Thursday, April 3, 2014
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR...OR NEXT LIFETIME
The 2014 major league baseball season is underway, and as a long-suffering Chicago Cubs fan, it means another season of frustration and disappointment. And baseball mortality. Let me explain.
I have been a Cubs fan since my parents took me to my first game when I was 5 years old. We sat in the bleachers, where I cheered my favorite Cub, outfielder Andy Pafko. That was 65 years ago. In the interim, the Cubs have not played in a single World Series, much less win one. The mantra for Cubs fans has always been, "Wait till next year." I have recited that mantra my entire adult life, assuming that the next season or the season after that, the Cubbies would put it all together. My confidence grew when the cash strapped Wrigley family sold the team to the cash rich Tribune Company. Better days were coming. Yeah...right. It was a couple of more decades of futility. Then the Trib sells the team to an investor named Sam Zell, who didn't seem to have a clue or the slightest interest in running a baseball team. Then Zell sells the Cubs to the Ricketts family, wealthy, successful and knowledgeable Chicagoans. Finally, local folks with deep pockets who truly cared about the Cubs. I was ready to start ordering my World Series tickets. Yeah...right.
Turns out the Ricketts took on so much debt buying the team, their finances developed ricketts. One of the most prominent, successful and profitable franchises in baseball became so cash strapped, instead of being run like a major market team, the Cubs were being run like a team from Tampa Bay or Kansas City. Since the Ricketts took over, we've had 4 straight losing seasons and attendance in freefall.
So here I am in 2014. I'm now 70, with another losing season looming ahead. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will never see the Cubs in a World Series in my lifetime. And with that realization, my enthusiasm for the team has shriveled faster than Obama's approval ratings. I don't want to be that guy, who, on his deathbed, with the Grim Reaper hovering over him, says, "Wait till next year."
Yeah...right.
I have been a Cubs fan since my parents took me to my first game when I was 5 years old. We sat in the bleachers, where I cheered my favorite Cub, outfielder Andy Pafko. That was 65 years ago. In the interim, the Cubs have not played in a single World Series, much less win one. The mantra for Cubs fans has always been, "Wait till next year." I have recited that mantra my entire adult life, assuming that the next season or the season after that, the Cubbies would put it all together. My confidence grew when the cash strapped Wrigley family sold the team to the cash rich Tribune Company. Better days were coming. Yeah...right. It was a couple of more decades of futility. Then the Trib sells the team to an investor named Sam Zell, who didn't seem to have a clue or the slightest interest in running a baseball team. Then Zell sells the Cubs to the Ricketts family, wealthy, successful and knowledgeable Chicagoans. Finally, local folks with deep pockets who truly cared about the Cubs. I was ready to start ordering my World Series tickets. Yeah...right.
Turns out the Ricketts took on so much debt buying the team, their finances developed ricketts. One of the most prominent, successful and profitable franchises in baseball became so cash strapped, instead of being run like a major market team, the Cubs were being run like a team from Tampa Bay or Kansas City. Since the Ricketts took over, we've had 4 straight losing seasons and attendance in freefall.
So here I am in 2014. I'm now 70, with another losing season looming ahead. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will never see the Cubs in a World Series in my lifetime. And with that realization, my enthusiasm for the team has shriveled faster than Obama's approval ratings. I don't want to be that guy, who, on his deathbed, with the Grim Reaper hovering over him, says, "Wait till next year."
Yeah...right.
Monday, March 31, 2014
WHEEL OF FAMILY FORTUNE
This past weekend, my wife, Joyce, and I attended an engagement party for her nephew, John Kupiec and his lovely fiance, Julia Pinover. It was a family reunion of sorts. The party gave us the opportunity to touch bases with relatives we hadn't seen in years.
It brought to the forefront one of the genuine truisms of life: The older you get, the more you appreciate family and friends. That isn't to say I didn't give a rat's behind about family in my younger days. But as you approach your senior years, you are more aware of how tenuous life is, and how much meaning and satisfaction loved ones bring to your life.
When you're young, it's all about raising a family, earning a living and paying bills. Retirement, on the other hand, not only provides more liesure time, it allows ample opportunity to reflect on your life. And what you come to realize is that family relationships are truly special and unique; and as the years pass and life winds down, you come to understand that they are your life, and that the shared love and memories make us who we are.
Hold your loved ones close while you can, for those are the priceless moments that make us human, and make life worth living.
It brought to the forefront one of the genuine truisms of life: The older you get, the more you appreciate family and friends. That isn't to say I didn't give a rat's behind about family in my younger days. But as you approach your senior years, you are more aware of how tenuous life is, and how much meaning and satisfaction loved ones bring to your life.
