HARRY SHOWS GRACE UNDER PRESSURE

Ernest Hemingway once said that courage is grace under pressure. If anyone epitomizes that definition, it’s Prince Harry, along with his wife Meghan Markel. In comparison to the current King Charles and his oldest son Willian, Harry has shown more courage in his little pinky than the two of them together. He had to give up all his royal privileges and inherent wealth in order to follow his own moral compass. The media and Tories over in the UK , and here in America have engineered a brutal assault against his chances for happiness, And yet, he goes on. Such is the stuff of nobility that true Kings have demonstrated throughout history, in every continent and island in the world. Harry shows grace under pressure.

What real pressure have King Charles of England and his heir apparent had to face? Both of them have had the monarchy in the bag from the day they were born. Besides, they both have piles of money accumulated over centuries of ruling the English people. Harry’s inheritance from Princess Diana is a pittance compared to what those two have under their belt.

Harry’s radiant and inspiring appearance at the Invictus Games is, in itself, a sign of his true nobility. Having started the game for disabled men and women soon after bravely serving 10 years in the British Air Force. The Brits may have sour grapes, but the rest of the world seems to love Harry and Meghan. The Nigerians see her as a warrior princess: Royal Wife.

Of course the two of them have made some mistakes and done a few cringe-worthy things, but isn’t that what humans do? Former governor of California Jerry Brown recently said that all politicians make mistakes. That’s part of being a real live person, not some stiff robot that never steps out of line, choreographs his every move, and never makes a public gaffe.

Harry has inherited his mother’s empathy, and easily engages with both the young and old. He is truly the people’s Prince, just as Diana was the people’s princess.

September 14, 2023September 14, 2023

HOSPITAL ER DUMPS INSURED PATIENTS

I guess by now most everyone has heard about Patient Dumping. Typically, it happens when an uninsured person shows up in the hospital with no insurance—not even Medicare or Medicaid. This person is taking up a bed that could be used by a paying customer, and therefore, the hospital wants that dead beat out. Supposedly, they have to keep these patients if they receive government funds from the Hill Burton Act. But apparently, it’s not enough. On the other hand, I am a fully insured patient, having both Medicare and Supplemental Insurance. Nevertheless, they decided I had to leave the emergency room last week even though I could hardly stand up, overcome with dizziness and nausea. So now you know. You may pay huge premiums for health insurance , but it wont do you a lot of good. Because the Hospital ER Dumps Insured Patients.

Here’s what happened. With a skyrocketing blood pressure, I was admitted to the ER for a myriad of tests, all of which cost my insurance providers plenty and made a tidy profit for the hospital. But here’s the thing: Say the hospital is going to get paid a certain amount of money for my condition, no matter how many days I stay. So, it makes sense for them to make extra money by talking me into leaving early. Which makes room for another patient who will get the same treatment as I did. Meanwhile, have you ever looked into the astronomical salaries that hospital executives are making? The more they squeeze out of the patients, the bigger the house they can buy out in the towns fanciest suburbs.

At any rate, the ER doctor came to tell me that since my tests had all come out with normal results, I would have to leave. I protested that I was even more dizzy and nauseas than ever, but by then they’d managed to get my blood pressure down, so it appeared I had no excuse to stay. The moment he walked away, the beautiful blonde nurse– who’d seemed so sweet– shape shifted into a snarly mafia bouncer. She told me I had ten minutes to find a ride home, and started putting on my socks. Before I knew it she’d found my jeans and pulled then up. Off came the hospital gown and on went my top and undershirt. A wheel chair appeared and I was instructed to hop aboard. Luckily, my stepson hadn’t left yet for vacation, so he was able to pick me up as I waited helplessly by myself in the Emergency Room until he arrived half an hour later. (I have a disabled husband)

Later , I looked at my discharge sheet and saw that he’d told me to see an ENT within two weeks. Just so happens that doctor is retiring and leaving town. After numerous doctor visits and a trip to one of Indianapolis top ENT’S , it still hasn’t been determined what’s wrong. However, , that physician said the ER should have admitted me for neurological testing. They’re now thinking I’ve had some weird reaction to cortisone shots back in June. Actually, I’m one of the lucky ones. At least they didn’t dump me on a street corner.

Hospital ER’s dump insured patients and it’s a national disgrace. Worse yet, our two local hospital are merging, which means they will have no competition and no incentive to improve the quality of patient care.

August 24, 2023August 24, 2023

HAVE AMERICANS LOST THEIR MORAL COMPASS?

During the 20^th Century, most people had never heard of a moral compass. A compass was a piece of metal with an arrow showing you which direction you were headed. Still a pretty handy item if you’re navigating in unknown territory. And then, a couple of decades ago, we started hearing the term “moral compass.” It first came into popular use in the year 2011. The Chief of Staff of the British Army observed that many UK citizens no longer had a sense of moral compass, while in the past, it would have been instilled in them by their parents. He said it would be up to the military to teach recruits the difference between right and wrong. When I hear that the majority of Americans are perfectly willing to vote for either Trump or Biden, you have to wonder. Have Americans lost their moral compass?

