Bama's List

IN the swirl of attention around older women coupling with younger men, it seems the guys are increasingly the ones on the prowl.

Over the last year, Amber Soletti, a founder of OnSpeedDating.com, has been playing host monthly to “Cougar/Boy Toy” speed-dating events. And despite research to the contrary, it is the men, she and others say, who are clamoring for more.

“We’ve had to turn away men at every event,” she said. Ten men were on the waiting list at the most recent one.

Casey Mizzone, 31, a teacher from Hoboken, N.J., made the cut at the “Cougar/Boy Toy” night on Nov. 4 at the Watering Hole, a New York bar. He had been wait-listed the previous month. Older women, Mr. Mizzone said, “are not so nitpicky, so naggy; there’s not a lot of pressure.”

He was one of 16 men to get a chance to meet, for four minutes each, the 15 women at the OnSpeedDating.com event, which typically draws more cubs than cougars. The men were 23 to 31 years old; the women 35 to 56.

Ms. Soletti said the lure for the men is that older women are more sophisticated and, frankly, more sexually experienced.

The women “are in their sexual prime,” she said. “If they can please her, they feel like they rock in bed.”

James Insinga, 28, managing director of a Manhattan real estate firm, said he finds younger women “are about getting married immediately, having kids.” He said the older women he dates are easier to talk to and more enticing, including an “adorable” friend of his mother’s (but it “would be dicey” to tell Mom).

Barry A. Farber, a psychotherapist and the director of the clinical psychology program at Teachers College at Columbia University, said “dating an older woman may free the man from the pressures of the ‘baby hunger’ that a relationship with a younger woman might bring.” An older woman, he added, “may well take him more seriously than a woman his own age and will overlook the relatively small flaws.”

It is not, however, a new idea. In 1745, Ben Franklin in his “Old Mistresses Apologue” advised men that “in all your Amours you should prefer old Women to young ones.”

“They are so grateful!” he added, rather indelicately.

And into the 21st century, men have started Web sites to chase and give advice about dating older women, such as Urbancougar.com, where “cub chronicles,” “cougar confessions,” cougars of the month and listings of “dens” are posted.

There are more men than women among the 200 that have signed up for the first International Cougar Cruise, a three-day sail from San Diego to Ensenada, Mexico, Dec. 4 to 7.

Rich Gosse, the organizer of the cruise and the chairman of the Society of Professional Singles, based in San Rafael, Calif., said that when he started running younger men/older women parties a year ago, the focus was on “cougars wanting the younger guy.” Now the men are “more excited about this phenomenon than the cougars.”

Not too long ago, Mr. Gosse said, a 20-something male wouldn’t admit to dating a woman over 40. “Now it is a badge of honor,” he said.

At a cougar speed-dating event at R. C. Dugans, a bar and lounge in East Meadow, N.Y., last month, 8 of the 10 men attending said they would date Patricia Polenz, a 48-year-old Northport, N.Y., divorcee with five children. Her first husband was 20 years her senior.

Ms. Polenz said the younger guys were “a little refreshing.”

“They are a little more eager to know me,” she said, “they are more willing to be accommodating than men my age.”

In fact, a recent study of 4,500 British singles conducted by Parship, a British online dating service, said 20 percent of men in their 20s and 22 percent of men in their 30s would date an older woman.

For the last six months, Andreas Anastasopoulos, 27, a graphic designer from Hamilton, N.J., has been dating Erin MacCord, 41, a divorced mother of three teenagers and a nonprofit development director from Burlington, N.J. Mr. Anastasopoulos said that women his age are into “immature partying and drinking, and being stupid and irresponsible” and he is “past that.”

He thinks her children are great. “I have younger sisters that are their age,” he said.

Brandon Solomon, 28 and a real estate project manager, sat next to Ali Addesa, a 44-year-old accountant, during the East Meadow speed-dating event, which was sponsored by WeekendDating.com. He said he would be willing to date 8 of the 11 women at the event, who were nearly old enough to be his mother, and wondered if they might consider him “a trophy.”

A booth away, Fred Guarino, 34, of Middle Village, Queens, and the owner of a heating and air-conditioning company, said, à la Ben Franklin, older women tend to be more appreciative, especially those “who have been married and divorced and have seen how bad things can get.”