When you're young, it's all about raising a family, earning a living and paying bills. Retirement, on the other hand, not only provides more liesure time, it allows ample opportunity to reflect on your life. And what you come to realize is that family relationships are truly special and unique; and as the years pass and life winds down, you come to understand that they are your life, and that the shared love and memories make us who we are.
Hold your loved ones close while you can, for those are the priceless moments that make us human, and make life worth living.
Friday, March 28, 2014
DINING WITH CAVEMEN
One of the current hot diet crazes is the paleo-diet. Advocates of this diet believe we should replicate the diet of our cave dwelling ancestors. They claim it is a healthier and more natural diet because it contains no additives or chemicals, and it is not laced with sugar, starches and salt. As a result, it is a diet more attuned to the human body and our digestive system. On the surface it sounds reasonable. If the cavemen, who are humans in our most natural state, didn't eat it, neither should we. However, many paleontologists--the people who spend their lives studying early humans--wouild disagree with the premise.
The basic idea of the paleo-diet is that 150,000 years ago our hunter-gather forefathers survived on meat, fruits and vegetables; therefore, that is what the human digestive system is attuned to and designed for. By contrast, the diet advocates say we should avoid grains like oats, wheat, rice, etc., because humans didn't begin to consume those items until around 10,000 years ago when we began to settle in villages and develop farming. In the paleo diet, the idea of starches, pasta, milk and milk products, and potatoes is anathema. Advocates claim these foods are responsible for diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease because the human body has not had the time to evolve and adapt to a diet of grains, starches and dairy.
In her book, Paleo Fantasy, author Marlene Zuk quotes anthropologist Katherine Milton: "The notion that humans got to a point in evolutionary history when their bodies were somehow in sync with the environment, and sometime later we went astray from those roots--whether because of agriculture or the invention of the bow and arrow, reflects a misunderstanding of evolution. What we eat and thrive on depends on our more than 30 million years of history as primates, and not a single arbitrary and more recent moment in time."
In fact,, studies have been performed on the teeth of Neanderthal remains, as well as the 2 million year old teeth of Australopithecus sedila, and remnants of grains and various starches were found in their teeth. Good thing for us they didn't floss.
Ms. Zuk also points out just how quickly the human body can evolve and adapt. It doesn't require hundreds of thousands or millions of years. For example, prior to 20 thousand years ago, humans were essentially lactose intolerant. But starting around 20,000 years ago, humans went from hunter-gatherers to farmers. Because we began to domesticate animals and consume their milk, lactose intolerance was reduced by 90% in the span of approximately 15,000 years. So the premise that our bodies are identical to a caveman's would, to say the least, be inaccurate.
While the paleo-diet is not a harmful diet, it would be a mistake to assume that generally speaking, it is more conducive to human health than a modern day nutrious diet.We do not know if cavemen ever ate bacon.
The basic idea of the paleo-diet is that 150,000 years ago our hunter-gather forefathers survived on meat, fruits and vegetables; therefore, that is what the human digestive system is attuned to and designed for. By contrast, the diet advocates say we should avoid grains like oats, wheat, rice, etc., because humans didn't begin to consume those items until around 10,000 years ago when we began to settle in villages and develop farming. In the paleo diet, the idea of starches, pasta, milk and milk products, and potatoes is anathema. Advocates claim these foods are responsible for diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease because the human body has not had the time to evolve and adapt to a diet of grains, starches and dairy.
In her book, Paleo Fantasy, author Marlene Zuk quotes anthropologist Katherine Milton: "The notion that humans got to a point in evolutionary history when their bodies were somehow in sync with the environment, and sometime later we went astray from those roots--whether because of agriculture or the invention of the bow and arrow, reflects a misunderstanding of evolution. What we eat and thrive on depends on our more than 30 million years of history as primates, and not a single arbitrary and more recent moment in time."
In fact,, studies have been performed on the teeth of Neanderthal remains, as well as the 2 million year old teeth of Australopithecus sedila, and remnants of grains and various starches were found in their teeth. Good thing for us they didn't floss.
Ms. Zuk also points out just how quickly the human body can evolve and adapt. It doesn't require hundreds of thousands or millions of years. For example, prior to 20 thousand years ago, humans were essentially lactose intolerant. But starting around 20,000 years ago, humans went from hunter-gatherers to farmers. Because we began to domesticate animals and consume their milk, lactose intolerance was reduced by 90% in the span of approximately 15,000 years. So the premise that our bodies are identical to a caveman's would, to say the least, be inaccurate.
While the paleo-diet is not a harmful diet, it would be a mistake to assume that generally speaking, it is more conducive to human health than a modern day nutrious diet.We do not know if cavemen ever ate bacon.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
EXERCISE BEATS LOSING YOUR MIND
Approximately 3 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. As of yet there is no cure, but there are steps you can take to minimize the risk. There has been much written about mental stimulation, such as crossword puzzles, suduko, reading, etc., for staving off dementia. Results from these techniques have been mixed. Studies over the past several years have found one surefire method to hold off mental decline. In a word, EXERCISE. A Mayo Clinic Review of more than 2,000 thousand scientific papers determined. "The one thing you can do to do prevent the onset of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease is exercise."
