LOSE THE 2009 BLUES

New Yorkers had access to a giant shredder to toss their 'bad' stuff from 2009 into...to say good riddance to 2009. If it didn't fit in the shredder...they even had a sledgehammer to beat the heck out of it!

I'd offer a few suggestions of things to toss in a shredder...anything about Tiger...Jon & Kate...balloon boy...Sarah Palin...octomom...stimulus package...cash for clunkers...Bernie Madoff...H1N1...just to name a few.

I've heard enough about all of 'em. Don't care to hear anymore.

For your New Year...I hope you can throw your 2009 crap into a nearby shredder or take a sledgehammer to it.

Let's start 2010 on an 'up' note. Think the best...do your best. Don't fret over things out of your control.

Hold your head high, stay positive and look for ways "to do what's right".


Dan

COOL POOLS

After you win the lottery, and you want to see some of the sights of the world, you can put the Top 10 cool pools on your list and plan to see them all.

Click here and then click on the 'launch' button. Scroll through the images to see where you're going. I think you'll enjoy your time there.

Send me a card when you get to each one !


Dan

NO FREE TV? SAY IT AIN'T SO!

As most of you know from previous blogs, there is no cable or dish TV at the Clark house. Our TV watching is FREE. Whatever comes in over the airwaves and can be picked up by my antenna, is what we watch.

Now it sounds like the new future of TV, could be ALL 'paid' TV. Free TV may be going the way of Buick and dinosaurs...they just don't...or won't...exist anymore.

It seems with the growth of 'pay-TV', with more and more channel options, the 'free-TV' system is losing more and more advertising dollars...and those stations can't compete with the system that has advertising 'AND' fees being paid into its coffers.

Since they "can't beat 'em"...they may have to "join 'em", and start charging fees. Thus...the demise of free TV.

It may not happen this year...or next...but it's likely gonna happen. Now for those of you faithful readers who have been 'paying for TV' for years, you may think "just MAN-UP Dan" and join the new millennium.

My thought is...I don't mind doing it if it's available and I 'choose' to join. I just hate to 'have to'... if I don't 'want to'.


Dan

ARE ALL LIBRARIES HEADED THIS WAY?

What is more important in a library than anything else - than everything else - is the fact that it exists. ~Archibald MacLeish

The best of my education has come from the public library... my tuition fee is a bus fare and once in a while, five cents a day for an overdue book. You don't need to know very much to start with, if you know the way to the public library. ~Lesley Conger

Perhaps no place in any community is so totally democratic as the town library. The only entrance requirement is interest. ~Lady Bird Johnson

As a child, my number one best friend was the librarian in my grade school. I actually believed all those books belonged to her. ~Erma Bombeck

To those with ears to hear, libraries are really very noisy places. On their shelves we hear the captured voices of the centuries-old conversation that makes up our civilization. ~Timothy Healy

The richest person in the world - in fact all the riches in the world - couldn't provide you with anything like the endless, incredible loot available at your local library. ~Malcolm Forbes

We all know California is a state in debt. Likely, the other 49 are as well, we just hear more about California. States are in financial trouble, cities are in financial trouble. This article is about an unfortunate task the city of Oakland has had to take on. How many other cities have done similarly, or will be forced to?

An unfortunate direction to go.


Dan

DUMB PHONE

With today's new 'lingo' and reading an article about smart phones, I just realized I am in the category of 'owner of a dumb phone'. I mean, if it ain't a 'smart phone', it must be a 'dumb phone'.

Sixty-percent (60%) of my kids (I include my sons-in-laws as 'my' kids) own smart phones. Hey they're young...it's the thing to do...everybody else is...why not?

Cindy & I are among the 'dumb phone' owners of the group.

You know what I'm talking about...right? The iPhone, Blackberry, Palm Pre, Cliq, Droid...all versions of 'smart phones', ie. phones that do more than be used as phones.

From the humongous computers of years ago that filled an entire room -to desktops - to laptops...you can now have the power of a computer...literally...in the palm of your hand.

I first saw one this summer at our family reunion. As an opening get-to-know-you-game, I handed out a game with 20+ questions on it. As everyone else struggled to figure out the answers, my great-nephew, Andrew, plugged the questions into his iPhone, and the answers were spitting out faster than he could enter the question. Soon, he was the 'hit' of the party as all the young kids were copying his answers that he found on that 'computer in the palm of his hand'.

Later, after the reunion, the 60% of our kids that I mentioned, got theirs. They have since used them to an unbelievable advantage...including GPS systems to get us to a wedding...check their Facebook account with it...check on email on their work computers...and 'oh by the way'......it can be used as a PHONE !!

