From an early age, Anne was taught by her mother to fear her father. Behind his back, her mom warned that he was an unpredictable and dangerous; any time he'd invite her to do anything—a walk in the woods, a trip to the art store—she would craft an excuse not to go. "I was under the impression that he was crazy, that at any moment he could just pop and do something violent to hurt me," says Anne, who prefers that only her middle name be used to guard her family's privacy. Typical of a phenomenon some mental-health experts now label "parental alienation," her view of him became so negative, she says, that her mother persuaded her to lie during a custody hearing when the couple divorced. Then 14, she told the judge that her dad was physically abusive. Was he? "No," she says. "But I was convinced that he would [be]." After her mother won custody, Anne all but severed contact with her father for years.
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If a growing faction of the mental-health community has its way, Anne's experience will one day soon be an actual diagnosis. The concept of parental alienation, which is highly controversial, is being described as one in which children strongly attach to one parent and reject the other in the false belief that he or she is bad or dangerous. "It's heartbreaking," says William Bernet, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, "to have your 10-year-old suddenly, in a matter of weeks, go from loving you and hiking with you...to saying you're a horrible, ugly person." These aren't kids who simply prefer one parent over the other, he says. That's normal. These kids doggedly resist contact with a parent, sometimes permanently, out of an irrational hate or fear.
Bernet is leading an effort to add "parental alienation" to the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the American Psychiatric Association's "bible" of diagnoses, scheduled for 2012. He and some 50 contributing authors from 10 countries will make their case in the American Journal of Family Therapy early next year. Inclusion, says Bernet, would spur insurance coverage, stimulate more systematic research, lend credence to a charge of parental alienation in court, and raise the odds that children would get timely treatment.From an early age, Anne was taught by her mother to fear her father. Behind his back,... more
One of the major health issues facing the world — especially the developing world — continues to be HIV and AIDS.One of the major health issues facing the world — especially the developing world... more
It's been going on under our noses all these years and we didn't even know it! Of course our crap education system might be at fault there. But what are we to do now? Write Obama now. Take to the streets. Let's get industry involved in this. We need corporate for-profit fire companies, libraries, sewage plants. Make people pay to get their fires put out. Is the forest burning? Screw it. We don't need no woods anyway. Need an ambulance? Better have some cash on hand or else we all got to die sometime. It's the American way.
No job? Better not flush. Don't worry though. You'll be evicted soon anyway. I see an entrepreneurial opportunity here. Human compost. Now that's American ingenuity. Get these out of work people to follow other out of work people around with pooper scoopers and the resell that shit to the farm industry. Damned. Maybe I better patent that one.It's been going on under our noses all these years and we didn't even know it! Of... more
Obama says national health care reform will exclude undocumented immigrants. San Francisco's public health program--touted as a model for reform--doesn't ask about immigration status.Obama says national health care reform will exclude undocumented immigrants. San... more
So in the midst of all the international high drama happening between New York and Pittsburgh this week, let us not forget that back in Washington, lawmakers are still grappling with a monster of a health care debate. About a week ago I asked for you guys to send us some of your personal experiences with health care and health insurance in the US. Mostly we heard stories from people without insurance or with costly bills. Read them on the BLOG.
Contributions from users justanks, bc_f, cafiredancer, and courage.
If you have a story, let us know. We’ll keep covering this for the next several weeks and beyond. Also if you’re interested in working with someone on the Current News staff to tell a deeper story about your experience with the health care system, speak up.So in the midst of all the international high drama happening between New York and... more
Private industry has already proven that it cannot be trusted to look out for its bottom line and simultaneously safeguard and maintain the health of the American people, even if some of us are misguidedly rallying in the streets against our interests...Private industry has already proven that it cannot be trusted to look out for its... more
Its not just about Politics, though Politics is also important here.
Its not just about numbers, though Numbers are important too..
It’s about Faces, So many of them…..
Faces who have seen too much in too little a time. …
Here you see many slums , but no millionaires.
You will find travellers but no destination….
