In 2007, driver distractions such as cell phones or text messaging contributed to nearly 1,000 crashes involving 16- and 17-year olds according to Edgar Snyder’s & Associates attorney website.

Arizona has a few pending bills on this topic, which can be found on www.azleg.gov.

There is SB 1443 which would ban text messaging for all drivers in Arizona. This bill was rejected by the full Senate on a 15-14 vote, according to www.azleg.gov.

The website also includes HB 2492, which would prohibit text messaging on Arizona roads. This bill is still pending.

Another pending bill is HB 2590, which would outlaw use of handheld phones by drivers under the age of 18.

The Hands-free use OK bill and HB 2191 seeks to ban driving and talking on cell phones, unless a hands-free accessory is utilized. It is also pending.

Why HBs should pass

I am really hoping these cell phone bills pass. I cannot find the statistics for the decrease in accidents in other states since the passing of these bills but I have to hope that they have decreased.

It is tempting to answer a call while driving.  I for one have answered a call or two. The way I get passed it is to play my music loud so I can’t hear my phone when it goes off so I don’t answer it. Then I just listen to the voicemail’s and return calls. I follow this simple rule and I have never been in an accident due to cell phone use.

I drive often since I live in Yavapai Hills and it never fails that I see a driver swerving because they are texting or taking on a cell phone.

I was taught in driver’s education to keep both hands on the wheel, at ten and two.

In Ohio, a 49-year old bus driver was making a left turn while using her cell phone when she hit a killed a 59-year old man who was at a crosswalk.

May I ask: why on earth would a bus driver be using a cell phone? That is absolutely unacceptable.

Not only is texting while driving putting oneself in danger, it is putting everyone on the road in danger.

Is texting Tiffany about what Brad said last night worth putting other people’s lives at risk?

It’s hard enough to remain safe in Arizona with all the older drivers whose license do not expire for many years, it is up to adults and teens to drive responsibility.

Texting while driving causes a huge increase in time spent with eyes off the road.

A good friend of mine was driving on HWY 69, when she was hit from behind by a teenage driver. The teenage driver stated that she didn’t look up in time from texting so braked late and plowed into my friends car at a red light.

This is also unacceptable.

A motor vehicle is a deadly weapon. Attention must be paid when operating one.
The thing that really bothers me is that many drivers know how dangerous it is. Yet they continue to text and talk while driving.

Is texting Tiffany about what Brad said last night is worth putting other people’s lives at risk?
I can’t say I haven’t noticed people doing other things they shouldn’t be while driving: picking their noses, doing their makeup, eating. However these actions do not cause nearly as many accidents as texting while driving.
Hands-free devices can be purchased at cell phone stores. For about $20 for a wired headset, or about $50 for a Bluetooth headset you can be an actively safer driver.
Life can get busy and for people with long commutes, it seems the only way. I have seen Billy Mays advertise on television for something called a “Jupiter Jack”. It’s a small add on to a phone that transmits sound from a phone to the car speakers. It’s only $19.99. No wires, no ear pieces. It sounds like a good investment to me.
So next time you’ve got some extra cash, instead store of buying a expensive touch-screen phone or a colorful “look at me” cell phone case, consider buying an easy to use hands-free headset.

You could save a life.

However it seems to me that the streets are becoming more and more risky with each passing year. Cars become larger, drivers become increasingly more distracted and the roads through Prescott have never been very large.

So between dodging pedestrians and other larger vehicles as they themselves try to navigate through the narrow streets, the driver has a lot to look out for.  

With the growing awareness of increasing oil costs and the nation still in recession, large numbers of people have taken to looking for another method of transport.  

I’ve noticed them; just take a look around; it’s easy to see. There are more and more bicyclists combing the streets. Why not, bikes are great. You get some exercise while getting to your destination in a more or less reasonable speed. 

They don’t excrete any harmful toxic vapors into the atmosphere and they rarely cause massive damage if they run into something. However, where do you place a bicyclist so as to have room for everyone else as well?