If it has a downfall to me, it is that my kids are so tempted with the gadget, they are 'always' on it. It's like an extension of their hand. Every few minutes...they check to see if their friends have texted...Facebooked...or emailed them. It's like they have no 'free time' of their own, because they are always 'on' their phones.

You know, someday I'll probably break down and get one. But for now, I'm gonna play 'dumb'.


Dan

PROVERBS 20:11

Even a child is known by his deeds,
By whether what he does is pure and right.
Prov. 20:11

If you can read this article and not shed a tear...I got nothin' for ya'.

Maybe there's some gifts we didn't get for Christmas...but we have so many other blessings we need to be thankful for. Try not to complain.


Dan

PAYING IT FORWARD

We've heard about it.
We've seen it.
Hopefully...we've done it.

If you want to get people talking...and scratching their head...and giving yourself a good feeling inside...do something kind for someone...but don't let them know who did it.

And you never know...they might do it in return...for someone else. That's what happened here.

Life is good. Sometimes it's real good.

Dan

CHRISTMAS RECAP 2009

Up early.
Fixed a big breakfast.
Ate breakfast with kids, grandkids, Cindy's aunt.
Played games that Santa brought.
Watched movies that Santa left.
Visited with our friend Grace...one of our 'other' girls.
Talked to grandson away in Iowa to see what Santa brought him there.
Ate, drank, snacked, laughed, loved, hugged and kissed.
Belly's full, house is warm.
Blessings galore.

I'm a lucky man.

Dan

JOBS NOW

The New York Times says the top priority in 2010 needs to be finding jobs for those out of work.

I agree!

Few things will inspire confidence and self-respect in people, than for those who are willing to work...to be able to find it.

Other things are important...but this is MOST important.

This is true in my own family. My daughter has been looking for meaningful work for years. Admittedly, she has been her own worst enemy because of choices she has made over those years. But she's gotten a little wiser. She's trying to now find work to make her life better...there's simply very little meaningful work out there. She MUST put forth the effort to make herself more attractive to employers, but there also needs to be something attractive out there to encourage her to make that effort.

My son-in-law, too, is in need of the job market to come back. A tradesman, he depends on a functioning economy for his trade to be working. When it's not working...neither is he. He needs to work...he wants to work...there's just none there.

The NYT article says that one problem on the horizon in 2010 will be the coming of midterm election politics. Our leaders will need to put less emphasis on this...and more on job creation. I believe their wish to get, or stay, in office will be determined on how they meet the needs for jobs.

But the rhetoric needs to stop...the finger pointing needs to stop...and action needs to start.

Our politicians must be held accountable for doing so. Millions across the land are going to see to it. President Obama, and others in office, were put there by an eager group of Americans, ready for a change. I believe that same group will be equally eager to vote them out of office if they don't uphold their end of the bargain.

If they will 'do their jobs', we'll let them 'keep their job'. And right now...'their job' needs to be creating new ones for our family, friends and neighbors.


Dan

A CHRISTMAS STORY

A man worked in a post office. His job was to process all mail that had illegible addresses. One day a letter came to his desk, addressed in a shaky handwriting to God. He thought, "I better open this one and see what it's all about."

So he opened it and it read, "Dear God, I am an 83 year old widow living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had a hundred dollars in it which was all the money I had until my next pension check. Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with. I have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope. Can you please help me?"

The postal worker was touched, and went around showing the letter to all the others. Each of them dug into his wallet and came up with a few dollars. By the time he made the rounds, he had collected 96 dollars, which they put into an envelope and sent over to her. The rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of the nice thing they had done.

Christmas came and went, and a few days later came another letter from the old lady to God. All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened. It read, "Dear God, How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your generosity, I was able to fix a lovely dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day, and I told my friends of your wonderful gift. By the way, there was 4 dollars missing. It was no doubt those thieving bastards at the post office."


Dan

PLEASE QUIT....HOWARD

Have any of you wasted your time...ever...listening to Howard Stern? He enjoys being known as a 'Shock Jock'. I guess that translates into cursing, nudity, vulgarity...anything that would shock the 'normal' person...he enjoys doing anything and everything that will gross you out.

I have wasted about 5 minutes of my time on this guy years ago...before he went to satellite radio where he could be even more gross. I hope you have not, nor will, waste 5 minutes of your time on this idiot.

This article is about his contract that is about to expire with Sirius Radio so he's threatening to quit...hopefully in an effort for them to raise the offer on a new contract.

My hope is that he'll follow through with his threat and quit...forever.


Dan

DECADE OF FEAR ?

I saw recently they were trying to come up with a 'catchy' name for the decade that is coming to a quick end. January 1 will be the start of a new decade...the 2010's. What can we name the one that is wrapping up?

