Community Leadership Blogs

Become one with "the cloud"

jtaylor — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:02:00 GMT

Catching a bad case of the economic droopies? How better to buck up than at a conference where one speaker's job title is "Director of All Things Fun, Meaningful and Rewarding."

The director of salesforce.com's foundation zapped digital illumination into some of the 200 people who attended last week's Corporate Community Involvement Conference in San Francisco, sponsored by the Conference Board and Public Affairs Council. Many were serious-minded folks who've survived staffing/dollar downsizing and generally were trying to figure best practices to innovatively donate dwindling resources.

Julie Trell of Salesforce and Amanda Webster of National Instrument took the topic of technology-driven employee-volunteer programs. They talked about "living in the cloud" and using "disruptive technology" to engage/excite staffers. (The "cloud" and disruptive technology, essentially mean using new electronic gear -- like fee-based, Internet services -- to push aside, ahm, a more centralized "computer industrial complex.")

It sounds a bit like "we are the machine," but it's got some high-powered users/believers. Imagine posting volunteer opportunities and allowing employees to match their skills with groups needs (I can balance your books, so don't ask me to just answer the phone)? Or posting community needs and allowing staff to vote for the ones that get more resources? Or competitive volunteering -- department vs. department (Our IS department has a comma more in donated hours than accounts payable) ? Or employees posting their volunteering videos on YouTube or company-related sites?

OK, it's a lot more than that. So, here are some helpful/thoughtful Web sites I gleaned:

www.salesforce.com -- go to the foundation link. It even contains detailed how-to's on establishing a foundation from the ground up.

www.thinkfinity.org -- from the Verizon Foundation. It's got thousands of lesson plans for teachers -- and it's fun/informative for everyone to poke around.

www.wegiveback.com -- a Bay area company that invests a chunk of its earnings back into the local community.

www.thecloroxcompany.com/community/ --- One strategy Clorox pursues is giving just $1,000 to scads of organizations -- so they can build leverage/credibility, saying Clorox helped them, when they solicit bucks from others.

As one conference speaker said, "The best nonprofits give themselves tools to go to the next level." So, if being one with the cloud takes you there ...

(For some of the programs available at nonprofit Community Medical Centers, go to http://www.communitymedical.org/311.htm )

Clovis (and Fresno) step it up!

jtaylor — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:46:00 GMT

One more time. Here's what more blog readers had to say about what Clovis and Fresno need to create some positive "poisonality," after I suggested last week that both needed an infusion.

Clovis?

"Clovis could use some more high-end restaurants. With the population growth north of Herndon (say from Willow to Temperance), it's amazing there aren't any nice places to eat.

"Non-chain units would be my preference, but even Logans, Outback, Dai Bai Dang (is that a chain?) or BJs would be better than the smaller Farmer Bros, Yukon Jack that are there now. If there are some, they haven't advertised well. The new Meat Market's a great addition though!" -- Jack Buchanan

Fresno?

Better public transportation, including a rail system, say Kimberly Walker and Karen Bradford.

Karen focuses on: "Transportation from our train station (Amtrak) to the Zoo. Bakersfield does not have a zoo, so several months ago my extended family living in Bakersfield thought it would be a nice trip to ride the train and visit the Fresno Zoo. They had difficulty finding transportation and after multiple attempts, hired multiple cabs / vans to get the dozen or so people from one place to the other and back. Interesting?? (My story involves the zoo, but the barrier probably applies to many other major Fresno destinations.) ... (How about) A book store or two?"

"Downtown Fresno needs attractions that would actually attract people to downtown. Examples include: a bar/club (a nice one actually); a shopping center (a reason to shop downtown, stores that actually have something worthwhile); better architect design that's pleasing to the eye; a park; a theater (both theater arts and movies)." -- Alan Lee

"I think that it would cool to have a corner news stand. It would also be nice to have a restaurant or a coffee shop on the campus of Community Regional Medical Center's property. Also, we could put a fire department or even a police station on the property. These are just thoughts. Build the city around the hospital. We need to make the downtown more family friendly/family safe. This hospital and its employees should be the glue that holds this city together." -- Butch Garris

Thanks to all who shared their visions.