These are internally displaced People of SWAT.
Many of them settled in IDP camps established..
at Mardan, Nowshehra and other areas,
while the majority chose to stay independent.
A large portion of these displaced people arrived at Karachi
where they are living with their relatives, or rented houses
with high rents. This is there story.
Bonier is situated around 60 miles from Islamabad.
An idyllic place with a history full of traditions, simplicity and peace.
All this changed one fine morning….
The terror had finally arrived Taliban’s.
They came with colourful Promises.
The promise of quick justice,
Divine Law, Sharia.
Soon the terror removed its masks and unveiled its true face.
The recent Operation by Pakistan against Taliban forces
For them this was a ray of light, a glimmer of hope.
But everything comes with a price.
The army needed space,
the collateral damage too much a political baggage;
they had to be removed from the war zone.
With in few days more than 1.5 million people left their houses…
and settled for different parts of Pakistan.
Even here, their miseries are far from over.
The new place offers them nothing but a reminiscence
of what they have left behind.
What could have been theirs?
These children are a product of fear;
these faces the faces under terror.
These faces need to be seen,
these voices be heard,
for they tell a story not covered in any of the debate rooms.
They tell why a combination of poverty, ignorance, deception and ultimate terror alters the course of human lives in such a short span of time.
These faces need to be helped.
Because in the end, they are all human faces.
Kazim Raza, Karachi. PakistanIts not just about Politics, though Politics is also important here.
Its not just... more
Every morning while on the way to office or coming back in evening it’s not possible for the karachiets to ignore baggers, children with car screen wipers and drug addicts. But unfortunately hardly seen some one talking to them to share there grievan...ces, to know what turns them into a LIFE without SOUL.....
Directed and Produced by Kazim RazaEvery morning while on the way to office or coming back in evening it’s not possible... more
The youth of our age, surrounded by a swarm of difficulties and problems is in search of a solution, but what he eventually finds is more and more of difficulties and disappointments. When unemployed and poverty numbs all his senses, paralyzes all his muscles, he feels life is nothing but a futile effort, a bottomless pit of poverty and indigence. According to one estimate, in past 10 years, around 10 thousand Pakistanis have been killed by security forces, crossing Greece-Turkey border illegally. In pursuit of an ever evading happiness, who are these ill-informed people and who are the traffickers involved in this heinous trade of human trafficking. The real issue is how come the educated ones of our country fall prey to these human traffickers. Poverty and related problems are the main reasons behind human trafficking and illegal immigration. Your pursuit of happiness can bring this much misery and suffering, one can only know by meeting the people under Custody of FIA, who have recently been deported from the Turkey Border. It seems an obvious enough advice to have a safe albeit simple life at home, than to a have risky prosperous life abroad. But mired deeply in the troubled waters, it’s only dreams of a happy living that make these people go through all sorts of troubles.
I just pray that my country Pakistan finds a leader, a person who can improve the situation in our country, so that no one thinks about leaving this country and going through this humiliation This heinous crime of Illegal immigration, despite efforts by the State, is flourishing. One obvious contributors of this crime are the people who become a victim of agents’ treacherous promises, lost their lives’ savings and became a victim of dark alleys.
The question that haunts us all is till what time these traffickers would dupe the gullible of their livelihoods and till what time the carcasses of the youth of our country would be feasted by the beasts in unknown wildernesses.
Directed and Produced By
Kazim Raza
Masmedia Productions
Pakistan
923333705114Sans Papiers
The youth of our age, surrounded by a swarm of difficulties and... more
Amongst the most beautiful regions of the world, the picturesque valleys of Swat and Buneir used to be huge tourist attraction. The people of this land were remembered for their ethereal beauty and generous hospitality.
But all this changed in a short span of time. These valleys soon became a symbol of terror and insecurity for the tourists. Even the locals started feeling insecure in their homeland.
With a population of around 5 millions, these valleys became a burning inferno right in front of the eyes of the world, fuelled by religious bigotry and fanaticism.