This article in the San Francisco Chronicle came up with one. 'The Decade of Fear.'

9/11
Katrina
Foreclosures
Unemployment

We've certainly had our ups and downs since 2000. The four events mentioned above were only a portion of the decade. Can we not think of any positive events of the last 10 years? Do we have only a proclivity to highlight and remember the bad?

The author feels we have lost middle ground. Every issue seems to be 'black or white'...'red or blue'...'liberal or right-winger'.

We'd better find a way to meet somewhere nearer the middle, or the next decade may even have a gloomier nickname.

Let's hope that, as the next decade is coming to an end, we all think 'The Decade of Peace' has a nice ring to it.


Dan

WHY ?

All of us have varying levels of connections to our family members, our good friends and our acquaintances.

Some of our family, we are extremely close to. We share personal (sometimes very personal) information with, knowing that it is confidential and will go no further. Other family members, we love dearly, but there are some things we wouldn't share with them.

Our good friends are the same way. Some we are closer to than others. We are comfortable around them, enjoy our time with them, but we might hold our cards a little closer to our vests with some more than others.

Our acquaintances are generally a little different. We usually have a more "hi, how are you?" type relationship and not much more in depth to share. We likely know only superficial information about them. With some, we might not even know their last name, or even their first name. We recognize their face, but may not even have a name we can place with it.

That was my relationship with Patrick.

Until yesterday, I didn't know Patrick's full name...that he had a wife and children...where he lived...where he came from...none of it.

My only relationship with Patrick was that he and I worked at the hospital. The Radiology Department, for which we worked, is divided into sections. In one area, they take xrays. In another, they do MRIs. Yet another, ultrasounds. I work in the Nuclear Medicine section and Patrick worked in the CT section.

On occasion, we might share a patient who was having a Nuc Med procedure and a CT scan the same day, so we might contact the other by phone to coordinate how we might best care for the patient and not need them in my area at the same time he might need them in his.

On Monday morning, Patrick and I passed in the hall, making eye contact and a smile to one another, but not saying anything to each other. He was with a patient, taking them to CT to do their test. I was on my way back to my department after finishing one of my patients and showing them the way out of the hospital.

Wednesday morning, I heard news that made me wish I'd have taken the time to say something to Patrick two days before. Sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning...Patrick took his life.

Patrick leaves a family that includes a 4-year old daughter and a 9-month old son. It's hard for most of us to understand how someone can feel that things are 'so bad' that their only choice to end their problems, is to end their life. 'We' know it's not the only choice...but 'they' don't think so. They believe they are actually doing their loved ones a favor.

Could I have said something to, or done something for, Patrick that might have made a difference? Having that 'acquaintance' type relationship...probably not. He didn't know me well enough to share what was happening in his life.

Too many times we 'wish' our life away. On Monday we'll say, "I sure will be glad when Friday is here." For me, I wish I knew that Monday morning what I know now. I'd wish it was Monday again.


Dan

EXTREME TROUBLE

Okay, I admit it. On several occasions, I have watched the TV show Extreme Home Makeover. If you didn't include my thumbs, you could probably count the number of times on both hands. But I have watched it. And I've cried like a baby at the sad stories and the happy ending of the episode.

For those of you who haven't seen the show, the premise is that some family has written to the ABC network and nominated themselves, or someone they know, to show the horrible living conditions they must live in, and hope to have their home rebuilt to make their life better. They usually have multiple meanings, in that it's a special needs family and the special needs child is living in a bad-for-their-health home...or a widow is raising her 4 children plus the 6 children from her recently deceased brother...or the old woman who feeds all the kids in the neighborhood working out of a kitchen with a hot plate.

Then a team of designers come in, gather a bunch of community volunteers and business leaders. Building supplies, furniture, and appliances are donated. The family is sent out of town to a luxury vacation for a week, and in the week they are gone, the old house is demolished and a new one, with all kinds of bells-and-whistles is built in its place. The family comes back a week later and they unveil the new house to them while tears flow and people jump up and down and say OMG!

What the show doesn't tell...is what happens after the TV lights go out, and the volunteers go away and reality sets in. Someone has to mow the new lawn and trim the new bushes. Electricity, heating and water bills for the new 4000 sq. ft. home needs to be paid. Billy still needs braces. And on and on.

Well, this article addresses that a number of these families have run into troubles after the new home is built and everyone has gone away.

Surely, not every family has had problems afterwards. Some have probably continued to be a blessing to their family and their community.

But, I'm reminded of the old saying...there is no free lunch.

Some people can't handle new found fame or success. If your priorities aren't right, you can be made up all you want, but in the end, it's still you when the make-up wears off.


