To Sue or Not to Sue? That’s Not the Question!
Here’s a hoot, one for the books if not the law books. It is another reminder why occasionally I at least peruse the news if not read it.
An AP wire story on Monday from Albany NY ran the headline "Golfer blinded by bad shot sues pal." "Pal"? Are they serious? The lead was "Two doctors are playing golf on Long Island. One hits such a poor shot from the rough that it hits his partner … in the head. Whose fault is that?" Who cares? The question should be "Why is this in the courts at all?
Dr. A took his friend Dr. K to court. His argument was that his pal didn’t yell "fore". The incident occurred in 2002, eight years ago: eight years of judicial haggling over an accident that occurred between friends; eight years of spending public and private money to resolve an argument between friends. I imagine they aren’t friends now.
Does a doctor who can afford to live on Long Island need the money from a lawsuit? Maybe a doctor suing someone else thinks "turnabout is fair play." How about working it out between friends? Isn’t that what friends do, or is the court the only arena of resolution left to us?
The original court threw the suit out; an appellate court agreed. After eight years the case is in the state’s highest court. Eight years! Eight years of acrimony between friends. If it were not so sad, I would laugh even more.
The home page of the New York State Unified Court Systems states, "We hear more than three million cases a year involving almost every type of endeavor." I bet they do! If half their cases are as capricious as this one, no wonder the courts snarl. We have become a litigating society. If GNP stood for Gross National Paper-trail, we would rule the world.
Get this! The county once called me to a trial that had a doctor suing his lawyer for malpractice. You think I’m kidding? The lawyer lost a case on an investment gone south for which other doctors were suing his client. The case had already cost 80K of taxpayers’ money. The judge excused me when I publicly stated, "A doctor suing a lawyer for malpractice? The two deserve each other!" I subscribe to George Carlin’s notion that he would not want to be tried by twelve of his peers who weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty. I wanted off that case. What a waste of time, energy and public money just to assuage some doctor’s ego.
Beyond losing sight in one eye I know nothing of why Dr. A is suing. The only information given in the article is that he no longer could work. Maybe he does need a pile of some insurance company’s money to keep him in the style to which he grew accustomed living on Long Island.
My non-paying job in Gilbert, Arizona, keeps me in the style to which I learned to adapt while working as a teacher. The good doctor could try writing instead of suing, or he could become a teacher. Our students mostly only threaten to sue us.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Axes To Grind - "Thrisis v. Centastrophes"
I stumbled on the 11.16.10 edition of the “CNN Living” page of cnn.com; the headline reads “20-somethings – get ready for a ‘Thrisis.’” The story chronicles what the authors of a recent contribution to the literature, The Hookup Handbook, wrote about the looming “uneasiness people experience as they hit the big 3-0.” Big deal! Thirty!
Thrisis? How about the 60-somethings facing “sevenerance,” the looming potential of actually leaving the 60s, 70s or 80s entirely, for good, done, kaput, fini? Now sevenerance is a word for our vocabulary. Who should be worried about turning thirty? Certainly anyone who has been there would wonder about the fuss.
Thrisis? The “Boomers” are not only our largest generation but face uncharted territory. Let see a CNN Living article on those who are facing sevenerance and hopefully while they are still here.
Thrisis? My granddaughters turn seven and ten this week. What about their crises. Would you want to be growing up in this era or be in those “tween” years of the pre-teenager. Shouldn’t there be words for their predicament? How about "sevonlies" or "tweenagers"? They are of a generation in real crisis. They will have to clean up the messes the thrisers are making.
Thrisis? How hard can it actually be to turn 30? You gals are at the peak of your womanhood, prime child bearing age, actually old enough to know something about kids but still young enough to go without sleeping for six to ten years, and still strong enough to tote the babes about in your soccer van. You are at the height of your sexual attractiveness, have the foundation of a career built, and have more endurance than you will for the rest of your lives.
Thrisis? You guys are hitting your physical prime. Wrestlers are winning Olympic titles and runners become marathon champions. You understand the game and have experience in the game of life. You have more little swimmers than you ever will. You have all the benefits of the arrogance of youth and the maturity of years. What’s the crisis here?
