If there really is a drug dealing “family” seeking to control the Mexican state, it’s the one headed by Dr. Simi… the cartoon mascot of Farmacias Similares and Best Laboratories.

Victor Gonazles Torres and alter-ego

The hugely successful — and profitable — generic pharamceutical company, which pioneered the concept of walk-in medical clinics attached to pharmacies, is owned by the Gonzales family.  CEO Victor Gonzales Torres has plowed much of the company’s profits into his own non-governmental organization, (Grupo Por Un País Mejor), which distributes a well-written nationwide newspaper (though the pharmacies) calling for generally non-controversial populist causes like anti-corruption measures in the legislature, environmental cleanup and … of course… cheaper prescription drugs.

Victor has been on the outs with his brother Jorge — founder and first party chair of  PVEM — the Partido Verde Ecologista de México (Green Party). When Jorge resigned as party chair, and was replaced by his son Jorge Emiliano, and the party moved from its original position as an ally of Vicente Fox to a junior party of PRI (and Jorge Emiliano was caught soliciting bribes in return for Green support for yet another fly-by-night Cancun resort development) — and the party was eventually forced to change its statutes, Victor turned his interests towards his cousin, Patricia Mercado’s political organizations.

Mercado — a well known feminist — has a history of involvement in unsuccessful start-up parties. Partially financed by the Reagan Administration’s “Foundation for Democracy”, Mercado was a founder of Democracia Social in 1999. Led by Gilberto Rincon, the physically challenged ex-Communist human rights lawyer, DS would never receive enough votes to keep its party registration.  However, as part of Vicente Fox’s “Alliance for Change” coalition in the 2000 election, as were the Greens, it gave credibility to Vicente Fox’s claims that a vote for him was a “useful vote” for political change.

Patricia Mercado

Although the Greens were never rewarded with cabinet positions (nor did Fox adequately address Green demands, leading to their defection to PRI partnership), DS was rewarded, with two of its most conservative members — Jorge Casteñeda and Xóchitl Gálvez being appointed to the cabinet (as Foreign Secretary and Secretary for Indigenous Affairs respectively).  Rincon was eventually given a administrative position overseeing handicapped access programs.

The Greens — and Jorge — on the outs with Victor, “Dr. Simi” turned his attention to Patricia Mercado again.  After her second failed attempt with a start-up party (Mèxico Posible, which tried to appeal to feminists, gays, Protestants, the physically handicapped and the indigenous ) failed to obtain enough votes to maintain registration and only captured one seat in the Federal District Assembly in the 2003 elections, she returned to the Social Democratic formula, the Partido Alternativa Socialdemócrata y Campesina. Recognizing that her two previous parties had little support outside of what one pundit sniffed were “Mexicans who read the New York Times”, Alternativa sought a broader coalition, appealing to rural workers and the urban working class. Both are groups who depend on, and appreciate, “Dr. Simi”

A drug dealer for president?

Victor, making the argument that he could self-finance his own presidential campaign, appealed to the “Campesina” (peasant) wing of the largely urban middle-class party for support for the presidential nomination. By-passed in favor of cousin Patricia, he mounted a independent campaign… even though votes for independent candidates are considered “null” votes by Mexican election officials.

Although Victor raised some serious issues (mostly in his pharmacy-distributed literature) about public health care, environmental issues, corruption and economic reform, he used the publicity mostly for a “merry prankster ad campaign for “Simi-condons” — his company having recently gone into the condom business, and selling them at about a third the price of “name brand” condoms.

As “Dr. Condon”, he attempted to force his way into the third (and last) nationally televised presidential debate, wearing a hat festonned with Simi-condons. and accompanied by scantily-clad female “campaign aides”.

He received a few votes (which, of course, were nullified) but Alternativa had slightly more success than DS or México Posible, managing to capture a few legislative seats, although its overall vote was too low for permanent party registration.

Which leads to the intriguing “what if?” question. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador — who was the target of much of Dr. Victor Gonzales Torres criticism was, of course, not elected by less than half a percentage of the total vote. How much of that vote was “drained off” by Dr. Simi (uncounted) and how much by Alternativa (1.6 percent of all Presidental votes) is an unanswerable question. Possibly more than half a percent.

Which leads to the big “Why now?”. With PAN discredited, and the PRI having no appealing candidate on the horizon for 2012, Lopez Obrador’s release of a “10 point program” (already under attack by the “mainstream media” which is just looking at bullet points, and not the details… much as they did his 50-point program for 2006) strongly suggest another leftist coalition run is in the offing.

He's baaaaaaack

So… up pops Patricia Mercado with ANOTHER party… or rather, Alternativa 2.0. The rump of the party changed their name to the simpler Partido Socialdemócrata (PSD) for their legislative group, and now is openly soliciting prominent PRD legislators and activists — who lost out in earlier interparty squabbles between the Lopezobradoristas and the “chucos” to jump ship.

The virulence of the early attacks on AMLO and a potential second run for the presidency indicate that he is taken seriously as a threat (Gancho, who doesn’t see Lopez Obrador as nearly important as I do, even finds the fear of one point — greater media access — a bit excessive). I haven’t really paid much attention to Dr. Simi (other than buying his products and sometimes reading his very written free paper), nor to the PSD up until now, nor had I considered the connections. Which may or may not be there, but make for an intriguing “drug connection” to the Mexican political class.

ZIMBABWE
www.UNICEF.org
User Fees are Limiting Women’s Access to Obstetrics Services
The Government of Zimbabwe along with UNICEF released new social development data which exposed a grim situation for women and children in Zimbabwe. The Multiple Indicator and Monitoring Survey (MIMS), conducted in May 2009 reported a deterioration in access to key social services for women and children, especially for the poorest populations and in rural areas. The survey also revealed alarming data that 1 in 2 pregnant women in rural areas were now delivering at home and that 39 per cent nationally were not accessing the requisite medical facilities for delivery, while 40 per cent were not attended to at birth by a skilled birth attendant. These findings confirm the result of previous research indicating that user fees and other financial barriers are limiting women’s access to life-saving obstetric services.

PERU
www.rhrealitycheck.org
Proposed Abortion Law in Peru is Met with a Divided Governmental Response
In Peru a multidisciplinary committee responsible for revising the Penal Code has raised the issue of decriminalizing abortion in cases of rape or severe disability of the fetus. The Minister of Health, Oscar Ugarte, stated that therapeutic abortion is not against the right of life and announced that it will be regulated, because it is important to save the lives of women. However, the Minister of Defense, Rafael Rey, rejected the proposition and warned that he will resign his position if Congress approves the decriminalization of abortion in these exceptional circumstances. The Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Mercedes Araóz, also rejected the decriminalization of abortion and suggested that the solution in case of rape is adoption.