Dan

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

At this time of year, it's hard to listen to a radio station, or visit a business, and not hear a Christmas song being played. Most of us enjoy hearing them to help us get in the spirit of the holiday.

Every time I hear the song, I'll be home for Christmas, I am touched by the simple lyrics and reminded of their meaning.

I'll be home for Christmas
you can plan on me
please have snow and mistletoe
and presents on the tree

Christmas Eve will find me
where the lovelight gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
if only in my dreams

The song has been recorded by a number of great artists over the years, including Perry Como and Frank Sinatra, but the singer most of us connect with the song is Bing Crosby. His version was recorded in late 1943. The next year, the song grew in popularity as America became involved in WWII. The lyrics seem to share the raw emotions of soldiers away at war, trying to not let their families worry about them, but wishing to be home with their loved ones.

You can almost see a soldier, hunkered down, scribbling a note on a piece of paper to be mailed back home. These words jump out from the letter...

...I'll be home for Christmas...if only in my dreams.

Many a tear has been shed as a mom back home thought of her son away in a foreign land, facing unimaginable terror...dad worrying for his son or daughter...a brother or sister missing their sibling. Christmas time will just not be the same without them there!

Hearing the words of that song, surely led those family members to bow their head to pray for their soldiers' safety and their quick return home.

Those words and feelings had to be equally heartfelt in following years as soldiers were away for the Korean Conflict, and again in Vietnam.

And now...for those soldiers who are fighting today's war.

Sixty-five years later...those tears are still shed...those prayers are still prayed.

May they all be safe this Christmas and return home soon...to share the wonderful meaning of Christmas with their loved ones.


Dan

ADVANCING TV

An article in the Washington Post caught my eye today. It took me back to my early years.

I imagine part of the reason for increased TV viewership today is due to our current economic climate. Many of us are pinching our pennies and rather than going out to do something (ie. which might cost some money), we stay home and flip on the TV (ie. which doesn't cost anything...at least no more than we normally spend).

This article made me realize the amazing transformation of TV in my lifetime.

We got our first TV when I was 6 years old. Before then, I remember going to the neighbors (the Presnells) on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons.

That first TV was a 'black and white'. My guess would be that it was maybe a 15" screen. Color TVs were rare at that time, and very few color programs were being shown on TV anyway. I think maybe Bonanza or Walt Disney were some of the early color shows. The announcer would come on to say, "brought to you in living color..."

Our TV picked up 2 stations reasonably well, and a 3rd one not as well. You had to watch through the 'snow' many times.

I doubt my children have seen a black and white TV. I'm sure they haven't known of the TV programs stopping at late night and then signing back on the next morning. And they couldn't survive with only 2 channels to pick from! And only 1 TV in the entire house? Are you kidding me?!

As the article in the Post is implying, the not-to-distant future will have us getting our TV over the Internet...which means my kids with iPhones will be watching their TV shows on their phones...from anywhere they're located.

So, rather than trying to move the rabbit ears (my kids probably don't know what those are either) to bring in 1 of those 2 channels...they'll flip on their phone and surf the hundreds of channel options to watch their favorite show.

Ain't technology fascinating?

PS. I don't remember too many 'FAT' kids when I was little. Maybe that's because we didn't have all the TV options known today. Rather, we got outside and played.

Maybe there's a downside to that fascinating technology. Maybe the kids need to pick up their iPhone and watch their show if they want...but do it while they walk around the block.


Dan

WHITE ELEPHANT CHRISTMAS

Earlier this evening, a group of us met at a local pub to visit, share some laughs and hold a white elephant gift exchange. Don’t know what that is? More later.

This group of friends (14 attended…another 4 couldn't make it) has a connection with the hospital where I work. Many of us still work there. All the others worked there at some point in the past. Our paths crossed through the years as we worked together on projects or just down the hall from one another. In some way, we had some commonality over the years. We shared ideas together, moaned and bitched together, failed together and succeeded together.

At our exchange, we caught up on what was going on with ones we haven’t seen in awhile. We shared some drinks and appetizers, made small talk…and laughed like we haven’t laughed in a long time. Then we shared some funny gifts with one another and laughed even more.

A white elephant gift exchange, involves everyone bringing a wrapped, unmarked gift. Each person then draws a number. When it’s your turn, you go to the tree and pick a gift. You open it and pretend it’s the worlds’ greatest gift. After everyone oohs and aahs and laughs, the next person has the option of ‘stealing’ your gift, or choosing a new unopened one from under the tree. This continues until all the gifts are opened.

For the most part, it is some gift that you have received in the past that was the gaudiest…ugliest…stupidest…thing you have ever seen. So much so, you wanted to share it with your friends so you could all laugh together.

