February 2007
2/7/2007
VALENTINE’S DAY
St. Valentine. The one who drove the snakes out of Ireland. Or was that St. Patrick? Either way, it was a good thing; because who wants to live around a bunch of snakes? As Jaime Sommers exclaimed, on more than one occasion on "The Bionic Woman," "I HATE SNAKES!" Well, so did Indiana Jones.
St. Valentine is the patron saint of lovers. Of course, he's also the patron saint of beekeepers, against fainting, of travelers, young people, epilepsy and greeting card manufacturers. Of course, I think the greeting card people probably thank him more than those who don't faint. But then of course, if I saw a man chasing snakes out of town, I'd probably faint. Wait, that was St. Patrick.... nevermind.
Claudius imprisoned Valentine in jail. A young girl, the daughter of the prison guard, visited him in his cell. Now, of course, this was a long time ago so the term "young girl" is relative. Anyway, on the day Valentine was put to death; which is an odd way of stating that. Execution really isn't the same as replacing objects where they belong for example, "putting the dishes in the cabinet." And isn't it really annoying when people don't? Like the remote control; it should always be right next to our favorite chair so that when the commercials telling me how much I need a bed that can move in thousands of positions but is really way too big for my bedroom start getting on my nerves, I can change the channel. So we reach over to grab the remote control but end up putting our hand in a bowl of melted iced cream that we didn't finish the night before and neglected to put away. Put away? Oh, right...
So, Valentine left a note to this girl who befriended him in prison on the day he died thanking her for her love and friendship and signed it, "Love from your Valentine."
That is where the custom of giving notes and cards began on Valentine's Day. I don't know when the flowers started; could very well be that the floral industry saw how much the greeting card industry was making and decided they needed to get in on the action. The candy, though, well I don't know Russell Stover personally but I do know he makes the best chocolates. His samplers are to die for; but then again, if you're a diabetic you may want to stick with the flowers. I wonder what a diabetic with allergies gets on Valentine's Day; probably just the card. Doesn't seem fair somehow; unless it's one of those 4 feet cards, you know the ones that drive the mail carriers crazy and costs more in postage than any of Russell's samplers. Then of course you get the jewelry people trying to get their cut; now, we've got cards, flowers, candy, big cards and jewelry (preferably diamonds, from what I hear.) Well, I guess that makes some sense, after all, the cards will fade, the candy will mold, the big cards will fade bigger ... but diamonds are forever. Really, it's true. Those two silhouetted hands moving to that very beautiful music say so. Isn't that music nice? It almost makes me want to go buy a diamond then put on black gloves with the diamond ring over the glove and wave my hands all around humming.
And that's what Valentine's Day means to me.
2/14/2007
OUR REPRESENTATIVES AND POLITICS
"Big Daddy." "…. the oldest thing (in Washington) except maybe the building."
West Virginia Senator Robert C. Byrd "has set a new standard for taxpayer-funded narcissism by convincing the West Virginia Legislature to erect a statue of himself in the state Capitol. The statue's completion violates state law prohibiting statues of government officials until they have been dead for half a century."
"Sen. Byrd sometimes claims that he is in favor of fiscal restraint. However, the senator currently has more than 30 public works named after him - seriously undermining his pleas for budget responsibility."
That is just OUR elected Senator. How much have these cost us taxpayers? Let’s take a small look:
$1,700,000 added by the Senate for the Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam on the Ohio River in Ohio and West Virginia (another chance to name something after him?)
$1,700,000 for West Liberty State College to equip its residence halls with Internet access (remember when students used Libraries?)
$118,000 for fish surveys at the White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery (will the fish really fill out the survey?)
$3,638,000 for the Appalachian Fruit Laboratory in Kearneysville (Three million dollars for fruit?)
$1,000,000 for freshwater mussel recovery and the Wild Fish Propagation Center at White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery (Another million dollars for FISH?)
$4,296,000 for the Vandalia Heritage Foundation (which happened to be created by Rep. Mollohan) (Four million dollars for a tax-exempt foundation?)
$2,037,000 for Glenville State College for the construction of a new campus community center and the planning and design of a new science center (I’m all for colleges and IF improvements are needed; but for the entire STATE to pay for them?)
$97,000 for the Strand Theatre Preservation Society in Moundsville for theatre renovations (Nearly a million dollars and how many movies/shows have they produced and how many of US have gone? Yet, we paid for it.)
$1,000,000 for the Wheeling National Heritage Area (MY tax dollars hard at work since the City management is determined to chase EVERYONE OUT of Wheeling.)
$11,500,000 for Marshall University (11 million dollars for WHAT exactly?)
$4,300,000 for the University of Charleston for a School of Pharmacy facility (What, the University of Charleston had no other available space?)
$4,000,000 for the Raleigh County Commission to complete the Educational Mall facility in Beckley; $3,600,000 for Wheeling Jesuit University for the Math and Science Education Initiative (though most of will never see either one; at least our taxes paid for something we won’t ever see.)