Arizona Law

According to Arizona State Law a bicycle is not allowed on the sidewalk which is reserved solely for on foot pedestrians. Unfortunately very few streets in, on, or around Prescott have bike lanes in the streets. Another unfortunate occurrence with that idea however, is that you are then placing a person on a bicycle which weighs anywhere from 20 to 70 pounds in the same area as vehicles weighing in on average 2,000 pounds.  

“However, where do you place a bicyclist so as to have room for everyone else as well?”

According to Lisa Barns, the executive director of the Prescott Alternative Transportation (PAT) program says that due to state law, bicycles have their own vehicular classifications. “According to Prescott city code” says Barns, “bikes are slow moving vehicles and are to be treated as such… sidewalks are for pedestrians”.

It’s about safety

Although not everyone seems to agree with this trend in Arizona history. Sonny Campbell a 20 -year old bicyclist says he feels endangered riding in the street. “I just don’t feel safe riding on the pavement that close to the vehicles… there aren’t that many people on the sidewalk anyway and then you’d have some room between you and the cars.” 

Personally, I believe that the sidewalks should be opened up to bike riders as well, especially in Prescott. Let’s face it, there aren’t that many people that are walking on the sidewalks around here and of those very few of them are in groups. So with the exception of Whiskey Row most sidewalks everywhere in the tri-city area are more or less open.  

Now armed with that knowledge, does it not make sense to place a person, on his bike, farther from harm’s way? The speed limit through most of the streets in Prescott is at least 35 miles an hour.  When was the last time you saw a bike keep up with your car while you were on your way to work?  Keep the bikes on the sidewalks and the cars in the street. 

PAT conference

However, regarding the future of bike riding in the tri-city area, in March the PAT hosted a conference open to the public considering all options and possibilities of requiring bike lanes in all future construction or reconstruction projects. The conference included speeches and discussions regarding the financial aspects of placing the bike lanes, as well as potential repercussions in doing so and whether or not it should happen at all. 
     As of now there are no outstanding policies or decisions based on the conference or any other such subsequent events regarding bike lanes on the streets or bicyclists on the sidewalk and Arizona state law still stands unchanged.
     However there are certain ways to go about trying to protect oneself and assist in the preservation of others. If you are either a bicyclist or a motorist. For instance, at the PAT office located at 309 east Gurley Street you can go and pick up a pamphlet containing the state laws regarding proper vehicle behavior on the road as well as the laws governing the actions of all bicyclists in Arizona. The PAT is also working to schedule education programs and activities for both motorists and bicyclists to help inform the community about transportation safety. 
     For more information regarding safety on the streets, Arizona law or any question regarding upcoming events for the education of pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists call (928) 708-0911.

It’s due less to any sort of deficiency or incapability of mine to focus or pay attention than it is just a relentless compulsion to be elsewhere. Anywhere that I wouldn’t be bound by duty or obligation.

Most would think of such a place as lacking physical substance and only a pleasure to be found in one’s head or the hands of the wealthy, but I call that place my apartment.

Now I’m not wealthy by any means or measure. I make just enough to manage rent and Top Ramen twice a month (I buy in bulk). Yes, I have goals and dreams, ambitions of my own to follow and I’ll get there eventually.

Unfortunately the way the system is set up it seems that with enough work and diligent labor everybody will get there… eventually, but I would prefer to get there before I am too old to have fun with it.

The finish line

I think that’s my main problem. The finish line seems so far away that the baby steps I have to take to get there don’t seem to ever really add up and a lot of them don’t seem to make sense at all. But that’s why I like my apartment.

Is it great? No. Is it good looking? No. Is it warm? Only in the summer, but I can do what I want in it. What I do in my apartment is nothing that I don’t want to do. For some people, they have to be doing something all the time, even if they’re just thinking about what they want or could be doing. I find incredible enjoyment in doing absolutely nothing.

Absolutely nothing

I like to take long showers and waste water. I like to stare at books on the shelf thinking “that would be a good one to re… nah I’ll do it later.” I like to sit in front of computer screens staring blankly and thinking of… really nothing.