Never give up!

wholderman — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:21:00 GMT

The Summer Olympics will be upon us soon...these events are full of success and gold-medal stories, but many of the sagas did not begin with a victory...here are some inspirational stories about a variety of "winners" and their tenacity and commitment to achieve excellence:

Paul Hamm was a gold medalist at the 2004 Olympics in gymnastics, but not before slipping during a vault landing, crashing into the judges' table and dislocating his jaw...after falling to 12th place, he decided to go and give the best performance of his life, and was determined not to hold anything back.

Henry Ford failed 5 times at starting a business and then on the next try, was successful. Beethoven's teacher called him "hopeless" as a composer. Colonel Sanders offered his recipe to over 1,000 vendors before he found a buyer (you know, those famous 11 herbs and spices!), Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for "lack of ideas", Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4 years old...his teacher descibed him as "mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in his foolish dreams", the Star Wars movie was rejected by many Hollywood movie studios initially, General Douglas MacArthur was turned down when he applied at West Point, Babe Ruth holds the record for strikeouts, in 1954 a manager at the Grand Ole Opry fired Elvis Presley after one performance, the classic Gone With the Wind was turned down by more than twenty-five publishers, Heisman trophy winner Herschel Walker was told he was too small to play football...and the stories can go on and on.

In the heathcare setting, the demand is high, the expectations are even higher, and perfection is anticipated by all who come to us for services. There are times when we "slip on the landing"...don't get discouraged, be determined to train more diligently and acquire knowledge and experience, and "Never Give Up"!

What YOU say downtown Fresno needs

jtaylor — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:48:00 GMT

Readers of my last blog emailed me their wish/needs lists toward infusing personality into downtown Fresno.

From Jim Cole:

A pro sports team. There are many smaller cities with pro teams. Take Green Bay (pop.100,353). Please.
An airport. (FAT does not count.)
A theater district. (In fact, I am willing to accept anything of a cultural nature since we're starting from near zero.)
A night life. (Jazz club, a House of Blues would be nice, comedy club, any type of restaurant with live music and dancing.)

From Millie Tang:

Parking!

From Jack Buchanan:

I think Community Medical Centers could also help influence downtown's revitalization efforts and further our mission/vision of being a world-class organization. I lived in Augusta, Georgia, and worked an University Health from 1980-2000. UH was once of the first hospitals in America to implement a full-service wellness center that provided employee discounted membership and was also open to the public.... with registered dietitians, physical therapists and *only* certified trainers and fitness instructors on staff, UH was immediately competitive to the fitness clubs and gyms in the area. UH opened Health Central in the old YMCA building downtown to cater to the downtown businessmen, law firms, etc. during lunch and before they left downtown to go home. Its strategy has paid off and could work here!

From Kathy Riedel:

Affordable parking close to venue.
A grocery store, flower shop, bakery, a nice book store, a cool newsstand for a paper or magazine, maybe a pet store, reasons to shop down there.
Downtown needs to be something you can use on a regular basis, not just for a special event. Somewhere you can enjoy walking around with a more airy feel, places to sit down as you walk. I can't get around like I wish I could but would like it if there were nice benches and trees, more ambiance with lighting, color, water features. These are not the surefire answers, but it would start the ball rolling.

I'll post more responses down the road. Anybody want to offer thoughts on what CLOVIS needs?

9 things downtown Fresno needs

jtaylor — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:48:00 GMT

Every successful downtown needs a personality. I've lived and worked in some that did (New York City, Milwaukee) and others that didn't (Hartford and New London, Conn.). Here's what I wish for downtown Fresno:

