Category: Health

WEATHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT

This is not an article on what you think it is about. Do you think it’s going to be about climate change? Then it might be an article about what you think it’s about, but just partially. It’s going to focus on my uneducated opinion on how to fix it, which has nothing to do with Thanos and him snapping his fingers, mainly because he isn’t real, but on how to slow the degradation of our atmosphere. I’ve been right about a lot of stuff, 2+2 is 4, but I have also been wrong about a lot of stuff, Ostrich farms in Alaska are not a good idea. My opinion on how to fix this problem is to hasten the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, alright I stole that idea from other people, but it isn’t going to electric power or promoting EV’s, who still have to get most of their power from carbon emitting sources, but to hasten the employment of hydrogen fuel cells and to make power plants that run on this abundant material. There are several reasons why I, the guy that got stuck in a turnstile, believes that this might be the solution.

The first and probably the most important reason is because the only emission from Hydrogen fuel cells is water, not sure if it’s spring, tap, or maybe sparkling? or even if it’s drinkable, but it isn’t climate harming and I’m pretty sure it won’t kill the vegetation. We’re in a time where I read story after story about how lakes no longer exist or how they finally found Jimmy Hoffa after one disappeared or that’s where my car was (at the bottom of a former lake) and maybe pretty soon we will be able to walk on the Titanic instead of dying in submersible subs that some guy bought from the Colombian cartels at a discounted price. While hydrogen, itself, is climate harming, when used in fuel cells and properly administered, it is completely harmless…. according to ChatGPT. Okay, not only ChatGPT, but also the same scientists that are warning us about climate change and that, prior to that, said smoking wasn’t harmful…. Hmmm… so they’re not perfect either, but as the world breaks heat records year after year and the duration of those heat waves last longer and longer, I think something should be done. Here are the benefits of Hydrogen:

  • Clean energy: Hydrogen is a clean and flexible energy source that supports zero-carbon energy strategies
  • Reduced emissions: Hydrogen can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, CO2, particulates, and NOx emissions
  • Renewable energy: Hydrogen is a renewable energy source that’s abundant in nature
  • Highly efficient: Hydrogen is more powerful and energy efficient than fossil fuels
  • Safe and non-toxic: Hydrogen produces water as a byproduct, making it a safe and non-toxic fuel
  • Can be used in mobile applications: Hydrogen can be used to power vehicles and mobile power packs
  • Can be used as a heat source: Hydrogen can be used as a heat source
  • Can be used in space vehicles: Hydrogen is an ideal source of energy for space vehicles

While these positives look great, there are some negatives… but none that should really stop the advancement of Hydrogen as a main source of power. I mean I heard something about how it can ignite or explode, but what can’t. Put anything in a microwave and it will explode, except an ice cube. So, hydrogen is highly flammable and explosive, huh… That doesn’t sound to great Well, nothing comes for free. We’ll have a better climate and will lose half the population in hydrogen mishaps until we can get the formula right… See, we don’t need Thanos. Obviously, there will be safe guards in place and the infrastructure that controls natural gas, which is, guess what…. highly explosive and flammable, should provide the necessary guidance and solutions on how to make sure we don’t go boom. Also, Hydrogen is inherently safer than conventional fossil fuels. All advancements come with there trial period where people blow up… Space travel… Nuclear weapons… COVID immunization… We’ll eventually get it right and we’ll save the planet from complete annihilation at the same time. Also, with the advancements of procuring this abundant resource that is not free flowing, as it attaches to any molecule it sees, much like Harvey Weinstein and any lady part, and must be physically separated, again, like Harvey Weinstein, by means of green resources are quickly growing. Lets be real here…. What are our options?

I seriously don’t want to leave my kid a dehydrated planet.

