Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Lowery's Speech Most Profound
I thought Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery's speech a most meaningful and profound one as it spoke of the need for us all to get along. Amen Rev. Lowery!
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Prostate Song
Ever since I was in my early thirties, I’ve had an enlarged prostate. Over the years, I’ve seen many doctors, including both general practitioners and urologists. I’ve been prescribed everything from antibiotics, which supposedly help relieve the symptoms for some people, to “new and improved wonder drugs” aimed specifically at shrinking the prostate. I’ve tried Cipro, Septra, Floxin, and Xytral, and perhaps a few others whose names escape me right now. No luck so far.
Fortunately, the only real symptoms I experience is that I have to pee often. Actually, the way I put it is that I “can pee anytime at all, just not very much.” And, the severity of that symptom fluctuates. Sometimes it’s not bad at all; other times it can be a nuisance. Still, I do feel lucky. From what I’ve read, the condition can really cause many, more serious, symptoms (I won’t go into those, because I don’t like to think about it!).
Nonetheless, the condition is frustrating. And scary. Though my urologist (one of them) told me there is no link between the incidence of enlarged prostates and cancer rates, one can only wonder. What’s also very frustrating is that, over the fifteen years I’ve had the condition, there has been virtually no medical advances whatsoever. Some doctors would argue with that statement, but I can only speak from personal experience. Furthermore, as I have gotten older and wiser, I’ve come to understand that pumping chemicals into the human body is not a good thing. Oh, sure, there are breakthrough drugs like insulin and other so-called “necessary” drugs. But, in researching my condition and health in general, I’ve come to believe that virtually any condition or ailment we humans have can be cured by more natural methods. The goal should be to determine what caused the problem to begin with, rather than focusing on treating the symptoms.
By now, we’ve all heard about the long list of chemicals used in the various packaged foods we eat. Even fresh fruits and vegetables are laden with herbicides, pesticides and fungicides. Then there are the chemicals that leach from the various types of plastic containers used to package the many convenience foods. I could go on (and on), but this blog is not specifically about what causes health ailments. Rather, it is about a song I wrote to express my frustration at the medical community’s inability to provide assistance for a condition that’s plagued me for well over a decade.
Actually, I didn’t write a song; the piece is what’s referred to as a parody. One day, as I was listening to a song by one my favourite rock musicians, Mr. Tom Petty, the words of “The Prostate Song” occurred to me (or, at least, some of the words; I later sat down and fleshed out the rest). A month or so ago, I recorded it and decided to go all the way and create a music video based on the story being told. That story is of the digital rectal exam, an uncomfortable procedure whereby a doctor examines the prostate by inserting a finger into the rectum and feeling around for bumps or lumps that might indicate cancer. I’ve had the invasive procedure done so many times, I’ve thought about sending my doctor flowers.
When I finished editing the video, I posted it to YouTube (not coincidentally, on the first day of Prostate Cancer Awareness Week) and waited to see what would happen. I also sent the link to the local newspaper, The Telegram, with the hope of getting a little exposure (no pun intended). A reporter at the paper did express an interest in doing a story about the video and the reasons I made it. But, after the interview ended, I felt his line of questioning was not in line with the real reasons I put the piece together. Those reasons were to poke fun at a procedure that seemed to me to be a backwards approach to dealing with my health condition. I wanted to show, in a humourous way, that merely checking periodically to see if I have cancer yet is not what I would call effective medicine. My thinking is that a more proactive approach is warranted. Why wait until I get cancer? Let’s nip this problem before it gets to that stage; let’s find out what’s causing it and deal with that!
The reporter’s angle, however, seemed to focus on what appeared to him to be a video attacking doctors. Perhaps the video does poke some fun at the medical profession. But, my issue is not with the doctors, per se. I believe many if not most doctors work hard; however, they unfortunately must rely on researchers to develop solutions for what ails us. The problem is that medical research is done not by front line general practitioners, but by pharmaceutical companies. And their sole objective is profit. They have no interest in preventing (or, Heaven forbid, curing) any illness, since there’s no money to be made at that; instead, their interest is in developing treatments such as radiation and surgeries, and most importantly ongoing treatments in the form of drugs. Unfortunately, these treatments often have side effects that are worse than the original ailment. Hence, when a doctor writes a prescription, he/she is often merely facilitating the drug companies’ objectives to increase profits. Personally, I’ve been prescribed drugs and was told up front that they probably wouldn’t work.