A gourmet restaurant. We've got subway sandwiches, chicken pita and a pittance more.
A five-star hotel. I'm sure glad that the Holiday Inn has gotten gussied up and reopened (looking forward to the reopening of the rooftop lounge with the cocktail view of the jail). But put together a top-flight place to rest your head, and another where you can meet and eat, and -- zounds! -- you can pull in happy visitors with six-figure salaries. Good chow and high-thread-count sheets as recruiting tools? Call it a start.
More cops on bikes.
Cohesion within government and industry, beyond the Monday lunch at Fresno Rotary or Sunday "church" at the 18th green at Sunnyside Country Club.
A couple of overpasses that ease the time-devouring blight of railroad crossings.
A printable (and regularly updated) online map of what's where and what's there in downtown.
A brief, printable online history of downtown -- what was (is) Chinatown? Armenia town? Can anybody say much about the old destroyed courthouse or just where all the downtown lakes were (are) supposed to go?
A biographical guide to names of notable Fresnans -- Seaver, Saroyan, Kerkorian, Peckinpah, Cher, Audra McDonald. (Even if they're not all technically Fresnans -- other than maybe an uncle and a 30,000-foot flyover -- they help give a place a face.)
Understand what "Level 1" means. Some docs will tell you the way to remember your bad cholesterol -- the LDL -- is to think "L" stands for "lethal." The Level 1 trauma center at Community Regional Medical Center means if you're banged up in a car wreck, this is the No. 1 place to get your life saved.

Let me know what else you think downtown Fresno needs.

Paranoid about doing laundry?

wholderman — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:17:00 GMT

Well, not necessarily unless you experienced what a woman in Maine did...she was removing her clothes from the washing machine at her farmhouse and noticed the independent motion of the garments...as she began digging in the pile, she saw something that caused her to scream, slam the lid shut and call Animal Damage Control.

When the operator arrived, he pulled and pulled and out came an 8 foot non-venomous reticulated python! How special! He surmizes that the creature arrived in her washer through the household pipes, oh that's reassuring. I have also read about these critters showing up in toilet bowls, under car engines, and in the garden...I hate snakes!

I did not realize until a friend of mine informed me, in New Zealand, there are no reptiles...the "fish and game" division of this province is very strict about animal control and prohibits any migration and maintains strict border control in that regard...I think I'll move to New Zealand. :)

I also think I'll start turning on the bathroom light when I get up in the middle of the night before sitting on the porcelin throne...and now I have a legitimate excuse to leave the laundry chore up to the man of the house!

Seriously, there are many folks out these days catching a hiking adventure, and may run into these varments, take care, steer clear, and run like the dickens in the opposite direction!

Clovis WINS Recess '08!

ccastro — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:36:00 GMT

I think I speak for many of us when I say, "recess was my favorite subject in grammar school!" Well, the first annual Community Medical Centers' Recess event was more fun than I ever imagined. The event created friendly competition between the various CMC facilities and corporate office at various levels of the Save Mart Center. It’s an honor to report that Clovis Community Medical Center (CCMC) WON FIRST PLACE in the inaugural Recess event as the result of individual and team challenges that ranged from marbles and jacks to some intense volleyball. Here are some of the SUPER STARS of winning CCMC Team! Please scroll down to see more....

Ginny Burdick, Chief Human Resource Officer presents Craig Castro, CEO CCMC w/thropy

“Individual” events:

Marbles: Connie Green – 1^st Place

Four Square: Jennifer Scales – 1^st Place

Janet McQuillan – 2^nd Place

Wanda Coleman – 3^rd Place

Jacks: Susanne Sanchez – 1^st Place

Michelle Kempff – 3^rd Place

Paper Airplane for Distance:

Nestor Lardizabal – 1^st Place

Jeremy Borcherding – 2^nd Place

Hula Hoop: Mary Huffman – 1^st Place

Rock Wall Races: Matthew Weldon – 1^st Place ~ male champion

Hayley Ripley – 1^st Place ~ female champion

“Team” events:

Volleyball: Dodge Ball aka Team Yoshida:

Chanell Leiker Brandon Yoshida

Ed Navarro Francine De la Rosa

Gustavo Casillas Jordan Santiago

Hayley Ripley Jon Yoshida

Jeremy Borcherding Mike Roqueta

Josh Borcherding Paul Yoshida

Juan Contreras

Martin Perea

Nestor Lardizabal

Rachelle Miller

Rose Marquez (Awesome Coach!)

