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Poor med students. Sometimes there just aren't enough real bodies to go around for practicing procedures like.. well, delivering babies. So in Korea they decided to create a robot mother who gives birth to a robot baby so that med students can perfect their skills at delivering ... well, robots.
Every holiday season, I pick a cause to fight for -- or, in some cases, against. This year, my cause is..... BABIES WHO ABUSE ALCOHOL. It's a problem that seems to go unnoticed by the general public but in my life I've encountered many a 2-month-old with an unhealthy fondness for gin. So if you care to contribute, I'm starting a fund to enable mothers (who say, run out of formula and have to resort to the liquor cabinet) to afford to go to Vons and buy something non-alcoholic for their child to drink. If you click on the link below, you'll realize the dire need for our intervention on behalf of toddlers everywhere.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/10453702/detail.html
This dilemma is rampant - especially for those under three months of age.
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Fetus in Fetu.
It's a real medical term and it really happened. A baby boy was born in Chile on November 15th with a fetus inside his stomach. Though it's very rare, 'f-in-f' happens when one twin becomes trapped inside another during pregnancy. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15879296/
Luckily, the baby was spared any agonizing abortion decisions since the fetus did not survive.
Gore-Tex.
Yeah, the stuff your ski jacket is made out of -- the fabric engineered for weather protection and safety -- is being used as a heart band-aid by doctors. A Florida boy was born three weeks ago with a heart outside of his chest. The doctors wrapped gore-tex around the sucker and put it back inside his chest - where it belongs (in case you were confused on this point of anatomy). Now, his heart will always remain warm and dry during camping and ski trips -- which should come in useful in Florida. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15857266/
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
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Angelina is not going to adopt an Indian baby. She visited some orphanage in Pune, India and got everyone's turbans in a knot. Maybe she just wanted to say hi to the orphans. I think she was there to taunt them "Look at me Lara Croft - Womb Raider. You could have me as your mom and live in California - NOT!" Okay, okay, in all fairness, she must have taken it somewhat seriously because she started to learn Hindi. Apparently, she can already say "hello" and "thank you" -- what more do you need to raise an Indian baby? She's clearly racist when it comes to children. It's Cambodian, Ethiopian or nothing. In other Angelina news -- the wedding is OFF. That's right. It's not a nice day for a wax wedding. This is from E exclamation point Online www.eonline.com : Madame Tussauds Las Vegas has canceled plans for a wedding exhibit depicting the "marriage" of Pitt's and Jolie's wax figures after receiving a complaint from Pitt's representative, Cindy Guagenti. "I personally found it a little odd that they were re-creating a wedding that never really happened," Guagenti told the Associated Press. "As Brad's representative, I found it disturbing." The wax museum had planned to stage a ceremony between the star couple Wednesday, as part of the unveiling of Jolie's waxen double in Las Vegas. (The figure will still be unveiled as planned—it just won't be wearing a veil.) A wax George Clooney was to serve as best man, while the waxen guest list included figures of Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, Liberace, John Wayne, Ben Affleck and Bugsy Siegel. Sounds like the perfect wedding party to me - minus Ben Affleck. |
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
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Oscar-winnng actress Rachel Weisz has sparked controversy by saying it is acceptable for pregnant women to drink alcohol. She said she thought it was "fine" for expectant mothers to have a glass of wine after the first three months. British-born Miss Weisz added: "I mean in Europe they drink it". Her comments, which were made while she promoted her latest movie The Fountain, were immediately criticised by medical experts who described them as "ill-informed" and "dangerous". The Government is currently reviewing guidelines on drinking alcohol when pregnant after experts warned that even very small amounts could result in Foetal Alcohol Syndrome which can lead to learning difficulties, poor co-ordination and attention deficit disorder. Current UK guidelines say pregnant women can drink one or two units, the equivalent to one or two small glasses of wine or single measures of spirit, once or twice a week. In the US and Canada complete abstinence from drinking is advised for expectant mothers. Last night foetal alcohol syndrome specialist Dr Raja Mukherjee, of St George's Hospital Medical School in London, said: "If Rachel Weisz has drunk during her pregnancy and the baby is fine then that's just pure luck. The problem is that you don't know who is at risk and who is not. "It doesn't mean that anyone who has drunk alcohol is going to be affected but because we cannot predict, then it is safer to avoid it. "There is a risk throughout your whole pregnancy.There is potential harm to the unborn baby's brain at any point and that is fact." Sharon Fleisher, founder of the National Organisation of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, said: "Damage to a foetus can be caused throughout the whole nine months of pregnancy. I think that the comment that she made is dangerous. It is very irresponsible because she is not an expert and she doesn't know the full effects alcohol can have on an unborn child. "She is also wrong about Europe because as of October 2007, France are putting warning labels on all stock in the shops." She added that for most children the real problems only began when they started school and lagged behind other youngsters of their age. Miss Weisz, who won an Oscar last year for her role in The Constant Gardener made her comments in an interview in New York to publicise the film, in which she appears with actor Hugh Jackman. Asked whether she thought a glass of wine was fine she replied: "Personally I do. They say not in the first three months though, but I think that after that it's fine. I mean in Europe they drink it". The Fountain is directed by Miss Weisz's American fiance, Darren Aronofsky. The couple live in New York together and the actress gave birth to their first son Henry Chance in May. Just four months later she was pictured looking radiant at a red carpet appearance for the movie at the Venice Film Festival. In the same interview she went on to say that there were "certain rules" for expectant mothers. She added: "Like, you shouldn't eat raw meat when you're pregnant. There are basic rules that I'm sure the doctor will tell you." Of her son Miss Weisz said: "Everything he does is funny to me. He's gorgeous. He really is, but I'm very biased." She said she was attempting to perform a "balancing act" between working and spending time with him. She said: "The good thing about being an actress is that, before he starts school anyway, there is a lot of downtime and there is a lot of time between films too. So he can come hangout." A spokesperson for the Royal College of Midwives said: "We don't take the view that women have to abstain from alcohol altogether. "If women feel they can abstain then that has obviously got to be the least risk. "But if it is part of your social norm then we don't feel there is anything wrong with having the odd drink. Every one is different and we as midwives try to ensure that their pregnancy is manageable for them. "There is no set situation for women. Midwives here have experienced some who drink a lot and their children do not develop Foetal Alcohol Syndrome while others have just the one drink and their child develops it. "We just want women to accept pregnancy as part of their normal life". A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "We recommend a guideline of one or two units of alcohol once or twice a week, at any stage of pregnancy. The principal outcome from our scientific tests is that for most, there is no adverse effects for low to moderate pre-natal alcohol consumption. Women should stick to these guidelines even if they are trying for a baby." Okay ... seriously? Britney Spears has two babies - one of whom she almost DROPS - the other of whom she bobbles around in the front seat of her car like a windshield medallion and Rachel Weisz says something about having a glass of wine while pregnant and now she's a baby nazi? Anyone? Anyone? Is it the new form of female disempowerment...? You have a baby, you have to chain yourself to the bed, light candles, read the Bible, drink mineral water, watch Oprah and avoid anything that points to fun or freedom? Give me a break. My mother drank scotch on the rocks when she was pregnant with me because that was "all she could handle" and look at how I turned out ... okay, never mind. I take that back - not a good example. But a glass of wine, really? I'm sure if men had to carry that load for eight or nine months there'd be articles published daily on the benefits of beer, whiskey, marijuana and fried food on the unborn. Don't even try to argue with me on this one. You know I'm right. The only reason we've gotten as far as we have is because we have tits. So think on that. OR don't. But don't argue with me here. I'm with Rachel. |
