How To Avoid The Swine Flu
Posted on April 27, 2009
Filed Under Health, International, United States | Leave a Comment
What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a type of influenza virus which normally affects pigs. But it has ‘crossed over’ to infect humans before, and the current strain of the virus has now affected many people in Mexico. The concern is that it seems to be spreading between people and might cause a wave of infections around the world.
There have been more than 1,600 cases of swine flu in Mexico in recent weeks, and over 100 deaths. But in other countries, where people travelling from Mexico have caught the disease, infections have been milder, and no-one has died. There have been confirmed cases in the US, in Canada and in Spain. Other suspected cases are being investigated in other countries.
What are the symptoms of swine flu?
Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of normal winter flu. People have a feverish illness, along with one or more of the following symptoms: cough, sore throat, headache, tiredness and muscle aches. Some people also lose their appetite, and some have reported vomiting and diarrhoea.
What should I do if I get symptoms?
If you’ve been to Mexico or the US, or another country that may have been affected by swine flu, the UK’s Health Protection Agency says you should keep an eye on your health for the seven days after your return. If you develop flu-like symptoms during that time, you should stay at home, and contact your GP by telephone, or phone NHS Direct. Make sure you tell them where you’ve been travelling.
You may need tests, which might be carried out at home, or in hospital. Until you have your test results, you should avoid contact with other people. You should also take sensible hygiene precautions to avoid spreading the virus.
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, use paper tissues and dispose of them straight away.
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
- Wash surfaces like door handles with a normal cleaning product.
It’s important that your children also cover their noses and mouths when coughing or sneezing, and wash their hands frequently.
How can I protect myself against swine flu?
At the time of writing, there have been no confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK. However, it’s possible the virus will spread to the UK. Taking sensible hygiene precautions, such as those listed above, will help avoid spreading or catching the virus. Frequent hand-washing has been shown in clinical studies to prevent the spread of cold and flu viruses.
What treatments work for swine flu?
The anti-viral medicines oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are being used to treat people with swine flu. Testing has shown that the swine flu virus is susceptible to these medicines.
From:
Health Protection Agency. Swine influenza advice for the public. April 2009. Available at the Health Protection Agency (accessed on 27 April 2009).
Why I’m Selling My Virginity
Posted on January 30, 2009
Filed Under Bloggers, Feminisim, Sex, Women | Leave a Comment
By Natalie Dylan, seen on The Daily Beast
When I put my virginity up for auction in September, it was in part a sociological experiment — I wanted to study the public’s response. Now it seems that the tables have turned, and the public is studying me.
I’m a 22-year-old woman who recently earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Women’s Studies, and soon I’ll be entering a Masters Degree program in Marriage and Family Therapy. During the time in between, in addition to my regular 9-to-5, I’ve been exploring my upcoming thesis project: the value of virginity. To be more specific, I’ve put my own virginity up for auction on the Moonlight Bunny Ranch website, and I recently received my highest bid so far: a cool $3.8 million.
In addition to bids, however, I’ve also received an astonishing, sometimes unnerving, amount of media attention. Many of these reports have portrayed me inaccurately, however, so let me tell you what this is all about.
This all started long before September. In fact, it started in college, where my eyes were opened by my Women’s Studies professors and fellow classmates. I came to understand the role of “woman” spanning culture and time. At the university level, I was given permission to think differently and form a moral code of my own design. College opened my eyes. Continue
The New L Word Spin Off
Posted on January 30, 2009
Filed Under Entertainment, Gay/Lesbian, Gossip, Media, Television, Women | Leave a Comment
According to Velvet Park Magazine and Broadcastingcable.com:
The L Word spin-off: It will star The L Word’s Leisha Hailey and will be a “very different, substantially different show” from The L Word, he says.
Hailey’s character Alice Pieszecki goes to jail, where the new show would be set. While The L Word, which will conclude as a series after its yet-to-premiere sixth season, focuses primarily on a community of lesbians, the spin-off would involve a broad spectrum of characters, including some lesbians, Greenblatt says: “It’s a big group of characters and there’s a few lesbians in that group, but it isn’t the exact makeup of what The L Word was.”
When asked if it is a “female Oz,” he says that was “not a bad description,” though it would not be as dark as Oz, the gritty, former HBO series.
Three guest stars appear in the pilot and may or may not go forward on the series should it get picked up: Melissa Leo (Frozen River), Famke Janssen and Laurie Metcalf.
Greenblatt says he expects to make a decision about the pilot, which he has not yet seen cut together, in the next couple of months.
Can someone tell me why Showtime is determined to spoil the entire sixth season of The L Word? If the writers were going for a mystery thriller based on who killed Jenny, and now we know Alice lands in jail, is there really any suspense for the last eight episodes? Oh my, do I see a shark down there?
Iceland to Install First Lesbian Head of State
Posted on January 30, 2009
Filed Under Gay/Lesbian, International, Politics, Women | Leave a Comment
Iceland seems set to make political history again after the recent collapse of its ruling coalition since the top candidate as interim prime minister is openly lesbian.
Openly lesbian , a 65-year-old whose Jan. 31 elevation to the post of Prime Minister would have seemed the longest of long shots thirty years ago, at the start of the former flight attendant’s political career.
Or, perhaps not: this is a woman whose determination and perseverance have set her apart from others in the tiny nation’s government, a woman who once formed her own party before recommitting to the Social Democratic Alliance.