“I enjoy getting up at the crack of noon to eat Twinkies and chocolate milk.”

I suppose it’s probably unhealthy and it would be better for me both physically and mentally if I actually came up with a regimented game plan and stuck to it. But why? I mean, that’s a lot of work. Besides I enjoy getting up at the crack of noon to eat Twinkies and chocolate milk. I like ordering eggs and bacon in restaurants at 9 p.m., (but only if my roommate’s buying because like I said before I can’t afford it) and why not! We’re American! If we want breakfast for dinner than we should have it!

I do what’s expected of me at work while I’m clocked in. I sometimes do what’s expected of me at the college when I’m there and so I lay on my couch and watch Oprah when I’m home.

Getting acquainted with my couch

Unfortunately I’m not home very often but with summer break around the corner my couch and I are going to be getting better acquainted, along with my television and my grill.

I have hobbies. I’m not personally too interested in sports, I mean I just got done explaining how I like to lay around all day, but I like to pal around with friends, you know, collect stamps, eat, I love eating, I love finding television channels in different languages and over dubbing them myself; it comes out like a bad episode of Friends.

I don’t have to

But that’s the beauty of it. I can do that and I enjoy doing it, and most importantly I don’t have to do it. I don’t get graded on it, I don’t get paid to do it and I don’t have to have it done on time and it’s probably because of things like that, that I find myself in the hole a lot.

Wasting time is my favorite pass time and it is an abuse of my time and power to do so and in that I tend to lose sight of the finish line. So baby steps or no, everything adds up, so call in sick to work on occasion, go to class, you’ll get there.

Eventually.

It is quiet and sunny.  I’ve been passing huge clusters of Aster and Paintbrush, heavy with purple and red blooms.  The Ponderosas and sandstone cliffs tower above me, and I am, finally, feeling small in the grand scheme of things.  Losing a bit of my own self-importance is the reason I’ve come.  It helps me put life in perspective.

Straight ahead is a narrow slot canyon, for which I must be literally small, if I’m going to successfully wedge myself into and through it.  I do.  In a rebirth kind of way, I pop out the other side.

And there it is.

Some tool named Dean has carved an upside-down cross and the words, “Dean Was Here,” into the cliff face.  The message is a good two feet high and at least two inches deep.  Dean had obviously hiked this same remote route, viewed the same grandeur and was then inspired to spend the next 10 hours carving his name into the landscape.  I disliked him instantly.  

I fully understand Dean’s desire to leave his mark on this planet.

Don’t get me wrong; I fully understand Dean’s desire to leave his mark on this planet.  I, too, have felt the compulsion to get busy  and get some sort of legacy going, some tangible sort of proof that I existed and mattered.  It is human, I believe, to want to defy mortality in some way.

I would, however, like to offer a couple suggestions for less tool-like ways to accomplish this end.

Less tool-like options

Dean (whom I’ve appointed spokesperson and amalgam for all those like him) might consider making some sort of contribution in the arts or sciences.  It will require study and vision and practice, unlike defacing a national treasure, but thousands of deceased writers and painters and composers and scientists are still with us, in very real and meaningful ways.  And will continue to remain so. 

Perhaps Dean could procreate and raise truly decent and self-actualized children, who enrich the lives of others.  He could simply be a good husband or partner, a good neighbor and friend.  He could put in an honest day’s labor, each and every day of his working life and contribute to the healthy functioning of a society which needs us all.

He could love well and often.  He could be a beacon of tolerance and kindness.  He could pass on a recipe for some really good chocolate cake.  

There are a thousand ways to leave a lasting imprint and nearly all the best ways involve less “self” and more complexity than carving one’s name in sandstone.

Be the anti-Dean

The Deans of this world can decide, today, to be the ones who pick up the Budweiser cans and WalMart bags, rather than being the ones who leave them behind.  They can decide to be the ones who pour the sidewalks, rather than the ones who press their palms in the fresh cement.  Instead of picking up cans of spray paint and tagging the local community center, they can choose to be the ones who volunteer inside.  

