Very Random

Breaking the Mold

2009-03-17T23:32:00.008-04:00

Are we becoming allergic to the 21^st century?
CBC Newsworld aired Allergy Planet on The Passionate Eye (Mar. 16/09).
The doc, produced and directed by Naomi Austin, takes you from the most remote inhabited island, where 50% of its 400 residents are affected by asthma, to the impact of industrialization and pollution in L.A.

Narrated by Steven Mackintosh, Allergy Planet's examination of current research demonstrates one clear conclusion of immunologists: allergies are still a mystery.

The CBC doesn't have the episode available online, but I found the BBC airing on YouTube - sorry, it's in 6 segments.
Part 1 is here to get you going.
Here's the page with all segments of the 1-hour documentary.

Update: Billy Nichols' Case

2009-03-14T22:37:00.004-04:00

The civil case in Ocala, Fla. involving Billy Nichols, a well known business owner in Ocala, is back in court this week for hearings on several motions. (more...)

Nichols was charged with DUI Manslaughter in 2007. His defense attorney argued that Nichols' gastroparesis was responsible for an inaccurate BAC test result after the accident. Nichols was acquitted on both counts.

The civil suit was filed by Adrian Cummings, whose wife, Nancy, and daughter, Holly, were victims of the collision. One of Cummings' lawyer's motions relates to accessing Nichols' medical records. In September, 2008 Nichols was ordered by the court to see a specialist at the University of Florida (Shands) for his condition.

Original Post - Gastroparesis Defense Against DUI

Robbery Victim's Day - From Bad to Wurst

2009-03-14T20:18:00.004-04:00

Thieves in a Boynton Beach, Fla. Wal-Mart distracted a 79-year old shopper by asking her how to make relish.
As the woman helped them find the ingredients in the store, one of the unsavory bandits took off with her purse. ( more...)

The police haven't been able to ketchup to the perpetrators. They appear to be garden-variety thieves; but I suppose they may be seasoned pros.

Tags: [Relish Thieves] [Boynton Beach]

Scapegoating Masquerading As Science

2009-03-06T02:44:00.007-05:00

Dr. Brian Primack, a University of Pittsburgh professor, surveyed 700 teens about their music preferences and sexual behavior. The study, set to be published next month, links lyrics in rap music to teen sex . Primack avoids declaring a causal relationship - Rap Music Makes Teens Have Sex - but the headlines reporting the research come dangerously close. Strictly speaking, you'd need to know if the tendency to engage in sexual behavior at age 15-16 led the teens to seek out music with explicit lyrics. (I suppose you'd also need an adjustment factor to account for any predisposition to have sex at age 15-16.)

The study doesn't say that teenage fans of Daughtry and ColdPlay and U2 aren't having sex. And while the explicit lyrics include describing "degrading sex acts", there's no indication that the teens are engaging in "degrading sex acts."

Then

After interviewing 95 tween-aged girls, researchers at Iowa State University, led by Prof. Douglas Gentile, concluded that cartoon violence leads to acts of aggression in children . "The study also found that youngsters tended to mimic the negative behaviour they saw on TV such as rumour-spreading, gossiping and eye-rolling." Puh-lease!

The research fails to explore the effects of distress one may experience when he discovers that wearing a dress and batting fake eyelashes while holding a lacy handkerchief will not fool his enemy into falling in love and facilitate his escape from said enemy.

Sadly, I still don't know whether it's Rabbit Season or Duck Season.

Tags: [Dr. Brian Primack]
[Explicit Lyrics]
[Professor Douglas Gentile]
[Cartoons & Violence in Society]

Shoplifters' Rush Ends Up Sugar-Free

2009-02-06T20:56:00.045-05:00

Kayla Raymond, 19, and Michael Kautz, 21, were detained after Wal-Mart employees in Hazel Dell, Washington reported a shoplifting incident early Thursday evening.
According to the report, the pair had not paid for a SOBE^® energy drink and a vibrating condom that were found in their possession. (Article...)

Just to make sure that I understand ...
Wal-Mart^® sells vibrating condoms, but censors its CD product mix?

Tags: [Kayla Raymond] [Michael Kautz]
[Wal-Mart] [SoBe Energy Drinks]
[Censorship] [Safe Sex]

Heated Argument Ends In Gore

2009-01-14T21:28:00.002-05:00

Ashley Sherlinki, of Luzerne County, PA was arrested and charged with simple assault and harassment Sunday night after she allegedly impaled her boyfriend, Eric Dixon, with a meat thermometer. Read More...

Sherlinki threw the thermometer when Dixon opened the door, after she'd been banging on the door. The nature of her beef was not revealed in the article.

I've no doubt that West Wyoming Police grilled Sherlinki in the interrogation room during the investigation.
The media is likely to skewer Sherlinki, as this type of event is rare in Wyoming PA, a town of about 3400.
I'm certain that Sherlinki will express some degree of remorse at her court appearance later this month.
Her goose is cooked!

Tags: [Ashley Sherlinki] [Eric Dixon]

[Wyoming, PA]
[Bad Puns]

64° of Separation

2009-01-13T22:33:00.007-05:00

Bonbini.
Jessica and Makenzie returned from Aruba on Sunday evening. They spent the previous week with their grandparents on One Happy Island. Their snow white skin had become a modest light brown. How did they manage to choose between the beach, the pool or shopping? Easy - they did them all!

There was no close call on the bluffs and no keys-locked-in-the-car story. On their last night, Jess and Kenzie were thrilled to watch the Carnival Parade with Gramm and Bubb (and Gramm and Bubb deserve medals for being excited about it too, since standing around with 90,000 people isn't really their thing).

The girls said that the average temperature in Aruba was 50° C. It's actually closer to 32° (according to The Weather Channel ); but when one's comparing the weather in Aruba to the temperature in January back home, I see how it'd be easy to exaggerate.

Which brings me to the point I want to make - Jessica and Makenzie have gone from 32°C in Aruba to -32°C in Canada in 48 hours - 64 degrees.

For those who don't think in Celsius, that's a high of 90°F to -25°F (yes, I mean 25 below 0°F) ...and the title of this post for you is A 115° Turn.

Ayo.

Tags: [Aruba] [Weather in Ontario]
[The Weather Network]
[Six Degrees] [180 Degrees]

Bull In A China Store

2009-01-05T19:16:00.003-05:00

A new shopping center is preparing for its grand opening in Nanjing, China.
So what, you ask?

H iPhone now available

Apparently Chinese fraud-repreneurs were tired of reproducing item look-a-likes. Each of the stores in this mall is a knock-off of a popular national franchise - "a McDonalds look-a-like burger bar called McDnoald’s, a Starbucks-style coffee shop called Bucksstar Coffee, and a wannabe Pizza Hut called Pizza Huh." (Read more...)

Fact checker on staff here admits the story in The Mirror could be framed around photo-shop contest entries.
But if the mall does exist, then look for Burger King (under the Burger King banner) in the food court ... they've been selling edible material they call "food" for over 50 years.

Tags:[Shopping in Nanjing] [Counterfeit products]

[McDonald's in China] [Starbucks in China]

Read News about Fake Products

The O.J. Bar Is Closed

2009-01-02T20:02:00.009-05:00

Donald Westlake, a prolific author considered one of the most successful and versatile mystery writers in the United States, has died. He was 75. (More...)

Donald E. Westlake was a great writer because he went from the gritty Parker to the comedy of Dortmunder with apparent ease. Fifteen of his stories were turned into movies, including Payback, The Hot Rock and Cops and Robbers. His screenplay for The Grifters earned him an Oscar nomination (which almost makes What's the Worst That Can Happen forgivable).

I passed Jimmy the Kid and The Hot Rock to my kids to read, the same way that I got the books from my Dad.
Dortmunder and his crew saved the O.J. in Watch Your Back. The single bare bulb hanging over the table in the back room is off now.
G'night, Rollo.

Order it from
chapters.indigo.ca

It'd only be fitting if Westlake's funeral procession went up Rockaway Parkway and across Eastern to Grand Army Plaza, then right up Flatbush to the Manhattan Bridge. Traffic will be light on Third Avenue at 79^th, especially compared to the West Side Highway.

Get Real will be released in April.

Tags: [Donald E. Westlake]
[The Parker Series] [The Dortmunder Series]

Mixed Message

2008-10-25T22:17:00.002-04:00

Can I rent an apartment or not?

Herb Alpert Still a Chart Topper

2008-09-15T01:12:00.011-04:00

The Giving Back Fund has released its list of Most Generous Celebrities. GBF looked at public records of donations in 2007 and ranked the stars' philanthropy. Oprah Winfrey tops the generosity chart, donating more than $50 million to various charities throughout 2007.

Herb Alpert is ranked #2 in giving, surpassing the benevolence of power couple Brangelina (6), Hugh Hefner (14) and Tiger Woods (18).

The Herb Alpert Foundation sponsors awards in the arts ranging from elementary students through to fellowships for professionals. At California Institute of the Arts, the foundation provides annual fellowships of $50,000 to five artists.

In 2006, Herb Alpert released a re-mastered version of Whipped Cream and Other Delights. It went to #5 on Billboard's Jazz Chart.
Herb Alpert and former business partner Jerry Moss received the Lifetime Achievement Award and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Forty-six years after The Lonely Bull broke into the top 10 and Alpert's still there. Makes me wonder where Chuck Mangione is.

GBF'S 10 Most Generous Celebrities
1. Oprah Winfrey
2. Herb Alpert
3. Barbra Streisand
4. Paul Newman
5. Mel Gibson
6. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
7. (tie) Lance Armstrong
7. (tie) Michael Jordan
7. (tie) Eric Lindros
10. Rush Limbaugh

Tags: [Giving Back Fund] [Herb Alpert] [A & M Records]
[Oprah] [Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie]
[Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame] [Jerry Moss]

Pepe 1 Buddy 0

2008-09-05T14:52:00.003-04:00

The dog was going crazy. From midnight to one, he was whining at the kitchen window then dashing to the patio door, then running into the laundry room, then back to whine at the window some more. It was obvious that something was in the yard, but I wasn't letting him out to investigate or chase.

Shortly after 1:00 a.m., I opened the door and let him go. He leapt to the ground over the stairs and ran up one side of the house, then bolted to the back corner. Then down the fence to the other corner. Across the back again and around the other side of the house. His nose was to the ground and his shoulders were hunched as he tracked the uninvited visitor's steps around the yard. He sped around the perimeter 5 times before settling in the middle of the yard. He was alert and watchful, but appeared convinced that he'd have no trouble.

After about 10 minutes, I called him to come in, but he didn't budge. Suddenly, he bolted up one side of the house. I heard an odd wail near the gate and Buddy came back to his spot in the lawn. I called him again, but he was staring between the houses. I looked but couldn't see anything.

I went out to bring him inside when he bolted up the side of the house again. Again I heard the wail and Buddy returned to his post, apparently satisfied that he'd kept it at bay. I went back inside.

In less than a minute, he high-tailed it back up the yard to the gate. This time when he came back to the middle of the yard, he was diving into the grass, rolling around frantically and rubbing his face with his paws. He was snorting and coughing and diving and rolling.

Now he thought he should come inside.

He had to have met a skunk up at the gate, but it didn't smell like typical skunkiness. He pushed past me at the door, then dove into the carpet and rolled around frantically and rubbed his face with his paws. In the living room. In the dining room. In the hall.

I wondered if tomato juice was a valid remedy; not that it mattered, because we didn't have any. I had to get the stink-bombed Buddy out of the house so I could think. (I find it hard to be logical when I'm holding my breath that long.)
I decided that I needed to do 3 things: first neutralize the odor from the spray, then eliminate the odor, then wash it out of his fur.

I decided to try some old stand-bys. I took vinegar (neutralize), baking soda (get rid of the smell) and soap (wash fur) out to the patio. I filled a bucket with some warm water for rinsing and took an empty bucket out for mixing.

I put a couple drops of soap into the bucket, added some vinegar and held the dog tightly before shaking in the baking soda. As the mixture erupted, I scrubbed it into the dog's fur and face. After a rinse, he smelled better, but it was still pretty bad.

I did it all again. Scrub, rinse, repeat. Around 3:15 a.m. I was done. Buddy seemed embarrassed at having been skunked.

Indoors needed some odor removal too. I sprinkled baking soda everywhere the dog had been inside. I let it soak up the smell for a bit then hauled out the vacuum to finish the job.

Yep, that was me vacuuming in the middle of the night.

Had I bothered to check online for a de-skunking remedy, I would have found EHow's instructions. Out of the list of required 'tools', we had only the cotton swabs, baking soda, dish soap, garden hose and rubber gloves. I would need to make a 2:00 a.m. run to the store for

- Tomato Juice
- Dog Grooming Sprays
- Commercially Prepared Skunk Odor Removers
- Dog Conditioner
- 4 c. hydrogen peroxide (that's gotta hurt!)
- Dr. Bronner's Bar Soap
- Kiss My Face Shampoo and Crème Rinse
- Douche (?What? Why? Never mind, I don't want to know.)

I don't follow any recipe if it has more than 5 ingredients!
Here's poor Buddy, 12 hours post-skunking. I swear he's frowning.

Robert Lowell's Skunk Hour
[Dog Sprayed by Skunk]
[Pepe Le Pew] [eHow.com]

April Day! Alitalia Si È Rotto

2008-08-30T22:01:00.023-04:00

On August 1, airline industry analysts warned that high fuel costs were threatening to bankrupt more than 50 European airlines. The same day, The Financial Times reported that delivery of a rescue proposal for Italy's Alitalia Airlines would be delayed due to stalled merger negotiations. Days later, Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's Prime Minister, promised to save Alitalia from bankruptcy. 'We will perform another miracle and will offer a profitable national company, he said'. The Italian government owns 49% of Alitalia. The ensuing three weeks were filled with rumors of new investors and partners to save the troubled airline; until Thursday when it was confirmed that Alitalia had filed for bankruptcy protection.

You need to know that Alitalia history and Pavlov's Theory of Classical Conditioning to understand the impact this airline industry turbulence has had on me.

Anytime I hear the words Alitalia Airlines, the song Eh Cumpari plays in my head. The Italian novelty-song from the 1950's is about the different instruments from the orchestra playing the song. Julius La Rosa sang it, backed by Archie Bleyer's band. It's The Gaylords' cover of La Rosa's #1 hit that plays in my head. (I could only find La Rosa's version to put here.

for your entertainment).

Say "Alitalia" and I hear the whistle of the friscalettu; the toota of the saxofona; the pling of the mandulin; the zing of the viulin; the poppa-pop of the trumbetta and the story told during the extended instrumental bridge. It goes something like this:

I received a letter from my Uncla Guisseppe.
He tella me he heard from my Uncla Pasquale. Pasquale, he fly, he fly right into Italia. Onna big plane, he fly right into Italy.
They be in the air about 20 minutes an' the pilot, he come onto the radio.
"Hello, this is your cap-i-tan speaking. I just wonna tella you that earlier, we had a little bitta' trouble. Its-a all o.k. now, but I juss wanna to letta you know."
He be in the air about another 20 minutes an' the pilot, he come onto the radio.
"Hello, this is your cap-i-tan speaking. I just wonna tella you that we hadda a little bit more trouble. Its-a all o.k. now, but I juss wanna to letta you know."
He be in the air about another 20 minutes an' the pilot, he come onto the radio again.
"April Day! April Day! This is your cap-i-tan. We havin' a bigga trouble right now. We gonna haff to make a splash-down landing. All of the passengers, iffa you know how to swim, go to the right side of the airplane. All of the passengers, iffa you don't know how to swim, you go to the left side of the airplane.
After we hit the water, the people on the right - I tella you - you know how to swim, you swim to shore. We juss about 20 miles from shore. You gonna be o.k. The people on the left, those of you who do not know how to swim - I tella you - thanks a lot for flying Alitalia Airlines. (chorus)

I keep hearing on the news that Alitalia's bankrupt, but what I really hear is Tippity-Tippity-Ta!

