Month: July 2017

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Healthier Babies

helenchristie

A link to an important article in The Guardian appears at the end of this post. I was not breastfed as a baby.  Because of that, and other reasons, I suspect I got a genuinely raw deal on a healthy start in life. Educating the public on how to raise children is delicate.  Many parents and prospective parents see it as an entitlement issue, and no one — not a healthcare provider, and certainly not any childless person — has a right to speak up. I wish someone had persuaded my mother to breastfeed me, but I also know if anyone had … Continue reading Healthier Babies

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Travel Stress

helenchristie

Most of the time, I’ve been fortunate in airports and on airplanes.  Aside from a few individuals at security checkpoints who singled me out for bullying (pre-TSA.  The people in question were not the product of any screening or training) and a reservation bump which was corrected within a couple of hours, I’ve done okay.  I haven’t been subjected to the nightmare abuse or inconveniences we’ve heard about, maybe just because I haven’t traveled often. Okay, on the way home from JFK in May of this year, the plane sat on the tarmac for two and a half hours before … Continue reading Travel Stress

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You Know What Should Make News These Days? Mental Stability.

helenchristie

Donald Trump’s new Communications Director, Anthony Scaramucci, has done something which should surprise no one who keeps track of the current Administration. Can Saturday Night Live improve on the most recent embarrassment?  At least the SNL skits have some humor.  Nothing in the Trump Administration is genuinely funny.   Continue reading You Know What Should Make News These Days? Mental Stability.

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Home Run

helenchristie

  My neighborhood in San Francisco leaves something to be desired, for me and for everyone else.  However, we should never ignore the fact that some of us live here for reasons which are less compelling than other people’s reasons. I live in a nice building.  We have problems — most of which are related to the neighborhood — but my apartment neighbors and I are grateful we live here. When I step outside, I often see broken glass and dismantled hypodermic syringes littered on the sidewalk.  It’s a problem for me, but it reflects a bigger problem for the … Continue reading Home Run

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Senator McCain’s Vote

helenchristie

(Disclosure: This post appeared originally on a private social media page.) I want to be respectful, but John McCain’s vote on healthcare does not have my respect. He is in fragile health, and the best care is available to him. Others in fragile health are closer to losing their insurance now. John McCain’s career in the U.S. Senate has been a series of gray areas. I hoped he would do the right thing in preserving the Affordable Care Act, but loyalty to his political party outweighed any loyalty he might have toward less privileged people who are also dealing with … Continue reading Senator McCain’s Vote

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Bush’s Canned Beans Recalled

helenchristie

Bush Brothers has announced a recall of some of the company’s baked beans, due to a sealing problem at the facility where the food was canned. The products affected are as follows: 28-ounce Bush’s Best Brown Sugar Hickory with case UPC of 003940001977. 28-ounce Bush’s Best Country Style  with case UPC of 0003940091974 and 00340001974. 28-ounce Bush’s Best Original with case UPC of 003940091614 and 003940001614. (The second paragraph of this post is copied and pasted from USA Today’s site.  Please refer directly to the USA Today article or go to http://www.bushbeans.com if you need updates.) Do not eat these products, even … Continue reading Bush’s Canned Beans Recalled