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Support Lines Vol. 3 Number 8 July 7, 2005
Subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription on the www.bisga.org website or visit http://listserv.tbinet.org/scripts/wa-tbinet.exe?SUBED1=b-news&A=1
Hi Folks,
I'm sorry that it has been so long between issues. Instead of telling you all of the things that have delayed the compilation and delivery of this edition, I've decided to say "it is as it is." Suffice it to say that my life is full right now. I'm on a tight budget as far as spending my time is concerned.
Speaking of budgeting, at this writing, I've received news that the General Assembly for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania voted to approve a $24.3 billion state budget for 2005-06. They also approved a 16 percent pay increase ($11,000) for rank and file members and thousands more for legislative leaders and committee heads. This jump puts our "public servants'" salaries at or above double what the people they serve make.
How nice. They have liberated money from us to freely give to themselves and release them from the constraints their former salaries placed on them. And just after independence day! What a telling statement.
Now, they go on vacation until September. That way we can't reach them. By then, other things will occupy our minds and fill our time.
Undoubtedly, this is happening all over the nation as hungry servants demand pay increases and larger expense accounts. Maybe they should unionize to get better working conditions.
Can you imagine having the power to give yourself a raise like that? Wow!
The governor originally proposed about $380 million in spending cuts. To appease the people, they restored about half of that amount.
Now that the budget has passed, we have an accurate understanding of why Medical Assistance funding cuts were made. Those who "serve" the public were having difficulty getting by on their salary. They needed an increase to make sure they stay at about double ($80,000 +) the average income ($38,000) of the people who pay their salaries. This doesn't even count the hidden costs associated with their employment.
Perhaps we need to look at the actual costs related to having these people serve us. The vehicle expenses. The fuel. The travel and lodging that we pay for. Perhaps the people whom these government employees serve should stop this raiding of our wallets.
No, that wouldn't work. Everyone is too busy getting by on half as much or less than our public servants. (Who really are the servants anyway?)
When watching the movie entitled Matrix, I was impressed by a scene where the lead character and another man were discussing their awareness of the deception of the Matrix. They were talking over dinner. The lead character was trying to convince the other to take action about the situation they were in. As the other man refused, he continued eating his imaginary steak. The lead character reminded him that it was all an illusion and that the steak was not real. To which he replied, "But it tastes so good."
As I reflect upon the events preceding the adoption of this budget, I'm reminded of how people rose up in protest to the cuts. The cuts were presented as being very deep and possibly life threatening to the people who rely upon Medical Assistance to survive. The companies and employees that sell services rose up in protest also. Then, as if to offer a solution, some of the cuts were removed from the budget. Advocates were thrown a bone to keep them happy and voting. And our legislators received the real purpose of the cuts; the steak.
Oh, but that bone tastes so
good doesn't it? Till next time- John
* Motivational Tip For The Dayby Jan Tincher
Do you ever feel frustrated? ----- Be a success! Let Jan Tincher, Master Neuro-Linguistic Programmer, help you! Great articles, great strategies you can implement immediately! Go here now: http://www.tameyourbrain.com/success/index1.htm
Brain Injury Workgroup Meeting Notice When: Thursday, July 28, 2005 Time: 1-4 PM Where: Harrisburg Hilton
The Brain Injury Workgroup will be making recommendations to the DPW on
improving services to persons of all ages with brain injury.
Contact:
Ginny Rogers email: virrogers@state.pa.us
* Four Steps for a Wonderful Attitude
by Tracy Brinkmann * Concentrate on the good If there was a belief store, where you could go and purchase a belief then the belief that I would have everyone purchase is the success belief; the belief that everything that happens to you will bring you closer to your desired success or goal. This belief would enable you to search for and find the good in every situation. As hard as it may be at times there is always a good to be had in every single situation that you live through. Whether it is a lesson learned experience gained or new contact made somewhere in there is a good to be had. Find it and your attitude will take a positive direction. * Seek out the valuable lesson Much like concentrating on the good if you seek out the valuable lesson then the situation, circumstance or pitfall takes a completely new meaning. You will begin to realize that whatever situation you are facing right now needed to be faced in order to learn the lesson. Now take that lesson and integrate it into your goals and plans for the future. Take that lesson learned and use it to TAKE ACTION towards your success! * Concentrate on the solution Whenever a difficulty rears its ugly head, quickly concentrate on the solution rather than focusing on the problem. Spending your time rehashing, reliving and reflecting on the problem will quickly eat away at your positive attitude. Instead, concentrate on the solution to the obstacle, task or setback that lies in front of you. Break it down into manageable steps, plan and solve for each of the steps then TAKE ACTION. The moment you begin thinking and planning in terms of solutions, you become more positive and more constructive. * Concentrate on the future Whatever challenges stand before you, focus on the future rather than the past. You can not change the past so instead of worrying about whom did what to whom and why he is to blame, focus on where you desire to be and how you can get there from here. Concentrate on the vision of your future. How you want it to be, how you want it to look. Lay it all out then take action towards making your future become a reality today. Keep your mind focused on your future