A VERY SPECIAL EVENT TONIGHT INWORLD

I copied this from my friend Jared's Facebook wall.......

TADD'S CABARET AND DANCE CLUB IS HONORED TO BE HOSTING ON OCTOBER 22nd AND OCTOBER 23rd

'BE A WARRIOR-WARRIORS FOR JAMEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!

This event is too celebrate the life of Jamey Rodymeyer who ended his life on September 17th and also to raise awareness about Teen Suicide in the LGBT Teen Community and also create a Outreach for the LGBT teens that have migrated into the main grid since the ...closure of the Teen Grid

Jamey's death has created a firestorm because of the bullying and taunting he had to endure.This is a SP event with a theme for awareness
October is also National Bully awareness month as well

This is a 2 day event with 6 of the best DJ's in SL.Jared is kicking off a 2 day event

Saturday October 22nd 7-9 pm
DJ Jared
Presents Be a Warrior!!!!
with Jamey's Warriors

Sunday October 23rd 3-9pm
DJ's
InysX Piranha 3-4
DJ Loki 4-5
Queen Edman 5-6
Johny Alderton 6-7
TinaMaire Beck 7-8
Jared Palianta 8-9

Be A Warrior, Be a Warrior For Jamey.Let's fight the fight for Jamey

PAWS UP FOR JAMEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!See More

· · Thursday at 3:45am · Shared with: Jared's friends

• You, Tadd Rives, Loki Kahanamoku and 2 others like this.
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    Cooper Drammond YAY !!!

    Thursday at 10:50am · · 1 personLoading...
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    CooperDrammond it's soooo important and an amazing priveledge to be able to show our support for this, as a whole, undivided global communty!! I remember very clearly what it was like to be a lost 15 yr old gay boy in a world I believed I had no place in and I wasn't welcome. Having 100% of my life, my thoughts, my feelings over-powered by fear that terrified me every minute, feeling worthless & evil all the time..I remember at age 15 the way I felt the day I swallowed a bunch of mom's heart pills, and how I was even more of a failure when I woke up the next day, I couldn't do ANYTHING right....I survived the years by learning to compartmentalize the parts of my life and that made it possible for me to lie to myself much more effectively. I survived. and I LEARNED ... ALOT! and everything got sooo much better!! NOW, I know damned well that I'm not the only one that went thru this, in fact I'm just a typical gay boy from Anytown, USA. And I learned. Now to get an opportunity to say something to the little gayboys of today is an amazing honor!! I guess what I'm trying to say is THANK YOU Jared Palianta and Loki Kahanamoku and all the rest who are giving of your hearts and allowing this opportunity for me and all the other ex-scared little gay-boys!! It really means ALOT :))

    Thursday at 11:29am · · 2 peopleLoading...
   
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    Jared Palianta Hugs Cooper and thank you for sharing your story,you are not alone,since the birth of this event so many people have shared their stories with me, Because of my beliefs and being out spoken I so want to make positive changes to make this world better for future generations,and if all of us in the LGBT community stands together as one,united as one we can make positive changes for a better and brighter tomorrow

    Thursday at 1:46pm · · 3 peopleLoading...
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    Cooper Drammond I love and fully support your thoughts on a united approach. I too have been behind this movement since I first learned of Jamey. But, I'm ashamed to say, I've mostly been bitching about "where were all the supportive people who actually knew that boy when he was alive? Instead of offering my skills & strength to the situation as it stands, I was condemning people I dont even know at a time when I would have been a much more valuable steward by meeting the needs that existed rather than haughtily taking the role of judgement. Jared, you humble me. Thank you for giving of yourself proactively and bringing this matter inworld to a situation that empowers it to touch others who may not know of it and having this event where we can all gather together and share our hearts together and learn and love. Rock on Jared Palianta

    Thursday at 8:20pm ·
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    Cooper Drammond I also badgered my entire inworld FL with info on this event, and guilted the ones who naively IM'd back lol

    Thursday at 8:26pm · · 1 personLoading...
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    Cooper Drammond I make my FL's WORK hehehe

    Thursday at 8:26pm ·
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    Jared Palianta lol you rock Cooper

    Yesterday at 3:22am · · 1 personLoading...
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    Jared Palianta From what I have read about Jamey,The Principle of the High School felt they had the bullying and taunting under control.The Superintendent of the School System who is a total IDIOT has now said that he needs to review the school policy on Bullying and Taunting and enforce tougher punishment,his idea of punishment was a slap on the wrist and 3 day suspension.WOOHOO no school for 3 days.The Police have no clue how to charge the 3 bully's because they don't feel Jamey's death was a hate crime.GET REAL PEOPLE.Their bullying lead to his death.

