Here I sit this afternoon, with the back getting worse by the hour, with at least three calls into different people trying to get me into a spinal specialist sometime this week. I won't delve into the gritty details about how many times I've struggled to prove my point, and even to shout them down in order to get that point across.
It makes me wonder: Is the healthcare industry ready for the up-and-coming generations as they get older and we get larger & more diverse? At the same time companies are cutting back benefits, we get scare bulletins on occassion that say we better be careful how to eat, how to breathe, and so forth.
Nothing in this world seems to be healthy for you anymore, and yet there's precious little quality medical care available to help us? It reminded me of a computer blog entry I made last April addressing these scare tactics. It's divided into two parts... enjoy.
Humans do not possess an infinite life-span, and were never intended to do so. Early biblical teachings pontificate that Adam and his descendants would live to ages approaching 800-900 years... What makes modern media and medical science believe that such a life is possible: scare tactics or hard evidence?
One could argue a bit for both, although the common physical logic will drown out the hard evidence. We live in a world filled with scare tactics, designed only to hold our attention more than it was held during the previous tactic. Common physical sense tells us that we have beliefs that drown out what the media is saying. In this case, we know we will not live forever. Predestined or not, our demise will be recorded at the appropriate time...
But why has medical science touted breakthroughs in increasing life expectancy for decades now? Our life span is easily a decade longer now than in the early 1900s. Cures have been found for a barrage of diseases and many more are in research. Does this give them the right to insinuate that we can live to be 100-150 years old in the near future? Think for a moment what that would do to the population of the planet, which is increasing at an alarming rate and whose citizens of impoverished countries cannot feed their own.
Look also at the pronouncements made by groups like the AMA, which offers "scare" bulletins every month or so, saying that something-or-other will cause cancer in a person. That point alone is my focus here.
An "All in The Family" character, Justin Quigley (age 92) once said, "They make all sorts of remedies to make us live longer, then they don't know what to do with us."
(Conclusion below)
February 28, 2007
Health initiatives: Part 2
More from my April 2006 personal computer blog about modern media's health initiatives being a scare tactic:
The latest scare (reported April of 2006) says that grilling foods may cause cancer. Great! At heart of the matter is a time-honored, national holiday tradition. Can you imagine the 4th of July without a barbecue? Well, if we follow the AMA's advice, we'll no longer cook out. Come to think of it, what will be done about food; since it has been said that even healthy foods can cause cancer if eaten regularly, will the stomachs have to go empty?
Oh, wait. That will cause us to die as well!
Nutritionists did lecture us in the 1970s and said that "too much of anything is not good for you." That is true; steak everyday will not make you live the longest life. This is why they developed the food pyramid, to assist in the promotion of a balanced diet with four basic food groups...
But eating healthy, watching the intake and the weight, is supposed to be rewarded, or so I thought. Their underlying message is that nothing is good for us anymore: never mind whether or not it's rated "healthy" on your food pyramid or that it's eaten as often as the other basic nutrients; it will kill us all. What, are the experts saying we will live 150-200 years if we do everything they say?
A more personal slant to that message is that we live in a world where we have been proven unable to think for ourselves. (And yet) people are entitled to think and to do as they please. Everyone has a certain amount of logic in them. Ingest cyanide and don't expect to live. Swallow a potato whole and you'll choke to death. They have an idea about the food pyramid credo. Does this mean they have to follow it by the letter? Seems like that's what the AMA wants us to do, having put so much research into it.
Well, that's for the individual to decide.
Slants aside, we wonder how to best substantiate these scare tactics. Immortals, we have never been. The race itself may last for thousands of generations more, but its members will always be replaced. Make them live longer & longer, and then wonder what to do with the people who remain...
I wish agencies, their advocates, and the media would lighten up on their attitudes on how the general populace lives their lives - and moreso, try not to mess with their peace of minds, and their unerring logic.
The latest scare (reported April of 2006) says that grilling foods may cause cancer. Great! At heart of the matter is a time-honored, national holiday tradition. Can you imagine the 4th of July without a barbecue? Well, if we follow the AMA's advice, we'll no longer cook out. Come to think of it, what will be done about food; since it has been said that even healthy foods can cause cancer if eaten regularly, will the stomachs have to go empty?
Oh, wait. That will cause us to die as well!
Nutritionists did lecture us in the 1970s and said that "too much of anything is not good for you." That is true; steak everyday will not make you live the longest life. This is why they developed the food pyramid, to assist in the promotion of a balanced diet with four basic food groups...
But eating healthy, watching the intake and the weight, is supposed to be rewarded, or so I thought. Their underlying message is that nothing is good for us anymore: never mind whether or not it's rated "healthy" on your food pyramid or that it's eaten as often as the other basic nutrients; it will kill us all. What, are the experts saying we will live 150-200 years if we do everything they say?
A more personal slant to that message is that we live in a world where we have been proven unable to think for ourselves. (And yet) people are entitled to think and to do as they please. Everyone has a certain amount of logic in them. Ingest cyanide and don't expect to live. Swallow a potato whole and you'll choke to death. They have an idea about the food pyramid credo. Does this mean they have to follow it by the letter? Seems like that's what the AMA wants us to do, having put so much research into it.
Well, that's for the individual to decide.
Slants aside, we wonder how to best substantiate these scare tactics. Immortals, we have never been. The race itself may last for thousands of generations more, but its members will always be replaced. Make them live longer & longer, and then wonder what to do with the people who remain...
I wish agencies, their advocates, and the media would lighten up on their attitudes on how the general populace lives their lives - and moreso, try not to mess with their peace of minds, and their unerring logic.
February 27, 2007
Gee, I've never felt better
Cue sarcasm above.
My internet time has been whittled away the past few days as I've completed three days of utter torture at work. Last night, I nearly threw in the towel and demanded to go back to the clinic, as my spine started to pop every time I walked.
Moving to afternoons has been a curse. We lost the only reliable supervisor that shift had, and the current supervisor has joined those "doctors" and "clinic specialists" in saying I've been faking the injury from day one.
I don't care what it does to my attendance: I am NOT going in today. Those I know say I'm nuts for even trying to come in. I've worked 24 hours on that bad back, and work conditions have never been worse.
Now's the time for a specialist to intervene, before I become one of those wheelchair passengers my skycap friends from the airport push around daily. As if having no car was bad enough, that would pale in comparison to having no moveable legs.
No job in the world is worth such a hopeless payoff!
My internet time has been whittled away the past few days as I've completed three days of utter torture at work. Last night, I nearly threw in the towel and demanded to go back to the clinic, as my spine started to pop every time I walked.
Moving to afternoons has been a curse. We lost the only reliable supervisor that shift had, and the current supervisor has joined those "doctors" and "clinic specialists" in saying I've been faking the injury from day one.
I don't care what it does to my attendance: I am NOT going in today. Those I know say I'm nuts for even trying to come in. I've worked 24 hours on that bad back, and work conditions have never been worse.
Now's the time for a specialist to intervene, before I become one of those wheelchair passengers my skycap friends from the airport push around daily. As if having no car was bad enough, that would pale in comparison to having no moveable legs.
No job in the world is worth such a hopeless payoff!
February 26, 2007
Big Bang, Big Squeeze
Those who follow the universe's natural history know that the probable cause of its formation was the "Big Bang", where matter exploded from a central core at an astonishing rate of speed & force, and has been expanding ever since.
Astronomers have noted, however; that there may be a finite limit to the distances of the universe, and that cosmic matter could eventually run out of expansion; thus, begin to retract into the small cosmic core it started out as before. This is the "Big Squeeze" theory.
The latter theory may become a way of life locally, thanks to the never-ending, pessimistic sounds of the Michigan economy. This article details preliminary plans to combine five communities' fire departments into one "central core".
All five communities in the story have reputable departments known for great response time. They have saved many lives and kept small fires from become un-battleable. But should the operations be constrained to one location, or even with one body overseeing five communities, what may happen to the response time?
The last thing the Metro Detroit area needs is more bad publicity; they've been battling it since before I was born. It took the southern Downriver area over thirty years to battle out of its image of "smokestack capital". Fringe cities close to Detroit continue to suffer local economic setbacks, cronyism, and extortion. And we know how bad Detroit can be; its fire department can't handle cases decently -- many times, the hydrants won't even work right.
It's pure guesswork and conjecture as to who actually runs the department there, but the main point is: the department has to control too big an area, and finds itself lacking in quality services. When people complain about poor municipal services, police & fire are the top two departments they beg for overhauls from.
Perhaps combining services, as is the case here, is the only answer they can think of, and perhaps a prelude to cities annexing each other and becoming more like the 160-square mile townships that were surveyed in the mid-1800s.