Now to be honest, some weren’t too bad. The gumball machine was a great gift…if you needed a gumball machine in your home. There were dishtowels, wall ornaments, snack plates, beer mugs, a ‘pickle to hide’, over-sized green Hulk fists that growled when you pounded the fists together. There were DVD’s that, at one time, were likely in the $5 movie bin at the local discount store…and then they moved into the $1 bin…and then into the ‘buy one/get one’ bin!

My gift that I picked? A troll!

It looked to be carved from a coconut. I’m thinking of contacting Jeft Probst of ‘Survivor’ to see if they want it for next years’ "Immunity Idol". If that doesn’t work, I’ll re-wrap it, and take it back for ‘next years’ white elephant gift exchange.

And we’ll all ooh and aah…and laugh like we haven’t laughed in a year.


Dan

GOING GREEN? YEAH RIGHT

Later this week, the United Nations Climate Change Conference will be wrapping up in Copenhagen, Denmark.

A city normally filled with bicycles; a city that has retro-fitted its old buildings to be energy efficient; a city with lush greenery, it is fitting that the topic of making a more 'green world' would take place in a city that is trying to lead the way.

Ironically, the rest of the world is bringing its old methods and ideas there to poison their air.

Leaders from 192 nations planned to attend the event that will conclude on December 18 after opening on December 7. Will those leaders find housing near the conference and be walking to the event? NO. Will they be using electric or hybrid vehicles for their transportation needs? NO. Well, that's not totally true...5 vehicles have been requested for use during the event.

No...more than 1200 limousines will be used for getting participants around. This, after 140 private jets will be flown into their small airport to bring in the attendees.

So many limousines were requested, they had to drive most of them in from neighboring Germany and Sweden because Copenhagen doesn't have that many.

The airport can't hold an extra 140 jets either, so some will have to fly in, drop off their passengers and then fly off to park in neighboring countries until time to fly back in to pick up their passengers when they're ready to leave.

Even our own President isn't helping. Rather than stopping by the conference while he was in nearby Oslo to pick up his Nobel Prize, he set back his attendance date to the final day, hoping to make a more effective presentation at its closing ceremony. So he flew to Oslo, back to the States, and then will make the return trip to Copenhagen and back again.

Organizers of the event, say the total carbon dioxide count for the conference will be 41,000 tons...roughly the same as the amount of carbon emissions produced in Morocco in 2006.

We have our priorities a little off center. We have good ideas, but we often times trip on our two left feet with bad choices...setting bad examples. Let's hope some realistic goals are set at the conference and we work to make them happen.

Dan

MAN WITH CHARACTER

It is hard to have strong moral principles and stand by them. We 'all' want to believe we could, even when tempted. However, when the challenge is staring us in the face...would we?

Here's an example of a man who did. Given our economic times, how easy would it have been to put the money in your pocket, and tell no one?

Here's a man of character who didn't fold under pressure. As my dad would say, 'he did what was right'.


Dan

FROZEN TONGUE

I mentioned in a recent blog that we watched the movie 'Christmas Story' last weekend. One of the scenes from the movie is when the boys argue about your tongue sticking to a metal pole when the temperature is cold enough. One of them tried it and sure enough...it stuck.

Recent news shows that this trick has to be retested each winter...somewhere.

I recall when I performed this trick...in the dead of summer at about 6 years old. We had an old refridgerator, like everyone in those days, that had to be defrosted when ice built up around the freezer. Along with the ice around the freezer section, ours had a metal door covering the freezer.

One hot day, thinking I could lick the ice off the metal door to cool down, I stuck my tongue on the metal door to take a lick. Unfortunately, there was no licking...because my tongue stuck to the metal door.

With no one else home and not knowing what else to do...I PULLED my tongue off...leaving the top layer of it stuck to the freezer.

After some pressure with a wet washcloth, the bleeding stopped.

The lesson was learned. I would NEVER do that again.

I guess we all have to 'try' a few crazy things as we grow up. That was one of mine!


Dan

UNDEFEATED

The term 'undefeated' is being talked about quite frequently around these parts lately.

The Indianapolis Colts are currently 1 of 2 undefeated teams in the NFL. At some point, there will only be one remaining at the end of the season, unless they both lose before then.

The Purdue Boilermakers mens basketball team are 1 of 10 undefeated teams in the top 25 teams in the country. There are other undefeated teams out there too, but they are not in the top 25 teams. Before long, those undefeated teams will be playing each other, so someone will fall from the undefeated ranks. Again, by the end of the season, there will only be 1 undefeated team left, if any.

