Needless to say my first bit of programming for the camera was to simply shoot in black and white. Not very artsy, but I'm working at it.
Not Cease From Exploration..."We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." T.S. Eliot
Monday, September 6, 2010
Playing with the camera
I'm still trying to get used to my new Sony Alpha.
Needless to say my first bit of programming for the camera was to simply shoot in black and white. Not very artsy, but I'm working at it.
This one is a bit more traditional & may yet make it to the blog banner.
Needless to say my first bit of programming for the camera was to simply shoot in black and white. Not very artsy, but I'm working at it.
Attention Apple Fans
A must read from Bloomberg Business*.
How Apple plays the pricing game
Insightful stuff.
I am not an Apple fan myself, although I've contributed to Steve Job's compensation via the purchase of several IPod generations over the years for my daughters.
What don't I like about Apple? Well part is it is a style vs. substance argument. Apple's products have a lot of style, but I don't always see the substance. Two examples:
All in all, Apple has created a nice little empire for itself, and has benefited greatly from the mistakes of others (most notably Microsoft). I'm interested to see what happens when Google gets serious about using its operating system in hardware other than phones. Mate Andriod with a decent tablet package (that has USB ports, a forward facing camera, support for Flash) and the IPad may very well go the way of the Newton.
(*) Bloomberg Businessweek is, page for page, the best business periodical on the market today, bar none. If information were calories, Businessweek would be the equivalent of a Double Whopper with Cheese.
How Apple plays the pricing game
Insightful stuff.
I am not an Apple fan myself, although I've contributed to Steve Job's compensation via the purchase of several IPod generations over the years for my daughters.
What don't I like about Apple? Well part is it is a style vs. substance argument. Apple's products have a lot of style, but I don't always see the substance. Two examples:
- Try plugging-in a flash drive into an IPad
- What happens when the battery in your MacBook Air degrades?
All in all, Apple has created a nice little empire for itself, and has benefited greatly from the mistakes of others (most notably Microsoft). I'm interested to see what happens when Google gets serious about using its operating system in hardware other than phones. Mate Andriod with a decent tablet package (that has USB ports, a forward facing camera, support for Flash) and the IPad may very well go the way of the Newton.
(*) Bloomberg Businessweek is, page for page, the best business periodical on the market today, bar none. If information were calories, Businessweek would be the equivalent of a Double Whopper with Cheese.
Labor Day: What We've Forgotten
I was thinking about Labor Day as I woke up this morning, contemplating just what it means and how I could express that meaning in a way that makes some sense. The meaning is kind of tough to construct in modern times...at times...because I think we have become victims of our own success is some respects. Our society is now full of devices and gizmos and things that redefine the very meaning of leisure. Hell, when I was a kid it was a very, very big deal to go to the arcade at Rocky Glenn and blow a few dollars on the games. Fast forward to now and I've got a Wii, a Play Station 2 and an Xbox 360 at my disposal at home, all connected to HD televisions. I have more choices and far more thrilling experiences awaiting me in my office at home than what ever existed in any arcade anywhere in the world (circa 1978).
All of this has been created for us by our fathers, "the greatest generation", the ones who built the true American consumer society that emerged in the 1950's and continues to today. Of course that also creates something of a great hypocrisy of sorts, as that hard work seems to have created a society where hard work isn't as valued as it should be.
Yes, our society of today was built by people who worked their asses off day in and day out. This was, in part, because work was considered to be a noble endeavor, no matter what the work actually consisted of in the first place. Dr King said it best:
“Whatever your life's work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.”
But somehow I think we've lost part of that feeling. Parts of our society, particularly in some minority communities, believe that it isn't hard work that counts, but rather luck or, worse yet, athletic ability. Unfortunately these folks are really, really missing the point. Even those very small number of people who do find success in sports or entertainment realize that it's as much about hard work as it is anything else. Thomas Jefferson once said:
"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it."
He is of course right. Sure, one out of 100 million may actually get some dumb luck and become a millionaire through no effort of their own, but in the real world that isn't going to happen. The rest of us have to live in a real world where we don't always get what we want, but if we work hard, we always get what we really need (with a nod to Mick & Keith on that one).
