August 30, 2006
Today's News: Obesity is big
No surprise, Americans are not getting any thinner. We've been hearing this for a long time, and why wouldn't we when we're constantly bombarded by ways to make our lives more convenient. I'll admit right away that I'm one of the few people who has no problem with weight gain, in fact I have to work to keep my weight up. And I'm sure for every one of me there is at least one person who, through no fault of their own, cannot keep their weight down, blame it on genetics or whatever, and my heart goes out to those people. But there is a large population in the middle that bears much more responsibility for their waistlines.
One of the recommendations for helping Americans reverse this trend leaves me scratching my head. According to this cnn.com article
"The government should mandate routine screenings that measure the fitness of Medicaid beneficiaries, plus subsidize or reimburse them for participating in exercise and fitness programs."
The first thought to enter my mind is that the governments money comes from the taxes I pay, so lets revise the recommedation to reflect that. Now, let me ask, why should I pay for a gym membership for someone who can't afford it? In fact, having a gym membership is known to be a sure way to keep yourself out of the gym. I used to belong to my local YMCA, and I went regularly, at least twice, sometimes three times a week. To use the hot tub. Who is going to be watching to see that these memberships are used wisely?
A scene from George Orwell's book "1984" comes to mind. The main character is awakened in the morning and subjected to a state sanctioned exercise regimine. Perhaps we could borrow this helpful idea. Every person could be weighed in at a certified location each year, in the way some states require emissions testing and report it to a bureaucratic agency. If the agency decided his/her weight fell outside their optimal range, then a diet and exercise routine would be prescribed, participation would be documented, until the persons weight returned to the acceptable range.
Another recommendation from the article puts the responsibility on employers:
"Employers should offer their workers benefits that help them stay healthy, such as nutrition counseling and subsidized health club memberships"
Again, totally missing the point that the person who will pay the bill for these "benefits" is the consumer of the business's product. How much more do you want to pay for the necessities of life? And hasn't the average American household already taken enough of a hit in spending power?
Employers could impact the health of their employees, without increasing the cost of their products, by reducing workplace stress. I sat in shock one day listening to a co-worker talking about his own battle with food. He said at home, and on the weekends he had no problem with maintaining a healthy diet. But, within just a couple of hours that day at work he'd eaten more junk food than I could eat in a week. Of course, this is a worker in one of our more stressful jobs, and who has a personality conflict with someone else in his work area. It hit me, he's trying to eat away his work-related stress.
The bottom line is, this isn't the governments problem to fix, and it's not our employers problem to fix, it's ours, and until individuals accept the responsibility, this epidemic is going to continue.
Posted by Anna at 2:16 PM | Comments (1)
February 14, 2006
Unconventional Valentines
It seems that most people either really love or really hate Valentines Day. Not many fall into the middle ground of "take it or leave it". I'm one of the people who would not miss February 14th one bit if it dropped off the calendar altogether. I feel being guilted into expressing love by the mass-merchandisers negates any true feeling. Soon the trinkets, chocolates, flower arrangements and cards full of tired clichés will disappear from store shelves, and we can move on to the next holiday.
I propose a more unconventional gift to those you love, one you will not find on any store shelf. It's simple to make, and costs only a little of your time, it's called a living will. A few months ago, I began making mine, and was amazed at how uncomplicated the process was. I obtained the forms from my doctor during my regular annual checkup, he gave me two simple forms to complete. The living will form was just a couple check boxes, and a few lines for me to make more specific instructions and then a place to sign it and have it notarized or witnessed. The Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare form is again a couple of check boxes and the place to provide the names and contact information of the people I want to make medical decisions for me in the event I'm unable to, and then a place to sign and have it notarized or witnessed. Naming a Power of Attorney for Healthcare is not the same as naming a Power of Attorney. Laws vary by state, but in most states unless you specifically name someone those decisions default to a spouse first, and in the absense of a spouse, the parents. I was surprised to find in some states any concerned individual can be named as guardian, including a third party you never knew.
Until Terri Schaivo's case pushed the need for advance directives to the forefront last year, I could see no reason in making one, I'm much too young to be thinking of those things. My opinion changed watching what her family struggled through. To me, the most important reason in taking the time to make a living will is to spare my family unnecessary suffering in what would be a traumatic situation anyway. This may be the easiest, and most important way you can tell your family you love them.
More information on Advance Directives is available from the following sites:
End-of-Life Choices—Make Your Wishes Known
Compassion and Choices
Five Wishes (by Aging with Dignity)
U.S. Living Will Registry
Posted by Anna at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)
January 28, 2006
Do You Remember?
It's been 20 years since the Challenger exploded just a few seconds into it's flight, but I still remember seeing it happen live on TV. I was only 13, but it made quite an impression. I even wanted to be an astronaut for awhile after. Funny how time changes things, now I think our world would be better served by taking the money we throw away looking for possible evidence of microscopic lifeforms on uninhabitable planets and use it on improving the living conditions of the neediest lifeforms currently residing on this planet. Surely if we can put a man on the moon we could bring food and water to Africa, perhaps not as glamorous, but much more worthwhile.