$4,000,000 for road security force protection and modification for the Eleanor Army National Guard Base (4 million dollars for security and modification of a place I’ve never even heard of!)
$5,000,000 for the Vandalia Heritage Foundation, Inc. for land acquisition, development needs, community and neighborhood revitalization, and economic diversification (Another five million dollars from the taxpayers for a tax-exempt foundation that does WHAT?)
It’s not just "Big Daddy." Our elected officials spend our money with abandon in the Congress and Senate. They manage to "blow $500 billion more than they collect in taxes every single year." These personal projects and earmarks are snuck into the federal budget every year. Because our taxes don’t cover these, our government borrows from other countries, like China; raising the credit limit each time it’s reached and then raising it again. The National Debt; NINE TRILLION DOLLARS.
This is where we, the taxpayers and voters, should come in.
Should we not hold our elected officials accountable? Not just for the grievances that make the nightly news, like wire-tapping or receiving a blow-job under the Oval Office desk; but for every action made by those we elected and who swore to represent us?
Are they representing US or are they only playing politics for themselves? Are they playing fast and loose with the rules to advance their own political careers; or are they really interested in representing and doing what is best for those who put them in office?
WE must take blame as well. If we vote and ignore what is happening, the fact is we are MORE to blame. By our silence, apathy, disinterest in what our representatives are doing every day, we allow all the corruption and political jockeying.
Think about it. In our own lives and our own jobs, we are held accountable for our actions. If our performance doesn’t "cut it" with our employers, we are held accountable for our actions and, if we are honorable and sincere, take responsibility; otherwise, we are fired and out on the street.
Our elected officials are NOT DIFFERENT! THEY work for US! As their employers, we must question their actions; hold them accountable. As their employers, we have to question them, hold them accountable and responsible for the job THEY ASKED US TO GIVE THEM.
2/21/2007
HIV cases rise in men over 50
I read something: "There seems to be a rise in HIV cases of men over 50 years old."
"Straight, married" men looking for a little dick on the side think that because they regularly have sex with a woman need not worry about HIV. After all, it's only now and then with another man.
What they fail to consider is THE OTHER MAN. Just like the teenage girl who believes she can't get pregnant the first time, the men think they are as well "immune" because of his limited activities.
You would think that a grown man would know better than a teenage girl.
Of course the married man feels safe; after all, he's married. Sure, he has male-male sex now and then, but THAT doesn't affect him. Little did he know that the "hookup" he was with was infected with HIV. Neither did he bother to ask, odds are he didn't require a condom because the married man isn't a risk. Because of his irresponsible devotion to his own dick, he IS AT risk.
This also goes for the same men who have sex with women. Women can pass the virus to a man just as easily as a man can to another man. So, the older married man has sex with a woman feels he's safe because she's a woman and he's a man. Natural. No worries here.
Big surprises, and not happy ones, could be in store. How often does a straight man get tested for HIV? So, now he has been infected, he's infected his wife and he's also infected any other "hook-up" he's found.
Ignorance. Arrogance.
HIV is the virus; AIDS is the disease. Passing viruses is easy, ever heard of the "common cold?" A virus. It can take sometimes take a while to "show up" on a test.
No viral infection has ever been "cured;" "bacterial" infections can be with antibiotics.
Viral infections, like the common cold, have to run their course. We can treat symptoms. However, the HIV virus when it becomes AIDS, leads to death; the compromised immune system and opens one up to a variety of physical breakdowns. "Complications from AIDS" is often what is said.
The fact is: irresponsibility and ignorance is the cause of death.
Education is abundant on sexually transmitted diseases. All one needs to do is inform him or her self. Sexual recklessness ceased being a "revolution" a long time ago; it IS a matter of life and death.
I continue to be astounded by people. With all the information we have now and is so available, why are STDs still so prevalent and spreading? Like I said before, "Ignorance and arrogance;" as well one being self-centered and having a lack of respect for others or oneself.
I’ve long wondered why sex seems to be so "powerful." I’ve never quite understood how ONE sexual interlude could make someone risk everything he or she has; the risk of losing one’s reputation, spouse, family and/or job.
Is twenty minutes of sexual pleasure really worth risking losing EVERYTHING including ONE’S LIFE?
2/28/2007
Depression. I don’t mean the fallout in the 1930s after the Stock Market Crash of 1929. I don’t mean, "having the blues;" after all, we have all experienced feelings during difficult times, haven’t we?
I’m talking about what doctors call "depressive illness;" clinical depression. The term "mental illness" carries with it a stigma, "a mark of shame or discredit," especially for men. Here are a few facts:
Men seem to suffer from depression just as often as women, but are less likely to ask for help
It may also be that men try to deal with their depression by using drugs and alcohol.