Maybe, must maybe, it's really about defining what "success" really means.
Money
Does success mean that you have more money than you know what to do with? Nah, I don't think so. I can rattle of the names of countless musicians who had enough money to burn but yet were miserable. See "Life's Been Good" by Joe Walsh as a point of reference.
Fame
Think fame makes you happy? I referenced Lindsay Lohan in a number of postings over the past year when I talked about how detached the whole celebrity culture becomes from reality. By my thinking Ms Lohan is a miserable human being these days who is probably figuring out how to re-start her life such that maybe she can actually apply some of her talents without morphing back into a skeezy punchline.
For me, things like money and fame seem like opiates. Yes, I suspect that they can make you feel good, but that feeling is only temporary. Maybe the real trick to is find things that have a value over and above the immediate in your life. These would be things like working hard to support your family, being honest in your dealings, helping others, trying to make some small corner of the world a little bit better. In all of that there is a common theme: work.
There is a certain nobility in hard work that our society needs to do a better job of remembering. It's that nobility in effort that created what we have today, and I think only that nobility that can help our society endure over the long term.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Pat Rogan: The Beat-Down Continues
A follow-up to this POSTING.
These comments were pulled from a local "political" message board about Scranton City Council member Pat Rogan:
We, meaning many thousands of us, didn't elect a FREE THINKER. We elected a team player.
While I usually provide a link to comments, I'm going to skip that this time, as I have no desire to drive traffic to that particular site. Besides, I think this stuff more or less speaks for itself.
What's ironic is that the message board from which the above comments were culled is more or less dedicated to fighting the political system/status quo in Scranton politics. However the messages above seem to be more about "fight the system, but only the way we want you to fight the system" and "loyalty to a brand is more important that loyalty to your conscience" than anything else. The brand in question is Janet Evans and the city Democratic party. This stuff screams of substituting one group of blind political toadies for another.
Perhaps Mrs Evans should talk to her supporters and emphasize to them just how much of a political throw-back all of this appears. Wait, that would only work if Mrs Evans were actually interested in truly being a different kind of Scranton politician, you know one that puts principles before politics, one that values deliberative thought over and above blind obedience.
These comments were pulled from a local "political" message board about Scranton City Council member Pat Rogan:
Get the fvck back on that leash and stay there until your term is up
Loyalty issues take precedent.
There are many thousands of betrayed dems in this city who would love to have Pat Rogan's nuts for breakfast today.
I strongly suggest that Mr. Rogan gets back on the leash where he belongs
This little punk fvck is playing a very serious game with some people who have invested a lot of time, energy and money into the Evans' promises.
There's a political element in this town "that matters", and it believes that Rogan has betrayed every dem that supported the Evans Team. He'd be swimming with the fish if he pulled that shyt with the mafia one time.
While I usually provide a link to comments, I'm going to skip that this time, as I have no desire to drive traffic to that particular site. Besides, I think this stuff more or less speaks for itself.
What's ironic is that the message board from which the above comments were culled is more or less dedicated to fighting the political system/status quo in Scranton politics. However the messages above seem to be more about "fight the system, but only the way we want you to fight the system" and "loyalty to a brand is more important that loyalty to your conscience" than anything else. The brand in question is Janet Evans and the city Democratic party. This stuff screams of substituting one group of blind political toadies for another.
Perhaps Mrs Evans should talk to her supporters and emphasize to them just how much of a political throw-back all of this appears. Wait, that would only work if Mrs Evans were actually interested in truly being a different kind of Scranton politician, you know one that puts principles before politics, one that values deliberative thought over and above blind obedience.
Free piece of advice to Mrs Evans: sometimes the harder you squeeze, the more it slips through your fingers.
Somewhere in Hell Boss Tweed is smiling.
Somewhere in Hell Boss Tweed is smiling.
To All the Cars I've Known...
The cars I have owned (or co-owned) over the years. I'm not counting vehicles that were driven mainly by others/family cars.
1974 Plymouth Duster, 2 door coupe. I owned this with my brother Rich. It was pea green, but one of the front fenders was rusted out so we replaced it with an used part...that happened to be orange. I eventually handed over my interest in the car to my brother. I think about a year later the engine blew.
