Important Resources Regarding The Swine Influenza

The Axiom Of Responsibility

Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior

By Taking Responsibility

For Themselves And Their Children

The Swine Flu has captured the attention of the world, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an extremely informative website “Swine Influenza and You” that answers common questions about the disease, as well as provides much needed guidance for treatment and prevention:

The Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen.

In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. Other U.S. states have reported cases of swine flu infection in humans and cases have been reported internationally as well. An updated case count of confirmed swine flu infections in the United States is kept at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm.

CDC has determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Dr. Mehmet Oz also discussed ways to protect yourself from the Swine Flu on the April 28, 2009 edition of Larry King Live, recommending that we take “some proactive steps in [our] own health — lifestyle changes. [. . .] For example, exercise is the most important way you can prevent a virus, management of your sleep and the stress in your life, even eating the kind of leafy green vegetables and foods your mother told you were good for you, together with the chicken soup we know works — these are smart, intelligent steps, even if you’re exposed to the virus, to prevent yourself from getting it.”

Of course, there will always be situations that are beyond our control. Nevertheless, following Magna Sententia, each one of us takes responsibility for our health, which means being proactive and giving ourselves the best possible chance of staying healthy.

Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society

Disclaimer
Anna Sherise and Ellie Sherise are not licensed or trained healthcare professionals, counselors, or financial advisors. This article is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended to take the place of the care and advice given to you by your physician, counselor, other healthcare professional, or financial advisor. Sherise Media LLC, its members and representatives, specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this article and/or website.

Free Audio Book: Magna Sententia Reading 23

Click on the following link to listen to the latest episode of the free audio version of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society:

Part Three: The Axiom Of Respect,

Chapter Eight: Respecting Only Those Who Earn It,

Sections: Admirable Surface Attributes And Public Actions – Authority Figures Who Are Unworthy Of Respect;

Pages 217 – 228

Find out more about Magna Sententia.

Ask Anna & Ellie: Neighbors Who Wear Out Their Welcome

Dear Anna and Ellie:

It’s spring again, and all I can say is “Oh no!” The rain has stopped, the dark clouds have lifted, and my neighbors are out to get me. Not really. They just bombard me whenever I am outside working in the yard, sitting on my patio, or getting the mail. They’re not nosy, they just seem to have a lot more free time than I do. To make matters worse, I can’t even have a relaxing breakfast outdoors before my day gets started because my patio is on the side of my house for all to see.

Please help. I don’t want to be rude, but I need some privacy, and I need to get some things accomplished!

–Please Leave Me Alone

Dear Please Leave Me Alone:

Unfortunately, there are always those individuals who do not understand (or ignore) the common social cues meant to hint that they have worn out their welcome: They start conversations when you are obviously busy and do not want to be bothered, and no matter how many times you tell them, “I’d better get going,” they just keep talking and talking and talking!

An integral part of Magna Sententia’s Axiom of Respect is treating others respectfully. Now, it can be argued that by “bombarding” you, these people are not treating you respectfully, but you still want to deal with them in a respectful way and hold yourself to a high standard of behavior. This means do what you need to do, but don’t be offensive while you’re doing it.

For example, the next time your neighbors catch you at the mailbox, be polite, but when you want to go, tell them, “It was nice to see you, but I have to get going. Have a great day,” and then smile warmly and walk away. Don’t just say you need to go, go! This isn’t rude. You are simply taking control of the situation. When you are working in your yard and they keep talking, say, “It was really nice talking with you, but I’d better get back to work,” and then start working. It’s all about physically removing yourself from the conversation.

There is a huge difference between being rude and respectfully ending visits that have gone on too long.

As to your patio, is there any way you could make it more secluded with bushes, trees, fencing, or latticework? You certainly should be able to enjoy your patio without your neighbors interrupting you!

–Anna & Ellie

Do you have a life or relationship question for Anna and Ellie? Do you want to know how Magna Sententia applies to your situation? Submit your question here!

Disclaimer
Anna Sherise and Ellie Sherise are not licensed or trained healthcare professionals, counselors, or financial advisors. “Ask Anna & Ellie” is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended to take the place of the care and advice given to you by your physician, counselor, other healthcare professional, or financial advisor. Sherise Media LLC, its members and representatives, specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this article and/or website.

Free Writing Fridays: Don’t Blame Craigslist For Murder

The Axiom Of Responsibility

Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior

By Taking Responsibility

For Themselves And Their Children

Why is it that individuals in our society always want to blame someone or something else when there is a problem? In the past week alone, I have read story after story attempting to deflect fault from the party who is truly responsible.

