Cyberbullying is something that is serious to me.
And not just because of what is going on in the blogsphere. (scroll down to see that)
In high school, a teen who claimed to be my "best friend" ran a daily blog for 6 months that trashed me. I was so devastated when I discovered the blog that I attempted suicide.
Also, I have 4 siblings and I'd be furious to find out one of them was being cyberbullied.
What is cyberbullying? Cyberbullying is...
*electronic bullying or online social cruelty, is defined as bullying:
* through email
* through instant messaging
* in a chat room
* on a website or gaming site
* through digital messages or images sent to a cellular phone
So, if you find out your child or teen is being cyberbullied; what do you do?
First, you need to gather proof. This means taking a screenshot, saving the e-mail(s), saving a log of the IM conversation, saving the text message; basically gathering as much of the proof of cyberbullying as possible. Talk in an supportive manner to your child/teen and get all the story you can from them. Reassure them this is not their fault and you will work together on this.
Now what? Well, if this is being done through school, many schools have policies against cyberbullying and will revoke computer use rights for students involved as well as possible suspension. So make an appointment ASAP with the principal and/or guidance department. Bring all of your proof.
If it is being done through Myspace, report it here: http://faq.myspace.com/app/home by going to the side and clicking "contact Myspace"
If it is on Twitter, ask your child/teen to contact the http://twitter.com/spam account.
If it is on Facebook, you need to e-mail abuse@facebook.com
If it is on a Wordpress blog, you need to report it through here: http://en.wordpress.com/report-spam/
Sadly, Blogger will NOT remove personal attacks without a court order.
If it is elsewhere, you need to look for a "report abuse" section.
Several sites I have read say is NOT a good idea to go the bully's parents first.
If your child or you are being cyberbullied and can't figure out how to report, please do e-mail me at autielady[at]live.com (replace the "[at]" with @) and I will try to assist.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Cyberbullying is not "ethical blogger" behavior!
I don't normally get involved in blogger drama, but this just really irks me.
The blogger Trisha who is in charge of that shiny "Ethical Blogger" button you see apparently thinks cyber-bullying a teenager is okay. She took a "sneaky pic" of a random teenager at an airport and proceeded to insult her weight. Now I may be the one with social issues; but I'm pretty sure it's messed up and not at all ethical to be a 30 something year old making fun of a teenager.
I've been cyber-bullied as a teenager in high school and I can tell you it IS a big deal. It's not a laughing matter to a teenager. Don't we have enough teenagers doing this crap without an "ethical" mommy blogger doing it too?
Join me in boycotting MomDot. I've written to her sponsors and twittered (my twitter account is Aspergerskitty) with the hash tag #momdotsucks
ETA: Started a petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/102102/petition.html
The blogger Trisha who is in charge of that shiny "Ethical Blogger" button you see apparently thinks cyber-bullying a teenager is okay. She took a "sneaky pic" of a random teenager at an airport and proceeded to insult her weight. Now I may be the one with social issues; but I'm pretty sure it's messed up and not at all ethical to be a 30 something year old making fun of a teenager.
I've been cyber-bullied as a teenager in high school and I can tell you it IS a big deal. It's not a laughing matter to a teenager. Don't we have enough teenagers doing this crap without an "ethical" mommy blogger doing it too?
Join me in boycotting MomDot. I've written to her sponsors and twittered (my twitter account is Aspergerskitty) with the hash tag #momdotsucks
ETA: Started a petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/102102/petition.html
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Operation Beautiful
I came across this and just have to share with my readers; it's awesome:
Operation Beautiful
Operation Beautiful is a mission to post positive post notes in random places to tell people they are beautiful. Why? Because the creator of the site is tired of Fat Talk and would like more people to have self esteem. I think it's great! The post its can say whatever but usually things like "you are beautiful"
It just takes a minute to put a post-it note somewhere, so why not?
Pic from their site
Operation Beautiful
Operation Beautiful is a mission to post positive post notes in random places to tell people they are beautiful. Why? Because the creator of the site is tired of Fat Talk and would like more people to have self esteem. I think it's great! The post its can say whatever but usually things like "you are beautiful"
It just takes a minute to put a post-it note somewhere, so why not?
Pic from their site
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
World Alzheimer's Day
Today is World Alzheimer's Day.
*According to the 2009 World Alzheimer's Report, newly released today from Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), there are 35 million people with Alzheimer's or another dementia.