One of my favorite undefeated sports stories goes back to my high school years. As a freshman and sophomore at Vincennes Lincoln, we had two consecutive very successful basketball teams in 1968 and 1969. The ' 69 team, made it to the final 4 of the state finals, undefeated. Unfortunately, 2 other teams made it as well, with the fourth team having only 1 loss. The combined winning records of the 4 teams was 105-1.

Along the way to the final 4, Vincennes had to defeat one of the other undefeated teams, to make it there. Adding that fifth team, the combined records were 130-1.

Unfortunately, Vincennes didn't become the state champion, but it was certainly an exciting time to get the opportunity.

Those in this area who are Colts fans, will hope for the same results...to get the chance to win it all.

I know Cindy and I will be hoping our Boilers make it to the very end. Undefeated, or not, we want the chance to be the final team left standing.


Dan

JOHN LENNON

Most of you know I'm a Beatle fan...have been since 1964. Today I heard a John Lennon song and was reminded that yesterday was the anniversary of his death.

John, Paul, George and Ringo had split (as the Beatles) 10 years before. Each had gone on to have solo careers, (John and Paul most successfully), but they were all in the news on occasion.

I still remember waking up to get ready for work on the morning of December 9, 1980, to hear the radio announce that John was murdered the night before. Most people know he was on his way home from working on his most recent album and a fanatic shot and killed him. The same guy who, earlier in the day, had gained an autograph from John, as he stalked him in preparation for the murder.

That morning, on hearing of his death, is one of those 'where were you when you heard' moments for me.

John was the more radical Beatle, but as the years would prove, he was the most sincere about his ideas for world peace.

A wonderful goal to have...a, thus far, impossible one to achieve.


Dan

CLEAN WATER ?

My doctor wants me to drink more water. After reading today's article in the Times, I might have to reconsider.

Last year, I had slowly gotten to the point that I was drinking a six-pack of diet Coke a day. Then, one day I suffered from a kidney stone...and it got my attention! I was later told by the urologist that I should drink more water. I have since cut my diet Coke intake to one a day and began drinking more water.

My brother, Dave, has a real problem with bottled water. I think he believes we're being 'horn-swaggled' into believing we're drinking safe, clean, healthy water from those bottles. Who's to say the real quality of the water being put in those bottles? I'm reminded of a cartoon I saw once, showing a couple of guys using a garden hose running from a faucet at the back of a house, to fill a crate of water bottles.

I don't want to believe it, but I'm cynical enough to believe that my brother may have something. That water might just be 'regular water' packaged in a fancy plastic bottle. And the millions of plastic bottles going into our land fills is another matter.

But this headline doesn't make me feel very good about drinking 'any' water.

I'm reconsidering going back to my diet Coke and taking my chances!


Dan

' TIS THE SEASON

This morning, we awoke to our first snowfall. Not much...just enough to make the roads slick and be a pain-in-the-butt. Traffic was 'slow goin' on the way to work and school, as everyone had to get used to driving for that first time with the streets a little slick.

The snow made it official...winter is coming...and so is Christmas.

To get us in the Christmas mood, (besides all of Cindy's decorations), we watched some of the old Christmas standards over the weekend.

Friday night, we began the weekend by watching 'White Christmas' with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. Like you, (probably), we've seen it more times than we can count, but it's one of the old movies we 'have' to watch at Christmas time.

We continued our weekend movie fest by watching 'The Christmas Story' on Saturday. You know, the one where the little boy wants the Red Ryder BB gun as a gift, and all he hears from his mother, teacher and even the department store Santa is "you'll shoot your eye out". Again, one of the 'must watch' movies at Christmas time.

Sunday, we watched 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles'. More of a Thanksgiving movie than a Christmas one, it still maintains the theme of cold weather and getting home for the holidays.

I remember when Cindy and I watched P T & A for the first time. We laughed and laughed at the antics of Steve Martin and John Candy as they try to get home for the holiday. We were headed to Vincennes that weekend so we took the movie along and watched it again with her mom and dad. All of us laughed 'til we couldn't laugh anymore. And you know, that's a fun time when you can get your parents to laugh at a movie with you. Later that night, we went to Cindy's brothers' house and all of us watched it again. We laughed, (partly at the movie and partly at watching them laugh as they watched it), until it hurt. We got our money's worth out of that rental!

As crazy as it seems, when we watched P T & A again last night for the 'umpteenth' time, we still laughed at all the funny parts, even though we knew what was going to happen before it happened. And, we still shed a tear at the end, even though we knew it was coming.

I have no doubt, before Christmas is here, we'll watch James Stewart in 'It's a Wonderful Life' for the 1 millionth time.

Sometimes, those good old movies can't be beat. I'll bet you have some too that you've seen over and over, but still enjoy putting in one more time.

With all the negativity in the news this year, we all deserve a little happiness this holiday season.