[Eh Cumpari!] [Alitalia Airlines] [Silvio Berlusconi]
[Julius La Rosa] [Archie Bleyer] [The Gaylords]
[Pavlov: Classical Conditioning]

And They Lived Happily Ever After

2008-08-24T21:04:00.008-04:00

After Moya Dillon's article in Oshawa This Week, my parents received a telephone message outlining the dwarfs' location. No gravelly-voiced ransom demand - the caller didn't know how the figures were acquired, just where to find them.

Doc, Sleepy, Grumpy, Sneezy, Bashful and Bambi's friend, Bimbo are back at Summers End.

Unfortunately, Dopey didn't make it back. I hope it means he's lost, not that he's come to any harm.

The recovered dwarfs and Bimbo appeared to have been treated well by their captors. Happy beamed a brighter smile as his brothers were asked to comment and provide details of their experience.

"Mush," complained Grumpy, as he shrugged off a hug.
"I'm sleepy," yawned Sleepy.
Sneezy chimed in with a very loud "Ah-choo,".
Bashful whispered that he was embarrassed by all the attention.
"We are grateful to everyone who facilitated our return," Doc declared. "We are happy to be home."

Tags: [Snow White] [Lawn & Garden]
[Moya Dillon] [Oshawa This Week]

Finding Hope In A Strange Place

2008-08-22T21:52:00.005-04:00

It ain't easy. It ain't easy.
Well all the people have got their problems,
That ain't nothing new.
With the help of the good Lord
We can all pull on through.

(written by Ron Davies,
performed by David Bowie on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars)

It sure ain't easy.
It must be August since Andrew had surgery again; but it's all good, because I found Hope where I least expected it -
the refrigerator.

I was making a path to get something from the back of the fridge. I shifted the bag of meds to on top of the milk, moved the bowl of melon salad up one shelf, relocated the yogurt containers closer the juice carton and there it was:

OK, so it's just a magnetic word tile, but surely it is a sign.

Usually the word tiles are put together like this on the fridge door:

I am fuzzy with cheer and we be sunny giggle

Right now, we have he is Goofy and

I AM Lucky Amazing Special and Silly

It has to be a sign; because two days later, I saw this:

You don't have to clobber me over the head.

Tags: [Hope] [Omens] [Rainbows]
[Ron Davies] [David Bowie] [Ziggy Stardust]

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Grammarians Gone Wild

2008-08-22T20:28:00.016-04:00

Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson, pleaded guilty to vandalism after damaging an historic, hand-painted sign at Grand Canyon National Park. On March 28, they were accused of using a whiteout product and a permanent marker to deface a sign that's a National Historic Landmark.
Investigators learned of the vandalism from an Internet site operated by Deck on behalf of the Typo Eradication Advancement League, or TEAL.
According to the Internet posting, TEAL members correct typos on public signs. (The TEAL site is currently unavailable) Original and corrected signs are photographed and posted at the site. A detailed map tracks the progress of the grammar vigilantes' cross-country crusade.
In addition to being banned from national parks for a year, the two are barred from modifying any public signs and must pay restitution to repair the Grand Canyon sign. Read more...

Errors on public signs irritate me too, but I wouldn't deface a national monument in the name of good grammar. What kind of sentence includes being barred from modifying any public sign?

I have never experienced a 'whiteout emergency'; maybe I don't truly have a type-o personality.

Tags: [Jeff Deck] [Benjamin Herson]
[T.E.A.L.]
[Vandalism] [Good Grammar]
[Personality Types]

Happy's Saga Continues...

2008-08-21T21:14:00.012-04:00

The kidnapped dwarf story has been picked up by the main-stream media:
(Click photo to read article)

The online article has a different headline...good thing, because it's killing me to leave this one alone...

A Grimm Discovery

2008-08-06T08:38:00.010-04:00

On Friday, my parents took their coffee at the cafe on the grounds of Summers End. They surveyed the yard and noticed something amiss.
Over there in the NE corner of the lot where the playhouse stands... where was Snow White?

They walked to the playhouse and were horrified to discover 6 of their concrete dwarfs were missing.
The 40" Snow White figure had been knocked down, but at least she was still there. Somebody kidnapped the dwarfs!

Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful and Dopey - all of them gone! Only Happy was left behind. (Unfortunately, an horrific accident left Happy a double-amputee several years ago).

Snow White and the seven dwarfs have been friends of the playhouse for at least 25 years. They've been a part of the Wild parties, Family Picnics, Wayne Day and several weddings. They're family - the children of the house after The Original 6 moved out.

Every few years, my Dad would cart each dwarf to the garage where my Mom would painstakingly repaint him. Once sealed and dry, my Dad would carry each concrete man back to his place. Snow White received an ultra deluxe spa treatment, including chemical peel (old paint removal), deep facial line treatment (filling weathered areas) and microdermabrasion (sanding) before hitting makeup and wardrobe.

Two fawns, Bambi and Bimbo, are usually placed as if they'd just left the cornfield - heading toward the playhouse. Bimbo was also missing.

In order to execute the robbery, the dwarf-nappers had to park on the shoulder of the road, climb the fence, walk to the playhouse area, pick up the concrete statue (you need 2 people to carry Bimbo), carry it back

(enlarge to view getaway route)

down the yard, over the fence, down the hill at the ditch to the waiting car...seven times! There's been too much rain to drive through the field without getting stuck. {Aside: Escape through the field after a rain was attempted once. Once. You noticed I said 'attempted'?}

"I miss them," my Dad told me yesterday when I visited the homestead. "I miss you too," he quickly added lest I be offended.
So deep is the loss that he can't bear to whistle while he works in the yard.
Come to think of it, the wind wasn't whistling through the trees either.

As for Happy, well I thought he looked quite lonely.

Tags: [Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales] [Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs]
[Disney Lawn Statues] [Crimestoppers - Durham]

A Week in Pictures

2008-07-20T01:22:00.003-04:00

Whitewalls on a Navigator?
A closer look indicates the driver needs to work on curbside parking.

I'm not making this up. Three of these decorations were for sale at a local store...each with the same spelling mistake.

Are Jake and Elwood in town?

Building Technology - Workers use large rocks to hold concrete in place in Cleveland.

Recent photos of those plants previously described as
nearly-dead	and dead

No flowers in the grass now	These purple flowers were transplanted from Sandra's garden

Read about the Recent Cleveland Trip

Tags: [Whitewall Tires] [The Blues Brothers]
[Construction at The Cleveland Clinic]
[Gardening]

"Congrats On Not Failing"

2008-06-29T22:13:00.004-04:00

Four hundred students formed the Titans' Class of 2008 at a ceremony held last week. Each grad was allotted two tickets to the ceremony, but an occasion this auspicious called for all 3 of us to attend. I thought I'd be able to get 1 additional person (Jessica) into the ceremony. We'd advised grandparents that seating was restricted, and we knew it would be nearly impossible to smuggle 4 more people in.

We decided that John and Jessica would use the tickets. "I'm Andrew's Mom," ought to have been enough to get me into the gym. At the door, two bouncers directed me to wait along the wall. Apparently, being Andrew's mom didn't hold the gravitas of 'I'm with the band'.

Some of us who were waiting along the wall might be allowed in if space permitted, after everyone had taken their seats. If not, I was welcome to watch the ceremony via CCTV in the auditorium.

Soon, an unused single ticket was turned over to the door security. Since I was the only 'single' waiting along the wall, I was allowed to pass. From our seats in the 2nd-last row I could see a bit of the stage apron.

John snapped this picture before Andrew walked up on the stage to receive his diploma. Folder in hand, Andrew then walked down the stairs and along the aisle where John was waiting for the grand close-up......but the battery didn't have enough charge to use the camera.

For your benefit, I've outlined Andrew in the queue (click photo to enlarge). Take my word for it, he received his diploma; hence the headline - a quote from Jessica's praises to her brother after the ceremony.

Sign Of The Apostrophe

2008-06-23T14:04:00.005-04:00

From this sign, I understand that a person named JOB is looking for work.

Suggested reading for the employment agency that posted this sign:

Tags [Outdoor Advertising]
[Look for a Job] [Punctuation]

You Are A Genius!

2008-06-07T14:05:00.002-04:00

This blog is rated at Genius.
You read this blog.
Ergo, you are a genius!

Summary	Value
Total sentences (landing page)	1069
Total words (landing page)	4065
Words with 1 Syllable	2025
Words with 2 Syllables	892
Words with 3 Syllables	519
Words with 4 or more Syllables	629
Percentage of word with three or more syllables	28.24%
Average Syllables per Word	1.94
Gunning Fog Index	12.82
Flesch-Kincaid Grade	8.77

The Gunning-Fog Index and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level results indicate approximately how many years of schooling it would take someone to understand the content.

Gunning-Fog Index Algorithm =
(average_words_sentence + number_words_three_syllables_plus) * 0.4
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Algorithm =
(0.39 * average_words_sentence) + (11.8 * average_syllables_word) - 15.9

Tags: [Readability Tests] [Critics Rant]
[Gunning-Fog Index] [Flesch-Kincaid Level]
[Good Will Hunting]

Put Away the 'Discrimination' Placards

2008-06-05T19:55:00.004-04:00

Stacey Fearnall, a waitress at Nathaniel's Restaurant in Owen Sound, was laid off after she shaved her hair off in a local fundraiser for a cancer charity.

The 36-year-old raised almost $2,700 in pledges over four months and then had her thick, red locks shaved off in a local Cops for Cancer event on the weekend...When she showed up for work Tuesday at Nathaniel's restaurant in Owen Sound, an upscale eatery, her employers told her to take the summer off -- without pay. (Full article...)

In April, Fearnall approached owners Jeff Ferris and Dan Hilliard. They told Fearnall "they would not be pleased" if she shaved her head in the fundraiser. They encouraged her to participate in a way that would not affect her job at Nathaniel's.

At first, I thought this was a case of a woman who lost her job because of her cancer.
That would be discrimination.
That's not what happened here at all.

Rather, and despite being warned, Fearnall chose to participate in the fundraiser by shaving her head. Removing her hair violated Nathaniel's dress code standard for employees. They're allowed to outline acceptable standards. Tim Horton's doesn't allow visible piercings. Show up for a shift with a nose stud and you'll be sent home. McDonald's doesn't allow a visible tattoo; cover it or go home.

And she wasn't fired. She was laid off until she was able to comply with the company's expectations. Hilliard offered some accommodations to her, by suggesting she cover her head - a hat appropriate to the restaurant's ambiance would have been sufficient - and return to work.

If Fearnall lost her hair due to alopecia, chemotherapy or any unavoidable circumstances, and was fired my reaction would be completely different.

Sorry, but I can't turn the wheel of sympathy for her. She made her choice - the fundraiser over her job. She knew that consequences at work were likely. Ferris and Hilliard are just following through.

Poorly handled? For sure. Discrimination? No.

I commend her on the contribution to the fundraising...but the charity should have come up with a different name - Cops for Cancer? Are the police in Grey-Bruce really FOR cancer?

[Stacey Fearnall] [Nathaniel's Restaurant]
[Owen Sound] [Cops for Cancer]
[Ontario Human Rights Commission]

Photo by: James Masters (Owen Sound Sun Times)

Schools Advised to Reject Middle Class

2008-06-04T22:07:00.002-04:00

Professor John White, a member of a committee established to advise on curriculum changes in the U.K., will explain the suggestion that 'middle class' academic subjects should be removed from the national curriculum in junior high schools.

Children should no longer be taught traditional subjects at school because they are "middle-class" creations, the advisory panel concluded. Lessons should instead cover a series of personal skills.
Pupils would no longer study history, geography and science but learn skills such as energy-saving and civic responsibility through projects and themes. ..the full article..
Energy conservation is a meaningful unit within a broader science course; ecology and conservation belong in geography; civic responsibility lessons are a by-product of studying history. It's necessary to understand how the past influences the present and predicts the future.

Available at chapters.indigo.ca

Geography, history, science and the arts are underfunded in education now - partly because funding levels consider student achievement on standardized tests. The standard tests focus on English and Math, yet an entire generation struggles with arithmetic, grammar, reading comprehension and writing.

The panel's report claims that 'the aims [of changing the curriculum] include fostering a model pupil who "values personal relationships, is a responsible and caring citizen, is entrepreneurial, able to manage risk and committed to sustainable development".'

I support these goals, but I don't understand how removing social sciences is going to achieve them; however, I see there may be a buyer for my proposed course on Communication for Youth.

Among the units covered in my suggested class would be Communicating in Spontaneous Situations (Small Talk) and Conventions of Conversation.
The course would cover initiating, participating in and ending conversations. We'd discuss using humor, irony and sarcasm effectively, as well as the importance of thinking before speaking.

I can't decide if Communication for Youth will be a prerequisite or co-requisite of my proposed Common Sense 101.
I'll see what Professor White and his pals think.

Tags: [Prof. John White] [Curriculum Review Committee]
["Middle Class" Subjects]
[Mark Bauerlein] [The Dumbest Generation]

Prank Turns Into Pane in the A$$

2008-06-03T21:51:00.004-04:00

Three men in The Netherlands ran down a street in Utrecht with their pants pulled down in the back 'for a joke' ... At one point the 21-year-old 'pushed his behind against the window of a restaurant' that broke and resulted in 'deep wounds to his derriere.' (More...)

The owner of the restaurant did not press charges after the men agreed to pay for the repairs to the window.
This would be a great story if the restaurant happened to be called The Full Moon Cafe.

No doubt, the unnamed 21-year old will be the butt of jokes from his friends for a while.

The Devil's in the moon for mischief [Lord Byron (from Don Juan)]

Addendum 6-4-08: I can't help but wonder, if this had occurred in a more litigious country, would the Mooner sue the restaurant for faulty glass resulting in the serious injury to his butt?

Tags: [The Netherlands] [Mooning Prank]
[Lord Byron] [Don Juan]
[Full Moon Cafe]

Coming Soon: Carbon Underground

2008-05-28T01:35:00.007-04:00

A U.K. government sub-committee has a new proposal to reduce emissions.

"The influential Environmental Audit Committee says a personal carbon trading scheme is the best and fairest way of cutting Britain's CO2 emissions without penalising the poor.
Under the scheme, everyone would be given an annual carbon allowance to use when buying oil, gas, electricity and flights.
Anyone who exceeds their entitlement would have to buy top-up credits from individuals who haven't used up their allowance." (More...)

To protect citizens against rising food costs, food ration cards for the poor were suggested in Russia just two weeks ago. The recommendation was sent back to the committee for more review as present-day paradigms of ration strategies were criticized as inefficient.

Experts point to the cost and bureaucracy involved to administer such a plan as primary flaws, but I see the potential for something worse: black market carbon trading and carbon credit identity theft. In 1941, rations were introduced to help manage the economy during WWII and the black market for unused ration coupons flourished.

Diabolical thinkers are probably already conjuring plans to control the worldwide supply of carbon credits.

Control carbon credits,

Control the world!

(insert evil laugh here)

What effect will the carbon credit underground have on Chicago's Climate Exchange (CCX), the world's first legitimate emission exchange?

Today's Climate Consideration: Isn't one who supports the carbon offset industry really a pro-polluter?

Tags: [Environmental Audit Committee] [Carbon Rations] [Carbon Offsets]
[Climate Change] [Global Warming]
[Emission Exchange] [CCX]
[Dr. Evil] [Pinky & The Brain]

Proposed Law in Hamilton is Profane

2008-05-20T23:10:00.027-04:00

Mark Nimigan, Vice-Chair of Hamilton's Police Services Board, says that cleaning up the city's downtown is a priority.
At Tuesday's board meeting, Nimigan proposed the city criminalize the use of obscene language in public. (more...)

He argued that issuing fines to people who use profanity in public, in particular downtown and within the city's parks, would reduce the objectionable behavior.
Mr. Nimigan did not comment on issues related to enforcement of his proposal. When informed of the suggested regulation, I wouldn't have blamed Chief Mullan if he'd muttered '$#!+' before giving an official response.

Never mind that HPSB met in-camera yesterday to discuss 12 alleged sexual harassment charges faced by an officer - this proposed crackdown on cussing can only mean one thing:

the city has solved all other @*!#% problems in its universe.