Myths about Alzheimer's Disease:
Myth 1: Memory loss is a natural part of aging.
Reality: In the past people believed memory loss was a normal part of aging, often regarding even Alzheimer’s as natural age-related decline. Experts now recognize severe memory loss as a symptom of serious illness.
Whether memory naturally declines to some extent remains an open question. Many people feel that their memory becomes less sharp as they grow older, but determining whether there is any scientific basis for this belief is a research challenge still being addressed.
Myth 2: Alzheimer’s disease is not fatal.
Reality: Alzheimer's disease has no survivors. It destroys brain cells and causes memory changes, erratic behaviors and loss of body functions. It slowly and painfully takes away a person's identity, ability to connect with others, think, eat, talk, walk and find his or her way home.
Myth 3: Only older people can get Alzheimer's
Reality: Alzheimer's can strike people in their 30s, 40s and even 50s. This is called younger-onset Alzheimer's. In 2009, it is estimated that there are as many as 5.3 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. This includes 5.1 million people age 65 and over and 200,000 people under age 65 with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Myth 4: Drinking out of aluminum cans or cooking in aluminum pots and pans can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
Reality: During the 1960s and 1970s, aluminum emerged as a possible suspect in Alzheimer’s. This suspicion led to concern about exposure to aluminum through everyday sources such as pots and pans, beverage cans, antacids and antiperspirants. Since then, studies have failed to confirm any role for aluminum in causing Alzheimer’s. Experts today focus on other areas of research, and few believe that everyday sources of aluminum pose any threat.
Myth 5: Aspartame causes memory loss.
Reality: This artificial sweetener, marketed under such brand names as Nutrasweet and Equal, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in all foods and beverages in 1996. Since approval, concerns about aspartame's health effects have been raised.
According to the FDA, as of May 2006, the agency had not been presented with any scientific evidence that would lead to change its conclusions on the safety of aspartame for most people. The agency says its conclusions are based on more than 100 laboratory and clinical studies. Read the May 2006 FDA statement about aspartame.
Myth 6: Flu shots increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease
Reality: A theory linking flu shots to a greatly increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease has been proposed by a U.S. doctor whose license was suspended by the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners. Several mainstream studies link flu shots and other vaccinations to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and overall better health.
* A Nov. 27, 2001, Canadian Medical Journal report suggests older adults who were vaccinated against diphtheria or tetanus, polio, and influenza seemed to have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those not receiving these vaccinations. The full text of this report is posted on the journal’s Web site.
* A report in the Nov. 3, 2004, JAMA found that annual flu shots for older adults were associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes. The abstract of that report is posted on PubMed.
Myth 7: Silver dental fillings increase risk of Alzheimer's disease
Reality: According to the best available scientific evidence, there is no relationship between silver dental fillings and Alzheimer's. The concern that there could be a link arose because "silver" fillings are made of an amalgam (mixture) that typically contains about 50 percent mercury, 35 percent silver and 15 percent tin. Mercury is a heavy metal that, in certain forms, is know to be toxic to the brain and other organs.
Many scientists consider the studies below compelling evidence that dental amalgam is not a major risk factor for Alzheimer's. Public health agencies, including the FDA, the U.S. Public Health Service and the World Health Organization, endorse the continued use of amalgam as safe, strong, inexpensive material for dental restorations.
* March 1991, the Dental Devices Panel of the FDA concluded there was no current evidence that amalgam poses any danger.
* National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1991 funded a study at the University of Kentucky to investigate the relationship between amalgam fillings and Alzheimer's. Analysis by University statisticians revealed no significant association between silver fillings and Alzheimer's. The abstract for this study is posted on the Journal of the American Dental Association Web site.
* October 30, 2003, a New England Journal of Medicine article concluded that current evidence shows no connection between mercury-containing dental fillings and Alzheimer's or other neurological diseases. The abstract for this study is posted on the New England Journal of Medicine Web site.
Myth 8: There are treatments available to stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease
Reality: At this time, there is no treatment to cure, delay or stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease. FDA-approved drugs temporarily slow worsening of symptoms for about 6 to 12 months, on average, for about half of the individuals who take them.
For more information and how to help (or to get help); visit the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org
*According to the 2009 World Alzheimer's Report, newly released today from Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), there are 35 million people with Alzheimer's or another dementia.
Myths about Alzheimer's Disease:
Myth 1: Memory loss is a natural part of aging.