Harvard pyschiatrist Dr. John Ratey says, "Exercise is the one thing we've proven again and again that prevents the ravaging of aging on our brains. If you exercise 3 to to 6 months on a regular basis, your brain actually grows." And for those of you who haven't exercised in a long time, or who have never exercised regularly, take note. Dr. Ratey says, "You get the most bang for your buck if you haven't been exercising. The biggest changes are seen there."
As a bonus regular exercise can fend off obesity and Type 2 diabetes. So get moving and strive for 150 minutes of exercise a week. It could be walking, running, swimming, weight training. The idea is to get the heart pumping and the blood circulating to the brain. The less fat on the ass, the more cells in the brain.
Harvard pyschiatrist Dr. John Ratey says, "Exercise is the one thing we've proven again and again that prevents the ravaging of aging on our brains. If you exercise 3 to to 6 months on a regular basis, your brain actually grows." And for those of you who haven't exercised in a long time, or who have never exercised regularly, take note. Dr. Ratey says, "You get the most bang for your buck if you haven't been exercising. The biggest changes are seen there."
As a bonus regular exercise can fend off obesity and Type 2 diabetes. So get moving and strive for 150 minutes of exercise a week. It could be walking, running, swimming, weight training. The idea is to get the heart pumping and the blood circulating to the brain. The less fat on the ass, the more cells in the brain.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
TWO TASTY TIDBITS
A recent study shows that colon cancer rates among Americans over the age of 50 fell by 1/3 between 2000 and 2010. The reason? In a word, colonoscopies. In that 10 year period, colon cancer screenings for those between the ages of 50 and 75 rose from 19% in 2000, to 55% in 2010. For those 50 and older, colonoscopies are recommended every 5 to 10 years. I had my second one last October and passed with flying colors. No doubt you may have heard the horror stories about the procedure and the preparation leading up to it. While it is nowhere near as much fun as a weekend in Vegas, I was surprised at how pain free it really was. All my appprehensions and misgivings proved to be baseless. If you're over 50, do yourself a huge favor and have the screening. If you're 65 or older, Medicare will foot the bill. And if you're under 65, many insurance companies will pay for the procedure in full.
No doubt all of you have heard of the five second rule, right? Drop something edible on the floor, and if you pick it up within five seconds it's still safe to eat. True or urban legend? In reality it's half true. If you drop dry food on the floor, like a cracker or cookie you're probably safe. On the other hand, if you drop something wet or moist on the floor, like a piece of meat or chewing gum, toss it in the garbage. Germs will immediately adhere to anything moist, even if it's within 5 seconds. Yuck! One more thing. Laminated and tiled floors increase the risk of contamination from E Coli and straphylococcus aureus. Surprisingly enough, carpeting poses far less of a risk than hard floors. And if you drop something in the toilet? Fuggetaboutit!
No doubt all of you have heard of the five second rule, right? Drop something edible on the floor, and if you pick it up within five seconds it's still safe to eat. True or urban legend? In reality it's half true. If you drop dry food on the floor, like a cracker or cookie you're probably safe. On the other hand, if you drop something wet or moist on the floor, like a piece of meat or chewing gum, toss it in the garbage. Germs will immediately adhere to anything moist, even if it's within 5 seconds. Yuck! One more thing. Laminated and tiled floors increase the risk of contamination from E Coli and straphylococcus aureus. Surprisingly enough, carpeting poses far less of a risk than hard floors. And if you drop something in the toilet? Fuggetaboutit!
Monday, March 24, 2014
Time Flies
Today my beautiful bride and I celebrate 48 years of marital bliss. We both shake our heads in disbelief to think it has been nearly a half century of marriage. Where the hell has the time gone? Where, indeed.It brings to mind a strange phenomena. I have spoken to many people over the years about it, and without exception, everyone over the age of 50 totally agrees: The older you get, the faster the times goes. It truly is strange. Nothing really changes, There are still 60 seconds to a minute, 60 minutes to an hour, 24 hours to a day, yet with each passing year time our perception of time accelerates. I remember as a kid Christmas would take forever to get here. Now, it seems like a month after you put away the Christmas decorations, you're pulling them out again. It's almost like a cruel joke on the part of Mother Nature. Bad enough we're all headed for that finish line, but has we move closer and closer to it, our speed picks up. Which just proves, I guess, that we really do have to make each minute count, because at my age, each minute lasts about 5 seconds. It's like a snowball gaining momentum as it rolls down hill.
I have one question: Where the hell are the brakes?
I have one question: Where the hell are the brakes?
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