Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Forget the Status Quo. This is the Year of the Checkup!

That's the way we've always done it.
That's our tradition.
We've been doing okay.




The status quo -- the current state -- can be a dangerous condition.   Maintaining the status quo can cause businesses to fail, untreated illness and disease to denigrate the body, families to fall apart, and houses to collapse.


You are offered one illustration, one attempt to persuade you of the peril of maintaining the status quo, with economical use of verbiage.  This is apropo, since the status quo the members of the Texas 18th Congressional District this writing attempts to encourage to change, involves one whose verbosity is legendary.  Here is the one illustration:


For more than a decade the Texas 18th Congressional District ("the 18th") has been malnourished, existing on an unbalanced diet of doubtful nutritional benefit.   In all this time the 18th has not taken advantage of free biannual checkups, and instead has plodded along, content to continue its current existence.  After so many years of abuse (maintaining the status quo), the 18th is now plagued with all kinds of ailments:  rotting teeth, abscessed cavities, halitosis, acid reflux, hypertension, and more.




How much longer must the 18th go on like this?  Fortunately, not long, for this is the year of the checkup, a process which begins with registering to vote no later than February 1, and then voting for a new remedy in the primary election on February 16.  The new remedy is Jarvis Johnson.


Consider the benefits of the checkup:  an opportunity to develop new eating habits, repair damage to and rejuvenate the body, learn some new fitness techniques, get some nutrition tips, and basically get a makeover -- or if that term doesn't suit you -- an overhaul.   Whatever floats your boat -- just be sure to take advantage of the free checkup.

Monday, January 18, 2010

That Four-Word Sentence: Part I -- DTCs

Don't you find acronyms annoying?  I do, especially since there are few that are truly unique.  Take DTC for example.  I Googled DTC just to see what the results would be. Am I referring to Domain Technologies Control?  Dallas Theater Center?  How about Diversified Technology Consultants?  No; at least not this time.


In this Part I of That Four-Word Sentence, the focus is on DTC advertising -- direct to consumer advertising.  Isn't all -- or most advertising direct to consumer?  Sure.  But there are some goods and services that are consumed by each of us, to which the average consumer does not have direct access.  Take pharmaceuticals, for example.  Have you ever wondered why pharmaceutical companies advertise so heavily now?


The Prescription Drug Marketing Act established safeguards for advertising pharmaceuticals to the general public.  Advertising guidelines for pharmaceutical companies were changed around 1997, and in a seven-year span DTC advertising quintupled.  With this tiny snippet of background, fast-foward to January 2010.  This is what's happening:


  • Pharmaceutical companies court the FDA, seeking approval of the latest and greatest, or new and improved prescription drug.  
  • The FDA approves the drug.
  • Pharmaceutical companies inundate the public with commercials about drugs designed to treat common ailments like depression, overactive bladders, erecticle dysfunction, and even some that many folks never knew existed until the commercial was aired.  (How about restless leg syndrome?  I never heard of that before.)
  • The ads instruct consumers to ask their doctors about (Rx).
  • The ads include warnings about possible side effects.  (Notice the chipmunk-like speed at which these warnings are given.  I am reminded of the tiny, extra-fine print that is used for car commercials.)
  • In the meantime, pharmaceutical sales representatives descend on doctors' offices, promoting the new wonder drug du jour, leaving samples in abundance, and gifts for doctors in God-only-knows what proportions.
  • Sales skyrocket!
  • Next come the ads from law firms, encouraging anyone who has suffered the side effects of whatever drug to call a toll-free number to determine if the consumer has a claim.
  • Lawsuits are filed, sometimes multi-party cases involving large numbers of Plaintiffs claiming damage from taking the (Rx) prescription.
  • Courts are clogged with cases.  Cases are routinely referred to mediation (woe unto the folks who actually thought they would stand in front of that judge or have their day in court).  Generally, Texas being a "Good Old Boy" state, the appointed mediators are chosen judges showering unmerited favor on their good-old-boy buddies.

The four-word sentence of the day:  It's all about money.  So, where does it go?

  1. Ad companies
  2. Media
  3. Pharmaceutical companies
  4. Doctors
  5. Pharmacies 
  6. Lawyers 
  7. Mediators
Indeed, it's all about money.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

The Plague of Complacency: Why I Support Jarvis Johnson for Congress

Normally when I sit to write a blog, the sitting to do so is preceded by much thought, sometimes over a period of days or weeks.  Today's blog is not the case.  (I am well aware that I started a series about 4-word sentences and have published nothing other than the introduction, but this is indeed an emergency.)


So, what's the emergency?  As usual, I'm glad you asked.   One of my Facebook friends actually invited me to become a fan of person I have many years considered unfit for duty!


And, what's the big deal about that?  Again, I'm glad you asked.  Complacency is the big deal.  Complacency is what has  had a stranglehold on the 18th Congressional District ("the 18th") since 1995.  Complacency, and its first cousin, apathy have allowed the 18th Congressional District to be inhabited by a person, who like one of her, probably, most well-known predecessors, Barbara Jordan, is an American woman of African descent.  I dare say that is where the comparison stops.  Anything beyond that would have to be considered contrast. 


