Month: November 2015

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This has gotten out of control.  By referencing a now discredited video about Planned Parenthood, the alleged perpetrator, Robert L. Dear, Jr., of the Colorado Springs shooting has implicated the creators of the video in his violent assault on innocent people, including law enforcement.

The creators must have known that the video wasn’t true, but they wanted to make a political point.  They did, but it isn’t what they wanted, I hope.  That doesn’t mean they are innocent.

The Republican candidates, so far, haven’t denounced the attack.  That says a lot about their moral fiber and concern for the rule of law, and law enforcement.

 

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Muslims under Attack

From other Muslims

ISIS/Daesh/ISL has targeted Muslims who aren’t part of the caliphate.  The stores, coffee shops, rock conert and bars that were attacked by extremist in Paris were in mixed neighborhoods, where Muslims, Jews, Christians, agnostics live and work.  The Muslims who live in such neighborhoods are deemed ‘grey’, not true to the faith, and apparently not pure enough for the wackoos who know the truth about God and religion.  That is bad enough, and I’m sure terrifying for those who want the comforts of the west while adhering toi their religious beliefs.

From ignorant xenophobes

People in the US want Muslims out of their communities.  There have been numerous documented instances where people don’t want mosques build in their towns. Last week in Fredrickberg Va. 

“Every one of you are terrorists. I don’t care what you say. I don’t care what you think,”

Where are these people, who just want a normal, peaceful life, raising kids, having jobs to turn.  I joined a volunterr organization to help other in medical need.  Of the 51 people in our graduating class we had: Jews, Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, agnostics, atheists.  Nobody seemed to care about any other’s faith, in fact, we were able to leam about dealing with medical issues with certain people, what their culture and religion demand about questioning and touching people of the opposite sex.  Nobody cared about anything except “What can I do to help this person?”

Jersey City is one of the most diverse cities in the US (first or second in most reports).  I am proud to live here, and proud to be part of an organization whose mission is to help those in medical distress.  I am glad that others shared that mission, and helped educate the rest of us on how best to do it.

Reflections on an article in the Nov. 29th NYTimes Magazine

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I saw this question asked in a video about the Long Now Clock.  It struck me as a good question to ask, not about what is for dinner, or where to go on vacation, but on how we are spending some of our free time.  Am I doing something that is going to make my great-grand children proud of who I was.

I can’t save the world, but here are things I can do small things to move ‘the-ball-forward’ on things that are important to them.  When the experts largely agree that climate change is real, and will have negative effects on those who follow us, what am I doing to help either alleviate the problem, or mitigate the effects.

Just like: if the chance of me having an accident is less than 1% when traveling by car, I am going to put my granddaughters in car seats, not because it is the law, but because I don’t want to be the reason their lives are ruined forever, or ended because the chance of accident was so low and I was a bad ancestor.

This may be a good example, or not, you decide.  I just think we need to think more about the next 100 years, not always, not psychotically, but occasionally; not just the next week, or quarter, or year.

 

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I’m horrified by the tragic deaths and injuries that occurred in Paris yesterday. Senseless deaths of people enjoying dinner, or a rock concert is not understandable to me. This post in no way diminishes that event..
However, in the US in 2013 (the last year data is available) 11,208 people were murdered by firearms.  127 is .0002% of the population of France, 11,208 is .003% of the US population.  In terms of population that is a 15 times increase in the number of deaths.  Not 15% but 1500%.  Not enough people care enough to do something about this in the US and that is a shame.

My thoughts and prayers to those in France suffering tonight, as well as those in the US who are going through the same angst, and anger, and hurt because our politicians don’t care.

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Richard Feynman is one of the best popularizers of science,and scientific curiosity available. He is also a Nobel Laureate in physics. He doesn’t dumb down science, but he knows it so intimately and so deeply, and he is so articulate that he can explain complex subjects clearly, with humor sometimes, and makes science something that is understandable to the masses.
He also doesn’t preach for you to accept and adopt his views; it is plain and simple: “Here is what I believe and why. You decide your own truths”.

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I have spent the last few months getting Emergency Medical Responder training to be able to take part in a unique program to get medically trained people to Jersey City residents in need.  The program is called United Rescue, and it is the first implementation of this type of program in the US.   The United Rescue program is a offshoot of a program called United Hatzalah that was created in Jerusalum to deal with the time delay for getting trained people to medical emergencies.

Jersey City EMS has one of the quickest response times in the country (6 minute average) from when a 911 call enters the system to when a trained medical person is onsite for person in need.  This could be an EMT, a Paramedic, or a trained member of the fire department.  Jersey City, through its Mayor Steve Fulup, brought United Hatzalah, the JCMC, and other organizations together to make this happen.  The goal is to get that response time down to 3 minutes.  When someone is in need, those minutes count.

No public funds were spent on this program, it is all completely privately funded.  The 60 hours of training the volunteers undertook was led by the EMS department of JCMC, the 16 hours of hands-on ambulance ride-a-longs and dispatch training was conducted by JC EMS staff and to them we are grateful.  JC plans to put at least 260 volunteers on the street over the next few years.

We have been trained, and given the necessary medical supplies, to respond to calls.  It is not something I wish on anyone, but if I can help someone in dire need of help the time and effort will have been worth it.

Lastly, I would like to thank Karen for supporting me in this.  Eight Saturdays in August, September and October severely cut into our trips ‘down the shore’.  You have stood by me and I will be eternally grateful.

The shore awaits…