Well today marked the first of a three-stage adventure into the world of high-tech dentistry for yours truly. While I may have written about this before, here's a brief recap:
About seven or eight years ago I finally got my act together and realized that I needed to overcome my fear of the dentist and get back into better dental health. Now my teeth weren't all that bad, but, I was still really too afraid to do the things I needed to do, like get regular cleanings. Anyway, I got back into the swing of things by going to a dentist in the neighborhood that someone in my extended family had recommended. All was well and good until I cracked a top left molar and the decision was made to pull the tooth. It was torture...sheer, utter, unmitigated torture. I swear this dude was injecting me with colored water, because I felt everything. After about thirty minutes, two different injections of novacaine, and a pint of blood, the tooth finally came out. Needless to say, I wasn't too keen on going back to this guy. Fast forward about a year, and I needed to go to the dentist again for another cracked tooth, but I didn't want to go back to the tooth-pulling dude. What was I to do? Well, I simply found a few dentists in the phone book and came upon one, Dr J.C. Charnitski, who seemed promsing. I called his office and they saw me immeidately. Dr Charnitski has a wonderful staff and he was really, really understanding of my fears and previous bad experiences. In short, for the first time ever, I really felt more or less comfortable at the densist. After about a dozen appointments (including a root canal on the other tooth that cracked), my teeth were in great shape. Fast forward to today, and Dr Charnitski has worked with me to get better at my oral hygiene and I now think I have great teeth.
So why the problem?
Well, about two months ago I bit on something really hard and I could feel it impact my rear tooth (the one that had the root canal all those years ago). After the initial impact, the tooth slowly got worse and worse, and by the weekend I was in real agony. I called Dr Charnitski and he saw me first thing Monday morning. By then it was feeling better, but the verdict wasn't a good one: whatever I had eaten had somehow cracked the root of my previously canaled molar, and I needed to see a specialist. His concern was that even if the pain went away, I would still have a persisent infection. I wasn't thrilled about having to see anyone other than my regular dentist, but I trust the guy, so I'm off to see Dr Frantz, a Periodontist.
The invitial visit to Dr Frantz confrmed the worst, namely that the root of the molar was cracked and was most likely infected. My choices were basically bridge work (which woudln't last and would involve messing up three teeth...but my insurance would cover it) OR a dental implant for the bad tooth. I chose the implant, although the thought of having a titanium screw in my head wasn't exactly music to my ears, just as the price-tag, $2800 out of pocket wasn't music to my wallet. Anyway, I agreed that this was the best long-term solution. The dental implant will last forever (unlike the bridge-work). So the wheels were put in motion, and the whole process would take almost half a year:
Step 1 - Remove the old tooth and add in material to build up my upper jaw. Allow it to heal.
Step 2 - Insert the titanium screw and post. Allow it to heal.
Step 3 - After my bone grew around the screw, put a new snythetic tooth over it.
Dr Frantz would do steps 1 & 2, and Dr Charnitski would do the third.
Today I got through step 1. First, I was very impressed with Dr Frantz; he seemed very concerned about my comfort and kept my abreast of what he was doing at all times. The actual extaction was much tougher than he expected, as there really was a bad infection in the root of the broken tooth. After about 40 minutes, the tooth was out, the bone build-up material was in, and my gum was sewed up shut.
So now I sit, mouth un-numb (finally) in only a moderate amount of discomfort. I think the Hagen-Daz icecream helped with that part. Now it's back to Dr Frantz next Thursay to get the stitches pulled out and to schedule Step 2. Lovely...a screw in my head.
The things I do for good oral health!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
My Theory: How Cats View The Universe
(Oreo the Cat, with his inverse widows peak)As the owner of several cats (yes, I crossed that threshold of owning more than two cats, which qualifies me for the title of "weird cat person"), I have a theory about how cats view the universe. Now this could be based on things I've read, experiences, etc., but it goes something like this:
Cats only see three different kinds of living things in the universe -
1. Prey - These are things that the cat would like to kill and eat...well the eating part would only happen if they were hungry; otherwise, they would just kill. This includes insects, rodents, birds, rabbits, etc. Mostly anything smaller than the cat that isn't a cat itself.
