My wife Carrie and I were talking about this last night and saying we wonder how many kids have had their dreams shattered by Woods. I am sure he probably has enough money to last him a lifetime, but he may have to change his life style. How many sponsors are going to want to put megabucks in his pocket? Perhaps the makers of Viagra will, but General Motors and all the rest surely must be reconsidering their advertising budget. Tiger says he is going to take a sabbatical from golf. I wonder if golf is ready to take a sabbatical from Tiger.
Commentary: Picking the right heroes isn't easy when so many disappoint
By Taylor Batten The Charlotte Observer
Pete Rose took his sharp spikes and stomped on my heart. I still feel betrayed 20 years later.
Rose was my first hero, in the mid-1970s. Charlie Hustle. The heart and soul of my beloved Cincinnati Reds. Baseball's all-time hits leader.
Rose loved the game. He'd sprint to first base after a walk, fly head first into third to leg out a triple and plow into a catcher blocking home plate.
I spent dozens of hours of my childhood watching Rose and the Big Red Machine on TV. My dad and I would sit together, admiring Rose's passion and hustle. My dad gave me old Pete Rose baseball cards for Christmas, and I'd pour over sleeve after protective sleeve, memorizing his statistics.
I wanted to be just like him. My dream, like so many boys', was to play for the Cincinnati Reds, hitting the ball just like Rose, and never loafing, just like Rose.
So when I found out, with the rest of the world, that Rose had stained the game and his reputation forever by betting on baseball, it undercut my whole faith in people. Rose pierced my naïve, childish notion of heroes. If you can't trust Charlie Hustle, whom can you trust?
That newfound cynicism was proven right again and again. Michael Jordan, the greatest athlete of all time? Perhaps, but also a guy who cheated on his wife and had a severe gambling problem. Bill Clinton, a singular political talent and brilliant policy wonk? Yes, but a president who will be remembered most for the recklessness that frittered away his potential for greatness. The athletes and celebrities, politicians and business leaders, who breached our trust and proved our adulation undeserved is quite a crowd. And it's not just the famous; priests, teachers and youth group leaders are too frequently in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Now comes Tiger Woods. The latest deity to be unmasked. Whether his private life should be private is a question for a different day; it has become public despite his best efforts. Tiger, apparently, did more than make one bad decision. If reports are true, he engaged in a years-long pattern of infidelity, including two months before his first child was born.
The image of perfection so carefully crafted by Tiger and his consultants is revealed for what it was: just an image. Even a guy who has it all - unparalleled talent, a bottomless wallet, a beautiful wife and two children who will look up to him adoringly and call him "Daddy" - fails himself and those around him.
So now an untold number of kids and adults have had their naïve notions of heroes pierced.
It's enough to make you give up on believing in anybody. Why have heroes, when they're sure to disappoint? Why invest trust in a person, only to be burned?
It sure feels safer sometimes to assume the worst about people. Less of a letdown that way.
Or maybe we need to adjust our expectations, and our definition of heroes. A hero isn't a guy who runs the bases aggressively. It isn't someone who can hit a little white ball far and straight, as much as I long to do that myself.
The true heroes are all around us. They are teaching our kids, they are protecting us in Afghanistan, they are ministering to the homeless, they are giving coats to coat drives, they are comforting the Alzheimer's patient. They are human, too, and they will disappoint. But the entirety of their lives is a reminder that letting a celebrity's foibles jade us is to close our eyes to the good in the world. Thinking the worst of everyone is a poisonous, energy-sapping way to go through life.
It is said that the pessimist is usually right, but that the optimist is the only one who gets anything done.
Similarly, it's understandable to think everyone's a scoundrel. If you think that way, as I'm often tempted to do, you'll regularly find evidence that you think proves you right. But you'll miss the beauty that's all around you, and the people who are creating it.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The Power of Ten
A few days ago I was watching the evening news when they ran a story about a group calling themselves “Secret Santas. It is not they are so “secret”, but they do go around giving gifts of at least one hundred dollars to people they feel are in need of a helping hand from a Secret Santa. They look for recipients in thrift shops, Salvation Army stores, senior centers, etc. and they are presented an unconditional gift. In one instance last night, an elderly woman who could not always afford to buy heating oil was given $400.
As I watched, I thought this was a wonderful idea, but why limit it to the holiday season? What if people would take a small amount of money and multiply it by ten and present that money to some deserving soul? What if they did this every month of the year?
The idea of The Power of Ten has been playing around in my head. What if you and nine of your friends got together and each of you gave $10. Well, you would have $100—The Power of Ten. If you did this once a month, your group could give away $1,000 in ten months—The Power of Ten. Now think about this, if each member of your group formed another group of ten, now these ten groups can provide $1,000 a month—The Power of Ten. Now a hundred dollars doesn’t seem like a lot of money, but if you don’t have enough to provide for life’s simple necessities, a hundred dollars is a fortune.
And so there is the possibility of exponential giving for a very small investment on your part. Maybe I am being a silly, but I would be interested in your feedback. If enough people agree, I would like to flesh out this idea, form a group of ten and start.
My email: sailorguy@comcast.net
As I watched, I thought this was a wonderful idea, but why limit it to the holiday season? What if people would take a small amount of money and multiply it by ten and present that money to some deserving soul? What if they did this every month of the year?
The idea of The Power of Ten has been playing around in my head. What if you and nine of your friends got together and each of you gave $10. Well, you would have $100—The Power of Ten. If you did this once a month, your group could give away $1,000 in ten months—The Power of Ten. Now think about this, if each member of your group formed another group of ten, now these ten groups can provide $1,000 a month—The Power of Ten. Now a hundred dollars doesn’t seem like a lot of money, but if you don’t have enough to provide for life’s simple necessities, a hundred dollars is a fortune.
And so there is the possibility of exponential giving for a very small investment on your part. Maybe I am being a silly, but I would be interested in your feedback. If enough people agree, I would like to flesh out this idea, form a group of ten and start.
My email: sailorguy@comcast.net
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Annual Shift the Clothes Day
Today is our annual "Shift the Clothes Day"--when we move winter clothes from the attic and pack up summer stuff and move to the attic. This is the result of two clothes horses marrying one another. We have given loads of clothes to ACTS, a local community service group, and we still have too much "stuff". I think it must be like clothes hangers--you know--you put two clothes hangers in a closet and close the door. You come back a month later and there are a 100 hangers in there. Makes you wonder what they were doing in the dark! At least with putting the summer stuff away, we don't have to scrounge around to find moth crystals or round up a bunch of male moths and turn them into castrati.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The Yellow Toad
So, there's this yellow toad wandering around in the forest kinda pissed off because he doesn't want to be yellow. Life would be easier if he were brown like the other toads.. He'd sure be less visible to predators for one thing.
Anyway... this yellow toad bumps into a fairy godmother.. He begs her: "Fairy godmother, please make me brown like the other toads. I am tired of being so visible to predators and such."
The fairy godmother whips out her magic wand and says "Abracapokus! You're brown!"
The toad looks down and sees that he is brown except for his package, which is still yellow. He says to the fairy godmother: "Wait a minute! My pecker's still yellow!"
To this the fairy godmother replies: "I don't do hardware. You will have to go see The Wizard of Oz for that." The toad thanks her and hops off on his way.
There is also a purple bear wandering about the very same woods. As luck would have it, he encounters the very same fairy godmother. He implores her: "Fairy godmother, please make me brown like the other bears. None of the lady bears want to be seen with me on account of the hunters can spot me from a mile off."
She, being a nice fairy godmother, takes out her magic wand and says: "Pokuscadabra! You're brown!"
The bear looks down and sees that he is, in fact, brown with the exception of the ole twig and berries,they remain purple. He says: "My wang is still purple!"
She says: "I don't do units, you will have to go see The Wizard of Oz for that."
To this the bear replies: "Well that's just dandy, but how the hell do I find The Wizard of Oz?"
The fairy godmother answers: "That's easy... just follow the yellow dick Toad!",
Anyway... this yellow toad bumps into a fairy godmother.. He begs her: "Fairy godmother, please make me brown like the other toads. I am tired of being so visible to predators and such."
The fairy godmother whips out her magic wand and says "Abracapokus! You're brown!"
The toad looks down and sees that he is brown except for his package, which is still yellow. He says to the fairy godmother: "Wait a minute! My pecker's still yellow!"
To this the fairy godmother replies: "I don't do hardware. You will have to go see The Wizard of Oz for that." The toad thanks her and hops off on his way.
There is also a purple bear wandering about the very same woods. As luck would have it, he encounters the very same fairy godmother. He implores her: "Fairy godmother, please make me brown like the other bears. None of the lady bears want to be seen with me on account of the hunters can spot me from a mile off."
She, being a nice fairy godmother, takes out her magic wand and says: "Pokuscadabra! You're brown!"
The bear looks down and sees that he is, in fact, brown with the exception of the ole twig and berries,they remain purple. He says: "My wang is still purple!"
She says: "I don't do units, you will have to go see The Wizard of Oz for that."
To this the bear replies: "Well that's just dandy, but how the hell do I find The Wizard of Oz?"
The fairy godmother answers: "That's easy... just follow the yellow dick Toad!",
Monday, September 21, 2009
THE BEST OF THE WURST
THE BEST OF THE WURST
I have been trying to figure out for some time the difference between wurst and brats. My wife has informed me that--
- The wurst are generally smaller.
- Conversely, the best brats are larger.
- She says the wurst are often not as firm
- She likes her brats very firm.
- She also says she likes the brats that have a slight bit of the covering removed from one end.
- She says that sometimes the wurst pop too early or they don’t pop at all.
- She mentioned that the best brats don’t pop for quite a while.
- She says she doesn’t like old wurst, but prefers young brats.
- She says old wurst are often wrinkled while brats a generally smooth.
I agreed that these things might be true, but there were some things to remember—
- Wurst and brats like new pots.
- Sometimes it is necessary to replace the pots since the frequent use with brats tends to make the pots get bigger.
- It has been said that the smaller the wurst, the better the taste.
- There is ample evidence that removing part of the covering from the wurst is also good, but it needs to be done while the wurst is fairly new.
- Sometimes wrinkled wurst can be rejuvenated if they are subjected to a warm, moist environment.
- The fact that wurst doesn’t pop can be a good thing.
- Some studies have shown that once you try an older wurst, you won’t ever want to go back to a younger brat.
