January 30, 2009
Keep your laws off my octuplets!
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've likely already seen the story of the Southern California who woman who gave birth to the world's first known surviving
set of octuplets.
What you may not know, is that (no surprise) despite the family's plea for privacy, the vultures have been hard at work and have discovered that she already has (gasp!) six children, these babies were conceived (gasp!) via IVF, and that she's (wait for it........) a single mother living with her bankrupt parents.
"Where are the ethics??" scream the journos and the academics. "How could you justify fertility treatment for a woman who already has a pack of kids? Don't you have a MORAL OBLIGATION to keep a poor (reputedly on Medicaid), single woman from populating the planet with her bastards that the rest of us are going to have to support?"
There oughta be a law! A law I tell ya! (read the comments here)
Well, there is a law. Just not here. I'm sure you've heard of China.
The selfsame "voices of the people" who decry this woman's choice to have a large family are the same folks who cry out bitterly about China's One Child policy.
Either fertility is regulated or it is not. How many children is too many? Is it a sliding scale based on your ability to pay for them? If so, I'd wager most of us would have disappeared up the abortionist's vacuum tube.
Somehow they also fail to mention that if it's my choice to have a child or not, that includes BOTH outcomes: having the baby or not having the baby. The faceless critics lamenting this woman's "irresponsible choice" (a phrase uttered by a so-called Bio-Ethics expert during a news report this morning) are also the same crew lobbying so hard to keep abortion legal.
I'm sorry, but I thought "Keep your laws off my body" was an absolute. Or does that just apply to the popular choices?
I haven't even touched the infertility aspect of this case. Many of my dear friends struggle with infertility, some have pursued multiple courses of treatment. Some, ultimately, decided that the pursuit was futile despite the deepest longings of their heart for a biological child. Having seen the struggle that so many endure, it seems to me that any successful procedure resulting in a healthy baby is a win. Perhaps those of you who have been down this road would like to chime in.
Certainly, it is a pertinent question, how will this mom support 14 children? But how does a 14 year old support one baby? How do two parents with two careers handle two or three small ones? Raising kids is not easy for anyone at anytime. 14 children, including (reportedly) 2 with special needs and 8 infants presents a huge challenge, but that doesn't mean necessarily that the children will be neglected or hungry. In fact, it's entirely possible that these 14 kids will be MUCH better off than some kids with only one or two siblings.
You can't have it both ways, either people get to choose the family they want, or they don't. And if they don't, who makes the rules? Based on what?
It works so well elsewhere, after all....
Posted by: caltechgirl at
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Excellent article, truly! If the parent is not able to care for the children at that point the state would step in and take them. But like you said... how do we know she can or can't? It's none of our dang business.
Posted by: pam at January 30, 2009 12:01 PM (l6NIn)
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Beautifully said. And quite right. Once you start trying to legislate this kind of thing - it's bad for everyone and you end up like China.
Of course I wonder where she got the money for IVF - is it covered under medicaid? I won't take anything the media says as being true - they have tipped their hand on how they feel about any children at all... So I'll just go back to my life and not worry about this woman... Imagine that - I'm going to walk away and let her live her own life!!!
Posted by: Teresa at January 30, 2009 02:03 PM (ybEr8)
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the local media have stated that the mom works at a fertility clinic. Insinuating, of course, that her bosses provided free services since IVF is NOT covered by Medicaid.
Posted by: caltechgirl at January 30, 2009 02:46 PM (IfXtw)
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Ouch. I'm split both ways on this. I'm totally against any government interference in this matter, but I hope to hell she's able to care for all of them. I have nothing but the utmost contempt for mothers who keep having children and don't take care of them (like my wife's niece). Either other family members have to pick up the slack, or they end up in foster care (almost the worst outcome). If they are going to continue having kids they have to take full responsibility for their raising and care.
Legal sanctions for a mother's irresponsibility? Probably. I think the niece should be breaking rocks until every last one of her kids (5 at last count) turn 18. But government dictating how many kids one can and cannot have? Sorry, that's how China handles things. Caltechgirl's argument wins.
Posted by: diamond dave at January 30, 2009 07:16 PM (iBUsJ)
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I'm confused -- I went to the links but I only saw comments indicating that they thought the mother was irresponsible. Where are the "journos and the academics" who are screaming that the government should regulate the privacy of a woman's body? Though I think it *is* freaking irresponsible to have ANY child, one or six or eight, when you cannot not emotionally, physically, or financially support them, I don't know anyone who says (other than insane web people who I've never met) that there should be a law that regulates the number of children people can have in this country.
Posted by: SBC at January 31, 2009 08:03 AM (1Q6g4)
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Did you even SEE the news? These talking heads were EVERYWHERE.
Posted by: caltechgirl at January 31, 2009 10:23 AM (IfXtw)
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I'll be honest, I don't watch the local news that much if at all. But I do watch CM, KO, and RM -- the liberal trifecta of talking heads -- and I don't remember them saying anything other than it happened and I can't even remember if all of them said the the births happened. Most of what I've been reading or seeing is about the stimulus bill anyway...
