Due to events of this past last summer/early fall,blog entries have been suspended. At some point in the (hopefully) near future I'll relate all the particulars but at this particular time I have no immediate access to a computer - after recovering from physical impairments that kept me in restrictive bindings for an extended period of time, and not having access to my computer, when I attempted to use my laptop after being dormant for nearly trhee months , it informed me that Windows has a programming problem that can only be resolved by re-installing Windows Vista.
Current financial conditions inhibit the spending of money but for the essentials - electric, phone/DSL, water, home/auto insurance, property taxes, medical bills,outstanding credit card balances - so... quite impatiently I await some small 'windfall' that will allow me to once again excercise discretionary spending. I will no long allow myself to be suckered into buy today and pay for it later. Cash/debit card transactions are the new norm.
Right now I'm using a friend's computer. No one likes to allow someone else to use their personal computer, including myself, because they might go to sites otherwise not visited of questionable content or install an add-ons that take up memory space. Therefore, on-line banking and the checking of email are my sole accesses on a friend's computer.
The current circumstances really suck. Full blown depression has up til now been avoided... kinda sad and melancholy about being able to write about life experiences and opinions.
My mind is bottle-necked with so many thoughts on a slew of topics. With a deep sigh, I'm resigned to the current circumstances as that's just the way it is.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Going, Going, Gong
Looks like my column The Rae Way in the Hernando Times has been given the boot. The two blogs on Christmas, recently posted here on My Space, were not printed.
Those S.O.B.s! How many, and how often, do you see/read something positive in news commentaries? Especially holiday-specific topics.
It appears that when Editor Chris Wessell is on vacation my columns are totally discounted.
Well, the time I spend obtaining data from Google, the Wall Street Journal , The New York Times, The St. Petersburg Times and the Tampa Tribune, not to mention various magazines, are time consuming and wasteful if not printed. I'll continue to write and post entries on the four blogspot.com blogs I have neglected to maintain because they were submitted for print. Never mind the fact that no one reads them, it's still an exercise at developing my writing [skills?].
Discontinuing the column is disheartening but that's the way it goes when you have no formal education in journalism.
I am not worthy of the honor to express my opinions.
Sincerely, my Best Wishes to Hernando Today and its Op-Ed pages. The diversity is like no other local newspapers I have read during my lifetime.
I just hope that whoever replaces my space in the newspaper gets paid for it.
It appears it may be Reverend James L. Snyder, a pastor of the Family of God Fellowship in Ocala, Florida. That's all we need in the South - another conservative awash with religious messages. But that's what ya get in a Bible-thumping state.
The reverend and his church should reap a fortune from his column through the church website. I suppose the reverend's revenue for the church will be a major benefit.
Thankfully, the paper still prints Ted Rall's 'Liberal Point of View' column.
I'm a happy and typically positive person. I'm not easily disheartened. Having a personal, intimate, faithful relationship with plenty of love making is about all I need to be fully happy. At this point, it will have to wait until I'm settled in Nashville, Tennessee.
Please, join me in a hopeful and sincere HAPPY NEW YEAR for All!!
Those S.O.B.s! How many, and how often, do you see/read something positive in news commentaries? Especially holiday-specific topics.
It appears that when Editor Chris Wessell is on vacation my columns are totally discounted.
Well, the time I spend obtaining data from Google, the Wall Street Journal , The New York Times, The St. Petersburg Times and the Tampa Tribune, not to mention various magazines, are time consuming and wasteful if not printed. I'll continue to write and post entries on the four blogspot.com blogs I have neglected to maintain because they were submitted for print. Never mind the fact that no one reads them, it's still an exercise at developing my writing [skills?].
Discontinuing the column is disheartening but that's the way it goes when you have no formal education in journalism.
I am not worthy of the honor to express my opinions.
Sincerely, my Best Wishes to Hernando Today and its Op-Ed pages. The diversity is like no other local newspapers I have read during my lifetime.
I just hope that whoever replaces my space in the newspaper gets paid for it.