I have been trying to figure out for some time the difference between wurst and brats. My wife has informed me that--
- The wurst are generally smaller.
- Conversely, the best brats are larger.
- She says the wurst are often not as firm
- She likes her brats very firm.
- She also says she likes the brats that have a slight bit of the covering removed from one end.
- She says that sometimes the wurst pop too early or they don’t pop at all.
- She mentioned that the best brats don’t pop for quite a while.
- She says she doesn’t like old wurst, but prefers young brats.
- She says old wurst are often wrinkled while brats a generally smooth.
I agreed that these things might be true, but there were some things to remember—
- Wurst and brats like new pots.
- Sometimes it is necessary to replace the pots since the frequent use with brats tends to make the pots get bigger.
- It has been said that the smaller the wurst, the better the taste.
- There is ample evidence that removing part of the covering from the wurst is also good, but it needs to be done while the wurst is fairly new.
- Sometimes wrinkled wurst can be rejuvenated if they are subjected to a warm, moist environment.
- The fact that wurst doesn’t pop can be a good thing.
- Some studies have shown that once you try an older wurst, you won’t ever want to go back to a younger brat.
No Pigs=More Trash
Forrest Gump said it best: "Stupid is as stupid does."
Belatedly, Egypt Spots Flaws in Wiping Out Pigs
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN
Published: September 19, 2009
CAIRO — It is unlikely anyone has ever come to this city and commented on how clean the streets are. But this litter-strewn metropolis is now wrestling with a garbage problem so severe it has managed to incite its weary residents and command the attention of the president.
Shawn Baldwin for The New York Times
A zabaleen carrying a load of cardboard. The zabaleen no longer go door to door collecting organic waste, which they fed to pigs.
Shawn Baldwin for The New York Times
A woman picked through garbage in Cairo. A delicate balance of trash collecting has been upset, and garbage is everywhere.
“The problem is clear in the streets,” said Haitham Kamal, a spokesman for the Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs. “There is a strict and intensive effort now from the state to address this issue.”
But the crisis should not have come as a surprise.
When the government killed all the pigs in Egypt this spring — in what public health experts said was a misguided attempt to combat swine flu — it was warned the city would be overwhelmed with trash.
The pigs used to eat tons of organic waste. Now the pigs are gone and the rotting food piles up on the streets of middle-class neighborhoods like Heliopolis and in the poor streets of communities like Imbaba.
Ramadan Hediya, 35, who makes deliveries for a supermarket, lives in Madinat el Salam, a low-income community on the outskirts of Cairo.
“The whole area is trash,” Mr. Hediya said. “All the pathways are full of trash. When you open up your window to breathe, you find garbage heaps on the ground.”
What started out as an impulsive response to the swine flu threat has turned into a social, environmental and political problem for the Arab world’s most populous nation.
It has exposed the failings of a government where the power is concentrated at the top, where decisions are often carried out with little consideration for their consequences and where follow-up is often nonexistent, according to social commentators and government officials.
“The main problem in Egypt is follow-up,” said Sabir Abdel Aziz Galal, chief of the infectious disease department at the Ministry of Agriculture. “A decision is taken, there is follow-up for a period of time, but after that, they get busy with something else and forget about it. This is the case with everything.”
Speaking broadly, there are two systems for receiving services in Egypt: The government system and the do-it-yourself system. Instead of following the channels of bureaucracy, most people rely on an informal system of personal contacts and bribes to get a building permit, pass an inspection, get a driver’s license — or make a living.
“The straight and narrow path is just too bureaucratic and burdensome for the rich person, and for the poor, the formal system does not provide him with survival, it does not give him safety, security or meet his needs,” said Laila Iskandar Kamel, chairwoman of a community development organization in Cairo.
Cairo’s garbage collection belonged to the informal sector. The government hired multinational companies to collect the trash, and the companies decided to place bins around the city.
But they failed to understand the ethos of the community. People do not take their garbage out. They are accustomed to seeing someone collecting it from the door.
For more than half a century, those collectors were the zabaleen, a community of Egyptian Christians who live on the cliffs on the eastern edge of the city. They collected the trash, sold the recyclables and fed the organic waste to their pigs — which they then slaughtered and ate.
Killing all the pigs, all at once, “was the stupidest thing they ever did,” Ms. Kamel said, adding, “This is just one more example of poorly informed decision makers.”
When the swine flu fear first emerged, long before even one case was reported in Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak ordered that all the pigs be killed in order to prevent the spread of the disease.
When health officials worldwide said that the virus was not being passed by pigs, the Egyptian government said that the cull was no longer about the flu, but was about cleaning up the zabaleen’s crowded, filthy, neighborhood.
That was in May.
Today the streets of the zabaleen community are as packed with stinking trash and as clouded with flies as ever before. But the zabaleen have done exactly what they said they would do: they stopped taking care of most of the organic waste.
Instead they dump it wherever they can or, at best, pile it beside trash bins scattered around the city by the international companies that have struggled in vain to keep up with the trash.
“They killed the pigs, let them clean the city,” said Moussa Rateb, a former garbage collector and pig owner who lives in the community of the zabaleen. “Everything used to go to the pigs, now there are no pigs, so it goes to the administration.”
The recent trash problem was compounded when employees of one of the multinational companies — men and women in green uniforms with crude brooms dispatched around the city — stopped working in a dispute with the city.
The government says that the dispute has been resolved, but nothing has been done to repair the damage to the informal system that once had the zabaleen take Cairo’s trash home.
The garbage is only the latest example of the state’s struggling to meet the needs of its citizens, needs as basic as providing water, housing, health care and education.
The government announced last week that schools would not be opened until the first week of October to give the government time to prepare for a potential swine flu outbreak, a decision that could have been made anytime over the past three months, while schools were closed for summer break, critics said.
Officials in the Ministry of Health and other government ministries said they had not made this decision — and that they had counseled against pre-emptive school closings.
It appears to have been ordered by the presidency and carried out by the governors, who also ordered that all private schools, already in class, be shut down as well.
“We did not propose or call for postponing schools, so the reason is not with us,” said an official in the Ministry of Health who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak to the news media.
The heads of three large governorates, or states, in Egypt announced Wednesday that their strategy for keeping schoolchildren safe was to take classes, which on average are crowded with more than 60 students, and split them in half and have children attend school only three days a week, another decision that was criticized. There have been more than 800 confirmed cases of H1N1 in Egypt, and two flu-related deaths.
“The state is troubled; as a result the system of decision making is disintegrating,” said Galal Amin, an economist, writer and social critic. “They are ill-considered decisions taken in a bit of a hurry, either because you’re trying to please the president or because you are a weak government that is anxious to please somebody.”
Cairo’s streets have always been busy with children and littered with trash.
Now, with the pigs gone, and the schools closed, they are even more so.
“The Egyptians are really in a mess,” Mr. Amin said.
Mona el-Naggar contributed reporting.
Belatedly, Egypt Spots Flaws in Wiping Out Pigs
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN
Published: September 19, 2009
CAIRO — It is unlikely anyone has ever come to this city and commented on how clean the streets are. But this litter-strewn metropolis is now wrestling with a garbage problem so severe it has managed to incite its weary residents and command the attention of the president.
Shawn Baldwin for The New York Times
A zabaleen carrying a load of cardboard. The zabaleen no longer go door to door collecting organic waste, which they fed to pigs.
Shawn Baldwin for The New York Times
A woman picked through garbage in Cairo. A delicate balance of trash collecting has been upset, and garbage is everywhere.
“The problem is clear in the streets,” said Haitham Kamal, a spokesman for the Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs. “There is a strict and intensive effort now from the state to address this issue.”
But the crisis should not have come as a surprise.
When the government killed all the pigs in Egypt this spring — in what public health experts said was a misguided attempt to combat swine flu — it was warned the city would be overwhelmed with trash.
The pigs used to eat tons of organic waste. Now the pigs are gone and the rotting food piles up on the streets of middle-class neighborhoods like Heliopolis and in the poor streets of communities like Imbaba.
Ramadan Hediya, 35, who makes deliveries for a supermarket, lives in Madinat el Salam, a low-income community on the outskirts of Cairo.
“The whole area is trash,” Mr. Hediya said. “All the pathways are full of trash. When you open up your window to breathe, you find garbage heaps on the ground.”
What started out as an impulsive response to the swine flu threat has turned into a social, environmental and political problem for the Arab world’s most populous nation.
It has exposed the failings of a government where the power is concentrated at the top, where decisions are often carried out with little consideration for their consequences and where follow-up is often nonexistent, according to social commentators and government officials.
“The main problem in Egypt is follow-up,” said Sabir Abdel Aziz Galal, chief of the infectious disease department at the Ministry of Agriculture. “A decision is taken, there is follow-up for a period of time, but after that, they get busy with something else and forget about it. This is the case with everything.”
Speaking broadly, there are two systems for receiving services in Egypt: The government system and the do-it-yourself system. Instead of following the channels of bureaucracy, most people rely on an informal system of personal contacts and bribes to get a building permit, pass an inspection, get a driver’s license — or make a living.
“The straight and narrow path is just too bureaucratic and burdensome for the rich person, and for the poor, the formal system does not provide him with survival, it does not give him safety, security or meet his needs,” said Laila Iskandar Kamel, chairwoman of a community development organization in Cairo.
Cairo’s garbage collection belonged to the informal sector. The government hired multinational companies to collect the trash, and the companies decided to place bins around the city.
But they failed to understand the ethos of the community. People do not take their garbage out. They are accustomed to seeing someone collecting it from the door.
For more than half a century, those collectors were the zabaleen, a community of Egyptian Christians who live on the cliffs on the eastern edge of the city. They collected the trash, sold the recyclables and fed the organic waste to their pigs — which they then slaughtered and ate.
Killing all the pigs, all at once, “was the stupidest thing they ever did,” Ms. Kamel said, adding, “This is just one more example of poorly informed decision makers.”
When the swine flu fear first emerged, long before even one case was reported in Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak ordered that all the pigs be killed in order to prevent the spread of the disease.
When health officials worldwide said that the virus was not being passed by pigs, the Egyptian government said that the cull was no longer about the flu, but was about cleaning up the zabaleen’s crowded, filthy, neighborhood.
That was in May.