The proposed Anti-Swearing Statute was the lead on the local newscast.

chapters.indigo.ca

Tags: [Swearing in Public] [Hamilton, ON]
[Hamilton Police Services Board] [Mark Nimigan] [Chief Brian Mullan]
[CHCH News] [Michelle Dubé]

Contrast for Effective Outdoor Signs

2008-05-15T16:39:00.004-04:00

Here's what I don't get:

If I'm using their
laser hair removal
service, why would I
only want 50% of it removed?

This featured sign was not provided by

Where The World Goes For Signs^™

(they'll ensure your signs convey a clear message)

Tags: [Outdoor Advertising] [Portable Billboards]
[Contrast Ratio in Signage] [Signarama]

Garden Variety Spring Games

2008-05-05T16:55:00.009-04:00

Spring!
Burrowing animals venture out from their hollows. Sounds of birds chirping welcome each day. The snow is gone; the increasing hours of daylight promise the temperature will continue to rise. The nights are cool (sometimes downright cold), but the bright sun during the day atones for that.

Gardeners eagerly turn the soil in their flower beds to encourage new growth of plants.

Around here, it's time for the Annual Spring Gardening Game that I call
Dead or Alive. Take a look:

Dead

Mostly Dead

Alive
but undesirable

Alive!
One Single Flower

Tags:[Gardening] [Spring] [Dead or Alive]

Bawling for Blessings

2008-04-28T10:29:00.010-04:00

The annual Crying Sumo Competition took place in Tokyo yesterday.

In crying sumo the babies are held up by amateur sumo wrestlers in a ring, and the baby who cries first is the winner. If both babies cry, then the one that cries loudest wins. A total of 84 babies born last year participated in the contest at the temple.

Crying sumo is a blessing for healthy growth of the child.
I don't understand the competition of this. Is there a wail-off to determine the loudest crier of all babies presented? What prize does the loudest crier receive?

"I love winners when they cry, losers when they try." (Tom T. Hall)

Available at chapters.indigo.ca

Tags:[Crying Sumo] [Sensoji Temple] [Tom T. Hall]

Confession: I'm Not Good Friend

2008-04-25T19:57:00.009-04:00

I've got a page on Facebook. I've got Facebook Friends.

But I'm a terrible Web 2.0 friend.

A while ago, someone apparently hacked into my Facebook account and sent out some notes, wall posts and video links that were unusual.

I was alerted to the breach when a said friend contacted me to explain my recent Graffiti on the Superwall. I told the friend "That you were Poked, Super Poked, received a wall post, were invited to add an application or take a quiz by me on Facebook, is 'unusual'."

I reviewed my settings, changed my password and secured my page. Occasionally, I have sent a legitimate video link (see right) or completed a quiz (car IQ) . Once I even sent a gift!

I don't know why I'm such a bad online friend; in the real world I'm not so negligent.
I'm respectful and kind. I remember birthdays, step in and help, and don't require.

Squidoo. Facebook. MySpace. Orkut. Twitter. BlogLog. Flickr. YouTube. Netvibe. Classmates.
I'll be your Web 2.0 friend. Mark my status low-maintenance.

Tags:[Facebook] [Web 2.0] [Social Media]

Truly Personalized Cellular Service

2008-04-10T02:04:00.007-04:00

The phenomenon known as cellular memory was developed by academics to explain characteristic and behavioral changes in organ transplant recipients.

Proponents believe that each human cell has a soul or spirit that has a memory. In a transplant, doctors take care of the mechanical side of the organ and the donor's cells' "memories" survive in the recipient.

There are several cases of cellular memory. A seven-year-old girl had vivid nightmares about a child's murder after being given the heart of the murder victim. The specific details of the nightmares helped to convict the murderer (so the story goes).
A woman craved beer and KFC after her lung/heart transplant - the favorite foods of her donor.
A man became an accomplished artist after receiving the heart of a scenic artist.
The stories (more here) are compelling, but is it valid?

The only case recognized by the scientific community is a 15-year-old Australian girl, whose blood type changed following a liver transplant.

Can consciousness survive a physical death? Are there memories in the organs?

We'll know if the person who receives my donated heart finds my keys.

Tags: [Cellular Memory] [Organ Transplant]
[Paul Pearsall] [Claire Sylvia] [Leslie A. Takeuchi]

Sour Over Earth Hour

2008-03-29T20:01:00.001-04:00

I'm environmentally aware. It's not new to me - in 1987, at university, I was among the founding members of the Green Club on campus. We returned empty beer bottles and kegs to fund our more serious pursuits.

Last year, I posted on calculating your carbon footprint.
The Carbon Coach stopped by with some encouraging comments.

I celebrated when Australia ratified the Kyoto Accord.
I wrote about the soil shortage before I even knew about Brian Fagan's book.

At home, we recycle and embrace the green bin program being rolled out in our community. We have low-flow toilets and shower heads and use faucet aerators. We use a rotary blade mower to cut the lawn. We've converted to LED's and CFL's.

We've installed low-E windows and last year we installed both a new hot water heater and a high efficiency furnace. We've had opportunities to repair the central air, but have chosen not to. We get by with fans. You might even say that we practice our own brand of sustainable gardening.

Programmable thermostat?	Check.	Use non-toxic cleaners?	Check.
Reuse bags and boxes for groceries?	Check.	No pesticides?	Check.
Wash clothes in cold water?	Check.	Hang clothes to dry?	Check.
Use the dishwasher on the EnergySave cycle?	Check.	Lights on timers? Power bars?	Check and Check.

All this but I can't get behind Earth Hour.

Organized in Sydney, Australia in 2007 by the World Wildlife Fund as a demonstration tool, 2-million people and thousands of businesses turned off their lights and electrical appliances for one hour. Aussies wanted to inspire their government to take climate change seriously. It worked.
This year residential and commercial participants from every continent will turn off their lights and electricity at 8:00 p.m. for one hour.
I understand that it's an event to raise consciousness. I know that it's a symbolic action. I get that people who may not have been so conscientious about reducing their energy use may be inspired to change their behavior.

But

I was at a forum on the environment this week. In front of the meeting place, a dozen drivers waited in cars with the engines idling.
Inside, people were complaining about the inconvenience of being greener. They couldn't be convinced that making small changes, no matter how inconvenient, would be of benefit.

Toronto was the first city in North America to take up the Earth Hour challenge. We've had months to prepare for one hour of darkness. It was quite a different story when the power was taken away abruptly...the reaction to the blackout of 2003 wasn't all positive.

Among the tips to conserve:
- Turn appliances off while not in use
- Unplug items to eliminate stand-by loads
- Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs
- Use less hot water
- Drive less.
- Maintain your vehicle to reduce emissions/improve performance.

These conservation tips should be a part of everyday life by now. The energy crisis in the 1970's introduced these concepts (well, compact fluorescents weren't available yet). There are news reports and studies almost weekly that reinforce the impact of consumption, emissions and waste on the environment.
In 2008 there's no excuse to NOT be responsible with energy consumption.

Tags: [Earth Hour] [Climate Change] [Global Warming]
[WWF] [Earth Hour in Toronto]
[Energy Conservation] [Brian Fagan]
Ontario Ministry of Energy Conservation Tips

Helicopter Parent Pushes Flight Envelope

2008-03-04T16:57:00.007-05:00

Mind If We Play Through?
Robert Kadera didn't want his son to miss a vital tennis lesson. Junior Varsity tryouts were just 2 days away. To show well at tryouts, Isaac needed to refresh his court skills, but father and son were running late on Saturday.

Rather than make the 45-minute drive to the club and risk missing the match and lesson, Kadera, a licensed pilot with 40 years experience, flew his son there in his twin-prop. The flight took less than 15 minutes.
He landed on the seventh fairway at Marriott Lincolnshire Golf Course, which is across the road from the tennis club. (Read the article...)

Son Isaac never made it to his match, and without his friend's cell number, was unable to tell him why. At school Monday, friends treated the tale of a plane landing on a golf course and subsequent police action as an outlandish excuse, he said.
"I left my friend hanging," Isaac said. "He still doesn't believe me when I told him why."

The investigation is continuing. Both Kaderas could face trespass charges. The Federal Aviation Administration is also involved. The F.A.A. could assess regulation violations and revoke Kadera Sr.'s aviator license.

No word on how the JV Tennis tryouts went.

Ironic Flight Trivia: The International Aviation Voice Radio word for the letter G is golf.

Tags: [Robert Kadera] [Isaac Kadera]
[Marriott at Lincolnshire Golf Course]
[F.A.A.]

Dr. Dolittle Meets Dr. Marvin Monroe

2008-02-25T17:05:00.011-05:00

Zoo and wildlife medicine specialist Romain Pizzi finds that pets are increasingly being prescribed anti-depressants because they cannot discuss problems in their lives with others. (Read the article...)

Mr Pizzi said the severity of some pet’s depression may put its life at risk. Parrots are especially vulnerable. They are known to engage in self-mutilating behavior, like plucking out feathers, when their depression is left untreated.

I can see that. The bird's confined to a cage and surely suffers by hearing the refrain 'Brawwwwk! Polly want a cracker?' a thousand times each day. I'm sure the bird wants to roll his eyes each time his owner performs the imitation, which inevitably ends with the caretaker chuckling at his own ingenuity.

"Last year, Eli Lilly released a chewable anti-depressant for dogs onto the US market. The manufacturers even gave the “Reconcile” drug a beef flavour."
As investigators probe deeper into animal health issues (especially animal mental health), it can't be long before veterinary neuropsychiatrists will provide the answer to that age-old riddle: Why did the chicken cross the road?

Tags:[Romain Pizzi]
[Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons]
[Pet Depression]
[Dr. Dolittle] [Sigmund Freud]
[Dr. Marvin Monroe] [The Simpsons]

WTF - World Takes Flak - For Obesity

2008-02-18T02:54:00.009-05:00

Professor Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity Task Force, a London-based think tank, called for a revolution in urban planning to encourage people to use cars less and public transport more.

At the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science , Professor James presented at the Town Hall Understanding Obesity workshop. He said that it is "naive to expect people to lose weight by making better choices about diet and exercise when their surroundings encourage inactivity.

Professor James blamed the world in which we live for the behavior-based obesity epidemic. (read more...). To recap his presentation: Urban developers created an obesogenic environment by planning public spaces around the car. Business improvements that have increased desk work and reduced physical labor, and product engineering improvements in everyday items, including electric toothbrushes and can openers reinforce a more sedentary lifestyle.

'Blaming individuals for their personal vulnerability to weight gain is no longer acceptable in a world where the majority is already overweight and obesity is rising everywhere,' said Professor James...The environment in which we live is the overwhelming factor amplifying the epidemic.

If you're not at your ideal weight, don't worry...it's not your fault! The remote control is to blame!
What a relief! For a moment, I was worried that individuals would be assessed some degree of accountability.

The AAAS symposium wraps up today.

Tags:
[Obesity] [Philip James]
[American Assoc. for Advancement of Science]
[Oscar Wilde]

High School Crush: Corridor Chaos

2008-02-16T09:30:00.001-05:00

Twenty-five students were injured in a pile-up in a school corridor triggered when a freshman stopped to fix her shoe.
Paramedics were called to the school to treat pupils for crush injuries, including ankle sprains, bruising and sore heads.
All the students were sent home following the incident, several were taken to hospital and five were kept off school the following day. Read more...

A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents commented, "the consequences of such an event as this arising can be disproportionate to what started it." I suppose it won't be long before we see zero-tolerance to shoe fixing added to the school's behavior code.

I think we can all see this lackademic institution's position on the learning curb.

When life gives you lemmings...
Lemming Aid (Winner: Best Short Film, Cannes, 1994).

Tags:[Denny School, Scotland] [Crush Injuries] [Accident Prevention]
[Cannes Film Festival, 1994] [Lemming Aid] [Grant Lahood]

Drug Recall Information Needs A Fix

2008-02-14T10:14:00.017-05:00

Quite by accident, I discovered a drug recall that affects me. The recall on Fentanyl was announced earlier this week. On Monday, I received a 5-week supply of the medication that is part of the recall. My existing supply is included in the recalled lot too.

The recall was widely reported throughout the U.S. news services, but there was no information for patients in Canada. The notice from J & J / Novartis clearly stated that supply in Canada and The United States was affected.

Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Canada, distributors of Duragesic in Canada, doesn't provide information of the recall on their website.
Health Canada maintains a comprehensive list of warnings and recalls...but nothing about defective Fentanyl patches.

Today, eCanadaNow is at least offering an item announcing the recall.

From the recall notice:
The Duragesic Pain Patch has been recalled by Johnson & Johnson because defects in the manufacture of the patch could lead to accidental overdoses. Johnson & Johnson is recalling about 32 million of the fentanyl-containing Duragesic Pain Patches, and the company estimates that about two million could be defective.
Fentanyl is considered a Class II substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration, meaning it is associated with a high potential for abuse and a risk for fatal overdose. Fentanyl is an opioid analgesic, approximately eight times stronger than morphine.
The recalled patches, manufactured by Alza Corp. and sold by PriCara and Sandoz Inc. in the U.S. and Canada, are strength of 25mcg/hr and have expiration dates on or before December 2009. Patches with 12.5, 50, 75 and 100 mcg/hr strengths aren't affected.
Patients can call 1-800-567-3331 for more information.

I'm not sure why they'd want patients to call. Because it's a regulated drug, a pharmacist has to arrange replacement supply.

Janssen's Medical Information Department advised my pharmacist that information about the recall will be provided to medical professionals, including pharmacists, over the next 7 days.

I already educated myself on proper precautions in case I have any defective product. I know that Owen will take care of this for me, but with just one dose in the cupboard and a long-weekend coming up, I'm mildly concerned.

Tags: [Fentanyl Recall] [Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Canada]
[Duragesic] [Drug Recalls]

Mac's Opinion Linkfest

Science Explains a City's Sport Discord

2008-02-13T22:56:00.033-05:00

Through our children's sports teams we have oft had the displeasure of playing against a particular city's teams. Whether it was in boys' hockey, girls' hockey, volleyball, soccer or football; in exhibition, regular season, tournament or playoff action; from Peewee through Bantam to Midget; I have consistently witnessed cheap hits, a higher incidence of fighting and overall poor sportsmanship by players and even some bench staff of teams from this particular city.

After an especially dangerous season, some boys' hockey coaches refused any more exhibition games against teams from this city. Last month, Jessica's hockey team played against a team from this city. There were ejections, suspensions and a ton of penalty minutes. On the drive home, we discussed several possible theories for the agitated intensity displayed despite the high talent of the players.

Thanks to results of a study released by European researchers, we finally have our answer:
Air Traffic Noise Increases Blood Pressure.

It's not the water. It's not a volunteer recruitment program that only accepts coaches willing to standardize dirty play. It's the planes!

It's not just a source of irritation, it's bad for residents' health, said epidemiologist Lars Jarup, leader of the study at Imperial College London.

Brampton is just 4 km from Pearson International Airport, Canada's busiest airport.

The Greater Toronto Airport Authority's noise contour map clearly includes Brampton within its noise operating area (click map to view map of noise estimate).

Explaining it doesn't justify it.

In the name of fair play, send 440,000 pairs of earplugs to City Hall for immediate distribution...before Jess's team draws them in the first round of the playoffs!

Tags: [Air Traffic Noise] [Blood Pressure]
[Pearson International Airport] [Brampton]
[Lars Jarup] [Imperial College London]

Post Viral Snow Fatigue

2008-02-12T22:47:00.003-05:00

I didn't see a doctor this Monday. That's almost a reason to celebrate. I'm still toxic with infections, but have these these new symptoms: muscle aches, cold in the extremities and an ache between my shoulder blades that radiates into my neck from scrunching my shoulders to my ears in the wind.

I have Post Viral Snow Fatigue. I definitely have it - the infections coupled with a dread of fluffy white stuff that's been falling from the sky.

Except the stuff that's been falling hasn't been fluffy; it's been heavy snow. One shovelful weighs 7 lbs.

The report is that more than 60 cm of snow fell. Forecasts call for another 20 cm overnight tonight.

One snow day during the exam-week; two more snow days last week and some are betting on sleeping in tomorrow, too.