Walter Cruz

Zujey Marquez

$3 million-a-week hamburger

jtaylor — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:33:00 GMT

Old-time cartoon character: J. Wellington Wimpy aka "Wimpy." First introduced: 1934. Favorite saying: "I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

New caricature: California state budget. Deadline missed: July 1 (as nearly always). Favorite saying, likely commencing in early August when state runs out of reserves to pay medical costs: "We've got no money to pay you today, but keep on providing medical care until whenever we create a budget or you go belly up."

Amount of money Community Medical Centers must come up with each week the state of California fails to pay for Medi-Cal services that Community provides -- and will continue to provide: $3 million.

So, who's got the beef and who would you call Wimpy?

"I've fallen and I can't get up!"...

wholderman — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:46:00 GMT

...as my husband fell 8 feet down a ravene on his bicycle, he said that numerous thoughts were racing through his mind: "this is going to hurt, I should have listened to the guy in front of me that said he takes the hills very slow, how should I 'try' to land, I wish those rocks weren't there, my bike is going to be thrashed, I hope I don't break anything, I hope I don't hit my head, Wanda is not going to be happy with me...".

Well, I'm glad to report that 4 days later, he's doing pretty good, finally obtained an x-ray (it's OK) after much scolding by all who spoke with him, and he's hobbling around without a crutch.

He and some other "serious" cyclists were at the top of a path known as "Wildcat" (it not only is known for wild cats in the area, but a wild ride! as the grade is very steep). They were preparing for the descent after a torturous climb, the guy in front of my husband said he didn't take the hills very fast...he headed down, turned a corner, my husband lost sight of him and as he rounded the same corner realized in an instant that he had three choices-veer right and hit the side of the hill, stay the course and take out himself and the guy in front of him, or veer left...in a flash he made the decision to go left and, well, there goes the slow-motion fall.

My husband did have the presence of mind to start yelling for help immediately as he and the other rider were the last down the hill and he knew that the rider would be long gone if he hadn't summoned him right away. The other riders were eventually congregated to "evacuate" my husband. Because they were a signifcant distance from their vehicles, it was quite some time before he arrived home.

He is fine as I stated earlier, but, his beloved bike is totaled. For those of you who are into cycling, you know what a big deal losing a reliable bike can be.

Well folks, he plans on "getting back on the horse" and I hope this story is not a deterrant to newer riders who are just building your confidence (I don't think you'll be going 38 miles per hour down the mountain like my husband)...hey, I fell just standing still on my bike, I lost my balance, couldn't get my toe-clip out in time, and down I went...more embarrassed than anything!

Stay the course and try to have some fun!

Chilling tale of addictions

jtaylor — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:37:00 GMT

Not many smiley faces in the newspaper biz these days as it tries to re-digitize itself. Even a compelling confession by New York Times columnist David Carr makes one shiver.

Consider this sliver of Carr from the July 20 Sunday New York Times magazine:

"Here is what I deserved: hepatitis C, federal prison time, H.I.V., a cold park bench, an early, addled death.

"Here is what I got: the smart, pretty wife, the three lovely children, the job that impresses.

"Here is what I remember about how That Guy became This Guy: not much. But my version of events is worth knowing, if for no other reason than I was there."

His memoir is titled, "The Night of the Gun." You may never have heard of Carr, and you may not ever want to hear any more about him.

But his thorny tale of multiple addictions, abuse of women and endangerment of his children has too many mirror images for you not to consider it and reconsider the nature of those around you.

(You can find more details on various Internet sites. The following one is the "official" book site http://www.nightofthegun.com/ )

A Safer Cigarette?

wholderman — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:57:00 GMT

You're joking, right?!? Apparently, the nation's largest cigarette maker has failed in yet another attempt to sell Americans on a potentially safer cigarette....the "Ultra Smooth"...they tried to use a high-technology filter. This product failure highlights the cigarette giant's challenges in finding something ot offset their loses in sales. In the past, U.S. sales declines did not impact that much as international business was stable and even growing, but now the servere U.S. sales decline is not even mitigated by the overseas business.

