Blind Faith

One must seriously question the mental ability of those asked in a recent survey by the Pew Research Center for the People, about the president. Seven hundred and fifty-one respondents had to answer the question, ‘if you had to describe president bush with one word, what would it be’.

Thirty-one actually responded ‘honest’. I wonder where these dangerous people have been for the last 5 years or if they understand or even care what goes on around them. Maybe they were just as confused about the question as they are about the world around them. Then again, this survey may have been aimed or seen by more Republicans than those with intelligence about our government and how it is run. ‘Hmmm?’ may have been a better response from some these intellectually- challenged people. Some twenty-six people who responded happened to be ‘on-top-of-things’ by answering, ‘incompetent’. ‘Arrogant’ came in third, followed by ‘good’, ‘integrity’, ‘determined’, ‘liar’, ‘stupid’, ‘idiot’ and ‘strong’.

Overall, 40 percent of those answering were negative to george, while 36 percent heaped on praise. Pew Institute said the findings were close to what they were in February.  Looks as if more Republicans remembered to come back from February while those of who were really disgusted did not! (An article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, July 22, 2005 provided some information on this article)

Our Government Is Watching Out for Us

In the largest study of chemical exposure ever conducted on humans, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday reported that most Americans are carrying in their bodies dozens of toxic pesticides and compounds used in consumer products, many linked to potential health threats. My question would be, what are they doing in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention? Of course, like any department overseen by our government, they have superiors they have to curtsey to. The statement seems to be telling Americans, ‘sorry, we aren’t doing a very good job of protecting you from those who provide you with supposedly, ‘inspected’ products’.

The report says that children are actually carrying around doses larger than adults, especially pyrethroids, ingredients of every household pesticides, and phthalates, found in nail polish and soft plastics. I guess the producers of these products may have been contributors to the president’s re-election or the Republican party.

CDC officials did have some good news for us on Thursday. The amount of exposure to lead and second-hand smoke was down in children’s blood was down. They said this was an ‘astonishing public health achievement’ due to its removal of lead from paints and gasoline. When was the last study done, in the fifties?!  Lead had been taken out of these products in the mid-sixties, early seventies, if my memory serves me right!

What is the governments’ take on this? Are the terrorists to blame? Or maybe Saddam? (An article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, July 22, 2005 provided some information on this article)

Life is Good in Florida

Local residents here in Sarasota were again reminded of the ‘good life in Florida’ with a front page article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune on Friday (helping make the weekend better), telling us of ‘Some Manatee Beaches Forced to Close’! Due to fecal coliform bacteria and red tide, the beaches may be closed for the weekend (Ahhh, life is good!). Unless one is not bothered by ‘increased risks of rashes, infections or disease (there’s that word again)’, your plans for a visit to the beach for the weekend, just turned into watching the Major League Game of the Week on Fox (just like those in the country without beaches to enjoy will be doing). The average 5000 who visit the week on weekdays and 10000 who enjoy the ‘good life’ here on Saturday and Sunday, will be finding other things to do. (The City Council of Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice may be suggesting you all go SHOPPING instead!)

The warnings are the first in five years. (Things here are getting better by the day) Unfortunately, this wonderful scientific phenomena called ‘Red Tide’, which used to be a once-every- few-years ‘inconvenience’ that has become rather ‘commonplace’, kills many fish, which brings birds from all over ‘our wonderful state’ to eat the dead fish, and ‘do their thing’ said an environmental supervisor, all over the ‘once beautiful shores’. Ugh!

Looks to me that Mother Nature has had enough beating on the hoods of cars and is really getting serious about all the pollutants we dump on grass and into her earth here. Xeriscaping anyone? Naaaa, don’t worry! Our ‘officials’ in our city and county governments will ‘figure something out’ so we can all go back to enjoying our ‘beautiful, good life’ soon. Don’t be foolish and go to the beach or hold your breath waiting for either!