Disco Knitter

I got this in my inbox yesterday – and though I have serious reservations about taking Inigo to a protest that has the possibility of getting violent (not that I think this will, but I need to protect him), I really think it’s important to stand up for people who have no voice of their own.

Unfortunately Mark has to work tomorrow, so does anyone want to join me? Will be at Pearl Beach overnight with limited phone signal, so text me if you’re interested

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Please forward this rally to ALL people who would be concerned about the
far-right taunting asylum seekers, many of whom have fled war and persecution,
while they are locked behind the razor wire

UNITE AGAINST RACISM
Refugees are welcome – racism is not!

The Australian Protectionist Party have called a rally attacking refugee rights for this Sunday, April 11, at 3pm outside Villawood Detention Centre.

The APP are anti-refugee, anti-immigrant & racist. They letterbox leaflets that scapegoat Africans, Muslims & immigrants for crime, unemployment & other social problems. However, the major parties are also to blame – they have given a green light to racism, by also demonising refugees & using migrants as scapegoats.

Racism kills. Refugees are still being deported to their deaths. Attacks on international students and immigrants are increasing.

We need a peaceful show of support for refugee rights, for equality and justice – and to let all racists know that their hatred is not welcome.
Rally Sun April 11, 2pm
At Villawood Detention Centre
15 Birmingham Ave, Villawood (nr Leightonfield Stn)

Please forward this message, organise your friends, bring placards and banners in support of refugees and against racism.

Supported by: Refugee Action Coalition, Latin American Social Forum, Sudanese Human Rights Assoc, Social Justice Group, Socialist Alliance, Solidarity, Socialist Alternative, Resistance.

For information, to add your support, or if you have ideas for the rally, please phone Paul 0410 629 088 or James 0438 718 348
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The racist APP’s rally call:

http://www.protectionist.net/ 2010/04/02/ join-the- protectionist- party-in- celebrating-rudds-first- century/

I got this link in my inbox the other day. I rolled my eyes, and prepared to be bombarded with misinformation, and clicked the link.

And was amazed. Finally, a mainstream parenting website “telling it like it is” about baby feeding.

Go, read. If you’re interested, of course

Oh, and a PS. Yesterday was my first headache free day without medication. I still feel like crap, but touch wood, I’m on the mend. Thanks for all the well wishes!

Inigo just pointed to a shape, and quite clearly said “parallelogram”.

Those of you that know Mark well will know that he has taken a personal mission to stop teaching young children that a parallelogram is a “diamond”. He has even gone so far as to take the letraset machine to some of Inigo’s baby books. And I can’t really talk, because I have re-labeled baby bottles from “milk” to “artificial baby milk”.

A new ad featuring Pamela Anderson dressed in a gold bikini, rubbing herself against another woman in an office environment, and being splashed with a white liquid has been taken off air. Crazy Domains (the company being advertised) managing director Gavin Collins said the ad was “tongue in cheek” and blamed feminist bloggers for stirring up complaints.

Because of course, it’s UN-AUSTRALIAN to complain about women being objectified.

SMH article here. Can’t wait to read the Hoyden on this one!

Link here.

It is common for women to believe that there will be a problem with their milk after a natural disaster, that the stress, or lack of adequate nutrition will make their milk “bad” or somehow unsuitable for their babies. In fact, the human body will provide milk for an infant even when the mother is malnourished.

And with the influx of foreign aid comes powdered infant formula (PIF, sometimes referred to as artificial baby milk or ABM), with the inference that this is better for the baby than what the mother is already providing.

And in a disaster, where there is a lack of clean water, giving a mother powdered infant formula often means she has to make it up with dirty water, leading not only to introducing infections to the infant, but by depriving her of breastmilk, she is also deprived of a natural defence against life threatening diseases.

In normal circumstances, breastfeeding needs to be protected. In a disaster, it is vital.

So the plan was to eat some cow. But I’ve stalled, due to the lack of a dining companion, and a restaurant that is open on a day when I have no child.