1974 Plymouth Fury III, 4 door sedan. This was probably my favorite car, ever. 360 cubic inch engine. Very fast and very comfortable. It was tan with dark brown vinyl tap. I ended up totaling it while driving on route 307 during a snowstorm (I was picking up my mother from where she worked).
1970 Buick LeSabre, 4 door sedan. It was black and bore a resemblance to the batmobile. I sold it after about a year or two.
1974 Chrysler Newport Custom, 4 door sedan. This was the car I took away to college for my junior and senior years. It was enormous. How big? Well I've stayed in hotel rooms with less interior space. 440 cubic inch engine got about 10 miles to the gallon city. I didn't drive down the road in it...I floated down the road. The transmission eventually went bad...and this is the gospel truth...while driving home for the last time from college.
1978 Chrysler LeBaron, 4 door sedan. This was a great car, but it had one flaw: whenever it rained the floor behind the drivers seat would flood. I kid you not. I checked and it wasn't rotted under there, so who knows where the water came from. The car was totaled in York PA while I was driving back from work by a guy who ran a stop sign.
1980 Dodge Colt, 2 door coup. It looked just like the picture in the link. This was a great car and I put a ton of miles on it. I had this car while I worked for the Bon Ton. Traveling between the Bon Ton in Carlisle and Perry County I went through something like four sets of front brakes. The transmission eventually died at about 160,000 miles or so in mid-1989 as I was just starting with my present employer in Florham Park, NJ.
1974 Mercury Comet, 4 door sedan. I was actually given this car by my brother Chris, as I needed something to drive (the Colt had died) while in NJ and I couldn't afford another car. This was a wretched piece of crap that wasn't worth the "free" price I paid for it. The steering was bad. It leaked exhaust gas into the cabin. It creaked like an 85 year old man. One day I just drove it to the junk yard and said "take it".
1986 Chevy Celebrity, 4 door sedan. A stop-gap car between the Comet and my next vehicle. I had this for about a year or so. Outside of a set of front brakes and a thermostat, this was a pretty good car. I traded it in for the truck.
1997 Ford Ranger, extended cab pickup truck. I loved the Ranger. It's only real flaw was that it was rear-wheel drive, making it a a horrible drive in snow. That noted, I loved the utility of the vehicle. I bought it in 1998 and it only had a few miles on it. I think I gave it to my oldest daughter when it had about 80,000 miles or so on the odometer, after having owned it for almost a decade. I eventually traded it in for a more suitable female college student vehicle, a 1999 Chevy Cavalier 2 door coupe. I'd love to get another truck one day, although it would have to be 4 wheel drive (or two wheel drive but as a second vehicle to something with front or AW drive). The Ranger is probably still tooling about somewhere.
2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser. I actually had the truck and the Cruiser together for a short period of time. I bought the Cruiser in 2006 with about 15,000 miles on it and just recently gave it to my oldest daughter. It's a great car that was small but drove like it was much larger. My only complaint was that it started to run into mechanical problems at about 70,000 miles (two oil leaks, A/C compressor that went). I want my oldest to trade it in when she graduates next Spring.
2009 Kia Rio, 4 door sedan. My current vehicle. I got this in May from Scranton Toyota, and it had about 10,000 miles on the odometer. I've had a few minor problems, but all have been fixed by the local Kia dealer. The Rio is great on gas, which is what I was mainly looking for in a car these days. I'm probably going to hang on to this and eventually give it to one of my daughters.
1974 Plymouth Duster, 2 door coupe. I owned this with my brother Rich. It was pea green, but one of the front fenders was rusted out so we replaced it with an used part...that happened to be orange. I eventually handed over my interest in the car to my brother. I think about a year later the engine blew.
1974 Plymouth Fury III, 4 door sedan. This was probably my favorite car, ever. 360 cubic inch engine. Very fast and very comfortable. It was tan with dark brown vinyl tap. I ended up totaling it while driving on route 307 during a snowstorm (I was picking up my mother from where she worked).
1970 Buick LeSabre, 4 door sedan. It was black and bore a resemblance to the batmobile. I sold it after about a year or two.
