Friday, June 3, 2011

[Peckers_Pics] Male/Gay Health-Discussion-PICS Model Wars-PICS-Health-News-Jun 4, 2011-Boycott Trump-NBC-TARGET



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Alert: Target + Minnesota Forward + Tom Emmer = Support for a rather dangerous and radical political philosophy that diminishes LGBT people to pests that should be murdered. And "Target" is cool with this? ...Now Target is suing the LGBT community for their peaceful demonstrations in front of their stores. ....Our answer: BOYCOTT "TARGET"

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Health - Wellness - Exercise - Reflections:
Which Depression Treatment Is Right for You?

By Linda Wasmer Andrews - June 01, 2011

Today, there are more therapies and medications for depression than ever before. But different approaches work for different people. Here's how to find the right method to get you out of your funk.

For Teresa Stevens, a 50-year-old book editor in Lawrenceville, N.J., the search for a depression treatment lasted almost a decade.

"I was very unhappy," she says.

She tried talk therapy, but that didn't provide enough relief. Medications improved her mood, but side effects such as weight gain and lowered sex drive made them hard to live with.

Fortunately, the third drug she tried brought her good results and few side effects. Since then she has stayed depression-free, even through the stress of breast cancer treatment and recovery.

Stevens' story isn't unique. For many women, finding a depression treatment that's both effective and free of irritating side effects takes patience and persistence.

There's some help: In October 2010, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) published updated guidelines for treating major depression that can help your health-care provider make research-based choices about which methods to try.

But doctors still don't have a surefire way of knowing whether a particular depression treatment will be effective for you, says Alan Gelenberg, M.D., chair of the APA work group that wrote the guidelines. So a testing period is often necessary.

What the Guidelines Say

A quick glance at the 2010 APA recommendations can help you begin your search for the right treatment.

If you have mild to moderate depression: The usual treatment is psychotherapy, an antidepressant or both. Personal preference is an important deciding factor.

"Some people really want to take a pill or talk in therapy, and others definitely don't," Gelenberg says.

Exercise also helps. If depression is mild, it might be enough on its own. If you have more severe depression: Medication is generally needed, either alone or combined with psychotherapy. Another option for treating severe, urgent or stubborn symptoms is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which involves passing a carefully controlled electrical current through the brain to induce a brief seizure. For those at high risk for suicide, a short stay in the hospital may be advised.

If you're pregnant, planning to have kids, or breastfeeding: For most pregnant women, the guidelines now recommend psychotherapy alone as the first-choice treatment.

If you haven't responded to previous treatments: If you aren't fully improved after four to eight weeks of psychotherapy or medication, talk to your health-care provider. Options include upping the dose or intensity of your current treatment, switching to a different one or adding another.

"There are a lot of treatment options. The more you try, the better the chance you'll achieve remission," Gelenberg says.

If you've recovered from depression: The disease tends to return, so once you've gotten well, staying that way is a priority.

"If you've had two very serious episodes of depression, or if you've had three or more total episodes, staying on treatment indefinitely should be considered," Gelenberg says. For those who prefer psychotherapy, "revisiting a therapist on a regular basis is probably smart."

The Details

Here's an in-depth look at the available depression treatments, along with reasons you might want to consider them.

Psychotherapy

This kind of therapy, which involves talking through issues with a licensed professional, doesn't cause side effects the way medicine can. You also learn skills that can be used for a lifetime. On the other hand, going to therapy takes energy, motivation and concentration – which can be in short supply when you're seriously depressed.

"In general, medication may produce faster results, but therapy can produce more durable ones," says Scott Bea, Psy.D., a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Many types of mental-health professionals offer psychotherapy. Here's how to tell them apart:

 •Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can write prescriptions, and many focus mainly on drug therapy. Others provide psychotherapy as well.

 •Clinical psychologists have at least a master's degree. Many have a doctoral degree and postdoctoral experience. In addition to providing therapy, they can do psychological testing.

 •Clinical social workers have at least a master's degree as well as clinical experience.

 •Psychiatric nurses are registered nurses with additional training in mental-health care.

 •Advanced-practice registered nurses have at least a master's degree.

 •Mental-health counselors typically have a master's degree plus post-degree experience. Licensing requirements vary from state to state.

 •Marriage and family therapists typically have at least a master's degree plus post-degree experience, although requirements vary. They focus on mental-health problems in the context of close relationships.

The following types of talk therapy have been found particularly effective against depression. If one isn't helpful for you, consider one of the others.