ABORTION GETS A KICK IN THE STOMACH

With abortion seemingly on 9 of a 10 count, people have taken the streets to try and save the Roe v. Wade decision. The conservative court put on its fight gear and is getting ready to take on the protestors, not to mention putting up fences around the building, which, nowadays, seems like a recurring occurrence. Right????, now do those fences designate a land border and can we be deported to crazy America from normal America if we are caught inside those fences. Reminds me of the movie Escape from New York, where they fenced off NYC and people that committed crimes were deported to NYC America from Normal America. While this is all very exciting, I’m old and like the law, in terms of legalities and illegalities, it does beckon another question, are they saying abortions are illegal or are they saying that States can ban the medical procedure, because abortions, by all intent and purpose, is just a medical procedure. Do the States have the right to ban a medical procedure? And does that mean my State can ban treatments or medical procedures for, lets say, incurable diseases or maladies that would be too expensive and put that money into helping the poor, building infrastructure, bettering schools and or maybe making roller coasters all the while forcing people with these diseases and maladies to go to other states to get help and relieving my state of money that would be spent on helping the final moments of the citizens that helped their state to become a better place. Is that right? Can States say which medical procedures are legal and which are illegal without it being a national ban?

Now, I’m not taking sides on the legality of abortion, I’m wondering if the different States can, that’s all. I don’t know that allowing the different States to make decisions on what can be considered a legal medical procedure and what can’t is a smart idea. If one State allows abortions then all states should, unless abortions are deemed illegal across the board, which is where this could be heading. While that is a loss for one political side, ultimately, it will be their biggest win, that’s just my prediction. My only concern is this two Americas scenario that keeps popping up, which seems to putting a strain on the unity of this country… man, where are those damn Martians when you need them, is becoming violent with protests and insurrections instead of just waiting for the day to vote and casting your ballot, like it should be. This country, I guess a lot like a lot of other countries, seems to be in constant conflict because they fear that they might just be happy if they weren’t and who wants that. It would be nice if it just was over a sports team because politics is extremely divisive, but you can’t always get what you want.

In my opinion, abortions will eventually be codified into law, because most people are in favor of it. Abortions are more of a moral question, especially with the older crowd, I’m not calling the Justices old, then a legal one, that’s why I’m surprised by the supposed decision. Small victories can lead to big losses. Again, I can be wrong. Nevertheless, I don’t think it’s a reason to picket, riot or protest (not their homes, by all means run amok outside the Court), but if you feel that strongly about it, it’s a great reason to vote. Here’s an interesting stastitc:

Demographics of abortion

A 2014 survey of 8,380 U.S. women who had abortions shows how their characteristics compare to the general population of U.S. women ages 15 to 44.

Age group

Under 20 – 11.9%

20 to 24 – 33.6%

25 to 29 – 26.5%

30 to 34 – 15.9%

35 to 39 – 9.1%

40 or older – 3.1%

Race/ethnicity

White – 38.7%

Black – 27.6%

Hispanic – 24.8%

Asian/Pacific Islander – 5.5%

Other – 3.4%

Educational attainment

No high school diploma – 8.9%

High school graduate/GED – 27.0%

Some college/associate degree – 40.9%

College graduate – 23.1%

Number of prior births

0 – 40.7%

1 – 26.2%

2 or more – 33.1%

Religious affiliation

Mainline Protestant – 17.2%

Evangelical Protestant – 12.8%

Roman Catholic – 23.7%

Other – 8.2%

None – 38.0%

In other sidebar news… it’s sort of a pun…. Does anyone else believe that the leak could of came from anywhere, either side for varying reasons. I’m going with it was done on purpose with all in agreement to gauge public reaction. It could be…. you never know.

I DON’T UNDERSTAND

This is straight from the smart person, Google, where she/he tells me that….. “On Jan. 20, the nation’s largest insurer, UnitedHealth Group, reported its full-year 2020 profit of $15.4 billion, including $2.2 billion in profits for the fourth quarter, $3.2 billion in the third quarter and $6.6 billion in the second quarter.” And that’s profit alone during a pandemic. If we were to go to a government run health care system, like in most countries with way better health care, the government would not only have money for health care, it would have money for Social Security and it wouldn’t need to raise debt ceiling limits every four years and it would be cheaper for people because all the money gets pooled into one account instead of it being spread out to, how may companies, Google can you help me out….. ” In the United States, there are currently more than 900 health insurance companies that offer medical coverage.”…. Thanks Google…. That’s probably over 100 billion in profit alone every year. Better coverage, cheaper prices, better health care, save Social Security, maybe lower the over 20 trillion in debt that we owe? maybe…maybe not.