But potentially at what cost? The loss of effectiveness, or worse yet, the cost of a human life which cannot be replaced?
Let's hope for more research on the issue, and no snap-judgements when it comes to vital community services.
Astronomers have noted, however; that there may be a finite limit to the distances of the universe, and that cosmic matter could eventually run out of expansion; thus, begin to retract into the small cosmic core it started out as before. This is the "Big Squeeze" theory.
The latter theory may become a way of life locally, thanks to the never-ending, pessimistic sounds of the Michigan economy. This article details preliminary plans to combine five communities' fire departments into one "central core".
All five communities in the story have reputable departments known for great response time. They have saved many lives and kept small fires from become un-battleable. But should the operations be constrained to one location, or even with one body overseeing five communities, what may happen to the response time?
The last thing the Metro Detroit area needs is more bad publicity; they've been battling it since before I was born. It took the southern Downriver area over thirty years to battle out of its image of "smokestack capital". Fringe cities close to Detroit continue to suffer local economic setbacks, cronyism, and extortion. And we know how bad Detroit can be; its fire department can't handle cases decently -- many times, the hydrants won't even work right.
It's pure guesswork and conjecture as to who actually runs the department there, but the main point is: the department has to control too big an area, and finds itself lacking in quality services. When people complain about poor municipal services, police & fire are the top two departments they beg for overhauls from.
Perhaps combining services, as is the case here, is the only answer they can think of, and perhaps a prelude to cities annexing each other and becoming more like the 160-square mile townships that were surveyed in the mid-1800s.
But potentially at what cost? The loss of effectiveness, or worse yet, the cost of a human life which cannot be replaced?
Let's hope for more research on the issue, and no snap-judgements when it comes to vital community services.
February 23, 2007
Tomorrow, I'll know
Well, the quacks cleared me.
And I don't understand how a health-care "provider" like them can remain in business.
Three-and-a-half weeks after my work injury, I have gained some range of motion in my back, but only because I'm allowing myself the extra five seconds to get my back in a bent position. Like I told everyone from the very beginning, the therapy I've received has not been a benefit, because the simulated working conditions they preach do not equal the actual working conditions experienced at the airport - especially with parking lots overflowing & spilling over, meaning additional passengers, and additional bags.
It took a more reputable general practitioner a mere five minutes this evening to tell me what the clinic refused to tell me for nearly a month: the pain is not courtesy of my brain or thinking: it is real, it is there, and that I need to see a spinal specialist "immediately." It only took that short time for him to realize he didn't like how my back was reacting to a simple drill; how it took me nearly fifteen seconds to sit up from a prone position while holding my feet down for maximum leverage.
If I truly didn't see a necessity to work there, as I said before, I would have quit ages ago. I can't see myself without a job, period... and that's the only thing available right now. Yet, how can they judge me to be 100%, when I am technically not any better than I was on January 28th?
"Well, we're open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, if you feel a need to come back & see us," was the doctor's frank reply as I left in a huff. "Okay, see you tomorrow," was my immediate reply. I would be taking bets on how many hours I'll last before I'm in that supervisor's office, with that idiot supervisor rolling his eyes. He'll just be met with the truth: their "reputable" clinical care said I was 100% in spite of how I truly feel.
What a shame they don't give their employees more consideration when it comes to their own physical well-being. After all, those who hurt have to live with the hurt, and know where the hurt is. A doctor or unlicensed assistant who doesn't even physically or verbally check for problems is hardly in a position to understand; never mind empathize.
I've grown to know this in the past five-plus years, and finally there are co-workers who know exactly the things I've gone through, and they root for me. For that, I couldn't be more thankful. In fact, it scares me that I have been proven right in this regard. People agreeing with me on my condition is something new to me. Don't bother to pinch me, as I'd rather not lose this satisfaction.
Look for another report tomorrow. My current estimation: Five hours of work before it goes out again, and the entire process repeats itself.
The spinal specialist will be called Monday when they reopen. Until then, I can only hope that all breakdowns will be cosmetic in nature only.
And I don't understand how a health-care "provider" like them can remain in business.
Three-and-a-half weeks after my work injury, I have gained some range of motion in my back, but only because I'm allowing myself the extra five seconds to get my back in a bent position. Like I told everyone from the very beginning, the therapy I've received has not been a benefit, because the simulated working conditions they preach do not equal the actual working conditions experienced at the airport - especially with parking lots overflowing & spilling over, meaning additional passengers, and additional bags.
It took a more reputable general practitioner a mere five minutes this evening to tell me what the clinic refused to tell me for nearly a month: the pain is not courtesy of my brain or thinking: it is real, it is there, and that I need to see a spinal specialist "immediately." It only took that short time for him to realize he didn't like how my back was reacting to a simple drill; how it took me nearly fifteen seconds to sit up from a prone position while holding my feet down for maximum leverage.
If I truly didn't see a necessity to work there, as I said before, I would have quit ages ago. I can't see myself without a job, period... and that's the only thing available right now. Yet, how can they judge me to be 100%, when I am technically not any better than I was on January 28th?
"Well, we're open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, if you feel a need to come back & see us," was the doctor's frank reply as I left in a huff. "Okay, see you tomorrow," was my immediate reply. I would be taking bets on how many hours I'll last before I'm in that supervisor's office, with that idiot supervisor rolling his eyes. He'll just be met with the truth: their "reputable" clinical care said I was 100% in spite of how I truly feel.
What a shame they don't give their employees more consideration when it comes to their own physical well-being. After all, those who hurt have to live with the hurt, and know where the hurt is. A doctor or unlicensed assistant who doesn't even physically or verbally check for problems is hardly in a position to understand; never mind empathize.
I've grown to know this in the past five-plus years, and finally there are co-workers who know exactly the things I've gone through, and they root for me. For that, I couldn't be more thankful. In fact, it scares me that I have been proven right in this regard. People agreeing with me on my condition is something new to me. Don't bother to pinch me, as I'd rather not lose this satisfaction.
Look for another report tomorrow. My current estimation: Five hours of work before it goes out again, and the entire process repeats itself.
The spinal specialist will be called Monday when they reopen. Until then, I can only hope that all breakdowns will be cosmetic in nature only.
February 22, 2007
Thursday tidbits - Feb. 22
Rambling on...
* Looking at my dealings this morning with various medical claim adjusters and such, you would not think I am the cousin of two doctors (one deceased) who have/held various important positions in the medical field at local area hospitals. It took me until just a few minutes ago to find out exactly what an adjustor's role and a case manager's role was. Turned out I had them both backwards, and almost made an appointment with a second doctor without getting the adjustor's approval.
People claim they don't understand me when I say I need a secretary of my own to sort out my paperwork & thoughts for me. It's not to say I would refuse to do my own work, but my scenario is indeed confusing, and for one that was not officially taught how to deal with the medical profession, it has become increasingly embarassing with each passing day.
* How could we have a "freeze advisory" in effect the other day for this area, when in fact it should have been a "thaw warning", as snow actually began to turn to slush around here after a 3-week cold snap? Then I figured it out: Dense fog that morning could have deposited ice alongside bridges & lesser-travelled roads.
Food for thought: I was set on learning meterology before I settled into television production as a life major. Guess that wouldn't have "digested" well.
* Isn't anything else going on in the entertainment world? ENOUGH about Britney and Anna Nicole! The judge in the Anna Nicole case is trying to become the next Judge Judy, per rumors? How warped and out of proportion do these cases have to be blown? A case expert on CNBC said this morning the longest this trial should have lasted is two hours, in and out.
Gee, that wouldn't have brought in ratings.
As far as Britney's trevails go, two one-day round trips in & out of rehab tells me all I need to know. She's in trouble, and yet she uses it for publicity. Don't tell me at least some of this isn't premeditated. She won't garner sympathy this way, and it may turn off those who really would want to help her.
The worst feeling you can have is one of total lonlieness... and she is headed down that dark path now.
Don't we have a war to report on now? Aren't those the lost lives we should be concerning ourselves with?
* Looking at my dealings this morning with various medical claim adjusters and such, you would not think I am the cousin of two doctors (one deceased) who have/held various important positions in the medical field at local area hospitals. It took me until just a few minutes ago to find out exactly what an adjustor's role and a case manager's role was. Turned out I had them both backwards, and almost made an appointment with a second doctor without getting the adjustor's approval.
People claim they don't understand me when I say I need a secretary of my own to sort out my paperwork & thoughts for me. It's not to say I would refuse to do my own work, but my scenario is indeed confusing, and for one that was not officially taught how to deal with the medical profession, it has become increasingly embarassing with each passing day.
