I went to bed last night (actually, early this morning) with high hopes that the DNS would finish propagating and RestoringForeskin.org would be accessible to all. Sadly, I woke to a continued mess.

After more looking and reading and examining and experimenting and checking and pulling my hair out, I discovered a typo in the nameserver DNS zone record. The IP address for ns2.tnameserver.info had one digit off.

I corrected the typo and within minutes I noticed a difference. Checking the name servers, I saw that they started reporting the correct address for the site. Traffic to the site grew to normal levels within an hour. This is how I remember DNS propagation working.

I am a happy camper, again.

click to embiggen

In addition to Restoring Tally.com, I also run the RestoringForeskin.org website. RestoringForeskin.org offers foreskin restoration information to everyone and it has a private on-line community for restorers. The private side has restoring blogs, foreskin restoration progress pictures uploaded by our members, a chat room, and a forum.

Restoring Foreskin.org is growing by several hundred members a month. We have over 1,000 visitors to the site every day. Drupal is the content management software that makes the site work. As popular as the site has become, we have outgrown the shared web server we had been using.

For the past several weeks I have been setting up a virtual private server (VPS), which is a virtual machine (VM) dedicated to being a web server. A VPS is like a bare-bones computer that has to setup. It is powerful, but requires knowledge and work to install and configure everything. In contrast, a shared web server is like oatmeal. All you have to do is add the website. It will work, maybe not well and maybe not fast, but it works.

Late Saturday night (early Sunday morning) I finished my testing of the VPS. I was satisfied everything worked well enough to move the site. It was after 2am and only a few were on the site. They were all in the chat room, so I announced that I was going to move the site. The chat room would still work because it is hosted on another server.

It took me less than an hour to move the site to the new VPS. As part of the move, I had to change the DNS information for the restoringforeskin.org domain name. The new web server has a private name server and I had to change the DNS to refer to the new name server.

When you go to a website on the Internet, the address or domain is sent. The ISP (Internet service provider) that provides internet service also has a DNS name server that looks up the IP address from the domain address. The IP address is needed to travel the Internet. If the ISP cannot find the address (because of change like we made), you are at the mercy of the ISP. The ISP can pass the request on to another name server, return an error page, or put up a spammy parking page in the hopes they can make some money if anyone is fool enough to click on one of the links.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, December 11, 2011

The Streeter Reader: Circumcision: A Complete Rip-Off
A student posts her research paper about male infant circumcision. In her paper, she notes that Americans are one of the few cultural groups that will make the decision on whether they will electively circumcise their newborn sons. She concludes, "Circumcision should not be performed on infants unless there is a medical need." She predicts that the end of non-therapeutic male circumcision is near by relying on the fact that fewer parents are opting for the unnecessary surgery on their baby boys.
 

Monday, December 12, 2011

Andrew Sullivan: The Dish: Ask Me Anything: Why I'm Opposed To Infant Circumcision
A video response by Andrew Sullivan to the question about why he is opposed to male infant circumcision. Besides the obvious reason that he is not happy that he is circumcised, he does not like that his bodily integrity was compromised by removal of part of his healthy body. He parts company with many Intactivists because he believes in a religious exemption. I disagree with him because my parents religion should have no influence over my bodily autonomy. It is their religion, not mine (at least not mine as a baby).

Awesatious: Mothers, do not leave circumcision decision to the fathers!
Before her son was born, this blogging mom thought that her husband should make the circumcision decision. He wanted his son's penis cut, just like his. This was not a good enough reason for her, so she did her homework. She found that male infant circumcision can permanently alter a baby's brain, infant circumcision is painful, and infant circumcision violates the baby's right to a whole body.
 

Wednesday, December 1, 2011

The WHOLE Network: Uncommon Sense from a Common Dad
A father tells of his transformation. He is circumcised and he had his son circumcised. He now knows better. He explains the reasons why infant circumcision is wrong and every boy deserves to grow up whole, just as he was born.
 