What is a moral compass? The dictionary defines it as : a set of beliefs or values that help guide ethical decisions, judgments, and behavior : an internal sense of right and wrong.

This doesn’t seem too complicated. Even little kids have a moral compass. They know not to hit or spit on one another if they’re mad. Teenagers with a moral compass don’t sell drugs or beat up on a guy they disagree with. It goes on through life. Even at my age, I know that if someone steals a package from my porch, that person lacks a moral compass.

We used to expect elected officials to show that they had a moral compass. Voters may not have liked Eisenhower, Truman, Ford or Carter, but they respected their integrity.

All that’s changed now. Few seem to care if the person they vote for has committed a crime or sexually harassed a member of the opposite sex. Lying and cheating seem to get a rubber stamp. If we look at recent polls, it would appear that voters in both parties are only interested in whether or not the person they elect can fulfill their personal wants and needs. No one seems to care about the common good, or uniting the country.

According to recent polls in Iowa, a majority of Republicans strongly support a presidential candidate who has been criminally indicted four times and been involved in numerous sexual harassment suits. The Democrats don’t care in the least that their man’s son had 40 different banks accounts in order to launder illegal payments to the current president’s family from foreign governments.

Both Biden and Trump have clearly demonstrated a lack of moral compass. If either one of these men are returned to the white house in the 2024 election, what does it mean? Have most Americans lost their moral compass? Or do they even know what one is?

August 4, 2023August 4, 2023

NAKED IN THE 40’S WITHOUT AC

There probably aren’t many people In the USA who remember the days before air conditioning. However, the recent storms that caused power outages were an uncomfortable reminder of those days when there wasn’t any. What in the world did people do during heat waves ? How did they ever make it through the notorious summer of 1936, for example. I was a baby then, and the depression had sent sent us scurrying back to Grandpa’s Indiana farm from New York City. Some people went naked in the 40’s without AC.

NAKED IN THE 40'S WITHOUT During a heat wave, some didn't wear clothes. — NAKED IN THE 40’S WITHOUT AC. Having a heat wave called for shedding one’s clothes.

A lot of people walked around in their undies if they were in a place where they wouldn’t be arrested for indecent exposure. In the early 1940’s 30% of people lived on farms. Some farmers stripped naked when coming in from the fields on a sweltering day. The wife might show a little more modesty by stripping down to her underpants. Most city people didn’t go quite that far. They closed their shades and turned on their fans. But the women wore halter tops that showed as much as a pin up girl on a WWII poster. And men who went bare chested while mowing the lawn weren’t considered indecent.

Kids had an easier time keeping cool. They could run outside in their bathing suits and turn on the hose. And if it began to thunder, they didn’t worry about getting struck by lightening. They played in the rain, and it wasn’t considered negligence on the part of the parent. I would imagine there were some bad accidents that took place, but I didn’t know a single kid who got struck by lightening. Even more fun was floating homemade “boats” of twigs and leaves in the rainwater flowing down the gutters on the side of the street.

The ice man came every few days , and we kids rode the back of his truck to sneak slivers of ice. Electric refrigerators were a luxury so the average homeowner had an ice box. Most everyone had large window fans , maybe blowing over a bowl of ice. Almost every house had a front porch. You could sit outside and enjoy the cool evening breezes as the sun went down. Close neighbors would talk and visit, while others parked their bicycles to stop by for a chat.

If you lived anywhere near a creek, lake, or ocean, you headed to the beach hoping for enough privacy to skinny dip. Many people spent the night sleeping on the sand. Not sure if they had bug spray then, so mosquito bites must have been a problem.

So now , If your power goes out, just remember all of your ancestors from the beginning of time who didn’t have air conditioning. If they could make it through, so can you.

We having a heat wave

July 19, 2023July 18, 2023

DUKE ENERGY DIDN’T LOCK THE BARN

Our city has just experienced a massive power outage cause by a major storm. Many folks were without power for a week. Obviously, no electric company can prevent storms and falling trees. However, there are ways to mitigate the potential damage caused by the forces of nature. Homeowners should be held responsible for trimming tree limbs that are in contact with electrical wires. This does not happen in our city. However, now that the crisis is over, Duke has trucks out frantically trimming trees in public and suburban areas. Conventional wisdom calls for locking the barn before the horse is gone. But it looks like Duke Energy didn’t lock the barn in time.

At our house , our electrical power line radiates from a pole in the yard of the next door neighbor. Those electrical wires are intertwined with the leaves and branches of numerous trees on his property. Several years ago, I notified the electrical company that this dangerous situation existed. Weeks later, they sent out a truck to see what I was talking about. The electrician drove into our driveway, stepped out and briefly glanced at the wires in the trees next door, then drove away. When I called several weeks later to ask what they were planning to do about it, they rudely replied, “we don’t trim trees and we can’t ask a homeowner to trim his tree.”

When I called the city engineer, I hit the same brick wall. He said, ‘the electric company is a private entity, over which the city has no control.”