* How could we have a "freeze advisory" in effect the other day for this area, when in fact it should have been a "thaw warning", as snow actually began to turn to slush around here after a 3-week cold snap? Then I figured it out: Dense fog that morning could have deposited ice alongside bridges & lesser-travelled roads.
Food for thought: I was set on learning meterology before I settled into television production as a life major. Guess that wouldn't have "digested" well.
* Isn't anything else going on in the entertainment world? ENOUGH about Britney and Anna Nicole! The judge in the Anna Nicole case is trying to become the next Judge Judy, per rumors? How warped and out of proportion do these cases have to be blown? A case expert on CNBC said this morning the longest this trial should have lasted is two hours, in and out.
Gee, that wouldn't have brought in ratings.
As far as Britney's trevails go, two one-day round trips in & out of rehab tells me all I need to know. She's in trouble, and yet she uses it for publicity. Don't tell me at least some of this isn't premeditated. She won't garner sympathy this way, and it may turn off those who really would want to help her.
The worst feeling you can have is one of total lonlieness... and she is headed down that dark path now.
Don't we have a war to report on now? Aren't those the lost lives we should be concerning ourselves with?
February 20, 2007
It doesn't pay to be known
As if we weren't on wits end dealing with the constant media barrage of Anna Nicole Smith's death, we are now witness to the shearing of Britney Spears' hair becoming front-page tabloid news.
I've listened to various psychologists try to explain what may be going through Britney's mind. Simply put, it's likely the price of fame that is bringing so much pressure to these people. Pressure to perform, be noticed, sell albums or movies, and out-do the competition with outrageous stories & relationships that will grace magazine covers and make them the talk of a nation burnt-out on celebrity gossip.
CNN Headline News devoted parts of two hour-long news shows to this yesterday, and all we saw was the same four photos and video footage of Spears shearing her hair off. An argument with her mother, her divorce from Kevin Federline, the possibility of losing custody of her kids, checking into and out of rehab within 24 hours... it's no wonder the stress is there.
Is the stress even worth the price of fame? I'm not noted for anything other than my past work in television, with the gap between then & now growing larger by the day. I prefer to be a typical working-class Joe, out only to make myself better than I am today. Do I want those outrageous mansions that they buy & sell at the snap of a finger? Hardly; I have trouble maintaining the 800 square-foot house I'm in now.
My print exposure in life has been limited to eight news columns about high school; five op-ed blurbs, and two small articles on TV shows I've done. It's been gratifying to see my name in print, even though I won't do something outrageous to be front-page headlines. I don't need to grace magazine covers in check-out stands to know I'm trying to do something with my life. My heart will tell me when I've accomplished something good, and that accomplishment comes through stone-stepping and gradually meeting that goal.
There is a sin to getting something way too fast. I never figured out where the pressures could come from until recently. If things happen so fast, they start spinning around, dividing the mind at will to where a secretary is needed just to keep your mind focused. When things spiral out of control, you can go mad or nuts. And this is as likely without media coverage as it is with.
Britney is probably wondering why she bothered getting into the "glamorous" route. She is very talented, but perhaps going into the pressure cooker of "mainstream" hurt her more than anything. Her behavior is erratic to say the least, but being erratic is a sure sign the brain is on overload, and is a cry for help. So to the psychologists who say she's crying for help, it's a most accurate assessment.
While allowing for new issues to pop up with her autopsy, Anna Nicole was likely a victim of the same self-made expectations that crashed her down as quickly as she was built up. In this day & age and with the media on stars like a hound, the victims have every right to wish for a simpler time in life, where not every move was analyzed in detail.
For them, it may have paid off not to be known. The price they paid, or are paying, is their souls.
Those cannot be replaced.
I've listened to various psychologists try to explain what may be going through Britney's mind. Simply put, it's likely the price of fame that is bringing so much pressure to these people. Pressure to perform, be noticed, sell albums or movies, and out-do the competition with outrageous stories & relationships that will grace magazine covers and make them the talk of a nation burnt-out on celebrity gossip.
CNN Headline News devoted parts of two hour-long news shows to this yesterday, and all we saw was the same four photos and video footage of Spears shearing her hair off. An argument with her mother, her divorce from Kevin Federline, the possibility of losing custody of her kids, checking into and out of rehab within 24 hours... it's no wonder the stress is there.
Is the stress even worth the price of fame? I'm not noted for anything other than my past work in television, with the gap between then & now growing larger by the day. I prefer to be a typical working-class Joe, out only to make myself better than I am today. Do I want those outrageous mansions that they buy & sell at the snap of a finger? Hardly; I have trouble maintaining the 800 square-foot house I'm in now.
My print exposure in life has been limited to eight news columns about high school; five op-ed blurbs, and two small articles on TV shows I've done. It's been gratifying to see my name in print, even though I won't do something outrageous to be front-page headlines. I don't need to grace magazine covers in check-out stands to know I'm trying to do something with my life. My heart will tell me when I've accomplished something good, and that accomplishment comes through stone-stepping and gradually meeting that goal.
There is a sin to getting something way too fast. I never figured out where the pressures could come from until recently. If things happen so fast, they start spinning around, dividing the mind at will to where a secretary is needed just to keep your mind focused. When things spiral out of control, you can go mad or nuts. And this is as likely without media coverage as it is with.
Britney is probably wondering why she bothered getting into the "glamorous" route. She is very talented, but perhaps going into the pressure cooker of "mainstream" hurt her more than anything. Her behavior is erratic to say the least, but being erratic is a sure sign the brain is on overload, and is a cry for help. So to the psychologists who say she's crying for help, it's a most accurate assessment.
While allowing for new issues to pop up with her autopsy, Anna Nicole was likely a victim of the same self-made expectations that crashed her down as quickly as she was built up. In this day & age and with the media on stars like a hound, the victims have every right to wish for a simpler time in life, where not every move was analyzed in detail.
For them, it may have paid off not to be known. The price they paid, or are paying, is their souls.
Those cannot be replaced.
February 17, 2007
Saturday snippets, Feb. 17th
Thawing my brain manually, since Mother Nature continues to refuse the duty, here's some pondering thoughts:
* If they would only revive the old TV series "That's Incredible!", I'd have their lead-in story: the first case of a house hating cars! Now it's happened to Mike. Add onto the estimated $2,500 repair bill I mentioned before is a need for a new starter, and where did it bog down? In front of my house, of course. We made two walking trips to the auto stores to purchase a battery & relays, without getting the thing to move.
Somehow he got to his karaoke gig yesterday by taking that rickety cab service I would take to work. Average wait time has been 45 minutes since last night. Hey, "last call" at the bars was twelve hours ago as I write this!
* I made an appointment, at the urging of two of my friends, to see a medical specialist who may give me advice about where to turn to fix my bad back. I will never get the answer I want from that chop-shop clinic: I need an MRI, and they think it's all in my imagination.
Surgery on the spine has not been ruled out. I cannot bend the back more than 15 degrees without pain shooting thru the whole midsection now. Even when injured before, this has not happened. This is not an imaginary thing by any means. I need someone reputable who wants to move the issue forward, rather than spinning my wheels for me.
* Steve came back from the Phillipines yesterday. A good trip all in all, but he's waiting for word on whether his fiancee is expectant with child. Why he wants to have a child before marriage is beyond me. Just ask me if he can take care of himself, let alone a child. Is that what love truly is? Does it have any depth at all?
I should be answering my own questions.
* Though they will remain nameless because I prefer to protect people's identities, please keep my neighbors in your thoughts: many of them in that house are facing rather serious medical problems - my friend is undergoing tests for cancer. Cancer can strike at any age, but still, she's only 31, and would be heartbreaking to me. They would appreciate the kind thoughts sent their way.
* Norah Jones has just released her latest album, Not Too Late, and the first single off it, "Thinking About You" is simply wonderful. I love this girl, her talents, and her sound.
I have been to only one live concert in my life, Sheryl Crow in 1997 when she played Detroit's Fox Theater -- so I am not really a concert-goer. If Norah Jones ever announces a tour, I will actually pine for front-row seats. She is simply that good.
* If they would only revive the old TV series "That's Incredible!", I'd have their lead-in story: the first case of a house hating cars! Now it's happened to Mike. Add onto the estimated $2,500 repair bill I mentioned before is a need for a new starter, and where did it bog down? In front of my house, of course. We made two walking trips to the auto stores to purchase a battery & relays, without getting the thing to move.
Somehow he got to his karaoke gig yesterday by taking that rickety cab service I would take to work. Average wait time has been 45 minutes since last night. Hey, "last call" at the bars was twelve hours ago as I write this!
* I made an appointment, at the urging of two of my friends, to see a medical specialist who may give me advice about where to turn to fix my bad back. I will never get the answer I want from that chop-shop clinic: I need an MRI, and they think it's all in my imagination.