 •Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps patients identify and change irrational beliefs and dysfunctional behaviors that contribute to their depressed mood.

•Behavior therapy helps patients substitute helpful thoughts and actions for destructive behaviors. For example, people with depression may focus on scheduling pleasant activities, even if they don't feel like it. Once they get moving, a better mood often follows.

 •Interpersonal therapy helps patients address relationship factors that trigger depression symptoms. For example, they might focus on building a social support system, coming to terms with a change in their social role, or mourning the loss of a loved one.

Medication

Dozens of different antidepressants are now available. But each carries a risk of troublesome side effects, which may include weight gain, loss of sex drive, nausea, headaches, restlessness and trouble sleeping.

Finding one that works well for you may take trial and error, Gelenberg says.

The following antidepressants are usually tried first because of their milder side effects:

 •Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) or sertraline (Zoloft). These increase brain levels of serotonin, producing a sense of well-being.

 •Selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as venlafaxine (Effexor), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq), or duloxetine (Cymbalta). These increase brain levels of norepinephrine, which tends to produce a sense of mental stimulation; some increase serotonin as well.

 •Mirtazapine (Remeron) uses a different process but also seems to increase norepinephrine and serotonin.

 •Bupropion (Wellbutrin) increases brain levels of norepinephrine and dopamine, which plays a role in the brain's pleasure and reward systems.

Other medical treatments

Electroconvulsive therapy, although controversial, has the highest success rate of any depression treatment, with 70%-90% of those treated showing improvement.

Modern methods are considerably safer and gentler than the "shock therapy" of decades past. But there are still potential side effects, including temporary confusion and lasting memory loss.

Newer options are also available. Transcranial magnetic stimulation uses rapid pulses of magnetic fields to stimulate certain brain cells. Vagus nerve stimulation uses a small implanted device, similar to a pacemaker, to deliver mild electrical impulses to a nerve that extends from the brain to the abdomen. It then transmits the pulses to brain areas that affect mood and other symptoms of depression.

Alternative therapies

If you have mild depression and prefer alternative treatments, consider the herbal remedy St. John's wort or the nutritional supplement SAM-e. Both have been studied as mood boosters, although APA guidelines say evidence for their effectiveness is "modest at best."

St. John's wort can also interact with a number of medications – for example, it can reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills. Talk to your doctor before self-treating with supplements.

Acupuncture is another possibility. Although research has yielded mixed findings, a study in the March 2010 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology showed promising results. According to Stanford University researchers, pregnant women with depression showed a greater decrease in symptoms if they received depression-specific acupuncture than if they were treated with a different kind of acupuncture or massage.

Getting high-quality care

A study published in the January 2010 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry showed that only about half of those with depression received some kind of treatment.

"But only about one in five got depression care that conformed to established guidelines," says lead researcher Hector Gonzalez, Ph.D., an assistant professor of family medicine and public health sciences at Wayne State University in Detroit.

To make sure you get the right treatment, start with a referral to a mental-health professional or clinic, or ask your primary-care physician for help. Your doctor can prescribe antidepressant medication, but you may have better results with a psychiatrist – especially if your symptoms don't go away within a couple of months.
 
"It's also important to get a psychiatrist involved if you have a coexisting issue such as substance abuse, suicidality, bipolar disorder or disabling anxiety," says Ken Duckworth, M.D., medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

If you have one treatment provider for medication and another for psychotherapy, it's important they work closely together. Find professionals who have a collaborative relationship already in place. Your doctor might be able to refer you to a therapist, or vice versa.Keep trying, and you won't have to settle for staying depressed or feeling just a little better. With the right treatment, becoming symptom-free is a realistic goal.

