Wednesday, January 31, 2007

A bit of grousing

So, maybe I shouldn’t be complaining or feeling frustrated so soon after starting up this book club thing again…maybe I should just give it some time, but…

Besides those folks who were SO interested in joining a book club, yet aren’t going to show again…or haven’t communicated at all after the initial burst of enthusiasm…besides those folks who cancel at the last minute and give lame excuses…I have a new favorite “member”: the ones who won’t be attending this Sunday because of Super Bowl. Over half of the members have not even confirmed whether or not they’ll be attending – and I bet when I pull teeth yet again, they’ll tell me they have to go to a Super Bowl party and can’t make it.

You know, it’s not like coordinating this damned Book Club takes any time, effort or money…it’s not like I have anything better to do (work, school, etc.)…it’s not like we’ve consciously tried to make membership as completely easy as possible…as cheap as possible…as democratic as possible. What exactly are we doing wrong? Do we have to canvass the group to make sure there aren’t any exciting sporting events (mind you, watching – not playing), stubbed toes, sock-drawer-organizing emergencies that might derail meeting-attendance?

Hit a nerve? Good. I’m feeling very frustrated with the lack of buy-in of these “members.” If you just want to read books and not meet – then do so. But don’t act like you really want to be in a book club – which suggests, get this, that you actually SHOW UP for discussions. It’s once a month, for gosh sakes!

Whatever, tomorrow I’ll send out another email to those who haven’t responded (pulling teeth) and see what happens.

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A heartwarming story

Here’s a heartwarming story (for a change) from WaPo: various groups and individuals making quilts for injured soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Center. Check it out.

BTW, I had no idea there were SO many dedicated quilters out there!

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Some good news for us Virginians

Evidently there are not only a few others in Virginia who are anti-illegal, pro-border control, but we actually have some representation in state government. Here's a WaPo article about the various bills up for vote that will start to make Virginia an undesirable place for illegals. About time!

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Episodic TV: a review of Grey's Anatomy

Because it was cheap and some folks had recommended it, I went and bought the first season of Grey's Anatomy. This series concerns a cohort of surgical interns and their wacky experiences and their torrid little lives. I can tell you, I was not impressed (can you tell already?).

It was like, maybe, a step down from ER, having a Peton Place-esque story line (everyone is having sex with everyone else, and in this version unprotectedly! Spreading pregnancy and diseases. Now that part rings true, believe it or not) that was 1) stupidly salacious and 2) vacuous. The characters are pretty much 2-dimensional with the typical liberal underpinnings. Yech. I'd give it a D+ - credit only for somewhat interesting surgical cases.

If I were to choose between "new" medical shows, I'd choose House. At least you have Hugh Laurie. And for your money, skip these medical shows altogether and stick with Law and Order (any of them) - they actually present various perspectives on the issues, without dumbing them down so incredibly. Also, they have good characters that effectively play off each other instead of just issuing lines.

Well, there you go.

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Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Episodic TV: a review of House, season 1

Ok, on a whim, I ordered the first season of the series House, mostly because I heard 1) it involved medical mysteries and 2) because the main character was a real, well, character.

Hugh Laurie, the actor who plays Dr. House, is the main reason to see the program: the character is a pill-popping misanthrope who says exactly what he's thinking, no matter what. This often gets him into trouble,...but for his medical mystery-solving skills. The support cast, I would say, is good and the mysteries are fun, but make no mistake, Laurie is the main draw. He says everything you'd want to say, and lots you wouldn't - very entertaining!

I'd give this series a B+ - and when I get another freebee situation from Amazon, I may just order season 2.

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Some random items

The good: our gym just got in some new cardio machines that mimic skating movement, with several levels of challenge. Today I did level 3 and my legs were killing me! This machine was very easy on the knees (smooth motion), but murder on the actual muscles. I'm going to do this exercise some more to see if I see progress.

The stinky: yesterday while having coffee & bagels with DH Jeff at Cosi, I noticed the distinct odor of urine wafting in from the open windows (warm out yesterday). We moved tables a few times to get away from it. I suspect it was vagrant urine, since the advent of the cover over the metro entrance, there have been more vagrants around. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Because this nice neighborhood needs lazy, dirty folks hanging around, pissing around, making it a sty. Thanks so much.

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Too much information

An interesting article in WaPo on the amount of personal information available on each of us. Good food for thought - how do we protect ourselves from unauthorized and unlawful use of that information?

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Heathcare on the quick

There's an article in WaPo today about a new trend(?) by some drugstores and such to provide "quick-stop healthcare," that is, physician assistants and nurse practitioners on site (like at CVSs and such) that provide such healthcare services as diagnosis and treatment of common maladies (such as strep throat) and administration vaccinations. The up side to this is that these stations are very accessible, available more convenient and longer hours, and charge reasonable prices for their services.