vision and you will take actions that are more positive each day. * Think as successful people think Successful people know that a positive mental attitude is an indispensable tool. You too can be as positive as you want to be if you will concentrate on the good, seek out the valuable lesson, focus on the solution and think about the future. If you think as successful people think, using your mind to exert mental control over the situation, you will be positive and in good spirits a majority of the time. Moreover, you will receive the rewards that come with such a positive mental attitude, as all success people have learned. * Time to Take Action! First concentrate on the good and seek the valuable lesson in every snag. Start a journal or make a list of every idea and insight you can gain from your setbacks and difficulties. Second become solution-oriented with every difficulty you encounter. Make it a habit to look for the answers to your questions as well as the solutions to your problems. Seek out the assistance of a mentor or coach along your road to success. Third, think on paper. Take the time to write out every detail of the situation, and then brainstorm solutions. Plan the most logical next steps then TAKE ACTION to get through the obstacle. Think Successfully and Take Action! Tracy Brinkmann About the Author: Success Atlas & Tracy Brinkmann provide 1-on-1 or Group Coaching, along with motivational and educational materials spiced up with humor and entertainment. Informing, educating and listening to keynotes does not have to be boring! We will put every effort to see to it that it is not. http://www.SuccessAtlas.com Back to table of contents
By now, most people have heard that Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has resigned. Some may be asking: "What's the big deal?"
As President Bush considers potential nominees to fill the Supreme Court
vacancy left by the resignation of Justice O'Connor, it is urgent that
citizens look beyond politics and media coverage. We need to consider the
impact that her replacement will have on our Constitution and laws.
Some spew rhetoric about the need for "collaborative consultation with senators from both parties, and to the selection of a consensus nominee or nominees whose commitment to protecting Americans rights and freedoms will earn genuine bipartisan support."
In other words, they want to insure that the nominee serves their interests.
Anyone who might not side with those writers is labeled "controversial" and "backward looking." Let's face it folks, the power struggle is what it is. Each side calls the other names and spits out half-truths.
Let us seek to influence this decision in a way that exemplifies the government of, by and for the people. What is the true consensus of the majority of the people of this nation? What standards do "we, the people" expect to be met?
Justice O'Connor was the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. She became one of its most powerful and widely respected justices because she was often the deciding vote in many decisions handed down by the court.
Undoubtedly, O'Connor's vacancy and the fact that more vacancies may occur on the Court over the next few years will have long-lasting and far-reaching consequences for every American citizen. Citizens of other countries who follow our lead in important human rights issues can be affected for a long time to come also.
This is no different than any time in history when vacancies arose on the Court. But now we are being "fear-factored" into believing that this time is different. The media hype and hoopla over O'Connor's replacement is a clear example of what is wrong in this nation.
Special interest groups preach tolerance about their issues, while practicing intolerance over other's interests and concerns. The leadership of these groups are actively pushing their special interest agenda by using fear tactics to compel citizens to stand with them to demand a replacement for O'Connor who will vote their way on matters before the court.
It's time to stand up and think for yourself instead of being driven to act on someone else's agenda.
What are your core values? Do they line up with those of the group or leadership that is attempting to convince you of the need to insist upon a candidate that will secure them power by proxy? If not, stand firm and state what you believe. Stop being sheep that are pushed by the hounds of special interest shepherds.
"Individual rights" and "the common good" are used in sentences by writers that pretend that they are the same thing. Our rights are given to us at birth by God and protected by our constitution. The trend in modern politics is to rewrite whatever part of our constitution does not suit particular special interests. The rewriting occurs by Supreme Court rulings. Instead of accepting the document as it is written and interpreting it as it was drafted, our courts are revising it by majority vote. This is the greatest failure of our political and judicial system today.
A Supreme Court with additional justices who do not meet special- interest group standards could return us to a constitutionally protected nation of justice for all. This truth should figure prominently in any public debate over the courts. It should give all Americans reason to pause before accepting any nominee to this nation's highest court.
We need Justices who are committed to upholding the basic rights and legal protections that Americans are offered by our Constitution, not special interest group pseudo-rights. We need Justices who are constitutional scholars. We need Justices who understand the context in which the Constitution was written. We need Justices who understand the republic form of government upon which this nation was created. And we need Justices who hold to the values that our forefathers held. Then will we see our country return to the way that it was founded, by, for and of all of the people, not just some special interest groups.
Think about it!
* Ways to Celebrate the 15th anniversary of ADABy Mark Johnson
(Editor's note: On July 26, 1990, At the Second Session of the One Hundred
First Congress of the United States of America, the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in Congress enacted an Act: To
establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis
of disability. We know this as the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA.
