Doctors
(A) The number of physicians in the U.S. is 700,000.
(B) Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year are 120,000.
(C) Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171.
Statistics courtesy of U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services.
Guns
(A) The number of gun owners in the U.S. is 80,000,000. (Yes, that's 80 million)
(B) The number of accidental gun deaths per year, all age groups, is 1,500.
(C) The number of accidental deaths per gun owner is .000188.
Statistics courtesy of FBI
Statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more negligent than gun owners regarding their obligation to preservation of human life.
Of course, if we ran statistics regarding the number of PURPOSEFUL deaths caused by the same populations, we'd come to the real reason for the shrieking for gun control. However, I just didn't want anyone to be swayed with arguments about "accidental" death due to the negligence of gun owners. The argument is non-sensical, as the aforementioned brief statistical data shows.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Not Sure What I'm Blathering About
The Norsemen of old, with their pantheon of gods as harsh and unpredictable as the frozen tundra and finicky fjords of their homeland, believed that the events of their lives were predestined even before the moment of their birth. After their pre-determined death, all souls would travel to Valhalla, but only a chosen few would be deemed worthy to sit at the table in the Great Hall of Odin's long house.
The events of the past week have found me pondering a life without fear. My mind does not allow me to assign blind faith to any religious doctrine, nor will it allow me to wholly discount "free will" insofar as the will can be defined as "free." But I must admit that evidence gathered over the sum of my years thus far might indicate that there is indeed "a time to die." MSU alone has had more "near misses" than any person should live to tell about. I, myself, have lived to tell the tale of numerous experiences that have killed coutless others. Three weeks ago, the 9-year-old son of a couple we know was hit by a car traveling at a fairly slow rate of speed when he failed to look both ways before crossing. I know several children who have been in similar circumstances and sported casts to school a week later. Not this one. He died of survivable injuries 2 hours after being hit. Why? Why him and not my other friend's 5 year old who sustained significantly graver injuries and lived to thrive? His time, perhaps... and not hers. MSU stood up and walked away from his accident last week - a 40 mph direct broadside hit to a motorcycle - when most others in similar happenstance did not survive to await settlement. Why? Perhaps just not his time.
It boils down to this: those who believe that their lives and deaths are predestined, preordained, and predetermined have no reason to fear. No choice, no action, no failure to act will change the events that have already been destined to occur. And if judgment of worthiness is based on how well a predetermined series of events is weathered, fought, ridden, played, danced, and worked, then it makes sense that the more fiercely one can live that life the more worthy that life will be judged to have been.
What would you do if you had no reason to fear? What would you accomplish if you knew that your success or failure was ultimately already in motion and the outcome already known to every Universal power but you? How fiercely and passionately would you live your life if you knew, without a doubt, that your choices would not affect the outcome at all? For in a passionate and zealous lifetime, every day is a good day to die because very day is a good day to live.
I fear no one. I want nothing. I am free.
The events of the past week have found me pondering a life without fear. My mind does not allow me to assign blind faith to any religious doctrine, nor will it allow me to wholly discount "free will" insofar as the will can be defined as "free." But I must admit that evidence gathered over the sum of my years thus far might indicate that there is indeed "a time to die." MSU alone has had more "near misses" than any person should live to tell about. I, myself, have lived to tell the tale of numerous experiences that have killed coutless others. Three weeks ago, the 9-year-old son of a couple we know was hit by a car traveling at a fairly slow rate of speed when he failed to look both ways before crossing. I know several children who have been in similar circumstances and sported casts to school a week later. Not this one. He died of survivable injuries 2 hours after being hit. Why? Why him and not my other friend's 5 year old who sustained significantly graver injuries and lived to thrive? His time, perhaps... and not hers. MSU stood up and walked away from his accident last week - a 40 mph direct broadside hit to a motorcycle - when most others in similar happenstance did not survive to await settlement. Why? Perhaps just not his time.
It boils down to this: those who believe that their lives and deaths are predestined, preordained, and predetermined have no reason to fear. No choice, no action, no failure to act will change the events that have already been destined to occur. And if judgment of worthiness is based on how well a predetermined series of events is weathered, fought, ridden, played, danced, and worked, then it makes sense that the more fiercely one can live that life the more worthy that life will be judged to have been.
What would you do if you had no reason to fear? What would you accomplish if you knew that your success or failure was ultimately already in motion and the outcome already known to every Universal power but you? How fiercely and passionately would you live your life if you knew, without a doubt, that your choices would not affect the outcome at all? For in a passionate and zealous lifetime, every day is a good day to die because very day is a good day to live.
I fear no one. I want nothing. I am free.
Everything in Between
I am pleased to report that there has been a dual tortoise sighting. I have no idea where they go when they are not in the pen, but at least they know their way back. I'm glad I bought that food that they like... I don't think I would have been able to tempt them back into my clutches with grape leaves alone.
I've been busier than usual this month, or at least I feel more exhausted than usual this month. And money has been an issue for several weeks... seems like I have all the money in the world "on its way," but no money in my pocket or bank accounts. MSU's per diem paycheck is over 60 days overdue and each person we talk to says the same thing: "We'll cut the check Thursday." 8 Thursdays have come and gone - no check. I won $1000 on a lottery "scratcher," but have to wait three weeks to get it from Sacramento. There is another $800 check "in the mail," but who knows when that will show up. I'm sure it has to travel through Zimbabwe first. In the meantime, my cupboards are bare and my credit cards maxed out. Trying to figure out how I'm going to make a dinner for five out of one small bag of pasta, Lemon-Dill sauce, and freezer-burned baby carrots is exhausting in and of itself.