Let me be clear here: I’m not saying that doctors don’t have a very important role in health care; of course they do! They are trained professionals who understand the workings of the body much more so than the average Joe or Jane. That’s why we need them. However, I believe a broader perspective is needed in addressing any health ailment and I think more doctors should look to treat such ailments proactively, i.e. by looking at the causes. As for my own condition, I don’t for a minute accept that just because a man turns forty, it’s natural for his prostate to enlarge. In my opinion, the human body is a marvel, and given the right conditions, can heal itself of almost anything.
Since I felt the reporter doing the story wasn’t getting my point, and since I was concerned that he may print a story that had me shitting all over doctors, I requested he not publish the story. As well, I subsequently took the video down from YouTube.
I created this blog partly because I thought it might be necessary from time to time to explain some of the reasons I have made a particular video. Also, I do like to write and may from time to time feel like spewing out a bit of prose on a particular subject. With regards to the prostate video, I’ve made a few subtle changes to it since the first time I posted it. Please bear in mind that my whole intention in making it was simply to create something people would chuckle at. I love making videos. I hope you like The Prostate Song.
Here’s the link:
Fortunately, the only real symptoms I experience is that I have to pee often. Actually, the way I put it is that I “can pee anytime at all, just not very much.” And, the severity of that symptom fluctuates. Sometimes it’s not bad at all; other times it can be a nuisance. Still, I do feel lucky. From what I’ve read, the condition can really cause many, more serious, symptoms (I won’t go into those, because I don’t like to think about it!).
Nonetheless, the condition is frustrating. And scary. Though my urologist (one of them) told me there is no link between the incidence of enlarged prostates and cancer rates, one can only wonder. What’s also very frustrating is that, over the fifteen years I’ve had the condition, there has been virtually no medical advances whatsoever. Some doctors would argue with that statement, but I can only speak from personal experience. Furthermore, as I have gotten older and wiser, I’ve come to understand that pumping chemicals into the human body is not a good thing. Oh, sure, there are breakthrough drugs like insulin and other so-called “necessary” drugs. But, in researching my condition and health in general, I’ve come to believe that virtually any condition or ailment we humans have can be cured by more natural methods. The goal should be to determine what caused the problem to begin with, rather than focusing on treating the symptoms.
By now, we’ve all heard about the long list of chemicals used in the various packaged foods we eat. Even fresh fruits and vegetables are laden with herbicides, pesticides and fungicides. Then there are the chemicals that leach from the various types of plastic containers used to package the many convenience foods. I could go on (and on), but this blog is not specifically about what causes health ailments. Rather, it is about a song I wrote to express my frustration at the medical community’s inability to provide assistance for a condition that’s plagued me for well over a decade.
Actually, I didn’t write a song; the piece is what’s referred to as a parody. One day, as I was listening to a song by one my favourite rock musicians, Mr. Tom Petty, the words of “The Prostate Song” occurred to me (or, at least, some of the words; I later sat down and fleshed out the rest). A month or so ago, I recorded it and decided to go all the way and create a music video based on the story being told. That story is of the digital rectal exam, an uncomfortable procedure whereby a doctor examines the prostate by inserting a finger into the rectum and feeling around for bumps or lumps that might indicate cancer. I’ve had the invasive procedure done so many times, I’ve thought about sending my doctor flowers.
When I finished editing the video, I posted it to YouTube (not coincidentally, on the first day of Prostate Cancer Awareness Week) and waited to see what would happen. I also sent the link to the local newspaper, The Telegram, with the hope of getting a little exposure (no pun intended). A reporter at the paper did express an interest in doing a story about the video and the reasons I made it. But, after the interview ended, I felt his line of questioning was not in line with the real reasons I put the piece together. Those reasons were to poke fun at a procedure that seemed to me to be a backwards approach to dealing with my health condition. I wanted to show, in a humourous way, that merely checking periodically to see if I have cancer yet is not what I would call effective medicine. My thinking is that a more proactive approach is warranted. Why wait until I get cancer? Let’s nip this problem before it gets to that stage; let’s find out what’s causing it and deal with that!