“Young girls today, they take everything for granted,” he said.

Just how close have Rob & Kristen gotten? Check out these pictures…and read more about their relationship in our interview. Plus, watch the video and see 11 things you didn’t know about Rob & Kristen.

http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-articles/robert-pattinson-kristen-stewart-new-moon-pictures-1209?src=nl&mag=har&list=dem&kw=ist

By Caitlin Moscatello

As if flu season weren’t scary enough (spending two weeks in bed is hardly worth the sick days), this year, the H1N1 virus (otherwise known as swine flu) is back in full force. While vaccines are available, priority is being given to those groups most at risk, particularly pregnant women, young children and people with chronic illnesses. Try to live a healthy life while waiting for your shot? Unfortunately, there’s no foolproof way to avoid coming in contact with the virus (a recent study out of Purdue University even predicted that 63 percent of the population would become infected), but you can up your chances of avoiding infection by following these health tips:

Swine Flu Prevention Tip #1: Access your risk
Anyone can get sick, but your chances are higher if you fall into one of the three previously mentioned categories, and/or if you work as a teacher or in medicine.

You can catch H1N1 anywhere, but be extra careful in “hot zones” like the waiting room at your doctor’s office, airplanes and the gym. Nobody’s saying to stop working out, but be diligent about wiping down workout equipment before and after use. Also, carry a bottle of antibacterial gel to disinfect hands after using weights.

Swine Flu Prevention Tip #2: Protect yourself
Speaking of hands–H1N1 is transmitted from person to person through coughing or sneezing, so short of walking around with a facemask, scrubbing your hands is your best bet for protecting yourself. Think of it this way: If your coworker has the virus (but doesn’t know it yet) and sneezes into her hand, that doorknob she just turned is now a Petri dish. If you touch it and then rub your eyes, nose or mouth, you’ve introduced the virus into your system. So wash your hands frequently with soap and hot water.

Of course, the best thing you can do to protect yourself is to get vaccinated, so check out Flu.gov to find out how many shots are available in your area and where you can potentially get one. Warning: It takes about two weeks for the shot to make you immune, so if you come into contact with the virus before that, there’s still a chance you’ll get sick.

Swine Flu Prevention Tip #3: Guard your home
Use bleach-based products to disinfect surfaces–and don’t forget to wipe down remote controls, computer keyboards and other hands-on gadgets. In addition, wash used towels, bedding and clothing in hot water, and throw away or boil sponges used for cleaning.

Swine Flu Prevention Tip #4: Get a boost
Eating an apple a day isn’t going to ward off H1N1, but revving up your immune system with vitamin C can help your body protect itself from viruses and germs by upping your white blood cell count. There’s also evidence that vitamin D, which the body naturally produces from sunlight, might play a role in strengthening the immune system. So even if you’re feeling healthy and leading a healthy life, take your vitamins and eat nutrient-rich foods like berries, citrus fruits and leafy greens.

Swine Flu Prevention Tip #5: Know the symptoms
First things first: If you start to feel ill, is it with the cold, flu or H1N1? Typically, colds begin with a sore throat and progress to congestion and mild fatigue. The “regular” flu and H1N1 have similar symptoms, but are also marked by extreme fatigue, fever, headache, soreness and coughing. H1N1 is often accompanied by diarrhea and/or vomiting as well, but these can also be signs of the stomach flu or other ailments.

It can be difficult to determine what you have, but as a general rule, the regular flu and H1N1 cause a fever–usually of at least 100 degrees–that lasts for two to four days.

Swine Flu Prevention Tip #6: Deal with it
If you are unlucky enough to contract H1N1 this season, don’t panic–chances are you’ll feel sick for several days, then gradually get better and continue on living a healthy life. Last year, thousands of people rushed to hospitals only to be told what they’d expect to hear from their doctors when diagnosed with a bad cold: Go home, get rest, drink fluids.

The only way to know for sure whether or not you’ve come down with H1N1 is to get a swab test through your doctor. After a positive result, your doctor might prescribe one of two antiviral medications, TAMIFLU® or RELENZA®, to ease symptoms-but there’s no cure. It’s also worth noting that a positive diagnosis will likely have your boss telling you to stay home, since The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend an exclusion period of three to five days (about 24 hours after the fever breaks).

