I Have Moved…Come and See Me

       You may have noticed that I haven’t posted here in a few days…I have moved; that is my big news.   I sure would love it if you would come and see me at my new environment.  It will look familiar to you, it will still feel comfortable and yet, because change is change…it will be a little bit different.  I will still write about all that is going on in the world, my observations and opinions.  I had to move and expand my wings.    Come and see me anyway; relationships are no fun when it is only one -sided…if i write…who will read?  http://www.writewhereyouareblog.com  I miss your company and your comments on my blog!!!

Obama Fly By

President Obama has found himself with a fly in the ointment when it comes to his image with Peta.  Peta if you don’t know, is the group also known as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.  Peta is a little annoyed with the President because while doing an interview he was distracted by a persistent fly.  This fly would not leave him alone and he finally gave in to the natural inclination and killed the fly, with his bare hands.

Now don’t ya know, Peta had to voice a statement saying that they support, “compassion even for the curious, smallest, and least sympathetic animals”.  Wow…that takes some doing when a fly is in your face…in my opinion.  Well, Peta is going to send the President a Katcha Bug Human Bug Catcher.  Lucky man, our President!

I don’t know about you…but, I believe in treating animals in a loving and compassionate way; however, there are certain animals that i do not have a natural affection for.  For instance, snakes, mosquitos, rats, or anything that wants to eat me, annoy, or harm me.    What about you…do you think that President should have given that fly a Presidential pardon?   You don’t think that the fly had political aspirations do you?  hahaha

Forget Me Not-The Tragedy of Alzheimer’s Disease

        The tragedy of Alzheimer’s disease is that it is a thief…the condition steals so much from those who are struggling to live with it.  Not only does it steal a person’s ability to remember day- to- day activities and responsibilities; it steals a person’s independence.  As the disease progresses, it takes away the individuals ability to do things on their own without supervision.   Giving up their independence is difficult…not being able to drive or live alone is hard to accept; no one wants to be dependent on others, in this way.  It is necessary though, so that no one is hurt or killed by a moment of forgetfulness or confusion.   

           Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia-there are over 50 types some of which are rare.  Words and thoughts become jumbled and communication is hindered.  It is a progressive disease and as time goes on…the effects become more devastating to those who are afflicted with the illness; and, to those who love and support them.  Some people who are healthy joke when forgetting something simple saying, that they have Old Timer’s disease.  It really is no laughing matter.  And truly, there is no age limit on this disease…there is something called early onset of Alzheimer’s disease…it can happen even at a relatively young age.  

          If you wish to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease check this out: http://www.alz.org/index.asp .   Seeking early medical intervention can make a big difference in how the disease progresses; talk to a doctor if you suspect a loved one has a form of dementia.  Testing can be done to diagnose the condition of dementia or Alzheimers fairly quickly.  There are some medications available that seem to help some patients have a more positive quality of life longer.  Talk with a health care professional about options that will benefit your loved one.

Taken For Granted

         Now that title hits people where they live, don’t ya think?  Human beings just don’t tolerate being taken for granted very well.  It is a reactionary thing…no one wants to find themselves being used and abused.  When someone takes another person for granted they are assuming alot.  They are also not being sensitive to the needs of the other person.  Who in their right mind wants to be treated so very carelessly that their feelings are not taken into account.  It is all about awareness…awareness of our own actions/inactions and how they impact those around us.

         Now to be fair…some people are more in tune with those around them, and their feelings, than some others are.  However, self-awareness isn’t a skill that is available only to those who have the money to pay for it.   Also, being aware of others and learning to take their feelings into account, when we are interacting with them, is something that anyone can learn to do better. 

Digital Television Transition-Are You With The Program?

      Well, today is the day…all television broadcasting will be switched to a digital signal.  All older televisions will no longer work without the digital conversion boxes (and antennaes).  The government offered up coupons to help defray the cost of the converter boxes.  Many people jumped on the bandwagon and got them..only to find that they then had to upgrade to an outdoor antennae because of the location of their home.  There were reports of people who are totally happy with the converter boxes and others who have complained that they dont work well.  Of course, people can always buy a new television which are already capable of receiving the digital broadcasting signal.

         News reports say that 95 % of American homes are ready for this transition…the concern of course is for those who either cant afford to upgrade…those who are on a fixed income such as the elderly, the disabled or those who are new to living on their own.  I personally know many who are not ready for this transition.  It is somewhat of a safety concern because many people get their only local and national information from their television.

David Letterman-Sometimes He’s funny-Sometimes He’s Not (To Me)

        David Letterman has made himself uncool in the eyes of some.  He is often controversial…but this time, he really may have just gone too far while trying to get a laugh.  This week David joked about a recent visit to the city of New York, by Alaska’s governor, Sarah Palin and her daughter Willow.  He had his usual top 10 list; only it was filled with jokes about Sarah and her daughter. 