Consider the blame being placed on Craigslist, a community-moderated classified ad website, for the actions of the “Craigslist Killer”:

For those of you unfamiliar with the case, the “Craigslist Killer” is 22-year-old Philip Markoff, a medical student who was recently arraigned on charges for the murder of Julissa Brisman, a woman he contacted via Craigslist who offered exotic massage services on the site. “Cops said the brainy blond doctor wanna-be, who grew up in upstate Sherrill, N.Y., and went to SUNY Albany for undergraduate studies, has no rap sheet, but they think he has preyed on sex workers for a while.” (“Cops Have Philip Markoff, Suspected ‘Craigslist Killer’ Of Model Julissa Brisman, In Custody“) Markoff was also charged with the “robbery of another woman, Trisha Leffler.” (“Fingerprints, Gun Tie To Craigslist Suspect“)

If Markoff did murder Brisman, it goes without saying that he committed a horrific crime, and if he is found guilty, he should face the death penalty. I do not believe, however, that the erotic services portion of Craigslist should be “shut down,” as called for by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

In Blumenthal’s opinion, the government has the “responsibility to protect children and women and anyone who may be victims of these kinds of criminal activity that may involve human trafficking, child exploitation other brutal and violent crime.” To a certain degree, Blumental is correct in that our government does have the responsibility of keeping us safe, but we have to keep ourselves safe as well. Offering exotic massage services is an inherently risky activity, and Big Brother cannot watch out for us wherever we go.

I firmly believe that Craigslist is not to blame for Brisman’s murder. To be sure, if Markoff did not use Craigslist, he would have used another method to find his victims. We must stop placing blame where it does not belong . . . and start telling the truth. Of course, Brisman in no way deserved to die, but she did put herself at risk. Tragically, she came in contact with a murderer, the one person responsible for this horrendous crime.

Anna Sherise
Co-Creator of Magna Sententia
Co-Author of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society

Another 700-Pound Woman, Again No Personal Responsibility

The Axiom Of Responsibility

Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior

By Taking Responsibility

For Themselves And Their Children

Another Texas woman is in the news because she requires medical treatment but weighs 700 pounds and cannot leave her home. (Watch “700-Pound Woman’s Cry For Help“) Today, the woman is Karen Ferguson of Tarrant County; seven months ago, she was Susie Alonso of Bosque County.

For those of you who felt our article on Ms. Alonso, “Emotional Pornography Alert: ABC’s ‘700lb Woman Stranded At Home,’” was too harsh, we did not mean to suggest that we expect everyone to be perfect. On the contrary, no one is perfect, life happens, and sometimes when we are hurting, we try to comfort ourselves in ways that hurt us even more (e.g. food, alcohol, drugs, sex, starvation, cutting, and the list goes on and on.) Moreover, a reality of life is disease, which can be completely our fault, partially our fault, or absolutely no one’s fault.

In spite of all this, the hard truth is that if we want our lives to improve, then regardless of cause or fault, our problems have to be our problem. If we don’t take responsibility for ourselves and make necessary changes in our lives, nothing changes (or things only get worse). This is why the Axiom of Responsibility is vital to Magna Sententia. We all have to be proactive and do the best we can with what life gives us.

In stark contrast, Ms. Ferguson blames her current situation on “her diabetes.” (“700-Pound Woman Pleads For Help“) Sorry, but diabetes isn’t the only reason she “hasn’t been out of her trailer for a year and very seldom leaves the large chair built to bear her weight.” She didn’t just “get to be bigger and bigger.” She actively contributed to her problems by eating so much that she weighs 700 pounds and “needs people to help her get to a portable toilet, which is only two steps from her chair.”

What is more upsetting is the way Ms. Ferguson now expects society to take care of her:

Ferguson said she’s been turned down by nursing homes who claim problems with Medicare. Now she fears she’ll lie [in her home], unable to move, her bed sores festering and her body deteriorating.

“That’s the worst thing I could ever imagine,” Ferguson said. “Because why would it need to be that way? If there’s not a cure, you know what I’m saying, don’t just let someone lay there and die. So I’ve asked them about rehabilitation. But there’s too many red tapes. But when it boils down to it, it wasn’t red tape it was my size.”

As adults, we can’t expect others to rescue us when we hurt ourselves.

A final point: when reporters use words like “prisoner” and “trapped” in these stories, they only exacerbate our society’s victimization mentality. These terms suggest that Ms. Ferguson and Ms. Alonso never had a choice or free will. They did.

Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society

Disclaimer
Anna Sherise and Ellie Sherise are not licensed or trained healthcare professionals, counselors, or financial advisors. This article is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended to take the place of the care and advice given to you by your physician, counselor, other healthcare professional, or financial advisor. Sherise Media LLC, its members and representatives, specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this article and/or website.