So, here they go again trying to put resources into engineering reduced-risk products, like carbon-activated filters that still deliver nicotine but at much less exposure of carcinogens than the convential products. Oh, and then there's the product that "heats" the cigarette, versus burning the tobacco....bizarre! Well, there's more, how about the smokeless product? Hey, it's "spit-free" (more attractive you know), if you want a pinch between the cheek and gum! And last but not least, there's the moist product...."snuff" and that product apparently is growing in popularity....."Marlboro in a can". I guess "taste and flavor" does matter, even with tobacco users!

Well folks, I know that for those who smoke, it's just plain 'ole almost impossible to quit...but as you know, there's nothing "safe or reduced-risk" about it! If you smoke and are motivated to quit, I applaud you and wish you the best...there are some awesome resources out there and a tremendous amount of success...keep at it, you can do it! Life is precious and good health even more so.

Pay now, profit later

jtaylor — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:02:00 GMT

The front-page headline of The Fresno Bee had a familiar ring: "Worse than Appalachia." If you size up Central California congressional districts vs. others around the country, the Valley ranks horribly in terms of high poverty, poor health and low levels of education.

That's old news, only made slightly new because this particular study, "The Measure of America," used measurements previously employed on Third World countries. Essentially the same deplorable assessment was made in 2005 in reports by the Brookings Institution, the Congressional Research Service and the California Research Bureau -- yeah, 2005 was a pretty bleak year if you considered moving to the Valley.

(If you feel the need, you can buy the study from Columbia University Press for about $25.)

However, I'd strongly recommend reading another study, done by the Trust for America's Health, that scarcely drew headlines anywhere.

It said that if $10 per person per year were invested in preventative, community-based programs to increase physical activity, improve nutrition and prevent tobacco use, the country could save more than $16 billion in health costs ANNUALLY within five years. That's a return on investment of $5.60 for every $1 spent. The projected annual savings in California alone was estimated at $1.7 billion (betcha that would help with budget deficits).

The full report can be obtained -- for free -- at www.healthyamericans.org

The mood of voters? Snarl!

jtaylor — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:31:00 GMT

In case you missed it, legislation is moving ahead that would ban trans fats in bakeries and restaurants in the state of California by 2010. No state has taken that step, though some cities have.

If nothing else, AB 97 by Artesia Democratic Assemblyman Tony Mendoza provides a wonderful taste-test of the mood of the electorate. Here are some comments posted on the Sacramento Bee website:

"Cigarettes, alcohol & firearms are okay but trans fats are out?"
"Shouldn't they be doing something that's really worth the time, like getting a balanced budget without taking the food off my table?"
"I can't afford to drive to work and feeding my family is going to require a second job pretty soon but hey, at least I don't have to worry about the big, bad, evil, trans fat peddling villains that are preying on my children. Next you can expect a trans fat offender registry."

Yeah, we've got a $15 billion or so budget hole to fill before all the state's cash runs out in the next few weeks, but we are forging ahead on trans fat -- and helium-filled foil balloons, did I mention them? There's another piece of legislation, from state Sen. Jack Scott, that takes aim at the 800 power outages that hit the state last year from errant balloons snagging power lines. It was front-page news on July 15 Wall Street Journal.

Apparently the 45 million balloons sold annually, and their attendant attached gifts, are a $900 million industry that forks over $80 million in taxes to the state. Obviously there's money in Sacramento -- either in helium or hot air.

$53,549 in Library Fines?

wholderman — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:51:00 GMT

Oops!...that would be disturbing...like the Seinfeld episode with the Library Detective stalking you as you browse for a book!

Apparently there is a gentleman in Denver facing jail time AND $53,549 in library fines for checking out about 1,400 books and DVDs and selling many of them online, officials said. The 34 year old received a 10-year prison sentence for illegally selling library items on the Internet. About 500 books and DVDs were found when police arrived at is home for a separate incident (mmmm, I'm surprised that he would have been participating in other illegal activity!...NOT!).

How does one pull this off without library officials catching on? Well, apparently he used seven different library cards to obtain the items from different libraries in Colorado. Denver's District attorney prosecuted the individual.