2. Predators - These are things that could harm the cat, like most dogs.
3. Other Cats - This is anything else on more or less an equal footing with the cat.
I put humans in category #3 in that I think most cats see their "owners" as being nothing more than really big cats. I know that there's the purring issue to deal with (that cats really don't, as far as I know, purr around each other....well I think kittens do when they are around their mothers), but I still think that cats view us as other cats. A cat may also view a human as being a predator, by virtue of its size. This is probably how wild or mis-treated cats view us. Maybe they view us as substitute mother cats to them, which also solves for the purring issue. I do know this: having more than one cat enables you to see what there are definite social orders in the world of cats, which is interesting for an animal that isn't known as a social creature. For the record, all my cats are male, which makes the social thing even more interesting, as male cats are supposedly known as loners.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Steely Dan
For some reason I'm in a Steely Dan kind of mood. Maybe it's the constant bombardment of Britney Spears that's inflicted on humanity these day. Anyway, here's to an era when artists...
...who weren't child actors
...wrote their own material
...played their own material
...sang without the aid of electronic enhancements
So here you go, "Reeling In The Years" featuring Donald Fagan on lead vocals, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter on guitar (the one with the glasses) and Walter Becker on bass.
...who weren't child actors
...wrote their own material
...played their own material
...sang without the aid of electronic enhancements
So here you go, "Reeling In The Years" featuring Donald Fagan on lead vocals, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter on guitar (the one with the glasses) and Walter Becker on bass.
Friday, December 5, 2008
BegFest, Part Deux
The Big Three auto company executives, accompanied by a representative of Connecticut Auto Dealers, the CEO of Johnson Controls and the head of the UAW appeared before the United States Senate to beg for money. I actually took the time to listen to their opening statements over lunch, and I still have mixed feeling about the whole thing. Maybe it makes sense to parse this whole thing out a little bit.
First, the issues are real. Chrysler and GM are both effectively worth nothing, and both will burn through the remaining cash they have by the end of the year (in less than a month). There are hundreds of thousands of jobs at stake, jobs held not just by too-well paid auto executives and well paid union members, but jobs held by small businesses like lunch counters located near auto plants. If these plants go dark, so too will all the side businesses that support them. Some of these auto plants are the major employers in their communities, and the impact of the closings will be very tough to handle.
Second, the CEOs gave it a good shot, but I'm not sure it will be enough. There is a lot of skepticism in Congress when it comes to simply handing out money to companies that, by and large, have failed to even realize how badly they have been managed up until now. This is nothing more than these CEOs saying "I've screwed the company up so please give me money".
Third, the UAW doesn't really get it either. The UAW President stated that the union agreed to suspend temporarily the infamous Job Bank program. This is a program that pays workers to not work. Newsflash: it has to end, as it's indicative of the larger problem of bad decisions that have plagued the industry for decades.
In the final analysis though, who will suffer if there isn't some kind of governmental help? Nardelli, the CEO of Chrysler, already has a golden parachute from his former employer, Home Depot. I suspect that the CEOs of Ford and GM could walk away from their firms without much real financial damage either. No, the real damage will be to the people who don't make millions, who don't have golden parachutes, who don't have corporate jets. It will be the people that run lunch counters near auto plants, who run the sporting goods stores, smaller businesses that supply the auto-makers, etc. In short, a failure by these companies will hurt the wrong people. As is the case in life, it's not fair, but it's reality.
So what do I think should be done? Well at first I was absolutely opposed to any governmental help, but I've come around, so to speak, to some limited help. Here are my thoughts (I know...there's a reason why people like me aren't in charge):
1. Government backed loans are ok, as secured by equity interests in the firms.
2. Set real performance targets for the firms receiving the money, including caps on executive compensation, cost reductions and quality improvements.