Mumu is Crows Nest used to be open on a Tuesday, I’m sure, but when I went there yesterday they were closed. Fe couldn’t make it, but promises to be with me next week. But now I can’t find a restaurant that sells grass/pasture fed beef and is open on a Tuesday.

Here is an article from the SMH about the differences in producing different bits of cow. In case anyone is interested in why I insist on grass fed cow.

Apparently, the Government White Paper on airline safety has been released, and apparently they have listened to the radical crazies like me that sent submissions supporting allowing knitting needles on planes.

What’s next? Making beating children illegal?

Article from Babycenter here. It is really great that the mainstream media is tackling this issue. According to a book I read (Nurture Shock), it’s not enough to expose your kids to people from different races, you have to talk to them about it. Kids in mixed race schools who haven’t had the conversation with their parents are more likely to join social groups comprised of kids of their own race, and will reinforce racial stereotypes and divides.

But if you talk to your kids about race, about how we are all the same, despite differences of skin colour and cultural practices. Stupidly, I thought that Inigo wouldn’t have the opportunity to grow up racist if he is surrounded by kids of many different ethnicities.

I suppose it’s not just one conversation, and we’ve got all that to look forward too.

The ABA has just released a new information leaflet about alcohol and breastmilk. Contrary to most of the information that is available to mothers (and often funded by formula companies that want to scare women into artificial feeding), this leaflet acknowledges that Australian women do like a drink, and gives guidelines for how to do it without harming your baby. For example, if you are a 75 Kg woman (I wish!), it takes 3hrs and 16 mins for two standard drinks to leave your bloodstream.

Not that I would ever encourage a woman to drink and feed – but you’re often better off doing that than drinking and giving artificail milk, and this information has been hidden for so long, this publication is a bit of a victory for common sense.

Cheers!*

*That is a virtual cheers from me – self imposed booze ban will be lifted over Christmas and New Year. Then we’ll check in with the liver and see how it’s coping!

Article here.

Apparently, living with constant psychological stress makes kids perform worse at school. Who knew?

From Hoyden About Town. Which, incidentally, everyone should read.

It makes you smarter.

Or does that only work on me?

There’s been a bit of hoo ha on the internets recently about Nestle, (see here and here for some background), and I was reminded of something I saw in an Indonesian supermarket.

Yup – chocolate milk, marketed for infants, with a free sippy cup.

Before friday, please click hereto send a submission to the senate about your support of same sex marriage.

Marriage is about the strength of your love, not your partner’s gender!

The government has commissioned a research company to do research on a national breastfeeding strategy. Now is your chance to have your say.  The survey closes on the 14th, so you don’t have much time!

If you can’t be bothered reading the link – email the answers to the following questions to nbs@allenconsult.com.au

• Do you think that support and the promotion of breastfeeding should be provided consistently to all mothers and women across Australia?
• In your experience, did promotion of breastfeeding while you (or your partner) was pregnant encourage starting and/or continuing breastfeeding? What things seemed to help the most? Why?
• Do you think that there is enough breastfeeding support provided to new mothers?
• Have you or your partner ever sought or been referred to a breastfeeding support service or lactation consultant? What sort of service? Did it make a difference in you/your partner’s ability to continue breastfeeding?
• How do you think breastfeeding promotion and / or support could be better provided?
• Do you think that information such as the rates of breastfeeding (number of babies breastfed as a percentage of the total population of babies of particular ages) and other similar information should be collected on a national level?

Labor Senator Cathering King had her toddler in the senate, but Greens toddlers are apparently not allowed.

The picture of Senator Hanson Young on the second link is absolutely heartbreaking.

I needed that….

Thanks Post Secret.

From the Calgary Herald.

Thanks to Linda for the link!

Thanks to Lesbian Dad for the link.

Yes – unless you try to DIY without a doctor.

Unapologetically Female has an interesting insight into Heroes.