Today the streets of the zabaleen community are as packed with stinking trash and as clouded with flies as ever before. But the zabaleen have done exactly what they said they would do: they stopped taking care of most of the organic waste.
Instead they dump it wherever they can or, at best, pile it beside trash bins scattered around the city by the international companies that have struggled in vain to keep up with the trash.
“They killed the pigs, let them clean the city,” said Moussa Rateb, a former garbage collector and pig owner who lives in the community of the zabaleen. “Everything used to go to the pigs, now there are no pigs, so it goes to the administration.”
The recent trash problem was compounded when employees of one of the multinational companies — men and women in green uniforms with crude brooms dispatched around the city — stopped working in a dispute with the city.
The government says that the dispute has been resolved, but nothing has been done to repair the damage to the informal system that once had the zabaleen take Cairo’s trash home.
The garbage is only the latest example of the state’s struggling to meet the needs of its citizens, needs as basic as providing water, housing, health care and education.
The government announced last week that schools would not be opened until the first week of October to give the government time to prepare for a potential swine flu outbreak, a decision that could have been made anytime over the past three months, while schools were closed for summer break, critics said.
Officials in the Ministry of Health and other government ministries said they had not made this decision — and that they had counseled against pre-emptive school closings.
It appears to have been ordered by the presidency and carried out by the governors, who also ordered that all private schools, already in class, be shut down as well.
“We did not propose or call for postponing schools, so the reason is not with us,” said an official in the Ministry of Health who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak to the news media.
The heads of three large governorates, or states, in Egypt announced Wednesday that their strategy for keeping schoolchildren safe was to take classes, which on average are crowded with more than 60 students, and split them in half and have children attend school only three days a week, another decision that was criticized. There have been more than 800 confirmed cases of H1N1 in Egypt, and two flu-related deaths.
“The state is troubled; as a result the system of decision making is disintegrating,” said Galal Amin, an economist, writer and social critic. “They are ill-considered decisions taken in a bit of a hurry, either because you’re trying to please the president or because you are a weak government that is anxious to please somebody.”
Cairo’s streets have always been busy with children and littered with trash.
Now, with the pigs gone, and the schools closed, they are even more so.
“The Egyptians are really in a mess,” Mr. Amin said.
Mona el-Naggar contributed reporting.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
A Wedding at 12042 Kahns Road
Well, October 10, 2009 will see another wedding in our home. Our Number 3 granddaughter, Allison Wynn Luckett is marrying Joshua Klein. This make the third wedding in our home and we hope that it is the start of a "tradition"! Her parents, Tracey and Randy (Raymond) Luckett were married in our home 26 +years ago as were we.
Weddings are one of the ways of reaffirming the Circle of Life. They bring joy and expectation for the future. They can be big extravaganzas or they can be very simple. But the result is the same--two people have taken a vow to spend their lives together and work together to make it work. Marriage means the first steps on what everyone hopes will be a long lasting journey through life, taking in the good, the bad, the happy and the sad. All of these make up the recipe for a good life. It is not all roses and it is not all thorns but some of each.
Carrie and I are wishing Allison and Josh the very best as they begin this life's journey together.
Weddings are one of the ways of reaffirming the Circle of Life. They bring joy and expectation for the future. They can be big extravaganzas or they can be very simple. But the result is the same--two people have taken a vow to spend their lives together and work together to make it work. Marriage means the first steps on what everyone hopes will be a long lasting journey through life, taking in the good, the bad, the happy and the sad. All of these make up the recipe for a good life. It is not all roses and it is not all thorns but some of each.
Carrie and I are wishing Allison and Josh the very best as they begin this life's journey together.
Friday, September 11, 2009
September 11, 2001, A Date Which Will Live in Infamy
On December 8, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt told the Congress and the citizens of this country that December y7, 1941, would be, “A date which will live in infamy…” The Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and sunk most of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet and destroyed many aircraft on the ground at then Army Air Corps bases. The Navy and Marine Corps suffered a total of 2,896 casualties of which 2,117 were deaths (Navy 2,008, Marines 109) and 779 wounded (Navy 710, Marines 69). The Army (as of midnight, 10 December) lost 228 killed or died of wounds, 113 seriously wounded and 346 slightly wounded. In addition, at least 57 civilians were killed and nearly as many seriously injured. (World War II History Info)
Little did we realize that 60 years later our Nation would suffer another, “Date which will live in infamy…”. Nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners. Two were crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. One was crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field in near Shanksville, PA while a group of passengers tried to overpower the terrorist hijackers.
A total of 2,993 people were killed, including the 19 terrorists--246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,603 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon. Some 411 of the rescue workers who ran into the Trade Center towers were killed when the towers collapsed.
This tragedy and Pearl Harbor will always be remembered as “dates of infamy”. Take time today to pause and remember those who were lost on September 11, 2001. Take time to remember those who are seving in our military, police and fire departments.
Little did we realize that 60 years later our Nation would suffer another, “Date which will live in infamy…”. Nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners. Two were crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. One was crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field in near Shanksville, PA while a group of passengers tried to overpower the terrorist hijackers.
A total of 2,993 people were killed, including the 19 terrorists--246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,603 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon. Some 411 of the rescue workers who ran into the Trade Center towers were killed when the towers collapsed.
This tragedy and Pearl Harbor will always be remembered as “dates of infamy”. Take time today to pause and remember those who were lost on September 11, 2001. Take time to remember those who are seving in our military, police and fire departments.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Life--who knows what it brings?
This past week has been one of happiness, shock, and sadness,. Just some of the many emotions that life can throw at us.
Happiness--Granddaughter Allison Luckett is engaged and is to be married to Joshua Klein on October 10 in our home! The beginnings of a tradition--we were married in our home, Tracey and Randy Luckett were in our home and now a new generation will be married here. What a great thing! Do you suppose we might be here to see another generation married here? The good Lord should be so gracious.
Shock and Sadness--On Friday, we found out that one of our friends, Kathy Janeczek, had died of lung cancer--she never smoked! Kathy and Carrie had worked together at George Washington University. Kathy left GWU several years ago and moved back to her hometown, Kingston, NY where she became the Town Clerk and according to her obituary, she was the heartbeat of Kingston. We loved her dearly and will miss her warm smile, her laugh and her true friendship.
Today, we received a call that another work mate of Carrie's died about 18 months ago. Peter Aspesi worked with Carrie at GWU also. Only 49, Peter died of cancer.
And to close on Happiness--
Today, while our dog Jake and I were out for his morning constitutional, we chanced upon a friends and their children who were waiting for the shcool bus to take the kids off to their very first day of school. What great happy memories were evoked by this scene. As we stood and talked, it suddenly dawned on me that 70 years ago, yes, nearly three-quarters of a century, my mother walked me to school for the very first time to Pershing Grade School where Mrs. Laura Odneal would be my teacher. Later on in the day, Carrie and I suddenly realized that 50 years ago, her mother had performed the same task--walking her youngest daughter to Edgemont Elementary School in Montclair, NJ. Oh, how time does fly!
And so, this past week, the circle of life was working its way around and so life goes on.
Happiness--Granddaughter Allison Luckett is engaged and is to be married to Joshua Klein on October 10 in our home! The beginnings of a tradition--we were married in our home, Tracey and Randy Luckett were in our home and now a new generation will be married here. What a great thing! Do you suppose we might be here to see another generation married here? The good Lord should be so gracious.
Shock and Sadness--On Friday, we found out that one of our friends, Kathy Janeczek, had died of lung cancer--she never smoked! Kathy and Carrie had worked together at George Washington University. Kathy left GWU several years ago and moved back to her hometown, Kingston, NY where she became the Town Clerk and according to her obituary, she was the heartbeat of Kingston. We loved her dearly and will miss her warm smile, her laugh and her true friendship.
Today, we received a call that another work mate of Carrie's died about 18 months ago. Peter Aspesi worked with Carrie at GWU also. Only 49, Peter died of cancer.
And to close on Happiness--
Today, while our dog Jake and I were out for his morning constitutional, we chanced upon a friends and their children who were waiting for the shcool bus to take the kids off to their very first day of school. What great happy memories were evoked by this scene. As we stood and talked, it suddenly dawned on me that 70 years ago, yes, nearly three-quarters of a century, my mother walked me to school for the very first time to Pershing Grade School where Mrs. Laura Odneal would be my teacher. Later on in the day, Carrie and I suddenly realized that 50 years ago, her mother had performed the same task--walking her youngest daughter to Edgemont Elementary School in Montclair, NJ. Oh, how time does fly!
And so, this past week, the circle of life was working its way around and so life goes on.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
CAREGIVER'S CORNER NO. 6==Some follow-up stuff
I haven’t written anything for a while since there hasn’t been much going on around here. But I need to catch up on what has been going on.
I was having a LOT of trouble with my back. Some of it started about 7 years ago when I had my knee surgery. While I was doing home physical therapy for my first knee replacement I herniated a disc in my lumbar region. As a result I had a lot of sciatic pain along with numbness on the inner aspect of my right foot and my right big toe. In addition, I had a moderate degree of drop foot, not enough that my foot would drag, but enough that I had an limp. By the time someone decided something should be done, it was too late to correct the numbness and I was not ready for the only solution offered—fusion of two or three lumbar vertebrae. So I put up with it.
About three months ago, I was about to surrender and consult a surgeon to talk about surgery when I read an advertisement from a chiropractor about a new traction technique that he claimed was revolutionary and so Carrie and I went to see him. He took a couple of X-rays and told me what he thought would resolve my problem—all for only $2,700. Well I took the bait and at first I did get some relief, but then I didn’t seem to progress any further and I was still having problems. Again, I was ready to talk to a surgeon, but then read about a lecture by an orthopedic surgeon about minimally invasive back surgery. I went to the lecture and was impressed by the fact that he said the last thing he wanted to do was lay a knife on anyone. He also discussed pain management treatments that were being done by his partner, a pain management specialist. I thought maybe I had finally found someone I could talk to about my back.
I went to see Carrie’s neurologist and she thought that perhaps these two physicians might be able to help me, so with referral in hand, I went to see the pain management specialist, a Dr. Deeni Basaam. We discussed treatments and he recommended a two-step procedure. He would do an epidural injection consisting of Marcaine, a pain reliever and a steroid, Cortisone. Two weeks later, he would do eight more injections along the lumbar facets using the same two medications.
