Thoughts on the "Parents, You've Been Lied To" Articles.

My thoughts on the back-and-forth

A pro-vaccine article has been circulating lately; you may have seen it, entitled "Dear Parents, You Are Being Lied To."  Hosted on the Illustrious "I F-ing Love Science" page, authored by "Anonymous," you can tell it's a real winner... a friend asked for my thoughts on it, so here are a few thoughts as well as some links you can check out to do your own research.  [An excellent, well-supported (full of links!!) rebuttal can be found here:  "Dear Parents, you are being lied to."]

- The article title begs the question-- who, exactly, is doing the lying?  The article never says... because makes no sense. There is no organized "they" who is financially or otherwise served by sending out lies... People who are cautious about vaccines or doubtful that they are worth their inherent risk (all drugs have risk & side effects) have either seen negative effects of vaccines first-hand or they've been researchers who changed their minds as they read for themselves. People who don't view vaccines as the modern savior are generally challenged at every turn & very much in the minority. On the flipside, there is a very strong bias-pressure to love vaccines, with our own CDC almost completely composed of men & women employed by vaccine manufacturing companies. There is a definite group of people who stand to gain by encouraging vaccines. Parents who choose not to face many obstacles, and health professionals who speak out face even more.  Here is a great article comparing the vaccine-SIDS question to the x-ray-cancer question a generation ago.

- The "measles outbreak" that caused such a hubbub was at the time of the outbreak, 8 kids... none of whom died. The totals for measles the entire year for the entire US last year was under 200... hardly the panic-worthy epidemic the media implies. Measles IS very mild in healthy kids; comparing it to measles in malnourished kids is totally unfair. It's documented that a Vitamin A deficiency (a fat-soluble vitamin, so one lacking in any starvation, carb-heavy, diet) makes measles far more serious. In normal kids it's usually about as "serious" as a cold...

"Several recent investigations have indicated that vitamin A treatment of children with measles in developing countries has been associated with reductions in morbidity and mortality. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) issued a joint statement recommending that vitamin A be administered to all children diagnosed with measles in communities where vitamin A deficiency is a recognized problem and where mortality related to measles is ≥1%. [...] Vitamin A is a necessary substrate for preserving epithelial cell integrity and in addition plays a role in immune modulation." (Study: "Vitamin A Treatment of Measles")

"Vitamin A deficiency is a recognized risk factor for severe measles infections." (Study: "Vitamin A for Treating Measles in Children") 

- As far as safety tests go, there are NO-- literally zero-- vaccine studies where there is a vaccine-free control group. All required shots are tested against another shot, never against a placebo (with the exception of the flu shot). So these tests can only say that a shot is more or less safe or effective than another shot... a true double-blind study with a control group is the "gold standard" of science. Also, vaccines have never been tested in conjunction with one another; they are tested one at a time, though they are administered 5 at a time (or more), and in quick succession (within a few short months of each other-- we'd expect someone who had a cold and then got the flu and then got strep to react to each differently than a person who just got strep). There is no safety data at all on the type of administration that is the recommended norm here in the US.  Two recent studies have found correlations in infant death and vaccine numbers:

"The US childhood immunization schedule requires 26 vaccine doses for infants aged less than 1 year, the most in the world, yet 33 nations have better infant mortality rates (IMRs). Using linear regression, the immunization schedules of these 34 nations were examined and a correlation coefficient of 0.70 (p < 0.0001) was found between IMRs and the number of vaccine doses routinely given to infants. [...] These findings demonstrate a counter-intuitive relationship: nations that require more vaccine doses tend to have higher infant mortality rates." (Source-- this study examined infant deaths relative to number of total vaccines recommended) 

"Our findings show a positive correlation between the number of vaccine doses administered and the percentage of hospitalizations and deaths reported to VAERS. In addition, younger infants were significantly more likely than older infants to be hospitalized or die after receiving vaccines. Since vaccines are administered to millions of infants every year, it is imperative that health authorities have scientific data from synergistic toxicity studies on all combinations of vaccines that infants are likely to receive; universal vaccine recommendations must be supported by such studies."  (Source-- this study examined infant hospitalizations & death relative to number of simultaneous vaccines received)

- As to WHY there are no studies comparing vaccinated & unvaccinated kids,vaccines are considered so essential to safety that to withhold them -- even on tests intended to ascertain whether they are indeed essential to safety-- is seen as "unethical." Talk about the cart before the horse! However, many parental groups have offered up their members as volunteers, because they already intend to not vaccinate.  Populations who refuse to vaccinate for religious reasons, such as the Amish, would be valid control groups, or for a new vaccine, even children otherwise vaccinated but receiving a placebo for that new shot (which is clearly not proven to be effective or safe!) would be acceptable. Or, start with a retrospective survey of matched groups of children, controlled for other variables, with the variable being full vaccination or no vaccination... so long as the study participation was in no way tied to the government (due to fear of punitive action over differing medical opinion being viewed as "parental neglect"-- Justina Pelletier, anyone?), most parents who have foregone vaccines would jump at the chance to participate!!  If I can imagine three scenarios for true placebo-controlled studies, why can't professional researchers who make scientific investigation their full-time jobs come up with even one?

-  Funding for studies coming from a vaccine manufacturer tends to bias results.  As an example, a recent Cochrane review of all the data on flu shots found that studies sponsored by vaccine companies tended to be more favorable than those done by independent parties. Third-party-researchers do exist-- or teams made up of both "special interest" (vaccine-cautionary) and pharmaceutical (pro-vaccine) representatives could do it. There are a hundred feasible ways that fair testing could be done.  While all researchers SHOULD be trying to disprove their hypothesis, in reality most are likely to attempt to affirm their own beliefs. However anything that comes up with a vaccine-cautionary bent will face much more scrutiny than anything done in "support" of the majority opinion.

"This review includes trials funded by industry. An earlier systematic review of 274 influenza vaccine studies published up to 2007 found industry-funded studies were published in more prestigious journals and cited more than other studies independently from methodological quality and size. Studies funded from public sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favourable to the vaccines. The review showed that reliable evidence on influenza vaccines is thin but there is evidence of widespread manipulation of conclusions and spurious notoriety of the studies. The content and conclusions of this review should be interpreted in the light of this finding." (Source-- Cochrane Review on Vaccines for Preventing the Flu in Healthy Children")

- Speaking of funding... does it not strike you as odd that drug companies only agreed to make vaccines (drugs) if they were financially shielded from any safety-related lawsuits?  If an automobile maker would only sell a type of car under the condition that they didn't have to pay any damages if it malfunctioned, we'd probably assume there was something wrong with the car!  This piece makes the excellent case that, in the words of pharmaceutical companies themselves, vaccines are "unavoidably unsafe."

