Gloria Ferris

Just read this post, on Jeff Hess’s blog, Have Coffee Will Write. How utterly absurd.  When you click through to the Washington Post article, “prepregnant” females should control their weight, take folic acid supplements, control their asthma and diabetes.  My first thought was Who shouldn’t do all of those things if you want to live a healthy, productive life?  Doesn’t matter if you are female or male, prepregnant or postpregnant, preimpregnating or postpregnating?  Thanks, Jill.  Loved the comment.  Certainly plays up the absurd angle. 

But then being the fact checker that I am, I decided I should look up folic acid supplements   to make sure that this B vitamin is needed by both men and women.  It is, and here is why: 

“Folic acid is crucial for proper brain function and plays an important role in mental and emotional health. It aids in the production of DNA and RNA, the body’s genetic material, and is especially important during periods of high growth, such as infancy, adolescence and pregnancy. Folic acid also works closely together with vitamin B12 to regulate the formation of red blood cells and to help iron function properly in the body.”

Granted, women have a higher risk of B9 deficiency than men, and therefore, should be aware of the possibility of deficiencies, but to target a certain segment as being in particular need of this kind of reminder does no one any good.  Are we saying that young men are not in need of these same reminders to maintain good health?  Shouldn’t the goal be for all individuals to be healthier and therefore, able to reach potential?  Shouldn’t two healthy individuals have more possibility of creating a healthy baby?

Where are we going as a nation as a society when we parse words and compartmentalize women into premenses, prepregnant, pregnant, postpregnant, menopousal, and post menopousal?  Oh and let’s don’t get into that PMS syndrome nonsense.

Young men should be extremely concerned with this focus on women’s health, given the fact that it essentially makes their part in conception no big deal. I strongly believe that a focus on overall health of everyone would be a better use of federal guidelines.

Now, here’s a thought for you.  Could this be a way to cut down future health care costs?  If “prepregnant” women do not adhere to federal guidelines, would it be possible to deny health care benefits to the said infant?  I shudder to think where all of these “guidelines” could lead.

Anyone read The Handmaiden’s Tale by Margaret Atwood lately? 

Sometimes I find it truly amazing when events coincide and other times I simply think they should.  Last week I received my monthly flyer from Barb Spaan, our Crime Watch Coordinator here in Ward 15 and 16 telling me the subject of this month’s meeting “Fire Safety for your Home & Business”.  Naturally, I immediately put it on my list of things to attend given the recent events here in our neighborhood.  Yesterday, Channel 5 began a series of reports on fire safety in the city and the suburbs.  Clicking on the list of response times included in the Channel 5 report shows  Cleveland ranked in the top ten in the county.  Roger Bundy blogs about the response time issue as well.  Good to know that not only the media is watching our backs, but so are concerned citizens.

Last night’s meeting was chock full of things that we can do ourselves to prepare  for a fire emergency. There were too many tips to relate all of them here, but if you ever have the chance to attend a meeting with Lieutentant Larry Gray, Public Information Officer, Division of Fire do it.  The man is a tremendous public speaker chock full of useful information.  I took away three things from this meeting that I want to share.

1.  Fire Extinguishers.  If you have one, make sure it is up to date. Doesn’t do you any good to have a fire extinguisher if when you need it you can’t use it because it has expired.    If you don’t have one get one.  It should be an ABC extinguisher with a UL sticker.  If you use the extinguisher, try to put the fire out for twelve seconds no more, and stay between the fire and your exit.

2. Fire Drills.  After last night, I know fire drills are a must.  Lt. Gray told us that within three minutes the fire is too hot to survive.  Each minute a fire burns the temprature doubles.  Do the math–first minute, 200 degrees, second minute, 400 degrees, third minute-800 degrees, and the fourth minute is 1600 degrees.  This is the drill.  Go to your bedroom.  Blindfold yourself.  Turn around three times and then try to get out of the room.  If you have a partner, have them time you for three minutes. If you are alone, use a kitchen timer.  Be sure that you use the three minute time frame.  Isn’t easy, is it?  The more you practice the better you will be able to get out of the house within the shortest time possible.  I cannot stress how important this exercise is to you and your family.

3.  Get Out!  Shout as  you leave the house.  Tell the others in the house where you will meet them outside–across the street, under a big tree, etc.  When you assemble at the designated point, you will be able to tell the firefighters if everyone is out of the house or if someone is inside waiting for rescue.  As Lt. Gray stated,  the mission is to save lives first and then save property.  If you are still inside, no one will be able to help the firefighters locate any of you.

 My Aunt Dadie always said :”Hope for the best, get ready  for the worst, and take what comes”.   So to paraphrase,  I hope that we are preparing for the worst that never comes to any of us.

gloriaferris.net has been on a protracted and unanticipated leave of absence. See details at Tim Ferris. It’s good to be back.

I posted this earlier on another blog to which I contribute, Save Our Land. I think it bears repeating here:

I just finished reading Cool Cleveland. I always save Roldolink for last, but today I scrolled down quickly to see what had caught his fancy. I should have known that it would be Eminent Domain and the Bart Wolstein handoff. Please read this article and help me understand why we are better off with one developer in The Flats instead of a consortium of businessowners with a plan for controlled development in the area, including Mr. Wolstein.I was amazed at the laundry list of improvements that ONE developer will be receiving to make sure that his plan is a winner. If this kind of investment had been made to the infrastructure of The Flats over the years, would Eminent Domain be needed? Would we be handing over property through eminent domain?

I have had one question that still remains unanswered about this project–why are tax abatements, tax exemptions, and tax incentives needed on a piece of land that should be one of the prime real estate areas in the city of Cleveland? I wish that someone would answer this question.

I also have real reservations about handing over so much real estate to one individual to develop and manage. Free enterprise is based on competition. Where is the competition in this plan?

Recently, we talked To Council President Martin J. Sweeney at Meet the Bloggers. We devoted a few minutes of the interview to eminent-domain issues, and more specifically to the Flats project. One interesting point he made was that if The Wolstein Project does not meet expectations or if it does not perform as it should, the city will have the option to buy back the property from Mr. Wolstein.Take a minute to read Roldo’s article and to listen to the Meet The Bloggers interview with Council President Sweeney. We need to watch this eminent domain case closely.

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Posted by Gloria Ferris to Save Our Land at 5/03/2006 04:06:00 PM

Last Thursday I attended Recovery Resources Annual Luncheon at Windows on the River.  I went to support a worthwhile organization and came away in love with words all over again.  Malachi McCourt, author of the autobiography “A Monk Swimmin’” and the brother of Frank McCourt, author of Angela’s Ashes was the keynote speaker.

Here was a man who truly loved words.  He began his speech, more a series of tales rather than a “speech” with the comment that there was only one word in the English language for “sober” which was “sober” but on the other hand, there was a huge list to subsitute for “drunk” He then proceeded to regale us with a long list from “a to z” of words that described drunkenness. Make your own list with your friends.  It will amaze you. 

He told us many other things and I may relate them in other posts, but today, I want to share the poem he recited that made me fall in love with words all over again–The Stolen Child by William Butler Yeats. He recited this poem in the rich tones of an Irish brogue, and it was just flat beautiful.

If you ever get the chance to hear Mr. McCourt speak, please do so.  You will be glad that you did.  I am.