Reality: In the past people believed memory loss was a normal part of aging, often regarding even Alzheimer’s as natural age-related decline. Experts now recognize severe memory loss as a symptom of serious illness.
Whether memory naturally declines to some extent remains an open question. Many people feel that their memory becomes less sharp as they grow older, but determining whether there is any scientific basis for this belief is a research challenge still being addressed.
Myth 2: Alzheimer’s disease is not fatal.
Reality: Alzheimer's disease has no survivors. It destroys brain cells and causes memory changes, erratic behaviors and loss of body functions. It slowly and painfully takes away a person's identity, ability to connect with others, think, eat, talk, walk and find his or her way home.
Myth 3: Only older people can get Alzheimer's
Reality: Alzheimer's can strike people in their 30s, 40s and even 50s. This is called younger-onset Alzheimer's. In 2009, it is estimated that there are as many as 5.3 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. This includes 5.1 million people age 65 and over and 200,000 people under age 65 with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Myth 4: Drinking out of aluminum cans or cooking in aluminum pots and pans can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
Reality: During the 1960s and 1970s, aluminum emerged as a possible suspect in Alzheimer’s. This suspicion led to concern about exposure to aluminum through everyday sources such as pots and pans, beverage cans, antacids and antiperspirants. Since then, studies have failed to confirm any role for aluminum in causing Alzheimer’s. Experts today focus on other areas of research, and few believe that everyday sources of aluminum pose any threat.
Myth 5: Aspartame causes memory loss.
Reality: This artificial sweetener, marketed under such brand names as Nutrasweet and Equal, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in all foods and beverages in 1996. Since approval, concerns about aspartame's health effects have been raised.
According to the FDA, as of May 2006, the agency had not been presented with any scientific evidence that would lead to change its conclusions on the safety of aspartame for most people. The agency says its conclusions are based on more than 100 laboratory and clinical studies. Read the May 2006 FDA statement about aspartame.
Myth 6: Flu shots increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease
Reality: A theory linking flu shots to a greatly increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease has been proposed by a U.S. doctor whose license was suspended by the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners. Several mainstream studies link flu shots and other vaccinations to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and overall better health.
* A Nov. 27, 2001, Canadian Medical Journal report suggests older adults who were vaccinated against diphtheria or tetanus, polio, and influenza seemed to have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those not receiving these vaccinations. The full text of this report is posted on the journal’s Web site.
* A report in the Nov. 3, 2004, JAMA found that annual flu shots for older adults were associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes. The abstract of that report is posted on PubMed.
Myth 7: Silver dental fillings increase risk of Alzheimer's disease
Reality: According to the best available scientific evidence, there is no relationship between silver dental fillings and Alzheimer's. The concern that there could be a link arose because "silver" fillings are made of an amalgam (mixture) that typically contains about 50 percent mercury, 35 percent silver and 15 percent tin. Mercury is a heavy metal that, in certain forms, is know to be toxic to the brain and other organs.
Many scientists consider the studies below compelling evidence that dental amalgam is not a major risk factor for Alzheimer's. Public health agencies, including the FDA, the U.S. Public Health Service and the World Health Organization, endorse the continued use of amalgam as safe, strong, inexpensive material for dental restorations.
* March 1991, the Dental Devices Panel of the FDA concluded there was no current evidence that amalgam poses any danger.
* National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1991 funded a study at the University of Kentucky to investigate the relationship between amalgam fillings and Alzheimer's. Analysis by University statisticians revealed no significant association between silver fillings and Alzheimer's. The abstract for this study is posted on the Journal of the American Dental Association Web site.
* October 30, 2003, a New England Journal of Medicine article concluded that current evidence shows no connection between mercury-containing dental fillings and Alzheimer's or other neurological diseases. The abstract for this study is posted on the New England Journal of Medicine Web site.
Myth 8: There are treatments available to stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease
Reality: At this time, there is no treatment to cure, delay or stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease. FDA-approved drugs temporarily slow worsening of symptoms for about 6 to 12 months, on average, for about half of the individuals who take them.
For more information and how to help (or to get help); visit the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org
Friday, August 28, 2009
Book Review: "Reasonable People" by Ralph Savarese
I checked this book out from the local college library and boy am I glad I did!
The book is long (400+ pages) but fascinating. It's recommended by both Temple Grandin and Donna Williams.
