23 Staples Later...

OK...so here it is!   A total of 23 staples!   There used to be a six-pack under this mess!   Prior to surgery, my surgeon said he would make an incision just ABOVE the navel and run about six inches north.   So what is with the detour around and below the navel?   Good news...intestinal polyp is gone and was deemed benign!

Fortunately for me, I was only hospitalized for 7 days (6 nights).   The first 3 of those nights passed with little to no sleep, thanks to the contraption below...often referred to as a hospital bed!   If I learned one thing during my stay...it is this!   Hospital beds are not designed for sleeping, unless you prefer to sleep on your back!   I don't know anyone who prefers to (or can even attempt to) sleep on their back.

No these beds are design for the medical staff.   To lift you, hoist you, poke you, probe you all through the night or at least every two to three hours all through the night!   The upper and lower part of the bed adjusts independently.   The height also adjusts.   All combined there must be an endless possibility of different combinations, none of which provides you with a decent nights sleep...unless, of course, you prefer to sleep on your back!

Also notice the plastic covered mattress?   Instant sweat machine!   I must have had an additional 5 or six pillows...still no sleep.   Finally, on night four, the pain had somewhat subsided.   I was able to lay on my side and manage to get a whole 3 hours straight sleep...before the nurse woke me up to take my "vitals"!

One other thing!   If you're having abdominal surgery, do not...I repeat...do not, cough or sneeze at least 4 days after surgery.   If you do...you will swear that God does not exist, or if nothing else...he took a few days off!

Cutting Me Open Today!

Duodenal tumor and small intestinal resection!

She Just Won't Go Away!

Bachmann Mangles Revolutionary History In N.H.!

"What I love about New Hampshire and what we have in common is our extreme love for liberty," the potential GOP presidential candidate said.   "You're the state where the shot was heard around the world in Lexington and Concord.   And you put a marker in the ground and paid with the blood of your ancestors the very first price that had to be paid to make this the most magnificent nation that has ever arisen in the annals of man in 5,000 years of recorded history."



In fact, the 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord that marked the first military engagements of the American Revolution took place in Massachusetts.   But Bachmann did not correct her error when she referenced the battles again later in her speech.

But I guess it's OK...because here's what she later posted on her Facebook page!   "So I misplaced the battles Concord and Lexington by saying they were in New Hampshire.   It was my mistake.   And by the way... That will be the last time I borrow President Obama's teleprompter!"

Management 101 - Google Style!

As read in today's New York Times...

"In early 2009, statisticians inside the Googleplex in California embarked on a plan code-named Project Oxygen.

Their mission was to devise something far more important to the future of Google Inc. than its next search algorithm or app.

They wanted to build better bosses.

So, as only a data-mining giant like Google can do, it began analyzing performance reviews, feedback surveys and nominations for top-manager awards.   They correlated phrases, words, praise and complaints.

Later that year, the “people analytics” teams at the company produced what might be called the Eight Habits of Highly Effective Google Managers."

Here are the results (in a nutshell)!   Based on employee feedback!   Nothing new here...but what a unique concept!   Data mining only as Goggle can do it!   Listen up corporate America!

1. Be a good coach
2. Empower your team and don't micromanage
3. Express interest in team member's success and personal well-being
4. Don't be a sissy: Be productive and results-oriented
5. Be a good communicator and listen to your team
6. Help your employees with career development
7. Have a clear vision and strategy for the team
8. Have key technical skills so you can help adviser the team.

As you can read in the full article...the original premise was that, at the top of the list, a good manager had to have good technical skills!   NOT!!!   Who wants to weigh in on micromanagement???

Re-li-gion - noun

[ri-lij-uhn]

1. belief in, worship of, or obedience to a supernatural power or powers considered to be divine or to have control of human destiny
2. any formal or institutionalized expression of such belief: the Christian religion
3. the attitude and feeling of one who believes in a transcendent controlling power or powers
   

I happen to be at the bleeding edge of the baby boomer generation.   As such, part of the deal is that I am scheduled for intestinal surgery this coming Tuesday, March 15th (the Ides of March).   Stuff like this happens to some of us boomers!   I had to pre-register at the hospital yesterday.   I’ve been to this hospital before.   (You’d think that in this day and age most, if not all, of this “pre-registration” information/process would be automated and already in their system…but that’s yet another blog entry!)