On the one hand, one can see the attraction to patients over regular medical centers and doctors' offices: no waiting, accessibility, availability of vaccines such as flu shots, reasonable charges, no hassle. I know for a fact that it can be very inconvenient to make a regular appointment at my medical center - one must schedule a month ahead to be sure and you have to go through the healthcare insurance system. Then you have to hope that the office staff are competent in submitting accurate and appropriate charges to the PPO/HMO/insurance company (I had an incident recently where that was not the case, and I had been dealing with the same office for years). Sometimes that's simply not acceptable or feasible.

On the other hand, regular healthcare facilities are concerned that there's no continuity of care, and that this may end up jeopardizing the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable patients - children. One can also see that these "quick-stop" stations take a chunk out of doctors'/healthcare facilities' profit. I perused my latest statement from my PPO and for what was a straight-forward shot, administered by a nurse, the PPO was charged for "follow-up care" and for the physician of record's time (when I didn't actually see or speak to the physician at all - just the nurse). And not cheap either.

I think this is a really interesting situation to consider. We have these "help stations" serving a need and solving existing (and continuing) healthcare issues - great for the consumer. Look, I have a CVS across the street from where I live. Would I be happy to mosey on over, let's say, on a Sunday to get a flu shot? You bet. Would I mind that they're not MDs but PAs and NPs? No, because I've had PAs/NPs treat me frequently in a regular healthcare facility over the years with no ill effects & they tend to be easier to deal with than some doctors. Plus, no middleman with staff & insurance. Just pay the fee. On the other hand, if patient histories aren't taken/taken carefully, and if the treatment information isn't conveyed to the primary doctor/facility, there could be serious problems. Evidently, these stations do take care of the above items. And they're not performing brain surgery - just minor - but necessary - procedures. Well, perhaps (and this thought is discussed in the article too) regular facilities need to be more patient-friendly and take a lesson from these retail-based stations.

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Monday, January 15, 2007

Movie Review: The Pursuit of Happyness

Just saw The Pursuit of Happyness, with Will Smith and his real-life son. I must say, it was a really good movie. Will Smith did a fine job of portraying this bright, nice Chris Gardner on the out-and-outs, trying to make something of himself and raise his son alone at the same time. Yeh, those cynics out there will say - heck, women have been raising children by themselves for ages - what's so special about this guy? Don't be a cynic - Smith's Gardner is so earnest, sweet and determined to do the right thing, to keep it together against odds and his own perpetual Murphy's Law, that you really do root for him. And some of the character's situations are positively painful. Oh, yeh, and his kid is cute. Anyhoo, worth a go-see!

Here are a few more reviews for your reading pleasure.

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Sunday, January 14, 2007

Book Review: Because They Hate

In Because They Hate, Brigitte Gabriel describes her idyllic childhood as a Christian in Lebanon and her teen years spent with her aged parents in a bomb shelter there during hostilities between Lebanon & Israel in the 1970s. She describes her perception of the destruction of her birth country by Moslems.

She makes the case that Islam is an extremely acquisitive ideology with world domination in mind – not peaceful coexistence. Gabriel goes on to advise us about threats to western civilization and culture, and specifically to our (U.S., she’s an American citizen now) country – and what our response should be to fend off that threat.

I first heard about her on Michelle Malkin’s blog and a link to a U-Tube video of her giving a speech at Heritage Foundation or American Enterprise Institute (I'm not sure which & I can't seem to find the link - bad girl!). Wow. She’s a really powerful speaker and dynamo. It’s also gratifying to hear a naturalized citizen so fully embrace our country and furthermore, become an activist in its preservation and protection: Gabriel started an organization, the American Congress for Truth to do just that. This book is an extension of those efforts and a warning to all who value our freedom and security. Compelling read!

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Saturday, January 13, 2007

New Year's Resolutions

I shouldn't, but I did - make New Year's resolutions. Let's call them "goals" or "action plans." Regardless, here they are:

1. Get back down to a size 4. I know, shallow, but it’s a goal. When was a size 4 I felt more confident because 1) I looked better and 2) I wasn’t compelled to disguise so many figure flaws. There is merit in throwing something on without a lot of fuss and having it look good.

2. Develop blog. In the last year, I’ve blogged a lot, but not consistently. This year I want to not only post regularly, but make the blog more visually interesting – pictures, etc. This will entail learning a little HTML. So be it. Thanks to one of Jeff’s coworkers, J, I have a good resource book to mine. Also, I will be adding ads of different kinds with the hope of earning some cash. I know, sell-out, but there it is.

3. Start on a real career. I hereby renounce my forty-year career as a dilettante. Yes, I’ve always made ends meet, but never have I really felt job satisfaction that comes from a nexus of subject interest, salary, quality and efficacy control that comes from having both credentials and experience.