1974 Chrysler Newport Custom, 4 door sedan. This was the car I took away to college for my junior and senior years. It was enormous. How big? Well I've stayed in hotel rooms with less interior space. 440 cubic inch engine got about 10 miles to the gallon city. I didn't drive down the road in it...I floated down the road. The transmission eventually went bad...and this is the gospel truth...while driving home for the last time from college.
1978 Chrysler LeBaron, 4 door sedan. This was a great car, but it had one flaw: whenever it rained the floor behind the drivers seat would flood. I kid you not. I checked and it wasn't rotted under there, so who knows where the water came from. The car was totaled in York PA while I was driving back from work by a guy who ran a stop sign.
1980 Dodge Colt, 2 door coup. It looked just like the picture in the link. This was a great car and I put a ton of miles on it. I had this car while I worked for the Bon Ton. Traveling between the Bon Ton in Carlisle and Perry County I went through something like four sets of front brakes. The transmission eventually died at about 160,000 miles or so in mid-1989 as I was just starting with my present employer in Florham Park, NJ.
1974 Mercury Comet, 4 door sedan. I was actually given this car by my brother Chris, as I needed something to drive (the Colt had died) while in NJ and I couldn't afford another car. This was a wretched piece of crap that wasn't worth the "free" price I paid for it. The steering was bad. It leaked exhaust gas into the cabin. It creaked like an 85 year old man. One day I just drove it to the junk yard and said "take it".
1986 Chevy Celebrity, 4 door sedan. A stop-gap car between the Comet and my next vehicle. I had this for about a year or so. Outside of a set of front brakes and a thermostat, this was a pretty good car. I traded it in for the truck.
1997 Ford Ranger, extended cab pickup truck. I loved the Ranger. It's only real flaw was that it was rear-wheel drive, making it a a horrible drive in snow. That noted, I loved the utility of the vehicle. I bought it in 1998 and it only had a few miles on it. I think I gave it to my oldest daughter when it had about 80,000 miles or so on the odometer, after having owned it for almost a decade. I eventually traded it in for a more suitable female college student vehicle, a 1999 Chevy Cavalier 2 door coupe. I'd love to get another truck one day, although it would have to be 4 wheel drive (or two wheel drive but as a second vehicle to something with front or AW drive). The Ranger is probably still tooling about somewhere.
2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser. I actually had the truck and the Cruiser together for a short period of time. I bought the Cruiser in 2006 with about 15,000 miles on it and just recently gave it to my oldest daughter. It's a great car that was small but drove like it was much larger. My only complaint was that it started to run into mechanical problems at about 70,000 miles (two oil leaks, A/C compressor that went). I want my oldest to trade it in when she graduates next Spring.
2009 Kia Rio, 4 door sedan. My current vehicle. I got this in May from Scranton Toyota, and it had about 10,000 miles on the odometer. I've had a few minor problems, but all have been fixed by the local Kia dealer. The Rio is great on gas, which is what I was mainly looking for in a car these days. I'm probably going to hang on to this and eventually give it to one of my daughters.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Glenn Beck: Wacky Morning Zoo DJ
Ever wonder where Glenn Beck gets some of his act from? Well lookie here...
...wacky morning zoo DJ, complete with chimp. Classic.
...wacky morning zoo DJ, complete with chimp. Classic.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Road Apples, #75
Two Holidays...In Scranton we have two extra special local celebrations: St. Patrick's Parade Day & La Festa Italiana. Since I don't drink & generally speaking hate parades, St. Patrick's Day really isn't my cup of tea. Besides, the parade is held in mid-late March, which can be less-than-ideal weather in these parts. The Italian Festival though is just great. A quarter of a million people, lots of food, nice weather and did I mention lots of food? I took a walk downtown this evening (the festival actually starts tomorrow) and it was relatively busy. Lots of bands playing on sidewalks, people walking around, a car show tons of stands being set up for the festival. If anything, I felt kind of dork-esque walking alone with a camera. That comes with the territory though, and besides, I came to terms with my dorkicity a long time ago.