Last week, Matt and I pushed 3 cars out of the snow in less than 1 hour...one guy twice! "It's surely a sign to stay home," Matt told him. Between rescues, Matt and I were each carting snow across the road to the ravine, because there's just no other place on our side of the street to put it. Jessica, home on the snow day, was clearing the other neighbor's driveway - rent for the shovel I borrowed - but was oddly absent when the cars were stuck.

We live on a bus route, so our street is among the first to be plowed. It's plowed twice as often as the side streets. It's good that we can drive on our street...that is, after we clear the drifts left behind by the plow...which are left twice as often as anyone who lives on the sidestreet. The mess left by the plow is even heavier than the regular stuff, thanks to having been packed down by the traffic, including the buses.

On the roads, I'm tired of driving behind the person who is obviously not comfortable driving in the conditions. On the highway, drivers of those oversized SUV's racing past on the shoulder are sometimes too confident in their driving ability.

Thirty-eight days until spring. I'm taking two more aspirin...I'll call you in the morning.

Tags: [Weather] [Snow Fatigue]
[Driving in Poor Weather Conditions]

More Tales From the E.R.

2008-02-06T02:42:00.000-05:00

People-watching inside the treatment zone just isn't the same. In the waiting room, you control your privacy; back here you don't. It's not just about the gowns and curtains. It's also about repeating your story - why are you here? what's your health history? - not to mention the staff discussing the cases.

When speaking with somebody whose first language is not English, why the hell do people repeat themselves, only louder? Yelling is not a translation tool.

With his shift coming to an end, the doc had to re-evaluate and chart almost 70 patients before he could leave. Each consult request, diagnostic order and discharge created a mountain of charting. He wasn't showing any stress.

The bell announcing new patients arriving hadn't stopped all night. The problem was flow-through. Admissions wait for a bed upstairs. Docs wait for results and consults. Nurses wait for orders to be written. Patients wait to be assessed.

Patients are bounced from room to hall, to room to hall, depending on what's available when you get back from a diagnostic. Once I lost my room, I was bounced from the side of the nursing hub to in front of the supervisor station. I now know more about the technical difficulties of the new integrated computer system than I need to. I know the fax number. I know that if I ever need to call to check on someone in the E.R., 7:30 a.m. is not the best time to call.
I have formed an opinion on the inter-departmental power struggle that impedes efficiency of the overall operation.

Since people stories are always fun, here's a couple:

Meet J., the man who injured himself after too much fun. He may or may not be seriously hurt. From the time I first lost my room, any time I got back to the department, J. was always in next stretcher. It was his level of impairment that made it hard for him to know the date, not necessarily his injury. He was not a happy drunk though. Security had to be called a couple times to restore some order.

Twelve hours after I'd arrived at the E.R., a woman was led into the treatment area. She had been in the waiting room when I'd arrived and I'd pegged her as family support, not a patient.

My mala-dar was way off.
Or was it?

She was very loud in describing her situation. People were pulling coats and blankets over their heads to mute the sound. Eventually, a specialist was called. I know this doc. He's a soft-spoken professional. His attempts to have a quiet discussion with her were unsuccessful. Then the doc's voice boomed: "Let me get this straight. Approximately 30 hours ago you may or may not have had an allergic reaction, to an unknown substance. Regardless, you are no longer showing any signs of reaction. In fact, you had no symptoms of an allergy when you arrived yesterday. There is nothing I can do for you. Try to identify something that you ate or touched or was near yesterday that was out of the ordinary for you. Then expose yourself to it again. If you experience similar symptoms after exposure, then it may be an allergy. The only successful way to treat an allergy is to avoid exposure to the trigger. There are plenty of good over the counter treatments to make you more comfortable in the event of a reaction. In the event of a serious reaction, you would need to go to the E.R. A serious reaction includes shortness of breath, generalized swelling and numbness and fainting. I will discharge you for now."

Up til then, I'd never heard a curtain slam.

Tales From The E.R.

2008-02-05T23:29:00.000-05:00

You can't be surprised that I have a distinct dislike of Emergency Rooms. I especially hate Emergency Rooms on Mondays. Unable to negotiate a better resolution to an ongoing issue, I found myself at the E.R. on Monday.

Armed with notes, reports, and lab results from the doc who just sent me over, any hope of making this a quicker trip was dashed when I saw there were no empty seats in the waiting room. I was triaged and registered quickly. The wait was underway.

The dynamics are odd here - like an intimacy that permits some to share their health and family histories with strangers. People-watching is sport in almost any E.R. waiting room.

There were patients, parents, family members and friends. While they continued to doze in their chairs, feign interest in the all-news station on the T.V., or flip pages of books and magazines, I conducted my own triage assessment of the waiting room. Eventually, I got a seat under the television. I could read the magazine I'd brought with me and listen to the continuously updated news at the same time. It was a great place to watch the room.

There's a woman, holding an older infant. The boy on her lap is under 2, dressed only in a diaper and t-shirt. He is red from (my guess) fever, his posture is limp, his eyes are mostly closed, occasionally he gives a whimper. His older brother appears to be 4 or 5. He's doing a great job of passing the time while they wait.

Across the way, is an inter-generational grouping: Grandpa's in his 60's; Mom's in her 40's; her son is 4 or 5. At some point earlier in the day, the boy had been unwell. He was obviously feeling better now: he ate the snacks, drank the soda, finished the juice and the water. He climbed over the furniture, under the furniture, over the stroller, under the stroller, rammed the stroller into people who were a little less-appreciative of his exuberance. "He's feeling so much better, why don't we take him home?" Grandpa suggested. Mom didn't want to take a chance that he'd take a turn for the worse and lose his place in the triage line.

After about an hour, Brother Across the Room observed "That boy doesn't seem sick like Younger Brother. Maybe he doesn't need to see the doctor anymore." I laughed inwardly, but could not miss the nods from some of the people in the room.

There's a couple in the corner that I recognized from the neighborhood. Their dog is a small, fluffy, friendly-enough mixed breed. I couldn't tell if one them was unwell or if they were waiting for somebody who was in the examination and treatment area.

We learned all about D's family. She's a vibrant woman in her 90's (92 in August!), the second daughter of 4; her younger sisters are twins. I didn't change seats to view pictures of her family, but a couple people did.

At 11:00, the crowd thinned. Several people decided they'd waited long enough and headed home. I wasn't too surprised by their decisions. They were all people I'd personally placed at the lower end of the priority scale. I thought one couple was leaving their daughter behind - I had put the three together - I'd played that one wrong.

As people arrived and left, I adjusted my triage-game. I had set my own 'go-home-time'. I'd be more comfortable feeling unwell at home, if I couldn't get meaningful treatment tonight. I would ask for the notes and papers back and just try again another time. I didn't need it. I was in the treatment system before that time rolled around. It's a big step forward through those sliding doors, but ultimately, it's just a different kind of waiting.

Tags: [Hospital Emergency Room] [Triage Standards]

I Cheated - It Could Have Killed Me

2008-01-29T10:36:00.000-05:00

Owen and I have an open relationship.
Neither of us has necessarily asked for exclusivity. I am far more loyal to Owen than he is to me. It would be selfish to keep him for myself; other people need him. Sharing him is something I accepted from the day we met.

Owen is my pharmacist. On Saturday, I had to fill a prescription for a less-common drug. Owen could have ordered the formulation I needed; he could have it all ready to go on Monday night, but administering the drug sooner was preferred by me and the doc who ordered it. Owen called several places nearby, but none stocked the medication.

After more phone calls, Owen found a pharmacy, on the other side of town, that could fill the prescription. I dropped the 'scrip off and returned a few hours later to pick up the order. As a new patient, I had to undergo the full registration process. The registration files allow the store's computer system identify possible interaction issues or allergies.

The new pharmacist reviewed the administration instructions, side effects, interaction safety guidelines and then handed me a stack of papers to take home. As we were processing the transaction at the register, he made a comment about having added flavoring to the suspension. "It'll be like a tropical vacation," he said.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I asked.
"I added tropical flavoring to the suspension to make it more palatable," he replied.
"I have food allergies," I explained. "May I please see the ingredient listing?"

There it was, far down on the list, but there nonetheless: Coconut Cream. I am allergic to coconut. He was devastated. He'd gone from hero to villain in a flash.

First, he checked to see if it was real/organic coconut or an extract. If it was an extract, it was less-likely to be a problem because of the alcohol and fermentation process. If it was simulated, it posed no risk at all. If it was real, I would have an anaphylactic reaction.

He couldn't determine the potency of the coconut, so it was safest to make a new solution.

This wouldn't have happened if I'd stuck with Owen. Owen doesn't take chances with my orders. He knows. Owen fixed the dispensing problem I had with a regulated prescription. He once came to me in the dairy section to discuss a potential interaction problem with a new 'scrip. He takes care of me.

I vow not to step-out on him again.

Tags: [The Pharmacy] [Owen Chaim]
[Drug Safety] [Drug Allergy] [Anaphylaxis]

Page Six Goes Blank - There's A Dirt Shortage

2008-01-24T10:10:00.000-05:00

John Aeschliman, an agriculturalist from Washington, is renewing calls for sustainable farming methods as a top soil shortage threatens.

"Disappearing dirt rivals global warming as an environmental threat"

"The National Academy of Sciences has determined that cropland in the U.S. is being eroded at least 10 times faster than the time it takes for lost soil to be replaced." It's not just run-off from water, either.

Ethanol from corn is often touted as a solution to the energy shortage. Problem is, those corn stalks that are being considered for clean energy are the same stalks that provide food to microorganisms in the soil. These same creatures aerate the soil which prevents rain run-off and erosion.

The Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association, a regional farmers' association for no-till farmers is hosting its annual meeting this week. An initiative of PNDSA is the sale of carbon credits from no-till acreage. Land that hasn't been tilled retains carbon. "For every ton of carbon stored in the soil, 3.67 tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) are removed from the atmosphere."

Dirt farmers around the world are losing ground. Around the world! The Azerbaijan government identified desertification from erosion as a priority environmental concern in 2004. Azerbaijan!

I will do my part to save topsoil and you can too.
Send a check with your donation -payable to CASH (Concerned About Soil Horizons) to me.
C.A.S.H. -Funding Farmers' Fields of Dreams

Tags: [Sustainable Farming] [David Montgomery]
[Topsoil Shortage] [Joe Aeschliman] [PNDSA]
[Ethanol]

Album Artist's Cheat Sheet Tatters Reputation

2008-01-13T11:03:00.000-05:00

Kristina Contes recently won a national scrapbooking contest but her title got taken away because of a scandal. Her name might be removed from the Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame. Full Story...

Ms Contes contacted the magazine to ask that the article announcing the winning entry identify her friend in the photo credits. Since Contes had not taken the photos herself, a violation of the contest rules, her entry was invalidated and she had to return the crown.

I guess the runner up will fulfil the duties of the deposed queen.

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Can't resist - At least Contes didn't claim she'd been framed. She could have embellished the story.
Who knew? There's a scrapbooking hall of fame?

Reality Show - Coming Soon?- Hobby Wars
It might focus on the pressures of hobby competitions, strategies of The Sports Card Show and sacrifices made in the name of winning. Each episode might feature a different hobby:

the advantages of using non-traditional language in the National Haiku competition, or

Livestock Testing at the State Fair

There would have to be a special episode dedicated to Reading the Rules for Maximizing Elasticity: Bending Without Breaking.

Tags:[Kristina Contes] [Creating Keepsakes] [Scrapbook Hall of Fame]
[Scrapbooking] [Hobbies]

The Good News Is That It's Not Bad News

2008-01-10T00:10:00.000-05:00

I figured I'd suffer glares galore when I moseyed in late for my appointment with the breast surgeon to review the biopsy results.

The good news is that the computer was down, so His Assistant hadn't generated the Daily Patient List.
The bad news is that the pathology report hadn't been sent to the office yet.

Technically, the office wasn't open yet, so I figured I'd be shown straight to an exam room - there'd be no time to flip through a magazine in the reception area.
The good news is that I was.

The faxed report was received within 10 minutes of the request being made by His Assistant.
The good news is that it was now the first page in my chart.
The bad news is that she took the chart out of the room.

The doctor came in and I lectured him on customer service expectations. "When I take my vacuum cleaner in for service, I expect Claude to diagnose the problem, order any replacement parts and repair the unit," I began.

"Claude's customers don't expect to be involved in ordering the parts, arranging delivery, or scheduling the bench work. The operating procedures behind the service don't involve me. I know that it's taken care of because he consistently delivers quality service."

Of course there is a difference between a physician and appliance repair, but the Service Management Process is the same:

the doc completes a requisition for a diagnostic test or procedure (Order)
he should be matching up the incoming reports from his health care associates to the requisitions (Receiving)
then reviewing the completed orders with his patients (Customer Pick Up/Shipping)
Outstanding orders should be followed up - 'When will this report be available?' (Expediting Standing Orders)

The pathology report declares the mass is benign. (Yay!)

But,

It's not necessarily nothing to worry about. (Aaw!)

But,

I don't have to worry about it in the near term. (Yay!)

Looks like forwarding that email paid off!

Sweeping Up Detritus, Cleaning in the Corners

2008-01-07T09:32:00.000-05:00

I was vacuuming under the blog topic production table and found these among the debris.

Jackson 5 Reunion Tour?
In November 2007, Jermaine Jackson announced that the quintet would hit the road with a Reunion Tour in 2008. Jermaine Dupri, Janet's beau, announced that the brothers would appear on stage for the first time since 1990 at his private New Year's Eve party at Studio 72 in Atlanta.

The Jackson 5, featuring brothers Tito, Marlon, Jackie, Jermaine, and lead singer Michael found fame in the 1970s with hits I Want You Back and ABC. Later, youngest brother Randy joined his brothers onstage and the band was renamed The Jacksons.
I don't think the warm up reunion happened in Atlanta; I doubt there will be any Jackson Tour soon.

(Photo: The Jackson 5 & Randy with The Summers 5 et. al, ca. 1972)

Biddell Wins Project Runway Canada
I started watching Project Runway Canada's encore broadcasts in the wee morning hours. One Canadian designer would take away $100,000 to start his/her own line and receive a feature in Elle Canada.

I saw just 4 of the 11 episodes, and caught the announcement of the winner during the prime time finale. Because I didn't watch the entire 2-hour finale that featured the designers' collections at L'Oréal Fashion Week (I flipped it back just in time to see the judges' comments), I was shocked that judge Rita Silvan was moved to tears by the embodiment of hope that Lucien's collection exuded.

PRC was hosted by Iman. Brian Bailey acted as mentor to the contestants and the other judges were Shawn Hewson and Rita Silvan.
I know who Iman is (from I Am African and she's married to David Bowie). The other pros on the panel? No idea.
Crying over an evening gown? I don't get it. Up until now, my fashion runway exposure primarily came from Zoolander.

Project Runway Season 4 premieres tonight with host Heidi Klum. Emmy nominee Tim Gunn is back as mentor.

Gladiators Ready
The Writers' Guild of America's prolonged strike is good news for Hulk Hogan. Hogan returns to prime time television as host of American Gladiators. NBC announced AG as a possible mid-season replacement in October. With shows forced into hiatus from the lack of scripted material, NBC slotted the Weekend Warrior vs. Athlete remake in early.

Hogan was pursued to host not just because of his WWE success, but also the success of his VH-1 reality series Hogan Knows Best (2005), still the highest-rated debut of any VH-1 series.
Questions: Will the Challengers dodge tennis balls as they run through the obstacle course, or has this challenge been updated à la The Running Man?

Is it true that people are pre-ordering the action figure dolls?

American Gladiators debuted last night. A new episode airs tonight.

Tags: [Jackson 5] [Michael Jackson] [Jermaine Jackson]
[Jermaine Dupri] [Reunion Tours 2008]

[Project Runway] [Iman] [Biddell]
[Lucien Matis] [I Am African] [Heidi Klum] [Tim Gunn]
[Derek Zoolander]

[American Gladiators] [Hulk Hogan]
[W.G.A.] [WWE] [Hogan Knows Best]
[The Running Man] [Richard Dawson]

The Weight of The Wait

2007-12-18T11:50:00.000-05:00

I've been waiting to learn the results of a biopsy of a lump discovered in my breast.