By Jessica Ravitz, CNN

October 30, 2009 12:17 p.m. EDT

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Some Gen X and Y Jews are staking creative claims to identity, religion and culture
• They don tattoos, blend Jewish sounds with hip-hop, write edgy blogs and own their spirituality
• “They want to re-engage in the world as Jews, but not solely for Jewish causes,” one says
• Where traditional synagogues fail to touch them, independent groups and alternatives step up

(CNN) — When Moses came down from Mount Sinai about 3,300 years ago, he couldn’t have seen these Jews coming.

A blogger writes about how one of Judaism’s holiest days ended, for him, in a strip club, while elsewhere a guy strolls into a tattoo parlor requesting a Star of David. Two women exchange wedding vows in a Jewish ceremony, and hipsters toss back bottles of HE’BREW, The Chosen Beer. A full-time software developer prepares to lead a group in Jewish prayer, as a PhD candidate in Jewish thought pens a letter criticizing Israel’s policies.

Meet the “New Jews,” as some call them: pockets of post-baby boomers — or more accurately Generation X and Millennial (Gen Y) Jews — who are making one of the world’s oldest known monotheistic faiths and its culture work for them and others in a time when, more than ever, affiliation is a choice.

“I could wake up tomorrow and say, ‘I don’t want to be Jewish.’ There would be no social, political or economic consequences,” said Shawn Landres, the 37-year-old co-founder of Jumpstart, a Los Angeles-area organization that pushes forward out-of-the-box ideas in the Jewish world. “It’s true for the first time in thousands of years that we can build the identities we want.”

Many of those at the forefront of innovative Jewish construction are rabbis, religious educators, people who know their stuff. But they’re not interested in foisting labels on people — like the denominational terms Reform, Conservative or Orthodox — nor do they want to perpetuate the pressures that come with fitting into religious, political and social molds.

For Atlanta, Georgia, punk-rock musician Patrick A, or Aleph (the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet), this means he can seamlessly blend who he’s been with his newly embraced religious observance.

They want to re-engage in the world as Jews, but not solely for Jewish causes.
–Ari Wallach, social entrepreneur and consultant

“When I’m on stage screaming, hitting my face with a microphone and pouring beer on my head, at least I’m singing about the Torah,” said the 26-year-old founder of PunkTorah, an outreach effort to inspire Jewish spirituality.

Turns out the traditional synagogue model doesn’t have a lock on religious offerings. One alternative that’s sprouted up: independent prayer groups that invite the spiritually hungry to study text, as well as shape and lead their own services.

“It’s tapping into a need that stems from people wanting to take hold of their Jewish life,” said Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, 36, executive director of Mechon Hadar, a New York-based organization that tracks and empowers such groups. He said there are about 60 nationwide. “When the institution wasn’t serving the need, people stood up to create their own communities.”

It’s this kind of innovation that Jonathan Sarna, of Brandeis University and a leading scholar of American Jewish history, can get behind.

“When there’s religious complacency, when there’s boredom, we’re much more likely to see people check out,” said Sarna, who is a member of an Orthodox synagogue. The more pressing issue, he added, is whether cultural ties alone can keep Jewish life going.

That concern is a real one, said Steven Cohen, a sociologist at Hebrew Union College in New York. He said about half of young Jews are not marrying Jews, and that only 25 percent of children born to interfaith couples grow up to see themselves as Jewish.

But by making Judaism and its rituals more accessible and meaningful, “Emergent Jews,” as they’re also often referred to, hope they can inspire a long-lasting connection to their faith.

It’s why volunteer-driven educational retreats, sponsored by a group called Limmud (Hebrew for learning), are cropping up in Colorado, Illinois, Georgia and across the globe. It’s why Jewish Milestones in Berkeley, California, is helping interfaith, same-sex and other couples have Jewish weddings. And it’s why another Bay Area group, Wilderness Torah, hosts Passover in the desert, where participants combine Jewish traditions with their commitment to the outdoors and sustainable living.

Unlike their parents and grandparents, who may have gathered to fight anti-Semitism, remember the Holocaust, rally around Israel and liberate Soviet Jews, many Gen X and Y Jews see their worlds as wide open.

These Internet and media savvy Jews are behind what Ari Wallach, a 34-year-old social entrepreneur and consultant in New York, likes to call “Judaism 2.0.”