He did the epidural and it was absolutely amazing—instant relief—no pain, which was something I had not experienced for 7 years! Unfortunately, I made the mistake of returning to the chiropractor for some follow-up physical therapy, to include the aforementioned traction. Sadly, after the traction, I could hardly get off the traction table. Some of the pain remained and yesterday I went back for the second set of injections. So far my back is feeling very good and you can bet, no more chiropractor.
At this point, let me say something about chiropractics. I believe they do have a place in the treatment spectrum, but as the neurologist said, “They don’t CURE anything.” I sort of subscribe to this idea, but I also think that they can do some good for acute conditions involving disc problems and subluxation problems—that is where there has been some slippage of the vertebrae. But I don’t think they have a place for chronic conditions such as mine. It just cost me three grand to find that out.
If you have acute back-pain, consider a chiropractor, but do so knowing that if your condition has gone on for some time, this may not be the best move. My advice is to consider a pain management specialist. Try to remember that surgery should always be a last resort.
Now, how about my bride? Well, she is doing well. I think she may have plateaued, but that is not to say she will not continue to improve. For example, we are getting ready to go to Maine in a couple of weeks and she has taken it upon herself to do what she always did P.S. (Pre-stroke) and that is to organize all the “stuff” that we take along for the trip. She started with just getting the car ready—all the unnecessary junk out and then she has started rounding up “stuff” and then got out the baskets that we use for this “stuff”, plus found the fan we normally take along. When I say, “stuff”, this includes such things as chargers for various electronic stuff, maps, parts for our GPS and other odds and ends. While we do have a vacation check list, she has done all this without aid of the list.
Earlier this past week, we went to Fredericksburg to be with family and friends for the Fourth of July. She decided to have her nails done and had them do “stars and stripes” on several nails to celebrate the Fourth and the arrival our our grandson Joe who is a Navy CB.
I tell you these things because just when I think things have leveled off, I find that she is doing something that she did P.S. This is not to say that she doesn’t have problems—she does. Her aphasia remains about the same, but even this has improved ever so slightly. She still has problems find the right word for something, but if she “finds” the word or I help her with some very general hints, she usually remembers that word after that. Mathematical work is still a problem, yet she is able to go on-line and pay her bills; however, she has a lot of trouble balancing her checkbook. Composition is a labor of love, but she generally does well when she puts herself to the task—it just takes time and she is sometimes unsure of spelling and usage, but what she writes is very good and well thought out. What is necessary to understand is that she has to “find” the words, review how it is spelled and used and do all of this with a part of her brain that was severely “attacked”—I don’t like the term “damaged”. She had a severe brain attack and she is fighting back. Patience, understanding and love are the keys to success. We continue to talk down this path together and I believe she will continue to improve—time is a great healer.
I was having a LOT of trouble with my back. Some of it started about 7 years ago when I had my knee surgery. While I was doing home physical therapy for my first knee replacement I herniated a disc in my lumbar region. As a result I had a lot of sciatic pain along with numbness on the inner aspect of my right foot and my right big toe. In addition, I had a moderate degree of drop foot, not enough that my foot would drag, but enough that I had an limp. By the time someone decided something should be done, it was too late to correct the numbness and I was not ready for the only solution offered—fusion of two or three lumbar vertebrae. So I put up with it.
About three months ago, I was about to surrender and consult a surgeon to talk about surgery when I read an advertisement from a chiropractor about a new traction technique that he claimed was revolutionary and so Carrie and I went to see him. He took a couple of X-rays and told me what he thought would resolve my problem—all for only $2,700. Well I took the bait and at first I did get some relief, but then I didn’t seem to progress any further and I was still having problems. Again, I was ready to talk to a surgeon, but then read about a lecture by an orthopedic surgeon about minimally invasive back surgery. I went to the lecture and was impressed by the fact that he said the last thing he wanted to do was lay a knife on anyone. He also discussed pain management treatments that were being done by his partner, a pain management specialist. I thought maybe I had finally found someone I could talk to about my back.
I went to see Carrie’s neurologist and she thought that perhaps these two physicians might be able to help me, so with referral in hand, I went to see the pain management specialist, a Dr. Deeni Basaam. We discussed treatments and he recommended a two-step procedure. He would do an epidural injection consisting of Marcaine, a pain reliever and a steroid, Cortisone. Two weeks later, he would do eight more injections along the lumbar facets using the same two medications.
He did the epidural and it was absolutely amazing—instant relief—no pain, which was something I had not experienced for 7 years! Unfortunately, I made the mistake of returning to the chiropractor for some follow-up physical therapy, to include the aforementioned traction. Sadly, after the traction, I could hardly get off the traction table. Some of the pain remained and yesterday I went back for the second set of injections. So far my back is feeling very good and you can bet, no more chiropractor.
At this point, let me say something about chiropractics. I believe they do have a place in the treatment spectrum, but as the neurologist said, “They don’t CURE anything.” I sort of subscribe to this idea, but I also think that they can do some good for acute conditions involving disc problems and subluxation problems—that is where there has been some slippage of the vertebrae. But I don’t think they have a place for chronic conditions such as mine. It just cost me three grand to find that out.
If you have acute back-pain, consider a chiropractor, but do so knowing that if your condition has gone on for some time, this may not be the best move. My advice is to consider a pain management specialist. Try to remember that surgery should always be a last resort.
Now, how about my bride? Well, she is doing well. I think she may have plateaued, but that is not to say she will not continue to improve. For example, we are getting ready to go to Maine in a couple of weeks and she has taken it upon herself to do what she always did P.S. (Pre-stroke) and that is to organize all the “stuff” that we take along for the trip. She started with just getting the car ready—all the unnecessary junk out and then she has started rounding up “stuff” and then got out the baskets that we use for this “stuff”, plus found the fan we normally take along. When I say, “stuff”, this includes such things as chargers for various electronic stuff, maps, parts for our GPS and other odds and ends. While we do have a vacation check list, she has done all this without aid of the list.
Earlier this past week, we went to Fredericksburg to be with family and friends for the Fourth of July. She decided to have her nails done and had them do “stars and stripes” on several nails to celebrate the Fourth and the arrival our our grandson Joe who is a Navy CB.
I tell you these things because just when I think things have leveled off, I find that she is doing something that she did P.S. This is not to say that she doesn’t have problems—she does. Her aphasia remains about the same, but even this has improved ever so slightly. She still has problems find the right word for something, but if she “finds” the word or I help her with some very general hints, she usually remembers that word after that. Mathematical work is still a problem, yet she is able to go on-line and pay her bills; however, she has a lot of trouble balancing her checkbook. Composition is a labor of love, but she generally does well when she puts herself to the task—it just takes time and she is sometimes unsure of spelling and usage, but what she writes is very good and well thought out. What is necessary to understand is that she has to “find” the words, review how it is spelled and used and do all of this with a part of her brain that was severely “attacked”—I don’t like the term “damaged”. She had a severe brain attack and she is fighting back. Patience, understanding and love are the keys to success. We continue to talk down this path together and I believe she will continue to improve—time is a great healer.
Friday, June 12, 2009
CAREGIVER'S CORNER NO. 5
WOW! Carrie had a great day yesterday! I had an appointment with a pain management physician at the same time our old dog Jake needed to go see the dog ophthalmologist whose office is about 25 miles from our home. Although she has been driving, it has been mostly around the neighborhood and maybe to Manassas. Yesterday was a real challenge for her and she did it without a hitch! You cannot imagine how proud I am of her--she had really been hesitant about doing it, but she mustered up the "stuff" and did it. This may open up a whole new world for her.
Go back and read what I had to say at Caregiver No. 3 about driving after a brain attack--you will see that she has leaped a BIG hurdle with this most recent trip.
Go back and read what I had to say at Caregiver No. 3 about driving after a brain attack--you will see that she has leaped a BIG hurdle with this most recent trip.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The Chiropractor followup
Well, I'm still going to the chiropractor, but also have seen a neurologist. She sent me for a MRI and the news was not as good as I had expected. As a matter of fact, it was really crappy. I have six joints in my lumbar region that are seriously compromised--L1-L2, L2-L3, L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1. The compromise consists of moderately to severe stenosis and an outright disc herniation at the L5-S1 joint. At each of these joints my spinal cord is slightly compressed to the point that it looks like a string of link sausages. I suspect it ultimately means some rather extensive surgery and I am guessing a long recovery time--weeks but more like months I suspect. Further compromise can lead to loss of bowel and/or bladder control and loss of motor function in my right leg and foot. All I can say is YUK!
I have to schedule an appointment with a spinal surgeon to see where we go from here. But am going to continue physical therapy since it has been helping and anything I do to strengthen my back can only help the recovery process when and if surgery becomes a reality.
Will just have to wait and see, but we are going to Maine first. Then will see what is next.
I have to schedule an appointment with a spinal surgeon to see where we go from here. But am going to continue physical therapy since it has been helping and anything I do to strengthen my back can only help the recovery process when and if surgery becomes a reality.
Will just have to wait and see, but we are going to Maine first. Then will see what is next.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Caregiver's Corner No. 4, Medicare and Social Security
In my first Caregiver’s Corner, I mentioned that I would talk about other caregivers and their lives. This tale is one of tragedy beyond belief.
I suppose most of us consider ourselves to be “Teflon coated” in that we believe something bad will not stick to us, but will happen to someone else. Some have said this is what happens with military folks in combat—otherwise they might not be willing to put themselves in harm’s way. It’s always the guys to the right and left of you who are going to get dinged.
In this case, it was not wearing seatbelts that led to a cascade of tragic events. A minister I know, and his wife, were leaving an event in their car when they were involved in a one car accident. The minister survived with minimal injuries; however, his wife suffered a fracture of a cervical vertebra and now is paralyzed from her neck down. She spent many weeks in the hospital but still remains a quadriplegic. Despite months of therapy, very little has changed and the outlook for her is bleak. She requires care around the clock—feeding, bathing, toileting, dressing, transferring—her life is no longer under her control
As you might well imagine, the minister does not have a lot of resources. He is not one of the televangelists or the head of one of the mega-churches with huge amounts of bucks. He is just about as poor as a church mouse. Fortunately, he does have medical coverage through his employer, which includes coverage for his wife. However, I suspect this coverage may well evaporate when he has to retire.