- A final word regarding specifically the investigation of a link between autism and vaccines.  It is lunacy to say there is "no found link."  Just read a few of the studies amassed here (a fairly exhaustive list of research done on vaccines & their long-term effects, specifically ASD).  There is research on many aspects of this issue, and none show "no link."

Halloween, All Hallow's Eve (All Saints Day), and Reformation Day

Liam is always so observant!

Happy Halloween, All Hallow's Eve, and Reformation Day!! We're still not sure what exactly our family take on this cultural, church & historical holiday will be, but it will be a lot of fun... and will probably be a combo of all three.  Whatever we decide, we want to celebrate the day on purpose-- in a way that is distinctly Christ-honoring and distinctly Szrama! :)  We want to enjoy a fun American tradition as well as use it as a chance to reach out to our neighbors and bless them.  We definitely want to be DIFFERENT than "the world" but that comes out most of all in our attitudes, character, and treatment of others.  "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, that your houses remain dark on Halloween..." oh wait, I mean, "by your love for one another."  Christians definitely have a whole spectrum of takes on this particular holiday, and as long as each practices their conviction in love and not fear, they can do so in a way that honors the Lord.

Some articles I've been reading and thinking through...

-- from the intentional avoidance perspective, by Dr. Albert Mohler (president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)
-- from the exuberant celebration of Reformation Day/selective Halloween perspective, by Douglas Wilson (pastor & author, and one of our favorite religious/political/social commentary bloggers)
-- from the redeeming Halloween as a cultural and church holiday, by Jason Gray (Christian singer-songwriter & Rabbit Room member)
-- from the observation of the church holiday All Saints Day (All Hallow's Eve =Halloween) perspective, from the American Vision group

I really appreciate how that last article ties together the three simultaneous events:  Reformation Day, All Saints Day and Halloween in this way:

"Thus, the defeat of evil and of demonic powers is associated with Halloween. For this reason, Martin Luther posted his 95 challenges to the wicked practices of the Church to the bulletin board on the door of the Wittenberg chapel on Halloween. He picked his day with care, and ever since Halloween has also been Reformation Day."

Made Your Flu Shot Lately?

Ok, so I find this both hilarious and profoundly gross. Twice I dry-heaved while watching it, even as I was laughing my head off. But that might be because I'm pregnant. Ryan kept telling me "it's not even real, it's just water in the blender..." Anyway, here's a humorous reminder of what you might be about to shoot directly into your bloodstream or up your child's nose.

Let the Buyer Beware (in both food & health care)

On fast food... know that just because it's called "natural," it doesn't have to actually be "natural."  Take Wendy's "Natural Cut Fries," for instance... apparently the fries' CUT is "natural," not the fries themselves...

On health care... know that one in three hospitalized patients experiences an error in treatment in the U.S.  (I know, that is a REALLY high percentage!)  If & when you or a loved one goes to the hospital, make sure you either are prepared to be an advocate or have an advocate who is committed to cross-checking orders, prescriptions, meds, and care options! If you know you'll be headed to the hospital, research as much as you can about your condition, procedure, treatment options, and names of health practitioners whose opinions you especially trust. A place with so many shift changes and overlapping areas of responsibility is bound to be prone to error!

Beautiful, Oops!

Just a note on this post:  you might start out wondering why it's here, instead of at my book-review blog (www.mamaszrama.com), because it does start off being about a really cool new children's book.  But bear with me, because it's not actually about this book, cool as it is.

This little book has recently captured my fancy.  Called Beautiful, Oops!, it is a whole new type of pop-up book, celebrating the potential in every "mistake."  The book itself is a study in creativity-- totally thinking "outside the box."  This would be a GREAT way to start a discussion with your children on God as Redeemer; One who reclaims for Himself what is captive, ugly and wrong, making it beautiful, holy and right by His very presence.  Watch a video of it here.

Our culture prefers the word "mistake."  It's somehow easier to say than "sin."  It doesn't imply evil, just misunderstanding or poor judgement.  Maybe even accidental action or inaction.  And we make a lot of those (I know I do).  Several times I've heard friends try to pass off a serious hurtful sin as "one mistake" lately.  Well, it was a mistake... and it was also a sin.  Bearing this in mind, that labeling something a "mistake" doesn't let us off the hook where repentance is concerned, this little book contains a lot of truth.  The first way to go about seeing something beautiful come from a sinful mistake always must be repentance; an admission of guilt, an apology, an asking for forgiveness from the offended party AND from God, and a resolve to turn from that sin and do the opposite. With our pride gone and forgiveness granted we are free to be amazed at how God weaves our mistake, our weakness, our sin, into a glorious tapestry of grace and joy.

This has got me thinking...thinking about a blog post written by a friend of mine who just found out that his youngest adopted son, whom he will soon bring home from Ethiopia, was conceived in rape.  Woah.  Talk about sobering.  By my friend's account, the girl was quite young-- some might still call her a little girl-- and she was violently assaulted, violated by a sick man's lust, never to be innocent again.  Talk about a "mistake." That doesn't even do it justice-- that wasn't a mistake; it was sin; despicable, awful, terrible, harmful, the stench of death.  Yet, out of that terror-inducing, evil, agonizing violence God brought a beautiful thing:  someone made in His Own Image.  Wow.  From one man's wicked act God brought life, and in His mercy the girl bearing that life prized it above her own comfort.  She carried her son, gave birth, and then did everything in her power to see that her son --the baby she never asked for from a man she had every right to hate-- was cared for.  And she went away happy. That girl -so young, so poor, so far away- whose name I do not know has become one of my heroes as a mother.

What did God bring out of an evil, disgusting sin?  First of all, a baby boy, fearfully and wonderfully made.  Secondly, the joy of a desperately poor young Ethiopian mother, who has peace in her heart and on her face in knowing that she sacrificed herself for her son.  Thirdly, the delight of my friends, who have a son to love and hold and teach.  Fourthly, the enrichment of his brother and two sisters, who will now grow up sharing all their memories with him.  Think of the aunts, the uncles, the cousins, the grandparents, the friends, the school teachers, the doctors, the nurses whom he will touch... The list will go on and on as this child grows.  His parents are bound to Cameroon to translate Scripture there; it could be that he will save the lives-- physical or spiritual-- of thousands there; time only will tell.

Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God?  You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20)

You can read even more "Beautiful Oops" stories here, as 4 adoptive parents recount the miracles that brought their precious children into their arms.  I love the pictures of these smiling babies that are beside each story (I have held and changed several of the children featured!).  One of the most striking paragraphs to me:

Shortly after our son Isaiah was born, he was abandoned in a high school.  He was found sobbing and with the umbilical cord still attached by a man named Teshome.  We will forever be thankful for his kindness in saving our son’s life!  He took Isaiah to the police, and from there he was sent to an orphanage.  We are often brought to tears thinking about how close Isaiah came to death.  He is such a happy, curious, strong boy and brings us so much joy and delight.  We praise the Lord for protecting his life and allowing us to be his parents!

Contrast that with this view of mistakes:


Oh Lord, keep us from the arrogance that would make us judges of the effects of sin-- either our own or one inflicted upon us. Give us hearts dedicated to Redemption; determined and expectant to see You work unimaginable beauty from our ashes!

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." (Isaiah 61:3)

A Toast to the Yearly-Weds

--Edit-- a good post on a similar topic can be found here.  It has several analogies to help you think through (or maybe guide your child or mentee through) purity before the Lord!

A year ago today my sister and her best friend woke up as Mr. Samuel & Mrs. Lauren Pond for the first time.  In a bizzare twist of fate-- i.e. God's sovereign sense of humor-- their legal names would sound equally unfamiliar to their friends, as both go by their middle names... and since their second names contain most of the same letters, we call them collectively "Nicolin."  Yes, this time last year my mom, dad, and sister Anna were still reeling in post-wedding shock, and trying to internalize the knowledge that the eternally-messy bedroom to the far right of the stairs was in one sense empty forever... though (hehhe) its occupant has left many a sign of her long residency, much to my mom's chagrin (it still hasn't been cleaned out.).

I think it's safe to say that any guest at the Thompson-Pond rehearsal dinner, wedding, or reception, was treated to an amazing party. I've never had more fun at any rehearsal dinner-- the dancing was, well, for lack of a better word, amazing.  It was hands-down the best New Year's celebration I've ever been to!  Both families know how to boogie, and the late-night-festive atmosphere was enough to bring out even our shyer friends to the dance floor in droves.  Oh so fun.  There were toasts a-plenty, with lots of laughs and even a few tears... the sister in me could not resist a roast, I dredged up an old email from a teenaged-Nicole in which she outlined her plan to be married and pregnant with her fourth child by the time I found a suitor at all and read pertinent portions aloud.  As guests could see MY husband and 3 month old daughter while I read, the irony was not lost.  We (Anna & I) followed that up with a musical number of our own composition... it began "She was getting behind on the plan/ getting desperate to locate a man..." and poked fun at my sister and now-brother-in-law's unusual meeting and courtship.  It was a pretty catchy tune, and Anna & I had way too much fun singing it.


The wedding was gorgeous-- flowers and candles which many talented folks had spent the week arranging, unique music, a Gospel-centered ceremony, awesomely cool vows (hehehe there is a story there), my dad crying his eyes out (he's a softie when it comes to his daughters), a bazillion little cousins in tiny suits and flower girl dresses, and my bubbly, friend-to-everyone sister as a bride radiant with happiness.  The reception was tamer than the rehearsal dinner, but was still a blast, full of old friends and family come from far away; good food and more great music (like my sister Anna's performance with a family friend for the couple's first dance).  Dancing, talking, photo shoots, food, nursing my refluxy, grumpy baby in a bathroom stall and gladly handing her off to auntie after auntie, and all of a sudden, we were blowing bubbles on Prince Charming and Snow White as they sailed past, then... they were gone.

My husband got me and the baby home, where we collapsed still-dressed on the bed.  I got to thinking... about how right everything had been, from their courtship to their wedding ceremony to their send-off, and that amidst all the toasting and the roasting, the dancing, and the music, that I hadn't really heard or said much to honor them.  I resolved to correct that with a blog post... but, well, between the 4-state-drive home and two more months of acid reflux in Eowyn, then an absolutely travel-packed summer (we were away more than we were home)... it never happened.  So now, it's finally time.  :)


Nicole & Colin, I want to honor you for walking in purity and in righteousness.  You guys did so many things right.  Two years of dating under parental supervision... Colin even agreed to book/Bible studies with my dad (his girlfriend's father... woah talk about intimidating).  A commitment to a God-honoring ceremony and an engagement period that honored each other.  You have each always had an attitude of doing what was best for the other, not just yourself.  I'm not saying that you were perfect, that it was a flawlessly smooth road between starting to like each other and driving away as Mr. & Mrs.-- there were plenty of blow-ups and frustrations and eye-rollings, and "seriously, Dad!?"s, and lots of times where y'all wished you were already married and the whole dating/engaged phase was just OVER.  But I am confident that God the Father was smiling as you got married, and that angels were cheering & devils were booing at your triumph over the overwhelming worldly pressures to compromise and rebel.  There wasn't any "oh I hope no one ever finds out about __" in your eyes as you watched each other during the ceremony.


Little saddens me more than to see our culture's acceptance & encouragement of promiscuity & independence at the cost of parental authority.  Yeah, that was a mouthful, I know... but think about it.  What romantic comedy have you seen recently in which the happily-ever-after couple didn't sleep together before they were married?  ... yeah... can't think of one, either, aside from Jane Austen novels. Today, it's expected that one way you show that you are a grown-up, one way that you show you really love each other, is that you sleep together and see if the sparks fly.  I have seen a lot of shows in which parents tell their kids that they shouldn't sleep with someone "until they are ready," or "unless you really love each other."  I haven't seen any in which parents told them that being "in love" & "ready" meant that you were wearing a wedding band on your finger.  What movie has the star-crossed-lovers listening to and honoring their loving, wonderful parents as they date?