The loudest way for Dean to proclaim, “I Was Here,” may be to just sit quietly, on the other side of a beautiful slot canyon and take inventory of the number of people he’s made smile today.  And then he can vow to increase that number tomorrow, by at least one.

With 6,990 signatures as of Feb. 23, 2009, on an online petition aimed at halting the US Fish and Wildlife service from promoting the continued fishing, or “sea kitten hunting” as it were, that has apparently plagued this country for decades, it sure seems that the organization is spreading the word rather effectively.   

Equipped with links to further information, a petition and a build your own sea kitten page, PETA has also given the general public a little online story book, complete with graphic illustrations of all sorts of unique and twisted forms of execution and inhumane torture of fish, in an effort to try to prove a point.

The only point that I have taken from it all is that fish are good… good for you… so good in fact that I think I’m going to eat twice as much as I ever have before from now on. 

You can do that?

It just strikes me as funny. The audacity of a group of people to take a matter so far as to change the name of a thing is astounding.  And all in the righteous pursuit of preservation.        

Well with some six billion people on the planet and countless numbers of creatures, preservation doesn’t top my priority chart.       

Now, I am not saying that conservation isn’t cool, or that actively pursuing support and help for a needy cause isn’t necessary or just. I simply think that portraying the death of an animal and featuring far-fetched and reprehensible consequences in such a dramatized fashion is a little much.  Especially when I can turn right around and, using their own program, dress up my own digital pet sea kitten as anything from a Chinese kung fu master to a Hell’s Angel… 

It’s fun. You should try it sometime.

But perhaps they do have an interesting point lying hidden underneath it all. 

“The audacity of a group of people to take a matter so far as to change the name of a thing is astounding.”

The fishing industry

It’s no big secret that the world’s fishing industry isn’t doing so well.  Most fishing boats aren’t allowed out for work during most of the year, leaving only a few months out to sea at best.

So with the aid of government established individual fishing quotas (ITQs), we now just have a lot of out-of-work fishermen.  

While the ITQs do help to conserve fish populations, they also cause other problems with human lifestyles.  

Because ITQs are really like property rights and are non-relinquishable, it’s kind of like the ITQ holder owns those fish.  ITQs can be bought and sold or passed down through generations. This makes it pretty hard for non-holders to either get to work at all, or to break into the business for the first time.

Catch shares

Some people argue that catch shares are the better way to go.  The difference is that catch shares are kind of like renting space, while ITQ’s are like owning a place.  Either way they are both designed to assist in the continued health and preservation of the aquatic species.  Which is kind of the whole idea behind organizations such as, ummm, the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

According to its website fws.gov, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has over 70 national fish hatcheries around the country for restocking and repopulation purposes.

Paired with their endangered species program, the US Fish and Wildlife Service seems to put a lot of effort into what they do.  A far as promoting “Sea Kitten Hunting,” well yeah I guess they do, but there are limits to that and if one creature is allowed to over populate others are going to be overrun; that’s nature. 

Besides, protein is good for you.

Even just the cost has gone up. Most tickets cost many times more than they used to, thanks in part to added fees outside airline control like the “September 11 Security Fee” (which must go towards funding the occasionally ridiculous heightened security measures).

And for citizens of other countries wanting to stay in America for longer than 90 days, there’s the lengthy and costly process of acquiring a Visa. It can cost hundreds of dollars for things like setting up an interview and submitting an application and that’s before they’re even guaranteed entry.

Rolling up the welcome mat

If they want to study or work in America it’s even harder and there’s really no way to know for sure how long it will take so plans must be made well in advance. Before one can even apply for a student Visa he’ll need papers from the school he’ll be attending and only certain schools are authorized to give them. That makes it difficult for foreigners to study in America at any level below college unless they get a Visa through an exchange program (which costs even more money).