2001: A Space Odyssey...I watched this on Blu Ray the other day and was reminded of just how great a film maker Stanley Kubrick was. While the special effects don't hold up as well these days, it's still a great story. Then there is the music. The Blue Danube Waltz is what you usually think about when the music of 2001 comes to mind, but for me the song I find the most captivating is Aram Khachaturian's Gayane Ballet Suite (Adagio). If you are familiar with the movie, this is the song that plays when you first see the space ship Discovery headed to Jupiter. Here's what I'm talking about...
There is something rather sad...lonely...I don't know...about the piece.
Labor Day...Along with the Italian Festival comes Labor Day, which also marks the start of the "campaigning in earnest" season. I'll offer no suggestions except one: it is going to be a brutal few months. A bad economy, a weak Democratic majority, a GOP fighting schizophrenia (Tea Party vs. establishment), and a relatively slow cycle for news all make for a bruising political season. November can't come soon enough.
Yard Work...I was off today and spent most of my time getting some much needed yard work done. I enjoy doing yard work, as it provides a sense of immediate accomplishment that I don't always get with my professional endeavors. The only negative today was the oppressive heat and humidity. Rumor has it that will be changing tomorrow.
Blogger Meeting/Politician Feeding Frenzy/Debauchery...The next blogger soiree (a word, by the way, that is mighty difficult to spell correctly) will be held on September 17th at 5pm in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre neutral zone town of Pittston. Details HERE. Tom Borthwick promises that there will be fisticuffs and the like, so no doubt a splendid time awaits. As for me, I'm a solid "maybe" in the attendance department. Okay, I guess that's probably more of a "yes", but begrudgingly so. No offense to the organizers, but I'm just not really a social butterfly, so anything that involves having to interact with other humans is somewhat disconcerting. Oh, and have I ever mentioned that I'm a corporate trainer (actually training department manager) by trade? One would think such an occupation would mean that I actually get my rocks off on talking to folks, but one would also be thinking wrong. For me, teaching a class on retirement plan investments to a group of 30 people I don't know is far, far easier than having to make small-talk in a bar. Okay, I'm thinking that this blurb has already gone past the TMI stage. Time to move on.
Glenn Beck...In response to another blogger's posting (names withheld simply because I choose to do so), I've mentioned Glenn Beck 7 times in postings prior to his Whitestock event last weekend. Just wanted to note that for the record.
Condolences....go out to Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty and his family at the death of his mother. If you judge a parent by the quality of their children, then Mr & Mrs Doherty were experts in the field.
2001: A Space Odyssey...I watched this on Blu Ray the other day and was reminded of just how great a film maker Stanley Kubrick was. While the special effects don't hold up as well these days, it's still a great story. Then there is the music. The Blue Danube Waltz is what you usually think about when the music of 2001 comes to mind, but for me the song I find the most captivating is Aram Khachaturian's Gayane Ballet Suite (Adagio). If you are familiar with the movie, this is the song that plays when you first see the space ship Discovery headed to Jupiter. Here's what I'm talking about...
There is something rather sad...lonely...I don't know...about the piece.
Labor Day...Along with the Italian Festival comes Labor Day, which also marks the start of the "campaigning in earnest" season. I'll offer no suggestions except one: it is going to be a brutal few months. A bad economy, a weak Democratic majority, a GOP fighting schizophrenia (Tea Party vs. establishment), and a relatively slow cycle for news all make for a bruising political season. November can't come soon enough.
Yard Work...I was off today and spent most of my time getting some much needed yard work done. I enjoy doing yard work, as it provides a sense of immediate accomplishment that I don't always get with my professional endeavors. The only negative today was the oppressive heat and humidity. Rumor has it that will be changing tomorrow.
Blogger Meeting/Politician Feeding Frenzy/Debauchery...The next blogger soiree (a word, by the way, that is mighty difficult to spell correctly) will be held on September 17th at 5pm in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre neutral zone town of Pittston. Details HERE. Tom Borthwick promises that there will be fisticuffs and the like, so no doubt a splendid time awaits. As for me, I'm a solid "maybe" in the attendance department. Okay, I guess that's probably more of a "yes", but begrudgingly so. No offense to the organizers, but I'm just not really a social butterfly, so anything that involves having to interact with other humans is somewhat disconcerting. Oh, and have I ever mentioned that I'm a corporate trainer (actually training department manager) by trade? One would think such an occupation would mean that I actually get my rocks off on talking to folks, but one would also be thinking wrong. For me, teaching a class on retirement plan investments to a group of 30 people I don't know is far, far easier than having to make small-talk in a bar. Okay, I'm thinking that this blurb has already gone past the TMI stage. Time to move on.
