Ok, anyone who knows me knows that I like r&b and hip hop. I have listened to these genres nearly exclusively for the past 15 years or so. But it is getting to the point where enough is enough! What has happened to my music? and what has happened to my radio station?
At first I thought maybe...just maybe, it was because I was getting older but what I do know is that I can't take most of what hits the airwaves these days. I am a lyrical person. I enjoy the cleverness hidden inbetween lines and the medaphors and rhyming. I also like intelligence and people who deliver some sort of message or at the very least speak with common sense.
Remember Nas "If I ruled the world" and "I can?" Now he speaks with intelligence. Jay Z, LL cool J, DMX...you could always feel them. Even the main stream stuff. It was about a little more than sex, money and cars. And when they did talk about those things it was a LITTLE bit more descret than it is now...I think??? Again, maybe I am just getting old. All I know for sure is I can't listen to my radio station with my kids in the car anymore. Every other song is about sex in the most vulgar ways possible. There are no clever medaphors anymore. Now they just lay it all on the table and I find most of it rather disturbing. Not to mention the way these guys degrade women and the way women will scream out "ohhh thats my jam", when they hear it in a club. You look like an idiot dancing to half of these lyrics....seriously.
I for one am not supporting this garbage. Make real music. Put thought behind your words. Speak what you believe in and not whatever the industry says you have to in order to sell. Stop selling your soul to the devil. Unless of course that is what you believe and all you stand for money and sex, in which case I beg of you to please step away from the microphone and pick up a book and grab yourself some education.
11.16.2009
11.09.2009
a-ch . w-on . en . w-on
Just hearing a person cough or sneeze (or even clear their throat) these days makes people want to shove a crucifix in your face like they are trying to keep Satan himself away from them. There is no question that people are terrified of this not so new illness that has taken our planet by storm (thanks to the media and governments of both Canada and the United States of America.) Great team work guys!
Fear is no way to handle a pandemic though...or anything for that matter. Think back to school fire drills, what was the first thing they taught us about fire safety? DON'T PANIC! Acting out of fear and panic often leads to poor decision making and in the event of a fire, can even lead to death. The same can be said with handling H1N1. We all have to calm down, look at the facts and make well thought out informed decisions.
So take a deep breath, hug someone (human contact is good for the soul) and let's continue...
Now that we are calm we will need to look at the facts. Fact number one: the media is NOT a valid source for collecting H1N1 facts. Fact number two: Any emails you receive about H1N1 are NOT valid sources for anything except maybe a new computer virus. Fact number 3:Government pamphlets are not the only source for collecting information. Relying on the media, email and/or the government for facts about H1N1 (or any subject matter) will leave you in a state of panic which may cause you to make poor decisions and we've already covered what poor decisions can lead to. Before making a decision you should see all sides of the equation. Dig deeper than what you see on the surface. If something seems to be missing, it probably is...find it! Ask questions until it makes sense. Look at other variables to compare the facts you have in front of you to help you justify what they really mean.
Now personally, I am not the type of person who necessarily puts as much effort into these decisions as I should, however I am informed enough to know the basics. I will not be listing for you 20 website sources regarding H1N1, nor will I be quoting reputable sources and highlighting relevant facts. This blog is titled Unproven Opinions for a reason :) However I assure you you are getting my heartfelt opinion that I did not just pull out of the sky. That said, the entire purpose of this blog to to make you stop and think before you draw any conclusion regarding your own family.
H1N1 is just a strain of the flu. Yes, I said JUST! I will not get caught up in the fear of it all. "But Angela, people are dying from it." Yes, that is true, but people die from the flu every year....hundreds of thousands of people. The difference is, all those deaths aren't published as top news stories and so we treat seasonal flues like a grain of salt. This is how we have to handle H1N1. The average healthy individual is going to get H1N1 and get better, this is a fact!
It is a good idea to think prevention though and actually we should all be doing these things everyday anyway, whether there is a pandemic or not. If you are sick stay home. Trust me, the world will go on without you, your job is not as important as you might like to think it is. cough and sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve. The reason for this is because people are less likely to touch your sleeve and your sleeve is less likely to touch anything, but if you sneeze into your hands what do your hands do? They touch everything! If you do cough or sneeze into a tissue or your hands you need to wash them. Think about your surroundings...what is full of germs? Shopping carts, door handles, washrooms, computer keyboards, fresh foods at the grocery store etc. So when using these things make sure you do not touch your face and wash your hands...and your fresh foods. These are some basic, common, NATURAL prevention methods to help stop the spread of illness.