GHANA
www.peacefmonline.com
The First Lady Calls for the Eradication of Myths/Rumors Regarding Family Planning
The First lady, Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills, has called for the eradication of myths and rumors linked to family planning methods to reduce maternal mortality in Ghana. Family planning had been identified to reduce 30 percent of maternal deaths. Mrs. Naadu Mills who was launching the National Safe Motherhood campaign in Koforidua, on Thursday described as unacceptable the fact that most of maternal deaths were preventable and solutions were also available. The current maternal mortality figure for the country stands at about 451 per every 100,000 live births. The campaign aims to accelerate the reduction of maternal and newborn deaths in Ghana in order to achieve 75 percent reduction by the year 2015–Millennium Development Goal 5.

How much do you trust your partner to protect you from pregnancy? Is it his responsibility to buy condoms? Or is it yours to take the pill, patch, or diaphragm? Is it a mutual understanding? We’d like to know you’re take on this? How much do you trust your man so that there are no “surprises”? Take the poll…

I am finally ready for the pitter-patter of little Panda paws!

Ah, but since moving to Singapore, I can leave NOTHING to chance, because it’s simply un-Singaporean to do so! Everything must be planned to perfection, from the most momentous decisions concerning national debt and security to the littlest detail about how far the sidewalk bush should extend from the centreline on the highway island. And in like spirit, I shall now begin my baby planning, bearing in mind several assumptions:

1. That I am able to conceive, nurture & bring to term a healthy baby;

2. That Mr. Panda is able to aid me successfully in my procreational venture;

3. That we have enough money in the bank to support another big mouth to feed; and

4. That the baby arrives with a nanny attached, batteries optional.

With those assumptions in place, timing is my next concern!

The wedding will be in January 2010, two weeks before Chinese New Year, which means it would be still within the Year of Buttercup! (Cow, if you want to be technical.) Now that’s an excellent state of affairs, because I can’t say I’m too fond of doing anything in the Year of the Tiger. No offence to Tigers everywhere, but I’ve always found them a bit high-strung, aggressive and stubborn. And I have heard that having weddings in the year of the Tiger isn’t quite the thing to do.

Now don’t kill me about being a Christian and still getting caught up in the Chinese zodiac hype! I really shouldn’t, but still… Had an ex who was a Tiger and that relationship wasn’t a good experience overall. Conflict, conflict and still more conflict. It’s enough to make a saint superstitious.

Suffice to say, if I can’t have the wedding in the Year of the Tiger, then no bambinos also. Not sure a little Tigger will fit in the Panda Den. Superstitions aside, do I really want to have a baby in the same year I marry? Can you imagine all the ‘pat poh’ aunties counting backwards when I start showing a bump? (Which, in my case, would be within the first trimester! Sigh. Genes.)

So I figure, to avoid having a baby Tigger born within the same year we marry, the best thing is to aim for a baby Wabbit sometime in 2011! (After the Chinese New Year, which should be anywhere between January to March; any time before Chinese New Year would still be the year of the Tiger).

Baby Bunny has to come bouncing out earliest by March to avoid accidentally turning into a little Tiger, which means that the rubber sock can come off by July 2010. When I told Dad that we’d be trying for a baby from July 2010 onwards, he perked up and asked “Does that mean you two will be celibate until then?”

Err. Sure. Dad.

And the Tooth Fairy will come and give me a gold piece for being such a good little princess, and Mr. Panda will lose 80 pounds overnight and turn into Colin Farrell, and maybe the stork might bring us triplets.

Now, it’s imperative that I have this baby EARLY in 2011 because I definitely want another one latest by the end of 2012! Why? Because that would be the year of the Dragon! My Mom’s a dragon and she has so much personality I figure it would be fun to have another one in the house! :-D So between the first baby and second one, I’d like to have at least a nine month break to replenish lost nutrients, literally transfuse myself with D.O.M. or some other kind of medicinal alcohol, indulge in bird’s nest & spa my body back into baby-making shape. (First rule of marriage; be kind to your partner and keep yourself looking good.)

By the time I’m done with the baby bunny and dragonette, I reckon I’d be done with baby-making for a while (at least for the purpose of procreation :-) ). Because it would be time to raise them toddlers, get some kind of figure back, etc. Unless of course, both are boys, in which case the search for a baby-girl continues until we get one! But if we get lucky and get a daughter by the first or second try, I figure we can wait another four years before we try again. I’d love to have a little Monkey.

Oh, why? Well, you know, the usual reasons. My sister is a Monkey, and she’s such a smart and funny girl, it would be fab to have one just like her in the house.

5 Out Of 5 Doctors Surveyed Said Yes.  That’s Better Odds Than Trident Gum!

5 Out Of 5 Doctors Surveyed Said Yes.  That Better Than Trident Gum!

BURMA
The Gov Monitor
Australia To Provide $15 Million Humanitarian Assistance For Burma
Australia will provide $15 million in humanitarian assistance for the Burmese people still suffering from the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis which struck Burma in May 2008. $1 million will support essential maternal and child health services in particularly needy rural and remote areas.

GHANA
Peace FM Online
Ghana Health Service Launches Campaign on Safe Motherhood
The GHS will launch a national campaign: “Ghana Cares; No Woman Should Die While Giving Birth” to ensure an accelerated reduction of maternal mortality.The campaign also has a subtheme: “No Woman Should Die from Bleeding during Pregnancy and Child Birth,” that will focus on hemorrhage or bleeding–a condition that significantly contributes to maternal deaths around the world.

PAKISTAN
The News
Inclusion of Reproductive Health in Curriculum Urged
Speakers at a district level advocacy seminar series organized by the World Population Foundation (WPF) said that negligence of reproductive health issues is the worst form of gender-based violence and a major factor that contributes to high maternal and infant mortality rates in the country, particularly in remote and neglected rural areas.

TANZANIA
guardian.co.uk
Abortion in Tanzania: Fighting Stigma
A major cause of maternal mortality is barely mentionable in Tanzania: abortion. Illegal unless necessary to save a woman’s life, nobody knows how significant a factor it is.

Support is Stigmatised and Scarce
Poverty, HIV and maternal mortality rates are high in Tanzania, yet religion, prejudice and logistics make access to contraception difficult. Access to family planning services is crucial in Tanzania, where the maternal mortality rate stands at 950 per 100,000 live births, higher than the average of 900 deaths per 100,000 births in sub-Saharan Africa.

UGANDA
The Pulse of Uganda
Museveni Wants Adolescents to Stop Early Marriages
Reports by the World Health Organization indicate that about 70,000 adolescent girls die every year in developing countries from diseases related to pregnancy.

by Nabila Rahman

As an avid music fan, I love anything to do with music. The other day, I was at a small “unplugged” session held at my school. On that particular day, I found myself more interested in the crowd than the music itself. You see, in a crowd, diversity is the key-different people, different faces!