To eliminate the menace of terrorism, Pakistan Army started its operation in the troubled region, the subsequent resistance by Taliban forces turned this halcyon patches into a war zone.
Lush green fields turned into deadly bunkers, happy faces suddenly plagued by death stricken silence. The ensuing uncertainty culminated into the biggest exodus of human history. Around 3 million people left their homes to taste the bitter tastes of homelessness, settling in the Tent Villages at Mardan, Naushehra and Swabi.
Leaving the war zone was an unavoidable decision, the migration inescapable, but in these testing times, the true essence of people came out. Armed with the sense of compassion, sacrifice and devotion came out the helping hands. And pretty soon many a new shelters started appearing. The sense of homelessness started giving way to a glimmer of hope, peace and security.
A huge contingent of IDPs in Swabi was welcomed b y Mr Liaquat Taraki, the chairman of Tarakai group and Head of Liaquat Khan welfare trust. The aim and mission of Trakai trust is to make Swabi a prosperous district, and to help elevate the living standard of Swabi people by eradicating poverty and backwardness.
Directed and Produced By " Kazim Raza"Amongst the most beautiful regions of the world, the picturesque valleys of Swat and... more
After a month of boisterous and at times nearly-violent town hall meetings on health care reform, the second-ranking Democrat in the House said Tuesday that lawmakers are far from producing a final bill on health care reform.
"There is no 'the' bill at this time," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, signaling that changes were coming to the troika of legislation that needs to be blended together into one bill.
Skeptical Democrats took the monthlong summer break to "take a closer look" at the proposed legislation, Hoyer said.
Hoyer, who called the August recess "a learning experience" and "a very useful one," said that he didn't know when the House would potentially vote on a measure. House leaders previously set the first of August as a goal to approve a health care reform package.After a month of boisterous and at times nearly-violent town hall meetings on health... more
This story hits pretty close to home for me...
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"Government officials advise that all girls, starting at age 11 or 12, be vaccinated against cervical cancer. Yet, two new studies raise questions about the safety of the vaccine.
Doctors had recommended that all young women receive the Gardasil shot to prevent a sexually transmitted virus that can cause cervical cancer.
"It's for her own health," one mother said. "I did it."
More than 7 million American women have had the Gardasil shots. Most of the side effects are mild like dizziness, headache and fainting."
-------
When I had my last appointment at my OBGYN, my doctor recommended that I get the Gardasil vaccine. I figured it wouldn't be a huge deal. I had seen the commercials, and I thought it couldn't do anything but help me. Sure I had heard about the side effects on the commercials too, but I had never really had any bad reactions to vaccines or any sort of drug before, so that didn't stop me.
So I got the first shot that day. I felt a little dizzy after the shot, but doctors make me nervous and I figured that was why I was feeling so weird.
Then I went home. For the next week I suffered almost every single side effect listed on the commercial:
* pain, swelling, itching, bruising, and redness at the injection site
* headache
* fever
* nausea
* dizziness
I was laid up in bed for almost 5 days. After that, I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue with the series of three shots. I talked to a close family friend, and she suggested I stop.
When I went to the doctor a few weeks later for my annual check up, I asked my nurse, and my doctor about the side effects I suffered. They both brushed them off, saying I must have gotten sick simultaneously as I got the vaccine. That it was a coincidence. When I told my doctor I wanted to stop with the series, he still pushed that I get the rest of the series.
Needless to say, I left the doctors very upset. Why would my doctor want me to continue with something I suffered from? I am in a long term monogamous relationship with someone who is HPV free, and if things don't work out, I would never sleep with someone who I didn't trust.
I stopped getting the vaccine. And now I am glad I did. Because now they are starting to realize the great negative effects it is causing.
------
"However, two new studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association identify 12,000 medical problems after vaccination, including 700 reports of serious complications from taking Gardasil such as blood clots, autoimmune disorders and 32 deaths.
Gardasil has been controversial since it was introduced three years ago. Parents voiced concerns about vaccinating their children against a virus that is sexually transmitted.