I hope the Christmas 'spirit' finds you and jumps all over you.


Dan

WE NEED MORE OF THESE

Here's a nice article about a guy with his priorities in the right place.

He's in the medical profession because of the right reason. He has a growing family who he tries faithfully to be a part of their lives. He loves his small community and they obviously love him.

If they can just keep from 'burning him out'. All he does...can be overwhelming.

We need more people like him.


Dan

WAVE THE FLAG FREELY

Shame on a Richmond, Virginia Neighborhood Association, for threatening to take a WWII veteran to court, to prevent him from using his flagpole to wave his American flag. According to their guidelines, using the flagpole apparently makes their ‘neighborhood’ look bad. They instead want him to hang the flag from his front porch.

Well…shame on them.

One of the reasons they have the right to form...‘their little association with all its rules’...is because of men like him. Oh…he’s not just some ‘kook’...he’s one of the oldest Medal of Honor recipients in our country. They don’t give that medal out to just anyone.

Cindy’s dad was a veteran of WWII. I still remember when he got a flag and flagpole for a gift, and how proud he seemed when it was erected. Each morning, he would go out and proudly raise the flag, and at dusk, would lower it and bring the flag inside. He taught my children how you raise and lower the flag so that it doesn’t touch the ground, so not to show disrespect to the colors or country.

Too many times, a flag is seen flying in inclement weather or after dark. I believe proper etiquette and respect of the flag suggests you should not fly it during those times.

Now these idiots think it would be ‘prettier’ for their neighborhood if the retired Colonel would hang it from his porch.

This 90-year-old retired Colonel has earned the right to display the flag anyway he wants.

Shame on the neighborhood association. They just don’t get it.

Maybe they call it an ‘ASS’ociation for a reason.


Dan

D2B LESS THAN 90 MINUTES

A recent article in HealthDay, speaks of the nationwide goal of getting patients with heart attack symptoms in the door of the hospital and to the cath lab for an ‘artery opening procedure’ within 90 minutes.

The hospital where I work is one of the hospitals across the country who has worked hard to perfect their method.

According to statistics from our hospitals’ Cardiovascular Division Director, “we have made great strides and are now working to help nearby, smaller hospitals do the same.”

The director states, “a recent study has shown that patients who suffer a heart attack, have a higher risk of in-hospital death if the ‘door to balloon time’ (D2B) is delayed.” The (D2B) again refers to the amount of time it takes for the patient to arrive at the hospital until their artery is opened in the cath lab.

He goes on to say, “the study showed the mortality rate for patients (D2B) time of 60 minutes was 3.5%, 90 minutes 4.3%, and 270 minutes 10.3%."

Obviously, the faster that artery can be opened, the better the outcome.

Our hospitals' average is 68 minutes.

Even though they continue to try to improve that time, they have now began to assist the smaller hospitals within a 30-40 mile radius to improve theirs as well. The director asks, “what about the hospital that may not have a cath lab? How do those people get cared for?”

Using the expertise of our own physicians, nurses and cardiology staff, they began to evaluate that difficult task. Imagine the challenge of caring for those patients who are 30-60 miles away from a major hospital who report they are suffering chest pain or heart attack symptoms. They must get an EKG to diagnose the cause of the chest pain, get medication, get transportation, find a cardiologist and cath lab staff…as quickly as possible.

The planning and hard work by all involved has paid off. The director reports of the two smaller hospitals they have worked with within a 30 mile radius, one now has the (D2B) down to 90 minutes. The second is just above the 90 minute level.

Great work done by great staff. Similar, I’m sure, to work going on across the country by great medical staff teams working to do their part to make all our lives a little better.


Dan

MINI COOPER

While looking at headlines last weekend, the words ‘Mini Cooper’ caught my eye. I continued to read the few brief sentences written below the headline. Basically, it said:

In California, a family of four, (parents and their 2 children), were killed when their car was broadsided at an intersection by a driver of a Mini Cooper who ran a red light.

(A Mini Cooper is one of those little ‘box’ type cars that looks like a very small station wagon.) Maybe you saw that headline or heard the sad story as well.

Today, I saw a headline in the San Francisco Chronicle that also got my attention. It said two persons were arrested after they were caught having burglarized the home of a dead family.

There are lots of sad things that people do in this world, but that would have to rank right up there as pretty heartless…stealing belongings from the home of a family that has died.

Well, I had to read the rest of the story to see if, hopefully, the thieves had been flogged in public, or left hanging upside down by their toenails in the town square. As I continued reading, I was saddened to find out they hadn’t even been dragged from their home and beaten senseless.

Basically, the woman was pulled over for a traffic stop and found to have a credit card belonging to someone who wasn’t her. After further police investigation, her boyfriend was also later arrested, driving the stolen vehicle from the deceased family.