Surgery on the spine has not been ruled out. I cannot bend the back more than 15 degrees without pain shooting thru the whole midsection now. Even when injured before, this has not happened. This is not an imaginary thing by any means. I need someone reputable who wants to move the issue forward, rather than spinning my wheels for me.
* Steve came back from the Phillipines yesterday. A good trip all in all, but he's waiting for word on whether his fiancee is expectant with child. Why he wants to have a child before marriage is beyond me. Just ask me if he can take care of himself, let alone a child. Is that what love truly is? Does it have any depth at all?
I should be answering my own questions.
* Though they will remain nameless because I prefer to protect people's identities, please keep my neighbors in your thoughts: many of them in that house are facing rather serious medical problems - my friend is undergoing tests for cancer. Cancer can strike at any age, but still, she's only 31, and would be heartbreaking to me. They would appreciate the kind thoughts sent their way.
* Norah Jones has just released her latest album, Not Too Late, and the first single off it, "Thinking About You" is simply wonderful. I love this girl, her talents, and her sound.
I have been to only one live concert in my life, Sheryl Crow in 1997 when she played Detroit's Fox Theater -- so I am not really a concert-goer. If Norah Jones ever announces a tour, I will actually pine for front-row seats. She is simply that good.
Vote becomes formality only
Well, the U.S. House Of Representatives passed their legislation the other day showing their disapproval of President Bush's request to send 21,000 troops to Iraq in order to help quelch the escalating violence. The U.S. Senate is picking up on the issue now and is expected to run a "test vote" through the body to see if their actions agree with the House's.
I think this whole movement, instead of promoting positive action, is more a visual stance given by the two chambers of Congress, given what the President's ultimate reaction is going to be. Here is a man who has ignored countless committees and their recommendations on how to more safely handle the overseas situation, and now people think he will listen to the Congress? The President has shown that he will make the decisions, and to many, they will continue to be the wrong ones.
The new members of the Congress, give them credit, are doing what they can to address the war issue from a different point of view, and the parties are crossing over to make it more non-partisan. When we can see they share Joe Q. Public's views, we know that to be scary.
But if the "buck stops here", as former President Truman used to say, it will certainly stop at the same place in this day & age: the Oval Office. We may never get the truly honest results we want from this war that may never end.
At least we can rest comfortably in the days & weeks ahead, knowing we are not the only ones to think that thinking should come before blindless fighting, for what ultimate purpose we clearly do not know.
I think this whole movement, instead of promoting positive action, is more a visual stance given by the two chambers of Congress, given what the President's ultimate reaction is going to be. Here is a man who has ignored countless committees and their recommendations on how to more safely handle the overseas situation, and now people think he will listen to the Congress? The President has shown that he will make the decisions, and to many, they will continue to be the wrong ones.
The new members of the Congress, give them credit, are doing what they can to address the war issue from a different point of view, and the parties are crossing over to make it more non-partisan. When we can see they share Joe Q. Public's views, we know that to be scary.
But if the "buck stops here", as former President Truman used to say, it will certainly stop at the same place in this day & age: the Oval Office. We may never get the truly honest results we want from this war that may never end.
At least we can rest comfortably in the days & weeks ahead, knowing we are not the only ones to think that thinking should come before blindless fighting, for what ultimate purpose we clearly do not know.
February 16, 2007
Ripple effect to the preps
The same afternoon that I watched footage on ESPN about Jason McElwain, the autistic high school basketball player who finally got into a game for Greece Althena High School in Rochester NY (the story can be found here), I saw footage on the local newscast which showed a parent interjecting himself into a preps wrestling match, literally.
The link to any video footage has been forgotten, but the images are inexcuseable. The parent lept from the stands, ran onto the mat, and pulled & threw the opposing school's wrestler off his son, claiming his son had suffered a shoulder injury. Taking a few steps towards the cameraperson, it also appeared the parent was launching a verbal tirade and threats to do that person in as well.
Strangely enough, a fight between the two prep competitors did not break out. The referee was in the middle but made no move to restrain the parent. Even more odd was the fact that the opponent's mother didn't harbor any hard feelings towards this case of obvious assault on the mat.
Whether they already worked out their problems afterward is unknown, and obviously not the juice of the story. Without making it sound sensationalistic, this footage & story is just another case about how sports are getting out of control sometimes.
From a very positive feeling that McElwain's story generated (he also had a visit from the President), a haphazard parent mutes all that positive thinking. I am sure the referee of the match would have stopped it if it became obvious an injury was lurking. It's a parent's right to be concerned about their own, but manhandling a kid half their size is not the way to get the message across.
My point? In these uncertain times, we have to have eyes in the back of our head, for we never know what might happen, especially at a sporting event, where emotions peak multiple times per game. The classic brawl between the NBA's Indiana and Detroit teams, where players ran into the stands and sucker-punched fans, showed there was lax security at those events. Players must be restrained from the fans, and vice-versa.
The preps episode shows a case of "necessary shame" of the times, where nothing can be done safely, it seems, except beyond locked doors in the house. Security protection at prep sporting events may need to be thought of, a requirement rippled down from the NBA incidents. Years ago, the local prep basketball rivalries grew to such a pitch that entire blocks of the season had to be cancelled. Evidentally, no league at any level is safe or exempt from crazy things happening.
Even when I attended the PBA event in Taylor back in October, I was amazed at how accessible the bowlers were, and how easy it would be for something bad to take place. Yet, due to the easy access, I had the fear that some wayward fan would try something unthinkable.
Whether it's the influence of booze, the overly passionate way they feel about the competition, or just due to the home environment itself, parents need to learn that there's a right way & wrong way to settle disputes, and react to situations they may not have control over.
The tone of the prep story suggested to me that the boys finished the match in spite of the parent. Now who's supposed to be teaching whom here, according to the pecking order?
The link to any video footage has been forgotten, but the images are inexcuseable. The parent lept from the stands, ran onto the mat, and pulled & threw the opposing school's wrestler off his son, claiming his son had suffered a shoulder injury. Taking a few steps towards the cameraperson, it also appeared the parent was launching a verbal tirade and threats to do that person in as well.
Strangely enough, a fight between the two prep competitors did not break out. The referee was in the middle but made no move to restrain the parent. Even more odd was the fact that the opponent's mother didn't harbor any hard feelings towards this case of obvious assault on the mat.
Whether they already worked out their problems afterward is unknown, and obviously not the juice of the story. Without making it sound sensationalistic, this footage & story is just another case about how sports are getting out of control sometimes.
From a very positive feeling that McElwain's story generated (he also had a visit from the President), a haphazard parent mutes all that positive thinking. I am sure the referee of the match would have stopped it if it became obvious an injury was lurking. It's a parent's right to be concerned about their own, but manhandling a kid half their size is not the way to get the message across.
My point? In these uncertain times, we have to have eyes in the back of our head, for we never know what might happen, especially at a sporting event, where emotions peak multiple times per game. The classic brawl between the NBA's Indiana and Detroit teams, where players ran into the stands and sucker-punched fans, showed there was lax security at those events. Players must be restrained from the fans, and vice-versa.
The preps episode shows a case of "necessary shame" of the times, where nothing can be done safely, it seems, except beyond locked doors in the house. Security protection at prep sporting events may need to be thought of, a requirement rippled down from the NBA incidents. Years ago, the local prep basketball rivalries grew to such a pitch that entire blocks of the season had to be cancelled. Evidentally, no league at any level is safe or exempt from crazy things happening.
Even when I attended the PBA event in Taylor back in October, I was amazed at how accessible the bowlers were, and how easy it would be for something bad to take place. Yet, due to the easy access, I had the fear that some wayward fan would try something unthinkable.
Whether it's the influence of booze, the overly passionate way they feel about the competition, or just due to the home environment itself, parents need to learn that there's a right way & wrong way to settle disputes, and react to situations they may not have control over.
The tone of the prep story suggested to me that the boys finished the match in spite of the parent. Now who's supposed to be teaching whom here, according to the pecking order?
February 15, 2007
You've been "Googled"
Last week, I heard an offbeat news story that a site exists which will tell you what the search engine Google thinks of you, called Googlism.com.
Unlike Google, Googlism does not specifically say where you yourself are mentioned on the internet, but it tells you what other people sharing your name are known for doing. Some claims are believable, some are outrageous, and yet funny at the same time.
To wit, yours truly can claim to be:
* awake
* a singer (ha!)
* an assistant professor of geology
* is #408
* is progressing nicely (why, thank you!)
My Dad can claim to be:
* an unknown commodity
* a rare breed
* displayed for all to see
* compiling an encyclopedia of all data pertaining to the Loch Ness Monster
My stepmom can claim to be:
* a grade three math teacher
* chairperson of the "millenium millions appeal"
My roommate Steve can claim to be:
* a man worth laughing at (and believe me, we do!)
