Words 23

Your best friend calls you and tells you he/she's really sick? How do you show you care?

1. Go to his side
2. Send someone to see him/her
3. Contact members of his/her family

TypePad Conversations » Answer this question!

What do you do when you're sick other than rest or medication?

There has been a reorganization in the group where I am one of the writers (medical,arts,etc. technical inputs) Thanks for your presence these years.

TypePad Conversations » Answer this question!

DON’T ASK DON’T TELL, JUST REMEMBER!

The only country in the world that has abused and strained public opinion is the United States with its ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT)’ regulation about gay men and women in the Armed Forces.

It has quickly turned into a major game between the two main parties. Those involved, the Armed Forces, have no objections to the integration of gay men and women in their services. Curious to obtain an opinion from the Professor I mentioned my objections to those who objected as it seemed another clear manifestation of discrimination, which appears to be a another wave of what has become a national pastime. The Professor seemed interested in the subject and observed:
“Collective psychosis, my friend. Politicians need two sided arguments to sharpen their minds and probably purify their souls and conceal whatever hidden personal complexes they have! It is also the ideal feed in the troughs managed by the media of the country!”
He shook his head and in a sad tone continued;
‘Did you know that our military has investigated the issue of sexual orientation in its ranks for close to 100 years? It surprised me that in all my years in the Armed Forces I was never faced with gay men or women. Even if I had found some, they were probably as busy as I was to enable me or them to develop offensive or defensive attitudes. To most of us, gay people did exist but mainly in an imaginary level and if we ran into a real one, it was another human with his own preferences and tastes.”
“What did the Army found out, or concluded?’
“Not much. The acknowledgement of the existence of gay members in the Armed Forces has only become real in the few last years or coinciding with the time when gays decided to come out of the closet. In general terms, the military identified the problem but did not qualify it as anything worse than being addicted to gambling, displaying tattoos and wearing bow ties when dressed in civilian clothes!”
He raised his hand and pointing at the small marble replica of the Roman Colliseum, he added:
“We can not overlook the fact that homosexuality contributed to the decay and eventual disintegration of the Greek and Roman empires. At one point, the Emperors were the first to ignore the limits of homosexuality and gradually influenced first the running elite and then the rest of the population. From there, the sense of order, discipline and morality were no longer in sight and the existing structures collapsed.”
‘Yes, I have read about it but I never imagined that such situation may occur here. It would be kind of funny to have the White House become a busy nest of homos, the generals and high government officials chasing or being chased by handsome young things. Our billionaires would invest their entire holdings supporting newly found circles and “cultural” clubs and the rest of us who stuck to old principles would have to emigrate to Alaska or Northern Ireland where drinking that lovely Scotch whiskey will never be replaced by any silly habit from them “furriners!”
We both agreed that gays in the military are not a threat nor a serious problem. As long as we do not allow our custom of making mountains out of molehills and start developing Reforms, Sexuality Institutes, Centers of Digression and Hope and the inevitable Sports Clubs, the gay community will continue its quiet life. Leave them alone!
As I got up to leave, the Professor said:
“Forget about gays. Just make sure that you ask that lovely girl friend of yours not to wear trousers when she goes out with you!”

THE ENLIGHTENING CORNER

WASHINGTON—November 2010

White House officials and Republican members of Congress are trying to close a deal that would extend current income-tax rates for all Americans as well as the existing benefits program for the long-term unemployed. Republicans have stated in no uncertain terms that none of these benefits would be put into effect if tax increases for middle-class and wealthy taxpayers alike are discontinued after this year.

It should bother us, the silent masses, to hear our president accuse the other party of blackmail – applying to the above reforms waiting to be approved by the Senate.

“Prof, here we go again. By now, we the citizens of the United States of America are becoming used to the sharp differences that exist between the two major political parties that are supposed to guide and protect us during this difficult worldwide crisis. It is disgusting how the parties involved ignore the reasons why they are those supposed to look after the well being of the country. It has given the US Senate a reputation of the kind enjoyed by Al Capone and his loyal gangs during the Prohibition days.