With Sigurdardottir having taken the reigns of national leadership and Iceland headed toward membership in the European Union, the promise of hope for a nation beset by deep economic woes–and the Jan. 26 fall of a government that had lost the trust of its people–far outweigh the sexual orientation of the new leader.
Even so, Sigurdardottir’s assumption of the role of Prime Minister marks an historic step forward: never before has an openly GLBT individual been prime minister of a nation.
Eartha Kitt dies at 81
Posted on December 25, 2008
Filed Under Arts/Culture, Entertainment, New York, Women | Leave a Comment
Eartha Kitt, who purred and pounced her way across Broadway stages, recording studios and movie and television screens in a show-business career that lasted more than six decades, died on Thursday. She was 81 and lived in Connecticut.
The cause was colon cancer, said her longtime publicist, Andrew E. Freedman. Full article
Crescent Moon, Venus and Jupiter
Posted on December 2, 2008
Filed Under Astrology, Events, Travel | Leave a Comment
Last night’s rare sky formation called a “bridge triangle”. Taken in Rincon, Puerto Rico.
Venice Floods Highest in 20 Years
Posted on December 2, 2008
Filed Under International, News, Travel | Leave a Comment
Ah, Venice. One of my favorite cities in the world. Beautiful and mysterious and now flooding!
According to the NYT, residents and tourists waded through knee-deep water yesterday as they navigated the city’s narrow streets and alleys, and its historic St. Mark’s Square was inundated.
One of the highest tides in its history brought Venice to a virtual halt, rekindling a debate over a plan to build moveable flood barriers in an effort to save the city from high tides.
For three decades, a single idea on how to safeguard Venice and its lagoon from sinking beneath the sea has held sway: a wall of hinged barriers at each of the three entrances to the lagoon that would rise at the flick of a switch to collectively block extreme high tides from entering the lagoon. Sounds simple, right? Well, it is, after a fashion. Below, watch an animated movie and see how the mobile gates would work.
Chicago Business Woman to be White House Social Secretary
Posted on November 24, 2008
Filed Under Gay/Lesbian, Politics, Women | Leave a Comment
Prominent Chicago businesswoman Desiree Rogers will be named the White House social secretary, according to a series of news reports. The 49-year-old Harvard MBA will be the first African-American to hold the post.
Ms. Rogers recently served as President of Social Networking for Allstate Financial, LLC. Ms. Rogers served as the first female and first Black President of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, now divisions of Integrys Energy Group. She is also a mother (of one daughter Victoria), a political fundraiser, and highly active on the Chicago Social Scene.
She earned a MBA from Harvard University and a BA in political science from Wellesley College. She is consistently named one of the 50 most powerful Black business women by Black Enterprise. Celebrated for her great sense of style and business acumen, Rogers has also been featured in Vogue Magazine
Clinton to Accept Secretary of State Position
Posted on November 21, 2008
Filed Under International, Politics, United States, Women | Leave a Comment
Hillary Rodham Clinton has decided to give up her Senate seat and accept the position of secretary of state, making her the public face around the world for the administration of the man who beat her for the Democratic presidential nomination, two confidants said Friday.
Mrs. Clinton came to her decision after additional discussion with President-elect Barack Obama about the nature of her role and his plans for foreign policy, said one of the confidants, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the situation. [NYT]
Food and Drink Only In New York
Posted on November 20, 2008
Filed Under Entertainment, Food/Drink, NYC, New York, puerto rico | Leave a Comment
the Starlette is back from a quick trip back home to NYC. Being away from the city certainly makes you appreciate the chaos, noise, crowds but maybe not the cold. I’ve been in 80+ degree weather for 2 months so switching to 37º was an assault to the senses. Ah, but how lovely to sit down to a relaxed lunch at Bar Pitti, one of my favorite Italian restaurants downtown. It’s hard, actually it’s impossible to get a decent Italian meal here in Rincon, PR.
Fall energy was definitely in the air eventhough the economic situation was somewhat apparent while glancing into stores or neighborhood restaurants. My local market (Jefferson Market) closed down. They were behind on their Con Ed bill. This place was an institution in the West Village. A place to get great veggies, gourmet cheeses and stumble into the neighborhood celebrities like Julianne Moore or Elvis Costello. Once Citarella opened up down the block, they just could not compete. Sad to see them go. We need to support these local shops. Otherwise, the big corporate chain businesses will just gobble them all up.
Had dinner at a cozy, fun, new restaurant Cafe Select. Located in Soho at 212 Lafayette. Cafe Select, a Swiss cafe is the latest venture of downtown restaurateur Serge Becker. A good variety of small plates and salads. The puff pasty with mushrooms was divine. Entrees range from veal sausage to seared marinated steak over arugula (yummy) and of course Schnitzel. Cute crowd and decent selection of Swiss wines. After we headed to Apotheke in Chinatown. A speakeasy/cocktail bar at 9 Doyers St. The spot’s marked only by the Gold Flower Restaurant sign in an alleyway off Bowery.
Like an apothecary, the bartenders/mixologists mix and concoct all sorts of drinks from glass jars lined up along the bar and on shelves. We tasted a Pisco drink, something with Rose-water and some Scotchy thing. All incredibly satisfying. Suprising since I really don’t drink anything but wine.
Just when I thought I had seen it all, along comes a pedi-cab with a pole dancer. This rentable stripper rickshaw’s comes equipped with pole, boom box, neon-lit platform, and video camera for capturing the sweet dance moves and onlookers befuddled titillation. Only in New York!