“They want to re-engage in the world as Jews, but not solely for Jewish causes,” said Wallach, who was one of the forces behind The Great Schlep, an online push, featuring comedian Sarah Silverman, that encouraged young Jews to fly to Florida and convince their grandparents to vote for Barack Obama.

“If asked, ‘Would you rather fund raise for trees in Israel or for solar-powered ovens for refugees in Darfur,’” he said, “they’re more likely to go with Darfur,” which is why the American Jewish World Service, an organization that fights poverty, disease and hunger in the developing world, resonates with many of them in a way other Jewish organizations don’t.

In fact, they may not have a relationship with Israel. And if they do, it’s often complicated. They might support the country and people while being critical of the government’s policies and wanting a Palestinian state, too, as evidenced by J Street, a new left-leaning lobbying group in Washington.

Jay Michaelson, a 38-year-old writer, activist and scholar received a torrent of responses when he recently wrote in The Forward, a daily Jewish newspaper, about his ambivalent love for Israel, where he lived for three years.

When I’m on stage screaming, hitting my face with a microphone … at least I’m singing about the Torah.
–Patrick A, founder of PunkTorah

RELATED TOPICS

• Judaism
• Religion

The reactions that interested him most came from rabbis and Jewish Federation leaders who wrote, “You’ve said what I cannot say,” said Michaelson, who was the founding editor of Zeek, an online journal to push discussions about the Jewish tomorrow. “There’s a climate of fear, and they cannot speak out on this issue.”

But many of these “New Jews” aren’t afraid to be who they are, say and show how they feel.

Heeb magazine, a hipster quarterly based in Brooklyn, does this and leaves some cringing. The magazine recently raised a collective “oy” — and stirred outrage — when it published a photograph of Roseanne Barr standing at an oven, dressed as Hitler, holding a tray of burnt-Jew cookies. The intention, said publisher Josh Neuman, was to force a conversation about how pervasive Hitler references are in modern culture.

“We aim to elicit responses, even if they’re illicit responses,” said Neuman, 36, who formerly taught Jewish culture and thought, and worked at the Museum of Jewish Heritage — A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.

If they can’t easily find what inspires them, some create it themselves.

Sarah Lefton, 36, of San Francisco, California, said she developed G-dcast, weekly cartoon webisodes — narrated by a wide cast of characters, including an indie rocker — to make Jewish learning more engaging, “because God knows we all grew up in boring Sunday school classes.”

Allowing younger Jews to connect with their faith while living in a secular world is what drives Aaron Bisman, 29. Inspiration came for him at a 1996 Phish show, when the rock band busted out with a performance of “Avinu Malkeinu,” a Jewish prayer. Hearing a non-Jew sing in Hebrew a song to thousands of fans showed this rabbi’s son that Jewish expression could go mainstream, without being limited to Larry David shtick.

So he formed JDub Records, the original label for Matisyahu, the Hasidic Jewish reggae phenom. Bisman’s New York nonprofit promotes cross-cultural understanding by putting out innovative Jewish sounds, like hip-hop meshed with Israeli folk songs. JDub also recently adopted Jewcy, an online media outlet rich in blogs and discussions, to help build more bridges.

And mixed in with all this are those who — irrespective of where they are religiously or in the Jewish community — advertise their identities with Jewish-themed tattoos, as Andy Abrams, who is behind “Tattoo Jew,” a documentary in development, found out.

They’re not swayed by the long-perpetuated myth that Jews with tattoos cannot be buried in Jewish cemeteries. While tattoos are prohibited by Jewish law, Rabbi Joel Roth, a professor of Talmud and Jewish law at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York said he knows of “no Jewish legal source that would prohibit the burial of a Jew who violated that law.” If such a prohibition existed, added Florence Pressman, executive director of Jewish Funeral Directors of America, “how would we honor our Holocaust survivors?”

When they’re getting inked with Hebrew letters or Jewish symbols, these Jews are not fretting about laws followed by the most observant. Nor are they haunted by the numbers tattooed on arms during the Holocaust, said Abrams, the 40-year-old filmmaker of St. Louis, Missouri. They’re taking a bold stand today that they’ll carry with them, permanently, into the future.