    Yesterday at 3:57am ·
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    Loki Kahanamoku Cooper, thank you so much for sharing your story. It was for the same feelings that you had that I did not come out to anyone as being gay until a couple of years ago. I always felt like something was wrong with me. I felt like I was trash. I myself tried to commit suicide several times because I was miserable. I remember growing up thinking I was disgusting because I was attracted to boys. I remember feeling so dirty for having the thoughts of even kissing a boy. I tried to pray it away. I even went to counselors - one of which told me that I wasn't gay. It was just a phase I was going through. I will have to say the moment I TRULY accepted it was when Lady Gag released her song Born This Way. By that time, I had already come as being gay. But, I still didn't feel right about myself. That song was my answer because I had always been taught it was a choice and I felt I never made the choice.
    
    So, this is why I am so passionate about this. I don't want another gay person to grow up thinking they are nasty and dirty. I don't want another one to be bullied because they say they are gay. I want them to know it is okay. You were truly born that way and you are perfect just the way you are. I had a miserable childhood. I don't want that for others.

    Yesterday at 10:25am · · 1 personLoading...
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    Jared Palianta Well said Loki .We are BORN THIS WAY ,and if we listen to what others are saying and allow them to make us feel any different then we will crumble and believe what others say

    21 hours ago · · 2 peopleLoading...
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    Cooper Drammond Thank you Loki, Thank you :)) I'm sorta speechless and at a loss for words (wow!! that's never happenned before lol) so with no muss or fuss, a TRULY heartfelt and VERY grateful THANK YOU

    20 hours ago · · 1 personLoading...
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    Cooper Drammond the hugs are great, but...I think if we nude up they'll be much nicer :))

    14 hours ago · · 1 personLoki Kahanamoku likes this.
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    Jordyn Carnell We are all "born this way" One of the hardest things for people to do is accept yourself as you would want others to accept you. (Great stories guys.. thanks for sharing a piece of yourselves.)

    12 hours ago · · 1 personLoki Kahanamoku likes this.

IRELAND: Gay Man Up For Presidency

IRELAND: Gay Man Up For Presidency Openly gay Sen. David Norris has won the nomination for the presidency of Ireland, a largely ceremonial post. The independent politician won the support of Dublin city council last night and will run against six other candidates next month. He said he was “absolutely thrilled” at the news. Mr Norris 67, pulled out of the race in August over controversy surrounding a letter of support he had written for a former partner who was convicted of raping a 15-year-old boy. But earlier this month, he announced he would stand after receiving a “consistent outpouring of public support”. He told the Irish Times: “If I can make this kind of comeback I hope to God as president I’ll be able to help the country make the kind of comeback that it and its people deserve.”