Jumping through the hoops

Arriving in the country is probably the easiest part of the process, but that’s not to say there aren’t a lot of steps to get from the airplane to the exit.  There’s the form with seemingly pointless questions like “Have you ever been involved in any terrorist activities?” (who puts “yes”?), or the process of getting all five fingers individually scanned.

Then there’s the heightened security. While much of it is probably necessary (and that Security Fee needs to be spent on something), there are plenty of times when it just seems ridiculous.

Getting searched

I traveled to France for Christmas and while traveling back, I was lucky enough to get my bag selected to be searched in the London Heathrow airport.

Like everyone else, I stood waiting for my backpack to come out of the x-ray after walking through the metal detector. Unfortunately for me, it veered off the main conveyor belt onto another and stopped where I couldn’t get it.

“He then waved a detector over every item before taking the empty bag to scan, all the time oblivious and/or uncaring of the fact that I might be in an airport because I actually had a plane to catch.”

Then it just sat there for a while, with me left wondering why my bag was chosen and why, if they were going to search it, they had to keep me waiting while my plane approached.

Eventually a man took it and while I observed, unpacked it all, one piece at a time. He then waved a detector over every item before taking the empty bag to scan, all the time oblivious and/or uncaring of the fact that I might be in an airport because I actually had a plane to catch.

When he was done I got my bag back, which he was kind enough to let me repack myself.

I finally arrived at my gate as boarding was just beginning, satisfied with the knowledge that the airport security was doing everything they could to stop potential terrorists like me.

I never really found out what was so special about my bag, since I had nothing that seemed threatening whatsoever – but I guess I can be comforted by the thought that he didn’t really know either,  since he seemed surprised and a bit confused to find nothing of any interest in my bag.

Much ado about nothing

There are numerous examples of how the increased security can get in the way of smooth traveling without really preventing anything.

Plenty of security measures are definitely necessary, but the fact is, there are a lot of things that could be changed about the current system. Security could certainly be streamlined and improved, ideally being less intrusive and time consuming but still effective.

We can’t just let anyone into the country without any sort of system.

However, the current system for foreigners to visit, study or work in, or move to, America could definitely be improved.

There are plenty of people from other countries who mean well and could contribute a lot, or just want to live with friends or family. Because they don’t want to jump through so many hoops or can’t get a Visa in a timely manner, they may never get to see any of the great things America has to offer.

The bureaucracy of the current immigration system only hinders international unity and encourages illegal immigration.

Finding a balance

A balance needs to be found so that applicants are filtered conveniently and quickly without unnecessary hassles that only deter well meaning visitors, while the integrity of our country and our citizens is still kept intact.

From senators and government officials to Jack Thompson (the lawyer infamous for his vendetta against violence in games) to the ratings boards themselves, there is always more than enough blame being sent around.

However, it seems that among the many groups that should be preventing children from accessing content meant for older and more mature audiences, there is one that is continually forgotten and therefore left off the hook.

The Parents.

They are the one group in the best position to protect children from content that they shouldn’t be seeing and they are in a much better position to make an accurate decision about what content is appropriate than any ratings system, no matter how advanced.

The shortcomings

Rating systems only take into account age. While that is one of the only easily verifiable and simple ways to determine what is appropriate, age only matters so much.

The ratings systems cannot take into account personality, how much violence someone can take and most importantly, how impressionable they are.

The ratings systems cannot take into account personality, how much violence someone can take and most importantly, how impressionable they are.  It’s not like a magical transformation happens every time you grow a year older.

While you do mature and it definitely changes you, it is not clear cut year by year. There are some 17-year-olds who are actually affected by certain games and movies more than most and there are others who have dealt with more in their lives already than most of us ever will. If the parents are doing their job, they should be able to make the distinctions that the ratings systems lack.

Media violence

One of the big controversies is with how the media, especially video games, influences teenagers to be violent. However, most people aren’t even affected very much by violence in the media. Most people aren’t completely indifferent either, but it’s the people who are already troubled and already have problems in their lives that will really be affected by the media they consume. Once again, only the parents can know what their child or teenager can handle.

