no. 331
During the last week I really have not had much time to decide to what to post here. For that matter I missed a posting deadline on another blog I am a member of. It's not so much that I have not had anything to say but rather I have been having fun just being a dad and specifically setting up a photoblog for my son on a topic he is currently involved in ...his love of the subways (the NYC kid's version of trains). Unfortunately for you folks the blog is a private one as it contains images of my kids and I want keep their images private when I can.
So don't worry topics like the the Virginia legislative bills regarding assisted reproduction and new donor conception blogs are not far from my mind but at the moment just being a dad is taking precedence. You can be sure when the Kansas decision is rendered regarding the rights of that sperm donor I will be blogging about it.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
FDA Says Embryo Bank Not Under its Jurisdiction
no. 330
Houston Chronicle
Associated Press
January 24, 2007
SAN ANTONIO — The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that a broker offering ready-made embryos to prospective parents does not fall under its jurisdiction.
Houston Chronicle
Associated Press
January 24, 2007
SAN ANTONIO — The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that a broker offering ready-made embryos to prospective parents does not fall under its jurisdiction.
An FDA spokeswoman in Dallas confirmed this month that the agency was investigating Jennalee Ryan's Abraham Center of Life but would not elaborate.
It was unclear what laws or regulations were the focus of the investigation.
An FDA statement Wednesday said that "the investigation determined that the facility was not currently engaged in practices that fall under FDA jurisdiction."
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
DI Dad Responsible for Child Support Despite Separation Agreements
no. 329
Mark Fass
New York Law Journal
January 24, 2007
New York Law Journal
January 24, 2007
Delaware County, NY, Acting Supreme Court Justice Eugene E. Peckham has held that a man who grudgingly agreed to his wife's artificial insemination with a donor's sperm may not deny legal responsibility for the child during the couple's divorce proceedings. [Laura G. v. Peter G., 1070/04.]
"The couple who married in 1995 agreed in 2004 separation agreement that the husband had no financial responsibility for the then unborn child. Shortly before the parties filed for an uncontested divorce, they entered into a stipulation that again stated that Mr. G. would not be financially liable for the child and calculated his child support obligation exclusive of her.
Shortly before the parties filed for an uncontested divorce, they entered into a stipulation that again stated that Mr. G. would not be financially liable for Alyssa and calculated his child support obligation exclusive of her. "
In short the Judge ruled that the husband had agreed to the DI, raised the child, developed a loving relationship to the child, and that to now cut off that relationship would not be in the best interests of the child.
The judge cited the Court of Appeals [NYS's highest court] decision Shondel J. v Mark D., 7 NY3d 320, which held, "Where a child justifiably relies on the representations of a man that he is her father with the result that she will be harmed by the man's denial of paternity, the man may be estopped from asserting that denial." "
2007 Sundance Film Festival Entry Includes Sperm Donor Plot
no. 328
Salt Lake Tribune
By Ellen Fagg
"....In "Never Forever," a complicated, graphic love triangle, [Vera] Farmiga's Sophie is a rich, impeccably-dressed wife with a halo of blond feathery curls who secretly seeks a sperm donor when her Korean-American husband can't father a child......"
IMDB listing
Salt Lake Tribune
By Ellen Fagg
"....In "Never Forever," a complicated, graphic love triangle, [Vera] Farmiga's Sophie is a rich, impeccably-dressed wife with a halo of blond feathery curls who secretly seeks a sperm donor when her Korean-American husband can't father a child......"
IMDB listing
Saturday, January 20, 2007
NY Metro Parents
no. 327
I submitted an online application to the NY Metro Parents website to become a contributor to their "Parent's Blog Network" using my work on this blog as a reference. Their on-line website appears to cover most, if not all, the topics covered by their various free NYC print magazines.
My base topic of observing life as a dad to DI kids may be too narrow for them but as a dad here in NYC maybe they'll be interested in another viewpoint. Considering alternative reproductive technologies are recently a frequent topic of interest in the press they may be interested.
I also submitted a discussion board entry indicating I am looking for other NYC area parents who kids are donor conceived to start a local network of families so my kids and theirs can know other kids whose stories are similiar.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Sperm Donor Movie : Re-Titled Yet Again !
no. 327
It appears that within the last week the IMDB listing for this movie has now listed it under the title "And Then Came Love". So the working title history so far includes in most recent order "Somebody Like You" and originally "Who Needs 'Em?".
Should we take bets what other titles it may change to before it completes post-production and is released? The movie stars Vanessa Williams and is directed by Richard Schenkman. The movie also stars Ken Daniels, Michael Boatman, and Eartha Kitt.