The prevention method being shoved down our throats however is of course the controversial vaccine. To vaccinate or not to vaccinate...that is the question. And the answer is not a simple yes or no, right or wrong, or black or white answer. The right answer will vary from person to person, family to family. In my opinion the average healthy person, big or small, needs to leave well enough alone and not risk getting the vaccine and just allow nature to take it's course while following natural prevention methods. If you are a person who is pregnant, has asthma or other respiratory conditions, or a weakened immune system and you know you will be in grave danger if you do catch H1N1, then you should consider getting the vaccine. I think we all need to weigh out the risks involved in both getting and not getting the vaccine. Did you know they predict 10% of people who get the vaccine to die from it? 10 out of every 100 people. How many will die from H1N1 itself? And from those who die from it, how many will have underlying medical conditions? The fact is, for an average healthy person death is rare.
When I look at the dynamics of my family I see 4 healthy individuals ages 3, 6, 27 and 34. One child is in a large daycare center where illness is known to spread rather quickly once it hits and the other is in elementary school where the same can be said. So I have come to accept that the chances of H1N1 entering our home is rather high. It is hard not to be slightly concerned and uneasy about the whole thing with all the uproar and reported deaths surrounding H1N1. But I took my deep breath, calmed down and weighed out the pros, cons and risks and came to a decision without adding panic to the equation and we have decided that the vaccine is not for us.
So what do we do if and when H1N1 hits our homes? Well one thing I will do differently than previous years is monitor symptoms closely and take them seriously. I usually am not one to run to the doctor or the ER when my kids have the flu because I know that the doctor cannot do anything for them. If they are drinking a tiny sip of liquid now and then and the fever is maintainable they are fine and just need to get some rest. With H1N1 I will not try to play doctor so to speak and will get the kids looked at sooner. Other than that all we can do is let it run it's course with a positive attitude.
I hope this whole H1N1 'scare' will help us learn proper coughing and sneezing etiquette as well as the etiquette of staying home when we are sick but not make us so afraid of germs that we lose all human contact such as shaking hands or giving someone a friendly hug. Maybe a hug a day will keep the swine away? I do hope this blog post will make you more aware of the media's influence in our lives and start viewing the news as nothing more than someone elses unproven opinion.
Fear is no way to handle a pandemic though...or anything for that matter. Think back to school fire drills, what was the first thing they taught us about fire safety? DON'T PANIC! Acting out of fear and panic often leads to poor decision making and in the event of a fire, can even lead to death. The same can be said with handling H1N1. We all have to calm down, look at the facts and make well thought out informed decisions.
So take a deep breath, hug someone (human contact is good for the soul) and let's continue...
Now that we are calm we will need to look at the facts. Fact number one: the media is NOT a valid source for collecting H1N1 facts. Fact number two: Any emails you receive about H1N1 are NOT valid sources for anything except maybe a new computer virus. Fact number 3:Government pamphlets are not the only source for collecting information. Relying on the media, email and/or the government for facts about H1N1 (or any subject matter) will leave you in a state of panic which may cause you to make poor decisions and we've already covered what poor decisions can lead to. Before making a decision you should see all sides of the equation. Dig deeper than what you see on the surface. If something seems to be missing, it probably is...find it! Ask questions until it makes sense. Look at other variables to compare the facts you have in front of you to help you justify what they really mean.
Now personally, I am not the type of person who necessarily puts as much effort into these decisions as I should, however I am informed enough to know the basics. I will not be listing for you 20 website sources regarding H1N1, nor will I be quoting reputable sources and highlighting relevant facts. This blog is titled Unproven Opinions for a reason :) However I assure you you are getting my heartfelt opinion that I did not just pull out of the sky. That said, the entire purpose of this blog to to make you stop and think before you draw any conclusion regarding your own family.
H1N1 is just a strain of the flu. Yes, I said JUST! I will not get caught up in the fear of it all. "But Angela, people are dying from it." Yes, that is true, but people die from the flu every year....hundreds of thousands of people. The difference is, all those deaths aren't published as top news stories and so we treat seasonal flues like a grain of salt. This is how we have to handle H1N1. The average healthy individual is going to get H1N1 and get better, this is a fact!