Forensic science will always be a keen interest of mine, but what I’m running into is that I would need a lot more education plus low-paid or no-paid (read: internship) experience to get even a toe-hold in the business. If I were twenty years younger, I would probably be willing to suck up the debt, time and hassle of accomplishing that, but from my current vantage point, I’m unwilling to do those three things, plus sacrifice my standard of living and scrounge to pay bills.

So, I’m going to finish the Forensics Certificate (instead of the degree program) so that I have some take-away from these current studies, and I’m going to see about starting some sort of accounting program at a convenient, less expensive school, with the aim to pass the CPA exam. Not as sexy as forensic science, but one can practice accounting anywhere in the country and get paid well. Yes, I’m mercenary – I like my wine and chic-chic food – but I also think I’d be really good at it. And, there’s still the thought of “fighting the good fight.”

4. Become more of a political activist. Now mind you, this doesn’t mean marching around – not my cup of tea. I mean besides ranting on my blog, actually engaging my elected officials in what they should be doing for this pro-border control, pro-national security run by adults, fiscal conservative, capitalistic, small-government constituent. Doesn’t mean my efforts will amount to much, but at least they’ll have my opinion.

5. Do more for the troops. I’m already a member of Laura Ingraham’s coffee club for the troops. For every order of four coffees, two coffees are donated/sent to some military installation (Hat tip: Mom). You get your tasty coffee fix each month and so do deployed service men and women. Click here for details. I’d like to do more. Details to follow…still thinking about what I’m going to do.

None of these resolutions are out of my reach – and you, gentle readers, will hear about my progress in each!

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Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Catch & release; repeat ad nauseum

This article confirms what I already suspected was the case: that those illegals actually arrested for other crimes (besides entering the country illegally, of course), are arrested repeatedly (about three-fourths of the sample):

The findings by Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine are based on a sampling of 100 illegal immigrants arrested by local and state authorities in 2004, the latest complete data available. They show that 73 of the 100 immigrants were arrested, collectively, 429 times -- on counts including traffic violations and weapons and drug charges. (WaPo, January 9, 2007)

Um, do y'all understand my cynicism and despair at this issue? You can be one of those who sniffs glue and convinces yourself that all these illegals are benign, hard-working value-added units, but if you're sober you realize this is not the case. And the administration (plus every Democrat & every other Republican) wants amnesty with no border control, thus ensuring more illegals, thus more crime, more gangs, more drugs (because America just can't do without their drugs - wahoo!).

And we’re supposed to have faith in our leaders to uphold the law and protect us (that means, primarily American citizens) from criminals and invaders – and we certainly pay for that thru our taxes – and yet, this is the garbage we’re given. We cannot even be assured that those who have ignored our immigration laws, who have broken other of our laws (sometimes violently), who have been incarcerated for those transgressions – will be permanently removed from our country. Huh.

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Vaccinations, anyone?

In the WaPo today is an article about the whole vaccination issue and why so many school children didn’t have the required vaccinations by the time school started. Here’s a gem:

This time, Mazyck said, the reason for spotty compliance has a much more prosaic cause: Parents have said they had too little time and too much else to do. (WaPo, January 9, 2007).

You know, I don’t recall my parents ever making that excuse, because, wait a minute, my parents 1) had more than two brain cells to rub together and thus 2) understood their parental responsibilities vis-à-vis protecting their offspring from dangerous diseases. Clearly neither aspect is present in the referenced “parents.”

I have several thoughts, but I'll concentrate on one for your consumption: if you can't be bothered to immunize your children (you know, those little humans you claim to love so much?), perhaps you shouldn't have hatched them in the first place.

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Tuesday, January 02, 2007

We'll have to eat out in DC more often in 2007

The smoking ban in restaurants, etc, has now gone into effect in DC and I for one am happy (read "overjoyed") about it. How nice not to have to ask for the non-smoking area. How nice not to be seated in the non-smoking section and still have smoke wafting over.

I take the stance that your rights stop at the end of your nose, ie, before they affect others. Some folks still don't get that. They fight for the privilege (yes - not "right") to poison your air as well as theirs. Or you (as the non-smoker) can just find another place to go.

Nice. This attitude includes, unfortunately, some right-leaning bloggers. A few years ago, I stopped reading a certain blog because of the belligerent attitude of the author regarding his "right" to smoke wherever. Smoking is an unsupportable habit - there's nothing positive about it - a fact about which I'll be writing in upcoming posts. And shame on those of you (including a right-leaning female blogger) who have kids and think it's fine - apparently - to smoke around them.

Well, WaPo has an article regarding the ban and includes snippets about "rebel" smokers, bravely smoking their last in DC establishments on December 31st. Grow up folks. Better yet, quit. Why not start the year doing something smart?

Now, if only we could get Arlington to follow suit on this ban...you know, the county that is going "green"?

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