TITLE I covers EMPLOYMENT. TITLE II covers PUBLIC SERVICES. TITLE III covers
PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES OPERATED BY PRIVATE ENTITIES. TITLE IV
covers TELECOMMUNICATIONS. And TITLE V covers MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. To
learn more about the ADA, please visit
http://www.sedbtac.org/)
Mark Johnson offers the following suggestions for ways to celebrate the
15th anniversary of the passing of the ADA into law:
In an article published by Rueters.com, author Patricia Reaney writes:
"Patients suffering from severe depression who have not responded to other
treatments may be helped by deep brain stimulation. . ."
To read the article, please click the following link:
* Re-Energize Your Brain
by Kevin Eikenberry It happens to all of us. We get in ruts, we build routines and we develop habits, and in doing so we often don't use our brain the way we could. It is one of our most valuable and precious resources and it is time to re-energize it. Here then are eight ways you can re-energize, re-invigorate and do some ongoing maintenance for your brain. 1. Ask Why? Our brains are wired to be curious. As we grow up and "mature" many of us stifle or deny our natural curiosity. Let yourself be curious! Wonder to yourself about why things are happening. Ask someone in the know. The best way to exercise our curiosity is by asking "Why?" Make it a new habit to ask "why?" at least 10 times a day. Your brain will be happier and you will be amazed at how many opportunities and solutions will show up in your life and work. 2. Laugh. Scientists tell us that laughter is good for our health; that it releases endorphins and other positively powerful chemicals into our system. We don't really need scientists to tell us that it feels good to laugh. Laughing helps us reduce stress and break old patterns too. So laughter can be like a "quick-charge" for our brain's batteries. Laugh more, and laugh harder. 3. Remember. Get out an old photo album or high school yearbook. Your brain is a memory machine, so give it a chance to work! Spend time with your memories. Let your mind reflect on them and your mind will repay you in positive emotions and new connections from the memories to help you with your current tasks and challenges. 4. Do a puzzle. Some of us like jigsaw puzzles, some crossword puzzles, some logic puzzles - it really doesn't matter kind you choose to do. Doing puzzles in your free time is a great way to activate your brain and keep it in good working condition. Do the puzzle for fun, but do it knowing you are exercising your brain. 5. Play. Take time to play. Make time to play. Play cards. Play video games. Play board games. Play Ring Around the Rosie. Play tug of war. It doesn't matter what you play. Just play! It is good for your spirit and good for your brain. It gives your brain a chance to think strategically, and keeps it working. 6. Learn something new. This one might seem obvious. Yes, we capitalize on our brain's great potential when we put it to work learning new things. You may have a specific topic for work or leisure that you want to learn more about. That's great. Go learn it. If you don't have a subject in mind right now, try learning a new word each day. There is a strong correlation between working vocabulary and intelligence. When we have new words in our vocabulary, our minds can think in new ways with greater nuances between ideas. Put your mind to work learning. It is one of the best ways to re-energize your brain. 7. Write to be read. I am a big proponent of writing in a journal to capture ideas and thoughts. There is certainly great value in writing for yourself. I continue to find that my brain is greatly stimulated by writing to be read. Writing this article (and at least one per week) is one example and writing in my Blog is another example. There are several situations and audiences for which I write each week. There are many benefits to me in doing this. The greatest isn't visibility or marketing; the greatest is what it does to expand my brain's capacity. Find ways to write to be read - in your church newsletter, by writing things for your kids to read, by capturing the stories of your childhood (see number 3 above), starting your own blog or whatever - just write to be read. 8. Exercise. We all know that exercise is important for your physical health. Our brain is a part of that body, so increasing our blood flow brings more oxygen to the brain - oxygen that is the fuel for that beautiful brain. When I exercise I get fresh ideas. When I exercise I feel better physically and mentally. Just add "improving my brain" to the list of great reasons to exercise. This is a short but powerful list. I encourage you to apply at least one of these approaches starting today. Look at your to do list and your calendar. Put it on your list in ink. Your brain will thank you in the form of new ideas, greater stamina, more passion for your tasks and in so many more ways. ----- ©Kevin Eikenberry 2005. Kevin is Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group (http://KevinEikenberry.com), a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. To receive your free special report on Unleashing Your Potential go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.
In a report entitled "Gorillas in our midst: sustained inattentional
blindness for dynamic events," Harvard researchers offer us evidence about
how fixing our attention can affect our ability to "see."
This might be a really simple way to treat the blues. Look for things in your life to be grateful for. Get off of the negative thinking patterns that produce sadness and depression. Look at all of the goodness in your life.
If you are not focused on what you desire to be, do, or have, you might never see it. If you are focusing on things you don't want, the very thing you deeply desire to be, do or have could be right in front of you right now and even waving its arms and thumping its chest, and you've got only about a 50% chance of noticing it. Instead, you might only notice the very thing you do not want in your life.