What i found amusing that day was all the not known and misheard lyrics all around me. It’s fun to be a part of the crowd in a music session. It’s uplifting and highly amusing! Ever heard what the person next to you is singing? They start off humming, not quite sure of the words. Then, sings loudly just as they get the hang of it. Some hits a high note only to scream out the wrong word. While some shrug it off and keeps singing the wrong words others get back to their humming tone. It is funny, really, if you can catch what they are saying. I mean, who wouldn’t smirk if the person next to them is saying, “we don’t need no education, we don’t need no birth control!”

Of course, someone who sees me smiling like a goof during a Pink Floyd song will question my mental well being but if only they knew. So, the next time, if you ever find yourself at a music concert, do keep a look out for misheard lyrics. You might be standing next to the next Weird Al Yankovic!

The Catholic Church has always had a bull’s-eye attached to it, and in truth many of us wouldn’t want it any other way, for when we are almost universally loved, as has happened a few times in the last 40 years we have become “of the world,” instead of suffering for the world.”  Lately, during the pontificates of Pope John Paul II and now Pope Benedict XVI dark forces have gathered at the gates of truth attacking the Church for a variety of long held beliefs.  These beliefs can range from the theological to the social. However, following the US Election of 2008 a tidal wave seems to have inundated the Church from the mainstream media, the political realm and even the entertainment world. The Church’s 2,000 year old teachings and beliefs have been attacked in the United States and Western Europe from elected officials, the mainstream media and well known entertainment celebrities. Some of the faithful have become discouraged and questioned me as to how the thesis of my book, The Tide is Turning Toward Catholicism, could possibly be true in light of this news.

The truth of the matter is that against this troubling backdrop the Church continues to grow around the world, especially in African and Asia but even in North America, where much of the onslaught against the Church has emanated. Seminaries and Mother Houses often have no room for those pursuing a vocation and those young African and Asian men and women are often sent to the US or Europe to explore their vocation. Even in the US and pockets of Europe seminaries are experiencing a mini boom. One seminary rector told me that in the 40+ plus years of being affiliated with the Church, he has never seen a longer sustained period of top notch orthodox minded young men coming in and being ordained as he has seen in the last 10 years. Perhaps this is why the powers that be are so angry.

It seemed the US midterm Election of 2006 emboldened the cause of those militant liberals and secularists who have contempt for much of what orthodox minded Catholicism holds dear. Following the results of the Election of 2008, many pundits proclaimed the results as a sea change for America. Agnostics and atheists gleefully announced that a world where religion and especially conservative or orthodox minded Catholicism held sway was being replaced by a humanist brand of religion where age old teachings were replaced by the ideas of “enlightened” religious leaders, agnostic thinkers, and pop culture celebrities. It seemed this new brand of liberal thinker was less idealistic than their 1960s peers and displayed an anger and hostility that was a far cry from the utopian idealism displayed some 40 years ago. Yet, beneath the surface and below the radar screens of many news organizations, lies the hope of the Catholic faithful who hold on to the ideas  imparted by Christ, His Apostles, Popes, Bishops, Priests, Women Religious, Saints and holy laymen and laywomen throughout the centuries.

Hope doesn’t merely rest on those being ordained or vowed, but also on those young people who attend Mass. Recent data shows that the 18-30 age group, who attend Mass regularly, are the most supportive of the Church’s teachings and the most pro life of any generation, including their grandparents. How can this be one might ask, aren’t these the same young people who have become pampered by a self absorbed reality show culture and who voted en masse for liberal candidates in the 2008 Election? Actually this particular group of young people has seen firsthand what has happened and is happening to their Catholic friends who have been mesmerized by the increasingly militant secular culture. They have seen their friends check out of regular participation in the Faith, to say nothing of their friends and acquaintances who have turned their existence into sad real life television reality show. Because of this troubling reality, many young people are embracing Eucharistic Adoration and the rosary as a peaceful weapon against the forces of hedonism, self absorption, doubt and fear. The Doubting Thomas’s need look no further than the Catholic blogosphere where orthodox minded sites run by young people run in the hundreds, while liberal leaning sites can almost be counted on one hand.

It always seems to start innocently enough with those hoping to change perceived wrongs. In 1517 the Church was full of too many corrupt and sinful leaders. Martin Luther may have had the best of intentions when he began his actions. Indeed, he could have been many of the Church’s greatest reformers. However, instead of trying to reform the institution as did St Bernard of Clairveaux or St Catherine of Sienna, Luther let his personal demons against authority and sin get the better of him, which sadly caused him to abolish the Sacrament of Confession and the hierarchy when he created his own church. He would become the leader (or so he thought) of the Reformation Church and sin would be all but forgotten.  Never mind what the Scriptures and Sacred Tradition said about authority, Martin Luther had been plagued by fear of authority and sin his entire life, and certainly he must have thought he wasn’t alone. As for Confession, even though it was the first thing Jesus instituted when he returned to the assembled Apostles on Easter Sunday night (John 20:19-23,) Martin Luther abolished it. Dutch Philosopher and frequent Church critic Erasmus and a future Catholic saint, Sir Thomas More both reached the same conclusion about Luther. They both voiced the opinion that he must be mad to think that 1,500 after the fact he knew better than the Church.

When some of Luther’s fellow leaders of the Protestant Reformation had a problem with the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist and Blessed Virgin Mary, which Luther largely didn’t have a problem with, Luther became enraged. At the Marburg Colloquy Luther was shown the door when he told his colleagues that he would rather drink blood with the pope then listen to their ramblings. They never met again but the damage had already been done and Pandora’s Box was wide open.   Luther thought everyone who disagreed with the Church would naturally follow him. It did not happen and some five hundred years later and some 40,000 denominations and independent churches later, here we are even though Christ specifically told us to be One with One Shepherd (John 10:16.)

During the French Revolution, some 40,000 Catholic clergy, laity and nobility were starved, beaten to death or beheaded. Some of the very nobility who helped to kick out the Jesuits a few years earlier thought the revolution might not be all bad, perhaps a good way to thumb their nose at the Church. However, some months later, one would think they might have had second thoughts while looking up at the guillotine. Before the Russian Revolution some of the very elites who would suffer the same grisly fate as the Romanovs actually helped fund the Bolsheviks, perhaps thinking they were showing their trendy side by funding the same cause that their western cousins found so exciting.

As you can see a construct began to emerge, talented, intelligent and often financially well to do people with a lot of time on their hands began to somehow believe they knew better than the Church. It is nothing new, as one could say it started in the Garden or even before when the “light bearer” was supposedly repulsed by the idea of the Incarnation and tried to take over heaven. St Michael the Archangel booted the Prince of Lies out and today he tries to assuage others, most often using the formula of the seven deadly sins in order to join him in his kingdom of horrors.  Unchecked egos can lead to our eternal downfall.