It appears it may be Reverend James L. Snyder, a pastor of the Family of God Fellowship in Ocala, Florida. That's all we need in the South - another conservative awash with religious messages. But that's what ya get in a Bible-thumping state.
The reverend and his church should reap a fortune from his column through the church website. I suppose the reverend's revenue for the church will be a major benefit.
Thankfully, the paper still prints Ted Rall's 'Liberal Point of View' column.
I'm a happy and typically positive person. I'm not easily disheartened. Having a personal, intimate, faithful relationship with plenty of love making is about all I need to be fully happy. At this point, it will have to wait until I'm settled in Nashville, Tennessee.
Please, join me in a hopeful and sincere HAPPY NEW YEAR for All!!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Don't forget the dental floss
A friend once asked, Don’t you ever run out of things to write about?, to which I smiled, chuckled and gave the simple reply, No. A current event, a discussion or a social observation might trigger a thought process that finds find my fingertips streaming along the keyboard. In this instance, a personal experience bring these words to print.
A twelve-inch piece of dental floss and the subsequent expense of one thousand, one hundred seventy five dollars and twenty-five cents have led to comments on health care.
When the veterinarian quoted the seemingly astronomical figure to save the life of my Burmese cat Elvis, the dearest of my animal friends, I barely flinched. Rather than dwell on dollar signs, my mind centered on the tragic event caused by leaving the floss on the bathroom sink and how I had cost my three year old cat two or more of his lives. The vet explained that other pet owners are frequently faced with circumstances similar to mine. The nylon thread was imbedded in the intestinal wall, thus necessitating surgery.
As I waited for x-rays to be taken, my eyes gazed upon a pamphlet that displayed the threats of periodontal disease of cats and dogs. The heart, kidneys and liver absorb toxins from the poor condition of the teeth and gums. I was already familiar with the danger to the human heart and shouldn’t have been surprised to learn that all mammals are subject to the same health dangers.
I’ve spent three decades attempting to preserve my teeth and gums by flossing, gargle-washing and brushing at least twice daily. Twenty years ago periodontal surgery was necessary and this past fall molars had to be extracted. Quarterly check-ups and the guidance of periodontists throughout the years hadn’t prevented the worsening of the condition.
In some cases periodontal disease is hereditary. I assume this the case in my instance since I remember how Mom flossed fastidiously, although there is no known family history to claim this as fact.
Poor tooth and gum care aren’t the only causes of periodontal disease. Since diabetics are inherently susceptible to contracting infections, gum disease is one of the acknowledged complications. If not treated, periodontal patients are also at risk of developing diabetes, which can lead to nerve damage and eye and heart diseases.
Simply put, oral bacteria enters the blood stream, becomes attached to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries and contributes to clot formation, restricting normal blood flow and robbing the nutrients and oxygen required for the heart to function properly. This may lead to a stroke or heart attack.
High levels of stress (think financial worries) increase the likelihood of gum disease two-fold. The lack of proper care during troubling episodes of adulthood can be an attributing factor as a result of a regimented routine being disrupted. Good habits can die quick.
Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss. According to a 1996 American Dental Association/Colgate survey, U.S. dentists say gum disease is a more pressing oral health concern than tooth decay by a 2-to-1 margin.
Studies have also found that rheumatoid arthritis patients are nearly eight times more likely to have periodontal disease. And although studies have found 60% of periodontal patients are twice as likely to have chronic kidney disease, more research needs to be done to link the two together.
During periods of hormonal changes, such as puberty, menstruation and menopause, women become more susceptible to gum disease. Pregnant women are said to be seven times more likely to deliver pre-term, low birth weight babies.
The first signal of gum disease, gingivitis, is sensitivity to hot and cold liquids. The build-up of plaque (tartar) along the gum line due in swollen gums and possible bleeding. Pockets develop as irreversible bone loss leads to further irritation to the gums.
This leads me to concerns about the discussion of health care reform. Unless dental care is inclusive to the dialogue, the health of millions of Americans will remain at a high-risk level. Data from 2005 shows $86.6B was spent on dental care (44% out-of-pocket, 50% private insurance and 6% paid through public programs). And yet, 70% of Americans have no dental coverage and of that figure, 35% forgo an annual dental check-up.