Merck, Gardisil's maker, has been criticized for rushing the vaccine to market and encouraging large-scale vaccination campaigns.
Now there are new worries about its safety.
Doctors say it is not only risky but it may not even do what it's designed to do."
-------
I don't know how much I can trust my doctor anymore...This story hits pretty close to home for me...
------
"Government officials advise... more
White House Senior Advisor, and close personal friend, of Obama speaks at open forum in front of progressive activits and bloggers on health care, torture, economy, transparency and race....... 36:14-37:00 she reveals her view of the U.S. health care system.....White House Senior Advisor, and close personal friend, of Obama speaks at open forum... more
Who the hell didn’t love FLIPPER? Cute ‘n’ cuddly (and how many sea creatures do you know get to claim those adjectives?), the titular bottle-nose dolphin of the classic sixties TV show was a real Up with People kinda mammal. You may not remember any of the specific episodes (didn’t most of them have to do with Bud and Sandy being held hostage by bank robbers?), but the image of fun-loving Flipper gliding through the water, dancing on the surface, and just plain grooving on life was indelibly printed on many a child’s memory (mine included).
Flash forward forty-plus years. In Taiji, Japan, dolphins are herded into an isolated cove. The best get sold to sea parks and aquariums, the rest are killed for their meat, while Ric O’Barry, the man who captured and trained the original Flippers (there were five of them), resolves to expose the atrocity to the world. THE COVE — directed by photographer, environmental activist, and Oceanic Preservation Society co-founder Louie Psihoyos — tells the tale of O’Barry’s quest to get the goods on the Taiji fishermen, a quest that takes an unexpectedly global turn when it’s discovered that dolphin meat, including that coming from the cove, is tainted with lethal levels of mercury.
Psihoyos knows how to build a story, and the film — as most of the publicity points out — plays like a real-life OCEAN’S ELEVEN. He’s also passionate about his environmental cause, and our conversation as a result was an interesting mix that covered the film itself and its underlying issues. Click on the link above to hear the interview.Who the hell didn’t love FLIPPER? Cute ‘n’ cuddly (and how many sea creatures do... more
Progressive members of Congress need to draw a line in the sand and demand a public health insurance option -- something 76% of Americans want.
They need to Take the Pledge to vote against any health care bill that doesn't have a public plan which is:
available nationwide
on day one
and accountable to Congress and the voters
Please call progressive members of Congress and ask them to Take the Pledge now.
A list of number is provided at the link above.
Call and let us know what they say below....Progressive members of Congress need to draw a line in the sand and demand a public... more
A look into today's noisy culture and its consequences to human life in the planet.
In the town of Richmond, Virginia, a long-drawn battle is going on. On one side are lovers of boom cars and loud exhausts, on the other people who defend their right to quiet in their own homes.BBC World Service Presents - The Noisy Ape!
A look into today's noisy culture and... more
The Obama administration and Senate Democrats are debating a health care reform outline that will insist upon a public option for insurance but leave open the possibility for it to be kicked in via triggers.
Multiple Democratic sources tell the Huffington Post that the White House and key members of the Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committees are in the process of hammering out key principles on health care reform -- with a meeting scheduled at the West Wing this afternoon. One of the components will be music to progressive ears: that any bill includes an option publicly run health insurance coverage. But it also comes with a caveat that could engender opposition from that very same constituency.
A trigger would pave the way for public option to come into place only after certain market conditions are met -- mainly if private insurance companies are unable to achieve various metrics for coverage within a certain time frame. The proposal would placate many of the private health care actors who consider a public plan the first step towards a single-payer system. Progressives, however, view it as reform in name and not substance.The Obama administration and Senate Democrats are debating a health care reform... more
Check out the images of the newly isolated H1N1 influenza virus (or swine flu, if you want to get all colloquial about it). It's amazing how technology has reduced the amount of time it takes before even government agencies are willing to share information about emerging illnesses.Check out the images of the newly isolated H1N1 influenza virus (or swine flu, if you... more