What do you want? What is the "person in the gorilla costume" that you want in your life? Focus your attention on that very thing and watch as it "magically" appears. Look for any clue that it might already be present and "see" if you can unmask it. In many cases, it is already there, you are just overlooking it. Many people are so busy focusing on the gloom and doom of the popular media and listening to others who have been conditioned by it that they overlook opportunities to "see" the good things in life.
Look where you want to go and get there. Look for what you want in your life and find it. Stop filling your mind with all of the bad news every day. There is nothing new under the sun. The world was turning before you stepped upon it and it will continue to turn after you stop.
Focus your attention on what you want instead of what you don't and "find"
more of what you want. It might already be there, right in front of you. And
you might just see that its been there all along, waving its arms and pounding
its chest to get your attention. To read the report, visit:
* PERSPECTIVE; Euthanasia Is Out of Control in The Netherlandsby Stephen Drake
The March 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine featured an
article by two Dutch doctors defining a "problem" and a "solution."
Drs. Verhagen and Sauer announced that a survey had found that,
contrary to Dutch law, some infants with severe disabilities have been
euthanized. In an effort to end "uncontrolled" euthanasia, they
proposed adoption of a set of protocols, known as the "Groningen
protocol," for legally euthanizing infants with disabilities and
serious medical conditions. From: Hasting Center Report, 35, no. 3 (2005): inside back cover.
Available in pdf format at:
Unbreakable Salesmanship
The medical supplies salesman was demonstrating unbreakable combs in
the hospital auditorium. He was impressing the people by putting the
comb through all sorts of torture and stress.
Without missing a beat, he bravely held up both halves of the ********* What's the Difference?
An educated man runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a Sheriffs
Deputy. **********
* Movies that make a differenceBy Rebecca Fine
HR 3063 and S 528
* Health Tip of the Week
by Dr. Earl Mindell Alzheimer's may be the only illness that inspires more terror than cancer. Unlike cancer, which can be treated (albeit with highly toxic agents that can do more harm than good), Alzheimer's has no treatments that do anything more than slow its progression slightly. This is definitely one to prevent, if at all possible. The research indicates that Alzheimer's prevention involves three strategies: 1) dietary improvements; 2) regular physical activity; and, 3) regular mental activity.
A summary:
* Upcoming Peer-Support Meetings and Social Events
Please visit http://www.pabia.org for a complete listing of Pittsburgh Area Peer Support group meetings. Please mark your 2005 calendar for each month in advance as an ongoing reminder.
We do not have any control
over the people who are responsible for directing these meetings.
Therefore, if you are interested in attending any of the meetings,
PLEASE: contact the person listed for that meeting to confirm
the date, meeting place and time.
For a list of State Brain Injury Associations and the groups in those states, please visit: http://www.biausa.org/Pages/state_contacts.html Brainstormers International Email Support Group
We have two email support groups you can join. One is through Denise Patterson. Contact Denise at deenomad@aol.com to be added.
The other is through Yahoo Groups. You can join at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Brainstormers101/
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Till next time, Seek to be and remain Barrier-Free. You have the power.
* ETC.Thank you for subscribing and reading this newsletter. It is yours. This newsletter may contain articles, news releases and other items of interest supplied by or received from third parties.
Required Disclaimer: Nothing contained herein is intended to be substituted for medical, legal, accounting or other professional advice. The information provided herein should not be taken as a health-care diagnosis, treatment, course of therapy or as any other approved or prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care, legal, accounting or other profession and does not enter into a health-care, legal, accounting or other professional practitioner/patient/client relationship with its readers. The publisher does not advise or recommend to its readers treatment or action with regard to matters relating to their health, legal, accounting or other professional needs or well-being other than to suggest that readers consult appropriate professionals in such matters. The publisher does not recommend or suggest that action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication. The limited information and opinions provided herein are believed to be accurate and sound at the time of publication, based on the best judgment available to the authors. However, readers who rely on information in this publication to replace the advice of health-care, legal, accounting or other professionals, or who fail to consult with health-care, legal, accounting or other professionals, assume all risks of such conduct. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. The contents of this E-zine may be copied, reproduced, or freely distributed wholly or in part for all nonprofit purposes without the consent of the author/editor as long as the following copyright notice and contact information are included. Compilation Copyright © 2005 John Pistorius jp@pabia.org . Permission granted to freely copy, use and distribute for non-profit purposes only. Not to be sold under any circumstances.
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It recently occurred to me that Love is action that improves another
person's life. Not just words, but action. Doing something, anything,
that positively impacts other people's lives and leaves them even just a
little bit better off physically, emotionally, psychologically or
spiritually, that's love. -John Pistorius
Do something to leave someone a little better off today.
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B-NEWS
