Wednesday, August 31, 2005

What next?

The situation in New Orleans is so sad. I've visited N.O. so many times and the city is wonderful but there are so many people who live in and around the city that are so poor I can not imagine how they will recover from this tragedy.

It also disturbs me that so many people have left their pets behind and are now forced to leave their animals. The "reason" is that human life is more valuable and that people need to be saved -- this just does not seem right.

I really want to do so much more for the people of New Orleans -- I can give money but that just doesn't seem to be enough.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Another very HOT day

typical guy, atypical situation -- a solid soul trapped inside of a broken body This blog is amazing. Really made me think -- none of us has any guarantee. Make sure you appreciate everyday of your life and enjoy the smallest things in life!!

Some interesting things I came across:

Architecture for Humanity

Recycline was established, first and foremost, to provide high-quality recycled content & recyclable products to our consumers. We strive to make sure that our products introduce a new function – improving upon what is currently offered in the marketplace.

Gone to the Dogs is a surreal comedy about the trials of canine metamorphosis. When wayward Jack retires to the seaside with his wife Rose, he thinks the end is in sight. But he soon discovers that life isn't a one-way ticket. After a fatal heart attack Jack returns to earth as a stray dog and is unwittingly adopted by Rose. So begins Jack's bizarre journey of self-discovery as he struggles with his new existence and finally learns what a good marriage is all about.

Early Children's Books: The Fox Collection at San Francisco Public Library The San Francisco Public Library holds a unique archive for the study of early children's books, which will interest scholars of printing, parents, artists, writers, or anyone curious about the book arts. It wasn't until the eighteenth century that children began to be treated differently from adults and a special class of literature beyond ABCs was provided for them. I would really like to write children's books! I know nothing is stopping me except I don't think I have the talent.

Book lust

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Update: Dilworth House [August 12, 2005, meeting]

Here is a waste of time, taxpayer’s dollars and for what? To save a piece of property that by all rights should be destroyed. It has no historic relevance; it is ugly and not maintained. It is a pity that some people are wasting their time trying to save this building when so many Philadelphia buildings are under the wrecking ball. Just proves how short sighted most people really are! Save Dilworth Now Save Dilworth Now is a cooperative effort of the Society Hill Civic Association and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. Our purpose is to advocate for the preservation of the historic Dilworth House, located on 6th Street on the eastern side of Washington Square in Center City Philadelphia. Under Philadelphia’s Historic Preservation Ordinance the house is already designated as having “significant” historic value. This is the highest level of legal protection. Nevertheless a real estate developer has recently applied (on May 27, 2005) to the Philadelphia Historical Commission for permission to raze the house to make way for a 15-story luxury condominium tower. Save Dilworth Now is working to preserve the Dilworth House.

On May 27, 2005, owner/developer of the Dilworth House, John and Mary Turchi, filed an application with the Philadelphia Historical Commission to “reclassify” the Dilworth House as a “non-contributing” site in the Society Hill Historic District (the property is presently classified as “significant”). Concurrently, the property owners asked the Commission to review and approve the demolition of the Dilworth House for the purpose of constructing a new condominium tower on the site. The plans for the new construction will be reviewed by the Commission’s Architectural Committee on July 26, 2005. The consideration of the reclassification of the property by the Commission’s Designation Committee will be July 28, 2005 with an expected report to the full Historic Commission at its August 12, 2005, meeting.

Please if you read this consider the buildings that are destroyed everyday in Philadelphia, much of what is torn down and paved over for parking lots has much more historic significance than the Dilworth House! Please think about what these people are wasting their time trying to save and your tax dollars trying to save!

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Women's health issues

Last Thursday I received a call, the radiologist had found a problem with my mammogram and I needed additional scans and possibly an ultra-sound scan. I went yesterday and thank god everything was fine and I have no problem. My best friend who lives near D.C. is not so lucky and she still faces a daily battle dealing with the effects of breast cancer. Please get your annual mammogram and do monthly breast self exam (BSE). If you take the pill start doing self exams I discovered my first benign lump in my 20s when I was taking birth control pills. One out of every 8 women will get breast cancer in the course of a 90-year life span.

What Can Make Your Risk for Breast Cancer Go Down?
Eating a healthy diet, losing extra weight, regular exercise, reducing alcohol use, quitting smoking, and minimizing/eliminating extra estrogen.

What Can Make Your Risk for Breast Cancer Go Up?
Personal or family history of breast cancer, smoking, excessive weight, prolonged estrogen exposure, abnormal breast cell growth, first full-term pregnancy after age 30, never having a full-term pregnancy, heavy alcohol use, early start of menstruation, late menopause.

Another friend was just diagnosed with endometrial cancer . Endometrial cancer is one of the most common cancers in American women. In fact, about 40,000 American women receive a diagnosis of endometrial cancer each year, making it the fourth most common cancer found in women — after breast cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer.

ALCOHOL—IS AN IMPORTANT WOMEN’S HEALTH ISSUE: While it’s true that men are more likely to drink alcohol and more likely to drink greater amounts, women have a higher risk of developing problems from alcohol consumption. When a woman drinks, the alcohol in her bloodstream typically reaches a higher level than a man’s even if both are drinking the same amount. This is because women’s bodies generally have less water than men’s bodies. Because alcohol mixes with body water, a given amount of alcohol is less diluted in a woman’s body than in a man’s. Women become more impaired by alcohol’s effects and are more susceptible to alcohol–related organ damage. That is, women develop damage at lower levels of consumption over a shorter period of time.

And there are significant diferences between men and women when it comes to health. Just the Facts: Differences between the sexes exist and whether a person is male or female matters in the prevalence and severity of a broad range of diseases, disorders, and conditions. It matters at every stage of life - from the very beginning to the very end. It matters at every level - from the single cell to the entire body. Women and Men: 10 differences that make a difference When it comes to health, there are many crucial health differences between men and women. Yet many women do not know that they react differently to some medications, are more vulnerable to some diseases, and may have different symptoms.

And most important please feel good about who you are BODY IMAGE: Are you imagining the wrong body? In general, women seem more dissatisfied with their appearance than men. Women most commonly complain about their thighs, abdomen, breast, and buttocks while men are dissatisfied with their abdomen, upper body, and balding hair. Sometimes, the problem is imaginary, such as the runner who complains about her fat thighs, or the bikini wearer whose stomach is not absolutely flat. Sometimes, the problem is real and ranges from a mild complaint about cellulite to a major preoccupation with "thunder thighs" that results in relentless dieting and exercise akin to punishment.