Free Audio Book: Magna Sententia Reading 22

Click on the following link to listen to the latest episode of the free audio version of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society:

Part Three: The Axiom Of Respect,

Chapter Seven: Treating Others Respectfully,

Section: Learning Vignette;

Pages 204 – 216

Find out more about Magna Sententia.

Ask Anna & Ellie: Husbands Who Have Work-Only Lives

Dear Anna and Ellie:

I am a 32-year-old stay-at-home mom and I need your opinion. I don’t want to ask my friends because their situations are different than mine, and if I ask my mom, she will not understand.

My husband works hard at his job day in and day out. He gets home late in the evenings, and also works on Saturdays. On Sundays, he is too tired to do anything, so he usually just sleeps and watches sports all day. On Mondays, it starts all over again.

I don’t want to complain, but I am always alone with our four kids. He doesn’t go to teacher conferences, doesn’t help with homework, is never here for dinner, and he really doesn’t do anything with them. On Sundays, he is home and he talks nicely to them, but again, he doesn’t ever do anything with them. I feel like he doesn’t really know them at all.

I don’t have to worry about money, I get to do everything I want with and for the kids, I am not being abused, or even mistreated for that matter, yet I am feeling more and more unhappy. Am I being selfish? Am I asking too much if I want my husband to be more involved with our kid’s lives?

I have not said a word to my husband because I do not want to seem unappreciative. Please give me some advice.

–Mom & Her Kids

Dear Mom & Her Kids:

Even though you feel alone, please know that there are many, many moms out there just like you. We have a number of thoughts about your situation, the first being that you need to speak up and tell your husband how you feel. His reaction may surprise you.

Just think: if your husband spends six days a week working so hard that on Sundays he only has enough energy to sit and watch television, he is obviously not taking care of himself (see Magna Sententia’s Axiom of Responsibility). It is not good for anyone to work so much that he or she is exhausted and does not have any opportunity to nurture important relationships. Moreover, your husband is most likely taking such good care of your family financially because he cares deeply about your children’s welfare, and the way things are now, he doesn’t even have the chance to get to know the people for whom he is working so hard. He is missing out on building a loving and close relationship with your children, and that hurts everyone involved.

In all probability, your husband does not know that his actions are making you unhappy. On the contrary, we would bet that he thinks he is doing everything he can to give you and your children a happy life. Was he close to his own father? Many times, our behavior is modeled after the individuals in our lives who influenced us the most, and in the past and still today, fathers have taken the responsibly for providing financially for their families extremely seriously and are unable to spend much time at home with their children as a result. While these fathers may not be as close to their children as is ideal, they are doing the best they can and what they believe is right.

By opening up the lines of communication with your husband, you will be able to discover whether or not he is meeting his responsibilities as a husband and father the only way he knows how. Maybe he is unhappy as well. In fact, he might welcome a change: perhaps the family could get by on less, or you could take on more financial responsibility, so he would have more time with all of you.

We cannot stress enough the importance of your husband having a strong emotional connection to you and your children. Just as you do, he needs to feel loved and appreciated. When people are working incredibly hard, but do not feel connected to their families, it becomes easier for them to succumb to finding companionship and love away from home. By bringing up your feelings, you will not only be giving him the chance to express his own frustrations with his work-only life, but you may also be protecting your marriage from infidelity.

Again, it sounds to us like you really need to talk to him. Calmly explain how you are feeling in a loving, non-accusatory manner. (e.g. “I appreciate everything you do for our family so much, but I feel like I don’t get to see you, and I miss you. And the kids miss you too.”) Bring up some of the concerns and ideas we have shared with you, along with others of your own, and give him the opportunity to speak truly from his heart.

Your husband can be an excellent father, provider, and husband without working his life away; it just takes open communication and a little creativity.

–Anna & Ellie

Do you have a life or relationship question for Anna and Ellie? Do you want to know how Magna Sententia applies to your situation? Submit your question here!

Disclaimer
Anna Sherise and Ellie Sherise are not licensed or trained healthcare professionals, counselors, or financial advisors. “Ask Anna & Ellie” is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended to take the place of the care and advice given to you by your physician, counselor, other healthcare professional, or financial advisor. Sherise Media LLC, its members and representatives, specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this article and/or website.

Free Writing Fridays: Horrible Pro-Anorexia-Bulimia Websites

The Axiom Of Respect

Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior

By Treating Themselves And Others

Respectfully And Respecting

Only Those Who Earn It

I have been curious as long as I can remember: If there is something I don’t understand or a question I can’t answer, I try to figure it out by looking it up. Before, this meant a lot of dictionaries, text books, and encyclopedias, but now, thanks to Google, the answer is usually only a click or two away.