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Foreskin-Restoration / Intactivism Network: How Male Circumcision Harms Women
A forum post reprinting Ronald Goldman's story about How Male Circumcision Harms Women. Marilyn Milos was converted to intactivism after witnessing an infant circumcision in nursing school. She saw firsthand the pain suffered by the baby boy as the most sensitive part of his body was cut up. Male infant circumcision affects the bond between the baby boy and his mother. Male circumcision also affects the sex life of the boy who grows up to be a man, even though many men refuse to admit that there is anything wrong with having less than the whole penis they were born with.

The Guerrilla Intactivist: Printable Fliers - fixed!
Intactivist information card suitable to post wherever people can see it. Intactivist K lists many places and ways for posting the information card. Lots of good ideas on how to get the word out that male infant circumcision is unnecessary and harmful.
 

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Guardian: Infant male circumcision is genital mutilation
"Men should have the right to choose circumcision, not have the choice forced upon them. Infant circumcision without consent or immediate medical justification is an unjustified violation of basic human rights, that shares more in common with ancient coming-of-age rituals than responsible medical practice."

Awesatious: The evolution of activism
A mother blogs about her evolution as an intactivist. A year ago she thought that all it would take to convince others was to present accurate information on the harms of infant circumcision. She has since learned that many are firmly entrenched believing the various myths of circumcision.

Intact America Blog: The Problem with a Religious Exemption to an Anti-Circumcision Ban
Georganne Chapin discusses the many reasons why there should not be any exemption to a ban on genital cutting of children. She argues that the rights of the person with the genitalia supersedes everyone else's rights. After all, it is the child's body, not anyone else's.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Birth Without Fear: The Circumcision Decision
A mother describes her circumcision decision. While doing her circumcision research, she watched a video of an infant circumcision. That convinced her that her baby did not need genital cutting. She lists all the common excuses used to justify male infant circumcision, along with the reasons why those excuses to circumcise do not stand up to scrutiny.

Joseph4GI: CIRCUMCISION: Another Baby Dies
Although doctors do their best to discount it, baby boys die from being circumcised. Last week a two-day old infant died from complications after being circumcised. How many babies must die before parents realize that male infant circumcision puts their babies in needless risk.
 

Monday, November 28, 2011

Zimbabwe Times Live: Circumcision does not stop HIV infections: HIV
A plea for Africa to stop the male circumcision campaign because male circumcision does not prevent HIV. Links to various sources are provided.

Intact News: San Francisco Vigil for Lives Lost to Circumcision
Bay Area Intactivists is holding a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the male, female, and intersex children who have lost their lives due to complications of circumcision or other non-therapeutic forms of genital cutting. The vigil will take place outside Or Shalom in response to a circumcision panel discussion which will extol the genital cutting of children.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Choose Intact: Fear Still Exists in the Modern World
We need more open and honest talk in our society. Too much is hidden behind closed doors. Things like the fact that male circumcision was promoted to curb male masturbation. And it worked, even though many circumcised men say that it has not slowed them down. How would they know since they were circumcised at birth? After restoring my foreskin I know that I enjoy masturbation much more now with my restored foreskin than before I started restoring.

no circumcision: Saving Babies: Intact Care: So Easy A Caveman Can Do It
Baby boys who are not circumcised are very easy to care for. Wipe like a finger and never retract. Baby boys who are circumcised require much more care. Circumcised babies require wound care and cleaning to avoid the risk of infection from sitting in a dirty diaper.

What happens in Elkmont: Truth about Circumcisions!!
A call to action to sign the Intact America letter to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Task Force on Circumcision. We need to let the AAP know that male infant circumcision cannot be recommended because circumcision has risks that far outweigh any benefits.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, November 13, 2011

End Routine Infant Circumcision: Fundraising Against Circumcision
ERIC is seeking 3-6 minute long videos that are related to intactivism. For every video promoting genital integrity for children, ERIC will donate $3 to SavingSons.org for their circumcision information packs that are distributed to expecting parents. Help inform parents so they can make a better decision about circumcision.
 