The 1960s set the stage for a tumultuous period in the Church. The times, as Bob Dylan reminded us, certainly were a changing. In 1961 some 500,000 people gathered in San Francisco’s City Park for a Rosary Rally, some six years later the same park was filled with what one would assume was a different crowd tripping out on LSD and espousing and practicing free love. Some liberals will tell you San Francisco was always liberal, obviously it wasn’t that liberal in 1961.

Vatican II, the transformational council which was called by Pope John XXIII, but had wanted to be called by Pope Pius XII before he fell ill, was in some ways the Church’s finest hour. However, activists within the Church would later twist the words of the Council and try to change the Church into something unrecognizable for many Catholics. The Council’s documents were as orthodox as anything coming out of Nicaea, Chalcedon, Ephesus etc. However, some twisted the words of the holy assembly and tried to make parish churches into something architecturally resembling a warehouse, not a holy place of worship. It didn’t stop there.

Some seemed to think that if the Byrds, Peter, Paul and Mary and Bob Dylan were popular on the radio, their sound might be popular at Mass. After all it wasn’t like they wanted these new found parish musical groups to do a cover version of Led Zeppelin’s Good Times Bad Times or Jimi Hendrix’s The Wind Cries Mary at Mass.  What would be the harm they thought? However, Francis Beckwith noted after returning to the Church some 25 years after leaving it, why would we want to hear a bad Bob Dylan cover band when we could hear the real thing on the stereo or in concert? Many parish musical groups were talented, reverent and joyous. Sadly, some parish musical groups sounded like an American Idol first round reject that incurred the wrath of Simon Cowell, rather than something holy, solemn or joyful.  Again, it didn’t stop

Some within the Church seemed to think that with the invention of the Birth Control Pill, if some young people were acting like rabbits, better to have them use the pill than to avoid it. Those who often felt this way seemed to think abortions were awash since it had to be a blob of tissue rather than a human being. Time and ultrasounds would prove this horrific conclusion wrong. In addition the birth control pill caused a demographic nightmare in the western world leaving the young to pay for the care of the old, who were much larger in number. Unfortunately, by the time many figured this out, millions had left the Church for something they felt was more tangible. Men in particular were turned off by homilies that had more in common with Alan Alda, David Gates & Bread and Air Supply more than they did an exhortation coming from a priest whose very title meant in the person of Christ.

Church liberals felt happy because in a way they had chased out the very element they had disliked (conservative oriented males) while welcoming in those who had a more liberal view of life. Just when thought they were in the driver’ seat, as evidenced by the censured priest Father Hans Kung’s 1980s assertion that liberals were now in control of most dioceses, seminaries and parishes, they realized their hold on the Church was slipping away. In Germany’s famed seminary of Tubingen, gone were the days when the liberal intelligentsia snickered as their “old school” Professor Father Josef Ratzinger huffed and puffed his way around town on his bicycle, while the rebel cause célèbre Father Kung tooled about in his sporty Porsche. The waves he enlisted from his fellow liberal elites, who had plenty of time on their hands, must now look like some grainy black and white movetone video of days gone by.

Younger liberals might be forgiven if they mistakenly believed the canard told by their elder comrades that 1950s Catholic leaders and especially bishops were all right wing conservatives who had no patience for the ideas of liberals but possessed the patience of Job for fellow conservatives. In his memoirs published shortly after his death, the late Senator Edward Kennedy wrote that his famous father the former Ambassador to England Joseph P Kennedy would often socialize with Richard Cardinal Cushing of Boston.  Senator Kennedy wrote that his father always called the famous prelate by his first name.

In a revealing account the late Senator spoke of an incident in which brother Bobby, the future Senator from New York, heard a controversial conservative priest at a Boston lecture whose views about Protestant salvation were deemed very conservative. After Bobby’s father made a phone call to “Richard” the priest was promptly booted from the Archdiocese. Senator Edward Kennedy surmises that because of this incident, his brother Bobby unwittingly played a part in bringing about Vatican II. As one can clearly see from this example, the right wing Catholic hierarchy may not have existed as vividly as it did in some liberal’s imagination.

Because of bold action taken under the pontificates of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, an extended period of younger more orthodox minded seminarians, priests and women religious have entered the Church. Recent bishop’s appointments have also skewed more orthodox or conservative in their political and social leanings. The orthodox nature of these two pontiffs’ theological views has brought admiration from an unlikely quarter, Evangelicals. Many Evangelicals look with alarm at their own denominations and see an ally in the Catholic Church. Enter Pope Benedict XVI, whose pontificate couldn’t have come at a better time. He truly is “The Pope of Christian Unity,” rallying the Christian faithful to the call of theological and social orthodoxy which is the only hope an increasingly secular world has of saving itself from itself.

From Stalin to Mao to the radicals behind the flaming barricades of 1968 Paris, as well as today’s militant secular activists in Europe and the US, the world has seen the sort of outcome freedom from religion brings; utter chaos, mayhem and worse yet unrelenting violence against those who disapprove of espousing a militant secular agenda. Against this nefarious and sinister backdrop the Holy Spirit saw to it that the “springtime” promised by Pope John Paul II would continue with the blossoming pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI. East and west, north and south the octogenarian pontiff travels to meet with other Christian leaders and propose better relations against a backdrop of increasing violence and hedonism which is paralyzing an already troubled world. When theologian Matthew Fox, who had penchant for polytheism, was censured by then Cardinal Ratzinger, the censured theologian took out a full page ad in the New York Times that read, “I Have Been Silenced.” The smoke of Satan that Pope Paul VI had lamented had entered the Vatican was being swept out by the pontificates of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, but not before many choked on the fumes of self absoprtion emitted by Fox and many others.

Jesus warned us about the hired hands that would leave the flock when the wolves came, which is why he implored us to remain One (John 10:16.) These modern day religious hired hands were influenced by Marx, Engels, Freud and the latest pop culture bards more than they were by Scripture or Sacred Tradition. Whether inside the Church or in other Christian communities, they fled from the truth when it came. The world needed a man who would fight off the wolves and gather together the scattered and injured flock. The day the newly installed Pope Benedict XVI celebrated his Inauguration Mass he told the faithful assembled in St Peter’s Square to pray for him that he would not run when the wolves came. He has not and because of it he was ridiculed by many in the mainstream media, other Christian communities and even the Church itself. However, the discerning Christian faithful now see the picture more clearly.

The  sad reality of division is beginning to see it’s elixir is in the pontificate of the man from Bavaria, who has seen the worst of what life has to offer and thus he is making it his life’ work to make sure that this won’t happen again.  Pope Benedict XVI is reaching out to all Christian communities and asking them to join him in protecting the sacredness of all that binds Christianity as well as the sanctity that hold society together. The tide is turning thanks to Pope Benedict XVI, “The Pope of Christian Unity.”

Today most of your parishes will be collecting for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD).  Donald, Christopher, and I have written over and over again of where the money actually goes to, funding for abortions being the most grevious of the lot.

So think twice before donating anything.