MORE ABOUT ABORTION

The fight for abortion rights is under way and it looks like it will decide future political outcomes. What I don’t understand is why this is an issue in the first place. The Governors of these States that want to abolish abortion have a rationale that doesn’t make sense to me. They are saying that they can force a woman to be a mother but some of these women don’t want to be a mother. So can they force a man to be a dad? I know they can force them to pay child support but that’s not really being a dad, is it. The majority of the reasons for wanting an abortion are, as listed by the National Institute of Health are:

  1. Three-quarters said that having a baby would interfere with work, school or other responsibilities;
  2. two-thirds said they could not afford to have a child;
  3. half said they did not want to be a single parent;
  4. and they were not mature enough to raise a child.

Let’s all assume that proper measures were taken to prevent pregnancy, my son was born even though contraceptives were being used but I was older, making good money, and I actually loved the woman that I would marry while she was (just in case you didn’t know who was the pregnant one) 8 months pregnant, but that’s not always the case. Telling a woman that she has to have a child in a place where there is still no medical insurance for everyone, their child could end up like George Floyd or Dulce Alavez, to be born into poverty, to be born into a community where the school system more resembles a day care and not an educational institute, where systematic racism (pretty much the same as systemic but a little less intentional and more ingrained in how the system works) still exists, is wrong. Why don’t we fix these problems that I listed before we force people to do something that they find morally objectionable, bringing a child into a place that doesn’t care about them but only cares about telling people what to do. Sometimes forcing people to have a child is more like feeding a prison system than it is complimenting humanity. These women know what’s best for them and what they are and aren’t capable of doing and handling and sometimes, at that point in their lives, being a mother isn’t one of them.

As I write this I know that I won’t change the minds of everyone, I might just change the mind of one person, but if it is the right person, a Supreme Court Justice maybe (here, I tremendously over assert that my blog is note worthy and not something people accidentally click on by accident when looking for recipes on how to remove stains from clothes), then it can have the outcome desired. As for the religious beliefs go in this situation, I urge you to keep those thoughts personal and not let them interfere with legal decisions. Not everyone has religious beliefs and the separation of church and state is important, plus God, who I do believe in, can pretty much handle things on his? her? own without our help, I hear that the omnipotent one is pretty powerful. Unless you are telling me God speaks to you, than that’s a conversation you need to have with mental health care workers or the FBI.

It doesn’t escape me that the people making these decisions are mostly male and well to do and they want to make the decisions about women, most that are struggling to survive financially. I don’t think anyone in the Governor’s Office are missing a meal (at least by the way they look) or lack any medical insurance or worry about affording that private school. Abortion is one of the few cases where someone asserts themselves into someone else’s life but it hasn’t anything to do with them. Most cases you have to show the outcome will affect you for you to have a voice, in this case you don’t even have to know the person to have an opinion on what she can do.

And as far as the people that say that I’m glad that my mother didn’t have an abortion, I bet there are a shit load that wish that Jeffery Epstein’s mother had decided to get one. For that matter any person that sexually assaulted a person that their mother had decided to get one.

GYMNASTS SEEK AND GET SATISFACTION

The U.S female gymnastics team made news this week by testifying in front of congress about the delayed response by the FBI in a sexual assault case that would eventually put the team’s doctor, Larry Nassar, in prison for the rest of his life. The gymnasts, and rightfully so, were aghast and dismayed on why it took a year for the FBI, who have garnered the nickname Female Body Inspectors due to their reputation and the t-shirts that are sold at the Washington National Airport, to respond to their complaints and, according to testimony, how callous some of these agents were to their assertions on the matter. Ooof, that nickname is coming back to haunt them. In 2017, one of the female gymnasts, filed a complaint with the USOC and in 2019 with the FBI. The gymnasts would get relief, that’s how the courts put it, I call it AFT justice, or about fucking time justice, on their matter in 2021 and would get a paid settlement of half a billion dollars in a civil suit that took all of two days to agree on. I fully believe they deserve the payout and much more. I’m extremely congratulatory and supportive of their efforts to hold everyone accountable. BUT, this blarticle ( blog+article = blarticle or blah + article = blarticle, depending how you view my piece of work or shit, again depending on your point of view) is not about them, it’s about the little known people that don’t have their resources.