It is a good idea to think prevention though and actually we should all be doing these things everyday anyway, whether there is a pandemic or not. If you are sick stay home. Trust me, the world will go on without you, your job is not as important as you might like to think it is. cough and sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve. The reason for this is because people are less likely to touch your sleeve and your sleeve is less likely to touch anything, but if you sneeze into your hands what do your hands do? They touch everything! If you do cough or sneeze into a tissue or your hands you need to wash them. Think about your surroundings...what is full of germs? Shopping carts, door handles, washrooms, computer keyboards, fresh foods at the grocery store etc. So when using these things make sure you do not touch your face and wash your hands...and your fresh foods. These are some basic, common, NATURAL prevention methods to help stop the spread of illness.
The prevention method being shoved down our throats however is of course the controversial vaccine. To vaccinate or not to vaccinate...that is the question. And the answer is not a simple yes or no, right or wrong, or black or white answer. The right answer will vary from person to person, family to family. In my opinion the average healthy person, big or small, needs to leave well enough alone and not risk getting the vaccine and just allow nature to take it's course while following natural prevention methods. If you are a person who is pregnant, has asthma or other respiratory conditions, or a weakened immune system and you know you will be in grave danger if you do catch H1N1, then you should consider getting the vaccine. I think we all need to weigh out the risks involved in both getting and not getting the vaccine. Did you know they predict 10% of people who get the vaccine to die from it? 10 out of every 100 people. How many will die from H1N1 itself? And from those who die from it, how many will have underlying medical conditions? The fact is, for an average healthy person death is rare.
When I look at the dynamics of my family I see 4 healthy individuals ages 3, 6, 27 and 34. One child is in a large daycare center where illness is known to spread rather quickly once it hits and the other is in elementary school where the same can be said. So I have come to accept that the chances of H1N1 entering our home is rather high. It is hard not to be slightly concerned and uneasy about the whole thing with all the uproar and reported deaths surrounding H1N1. But I took my deep breath, calmed down and weighed out the pros, cons and risks and came to a decision without adding panic to the equation and we have decided that the vaccine is not for us.
So what do we do if and when H1N1 hits our homes? Well one thing I will do differently than previous years is monitor symptoms closely and take them seriously. I usually am not one to run to the doctor or the ER when my kids have the flu because I know that the doctor cannot do anything for them. If they are drinking a tiny sip of liquid now and then and the fever is maintainable they are fine and just need to get some rest. With H1N1 I will not try to play doctor so to speak and will get the kids looked at sooner. Other than that all we can do is let it run it's course with a positive attitude.
I hope this whole H1N1 'scare' will help us learn proper coughing and sneezing etiquette as well as the etiquette of staying home when we are sick but not make us so afraid of germs that we lose all human contact such as shaking hands or giving someone a friendly hug. Maybe a hug a day will keep the swine away? I do hope this blog post will make you more aware of the media's influence in our lives and start viewing the news as nothing more than someone elses unproven opinion.
11.04.2009
You have 99 Problems? Too bad!
I went to see my Doctor today. No, I do not have H1N1. No, I was not trying to get the vaccine. Just wanted to check in with my doctor, bring up any concerns and possibly soak up some advice. I have been going to my Doctor for 11 years and I have to say she is not like your everyday average doctor. She truly cares about her patients and will go above and beyond to make sure that we are looked after properly. When I was pregnant and suffering extreme morning sickness, we had no benefits. The medicine to aid with morning sickness was $100 a bottle. After the first bottle I told her I just couldn't afford to buy anymore. She left the room and came back with money and told me to go get the medicine because I needed it. This is just one example of how caring she really is.
Anyway, I was waiting in the examination room and noticed a sign that read "only 2 problems per visit. If you have additional problems make another appointment" I started counting to myself and realized I had 4 things I wanted to discuss. I kind of giggled inside because I knew there was no way she would tell me "sorry that is all for today, if you have any more problems make another appointment" And she didn't say that at all. Instead she went through my concerns in great detail and started asking about the kids and life in general.
Now although this policy isn't exactly being followed, the fact that it exists does show that there is a problem within our healthcare system. It's great that we can go to our doctors whenever we need to, free of charge, but that too comes with a cost. For one thing getting in to see your doctor is not easy. Actually I never see my doctor when I am sick, only when I book in advance for other things. When I am sick I have to go to the walk in clinic to be seen right away. This is all because the doctors are so busy and have too many patients, and it's getting so bad that they now have to limit the number of concerns you are allowed to have about your health per visit.