Normally, I'm not so bothered to wait for test results, but this situation is different. Partly because finding a lump was so accidental, but also with Roni's cancer, Michelle's cancer, Roni's recurrence and what is likely a recurrence of breast cancer in an aunt....all inside 13 months...

I really think it's benign, but I'd feel better if I had a little science to back that up! I am feeling the weight of waiting.

I know that I haven't been myself...now you know why.
Wait! Put down the phone...this isn't a call to rally. I don't want to be rallied. The logical Chris reminds me that almost everything is nothing; that there's no use worrying unless there's definitely something to worry about; that testing faith proves endurance. I said the other day, "I've got a compost heap of variations on It all works out in the end. The question is, when does it end?"

The biopsy was Nov 20. I've had some difficulty scheduling a follow up appointment with the specialist to review the results. His assistant finally agreed to pull my chart, ensure the pathology report was read by the doctor, and then contact me with an appointment time. The surgeon has only one day allocated for office visits before January.

I could guess the news of the report based on when he would see me.

Assistant: Christine? The doctor will see you on his first day back in the new year.
Me: OK. So it's not urgent then.
Assistant: I can't say that.
Me: Well if it was urgent, he'd see me next week, right?
Assistant: No, we're double and triple booked that day already. We just can't see any other patients before he breaks for the holiday.
Me: He's reviewed the report?
Assistant: No, we haven't located the report.
Me: What are you actively doing to locate the report?
Assistant: We're doing what we can.
Me: When you find the report, please fax me a copy.
Assistant: That's highly unusual. We follow up with patients in the office. {Pause} Then, What's your fax number.
Me: I'll get back to you with that.

If there's even a shred of 'suspicious' , 'inconclusive' or some other expression that's suggests any element of doubt in this report, I'm gonna have this guy's head!

The funny thing is that when the lump was detected, the doc's approach was, 'Well, it may be nothing, but given such a strong family history and since it will be some time before we can perform a biopsy, we should move forward with it so that there's no chance we'll be caught off guard.'

We were all impressed by this take-action approach.

The delay has seriously sapped my energy.

Looks like another Christmas without fudge, and Grinch trees all around.

I sent one card only (to Bridget) - and that's all that's going out.

You know we wish you Good Cheer! ... don't look for those wishes in your mailbox.

Too weary to tag this post.

Punctuation * In the Hall of Fame ?

2007-12-13T15:52:00.000-05:00

George Mitchell released his report today on the use of steroids and human growth hormones in Major League Baseball. To nobody's surprise, Mitchell condemned MLB for ignoring the problem: 'The use of steroids in Major League Baseball was widespread. There was a collective failure to recognize the problem as it emerged and to deal with it early on.'

Among the baseball stars implicated in Mitchell's report are Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi. Both have previously been accused of steroid use in The BALCO Affair.

Mitchell's report points to steroid use by future hall-of-famer Roger Clemens. Clemens denied using steroids when his name surfaced in other investigations, but Mitchell dedicates 8 pages to Clemens.

Clemens always struck me as a guy with integrity. A 7-time Cy Young winner, he's been called 'the world's best living pitcher' and named to the All-Century Team. He was a shoo-in to baseball's Hall of Fame on the first try. His Foundation supports athletics for youth in Houston.

According to Mitchell's report, every MLB team has had at least one player involved with performance enhancing drugs during the decades he investigated. The list of players includes as many superstars as average players.
Forget about marking Bonds' home run record with an asterisk...hall of fame nominations of any player who was active from, say 1987-2004, might have to be marked with a question mark.

Except Cal Ripken Jr.

Tags: [Mitchell Report] [Baseball's Steroid Era] [BALCO]
[George Mitchell] [Bud Selig]
[Roger Clemens] [Barry Bonds] [Cal Ripken Jr.] [Jose Canseco]

Interesting: Jose Canseco was denied entrance to the press conference where Mitchell's report was unveiled. In his autobiography, Juiced, Canseco admits using steroids. He has reportedly inked a deal for a follow-up book, Vindicated.

From the Simply Obvious Laboratory

2007-12-11T11:39:00.000-05:00

Dr. Patricia Sagaspe released the results of her recent study on sleep:

Naps Work Best to Overcome Sleepiness.

Dr. Sagaspe of the Clinique du Summeil in France studied 12 people between 20 and 25 years old and 12 people between 40 and 50.

Each drove 125 km alert and when sleepy. Subjects were either given a cup of coffee, a cup of decaf or a 30-minute nap before the second drive.

She found that drivers who had coffee or a nap were more alert. Young drivers performed best after a nap.

Eye-opening science!
What's up for tomorrow? Food Satisfies Hunger?

[Dr. P. Sagaspe] [Sleep Study]
[Driving When Tired] [Naps]

China Overrun With Irony

2007-12-05T01:22:00.000-05:00

Merchandisers for the Beijing Olympics 2008 are frustrated by the availability of unauthorized apparel and souvenirs being produced by merchandise pirates.

Authorities had investigated about 80 commercial and personal Web sites selling fake Olympic merchandise, or lacking licenses to sell the legitimate product. "The supply channels on these illegal Web sites are chaotic," Xie Funing, a spokesman with the Olympic E-commerce Operation Centre, was quoted to say.

The Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy, called the illicit trade "a global epidemic reaching a scale now too great for individual governments, industry sectors or companies to solve."

China is the largest supplier of counterfeited merchandise worldwide. It is estimated to cost legitimate manufacturers $50 billion in sales.

Tags: [Beijing 2008] [Fake Merchandise] [China]
[Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting]

And Then There Were Three...

2007-12-03T23:02:00.000-05:00

Today, Australia voted to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to reduce emissions that impact climate change.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said 'the Federal Government would do everything in its power to help Australia meet its Kyoto obligations, including setting a target to reduce emissions by 60 per cent on 2000 levels by 2050.'    more...

The Kyoto Protocol was introduced in 1997. The objective of the international framework is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would reduce future impact on climate change. The protocol has been ratified by 175 countries.

The United States, China and India still have not signed on. They are the #1, #2 and #4 worst polluters (respectively).

A conference opened today in Bali for countries to discuss the next phase of emission targets.

Tags: [Kyoto Protocol]    [Prime Minister Kevin Rudd]   [Australia]
[Climate Change]   [Greenhouse Gas Emissions]   [Bali Conference]

Histroic Mispelling For Sisters of Lorretto

2007-11-30T01:19:00.000-05:00

New Mexico is unveiling its first Landmark for Women by honoring The Four Sisters of Loretto.
The Loretto Sisters were pioneers of education in New Mexico and started the first school for girls in the state.
Unfortunately, the historic plaque has been erected with several errors.
The plaque commemorates the Sisters of Lorreto, not Loretto; and uses know instead of known. Close ups ( in video) . The dedication ceremony is Saturday, Dec. 1 / 07.

San Francisco artist, Maria Alquilar knows the cost of public misspellings. "My career in public art is over," said the artist, after "Eistein", "Shakespere" and "Michaelangelo" appeared (along with 8 other spelling mistakes) in the mural she created for the Livermore Library. Alquilar said that she chose to leave the errors in her piece, claiming it was part of the art. Since her drawings show the correct spellings, I can't buy her 'art' theory.

How about the Ministry of Education report on school standards in The Isle of Wight? You know the one - it referred to The Isle of White throughout the document.

Tags: [Sisters of Loretto] [Landmarks for Women] [Santa Fe, NM]
[Maria Alquilar] [Livermore Library] [Education - Isle of Wight]

Who's Your Daddy? Tests to Go.

2007-11-27T23:21:00.000-05:00

Such an obvious title.

Sorenson Genomics is test-marketing a do-it-yourself DNA kit.
The Identigene-branded paternity test, which carries a suggested retail price of $29.99, is the first of its kind to be sold over the counter at pharmacies" Read more

On the U.S. west coast, the sample collection kits are available in Rite-Aid stores. Meijer has the mid-west covered, including Michigan and Illinois. Using the prepaid mailer, and for an additional $119, the DNA samples will be compared by Identigene's laboratory.

4 Easy Steps to Proof ^*
1	Pick up your kit
2	Collect Cheek cell samples from child & alleged father
3	Send DNA samples for testing
4	DNA test results are provided via phone, mail, & email
^*Source: Identigene^®

Sorenson's C.O.O., Doug Fogg, said, "We would certainly like to distribute this kit nationwide... a lot of people just are not aware that testing for paternity purposes is so readily available and affordable."

"Just because something's available does not mean it's safe or effective or worth your money," Kathy Hudson, director of the Genetics and Public Policy Center at Johns Hopkins University, countered.

Day-time television viewers around the U.S. were loudly exclaiming, Maury Povich, in the case of paternity testing, you are not the father. Anymore.

Tags: [Sorenson Genomics] [Identigene] [Paternity Tests]
[Doug Fogg] [Kathy Hudson] [Maury Povich]

The Maury Show - Topic: I'm back to Prove the 2nd Baby Is Not Mine

Home For The Holidays

2007-11-19T22:33:00.000-05:00

A neighborhood feud in Sonning-on-Thames, Berkshire, England shows no signs of easing after Vic Moszczynski was acquitted of damaging his neighbors' properties.

After 18 years enduring Moszczynski's over-the-top Christmas light displays, his neighbors were successful in restricting his decorating. Moszczynski was served with an injunction last year.

(click to enlarge)

His display could include no more than "four 7ft tall inflatable cartoon characters, eight 30-ft strips of rope lighting and two light moulds in the ground in his front garden", in addition to his lights. It was alleged that Moszczynski caused a total of £600 damage to 3 homes on the street in retaliation.
The Prosecutor's only evidence against Moszczynski was security videotape provided by one of the victims, Gordon Jones.
Ruth Paley, lawyer for Moszczynski, said "it was impossible to tell the ethnicity, height, build and age of the man in the video."

District Judge Terry English agreed.

Hope those are LED lights, Vic.

Tags: [Vic Moszczynski] [Gordon Jones] [Berkshire, England]
[Ruth Paley] [Terry English]
[Christmas Vacation] [Chevy Chase] [Clark Griswold]

Revenge in Montezuma?

2007-11-07T17:43:00.000-05:00

In the recent mayoral race in Montezuma, Ohio, Daniel Huffman(45) ran against his sister, incumbent Charlotte Garman. Garman, 49, has presided for 8 years. She also serves as Montezuma's postmaster.

Montezuma has just 138 registered voters in the town. Garman collected 43 votes; Huffman had 24.

Before the election, Huffman credited his sister with "doing a tremendous job as mayor." On the other hand, Garman said that Huffman "has never attended a council meeting and doesn't seem to keep up on issues and projects in the village."

The mayor of Montezuma earns $50 per month.

Montezuma, OH

Total Area - 0.1 sq mi
Elevation 883 ft
Population (2000)- 191

Looks like the family really does like her best, Dan!

Tags: [Montezuma, Ohio] [Daniel Huffman] [Charlotte Garman]
[Mayoral Race] [Sibling Rivalry]

Remembering The Fabulous Moolah

2007-11-05T12:50:00.000-05:00

Lillian Ellison, known to wrestling fans around the world as "The Fabulous Moolah," passed away at her home in Columbia, South Carolina, on Nov.2, 2007. She was 84.

The Fabulous Moolah began wrestling in the late 1940's. She took the women's championship belt in 1956 after defeating Judy Grable in a 13-woman Battle Royale.

Moolah held the title, except for a two-week period, until 1984, when she lost to Wendi Richter, in a match that was aired on MTV.

In 1984, The Fabulous Moolah was managed by Captain Lou Albano, who was involved in a feud with Cyndi Lauper. Their dispute was settled in the ring by their wrestlers, Moolah and Richter, in The Brawl to End it All. That bout marked the beginning of Rock'n'Wrestling in Vince McMahon's W.W.E. (which was known as W.W.F., at the time).

I hope Moolah didn't hit St. Peter with a folding chair on her way through the pearly gates.

Tags: [Fabulous Moolah] [W.W.E.] [Wendi Richter]
[Vince McMahon] [Lou Albano] [Cyndi Lauper]

Research Triangle's Leading News Source?

2007-11-03T00:39:00.000-04:00

I've been loosely following Tranzyme's clinical trials of TZP-101, a prokinetic drug that shows promise in treating gastroparesis. The headline of this announcement got my attention:

Perscription for Growth?
Tranzyme Closes on $20M in New Financing

The sub-headline announcement about securing $20 million in capital was lost to the error in the headline. Perscription?

It would be perjorative to say that the busy editor of the preceeding story is a little out of practise. Persuing corrections is the perogative of the editor.

A basic spell-check would've caught the mistake.

Tranzyme Initiates Phase II-b Testing of TZP in multinational clinical study.

Tags: [Tranzyme Pharma] [Gastroparesis] [TZP 101]
[WRAL] [Research Triangle]

Colbert's Man of the Year Challenge Undone

2007-11-02T00:45:00.000-04:00

Comedian and late-night host Stephen Colbert was proclaimed the Favorite Son of South Carolina on Sunday. At a ceremony at University of S. Carolina, Columbia Mayor Bob Coble presented Colbert with a key to the city and a framed proclamation as South Carolina's Favorite Son. Coble then declared October 28th Stephen Colbert Day.

The executive council of South Carolina's Democratic Party met November 1^st to review all potential candidates. In order to be included on the ballot, each candidate must have national viability and demonstrate that he/she has been campaigning in the state.

Last night on his show, Colbert took a call from Carol Khare Fowler, chair of the state Democratic Party. She informed Colbert that he had not been successful in his quest for the presidency.

Originally, Colbert was going to run as both a Democrat and a Republican candidate, but the $35,000 filing fee required by the Republican party was too steep a price for his campaign. Colbert's campaign was sponsored by Doritos, the first time in history that a presidential candidate's campaign was funded by corporate sponsorship.

Colbert appealed to viewers to help him win by donating to a school in South Carolina at donorschoose.org. Over $40,000 has been raised so far.

Tags: [Stephen Colbert] [South Carolina]
[2008 Presidential Candidates] [Doritos]
[Donors Choose] [Schools in South Carolina]

Country Kicks Rock & Rolls to #1

2007-11-01T22:59:00.000-04:00

Billboard magazine, the sacred book devoted exclusively to the music industry since 1961, set a new record this week. "In a Billboard 200 first, three country debuts occupy the Nos. 1-3 slots on the chart, led by Carrie Underwood's "Carnival Ride." " (Read more...)

1. Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride
2. Robert Plant/Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
3. Gary Allan - Living Hard
4. Serj Tankian - Elect the Dead
5. Josh Groban - Noel
6. Coheed And Cambria - No World For Tomorrow
7. Kid Rock - Rock N Roll Jesus
8. Rascal Flatts - Still Feels Good
9. Seether - Finding Beauty in Negative Space
10. Soundtrack - High School Musical 2

Billboard has been publishing
for the complete entertainment
industry since 1894. The first
album ranking appeared in 1945,
and it became a weekly staple
beginning in 1956, with
the explosion of rock music.

The Billboard 200 rankings
are based upon sales data compiled
by Nielsen SoundScan. Sales

include retail album sales and digital downloads when all tracks on the album are purchased.

HipHop is unrepresented in this week's top 10. Artists may need more than a limited vocabulary and a nickname to score those top spots.
Fo sho.

Tags: [Billboard Magazine] [Music Charts] [Carrie Underwood]
[Nielsen Company] [SoundScan]

Redundant Conclusions of Texas Brief

2007-10-29T18:53:00.000-04:00

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission's working group to analyze government reports has found, after an 18 month study, that Texas has too many reports.

The Commission's 668-page brief lists the unnecessary reports that are still prepared by staff even though there is no longer a need for the data. "Report 1473 calls upon the Department of Aging to prepare a report, although the Department of Aging no longer exists. There are still report requirements for the Human Rights Commission, which the Legislature abolished in 2003."

Records administrator Michael Heskett points to the trend toward transparency in government and more open administration to account for the duplication of information and the preparation of parallel write-ups in past history.

To save money and paper, the legislature and state agencies can't afford to postpone until later their cooperation together to ensure that each and every report prepared will be to the mutual benefit of both parties.