The reporter’s angle, however, seemed to focus on what appeared to him to be a video attacking doctors. Perhaps the video does poke some fun at the medical profession. But, my issue is not with the doctors, per se. I believe many if not most doctors work hard; however, they unfortunately must rely on researchers to develop solutions for what ails us. The problem is that medical research is done not by front line general practitioners, but by pharmaceutical companies. And their sole objective is profit. They have no interest in preventing (or, Heaven forbid, curing) any illness, since there’s no money to be made at that; instead, their interest is in developing treatments such as radiation and surgeries, and most importantly ongoing treatments in the form of drugs. Unfortunately, these treatments often have side effects that are worse than the original ailment. Hence, when a doctor writes a prescription, he/she is often merely facilitating the drug companies’ objectives to increase profits. Personally, I’ve been prescribed drugs and was told up front that they probably wouldn’t work.
Let me be clear here: I’m not saying that doctors don’t have a very important role in health care; of course they do! They are trained professionals who understand the workings of the body much more so than the average Joe or Jane. That’s why we need them. However, I believe a broader perspective is needed in addressing any health ailment and I think more doctors should look to treat such ailments proactively, i.e. by looking at the causes. As for my own condition, I don’t for a minute accept that just because a man turns forty, it’s natural for his prostate to enlarge. In my opinion, the human body is a marvel, and given the right conditions, can heal itself of almost anything.
Since I felt the reporter doing the story wasn’t getting my point, and since I was concerned that he may print a story that had me shitting all over doctors, I requested he not publish the story. As well, I subsequently took the video down from YouTube.
I created this blog partly because I thought it might be necessary from time to time to explain some of the reasons I have made a particular video. Also, I do like to write and may from time to time feel like spewing out a bit of prose on a particular subject. With regards to the prostate video, I’ve made a few subtle changes to it since the first time I posted it. Please bear in mind that my whole intention in making it was simply to create something people would chuckle at. I love making videos. I hope you like The Prostate Song.
Here’s the link:
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Federal Election: Voting Newfoundland and Labrador Style
Well, it’s election day in Canada. After listening to the all the rhetoric from the naysayers about Danny Williams’ Anything But Conservative (ABC) campaign, I feel compelled to comment. Many assertions have been made by those who oppose ABC; the most often heard complaints are: we won’t have any representation in Ottawa; the premier is wasting time on this when there are issues more immediate and essential to the province; and that he is a dictator and is trying to tell everyone how to vote.
First, to suggest that should we not elect any Conservatives, we will be without representation in Ottawa is nothing more than fear-mongering. Further, I would like to remind you how effective the current "representation" was when they voted against the Atlantic Accord. And, bear in mind that any elected Conservatives in this province could only be effective if the Conservatives form the next government. That assumption negates the whole point of the ABC campaign. Remember, ABC is aiming to elect a new government, one that will treat us fairly. In that regard, do we really want to vote out of fear?
Second, the assertion that the premier’s efforts to oust Stephen Harper are better spent on issues more essential and closer to home is being blind to our reality. NL is a province of this country, and in order to get a fair deal in any realm, we need a federal government that deals with us fairly. Stephen Harper has not done that. Should he be elected (heaven forbid with a majority government), we stand to lose much more over the course of the next several years. Look what happened with the Atlantic Accord. So, in this regard, I believe the premier’s time and effort is very well spent on ABC. In fact, electing a prime minister we can trust is vital to our future. Once the election is over, I have no doubt the premier will attend to issues closer to home, over which he can exercise greater control. Yes, I dared to say ‘control.’
The premier has a reputation for being somewhat dictatorial in his leadership style, and that brings me to my next point. Conservatives love to assert that he is trying to “tell you how to vote.” Their hope is that in an act of defiance (of the ‘dictator’), you will vote Conservative. In my opinion, the premier is not trying to tell you how to vote any more than the plastic election signs along Prince Phillip Drive are telling you how to vote. It’s true; Mr. Williams is unabashedly trying to persuade voters. But isn’t that what politicians do at election time? (And, he’s doing it not just in NL, but right across the country.) For the good of the province, Mr. Williams has merely set out to remind us that Stephen Harper does not live up to his word and that, for that reason, he should not be re-elected. Of course, Mr. Williams surely realizes that when you are alone at the ballot box, no one can tell you how to vote.