(Biretta Tip: Paul Nichols)

Thanks to those of you who encouraged me to keep writing.  My husband is happy that this blog is making me happy, so off I go with more posts!  On to the subject at hand.

I was baptized a few months after I was born.  I was raised in the Roman Catholic faith.  Sundays meant mass, grade school meant sacraments and more mass, and holidays meant longer masses.  I have no terrible memories of my Catholic upbringing.  My parents are devout Catholics, I suppose, and I admire them for their quiet adherence to their faith.  They don’t push their religion on others, they seem to genuinely like the practice of their faith, and they are good people.

I fell off the wagon of Catholicism during graduate school; my schedule became hectic and I stopped going to mass.  I still prayed and still felt a tug of loyalty to the pope and to the Church.  Then it was time to get married.  My husband is also Catholic and we decided to get married in the Church.  I don’t think it mattered all that much to either of us if we had a Church wedding or a Vegas wedding, but it mattered to our parents and we were happy to please them.

Enter the priest in charge of our marriage counseling.  He was a younger priest and I mistakenly thought his youth would make him a little more approachable, like Bing Crosby in The Bells of Saint Mary’s. Silly me.  This man of the cloth was straight out of pre-Vatican II doctrine.   He was joyless, he was dour, and he was filled with ominous messages of the terrible fate that would befall us if we didn’t mend our ways and start regularly attending mass.  He was not, in short, the best person to make us happy about our choice to marry in the Church.  Now, I’m not saying the priest should have told us exactly what we wanted to hear (i.e., “you don’t ever have to go to mass”), but I think he could have gotten his point across with a little less fire and brimstone.  The more we met with him, the more we wanted to elope.  But we gutted it out for our parents’ sake.

We had to take a quiz on our compatibility as part of our pre-marital counseling shortly before our wedding day.  I told my husband, before we went in our separate rooms, to answer the questions in the manner which our priest would want, even if he didn’t agree with the answer.  It would make our lives easier and spare us another long lecture.  However, my husband is more principled than I.  For the question, “can you think of any situation which would make you want to leave your spouse?”, I answered, “no”.  Now, that’s really not true.  There are plenty of situations which would potentially make me want to leave my spouse.  If he decides he loves someone else, for instance, it’s probably time to call it a day.  But I knew this was the answer the priest would like.   My husband answered the same question with an honest “yes”.  (Stupid husband.)  I applaud his honesty, don’t get me wrong, but I knew his answer would get our priest all riled up.  And it did.  He actually told us that I clearly loved my future husband more than he loved me based on his answer and that he was very concerned about the prospect of us marrying.  Seriously?  This was an old-school priest who could not condone divorce in any situation.

The priest did marry us.  His homily at our wedding mass was not one of those nice, “I’ve known X and Y for several months  now and I’ve watched them grow.  They are lovely people who are entering into marriage fully aware and fully devoted, blah blah blah”.  Nope.  Our priest gave a lecture on the evils of birth control.  Our non-Catholic guests looked thoroughly confused (actually, so did our Catholic guests).

After this soul-crushing experience, I wasn’t too motivated to get involved in my faith, as you might imagine.  My parents were nice about my lack of interest in Catholicism.  When I got the teaching job, my mom was thrilled.  Not because it was a teaching job (I’m sure she was happy about that), but because it was a job teaching at a Catholic school.  I believe her response to my news about the job was, “oh, does this mean you’ll start going to mass again?”.  Mom, I love you.

I did start going to the masses at school, mainly because I had to, but I found that I kind of enjoyed the ritual of the mass.  However, I think I naively assumed that a Catholic school would automatically be more moral, more forthright, and more, I don’t know, honest in its dealings than another type of high school.  (I don’t wish to malign public schools or private, secular schools; this was just my very childlike assumption at the time.  My husband is a product of public school high school and received a fantastic education.  I attended a secular private high school and can easily say that it was the best educational experience of my life.)  The school where I taught was great.  The teachers were devoted, the students were hard-working for the most part, and the experience was largely positive.

But I noticed a few things at my work place which gave me pause.  The freshmen at the high school were required to go on a spiritual retreat, one in which all faculty participated.  That’s fine; you go to a religious school, you participate in the religious activities even if you’re not part of that particular faith.  At the retreat, these very young students were expected to discuss their prayer life.  I was also expected to discuss my prayer life.  I don’t know about you, but I had little to no prayer life when I was fourteen, and I certainly wouldn’t have known how to discuss it in a room full of people.  I had a hard enough time discussing it as an adult teacher.  I watched these kids fumbling for words and I thought, this isn’t right.  Shouldn’t your prayer life be private?  Or, if you don’t choose to pray, shouldn’t that be OK too?  I’ve always admired people who keep their religious life to themselves rather than boastfully letting everyone know how holy they are.  Something about this retreat experience smacked of – dare I say it – indoctrination.  If you want kids to attend a religious retreat, fine.  Talk to them about religion, but don’t make them say stuff that they don’t necessarily mean or don’t want to say even if they mean it.

Other instances which have made me question my faith have cropped up since that retreat.  My retelling of those experiences would not necessarily make for good reading.  Suffice it to say that I am teetering on the edge of atheism at this point in my life.  I’m pretty certain I don’t believe in God, but I’m still too scared or nervous to fully commit to that belief.  (Which, some would say, proves that I still believe in my heart of hearts.  Maybe.)

Once my daughter was born, I started thinking about her potential baptism.  And I kept reflecting back to those fourteen-year-old kids who had no idea what they thought about religion; they just parroted what their parents thought for the most part.  I remembered my own childhood, how little I really cared about my first communion or my confirmation.  First communion meant getting to wear a white dress and confirmation meant gifts.  Did I want Daphne to be ushered into a faith that I didn’t really care about?  For what purpose?  If I don’t really buy into a lot of the preachings of Catholicism, why is it so important for me to have my daughter be Catholic?  Because it’s just what you do?  Because if a child isn’t baptized, she’s doomed to be a pagan and wander aimlessly in purgatory when she leaves this Earth?  If I don’t believe that, why should I baptize her?  (Also, I have to say that if God is busy making sure unbaptized kids stay in purgatory, I’m not really impressed with the way He prioritizes his to-do list.)

And I could only come up with two answers to that question.  First, I should baptize her because that’s what you do when you have a kid.  Well, there’s a lot of stuff I should do that I don’t do.  I should exercise, I should watch less TV, I should be nicer to people, I should register to vote, and the list goes on.  If the only reason I baptize my daughter is out of guilt, because it’s what I’m supposed to do, then I shouldn’t baptize her.  If I feel nothing toward my religion, it seems rather hypocritical to baptize my kid into that religion.

Second, I should baptize my daughter because it will make both my and my husband’s parents happy.  Well, parents, I know you want a baptism, but at the end of the day, our daughter is our daughter.  Let’s let her decide, when she’s got an intellect that can comprehend more than the subtleties of Elmo’s World, what she wants to do.  Let’s let her make a choice about her religion once she’s fully informed of her choices.  Oh, and we already did the Church wedding to please our parents.  And I’ve told you all how that turned out.