Tags: [Texas State Library & Archive] [Michael Heskett] [Texas Reports]
[Pleonasms]

Special News Update

2007-10-27T10:15:00.000-04:00

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this news update:

Nichols Acquitted in DUI Manslaughter Trial  (link to story)   Nichols Acquitted in DUI manslaughter Trial  (link to story)

"In closing arguments, DeCarlis called Nichols a "decent guy in a bad situation." DeCarlis and Fuller contended that a "poorly maintained" road, a missing white line and a defective truck were responsible for the crash."

Nichols' attorney, William DeCarlis backed away from the original defense argument that gastroparesis was responsible for his client's BAC exceeding the legal limit after FDLE Forensic Toxicologist Ruth Vacha testified that 'If you were suffering from severe gastroparesis, you would be knocking on your doctor's door really quick.'
(Original story reported at Ocala.com )

In other news, Buddy's fine.
He barks at the letter carrier and the German Shepherd every day again. He thanks you all for keeping him in your thoughts. We haven't seen Max in the neighborhood since that fateful day.

We now return to our regular programming.

[William "Billy" Nichols]   [William DeCarlis]   [Ocala]
[Nancy Cummings]   [Holly Cummings]

[Pet First Aid]   [Dog Bite]

Happy Birthday to the World

2007-10-26T16:52:00.000-04:00

Anglican Bishop James Ussher, "the author of the book frequently described as the greatest history book ever written", concluded the world was created Oct. 23, 4004 B.C. – making it exactly 6,010 years-old this week.

In the 1650's, Ussher wrote Annals of the World. "It's the history of the world from the Garden of Eden to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70." The book integrates biblical history with secular chronicles. MasterBooks commissioned the updating of the material from the 18^th century to present-day; and the translation from its original ancient Latin to English.

The basis for Ussher's date is that ancient civilizations began the calendar year at the harvest. He uses the first Sunday following autumnal equinox to start the year. Because the calendar has been manipulated over time, we now mark the autumnal equinox on September 21.

World, I'm sorry these birthday wishes come late. I suggest we mark your 6010^th birthday the same as all the other years - we'll burn fossil fuels creating pollution that warms the earth and contributes to climate variability.

See your candles in this picture of the earth at night? Remember to make a wish before you blow them out.

Tags: [James Ussher] [Annals of the World]
[MasterBooks] [World's Birthday] [Julian & Gregorian Calendars]
[Global Warming] [Climate Change]

Dolphins Play For A Cure

2007-10-25T20:42:00.000-04:00

The Etobicoke Dolphins Midget BB hockey team hosted the Brampton Canadettes at Centennial Park Arena on Saturday, October 20, 2007.

The Dolphins donned pink jerseys for the home game as part of the EDGHL's Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. Gate fees and donations were collected and forwarded to The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Photo by John Krieger

The Dolphins were 4-1 victors in the gritty match, that included ejections for 2 Brampton players.

The Etobicoke Dolphins play in the North Central Division of the Lower Lakes Hockey League. Their record in the regular season improves to 2-0-1.

Tags: [Etobicoke Dolphins Girls Hockey]
[Brampton Canadettes]
[L.L.F.H.L.]
[Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation]

BlogRush's Traffic Jam

2007-10-22T21:12:00.000-04:00

In mid-September, John Reese, internet marketing wizard, released BlogRush. BlogRush is a cooperative syndication widget. It's over there, in the right sidebar. It offers 5 headlines from other blogs with posts on similar topics as mine.

The basic premise is simple. I install the widget and tell BlogRush the general category into which my blog posts fall (Philosophy? Health? Fashion?) Every time a page in my blog is viewed, BlogRush puts one of my post headlines into its rotation and promotes it on another blogger's site.

Each time a reader from Very Random clicks through a headline in the widget, I get a bonus syndication credit in the blogosphere, and the other blogger has added some traffic. BlogRush redeems the credit by adding another headline from my blog to their playlist. Since BlogRush is divided by topic categories, all traffic it generates should be relevant.

There's also an Amway-style slant with BlogRush. Let's say another blogger liked the idea and installed BlogRush on his blog via a link here. Whenever his blog was viewed, he would get a credit and I would get a credit, too. Once his reader clicks through a headline, we would each earn one bonus syndication credit. And so it goes. More referrals in my network means more displays for my headlines.

The best part? BlogRush does all the work. That's ideal for the way I use my blog. I don't have to solicit new friends, work around no-follows, consider flow states or field reports. According to those who have done the math, the algorithm used at BlogRush favors smaller sites.

I'm realistic about BlogRush. My site receives an average of 75 unique visitors (first-time visitor) each week. I'm fairly pleased with that - Very Random is not The Huffington Post!

In the first week, my headlines were displayed 167 times, and 5 new readers came via the widget. Three percent click-thru is considered average performance when it comes to CTRs. (If the reason I kept a blog was to increase click-thrus, I'd put the posts in the sidebar and the sidebar info in the main section!)

Less than 24 hours after the release of BlogRush, some Probloggers (people who make their living by blogging) went ballistic about it. "It's a pyramid scheme" some posts cried, followed by the "Ponzi", "Leaking Readers" and "Violates Terms of Service" camps. Writers with 10,000-plus daily visitors to their site were complaining about delays in getting displays! (How/Where would you look for blogs that might have your headline in the widget?)

Every new technology brings out the hackers, and BlogRush was no exception. Programmers were spoofing impressions on their blogs to amass credits; making the headline widget "invisible", and using it on splogs. Some users went so far as to create new blogs with no posts and kept reloading the page to build syndication credits. I manually blocked some adult content sites from my widget. (I don't want to get a "Not Safe For Work" label!)

So BlogRush became more like blog-stall and moved to a full manual review of its members' blogs. In a broadcast email, John Reese explained that "If a blog does not meet our guidelines and criteria, IT WILL BE REJECTED from the network and not allowed to join ...They will have no access to any BlogRush services...BlogRush needs to only have members that have quality blog content."

There's no information on the criteria they'll use to assess "quality". I've been kicked out of places, sure, but never because I failed to meet quality standards. That would be quite a blow.

Tags: [BlogRush]   [John Reese]
[Blog Syndication]   [StumbleUpon]
[Ariana Huffington]   [Blog Dictionary]

Incidentally, I get Stumble-d-Upon about 60 times per month.

BlogRush Goes to Green

2007-10-22T21:10:00.000-04:00

I'd forgotten about BlogRush.

Today, I received this email from John Reese, internet entrepreneur extraordinaire:

Congratulations!
You are receiving this update because your blog has passed our strict
Quality Guidelines and criteria -- we believe you have a high-quality
blog and we are happy you're a member of our network!

Now that I'm in, I went back to check on my stats.

Your Traffic Today: 54 unique visits
Your Traffic Last 7 Days: 284

Right now, that's the only data on the BlogRush stats panel, but I can check my referrals through a different analytic tool. I've recorded 8 visits via the BlogRush widget promoting my headline on some other blogs over the past week. I could probably find out the stats since BlogRush launched, but it's not relevant to me. Bottom line: I forgot all about BlogRush, and I still have around 3% CTR.

A month into BlogRush's launch and John Reese's team is still sorting out bugs in the reporting and impression system. Some Probloggers continue to warn their proteges against using the widget, saying it's a bad idea to let your readers discover other blogs.

I don't want to be that protective of my readers.
There are niche blogs, with their pillar posts and corridors of authority; and there's Very Random, a cubbyhole with a hook where I can hang my hat.

Tags: [BlogRush] [John Reese]
[Andy Beard] [Problogger]
[Internet Entrepreneurs]
[Blog Traffic]

Gastroparesis Defense Against DUI

2007-10-21T11:17:00.000-04:00

In 2004, William Nichols Jr. of Ocala, Florida, was charged with 2 counts each of DUI-manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter. He lost control of his truck and crashed into a Tempo being driven by Holly Cummings. Holly's mother, Nancy, was a passenger in the car. Both were killed in the crash.

Jury selection and opening statements in his trial were conducted last week.

Nichols' blood alcohol content was found to be 0.103 and 0.104, two-and one-half hours after the crash. The legal limit is 0.08. "The defense is not disputing the alcohol results at trial. Instead, they plan to offer a medical explanation about the high alcohol content. The defense says Nichols may have had a gastroesophageal condition which caused the alcohol to sit in his stomach and not metabolize."
The 7-person defense team, led by William DeCarlis, will argue that Nichols suffers from gastroparesis; slow gastric emptying caused him to have alcohol in his system more than 6 hours after he'd consumed the alcohol.

If Nichols had been charged based on a Breathalyzer^™ test, it's reasonable that the BrAC was influenced by alcohol remaining undigested in his stomach. Diffusion rates, the rate at which liquid is absorbed into the blood through the stomach membrane wall, are usually slower in people with gastroparesis. Gastroparesis creates reflux, which might increase the alcohol eliminated in Nichols' breath.

But, Nichols was not arrested at the scene or even administered a Breathalyzer. He was picked up later, after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement had the BAC results from samples of Nichols' blood. The specimen was collected more than 2 hours after the accident (over 8 hours since he'd had his last drink).

It is estimated that from 0.5% - 2% of ingested alcohol is not metabolized and enters the bloodstream through diffusion. "Alcohol is removed from the bloodstream by a combination of metabolism, excretion, and evaporation." Alcohol is slow to metabolize. Ninety to 98% of alcohol is metabolized (removed from the blood) by the liver.

Questions:
- How does his claim that the alcohol was retained in his stomach because of gastroparesis account for alcohol being found in his blood?
- Does it make a difference how that level of alcohol got into his blood (i.e., via diffusion or normal digestion)?
- Is he claiming that he's not responsible for his impairment, but his disease is?
- Is it OK to drive with BAC over the legal limit, because you have a disease? Alcoholism is also a disease, but is it a defense against DUI charges?

Nichols faces up to 15 years in prison on each charge, if convicted.

A Patient Story: Living with Gastroparesis

Tags: [Billy Nichols] [Ocala] [William DeCarlis]
[Gastroparesis] [DUI] [Breathalyzer]
[Alcohol - Digestion & Metabolism]

Philadelphia - The Ugly Duckling

2007-10-19T19:46:00.000-04:00

Travel and Leisure Magazine has completed its survey to rate 25 major U.S. cities based on various criteria including citizen attractiveness.

"According to 60,000 respondents to the magazine's online survey, Philadelphians are slightly more repulsive than Washingtonians (24), Dallasites (23) and San Antonions (22) but way uglier than Miamians (1), San Diegoans (2) and Charlestonians (3)." Read Hey! We're Not Just Fat - We're Ugly, Too

Philadelphia City Councilman Frank DiCicco had this to say about Miami: " 'Most people are walking around in thongs so everybody looks good there. But who can tell who lives there and who's just visiting? We have cold weather here so we're walking around for months with our noses running and our cheeks red and fur caps on our heads. How can you see what we look like under all that clothing?' "

Resident Fred Glick suggested that an editorial bias against brunettes and redheads figured in Philadelphia's low rating. "I hope we're closer to the top of the list for brains. It's more important," he told Dan Geringer of PhillyNews.

Philadelphia was ranked 14/25 when it came to intelligence. Miami came in at 23.

It's OK, Philly. You're the City of Brotherly Love and you've got a good personality.

None of us is as smart as all of us - Phil Condit
Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose - Robin Williams

Tags: [Philadelphia] [Travel & Leisure Magazine]
[Miami] [Dan Geringer]

Woman Fired Because She Has Cancer

2007-10-19T09:56:00.000-04:00

The Employment Opportunity Commission has accepted the case of Angie Arttus, a woman in Sparta Wisconsin, who says "she was fired because she has breast cancer." Read the article...

Arttus's claim states that a Human Resources manager at Dura-Tech Industries asked her to resign from her job as shipping clerk, which she has held for 4 months, because it "would look better on her resume than if she was terminated".

The EEOC will investigate the complaint.

Lesson: The Human Resources department serves the needs of the company, not the employees.
Lesson: Breast Cancer Awareness Month creates awareness, not understanding (or sensitivity).
Lesson: There is no "I have cancer" in TEAM

Aside: The Etobicoke Dolphins Midget BB team Raises Money for Breast Cancer Research this Saturday when they host the Brampton Canadettes at Centennial Arena. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m.

Tags: [Angie Arttus] [Dura-Tech Industries] [EEOC]
[Breast Cancer] [Wrongful Dismissal] [Breast Cancer Awareness Month]

Colbert in ' 08

2007-10-17T02:27:00.000-04:00

During his appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert officially announced that he was officially announcing that he would officially consider making an official announcement about his candidacy for President of the United States.

Later, on The Colbert Report, Colbert confirmed that he would, in fact, enter the Primary in his home state of South Carolina as a Favorite Son. He will run as both a Republican and a Democrat candidate and floated the idea of sponsorship (advertising on his suits) in lieu of traditional fundraising.

Colbert's show parodies news broadcasting and political punditry. He has used the publicity tour for his book I Am America (And So Can You), to mock the process by which many candidates declare - Christopher Dodd (D) while a guest on Imus in the Morning; Rudy Giuliani (R) announced during a guest spot on Larry King Live; Mike Huckabee (R) on Meet the Press; Sen. John McCain (R) in New York on The Late Show with David Letterman, and Ron Paul (R) on C-SPAN.

It's been done before, a comedian running for U.S. President. Man of the Year (2006) starring Robin Williams as comedian Tom Dobbs. Wait, that wasn't real.

Colbert stated, "it will be a success for me if at the Republican or Democratic convention, someone stands up and says, 'The great state of South Carolina, home of the finest peaches, home of the finest shrimp, casts one delegate for Stephen Colbert.' "

Colbert surprised me...I figured he'd only run for President 30 minutes after Jon Stewart threw his own name into the ring (and Stewart's too smart to do that).

Tags: [Stephen Colbert]   [2008 US Presidential Candidates]
[Jeff Greenfield]   [The Colbert Report]
[South Carolina Primary]   [Favorite Son of South Carolina]
[Jon Stewart]   [The Daily Show]   [Comedy Central]
[Robin Williams]   [Barry Levinson]

Carp Diem

2007-10-16T03:37:00.000-04:00

I'll be able to sleep at night now.
A report from scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine concludes that fish may suffer from insomnia.

In order to understand sleep disorders, Emmanuel Mignot and his team were looking at how the brain regulates sleep, by studying zebrafish. They report that "some zebrafish have a mutant gene that disrupts their sleep patterns in a way similar to insomnia in humans."

I find it a little surprising that fish have any difficulty sleeping. Sounds from nature, like water and ocean tides, are recommended to create a relaxing atmosphere, reduce stress and induce sleep. Based on that, I would expect the research to find that most fish slept a lot.

Maybe the comforting sonances create a high incidence of Hypersomnolence.

Maybe it's not really an issue, since fish don't have to get up and work in the morning.

O Captain, my Captain.
Carpe Noctis.

Tags: [Zebra Fish]   [Sleep Disorders]   [Insomnia]
[Public Library of Science-Biology]
[Stanford School of Medicine]   [Emmanuel Mignot]
[Dead Poet's Society]   [Walt Whitman] [Carpe Diem]

Revenge on Mad Max

2007-10-15T11:51:00.000-04:00

It's Sunday, around noon.

John puts the leash on Buddy and they set out for a long walk. Buddy's exercise and weight loss plan requires a 2 km walk each day. They walk 100 yards down to the path that runs behind the school. A woman and 3 children are walking with their dog toward John and Buddy.

John discovers that this dog's name is Max after Max pulls and breaks his leash. He runs, with teeth bared, at Buddy, jumps and starts attacking. Max's owner calls his name, but he doesn't stop.

Buddy doesn't like this new dog, Max. He tries to defend himself, but the surprise attack has put him at a disadvantage. Eventually Max is contained but not before he has removed a chunk of Buddy's ear.

We administer some first aid but can't stop the bleeding from the wound. Buddy's 2 km workout turns into a 10km drive to the Veterinary Emergency Hospital.

Once cleaned and inspected, a local anaesthetic is administered and the wound is stapled close. For the next 7 days, we need to keep him from scratching or rubbing his ears. He is fitted with an Elizabethan collar, that doesn't make him feel regal in the slightest.