3. Have the GAO or the Fed...some organization with a history of strong oversight/auditing skills....be responsible for monitoring the performance of the firms.
4. Require that the UAW contracts be opened up and all items open for discussion in review. Permanently eliminate the Job Banks program. Require that any reductions in union wages and benefits be accompanied by a proportionately larger reduction for management.
5. Place a representative from the government, someone like Paul Volker, sit as a full voting member of the Board of Directors for all firms receiving federal money.
6. Require that Chrysler provide financial reporting equivalent to what a public company would have to provide. I don't trust Cerberus Capital Management...and either should you. Just ask the former employees of the Mervyns Department Store chain.
First, the issues are real. Chrysler and GM are both effectively worth nothing, and both will burn through the remaining cash they have by the end of the year (in less than a month). There are hundreds of thousands of jobs at stake, jobs held not just by too-well paid auto executives and well paid union members, but jobs held by small businesses like lunch counters located near auto plants. If these plants go dark, so too will all the side businesses that support them. Some of these auto plants are the major employers in their communities, and the impact of the closings will be very tough to handle.
Second, the CEOs gave it a good shot, but I'm not sure it will be enough. There is a lot of skepticism in Congress when it comes to simply handing out money to companies that, by and large, have failed to even realize how badly they have been managed up until now. This is nothing more than these CEOs saying "I've screwed the company up so please give me money".
Third, the UAW doesn't really get it either. The UAW President stated that the union agreed to suspend temporarily the infamous Job Bank program. This is a program that pays workers to not work. Newsflash: it has to end, as it's indicative of the larger problem of bad decisions that have plagued the industry for decades.
In the final analysis though, who will suffer if there isn't some kind of governmental help? Nardelli, the CEO of Chrysler, already has a golden parachute from his former employer, Home Depot. I suspect that the CEOs of Ford and GM could walk away from their firms without much real financial damage either. No, the real damage will be to the people who don't make millions, who don't have golden parachutes, who don't have corporate jets. It will be the people that run lunch counters near auto plants, who run the sporting goods stores, smaller businesses that supply the auto-makers, etc. In short, a failure by these companies will hurt the wrong people. As is the case in life, it's not fair, but it's reality.
So what do I think should be done? Well at first I was absolutely opposed to any governmental help, but I've come around, so to speak, to some limited help. Here are my thoughts (I know...there's a reason why people like me aren't in charge):
1. Government backed loans are ok, as secured by equity interests in the firms.
2. Set real performance targets for the firms receiving the money, including caps on executive compensation, cost reductions and quality improvements.
3. Have the GAO or the Fed...some organization with a history of strong oversight/auditing skills....be responsible for monitoring the performance of the firms.
4. Require that the UAW contracts be opened up and all items open for discussion in review. Permanently eliminate the Job Banks program. Require that any reductions in union wages and benefits be accompanied by a proportionately larger reduction for management.
5. Place a representative from the government, someone like Paul Volker, sit as a full voting member of the Board of Directors for all firms receiving federal money.
6. Require that Chrysler provide financial reporting equivalent to what a public company would have to provide. I don't trust Cerberus Capital Management...and either should you. Just ask the former employees of the Mervyns Department Store chain.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Words of (Business) Wisdom for Difficult Times
This comes from a Reuters story about IAC CEO Barry Diller, who had the following to say about companies that are earning money but still lay people off during a recession:
“The idea of a company that’s earning money, not losing money, that’s not, let’s say ‘industrially endangered,’ to have just cutbacks so they can earn another $12 million or $20 million or $40 million in a year where no one’s counting is really a horrible act when you think about it on every level. First of all, it’s certainly not necessary. It’s doing it at the worst time. It’s throwing people out to a larger, what is inevitably a larger unemployment heap for frankly no good reason.”