Glenn Beck...In response to another blogger's posting (names withheld simply because I choose to do so), I've mentioned Glenn Beck 7 times in postings prior to his Whitestock event last weekend. Just wanted to note that for the record.
Condolences....go out to Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty and his family at the death of his mother. If you judge a parent by the quality of their children, then Mr & Mrs Doherty were experts in the field.
Scranton City Council Member Pat Rogan
A Democrat politician and member of city council, Pat Rogan, has taking some extreme flack by hosting a fundraiser for Republican Lou Barletta. How bad is the criticism? Words like...
...have been thrown around repeatedly on certain local message boards and Facebook pages.
My opinion?
Well for the record Mr Rogan was part of a Democratic ticket for city council headed by current council president Janet Evans. I've been pretty critical of Mrs Evans' leadership, so that's strike one. I despise the "beware of the great brown horde" message of Lou Barletta. Anyone who runs a campaign that consists of the "be afraid" message is not to be trusted in my book. That's strike two. But there is no strike three, at least not for me.
Yes, I think young Mr Rogan can support whomever he wants. In fact, I'll say this much for him: he is consistent. During his last run at a city council seat, he campaigned on a laughable platform that supported Hazelton-esque illegal immigrant legislation for Scranton. Yes, we are talking about the same legislation that would turn landlords into agents of the INS. My brother Chris is a landlord. The thought of him having to validate citizenship is scary at best, insane at worst. Anyway, that platform was a joke, but this is America, and in this country you are free to be an ass if you really, really want to, and that's fine with me.
So why the anger?
It's just the politics of usual at work in this area. If you are a Democrat, you are expected and required to tow the line for Democrats, no matter what. Hitler could be a Democrat, and if he was running against Mother Teresa you would still have the party faithful pressing you to vote for the ticket. That's how the game is played, and sadly, that's part of the reason why politics has become the sport of liars and thieves in this country. I don't like Lou Barletta, but I'll be damned if I'm going to demonize someone who does. Yes, I'd argue to the hinterlands that Barletta is political opportunist who is using "soft racism" to get elected, but that doesn't mean that someone who disagrees with me is somehow an "arrogant little punk". No, it means that they disagree with me. It's that disagreement that ultimately makes America a better place because neither political party has a monopoly on the truth, and in fact what is best can often be pulled together from ideas taken from both sides of the political isle.
Bottom Line: People aren't angry at Pat Rogan for supporting Lou Barletta...they are angry because he is not following orders. How sad is it that "compliant with political marching orders" has somehow become a trait that people bizarrely admire? I admire an independent streak in my leaders. I may not ever vote for Mr Rogan, but at least he is following his convictions. Can the same be said for every other politician in the area? Hell, do many politicians in this area even have convictions, other than a conviction to stay in office (or a conviction in federal court)?
arrogance
little punk
politically stupid
pathetic
mutiny
...have been thrown around repeatedly on certain local message boards and Facebook pages.
My opinion?
Well for the record Mr Rogan was part of a Democratic ticket for city council headed by current council president Janet Evans. I've been pretty critical of Mrs Evans' leadership, so that's strike one. I despise the "beware of the great brown horde" message of Lou Barletta. Anyone who runs a campaign that consists of the "be afraid" message is not to be trusted in my book. That's strike two. But there is no strike three, at least not for me.
Yes, I think young Mr Rogan can support whomever he wants. In fact, I'll say this much for him: he is consistent. During his last run at a city council seat, he campaigned on a laughable platform that supported Hazelton-esque illegal immigrant legislation for Scranton. Yes, we are talking about the same legislation that would turn landlords into agents of the INS. My brother Chris is a landlord. The thought of him having to validate citizenship is scary at best, insane at worst. Anyway, that platform was a joke, but this is America, and in this country you are free to be an ass if you really, really want to, and that's fine with me.