Most men don’t like to admit that they feel fragile or that they need help
The traditional view of how men should be – always tough and self-reliant – is also held by some women. Some men worry that, if they talk about their feelings of depression, their partner may reject them. Even professionals may share this view, and do not spot depression in men as often as they should.
Instead of talking about how they feel, men may use alcohol or drugs to feel better.
Men are around 3 or 4 times more likely to kill themselves than women. (Although women make more suicide attempts, four times as many men as women die by suicide in the United States.)
Men have become more likely to kill themselves, particularly those aged between 16 and 24 years and those between 39 and 54 years
For a man who feels suicidal, there is nothing more demoralizing than to feel that others do not take him seriously. He will often have taken some time to pluck up the courage to tell anyone about it
Many men find it difficult to ask for help when they are depressed – it can feel unmanly and weak
Men who are depressed are more likely to talk about the physical symptoms of their depression than the emotional and psychological ones
So, what exactly IS depression?
"Depression is a mental health disorder that can affect the way you eat and sleep, the way you feel about yourself, and the way you think about things. A depressive disorder is more than a passing mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness, and it cannot be willed or wished away. A depressive disorder involves the body, mood, and thoughts. People who are depressed cannot "snap out of it" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for months or years. Treatments such as antidepressant medications and psychotherapy can reduce and sometimes eliminate the symptoms of depression."
What causes depression?
"Some depression runs in families. Researchers believe that it is possible to inherit a tendency to get depression. This seems to be especially true for bipolar disorder (manic depression). Studies of families with several generations of bipolar disorder (BPD) found that those who develop the disorder have differences in their genes from most who don't develop BPD. Some people with the genes for BPD don't actually develop the disorder, however. Other factors, such as stresses at home, work, or school, are also important. Major depression also seems to run in families, but it can also develop in people who have no family history of depression. Either way major depressive disorder is often associated with changes in brain structures or brain function. People who have low self-esteem, who are consistently pessimistic, or who are readily overwhelmed by stress, are also prone to depression."
What is exactly IS clinical depression?
"Clinical depression or depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as feeling "down" or "blue." It is not a "bad mood" or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. The exact cause of clinical depression is not clear. Sometimes, a stressful event can cause one to feel depressed. Sometimes it seems to happen for no reason at all.
"There has been debate between neurobiologists and psychologists on what causes depression - neurochemical imbalances or unfortunate experiences and negative thinking. While successful drug therapies which act on neurotransmitters in the brain imply that depression is a neurobiological condition, the fact that such medications do not help about 20 percent of depression-sufferers seems to show that not all depression is due to such imbalances. Rather, depression is not caused by one single factor; many different things most often cause it. Genetics, biochemical factors, medicines and alcohol, developmental and other external factors, and relationships, marriage and children all have effect on the development of clinical depression."
Like any other Medical Problem, depression is not easily understood or "cut and dried." It’s easy to understand and accept a PHYSICAL problem, but a mental or emotional one? Many first instincts are to say, "Buck UP!" "Get over it!" BE A MAN." As ANY depressed man and he’ll tell you that he’s said those words to himself LONG before anyone else did.
This is where things are different. A man who has cancer, diabetes, or any other disease is very easily understood. The man who suffers from depression is NOT so easily understood; not by others and especially NOT BY HIMSELF.
Are gay men more prone to depression? That depends on whom you ask or what research you read.
One fact that I think is inarguable is depression in gay children and teenagers. Of course adolescence is rife with feelings, insecurity and moods; however, add to the natural and normal influx of hormones that every adolescent experiences the thought and feeling of being gay. Not only is this child struggling with becoming an adult, he is trying to understand his sexuality and balance that with societal and parental pressures. That’s an awful load for a young boy to carry. To put it into perspective, let me ask grown, adult, homosexual men to remember those years. Forget the machismo, the façade of "manhood," actually remember the feelings.
In the formative years, growing from boy to man, knowing the difference between you and other boys at school yet trying to hide, deny and reject the inherent feelings you have; family history of depression or not, that is a recipe for one to be depressed.
So now that boy with all his feelings, fears, shame and insecurities grows into a man. He may reject the rhetoric homosexual slurs; but he is still that boy inside…that little boy, teenager, who felt less than nothing because of his homosexuality. The more he tries to be his own man, can he wipe away all of those feelings of worthlessness? He may be an adult with bravado but … well; men don’t admit depression or feelings.
Add to that child, boy, man a genetic predisposition. He has fought and struggled; yet the depression continues to overcome him through his life. No matter how good things are; regardless of his career or job where he as excelled and proven himself; no relationship, no amount of love, education, knowledge, support or friendship can release him from the demon that threatens him every single day. Threatens to emotionally destroy him, bring him to complete collapse.
For the clinically depressed, vulnerability as MEN is NOT the enemy; understanding isn’t the cure nor is solitude the cure.
There IS help. Medical help. Depression IS a medical illness. Talking with one’s physician and being open and honest can change one’s world.
bravenet.com