Well, folks are pretty arrogant and ignorant! It's only a matter of time....

This is a pretty funny story, but on a very serious note, in the healthcare world, there are those that steal, divert drugs, and record false documents (to name a few offenses)...keep the bar raised, make ethical decisions, and return your books to the library when they're due!

Oh no, I used the wrong stuff!

wholderman — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:52:00 GMT

Those that know me are certainly aware that I am not fond of cooking or baking but certainly participate out of necessity. I've made it a little easier on myself when a couple of years ago I got into the habit of putting meat into a crockpot, letting it simmer all day, and then instructing hubby to whip up some steamed veges and a side dish...it's worked well, keeps the kitchen cooled off during hot days by not lighting up the oven, is a bit healthier than frying the meat, and I don't need to follow any recipes!

Our home has an incredible kitchen and a Decor stove with two large ovens with convection modes, and six burners...my sister, who loves to cook, commented when she first saw it: "Wanda, you do not deserve this kitchen!" She and her son lived with my family for a period of time years ago, and as appreciation to us for allowing them to be with us, she offered to cook dinner every night...no problem! Well, the first night I arrived home after they moved in she proclaimed that I had a "dysfunctional kitchen" because I did not have the proper utensils, cookware, knives, and the like, and she was appalled that I did not have a repertoire of common spices! Sorry Sis, it's just not my thing.

I do from time to time, attempt something from scratch...there was this one occassion where I was going to make a "Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake" (not for sure why they call it that, it was just a chocolate cake to me)...I followed the directions with great care, measuring every ingredient ever so carefully...whipped up the batter, poured it in the pan, just like the instrcutions called for and baked it to a perfect consistency. I even made some chocolate frosting to top it off...all's well, right?...Wrong! My family enjoyed a nice dinner and we were looking forward to a rare baked treat from Mom, as we heartily took generous servings on our plates and in unison put a bite in our mouths-yikes, we immediately spit out the portions. Unbeknown to me, the sugar and salt cannisters had been switched and instead of a cup of sugar added to the recipe, I had added a cup of salt!!! To this day I still cringe at the thought.

Look alike/sound alike.....that's a problem in the healthcare setting as well. Folks, take great care when you are giving medication, using a product, or performing a procedure with look alike/sound alike products, check and double check and call in help if needed. I would hate for you to be expecting a "Texas Sheet Cake" and instead, get a "Texas Salt Cake"!

Chernobyl or Phoenix?

jtaylor — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:35:00 GMT

Lots of smart people like to offer their view of life's niceties and lunacies "from the 30,000-foot level." I came across one by a doc from a specialty near and dear to my heart -- emergency medicine.

Dr. William Mallon is the new president of the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. (You'll find wildly knowledgeable life-saving docs and Cal-ACEP members at Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center, home to the only combined burn and level 1 trauma centers between LA and Davis.)

Mallon said emergency medicine in the state is "under siege," adding that it is the Chernobyl for the specialty on a national level. He notched a "dirty dozen reasons for sphincteric spasm and anxiety," in his July column of Lifeline, the group's newsletter.

These include:

California is 46th in the US in acute-care bed capacity with 1.94 beds per 1,000 population.
CA is dead last in numbers of Emergency Departments per 1 million population with 6.16 EDs.
So few physicians are willing to be on-call that many ED docs "face nearly impossible transfers when we see neurosurgical emergencies, complex hand injuries or psychiatric emergencies and burns."
CA's proposed 10% cuts in physician Medi-Cal reimbursement rates will make an abysmal situation worse as docs stop seeing patients. "We are taking the legal Rottweilers off leash (trust me, these are not legal beagles) and seeking an injunction."

Says Mallon: "If you were up in that satellite looking down, you would say, 'Don't land here.'"

He hopes his colleagues will use passion, data and will power to avert a meltdown. Maybe we also need another viewing of the movie, "China Syndrome."

For more information on Mallon and Cal-ACEP, go to www.calacep.org -- and keep ER docs and nurses in your good thoughts/prayers.