In the case of our recent power outage, the company spokesperson explained to our local newspaper that prolonged power outages occurred in suburban neighborhoods away from the main power lines. Meaning that homeowners in those leafy neighborhoods had not been advised or required to trim their trees and bushes resting on power lines, even though they represented a disaster waiting to happen..

So what I’m hearing is that no one controls the electric utility company service in our city. They can do what they please, and get away with it. Which begs the question: Who is responsible for removing trees touching power lines?

According to the National Electrical Safety Code”, it is the responsibility of electric utility companies to trim trees touching power lines. Although, if the tree is on residential property, the homeowner has to assume the costs of trimming trees around power lines. Electric utility companies should conduct such maintenance during their yearly rounds (every 6 to 12 months). However, if the tree is touching a power line, the homeowner is responsible for its removal.”

Last week, Duke Energy and the City both paid the price for neglecting their responsibility of keeping power lines from touching tree limbs. . Actually, the people who really paid the price were the citizens who threw out rotted food, couldn’t shower or cook , turn on air conditioning or charge their cell phones.

It’s time for Duke Energy to start locking the barn before the horse gets stolen, not after. If they can’t handle that responsibility, the city needs a contract with a new electric utility company.

July 12, 2023July 12, 2023

BAN MISANTHROPIC MIDNITE FIREWORKS

Everyone loves to see the fireworks on he 4^th of July. Trouble is, most of us don’t like hearing them as we lie in bed at 1 a.m. while trying to sleep. Unfortunately, politicians don’t really care about sick people, combat veterans, animals and small children who are forced to hear cherry bombs and rockets going off at all hours of the night. I suppose that the mayor and city council members feel they’ll get more votes if they allow the city’s numerous cases of arrested development to disturb the peace well after midnight. But they’ll lose my vote, for sure. Ban Misanthropic Midnite Fireworks, now.

After taking a pain pill for a bad back at 12:30. I called the police dispatch department. Couldn’t believe that the bombs and rockets going off in our neighborhood were being set off legally. The woman who answered was friendly and understanding. “Oh, they’re still going off at 4 a . m. in my neighborhood,” she said. “And the police don’t stop them?” I asked. “nah,” she replied. It’s actually legal until one o’clock in th morning, but nobody enfores the law. However, I’ll make a note of your call.” Then she asked my address, so I suppose I’m now on record at city hall as a troublemaking old biddy.

“Does these people enjoy making others miserable?” I asked. She said she didn’t know, so I pursued the topic. “Maybe they’re unhappy people who want others to share in their misery,” I philosophized. She said she wasn’t sure what motivated the crazies. I could tell she had other calls waiting, so I hung up.

Apparently, shooting fire crackers has great appeal for risk takers. Fireworks are also explosives, and can be dangerous. According to Kansas State University psychology professor Mary Cain, this adds to their appeal. “Engaging in risky behaviors is very reinforcing for people,” she said. “For some, it can cause the release of a chemical in the brain that makes people feel good.” She goes on to explain that such people are “high sensation seekers.” They love things like roller coasters and sky diving . I don’t like either one of those.

Many cities ban the shooting of fireworks altogether, and others say they must stop after 9 p.m. I’m not sure why the politicians who run our city approve them, but I’d like them to ban misanthropic midnight fireworks.

July 5, 2023July 5, 2023

TORTURE ON THE X-RAY TABLE

Most of us have avoided seeing the doctor as much as possible since COVID. Didn’t want to sit in an office with sick patients or be guilted into taking vaccines we didn’t like. Unfortunately, our bodies sometimes betray us. Our hinges get rusty. We have accidents and falls. We do stupid things that strain backs. Sooner or later, we have to submit ourselves to an exam and/or procedure in a health care clinic. We’re confident that the administrators of these facilities are masters in pain management. But sometimes they seem totally clueless. For example, if you need a back x ray, you’re forced to lie face down on a narrow table. After they get the needed pictures, pain intervenes, and you can’t get up off the table. At that point, the technician has no recourse but to yank you up to make room for the next patient. That’s when you experience torture on the X Ray table.

I have to admit that I embarrassed everyone at that point, because I heard a loud yell coming from my own throat. Excuse me, but this is not acceptable in a clinic where many patients can hear you. Bad optics. After all, it’s not like you’re having a baby. Except, it hurts every bit as much, although maybe for a shorter period of time. Quickly, they ushered me back into the patient waiting room and firmly shut the door.

The doctor was cheerful and friendly. He listened carefully and treated me successfully for the bad shoulder and back joints I’d originally come in to complain about. He did the best he could for the back sprain I’d just recently acquired. . But now it was too late , because I had a new pain caused by the rough treatment of the x ray technician. And it still hurts.

Should I blame the technician involved ?. Not really. Because if the facility administrators had cared to make the investment, there are x ray machines designed for patients with back injuries. I suppose they’re a bit pricey, but I would have paid for the contraption myself to avoid that pain. No, it wasn’t the quality of patient care that I objected to. It was torture on the X Ray Table.

LIVING WELL AFTER 80

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