Friday, February 02, 2007

It's in the water?

Our govenor has signed a bill mandating that all 6th grade girls must have the HPV vaccine. Not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, if it spared a dozen girls a future of cervical cancer, it would be worth it. On the other hand, it's a VERY new vaccination, and I wonder if there is an uncorrelated downside to this vaccine. Some parents here are really upset that they have to take their young girls in for an STD vaccine; they feel it should be a matter of choice. (Ok, who chooses to get an STD, and who chooses a vaccine?) We have an extraordinary rate of teenage pregnancy around here. I think choice is not a valid argument, but something in my soul cries for it. Within the past 10 years, a bishop had to convince the local populace to vote for water fluorination. The HPV bill is a radical measure in an area that likes to pretend that there are many immaculate conceptions every year. (All ya gotta do is drink the water, right?)

On the knitting front-
--I knit a ball of Beatrice up for DGD, then promptly frogged it today.
----I got my sale bag mohair in (this is hefty stuff!) as well as the HT Carloway tweed(whoooaaa!!!! WOW!)...suddenly, I've found my British side in knitting yarns. Gotta get a walking stick and a terrier.
--I saw an article in Threads explaining how to utilize family crests (it's a Japanese thing-mine's the wisteria branches, which is the crest of poor commoners), and wonder if that is the root of my circular knitting obsession.
--I signed on to do a Lady E KAL, and am trying to put a few things to bed before I start.
--Enid brought her mom in, and I explained and demonstrated the Old Shale pattern to her. In pidgin Spanish. My last Spanish class was 34 years ago. But she got it, and despite my poor skills, we were able to talk string. Good thing Enid was there to translate.


I want to knit something I love....wonder what it will be???

2 comments:

Suzann said...

I wonder about the safety of the HPV vaccine. I just finished a three year study for Pfizer and that drug test was stopped, because of side effects of the drug. I can see the good side of the vaccination, but I wonder if it has been tested enough.
It's in the Virginia water too :-)If you don't talk about this stuff it won't happen.
How does the Carloway feel? I loved the colors but I worried it would be very scratchy.
Are you not in love with Lady E?

Anonymous said...

I hope this vaccine is safe. I also hope to hell it works and every little girl gets vaccinated as a matter of course. I've seen up close and personal, the death of a 27-year old woman with cervical cancer. So sad and so preventable. Hers may have been the non HPPV type since it moved fast. No matter, too many women are dying of cervical cancer every year. I don't for the life of me, see why anyone would object to having their daughters vaccinated if the vaccine turns out to be safe. Getting an injection does not make me want to run out and have sex with the next man I see. Well, unless he's really really hot. ;-}

Rant over.