So you think that if a person is pro-life (or as pro-abortion people call them, "anti-choice"), that person must be Caucasian, male, fundamentalist Christian, and Republican? Think again. These groups will tell you that a pro-life person can have a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints.
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Cameron Diaz will protect Mother Earth
Cameron Diaz, one of Hollywood's current white-hot stars (you know how quickly that can change in Hollywood - ask the cast of those "American Pie" movies what they're doing now), has shot a reality series, "Trippin", now airing on MTV. The show appears to be about the environment and how to "think and act globally." For a critical review of this show, check here.
I don't know about you, but I love it when incredibly rich, fantastically beautiful, ultra-famous people tell me, Little Joe Whomever, the proper way to act and live. Are we to really think that Cameron and her friends are going to change the way they live? I can hear Cameron now: "You know, I don't really need to live in a 10,000-square-foot house complete with a pool, tennis courts, and a five-car garage that holds a Mercedes, Bentley, Hummer, classic Corvette, and a Lexus RX Hybrid SUV. It is just me that lives here - ok, Justin stays over some, but usually just me. Maybe I can live with just 8,500-square-feet and one tennis court - after all, kids in Chile have to wipe their behinds with leaves."
Update (4/27/05): If you must know and want to read about what celebrities think, you will be glad to know that Arianna Huffington is setting up a blog specifically for that.
I don't know about you, but I love it when incredibly rich, fantastically beautiful, ultra-famous people tell me, Little Joe Whomever, the proper way to act and live. Are we to really think that Cameron and her friends are going to change the way they live? I can hear Cameron now: "You know, I don't really need to live in a 10,000-square-foot house complete with a pool, tennis courts, and a five-car garage that holds a Mercedes, Bentley, Hummer, classic Corvette, and a Lexus RX Hybrid SUV. It is just me that lives here - ok, Justin stays over some, but usually just me. Maybe I can live with just 8,500-square-feet and one tennis court - after all, kids in Chile have to wipe their behinds with leaves."
Update (4/27/05): If you must know and want to read about what celebrities think, you will be glad to know that Arianna Huffington is setting up a blog specifically for that.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Perseveration
Perseveration is a term that is used in mental health settings to describe a client who focuses on a specific topic, phrase, person, or event. When a person is constantly talking about one specific topic (ie, how the CIA is after him), you would say that he is perseverating on that topic.
The word isn't only applied to what a specific person may be doing. Perseveration can also be applied to the media, in the sense that from time to time the media grabs onto a specific topic or event and covers it endlessly. For the past month, the media has perseverated on death, most specifically the deaths of Terri Schiavo and Pope John Paul II. CBS, ABC, NBC and its cable channels, Fox, CNN - all were guilty of "all Schiavo/Pope, all the time." When the media behaves in this manner, it is as if nothing else happens that is noteworthy, and so the only topic of discussion is the one that is looped endlessly.
Now it seems that Republicans and Democrats are perseverating as well. The Republican's hot-topic-of-the-moment is the "activist judge" whose evil goal is to destroy democracy (read this and this ). The President is on board, and there is a website where good citizens can go to find out what they can do. The Democrats have their lasers pointed at Tom Delay, U.S. congressmen for the 22nd district of Texas and the majority leader for the House. Democrats believe Delay was a grandstander when Terri Schiavo was waiting to die, and he has many ethics violations that should force him from the House (read this, this, and this). Of course, Mr. Delay, being the good little Republican that he is, points back at a specific activist judge.
Now don't get me wrong, these are important topics. Checks and balances are an important thing in our government, and a person with political power should have the highest standard of ethics. But there are many important issues that are facing our nation, not just whether a judge can let gays marry or if a congressman can pay his family with fundraising money.
The word isn't only applied to what a specific person may be doing. Perseveration can also be applied to the media, in the sense that from time to time the media grabs onto a specific topic or event and covers it endlessly. For the past month, the media has perseverated on death, most specifically the deaths of Terri Schiavo and Pope John Paul II. CBS, ABC, NBC and its cable channels, Fox, CNN - all were guilty of "all Schiavo/Pope, all the time." When the media behaves in this manner, it is as if nothing else happens that is noteworthy, and so the only topic of discussion is the one that is looped endlessly.
Now it seems that Republicans and Democrats are perseverating as well. The Republican's hot-topic-of-the-moment is the "activist judge" whose evil goal is to destroy democracy (read this and this ). The President is on board, and there is a website where good citizens can go to find out what they can do. The Democrats have their lasers pointed at Tom Delay, U.S. congressmen for the 22nd district of Texas and the majority leader for the House. Democrats believe Delay was a grandstander when Terri Schiavo was waiting to die, and he has many ethics violations that should force him from the House (read this, this, and this). Of course, Mr. Delay, being the good little Republican that he is, points back at a specific activist judge.