Posted by Anna at 12:41 PM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2006
IMHO: Should death row inmates be allowed the right to refuse lifesaving medical care?
The execution of Clarence Ray Allen, the second oldest death row inmate since the death penalty resumed, leaves behind an interesting question. Having already suffered one heart attack in September, Allen requested that he not be resuscitated should he go into cardiac arrest prior to his execution. Prison officials said if the situation arose they would refuse to honor his request.
"At no point are we not going to value the sanctity of life. We would resuscitate him," then execute him, prison spokesman Vernell Crittendon is reported to have said in this CNN.com story. I wonder about the paradox in this policy, there seems to be cruely and hope in the same breath. It is good that the prison officials would not simply allow him to die to be done with it, in case of a last minute change, but at the same time to resuscitate someone who is facing certain death seems cruel.
I don't personally know anyone who has been resuscitated, but it does not sound like an easy recovery. When I learned CPR over two decades ago the instructor taught us to expect to hear sounds of bones cracking, and explained that sometimes ribs break in the process. Allen had been resuscitated recently, and would certainly be able to decide if he wanted to go through the experience again.
Would it be unreasonable to allow death row inmates a living will? Perhaps this concept is too new to for a prison official to determine, but it's a debate that should be opened. How would advance directives for prison inmates differ from the general public? What would the legislature need to consider? What safeguards need to be put into place to allow inmates that right? Should a court review the request to be sure the inmate has voluntarily made the decision and to insure the inmate understands his/her right to revoke the decision at any time? Has our society evolved to a point where we are ready for questions like these?
Posted by Anna at 2:53 AM | Comments (0)
January 18, 2006
James Frey: Literary Pioneer
I've watched with mild interest the controversy swirling around the book "A Million Little Pieces" written by James Frey and energetically endorsed by Oprah. This is a book I haven't read, and since it appears to lean more toward fiction than non-fiction, it's not likely that I will read it, but the controversy I do find intriguing. For some reason tonight, while performing a mindless task, it occured to me that Frey may have stumbled into an entirely new genre of literature. Reality TV is already wildly popular, and most viewers don't seem to mind that there is very little "reality" occuring, so why not "Reality Literature"? Writers could publish stories which contain elements of truth, but which readers would understand have been exagerated for dramatic effect.
Posted by Anna at 2:53 AM | Comments (0)
January 17, 2006
Dear Senator Clinton,
How is the US House of Representatives like a plantation Senator Clinton? Your apples and oranges comparison shows a total disrespect for the African Americans who do know what it is to be a slave. Maybe you feel your voice wasn't heard, but did you face brutal beatings for your disent? Did you spend hard summers forced to work with inadequate protection from the heat and sun, poor nutrition, rags for clothing? Did you face winters without heat, did you walk through snow in barefeet? Were you taken from your homeland, transported in unhuman conditions thousands of miles away to a strange land where you couldn't understand the language and treated as an animal? Was your family ripped apart? Your children taken from your arms, sold to others who would treat them as cruely? Were you raped by your Masters? Were you unjustly convicted by lynch mobs of heinous crimes based solely on the color of your skin? Were you condescended on by a "Christian" church through the taking of a vote to determine whether you had a soul and could go to heaven? This list could go on and on.
What do you offer in comparison? An annual income of $157,000 (as of 2004), health benefits, life insurance, retirement plan. You've had a comfortable life, yet you claim to be on par with children of slaves. Your education cannot compare with what they've learned about the depths of human indecency.
*** My Recommendations:
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives (note: my recommendation is for the dvd edition, I have not read the book.)
Contempt of Court
Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America
Posted by Anna at 12:43 PM | Comments (2)
January 8, 2006
QUIET!!!!!! (please)
Here's an article I've been mulling over for several days. An increased risk of heart attack due to noisy environments could be a problem for me, as I work in a noisy press shop. (I frequently compare it to listening to a percussion band warming up, each machine has it's own rhythm, and they never quite seem to get it together.) Of course, I wear the mandated hearing protection, but even still, I'm constantly surrounded by noise.
But for some reason, I have a hard time believing it is noise alone which causes increased risk of heart attack. I spend ten hours a night observing the behaviors of my co-workers, and quite frankly, a lot of them are heart attacks looking for a place to happen. Their diets consist mostly of whatever unhealthy combinations of carbohydrate, fat and artificial preservatives are available from the vending machines. It's entirely possible some of them haven't eaten fresh produce since Ronald Reagan was president. A majority of my co-workers smoke, and probably consider a pack-a-day habit moderation. They shun preventive medicine, use recreational drugs, drink to excess, and the favorite stress-reduction technique involves foul language and obscene gestures (never at me, mind you, I'm a lady and this IS the south after all). Few of them believe in personal responsibility, long-term planning, goal setting, problem solving or considering the consequences of actions. If pressed on the point, most of them would likely reply with "Ya gotta die of somethin'", "Ya cain't live forever" or a similar variation.
I invite the researchers to prove me wrong, but until they do, I'm tellin' ya, it's not the noise.
Posted by Anna at 7:27 PM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2005
IMHO: Let It Go, Let It Go, Let It Go.....