Last for today, my cousin Mike can claim to be:
* a yuppie lawyer
* not expected to act before the election
There are other options you can use on the Googlism site. For some laughs, check it out. Also, I'll be adding additional links to the right-hand column in the next couple days.
Unlike Google, Googlism does not specifically say where you yourself are mentioned on the internet, but it tells you what other people sharing your name are known for doing. Some claims are believable, some are outrageous, and yet funny at the same time.
To wit, yours truly can claim to be:
* awake
* a singer (ha!)
* an assistant professor of geology
* is #408
* is progressing nicely (why, thank you!)
My Dad can claim to be:
* an unknown commodity
* a rare breed
* displayed for all to see
* compiling an encyclopedia of all data pertaining to the Loch Ness Monster
My stepmom can claim to be:
* a grade three math teacher
* chairperson of the "millenium millions appeal"
My roommate Steve can claim to be:
* a man worth laughing at (and believe me, we do!)
Last for today, my cousin Mike can claim to be:
* a yuppie lawyer
* not expected to act before the election
There are other options you can use on the Googlism site. For some laughs, check it out. Also, I'll be adding additional links to the right-hand column in the next couple days.
February 14, 2007
Verbally re-united
Yesterday was a communications heaven, as I reconnected with two friends: one not so far gone, the other I thought was dead & buried as far as communication goes.
I've had many different friends over the years, only to lose them due to different circumstances. Sheila, for one, I thought had dropped off the map as I hadn't heard from her in nearly two weeks. Yet, she finally called me yesterday, saying she didn't know the internet in my house was back on. We chatted the afternoon away and it was nice to have cyber-company.
The second case, I can thank myspace for. It's enabled me to have a re-evolution of sorts, as I've connected back with former co-workers, the most notable of which is Laura. She lived in Providence in 2005 when I was debating about moving there to start a new life. As I didn't have all my marbles at the time, that visit turned out to be less than ideal and we stopped talking for that reason, most likely.
I saw her myspace page two days ago and was tempted the entire time to place a friends request. It took some coaching by my other friend, but I nervously typed in the request. The result wasn't too long in coming, and resulted in a nice e-mail, and a good hour-long conversation on the phone, where we reconnected as if nothing ever happened.
This bodes well. Sometimes, I'll get into a phase where I want to rediscover the past and reconnect. This usually dies before the first action is taken. Why am I so longing for the past at times? They were happier times by far. Now, I finally got a chance to see that the process does work on occassion, and I couldn't be happier.
I only wish I could take the last two years back. But they can't take the subsequent years from me, as I will strive to prove. I've got control of the situation now, and "burps" like the one two years will not happen again as long as I maintain that control.
-------------------------------
Steve is due to come back today, so we think. That nasty weather I spoke of earlier is causing havoc with flight schedules at the airport. It has gotten lonely in the house at times over the past two weeks, but not so desperate that I would welcome his company full-time again. As long as he meets his financial committments, he can be anywhere in the world he wants to be. I've carried on solo many times before, and sometimes that can be a good feeling.
One ground rule to be laid out: He has to become a better housekeeper. If his fiancee moves in with us, she comes with the title of "neat-nik"; she hates things messy & out of place. I do my part the best I can, and I'm sure she'll like that. But if he doesn't change things, she may see that side of him that I know, but that she won't accept. I only suggest that to him in hopes of avoiding confrontation with her later on. If he loves her, I think he'll make the change.
Boy, I wish I could reschedule my therapy for tomorrow. Those roads & sidewalks look too impassable for me to walk on today.
I've had many different friends over the years, only to lose them due to different circumstances. Sheila, for one, I thought had dropped off the map as I hadn't heard from her in nearly two weeks. Yet, she finally called me yesterday, saying she didn't know the internet in my house was back on. We chatted the afternoon away and it was nice to have cyber-company.
The second case, I can thank myspace for. It's enabled me to have a re-evolution of sorts, as I've connected back with former co-workers, the most notable of which is Laura. She lived in Providence in 2005 when I was debating about moving there to start a new life. As I didn't have all my marbles at the time, that visit turned out to be less than ideal and we stopped talking for that reason, most likely.
I saw her myspace page two days ago and was tempted the entire time to place a friends request. It took some coaching by my other friend, but I nervously typed in the request. The result wasn't too long in coming, and resulted in a nice e-mail, and a good hour-long conversation on the phone, where we reconnected as if nothing ever happened.
This bodes well. Sometimes, I'll get into a phase where I want to rediscover the past and reconnect. This usually dies before the first action is taken. Why am I so longing for the past at times? They were happier times by far. Now, I finally got a chance to see that the process does work on occassion, and I couldn't be happier.
I only wish I could take the last two years back. But they can't take the subsequent years from me, as I will strive to prove. I've got control of the situation now, and "burps" like the one two years will not happen again as long as I maintain that control.
-------------------------------
Steve is due to come back today, so we think. That nasty weather I spoke of earlier is causing havoc with flight schedules at the airport. It has gotten lonely in the house at times over the past two weeks, but not so desperate that I would welcome his company full-time again. As long as he meets his financial committments, he can be anywhere in the world he wants to be. I've carried on solo many times before, and sometimes that can be a good feeling.
One ground rule to be laid out: He has to become a better housekeeper. If his fiancee moves in with us, she comes with the title of "neat-nik"; she hates things messy & out of place. I do my part the best I can, and I'm sure she'll like that. But if he doesn't change things, she may see that side of him that I know, but that she won't accept. I only suggest that to him in hopes of avoiding confrontation with her later on. If he loves her, I think he'll make the change.
Boy, I wish I could reschedule my therapy for tomorrow. Those roads & sidewalks look too impassable for me to walk on today.
You can't fight city hall's plow
We received six inches of snow overnight. Thanks to my semi-crippled back, my idea of shoveling is a minute here, minute there, and an hour inside the house. Simply shoveling the sidewalk clear is a production in itself.
It had to be done, though, because mail is delivered on foot, not with on-street mailboxes as I was accustomed to in our old neighborhood. I just spent the last twenty-five minutes waging war with a defective snow shovel in digging out the abyss. I get back in the house and barely take my snowsuit off when BLAM! Here comes the DPW snowplow down the street.
The sidewalk looks like it's never been touched.
I wish there was no mail delivery today, or I'd leave the sidewalk like that as a monument to my poor timing. This is my 36th year witnessing the white stuff, and the lesson keeps coming back to me every year to watch out for that darned plow. As northerners know as well, what they pile up on your driveway is even harder to shovel out.
I laughed last night when I saw a plow company come by just to do someone's driveway (and I'm not talking snowblowers, I'm talking the plow blades attached to a 4x4 truck). Now I wish I had obtained their number. This recent snow and constant mind-numbing cold actually makes me wish I was in Florida -- and I'm no traveller by any stretch!
Guess I'll make some "Be Careful" signs in the meantime.
It had to be done, though, because mail is delivered on foot, not with on-street mailboxes as I was accustomed to in our old neighborhood. I just spent the last twenty-five minutes waging war with a defective snow shovel in digging out the abyss. I get back in the house and barely take my snowsuit off when BLAM! Here comes the DPW snowplow down the street.
The sidewalk looks like it's never been touched.
I wish there was no mail delivery today, or I'd leave the sidewalk like that as a monument to my poor timing. This is my 36th year witnessing the white stuff, and the lesson keeps coming back to me every year to watch out for that darned plow. As northerners know as well, what they pile up on your driveway is even harder to shovel out.
I laughed last night when I saw a plow company come by just to do someone's driveway (and I'm not talking snowblowers, I'm talking the plow blades attached to a 4x4 truck). Now I wish I had obtained their number. This recent snow and constant mind-numbing cold actually makes me wish I was in Florida -- and I'm no traveller by any stretch!
Guess I'll make some "Be Careful" signs in the meantime.
February 13, 2007
I Am Man, Hear Me Roar
I am not trying a cheap pot-shot at the classic 1970s anthem sung by Helen Reddy, but I do believe a little change in the wording would explain my experience at work therapy today. And - with no strong language attached!
Let me set the scene. As mentioned before, this is my fourth back injury in five-plus years at the airport. It's pretty much down to a science, even with two years separating these incidents, that I know what the stretch and therapy routines are like, and in what order to take them. Grudgingly, my back will end up cooperating and I'll be back at work, at worst, in two weeks.
This time, the old routine is not working. It started as a dull pain in the small of the back, near the spine. Through therapy, the pain has worked itself to the left hip, and today's appointment was one of embarassment. I'm ashamed to admit of suffering setbacks in treatment, but if they occur, they must be mentioned.