“They’re being overtly Jewish,” Abrams said. “They’re saying, ‘I’m Jewish. I’m proud. And I’m willing to wear it on my skin.’ “

Poll: Half of Manhattan residents live alone

By CHUCK BENNETT

Last Updated: 10:31 AM, October 30, 2009

Posted: 3:55 AM, October 30, 2009
New Yorkers have no excuse for dateless Friday nights.

More than half of all Manhattan residents are living alone — and the number of singles in the city is continuing to rise to historic levels, new Census Bureau data show.

That means you’ve got a 50-50 shot that the cute neighbor down the hall is looking for love.

The borough now resembles some kind of “Sex and the City” fantasyland with a majority of households, 50.3 percent, with just one resident — no roommate, no spouse, no family, no kids.

When the other four boroughs are factored in, the single household rate drops to 33.5 percent — a little closer to the national average of 27.5 percent, according the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

New York first passed the 50 percent mark in 2007 in what sociologists called an inevitable trend.

There are numerous forces turning Manhattan into an isle of singletons, explained William Helmreich, deputy chairman of City College’s sociology department. The factors include high-paying jobs, the expense of raising a family, longer-living widows and widowers, and, of course, a celebrated culture of singledom.

“Singles attract more singles,” he said. “They participate in a lifestyle that is mutually reinforcing. The more single people engage in that lifestyle, the more acceptable it is, and the more acceptable it is, the more people are going to do it.”

Sociologists now call the time people in their 20s and 30s spend solo “early adulthood” to differentiate it from the period before they marry and have children — which is happening later and later.

Manhattan real-estate agents have long been profiting from the borough’s lonesome ways.

There were 376,916 single households in Manhattan in 2008 — that’s up several thousand from the year before, according to the Census data.

“The biggest evidence of that trend, the biggest proof, is that it’s easiest to rent a studio or small one-bedroom. Those are far and way the most popular apartments we rent,” said Stu Greenberg, owner of the 15-year-old Fireside Realty in Manhattan.

Ladies, however, are at a disadvantage.

There are 212,000 single female households compared with 165,000 male single.

Many of those women are lonely hearts, but they aren’t all Carrie Bradshaws.

“It reflects the large number of elderly in the city’s population, and many live by themselves when their partner dies,” noted Richard Alba, a sociology professor at the CUNY Graduate Center.

chuck.bennett@nypost.com

Lonely with just his dog

Ben Seiter lives alone, but can’t wait to share his East Village place with that special somebody.

“Living with a girlfriend would be better. It would keep me more stabilized,” said the 28-year-old real-estate agent.

“When you live with a girlfriend, they tend to keep you on your toes and keep you in line.”

Seiter searches for his perfect match while roaming the neighborhood with his English bulldog, Olivia Newton-John.

One upside to living without a male roommate is that it is easier to look for Miss Right.

“I think girls are lot more comfortable dating someone who lives alone. You look more responsible,” he said.

“You don’t have to worry about someone walking in on you.”

Amber Sutherland

Grateful for her freedom

Gemma Alvarez, a 30-something personal trainer, can’t imagine living any other way than solo.

“I’ve been alone in Manhattan since 2003,” said Alvarez, who pays $1,850 a month for an East Village studio.

“I love living alone. I can focus on being fit, being healthy and building my business.”

She said she is dating and just broke up with a boyfriend last month.

But for now, cohabitation is the last thing on her mind.

“It feels good to be free and not preoccupied with anyone else. I don’t have to answer to anybody,” she said.

“And Manhattan is the best borough. Everything is at your doorstep.”

Amber Sutherland

* print
* email
* dropdown share
o buzz
o digg
o reddit
o fark it
o facebook
* rssrss

New Yorkers have no excuse for dateless Friday nights.

More than half of all Manhattan residents are living alone — and the number of singles in the city is continuing to rise to historic levels, new Census Bureau data show.

That means you’ve got a 50-50 shot that the cute neighbor down the hall is looking for love.

The borough now resembles some kind of “Sex and the City” fantasyland with a majority of households, 50.3 percent, with just one resident — no roommate, no spouse, no family, no kids.

When the other four boroughs are factored in, the single household rate drops to 33.5 percent — a little closer to the national average of 27.5 percent, according the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
On his own—and HATES it
Dan Brinzac and Jeff Day
On his own—and HATES it
On her own—and LOVES it

New York first passed the 50 percent mark in 2007 in what sociologists called an inevitable trend.