Linda Wasmer Andrews is a freelance writer who specializes in health and psychology. She's author or coauthor of four books about depression, including Encyclopedia of Depression (Greenwood) and Monochrome Days (Oxford University Press).
Take Action:
  • Update: DADT has been repealed. President Obama has kept his promise!
  • Boycott Bill O'Reilly and FOX News and their advertisers. Bill discussed a French commercial by McDonalds that was meant to show that McDonalds is Gay Friendly. Bill said what is next? Is McDonalds going to be Al-Qaida friendly as well? Imagine - Bill O'Reilly compares Gays to Al-Qaida! In conclusion, O'Reilly expressed out-right Hatrad of the LGBT Community.
  • Boycott Arizona the home of "hater" - U.S. Senator John McCain. Arizona's Hateful anti-Immigration Law - encourages racial profiling and increases hatred towards minorities. A remedy: Demand Republicans to support Immigration Reform (The Dream Act). Further, Senator McCain voted against ending DADT and Blocked Immigration reform!
  • Boycott Target, Best Buy, Gold's Gym - for donating money towards anti-gay political candidates/organizations. Update: (12/26/2010): Target is continuing to donate to anti-gay groups/causes/politicians. Update 03/08/11 - Lady Gaga Ends Target Partnership, Reportedly Over Target's Poor LGBT Stance. Update 3/25/2010 - Target displays their hypocrisy and Sues California Gay Rights Group for Lobbying Outside Stores. Target is attempting to block the LGBT right of free speech! STOP SHOPPING AT TARGET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Update 4/8/2011: Target lost it's case to stop the LGBT from canvassing in front of their stores. A huge PR Disaster for TARGET! Perhaps Target should go out of business as they betrayed their investers and customers. Target contributed massive funds to a politician who would like to exterminate gays. Now, Target can not stop us from Boycotting them, nor picketing, nor talking to customers near their stores; although, Target allows a anti-gay company such as the Salvation Army to stand outside their door and speak with customers and raise money. Isn't this a double standard? Perhaps TARGET would better understand the issue if they cared about David Kato - Uganda, who was slain because he is gay! That is because Uganda wants to kill gay people. Again, TARGET invested in a political candidate that would Kill the Gays!
  • End DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act). Prevents Federal employees and Gays in the Military from gaining equal benefits. Prevents Gay Partners from gaining equal benefits.
  • Pass ENDA (Employee Non-Discrimination Act). ENDA would prevent employment discrimination of LGBT workforce.
  • Boycott Salvation Army as they will not hire Gays! "DO NOT DONATE TO THEM."
  • BOYCOTT "Chick-fil-a" for donating to anti-gay marriage groups.
  • BOYCOTT KOCH INDUSTRIES PRODUCTS- to include their products: Angel Soft toilet paper / Brawny paper towels / Dixie plates, bowls, napkins & cups / Mardi Gras napkins and towels / Quilted Northern toilet paper / Soft 'n Gentle toilet paper / Sparkle napkins / Vanity fair napkins / Zee napkins / Georgia-Pacific paper products & envelopes / All Georgia-Pacific lumber & building products (INVISTA Products) / Lycra / Stainmaster Carpet. The billionaire - Koch brothers are ultra republican - tea bag founders/supporters that do not support causes of the LGBT community.
  • Boycott WALMART - The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, force criticized Wal-Mart for denying employee benefits to same-s-x partners and for failing to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. By comparison, the group said two other chain stores with a strong presence in New York, Costco and Walgreens, did much better.
  • NEW: "Tune Out Trump", Boycott all Trump Hotel, casinos, holdings, The Apprentice and NBC Network! At CPAC, Trump said he is considering a run for president as a Republican. In a interview with the Des Moines Register, Trump added that he opposes all forms of legal recognition for gay couples, not just marriage. "They should not be able to marry," he said. So why does NBC keep the Apprentice when Donald Trump has stated he may run for president? After making racist remarks about Obama and recv'g public backlash, Trump decided not to run for president after NBC renewed his awful TV Show. How can NBC renew the clown's show after he pulled all such low-class shenanigans? Boycott NBC! Boycott advertisers of The Apprentice and Trump's other business's. Don't shop at any bullding with Donald Trump's name to include Trump Hotels, Casinos, Condo's, Offices, Shops! The Donald has expressed extreme Hatred towards gays and blacks with his birther remarks and anti-gay rhetoric. Remember how poorly Trump treated Rosie O'Donnel? Now we know why he did that! It was hate against a lesbian as we now know he is biget. Unforgiveable! Dump NBC because they re-newed Donald Trump's "The Apprentice"! NBC, Really? Update June 1, 2011: Trump now claims that Obama's long form, original birth certificate is fake. And NBC keeps this hater? NBC, You Kidding Us?

And Now, Model Wars!

This group is called "Peckers Pics." The English - slang definition of "pecker" is to pluck at the truth. Therefore, we peck at items such as Gay Men's Health, Male Fitness, Gay (LGBT) Politics & Issues. In this section you may peck at each photo in order to decide the winner of the "war of the fittest!" Whereas, who is the model that may inspire you to exercise and "get fit?" Warning: This may stoke you!
 
Your participation in discussion of health / news articles - appearing in this message is greatly appreciated.
 