I did not know, but apparently ministers can opt out of paying Social Security and Medicare taxes, but this leaves a big hole in their emergency coverage. Generally speaking, you must have 10 years (40 quarters) of employment where you paid Social Security taxes in order to qualify for Social Security or early Social Security in the event of disability (this is what Carrie has) as well as Medicare. In the disability situation, you become eligible for Medicare after you have been on Disability Social Security for two years. At 55, Carrie is a card carrying Medicare recipient.
In this particular case, neither has the requisite covered quarters and thus many doors that would be open to them are nailed shut. They make just a little too much to qualify for Medicaid as long as she stays in their home. If they would put her into a custodial care facility, they would qualify for Medicaid, the husband could stay in their home and things might be a little better. But they do not want to do this and thus they are in medical limbo.
I know they say Social Security and Medicare are dying on the vine, but I believe that this Nation will resolve this in some fashion. However, there still may be the necessity for some form of “qualification” unless we have universal coverage.
My recommendation for now is to make sure you have the requisite Social Security and Medicare coverage…
I suppose most of us consider ourselves to be “Teflon coated” in that we believe something bad will not stick to us, but will happen to someone else. Some have said this is what happens with military folks in combat—otherwise they might not be willing to put themselves in harm’s way. It’s always the guys to the right and left of you who are going to get dinged.
In this case, it was not wearing seatbelts that led to a cascade of tragic events. A minister I know, and his wife, were leaving an event in their car when they were involved in a one car accident. The minister survived with minimal injuries; however, his wife suffered a fracture of a cervical vertebra and now is paralyzed from her neck down. She spent many weeks in the hospital but still remains a quadriplegic. Despite months of therapy, very little has changed and the outlook for her is bleak. She requires care around the clock—feeding, bathing, toileting, dressing, transferring—her life is no longer under her control
As you might well imagine, the minister does not have a lot of resources. He is not one of the televangelists or the head of one of the mega-churches with huge amounts of bucks. He is just about as poor as a church mouse. Fortunately, he does have medical coverage through his employer, which includes coverage for his wife. However, I suspect this coverage may well evaporate when he has to retire.
I did not know, but apparently ministers can opt out of paying Social Security and Medicare taxes, but this leaves a big hole in their emergency coverage. Generally speaking, you must have 10 years (40 quarters) of employment where you paid Social Security taxes in order to qualify for Social Security or early Social Security in the event of disability (this is what Carrie has) as well as Medicare. In the disability situation, you become eligible for Medicare after you have been on Disability Social Security for two years. At 55, Carrie is a card carrying Medicare recipient.
In this particular case, neither has the requisite covered quarters and thus many doors that would be open to them are nailed shut. They make just a little too much to qualify for Medicaid as long as she stays in their home. If they would put her into a custodial care facility, they would qualify for Medicaid, the husband could stay in their home and things might be a little better. But they do not want to do this and thus they are in medical limbo.
I know they say Social Security and Medicare are dying on the vine, but I believe that this Nation will resolve this in some fashion. However, there still may be the necessity for some form of “qualification” unless we have universal coverage.
My recommendation for now is to make sure you have the requisite Social Security and Medicare coverage…
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Caregiver's Corner No. 3--Driving After a Brain Attack
If you read through the second blog, then you know that folks with aphasia process things very differently than those who have been fortunate enough to not have suffered an event that would leave us with aphasia. It is very important to remember that aphasia does not affect intelligence, it affects your ability to process language in and out and to do other things like numbers manipulation. It can also affect other tasks like driving.
Strokes are often called brain attacks. And that is exactly what they are—your brain has been assaulted like the Normandy beaches on D-Day. As a result, things are jumbled up and processing information in and out or manipulating numbers becomes a labor of love.
As I see it, Carrie now processes things in a very linear fashion. Why? Because she is searching through those jumbled up files to find a word to say or find a word in take it in and use it in the context in which it was presented. Often, when we are speaking, she will tell me to slow down and at other times she spells out words to herself in an effort to recognize the word. At other times when we are watching television and there are printed lines on the screen, it is sometimes necessary to pause the television to allow her time to read whatever has been written. We try to do it that way since we both believe it helps her improve her language skills. But we are talking about driving after a brain attack--remember the analogy of the highway after an earthquake?
Driving again took some time because in September 2007, Carrie had a seizure while we were up in Maine. She had not been driving since she got out of the hospital earlier in the year, but we had plans for her to attend a driver rehabilitation program that had been recommended by her rehabilitation team at INOVA Mount Vernon Rehabilitation Center. The seizure upset all of these plans and required that Carrie wait six more months before she could drive. In March of 2008, she went to the driver rehabilitation program and voila she was cleared to drive again, but only in a car with an automatic transmission. If you asked her why, she will tell you, “Too many things going on with a stick shift car!” And if you remember when you tried to learn to drive a stick shift, you can appreciate what happens when you can only process things in a linear fashion—start the car, push in the clutch, put the car in gear, let out the clutch at the same time you push down on the accelerator. Hopefully, you don’t lope down the road!!! And, then we listen to the radio, talk, eat and do all other kinds of thing that we probably shouldn’t. Well, if you ride with Carrie, you won’t do some of those things. No radio and very little conversation, although the latter has gotten better over time. One day we were going somewhere and Carrie was driving. As usual, I was chattering away like a magpie and out of the corner of her mouth she said very simply, “No talking.” As I said, it has gotten better, but I now try to not initiate a conversation until she says something first. If you know me, you know this is difficult for the chatterbox!
And that is another day as we make this journey…
Strokes are often called brain attacks. And that is exactly what they are—your brain has been assaulted like the Normandy beaches on D-Day. As a result, things are jumbled up and processing information in and out or manipulating numbers becomes a labor of love.
As I see it, Carrie now processes things in a very linear fashion. Why? Because she is searching through those jumbled up files to find a word to say or find a word in take it in and use it in the context in which it was presented. Often, when we are speaking, she will tell me to slow down and at other times she spells out words to herself in an effort to recognize the word. At other times when we are watching television and there are printed lines on the screen, it is sometimes necessary to pause the television to allow her time to read whatever has been written. We try to do it that way since we both believe it helps her improve her language skills. But we are talking about driving after a brain attack--remember the analogy of the highway after an earthquake?
Driving again took some time because in September 2007, Carrie had a seizure while we were up in Maine. She had not been driving since she got out of the hospital earlier in the year, but we had plans for her to attend a driver rehabilitation program that had been recommended by her rehabilitation team at INOVA Mount Vernon Rehabilitation Center. The seizure upset all of these plans and required that Carrie wait six more months before she could drive. In March of 2008, she went to the driver rehabilitation program and voila she was cleared to drive again, but only in a car with an automatic transmission. If you asked her why, she will tell you, “Too many things going on with a stick shift car!” And if you remember when you tried to learn to drive a stick shift, you can appreciate what happens when you can only process things in a linear fashion—start the car, push in the clutch, put the car in gear, let out the clutch at the same time you push down on the accelerator. Hopefully, you don’t lope down the road!!! And, then we listen to the radio, talk, eat and do all other kinds of thing that we probably shouldn’t. Well, if you ride with Carrie, you won’t do some of those things. No radio and very little conversation, although the latter has gotten better over time. One day we were going somewhere and Carrie was driving. As usual, I was chattering away like a magpie and out of the corner of her mouth she said very simply, “No talking.” As I said, it has gotten better, but I now try to not initiate a conversation until she says something first. If you know me, you know this is difficult for the chatterbox!
And that is another day as we make this journey…
What happened to the American Dream?
Evidence of the current downturn in the economy is all around us. Drive through any neighborhood and you will find homes with “For Sale” signs that also note it is a “Foreclosure”. Everyday, television reporters and newspapers provide the latest tally of the unemployed. Today brought the news that the Dodge dealership in Manassas is to be one of the victims of the Chrysler bankruptcy. There have been four foreclosures in my own neighborhood—one home originally sold for $850,000—the owner simply walked away. One neighbor moved out in the middle of the night—just left. Several other families in the area are “upside down” with their mortgage after the last tax reassessment. As I said in the beginning, evidence of the current downturn in the economy is all around us. I guess the reality of the whole thing came home just the other day when we went to the dry cleaning shop we have used for perhaps 20 years. A Korean couple, a man and his wife, who worked six days a week from early morning to late at night, owned this shop. They’re immigrants, coming here to make a new home and give their children opportunities they could not have in their native country. When we talked in, it was easy to see the husband was very upset, almost to the point of tears. When we asked what was wrong, he said they were closing the business. Their landlord had raised the rent, their taxes and utilities were going up and the boiler that provided steam for their presses needed to be replaced. There was no way they could continue and make a living. With sad eyes, the owner looked at us and asked, “What happened to the American dream?”
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Caregiver's Corner No. 2
In order to understand life after a stroke, at least for us, you need to understand about aphasia. Here is what the National Stroke Association says about aphasia.
APHASIA
Aphasia is an impairment of language the ability to use and comprehend words. It is a common problem for many stroke survivors. Having aphasia may make it hard to:
· Talk
· Understand what other people say
· Read
· Write
· Use numbers and do calculations
No two people experience aphasia the same way. Some people have different symptoms than others. Some have mild problems, while others experience more severe problems.
Stroke-related aphasia typically improves within the first weeks, and continued improvements occur for months and even years. Have patience, a positive attitude and the willingness to learn about aphasia and the resources available. It is important to remind yourself that recovery can continue years after the stroke.
The goal for people with aphasia is to improve their ability to communicate with other people. This is done by getting back some language skills and learning new ways of getting a message across when needed.
What can help:
· Join an aphasia support group to meet and learn from other stroke survivors with aphasia and their families.
· Keep in mind that some days will be better than others. Remember to rest, pace yourself and stay relaxed.
· Most people with aphasia benefit from therapy by a speech and language pathologist. Your doctor can refer you to the appropriate person for your needs.
· Be patient; most survivors need time to adjust to the major life changes brought about by the stroke before they can maximize their therapy.
· Remember that while aphasia can make communication difficult, it should not affect the ability to think clearly.
· Emotional responses such as anger, distress, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and dependency are common; that’s why counseling is sometimes recommended.
SymptomsAccording to the Aphasia Handbook by the National Aphasia Association, someone may experience one or more of the following problems:
TALKING
· I find it difficult to talk at all.
· I struggle to get every word out.
· I miss small words, like to and of.
· I can't find the exact words I want.
· I talk a lot. But what I say is difficult to follow.
