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Posted by maureen
January 2, 2007 |
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Here is my list of Top Gripes for 2006; some saddened me, some made me angry, some made me cry ”oh no” and some did all three.
Violence on Our Doorsteps
We are all saddened and enraged at the daily accounts about the death of troops in Iraq but we have become numb and desensitizes to the appalling violence in our own cities. It is a sad truth that in my own city of Cincinnati we had 86 homicides in 2006.This was the largest total in more than 55 years of record-keeping. While it doesn‘t come close to the staggering number of 579 in New York, it is a sad reflection on what has become a normal occurrence. It is estimated that 90% of these are drug related and approximately 65% of the homicide victims did not finish high school. Shame on us!
Stomach Surgery
It’s frightening to realize how many people are opting for surgery as a remedy for obesity. Any type of bariatric surgery (gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding, ect) has risks associated with it and ironically requires a strict diet for the rest of their lives. In truth, we should be changing our lifestyle to include the tried and true methods of exercise and a balanced diet. These things work without any of the risks associated with the surgery and with all the added advantages that a healthier lifestyle offer. Our need for a quick fix has clouded our judgment. Let’s try the old fashioned way before slicing and dicing.
Plastic Surgery- Plastic lives
I want a return to growing old gracefully. We hardly recognize some of the pulled and stretch faces we see on TV anymore. We complement someone on how young they look after surgery while ignoring the real signs . Having a youthful outlook on life, being interested in the world around you , staying motivated and looking forward to each new day are the real values we should applaud , not how well a surgeon has done his job. I say let the un-augmented breasts fall where they may!
Politicians Saying “the people want”
I am the people and I don’t want what you just said I wanted…so there!
Hybrid or Hummer?
I’m tired of hearing the complaints about the soaring cost of gas. We have known for many years that gas prices would continue to rise and yet we have done very little to force change and free ourselves from our dependence on gas. We have not embraced hybrid or alternative fuel cars or even insisted on fuel efficient vehicles .We have got what we deserve. It’s true that the government have dragged their feet too but we are literally in the drivers seat on this one. What crisis do you expect to encounter while doing the grocery shopping in your Hummer that a Hybrid couldn’t cope with at a much lower cost? Companies go with supply and demand. We should demand more or pay the price!
People In Positions of Respect, Letting us Down
People in positions of power and trust have a responsibility to be beyond reproach. This year our most trusted people have continued to disappoint us. I expect our clergy to care for and protect our young children, our policemen to uphold the letter of the law, our politicians to be honest and to tell the truth and our company executives to have the best interests of the company, and it’s employees at heart. I ‘m tired of being disappointed. Let’s raise the bar again and let’s have zero tolerance on those who disgrace their positions. That way we can learn to respect people in places of trust again.
Attention Deficit Disorder
I have just heard a local news report that says that children with Attention Deficit Disorder can be helped by taking Taekwondo classes. Could it be that we have been medicating our children for years when, in fact, common sense would have done the job?. Growing up, I never once heard of anyone with ADD. All the children I knew, including my own, were full of boundless energy and needed adequate outlets and releases for all that energy. I believe our children are over- scheduled today and would benefit far more from having some unstructured play time outside. Come on mom and dad get the kids outside for a walk or literally get the ball rolling and play some soccer …I’ll be goalie!
Comments
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Hmmm…you must have been reading my mind on these gripes!
As a nurse and (retired) psychotherapist, in my humble opinion, the gastric bypass stuff should be reserved for the morbidly obese whose life is in danger in the immediate future. I had a classmate in nursing school who underwent the surgery for that very reason, and I have had success with patients (as a psychotherapist) who were not at the point of death and were able to make behavioral changes that were effective enough for them to reconsider that type of surgery. Also, having worked with kids that were diagnosed with ADHD, I know that the diagnosis has been handed out like candy. I would often change the diagnosis when appropriate and relieve them of that stigma. Then I would work to get the entire family involved, as it was more often a systematic problem, rather than an individual child’s problem.
Ditto on the politics comment/gripe!
-RY
Type your comment here.
Thanks for the comments.I appreciate hearing from a professional.
So to summarize…. Plastic politicians that drive hummers and have problems listening. Now, now you’re going to upset Arnold.
Hasta la vista baby!