In my local paper, The New York Daily News, buried deep in the tiny article section between pictures of Fidel Castro breaking his knee and ads for CDs at Washington Mutual was an interesting piece on women in this city ( and I wouldn't be going out on a limb to say in the United States and the rest of the world as well) women are more likely to be killed by a boyfriend or husband than a complete and total stranger. This doesn't come as a complete shock to me. Look at the sensationalized cases of OJ Simpson and Scott Peterson. I would be more interested to know the conviction rates in these cases. The article states that more than half were foreign born women and 40 percent were in their twenties. How many were pregnant or mothers?

The reason why I ask this is because in the article Dr. Susan Wilt at the Health Department's Bureau of Epidemiology (that's the branch of medicine that deals with disease control) states that, "We have to look hard and long at what services we provide." I don't understand why domestic violence is being handled by disease control. Is it a disease? Possibly a social one and in that case it has to be treated on a societal level outside of the lab. I ask if the women had children or were pregnant because that is usually a reason why women stay in an abusive relationship. If there are small children to take care of or if the woman is pregnant, work and independence are hard to come by. You are trapped. The remedy for this kind of problem is to provide healthcare and child care options that are affordable or free. Some job training and self esteem workshops wouldn't hurt, either.

Some people might complain about who would pay for such a program, taxes would be increased, etc. But really if you knew that your tax dollars were effecting change in someone's life, that in fact you were saving a life, wouldn't you pay more taxes? I would. I think people don't like paying taxes because they know it doesn't do anything to make this country a better place to live. Women are still dying in America. Children are still starving to death and old people can't get their flu shots.

The article makes a relevant point that in many immigrant communities it is not accepted for a woman to discuss abuse or family matters with outsiders. I think that if a woman knew there were outside resources to help her, if there was a safe haven for her and her children, then she would talk. She would scream. She would run. That is human nature to preserve our own life. It's only when you think resistance is futile that you don't fight back.

More Slain by Beaus

I mentioned the flu shot, here is an article that lets you know where the government's priorities are: bioterror vaccines.

Vaccine Poker I heard on Air America Radio that Congress has gotten their flu shot. Even the young and healthy congresspeople.

For those of you that are stunned and left wondering, how could this have happened, well read this article:

Bless You, Oh Canada"

Most important part of the article to consider:

Administration Was Warned

The president continues to blame "a production flaw" for the vaccine shortage, but the Bush administration received warnings about the vaccination supply and could have taken steps to diminish the problem.

After Chiron Corp. informed British and American officials on Sept. 13 that there were unresolved contamination problems at its Liverpool, England, plant, the British government responded by contacting other manufacturers and securing alternative supplies. The Bush administration, on the other hand, failed to act before all doses of the flu vaccine had been purchased. The administration had already ignored two GAO reports which warned of impending production shortfalls.


So the president was warned about 9/11 and did nothing. Then he was warned about a flu shot shortage and did nothing. Interesting how history repeats itself.

I had mentioned earlier that women need to have free or low cost healthcare and child care options in order leave abusive relationships. Apparently, women in non-abusive relationships don't have it that easy either. Whoda thunkit?
Here is an interesting article that discusses the effects the Bush Administration is promising to have on women and the economy by making an "ownership class society" (which sounds like feudalism to me) and the reality of such a program.

Leaving Women Behind

Finally, if you were thinking of going to see Ben Affleck or Sarah Michelle Gellar at the movies this weekend, think again. There is a website that is showing a movie called "Outsource This!" with none other than Jason Alexander.

Check it and save yourself some money: OutSourceOutrage.com

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