It appears that within the last week the IMDB listing for this movie has now listed it under the title "And Then Came Love". So the working title history so far includes in most recent order "Somebody Like You" and originally "Who Needs 'Em?".
Should we take bets what other titles it may change to before it completes post-production and is released? The movie stars Vanessa Williams and is directed by Richard Schenkman. The movie also stars Ken Daniels, Michael Boatman, and Eartha Kitt.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
National De-Lurking Week: Jan. 8th - 12th
no. 326
I apparently did not realize that January 8-12, 2007 was National De-Lurking Week. I apologize to anyone that would have liked to de-lurk during the sanctioned period.
If you feel you can de-lurk now even though the amnesty of the week has past I encourage you to do so. It might mean that I will be held accountable for coaxing you out into the open without reading you the Internet equivalent of your Miranda Rights but I think I will risk it. Hopefully you will as well. What could 4 days hurt?
If you feel uncomfortable now that the week has past but would like to say hello feel free to contact me via my e-mail address posted on my Blogger profile. I promise no personal e-mails will be made public unless you want them to be.
I apparently did not realize that January 8-12, 2007 was National De-Lurking Week. I apologize to anyone that would have liked to de-lurk during the sanctioned period.
If you feel you can de-lurk now even though the amnesty of the week has past I encourage you to do so. It might mean that I will be held accountable for coaxing you out into the open without reading you the Internet equivalent of your Miranda Rights but I think I will risk it. Hopefully you will as well. What could 4 days hurt?
If you feel uncomfortable now that the week has past but would like to say hello feel free to contact me via my e-mail address posted on my Blogger profile. I promise no personal e-mails will be made public unless you want them to be.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Update re Vanessa Williams Sperm Donor Film: Retitled "Somebody Like You"
no. 325
As previously discussed, back on 6/28/06 and 6/27/06, the plot of the film is that Williams seeks out the sperm donor that she used to create her child but is unhappy to find out who and what he really is (and no he is not Ted Danson from "Made in America").
Anyhow for anybody looking to find this film when it is eventually released it has changed it's title from "Who Needs 'Em" (assuming this was a reference to men in general and the donor in particular) to "Somebody Like You" (assuming this refers to a character which is the Williams love interest.
Updates as they come out will be probbaly posted on the IMDB site and this Yahoo site.
As previously discussed, back on 6/28/06 and 6/27/06, the plot of the film is that Williams seeks out the sperm donor that she used to create her child but is unhappy to find out who and what he really is (and no he is not Ted Danson from "Made in America").
Anyhow for anybody looking to find this film when it is eventually released it has changed it's title from "Who Needs 'Em" (assuming this was a reference to men in general and the donor in particular) to "Somebody Like You" (assuming this refers to a character which is the Williams love interest.
Updates as they come out will be probbaly posted on the IMDB site and this Yahoo site.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
"I Want Daddy"
no. 324
My kids are truly mine and my daughter is very much daddy's girl. Everytime she starts crying about something or another she automatically comes to me for encouragement, comfort or for an answer her mother did not give her.
On the other gand sometimes her crying out for her daddy makes me feel like she knows I am not her biological father and she is crying for him. Last night she came down with what is her very first fever, which is amazing since she's over 2.5 years old. But when she woke up at one point she was screaming that she wanted her daddy and I was right there. No matter how many times we tried to tell her I was there she kept crying out for her daddy.
This happened again tonight when we were giving her a bath to try to bring the fever down. It took several minutes for us to calm her down and again I had these feelings like she knows. I feel every inch her daddy and know I am but sometimes your mind plays tricks on you and when you see your child in pain and you cannot do much to stop it you feel helpless. Gotta run as she just woke up.
My kids are truly mine and my daughter is very much daddy's girl. Everytime she starts crying about something or another she automatically comes to me for encouragement, comfort or for an answer her mother did not give her.
On the other gand sometimes her crying out for her daddy makes me feel like she knows I am not her biological father and she is crying for him. Last night she came down with what is her very first fever, which is amazing since she's over 2.5 years old. But when she woke up at one point she was screaming that she wanted her daddy and I was right there. No matter how many times we tried to tell her I was there she kept crying out for her daddy.
This happened again tonight when we were giving her a bath to try to bring the fever down. It took several minutes for us to calm her down and again I had these feelings like she knows. I feel every inch her daddy and know I am but sometimes your mind plays tricks on you and when you see your child in pain and you cannot do much to stop it you feel helpless. Gotta run as she just woke up.
Monday, January 08, 2007
"Embryo" Bank Stirs Ethics Fears
no. 323
On Saturday, January 6, 2006, Washington Post ran a story regarding the Abraham Center of Life, based out of San Antonio, TX, discussing the Center's advertising that they are offering the world's "First Human Embryo Bank" for couples dealing with infertility issues. Articles regarding this facility have popped up now and again and it is no surprise that with the last few weeks worth of Katrina Clark stories, Mary Cheney stories, and cloned food stories that this one is trotted out again.