· I use strange words which sound foreign or nonsensical.
· I get stuck on certain words or phrases.
· I think I am talking perfectly well but I am not.
LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING
I can hear, but:
· I have difficulty listening, and understanding what other people say.
· I have difficulty understanding some words.
· I have difficulty following conversations.
I can mostly follow what others say, but this gets difficult:
· In a crowded or noisy place.
· When I'm tired or anxious.
· If the other person talks too quickly.
· Or doesn't make it clear what the topic of conversation is.
· Or uses complicated words or long sentences.
· Or if several people are involved in the conversation.
READING
I can see, but:
· I find it difficult to understand what I try to read.
· I can read some words, but nothing too long or complicated.
· I can read most things, but get stuck when I have to take in details.
WRITING
· I can't spell.
· I find it hard to plan or organize what I want to write.
· I have difficulty making grammatical sentences.
· I can't write at all.
· I can write some letters of the word I want but not the whole word.
USING NUMBERS
· I can't use numbers and do calculations.
· I make mistakes with time, and money.
· I can't write checks or figure out my bills.
· I get stuck figuring out my change.
Suggestions for communicating with a person who has aphasia
· Treat the person with aphasia as an intelligent adult; aphasia does not typically affect thinking skills.
· Speak simply, clearly and slowly.
· Be sure the person with aphasia understood you.
· Use props to make conversation easier (photos, maps).
· Draw or write things down on paper.
· Be patient. Take one idea at a time.
· Try different ways to get your message across.
If you got this far, it should help as we go along on this journey. What I tell people about aphasia is this--imagine you are driving down the road one day, a road you travel on every day and one morning you go to drive down that road and you discover there was an earthquake overnight. The road may be passable, but there will be many obstacles in your way. You will get to your destination eventually, if you don't lose your way, but it will take time and a lot of effort.
Another way to think about this is to imagine file drawers in your office. This may be a little old fashioned since many people have all their files stored electronically, but stick with me for a second. In these drawers are thousands of files that you have gathered over the years. All the files are properly labeled and filed in a system you have developed over these same years. One morning you come to the office and discover that someone has ransacked your office and scattered all your files all over the place. You need to find the file labeled CAN OPENER. You know that file is in there but finding it may take a while. In the process of looking for the file, you find one labeled PLIERS. In your frustration, you decide that this file will do the trick. It's not quite what you are looking for, but it is a tool after all, just like the CAN OPENER is a tool, so maybe it will work for your purposes, at least in the short run.
That is what happened to Carrie one day. She took a CAN OPENER out of the dish drainer and asked, "What do you want me to do with this pair of PLIERS?" She knew it was a tool, but just couldn't find the name of the tool. I told her that what she had in her hand was not a pair of pliers and asked her, "What do you do with that?" "Open cans", she replied. "So what would you call that then?" "A CAN OPENER" she said triumphantly!
And that is how it goes with aphasia. More on the subject as we go along...
APHASIA
Aphasia is an impairment of language the ability to use and comprehend words. It is a common problem for many stroke survivors. Having aphasia may make it hard to:
· Talk
· Understand what other people say
· Read
· Write
· Use numbers and do calculations
No two people experience aphasia the same way. Some people have different symptoms than others. Some have mild problems, while others experience more severe problems.
Stroke-related aphasia typically improves within the first weeks, and continued improvements occur for months and even years. Have patience, a positive attitude and the willingness to learn about aphasia and the resources available. It is important to remind yourself that recovery can continue years after the stroke.
The goal for people with aphasia is to improve their ability to communicate with other people. This is done by getting back some language skills and learning new ways of getting a message across when needed.
What can help:
· Join an aphasia support group to meet and learn from other stroke survivors with aphasia and their families.
· Keep in mind that some days will be better than others. Remember to rest, pace yourself and stay relaxed.
· Most people with aphasia benefit from therapy by a speech and language pathologist. Your doctor can refer you to the appropriate person for your needs.
· Be patient; most survivors need time to adjust to the major life changes brought about by the stroke before they can maximize their therapy.
· Remember that while aphasia can make communication difficult, it should not affect the ability to think clearly.
· Emotional responses such as anger, distress, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and dependency are common; that’s why counseling is sometimes recommended.
SymptomsAccording to the Aphasia Handbook by the National Aphasia Association, someone may experience one or more of the following problems:
TALKING
· I find it difficult to talk at all.
· I struggle to get every word out.
· I miss small words, like to and of.
· I can't find the exact words I want.
· I talk a lot. But what I say is difficult to follow.
· I use strange words which sound foreign or nonsensical.
· I get stuck on certain words or phrases.
· I think I am talking perfectly well but I am not.
LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING
I can hear, but:
· I have difficulty listening, and understanding what other people say.
· I have difficulty understanding some words.
· I have difficulty following conversations.
I can mostly follow what others say, but this gets difficult:
· In a crowded or noisy place.
· When I'm tired or anxious.
· If the other person talks too quickly.
· Or doesn't make it clear what the topic of conversation is.
· Or uses complicated words or long sentences.
· Or if several people are involved in the conversation.
READING
I can see, but:
· I find it difficult to understand what I try to read.
· I can read some words, but nothing too long or complicated.
· I can read most things, but get stuck when I have to take in details.
WRITING
· I can't spell.
· I find it hard to plan or organize what I want to write.
· I have difficulty making grammatical sentences.
· I can't write at all.
· I can write some letters of the word I want but not the whole word.
USING NUMBERS
· I can't use numbers and do calculations.
· I make mistakes with time, and money.
· I can't write checks or figure out my bills.
· I get stuck figuring out my change.
Suggestions for communicating with a person who has aphasia
· Treat the person with aphasia as an intelligent adult; aphasia does not typically affect thinking skills.
· Speak simply, clearly and slowly.
· Be sure the person with aphasia understood you.
· Use props to make conversation easier (photos, maps).
· Draw or write things down on paper.
· Be patient. Take one idea at a time.
· Try different ways to get your message across.
If you got this far, it should help as we go along on this journey. What I tell people about aphasia is this--imagine you are driving down the road one day, a road you travel on every day and one morning you go to drive down that road and you discover there was an earthquake overnight. The road may be passable, but there will be many obstacles in your way. You will get to your destination eventually, if you don't lose your way, but it will take time and a lot of effort.
Another way to think about this is to imagine file drawers in your office. This may be a little old fashioned since many people have all their files stored electronically, but stick with me for a second. In these drawers are thousands of files that you have gathered over the years. All the files are properly labeled and filed in a system you have developed over these same years. One morning you come to the office and discover that someone has ransacked your office and scattered all your files all over the place. You need to find the file labeled CAN OPENER. You know that file is in there but finding it may take a while. In the process of looking for the file, you find one labeled PLIERS. In your frustration, you decide that this file will do the trick. It's not quite what you are looking for, but it is a tool after all, just like the CAN OPENER is a tool, so maybe it will work for your purposes, at least in the short run.
That is what happened to Carrie one day. She took a CAN OPENER out of the dish drainer and asked, "What do you want me to do with this pair of PLIERS?" She knew it was a tool, but just couldn't find the name of the tool. I told her that what she had in her hand was not a pair of pliers and asked her, "What do you do with that?" "Open cans", she replied. "So what would you call that then?" "A CAN OPENER" she said triumphantly!
And that is how it goes with aphasia. More on the subject as we go along...
Monday, May 11, 2009
Life as a caregiver
I am trying to decide about writing on the life of a caregiver. My life and the life of my bride Carrie were irreversibly changed when she tumbled literally head over heels down the stairs in September of 2006. This single event led to a cascade of events that have altered our lives more than we ever would have dreamed possible. I somehow think I need to share what has occured and is still going on in our lives as I think it it important for others to know that life can change in an instant and you are suddenly faced with changes you have never even begun to think of.
I suspect this is more true for men than for women/husbands than wives. Most men know full well that they will probably leave this vale of tears long before their wives. And they inately know, but won't admit, that their wives will probablyh be caring for them in their twilight years. But sometimes fate deals us a different hand and our roles are reversed. Oh, it doesn't necessarily mean that you are bound hand and foot, 24 hours a day, but you never let yourself be far away from the person for whom you are the care giver. Why? I am not quite sure, but I think you believe that no one else can do the job as well as you can. At least I feel that way.
As I work on this, I will try to share what goes on in our daily lives, but I will also try to tell you of events of others I know who have suddenly had the tables turned. I am hoping that I can convince Carrie to start a blog in which she will share her feelings about her post-stroke life. She is a very creative woman and I know that she must have many days of frustration that are fueled by her aphasia. She fully recognizes that this is a problem--so much so that she is hesitant about socializing because of her stammering speech. Does she stammer all the time? No. But when she is under pressure or when there is too much going on around her, she has problems finding the right words. I believe she has a great story to tell and that her story can be very inspiring to other stroke victims. So I am going to continue to encourage her to share her story, her feelings, her frustrations in the hopes that other stroke victims will profit from what she is experiencing.
Until then...
I suspect this is more true for men than for women/husbands than wives. Most men know full well that they will probably leave this vale of tears long before their wives. And they inately know, but won't admit, that their wives will probablyh be caring for them in their twilight years. But sometimes fate deals us a different hand and our roles are reversed. Oh, it doesn't necessarily mean that you are bound hand and foot, 24 hours a day, but you never let yourself be far away from the person for whom you are the care giver. Why? I am not quite sure, but I think you believe that no one else can do the job as well as you can. At least I feel that way.
As I work on this, I will try to share what goes on in our daily lives, but I will also try to tell you of events of others I know who have suddenly had the tables turned. I am hoping that I can convince Carrie to start a blog in which she will share her feelings about her post-stroke life. She is a very creative woman and I know that she must have many days of frustration that are fueled by her aphasia. She fully recognizes that this is a problem--so much so that she is hesitant about socializing because of her stammering speech. Does she stammer all the time? No. But when she is under pressure or when there is too much going on around her, she has problems finding the right words. I believe she has a great story to tell and that her story can be very inspiring to other stroke victims. So I am going to continue to encourage her to share her story, her feelings, her frustrations in the hopes that other stroke victims will profit from what she is experiencing.
Until then...
My Visits to the Chiropractor
Well, I have not written since I started seeing the chiropractor and so it is time to say a few things.
