Being the big man he is

A little on the rough side, but at least my thoughts are put in a visual.

Dead eye Dan...look out!

After I went to my Otology course out in California, we took a detour down to El Centro Cali to visit my Boarder-Patrol-agent-brother Todd. While there, he filled his promise by taking me to the firing range so I could test out his 40 cal. personal and issued pistols. We used multiple targets. For my brother, he made smiley faces on some of the targets at 15 yards. I was happy to just hit the paper. I would suggest to the illegals crossing that if told to "drop it", or "stop" by this BP agent, you do as he says. Anyway, here Todd made some nice groupings in the center and face of the target using a rapid fire sequence. I then took the target and drew a couple of testicles on it. (sorry for the graphic content here). I had to get pumped up and make believe it was a rapist. All of a sudden I became very accurate. If you look close, you can see there is at least a bullet in each. Be afraid, be very very afraid. Where some say "Lucky", I say "Mad skill".

So, why do we work?

In the hubbub of the daily work-grind, as we strive to better ourselves, and improve on our situations in life, we can sometimes lose track of the big picture.  We tend to become one of two groups of people.  Two monetarily different groups of people with a grey zone somewhere in between.  In my mind, the grey zone is where we all should be.

Most people today can't stop spending,  spending, spending.  People get foolish with the buy now and pay later offers floating around so prevalently.  And then there are the credit cards, where you only have to pay back 10 bucks a month on 12% interest.  There is a mindset of, "I need/want the similar things that my parents own, and man, what a great opportunity to buy a such and such car!"  Then, when the newness wears off, and it starts breaking down, payments come due.  Now you start paying for a pile of bolts.  Oh, not to worry, just file for chapter 8 or 11, or whatever it is.  Have society pick up your lack of integrity piece of crap tab.  A wise man once said, "There is no such thing as a free lunch, someone always pays".  Or, you can have the ideology out there (i've actually heard this told), "When my parents die, we can THEN pay off our debt with the inheritance money".  I ask you, where is the integrity in this?  

On the other (how be it rare) side of the extreme, there are type of people who save, save, and save.  All of my life this concept I have been taught to be a good thing, which now tried and found true.  Save for the future so opportunities for you and your children will be obtainable.   So, the focus becomes entrenched on the fact that we must save, save, and save.  Sooner or later when those oportunities arise to spend the money, we've suddenly realized they have just passed us by.  

I think there needs to be a good mix between the two groups.  Yes, it's nice to have a goal in mind to reach that point of your parents wealth and stature in life which they gained from shedding  blood, sweat and tears.  After all, that is the benefit of living in this country of opportunity.  Once you get there though, it's nice to be able to spend the money.  I remember a story of an old lady.  She died in her late 90's as a millionaire.  She lived in a shack and ate oatmeal her whole life.  Someone needed to tell that lady she could mix it up a bit with some Jimmy Dean sausage, eggs, and biscuits on occasion.  Like my mother in law always quotes me, "Money doesn't buy happiness, but it sure does buy opportunity."  Those opportunities can be selfish or selfless.  They can build service or memories thus edifying and creating joy in others lives.  Service is a great key to happiness.   

Obesity

In the news...

Here in Oklahoma, it was announced a few weeks ago that a new record of applicants for food stamps has been reached.  The number?  440,000  After the announcement was made, the announcer went on to say that America has reached a new height in the obesity epidemic.  

In part I thought how funny to make a comment like "food stamps" and then "obesity epidemic" back to back.  Well, it makes sense.  So, I raise the question... Should we keep feeding a people for free when all they want to do is make themselves obese and then have all the health problems which it brings?  With it being so destructive to their health, should those people be eligible for government assisted health insurance?

Or is it the case that those whom can afford food eat like kings, and it's the poor who suffer?  Have we become such a polarized society?  I tend to think not.

Thank you, your welcome

So, here is an honest question.  I would like the three of you out there who read my blog (the more the merrier) to give me some honest answers to this.

#1  If you did favors for a friend of yours, and they never thanked you or only thanked you once in a blue moon, how should that be taken?

#2  Okay, another scenerio... If your friend thanks you, but you only occasionally say "your welcome", how should he/she take that?

Vaccine survey says...

Do you believe in getting vaccinations?

Well, you should....

Many of the answers were those scientists are smart guys.   Well, your right, they are.  They are under paid for what they do.  Or so I think.  

On the flip side of things, I had a best friend growing up.  Her oldest brother received the vaccination for the measles.  He had an anaphylactic event (airway closed off) and almost died because of it.  Let me tell you right now, if you're allergic to eggs, you shouldn't take vaccines unless you consult your doctor first.  

So, how about going the opposite extreme and not getting your kids vaccinated at all? The story goes on... So, her parents decided to not vaccinate the rest of their children.

A few years down the road, my friend, and her two younger sisters were quarantined at their house after they contracted the measles from a local outbreak.  All three became deathly ill.  My friend lost almost all of her hair, and her youngest sister almost became a physical vegetable, although mentally intact.  Talk about "locked in syndrome".  Mentally awake yet your body is a prison.  She eventually regained her ability to move and walk, but talking was an extreme chore.

So anyway, here is a little blurb about the drug Tamiflu and how you now can't depend on it anymore...

Flu Drug Tamiflu No Longer Effective against Flu Strain; Other Combinations Available

 

Physicians treating patients presenting with influenza should know that the dominant strain of flu circulating in the United States has become resistant to the antiviral medication Tamiflu (oseltamivir), the most commonly used drug for treating patients diagnosed as having the flu, according to a February 23, 2009, article posted online at AMNews . In fact, 98% of the A virus (H1H1) currently circulating in the United States is resistant to the antiviral drug, the article states. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while influenza activity is currently low, the rate is expected to increase over the next several months, and physicians should be aware of other drugs or drug combinations available for treatment. Interim CDC recommendations, which stress the need for physicians to continue prevention efforts through immunizations, include combining the use of oseltamivir, which is a neuraminidase inhibitor, and Flumadine (rimantadine), which is an adamantine, for infected patients. Another approved antiviral drug in the United States is amantadine. Additional recommendations include using Relenza (zanamivir), which is also effective against the virus; however, young children and those prone to wheezing should not use the inhaled medication. Officials are concerned about the developing resistance to Tamiflu, according to the article, because the U.S. federal government has been stockpiling the drug in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak. According to CDC's Influenza Division, the antiviral resistance has emerged over the past two years despite the fact that the medication has not been overused.

So, yes, make sure you get your flu vaccine!