Only after reading further, and seeing the words ‘Mini Cooper’ did I make the connection. The deceased family the thieves stole from…was the same family who had been killed three days earlier in the accident involving the Mini Cooper.

The article revealed some more facts from the initial accident. The parents killed were in their 40’s and their two children were ages 8 and 5. The family had, earlier in the day, returned from a family vacation in Hawaii. They were all killed instantly.

The driver of the Mini Cooper was 19 years old. It was reported that he had been seen drinking at a local bar earlier in the evening. At age 17, he was arrested for drunken driving and had his license suspended for 1 year. It was estimated that he was driving the Mini Cooper 70-90mph when it entered the intersection. He survived the initial accident, but died the following day.

There are not enough tears to shed for the parents, grandparents, and other family…who lost their four loved ones in a senseless accident.

There are not enough words to express to ease the pain of the parents of the young man causing the accident. Parents who will wonder if they’d done something different years ago…how many lives would have been changed…including their sons'.

There are not enough ‘I forgive you’s’ that can be given to the two thieves…who would sink so low, that they would read about the death of an entire family in the newspaper, and have the gall to locate their address and steal their personal belongings because the owners weren’t home to protect them.

God be with all of them. He’ll cry with them…He’ll say the words they need to hear…He’ll forgive.

He can. I can’t


Dan

CLOSE FRIENDS

Last week, I caught a little of the Paul McCartney concert in New York. No, I wasn’t there…they replayed part of it on TV. Being a long-time Beatles fan, I can never hear too much of most of their music.

One segment of Paul’s show caught my attention. He dedicated a song to John Lennon, one he wrote after Johns’ death in 1980. Paul sang of an imaginary conversation with John, telling him how much ‘he loved him’. Paul admits in the song, that John would probably laugh at hearing the words, but it was no less true.

Between 1958 and 1969, John and Paul wrote and published nearly 200 jointly credited songs. Sometimes a song was written entirely by one, but credit was given to the other out of their respect and friendship. Most times, songs were started by one but would be completed with input from the other. They developed a friendship and working relationship that was inseparable.

We can only imagine what times they, (with George and Ringo), shared in those 5 years of unbelievable fame from 1964 to 1969. They were…after all…The Beatles. Anytime they were in public, they couldn’t safely do something as simple as walk the streets, or have a meal, without being noticed and mobbed. The pressure they were under every day for all those years, took its toll. They had only one another to share their time with. Only ‘they’ could understand what each one was going through. When the Beatles were no more…Paul and John, (particularly),…were no more. It was a ‘marriage’ that had just gone sour.

Pauls’ song made me think back to my high school years. My friend Scott and I became very close, so much so that you would rarely see one without the other. We had other friends in our circle…Mark…Barry…Tree…among others…but Scott and I had a special bond…or so I felt. If I wasn’t home sleeping, I was at Scott’s house. I became another son to his parents. Scott and I did everything…together. Games at his house, pinball at Teresa's Greasy Spoon, basketball in the garage, discovery of beer, lusting after pretty girls, trick or treating…together. We grew through those teen years…together.

Our relationship began to dissolve by the end of high school. After 4 years of a great friendship…it was gone. We had different ideas…different goals, and we drifted apart. I have spoken to Scott, ‘maybe’, 5 times in the last 35 years. We’ve never found that common ground to get back together…and there is some sense of sadness for me.

Close friendships. Where do they go?

Like Paul and Johns’, sometimes friendships just serve their purpose and then they’re gone. Maybe that’s for the better. Each person can then go on to find their own ‘separate’ purpose in life.

I hope Scott has found his. I believe I have found mine.


Dan

SNEAKERS

No…not the shoes. How about the Virginia couple who snuck into President Obama’s White House state dinner? Those 'sneakers'!

As if Obama wasn’t looking bad enough on the issues that are piling up, he gets showed up by a couple of idiots searching for their 15 minutes of fame. Unfortunately for all of us, they found it at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Like the parents who tried to convince the authorities their son had been swooped up in a helium filled, UFO-type balloon…only later did we find it was just a ploy to advertise themselves for a reality show. (A few years behind bars would be a ‘real reality’ that I’d suggest they receive). Now we have an equally, self-absorbed, all-important couple of nin-com-poops who want a TV show, or millions for their book rights or, preferably, both.

Those who want to bash the President, now have more fodder to battle with. I suppose some heads will roll within the security and secret service ranks over this latest escapade, but it’ll be Obama as the real loser of the ordeal.

His credibility is already under attack, and now Mutt and Jeff bring their cartoon show…right to the White House.

The sooner I forget their names…the better.

Dan