Jennifer

With the recent discovery of Shawn and Ben, one would tend to think that it would bring more attention to missing children and the importance of continually getting their pictures out to the public. There is no way I could list every single missing child, but I can list the missing ones from the State of Missouri; according to the Polly Klass Foundation. Please look at these faces and memorize them. You just never know.

                                                    
                       Ashley Martinez                                              
     
 

Date Missing: 7/6/04
Date of Birth: 1/24/89
Missing From: Saint Joseph, MO
Age at Disappearance: 15 years
Sex: Female
Race: Caucasian
Height: 5’3”
Weight: 110 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Sandy blonde
Other: Ashley has her tongue, navel and ears pierced. She also has a scar on her left arm. Last Seen Wearing: Blue jean shorts, black top with red cherries and white Reebok tennis shoes.

The Sund/Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation is offering a $5,000 reward for information regarding Ashley's whereabouts

Circumstances: Ashley was last seen at her home in Saint Joseph, Missouri on July 6, 2004. She may be in the company of an adult male. They may have traveled out of state in a gray1995 Pontiac, Bonneville with Missouri license plate, “377MPY”.

Source: http://www.pollyklaas.org/missing/kids/page.jsp?itemID
=27043716

                                               
                                                       
            Christian Ferguson

Date Missing: 6/11/03
Missing from: St. Louis, MO
Date of Birth: 10/9/93
Age at Disappearance: 9 years
Race: African American
Sex: Male
Height: 4’
Weight: 75 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Other: Christian has a medical condition which requires daily medication that was not with him. Last Seen Wearing: Christian was last seen wearing only a diaper and wrapped in a multicolored blanket. 

Circumstances: Christian went missing from St. Louis, Missouri on June 11, 2003. He was last seen in a relative’s vehicle at approximately 6:30 a.m. when it was stolen. The vehicle has since been recovered but the whereabouts of Christian remain unknown.

Source: http://www.pollyklaas.org/missing/kids/Christian-Fergu
son.html

                                                    
      Betty Grace Tumbleson

Missing Child: Betty Grace Tumbleson
Date Missing: 9/12/00
Missing from: Butler, MO
DOB: 4/13/96
Age at Disappearance: 4 years
Sex: Female
Race: Caucasian
Height: 3’-4’
Weight: 45 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

Circumstances: Betty may be in the company of her non-custodial mother, Sheila Marie Tumbleson. They may be traveling in a red 1988 Ford Taurus with Missouri license plate #538FHE. A misdemeanor warrant for Custodial Interference has been issued for Sheila Tumbleson. Betty's picture is shown age progressed to 7 years by The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Source: http://www.pollyklaas.org/missing/kids/page.jsp?itemID
=27044189

                                                    
        Heather Nicole Kullorn

Type of Abduction: Non-Family Abduction
Date Missing: 7/15/99
Missing from: Richmond Heights, MO
Date of Birth: 3/9/87
Age at disappearance: 12
Race: Caucasian
Sex: Female
Height: 4'10"
Weight: 75 lbs.
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Brown
Other: Heather recently shaved her eyebrows.
Last Seen Wearing: Dark blue T-shirt and blue and green plaid shorts.
Also missing: A white comforter with a floral print from the apartment where Heather was babysitting

Circumstances: Heather was babysitting a 2 month old infant the evening of July 14, 1999. At approximately 2:00am the morning of July 15, 1999, a neighbor saw a child, believed to be Heather, being carried out of the apartment by an unknown white male. She was wrapped in a comforter. Investigators found a small amount of blood inside the apartment. Foul play is suspected. Heather is diabetic and needs insulin injections daily. If Heather is being held captive, sugared foods and water can sustain her for some time according to her doctor. Heather's photo is shown age-progressed to 19 years by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Source: http://www.pollyklaas.org/missing/kids/pa
ge.jsp?itemID=27044275