Universal health care isn’t likely to resolve the shortcomings of the medical necessities for the populous. Overall costs could be contained with minimal dental coverage. Without this consideration, gum disease will leave millions of Americans requiring unnecessary medical attention for deteriorating heart, kidney and liver conditions.
Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, “survival of the fittest”, specifically applies to those with periodontal disease. Dental care coverage could curb eventual medical expenses and save lives.
A twelve-inch piece of dental floss and the subsequent expense of one thousand, one hundred seventy five dollars and twenty-five cents have led to comments on health care.
When the veterinarian quoted the seemingly astronomical figure to save the life of my Burmese cat Elvis, the dearest of my animal friends, I barely flinched. Rather than dwell on dollar signs, my mind centered on the tragic event caused by leaving the floss on the bathroom sink and how I had cost my three year old cat two or more of his lives. The vet explained that other pet owners are frequently faced with circumstances similar to mine. The nylon thread was imbedded in the intestinal wall, thus necessitating surgery.
As I waited for x-rays to be taken, my eyes gazed upon a pamphlet that displayed the threats of periodontal disease of cats and dogs. The heart, kidneys and liver absorb toxins from the poor condition of the teeth and gums. I was already familiar with the danger to the human heart and shouldn’t have been surprised to learn that all mammals are subject to the same health dangers.
I’ve spent three decades attempting to preserve my teeth and gums by flossing, gargle-washing and brushing at least twice daily. Twenty years ago periodontal surgery was necessary and this past fall molars had to be extracted. Quarterly check-ups and the guidance of periodontists throughout the years hadn’t prevented the worsening of the condition.
In some cases periodontal disease is hereditary. I assume this the case in my instance since I remember how Mom flossed fastidiously, although there is no known family history to claim this as fact.
Poor tooth and gum care aren’t the only causes of periodontal disease. Since diabetics are inherently susceptible to contracting infections, gum disease is one of the acknowledged complications. If not treated, periodontal patients are also at risk of developing diabetes, which can lead to nerve damage and eye and heart diseases.
Simply put, oral bacteria enters the blood stream, becomes attached to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries and contributes to clot formation, restricting normal blood flow and robbing the nutrients and oxygen required for the heart to function properly. This may lead to a stroke or heart attack.
High levels of stress (think financial worries) increase the likelihood of gum disease two-fold. The lack of proper care during troubling episodes of adulthood can be an attributing factor as a result of a regimented routine being disrupted. Good habits can die quick.
Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss. According to a 1996 American Dental Association/Colgate survey, U.S. dentists say gum disease is a more pressing oral health concern than tooth decay by a 2-to-1 margin.
Studies have also found that rheumatoid arthritis patients are nearly eight times more likely to have periodontal disease. And although studies have found 60% of periodontal patients are twice as likely to have chronic kidney disease, more research needs to be done to link the two together.
During periods of hormonal changes, such as puberty, menstruation and menopause, women become more susceptible to gum disease. Pregnant women are said to be seven times more likely to deliver pre-term, low birth weight babies.
The first signal of gum disease, gingivitis, is sensitivity to hot and cold liquids. The build-up of plaque (tartar) along the gum line due in swollen gums and possible bleeding. Pockets develop as irreversible bone loss leads to further irritation to the gums.
This leads me to concerns about the discussion of health care reform. Unless dental care is inclusive to the dialogue, the health of millions of Americans will remain at a high-risk level. Data from 2005 shows $86.6B was spent on dental care (44% out-of-pocket, 50% private insurance and 6% paid through public programs). And yet, 70% of Americans have no dental coverage and of that figure, 35% forgo an annual dental check-up.
Universal health care isn’t likely to resolve the shortcomings of the medical necessities for the populous. Overall costs could be contained with minimal dental coverage. Without this consideration, gum disease will leave millions of Americans requiring unnecessary medical attention for deteriorating heart, kidney and liver conditions.
Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, “survival of the fittest”, specifically applies to those with periodontal disease. Dental care coverage could curb eventual medical expenses and save lives.
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