Unlike Barbara Jordan, who left the office too soon, according to most folks who remember her, the current 18th Congressional Representative has far outlived her usefulness in that capacity.  It appears that she needs to be reminded that the boundaries of her district do not extend to Jasper, Texas or the sunny state of California.  While the murder of Mr. Byrd via dragging was a most horrific event, and the demise of pop star Michael Jackson touched the hearts of many, these are just two of untold escapades of Mrs. Lee that have nothing to do with her work for the folks of the 18th.  If these extracurricular activities were not so commonplace, the common folks of the 18th might hear something other than lame excuses when they call their Representative for assistance.   This is not what I heard; this is what I know.   Of course, it is understandable that a Representative who does 99% of the talking and only 1% of the listening, would not have a clue.


While our current Representative may be a fine person, a good wife, mother, or whatever, she has far outlived her usefulness in the 18th.    It is time for the 18th to give Mrs. Lee a performance evaluation.   Other than making quickie appearances at church, community and sorority banquets, picking up plaques to commemorate God only knows what kind of award, honing in on press conferences that have absolutely nothing to do with the business of the 18th, and maintaining a staff who first checks to see if a caller is on the voter registration rolls before announcing that they have so many hundreds of thousands of constituents (which means they don't have time for the caller), one can only wonder what tasks regarding, relating or pertaining to the concerns of 18th ever get accomplished.


For years I have dutifully showed up at the polls to cast my vote against Mrs. Lee, all the while wondering why my fellow 18th'ers cannot see the big picture.  Unfortunately, there had been no candidate that even she considered viable competition -- until now.   I have known of Jarvis Johnson for years.  He has worked in the 18th before being elected to City Council.  He is a well respected man whose values are reflected in the way he lives.  People don't just know of him; they know him because he is visible and involved in the community where he has helped to bring viable improvements to its infrastructure and quality of life.  Leading by example is his mantra, and leading by example is what he does.


Now is the time for the 18th Congressional District to fire its representative.  They can only do that by going to the polls and VOTING!   There is NO TIME for COMPLACENCY, nor for its cousin, APATHY.  Believe and know that your vote is important enough to matter.  Make sure your vote is counted!  


For these reasons and more, I SUPPORT JARVIS JOHNSON FOR CONGRESS.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Haiti: A Message from Steve Wells, South Main Baptist Church

Just as my pastor does, I believe that the local church is the hope of the world. No time is that more true than in times of disaster. Like Hurricane Katrina, and now, the disaster in Haiti. Long after other relief agencies are gone, the churches will still be caring for communities. I know, because church like mine (South Main Baptist in Houston, Texas) have missionaries who live in other parts of the world. We are blessed to have these folks present to worship with us maybe once a year. My church also sponsors mission trips several times a year, during which members of our congregation go to places, among others, like Mexico to do construction and Peru to provide much-needed medical and dental services. Those of us who stay behind help with tasks to contribute to the completion of these missions. For these reasons, I take this time and space to share with you a message from Steve Wells, Senior Pastor of South Main Baptist Church.



As you are no doubt aware, the island nation of Haiti has experienced massive devastation in the wake of a serious earthquake and a series of aftershocks. We need to pray for the people of Haiti, and we need to add our efforts to our prayers. The finance and missions committees have authorized a special offering to provide relief to the people of Haiti. We will receive the offering for the next two weeks. Monies given to this offering will be forwarded to Baptist World Aid, the relief agency of the Baptist World Alliance and to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Both BWA and CBF have people in country now and will have an ongoing ministry presence in the years to come. CBF has field personnel in country and BWA directly relates to the two national Baptist conventions on the island. So the monies we provide will be distributed through established and ongoing networks. You can learn more about the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship on their website (thefellowship.info) and the Baptist World Alliance on their website (bwanet.org). Please pray for the people of Haiti and if you feel led to help financially, please give to this special offering by marking your check or envelope "Haiti." Grace and peace, Steve

Thursday, January 7, 2010

That Four-Word Sentence: Introduction

Have you ever wondered why things are they way they are?  How stuff gets so fouled up?   How we (yes, all of us) have really made a mess of things?

What things?   You dare ask?   Just stand still a moment.  You might even want to sit.  Now, just look around and take stock.   . . .

What's that?  You don't see anything wrong?  Well, maybe wrong is the wrong word to use.  Without labeling conditions -- the situation -- just open your eyes and take stock of what you see.

..................................................................


This is the start of a new series the writer has been mulling over for months, fretting about whose feet might get stepped on (including her own), whose feelings might be hurt, who might take offense, blah, blah blah.  Then she had a thought:  Is this still the United States of America?  Well, I guess so.  Do you still have the constitutional right of freedom of speech?  Well, I'm supposed to.  Are you a hate monger?  Are you going to write anything to incite the masses to turn into angry mobs and perhaps kill the POTUS or even Palin the Pathetic?  Nope.  That's just not my style.  And besides, my stuff is not read by "the masses."  Then, what are you waiting for?  Duh . . .


......................................................................................................................


So, having decided to come out of the closet again, this writer has decided to proceed with this series.  As for  an explanation of the title, hold on for Part I.