Monday, November 14, 2011

Science Nordic: Male circumcision leads to a bad sex life
Circumcised men have more difficulties reaching orgasm, and their female partners experience more vaginal pains and an inferior sex life. The clear-cut conclusion of a new Danish research article is that if a man is circumcised, he faces an increased risk of experiencing delayed orgasm and his female partner has an increased risk of not feeling sexually fulfilled. “Circumcised men are three times as likely to experience a frequent inability to reach an orgasm,” says one of the researchers.

CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal: Whole again: The practice of foreskin restoration
An article on foreskin restoration. The information on methods and devices is dated, but it is refreshing to see a medical journal address non-surgical foreskin restoration. Too bad they call it "uncircumcision," which indicates that it is not the preferred condition.

Recent news is that Intact America has started a blog. Intact America is a strong advocate for genital integrity of all babies. Both male and female children have the right to bodily autonomy, that is, an intact body, free from unnecessary surgery such as circumcision. Intact America will use the blog to address the latest media coverage, ongoing topics and observations, essays, personal stories, and much more on their new blog.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Foreskin Restoration: People > G.J.'s story
A comment from a man who was circumcised and noticed that he was different than his dad. GJ tells how his intact father listened to the doctor, who recommended that GJ be circumcised at 7 years of age.

Dr Momma Peaceful Parenting: Even When You Lose, You are Winning
A motivational post that those who speak out to protect children are really winning, even when it seems they are not.

YouTube EndRoutineInfantCirc: Non-therapeutic Infant Circumcision Is Abuse
A video recap on one man's thoughts about his infant circumcision. He was born premature, but the doctors still wanted to circumcise him.

Intactivist Blog: Circumcision Harm
The Global Survey on Circumcision Harm is a great resource to go to when researching the harm that circumcision does. A picture of a man's damaged penis is shown. If doctors would show parents a picture like this, no parent would have their infant son circumcised.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Stop the Cut: AAP: Need to Re-Do Circumcision Rises, Reasons Unclear
An unexplained increase in the number of revision circumcisions has pediatric urologists wondering whether the finding is real and, if so, what caused it. What goes unsaid is that if baby boys were left intact, just as they were born, there would be no need to correct circumcision complications. Most parents do not realize that circumcision is an elective surgery and is unneeded for the boy to remain healthy.

Salem-News: CIRCUMCISION AND EXTERMINATION: The Shoah, 09.11, Palestine, Oslo: 'holy' wars around circumcision
Michel Hervé Navoiseau-Bertaux, an independent psychoanalysis researcher (Chercheur indépendant en psychanalyse) based in Paris, France, writes about circumcision and Freud, who noticed that some looked at circumcision as a form of castration.
 

Monday, October 31, 2011

Laurel of Leaves: Modern Circumcision is Not Necessary, Natural, or Biblical
A mother writes about male infant circumcision. She makes the case that male infant circumcision is not medically necessary. Infant circumcision is not needed for hygiene. The infant foreskin keeps the baby healthy and protects his delicate tissues from germs.  She also points out the risks and complications of male infant circumcision, which is unnecessary elective surgery.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Psychology Today: What is the greatest danger for an uncircumcised boy?
If a baby boy escapes being circumcised in the United States, the next great danger he faces with respect to his penis is a well-baby visit. Many times the boy's primary care provider has no idea on the proper care and handling of an intact penis. These ill-informed doctors wrongly think that they should forcibly retract the foreskin while it is still fused to the glans. The foreskin should never be retracted by anyone other the owner until the foreskin becomes naturally retractable.

Brian Paget: Circumcision: suffer little children
A thoughtful blog about how male infant circumcision is indefensible, even as a religious ritual. Non-medical circumcision should be an adult’s decision over their own body. Circumcising children takes that basic right away from them and makes an irreparable change to a child’s body. Individual right to freedom requires that such physical abuse on those who can’t defend themselves from religion, culture or social convention should not be permitted in a civilised society. Non medical circumcision children should be banned.