You would think the therapist would be on the same page. Not a snowball's chance. Approach him with a concern and he shrugs it off. Get over-exerted and need to catch your breath, he'll say "you're not tired, c'mon!" Find out that you can't touch your toes or bend over fully, he'll tell you "you're not trying hard enough!" Tell him that you lost sleep for half the night because your back pain flared up, and then his favorite saying comes out: "Oh, come off it!"
I see it like this. If he's trying to imply that I'm lazy & going through the motions on this therapy, he's disguising it poorly, because I'm all too aware of his message. My focus was on trying to do the stretches, and have everything go in one ear & out the other whenever he opened his mouth.
A stand had to be took this time, however, as I didn't want him to end up telling the insurance company that I made a false injury claim. But the pain was real, and how will that let me resume my work & home activities?
Finally, I roared. I told him I wasn't any better no matter what he thought; that the exercises were straining the injury more, and that if I really didn't want to go back to work, I would have quit and saved everyone this hassle.
Boy, did he change his tune. "Well, maybe we ought to give you another week of therapy," and "You did well today." Now I think we're finally on the same page to where future sessions will be a little easier to deal with on a mental basis.
It's a shame I had to compromise my personality and spout off where, in normal instances, I wouldn't have to. But the little guy always has to speak his piece in order to be seen.
I was "found" today, and I'm sure my back will be thanking me.
Let me set the scene. As mentioned before, this is my fourth back injury in five-plus years at the airport. It's pretty much down to a science, even with two years separating these incidents, that I know what the stretch and therapy routines are like, and in what order to take them. Grudgingly, my back will end up cooperating and I'll be back at work, at worst, in two weeks.
This time, the old routine is not working. It started as a dull pain in the small of the back, near the spine. Through therapy, the pain has worked itself to the left hip, and today's appointment was one of embarassment. I'm ashamed to admit of suffering setbacks in treatment, but if they occur, they must be mentioned.
You would think the therapist would be on the same page. Not a snowball's chance. Approach him with a concern and he shrugs it off. Get over-exerted and need to catch your breath, he'll say "you're not tired, c'mon!" Find out that you can't touch your toes or bend over fully, he'll tell you "you're not trying hard enough!" Tell him that you lost sleep for half the night because your back pain flared up, and then his favorite saying comes out: "Oh, come off it!"
I see it like this. If he's trying to imply that I'm lazy & going through the motions on this therapy, he's disguising it poorly, because I'm all too aware of his message. My focus was on trying to do the stretches, and have everything go in one ear & out the other whenever he opened his mouth.
A stand had to be took this time, however, as I didn't want him to end up telling the insurance company that I made a false injury claim. But the pain was real, and how will that let me resume my work & home activities?
Finally, I roared. I told him I wasn't any better no matter what he thought; that the exercises were straining the injury more, and that if I really didn't want to go back to work, I would have quit and saved everyone this hassle.
Boy, did he change his tune. "Well, maybe we ought to give you another week of therapy," and "You did well today." Now I think we're finally on the same page to where future sessions will be a little easier to deal with on a mental basis.
It's a shame I had to compromise my personality and spout off where, in normal instances, I wouldn't have to. But the little guy always has to speak his piece in order to be seen.
I was "found" today, and I'm sure my back will be thanking me.
February 12, 2007
Intelligence quotients
Monday morning ramble:
How often does glancing at the side of a kitchen trash bag make you think about peoples' intelligence?
I bought a cheap brand of trash bag the other day, and went to line my kitchen can with it, when I spotted printing on the side of the bag. Here is what it said:
"Warning: To avoid danger of suffocation, keep away from babies and children."
So, why the entry on something that seems so meaningless and common-sense? Simply because of the fact that the warning is actually on the bag. And what does that have to do with intelligence? It may mean that some people out there don't actually know how much harm plastic bags can do.
This should be a learned common fact by the time we even hit grade school. Years ago, the warnings would come from parents or guardians: "Don't do this," etc. Most of us, I'm sure, have been taught wisely thanks to the teachings & advice our parents or guardians gave us. We would know not to do anything obviously dumb as stick our heads in plastic bags, because we knew the dangers of suffocation.
But what has happened to the teaching? Why is the teaching scrawled on the side of a plastic bag? Does this mean that people out there truly don't know about the danger? If not, then why haven't they been told?
I can see the validity of warning labels on chemical bottles, describing what can happen and, in many cases, how to treat an accident while calling a doctor. But when it comes to something as obvious as a trash bag, it's possible there's not been enough teaching going on.
One semi-humorous sidebar to this one, though: I support the idea of road signs featuring symbols rather than words, because many people either can't read or simply don't know the English language. Symbol signs are universal and they may be a big help.
But symbols are not necessarily welcome in publications like instruction books, for instance. We have two television entertainment centers in the house, and they were frustrating to assemble, because the manual had pictures, no words. Plus, the pictures were so small and some of the ink so blurry, half the assembly process was guesswork.
I'd rather appreciate worded instructions versus visual. This does not claim that I have no intelligence quotient; I can read and decipher pictures. But when it comes to assembly, not everyone can tell the one inch screw from the 1 1/4". Distinct labeling would really help the cause.
As is, we haven't lost a TV yet due to a rickety cabinet, which means Steve and I pulled through on assembly.
It's just those three-time-per-year television returns to the rental company that make up for any "accidents".
How often does glancing at the side of a kitchen trash bag make you think about peoples' intelligence?
I bought a cheap brand of trash bag the other day, and went to line my kitchen can with it, when I spotted printing on the side of the bag. Here is what it said:
"Warning: To avoid danger of suffocation, keep away from babies and children."
So, why the entry on something that seems so meaningless and common-sense? Simply because of the fact that the warning is actually on the bag. And what does that have to do with intelligence? It may mean that some people out there don't actually know how much harm plastic bags can do.
This should be a learned common fact by the time we even hit grade school. Years ago, the warnings would come from parents or guardians: "Don't do this," etc. Most of us, I'm sure, have been taught wisely thanks to the teachings & advice our parents or guardians gave us. We would know not to do anything obviously dumb as stick our heads in plastic bags, because we knew the dangers of suffocation.
But what has happened to the teaching? Why is the teaching scrawled on the side of a plastic bag? Does this mean that people out there truly don't know about the danger? If not, then why haven't they been told?
I can see the validity of warning labels on chemical bottles, describing what can happen and, in many cases, how to treat an accident while calling a doctor. But when it comes to something as obvious as a trash bag, it's possible there's not been enough teaching going on.
One semi-humorous sidebar to this one, though: I support the idea of road signs featuring symbols rather than words, because many people either can't read or simply don't know the English language. Symbol signs are universal and they may be a big help.
But symbols are not necessarily welcome in publications like instruction books, for instance. We have two television entertainment centers in the house, and they were frustrating to assemble, because the manual had pictures, no words. Plus, the pictures were so small and some of the ink so blurry, half the assembly process was guesswork.
I'd rather appreciate worded instructions versus visual. This does not claim that I have no intelligence quotient; I can read and decipher pictures. But when it comes to assembly, not everyone can tell the one inch screw from the 1 1/4". Distinct labeling would really help the cause.
As is, we haven't lost a TV yet due to a rickety cabinet, which means Steve and I pulled through on assembly.
It's just those three-time-per-year television returns to the rental company that make up for any "accidents".
February 11, 2007
Customization headache
Last night and early this morning was a bonanza in frustration. I finally bowed to my friend's wishes and became potentially the last living person in my age bracket to put up a "MySpace" account.
Compared to setting up my blogs hosted here, I had to enlist the help of two friends online just to even figure out how to get a friends list started. The computer was bogging down as well, as I had to have six windows open at the same time so I could compare messages, sites, and my own bumbling attempts to get the page started.
In the end, getting the basic information on the page was a snap compared to trying to customize the looks of the page. Three hours and one very sore back later, I threw in the towel, though I'll go back to working on it once I'm done with this entry.
Supposedly, you can do a lot with design modifications & appearance on your page. But my downfall obviously is my lack of knowledge when it comes to HTML coding on the computer. This seems hard to picture, given that I worked computers long before other members of the family (1979). From the looks of yesterday, it seems my knowledge got bypassed and left in the dust since that time.
Setting up preferences & appearances on this blog were infinitely easier, and yet four months passed before I finally figured out the tricks of the trade, and made this page look like it does today. I don't like bland things; I am more into colorful, almost borderline psychadelic colors (though I don't wear shirts like that; breathe easy).
I just don't understand how certain sites out there can preach ease of comprehension in modifying a page's look; doubly so when you can't find the help you'd look for in a tutorial because they haven't been written yet. I spent an hour just trying to figure out how to apply my modifications... The towel was thrown soon after.