14 yr old Jamey Rodenmeyer bullied to death

Pediatric Cancer 101

STATE OF THE FIGHT: CHILDHOOD CANCER KIMBERLY STEGMAIER, M.D. Though pediatric cancer is perceived as rare, it is the second most common cause of death in children 5 to 14 years of age in the United States. With a growing number of childhood cancer survivors, the impact of toxic therapies on long-term health is even more palpable. One in 250 people in the United States were childhood cancer survivors in 2010. While great progress has been made in treating children with cancer, there is still much more work to do. Morbidity from our current treatments is significant, and new approaches to treating children suffering from these diseases are still sorely needed. My hope is that targeted therapy, a promising new avenue of research, will offer improved efficacy and decreased toxicity compared to current chemotherapy treatments currently used to treat most pediatric cancers. The most frequent type of cancer affecting children is leukemia, which accounts for 27 percent of all cancers in children younger than 20 years of age and 32 percent of all cancers in children under 15. Approximately 3,540 children younger than 20 years old are diagnosed with leukemia in the United States each year. There are different types of childhood leukemia with ALL being the most common, accounting for 73 percent, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) accounting for 18 percent and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) accounting for less than 4 percent. Malignant lymphomas are the third most commonly diagnosed group of malignancies in children after leukemia and brain tumors, accounting for 4 percent of cancer diagnoses in children under age 5 and up to 15.5 percent in children under 20 years in the United States. Central nervous system (CNS) tumors account for 25 percent of pediatric cancers. Each year, there are approximately 2,820 new diagnoses of CNS tumors in U.S. children younger than 15 years old. These tumors of the brain and spinal cord are second behind the leukemias in incidence but are the number one cause of cancer-related mortality in children. Here, the presence of the blood-brain barrier makes drug delivery to the tumor difficult, and the need to modify therapies to spare neuro-cognitive development has further compounded the challenge of therapy development for this class of pediatric cancers. This is one area where the need for improved therapy is all too apparent. While brain tumors are the most common form of solid tumors in children, there are many other types of solid tumors afflicting children. The most common extra-cranial solid tumor in children is neuroblastoma, accounting for 7.5 percent of cancer diagnoses in children younger than 15 years old, with approximately 650 new U.S. cases diagnosed each year. Neuroblastoma is a very heterogeneous disease as seen in the biological and genetic features of the tumor itself, as well as in the variable prognosis. For example, prognosis can vary from over 90 percent long-term survival to less than 50 percent long-term survival depending on a complexity of tumor and patient features. In parallel, treatment can range from observation only for those with the most favorable prognosis to a combination of high-dose chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, double autologous stem cell transplantation, and biological agents for those with the most unfavorable disease. Other common solid tumors of childhood include Wilms tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, retinoblastoma, osteosarcoma, and Ewing sarcoma (EWS), each generally treated with a combination of systemic chemotherapy and either surgery or radiation therapy for local control of the primary site of disease. Again, prognosis for each of these diseases varies depending on many features, such as the stage of disease and the molecular characteristics of the tumor. The specifics of therapy for childhood cancer vary from one type to another. However, a common theme is that of combination chemotherapy using cytotoxic drugs and, in the case of the solid tumors, surgery and/or radiation therapy. The notion of combination chemotherapy began with the treatment of children with ALL in the 1960’s and marked the first success story in cancer-directed therapies. What then followed was the identification of effective combinations and doses of cytotoxic drugs for the majority of pediatric malignancies. Dose intensification and the addition of newer cytotoxic drugs have improved tumor response in many pediatric cancers. Moreover, with advances in supportive care, such as growth factor support to improve normal white blood cell count recovery, antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent infection, and drugs to protect against cardiac toxicity, there has been a reduction in chemotherapy-related mortality and morbidity. With improved predictors of response to therapy, we have also been able to reduce the intensity of therapy for good prognosis patient populations in some diseases. Even with this progress in treatment, for many high-risk disease subtypes, and even for a well-treated disease such as childhood ALL, survival curves have reached a plateau, suggesting that novel, out-of-the-box approaches beyond the current armamentarium are needed to continue to make progress and minimize children’s suffering. One of the major challenges we as researchers face is in identifying new targeted treatments for pediatric and other cancers stems from the very nature of the cancer-promoting proteins responsible for these diseases. Sometimes genetic mutations driving cancer create abnormal proteins that are specific to the cancer cells but are not present in normal cells. This raises the possibility of developing drugs that kill only the cancer cells by targeting these cancer-promoting proteins. However, many of these cancer-promoting proteins have been difficult to target with standard approaches to drug discovery. The primary goal of our SU2C project is to develop and apply new drug discovery approaches to target these cancer-promoting proteins previously considered “undruggable.” To overcome this challenge, we developed a gene expression fingerprint approach for discovering potential new cancer therapies, called Gene Expression-based High-throughput Screening (GE-HTS). Like a fingerprint, which provides uniquely identifying information beyond a simple measurement, GE-HTS provides a complex, unique measurement of a cellular response. We are applying GE-HTS to the cancer-promoting protein EWS/FLI in the pediatric solid tumor Ewing sarcoma, the second most common primary tumor of the bone diagnosed in U.S. children. Because genetic inactivation of the EWS/FLI protein leads to impairment of Ewing sarcoma growth in the laboratory, we hypothesize that chemicals that inactivate the EWS/FLI gene expression signature will also impair cell growth. We have already identified very interesting chemicals that inactivate the EWS/FLI signature, including several drugs FDA-approved for another indication. We will now use these chemicals as tools in the laboratory to further dissect the molecular origins of Ewing sarcoma and the role of EWS/FLI in this disease. This research should shed light on the molecular origins of pediatric cancers and may also lead to new therapies, reaching beyond Ewing sarcoma and impacting other types of pediatric and adult cancers. For my laboratory, the SU2C Innovative Research Grant funding has been transformative, facilitating the collaborative development of our generic approach to drug discovery that can be applied broadly to cancer. On a very personal level, it has welcomed me into a passionate community of researchers and advocates united in the fight against cancer. And as a pediatric oncologist who sees firsthand the losses and the limitations of our current therapies, it has empowered this painfully obvious notion that we need to speed up the pace of discovery for the countless children and adults afflicted with cancer. In contrast to our thinking about adult malignancies, we do not yet know of strategies to prevent pediatric cancers. There are unfortunately not preventative screening tests that exist for children as they do for some adult cancers. With this being said, one of the things I encourage parents to remember is that habits learned in childhood are frequently carried forward into adulthood. Though we may not be able to prevent childhood cancers, the prevention of adult cancers begins in childhood. Early teaching of the importance of smoking prevention, exercise, maintenance of an ideal body weight, sunscreen, and routine medical examinations can go a long way in the prevention of cancer in adulthood. In terms of “what to look out for,” I tend to believe that parents know their children best and often have a sixth sense when something is simply just not right. Listening to this gut feeling and bringing the concern to the attention of the child’s pediatrician is very important. Though there generally may not be a “catching the cancer early” in pediatrics, starting treatment in a timely manner before the cancer injures normal organs is important. Funding opportunities for pediatric cancer research are very limited, but we must keep this kind of research going for a multitude of reasons. Research involving pediatric cancer has also helped to inform research on adult cancers. This is because pediatric cancers tend to be less genetically complex than adult malignancies making it easier to distinguish the real cancer-promoting, driver events from the passengers. Moreover, as the adult cancers are subdivided into finer and finer categories based on molecular features, even “lung cancer” can become a rare disease if defined by a specific genetic lesion. There is a lot to be learned from the pediatric history of treating “rare” cancers. Most importantly, though, the loss of a life of a child is an utter tragedy. Despite the battle we were engaged in, children have an uncanny resiliency. I am often asked, “How can you do this?” I would answer, “How can you not!” The last 20 years have seen steady, progress in the treatment and survival of children diagnosed with cancer, but there is still much work to be done. Though our fight to defeat childhood cancer against is still raging, this is an incredibly exciting time in cancer research. I look to the future with great hope and cherish each success that I see.