My visits there have been helpful, but I am still having some problems with numbness in my right foot. Will that ever go away? I suspect not without some kind of surgery, which I still don't want. We will just have to see what happens over the next few weeks/months.
My visits there have been helpful, but I am still having some problems with numbness in my right foot. Will that ever go away? I suspect not without some kind of surgery, which I still don't want. We will just have to see what happens over the next few weeks/months.
Friday, March 13, 2009
A Visit to a Chiropractor
As most who know me, know that I spent a great chunk of my life around medicine--allopathic medicine--you know the allopaths--they have M.D. after their name. Chances are, your family doctor is an allopath, although he/she may be an osteopathic doctor--a D.O. Bot of these groups have always considered D.C.s (Doctor of Chbirpractic) to be little more than snake oil salesmen who supposedly could make all things better by doing "spinal adjustments". By process of osmosis, I pretty much felt the same way--that is until this week.
For the last seven years, I have suffered from severe lower back pain, numbness of most of my right foot and "drop foot" involving my right foot. All of this came about from a herniated disc in my lower back. The pain has waxed and waned over the years but has gotten progressively worse in the past few months. Not only have I suffered but others around me have also because all of this has made me extremely grumpy and a whole lot more cantankerous than I usually am.
A week or so ago, I read an advertisement in our local fish wrap about a chiropractor who has a new treatment he claimed would solve herniated disc problems without any surgery. This treatment is called Spinal Decompression. He offered a free examination, to include X-rays and a consultation and so I decided to take him up on it. The X-rays revealed that I had a lot of arthritis in my lower (lumbar) spine along with a severe misalignment of all five lumbar vertebrae. It was so severe that even I was able to point all of it out to my wife Carrie. The doctor confirmed what I had told Carrie and recommended a series of 20 treatments, which would include Spinal Decompression, Spinal Adjustments and Electrical Muscle Stimulation (much like TENS Therapy--Transcuntaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) to relax the muscles surrounding my spine. If all of this sounds like hocus pocus, I gotta tell you that it ain't.
The Spinal Decompression treatments are done by putting you in a harness that is hooked up to a computer controlled traction device that works using tension and relaxation cycles for about 25 minutes. The Spinal Adjustments are just that--he manipulates my spine to put the vertebrae back into their normal anatomical position.
I have had two treaments so far and I have to say, that I can notice a distinct difference. My back is more relaxed, my gait is getting back to normal and I don't have near as much pain. I sincerely believe that if I continue to make as much progress over the next 18 treatments I will regain much of the use of my right leg and foot, the pain will be gone and life will be more normal. These are the things the doctor tells me will happen and it seems to be going that way.
Is this for everyone? I don't know since most medical insurance dies not cover chiropractic treaments. But if you have chronic back pain and you have been told you need surgery to make it all better, I recommend you find a chiropractor who is trained in Spinal Decompression and give it a try or at least talk to him/her.
I will keep you posted.
For the last seven years, I have suffered from severe lower back pain, numbness of most of my right foot and "drop foot" involving my right foot. All of this came about from a herniated disc in my lower back. The pain has waxed and waned over the years but has gotten progressively worse in the past few months. Not only have I suffered but others around me have also because all of this has made me extremely grumpy and a whole lot more cantankerous than I usually am.
A week or so ago, I read an advertisement in our local fish wrap about a chiropractor who has a new treatment he claimed would solve herniated disc problems without any surgery. This treatment is called Spinal Decompression. He offered a free examination, to include X-rays and a consultation and so I decided to take him up on it. The X-rays revealed that I had a lot of arthritis in my lower (lumbar) spine along with a severe misalignment of all five lumbar vertebrae. It was so severe that even I was able to point all of it out to my wife Carrie. The doctor confirmed what I had told Carrie and recommended a series of 20 treatments, which would include Spinal Decompression, Spinal Adjustments and Electrical Muscle Stimulation (much like TENS Therapy--Transcuntaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) to relax the muscles surrounding my spine. If all of this sounds like hocus pocus, I gotta tell you that it ain't.
The Spinal Decompression treatments are done by putting you in a harness that is hooked up to a computer controlled traction device that works using tension and relaxation cycles for about 25 minutes. The Spinal Adjustments are just that--he manipulates my spine to put the vertebrae back into their normal anatomical position.
I have had two treaments so far and I have to say, that I can notice a distinct difference. My back is more relaxed, my gait is getting back to normal and I don't have near as much pain. I sincerely believe that if I continue to make as much progress over the next 18 treatments I will regain much of the use of my right leg and foot, the pain will be gone and life will be more normal. These are the things the doctor tells me will happen and it seems to be going that way.
Is this for everyone? I don't know since most medical insurance dies not cover chiropractic treaments. But if you have chronic back pain and you have been told you need surgery to make it all better, I recommend you find a chiropractor who is trained in Spinal Decompression and give it a try or at least talk to him/her.
I will keep you posted.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Some things I believe in
It has been some time since I have written anything here so I suppose that does not make me a very good "blogger", but it is my blog and so I can write when I feel like it. My daughter Kate who lives in Austin, Texas with her great husband Alvin Youngblood and their two super kids, Winona and James sent me a piece that the late John Updike wrote for National Public Radio on things he believed. The webiste for this piece is here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4600600
I wrote back to Kate and here is what I said:
Dear Katie--
Although I will never be a John Updike, I think I believe in some of the same things he believed in.
I believe in my children--they are a part of me and all those who have gone before me. They are my connection to the future.
I believe in love and the need to be loved.
I believe in miracles because I have seen them.
I believe science and God can co-exist but that one does not explain the other
I believe that this country offers every person the opportunity to succeed--but it takes the will to do so.
I believe people are basically good, but circumstances can make them do terrible things.
I believe that a government of the people has a duty to do for the people what they cannot do for themselves.
I believe that we have a duty to serve others in some way--to share our talents to the betterment of those who do not have those same talents.
I believe that laughter is tonic for the soul.
I believe in planting a tree in whose shade you will never sit.
I believe there is no such place as Hell--but without a belief, your life may end and that is all there will be--that alone would be Hell.
I believe I have rambled far too long.
Much love,
Dad
And so for today, that is what I am thinking about.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4600600
I wrote back to Kate and here is what I said:
Dear Katie--
Although I will never be a John Updike, I think I believe in some of the same things he believed in.
I believe in my children--they are a part of me and all those who have gone before me. They are my connection to the future.
I believe in love and the need to be loved.
I believe in miracles because I have seen them.
I believe science and God can co-exist but that one does not explain the other
I believe that this country offers every person the opportunity to succeed--but it takes the will to do so.
I believe people are basically good, but circumstances can make them do terrible things.
I believe that a government of the people has a duty to do for the people what they cannot do for themselves.
I believe that we have a duty to serve others in some way--to share our talents to the betterment of those who do not have those same talents.
I believe that laughter is tonic for the soul.
I believe in planting a tree in whose shade you will never sit.
I believe there is no such place as Hell--but without a belief, your life may end and that is all there will be--that alone would be Hell.
I believe I have rambled far too long.
Much love,
Dad
And so for today, that is what I am thinking about.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Images--Magical Images
Images—Magical Images
Yesterday, my wife Carrie and I were talking about photography and what has happened with the art of capturing images. The more we talked, the more I thought about all the changes I have seen in the past 75 years.
The desire to capture images is as old as early humans. Most of us are familiar with the cave drawings Lascaux, France. These paintings are about 10,000 years old. Even older drawings have been found in Chauvet Cave, near Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, France. These images may be as much as 32,000 years old. Most of these paintings are large wild animals, such as bison, horses, aurochs, and deer, and tracings of human hands as well as abstract patterns. Drawings of humans are not often found and those that do exist are more cartoon-like than actual depictions of a person. These are our earliest evidence of the human desire to capture images of the things surrounding them.
Photography, as we know it, began with curosity about light and how we could possibly capture it. The Chinese were the first to describe the concept of pinhole cameras which came before the camera obscura. The Chinese philosopher Mozi/Mo-Ti/Mo-Tzu/Mo Jing (470BC-390BC) mentioned upside down images that resulted from light coming through a pinhole. Aristotle wrote about a similar phenomonon, but Ibyn al-Haytham, a 10th-century Arab physicist, astronomer and mathematician wrote about the concept in his Book of Optics in 1021 AD. He also was the inventor of the camera obscura.
The camera obscura is still around today and can be found in many places in the world. Carrie and I have been to the one in Edinburgh, Scotland and enjoyed the view of downtown Edinburgh. These cameras were not designed to permanently capture an image—that was to come later when Joseph Nicéphore Niépce produced the world's first permanent images in 1827. Others, notably Louis Daguerre (the Daguerreotype) and William Fox Talbot improved on the process. Talbot eventually developed a process for making negatives which would allow repeated reproduction of a captured image.
Mathew Brady brought photography to the battlefield during the Civil War. His photographs of war dead shocked Americans as to the reality of war. With the exception of William Henry Harrison, Brady managed to photograph all the presidents from John Quincy Adams to William McKinley. One of his photographs of Abraham Lincoln found its way onto the five dollar bill.
But it was George Eastman, founder of Kodak, who took photography out of the hands of professionals and put it into the hands of everyday Americans. His development of “roll film” did away with the cumbersome process of producing plates to capture images. Inexpensive cameras became available with the introduction of the Brownie camera in 1900. The camera sold for $1.00 and a roll of film was fifteen cents. For many years, Kodak not only sold film, but the price included its development, a set of prints and a new roll of film. My earliest recollections are of these “box” cameras—only one speed with a fixed focus. You had to load and unload the film in a dark room. When all the pictures had been taken, the film was sent off to Kodak.
The next major evolution in photography was the introduction of “instant cameras” that satisfied our craving to see the photographs now—not wait for a week or so before they were available. Edwin Land, founder of Polaroid, developed this camera in 1947. Just over 60 years later, Polaroid stopped producing film. But the push for “instant” photography had its impetus with Land’s invention.