If sites like MySpace want to give everyone the impression that "you're hip if you sign up", and "anyone can make the page reflect their personality", you'd think they'd make allowances for those with the simpler personalities, such as mine, to have a fighting chance at design success.
Just because vanilla ice cream happens to be my favorite, doesn't mean its perceived blandness applies to other areas of my life. I would only hope for a better experience this afternoon.
----------------------------------------
Fear not, though: on a personal level, all my blogs here will still be maintained. I may post snippets on MySpace, but Blogger came first, and I have a good library of material here, so I will stay put for sure.
Compared to setting up my blogs hosted here, I had to enlist the help of two friends online just to even figure out how to get a friends list started. The computer was bogging down as well, as I had to have six windows open at the same time so I could compare messages, sites, and my own bumbling attempts to get the page started.
In the end, getting the basic information on the page was a snap compared to trying to customize the looks of the page. Three hours and one very sore back later, I threw in the towel, though I'll go back to working on it once I'm done with this entry.
Supposedly, you can do a lot with design modifications & appearance on your page. But my downfall obviously is my lack of knowledge when it comes to HTML coding on the computer. This seems hard to picture, given that I worked computers long before other members of the family (1979). From the looks of yesterday, it seems my knowledge got bypassed and left in the dust since that time.
Setting up preferences & appearances on this blog were infinitely easier, and yet four months passed before I finally figured out the tricks of the trade, and made this page look like it does today. I don't like bland things; I am more into colorful, almost borderline psychadelic colors (though I don't wear shirts like that; breathe easy).
I just don't understand how certain sites out there can preach ease of comprehension in modifying a page's look; doubly so when you can't find the help you'd look for in a tutorial because they haven't been written yet. I spent an hour just trying to figure out how to apply my modifications... The towel was thrown soon after.
If sites like MySpace want to give everyone the impression that "you're hip if you sign up", and "anyone can make the page reflect their personality", you'd think they'd make allowances for those with the simpler personalities, such as mine, to have a fighting chance at design success.
Just because vanilla ice cream happens to be my favorite, doesn't mean its perceived blandness applies to other areas of my life. I would only hope for a better experience this afternoon.
----------------------------------------
Fear not, though: on a personal level, all my blogs here will still be maintained. I may post snippets on MySpace, but Blogger came first, and I have a good library of material here, so I will stay put for sure.
February 10, 2007
Detroit needs to borough in
Ah, Michigan, where everything proceeds backward. Auto companies announce downsizing, housing markets crumbling - and now our governor saying raising taxes is the only way to remain competitive. At this rate, the United States will number only 49 in a matter of years, as you can't think about the possibility of federal receivership anything less than seriously now.
The Detroit Public School system is much the same way: another article in the paper today detailed outlandish amounts being spent by school board members to California and even Disney World in Orlando... while back home, roofs are leaking, boilers aren't operating, students have as many guns as they have books, and teachers are woefully underpaid. The vicious circle only continues as parents rightfully pull their children out of these poor conditions, which leads to less state money and a continuation of these problems two-fold.
The school district has spiraled out of control and is too expansive for a school board to supervise properly. The state has been out of control for years; a huge bureaucracy is to blame as THEY cannot supervise properly, either.
If it's too huge, perhaps responsibilities should be cut back; a borough-type of thinking where a big area is split into parts which can be better supervised by a small group of people. Thinking along those lines, I reprint for you a computer essay I wrote two years ago, when I thought the city of Detroit needed to go the way of New York and split into boroughs:
I had actually thought up this idea to myself well over a decade ago, and shiver when I find it's only now being discussed. Rather than elect an at-large council, elect a representative from a specific boundary to have a place on council. Simple idea, now why don't we have a simple resolution to make that law around there?
Some parts of Detroit are obviously in better shape and are more affluent than others. Are the "haves" the only ones being represented? Do the have-nots even have a voice? I am sure so many people would like to run for council to make a difference, but when they see this strong-arm system in place, their hopes are deflated before they can inflate. Never mind battling the egos, but where will the issues of the down-trodden be placed? Forever to be discussed; never to be enacted.
Under the new system, you may well have someone representing the gated communities with top security. But what about the one representing those on a street with many potholes, poor trash collection, street lights out, and crime all over the place?
Moral of the story: wise ideas like this one begat more responsibility and effort placed in a smaller area, which could result in more progress and a shorter lifespan for that vicious circle mentioned above.
Current methods simply aren't working. It's worth a stab (or a thought) at change.
The Detroit Public School system is much the same way: another article in the paper today detailed outlandish amounts being spent by school board members to California and even Disney World in Orlando... while back home, roofs are leaking, boilers aren't operating, students have as many guns as they have books, and teachers are woefully underpaid. The vicious circle only continues as parents rightfully pull their children out of these poor conditions, which leads to less state money and a continuation of these problems two-fold.
The school district has spiraled out of control and is too expansive for a school board to supervise properly. The state has been out of control for years; a huge bureaucracy is to blame as THEY cannot supervise properly, either.
If it's too huge, perhaps responsibilities should be cut back; a borough-type of thinking where a big area is split into parts which can be better supervised by a small group of people. Thinking along those lines, I reprint for you a computer essay I wrote two years ago, when I thought the city of Detroit needed to go the way of New York and split into boroughs:
I had actually thought up this idea to myself well over a decade ago, and shiver when I find it's only now being discussed. Rather than elect an at-large council, elect a representative from a specific boundary to have a place on council. Simple idea, now why don't we have a simple resolution to make that law around there?
Some parts of Detroit are obviously in better shape and are more affluent than others. Are the "haves" the only ones being represented? Do the have-nots even have a voice? I am sure so many people would like to run for council to make a difference, but when they see this strong-arm system in place, their hopes are deflated before they can inflate. Never mind battling the egos, but where will the issues of the down-trodden be placed? Forever to be discussed; never to be enacted.
Under the new system, you may well have someone representing the gated communities with top security. But what about the one representing those on a street with many potholes, poor trash collection, street lights out, and crime all over the place?
Moral of the story: wise ideas like this one begat more responsibility and effort placed in a smaller area, which could result in more progress and a shorter lifespan for that vicious circle mentioned above.
Current methods simply aren't working. It's worth a stab (or a thought) at change.
February 9, 2007
This'll last a month
Hurray! Back with the home internet again after two frightful weeks without. When you combine no computer with no cable television, a phone that can't dial long-distance, and a work injury, the days do get pretty long. The last two days were better as I was able to vent towards friends and pass the time that way. Now the only question is: how long will THIS internet order last? They seem to only average a month before we're screwed on the billings somehow.
Random thoughts which occurred to me during the latest outage:
* Who knows when I will be working again? My back must be sending me a message. Through two weeks of therapy, the back injury has not responded to what's been prescribed. The therapist who works on me is one of those overly-optimisitc types who's prone to say "Oh, come off it" when I complain about the pain of a strain. He thinks he can clear me to work by Monday, but some miracle better occur for that to happen.
Friends are talking about my need for a second MRI, which will probably reveal more extensive damage than in 2002. I'll never forget hearing the words "spinal fusion" upon recovery from that initial injury. Even now, it hurts to sit back in a chair and laying on my back is near impossible.
* As a result, there's been a lot of down time at the house, with me being alone. I finally finished a seven year project (and no, it's not that book) by getting the family photo albums updated, duplicates tossed, and former rejects refiled.
Those albums will likely be the only thing I would save in case of a robbery or fire.I can replace everything else I own (which is not much), but photos can't be replaced, just for their significant personal value.
* My cousin has gotten into karaoke, which is really surprising on two fronts: (1) He was always shy in public gatherings, and (2) Steve and I would always bark like two hurt dogs when he did try. I guess it took a realization on his part that he'd feel more confident singing his type of songs, which are modern country.
* Remember my car, three weeks ago? "Oh, just sell it to us... we'll send it to the scrap heap tomorrow," said that crap repair shop which doomed it. It's still there as of yesterday morning, and the darned drivers' window that never went anywhere but down is now up. Perhaps they are fixing it to sell to someone else? They better look out for the transmission to go next!
* Friends used to joke to me about my (then) promising career in television, in that I should move to Hollywood. Why, to commit suicide by being plastered on the front page of every gossip magazine for something I purportedly did?
I first heard the term "paparazzi" when Princess Diana died in 1997... now I know their goal is to snoop on celebrities 24/7. How can they concentrate on being themselves, when these photographers & videographers watch them more than anyone?
Anna Nicole Smith fits this in a tragic way as I heard about her death this morning. And virtually all the cable news channels (CNN, Headline News, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, Court TV, E!) had non-stop coverage on it this afternoon.