                                            Nicholas and Shyanne Hewitt

Missing Child: NICHOLAS HEWITT
Type of Abduction: Parental Abduction
Date Missing: 12/28/97
Missing from: Springfield, MO
Date of Birth: 1/24/96
Age Now: 10 years old
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Height: 3' 1"
Weight: 30 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown  

Missing Child: SHYANNE HEWITT
Type of Abduction: Parental Abduction
Date Missing: 12/28/97
Missing from: Springfield, MO
Date of Birth: 11/12/93
Age Now: 13 years old
Sex: Female
Race: Caucasian
Height: 3' 6"
Weight: 40 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Light Brown

Circumstances: Nicholas and Shyanne were abducted by their non-custodialmother. A felony warrant for Kidnapping was issued for Linda Hewitt on May 6, 1998. Nicholas' photo is shown age progressed to 9 years and Shyanne's photo is shown age progressed to 12 years by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

                                                    
  Their Mother: Linda Hewitt

Abductor: LINDA LU HEWITT
AKA: Linda Springer
Date of Birth: 6/30/60
Age Now: 47 years old
Sex: Female
Height: 5' 6"
Weight: 115 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Other: Has a mole on her right cheek.

Source: http://www.pollyklaas.org/missing/kids/page.jsp?itemID
=27044470

I have been on the internet since just around it's inception and have always found it to be an especially incredible tool that should be utilized for it's intentions. I have blogged, utilized live chat rooms, instant messaging, etc. and appreciate having the luxury and access. Years later a web site appeared, at a vast pace, that offered everything a person who loves the internet would ask for. Enter: www.myspace.com

Today, MySpace.com has been ranked the 4th most visited web site on the internet. However, it's original targeted audience was geared towards pre-teens (age 14 and above) up to young adults. As of lately it appears that their target audience now has no boundaries and offers something for just about everyone of all age brackets. Even my 74 year old grandfather has his own account.

I've had my own account for years and when my cousin, SGT Amanda Pinson was KIA last year in Iraq, I created a memorial site for her. This is a growing trend on MySpace.com. Her death captivated a large portion of St. Louis and surrounding areas as she made history by becoming the 1st female Intelligence Officer to ever be killed in combat. I can not begin to explain how many e-mails I have received, via MySpace, thanking me for creating and maintaining her memorial page as it has offered several 100 not only a place to go when they are thinking of her, but also closure. To my family - it has meant the world and the precise reason that my entired extended family has joined the ranks of official MySpace users.

MySpace.com offers many unique pages on it's network made by the members themselves. Allow me to give a few examples:

- Missing & Exploited Children pages; bringing awareness to each individuals story, details of their disappearance or otherwise and pictures.
- SIDS Awareness pages. Sadly, there are many. Although it has brought more awareness to the problem.
- Children Suffering From Cancer: There are several pages, across MySpace, where parents share their child's story with anyone viewing their pages.
- and more. Lots more!

I feel it's imperative to have a web site like this with various topics, people, etc. to not only educate, but to remind people of what is going on in the world around them. The difference between reading about the same situations in a newspaper, hearing it on the news, etc. and hearing each unique story from an individual directly involved in the situation gives it a more personal feel and tends to strengthen the empathy that it appears much of the world is lacking. Therefore gathering more attention than it might have previously.

MySpace.com opens the door to communication between people who would otherwise not be given that opportunity in a realm that is unique, safe (yes, I did say safe) and chocked full of other useful information; including the latest released movies, books, music and more! Not to mention - it's entirely hip. ;)

Just like any other web site, safety precautions should be taken to prevent becoming another statistic. MySpace.com does not allow anyone, under the age of 14 years old, to become an official member - with or without parents permission. You can keep your page private, only allowing those you know access to view it, or make your page public and keeping your pictures private (in case you have childrens pictures on there that you don't want some 'weirdo' viewing), and it's completely up to you on who you allow on your friends list. The safety precautions are present, but it is up to the user on precisely which, if any, of those they will use once they officially joined.