Wearing the cone will prevent him from removing the staples; but it also prevents him from getting a drink, ducking under the table to get crumbs, squeezing between my legs and the cupboard.

He bumps into everything. He is afraid to go downstairs. He is afraid to go up to the landing where his bed is. Every time he bumps into something, the noise frightens him. It makes him jump, which makes him bump into something, which makes the loud, irritating noise that frightens him.

Sporting his piercings and sans collar, I took Buddy for a walk last night. Not too far, not strenuous. He was begging to go - maybe showing off his new Goth style (staples with his black toenails) would be good for his spirit. I studied all the other dogs on leashes looking for Max. Two times a dog got near and Buddy stopped and just laid down.

One meeting with Max has turned Buddy into '... a shell of a dog, a burnt out, desolate dog, a dog haunted by demons, a dog who wandered out into the wasteland. And it will be here, in this blighted place, that he learns to live again... (Taken from MadMax 2: The Road Warrior)

Once Buddy gets his spirit back, you'd better look out Max!

Photo of dog wearing Elizabethan collar from
The Fun Times Guide

Tags: [Dog Bites] [First-Aid for Pets]
[Healing and Rejuvenation] [Mad Max]

Do Not Create False Drive Thrus

2007-10-11T01:13:00.000-04:00

A recent survey showed that more Americans can accurately list the ingredients in a Big Mac than recall the ten commandments.

In a study of 1000 people, 80% correctly identified the seven elements of the Big Mac; less than 60% remembered 'thou shalt not kill'. Read more...

The survey was completed at the request of the producers of the animated movie The Ten Commandments (Oct. 19).

Kelton Research also found that "survey participants had an easier time remembering the names of the six children on the old TV series 'The Brady Bunch.' "

Imagine how much more dismal the results might have been if Moses hadn't dropped a tablet, reducing the commandments from 15 to ten!

Tags: [Ten Commandments]   [Big Mac]   [Kelton Research]
[The Bible]   [McDonald's]
[Mel Brooks]   [History of the World Part II]

Honoring Mothers Defending Children

2007-10-10T12:42:00.000-04:00

Motherhood is called a great surrender.

The mother surrenders control of her body to the child during her pregnancy. After the birth, mothers surrender to the unpredictability of their cherubs. We watch proudly as our little one achieves milestones and develops and displays her personality.

The great surrender doesn't mean resignation; good mothers recognize the perils of control and raise empowered children. Mothers protect and defend children. It teaches young ones how to protect and defend themselves.

All that to get to this: A Michigan mom faces aggravated assault charges after her daughter was involved in a fight at school.   Read more...

Loving your child unconditionally doesn't mean you beat down the security guard at her school! Our civilized society may have forgotten that defending the child doesn't mean absolving him of responsibility. Face it, your kid isn't always right.

Mom may choose to use this to illustrate that actions have consequences.

Tags: [Ottawa Hills High School]   [Grand Rapids, MI]   [School Safety]
[Mary Lee Brown]   [Mother]

Humanity's Wallet

2007-10-09T04:11:00.000-04:00

As a child I would sometimes ask, "Mom, are we rich?"
"We're rich in love," my Mom would reply.

My friends used to tell me that my family was rich. It was curious that they could be so sure when I wasn't certain myself. These same friends also told me that our house was haunted. Since there were occasions when I could confidently say that it wasn't, it was difficult to know when to trust their authority.

It's not that we were poor. Our needs were always met. The only things we were 'in-want-of' were truly extras. None of us suffered because we shared a bike or a bedroom. Each of us was so creative, however, we put on some good displays of suffering!

As I grew up, I better understood the elements of being rich in love.

Loyalty is the hundred dollar bill. You flash a roll of loyalty around because it says "Mess with me, mess with my whole family". That's good news for the family, bad news for the mess-er.

Understanding and faith are the Ulysses S. Grant of this currency. For kids, these fifties are rare and harder to part with. As adults, we understand items with tremendous value can be found for $50. Knowledge and compassion are factors of this bill.

Since it's the only denomination stocked in an ATM, humor has to be the double-sawbuck. Check the wallet of humanity of any member of my family, and you'll find at least five crisp bills of humor, receipts for a withdrawal today and yesterday and the day before. It's fully accessible, as convenient as a debit card, accepted almost everywhere and can be used to get 'cash back' on purchases. Looks like our particular banking plan allows unlimited debit card transactions.

As adults, respect is like a $5 bill. It may be a little humble, but this smallest denomination of paper money makes one feel richer. It's versatile - it's enough for two coffees, or a Frappuccino, or a
Grande Mocha, or an entire Happy Meal. The point is, $5 can get you a little or be stretched to get a little more.
As kids, respect was more like a commemorative coin. We gave it and knew a sibling would keep it in a safe place and occasionally pull it out of his/her memory to recount the specifics of the day it was presented.

That we can measure our fortunes in a currency other than cash makes us very wealthy indeed.

[Qualities of Humanity] [Measure Your Wealth]

Quizno's Ad In Poor Taste

2007-10-06T11:17:00.000-04:00

Have you seen Quizno's ad for the new Chicken Carbonara sandwich?
Click the sandwich poster to watch the 30-second spot.

It focuses on lunch in an office. A staffer declares that he has given up on eating as he rolls an I.V. pole closer to his desk. His colleague tells him that food deserves another chance. He offers the Chicken Carbonara sandwich as proof of a satisfying alimentary experience.

It's not that I'm offended by the commercial, exactly. I rely on intravenous nutrition and hydration because of severe gastroparesis and if I had to choose, I would choose food any day.

Every day.

Tags: [Quizno's] [Chicken Carbonara Sandwich] [Lunch]
[Gastroparesis] [I.V. Nutrition (TPN)]

Student Takes Action Over Mark

2007-10-04T12:46:00.000-04:00

UMass student Brian Marquis received an A-minus numerical grade in his Political Philosophy course. While reviewing the final grades, the TA chose to adjust the grades on the curve. Marquis' mark changed to a C.

Marquis "filed a 15-count lawsuit in US District Court in Springfield in January claiming the university violated his civil rights and contractual rights and intentionally inflicted "emotional distress."

Jeremy Cushing, TA in the course 'Problems in Social Thought', wrote in an email to Marquis " 'As I am entering grades, I consider whether or not they seem fair,. . . I thought your grade was a good reflection of your work.' "

I'll admit that I expected this story would focus on helicopter parents who sued a university over the grade their precious snowflake's assignment had received. Adjusting on the bell curve is not new. In the end, Marquis' A-minus grade was deemed to be average for the course.

The lawsuit was dismissed by a District Judge last week, but Marquis is considering an appeal. Whether he appeals or not, launching suit against the university is likely to have some effect on his application to law school.

In 1978, the University of Missouri was served with similar proceedings. The following is from the court decision: "University faculties must have the widest range of discretion in making judgments as to the academic performances of students and their entitlement to promotion or graduation."

Maybe Marquis should review his notes from Foundations and Fundamentals.

Tags: [Brian Marquis] [Jeremy Cushing] [Grading on the Curve]

Clinic Visit Gives Patient Little Relief

2007-09-30T01:08:00.000-04:00

I had to go to the Walk-in Clinic. I needed a prescription refilled. Three of the doctors who serve our local clinic are familiar with my health and treatment plans. Today's doctor-on-duty was new; we'd never met.

I explained that I needed a prescription refill. He asked some screening questions and then read the prescription label. "This indicates that you have 2 repeats left on the order," he said.

"The 2 repeats represents 2 doses," I responded. I explained that I had been to the pharmacy yesterday to get the refill. While the original prescription was for a quantity of 32 boxes, the pharmacy dispenses these by the dose. That meant that the pharmacist translated the 32 boxes as 32 doses. "But the pharmacy doesn't actually dispense less than 5 doses, so I need a new order altogether," I finished.

"This is a narcotic," the doc said. "I'm not comfortable to write such a large order for a narcotic."

"I understand that you're at a disadvantage because we've never met, but my history is all here," I said, pointing to the massive paper chart.
He was clearly overwhelmed by my chart. The stack of papers in the folder is more than 6-inches high. It is, in fact, one of 2 folders that make up my chart.

Ten pages into the paper chart, he lost patience (an echo, labs, more labs, a mammo, ultrasound, a dictation, ultrasound, more labs, a fax...) Eventually, he agreed to a short term refill of the 'scrip and I agreed to see my family doctor for a more complete order.

I stopped at the reception desk to make the appointment.
"The next available appointment is," the clerk paused, "October 22."

Three weeks away, and I've managed to get just one week of my pain relief medication. I caught up with the doctor in the hallway and explained that I will need 3 weeks of meds to make it through to the appointment date.

"I'm just not comfortable writing a long-term order for that class of drugs," he repeated. He suggested I return to the clinic before I reached the end of the prescription to get another short term repeat.

How's that going to look - returning each week for a short term refill on a narcotic-class prescription.

Tags: [Doctor's Office] [Prescription Drug Abuse]
[Rush Limbaugh] [House]

Rash Reaction

2007-09-28T12:40:00.000-04:00

"A boy who suffers from a severe nut allergy has been excluded from school because he is considered to be a health and safety hazard."

Read the whole story...

The story, out of Goole, about 170 km east of Liverpool, grabbed attention with its "Allergic Boy Banned From School" headline. According to the Times article, George carries an Epipen and has been taught to use it in case of an allergic reaction. At his previous schools, anaphylaxis wasn't a controversy.

When you read the report, it is clear that the boy is being tutored at home just until a support system is in place at Howden School to protect students who face severe allergies. What has the school been waiting for?

In Ontario, Sabrina's Law was enacted in 2006. The bill ensures that school officials and staff receive training to recognize and give first-response aid in the case of a life-threatening allergic reaction. British Columbia has Bill M210 to protect students in that province.

Before the legislation, students with severe allergies were in the school. Parents trained the staff on identifying a reaction and administering epinephrine to their child. The legislation confirms that all school buildings will have designees who are prepared to give assistance to a student or volunteer or visitor, if it is required, anywhere in the province.

Facts About Food Allergies

1. Anaphylaxis affects 10% of the population.

2. Allergic reactions may occur up to 3-5 hours after exposure. Symptoms may persist for up to 72 hours.

3. Most fatal reactions occur as a result of accidental exposure.

4. The cause or trigger of the anaphylactic reaction isn't always obvious.
Source: www.epipen.com

It's really a shame that the banner
"Allergy Boy" has emboldened some readers
to leave some insensitive comments that only underscore their ignorance of anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis is a serious medical condition.
It has nothing to do with
how protective one's parents are.

People with severe food allergies
are not trying to control you, but we
have a responsibility to keep ourselves safe.

Tags: [George Hall-Lambert]   [Howden School]   [Anaphylaxis]
[Epipen]   [Twinject Injector]
[Anaphylaxis Canada]   [Sabrina's Law]

Recall by Lexus Will Affect 55,000 Units

2007-09-27T22:33:00.000-04:00

Lexus issued its 86th safety recall yesterday. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issues recalls when an investigation concludes that "an auto manufacturer is found to be responsible for a serious safety or mechanical defect".

In the Lexus situation, incidents of accidental acceleration related to the Lexus ES350, Toyota RAV4 and Tacoma truck were reported to the agency in August.

"One driver told the agency the vehicle had hit speeds of 100 m.p.h. over a 6-mile stretch of freeway due to the problem. A Michigan woman said the problem caused her to lose control of her Lexus, triggering a rollover crash on I-75 that totaled her car."

Lexus will replace 55,000 floor mats that, when not properly installed, allow the mat to crowd under the gas pedal, interfering with the safe operation of the accelerator.

Owners of the Prius and Avalon are being asked to check the installation of their floor mats as a precaution.

This isn't about floor mats.
Part of the story is that since 1990, Lexus has issued just 85 recall notices to vehicle owners. That's across its entire line up of vehicles.
Over the same time period, Ford^* announced 1721 recalls; General Motors announced 1142⁺ recalls of its light truck and van lines; and Chrysler recalled the Sebring model alone 72 times since it was introduced in the 1995 model year!

Over 12 years, the Sebring has been recalled almost as many times as the complete product mix of Lexus over the past 17 years! And the Sebring is described by Canadian Driver with the following phrases: "high value", "solid performance", "consistent Chrysler quality".

The floor mat example demonstrates that it needn't require great expense or considerable time to return a vehicle to NHTSA safety standards.
But isn't it just a little embarassing that the #1 luxury car brand issued a recall involving a $25 rubber mat?

^* Refers to Ford branded models only. Does not include Mercury or Lincoln.
⁺ Applies to GMC light-duty trucks, vans, minivans.

Tags:   [Lexus]   [Toyota]
[Automotive Recalls]   [Accidental Acceleration]
[Runaway Audi Scandal]   [Detroit Three]
[Weiss Research]   [Automotive Recall Scoreboard]   [Floor Mats]

Further Reading on North American automotive market:
The Demise of the American Auto Industry and the Rise of Toyota
(Martin Weiss, Money and Markets, March 2007)

If the accelerator is stuck: Hook your toes under the pedal to free it up.
If that doesn't work, downshift into lowest gear (some pros say neutral) and apply the brakes.
Pull off the road once vehicle has slowed.

Shoe Squabble

2007-09-22T13:03:00.000-04:00

Marc Jacobs unveiled these gems at FashionWeek. Part of his Spring 2008 collection, the shoes will retail for around $660.

"A chunky, four-inch heel nestles horizontally just under the ball of the foot. Where you'd expect a heel, there is nothing but fresh air.
The centre of gravity therefore is somewhere under the arch of the foot, forcing the whole body to tilt forward. The effort of staying upright in them will be the equivalent of an advanced level Pilates class."

Well, Jacobs did say that he was trying to overturn conventional fashion with his 2008 line. He calls this year's line The Emperor's New Clothes.

Wait! What's this? Turns out, these are very similar to Junko Shimado's line that was introduced in March. Shimado's appear slightly more comfortable, with a longer heel stem.

Looks like there may be a fashion footwear feud afoot!

Tags: [Marc Jacobs] [Junko Shimado]
[Fashion Week]
[The Emperor's New Clothes]

Hyphens At-Risk

2007-09-21T20:06:00.000-04:00

The most recent punctuation species to hit the endangered list: the hyphen.

The new Shorter Oxford English Dictionary has new spellings of 16,000 words. Formerly-hyphenated words appear in this new edition as either compound nouns (pigeonhole) or two separate words (pot belly).

" 'People are not confident about using hyphens anymore, they're not really sure what they are for," said Angus Stevenson, editor of the Shorter OED, the sixth edition of which was published this week.' "

Stevenson is quick to point out, however, that there is still a place for the hyphen in modern language - twenty-odd people came to the party; or was it twenty odd people?

In 2002, Florida candidate Patrick Feheley sued opponent Candice Brown-McElyea over a hyphen. He accused her of hyphenating her name to secure a better position on the ballot. Had she not changed her name prior to the election, Feheley's name would have been listed first on the ticket.

I never would have guessed that a gung-ho dictionary editor could be such a rabble-rouser.

There are a great many hyphens left in America. For my part, I think the most un-American thing in the world is a hyphen. —Woodrow Wilson, speech, 1919

Tags: [Short Oxford English Dictionary] [Angus Stevenson]
[Patrick Feheley] [Candice Brown-McElyea]
[The Hyphen] [Woodrow T. Wilson]

Fill Your Black Jack With Grog

2007-09-19T11:41:00.000-04:00

September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

It started as a joke between friends John "Ol Chumbucket" Baur and Mark "Capn Slappy" Summers. The tradition gained notoriety after scallywag columnist Dave Barry heard about the tradition.

TLAPD boasts its own anthem. Tom Smith wrote and recorded
"Talk Like a Pirate Day"
(plays in Windows Media Player)

Need help finding
your Pirat-titude?
View the instructional
video produced by
Loading Ready Run.

And be havin' a good tide!

Tags:[Talk Like a Pirate Day]
[Dave Barry] [John Baur] [Mark Summers]
[Tom Smith] [Loading Ready Run Comedy]

Duncan's Prank Rolls Foul

2007-09-17T22:53:00.000-04:00

Ten year old Boston Red Sox fan, Griffin Whitman , discovered new meaning of Curse of the Bambino at a game between his beloved Red Sox and the visiting Yankees.