There are numerous forces turning Manhattan into an isle of singletons, explained William Helmreich, deputy chairman of City College’s sociology department. The factors include high-paying jobs, the expense of raising a family, longer-living widows and widowers, and, of course, a celebrated culture of singledom.

“Singles attract more singles,” he said. “They participate in a lifestyle that is mutually reinforcing. The more single people engage in that lifestyle, the more acceptable it is, and the more acceptable it is, the more people are going to do it.”

Sociologists now call the time people in their 20s and 30s spend solo “early adulthood” to differentiate it from the period before they marry and have children — which is happening later and later.

Manhattan real-estate agents have long been profiting from the borough’s lonesome ways.

There were 376,916 single households in Manhattan in 2008 — that’s up several thousand from the year before, according to the Census data.

“The biggest evidence of that trend, the biggest proof, is that it’s easiest to rent a studio or small one-bedroom. Those are far and way the most popular apartments we rent,” said Stu Greenberg, owner of the 15-year-old Fireside Realty in Manhattan.

Ladies, however, are at a disadvantage.

There are 212,000 single female households compared with 165,000 male single.

Many of those women are lonely hearts, but they aren’t all Carrie Bradshaws.

“It reflects the large number of elderly in the city’s population, and many live by themselves when their partner dies,” noted Richard Alba, a sociology professor at the CUNY Graduate Center.

chuck.bennett@nypost.com

Lonely with just his dog

Ben Seiter lives alone, but can’t wait to share his East Village place with that special somebody.

“Living with a girlfriend would be better. It would keep me more stabilized,” said the 28-year-old real-estate agent.

“When you live with a girlfriend, they tend to keep you on your toes and keep you in line.”

Seiter searches for his perfect match while roaming the neighborhood with his English bulldog, Olivia Newton-John.

One upside to living without a male roommate is that it is easier to look for Miss Right.

“I think girls are lot more comfortable dating someone who lives alone. You look more responsible,” he said.

“You don’t have to worry about someone walking in on you.” Amber Sutherland

Grateful for her freedom

Gemma Alvarez, a 30-something personal trainer, can’t imagine living any other way than solo.

“I’ve been alone in Manhattan since 2003,” said Alvarez, who pays $1,850 a month for an East Village studio.

“I love living alone. I can focus on being fit, being healthy and building my business.”

She said she is dating and just broke up with a boyfriend last month.

But for now, cohabitation is the last thing on her mind.

“It feels good to be free and not preoccupied with anyone else. I don’t have to answer to anybody,” she said.

“And Manhattan is the best borough. Everything is at your doorstep.” Amber Sutherland

NEW YORK CITY–OCTOBER 23, 2009– Stiff competition on
flights between Los Angeles and New York City have pushed
ticket prices down to $199 roundtrip, including taxes.

This nonstop fare is even lower than recent sale prices,
and nearly $200 OFF typical prices.

Fly select dates in November and December.  This fare is
unadvertised and likely to disappear quickly.

New York City-Los Angeles … $199
http://airfare.travelzoo.com/north-american-airfare/677464

To search for dates beyond December, click below:
http://www.travelzoo.com/Newsflash.ashx?677465-24316024

Fox News

The collision happened as a city-bound service pulled up to Ashburton station, in a Melbourne suburb.

A security video shows the boy’s mother taking her hands off the stroller’s handles and failing to notice as it slowly edged toward the tracks.

The mom suddenly spots the baby stroller picking up speed and she rushes with outstretched arms to try to save her young child, but the stroller tips over the edge of the platform and the baby slams onto the tracks head first.

Before the boy can be rescued, the train powers past, horrifying the mother and other waiting passengers.

The footage ends with the frantic mom and a man running up to the driver, who has just stopped the 250-ton vehicle.

Australia’s Herald Sun said the train ploughed into the stroller, dragging the child along beneath the train’s front car.

But the boy was hauled from the tracks with little more than a bump on his head.

Paramedic Jon Wright said the six-month-old just “needed a feed and a nap“.

“Luckily, he was strapped into his pram at the time, which probably saved his life. I think the child’s extremely lucky,” the paramedic told the paper. “Fortunately the train was slowing as it pulled into the station.”