Thrisis? The writiers describe "that gray zone when you're not young enough to be young and not old enough to be old" and go on to list the thrisis pressures "to not only have it all, but to make it perfect -- the HGTV-worthy house, gifted children, highpowered career, and soul mate." You call these pressures? Get past it; life is not designed to be perfect, and "have it all" does not deserve comment.
Thrisis? The authors conclude, "We should all be so lucky to have a life re-evaluation at age 100, although 'century-is' or 'hundred-is' just doesn't have the same ring to it as thrisis does." You write about what has "ring to it." What about the "sixtuation" of the 50s set facing job layoffs because the company can hire two thrisers for the same price. The afore-mentioned "sevenerance" generation is still having to house-keep for the thrisers when they move back home. The "eightxigency" of finding insurance, hospitalization and life in a care center of the 70-somethings would seem to be more worthy of CNN's attention, not to mention the "ninecessities" of our octogenarians and "centastrophies" facing the very senior members of our society who are outliving their bodies.
Thrisis, Ms. Lavinthal and Ms Rozier? Bah humg, baloney, pap, fluff, get real, gain some perspective, stop and smell the fertilizer or stick with your hookup handbooks.
Axes to Grind - "Centastrophes v. Thrisis"
I stumbled on the 11.16.10 edition of the “CNN Living” page of cnn.com’ the headline reads “20-somethings – get ready for a ‘Thrisis.’” The story chronicles what the authors of a recent contribution to the literature, The Hookup Handbook, wrote about the looming “uneasiness people experience as they hit the big 3-0.” Big deal! Thirty!
Thrisis? How about the 60-somethings facing “sevenerance,” the looming potential of actually leaving the 60s, 70s or 80s entirely, for good, done, kaput, fini? Now sevenerance is a word for our vocabulary. Who should be worried about turning thirty? Certainly anyone who has been there would wonder about the fuss.
Thrisis? The “Boomers” are not only our largest generation but face uncharted territory. Let see a CNN Living article on those who are facing sevenerance and hopefully while they are still here.
Thrisis? My granddaughters turn seven and ten this week. What about their crises. Would you want to be growing up in this era or be in those “tween” years of the pre-teenager. Shouldn’t there be words for their predicament? How about sevonlies or tweenagers? They are of a generation in real crisis. They will have to clean up the messes the thrisers are making.
Thrisis? How hard can it actually be to turn 30? You gals are at the peak of your womanhood, prime child bearing age, actually old enough to know something about kids but still young enough to go without sleeping for six to ten years, and still strong enough to tote the babes about in your soccer van. You are at the height of your sexual attractiveness, have the foundation of a career built, and have more endurance than you will for the rest of your lives.
Thrisis? You guys are hitting your physical prime. Wrestlers are winning Olympic titles and runners become marathon champions. You understand the game and have experience in the game of life. You have more little swimmers than you ever will. You have all the benefits of the arrogance of youth and the maturity of years. What’s the crisis here?
Thrisis? The writers describe “that gray zone when you're not young enough to be young and not old enough to be old” and go on to list the thrisis pressures “to not only have it all, but to make it perfect -- the HGTV-worthy house, gifted children, high-powered career, and soul mate.” You call these pressures? Get past it; life is not designed to be perfect, and “have it all” does not deserve comment.
Thrisis? The authors conclude, “We should all be so lucky to have a life re-evaluation at age 100, although "century-is" or "hundred-is" just doesn't have the same ring to it as thrisis does.” You write about what has “ring to it.” What about the “sixtuation” of the 50s set facing job layoffs because the company can hire two thrisers for the same price. The afore-mentioned “sevenerance” generation is still having to house-keep for the thrisers when they move back home. The “eightxigency” of finding insurance, hospitalization and life in a care center of the the 70-somethings would seem to be more worthy of CNN’s attention, not to mention the “ninecessities” of our octogenarians and “centasrophes” facing the very senior members of our society who are outliving their bodies.
Thrisis, Ms. Lavinthal and Ms. Rozier? Bah humbug, baloney, pap, fluff, get real, gain some perspective, stop and smell the fertilizer or stick with your hookup handbooks.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Be Careul Now & Reaching Up
Be Careful Now
Reaching up
Reaching up
held firmly in Dad’s hand
Callouses
reminders of experience
teaching caution
Trust, safety
Gentle firmness
Parents watchful tutelage
leaching the dangers
of crossing the street
“Be careful now.”