So why the anger?
It's just the politics of usual at work in this area. If you are a Democrat, you are expected and required to tow the line for Democrats, no matter what. Hitler could be a Democrat, and if he was running against Mother Teresa you would still have the party faithful pressing you to vote for the ticket. That's how the game is played, and sadly, that's part of the reason why politics has become the sport of liars and thieves in this country. I don't like Lou Barletta, but I'll be damned if I'm going to demonize someone who does. Yes, I'd argue to the hinterlands that Barletta is political opportunist who is using "soft racism" to get elected, but that doesn't mean that someone who disagrees with me is somehow an "arrogant little punk". No, it means that they disagree with me. It's that disagreement that ultimately makes America a better place because neither political party has a monopoly on the truth, and in fact what is best can often be pulled together from ideas taken from both sides of the political isle.
Bottom Line: People aren't angry at Pat Rogan for supporting Lou Barletta...they are angry because he is not following orders. How sad is it that "compliant with political marching orders" has somehow become a trait that people bizarrely admire? I admire an independent streak in my leaders. I may not ever vote for Mr Rogan, but at least he is following his convictions. Can the same be said for every other politician in the area? Hell, do many politicians in this area even have convictions, other than a conviction to stay in office (or a conviction in federal court)?
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Pssssttttt....Catherine, it wasn't the doctors that gave him cancer
I love the cult of celebrity that exists in this country. No where else on the planet can you find people who are famous, for simply being famous. Every once in a while though you do see a story that is interesting on a deeper level. Case in point: the cancer diagnosis of Michael Douglas.
If you haven't heard, Michael Douglas (who I first saw on the TV show "The Streets of San Francisco") has been diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer. There are tons of article out there on the topic, so I'm not going to bother with a hyperlink, as I'm thinking that part of this story is pretty much self-explanatory anyway.
What I find fascinating is an article that appears in the current edition of People magazine, where the wife of Mr Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones complains about the diagnosis taking so long. You can read that story HERE. The first paragraph pretty much sums it all up:
Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones admits having a hard time watching husband Michael Douglas battle throat cancer and has told People magazine she is furious with doctors for not detecting his disease sooner.
I do feel bad for Mr Douglas and his family, as getting this kind of news is no doubt one of the most difficult things a family can endure. However part me read the article and thought that while it's not great that it took time to get this diagnosed, maybe...just maybe...some of the rage should be directed towards the things that most likely caused the cancer in the first place. To be just a bit harsh, it's fairly likely that Mr Douglas' smoking and drinking habits are the real villains in this story. Don't just take my word for it, as the online cancer guide sums it up pretty directly:
Unlike other types of cancer the causes of throat cancer is quiet clear. People who smoke or otherwise use tobacco are at risk of developing the disease. Excessive alcohol use also increases risk. Smoking and drinking alcohol combined lead to an extreme risk for the development of the disease thus the known cause of throat cancer.
(link HERE)
I know that it's easy to simply blame someone else for a problem, but sometimes the real blame lies a little closer to home.
Hopefully Catherine Zeta-Jones no longer smokes herself. If she still does and is genuinely concerned for her family, perhaps some of her rage should be channeled into preventing her children from having to deal with another (future) cancer diagnosis. For example, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that about 80% of lung cancer deaths in women are directly attributable to smoking.
Of course the moral of the story here is pretty clear: if you smoke please try to quit. If you don't succeed, then keep trying. This drug isn't worth sacrificing your health, your life, it isn't worth what you pay for it, and it certainly isn't worth the grief your family may very well have to go through when (and if) you come down with that future cancer diagnosis.
If you haven't heard, Michael Douglas (who I first saw on the TV show "The Streets of San Francisco") has been diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer. There are tons of article out there on the topic, so I'm not going to bother with a hyperlink, as I'm thinking that part of this story is pretty much self-explanatory anyway.