The Professor smiled knowingly and said:

“Let me enlighten you about what is going on. Asked whether the country would find itself dipping towards the economic doldrums if Congress waited a month or two to get a tax cut package passed, we were presented with a statement prepared by the White House economic advisory group. We are still trying to read the minimal expression of reasoning in such statement. It started with the following phrase:

"The wait demanded by the execution of the various terms of this plan would not cause a double dip irregularity. A double dip would come out of the reality of a relatively contractionary fiscal policy of a non-exclusive outline as long as its accomplishment can be termed provisionally as stimulative under the assumption that prohibited bylaws remained under concretized parameters. The fact that such actions ought to boost growth by some incrementalism of a perfunctory modality is to be expected. The issue is that the deal certainly is not enough to lift the economy to a different plane of non-incongruous reality. Will we see what happened with the large stimulus under the provisional results of such patterns? This might take place once the stimulus has finalized its perceived mechanics over the economy and there might be a return to slow growth. That's the danger. It must not be neglected to ignore those impromptu effects that stabilization can be seen if aversion to controls as in the case of housing is allowed to take place."

At that point, the Professor and I began to cry.

Senator Talk

As a reporter I must question members of Congress about important policy matters. The problem is that we do not speak the same language. Example:
Question – Senator, what do you think of the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy affecting our Armed Forces?
Answer – To me the security of the nation is most important and must not be compromised by political considerations or any modification to existing rules and regulations, that in themselves have created a certain sense of security, that by the way have always been supported by my party that at any one time has demonstrate its adherence to our principles and has never failed to strengthen our democratic roots in spite of efforts from other horizons to introduce a note of disagreement that invariably creates deep differences that ….”
I had to interrupt him and insist on getting a clear opinion on the matter. This is what I received in response;
“Yes, I realize that there are differences in the relative positions of those matters that must be analyzed. You will recall that President George Washington, a few days before Appomatox engaged in a long and fortunately fruitful exchange with General McIntosh. But this event did not cease to inspire subsequent leaders of our country, where democracy and freedom from the very beginning were foundations of ……”
I could not take it anymore. Enough of Washington and its strange communications jargon. I stood in front of the Senate building and walked to the front of the taxi line, got in and told the driver where I wanted to go. He turned and said;
“Good morning, Chief! Welcome aboard. It is really a happy moment when, facing an important piece of history such as our Senate Building, that has witnessed those elements that have made the history of our nation. . . . “
I could not take it anymore. I left the cab and jogged all the way to Manhattan!

HEALTH CARE AND FOOTBALL?

I have always been an optimist. I remember telling General George Washington before crossing that frozen river that things would come out the right way for the colonials and that a new country like Tommy Jefferson kept dreaming about, would be in place in less than a year! Years later I encouraged Mister Lincoln to stop making speeches and get his generals moving southward. I knew his troops would be victorious and that the famous united nation that people talked about would finally coalesce and become a world power!
But this time I am thoroughly confused. Lost if you wish. My panorama of our present situation involving economic and health care, employment, taxes and costs reductions has been obliterated and the usual parameters that enabled me to adopt an optimistic outlook seemed to have vanished. I decided to ask the Professor. He was glad to enlighten me:
“Listen, the US economy generates about 12 trillion dollars a year. Our Health care costs have been rising for several years. Expenditures in the United States on health care are running at about $ 3 trillion, more than four times the amount spent in 1990, or if you wish to sound more historical, or hysterical if the circumstances demand it, it is over eight times the 1980 costs.”
“What is the impact on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)?”
“At this time health care costs are running at about 25% which is the highest rate among all industrialized countries and, as the captain used to tell the crew ‘Boys, if nothing is done we’ll be underwater sooner than you expect!”
The Professor shuffled more pages in the note book and came up with some juicy items:
“Here are two items worth looking into. One is obesity, now suffered by 50 percent of the population of the country; they use up 10 percent of GDP’s total expenditures but in five years it is estimated that they will use up 30 percent of the budget!”
“And what is the other one?”
“I really regret this one. It is American football, our great American sport that unfortunately affects from 30 to 50 percent of the players in the country, with serious neurological and muscular illnesses as they reach middle age. This will be affecting about 50 million players in 5 years and the treatment of sick heads and sore knees will cost more than one trillion. “
He paused and then concluded:
“My friend, in five years the US will resemble a charity hospital in Mozambique. Just to stay alive we will have to spend 6 trillion out of the ten or twelve we produce!’
Somewhat somber but still possessed by his refined good humor he finished the session:
“You have to control your optimism, my friend. These are tough ones. Later, we will devote some time to the Budget and needed cost reductions, taxation and wars in exotic foreign lands. But now, I have earned a deserved lunch which we will enjoy at Ginocchio’s!”
PS - I took care of the bill. My optimism failed me this time.