I just feel that health related problems often link to one another and find the idea of limiting a patients concerns to only two problems lowers the quality of health care that individual receives. I hope my doctor never actually enforces that policy with me or any of her patients. Do any of your Doctors have a policy similar to this?
Anyway, I was waiting in the examination room and noticed a sign that read "only 2 problems per visit. If you have additional problems make another appointment" I started counting to myself and realized I had 4 things I wanted to discuss. I kind of giggled inside because I knew there was no way she would tell me "sorry that is all for today, if you have any more problems make another appointment" And she didn't say that at all. Instead she went through my concerns in great detail and started asking about the kids and life in general.
Now although this policy isn't exactly being followed, the fact that it exists does show that there is a problem within our healthcare system. It's great that we can go to our doctors whenever we need to, free of charge, but that too comes with a cost. For one thing getting in to see your doctor is not easy. Actually I never see my doctor when I am sick, only when I book in advance for other things. When I am sick I have to go to the walk in clinic to be seen right away. This is all because the doctors are so busy and have too many patients, and it's getting so bad that they now have to limit the number of concerns you are allowed to have about your health per visit.
I just feel that health related problems often link to one another and find the idea of limiting a patients concerns to only two problems lowers the quality of health care that individual receives. I hope my doctor never actually enforces that policy with me or any of her patients. Do any of your Doctors have a policy similar to this?
10.28.2009
Life Starts And Ends With... Walmart?
"Till death do us part" is taking on a whole new meaning for the world's largest retail chain. Not only can you go to Walmart to pick up a fertility test when trying to conceive, a pregnancy test when you miss your period, and all your new baby's necessities, now you can also turn to Walmart to make life's final purchases--caskets and urns. From before we are born until after we die, Walmart wants to be apart of it.
Everything we need in our lives can be found at Walmart. Have you ever thought about how powerful this place really is? Think of something you currently want to purchase or need to use on a daily basis...I bet Walmart sells it. Let's take a quick tour around this retail powerhouse and see just how much is crammed into the big W:
-Groceries including produce, fresh meats, frozen section, dairy and of course prepackaged goods.
-Clothing for the whole family...(including for pets) Clothing includes every single piece of clothing you could ever need for every purpose, plus shoes
-Oh and speaking of pets they have those too, and everything your pet could ever need (including pet urns)
-Cosmetics, toiletries and even a pharmacy and eye doctor and dentist (sometimes) on site
-Sports and exercise equipment
-Toys, games and electronics
-Automotive everything...some locations even have on site mechanics
-Stationary, office supplies, party supplies
-McDonalds on site
-Paint and home improvement items
-Home decor everything from kitchen to bath to bedroom
-Caskets and Urns
(Obviously this list could go on and on and on forever)
I am starting to think Walmart wants to take over the world. I am not sure that I mind so long as they keep raising the bar on competitive pricing. I don't think they will be my retailer of choice if I ever have to purchase a casket, but I wouldn't be surprised if for the children of today, buying caskets at Walmart becomes a normal thing to do...which means Walmart could end up laying many of us to rest.
Everything we need in our lives can be found at Walmart. Have you ever thought about how powerful this place really is? Think of something you currently want to purchase or need to use on a daily basis...I bet Walmart sells it. Let's take a quick tour around this retail powerhouse and see just how much is crammed into the big W:
-Groceries including produce, fresh meats, frozen section, dairy and of course prepackaged goods.
-Clothing for the whole family...(including for pets) Clothing includes every single piece of clothing you could ever need for every purpose, plus shoes
-Oh and speaking of pets they have those too, and everything your pet could ever need (including pet urns)
-Cosmetics, toiletries and even a pharmacy and eye doctor and dentist (sometimes) on site
-Sports and exercise equipment
-Toys, games and electronics
-Automotive everything...some locations even have on site mechanics
-Stationary, office supplies, party supplies
-McDonalds on site
-Paint and home improvement items
-Home decor everything from kitchen to bath to bedroom
-Caskets and Urns
(Obviously this list could go on and on and on forever)
I am starting to think Walmart wants to take over the world. I am not sure that I mind so long as they keep raising the bar on competitive pricing. I don't think they will be my retailer of choice if I ever have to purchase a casket, but I wouldn't be surprised if for the children of today, buying caskets at Walmart becomes a normal thing to do...which means Walmart could end up laying many of us to rest.
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