You See, There Is This Stuff Called B-I-R-T-H  C-O-N-T-R-O-L.

People, who have never heard of this disease, do not know how badly it affects the person who is suffering from it. A lot of people have not even heard about it and they certainly do not know what it is.

Basically, Melasma is a skin condition which comes out as brown patches on the faces of adults. You will find that mostly, both sides of the face will be affected, and the most common places it is usually found are on the bridge of the nose, on the cheeks, on the forehead, and also on the upper lip.

Who Gets Melasma?
This skin condition is mainly common in women, and in fact only 10% of the people that are affected are men. It is mostly common in dark skinned races including Hispanics, Asians, Indians, Middle Eastern, and people from North Africa. This is not to say that lighter colored people do not get it as well; it just tends to be more common in darker skins.

What Causes Melasma?
No one knows exactly what the cause of Melasma is. However, if it is in the family then the offspring are more than likely going to be affected as well. Certain things are thought to trigger Melasma, such as a change in hormonal status which can sometimes be brought on by pregnancy.

Any exposure to the sun can cause harmful side effects and conditions, and one of them can be Melasma. The suns ultraviolet light is thought to stimulate the pigment producing cells in the skin. It is also thought that bright light bulbs can also stimulate the cells as well such as the ones found on sunbeds.

Certain anti epilepsy drugs can also be a contributing factor to the condition, as can birth control pills. If you are worried about birth control pills causing Melasma, you should always talk to your doctor and they may be able to change your pill over. There are a lot of different birth control pills so it should be possible to change!

How to Diagnose Melasma and How it is Treated
Due to the fact that Melasma is a common problem and is quite distinctive, a simple skin examination is all that is needed to diagnose it. Sometimes a skin biopsy may be needed, just to make sure it is Melasma and not something else.

Each case of Melasma is different and it may be that it just decides to go away on its own, even if it is just for a short while, or even for a long time. It may also be that it will never go away. The thing is, there is real no cure for this problem, but there are many treatments that have been developed for it.

If you have been diagnosed with Melasma it is advised to stop using anything that will irritate it further such as facial cleansers, any creams, or make up. If you have noticed this condition directly after taking birth control pills, it may be an idea to discontinue them and to see if it helps stop the problem. If you still continue to take the pills, you can use a bleaching cream to help aid with the treatment of Melasma

The sound of bleach on the face does not sound nice, but rather than actually bleaching the skin, the bleach actually decreases the activity of the pigment producing cells called Melanocytes. If you decide to purchase over the counter treatments, they usually contain lower amounts of the agent needed to fight the pigment cells. A dermatologist will be able to prescribe a higher dose if needed and they usually contain twice the amount of agent needed to lighten the condition. The thing you should remember is that the treatment can take a while to start working, so you should not expect results over night.

For the other treatments, it is best to not build your hopes up, as the results have not always been consistent. The treatments include things like microdermabrasion and laser surgery, but as mentioned they may not work, so only try them if you are completely sure that it is what you want.

My husband was a surprise baby.  He was not planned, he was not supposed to come into existence, and he was born when his parents were … older.  However, I and many other people are very thankful that he was born.  (He also wasn’t supposed to live once he was born.  His mother prayed a “Hannah’s Prayer” over him, “Lord, if you spare this baby, I will give him to you.”  And, wouldn’t you know it, JJ has never wanted to be anything except a pastor.  Isn’t that interesting!  Anyway…)

Over the years, my husband and I have met many more people who were also surprise babies.  They’ve all been dearly loved by their families, and those families can’t imagine life without them.  For example, my parents told me about the pastor at our church when I was a little girl.  He and his wife had two children, then seven-ish years later, had a surprise baby.  Ten-ish years after that, they had another surprise baby!  I like that story.

Years ago, other acquaintances of my parents had four grown/teenaged children.  They went to a party one night, after which the wife complained of bad stomach cramps.  The husband took her to the hospital, where (you know what’s coming!) the doctor told her she was having a baby.  She was stunned; somehow, she had had no idea.  (I guess she was a larger woman, so she didn’t really gain any weight.  Plus she was in her 40s.  But still — how would you NOT know??)  Regardless, they didn’t know, and she gave birth to a baby for whom no preparation had been done.  Wow!  That must have been a huge surprise!

I also know of at least two families who adopted a number of children, only to later on in life have a baby of their own!  Those stories are so … magical, as well as being beautiful examples of God doing everything in his own good time.

I love the idea of surprise babies.  I love the idea of God sending a child to a family at an unexpected time.  I love the idea of God taking over control of this aspect of life and proving that his timing is always best.  I agonize over big decisions, and I’ve always felt relieved that both of my babies were somewhat surprise babies.  Both were definitely wanted, but neither was exactly expected.  (Well, Curious J was certainly hoped for.  We had been trying for a long time.  But then I had some medical issues, so we took a month off from trying.  Of course, wouldn’t you know… )  So, I like the idea of getting unexpectedly pregnant, because it’s as if God’s writing a piece of your future in big letters in the sky.  People always wonder what’s the best thing to do, and getting pregnant is as if God is saying, “I’ve decided that it would be best for you to have a baby right now, and I know exactly the right baby to send you.”

With all that in mind, it bothers me that so many people in the world today want to have a high level of control of their lives, especially in regards to childbearing and fertility.  It’s even called “birth control.”  And, it bothers me that so many people, in their desire to be in control of their lives, take such final steps to ensure that a baby will not come when a baby is not expected.  I know, I know, sometimes there are good, medical reasons to take such final steps, and I’m not arguing those situations.  But, I believe those are the exception, not the rule.

Neither am I advocating the “Every Sperm Is Sacred” viewpoint.  Women shouldn’t feel obligated to spend their lives barefoot and pregnant.  That’s not healthy for a mother, and neither does it make healthy babies.  A mother has a duty to take care of herself as best as she can to be able to care for the children God has given her.  And I also disagree with the “Quiverfull” religious movement, that says that by having more children, you obtain more blessing from God.  Children are blessings, to be sure, but blessings aren’t measured in amounts.

But, it seems that there is less and less of an understanding for the middle ground between those two extremes.  In the Lutheran church, the official stance is that it’s not always wrong to use birth control.  However, what’s not talked about as frequently is that it might be wrong in some circumstances, and I don’t feel that there is a good understanding of what those circumstances might be.

Perhaps, as one who is not a “Fertile Myrtle,” it’s easier for me to take the position of being opposed to the easy use of permanent birth control.  I don’t get pregnant at the drop of a hat, nor do I have a houseful of little people with drippy noses and dirty bottoms loudly clamoring for my immediate attention.  But, without divulging details, I’ve … had reason to ponder permanent birth control lately, and I find that (exceptional cases aside) — I’m not comfortable with it.  It seems like it’s telling God, “No, thanks, I don’t want any more of those blessings.”