One final note: we should remember how the whole ABC campaign got started. Mr. Williams, in an effort to convince Stephen Harper to live up to the full terms of the Atlantic Accord, asserted he would campaign against the Conservatives in any forthcoming election. And that is precisely what he is doing.
The premier has illustrated time and time again that he is a man of principle and that he has the best interests of the people of this province at heart. To not recognize that fact is to do ourselves an injustice.
When you vote, consider that while you are electing a local representative, ultimately your vote will decide who will be our next prime minister. And, if you think that your one, single vote doesn’t make a significant impact, bear in mind how very tight this election may be. One vote can mean the difference in your candidate getting elected. And one candidate may be the difference between who we will have as prime minister, perhaps for as long as the next four years.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians , under the leadership of our premier, head into this federal election with our eyes wide open. But, this province’s experience with Stephen Harper sheds much light on what Canadians can expect should he be allowed to continue as prime minister of this country.
That is why voting ABC is of great importance to all Canadians.
And, in case I haven't yet convinced you, take a look at this animation I put together:
First, to suggest that should we not elect any Conservatives, we will be without representation in Ottawa is nothing more than fear-mongering. Further, I would like to remind you how effective the current "representation" was when they voted against the Atlantic Accord. And, bear in mind that any elected Conservatives in this province could only be effective if the Conservatives form the next government. That assumption negates the whole point of the ABC campaign. Remember, ABC is aiming to elect a new government, one that will treat us fairly. In that regard, do we really want to vote out of fear?
Second, the assertion that the premier’s efforts to oust Stephen Harper are better spent on issues more essential and closer to home is being blind to our reality. NL is a province of this country, and in order to get a fair deal in any realm, we need a federal government that deals with us fairly. Stephen Harper has not done that. Should he be elected (heaven forbid with a majority government), we stand to lose much more over the course of the next several years. Look what happened with the Atlantic Accord. So, in this regard, I believe the premier’s time and effort is very well spent on ABC. In fact, electing a prime minister we can trust is vital to our future. Once the election is over, I have no doubt the premier will attend to issues closer to home, over which he can exercise greater control. Yes, I dared to say ‘control.’
The premier has a reputation for being somewhat dictatorial in his leadership style, and that brings me to my next point. Conservatives love to assert that he is trying to “tell you how to vote.” Their hope is that in an act of defiance (of the ‘dictator’), you will vote Conservative. In my opinion, the premier is not trying to tell you how to vote any more than the plastic election signs along Prince Phillip Drive are telling you how to vote. It’s true; Mr. Williams is unabashedly trying to persuade voters. But isn’t that what politicians do at election time? (And, he’s doing it not just in NL, but right across the country.) For the good of the province, Mr. Williams has merely set out to remind us that Stephen Harper does not live up to his word and that, for that reason, he should not be re-elected. Of course, Mr. Williams surely realizes that when you are alone at the ballot box, no one can tell you how to vote.
One final note: we should remember how the whole ABC campaign got started. Mr. Williams, in an effort to convince Stephen Harper to live up to the full terms of the Atlantic Accord, asserted he would campaign against the Conservatives in any forthcoming election. And that is precisely what he is doing.
The premier has illustrated time and time again that he is a man of principle and that he has the best interests of the people of this province at heart. To not recognize that fact is to do ourselves an injustice.
When you vote, consider that while you are electing a local representative, ultimately your vote will decide who will be our next prime minister. And, if you think that your one, single vote doesn’t make a significant impact, bear in mind how very tight this election may be. One vote can mean the difference in your candidate getting elected. And one candidate may be the difference between who we will have as prime minister, perhaps for as long as the next four years.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians , under the leadership of our premier, head into this federal election with our eyes wide open. But, this province’s experience with Stephen Harper sheds much light on what Canadians can expect should he be allowed to continue as prime minister of this country.
That is why voting ABC is of great importance to all Canadians.
And, in case I haven't yet convinced you, take a look at this animation I put together:
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Brand New To Blogging
This is my very first blog. Just thought I'd test out a few things before I get started.
I think I like the Lucinda Grande font the best! I'll play around with the design a little later. Looking forward to sharing my perspective on a few things...
I think I like the Lucinda Grande font the best! I'll play around with the design a little later. Looking forward to sharing my perspective on a few things...
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