Yaz/Yasmin or Ocella, the blockbuster birth-control pill made by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc., has been associated with increased risks of stroke, blood clots, gallbladder disease, and other serious injuries in users. Bayer also has been reprimanded by the Food and Drug Administration for airing false and misleading television ads, which overstated the approved uses of the drug.

Women taking Yaz/Yasmin or Ocella, which also is available in other formulations under the brand name Yasmin and generically as ocella, also have developed serious side effects including:

• Heart attack
• Rash
• Hives
• Difficulty breathing
• Chest tightness
• Vision problems
• Cancers of the reproductive organs and breasts
• Liver cancer
• Inflammation of the pancreas
• Other serious and deadly health complications

Misleading Television Ads Cited

The FDA said in October 2008 that television advertising for Yaz/Yasmin or Ocella was misleading and gave consumers the wrong idea about which conditions the pill was approved to treat. The ads in question falsely claimed or gave consumers the impression that Yaz/Yasmin or Ocella was approved for treating symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and mild acne.

In reality, the drug only is approved by the FDA for treating serious physical and emotional symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and moderate to severe acne. The FDA ruled that Bayer had violated federal rules regarding efficacy claims made in drug ads.

As a result of falsely promoting Yaz/Yasmin or Ocella, Bayer was ordered to correct the offending ads and forced to air new advertisements designed to clarify the FDA approvals for the drug. Those ads started appearing in early 2009.

If you or a loved one has taken Yaz for birth control or to treat symptoms of PMDD or acne and suffered stroke, heart attack, blood clots, gallbladder disease or other serious injuries, we encourage you to contact qualified legal representation today to fully assess your possible legal rights

Whether buying a home,
vacationing in a tropical paradise
or enjoying unique products and
services, it’s our personal goal
to enhance your quality of life

GRiPPiES, the ingenious little product invented by two New York moms that first met on their morning commute on the LIRR, is now available in 850 Target stores nationwide.

GRiPPiES, the peel-and-stick and iron-on adhesives that can be applied to your children’s (and your) favorite socks to instantly turn them into safer no-slip socks can now be found in participating Target stores on an endcap in the baby department aisles right next to other parent-invented products.

From local product to national chain

What led GRiPPiES from a locally available product to a national Target launch is a story of courage and persistence.  New York moms, Corrie Wilder and Yelena Mogelefsky, first contacted Target 2 years ago, identifying Target early on in their partnership as a company that was friendly to budding entrepreneurs and that also attracted a  ”target” (some pun intended!) audience for their product.  As Mogelefsky describes, when Target contacted them, ”we were thrilled, and knew that this is the start of GRiPPiES going from a small business to a true company selling in a national chain.”  Together the industrious moms built a relationship with a buyer at Target that resulted in the launch last week.  (For a list of all stores carrying GRiPPiES, including the locations of the Target stores carrying the line, click here.)

Some tips for momtrepreneurs presenting to major buyers

Mogelefsky and Wilder are not stingy with their advice.  As Yelena says, “Momtrepreneurs want other momtrepreneurs to succeeed and I feel that we are all here to help each other.”  With that in mind, Mogelefsky offers some important practical advice for presenting to national buyers that has obviously served the GRiPPiES inventors well:

a) Remember that the buyers’ time is precious.  Come in with an outline of exactly what you want to speak about.

b) It’s all about sales! Show the buyer the need in the market and how your product selling in THEIR stores can give them a piece of the market share and produce profit.

c) No matter how small a company you are…..act big!!!!! If they ask you if you can fill their order, say YES!  (And if they use lingo you aren’t familiar with, like “warehouse” and “EDI” just store it away and google later!)

* * *

If you’re having trouble finding GRiPPiES or the other parent-invented products at the baby department endcap at your favorite Target, just ask.  And make sure to keep your receipt.  GRiPPiES is running a special to promote their Target launch.  If you buy three or more packages of GRiPPiES at your local Target, e-mail a copy of your receipt to cwilder@grippies.com and receive a free pack of Oval GRiPPiES in either iron-on or peel-and-stick.

**Be sure to also check out the brand-new GRiPPiES No-Slip Tights, a patent-pending product with the non-skid adhesives built right in, available on the GRiPPiES website.