In an immigration detention center run by DHS, Hispanic women would go in for routine gynecological examinations and walk out without a uterus. Hysterectomies were the cure for everything, from heavy periods to the common cold for these ladies. I wonder what did they do with those uteruses? Were they used as skin grafts for U.S. Citizens? Did the doctor tell them to put lotion on prior to the operation? It puts on the lotion or you will not get medical treatment? These hysterectomies have been happening since the early 2000’s and if it wasn’t for the bravery and courage, which I understand mean the same thing but I think it’s necessary to double on it, of an RN who decided to blow the whistle, these women would have never gotten any relief. That detention center no longer houses women but that doctor, I believe, still practices OB/GYN. You see, while the gymnasts, and I appreciate their effort and it makes it easier for these immigrant women to seek relief in court because it puts a case on the docket that they can point to, were outraged and rightfully so, their are other people that have been seeking relief for a long time. The gymnasts case, of a doctor using his position of power to do horrendous acts, and their effort to bring this situation to light, will help these immigrant women who have filed complaints for quite some time about a doctor using his position of power to do horrendous acts. No offense, but it takes an Aly Raisman to get things done because a Catalina Maria Gonzalez-Rivera would just not have the same resources available to her and will eventually get laughed out of court.

So, what did the DHS do with these uteruses? Did they go full blown Cruella and now are wearing pubic hair fur coats? It puts the lotion on…. Was it a decision to give an abortion prior to pregnancy? It puts on the lotion…. Was it that they didn’t want to sexually assault women so they removed the uterus and now are going to town on it, sick fucking bastards….. Whatever the sick and depraved reason, these immigrant women’s fight for justice began a long time ago with no resolution in sight and they are deemed victims but the U.S. Attorney’s office has yet to put a perpetrator in prison. A victim without a perpetrator, I guess is like a woman without a uterus….. I don’t know how to finish that so let me end it their.

For all those sick motherfuckers that take advantage of the weakest most vulnerable people in our society, rest assured… you’re safe….. because no one seems to give a fuck or they give it, when they detach the uterus from the body and then they discard the evidence, uuuugggghhhhh… just vomited in my mouth.

This blarticle is not a referendum on racism. It’s more an insight how justice is delved out. Aly looks like she could be the daughter of 90% of the people in positions of power or authority so there’s innate instinctual feeling to protect her while Catalina Maria doesn’t, so there’s this separation of emotional attachment or even trust in what she says. It’s not racism, it’s human behavior. The people in those positions can’t help it. There has been very few U.S. Attorney’s that were not… white non hispanic and there has never been a Director of the FBI that wasn’t white non hispanic. I am NOT saying in any way that there is any racial animosity components, I am saying that they are acting instinctually and sometimes that doesn’t bode very well for people of different ethnicities. Even the few African American U.S. Attorney Generals had those same instincts, that perceived attacks were sometimes due to a racial component, and if you are listening, it wasn’t true, it’s just your instincts kicking in.

Gaslighting, not sold at your local hardware store.

gaslitten

Stephanie A. Sarkis Ph.D.

Here, There, and Everywhere

11 Warning Signs of Gaslighting

Gaslighting is a manipulation tactic used to gain power. And it works too well.

Posted Jan 22, 2017

123rf Stock Photo/Standard License
Source: 123rf Stock Photo/Standard License

Gaslighting is a tactic in which a person or entity, in order to gain more power, makes a victim question their reality. It works much better than you may think. Anyone is susceptible to gaslighting, and it is a common technique of abusers, dictators, narcissists, and cult leaders. It is done slowly, so the victim doesn’t realize how much they’ve been brainwashed. For example, in the movie Gaslight (1944), a man manipulates his wife to the point where she thinks she is losing her mind.

People who gaslight typically use the following techniques:

1. They tell blatant lies.

You know it’s an outright lie. Yet they are telling you this lie with a straight face. Why are they so blatant? Because they’re setting up a precedent. Once they tell you a huge lie, you’re not sure if anything they say is true. Keeping you unsteady and off-kilter is the goal.

2. They deny they ever said something, even though you have proof. 

You know they said they would do something; you know you heard it. But they out and out deny it. It makes you start questioning your reality—maybe they never said that thing. And the more they do this, the more you question your reality and start accepting theirs.

