Sneak Peek!

Republican Convention main stage:

and for the Democrats:

Thanks to Mark Halperin for the heads up!

How do Americans view the issue of mixing religion and politics?

The latest Pew Research poll might provide some insight:

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A slim majority of Americans, including more conservatives and Republicans than previously, want to keep religion out of politics, a survey released on Thursday found.

The results come as Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain actively vie for the support of religious voters among others ahead of the November 4 presidential election.

The survey by the Pew Research Center found that 52 percent of Americans thought that churches and other religious institutions should stay out of politics, an increase of eight percentage points since 2004, when the last U.S. presidential election was held.

If the results of this study are correct then Maryland is definitely not the place to be when you reach your golden years:

BALTIMORE, Aug. 21 (UPI) — U.S. researchers say seriously injured people age 65 and older are 52 percent less likely than others of being taken to a trauma center.

The researchers say elderly patients are undertriaged — with only 17.8 percent being taken to a designated trauma center — compared to 49.9 percent of younger patients. The study, published in the Archives of Surgery, also finds the decrease in transports starts at age 50, with another decrease noted at age 70.

The study researchers — led by David C. Chang of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore — analyzed 10 years of data from the statewide Maryland Ambulance Information System and interviewed 159 emergency medical personnel.

It would be interesting the compare a nationwide survey to the one conducted in Maryland. If the numbers were similar it would denote a serious downfall in our health care system.

Have a wonderful weekend all!

Received this in an email a while back, (author unknown).

The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year -old grandson.

The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult.

Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor.

When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.

“We must do something about father,” said the son. “I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.”

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.

There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.

Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.

Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.

He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?” Just as sweetly, the boy responded,

“Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.”
The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless.

Then tears started to stream down their cheeks.

Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family.

And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

While simply written, there are many lessons to be learned from these words. When I hear people use the phrase “children learn what they live,” I nod in agreement.

When I see a son or daughter out and about with an aging parent assisting them with little things which may now be beyond their ability, I smile, often feeling as though I would like to approach them and say, “well done.”

Those who care for the elderly on a daily basis and do so with compassion and the patience sometimes necessary are to be commended.

Whether it be done by a child or those who have reached their twilight years, there is no tragedy associated with a glass of spilled milk or a few peas on the floor. The tragedy comes when we handle these things with anger and harsh words.

Don’t sweat the little things, life is far too short.

Few stories I read will touch me like those dealing with children or the elderly.

When I hear people complain about the “things” they don’t have or the raise which wasn’t quite as large as they had hoped, (so in many cases they can go buy more things), it serves as a reminder that getting caught up in the trappings of possessions or money is not necessarily the way to live this life we have been given.

Sure, we all want to live comfortably and provide for our families but what happens when you grow to old to do so?

Some would say, you should have prepared for retirement in your younger days…okay, in today’s world with 401K’s and private retirement plans it has become easier to save, but how about those who never had the luxury of such things? What about those who are disabled or worked in professions which provided enough to simply “live” and nothing more?

Such are the lives of these folks. Funny, I’ve never met them, but I would like too..they show such pride and grace in the face of adversity.

They have worked since their teens in backbreaking seasonal jobs, extracting resources from the sea and the forest. Their yards are filled with peeling boats and broken lobster traps.

In sagging wood homes and aged trailers scattered across Washington County, many of Maine’s poorest and oldest shiver too much in the winter, eat far more biscuits and beans than meat and cannot afford the weekly bingo game at the V.F.W. hall.

In this long-depressed “down east” region, where the wild blueberry patches have turned a brilliant crimson, thousands of elderly residents live on crushingly meager incomes. This winter promises to be especially chilling, with fuel oil prices rising and fuel assistance expected to decline. But many assume that others are worse off than themselves and are too proud to ask for assistance, according to groups that run meal programs and provide aid for heating and weatherizing.

Certainly, this is not a situation unique to these seniors. Maine does not hold the monopoly on poverty. The location should matter not.

I am not advocating that those who are “rich” in this country should be forced to share their wealth with those less fortunate. As a matter of fact, many of these same people would be too proud to accept what they would consider charity.

What I do say, is that instead of throwing money out the window on senseless earmarks, those in Washington could spend a little (of our money) on those who have worked to make this country what it is today. Rather than millions spent on elections, how about insuring no one will be cold this winter?

Having worked with individuals at both “ends” of this thing we call life, I can say there has been little in my life more rewarding. There is both an innocence and a wealth of knowledge to be gained from the honesty of a child and the wisdom of an elder.

It is a tragedy that in the United States one should go hungry or freeze to death in the winter. Somewhere, our priorities were misplaced. Maybe one day we’ll find them again and as for me, I hope it’s soon.