Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Big Storms and Little

Last week's mini-hurricane (well, that's what it was where I am in South East New England) was only gale force winds and some rain, yet it did do quite a bit of damage on the coast line due to the full moon high tide.  I'm almost an olde Yankee hereabouts, so I don't get all put out about being out of electricity for a week.  That's what hurricane lamps are for, don't you know.  You also don't build on the beach, dim-of-wit!; or on land that is in a known flood area. (knocks head with flat of hand -- when will the stupid ever end!)  However, I am really glad that Cape May, one of the really beautiful places in New Jersey, did miss the storm.  I also regret all loss of life.  So, today's and tonight's nor-easter is just a little blip on my particular radar.  Bundle up, it's cold outside, the wind is blowing from the nor-east, and eat some marshmallows by your fireplace tonight with real hot cocoa and toddies.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Elections 2012


Oh hail, Goddess Columbia, Protectress of our great land,

Be with us I pray as we go do our duty as citizens next Tuesday.

May we still ourselves before your altars, remembering that

What we do should not be for selfish reasons but for the best

Of our country and its people as a whole:


That no one, including the government, should have control

Over another person, except in the criminal justice system;

 
 
 

And, finally, as that great Hero Franklin Delano Rooselvelt

said, we need to be free from the greatest fear of all -- fear

itself.



 

It is only by this that we can truly be a great nation:  one made

out of many.  So may it be, Great Columbia!



 


 

 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Why I Despair

One of my favourite blogs is The New Oxonian, which is written by Joseph Hoffman, PhD.  What I am citing here from one of his recent posts really spoke to me.

The failure of the culture to inspire has led to the failure of people to be curious and a general acceptance of the status quo in most things–especially religion. Why should people want to know more about anything when they have a thousand bucks in the bank, an iPhone, and a new MacDonalds opening up down the street? Starbucks is for people with jobs.
American culture is not hardwired to evoke curiosity about science, religion, or anything else. It’s designed to breed complacency. If Theodore Roethke had lived today, he would write about the inexorable sadness of shopping malls and gated communities and universities where nothing happens and a society where conscience dies daily in the onslaught of the latest economic data.   
. . . .
THE opposite of complacency is not excess. It is moderation, and if the argument against moderation is that it has nothing to show for itself, the counter- argument is that excess has much, much less.                      

Monday, July 2, 2012

Bring Out Your Truly Stupid

Summertime -- aah!  Now is the time when we see a number of human beings take themselves out of the gene pool in the hope that they will be the winner of this year's Darwin Awards.  The only problem with this is that young people who have not beeen taught otherwise can get caught up in the so-called adult hi-jinks.  However, the wonderful Second Amendment which always gets rights added to it rather than any other amendment, now seems to be applied to for private ownership of fireworks, some of which qualify as ordnance.  So, now I get to see these tacky outposts spring up during this time all over Connecticut and we have even more traffic because it is illegal to sell these things to idiots in Rhode Island.  So, appreciate the EMTs and Emergency Room teams who have to deal with the aftermath of 3rd/4th degree burns; traumatic amputations, etc.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Modern Snake Oil


How do I manage to rile up hornets' nests?  I would think that the promulgating of a so-called macrobiotic "therapy" for cancer and other serious illness calls for the reasoning that went into that decision and the number of specialist opinions that were sought before that decision was made.  Otherwise, it seems to me that this is another case of (tm) True Believers preaching.  The nest was on our local UU church's chat list FYI.  BTW, I am also a retired Medical Librarian and  do know how to search.  The following comes from the About.Alternative Medicine, which is meant for the lay reader.  Personally, I would pursue a middle way.  

Because low-fat, high fiber diets are often recommended for cancer and other chronic diseases, the macrobiotic diet has been used by people with these conditions. The phytoestrogen content may be protective and reduce the risk of estrogen-related cancers such as breast cancer. However, further research is needed to clarify whether the macrobiotic diet is effective in cancer prevention and treatment.
People with serious medical conditions such as cancer or AIDS should always seek proper medical care. Some people try the diet because they heard it can cure their disease, but reseach has not substantiated these claims.

The macrobiotic diet is considered by some nutritionists to be too restrictive and lacking in certain nutrients, such as protein, vitamin B12, iron, magnesium, and calcium. Lack of energy may result from inadequate protein.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

I Really Have Not Been Lazy . . .

I cannot believe that it has been this long since I have blogged!!!  

In October of last year and this past January I have had total knee

replacements.  Sometimes I wonder if it was worth it as I am still

uncomfortable.  The physical therapy was very good and my flexion

is 130 degrees; however, I never managed to get my legs 

completely flat.

After my first surgery I also had horrible side-effects from the pain

medication I was being given (oxycontin).  I was totally psycho with

the hallucinations which did not dissipate until several days after I

had been sent to an in-patient rehabilitation facility.  Needless to 

say, I almost did the second surgery on no medications at all -- just

tylenol and ice water circulating around my leg.  I think I was the

only Amazon the hospital ever had on its orthopaedic unit.  It can

be done.

I am reading at a record-setting pace; however, I have not been

keeping track, so I will have to have a massive list making day

soon.