3. They use what is near and dear to you as ammunition. 

They know how important your kids are to you, and they know how important your identity is to you. So those may be one of the first things they attack. If you have kids, they tell you that you should not have had those children. They will tell you’d be a worthy person if only you didn’t have a long list of negative traits. They attack the foundation of your being.

4. They wear you down over time.

This is one of the insidious things about gaslighting—it is done gradually, over time. A lie here, a lie there, a snide comment every so often…and then it starts ramping up. Even the brightest, most self-aware people can be sucked into gaslighting—it is that effective. It’s the “frog in the frying pan” analogy: The heat is turned up slowly, so the frog never realizes what’s happening to it.

5. Their actions do not match their words.

When dealing with a person or entity that gaslights, look at what they are doing rather than what they are saying. What they are saying means nothing; it is just talk. What they are doing is the issue.

6. They throw in positive reinforcement to confuse you. 

This person or entity that is cutting you down, telling you that you don’t have value, is now praising you for something you did. This adds an additional sense of uneasiness. You think, “Well maybe they aren’t so bad.” Yes, they are. This is a calculated attempt to keep you off-kilter—and again, to question your reality. Also look at what you were praised for; it is probably something that served the gaslighter.

7. They know confusion weakens people. 

Gaslighters know that people like having a sense of stability and normalcy. Their goal is to uproot this and make you constantly question everything. And humans’ natural tendency is to look to the person or entity that will help you feel more stable—and that happens to be the gaslighter.

8. They project.

They are a drug user or a cheater, yet they are constantly accusing you of that. This is done so often that you start trying to defend yourself, and are distracted from the gaslighter’s own behavior.

9. They try to align people against you.

Gaslighters are masters at manipulating and finding the people they know will stand by them no matter what—and they use these people against you. They will make comments such as, “This person knows that you’re not right,” or “This person knows you’re useless too.” Keep in mind it does not mean that these people actually said these things. A gaslighter is a constant liar. When the gaslighter uses this tactic it makes you feel like you don’t know who to trust or turn to—and that leads you right back to the gaslighter. And that’s exactly what they want: Isolation gives them more control.

StockLite/Shutterstock
Source: StockLite/Shutterstock

10. They tell you or others that you are crazy.

This is one of the most effective tools of the gaslighter, because it’s dismissive. The gaslighter knows if they question your sanity, people will not believe you when you tell them the gaslighter is abusive or out-of-control. It’s a master technique.

11. They tell you everyone else is a liar.

By telling you that everyone else (your family, the media) is a liar, it again makes you question your reality. You’ve never known someone with the audacity to do this, so they must be telling the truth, right? No. It’s a manipulation technique. It makes people turn to the gaslighter for the “correct” information—which isn’t correct information at all.

The more you are aware of these techniques, the quicker you can identify them and avoid falling into the gaslighter’s trap.

PANDEMIC TV

pandemic tv

Pandemic TV, one thing that has gotten a lot of attention during this pandemic is TV. The ratings must be off the chain. I think I might have reached professional TV watcher status. As I explored my options, I noticed that there is one TV opportunity that I didn’t have that was being talked about, The Morning Show on Apple TV. So I decided to try the free one week for Apple TV. When I tried though, the condition was that I had to watch it on my Apple product, i.e. Mac, IPad, etc.. The problem was that I didn’t own one, at least not one that I could remember the password to. So I decided, in my Pandemaboredom, to buy an IPad, there were good deals all over and the deal that caught my eye was; buy an IPad, latest edition, cheaper than they were last year, more powerful and get a year of Apple TV free. I jumped all over the deal and set up my IPad and started to watch my free Apple TV. What I found out is that the Oscars, Grammy’s, Emmy’s, maybe Tony’s might be swept by Apple TV. Huh, I just EGOT, even though I think I put them in the wrong order. Anyway, Apple TV has the best mini series TV I have ever seen. I was thinking of buying a portable potty just so I could binge the shows, then I realized I just could take the  IPad to the bathroom (I didn’t do that, at least not to watch the TV shows). The shows See, Defending Jacob, Truth Be Told, For All Mankind and the movie The Banker, which was amazing, has left me knowing that there is no way that you aren’t left knowing that Apple TV just took entertainment to a new level. Can’t wait for Greyhound to come out and just want to see if they add some kind of Latino ethnic series, something like Showtime has done with City of Angels into the mix. I have a great idea about a Federal Law Enforcement Agent that dates an illegal Colombian woman and tries to keep it secret while doing his job. It’s interesting. LOL, ahhh, life is funny. It’s a comedy.