This Is The MOST IMPORTANT Thing In The World

----------- In Treatment: A Conversation with Shawn McCann, Sept 22, 2011 ---------------- On December 10, 2010 Shawn McCann, 38, of Cranberry Twp., Pennsylvania went in for a colonoscopy that revealed a tumor located in the lower portion of his colon. A CT scan later revealed that the tumor was stage three. As his treatment cycles began Shawn knew he would be in biggest fight for his life, not only for himself but for his family in the hopes he can be around to watch his young daughter grow up. ----What was your initial reaction when you learned you had Stage 3 colon cancer? Quite honestly when the doctor told me it was cancer I was still high from the drugs so it didn't quite register in my mind. I remember looking at how upset my wife was across the room, and I didn't understand. Then when the nurse told me that she hoped I was still able to have a good Christmas things started to sink in. It's hard to explain but I hope it's a feeling that you never have to go through. I felt like I had received a death sentence. I was 38 years old, a husband, and a father with a 15-month-old daughter and I had cancer. I was devastated. ----Had there been cancer in your family before? Yes, my grandmother had colon cancer and died from it. My other grandmother and my mother also died from cancer. In my family, cancer has always equaled death. What made you believe you could survive? After I got past the initial fear and devastation I started to talk to my nurses and other cancer survivors and realized that cancer is something that you can survive. A few weeks after my diagnosis I found out that the tumor hadn't spread. That gave me hope. Then it was two months of tests before I started treatment, which was really difficult because I wanted to fix it immediately and I felt helpless again. The waiting was the worst part. But, once the radiation and the first round of chemotherapy started I was more than ready to fight and survive. ----How has your treatment gone so far? Once my treatment finally started it went pretty well. I went through radiation and took chemo pills. Then after the surgery to remove the tumor my diagnosis changed from stage three to stage one. Afterwards, the first round of chemotherapy overall went pretty well. The second round was the hardest. I didn't eat, couldn't sleep, and my doctors told me I was in bad shape. I'm not sure how I survived, but I knew deep down that I had no choice but to keep fighting. I will have my last chemo treatment on September 27th and I honestly can't wait. I've been feeling pretty good so far and I think that both the weather and being able to get on the golf course has really helped to improve my strength and spirits. ----What has helped you stay strong during treatment? There were many days after the second round of chemo that I sat on the couch and didn't eat or sleep for 10 days. There were days when I didn't know how I kept fighting. But, then I would look across the room you at my 19-month-old daughter and I knew I couldn't give up. I knew I couldn't let my wife down and that my daughter needed her father. Did you see a change in how you went about your daily life and your relationships with those you're close with? When I was first diagnosed I went into a depression and didn't want to talk to anyone. But, once I was able to talk to my surgeon and focus on what I would need to do to survive things got better. I've gotten to spend a lot of time with my wife and my daughter. My relationships with my entire family have gotten stronger. I don't know why but with cancer it seems like you enjoy each day a little more because you don't know how many days you have left. I feel really grateful for all the people I have supporting me. It helps to remind me that I can win these battles I go through during treatment, and that I will win the war against my cancer. ----What advice would you give fellow patients to help them stay positive and move forward with their lives? Find a support system. I don't think it's possible to go through this alone. You'd have to be a much stronger person than me. If you don't have a family support system find a support group you can join to help you through it. There are plenty of people out there who know what it's like to go through something like this. I've found that just talking about it has really helped me. I didn't to want to talk about it at first but when I started to I noticed that something different comes out every time I do, and it helps. Cancer gave me a completely different outlook on life. I would encourage others to stay positive and make the best of everything, even the bad days. Live life to the fullest and don't take anything for granted. From Stand Up To Cancer.org