In real life, promiscuity doesn't lead to happy-ever-afters.  Refusal to listen to parents isn't smart or wise.  I can think of literally dozens of friends of mine who went against their parent's advice or other godly counsel and dated that guy or that girl, and are now hurting and full of regrets.  By contrast, I know of only two couples who went against their parents' wishes and have "lived to tell the tale," and in both cases they had the backing of their churches and Scripture, and it was their families who were in the wrong.  I've seen people who lived together torn up inside by a break-up, bleeding and wounded as if they had gotten a divorce.  Promiscuity leads to shame, to deep heart-ache, to lonliness, to disease, to pregnancies (or even worse, abortions), to brides feeling like filthy hypocrites in their white wedding gowns.  And even if you make it through "unscathed," there's still the opinion of God to consider.  Deep down every human knows that He is watching, that He does care, and that there will be a reckoning.  God's laws aren't arbitrary; they are set up for our own greater joy!  (Please don't misunderstand: in no way do I want to minimize God's forgiveness, of any sin or even sinful life pattern-- "His love can make the foulest clean; His blood availed for me!"  Whenever there is repentance, there is forgiveness and a new beginning-- "the vilest offender who truly believes/ that moment from Jesus forgiveness receives./Praise the Lord!")


Purity isn't prudishness.  Honoring your parents and obeying them even in your dating relationship isn't a sign of weakness or immaturity.  Both take far more courage, prayer, and supernatural grace than giving in to what comes naturally.  The reward, though, is a wedding day like you two had:  one in which there were no regrets.


I raise my glass to you, and to the warriors behind you whose fervent prayers kept you walking in the Light.

Option 3 (Preventing the Flu Thru Vitamin D)

So... Option 3.  If you can avoid both the flu AND the vaccine, you won't get it, you won't pass it on to anybody, AND you won't expose your kids and yourself to toxins and possibly have to neglect your own responsibilities due to a flu-like-non-flu that feels like the flu even if you aren't contagious (or another strain of the flu).  Naturally (haha punny), wash your hands and don't make out with people who are sick. :)  STAY HOME if you get the flu!  Have your kids wash their hands and learn to sneeze into their elbows instead of their hands.  Cut back on sugar, which absolutely KILLS your immune system.  Eat lots of immune system boosters, like garlic!  And, my favorite: have you thought about Vitamin D? Here are some excerpts from the linked article by Dr. J.J. Cannell:

"Could vitamin D be the reason none of my patients got the flu? In the last several years, dozens of medical studies have called attention to worldwide vitamin D deficiency, especially among African Americans and the elderly, the two groups most likely to die from influenza. [...]

"We proposed that annual fluctuations in vitamin D levels explain the seasonality of influenza. The periodic seasonal fluctuations in 25-hydroxy-vitamin D levels, which cause recurrent and predictable wintertime vitamin D deficiency, predispose human populations to influenza epidemics. We raised the possibility that influenza is a symptom of vitamin D deficiency in the same way that an unusual form of pneumonia (pneumocystis carinii) is a symptom of AIDS. That is, we theorized that George Bernard Shaw was right when he said, "the characteristic microbe of a disease might be a symptom instead of a cause."  

 [...] as vitamin D deficiency has repeatedly been associated with many of the diseases of civilization, we point out that it is not too early for physicians to aggressively diagnose and adequately treat vitamin D deficiency. We recommend that enough vitamin D be taken daily to maintain 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels at levels normally achieved through summertime sun exposure (50 ng/ml). For many persons, such as African Americans and the elderly, this will require up to 5,000 units daily in the winter and less, or none, in the summer, depending on summertime sun exposure.

  Read this article by Dr. Miller, cardiovascular surgeon at University of Washington in Seattle, in which he describes its flu-preventative effect, as well as its overall benefits. A snippet:

Explanations for why flu epidemics occur in the winter when it is cold – people being indoors in close contact, drier air dehydrating mucus and preventing the body from expelling virus particles, the virus lingering longer on exposed surfaces, like doorknobs, with colder temperatures – do not explain why flu epidemics occur in the tropics.

Something that can explain why flu epidemics also occur both in warm and cold climates is this: During a flu epidemic, wherever it may be, the atmosphere blocks ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from the Sun. In the temperate zones above latitude 35 degrees North and South, the sun is at a low enough angle in the winter that the ozone layer in the atmosphere absorbs and blocks the short-wavelength (280–315 nanometers) UVB rays. In the tropics during the wet season, thick rain clouds block UVB rays.  

Skin contains a cholesterol derivative, 7-dehydrocholesterol. UVB radiation on skin breaks open one of the carbon rings in this molecule to form vitamin D.

Go on, read the article!! :) Here's a list of natural vitamin D sources (fish, egg yolk, liver, dairy products).  The most potent seems to be unfiltered fermented cod liver oil, which my daughter loves, but I find disgusting...so I recommend the capsules or the gummies. Vitamin D is naturally present in the milk of grass-fed, pastured cows, and thus in pastured butter and cheese.  However it is destroyed by pasteurization, which is why it is artificially added back in. Vitamin D is also present in pastured lard.

 I really like how Dr. Miller concludes:

Avoid sugar. It suppresses immunity. Avoid Omega-6 vegetable oils (corn, safflower, sunflower, peanut, canola, and soybean oil). Americans consume 50 times more of these oils than are necessary for good health. In this amount they are powerful immune suppressants. Take a well-balanced multivitamin/mineral capsule on a daily basis. Eat garlic. Manage stress. Exercise. Get enough rest. And wash your hands. Viruses spread most often from touching contaminated objects, like doorknobs, phones, shared computer keyboards, and shaking hands.

She'll Be Comin' Round the Autumn When She Comes...

... the seasonal flu, that is!

I have lots to think about from the conference I attended this past weekend (Relevant), with lots of effects on my blog... but so far I don't know what to do, so you'll get a rather underwhelming post about vitamin D and flu prevention.

Ok, so the seasonal flu is about to hit.  We have 3 options:

1. Do nothing, and just hope for the best-- either to tough it out, or to just hope it misses us somehow.
2. Try to prevent it via the flu vaccine (which every bulletin board seems to recommend)
3. Try to prevent it via natural methods.

I think we'd all agree that the flu is bad, even though it usually isn't a big deal.  It's no fun, and in vulnerable individuals (especially the elderly), it can lead to other more serious diseases like pneumonia. There is also a link between autism (and other mental diseases) and children born to moms who had the flu at certain times in  pregnancy (when the baby's brain was developing). And even if it's no big deal for you to get the flu, my friends Sarah & Kira have pointed out to me that it could be "a big deal" if you pass it on to more vulnerable people.  This info seems to suggest that Option 1 isn't really a good one.