I remember a story on NBC saying that octuplets are at risk for a ton of health things (which is in fact GOOD that they reported on that)...maybe its on the morning shows? I mean, I can understand people talking about the responsibility of the woman the same way I can understand talking about the responsibility of teenage pregnancies but there were talking heads who said we should regulate how many children? Are these talking heads who are saying this on Fox?
But it sounds like that issue that people are having isn't so much about how many children can one have but should IVF procedures be cleared to someone that has more than double the average number of children per American household. It may be treated like organ donation where medical boards decide if people are either young enough or healthy enough for the procedure because even though IVF has a hefty bill at the end (so its usually a procedure only available to the upper middle class - rich groups), it still takes time and resources from other people. But that's going to be up to the individual hospitals and companies probably in the end...I would be surprised if it ever became a legal issue and I would imagine every *real* pro-choice woman would fight any regulation.
Posted by: SBC at January 31, 2009 03:10 PM (1Q6g4)
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I completely agree that it's nobody's business as to how many children a person should be able to bring into this world, especially not the business of any government. BUT...
Prospective adoptive parents have to go through rigorous background checks, psychological, financial, etc., especially here in the United States, which is why so many end up going to China for their unwanted children. Why shouldn't there be some sort of the rigorous background checks for prospective in vitro fertilizations? Especially some serious looking into someone's psyche as to why after having experienced the thrill of parenthood 6 times over anyone needs to reproduce again. If it is so necessary to have even 1 more child, why not adopt? AND...
From what I have come to understand of this situation (just so happens this young woman lives in my hometown of Whittier) this mother of 14 children is not gainfully employed as she is a full-time college student, nor is there a father in the picture. I would assume (and I'm sure the media will dredge this up eventually) that the mother subsists on Welfare. God only knows how she can afford the in vitro process.
I was on Welfare years ago while trying to raise my 1 and only child after my divorce. I was 32 at the time (I had been had been gainfully employed and paid taxes since I was 16 years old), and I knew full well that I was at the government's mercy as to my personal life. I had to show bank statements, receipts from my utilities, receipts for childcare, and I was told that I could be investigated at any time, meaning they could come into my home, look in my cupboards, interview my neighbors, whatever.
So the media is doing to this woman what they should have done to our new president, and yes, in comparison, that is wrong on so many levels it boggles the mind. But once you put yourself in a position of being scrutinized whether for public office or for personal gain via benefit of living off of tax payer's dollars, all bets are off.
God bless her for not "selectively harvesting" 6 or 7 of these babies, but all in all, someone needs to take a hard look at the mindset of someone who needs to bear 6, 7, or 14 children when there are so many little one's who need homes.
Sorry to go on so long. Kind of a heated subject for me since speaking to several family members and friends who live in Whittier.
Posted by: My Awesome Mix Tape #6 at January 31, 2009 07:02 PM (K9H6U)
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I didn't comment when you first posted because my initial snarky thought was that she did it so she could become a TV star and make money that way b/c of her huge family. Appears that is, in fact, the case.
To me that makes a big difference - I don't care how many kids you have, 1 or 15 or 25, you shouldn't be doing it in hopes of getting endorsement deals. Kids shouldn't be bargaining chips for career moves.
Posted by: beth at February 03, 2009 10:29 AM (Slkto)
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January 29, 2009
Pictures and stuff
Lots of new pics on the
Flickr page. Including Flea performing with the Caltech Jazz bands (and our own Kjerstin, too!) and lots of glorious jam/marmalade food pRon.
Like this:
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January 27, 2009
The News from LA LA LAnd...
Most of the time, the news just disgusts me and
makes me sad....
But every once in a while it also
gives me hope....
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They were interviewing the doctors today and asking how they could not have seen the 8th baby. What a stupid question. Eight little bodies all jumbled and you get on to the doctor for missing one? Jeez.
Posted by: Amy at January 27, 2009 06:16 PM (R8Y8+)
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And how amazing and wonderful that the babies are all alive, all breathing on their own (that's what I think I heard), and some of them are even taking milk?
I was amazed at how matter-of-fact the doctors were.
But - I hope the parents have lots of help. LOTS of help. Eight kids in diapers at once....wow.
Posted by: ricki at January 28, 2009 10:20 AM (O5SYw)
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8 Babies. Can you imagine........ I hope they have LOTS of help. LOTS.
Posted by: Navy CPO at January 29, 2009 08:39 AM (IrbU4)
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January 19, 2009
Keeping the Universe on the Straight and Narrow
Science, kiddoes. Science. Dig it.
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God sure has a funny sense of humor...
And I guess He's had enough of islamofascist terrorists killing in His name. Or at least in one of his names....
So He sent them a plague. The Black Plague.
ANTI-TERROR bosses last night hailed their latest ally in the war on terror... the BLACK DEATH.