STOP BANGING YOUR HEAD

“Professor, the college football season will start shortly. Who do you favor this year to end up in the 10 best list?’
The professor returned a serious look to my innocent question and went to his desk to obtain a large photo. He handed it to me and said;
“Remember Andy my nephew who was our intern for several summers?”
Before I had a chance to answer he said;
“Well, right after he graduated from college this last summer he was hospitalized and after thorough tests it was found that his speech impediment, headaches, dizziness and lack of memory, concentration and other neurological problems, were the result of brain injuries. The doctors did not have to look any more when Andy explained that he had been a football player at his University and had been active in the team since his freshman year. He also added that he had been hit so hard several times that he lad lost consciousness for periods as long as half hour and more!”
I was shocked. Andy had been a very smart and competent young man in all matters he was involved in as an intern and overall assistant. From revision and correction of document and official reports, to thorough exam of patents and licenses to arrangement of shipment of books and documents, escorting of overseas visitors and overall “fix it” agent, his sharp and sunny disposition was appreciated by the Professor’s circle of friends and celebrities that frequent his place.

Most people believe that a concussion is a bruise to the brain caused by hitting a hard surface or by being hit on the head with a hard object Not always so. Brain injuries occur when the head either accelerates rapidly and then is stopped, or is spun rapidly. This is confirmed by radiological scans that invariably show physical swelling or bleeding in those cases where the motion is stopped suddenly and contacts another surface, or, in this case, another helmet.
The Professor explained that this violent shaking causes the brain cells to become depolarized and fire all their neurotransmitters at once in an unhealthy cascade, flooding the brain with chemicals and deadening certain receptors linked to learning and memory in what is termed a concussion. The results often include confusion, blurred vision, memory loss, nausea and dizziness near unconsciousness.
He paused to pull out a thick report from his files and read the following:
“Neurologists who have examined in detail football injuries point out that once a player suffers a concussion, he is as much as four times more likely to sustain a second one. Moreover, after several concussions, it takes less of a blow to cause the injury and requires more time to recover.
Studies made to college and professional football players found that more than 60 percent had suffered at least one concussion in their careers and 26 percent had had three or more. Those who had had concussions reported more problems with memory, concentration, speech impediments, headaches and other neurological problems than those who had not.
A study of Retired Athletes in 2008 found that of the 650 retired N.F.L. players who recalled sustaining three or more concussions on the football field, 30 percent said they had suffered frequent bouts of depression, dizzy spells so frequent that in many cases they could not drive a car or performing tasks that demanded coordination. Those who had not sustained concussion in the field were very few and did not suffer depression or related disturbances.
Records indicate that brain injuries in football players have escalated in the past few years with a corresponding increase in surgery intervention and special treatments.
I had not realized that football resulted in such serious conditions that could have such effects on the players life and well being. For a sport it does not make sense and I wondered what measures were being taken, and said so.
The professor looked at me with that look that conveys a coming revelation, and said;
“Here is an interesting note that confirms the fact college football has become an important industry. Officials of major universities and their Medical departments along with executives from the NFL’s Medical Section claim that the statistics are not reliable and that the matter has been exaggerated. It is clear that both the NFL and many colleges would resist any detrimental information about the sport and its players that might lead to basic changes and restrictions. The Universities in this country have become in the last decades sports centers where the practice of the game, the stadiums and the sports staffs seem to be the prime reason of their existence. The NFL, on the other hand is a greater gold mine. You just do not take away the pans, shovels, picks and other gear of those doing the digging and keeping the nuggets!”
He shook his head and concluded:
“It is a shame that such great sport carries such deadly risks. My friend, if anything is done and we lose football as a popular addiction, what sport would you choose to follow and admire?’
“Prof, it is girls volley ball all the way for me!”

PENDING ASSIGNMENT

Was the opposition to those measures that would reduce pollution and ignore energy control survive? Read on.