The reporter, Rob Stein, hits all the relevant issues and does note that ethically the service provided is similar to what is currently available in that couples or individuals can now arrange for donor sperm and donor eggs separately and that ethically that has not amounted to the same level of interest that the Abraham Center engenders.
My only comments are, echoing again the authors, that where an individual / couple arrange for DI and DE they are the ones choosing the combination as opposed to the Abraham Center making the choice for commercial reasons as to what combinations they believe individuals / couples woud want. While it is clear that when individuals make the choice they are doing so for their own personal reasons here it does begin to make the line grayer than it already is.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding the service provided by the Abraham Center but so far this is my understanding of what it means to offer the World's First Human Embryo Bank. A copy of the Post article will be posted in the Annex to this blog.
On Saturday, January 6, 2006, Washington Post ran a story regarding the Abraham Center of Life, based out of San Antonio, TX, discussing the Center's advertising that they are offering the world's "First Human Embryo Bank" for couples dealing with infertility issues. Articles regarding this facility have popped up now and again and it is no surprise that with the last few weeks worth of Katrina Clark stories, Mary Cheney stories, and cloned food stories that this one is trotted out again.
The reporter, Rob Stein, hits all the relevant issues and does note that ethically the service provided is similar to what is currently available in that couples or individuals can now arrange for donor sperm and donor eggs separately and that ethically that has not amounted to the same level of interest that the Abraham Center engenders.
My only comments are, echoing again the authors, that where an individual / couple arrange for DI and DE they are the ones choosing the combination as opposed to the Abraham Center making the choice for commercial reasons as to what combinations they believe individuals / couples woud want. While it is clear that when individuals make the choice they are doing so for their own personal reasons here it does begin to make the line grayer than it already is.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding the service provided by the Abraham Center but so far this is my understanding of what it means to offer the World's First Human Embryo Bank. A copy of the Post article will be posted in the Annex to this blog.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
New Blog: Donor Conception New York
no. 322
I have come to the conclusion that one of my goals to start a national US based organization that would loosely act as an alliance of the various US donor conception related organizations is not happening and to be honest would unnecessarily try to duplicate what already exists, the DSR. It is our national organization in the US even if it is a different kind or organization.
What I am now going to attempt is start a local, grass roots group right here in New York City for NYC families looking to meet up (yes in person) with other families created via donor conception. I will admit the genesis for this idea is selfish. I think my kids would benefit long term from physically knowing other kids like themselves that later they can turn to as friends for all the things friends do as well at times when they need to gripe, share, question their personal stories.
I also think it would be helpful for me as a parent to face to face be able to on a periodic basis talk to another parent in person about DC related matters. So if you know folks here in NYC that might share these goals or desires send them my way at the new blog (linked through the post title) which may in time grow into something more...personal friendships
I have come to the conclusion that one of my goals to start a national US based organization that would loosely act as an alliance of the various US donor conception related organizations is not happening and to be honest would unnecessarily try to duplicate what already exists, the DSR. It is our national organization in the US even if it is a different kind or organization.
What I am now going to attempt is start a local, grass roots group right here in New York City for NYC families looking to meet up (yes in person) with other families created via donor conception. I will admit the genesis for this idea is selfish. I think my kids would benefit long term from physically knowing other kids like themselves that later they can turn to as friends for all the things friends do as well at times when they need to gripe, share, question their personal stories.
I also think it would be helpful for me as a parent to face to face be able to on a periodic basis talk to another parent in person about DC related matters. So if you know folks here in NYC that might share these goals or desires send them my way at the new blog (linked through the post title) which may in time grow into something more...personal friendships
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Known Donor vs. Anonymous - A Discussion on Salon.com
no. 321
Currently there are about 80 plus comments posted onto a Salon.com article where one half of a lesbian couple wrote in requesting donor advice from one of the resident correspondents.
The requesting woman thinks she wants a known donor where her partner believes an anonymous donor is safer for various reasons including parenting roles, custody etc.
The discussion that arises throughout the 80 plus and growing comments is quite interesting. Not many hetero responses beyond my own but the level of discussion is enlightening.
Currently there are about 80 plus comments posted onto a Salon.com article where one half of a lesbian couple wrote in requesting donor advice from one of the resident correspondents.
The requesting woman thinks she wants a known donor where her partner believes an anonymous donor is safer for various reasons including parenting roles, custody etc.
The discussion that arises throughout the 80 plus and growing comments is quite interesting. Not many hetero responses beyond my own but the level of discussion is enlightening.