Floods - What A Difference

From an email that I got earlier today. As politically incorrect as it appears to be, it is balls on accurate:

Something to think about..it is a social commentary on the difference of two communities with a similar disaster, although I am sure some idiot is going to say "Hate speak".

• Where are all the Hollywood celebrities holding telethons asking for help in restoring Iowa and helping the folks affected by the floods?

• Where is all the media asking the tough questions about why the federal government hasn't solved the problem? Asking where the FEMA trucks (and trailers) are?

• Why isn't the Federal Government relocating Iowa people to free hotels in Chicago?

• When will Spike Lee say that the Federal Government blew up the levees that failed in Des Moines?

• Where are Sean Penn and the Dixie Chicks?

• Where are all the looters stealing high-end tennis shoes and big screen television

• When will we hear Governor Chet Culver say that he wants to rebuild a "vanilla" Iowa, because that's the way God wants it?

• Where is the hysterical 24/7 media coverage complete with reports of cannibalism?

• Where are the people declaring that George Bush hates white, rural people?

• How come in 2 weeks, you will never hear about the Iowa flooding ever again?

HOW COME THERE IS SUCH A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS FLOODING AND THAT OF NEW ORLEANS?

• When N.O. flooded, it was a racist plan to wipe out black people.
  

• Now that white people are getting flooded out, we need to investigate .. who?

• I heard a dimwit on CNN yesterday say that this reminded him of New Orleans. How?

Outside of being flooded, there is no looting, no people wandering the streets looking for meanness, no grocery carts being shoved through the water carrying stolen big screen TVs, no people sitting on the tops of their houses waiting on the government to come and get them, no police abandoning their posts, no Iowans bitching how the government and George Bush is failing them. There is not one damn thing, other than water, that is similar to New Orleans.

The streets in Des Moines are empty. People left when they were told to evacuate. They didn't whine, bitch or blame the Government for the broken levees. They did what responsible people do in a crisis. Some people who didn't even live in the flood areas came and filled sandbags to help their neighbors.

The actions of the people of Des Moines and the other Iowan cities only makes the actions of the people of New Orleans look worse.

--gfo

Rest In Peace

George Carlin. George passed away Sunday night at the age of 71. He was one of the funniest comedians I have ever seen and heard. His candor tell like it is, non-political correct approach to comedy was not only funny but got you thinking about life and how funny the stupid things really are.

You will be missed George. Our lost is heaven's gain.

--gfo

A Subtle Change To The Blog

But one I needed to do. In my blog description, I changed the working stiff age from thirty something to forty something.

--gfo

Thoughts On Forty

Well yesterday, I officially turned 40 years old. Where most people who turn 40 react in differently, I am taking a different approach, for me. As many of my readers already know, I have had a plethora of medical problems in the middle and late part of my 30's, so turning 40 was in mind a perhaps a chance to start anew. We'll see how things play out this. I know I am facing two surgeries, one to replace to defibrillator and the other to a baclofen pump in to help me with my muscle spasticity.

I have a few other challenges and issues that need to be addressed in the coming months, mostly related to my cognitive impairments that I have been facing. I have been putting off (read, stalling) on calling the doctors to find out how I go about addressing some of issues that came up during my neuropsych testing in January. I need to address these but I want to get the pump surgery done first before I subject myself to more pain and suffering.

I am mostly trying to keep a positive outlook, at least on the outside, I still have my moments where I feel lousy, tired, and have general fatigue, but I persevere and plod through.

As for the fortieth festivities. Tuesday, my twin brother and I, along with our wives went to the Phillies/Reds game. We had great seats, and were surprised (well I sort of expected it), that the wives had arranged for us to have happy birthday sung to us, and our names were posted on the scoreboard. We also got a couple of nice hat's, but most of all saw a great baseball game, the Phillies won 3-2.

The picture shown above, was what my office looked like when I walked in yesterday, compliments of my co-workers. I even had a set of beads that I had to wear all day that accentuated the fact that I did turn 40. We had a cake, and I got some funny cards, which are on display on my top shelf.

When I got home, I played some PlayStation with the boy until the Mrs got home, and I then proceeded to open my presents (two swimsuits, and four Phillies tickets), and birthday cards, then we had a nice simple dinner of hamburgers and hot dogs. Then the big treat, Carvel ice cream cake.

After that spent a nice relaxing evening at home, although I went to bed early as I was up late the night before...or I am getting old.

So far being 40 isn't too bad, let's see how the next ten years goes.

--gfo