I think I have a new business hero. You Rock Barry!
“The idea of a company that’s earning money, not losing money, that’s not, let’s say ‘industrially endangered,’ to have just cutbacks so they can earn another $12 million or $20 million or $40 million in a year where no one’s counting is really a horrible act when you think about it on every level. First of all, it’s certainly not necessary. It’s doing it at the worst time. It’s throwing people out to a larger, what is inevitably a larger unemployment heap for frankly no good reason.”
I think I have a new business hero. You Rock Barry!
Skills That I Admire (most of which I don't have)
There are certain skills and abilities that I find very noteworthy. Now I don't have most of these things, which may be why in fact I admire them so much. Not in any kind of order....
1. Ability To Play A Musical Instrument
Look, I know that musical aptitude doesn't necessarily equate to mental aptitude, but gosh, some of the brightest people I've ever met (or heard of) also had the ability to "play". I'm not on this list...I have zero musical aptitude, although (as I've mentioned before) I have a perfectly good Yamaha acoustic guitar sitting about six feet from me, just waiting to be played. Maybe I'll get around to those lessons next year.
2. Ability To Speak Another Language
I am fascinated by the ability to speak fluently in another language, which is another skill I don't have. Yes, I can string a sentence or two together in German, and yes, I can pick out about every 15th word of the lady speaking Spanish in front of me at the supermarket, but no, I have no real skill in this arena. That's not likely to ever change, but if I could learn just one language well, what would it be? Italian, by far and away. It's just such a cool sounding language.
3. Ability To Speak In Public
Finally, a skill that I actually do have. Part of my job requires this, so I'm actually (I think) very comfortable speaking in front of a group...be it 5 people of 500. Do I consider this to be a skill? That's actually rather to tough to answer, because all of us, outside of those with a physical impairment, can in fact speak. The "in front of a group" part isn't as much as skill as it is a state of mind I suppose. Yes, there are technical aspects of this...for example, I know how to avoid distracters (the "hmmm" and "ahhhhh" you hear some people utter)...but I personally think that this can be taught to anyone. What speaking in public comes down to is this: GUTS. You simply need to have the guts to pull it off. To be very crude for a moment, obscene comic Andrew "Dice" Clay once nailed it when he said "Balls....in this world you just need f&^king balls". He is 1000% correct.
4. Ability To Paint/Draw
This is highly opinionated, in the sense that what I consider to be "art" may not strike the fancy of someone else. For example, I love paitings done in the "American Primative" style, but I can see where someone else might find that cheesy. Anyway, I will confess to doodling every now and then, although not too well.
5. Ability To Sell
I am not a salesman, and truth be told, I don't like being sold to. However, I do admire people that can actually do this well, and I'm talking about people who work in car dealerships either. The most successful "sellers", in my opinion, are high profile politicians. Think about it: over 50% of the voters in this country selected Barack Obama for President. Why? He was clearly less experienced than his chief opponent, but he was better at SELLING his vision to voters.
6. Ability To Build/Repair Plumbing
I have tremendous respect for people who are engaged in the "trades". For example, I think that someone who lays bricks for a living can truely create something that is beautiful. For me, I most admire plumbers. I know, that sounds cheesy, but as someone who does have some aptitude when it comes to electical work (I wired our attic), I can't figure out plumbing. I wish I could.
1. Ability To Play A Musical Instrument
Look, I know that musical aptitude doesn't necessarily equate to mental aptitude, but gosh, some of the brightest people I've ever met (or heard of) also had the ability to "play". I'm not on this list...I have zero musical aptitude, although (as I've mentioned before) I have a perfectly good Yamaha acoustic guitar sitting about six feet from me, just waiting to be played. Maybe I'll get around to those lessons next year.