I know, personally, that it has kept my family, distant friends, etc. in close contact with me where I otherwise might not have had time. It's much easier to sit down, leave them a comment on their respective MySpace page(s), as opposed to calling them knowing you will have to cut the call short due to your hectic lifestyle and feeling horribly guilty. MySpace.com is guilt free! Did I mention that it's also cheaper than a long-distance phone call? It's almost the equivilant of eating chocolate that has no fat or calories...almost!  

All of this...and it's free! No obligations, no requirements; just an age limit. 14 and above only, please. Outside of that? The sky is the limit. Please enjoy the ride.

How many of you have MySpace pages? If you have one, please feel free to post them here. You can view the ones I run by clicking on the links below:

www.myspace.com/apsmom (personal myspace)
www.myspace.com/everydayphotography (my 'photography' myspace)
www.myspace.com/amandapinson (memorial page for my cousin)
www.myspace.com/angelinfatigues (story of the song written for my cousin)

Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape or form affiliated with MySpace.com outside of being one of their members for 4 years. You always hear the negative about them, and I figured it was time to shed a little positive in their direction.

The following is an announcement from Operation America Rising:

After we throw the largest support the troops rally in history on July 7th, Operation America Rising, based out of  Olathe, KS turns it's focus to the the midwest. All over the nation there will be an out pouring of support to change history. Operation America Rising is saying enough is enough!

                   PROTESTING FUNERALS WILL NOT BE TOLRATED ANYMORE!

We want 3 Million signatures on one petition to make protesting
funerals illegal. People all over the country will meet in Topeka, Kansas to march
past the Westboro Baptist Church signing the petition.

Then, that night, we will have a huge concert honoring our fallen and gathering signatures. We then turn the signatures over to a group to try and make protesting funerals a federal crime.

This rally is a "The People Have Spoken" event to say no more. We will raise the awareness of these hateful deeds and have the largest gathering of people in history, to say, "Enough is Enough!".

When: October 27th 2007
Operation America Rising
"The People have Spoken"
Topeka, KS

More details and on-line petition coming soon!! Keep up-to-date with the latest from Operation America Rising missions at:

www.myspace.com/oar2007
www.americarising.org

According to KOMO Tv based in Seattle, Washington military officials have decided that since Fort Lewis has lost so many soldiers due to the war, that they can no longer offer the fallen individual memorial services. They will now consolidate those memorials on a monthly basis instead.

Apparently this causing quite the outrage to the soldiers who are presently serving, their family and friends.

Source: http://www.komotv.com/news/7745592.html

Many times in my life I have read about someones "story", learned about them, and discuss them with anyone willing to listen. Today, my subjects were POW/MIA and my 2 key focuses are that of LtCdr Scott Speicher (they named my cousin SGT Amanda Pinsons' FOB - Speicher - in honor of this man) and SSgt Matt Maupin (he is the only unaccounted for Military in Operation Iraqi Freedom).

I encourage each and every one of you to read about these two men and bring awareness to those you know. Remember that if you don't care about a strangers unfortunate circumstance today, that a stranger might not concern themselves with yours tomorrow.

Thanks!
Jennifer

                                      
                                       LtCdr Michael Scott Spiecher 
                                       Missing since: January 17th, 1991

Relative Links:
www.FreeScottSpeicher.org
www.aiipowmia.com/pgw/speicherindex.html
www.all4jesus.name/Michael%20Speicher.htm
www.operationfreespike.com/

                                                    
                  and

          
                                        Staff Sergeant Keith Matthew Maupin

Date Captured: April 9th, 2004
Branch/Rank: U.S. Army Reserves / Pfc - Spc - Staff Sgt
Unit: Army Reserves 724th Transportation Company, Bartonville, Ill
Date of Birth/Age: 13 July, 1983 (20)
Home City of Record: Batavia, OH
Missing: 3 years, 2 months, and 1 day affective June 10th, 2007

Relative Links:
www.mattmaupin.us
www.pownetwork.org/gulfII/maupin.htm

 Other important links of possible interest:

www.aiipowmia.com/iraq/quranpwrights.html
www.nationalalliance.org/alliance_files/leboutillier.h
tm

Since you all found the story of my daughter's reaction to acute flouride toxicity enlighting and informative I figured I should post another 'off-the-wall' potentially lethal problem. However, please note that I am only posting this to gain awareness to this situaiton more than I am in any lame attempt to spread panic. Knowledge is power; right?