It follows the life of Ralph Savarese and his adopted son, D.J. D.J. is a non-verbal autistic who learns to use facilitated communication. I have to admit, before I read this book I was very skeptical of facilitated communication. I figured it was a case of parents acting for the kids. Well, now I can see it isn't that in most cases. Facilitated communication isn't just somebody moving a kid's hand; it could be a simple finger on the shoulder. I really was rooting for D.J. as I read the book and was pleased that by the end he wrote a whole chapter of the book! D.J. was thought to be profoundly mentally retarded and by the end of the book he is making great grades in a regular school. I always wonder how many autistics who are labeled retarded are really just unable to communicate well enough to assess their I.Q. properly.
The other important part of the book is dealing with the abuse D.J. had from both his biological mom and while in foster care. It made me quite sad to read about this and also the attitude of the biological father. The biological father rejected D.J. because of his autism but took his "normal" sister. How sad!
I do need to warn potential readers there are parts that talk about D.J.'s abuse so if you are unable to handle stories of that it may disturb you.
Overall, I'd highly recommend this book. Perhaps it is in your local library!
The book is long (400+ pages) but fascinating. It's recommended by both Temple Grandin and Donna Williams.
It follows the life of Ralph Savarese and his adopted son, D.J. D.J. is a non-verbal autistic who learns to use facilitated communication. I have to admit, before I read this book I was very skeptical of facilitated communication. I figured it was a case of parents acting for the kids. Well, now I can see it isn't that in most cases. Facilitated communication isn't just somebody moving a kid's hand; it could be a simple finger on the shoulder. I really was rooting for D.J. as I read the book and was pleased that by the end he wrote a whole chapter of the book! D.J. was thought to be profoundly mentally retarded and by the end of the book he is making great grades in a regular school. I always wonder how many autistics who are labeled retarded are really just unable to communicate well enough to assess their I.Q. properly.
The other important part of the book is dealing with the abuse D.J. had from both his biological mom and while in foster care. It made me quite sad to read about this and also the attitude of the biological father. The biological father rejected D.J. because of his autism but took his "normal" sister. How sad!
I do need to warn potential readers there are parts that talk about D.J.'s abuse so if you are unable to handle stories of that it may disturb you.
Overall, I'd highly recommend this book. Perhaps it is in your local library!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Must you act that way?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/autism-rate-now-at-one-pe_b_256141.html
Okay, I'm fairly sure most of the readers of this blog know I don't believe in any connection between vaccines and Autism. I really didn't see anything shocking in the article. But that's not what I'm annoyed about.
Anyways, the thing that annoyed me is the attitude towards a diagnosis of Autism; especially from Lee Grossman of the Autism Society of America. Who is he helping by using such a negative attitude? I don't think the idea of more Autistic people is "terrible" or "unfortunate". What's wrong with Autistics existing? I can expect this attitude from Kirby, but a leader of an organization like the ASA should not act this way. (especially considering there are actual Autistic members of ASA)
Okay, I'm fairly sure most of the readers of this blog know I don't believe in any connection between vaccines and Autism. I really didn't see anything shocking in the article. But that's not what I'm annoyed about.
Anyways, the thing that annoyed me is the attitude towards a diagnosis of Autism; especially from Lee Grossman of the Autism Society of America. Who is he helping by using such a negative attitude? I don't think the idea of more Autistic people is "terrible" or "unfortunate". What's wrong with Autistics existing? I can expect this attitude from Kirby, but a leader of an organization like the ASA should not act this way. (especially considering there are actual Autistic members of ASA)
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Master Baker
Think of God as the Master Baker and us as cookies.
He has millions of cookie cutters, tons of different doughs, and infinite adornments. When He is making cookies though, he treasures even the odd pieces outside of the cookie cutter lines. He adorns these odd pieces lovingly and finds them as beautiful as the cookie cutter cookies. He never tosses out any cookies, they are all precious to Him.
Food for thought!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Specialisterne values Autistics as employees
Thorkil Sonne has a son with Autism and he's the founder of a computer company. What do these have to do with each other? Well, his company Specialisterne has over 40 Autistic employees! This company acknowledges the fact that although Autistics aren't the best at interviews, they can be great employees. Also, they adapt to some of the problems facing Autistics in a workplace, like an upset in routine or sensory stimuli. Autism Europe says 62% of Autistic adults do not have jobs. Right now this company is only in Denmark, but I think it's a wonderful idea! Hey, maybe a computer company here will catch on...
Computer Company Opens Doors to Autistics
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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