Maybe for a good reason, it's better that she's gone to a better place, where there won't be as much snooping. Anna Nicole certainly didn't end up living the type of life that a normal person would wish for. I can't imagine - and don't want to think about - the stress levels involved.
Random thoughts which occurred to me during the latest outage:
* Who knows when I will be working again? My back must be sending me a message. Through two weeks of therapy, the back injury has not responded to what's been prescribed. The therapist who works on me is one of those overly-optimisitc types who's prone to say "Oh, come off it" when I complain about the pain of a strain. He thinks he can clear me to work by Monday, but some miracle better occur for that to happen.
Friends are talking about my need for a second MRI, which will probably reveal more extensive damage than in 2002. I'll never forget hearing the words "spinal fusion" upon recovery from that initial injury. Even now, it hurts to sit back in a chair and laying on my back is near impossible.
* As a result, there's been a lot of down time at the house, with me being alone. I finally finished a seven year project (and no, it's not that book) by getting the family photo albums updated, duplicates tossed, and former rejects refiled.
Those albums will likely be the only thing I would save in case of a robbery or fire.I can replace everything else I own (which is not much), but photos can't be replaced, just for their significant personal value.
* My cousin has gotten into karaoke, which is really surprising on two fronts: (1) He was always shy in public gatherings, and (2) Steve and I would always bark like two hurt dogs when he did try. I guess it took a realization on his part that he'd feel more confident singing his type of songs, which are modern country.
* Remember my car, three weeks ago? "Oh, just sell it to us... we'll send it to the scrap heap tomorrow," said that crap repair shop which doomed it. It's still there as of yesterday morning, and the darned drivers' window that never went anywhere but down is now up. Perhaps they are fixing it to sell to someone else? They better look out for the transmission to go next!
* Friends used to joke to me about my (then) promising career in television, in that I should move to Hollywood. Why, to commit suicide by being plastered on the front page of every gossip magazine for something I purportedly did?
I first heard the term "paparazzi" when Princess Diana died in 1997... now I know their goal is to snoop on celebrities 24/7. How can they concentrate on being themselves, when these photographers & videographers watch them more than anyone?
Anna Nicole Smith fits this in a tragic way as I heard about her death this morning. And virtually all the cable news channels (CNN, Headline News, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, Court TV, E!) had non-stop coverage on it this afternoon.
Maybe for a good reason, it's better that she's gone to a better place, where there won't be as much snooping. Anna Nicole certainly didn't end up living the type of life that a normal person would wish for. I can't imagine - and don't want to think about - the stress levels involved.
February 8, 2007
The excuse post-dates me
Through the fortunate use of a friend's computer, I bring you this latest issue that has parents up in arms...
We are still going through one of the longest cold snaps this area has seen in decades. Two of the past seven days have seen the high temperature for the day lower than the average low temperature for this time of year. We've not had a double-digit low temperature in nearly two weeks.
But according to a local meterologic specialist, this cold wave has not set individual records. Nor has it resulted in much snow, as we've still tallied less than ten inches for the season. Roads are perfectly normal in fact; any ice was melted over a week ago to where there's not even slush to go through.
But to hear the wave of school closing that came through this week simply because of the prolonged cold surprised me. Are there seriously that many building problems in the area just starting in 2007? Or has a new excuse for closing down schools come through?
My generation was not as hearty as the one before. Bill Cosby made the joke that his father had to walk to school "uphill, both ways." So we didn't have it as hard as the older generation. Now I know what went through the older people's minds when they shrugged their shoulders & sighed at us for complaining about the conditions.
Snowstorm or ice storm, granted - schools would be closed. Building problems - acceptable. Too many cases of teachers honestly getting the flu - understood. But just cold weather when the roads are passable and most car batteries do work properly?
I hope it's not just me who thinks this latest fad started this year. More and more, future generations are being coddled, and it can all be traced to political correctness. Consequences and less-than-ideal situations are the norm for humankind, and a thicker hide needs to be grown as a person moves up in life. If they are protected from every minor thing, what will happen when they reach adulthood will shock them & remind them of how unprepared they may end up.
It gets just as cold where I work as it does around my house or anyone else's, and yes - I dread having to venture out in that weather. But I dress smart, and I head to work knowing there's a job to be done. Saying the airport should close due to cold weather is just a joke: that would never be an excuse for actually cancelling all the flights (to warm-weather destinations, no less). As it is with mail delivery, there's a job to be done regardless of the weather conditions.
Schooling prepares you for a successful life, and you need all those 180 days of education you can get. Unfortunately, it requires some effort to get there, just like it does in the adult world of jobs. Why try to take the easy way out if weather conditions and the building facilities are near ideal?
There are always roadblocks in preparing a child for adult life & responsibilities. But some of these roadblocks are glorified window-dressing in their purpose and reasoning.
We are still going through one of the longest cold snaps this area has seen in decades. Two of the past seven days have seen the high temperature for the day lower than the average low temperature for this time of year. We've not had a double-digit low temperature in nearly two weeks.
But according to a local meterologic specialist, this cold wave has not set individual records. Nor has it resulted in much snow, as we've still tallied less than ten inches for the season. Roads are perfectly normal in fact; any ice was melted over a week ago to where there's not even slush to go through.
But to hear the wave of school closing that came through this week simply because of the prolonged cold surprised me. Are there seriously that many building problems in the area just starting in 2007? Or has a new excuse for closing down schools come through?
My generation was not as hearty as the one before. Bill Cosby made the joke that his father had to walk to school "uphill, both ways." So we didn't have it as hard as the older generation. Now I know what went through the older people's minds when they shrugged their shoulders & sighed at us for complaining about the conditions.
Snowstorm or ice storm, granted - schools would be closed. Building problems - acceptable. Too many cases of teachers honestly getting the flu - understood. But just cold weather when the roads are passable and most car batteries do work properly?
I hope it's not just me who thinks this latest fad started this year. More and more, future generations are being coddled, and it can all be traced to political correctness. Consequences and less-than-ideal situations are the norm for humankind, and a thicker hide needs to be grown as a person moves up in life. If they are protected from every minor thing, what will happen when they reach adulthood will shock them & remind them of how unprepared they may end up.
It gets just as cold where I work as it does around my house or anyone else's, and yes - I dread having to venture out in that weather. But I dress smart, and I head to work knowing there's a job to be done. Saying the airport should close due to cold weather is just a joke: that would never be an excuse for actually cancelling all the flights (to warm-weather destinations, no less). As it is with mail delivery, there's a job to be done regardless of the weather conditions.
Schooling prepares you for a successful life, and you need all those 180 days of education you can get. Unfortunately, it requires some effort to get there, just like it does in the adult world of jobs. Why try to take the easy way out if weather conditions and the building facilities are near ideal?
There are always roadblocks in preparing a child for adult life & responsibilities. But some of these roadblocks are glorified window-dressing in their purpose and reasoning.
February 1, 2007
Some of my best friends are doctors
We knew it was only a matter of time before I'd be filing an injury report. I fell victim to a slip-and-fall accident at work on the 28th and am out on worker's compensation leave indefinitely.
The old back woes flared up again - this is the fourth time it's acted up in five years, and the second time due to the slip & fall. In this instance, thank goodness my right arm braced the cart I nearly slid under, because otherwise I would have slid totally under, and it could have rolled over me.
Pardon me for saying, but these injuries have a childish theme about them, at least from the stance of considering my education. I once worked with government people, and now I'm sliding in the ice underneath bag carts?
Maybe the break will be good. The company is in the midst of its semi-monthly panic about staffing levels, and I'm glad some of those concerns will pass me by.
My next update will likely be on the 9th of next month, as cited below when the internet originally crashed. I did not expect my back to crash with it -- therefore it will limit my mobility further, so Kinko's will be out of the question.
The running gag in the house is that Steve has a black cloud about him that he gives to everyone around him. All I've gotten since he's left has been a snowstorm.
The old back woes flared up again - this is the fourth time it's acted up in five years, and the second time due to the slip & fall. In this instance, thank goodness my right arm braced the cart I nearly slid under, because otherwise I would have slid totally under, and it could have rolled over me.
Pardon me for saying, but these injuries have a childish theme about them, at least from the stance of considering my education. I once worked with government people, and now I'm sliding in the ice underneath bag carts?
Maybe the break will be good. The company is in the midst of its semi-monthly panic about staffing levels, and I'm glad some of those concerns will pass me by.
My next update will likely be on the 9th of next month, as cited below when the internet originally crashed. I did not expect my back to crash with it -- therefore it will limit my mobility further, so Kinko's will be out of the question.
The running gag in the house is that Steve has a black cloud about him that he gives to everyone around him. All I've gotten since he's left has been a snowstorm.
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