Until now, I've avoided the controversy over "Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays", I just didn't have a dog in that fight. I find the whole discussion more annoying than being greeted with either phrase. To me it is a non-issue, but apparently it has sparked public opinion polls (I passed up that headline for more interesting news) and inspired talk-radio rants (I changed the station). However, I've decided to propose a solution to the problem. This is not a compromise, it is not a win-win solution, there are people who will still choose to take offense. My solution? Get over it.
Taking offense is a personal choice, not something forced by a third party, it's certainly more power than I wish to give up. There are a lot of holidays during the season surrounding Christmas, and any one person may choose to celebrate any, all or none of them. So, use "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays", "Have a nice day" is always in season, don't mind how others greet you, if you happen to be cranky for some reason, there's always "Bah Humbug" to fall back on.
In the words of Maura Stuard, age 8, "Sometimes you just need to take a nap and get over it."
Happy Yule Ya'll!!!!
Posted by Anna at 2:37 AM | Comments (0)
November 23, 2005
Deadbeat Parents Unite!
This may qualify as the most unworthy charity ever, a non-profit organization formed to assist irresponsible parents in evading child support obligations. (Full story here, free at the present but will become premium content soon) David and Dorothy Snyder of Roseland, Indiana came up with the idea following his legal troubles over "gifting" some of his real estate commissions to her, thereby avoiding having them applied toward child support. Snyder owes somewhere between $67,000 and $90,000 for his two sons living in Texas with his ex-wife, one of his sons is handicapped and will need his support for the rest of his life.
And, while Snyder seems to have trouble finding a way to petition a Texas court to adjust his financial obligation, he did somehow manage to come up with $11,250 last week in order to keep himself out of a 45 day jail sentence for contempt of court. I'm pretty sure $11,000 would buy a lot of legal services, but that may not be enough to buy just the right loophole. Come to think of it, for $11,000 he could probably do the research himself, file the petiton, fly to Texas for a hearing, and maybe even take his boys out to dinner afterwards. Or would that make too much sense?
Where does Snyder think the money to help other deadbeat parents shirk their responsibilites would come from? From other non-custodial parents (I'm guessing these would be parents who are able to make their obligations, and have money leftover), from grandparents, and others who may support their plight. I'm no psychologist, but I think that's commonly known as "enabling". I offer an alternative, instead of clicking the "Paypal" link to donate, find a Christmas Angel Tree, take the name of an unfortunate child caught in the middle of a parental power struggle and buy him or her a winter jacket, mittens and a couple of toys.
Posted by Anna at 4:45 AM | Comments (0)
October 22, 2005
IMHO: Obesity in America
So, I'm in Kroger today, and I'm walking through the dairy section, and this big yellow sign jumps out at me. If I buy 8 Lean Cusine items, they will GIVE me two packages of refrigerated cookie dough FREE!!!
That's just wrong.
Posted by Anna at 4:00 PM | Comments (0)
October 15, 2005
IMHO: Human Development's effect on Natural Disasters
A commenter has asked "Do you think human development on environment has lead to the occurence of the natural disaster? if yes, how does it causes the natural disaster?" in response to this post. My answer is "Yes, and No". First of all, "Natural Disasters" are all man-made in that without the presence of man, they would not be disasters, but only "Natural Phenomena". These events are only disasters because they result in loss of property or human life.
Does human development on environment lead to occurance of natural disaster? I'm in the "not really" camp on this part of the question. This CNN.com article affirms my belief that the hurricanes we are seeing are just part of the normal run of weather events. "The Skeptical Environmentalist" by Bjorn Lomborg, a former member of Greenpeace and "Junk Science Judo" by Steven J. Milloy helped shape my understanding. Do we still have a responsibility to take care of the environment we live in? Yes. Do we need to become alarmists, and adopt a back-to-nature lifestyle? No.
Where I believe human development has made a difference is in the toll these natural events have. Development in costal regions, a fairly new occurance thanks to many modern conveniences, ensures significant loss of property, and possibly human life (in the case of people unwilling or unable to evacuate). It's a simple risk vs. reward calculation. If you want to live in an area, known for destructive weather or geological occurances, you incur the associated risks of loosing your property or your life. Americans seem to believe the consequences of their choices can be deflected on the Federal Government, forgetting the government is merely a reflection of themselves. How long can we sustain this lifestyle?
We need to keep in mind that the earth is in a constant state of change. Even the location of the continents has changed over it's history. We cannot stop hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanos, tsunamis or even wildfires, we can however learn from them and learn to live with them. This is knowledge our ancestors may have held, and lived by, which we have turned from.
In the aftermath of the tsunami last Christmas, I recall reading a story about an entire village saved, thanks to that ancient wisdom. I can't find the article now, but basically when the villagers saw the water draining out of the ocean, they knew from folk wisdom that it would return in force. Drawing from that wisdom, the residents moved uphill quickly, and saved their people. They needed no sophisticated "early warning" system, they did not wait for a government agency to tell them what to do, and they lost not one person.
These are great questions, and hopefully will lead to great discussions. Discussions which are long overdue.
Posted by Anna at 3:53 PM | Comments (0)