In fact, when compared to other vaccines, those receiving Gardasil shots reported fewer "serious adverse events." The Journal reports that 6% of Gardasil complaints were "serious," while "most vaccines have reported serious adverse events rates between 10% and 15%."

Even with these findings, immigrant advocates are still not happy that immigrant women between the ages of 11-26 are required to get the Gardasil shot before receiving their green cards. As we reported earlier, the expense of this shot is a serious barrier, and the L.A. Times reported yesterday that some experts think the shot could be fairly ineffective. "Many women will very likely get this only for the purpose of the visa," according to Kate Bourne of the International Women's Health Coalition. "Quite likely they will be at the upper end of the age range, which means they are more likely to already be sexually active, and this vaccine is useless to them." The only group of women and girls required to get the Gardasil vaccine beyond immigrants is residents of the state of Virginia, because as we all know, Virginia IS for lovers, despite what Nancy Pfotenhauer says.

Side Effects Not Linked To Gardasil [WSJ]
Immigrants' Advocates Decry Cervical Cancer Vaccine Order [LAT]

Earlier: Experts Question The Cost Effectiveness Of HPV Vaccine
Experts Appalled At Gardasil Requirement For Immigrant Women

• MTV promotes "green" campaigns like Switch, but when it comes to the actual production of their shows, the network is very unfriendly towards the environment. • Researchers have found that 90 minutes sitting on a heated car seat can lead to an increased scrotal temperature in men, which may hurt a man's sperm quality. • A Kentucky Court of Appeals has ruled against lesbian couples adopting children as though they are stepparents. • A new website that provides syphilis information to gay men — as well as a referral letter for syphilis testing and a 1-week wait for the tested men to retrieve their results online — shows promise in promoting testing among gay men. • Rachel Bird and Gideon Codding of California refused to complete marriage forms in their state because they wanted to be referred to as "bride" and "groom" on the forms and not by the new gender-neutral terms. • A new study claims that only 3% of Australians have cheated on their loved ones last year, but researchers claim the results would be "radically different" if they measured cheating over a longer time period. • Betty Constable, Princeton's first women's squash coach and a squash pioneer in the United States, died on September 9 at the age of 83. • A British woman has sworn off having children after she recently gave birth to a baby weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces (the weight of a 6 month old) and had given birth to three previous children who weighed more than 10 pounds at birth. • A new study has found that estrogen creams do not help reduce wrinkles on areas of skin that experience sun exposure (i.e., the face, hands, and neck). • The federal government is considering making Gardasil vaccination mandatory for female immigrants who are seeking U.S. citizenship. • Meanwhile, the FDA has updated the label for Gardasil, saying the vaccine protects against cancers of the vagina and vulva. • Margaret Hoelzer, a U.S. swimmer who won 3 medals at the Beijing Olympics, opens up about being sexually abused by a friend's father when she was 5 years old. •

[Image via JSoul.]

Baichu's not the only creep to exploit the precarious situation many immigrant women find themselves in. The Times mentions one Eddie Romualdo Miranda, "who was charged with demanding sexual favors from a 29-year-old Vietnamese woman in exchange for approving her citizenship application." They also reference Kelvin R. Owens, "who was convicted in 2005 of sexually assaulting a 45-year-old woman during her citizenship interview in the federal building." There are several more documented examples of immigration officials who abused their power, and the Times wonders how many more cases are swept under the rug. Baichu is pleading not guilty to felony and misdemeanor sexual coercion charges, and if convicted he faces up to seven years in jail.

This story comes on the heels of proposed changes to the Violence Against Women Act. As I noted in an earlier post, the current VAWA allows physically abused illegal aliens to apply for lawful immigrant status. The potential new law would force these women to return to their country of origin before applying for legal residency in the U.S.

The Colombian woman who was blackmailed seemed to have a non-abusive American husband whom she loved. After her run-in with Baichu, she told the Times her husband "was so mad at me, he left my house. I don't know if he's going to come back." Oh, and she's still awaiting her green card so she can visit Colombia without having to stay there for good.

An Agent, A Green Card, And A Demand For Sex [New York Times]

Earlier: Crimes Against Womanity