Fill ‘er up….

Given the attention to the 4th making of “The Great Gatsby”, I bought the 1974 version starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. The movie is based on the book by F.Scott Fitzgerald. It’s set in the 1920s. At least 3 of the scenes reminded me of how along ago that was. A driver brings his car to a service station-garage. The owner-attendant pumps the gas. The total cost for this fill-up is 40 cents. Another time, a driver pulls up to the pump with the gauge almost on empty. His cost was $1.23. On the other hand, those were the days when many people were working for 15 or 20-cents an hour. My father was among those happy to get it.

Climbing those hills…

You might think that living in a neighborhood where there are more steep uphills than flat streets would be an excellent training venue for those tough uphills in a race. It was not too long ago, but now it’s torture. There is a cliche’ that reads, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. I’m testing the truth of it.

The junk mail keeps coming…

Despite signing on with programs which say that they will put you on a list asking vendors to stop sending you solicitations, the junk mail keeps coming.. Not only does it come, but the sender puts your name and address on the junk mail in several places. The shredder and black-blot stamp work overtime. There also is the cost of your time to ferret out the items for shredding and/or stamping. What can we do to reduce the possibility of vendors targeting us with junk mail? Apparently, nothing. As long as even a small percentage of recipients send money or buy the services or merchandise being offered by the junk mailers, it’ll keep on coming.

Medical tests burnout….

It sometimes seems my body has been the object of every test known to the medical profession. Today, there were two more: an ultra sound of my legs and thighs and a visit to the echo lab one more time. The techs who operate the machines are excellent. So is my doctor and friend who urged me to have the tests. However, I sometimes wish I lived in earlier generations when doctors relied more on experience and instinct. It’s not likely my life would have lasted as long as it has so I’m grateful for the tests, and am tolerating the burnout

“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.”

In 1976, a film titled “Network” had Peter Finch in the role of a fictional television anchor. Paddy Chayefsky wrote the story and the words spoken by Finch, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.” Finch played a character named Howard Beale. The fictional Beale was about to lose his job because of poor ratings when he galvanized viewers by encouraging them to go to their windows and shout out what has become the famous declaration. His demagogic appeal had Beale prospering for awhile, but his career and his life came to a bad end. Some claim that what was a fictional exaggeration in 1976 to make a point has now become reality. Listeners and viewers love their demagogues. Just watch and listen…on second thought, don’t.

“Death With Dignity” follow…

In an earlier posting, I wrote about the “Death With Dignity” laws in Oregon and Washington states…how there is no minimum residence requirement. I wondered about how many terminally-ill people might be traveling to Washington or Oregon to die on their own terms. One of my readers in Oregon, Greg Snider, posts a comment which you can read in the “comment” section of this blog. He writes that in the 17 years that Oregon has had this law, there is no evidence of “suicide tourism”.

A little girl finishes/1

A mother encourages her child to finish the “fun run” today (Saturday). We’re at the “Hustle For Heroes” 5K and fun-run in Woodstock, Georgia, about 25 miles north of Atlanta. She did finish though she was reluctant to go through the chute.It’s especially gratifying to watch these young folks as they grow up. Many stay with the sport of running through the years and adopt it as a life style. One day in the not too distant future, this beginner likely happily be finishing in the chute.

Residence Requirement for “Death with Dignity”

HBO recently repeated its documentary, “How To Die in Oregon”. Both the states of Oregon and Washington have passed laws that allow doctor-assisted deaths for terminally-ill patients. Oregon was first. Though it may have escaped me, I don’t remember any reference to residency requirements in the HBO documentary. So I googled it. According to newspaper articles found by google, there are no minimum residency requirements. All you have to prove to your doctor is that you either rent or own a house or apartment at the time you seek his assistance for “death with dignity”. It begs the question of how many people move to Oregon or Washington for the sole purpose of dying on their own terms.

Joe Brown earns a star!

What started as a bad experience with my cable, internet and phone provider…what started as a frustrating experience ended well today…at least for now. Joe Brown was the last Tech to come to my home. He figured out what to do..and did it!

Lowering the level for a DUI

Most states set the level for “driving under the influence” at .08. Now Federal authorities are considering a recommendation to states that the threshold be dropped to .05. According to the National Transportation Board staffers, it would mean that a woman weighing less than 120 pounds would reach the .05 level after one drink. A 160 pound man could handle only 2 drinks before being at risk for driving drunk. If you’d seen the alcohol related deaths and injuries I’ve seen as a reporter with WSB-Television, there would likely be no doubt about how you’d vote if you were a member of the National Transportation Safety Board.