Daniel Garofali
 
VS
Steve Boyd
 
You Decide!
Long Beach Pride, CA, USA; May 22, 2011
Stoked?
Long Beach Pride, CA, USA; May 22, 2011
Why is Sen. Roy McDonald "undecided" about gay marriage?
June 3, 2011 - by Kevin Marshall - Albany Times Union

If you're driving on the stretch of Interstate 787 that runs parallel to the border of New York State Senator Roy McDonald's district, you might notice a billboard urging him to support gay marriage:
 

The billboard is sponsored by Bombers' Burritos and is the handiwork of its owner, local entrepreneurial socialite and blogging gadfly Matt Baumgartner. Gay Marriage is in a tight race in New York, and McDonald is one of the holdouts.

He claims he's "undecided" on the issue. The legislative session ends June 20th, and Governor Andrew Cuomo has gone on the record stating he'd like to see gay marriage passed in the Empire State before then.

Anybody who's ever read this blog before knows my position on gay marriage, but just in case: I'm for it. The concept of marriage is not owned by any specific church or religion, and any claims to the contrary are historical and contextual fallacies. Parishioners can have their objections noted, but it should not be used to refute any efforts to legalize it. Other arguments, even if we are to take the concerns as earnest on the part of those objecting, fail to hold water:  marriage won't make any person more gay or encourage more people to become gay, nor will any heterosexual marriage be threatened by the existence of a gay couple being granted a license to marry.

I do see it as a right, and don't think one should be comfortable clouding it with concessions like granting gay couples the right to a "civil union." As a right, it should not be held up to compromise or muddled with semantics. It should be clear what we are and aren't willing to accept in this society, and no homosexual person in this country should be given a mixed message as to whether or not they are tolerated or, better yet, embraced by an American society in the throes of the 21st Century.

So I ask Senator Roy McDonald, who represents me in the State Senate: what, exactly, are you undecided on? How many of your constituents are also undecided? If you ask them, I think you'll find a clear answer on either side.

Part of me thinks maybe you being undecided is a good thing. Perhaps you've grown up your entire life viewing homosexuals as one thing, but the last few decades and all the friendships and alliances you've cultivated with homosexuals in and around the Capital Region forced a change of heart. Maybe you're undecided because for your entire life you were fundamentally opposed to the concept, but in your heart you now know that voting "yes" is the right thing to do.

Then there's the cynic in me that just wonders if you're a coward and/or are waiting for someone in the Legislature to approach you with a deal or compromise that benefits you in some way or another, wholly unrelated issue you want to address.

If you're reading this, Roy, please don't be offended. That's just a part of my thought process that harbors ill will, and is granted space due to the past behaviors and attitudes of your fellow Senators. There's a bigger part of me, though, that believes you can change and do the right thing.

I believe, just like so many others, that you can say "yes." So please do so. Show them that you're a better man than they think you are.
Every gay and lesbian person who has been lucky enough to survive the turmoil of growing up is a survivor. Survivors always have an obligation to those who will face the same challenges."
....Jake
 
Important Notice: Our ObamaBiden2008 Group works hand - in - hand with Peckers PICS (Both groups were co-created to work with each-other). To prevent duplication of articles and questions, all members of this group are expected to join ObamaBiden2008. It is unfair for members that belong to both groups to hear members of just Peckers PICS (only) to make statements when the ObamaBiden2008 has covered such topics in detail. Therefore, members need to join ObamaBiden2008 immediately. This shall clear up communications and confusion. The LGBT cause is too important and beyond 1 person's need to just look at pictures. Therefore, please join ObamaBiden2008 now. No you don't have to read every article! But, it covers the LGBT community and includes updates on Health insurance; LGBT boycott list; Westboro Church; and the end of DADT, etc...Also, updates with the multi - state gov't's war against unions and people with disabilities. The group is created for you! There are gay teen suicides going on. There are Hate crimes against gay people. There are gays who are fired over their sexual identity. There are gay people who died for our cause! You always reserve the right to remove yourself from all my groups if you do not appreciate this request. I have done everything I can and now it is time for you to step up! My Groups are for Yahoo members who sincerely care about LGBT rights and Gay Mens Health! Please Join Now!
 
 


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All members of "Peckers PICS" are requested to join our "Obama Biden 2008" group as it runs in conjunction to this group.  Both groups shall not repeat articles from one group to another.  However, to gain full knowledge of Gay rights, members must belong to the Obama group as well as this group.  Therefore, please accept your invitation to join. 

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Thank you!
 

"Every gay and lesbian person who has been lucky enough to survive the turmoil of growing up is a survivor. Survivors always have an obligation to those who will face the same challenges."

...Jake (Moderator)



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