“Look both ways.”
“Use the crosswalk.”
“Don’t dart out between cars.”
“Stop, look, listen!”
Yet,
I ran into the highway
in front of
an approaching army convoy no less.
Lax, rash, lost?
careless, thoughtless, impudent?
All of the above?
Headstrong?
Slow learner?
Maybe!
My dad saved me.
Life is a test of living
to be continued…
Reaching Up
Reaching up
Seeking Jesus’ hand
marks of the nails
reminders of sacrifice
teaching love
Faith, hope
Love’s embrace
Our Father’s guidance
learning the way
of the cross
“Thou shalt…”
“Do unto others…”
“Love thy neighbor…”
“Go therefore and make disciples…”
“Faith, hope, love and among these…”
Still,
I fall down
in the face
of the challenges of life.
Lax, rash, lost?
absorbed, unheeding, arrogant?
All of the above?
Obstinate?
Numbskull?
Maybe!
My Father saves me.
Life is a test of living
to be continued…
Be Careful NowFriday, November 12, 2010
Friday Lite - Parenthicons to Wordamicons
In Case You Missed It
A Conversation X Michael McCabe, Bill Slease and Others
(as though it is worthy of repeating)
Bill, Bill likes to close parentheses with a smiley (like this :) I call this a parenthicon. I use it often when composing electrograms.”
Michael, “... and I thought parentheses were tomes on parenting and electrograms were messages from our politicians. Little did I know their real meaning. Shall I add your compopositionings to my fictionary.”
Bill, “Yes please do enregister my confictionaries.”
Michael, “They are definitably fictionable enough that if Dubya's children ever run for office, you could gain deployment as screechwriter.”
Cathy, “Yay for making up wordamicons! :D”
Heath,“Elect-o-grams come from our politicians.”
Michael, “My friend Schmidt has only one eye. Would .) be a Schmidticon?”
This came in from my pastor just today:
Terry, “How about ‘pre-crastination’ as in “It was ordained by God that I put off this project until tomorrow!”
Michael, “This is a good word; I shall not only add it to my fictionary, but I will embrace it and practice it religiously. I am for it - in the Presbyterian way: pro-destinedly.
Bill, Bill likes to close parentheses with a smiley (like this :) I call this a parenthicon. I use it often when composing electrograms.”
Michael, “... and I thought parentheses were tomes on parenting and electrograms were messages from our politicians. Little did I know their real meaning. Shall I add your compopositionings to my fictionary.”
Bill, “Yes please do enregister my confictionaries.”
Michael, “They are definitably fictionable enough that if Dubya's children ever run for office, you could gain deployment as screechwriter.”
Cathy, “Yay for making up wordamicons! :D”
Heath,“Elect-o-grams come from our politicians.”
Michael, “My friend Schmidt has only one eye. Would .) be a Schmidticon?”
This came in from my pastor just today:
Terry, “How about ‘pre-crastination’ as in “It was ordained by God that I put off this project until tomorrow!”
Michael, “This is a good word; I shall not only add it to my fictionary, but I will embrace it and practice it religiously. I am for it - in the Presbyterian way: pro-destinedly.
However, the actual meaning of ‘pro-destination’ may be just ‘the place I wanted to go from the beginning.’”
Ah yes, the beginning, an idea the D-backs can support.
Ah yes, the beginning, an idea the D-backs can support.
I should have pre-crastined this post.
Just think: And teachers are worried about the effects of texting on students’ writing skills.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Friday Lite - "Maxims-Lite
I took one of those knowledge quizzes about Christian beliefs on the web. While reading the results I learned that many of the respondents claim not to be followers of any major religion but list themselves as “spiritual.” It causes me to wonder what one who is spiritual believes. Of course I went straight to the be-all of information, Wikipedia. The article on “Spirituality” stated, “…there is no necessary connection between spirituality and belief at all.” This bothers me.
It is very clear (at least to them) what Bahais, Buddhists, Christians, Confucians, Hindus, Jainists, Jews, Muslims, Shintoists, Sikhs and Taoists believe. There is a long history of codification of their belief systems. There are disagreements in each about practices, but written codes are agreed upon by nearly all adherents. Few if any Christians would reject the common understanding of the Ten Commandments.