But is it better to pursue Option 2 or Option 3?  To know we need to ask two more questions:  Is the flu vaccine effective at actually preventing the flu? and Are flu vaccines safe?  Those could each be a blog post in and of themselves.  Briefly, let me try to handle these:

Is the flu vaccine effective at actually preventing the flu? 
Advocates of the vaccine say that it lowers deaths among the elderly by as much as 50%, but a recent study found that this reduction is actually mostly do to other factors (socioeconomic especially).

"The study found that people who were healthy and conscientious about staying well were the most likely to get an annual flu shot. Those who are frail may have trouble bathing or dressing on their own and are less likely to get to their doctor’s office or a clinic to receive the vaccine. They are also more likely to be closer to death." (NY Times article from Sept 2008)

Also, there doesn't seem to be actual lowering of pneumonia occurrence in older people who have the flu shot (which is the #1 cause of "flu" deaths). For little kids, there is a significant reduction in confirmed flu (kids who are taken to the doctor and get a flu test)...but not much reduction in "flu-like symptoms" (parent didn't necessarily take them to the doctor to get a confirmed test).  Whether those were 'systemic reactions' (non-contagious reactions to the vaccine- still miserable) or an actual full-blown flu from a strain not in the vaccine (contagious AND miserable) was not tested in the study.  Remember just how fast flu viruses mutate:

A vaccine formulated for one year may be ineffective in the following year, since the influenza virus evolves rapidly, and new strains quickly replace the older ones. (wikipedia)

Another study looked at whether the flu shot made a difference in child hospitalization due to the flu and flu-caused secondary infections, and found that it didn't.  I couldn't find good studies that compared flu incidences between matched vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.  If you know of one, please put it in the comments!

Are flu vaccines safe?
Here's the big question... As far as pregnant women go, the link between flu and autism in their unborn babies actually comes from the baby's exposure to the flu ANTIBODIES (the mom's immune system reaction), not the actual flu itself.

 "Surprisingly, the finger of blame does not point at the virus itself. Since influenza infection is generally restricted to the mother's respiratory tract, the team speculated that what acts as the mediator is not the mother's infection per se but something in her immune response to it."  (source.) 

This is a big warning sign, because the goal of flu vaccines is to trigger the same immune system reaction as the flu itself!  So...flu vaccine a really really BAD idea for pregnant moms... and so is the flu.

These researchers are concerned about the effects of flu vaccines on babies:

" It was surprising to find only one study of inactivated vaccine in children under two years, given recent recommendations to vaccinate healthy children from six months old in the USA and Canada. If immunisation in children is to be recommended as public-health policy, large-scale studies assessing important outcomes and directly comparing vaccine types are urgently required." 

Also, most flu shots contain mercury (the single-use kind which are more expensive, don't), formaldehyde, aluminum, triton x-100 (a detergent), phenol, ethelyne glycol (antifreeze), and various antibiotics. Those aren't exactly health foods.

To sum it up:  for the elderly-- you risk getting a "systemic reaction" that feels just as awful as the flu, and could cause just as much weight loss and strain on a fragile system, from a vaccine- sure, you might not pass it on to another elderly person, but at your age you need to be concerned with your own vulnerable health, not another's. You can get a strain of the flu you weren't inoculated against despite your getting the vaccine. You also don't get any lowered chances of dying of flu-caused-pneumonia, nor dying earlier.  It doesn't sound like the shot would be worth it to an older person.  For pregnant women- flu antibodies are very dangerous to your developing child, whether they come after a vaccine-induced reaction or a full-blown flu.  Both the flu and the shot are bad news.  For infants (0-2)- lack of studies on the effect of the flu vaccine (even the "killed" or attenuated versions) on this age group is troublesome.  The baby is the most vulnerable to infection (natural flu), yet his neurological system is still developing and is vulnerably super-responsive to anything that triggers an immune reaction (a shot). Mercury and other toxins are particularly harmful to these tiniest of bodies (so much higher a concentration for them). Also, studies did not show any difference between a shot & a placebo in preventing the flu in this age group. I would not/do not want my baby to get either the vaccine or the actual flu. If my child reacted to the flu shot (systemically), I'd always regret making him suffer when there was a chance he could have avoided the flu entirely. For children- the vaccine doesn't reduce the chances of flu-caused hospitalization, nor of flu-like symptoms (meaning their parent didn't get a flu test).  Does a kid (or their parents) care if he feels miserable but isn't contagious?  Children are quite likely exposed to more strains of the flu than anyone, so gaining partial immunity against 2 or 3 isn't really very comforting, especially when you realize that flu manufacturers have to guess ahead of time what strains will hit hardest, and that's different in every area.

That leaves adults--  the ones most able to fight off the flu on their own...and least susceptible to vaccine-damage.  Ironically, this is the group least targeted for vaccination campaigns.  Remember that being vaccinated against the flu, even with the best possible outcome of no reaction beyond a sore arm, only gives you partial, temporary immunity against 2-3 strains of the flu.  You could still get a new or unusual strain at any time...and pass it on to others.  (Immuno-suppressed people such as asthmatics and chemo patients is another topic, which I am not equipped to handle at the moment.)

I will deal with Option 3 in a following post.

Supporting Freedom

Forget all the movies starring strippers who choose that life "because it makes them feel good about themselves."  This post is about the ugly truth of sex as business.  It's often forced-- either through outright slavery, desperation, or abuse that leaves the woman feeling as if she has no other option. Often even those women there "by choice" were not introduced to prostitution, stripping, dancing, pornography, etc., voluntarily.  Regardless of their backgrounds, like every person apart from Christ's Rescue, women enmeshed in the sex trade or industry are slaves-- slaves to sin and to Satan, a dark evil master who wants only their destruction.

The sex trade-- it isn't just in exotic nations full of harems.  It isn't just grown women.  It's children, all over the world, even in our own nation.  All around us, both near and far.  There are terrified and hurting women, girls and boys.  What are we going to do about it?

There are organizations made up of people who want to imitate Christ by literally rescuing slaves.  Many of you may have read my post on the plight of "porn stars" in the AMERICAN porn industry.  Here in Louisville,  an organization called Scarlet Hope actively pursues women in the sex industry, showing them kindness, respect, and the compassion of Christ every week.  A Derek Webb & Sandra McCracken concert is scheduled locally to benefit this ministry.  The Pink Cross Foundation is a nation-wide ministry with similar goals.