2. Ability To Speak Another Language
I am fascinated by the ability to speak fluently in another language, which is another skill I don't have. Yes, I can string a sentence or two together in German, and yes, I can pick out about every 15th word of the lady speaking Spanish in front of me at the supermarket, but no, I have no real skill in this arena. That's not likely to ever change, but if I could learn just one language well, what would it be? Italian, by far and away. It's just such a cool sounding language.
3. Ability To Speak In Public
Finally, a skill that I actually do have. Part of my job requires this, so I'm actually (I think) very comfortable speaking in front of a group...be it 5 people of 500. Do I consider this to be a skill? That's actually rather to tough to answer, because all of us, outside of those with a physical impairment, can in fact speak. The "in front of a group" part isn't as much as skill as it is a state of mind I suppose. Yes, there are technical aspects of this...for example, I know how to avoid distracters (the "hmmm" and "ahhhhh" you hear some people utter)...but I personally think that this can be taught to anyone. What speaking in public comes down to is this: GUTS. You simply need to have the guts to pull it off. To be very crude for a moment, obscene comic Andrew "Dice" Clay once nailed it when he said "Balls....in this world you just need f&^king balls". He is 1000% correct.
4. Ability To Paint/Draw
This is highly opinionated, in the sense that what I consider to be "art" may not strike the fancy of someone else. For example, I love paitings done in the "American Primative" style, but I can see where someone else might find that cheesy. Anyway, I will confess to doodling every now and then, although not too well.
5. Ability To Sell
I am not a salesman, and truth be told, I don't like being sold to. However, I do admire people that can actually do this well, and I'm talking about people who work in car dealerships either. The most successful "sellers", in my opinion, are high profile politicians. Think about it: over 50% of the voters in this country selected Barack Obama for President. Why? He was clearly less experienced than his chief opponent, but he was better at SELLING his vision to voters.
6. Ability To Build/Repair Plumbing
I have tremendous respect for people who are engaged in the "trades". For example, I think that someone who lays bricks for a living can truely create something that is beautiful. For me, I most admire plumbers. I know, that sounds cheesy, but as someone who does have some aptitude when it comes to electical work (I wired our attic), I can't figure out plumbing. I wish I could.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
In The "You Can't Make This Stuff Up" Department
Two quick-but-true stories that involve recent observations on my part.
The Collapsed Lung
I was at a wedding reception, and happened to be at a table with a few other folks that I didn't know. Anyway, one of those seated at the table was talking about how her parents/significant other couldn't see her smoking because she just had a collapsed lung a few months ago. Of course in a few minutes she was outside...smoking.
The Cancer Recovery (for now at least)
At another event, as I was leaving, I happened to see someone that I knew had just gone through a nearly year-long battle with a very difficult to treat form of cancer. I won't mention the type, but it' something that, apparently, isn't readily cured. Anyway, this person actually was basically cured, after months and months of treatment at a prestigious medical center that no-doubt cost his insurance company hundreds of thousands of dollars. Sure enough I saw this guy smoking like a fiend.
Now I know we all have our own bad habits to break...I know I do...but come on, smoking after a collapsed lung and extended cancer treatment? That's beyond just stupid...it's bordering on surreal. Let me be frank: if your survive a collapsed lung...if you survive cancer...you are certainly being given a gift...the kind of gift that others with in similar predicaments don't always receive. WHY SIMPLY PISS THAT GIFT AWAY? How in the name of God could smoking be that worth it????
The Collapsed Lung
I was at a wedding reception, and happened to be at a table with a few other folks that I didn't know. Anyway, one of those seated at the table was talking about how her parents/significant other couldn't see her smoking because she just had a collapsed lung a few months ago. Of course in a few minutes she was outside...smoking.
The Cancer Recovery (for now at least)
At another event, as I was leaving, I happened to see someone that I knew had just gone through a nearly year-long battle with a very difficult to treat form of cancer. I won't mention the type, but it' something that, apparently, isn't readily cured. Anyway, this person actually was basically cured, after months and months of treatment at a prestigious medical center that no-doubt cost his insurance company hundreds of thousands of dollars. Sure enough I saw this guy smoking like a fiend.