Now don't get me wrong, these are important topics. Checks and balances are an important thing in our government, and a person with political power should have the highest standard of ethics. But there are many important issues that are facing our nation, not just whether a judge can let gays marry or if a congressman can pay his family with fundraising money.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
my wife's "bad" birthday
The Wife "celebrated" her birthday today (I won't reveal her age - I'll let her do that if she wants to). I put the word "celebrated"in quotation marks because it wasn't much of a celebration - she may disagree with me, but I don't think it was and for several reasons.
We've had very limited funds for the past month since we've had medical bills (yes, having a baby is expensive). I wasn't able to get her a true birthday gift. My girls "bought" her a Starbucks gift card, but that was it. Now The Wife did tell me that what she wanted for her birthday was the ability to pick out exactly what she wants, and she hasn't found it yet. But I still feel bad for not getting her something on her birthday.
I forgot to pick up a birthday cake for her. I usually buy a cake from Ben & Jerry's (made with New York Super Fudge and Peanut Butter Cup), but I didn't even think about it this year. What is wrong with me? I love Ben & Jerry's!
I slept during her birthday dinner. Now let me explain: I work nights so I usually sleep during the day; our nanny is at her home this week because one of her kids has scarlet fever; I had to watch our daughters during the day when The Wife was at work, so consequently I could only sleep when she'd get home; I had to sleep when she got home because I'm at work now. The Wife's mom and stepdad came over to take her and the girls to a new seafood restaurant just a few miles from us. I wish I had been there, but I could not have made it through dinner and come to work - I would have been awake, like, 36 hours.
Next year this will not happen! Next year she will have a proper celebration!
We've had very limited funds for the past month since we've had medical bills (yes, having a baby is expensive). I wasn't able to get her a true birthday gift. My girls "bought" her a Starbucks gift card, but that was it. Now The Wife did tell me that what she wanted for her birthday was the ability to pick out exactly what she wants, and she hasn't found it yet. But I still feel bad for not getting her something on her birthday.
I forgot to pick up a birthday cake for her. I usually buy a cake from Ben & Jerry's (made with New York Super Fudge and Peanut Butter Cup), but I didn't even think about it this year. What is wrong with me? I love Ben & Jerry's!
I slept during her birthday dinner. Now let me explain: I work nights so I usually sleep during the day; our nanny is at her home this week because one of her kids has scarlet fever; I had to watch our daughters during the day when The Wife was at work, so consequently I could only sleep when she'd get home; I had to sleep when she got home because I'm at work now. The Wife's mom and stepdad came over to take her and the girls to a new seafood restaurant just a few miles from us. I wish I had been there, but I could not have made it through dinner and come to work - I would have been awake, like, 36 hours.
Next year this will not happen! Next year she will have a proper celebration!
Friday, April 8, 2005
A funeral to die for ...
It was overwhelming to watch John Paul II's funeral today. By "overwhelming," I mean that I could not believe the number of people that were there witnessing the funeral in person. So many presidents, prime ministers, heads of state, royalty and other glitterati were in attendance, as well as thousands and thousands of everyday people. How many persons in history have had so many dignitaries and "important people" attend their funeral?
The day has made me think of my own funeral and what I want people to say about me. I am reminded of the quote: "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."
The day has made me think of my own funeral and what I want people to say about me. I am reminded of the quote: "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."
Tuesday, April 5, 2005
Hospital comparisons
I must credit Joshua Claybourn and his blog, In the Agora, for keying me into a website called "Hospital Compare," brought to us by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. At the hospital where I work, we are always talking about "best practices" and the most effective to serve our patients/clients. I must say though, I do not believe hospitals should be in competition with each other, because then they may care more about the Almighty Dollar and "bringing the bling-bling in" instead of focusing on patient care.
So far, the only conditions that the site cares about in regards to hospitals around Indianapolis are heart attack care, heart failure care, and pneumonia care. Hopefully in the future they will offer more conditions of concern.
So far, the only conditions that the site cares about in regards to hospitals around Indianapolis are heart attack care, heart failure care, and pneumonia care. Hopefully in the future they will offer more conditions of concern.
Monday, April 4, 2005
7 eggs and 3 pigs for breakfast
Burger King has unveiled its new breakfast sandwich, the Enormous Omelet Sandwich. Apparently, they have decided that their lunch-time and meal-time fare is just too healthy, and so they have unloaded this monster. Guess how many hours you'll need to spend at the gym if you eat this to start your morning....
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