”James, are you going to the station this morning?”
Kay had been up since 5 am and was anxious to see her ex-senator husband off to work. Not to the fancy offices he had occupied in Washington DC some years back, or even the modest offices of the Oklahoma legislature in Oklahoma City before then.
The former Senator had battled with unique fervor and ferocity all attempts by a large number of organized groups, scientists. Professors, lobbyists and members of the Government, the measures proposed to protect the environment, control atmospheric emissions and prevent major weather changes in the planet. His opposition to any corrective policies, supported by his party, had certainly had an effect on the climate and the subsequent transformation of the entire physical characteristics of Planet earth.
Now, he was lucky to have a job with the small Recharge station with the naked concrete walls and floors, and a deficient heating system, on the outskirts of the city of Tulsa, almost in Sapulpa. It was a small State-owned and operated station that supplied electrical power from a set of wind towers to those few operating electrical vehicles or other utensils.
Time had passed quickly for all. Changes had occurred and the gas stations of old remained a sweet memory for many, same as the availability of cars, buses, motorcycles and airplanes. James had been lucky to get a job at this Recharge Station after his forced exit from the government. For some years, an influential Senate group had played their cards without concern for logic, common sense and the well being of the nation. As a political philosophy, which incidentally had only enjoyed sporadic injections of valid thought and substance, it had failed miserably having caused considerable damage to the republic and to the rest of the world. Their removal however had arrived too late. Some of the worst predictions had been fulfilled.
These thoughts crossed her mind as the ex-senator appeared in the kitchen door wearing his work green coveralls and his straw hat.
”Yes, I have station this morning. We are charging up some government sand crawlers.”
He looked out the window and could not hold the tears that flowed from his eyes at once. All he could see from his window was the outline of some of the ruins of the Tulsa University buildings sitting on the expanse of sand that had become the natural panorama of most of the United States.
”Damn you Al Gore!” he muttered and sat down to breakfast.

Overheard in Heaven this Week

Jesus Christ knows better than to burst into God’s terrace when He is sitting there getting a tan. But this time, Jesus felt that a talk with the boss was necessary. He stood in front of God and said:
“Hey! Those are nice shades you got, God! Can we talk a bit?”
“Thanks Jay. I just got these sun glasses; they are great! Even if this place is a bit too bright and the degree of luminosity can be controlled, it helps to get a bit of shadows to remind you that even heaven can have its dark corners. Now, what can I do for you?”
“It is that planet around the small furnace, between Mars and Venus. Earth it is called, remember?”
“Problems again? What is it this time?”
“Once again they are going through that traumatic period that precedes those rituals they call elections in the United States, and the candidates do not stop mentioning your name as if you were one of their financiers, lobbyist or lost rich uncle. This is gotta stop because in the process they involve me and I am being called to help every other second, it seems.! Then, there is a number of them that keep saying that you talk to them and use that as an excuse to bitch about a million topics and do unmentionable things. Are you talking to them?”
“You know better than that Jay. I have not talked to any of them since the days of the Garden of Eden. I did give some advice to that nice couple, Adam and Eve were their names, and later I also gave some tablets to that nice old man Mo, but I don’t think they paid any attention. And the nice snake I had invented for them was eventually turned into belts, handbags, wallets and shoes. What are they saying?”
“Well, you know about those religious groups. They all claim that you inspired them to organize themselves and worship you. So you are as much involved in politics as the boys at Fox News or Wolfgang Blitzer!”
God shook his head and poured himself more tequila. He thought for an instant and then replied:
“That is a crock, Jay. Let them lie through their teeth. If they are elected it just means that those who voted for them are as bright or as stupid as they are. Just to be safe, talk to our Legal Department.”
“What can I tell them down on earth?”
“Tell them to ask their doctor!”
God sipped more tequila and let out a tremendous guffaw. Something known on Earth as a tornado.

HERE IS GEORGE W. BUSH!

GEORGE AND I, My Conversations with GW Bush, by John Bake is a fictionalized work that intends to provide an entertaining perspective on Bush's presidential career. It offers a humorous and fictitious look at what it might have been like to sit in with former President George W. Bush during his presidency.With George and I, Bake hopes to dispel some of the negative impressions the public has about Bush and government competence. Bake tackles a unique view of a U.S. president that, according to him, transformed and created situations for the country that were not always favorable.
Bake intends for George and I to be a satire, but is based on actual events that happened throughout Bush's tenure. Bake fills George and I with imagined anecdotes that the author feels he would have gathered had he been close to the former president. For example, Bake tells of the president's habit of referring to important political colleagues by nicknames that he had made up, making it difficult to determine whom he was talking about. In casual conversation, Bush would often mention nicknames like the Cobra, Stretch, Hogan, Tiny, La Margarita, Brownie, Ari Bob and Speedy, which led to the author spending much of his time trying to match the nickname to the prominent political figure.
George and I is meant to convey the message that the type and scope of problems facing a president demand exceptional fortitude and a great deal of good humor. Bake wants to show some of Bush's sense of humor and great love for his country.
George and I: My Conversations with George W. Bush is available online at Amazon.com and other channels.
About the Author
John Bake is a chemical engineer that has worked in the aerospace and nuclear industries all over the world. He has authored treatments and scripts for television as well as produced film and television in Europe. He lives in Atlanta with his wife.