What I find fascinating is an article that appears in the current edition of People magazine, where the wife of Mr Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones complains about the diagnosis taking so long. You can read that story HERE. The first paragraph pretty much sums it all up:
Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones admits having a hard time watching husband Michael Douglas battle throat cancer and has told People magazine she is furious with doctors for not detecting his disease sooner.
I do feel bad for Mr Douglas and his family, as getting this kind of news is no doubt one of the most difficult things a family can endure. However part me read the article and thought that while it's not great that it took time to get this diagnosed, maybe...just maybe...some of the rage should be directed towards the things that most likely caused the cancer in the first place. To be just a bit harsh, it's fairly likely that Mr Douglas' smoking and drinking habits are the real villains in this story. Don't just take my word for it, as the online cancer guide sums it up pretty directly:
Unlike other types of cancer the causes of throat cancer is quiet clear. People who smoke or otherwise use tobacco are at risk of developing the disease. Excessive alcohol use also increases risk. Smoking and drinking alcohol combined lead to an extreme risk for the development of the disease thus the known cause of throat cancer.
(link HERE)
I know that it's easy to simply blame someone else for a problem, but sometimes the real blame lies a little closer to home.
Hopefully Catherine Zeta-Jones no longer smokes herself. If she still does and is genuinely concerned for her family, perhaps some of her rage should be channeled into preventing her children from having to deal with another (future) cancer diagnosis. For example, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that about 80% of lung cancer deaths in women are directly attributable to smoking.
Of course the moral of the story here is pretty clear: if you smoke please try to quit. If you don't succeed, then keep trying. This drug isn't worth sacrificing your health, your life, it isn't worth what you pay for it, and it certainly isn't worth the grief your family may very well have to go through when (and if) you come down with that future cancer diagnosis.
Religion: An Inherited Trait?
I actually had a discussion the other day with a family member who insisted that, since President Obama has a Muslim father, he was and always will be a Muslim himself. They actually believe this, and in point of fact I've heard similar dribble from certain talk radio hosts as well.
Let's think about this for a second: is a religious faith an inherited trait, along the lines of skin or eye color? Is there a "religion organ" in the body that somehow stores the religious genetic code that is passed from father to son? Of course not!
Here is an example: Mary (who is a non-denominational Christian) has a relationship with Abdullah (a Muslim from France) and she becomes pregnant. Abdullah, after discovering this fact, runs for the hills. Mary then meets another man, Fred, who is a Born Again Christian. They are married and Mary gives birth to a son, Barry. Mary and Fred raise Barry as a devote Born Again Christian who attends the local Pentecostal church. The question is this: is Barry "secretly" a Muslim, or is he a Christian? I think any rational person would answer "Christian", unless of course Barry ends up becoming a politician that others disagree with (then all logic gets thrown out the window).
The only counter argument here is that "Muslim" is as much a culture as it is a religious faith. That argument falls flat on its face for two reasons:
Let's think about this for a second: is a religious faith an inherited trait, along the lines of skin or eye color? Is there a "religion organ" in the body that somehow stores the religious genetic code that is passed from father to son? Of course not!
Here is an example: Mary (who is a non-denominational Christian) has a relationship with Abdullah (a Muslim from France) and she becomes pregnant. Abdullah, after discovering this fact, runs for the hills. Mary then meets another man, Fred, who is a Born Again Christian. They are married and Mary gives birth to a son, Barry. Mary and Fred raise Barry as a devote Born Again Christian who attends the local Pentecostal church. The question is this: is Barry "secretly" a Muslim, or is he a Christian? I think any rational person would answer "Christian", unless of course Barry ends up becoming a politician that others disagree with (then all logic gets thrown out the window).
The only counter argument here is that "Muslim" is as much a culture as it is a religious faith. That argument falls flat on its face for two reasons:
- The very word culture implies a set of behaviors and beliefs (see definition HERE) that are shared across a group. I can tell you that, for example, the behaviors and beliefs of a Muslim in Saudi Arabia are different than the behaviors and beliefs of a Muslim in Iran or a Muslim in Indonesia.
- Being a Muslim means, by very definition, that you are an adherent to Islam. Just ask Muslims (citation HERE) themselves. If you are not an adherent to Islam, you are not considered to be a Muslim.
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