Now I know we all have our own bad habits to break...I know I do...but come on, smoking after a collapsed lung and extended cancer treatment? That's beyond just stupid...it's bordering on surreal. Let me be frank: if your survive a collapsed lung...if you survive cancer...you are certainly being given a gift...the kind of gift that others with in similar predicaments don't always receive. WHY SIMPLY PISS THAT GIFT AWAY? How in the name of God could smoking be that worth it????
Road Apples, #6
Just a few random thoughts running through my head:
In The "Screw In Your Head" Department - Everything seems to be set for my dental implant work to begin next week. The whole process will take months to complete, with the first part being the removal of an old root-canaled tooth with a broken root. Gee, why does this not excite me? Along with the removal I'll have my upper jaw augmented so that it can hold a titanium screw installed in a few months (after the other stuff heals). Just to add insult to injury, I'm paying for this myself. The joy of it all...
Funeral - I attended the funeral service for the late mother of someone who reports to me at work. It was definitely interesting, as it conducted in an Orthodox church. It wasn't as long as I expected (about an hour) and virtually everything was sung. There weren't many people there, but it was important for me to attend. When my father passed away a few years ago, the church was empty except for immediate family in two rows...and...the four people I work with in the back of the church. That really, truly touched me, and I am not easily "touched". Making it even more impressive was the fact that there was a blizzard happening during the service (we actually had to delay the cemetery service).
Recovery - The sister of a very dear friend is recovering from surgery. All my best to her for a speedy recovery.
The Auto Industry Begs For Money, Part Deux - The heads of the three American car makers submitted plans to Congress yesterday and have begun their trek to Washington DC for a second round of begging. Now I'm not unsympathetic to the workers of those companies, but let's face fact: all of the parties involved (union to executives) lived fat off the hog for far too long in the domestic auto business. While I agree that the unions have gotten too much over the years (the infamous Job Bank program), the executive suits got even more...these were CEOs who were getting millions of dollars while doing horrible jobs managing their businesses. No one will win in this one...the best we can hope for is a break even.
Real Estate News - My brother is going to buy my uncle's house, which I think is very good news. The place needs some work, but it's a nice space and my brother is a hard-working guy. I'm glad to see him getting ahead. I, on the other hand, have no interest in any real estate. In fact, I'd long term like to sell the house I currently live in. I will be needing less space, not more.
On The Work Front - The year-end review and next year planning cycle begins next Monday, which means a trek to Hartford. I really don't mind that too much...the better you plan, the better you execute. I'm just hoping that the weather cooperates. Also, I had an update call with my bosses-bosses-boss (the head of HR) that seemed to go well. I always get nervous with stuff like that, which isn't a bad thing. Being nervous is healthy sometimes...it means that you are concerned and care about what you are doing.
Scranton City Council Passed A Tentative Budget - Short article here. I am very, very wary of politicians in general, and when I hear of budgets increasing in an environment like this, I am every more wary. Let's run our government like prudent people run their households...when times are tough, spend less, not more. Enough said.
Skunks - The smell of skunk is very heavy in the air outside this morning (I just went outside to warm up the car). I didn't see any dead one's by the house, which is at least quasi-comforting. No doubt that the little critters were into the garbage set outside. People who don't use garbage cans need their heads examined....that or they should be responisble for cleaning up any skunk carcases that arise.
Pittston PA Man Cited For Having A Sign With The "F" Word On His Truck - The sign had something to do with this being America and people needing to speak English. Regardless, I don't know about citing the guy for disorderly conduct, but I think he should be cited for being an "F-ing" moron. Why? Picture this: a mom is driving her six year old daughter to a dance recital and the child sees the sign; "Mommy, what does 'f---ing' mean?". Personally I am all for freedom of expression (obviously), but I do think we need reasonable boundaries in order to have a civilized society...which includes very minor compromises when it comes to how we express ourselves in public venues.