Being on the internet for years I have come to discover that a majority of what I read is inaccurate unless I discover it on a legitimate web site. If I don't, and it reads as if there may be any truth to it, I quickly verify it via the means of a very resourceful web site called www.snopes.com which will quickly burst an urban legend out of the proverbial waters and put my paranoid mommy personality to rest. Or, there is always www.google.com to contend with.

In one of those fowarded e-mails I received one regarding expired pancake mix being potentially fatal. Excuse me? Expired pancake mix? Fatal? Ah yes. According to Snopes.com, as well as many other sources available on the internet, expired pancake mix can cause what is known as... anaphylaxis.

The article I am about to quote below, which was actually a letter written to none other than Dear Abby, has actually been reported to the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology in 2001.

Here's the story:
DEAR ABBY: I recently made a batch of pancakes for my healthy 14-year-old son, using a mix that was in our pantry. He said that they tasted 'funny', but ate them
anyway. About 10 minutes later, he began having difficulty breathing and his lips began turning purple. I gave him his allergy pill, had him sit on the sofa and told him
to relax. He was wheezing while inhaling and exhaling.

My husband, a valunteer firefighter and EMT, heated up some water, and we had my son leave over the water so the steam could clear his chest and sinuses. Soon,
his breathing became more regular and hils lips returned to a more normal color.

We checked the date on the box of pancake mix and, to my dismay, found it was very outdated. As a reference libararian at an academic institution, I have the ability
to search through many research databases. I did just that, and found an articile the next day that mentioned a 19-year-old male DYING after eating pancakes made
with outdated mix. Apparently, the mold that forms in old pancake mix can be toxic.

When we told our friends about my son's close call, we were surprised at the number of people who mentioned that they should check their own pancake mix since
they don't use it often, or they had purchased it some time ago. With so many people shopping at warehouse-type stores and buying large sizes of  pancake mix, I
hope your readers will take the time to check the expiration date on their boxes. - SUE IN WYANTSSKILL NY

Response:
DEAR SUE: Thank you for the warning. I certainly was not aware that pancake mix could turn moldy and cause an allergic reaction in someone with an allergy to
the mold - but it's logical. I wonder if the same holds true for cake mix, brownie mix and cookie mix. If so, then a warning should be placed on the box for people
like me.

We hear so often about discarding prescription and over-the-counter medications after their expiration dates, but I don't recall warnings about packaged items in the
pantry. Heads up, folks!

Source:  http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/pancake.aspp>

Summary:

Please keep in mind that unless you are allergic to this particular type of mold, that you are pretty much in the safe zone. However, I think it's safe to ask the question, "Do you really want to find out that you are allergic to this specific mold by eating expired pancake mix? Or even worse - your children?". My assumption is that the majority of us will concur that we'd much rather just be aware of the potential danger, throw out the expiried mix and have just one less harmful substance in our homes.

