Friday, July 8, 2011

Good Or Bad?

Today you get to decide. You get to decide between good or bad. You can read the article and then weigh in. Is this a good or a bad?

First up is a different kind of lottery:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/07/07/uk-fertility-lottery-sparks-controversy/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl4%7Csec3_lnk3%7C218286

I come down strongly on the bad side. A very bad idea. You?

Next up is a way to a faster commute?

http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2011/07/hate_portlands_red_lights_gree.html

I'm on the fence but leaning towards bad. You?

Next up some advise about panic attacks:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/copd/managing-copd-panic-attacks.aspx?xid=aol_eh-asthma_33-_20110704&aolcat=AJA&icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk2%7C218110

Good advise or bad advise? Good information or bad information? I'm coming down on the side of both good advise and good information.

Here is hoping that as you go through today and have to make choices between good and bad that you will choose the one that is the most fun! Comment Away.

Quote:

Dr. Maya Angelou authored yesterday's quote. Today's quote is authored by a British Politician. "In politics if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman." She was born in 1925 and gained Prime Minister status in 1979. She survived an assassination attempt in and her hard line against trade unions and tough rhetoric in opposition to the Soviet Union earned er the nickname of the "Iron Lady. She holds a life peerage as Baroness of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire, which entitles her to sit in the House of Lords. She was Prime Minister at a time of great racial tension in Britain. Her standing in the polls rose by 11 percent after she said in a TV interview during campaigning for the 1979 election: "The moment a minority threatens to become a big one, people get frightened. The British character has done so much for democracy, for law, that if there is any fear that it might be swamped, people are going to react and be rather hostile to those coming in". Who authored today's quote?

6 comments:

Lady DR said...

I think the lottery is a bad idea. Dealing with infertility is stressful enough, but to be buying tickets for a chance to have a baby can't be helpful, unless the individual hasn't funds for fertility treatments, in which case, they probably don't have funds for the lottery tickets. I'd be interested in know what the odds of winning might be.

The faster commute thing... I don't really "get" how it works, but it if takes you on all kinds of detour routes and such to avoid green lights, I'd think there would be a possibility you'd spend as much time and gas on the circuitous route as you would at red lights. What do I know?

I think the COPD article had good information and good advise. I hadn't realized COPD patients were more prone to panic attacks and panic disorder. As you know, I have panic disorder, so I'm real familiar with the symptoms and recommended management techniques. Seeing a therapist who specializes in the disorder can be a huge help in learning to manage it. The one thing they didn't mention, which surprised me is deep breathing. Yes, I'm aware those with COPD have trouble breathing. I have a friend with COPD. Still, the first line of defense for a panic attack (after reminding yourself no one ever died of a panic attack and most last only 10-15 minutes, unless the panic disorder is escalated and attacks come in waves) is deep breathing, as deep as you can and counting the breaths. For me that's breath in to a count of four/six and out to a count of eight/twelve. For someone with COPD, it may be breathing in to a count of two or three and out to a count of four or six. While it may sound simplistic, the simple act of concentrating on and counting your breathing helps pull your mind away from the other symptoms and the "awfulizing" that goes through your mind during a panic attack. The slower breathing, even if only minimally slow, compared to others, lowers the blood pressure and helps flush the excess adrenaline (part of what causes a panic attack) from your system. FWIW

dona said...

Well Bill, I think I pretty much agree with you on all these....Baby Lottery? Very Bad Idea
All Green lights? Also bad idea...I can't even imagine all the bad possibilities that could arise from this :)

I think the Panic article had a lot of good advice and information on it. For someone who could be new to this it is really helpful.

William J. said...

Hi DR

We are on board with the baby lotterynas a bad idea. I would love to know the odds of winning too but they probably won't be able to determine the odds until the entries are closed and they know many enteries they have. The emotions of this type of lottery bother me the most.

I don't really know how the commute thing works either but the thing that bothers me the most is a malfunction and a driver not paying attention that ends up running a red light that the device told him or her that was green.

I was thinking of you when I posted the panic attack article.
I didn't know either that COPD patients were prone to panic attacks. I was also surprised they didn't mention the deep breathing. The information you provided about breathing and the count is invaluable. Thank you.

Bill

William J. said...

Hi Dona

I am glad we agree. The baby lottery just makes me shake my head. The all greed lights scares me.

I learned a lot from both panic attack article and DR.

Hope things are well with you and that The Shankster is paying attention to getting well and to you.

Bill

Pat said...

Lottery good or bad? Shucks, I have no idea. I hope the "winners" are screened in several ways before things go on toward an actual baby, but I don't know if potential parents are screened normally, so I'll stay on the fence on this one.

I'd say "bad" on the green driver thing if they have to monitor a screen to use it.

I'm fortunate not to have panic attacks, but from what I understand, they are absolutely horrible. Any info on how to deal with them may be helpful. I hope this article is, and I know DR's advice is.

William J. said...

Hi Pat

I just worry about the pyschological implications for the losers. I also hope the winners are screened. For crimes, health, etc.

Great point about monitoring a screen on the green lights, it would be like watching TV.

I never had until caring for Mom. My sister and brother both had them and they both started on plane trips. Mine started when driving.

Bill