Unfortunately, in my quest for information, there are times when I discover things I would rather not know. A few days ago, I stumbled upon an extremely upsetting website called Emaciated Barbie Doll. With the motto, “I choose not to eat,” Emaciated Barbie Doll is a proanamia (pro-anorexia-bulimia) website that considers having an eating disorder to be a “lifestyle,” not a disease.

At first, I thought the creator of the site was just being facetious; it was a tasteless joke, but a joke. However, the more I read, the more it became obvious that the site is serious (and only one of many proanamia sites). It has anorexic motivational pages (utterly degrading speeches to keep yourself from eating), a list of “safe” foods, information on different kinds of diet pills, as well as tips on how to hide your eating disorder from your family and friends:

Check the fridge when nobody else is around. Find foods that you would have eaten & get rid of them, for example, three eggs & a piece of butter. Then if someone asks, you can say you had scrambled eggs & are really full. & if they check, the ingredients are gone, which reinforces your story. Consider dishes & silverware as well.

Put simply, the site is sick, and as someone who has experience with eating disorders, it is also dangerous: Eating disorders are very isolating and difficult to overcome, and a proanamia online community would only make it that much harder for someone suffering from one to see things clearly.

For parents: Please learn the signs of eating disorders, pay attention to both your daughters’ and sons’ behavior around food, and realize that there are websites teaching them how to engage in self-destructive behavior and hide it from you.

For those of you who have/had an eating disorder: Please, please, please stay away from these sites! They will only mess with your mind. Go to the National Eating Disorders Association’s website instead.

Learn to love yourself for who you are (a part of Magna Sententia’s Axiom of Respect), not what you look like. If you base your worth on your weight, you will never be thin enough to feel worthy of love, and you are worthy of love just as you are. As Buddha said, “You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

Ellie Sherise
Co-Creator of Magna Sententia
Co-Author of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society

Disclaimer
Anna Sherise and Ellie Sherise are not licensed or trained healthcare professionals, counselors, or financial advisors. This article is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended to take the place of the care and advice given to you by your physician, counselor, other healthcare professional, or financial advisor. Sherise Media LLC, its members and representatives, specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this article and/or website.

“Hulk Hogan’s O.J. Outrage!”: Respect Only Those Who Earn It

The Axiom Of Respect

Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior

By Treating Themselves And Others

Respectfully And Respecting

Only Those Who Earn It

The goal of Magna Sententia is to unify our country with the common values of responsibility, respect, and realistic expectations, values that every citizen can get behind despite our differing backgrounds, religious beliefs, and political affiliations. Hulk Hogan’s comments in the latest edition of Rolling Stone present the perfect opportunity for us to examine one of the key elements of Magna Sententia’s Axiom of Respect, respect only those who earn it.

Using his status as a professional wrestling star, Hulk Hogan has leveraged his vivacious personality into numerous television and film roles, product endorsements, restaurants, as well as a variety of other business ventures. He has been so successful that many consider him an American icon, and it would be almost impossible to find someone in this country who does not at least recognize his face.

Undoubtedly, it is easy to think that we all know him, even though we really don’t. Just like many celebrities today, Hogan is “respected” by the American public for superficial qualities that have nothing to do with his real character (what we refer to as “surface attributes and public actions”).

In the Rolling Stone interview, Hogan said this about his nasty divorce from his wife, Linda:

“I could have turned everything into a crime scene like O.J., cutting everybody’s throat,” [. . .] “You live half a mile from the 20,000-square-foot home you can’t go to anymore, you’re driving through downtown Clearwater [Florida] and see a 19-year-old boy driving your Escalade, and you know that a 19-year-old boy is sleeping in your bed, with your wife . . . I totally understand O.J. I get it.” (“‘I Totally Understand O.J.,’ Hulk Hogan Tells Rolling Stone“)

Does that sound like the “family man” Hogan has presented to the public for the last twenty years? Not to us!

All too often, we respect public personalities in every area of their lives simply because of their surface attributes and public actions. Following Magna Sententia, on the other hand, individuals respect only those who earn it. It is perfectly acceptable to admire people’s surface attributes and public actions, but please do not confuse your admiration with respect unless your personal experience with them has shown you that they are worthy of your respect. Just because someone can play football well, act in a box office hit, sell millions of albums, or get enough votes to become President of the United States, it does not mean that we know them well enough to truly respect them.

Let’s all take a step back, stop blindly giving our respect away, and start making people earn it!

Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society

Free Audio Book: Magna Sententia Reading 21

Click on the following link to listen to the latest episode of the free audio version of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society:

Part Three: The Axiom Of Respect,

Chapter Seven: Treating Others Respectfully,

Section: Learning Vignette;

Pages 190 – 203

Find out more about Magna Sententia.