Helpful Information:

A resourceful site concerning molds and their potential toxicity can be found here:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Molds_On_Food/ind
ex.asp

Some great guidelines on protecting you and your family from the oh-so-viscious symptoms of pesky little molds:

1. Make it a rule-of-thumb to check expiration dates each time you put newly purchased groceries away.
2. Check the expiration dates on food right before you begin to prepare it.
3. Make certain that there is not mold growing inside of your refridgerator. Some mold can be airborne. Which leads me to number 4:
4. If you suspect that you have mold on food in your pantry, refridgerator or otherwise - please DO NOT SNIFF IT - it can be harmful to your health. Remove it to an outside trash container very carefully. If possible, please throw away the container the mold was in; it's not worth keeping and risking your families health over.
5. Check any 'watery-areas' in your home, such as your bathroom and/or kitchen. Mold will grow rampantly in these particular areas, as well.
6. Clean dish towels, bath towels, washcloths, etc. regularly. Mold can surface on these damp surfaces too.
7. When in doubt - throw it out!
8. ...and never, ever eat expired pancake mix.

My daughter, Alexis, was rushed to the ER yesterday and over something that most of us wouldn't forsee being a huge health risk to our child(ren). I woke up today to find my daughter standing over me sucking on a tube of toothpaste (Colgate) in bubble gum flavor. I grabbed it and thought nothing of it.

About an hour later she vomitted. It came out smelling like a mixture of toothpaste and bubble gum which instantly told me that she swallowed more than I had first assumed. I called the Poison Control Center number, and told them precisely what happened and what was happening at the present time. Alexis had consumed 1/2 of a 4.6oz tube. I was told, "She has swallowed a toxic dose. You need to get her to the emergency room immediately!". I asked if I should take her myself or call an ambulance and the ladies response was, "What you should be doing is getting your car keys and getting her to the ER immediately!!!". Now, as a mother, my heart sank to my feet and I WANTED to break down and cry.

However, I maintained my cool & got the both of us ready; we were out the door in 5 minutes. At that point, I called my mom and Step-Dad who were playing golf in St. Peters and asked them to meet me at the hospital. I then called the hospital to confirm that Poison Control had called them and advised them that we were on the way; they had.

When we arrived, they ran an EKG and a blood test. Flouride can cause HEART DAMAGE. That's the "nice part" about it though. If a child who weights a mere 22lbs swallows 2.5 ounces of flouride it can and has been FATAL. Alexis weighs 27lbs and consumed 2.3 ounces. Imagine my despair if you will.

Upon arriving home hours later and getting Alexis settled down here is some information I found on a dental website. However, please keep in mind that the ER Doctor advised me that consuming too much flouride does NOT cause diarrhea NOR vomitting. A Doctor... good grief!

Surprisingly, these answers reveal the sad truth that many people do not understand about the toxicity of fluoride and when to call the Poison Control Center. It is unquestionably important for everyone to learn the signs and symptoms of fluoride toxicity, especially when there is a small child in the family.

The facts about fluoride toxicity are:

Early symptoms of acute fluoride toxicity (e.g. gastrointestinal pain, nausea, vomiting, headaches) can be produced at doses as low as 0.1 to 0.3 mg/kg.

Swallowing fluoride at the amount 5 mg/kg can be fatal.

Ingestion of as little as 1 percent of a tube of flavored children's toothpaste can produce acute fluoride toxicity in a young child.

The most common symptoms of acute fluoride toxicity include:

Nausea (97%), Vomiting (68%), Diarrhea (65%), Abdominal cramps (53%), Headaches (41%), and Burning sensations in the throat or chest (12%).

SOURCE: Penman AD, Brackin BT, Embrey R. (1997). Outbreak of acute fluoride poisoning caused by a fluoride overfeed, Mississippi, 1993. Public Health Reports 112:403-9.

Website where I found the information: http://www.softdental.com/houston_dentist/dying_from_t
oothpaste_ingestion.html

If you have small children, PLEASE put the toothpaste away. Do not assume that they will not touch it. That same tube of toothpaste had been sitting in the cabinet above my toilet for about 6 months now. ALWAYS SUPERVISE your child while they are brushing their teeth and ALWAYS use flouride free toothpaste for children 3 and under.

It truly concerns me that an EMERGENCY room DOCTOR did not know this information so I felt it imperative to pass it on to anyone and everyone on my friends list so you all will be better prepared should this happen to your child(ren).