The vast majority of people are not going to be affected by the games they play, the movies they watch, the music they listen to and the books they read. The select few that are aversely affected always have something else going on; even the worst games can only bring out what’s already wrong with someone, not create it. Even then this is incredibly rare.

Knowing your child

Now, I’m not saying parents should closely regulate everything relating to the media, like the amount of time; that’s a completely different argument. I’m just saying that if the parents know their kids and know what content they can handle and how it will affect them, they can make important distinctions the rating system is simply incapable of. The ratings system is meant to be a guide and the parents are the ones that need to decide how accurate it is for their children.

And I’m definitely not saying everyone else should get an automatic pass for the deficiencies and mistakes surrounding media ratings while all the blame is placed on the parents.

Each element from the media providers to the organizations to the consumers has its place. It’s usually not one single factor that leads to problems. The ESRB or MPAA can make mistakes or game developers and movie producers can go too far with what is really necessary. There are plenty of reasons why “inappropriate” content gets into the wrong hands.

Each has its place

While it seems that these groups are consistently being attacked and attacking each other, I find it curious that the parents are rarely brought into the equation, despite the fact that they are the ones that should have the biggest influence.

I just think that everyone who isn’t doing their job should be held under equal scrutiny and hopefully that will lead to them accepting their responsibilities instead of merely pawning their deficiencies in judgment off to others.

The story of Mr. Clause and his entourage is known far and wide and practiced by millions.  Children the world ‘round lay in wait and pray for that fateful night all year long, I know I did; for the most part it is harmless fun.

Seriously, the audacity of one man to say he can fly around the world with magic reindeer and fulfill the wishes and dreams of all the little children in the world is outstanding.  I personally believe that Santa deserves his own beer commercial.

I personally believe that Santa deserves his own beer commercial.

Unfortunately today even kids that are on Santa’s naughty list get rewarded, even after he’s checked it twice.  

Materialism rots this world. We buy when we get depressed, we buy for parties, we buy for friends, family, neighbors, kids and just because we can.

This leaves thousands of people in debt all the time and in the long run most of it won’t be used more than a couple of times, if at all.  The real disheartening point in this becomes evident when the history behind such a celebration is viewed.   

The history

In the fourth century, Jesus’ birthday, stated as Dec. 25, was declared a holiday by church officials in a political act to convert Pagans to Christianity.  

In Scandinavian the Norse would begin celebrating the Winter Solstice on Dec. 21 and would continue for around 12 days. 

In this case, as for other cultures, winter was a perfect time for celebration as most of the cattle would be butchered and the beer finally fermented and ready to drink.  For many this was the only time of the year they had fresh meat available.  

Gifts and the tale of Santa Clause first came to be with St. Nicholas.  

Saint Nicholas

Born in the third century in what is now Turkey, Nicholas was a priest and eventually a Bishop.  He was of wealthy descent and was therefore able to go around and aid people however he saw fit.  

With Nicholas’ charity and standing in the church, he easily became Father Christmas to the people.  

Nicholas’ transformation into Santa Clause took time and travel through several cultures before finally reaching his current embodiment as Santa Clause.  

Christmas wasn’t even truly accepted in America until the nineteenth century when it was declared a national holiday in 1870.  

And finally, Santa

The image of Santa truly came to life, however, in the 1890’s when the Salvation Army required financial aid to supply their free Christmas dinners.  They began dressing up the unemployed as  Santas to raise funds for the organization.  

That one act alone truly embodies the Christmas spirit.  Today most children seem to lose sight of that.  An old, tired and cliché argument I know, but it’s true.  

In today’s world most people are just happy to be employed and rightly so with the unemployment rate skyrocketing; Arizona’s alone standing at 5.9 percent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s web site, bls.gov. 

Responsibility

Perhaps this goes back to teaching children a sense of responsibility. With increasing urbanization, “how to” parenting and child raising books and a plummeting education system, maybe kids just fall short of grasping the idea that life involves more than themselves and everything that you do affects others somewhere.  