Playing piano with penis

Best Divorce Letter Ever

 Dear Wife, I’m writing you this letter to tell you that I’m leaving you forever. I’ve been a good man to you for 7 years & I have nothing to show for it. These last 2 weeks have been hell. ... Your boss called to tell me that you quit your job today & that was the last straw. Last week, you came home & didn’t even notice I had a new haircut, had cooked your favorite meal & even wore a brand new pair of silk boxers. You ate in 2 minutes, & went straight to sleep after watching all of your soaps. You don’t tell me you love me anymore; you don’t want sex or anything that connects us as husband & wife. Either you’re cheating on me or you don’t love me anymore; whatever the case, I’m gone. Your EX-Husband P.S. don’t try to find me. Your SISTER & I are moving away to West Virginia together! Have a great life!

—— Dear Ex-Husband Nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter. It’s true you & I have been married for 7 years, although a good man is a far cry from what you’ve been. I watch my soaps so much because they drown out your constant whining & griping Too bad that doesn’t work. I DID notice when you got a hair cut last week, but the 1st thing that came to mind was ‘You look just like a girl!’ Since my mother raised me not to say anything if you can’t say something nice, I didn’t comment. And when you cooked my favorite meal, you must have gotten me confused with MY SISTER, because I stopped eating pork 7 years ago. About those new silk boxers: I turned away from you because the $49.99 price tag was still on them, & I prayed it was a coincidence that my sister had just borrowed $50 from me that morning. After all of this, I still loved you & felt we could work it out. So when I hit the lotto for 10 million dollars, I quit my job & bought us 2 tickets to Jamaica But when I got home you were gone.. Everything happens for a reason, I guess. I hope you have the fulfilling life you always wanted. My lawyer said that the letter you wrote ensures you won’t get a dime from me. So take care. Signed, Your Ex-Wife, Rich As Hell & Free! P.S. I don’t know if I ever told you this, but my sister Carla was born Carl. I hope that’s not a problem...

WATCH!!!

It only takes one act of kindness to change a persons life

I just saw this vid for the first time a moment ago and as I type this tears are rolling down my cheeks I certainly experience the behavior shown here.....did you?

Observations...Ten Years After

REFLECTING ABSENCE ~ Comments on Growth, Unity and Spirit
 ~ "Crossing Bridges With Lessons We've Learned..."
Some things I've seen over the 10 years that have past since 9/11/2001:

~ REBIRTH ~
All across the America millions of people have a renewed spirit and sense of "the other person"
 we are more caring, more considerate.
There is more "us", "we", "our" and "you"
and less "me", "I", and "mine"
An attitude of "selflessness" and "helpful willingness" prevails
There's a sense of "community" and "how can I help?" I see and feel in neighborhoods all across the country
The attitude of "leave me alone" between neighbors has been replaced
with one of "hello, may I invite you over for a cup of coffee?"

I know I've already used one phrase stolen from a pop song here but another even more cheesy one keeps invading my thoughts as I type this... "Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand, Make This World A better Place If You Can" { I'm sorry for that, I hate when people quote from songs, but I just can't get it out of my head at this moment...please forgive me :)) }
I watched a decumentary a short time ago on the opening of the 9/11 memorial "Reflecting Absence" scheduled for Sept 11 2011 at Ground Zero and it just kinda got me to doing a little reflecting of my own, so I decided to share it with you

Anyways, that's how I see it...thanks for reading :))
Sometime soon a movie called "Rebirth" will be released..this is the trailer for it
"We're all gonna be good at the end of the day, we'll teach our children and the world will be a better place" ~Amen to that~