At least 40 al-Qaeda fanatics died horribly after being struck down with the disease that devastated Europe in the Middle Ages...
...The killer bug, also known as the plague, swept through insurgents training at a forest camp in Algeria, North Africa. It came to light when security forces found a body by a roadside.
The victim was a terrorist in AQLIM (al-Qaeda in the Land of the Islamic Maghreb), the largest and most powerful al-Qaeda group outside the Middle East.
It trains Muslim fighters to kill British and US troops.
Now al-Qaeda chiefs fear the plague has been passed to other terror cells, or Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.
One security source said: "This is the deadliest weapon yet in the war against terror. Most of the terrorists do not have the basic medical supplies needed to treat the disease."
Bubonic Plague, also known as Black Plague, is spread by infected fleas. The plague is really a little rod-shaped bacteria (bacillus) known as
yersinia pestis. The fleas live on rats and other small animals (such as squirrels) and are happy to feast on human blood, passing on the plague at the same time.
The disease is rapidly fatal if untreated, causing the patients lymph nodes to swell into painful boils, known as "buboes", hence the name "bubonic plague". In modern times, exposure often occurs from animal control personnel handling dead rodents or accidental exposure on a camping or wilderness trip, and is usually treated successfully. Clearly this is not the case in the remote mountains of Algeria.
Too bad germ warfare is illegal. Sprinkle a few microbes in a few caves, and we wouldn't have to worry about these asshats anymore, dammit.
h/t George Moneo at Babalu
And for some real (gallows) humor check out the comment thread for this topic at Ace of Spades...
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As I understand it (from the discussion of this over at Ace's place), there are plenty of infested vermin this side of the Rockies in this country, but the disease is very easy to nip in the bud with antibiotics.
It is impossible not to have a moment of thinking, "well, you DID want to go back to the Middle Ages" in one's reaction to that story.
And we don't know how many AQ groups or Taliban cells they passed it along to before they bought the farm.
This might just be the beginning . . .
Posted by: Little Miss Attila at January 19, 2009 01:29 AM (TpmQk)
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exactly. Here in the States it's extremely treatable, despite being endemic.
Posted by: caltechgirl at January 19, 2009 01:31 AM (IfXtw)
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I haven't an ounce of sympathy for those animals. Looks like God finally threw in his two cents on the matter. May they all die like the vermin they are.
Posted by: diamond dave at January 20, 2009 01:23 PM (9eMao)
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January 18, 2009
The Ghost of White House Past
If the Presidential fraternity in the sky could advise Barack Obama they'd send...
Richard Nixon.
"Honestly," Nixon began, "there are a number of racists among the group. I am not one of them. Slavery was and racism is the great moral failing of America. I don't want to see you fail."
Nixon appeared to take a deep breath and he turned away from Obama and looked out the window towards the Washington Monument. "I don't want to see you fail. I failed because of my own hubris. My failings were avoidable if I hadn't been blind to what I was doing. You and I became president at a unique time in America's history. Deeply unpopular wars were underway abroad. Deep discord infected everything at home. I had a chance for greatness. You have a chance for greatness. You and I share times more similar than you think. I can help you if you want my help. If you don't... Well, I can go back and leave you be."
Hop over to
Naked Villainy and read the rest. Presidential heaven appears to be an awfully interesting place....
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January 10, 2009
Think Happy Thoughts....
... And sprinkle a little fairy dust....
Tomorrow, January 11, two amazing people are going to follow through with a resolution they made in August and run a marathon in honor of people who have been touched by cancer.
WB and
Bou are running the Walt Disney World marathon on Sunday as part of Team in Training, raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Together they've raised just shy of $5300 for cancer research.
I'll be thinking of you both and watching your split times from here, and wishing you fleet feet and much success!
Please take a minute to click over and wish each of them well! And maybe enough of us do it, then maybe just maybe, they can fly!
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I'll be watching and pulling for them both! My gosh, the grit and determination they've both shown has been an inspiration!!
Go, Bou & WB!!
Posted by: pam at January 10, 2009 06:30 AM (l6NIn)
Posted by: wRitErsbLock at January 12, 2009 06:59 PM (0Pi1o)
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January 08, 2009
Whole LottaNot Much Shaking Going On
According to the USGS we had a
5.0 4.5
earthquake at 7:49 PM just south of San Bernadino. That's about 50 miles east of here.
Not surprisingly we barely felt it.
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Winter Recess
After our alloted
two weeks of winter, it's supposed to be 75 degrees tomorrow and sunny here in Los Angeles. Not to mention Santa Ana windy.
I think the SnowFolks of No Evil will be hanging around here a bit longer. If nothing else, to remind me how the rest of the world feels (ok, ok, the rest of the Northern Hemisphere. Sheesh, you people!)
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Please let me know if you're looking for a article author for your site. You have some really great posts and I feel I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I'd love to write some material for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please shoot me an e-mail if interested. Thanks!
Posted by: Cheap North Face Jackets at November 03, 2012 08:21 AM (hF6MH)
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