In The "Screw In Your Head" Department - Everything seems to be set for my dental implant work to begin next week. The whole process will take months to complete, with the first part being the removal of an old root-canaled tooth with a broken root. Gee, why does this not excite me? Along with the removal I'll have my upper jaw augmented so that it can hold a titanium screw installed in a few months (after the other stuff heals). Just to add insult to injury, I'm paying for this myself. The joy of it all...
Funeral - I attended the funeral service for the late mother of someone who reports to me at work. It was definitely interesting, as it conducted in an Orthodox church. It wasn't as long as I expected (about an hour) and virtually everything was sung. There weren't many people there, but it was important for me to attend. When my father passed away a few years ago, the church was empty except for immediate family in two rows...and...the four people I work with in the back of the church. That really, truly touched me, and I am not easily "touched". Making it even more impressive was the fact that there was a blizzard happening during the service (we actually had to delay the cemetery service).
Recovery - The sister of a very dear friend is recovering from surgery. All my best to her for a speedy recovery.
The Auto Industry Begs For Money, Part Deux - The heads of the three American car makers submitted plans to Congress yesterday and have begun their trek to Washington DC for a second round of begging. Now I'm not unsympathetic to the workers of those companies, but let's face fact: all of the parties involved (union to executives) lived fat off the hog for far too long in the domestic auto business. While I agree that the unions have gotten too much over the years (the infamous Job Bank program), the executive suits got even more...these were CEOs who were getting millions of dollars while doing horrible jobs managing their businesses. No one will win in this one...the best we can hope for is a break even.
Real Estate News - My brother is going to buy my uncle's house, which I think is very good news. The place needs some work, but it's a nice space and my brother is a hard-working guy. I'm glad to see him getting ahead. I, on the other hand, have no interest in any real estate. In fact, I'd long term like to sell the house I currently live in. I will be needing less space, not more.
On The Work Front - The year-end review and next year planning cycle begins next Monday, which means a trek to Hartford. I really don't mind that too much...the better you plan, the better you execute. I'm just hoping that the weather cooperates. Also, I had an update call with my bosses-bosses-boss (the head of HR) that seemed to go well. I always get nervous with stuff like that, which isn't a bad thing. Being nervous is healthy sometimes...it means that you are concerned and care about what you are doing.
Scranton City Council Passed A Tentative Budget - Short article here. I am very, very wary of politicians in general, and when I hear of budgets increasing in an environment like this, I am every more wary. Let's run our government like prudent people run their households...when times are tough, spend less, not more. Enough said.
Skunks - The smell of skunk is very heavy in the air outside this morning (I just went outside to warm up the car). I didn't see any dead one's by the house, which is at least quasi-comforting. No doubt that the little critters were into the garbage set outside. People who don't use garbage cans need their heads examined....that or they should be responisble for cleaning up any skunk carcases that arise.
Pittston PA Man Cited For Having A Sign With The "F" Word On His Truck - The sign had something to do with this being America and people needing to speak English. Regardless, I don't know about citing the guy for disorderly conduct, but I think he should be cited for being an "F-ing" moron. Why? Picture this: a mom is driving her six year old daughter to a dance recital and the child sees the sign; "Mommy, what does 'f---ing' mean?". Personally I am all for freedom of expression (obviously), but I do think we need reasonable boundaries in order to have a civilized society...which includes very minor compromises when it comes to how we express ourselves in public venues.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Powerful Stuff Indeed
I just love this performance. Jimmy Vaughan just kills on the Strat and Kim Wilson's vocals are so strong that you can actually hear him through Jimmy's guitar.