Last Thursday evening (7-10-08) MSU was broadsided on his motorcycle by a young lady who ran a red light. She was traveling about 40 miles per hour and didn't brake or try to swerve or take any evasive action whatsoever. My guess is that she was texting while driving, because she honestly didn't know that the light was red. MSU was taken via ambulance to Grossmont Hospital, where they took xrays and did emergency reparative surgery on his left hand. By the grace of all Divine, the extent of his injuries is life-changing, but not life threatening. His right shoulder is separated and he broke his thumb at the base joint. See cool x-ray photos below:
The young lady in question is insured and her insurance company has already accepted liability. The bike is totalled and our insurance company has already paid off the loan and towed it to the salvage yard. We are going to speak to a lawyer on Monday. In the meantime, MSU is the No-Armed Man, though he's finally getting a little more range of motion out of his shoulder. His thumb will never work correctly again (if at all) and he has a lifetime of arthritis to look forward to. Seems a small price to pay for such a horrific accident - but then again, had actually DRIVING the car that she was navigating through the city streets of El Cajon, California been the young lady's FIRST priority, MSU would have full use of both arms, both hands, and his beloved Ultra.
Today, I am at work. I haven't slept in 8 days. The No-Armed Man absconded (well, sort of) with my Nimble German Car last night and came home hours later drunk off his ass and barely able to walk. Then commenced 4 straight hours of vomiting every ten minutes or so. I'm not looking for a medal - after all this is a marriage and that's what all those promises are about - but I'm a little miffed that I just spent the last week dressing him, wiping his ass, bathing him, and doing EVERYTHING in the house (not to mention still going to work for part of every day), and he then chooses to endanger himself, others, my vehicle, and our home and livelihoods by refusing to call me to pick him up after drinking too much and being doubly impaired by the non-working condition of both arms. We've had the discussion over and over again. I'll drive to LA at 3 am to pick him up if that's what it takes to keep him from driving under the influence. My guess is that the ungrateful fool doesn't give a flying fuck about me - otherwise he'd take a little more interest in protecting the life that we've made. After all, when he's dead or in jail, it's ME that's going to have to pick up the pieces of that WHOLLY AVOIDABLE poor decision.
Next week will be better. I just know it.
I've been busier than usual this month, or at least I feel more exhausted than usual this month. And money has been an issue for several weeks... seems like I have all the money in the world "on its way," but no money in my pocket or bank accounts. MSU's per diem paycheck is over 60 days overdue and each person we talk to says the same thing: "We'll cut the check Thursday." 8 Thursdays have come and gone - no check. I won $1000 on a lottery "scratcher," but have to wait three weeks to get it from Sacramento. There is another $800 check "in the mail," but who knows when that will show up. I'm sure it has to travel through Zimbabwe first. In the meantime, my cupboards are bare and my credit cards maxed out. Trying to figure out how I'm going to make a dinner for five out of one small bag of pasta, Lemon-Dill sauce, and freezer-burned baby carrots is exhausting in and of itself.
Last Thursday evening (7-10-08) MSU was broadsided on his motorcycle by a young lady who ran a red light. She was traveling about 40 miles per hour and didn't brake or try to swerve or take any evasive action whatsoever. My guess is that she was texting while driving, because she honestly didn't know that the light was red. MSU was taken via ambulance to Grossmont Hospital, where they took xrays and did emergency reparative surgery on his left hand. By the grace of all Divine, the extent of his injuries is life-changing, but not life threatening. His right shoulder is separated and he broke his thumb at the base joint. See cool x-ray photos below:
The young lady in question is insured and her insurance company has already accepted liability. The bike is totalled and our insurance company has already paid off the loan and towed it to the salvage yard. We are going to speak to a lawyer on Monday. In the meantime, MSU is the No-Armed Man, though he's finally getting a little more range of motion out of his shoulder. His thumb will never work correctly again (if at all) and he has a lifetime of arthritis to look forward to. Seems a small price to pay for such a horrific accident - but then again, had actually DRIVING the car that she was navigating through the city streets of El Cajon, California been the young lady's FIRST priority, MSU would have full use of both arms, both hands, and his beloved Ultra.
Today, I am at work. I haven't slept in 8 days. The No-Armed Man absconded (well, sort of) with my Nimble German Car last night and came home hours later drunk off his ass and barely able to walk. Then commenced 4 straight hours of vomiting every ten minutes or so. I'm not looking for a medal - after all this is a marriage and that's what all those promises are about - but I'm a little miffed that I just spent the last week dressing him, wiping his ass, bathing him, and doing EVERYTHING in the house (not to mention still going to work for part of every day), and he then chooses to endanger himself, others, my vehicle, and our home and livelihoods by refusing to call me to pick him up after drinking too much and being doubly impaired by the non-working condition of both arms. We've had the discussion over and over again. I'll drive to LA at 3 am to pick him up if that's what it takes to keep him from driving under the influence. My guess is that the ungrateful fool doesn't give a flying fuck about me - otherwise he'd take a little more interest in protecting the life that we've made. After all, when he's dead or in jail, it's ME that's going to have to pick up the pieces of that WHOLLY AVOIDABLE poor decision.
Next week will be better. I just know it.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Gone
The tortoises apparently didn't like the new beach at all, because they absconded.
I came home today to find MOUNDS and MOUNDS of dirt in the enclosure... and a HUGE tunnel inside their den.
We dug up the den and tried to dig out the tunnel... but it's too deep and too long. I can't see them and I can't feel them as far as my arm can reach.
I changed the water in their pool and put out food that they really like. I hope they come back.
I came home today to find MOUNDS and MOUNDS of dirt in the enclosure... and a HUGE tunnel inside their den.
We dug up the den and tried to dig out the tunnel... but it's too deep and too long. I can't see them and I can't feel them as far as my arm can reach.
I changed the water in their pool and put out food that they really like. I hope they come back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