Whitman asked rookie Shelley Duncan for an autograph before the opening game of the weekend series. Duncan obliged and passed the book back to the boy. (Read the full story...)

The rivalry between these two clubs is the legendary. Red Sox fans routinely chant "Yankees Suck!" when the club plays in town. Likewise, NY fans return the insult when the Sox come to Bronx.

I'm not supporting the ball player, but a proud Red Sox fan would never ask a Yankee for his signature! That's like Larry Bird asking Magic Johnson to be his best man; or Muhammad Ali taking a dive with Joe Frazier in the ring; or Lloyd Carr (Michigan) sending his kid to Ohio State!

"Griffin’s mother, Karen, blasted the Yankees slugger’s bad manners". Wonder if she said anything to the fans at Fenway when the chanting began?

Tags:[Shelley Duncan] [Red Sox] [Yankees] [Sports Rivalry]
[Michigan Wolverines] [O.S.U. Buckeyes]
[Curse of the Bambino] [Fever Pitch]

Kansas Welcomes Rain Delay

2007-09-15T23:20:00.000-04:00

Former major-leaguer Mike Hargrove has been named manager of the semi-pro Bee Jays of Liberal, Kansas. Hargrove played for the Bee Jays in the 70's, when the Texas Rangers drafted him.

As a player, Hargrove was named Rookie of the Year, hit a career .290 and earned the nickname The Human Rain Delay. At the plate, before each pitch, Hargrove adjusted his helmet, adjusted each batting glove, and then fine-tuned the fit of the gloves near the base of each thumb. His at-bat ritual wasn't complete until he adjusted first one sleeve, then the other; wiped his hands onto his pants, planted his left foot, then finally placed his right foot into the box. Almost a minute of Hargrove's routine before each pitch.Every pitch.

I hated to see him foul one off with 2 strikes on. I prayed the pitcher wouldn't check the runner and throw to first, or move off the rubber. His routine was so disruptive to the rhythm of the game, I wondered if the National League pitchers collectively negotiated Hargrove's trade from San Diego back to the American League (Cleveland) after just 52 games in 1979.

This year, during an 8-game win-streak, Hargrove left his post as manager with the Mariners. "I never lost my passion for the game – I lost my passion for the job," he says. Hargrove will skipper the 2008 Bee Jays without compensation. "It’s a chance to give back," he proudly declares.

Lesson one for these college players: Delaying the Game for Fun. "No, Turtle. You're stepping into the box too quickly. Try hitting the bat against your cleats one more time, first."

The Bee Jays play in the Jayhawk League. Notable Jayhawk League Alumni include Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Lance Berkman, Ozzie Smith, Doug Drabek, and Chuck Knoblauch.

Tags:[Mike Hargrove]   [1998 ALDS (Cleveland v. Boston)]
[Bee Jays]
[Jayhawk Baseball League]   [Liberal, Kansas]
[Rain Delay]   [Bob Carlile]

Block Heels Make Comeback

2007-09-13T23:43:00.000-04:00

THE season’s fashion must-have is a £700 (approx. $975) shoe that would be more at home in a toy shop.

According to UK Times, "the most talked about item on the catwalk [is] Balenciaga’s robot shoes, which look as though they’ve been made from Lego."

The Sportiletto is designed by Nicolas Ghesquiere for fashion house Balenciaga.
Disappointed fashionistas in London have had to settle for standing orders right now, as demand has out-paced supply.

The colors and material of the Sportiletto remind me of Lego; but with the rivets, I'd say these shoes are more characteristic of Meccano.

Tags: [Sportiletto Shoes]
[Cristobal Balenciaga]
[Nicolas Ghesquiere]
[Lego Products] [Meccano Toys]

Venus

2007-09-07T15:58:00.000-04:00

Since the 1970's, the first Sunday in September has been set aside in Piobbico, Italy for the annual Festival of the Ugly. At each festival, club members elect a new president. For 30 years Telesforo Iacobelli has accepted the honor.

Signor Iacobelli heads the Club dei Brutti in Italy. The club has links that go back to 1879. It is now known as The World Association of Ugly People, and at the 2007 Festa on September 9, 2007, Iacobelli will unveil a monument to ugly people.
The prototype picture is shown at right.

The motto of Club de Brutti is 'a person is what he is and not what he looks like.'

Iacobelli describes the monument as a tribute to the one who is beautiful on the inside.

Fact: Brigitte Nielsen is a member of The Club

Goddess on the mountain top burning like a silver flame
The summit of beauty and love and Venus was her name
CHORUS:
She's got it. Yeah, baby, she's got it
I'm your Venus
I'm your fire
At your desire
(Stock, Aitken & Waterman)
Performed by Bananarama

Tags: [World Association of Ugly People] [Piobbico] [Telesforo Iacobelli]
[Bananarama] [Brigitte Nielsen]

Star Signs?

2007-08-31T14:25:00.000-04:00

Phil Booth Astrological Forecast for Taurus - Aug. 31, 2007:

"Be prepared to be unprepared. No matter how you try to cover yourself for every eventuality, an unexpected development is likely to catch you off guard. The sky suggests there will be a smart way to turn a tricky situation to your advantage."

Two days ago, I asked to have one really routine day; no more surprises, I requested. Well, maybe tomorrow will be plain.

Tags: [Phil Booth] [Horoscope] [Taurus]

Socratic Irony?

2007-08-31T10:38:00.000-04:00

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency released this warning yesterday:

Undeclared Walnuts in Bella Cucina Cookies
The recall notice begins:
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning people with
allergies to walnuts not to consume Bella Cucina
Death by Chocolate cookies. The affected product may contain walnuts which are not declared on the
label... (Read the entire notice)

So, Death by Chocolate cookies are being recalled because eating them may result in death?

Tags: [Anaphylaxis] [Nut Allergy] [Bella Cucina]
[Socrates] [Hemlock Poison] [Death by Chocolate]
[C.F.I.A.]

Keeping Kids Safe

2007-08-23T16:16:00.000-04:00

Three weeks ago, I introduced readers to the Bulletproof Backpack. This is a real product, designed by Mike Pelonzi and Joe Curran of Boston. You can view the Product Page at MJ Safety Solutions.

I made the joke about Kevlar for Kindergartners. Just a few days later, I read about U.K.-based BladeRunner that has responded to parent requests for improved safety in school uniforms with its unique Kevlar Blazers. Send BladeRunner your child's outfit and they will add a Kevlar lining to it. Real product.

Then Trutex, another uniform supplier in the United Kingdom, showed off its product development team who are working on a way to incorporate GPS in its school uniforms. A safety net for parents, the microchip in the waistband or collar will allow them to monitor their child via a secure website. Schools are in the pro-camp for these devices - the chip's being touted as a tool to reduce truancy. In fact, according to surveys conducted by Trutex, only "children aged over 13 were less enthusiastic, fearing it would mean that their parents could spy on them." The teens can relax for this school year. The product team still has to find a tamper-proof circuit that doesn't break down in the wash. Still real, just not on the market yet. (Insert your own "No Child Left Behind" jokes)

Today, all the talk seems to be about Toddler Taser brought to you by Bulletproof Baby. Metro (U.K) covered the product testing of a stroller yesterday.

Bulletproof Baby is a viral marketing site linked to Shoot 'Em Up, not an actual supplier of protective gear and equipment. Was Metro really fooled? Some of its readers were. From a post at Jack-be-Nimble: "At first I wasn't sure if it was a parody or not and then I realized that it was not."
Really? You weren't tipped off to any satire even though the order desk is located in Iowa?!

Tags: [Bulletproof Clothing] [MJ Safety Solutions]
[BladeRunner] [Trutex Uniforms]

[Toddler Taser] [Bulletproof Baby] [P.T. Barnum]

[Shoot 'Em Up] [Clive Owen] [Paul Giamatti] [Monica Bellucci]
[New Line Cinema]

Hip Waders

2007-08-22T22:52:00.000-04:00

I can't confirm that these are real...but they make Crocs^® look stylish!

Tags: [High Heel Flippers] [Scuba Gear] [Crocs ®]

What The Flak?

2007-08-10T23:36:00.000-04:00

It's August. Bittersweet.
Summers' door is closing behind us. In just weeks, a new school year will begin.

Families begin the march to the malls; the tradition of back-to-school shopping must be maintained. Bags containing new shoes, stylish sportswear or pristine uniforms are proudly toted. The bags with the pencils, pens, protractors and paper are dragged. Something about this bag elicits whining and requires a slower pace.

Kids want the Five Star Sound binder, so they can connect their mp3 players in class. Parents consider the item's practicality, novelty, style and value in the purchase process.

Boston parents Mike Pelonzi and Joe Curran want their backpack, My Child's Pack, to be among your back-to-school necessities.

The backpacks, which will cost $175, have a super-lightweight bullet-proof plate sewn into the back which weighs no more than a bottle of water. Pelonzi said the material used is a secret.

That's right. A bullet-proof backpack. According to Pelonzi, "during a three-year testing phase, [the backpacks] stood up to bullets as well as machete, hatchet and Ka-bar knife attacks."

Kevlar for kindergartners. Flak jackets for freshmen.

Tags: [Bulletproof Backpacks] [Mike Pelonzi] [Joe Curran]
[Back-to-School Shopping] [Flak Jackets] [Bulletproof]

Squeezing Lower Prices

2007-08-03T19:05:00.000-04:00

I don't shop at Wal-Mart. There are many reasons.

I don't like the way they do business. Here's how my relationship with Wal-Mart started:

When Wal-Mart came to Canada, it initiated a campaign to convince shoppers the merchandise in its stores was Canadian merchandise.

It looked to me like Wal-Mart was disguising the truth. Sure, it buys merchandise from a warehouse located in Canada. That warehouse receives goods from an offshore supplier. The shipment was ordered and arranged by Wal-Mart. A Canadian truck delivers the cartons to the final destination.

I know a little about Canadian content and I wasn't buying their claim. Wal-Mart hadn't demonstrated enough Canadian content for me.

Bryan Adams' album Waking Up the Neighbors was deemed ineligible for Juno award nomination in 1992. The CRTC concluded that the album did not meet Canadian Content (can-con) criteria.
Amid tremendous controversy in 1991, Adams, his management and A&M Records convinced the CRTC to amend its criteria for Canadian content to include a Canadian artist who has collaborated with a non-Canadian and receives at least half of the credit for both music and lyrics.
All about Bryan Adams
Tags: [Bryan Adams] [Bruce Allen] [CanCon] [Juno Awards] [CRTC]

I'm all for great deals for shoppers; I absolutely support making money. I've seen corporate purchasing, and the bullying tactics of big retail on the suppliers...suppliers who are struggling to match increased volume at smaller margins and be profitable.

Sorry to put you through all this. I wanted to offer a little backgrounder before you went on to the next post. Will Work For Free?

Encyclopedia of Music in Canada

[Wal-Mart] [Everyday Low Price Strategy]
[The High Cost of Low Prices]

Will Work For Free?

2007-08-03T19:02:00.000-04:00

The government in Mexico is concerned that Wal-Mart is exploiting local customs to increase the retail giant's profitability.

Wal-Mart is behaving a little badly? I'm shocked!

Thousands of adolescents work as unpaid baggers in Wal-Mart’s Mexican stores.
(Joseph Contreras, Newsweek, July 31, 2007)

Wal-Mart's Global Code of Ethics prohibits work without compensation.
(Click Picture to Read Excerpt)

When a company recruits teens to be volunteers, doesn't that make those teens employees?

"Wal-Mart de Mexico reported net earnings of $1.148 billion in 2006 and $280 million in profits in the second quarter of this year." Federal District Labor Secretary Benito Mirón Lince points out 'Wal-Mart has the capability to pay the minimum wage [of less than $5 a day], and this [unpaid baggers] represents an injustice.'

Wal-Mart explains that the company complies with the International Labor Organization's guidelines that prohibit employing youth under the age of 14. (At least since 2005, when "Wal-Mart agreed to pay the U.S. Labor Department $135,540 in civil money penalties to settle charges of 24 child-labor violations.")

A volunteer is "a person who performs a service willingly and without pay." Wal-Mart provides accident insurance to its volunteer baggers, and pays bonuses for academic achievement. Once you pay a volunteer, he is no longer a volunteer; he is an employee.

The government of Mexico doesn't like it, but is nervous to push Wal-Mart to change. Wal-Mart is the largest private company employer in the country. Mexico simply can't afford those 150,000 workers to be out of work.

I'm usually quiet about my preference to shop elsewhere; but I consider this too outrageous to ignore.

Wal-Mart squeezes the labor force in the name of low prices. Squeezing Lower Prices

Mexico Labor Report 2006

Tags: [Wal-Mart] [Walmart de Mexico]
[I.L.O.] [Newsweek] [Joseph Contreras]

Reading for the Restless

2007-08-01T14:02:00.000-04:00

Hy-per-chon-dri-a (noun)
The frenetic combustion in one's brain that creates external and internal disease and makes one very unpleasant company to family, peers, the medical community and even oneself.

I feel badly that I enjoyed Brian Frazer's memoir Hyperchondriac: One Man's Quest to Hurry Up And Slow Down this much. Frazer describes and explores his dysfunctional family, and the role of those relationships as he grew from a wired youth into an angry man. Frazer hops from one alternative to the next in an effort to understand and manage his anger.

At his wife's suggestion, he enrolled in Yoga classes but found that first lesson did more harm than good. He registered for Kabbalah classes. Enlightenment escaped him, but the experience did underscore his intolerances. His decision to try Distance Reiki demonstrates how desperate he was to find 'the cure' for his anxiety. Reiki offers hands-on healing to one's energy in order to heal the spirit...Frazer engaged in this spiritual healing via email. You've got to read his account of that session.

I'm still not sure whether I tore through this book because a look at Frazer's problems made my own life seem "normal"; or because I've tried some 'out-there' alternative therapies to resolve my health issues. I might accept Reiki over the phone (at least there's some contact with the healer); but email?

The publisher describes Hyperchondriac as "uncomfortably true and always entertaining." That's exactly what it is.

Tags:
[Brian Frazer] [Hyperchondriac] [Anger Management]

[Yoga] [Kabbalah] [Tai Chi]

[Ayurveda] [Therapeutic Use of Pets]

Endangered Punctuation

2007-07-20T20:17:00.000-04:00

Robert J. Samuelson's submission "The Sad Fate of the Comma" ,(Newsweek, July 23) caught my eye. Not just because of my interest in words, but because, about a month ago, I was involoved in a discussion about saving the comma from extinction.

What's wrong? You're looking at me like you've never discussed endangered punctuation around the dinner table before. Samuelson states "the comma is in retreat, though it is not yet extinct. In text messages and e-mails, commas appear infrequently, and then often by accident (someone hits the wrong key)."

I believe that the overuse of the ellipsis ( ... or dot-dot-dot) in e-mail and text messages is partly to blame for the decline of the comma. The ellipsis gets tossed around indiscriminately. At this rate, we may, one day, face an international shortage of full-stop periods - the key component in an ellipsis.

Samuelson argues that the downturn in the comma market is social commentary:

The comma is, after all, a small sign that flashes PAUSE. It tells the reader to slow down, think a bit, and then move on. We don't have time for that. No pauses allowed.

We should have seen it coming. When writing dates, one comma did the work that it takes 2 slashes to pull off. We require numbers to have 5 digits, instead of 4, before inserting a comma (13,067 : 3067). At some point, separating adjectival clauses with a comma became an elective process; but doesn't a non-restrictive clause beg for a general rule?
(When did I begin holding the semi-colon in higher regard than the comma? The comma has 4 times the number of legitimate uses as the semi-colon!)

I, for one, am vowing here, beginning with this post, to preserve commas by using them more. In e-mail, I commit to using ellipses less often. Picture a life without full-stops It would become nearly impossible to identify the end of a complete thought On the other hand, it would make interrupting much easier

Commas used: 26

Tags: [Comma] [Ellipsis] [Semi-Colon]

[Newsweek] [Robert Samuelson]

[National Punctuation Day] (September 24)