Is there such a thing as a chore anymore?

I know that I was involved in carrying out chores as soon as I was old enough. Is there such a thing as a chore anymore?  

But why do we as a people entertain the need to tell little lies to our children?  Doesn’t that go against every goal and trait that we try to instill in them their whole lives?  

Perhaps it’s simply because Santa is one of the last truly magical and happy experiences left in the world.

Regardless of the cause, Christmas remains an important holiday and time of year for celebration as well as reflection.

Why is this? Has the media created it? Surely not; with so many images in the media of people who are fit and healthy. Is it just a general human laziness that gives us a lack of motivation to do anything that is good for us?

One of my favorite podcasts, The Satellite Sisters, brought my attention to this issue. The show is hosted by five real sisters who talk about anything and everything. It is a total estrogen party, but I love it. One of the sisters was talking about several decisions she had made to live more healthfully and the others were less than enthusiastic. They laughed at her decisions and seemed to play it off as their sister being too paranoid.

Things that had to go

The things she gave up will really lead to her being much healthier. She gave up regular deodorant because of the aluminum it contains, which has been shown to be a contributor to Alzheimer’s disease and can lead to heavy metal poisoning.

“Heavy metal poisoning is the toxic accumulation of heavy metals in the soft tissues of the body,” according to the website Health A to Z. “Patients may complain of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, headache, sweating and a metallic taste in the mouth. Depending on the metal, there may be blue-black lines in the gum tissues. In severe cases, patients exhibit obvious impairment of cognitive, motor, and language skills.”

Giving up deodorant doesn’t mean stinking all the time. It can take a while to find alternatives that work, but they’re out there. And it certainly seems worth the extra effort to take away the risk of heavy metal poissioning and Alzheimer’s disease.

It certainly seems worth the extra effort to take away the risk of heavy metal poissioning and Alzheimer’s disease.

She also gave up chemical sunscreen because of the negative effects associated with it.
According to Sunscreen Summary; What Works and What’s Safe, an article found at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com, “…some sunscreen ingredients absorb into the blood and some are linked to toxic effects. Some release skin-damaging free radicals in sunlight, some could disrupt hormone systems, several are strongly linked to allergic reactions and others may build up in the body or the environment.” Sounds like a good thing to give up to me, especially when there are mineral based alternatives.

And finally she gave up the use of her microwave oven. People are fascinated when I tell them I don’t use a microwave oven. Does anyone remember the stove? Just stick it in a pan and heat it up. It’s well worth the small amount of extra effort and energy when one considers the possible side effects of using a microwave oven.

According to www.createyourhealthyhome.com, microwaved food ingested by humans can cause digestive problems; it can hinder the lymph which helps to clear toxins out of the body, lead to a higher number of cancerous cells and increase free-radicals which are the cause for aging and many diseases. The list goes on and on and those are just the highlights. I didn’t even mention what microwaves do to the food nutritionally. Check out the website if you want to learn more.

A win-win situation

These are important things that at least need to be considered. When people make the decision to eliminate such things from their lives, they should be commended, not scoffed.

So why is it that healthy choices aren’t celebrated? When people hear about someone making decisions to better his life, is it they feel bad about themselves and so react in an unappreciative manner?

I suppose I could understand if that were the case. I’ve done similar things; I’m sure we all have.

What we should do is appreciate, support and be inspired by others. We should be thinking win-win.
Let’s help each other to be healthier in all ways. Do things that promote a fulfilling life. Recently I started hiking several times a week with a girlfriend. I get a different response when I tell people about my girl-time hikes. They are supportive, but they say things like, “I wish I could do that.” This shouldn’t be the response I get. Why aren’t we taking responsibility for ourselves?

Don’t wait

If you want something go get it! Don’t wait around for things to happen to you, make them happen. The only way your life will change is by taking responsibility for yourself and creating the life you want to have.