If it's the people-- especially those literally enslaved-- in foreign nations that God lays on your heart, my friend & fellow blogger Jeanette posted some links to these organizations, which could become Christmas gift sources!  Punjammies are fun, beautiful clothing items made by Indian women escaping prostitution.  Ransomwear sells clothing, purses and hats made by women and girls escaping the sex trade in Nepal. Made By Survivors is similar, selling jewelry, bags, and handmade rugs.  All of these organizations have fairly interactive websites, where you can donate directly or get involved in other ways.  Please check them out.

Hoppity Hop Hop Hop

Revisiting home means revisiting an old sensitive issue...

Church hopping.  Throwing in the towel, giving up and moving on.

Two articles on the topic which I thought were helpful.

"First, we become critical consumers. “As consumers we reserve the right to pass judgment on the products and services we use, and the companies that service us begin to cater to our demands. ‘The customer is always right’ may work well at McDonald’s, but in a church it undermines the authority of the Word of God and the leaders God has called to represent Him. We do not go to a particular church to decide whether that church is doing everything right, but to hear from God and humbly find out where we went wrong that week in our own lives and what we need to do to make it right.” 
Second, we become invisible spectators. “Church-hopping turns you into a nondescript pewsitter. A number. A statistic. When you’re shopping around, you never stay in one place long enough to know anybody or be known. We like this because we have gotten into a habit of being anonymous in our culture. Church-hopping helps protect anonymity we already possess, and it keeps us alone.” 
Third, we become detached from what we are. “When you were a child, did you ever make a church with your hands folded together, forefingers pointed up like a steeple and all your fingers interlocked inside? Remember opening your hands to see all the people?  Well, that’s exactly it. We are the church. You and I are the fingers and toes and eyes and ears of the body of Christ. To be only a spectator in church is to detach yourself from who you are — like cutting off your fingers.”              --thinkpoint blog

I think it's interesting to contrast the above quote (especially point 2) with this one:

"...church hopping is about more than generational differences.  "It's a values issue more than a generational one," says Brad Sargent, a Baptist who studies ministry in the postmodern era. Futurist Cassidy Dale agrees. "I think often when people church hop, they're looking for spiritual hooks. They want to be drawn in deeper. They're looking for spiritual depth."

He pauses, then drops the bomb. "Many churches don't offer this."  --Beliefnet article

Maybe I'll email Dr. Moore or Dr. Mohler and ask him about it...

Then I can link to it and tag all my church-hopping friends on Facebook. Ok, just kidding about that last part.

The Victims of Porn

There is little I hate more than pornography. 

I hate what it does to marriages, to men who look at it, to their wives and to their children. 

I hate how it takes unwitting little children from innocent to never-able-to-get-those-images-out-of-my-head in a matter of seconds.  Just like that, a piece of their innocence is irritrivably stolen, all because they picked up a magazine or clicked a computer link.

I hate what it does to the Kingdom of God.  One of my pastors once described counseling godly young men who should be out on the mission field but can't be, because they can't stop looking at porn.  That made me cry and cry and cry.

I hate how it is so pervasive in our culture, almost ok.  It's even worse in Europe, where ads with half-clad women are on billboards everywhere, and "Porn Sex" shop signs brazenly line the streets like badges of honor.  Talking to acquaintances, their basic assesment was that "as long as it's between two consenting adults," it's ok.  Porn, adultery, prostitution, it's all "ok."  I hate how hardened the porn industry has made us to the evil of infidelity and fornication.  Of course they're not ok! They hurt everyone involved!!  "Consenting"?  What does that even mean?  How do you know what the parties involved actually want?

Now, after a blog I follow linked to this site, of a stripper/hardcore star whom the Lord saved, I hate pornography also for what it does to the women whose pictures trigger such lust.  I never stopped to think about it.  I never knew.  But it makes sense, of course.  The very fact that the women are on display indicates that they are utterly devalued.  Why wouldn't they be treated as such?

My heart grieves for them, for the women in my neighborhood, in my city, in my state who know no other lifestyle, for their parents and their children.  Lord, send Your Servants to love them and save them all!  Place those lonely ones into families, as Your Word promises.  And please crush Your Enemy who delights in these evils beneath Your feet.  Even so, Lord Jesus, quickly come.  Amen.

I Will Carry You

I've been reading several blogs along a theme, the links of which are below. While the theme may seem morbid, it is in fact one of the most hope-full, encouraging, and Resurection-looking topics I have explored lately. That theme is mothers finding out they are pregnant with fatally ill babies, and choosing to allow God to act as the Giver and Taker of life that He Is by continuing on with their pregnancies. They do this while praying for miraculous healing, knowing that God can do all things at any time. Terminating a pregnancy-- killing their sick child-- would leave no room for God to act as Taker of life on His timetable, nor Healer and Sustainer as He chooses. It's also amazingly hard to do, like embracing a burning brand. Their stories testify in no uncertain terms that they've found it worth it. Please read, and worship.

My post's title has a double meaning, which mesh and overlap:  it's something each of these faithful, inspiringly sacrificial parents said to their physically "defective" children, as in, "I will carry you (pregnancy-wise) to full term, and treasure and celebrate every moment of your life, no matter how few seconds we get. Every kick in the womb, every ultasound photo, is an affirmation of your God-given, precious, on-purpose life."

They had the courage, selflessness, and strength to do that, to say that, because they believed with all their hearts that GOD was sovereignly, kindly, gently carrying them.

Audrey Caroline

Eliot

Claire

Briar  (a friend of a friend--this blog is still in real time; you can be a part of this story!)

Audrey's mom, Angie Smith, has recently published a book of their journey, called I Will Carry You. It's available on amazon and looks really really good. (Please comment if you've read it!)

Here is one more blog I've read recently that is related in it's affirmation of the sanctity of ALL life, but is in some ways even more costly than carrying a terminally ill child to term: the long-term parenting of a special-needs child.

Greg Lucas' fatherly musings: Wrestling with an Angel

Reading these is helping me to treasure every bit of Éowyn that I can, and every child that I meet...and if you think about it, everybody's someone's baby.

~Christina

Breast Milk, God's Gift to Moms & Babies

A friend sent me this NY Times article on reason # 356 to breastfeed (ok, so I'm not really keeping count, but there are reasons upon reasons, it would seem!). She commented that I'd get a kick out of the irony of the scientist's comments, and as I read it, I could see exactly what she meant. Ryan, too!

After talking about natural selection for 3 paragraphs, he ends with " “It’s all there for a purpose, though we’re still figuring out what that purpose is,” Dr. Mills said. “So for God’s sake, please breast-feed.”" Hah!