I know, I know, kids cost money and time and sleep and energy and personal fulfillment and blah blah blah…  I know all of that.  But in the end, children are a blessing from God, and I can’t imagine saying a definite “No, thanks” to a blessing from God.

Maybe I’m biased.  Well, I know I’m biased.  And I’m not saying I want to be Michelle Duggar, pregnant with baby #19.  (Wow!)  But I absolutely believe that God sends the right babies at the right times, and who is anybody to say when that time is up?  It bothers me that so many people I know have (with selfish and un-Christ-centered motivation, in my opinion) said “No, thanks.”

I’m not saying I’m hoping to have a surprise baby in my later childbearing years.  But, at the same time, if God wants to send me a baby at that time – or any other time - I would absolutely accept it with open arms.

Because, I like surprise babies.  Especially the one to whom I’m married.

Back in the day it was always thought that a woman should wait for marriage before engaging in sexual intercourse. Abstinence was seen as the only method of birth control a woman should ever need. Of course this method lead to many problems.

Many women had a very hard time finding a man that was willing to wait for marriage to have sex. Young women also experience peer pressure to engage in sexual acts. Abstinence is particularly hard to engage in these days and really no longer a viable option.

With the advent of the many methods of birth control today, one of the major hazards of sexual intercourse has been alleviated for the most part; that being becoming pregnant with an unwanted child.

Although there are many draw backs to birth control. Depending on the method chosen, each carries many side effects. I have tried several methods and found that all (even low dose) have major hormonal side effects, and made me extremely prone to heat stroke/ exhaustion.

It has been said that the change in hormones from birth control use can cause women to change their feelings about their partners.  One moment they can be madly in love with their partner, and after begining to take birth control can fall out of love with them.

Not to mention that some people link birth control to a rise in promiscuity. Which has many side effects of its own. Nevertheless, I believe the advent of birth control is a much needed tool for young women that would like to plan for parenthood.

The Huntington West Virginia, Hearld Dispatch published this article: Mark Caserta: Planned Parenthood fulfilling founder’s vision
November 19, 2009 @ 12:00 AM

When Margaret Sanger, famous birth control activist, founded Planned Parenthood in 1916, her vision for society was not unlike another notable historical figure of the past who believed in the self-direction of human evolution.
Adolph Hitler.

A controversial eugenicist, Margaret Sanger believed, “The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.”
The following quote appeared in the introduction to Margaret Sanger’s 1922 book, “The Pivot of Civilization”:

“We want fewer and better children who can be reared up to their full possibilities in unencumbered homes, and we cannot make the social life and the world-peace we are determined to make, with the ill-bred, ill-trained swarms of inferior citizens that you inflict upon us.”

In her book, Sanger went on to refer to blacks, immigrants and indigents as “… human weeds,’ reckless breeders,’ and ’spawning … human beings who never should have been born.”

Sanger’s vision has in large part come to fruition with the institution of Planned Parenthood.

According to its recently released annual report for 2007-2008, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), the largest abortion provider in the United States, was responsible for performing 305,310 abortions in 2007, an increase from 289,750 the previous year, coinciding with an increase in government funding, from $337 million to $350 million.

Sanger, who was officially endorsed by the American Eugenic Society (AES) in 1932, was also recognized “under the radar” by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a Planned Parenthood function.

“The 20th century reproductive rights movement, really embodied in the life and leadership of Margaret Sanger, was one of the most transformational in the entire history of the human race,” Clinton stated upon receiving an award from the organization that Sanger founded.
Clinton dubiously acknowledged she was in “awe” of Sanger.

Others stand in “awe” of creation.

In September, a former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas, Abby Johnson, quit her job after watching an ultrasound of an abortion in which she witnessed a fetus “crumple” as it was vacuumed out of a patient’s uterus.

“When I was working at Planned Parenthood, I was extremely pro-choice,” Johnson told FoxNews.com. But after seeing the procedure for the first time on an ultrasound monitor she said, “I would say there was a definite conversion in my heart … a spiritual conversion.”

In an interview with World Net Daily, Johnson revealed it became all about the numbers at her workplace.

“Every meeting that we had was, “We don’t have enough money … we’ve got to keep these abortions coming,” she said.

Since the clinic offered surgical abortions only every other Saturday, they sought to increase the availability of abortions by offering RU-486 chemical abortions throughout the week, according to Johnson.

RU-486 chemical abortions kill the lining of the uterus, cutting off oxygen and nutrients, resulting in the death of the unborn baby.

In Sanger’s dream of ridding society of “human weeds” and “reckless breeders,” Planned Parenthood, no doubt, has helped facilitate the murder of some beautifully created children with the potential to become real champions in life.

Mark Caserta is a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald- Dispatch editorial page.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/opinions/x459219203/Planned-Parenthood-fulfilling-founders-vision
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To Mark and the Dispatch I say -HERE HERE !!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to add that they recommend a powerful documentary about the racist roots of abortion and the eugenic connections of Planned Parenthood , called Maafa21. ( Clip Below)

Do you find yourself worrying constantly about birth control? Forget to take your pill for a few days? In the heat of the moment, you realized you don’t have any condoms? What’s a girl to do? Take our quiz below & let’s just see how much thought we give to birth control.

UNFPA

Facing a Changing World: Women, Population and Climate

The report shows that investments that empower women and girls—particularly education and health—bolster economic development and reduce poverty and have a beneficial impact on climate. Girls with more education, for example, tend to have smaller and healthier families as adults. Women with access to reproductive health services, including family planning, have lower fertility rates that contribute to slower growth in greenhouse-gas emissions in the long run.

See the full report here.

As young South Asian women, we are exposed to considerable judgement. We are judged for living at home, and judged for choosing to move out on our own. For choosing our own partner, for even having a partner before marriage. For the clothes we wear, the jobs we do. Our parents judge us, our aunts and uncles judge us, our parents’ friends judge us (indeed, we wonder if these united judging parties are the only way they stay in touch). 

There is a lot of judgement to endure and as South Asian women, we learn to expect it from certain quarters (namely Meddling Aunty and Jocular Uncle types). What happens, then, when the medical profession leaps into the forum where your ludicrous, shrieking – and completely unwanted – trial is underway?  

The episode we detail happened to a close acquaintance of ours, a liberal and fierce- spirited young woman (we’ll call her Ix) who was, naturally, appalled at the end of her experience. After years of broken condoms, near-misses, prolonged worrying, Plan B and a ravaged hormone system, Ix decided to subscribe to a regular and thoroughly dependable form of birth-control. It would have to be discreet and non-invasive – Ix was, after all, single and living in South Asia. Her parents and assorted aunties and uncles would collectively be stricken to know that she was not only engaged in pre-marital sex, but was now planning on doing it regularly enough to warrant contraception (never mind the fact that Ix’s family closet is littered with a lot of skeletons engaging in pre and extra-marital sex). 