I have been whining about not having a flat stomach forever. I knew that just talking about it wasn’t doing any good, so I finally started doing crunches and my stomach is increasingly flatter.
If you want to be a healthy, happier person, then do it. Figure out what you want, make it happen. Let the people who don’t support your decisions to better yourself be damned.

We seem to be unsatisfied with anything less than about 250 TV channels. A jaunt down the pain reliever aisle of any drug store is testament to our apparent need to choose even our cough syrups from a dizzying array of options. We are, sadly, a culture of people who now even choose our mates from a shopping list of online portraits and profiles.

We like to choose. And we do – about 100 times each day. Brown slacks or black? Gurley or Sheldon? Paper or plastic? Grande or Venti? We clammer to the Great Pepsi Challenge table at the mall. In fact, when we’re denied choices, we rise up and demand them. Fat cat airlines get deregulated. Phone service monopolies are toppled. McDonalds starts offering salads.

Every couple of years, however, in November, we are asked to make perhaps the most important choice of all; we’re asked to step up and choose a political candidate to represent us aptly and fairly in our most sacred foreign and domestic concerns.

Yet, in a good year, barely half of those who are eligible actually take the time to vote. Half.

Higher Voter Turnout

According to FairVote.com, the 2004 presidential election saw the highest voter turnout since 1968, at a whopping 61 percent. Only six out of every ten eligible voters in America bothered to vote and the news media celebrated our impressive participation.

Sixty-one percent is, admittedly, better than the average turnout, which the United States Elections Project says fluctuates between 49-52 percent in presidential elections and about 30 percent in midterm elections.

But even in a banner year, there are still 40 people out of every 100 who are old enough, able enough and eligible enough to vote, but who choose, instead, to say “whatever” and leave it to others.

How can this be? We love to vote. We vote people off remote islands and out of MTV beach houses.

What are people really voting for?

We vote for last comics and people who think they can dance. We vote for what color the next M&M should be and for which singer we think does the least painful version of a Whitney Houston song.

We vote for everything, it seems, except for the person we want to lead the richest nation in the free world.

In fact, 97.5 million votes were cast in the most recent American Idol finale, according to Portfolio magazine. That’s over 35 million more votes than were cast in the pivotal election between Gore and Bush in 2004. And remember, that was the best voter turnout America had seen in decades.

Sure, Idol voters are allowed multiple votes (up to 10) and they get to vote via cell phone. Is that what it’s going to take? Allowing preteens and the easily amused access to text voting? How about a free ring tone with a vote for Obama? Or a free download of the latest Christina Aguilera single with a vote for McCain?

Idol vote as valued as the democratic vote

According to a Fox News poll, 35 percent of the folks (idiots?) polled said their Idol vote was as important as their presidential vote. (Insert a stern look of disappointment and disdain here).

As a people, we seem to care more about pop culture than Presidents. More about cable TV than Congressmen. It is perplexing and more than a little pathetic.

Not taking a vested interest in the political process comes with many excuses. “A single vote doesn’t count.” “The popular vote should weigh more heavily than the Electoral College.” “Both of the candidates are losers.” “Voting lines are too long.”

All of these excuses may hold some truth. But the bottom line remains the same. You have to care enough to pierce your own laziness or indifference or egocentrism.

It shouldn’t take ridiculous initiatives, like the one in 2006, which attempted to use lottery money to bribe people to vote. It shouldn’t take rock stars and movie starlets running Get Out the Vote or Rock the Vote campaigns in an effort to sex up the political process. It shouldn’t have to be compulsory, like it is in Australia.

The importance of voting

The truth is, voting isn’t sexy. It won’t get you a million dollars. What it will give you, if you give it half a chance, is a sense of satisfaction – a sense of being part of something meaningful. At the very least, a sense of smugness for cancelling out one vote from the “other” party.

Even casting a vote for a lackluster candidate carries more conviction than apathy. On Nov. 4, when you walk out of the polling place with your “I Voted” sticker, or when you place your early ballot in the mailbox, you can walk tall and feel proud that you are an American citizen who values himself enough to be heard.