What does a spiritual person believe? For a person to claim to be spiritual is not a claim to be a spiritualist meaning there is a group for whom there is a set of common beliefs and morals creating unity with others. One who is spiritual seems to not need beliefs or even a common code of maxims.
I seek to remedy that lack by offering a set of laxims, or maxims-lite. To account for the lack of common precepts held by folks who have nothing maxim-wise in common with others, laxims are by their very definition less stringent than the maxims of major religions. They are taken from the writings of Ludicrous Laximus, Roamin pillosopher during the Age of Enlitenment.
During this age, as you likely remember from history class, lite beer was developed along with Crystal Lite, lite foods and even lite pet food. Lite FM introduced Holiday Lite, and the postal service adopted LiteBlue, a career management service. News lite services such as QE-lite emerged. For such an overweight society we certainly have a penchant for the lite life. Laxims should be a hit.
Along with definitions referring to reduced calorie, alcohol, sugar or fat, Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines lite as: “diminished or lacking in substance or seriousness; being an innocuous or unthreatening version.” So, these laxims are to be taken litely, certainly not any more seriously than someone would take the maxims of a religion to which s/he claims no adherence.
Though maxims come from a variety of sources I begin with the two “Great Commandments” of Christianity and offer the following laxims. “Love yourself and put no others before you,” and “Do unto some others what you want all others to do unto you.” This should relieve some relationship stress. Next, considering the “Ten Commandments” we could have these laxims:
1. Honor no other gods except money. This would help out a bunch of folks.
2. Have no other idols before you except money, cars, TVs, cell phones, the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, movie stars, and rock stars. Fortunately for God but unfortunately for us there are few if any political stars.
3. Honor God’s name unless an expletive makes the point better. Thankfully to some vulgarity was not specifically mentioned.
4. Honor the Sabbath unless it is good for business.
5. Honor your mother or your father.
6. Do not murder except when you are doing unto others before they are doing unto you.
7. Do not commit adultery except when your sex life at home is boring or a, b, and c, or x, y, and z; or when you are sure it won’t end up on Twitter.
8. Do not steal except in such small amounts no one notices or cares, in such large amounts that you believe you are above the law or it is worth the time in prison, or your name is IRiS.
9. Do not lie unless you are sure you won’t get caught, it serves the moment, or you consider it kind; or it won’t end up on Twitter.
10. Do not covet except for “real” needs such as the latest phones, video games, fashions and jewelry, a shinier car, bigger house, faster computer, glitzier TV, more money (need I go on) , or if your neighbor’s spouse is really hot and coming on to you.
Over the years many writers have written maxims about what to avoid. A choice appropriate to this piece is “Flee cynicism and sarcasm.” The corollary laxim (one to which I secularly adhere) is “Flee cynicism and sarcasm, but free satire.”
Other maxims will be the subject of future posts. Today, I leave you with one from Ben Franklin, “Absence sharpens love; presence strengthens it.” The corollary laxim from Ludicrous Laximus is: “Abstinence harpoons love, but presents lengthen it.” Until next time… Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Fictionary of Compopositives* - Election Terms
* Composite Positive Enlightening Words, a lighthearted look at politrical selectioneering words that you don’t hear in the news or possibly anywhere.
(Reprint rights are granted with acknowledgement though I am not sure why anyone would want to do that.)
(Reprint rights are granted with acknowledgement though I am not sure why anyone would want to do that.)