Gay Adoption Bans
Here is the ideal adoption scenario:
- an infant child
- is adopted by a family of the same race
- consisting of a loving mother and father
- who are not too young
- who are not too old
- and who are very well off
I don't think anyone would disagree with that scenario. I certainly do not. However, as is the case with most ideal scenarios, the reality of the situation is far different than that:
- there are many children needing to be adopted who are not infants
- loving potential parents don't see the race of a child...they just see a child
- not every family consists of a mother and father
- sometimes potential parents wanting to adopt are young or are older
- love and caring isn't measured in dollar signs
So we have some states, including Florida, who have passed a Gay Adoption Ban. Is a gay family the ideal family to adopt a child? Of course not, but then again a "non-very well off" family isn't either, so should there also be a ban against people against adoption by people with household incomes of less than $250,000/year? Should we ban a black family from adopting a white child? That's not an ideal family situation for an adoption. Sorry Lionel Richie.
Look, I think everyone wants every child to be adopted under ideal situations. But life is full of less-than-idea circumstances. Besides, what really matters here? Think about it: what really matters is that a child, who doesn't have a family to call their own, be given that opportunity. Furthermore, the capacity to be a loving parent isn't just something that comes in an ideal package, it's something that comes from deep inside a person, from a place that is independent of their race, age, marital status, gender and sexuality.
The bottom line for me is this: singling out homosexual couples and banning them from adoption is, in my opinion, short-sighted at best, and at worst I think it out and out bigoted. Part of me believes that it's a carry-over from the days of institutionalized bigotry; part of me thinks that it's simply a case of ignorance. To the latter, let me set the record straight: homosexuality is not contagious...even if you believe that it is sinful and wrong, the fact of the matter is that you can not "get it" from having a homosexual parent. I know that discussions and notions of sexuality make some uncomfortable, but that discomfort shouldn't prevent a child...one that desperately needs a loving family...from being given the opportunity to be loved.
Let's temper our desire for the "ideal" with a dose of reality and compassion for the many, many children that simply need a loving parent.
- an infant child
- is adopted by a family of the same race
- consisting of a loving mother and father
- who are not too young
- who are not too old
- and who are very well off
I don't think anyone would disagree with that scenario. I certainly do not. However, as is the case with most ideal scenarios, the reality of the situation is far different than that:
- there are many children needing to be adopted who are not infants
- loving potential parents don't see the race of a child...they just see a child
- not every family consists of a mother and father
- sometimes potential parents wanting to adopt are young or are older
- love and caring isn't measured in dollar signs
So we have some states, including Florida, who have passed a Gay Adoption Ban. Is a gay family the ideal family to adopt a child? Of course not, but then again a "non-very well off" family isn't either, so should there also be a ban against people against adoption by people with household incomes of less than $250,000/year? Should we ban a black family from adopting a white child? That's not an ideal family situation for an adoption. Sorry Lionel Richie.
Look, I think everyone wants every child to be adopted under ideal situations. But life is full of less-than-idea circumstances. Besides, what really matters here? Think about it: what really matters is that a child, who doesn't have a family to call their own, be given that opportunity. Furthermore, the capacity to be a loving parent isn't just something that comes in an ideal package, it's something that comes from deep inside a person, from a place that is independent of their race, age, marital status, gender and sexuality.
The bottom line for me is this: singling out homosexual couples and banning them from adoption is, in my opinion, short-sighted at best, and at worst I think it out and out bigoted. Part of me believes that it's a carry-over from the days of institutionalized bigotry; part of me thinks that it's simply a case of ignorance. To the latter, let me set the record straight: homosexuality is not contagious...even if you believe that it is sinful and wrong, the fact of the matter is that you can not "get it" from having a homosexual parent. I know that discussions and notions of sexuality make some uncomfortable, but that discomfort shouldn't prevent a child...one that desperately needs a loving family...from being given the opportunity to be loved.
Let's temper our desire for the "ideal" with a dose of reality and compassion for the many, many children that simply need a loving parent.
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