During the pre-registration process, the administrator asked me to concur with some questions as she read off my basic information (on file); name, address, date-of-birth, social security number, etc.   Then she twisted her face a little and said…Religion?   None?   I responded/confirmed…Yes!   Religion none!   (I should have said…does that make me a bad person…but I didn’t).



I need to write more about this aspect of my life…and I plan to do so in the near future.   I really believe that, as Karl Marx once said, “religion is the opiate of the people!”   When you consider all the world’s conflicts and all that is wrong with this world…it all boils down to one thing…religion.



And, unfortunately, America is one of the most religious of all the industrialized nations on this planet.   That fact, affects ALL aspects of American life…especially politics!   That, combined with America’s questionable electoral intellect…leaves me depressed and distraught regarding the future of this country.

Regarding America’s intellect…31% of Republican Americans believe that President Obama is a Muslim.   It’s incredulous that they do, but they do…but even if it were true…who gives a f**k!   Americans do…that’s who!   It’s scary!   And they had doubts because Kennedy was a Catholic!   God help us!   God???

On a lighter note!

NobleWorksCards

Mapping the Nation's Well-Being!

I read this article in the New York Sunday Times "Week in Review Section".   For the last three years, Gallup has called 1,000 randomly selected American adults each day and asked them about indicators of their quality of life.   Responses are converted to the Gallup-Healthways "Well-Being Index".   Some responses are below:





Other categories (with similar findings) include:

• Stress
• Obesity
• Work Environment
• Job Satisfaction

Is there a pattern here?
Again...is there a pattern here?


And what's up with Kentucky and Mississippi?   They already have a prominent position on my list of (non) retirement states or my southern friends (similar pattern).   Then again, there's Mitch McConnell, the senior senator from Kentucky, and Haley Barbour, Governor of Mississippi and potential presidential candidate for 2012?

By the way...Senator McConnell's personal fortune is estimated at $32,756,000 in 2009, having increased by $800,002 since the previous year, and ranking as the 12th wealthiest member of the U.S. Senate.   I wonder if the good citizens of Kentucky know this little tidbit!   They should!   Then again, they, and their fellow citizens from Mississippi:

• haven't learned anything lately
• can't visit anyplace outside of America
• are unhappy, unhealthy and depressed!

Oh...I forgot about Kentucky state senator Mike Harmon.

Christians should be allowed to bully gays!

As the Kentucky state senate considers legislation addressing anti-gay bullying in schools, one senator wants to amend the measure to say it’s OK for students to state that homosexuality is a sin — and to allow the possession of firearms in school!

Mike Harmon, a Republican, has filed an amendment saying students would be allowed to express religious beliefs against homosexuality as long as their actions do not include physical harm or destruction of property.

“If someone, just in conversation, said, ‘You know, I think homosexuality is a sin,’ well, we don’t want that child to be bullied because they have a certain moral or religious belief,” he said. “And we don’t want them, certainly don’t want them to be labeled a bully just because they have that particular belief.”

He also has filed an amendment that would allow gun owners with concealed weapons permits to carry the weapons on public campuses and keep guns in their vehicles on school property.

Coffee, Tea or Sex? Not!

According to the Brigham Young University (BYU) Honor code...none of the above!   Just ask Brandon Davies, a star basketball player.   He opted to break the rules on the latter (premarital sex with his girlfriend) and was kicked off the team!



The team looked like a title contender.   BYU is ranked third in the country, and Davies, who averages 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds, is a key player;   in their first game without him, the Cougars were trounced by the University of New Mexico, 82-64.

According to the BYU coach..."Everybody who comes to BYU, every student if they're an athlete or not an athlete, they make a commitment when they come."   "A lot of people try to judge if this is right or wrong, but it's a commitment they make.   It's not about right or wrong. It's about commitment."

In case you're interested here are the key points of the BYU Honor code:

• Be honest
• Live a chaste and virtuous life
• Obey the law and all campus policies
• Use clean language
• Respect others
• Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse
• Participate regularly in church services
• Observe the Dress and Grooming Standards
• Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code

So all you Starbuckers, Dunkin' Donut Divas, Earl Grey Tea Lovers and potential BYU Sex Offenders...need not apply!