And so, given that hormone patches and injections were yet unavailable and an IUD would require far too much explanation, Ix settled on birth control pills. These could only be dispensed via a prescription and so Ix, after trawling the internet, settled on a lady gynaecologist at a respectable hospital – a decision that was bolstered by an article featuring the doctor (we’ll call her CAM) in the local newspaper – in which she expounded, amongst other views, the need for punctuality and addressing awareness of and shyness regarding contraception. Confident that this was a lady who would be extremely helpful, Ix booked her appointment. 

On the day, Ix toddled off, arriving right on time. It is a lesson Ix still has not learned – despite being South Asian and living here long enough, she will stubbornly turn up on time – sometimes even early, only to wait, fuming, until South Asian Standard Time finally brings about a meeting. This was no different. Despite her literary reassurances, CAM was delectably late, arriving an hour after Ix’s scheduled appointment and seeing several patients before she finally called on the now-slightly-jaded Ix. 

It was a pleasant-faced, middle-aged lady that greeted Ix (although, she moaned later, the gold jewellery should have warned me that here was a Meddling Aunty masquerading as a doctor). It began innocuously enough – birth date, age and Why Are You Here. Ix launched into a brief but thorough – and truthful – explanation of why she wanted to start on birth control pills. Indeed, said CAM, prescribing a popular brand of pills, scheduling a scan to ensure Ix was hale and hearty and folding her hands upon the table, fixing Ix with a gently patronizing gaze and inquiring Now, darling, shouldn’t you be married?

Ix was flummoxed: No, doctor, I feel I am too young as yet for that. CAM tinkled with laughter before lashing out with You’re 24. That’s not young. You should be married and be having children. Hmm? Why not? Ix was truly gobsmacked and could find no words, only managing to stutter that she never wanted children. But why? Why don’t you want children? A young thing like you should be married now, with children. What about your boyfriend? Doesn’t he want children? You should be thinking about that now. Hmmm? Ix had no reply and could only mumble and smile feebly while steeling herself for the next volley. Well  think about these things said CAM handing over the prescription to a stunned Ix who murmured her thanks and stumbled out the door. 

We thought members of the medical profession were meant to be impartial and non-judgemental. We thought they were meant to reserve their personal opinions when dealing with patients. We thought they were a sanctuary, the one place where you would not be judged for your choices. CAM’s rapid-fire question round all too well implied her disapproval of the unmarried Ix seeking birth control. Apparently, in CAM’s esteemed opinion, only married women engaged in family-planning could pop the pill. Anything else was rampant prostitution.

 We thought doctors possessed a moral obligation to bypass their personal opinions when in professional practice. It may not have been to CAM’s personal liking how Ix was living her life – but what right did it give her to pass such harsh judgement? To demoralize and belittle a young woman seeking to protect herself? And this after CAM’s assertions in the newspaper that women should not be shy in seeking birth-control. Sheer hypocrisy. CAM should have specified, then, that married women seeking birth-control should feel no shame. Single women, on the other hand… 

We feel Ix should be lauded for taking the steps to assure her mental and sexual well-being. More young South Asian women should be doing the same. It saves a lot of heartache, worry and pain. But there we go again with our liberal tree-hugging ways. CAM clearly would have disliked us. 

To Ix’s credit, she did not storm back in and slap CAM about the face. She completed her tests, went back to CAM with the results (Ix was in and out in three minutes. She counted) and began her course of birth control pills. Now that the initial horror  has passed, she laughs over the incident and at what a terrible doctor CAM is. And she makes sure that people – especially other young women like her – know about CAM. 

On a more pleasant note, Ix found another gynaecologist – an older gentleman, practicing in the same hospital who was as impartial, non-judgemental and lovely as every doctor should be. And Ix lives happily ever after (except she still has not been able to buy a black-market bazooka with which to blow up CAM).

Although it is fairly well known that women may develop acne at different times during pregnancy, there is another curious fact that you may not be aware of.

Did you know that birth control pills could come in handy as a treatment for acne? Strange as it may seem, this is actually true, as a result you could ultimately find yourself going to your gynecologist for advice on how to treat your acne. So it turns out that certain aspects of acne need not concern a dermatologist!

Acne and birth control pills, how on earth does this work? Well, here is the story. The fact is that birth control pills have a number of uses. If you have been struggling with your acne problem and feel that you have exhausted every possible treatment option, there is hope for you yet. Birth control pills have come to the rescue, and what is more, using them in small quantities for the treatment of acne has actually been approved by the FDA!!

Birth control pills to control acne? The fact is that birth control pills are pretty versatile and have been found effective in controlling eruptions of acne. If that sounds unlikely, check out the facts for yourself. It may come as a pleasant surprise that birth control pills are effective in retarding the production of androgen before the onset of menstruation. That is pretty useful, considering that androgen makes the skin greasy, exposing you to an increased risk of developing acne.

Diane 35 is one such product, normally used for birth control, but also effective in treating acne, especially used along with topical antibacterial creams. Did you know that birth control pills can also help to minimize the unpleasant effects of estrogen, such as breast tenderness, nausea and headaches?

A wish come true for acne problems? All this is probably pretty good news for you if you suffer from acne. But before you get completely carried away with the notion that you have found the perfect solution to deal with your acne problem, stop and take stock. Because, as is the case with most things, there is a flip side to this wonderful news.

If you think that this is the perfect way to deal with your acne, there are a few facts that you should consider before you do anything drastic. The fact is that while birth control pills do offer a number of health benefits, in using them to control your acne, you could actually be exposing yourself to greater risks. So stop short and ask yourself whether your acne is really worth it.

A godsend for acne, not so fast! While you are marveling at your new discovery, you should also be aware of the grim truth. Because by using birth control pills to fight your acne, you could be endangering your health in other ways. Did you know that this seemingly wonderful choice will increase your chances of developing strokes, heart attacks, breast cancer and blood clots? And that is not all, you also have to cope with side effects that are decidedly unpleasant. Vaginal bleeding, depression, fluid retention etc.

Acne treatments, beware of side effects. Would you say that is a rather heavy price to pay, simply because you are looking for a solution to cure your acne? And while you are coping with these side effects, the acne will still be there, improving perhaps, but playing havoc with your system because of your choice of treatment. Spironolactone and corticosteroids are two choices that you would be better off without if you are looking to cure your acne problem.

However, if you are pregnant, be careful. While you are concentrating on how your acne is responding to it, your male fetus may actually be developing feminine characteristics. As far as corticosteroids are concerned, there is no guarantee of success in treating your acne this way. You may even find that it is getting worse.

Faced with such critical issues, the best thing you can do is to seek the advice of your dermatologist and your doctor. Both should be able to help you find the best way out of your acne problem.