacteria remains confined to the skin but may travel to the deep tissue, bones , joints. Eventually if may works it way into major organs that could lead to death.

The causes of MRSA are man-made.

Unnecessary antibiotic use in humans

Antibiotics in food and water

Germ mutation

Good hand washing and hygiene will prevent the spread of MRSA and other infections. Tell you children never share any personal items with anyone.

Links to better school health.
http://www.advocatesforchildren.org/pubs/HealthySchools_2005.pdf

http://www.advocatesforchildren.org/pubs/HealthySchools_2005.pdf

http://eetd.lbl.gov/ie/pdf/LBNL-48287.pdf

MRSA links

http://www.healthline.com/blogs/outdoor_health/2006/10/mrsa.html

http://www.mrsanotes.com/brandon-staffords-mrsa-story/

I think there are many misconceptions, and stereotypes surrounding college life. We have to break free from how the media portrays college students. At least , I hope they are not a bunch of “American Pie” Extra’s” running around  college campus.

Then there is the horror of the Virginia Tech Massacre, and other College tragedies that smeared newspapers in the past.

College life should be about learning and having a great time . College students just have to know how to balance the two.  Students can have a wonderful, fulfilling experience while embarking on their college adventure.

Whether your high school senior decides to go away to college or commute it is a big change from high school. They will need the  love and support from parents. The transition from high school to college starts now so good habits need to be developed before that last school bell rings in June, and that graduation cap flies in the wind.

Here are some great link to explore :

How is College different than High School http://www.smu.edu/alec/transition.html

Making the transition from High School to.college http://www2.umt.edu/ucoll/newfreshmen/transition.htm

Helping your child with the transtion from high school to college.

http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=1108

American Pie Classic