Word | Meaning | |
Absentee shallot | n. | Ballot cast by voter who checked his brain at the door (Blend of shallow and ballot) |
Affront-runner | n. | An arrogant leading candidate |
Ballacy | n. | The notion a given candidate will make changes because of our vote (Blend of ballot and fallacy) |
Bifameral | adj. | Families with members of both parties |
Blandslide | n. | A big win, but no one cared |
Blobyists | n. | One who stains the democratic system (See slobyists) |
Blurality | n. | A candidate’s misguided notion the people are with him/her (Blend of blur and plurality) |
Camplaign | n. | What we have heard for months on end (Blend of complain and campaign) |
Challengerm | n. | Incumbent’s opponent |
Conservatscism | n. | Political position related to divide and conquer (See “liberalscism”) |
Damnidates | n. | All candidates to a diatributor (See diatributor) |
Deactivist | n. | Loser |
Deficitcation | n. | The financial outcome regardless of who is elected (Blend of deficit and defecation) |
Delegrate | n. | Elected official who immediately forgets who sent him/her (Blend of delegate and ingrate) |
Democranonize | v. | Reverent references to former Democratic presidents (Blend of Democrat and canonize – See Republicanonize) |
Diatributor | n. | Person whose verbal contribution is always negative (Blend of diatribe and contributor) |
Electorhate | v. | Attitudes and actions of the diatributors |
Eluctability | adj. | Ability to get elected by luck |
Erriteration | n. | Misstatement (Blend of error and iteration) |
Fartisan | n. | A non-discerning political supporter who is obviously just full of gas |
Foealition | n. | Groups that are against everyone (See diatributor) |
Foebias | n. | The other parties’ fear of your party |
Gallitician | n. | A person in the political arena who thinks s/he can say anything and we will believe it Blend of gall and politician – This may be redundant.) |
Glandslide | n. | The bad feeling in your groin when the other party wins big |
Goattails | n. | Backing a losing candidate |
Goondoggle | n. | Condition created by the misleading ads of special interest groups |
Hardassionate | adj. | 1) Tough love (Blend of hard and compassionate) 2) What we need to be when we cast our ballot |
House of Reprehensators | n. | That which too often remains even after the election (Blend of Representative, reprehensible and Senator) |
Inbumbent | n. | Representative who fails to live up to his/her promises |
Incongretent | adj. | Unable to restrain from raising taxes (Blend of incontinent and congress) |
Indemofy | v. | Attempt by the Democrats to “protect” the country against the Republications and insure their selection (Blend of indemnify and democrat – See Republicandied) |
Jademocracy | adj. | A misguided belief that our system of government can survive without the stewardship of the electorate (Blend of jaded and democracy) |
Karmandate | n. | Candidate’s misguided belief s/he is destined to lead |
Liberalscism | n. | Political position relating to conquer and divide (See conservatscism) |
Mudstinging | n. | Personally hurtful claims made in poltitrical ads (See politrics) |
Nausealeum | n. | Place for campaign ad producers to reside |
Nonpartysan | n. | Attendee at the loser’s function |
Open crimary | n. | Primary election in which the voters cry about the lack of qualified candidates in all parties |
Political Detraction Committee (PDC) | n. | Group dedicated to denigrating the opposing candidate (Detraction: Blend of detract and action) |
Politrics | n. | Process of applying the golden rule of governance: “Do unto others before they do unto you.” (Also, often stated as “He who has the gold makes the rules.) |
Prestinct | n. | Politrical area defined by the ruling party at the time to create a selectoral advantage (Blend of precinct and stink) |
Quorumph | n. | Disregard for the minority |
Re-erriterate | v. | The need to persist in being wrong because of the seniority system in Congress (See erriteration) |
Republicandied | adj. | Term describing syrupy statements made by Republican candidates to assuage the masses’ fears (See indemofy) |
Republicanonize | v. | Reverent homage to former Republican presidents (See Democanonize) |
Retchics | n. | Basis for some candidates campaign tactics (Blend of retch and ethics) |
Sindulgence | n. | The electorate’s acceptance of our candidates’ actions |
Slobyists | n. | One who strains the democratic system (See blobyists) |
Splatform | n. | The loser’s program |
Sticket | v. | Voting straight ticket |
Stunningmate | n. | Handsome jogger in Australia (I just threw that one in; it has nothing to do with anything – as though the rest does.) |
Sufferages | n. | Our condition during the eons spent on political campaigns (Blend of suffer and ages) |
Termliminate | v | Action taken to terminate an inbumbent (Blend of terminate and term limit – See inbumbent) |
Unicamel | adj. | Political animal symbol no longer in existence except in Nebraska (Blend of unicameral and camel) |
Vote with your fleet | v. | Action taken by U.S. to insure flee elections in third world nations (I am not sure about this one; it came from Rosanna Anna Dana. It may have been free erections.) |
Womendment | n. | The Nineteenth Amendment |
XYsleaZy Affair | n. | Elected officials continued use of clandestine affairs and subterfuge regarding their accountability to their consti-tuents (You try to find compopositives using X, Y & Z) |
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