         David “joked” about Sarah going to Bloomingdales to pick up makeup to update her “slutty flight attendant” look.  First off, that is disrespect not only to Sarah but also, to flight attendants who have struggled over the years to fight for respect for the job that they do.  I can’t imagine that this statement has made him very popular with the aviation industry.  I know from the news stories flying back and forth…he isn’t very popular with the Palin family.  That previous statement about the flight attendant wasn’t the worst of his “jokes” I am afraid to say.

          The most offensive “joke” that he made had to do with Sarah and Todd Palin’s daughter.  David said, An awkward moment at the Yankee’s game, during the 7th inning, her daughter was “knocked up” by Alex Rodriquez.  Whoa!  Say what?  How not funny is that?  That implies that her daughter was having sex or was forced to have sex by Alex Rodriquez.  Now, number 1, Sarah’s daughter is 14 years old.  She should not have been made the subject of a sexual joke…in any way!  #2 i doubt that Alex Rodriquez was thrilled to be included in such an insensitive remark.  #3 I am sure that the management and ownership of the Yankee’s was definately not happy about that particular “joke”.  After all, baseball is associated with a family imagine…all American, mom and apple pie….not sex on the field with a minor and one of their ball players. 

         The thing about comedians is that sometimes a joke “works” and sometimes it does not; however, there should be some guidelines that a comedian doesn’t cross; no matter how “big” you are in the industry.  I personally think it is reprehensible that David Letterman would say such a thing.  It wasn’t long ago when a comment was made by another celebrity that included sexual references about Miley Cyrus….that too was not appropriate or funny.   There was a big backlash of public opinion about those comments as well.   Come on entertainers….let’s have some sensitivity training about what is and what is not appropriate to say about young girls and women in general.   Every day on the news we have stories partaining to the fact that some “adult” somewhere has “victimized” a child in a sexual way…these kinds of comments and jokes do not help people to understand what is appropriate behavior between adults and children.  The line is becoming blurred and that is not acceptable. 

Hunting A Presidential Hunter

       There is an all out hunt going on for a man by the name of Daniel James Murray in Utah and around the country.  There is a warrant out for his arrest because it is believed that he is on a personal mission to try to kill the President of the United States, Barack Obama.  About three weeks ago, Mr Murry went to a bank to deposit a large check in the amount of 85,000 dollars.  He made strange comments and asked if the bank was solvent (secure).  He wanted to make sure that his money was safe.  Allegedly, he made statements that if people lost their money they would rise up and kill. 

        About a week and a half later he returned, to the bank, wanting to withdraw almost 13 thousand dollars…but, he did not have proper Id.  He made threats and said that if he didn’t get his money someone would die; amazingly, he was allowed to take that money and leave; but, not before he continued to make odd statements.  He allegedly said he had traveled many thousands of miles and that there would be chaos.  He said he was on a mission to kill the president.  He came back the next day and withdrew the rest of his money.  Isn’t it strange that someone would deposit such a large amount of money for such a short amount of time?  What was the purpose?

       My question is, why wasn’t he arrested on the spot when he returned?  You would think that the bank would have been on high alert; and, therefore prepared for his return; knowing that he still had a large amount of money in his account.  It is human nature to be cautious after such an encounter; I would be amazed to know that the staff was not prepared to call 911 the instant that he reappeared.  Maybe they did, and the public  just hasn’t been informed about it.  The whole idea of someone doing this kind of thing is a bit frightening.  Most bank customers take for granted their personal safety when inside of a bank; maybe they should not, it is important to be aware of your own personal safety at all times.  Trusting that your safety is taken care of by others could be risky in this day and age; when people are having financial difficulties and are feeling desperate.  Be aware of your surroundings at all times.    This man, Mr. Murray is probably not the only person to enter a bank with the wrong intentions. 

David Carradine-A Sad End For A Talented Actor

     David Carradine was a very talented actor.  He had a long career in television, on stage and in the movies.  He made an impression on many by the types of roles that he took.   There was always a little mystery surrounding him as a person.  He came across as a person who kept much of his life private; he was a shy person, according to some of his own statements.  David came from a talented family of actors…so, it is no surprise that he was skilled at what he did. 

Thomas The Tank Engine-Connecting Kids & Emotional Cues Through Play

         Thomas the Tank Engine is a beloved children’s character; both in books and on television.  It appears that Thomas is now going to be used in a very special way, to help children who are affected by Autism.  Thomas and his other fictional friends from the children’s  television show, are now going to be used in a game that is being designed to help Autistic children; to recognize emotional cues, from looking at the very expressive faces on the engines.  The goal of course, would be to have a positive impact on the lives of those who struggle with Autism.

Susan Boyle-Checks Out And Checks In

       Susan Boyle is the woman from Blackburn, Scotland who made a media sensation with her performance in the talent show “Britain’s Got Talent”; the show that is Britains equivalent of American Idol.  She was in the competition for the duration of the show…and made it to the semi-finals only to, in the end, honor those who won the competition by seemingly being gracious and saying “they won”.  Susan had been under intense pressure and media attention during the last few weeks of the competition.  Those who viewed her performances were wowed and awed by her talent.