Although Kodak and others toyed with digital photography, commercially available cameras didn’t come along until 1990. And in 1991, Kodak brought out a digital camera that cost an amaxing $13,000. In less than two decades, film cameras have become the photography dinosaurs. Today, digital cameras are ubiquitous and come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Pictures are “instant” and generally can be viewed on a small liquid crystal display (LCD) screen that is an integral part of the camera and may often be used as ther “view finder”. The new “film” is a digital card that can be removed from the camera, plugged into a computer and pictures can be downloaded, edited, printed and sent around the world electronically via the internet. Cameras may also be plugged directly into a computer to download photographs. Instead of storing paper based photographs in books, it is now possible to store them on small digital cards or on mass storage devices that are only slightly larger than a deck of playing cards. These external “hard drives” come in many sizes—measured in “bytes”. A 500 megabyte (that’s 500,000,000 bytes) drive can store approximately 140,000 photographs. An affordable 1 terabyte (1,000,000,000,000 bytes) external hard is available and takes up little more space that that same deck of playing cards. It is hard to imagine how much can be stored on something this size, but a 10 terabyte drive would hold all the printed material now available in the Library of Congress.
Where does it end? I have no idea. I believe that some day we will be able to capture images that left this earth millions of years ago. Theoretically, these images still exist, travelling out from the earth in to the great void of the universe. Of course, this means we will have to be able to move faster than the speed of light, but that may well be possible if we don’t destroy ourselves before then. If this does happen, we finally will be able to see how we evolved, why the dinosaurs died out, where all the great religious leaders, Christ, Buddah, Mohammed lived and taught. We will be able to view all the great philosphers teaching. The great warriors will spring to life and we will witness the death of Julius Caesar. We can watch the great pyramids being built stone by stone and follow Moses and the Jews as they wander in the wilderness. We will follow the Wise men as they follow the star to Bethlehem. We will see Christ throw the money changers out of the temple, his temptations and sufferings in the garden, Judas's betrayal and the nails driven into Christ. The mystery of the resurrections will be answered and Thomas will be seen feeling Christ's wounds.
The best is yet to come.
I could not have done this without the help of Wikipedia and many sites on the internet. The power of all of this is amazing.
Yesterday, my wife Carrie and I were talking about photography and what has happened with the art of capturing images. The more we talked, the more I thought about all the changes I have seen in the past 75 years.
The desire to capture images is as old as early humans. Most of us are familiar with the cave drawings Lascaux, France. These paintings are about 10,000 years old. Even older drawings have been found in Chauvet Cave, near Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, France. These images may be as much as 32,000 years old. Most of these paintings are large wild animals, such as bison, horses, aurochs, and deer, and tracings of human hands as well as abstract patterns. Drawings of humans are not often found and those that do exist are more cartoon-like than actual depictions of a person. These are our earliest evidence of the human desire to capture images of the things surrounding them.
Photography, as we know it, began with curosity about light and how we could possibly capture it. The Chinese were the first to describe the concept of pinhole cameras which came before the camera obscura. The Chinese philosopher Mozi/Mo-Ti/Mo-Tzu/Mo Jing (470BC-390BC) mentioned upside down images that resulted from light coming through a pinhole. Aristotle wrote about a similar phenomonon, but Ibyn al-Haytham, a 10th-century Arab physicist, astronomer and mathematician wrote about the concept in his Book of Optics in 1021 AD. He also was the inventor of the camera obscura.
The camera obscura is still around today and can be found in many places in the world. Carrie and I have been to the one in Edinburgh, Scotland and enjoyed the view of downtown Edinburgh. These cameras were not designed to permanently capture an image—that was to come later when Joseph Nicéphore Niépce produced the world's first permanent images in 1827. Others, notably Louis Daguerre (the Daguerreotype) and William Fox Talbot improved on the process. Talbot eventually developed a process for making negatives which would allow repeated reproduction of a captured image.
Mathew Brady brought photography to the battlefield during the Civil War. His photographs of war dead shocked Americans as to the reality of war. With the exception of William Henry Harrison, Brady managed to photograph all the presidents from John Quincy Adams to William McKinley. One of his photographs of Abraham Lincoln found its way onto the five dollar bill.
But it was George Eastman, founder of Kodak, who took photography out of the hands of professionals and put it into the hands of everyday Americans. His development of “roll film” did away with the cumbersome process of producing plates to capture images. Inexpensive cameras became available with the introduction of the Brownie camera in 1900. The camera sold for $1.00 and a roll of film was fifteen cents. For many years, Kodak not only sold film, but the price included its development, a set of prints and a new roll of film. My earliest recollections are of these “box” cameras—only one speed with a fixed focus. You had to load and unload the film in a dark room. When all the pictures had been taken, the film was sent off to Kodak.
The next major evolution in photography was the introduction of “instant cameras” that satisfied our craving to see the photographs now—not wait for a week or so before they were available. Edwin Land, founder of Polaroid, developed this camera in 1947. Just over 60 years later, Polaroid stopped producing film. But the push for “instant” photography had its impetus with Land’s invention.
Although Kodak and others toyed with digital photography, commercially available cameras didn’t come along until 1990. And in 1991, Kodak brought out a digital camera that cost an amaxing $13,000. In less than two decades, film cameras have become the photography dinosaurs. Today, digital cameras are ubiquitous and come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Pictures are “instant” and generally can be viewed on a small liquid crystal display (LCD) screen that is an integral part of the camera and may often be used as ther “view finder”. The new “film” is a digital card that can be removed from the camera, plugged into a computer and pictures can be downloaded, edited, printed and sent around the world electronically via the internet. Cameras may also be plugged directly into a computer to download photographs. Instead of storing paper based photographs in books, it is now possible to store them on small digital cards or on mass storage devices that are only slightly larger than a deck of playing cards. These external “hard drives” come in many sizes—measured in “bytes”. A 500 megabyte (that’s 500,000,000 bytes) drive can store approximately 140,000 photographs. An affordable 1 terabyte (1,000,000,000,000 bytes) external hard is available and takes up little more space that that same deck of playing cards. It is hard to imagine how much can be stored on something this size, but a 10 terabyte drive would hold all the printed material now available in the Library of Congress.
Where does it end? I have no idea. I believe that some day we will be able to capture images that left this earth millions of years ago. Theoretically, these images still exist, travelling out from the earth in to the great void of the universe. Of course, this means we will have to be able to move faster than the speed of light, but that may well be possible if we don’t destroy ourselves before then. If this does happen, we finally will be able to see how we evolved, why the dinosaurs died out, where all the great religious leaders, Christ, Buddah, Mohammed lived and taught. We will be able to view all the great philosphers teaching. The great warriors will spring to life and we will witness the death of Julius Caesar. We can watch the great pyramids being built stone by stone and follow Moses and the Jews as they wander in the wilderness. We will follow the Wise men as they follow the star to Bethlehem. We will see Christ throw the money changers out of the temple, his temptations and sufferings in the garden, Judas's betrayal and the nails driven into Christ. The mystery of the resurrections will be answered and Thomas will be seen feeling Christ's wounds.
The best is yet to come.
I could not have done this without the help of Wikipedia and many sites on the internet. The power of all of this is amazing.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
A Tree in the Road
A Tree in the Road
This morning around eight o’clock, my old dog Jake and I went out for our morning “constitutional” which normal consists of a walk along Kahns Road and some of the other streets in our neighborhood. The area we live in was covered in trees just a few years ago and there are still many in the neighborhood. As you might imagine, these trees die off and some are cut down while other simply fall over. The latter was the case this morning. Sometime early this morning or late last night, a dead pine tree fell onto Kahns Road. While it did not completely block the road, it did deposit a lot of debris in the roadway. Apparently several cars had driven past and some had even crushed some of the debris, but none of it had been removed from the roadway. Rather than leave this mess in the road, I picked up a branch and began to sweep the debris to the side of the road. Meanwhile, the rain was pouring down and Jake and I were getting soaked. Perhaps as many as six or eight cars drove by us and through the debris, but not one person stopped to inquire if they could help. Apparently it was easier to ignore the whole thing and let an old man and his dog do the job.
Our neighborhood is not a large one—perhaps a 100 homes in all. Many of us have lived her for 20 or more years and informally know each other although we don’t often socialize. Everyone is busy—many of the families here are two income families and so most of our neighbors are gone during the day and hunker down on the weekends. There are some new folks who moved into homes that were built just five years ago and they don’t seem to be interested in getting to know any of us who have lived here for many years. We don’t have a homeowners’ association and many of us live here because we don’t have one. However, this does have its drawbacks. People leave trash in their yards and it is rare when someone stops to pick up trash that others have thrown out along the roadside.
I realize this is a long way from making my point and that is this. People are all so busy today that they no longer have time to stop an just inquire if they can help someone doing a task that benefits the neighborhood. It is easier to ignore the problem and drive around it. A “It’s not my job” attitude has crept into our lives and made us less than nice neighbors.
I’ll keep doing the things I do, that’s just my nature, but I would also welcome help.
This morning around eight o’clock, my old dog Jake and I went out for our morning “constitutional” which normal consists of a walk along Kahns Road and some of the other streets in our neighborhood. The area we live in was covered in trees just a few years ago and there are still many in the neighborhood. As you might imagine, these trees die off and some are cut down while other simply fall over. The latter was the case this morning. Sometime early this morning or late last night, a dead pine tree fell onto Kahns Road. While it did not completely block the road, it did deposit a lot of debris in the roadway. Apparently several cars had driven past and some had even crushed some of the debris, but none of it had been removed from the roadway. Rather than leave this mess in the road, I picked up a branch and began to sweep the debris to the side of the road. Meanwhile, the rain was pouring down and Jake and I were getting soaked. Perhaps as many as six or eight cars drove by us and through the debris, but not one person stopped to inquire if they could help. Apparently it was easier to ignore the whole thing and let an old man and his dog do the job.
Our neighborhood is not a large one—perhaps a 100 homes in all. Many of us have lived her for 20 or more years and informally know each other although we don’t often socialize. Everyone is busy—many of the families here are two income families and so most of our neighbors are gone during the day and hunker down on the weekends. There are some new folks who moved into homes that were built just five years ago and they don’t seem to be interested in getting to know any of us who have lived here for many years. We don’t have a homeowners’ association and many of us live here because we don’t have one. However, this does have its drawbacks. People leave trash in their yards and it is rare when someone stops to pick up trash that others have thrown out along the roadside.
I realize this is a long way from making my point and that is this. People are all so busy today that they no longer have time to stop an just inquire if they can help someone doing a task that benefits the neighborhood. It is easier to ignore the problem and drive around it. A “It’s not my job” attitude has crept into our lives and made us less than nice neighbors.
I’ll keep doing the things I do, that’s just my nature, but I would also welcome help.
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