ABORTION

abortion

With the Supreme Court ruling that a Louisiana law is too burdensome to people seeking abortions, the question of abortion and the death of fetuses has come to the forefront. I have a couple of scenarios and/or questions that I just don’t understand. Do fathers have a say in an abortion and if they don’t why do male judges have a say? If a person hurts a woman that  is pregnant, less than 8 weeks, and creates a miscarriage, is that murder? If a woman that is driving to get an abortion and gets into an accident by a drunk driver and creates a miscarriage, did (s)he commit murder? If it is murder, if my girlfriend or wife drinks or smokes during her pregnancy, which could create harm to the fetus can I get a restraining order or an injunction so she would have to stop? And if she causes that fetus to abort because she accidentally eats something that created a miscarriage is that manslaughter? babyslaughter? fetusslaughter? If you believe in the death penalty, are you allowed not to believe in abortions? And if you believe abortions are legal, are you allowed to believe that the death penalty is illegal? I am sure there are so many more questions but those just a few off the top of my head. I’m pro-choice but would never get an abortion, mainly because I’m not a seahorse, if you get that joke, you’re pretty damn smart.

IN THE DAYS OF A PANDEMIC

pandemic

With the pandemic ravaging our community, every armchair economist has a plan that would be better than what the current plan is. Two trillion dollars seems to have made little progress in reviving the economy nor have the $1200 monthly checks being sent to homes. Some of the funnier ones were to use the money to buy everyone military grade gas masks or to use them for human bubbles. I can see someone on the shore being blown out to sea. Some others made sense. To freeze everything. No payments for anything and use the two trillion to pay grocery stores for food for people, obviously the grocery stores would have to show a receipt and allow shopping once a week with $100 max for a single person and increment by $40 per household member, and use the stimulus to pay utilities, capping how much the utility and cable companies could charge. You freeze mortgage, rent, car and other non essential payments and when this is all over, just restart them. Also freeze firing people or layoffs and freeze non essential businesses, like selling cars or whatever. Just completely halt everything non essential. This would also help with the quarantine and should help with saving money or using the full stimulus package prior to the pandemic being overcome. But that would have to be a plan that would have been in place already. Once this all over, maybe they can put a contingency plan in place, and be ready for SARS 3, the return of the Sith virus.

I will say, that if there was a national medical insurance, Bernie Sanders love baby, that card could be used as a debit card when buying groceries for the above mentioned solution. It would act as an “in case of national emergency” card. I know that the conspiracy theorists and these minute militia crazies would say it would be a way for the government to keep track of you and I would tell them that Darth Vader told me that the Guardians of the Galaxy wouldn’t allow it or Cinderella would get pissed off and beat up Snow White and take the dwarf’s AR-15’s while the tooth fairy takes all the teeth, not just the one under the pillow, in France. So we’re good.

Since the latest news that a re-emergence of the coronavirus may hit this winter, you would think that it is imperative to get a functional plan put in place to combat the health and economic outfall from its encore. The ability to suspend, or suspended animation, the country to withstand any potential pernicious outcome would seem the rational thought, yet no one has mentioned it. It would seem to be the smart thing to do is mediate any long term effects by just freezing everything. Only allow the necessary daily functions and make sure that no one loses a dime during the process, this is vital because when the country re-opens, their cabin fever will most likely have them go out and spend, and they have to money to spend, which would reboot the economy. The smart thing for the government to do for future pandemics is to have a fund set in place, in an account that garners interest on that money, so when a pandemic hits, they have those funds in reserve, the best place would be in the Social Security Administration, which already has those accounts in place.

DIVORCED W/ CHILDREN

divorce with children

The worst part about a divorce is how it affects the children. The effects can sometimes be minimal but can be seen sometimes in their grades as they start to dip, their behavior as they become more rebellious, their lack of closeness, their lack of caring and their lack of a path forward due to the parents not sharing the same plan or principles on how to guide their child.

Sometimes tough love is what is needed sometimes a lending ear but how would one know what the other is doing or what is needed if you are not there all the time?