Thoughts stemming from "Proposition 8"

This is the bill defining marriages recognized by the state of California as "one man, one wife." It was recently deemed to violate the 14th Amendment by a California judge. It will be appealed and will probably eventually be heard before the Supreme Court.

As is so often the case, I appreciate Al Mohler's view on the topic. As he points out, this isn't just a cultural statement regarding the normalization of homosexuality. It reflects a root misunderstanding of both marriage and gender.

I found the judge's statements saying that procreation has never been a main goal of marriage to be appalling...and historically completely false!! My Catholic friends could easily point this out (it is still the MAIN goal of marriage, to many of them), as could anyone tracing the history of European monarchs who wed for the sole purpose of producing an heir. In discussing the issue with friends who rejoiced to see this bill knocked down, I kept reverting back to the Bible's view on marriage and gender. The judge's statements reveal that he was definitely thinking of gender roles when he issued this ruling. “Gender no longer forms an essential part of marriage; marriage under law is a union of equals,” he stated. To him, recognition of homosexual marriage is just a logical extention of the blurring of distinction between the sexes. I see how he gets there. Once manhood and womanhood are interchangeable in role --he says 'equal' though he leaves no space for them being 'different'-- it's just a logical step to say that any human can now marry any other, because we are all the same. Wow. What a step towards a unisex society.

Please check out The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood's website for wonderful resources with a Biblical view of the sexes-- respecting and valuing our God-given differences, while rejoicing in our equality before God as co-heirs and fellow Image-bearers.

I got into a pretty long Facebook discussion on this topic, in which my "opponents" brought up polygamy in the Bible, God being Love, and so that meaning we cannot condemn love in any form, as well as the place of religion in politics. Here are a few of my thoughts from that...

-- The main problem with anything besides man+woman is that the New Testament clearly teaches that marriage is a dim reflection of the union between Christ, the loving, sacrificial, leading Head, and the Church, helping, joyfully submitting to him and helping fulfill His plan for the world. That's why God brought Eve to Adam all those years ago, as a helper like and different from him. It was something Paul calls "a mystery;" something only explained at Christ's coming and Resurrection

-- on polygamy: I think it's telling that the first polygamist is Lamech, one of Cain (a bad guy)'s grandsons, and a violent murderer WORSE than Cain. Polygamy also differs from homosexuality because despite its abberations, there still is a man and a wife, twice. Two women, both married to a man--in this case, the same man. Never has anyone said (as far as I know) of a polygamous union that both women were "married" to each other! It's always heterosexual, even in cases where a woman might have had two husbands. (I'm pretty sure that three-way anything would be called some sort of perversion in any tradition.)

--on "God is Love": it's a big jump to say that because God embodies Love, we can do whatever we want. I sure love my daughter, but there a great many desires of hers I forbid her to do... she doesn't like it at all, but I do it because the things she wants (very deeply at times!) aren't good for her. Shouldn't we trust our Creator and Father (who IS love, as you pointed out), to tell us what is and isn't good for us? IN other words, we have to let God, as Love, define "lawful" love. He says there are some things, some ways, some practices we must not "love." We aren't free to do anything we want just because we feel "loving" while doing it, or say that we "feel love" in a certain way. Because God is the fountainhead of love, we have to let Him direct our love.

--on morality & the Gospel ("Good News"): everyone seems to have clear ideas about what is "right" and what is "wrong." I'd urge you all to consider where those standards come from, and to realize that the Bible claims to be the story of how God Himself condescended to our human level to tell us exactly which way is up and which is down. His Rules (morality) DO transcend culture, and as you read through Scripture with an eye to the One Story of Redemption that it tells, you'll see that. Much of what was hinted at and unclear in the Old Testament is made clear and explained redemptively in the New Testament, including God's model for marriage (before Christ came, it was a "mystery" remember? After He comes, He Himself in Mt 6 & 19 explains what it was always supposed to look like, and later Paul by the Holy Spirit explains even more explicitly what it was meant to be, in Eph. 5. From the beginning (and I mean since the creation of man in Gen. 1-3), God has had to speak into our world to explain rightness and wrongness-- that is, morality. Ultimately, He used a Final Word-- the God-man Jesus Christ incarnate. "In the past, God spoke to our forefathers ...in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son...the Son is the radiance of God's glory, and the exact representation of His being." (Heb. 1-3) Jesus the Christ perfectly fulfilled God's righteous requirements of the Law, yet died a condemned death, and was confirmed as having paid the price for the immorality of everyone who trusts in Him for salvation, by being raised from the dead. He did this "in order that the righteous requirements of the Law might be fully met in US." (Rom 8:2) Christians are serious about sin and being free from it because that's exactly what Jesus came to do: set His people free from the consequences of sin (God's own judgment) and bondage to it.


When it comes down to it, the crux of the matter is whether or not we will submit to God. As one of my FB "opponents" put it, "the Christian's version of Yahweh forbids homosexual and polyamorous love for the same reason that the Jew's version of Yahweh forbids tattoos -- that is, for no good reason at all except the pointless exertion of control over people's bodies and minds.... I owe nothing to a fictional dead human or his mythical metaphorical father, with whom I have had no dealings. " How different from David's "against You, and You only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight" (Psalm 51:4), and Paul's "in Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28)

Thankful that His dealings with me are all mercy,
--Christina

Footnote: The Bible very clearly teaches that a lifestyle given over to homosexuality (as a homosexual "marriage" would be), is sinful and a perversion of love (The attraction is not sinful, as far as I can tell, but giving oneself over to it without any self-control is.). Any sexual activity outside of man-and-wife-marriage is called "fornication" very clearly by Scripture, and is over and over said to be wrong. Homosexual lust is the same as heterosexual lust... both are wrong and offensive to God. Romans 1:18-32 clearly discusses homosexuality. Revelations 21:8 and 22:15 make it clear that those living in unrepentant sexual sin are not among the Redeemed of Heaven. My favorite passage dealing with homosexuality is 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, because it says that some of the Corinthian Christians once did live in such sin, and since coming to know Christ now are "washed" and even made HOLY!!

Abortion's Selfish Nature

This article will shock you, and hopefully make you think. The British public was recently scandalized that about 80 women a year end pregnancies which they themselves brought about, through in-vitro fertilization. Abortion is always selfish-- choosing to end another's life because it would somehow make yours more difficult (even if the difficulty wasn't one you brought on yourself, such as in the case of rape)-- this article shows the depth to which that can go. Babies are not shirts that you can decide to put on and put off!!

Al Mohler on the Pill

Though these have been out a while, I only just read them today. As always, his thoughts are well-articulated and interesting. Feel free to post responses and/or thoughts. I'm not saying I agree 100% with him; I just like that he's bringing it up as a question for Christians to consider and discuss. He's right: for so long we've just accepted birth control of all kinds, for all reasons-- sex both in and out of marriage-- without looking deeper and trying to discern the world view behind it... and trying to peer ahead on its effect on our worldview and our health. (Of course, here he isn't discussing the use of the Pill or other hormonal therapies for things like skin conditions or regulation of irregular cycles-- those uses of the Pill are medicinal, not elective.)

The Pill Turns 50 — TIME Considers the Contraceptive Revolution

Can Christians Use Birth Control?

Amazing Beavers

My preschool class just did a unit on beavers- by far my favorite rodents- so I was especially fascinated to see this news story on the largest beaver dam known to man! It's even visible from space!! How cool is that!!? Our God is an amazing Creator!

We joke that Eowyn is part beaver because she loves gnawing on wood (and other stick-like toys) so much!

Senate Bill 38

my friend Emily posted this information on her blog this morning, thankfully!! I somehow missed that today was the last day to call! I just did and it only took about 5 minutes. I watched the video below during church on Sunday with my daughter in my arms. It made me cry; the though that 1/5th of children her age never make it into the sunlight, that they are murdered by people who care more about their own lives than their child's... The thought of anyone doing to my daughter what thousands of parents daily do to their own children, born or unborn, turns my stomach and my heart to tears. The Bible says that our God daily bears indignity-- that it's just His mercy keeping Him from wiping us all off this planet. Abortion, and murder of every sort, must be one of the most horrific things He bears with. Please, fight to end this in our nation! Fight for LIFE, either by adoption, by prayer, by protest, by crisis counseling, by foster parenting, by political advocacy... any way you can. And please, those of you in Kentucky, do support this bill.

Many of you may not know that TODAY is the last day to call your state representative and tell them that you want Senate Bill 38 - "The Ultrasound Bill" to pass. It's a bill that will require abortionists to show the mother an ultrasound before their abortion. We know that at least 25% of women will not go through with their abortion after seeing an ultrasound.

The phone number to call is 1-800-372-7181 (7am-11pm EST). It only takes a few minutes to call!

Along the same lines, a dear friend of ours from Louisville recently put together this video for our former church about the importance of fighting for life. If you have a few extra minutes to watch, please do, and prayerfully consider how the Lord is calling you to fight for life.

Popout

Abortion: A Matter of Life or Death from Casey Cashell on Vimeo.

Gianna Jennsen and Haitian Orphans?

One of the most persuasive people I've ever heard speak on the topic of abortions is Gianna Jennsen. She doesn't get loud and in your face, or get graphic and guilt-tripping. She does bring up the Gospel, standing up for what is right, and expecting to face difficulty. Her whole life has been difficult-- she's got to live with several extensive disabilities due to the fact that her birthmother tried to abort her. I find her incredibly encouraging. I just found out that she is going to be speaking TONIGHT at U of L! Any of you in the area who want to come, get information here.



I will be posting a report on the actual talk, providing my own precious baby lets me go and hear something! It will be interesting to me to hear/see how the recent loss of life and devastation in Haiti affects our nation's attitude towards the loss of life in our own land. It's impossible to deny that the people hurt by the earthquake are people, no matter their age, rank or serial number (to borrow the phrase). Pictures plastered all over the news push their suffering undeniably in our face. And so many of us want to help. I pray that those people ARE helped, and that by their suffering we comfortable Americans will be reminded that there are those who are defenseless and helpless here, too. Not in the face of an earthquake, but in the face of neglect, doubt and inconvenience. Maybe the suffering we see in others will remind us just how precious life is. As Horton said "a person's a person, no matter how small"-- whether they live in Louisville's West Side, Haiti, or a woman's uterus.

If you want to do something, either about the suffering and loss of life in Haiti, or the suffering and loss of life due to unplanned pregnancies & abortion here in America, my father is running the Boston Marathon in order to raise money for Bethany Christian Services, an organization that provides an incredible range of services for women, children, and families in dire straights. Infertility care, domestic & international adoption, orphan care, foster care, crisis pregnancy counseling, family counseling, pregnancy and pre-natal care, special-needs adoptions, abortion alternative awareness... they do it all, and they do it lovingly and thoroughly. They already had a ministry presence in Haiti, and now are using that to channel help and hope-- both physical and spiritual-- to those in Haiti, especially the most helpless. If you want to donate, please do one of the following: you can donate under my dad's name (go to www.bethany.org/marathon and click on "Sponsor a Runner" and click 'Bart Thompson'), or through their Haiti Relief & Recovery Initiative. You could even do both at once!

Well, my own little one is calling me now... she definitely is her own little person!!
--Christina

Advent Day 10: On E-Waste

Yes, tis an unconventional Advent post... We're building up MOUNDS of toxic waste when we throw out all our electronics... there are better ways to keep the toxins minimized. I hadn't really thought about this myself! Good to keep in mind as we approach all that gift-buying this holiday season, huh? Read the full article here.

Take action
1. Consider whether you really need that new technology. Don’t buy items that you don’t have a true need for. Consider whether your home really needs the 20 electronic devices that a typical home has.
2. Buy brands of computers that are relatively “greener” to reduce the potential toxicity of your e-waste. The EPA has established a ranking system for total environmental impact of electronics called EPEAT – the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool to help consumers buy responsibly. Visit their website at http://www.epeat.net/.
3. For equipment that is obsolete but still in working order, donate it. If it is too obsolete or broken and cannot be donated, make sure that it is properly recycled. Click here for a great list of options. Another useful document is here -- it gives lots of options for recycling along with a list of software to remove your personal information from your electronics before donating them.

4. Encourage your company, school or place of worship to be responsible with their e-waste. Let them know that it matters and why. For larger volumes of e-waste, contact an e-Steward. These companies have pledged to meet criteria based on international law and the e-Steward program will be independently audited starting in 2010. For more information, click here.
5. Let your congressmen and senators know that you support legislation to limit the export of e-waste to developing countries.
6. Send this article to family and friends. Sixty-eight percent of US households have a stockpile of electronics waiting to be disposed of. They’ll appreciate the information. [that would be me until 10 minutes ago!]