Fuel-injected craziness

jtaylor — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:23:00 GMT

For me, the last brush with idiocy came at a Valero Station where one red sports car and one yellow sporty car -- seemingly unconnected -- began engine revving at the gas pumps.

Burning rubber has now morphed into burning brain cells -- sorry, I'm according them too much credit -- as everyone else chews on the foul air and fetid gas prices.

Here's four other stages of vehicular lunacy easily glimpsed on the miracle millions of miles of California:

No stinking red-light districts. In Amsterdam, the curious and carelessly unhealthy will stop in the red-light districts. But we don't need no stinking red lights in the Valley -- just convoy on through.
Stop-sign brushoff. Heck, if they wanted drivers to stop at those octagonal signs, they'd have hired a third-based coach to throw up a two-handed warning. As it is, just keep heading for home, earthly or otherwise.
From every lane, turn, turn, turn.

Lastly, the sucking sound at the gas pumps has more people hopping aboard motorcycles and bicycles. Interestingly -- sadly -- Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center is seeing more motorcycle accident patients than a year ago, according to trauma program director Lynn Bennink, RN. But the sharper rise is occurring in bicycle-related injuries which are more than double what they were a year ago.

The Sacramento Bee reports that there were 429 motorcycle fatalities in California in 2006, more than any year in more than a decade; 9,765 motorcyclists were injured.

Bennink said the age of those hurt in motorcycle accidents has risen to about 47, compared to the upper 30s a few years ago. The Sac Bee quotes the CHP as saying the average age of those killed in motorcycle accidents is approaching 40.

People got to do what's necessary to feed a family, but that also includes taking safety cycle classes. And for those behind a four-wheeler or 18-wheeler, an extra bit of expecting the worst of two-wheeled rookies might save being part of a tragedy. And maybe regulators might consider adding anger management classes to ticket school.

What's a Blog Anyway?

wholderman — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:12:00 GMT

Since I've been blogging, I have had the pleasure of receiving numerous complimentary and supportive comments from readers....until last week...now I realize that the importance of leaving comments is allowing the subject to express their opinions and certainly folks have the right to react and respond to my writings with support and/or criticism, but the anonymity part is what is disappointing...I suppose disparaging comments are emboldened when you're not identified.

My anonymous blogger will be identified as "AA" (left his/her first name and last initial). I do enjoy responding to all the folks who take time out to write a comment, and so far, all except one have been gracious enough to leave their contact information. #1, this person was irritated that I was allegedly taking time out of work to write the blog...well, AA, I often write my blogs after hours, save them in the archives file and publish them when I get to work. Also, AA was critical of what I wrote...I think he/she missed the point of a blog...blogs allow the blogger to write a commentary on particlular subjects, the content is a reflection of life, capture thoughts and feelings, and convey an opinion.

I would hope that my blogs are noteworthy, contagious, enjoyable, informative, amusing, thoughtful and provoke some creative thinking and dialogue and mitigate any boredom.

AA may not know that Scientists have long known the therapuetic benefits of writing about a variety of topics, expecially personal writings. Blogs provide an avenue for this type of activity-research shows it improves memory and sleep, boosts immune cell activity and reduces viral load in ill patients and even speeds healing after surgery! Whoa, I should blog every day!

You know the saying..."One 'jerk you' requires ten 'atta boys'"...I need to shake off this commentator's less than complimentary comments, and focus on all the readers that are enjoying my contributions. It's kinda that way in the work setting...so many folks can offer their encouragement, and one person comes along and can spoil it all...but don't let them...life offers so many blessings, focus on the positive and when the inevitable negative comes along, shake it off and gain strength from the ones that matter.

July 2nd is Really Independence Day...

wholderman — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:27:00 GMT

...well, technically. On July 2nd, 1776, the Second Continental Congress passed Richard Henry Lee's Resolution that explained the the justifications for separation from the British crown and in essence, first proclaimed independence. On July 4th, the Congress adopted this declaration and it was signed by most of the delegates on August 2nd...did you know the only delegate to sign it on July 4th was John Hancock (the elected President of the Congress)? And if you recall the document, Mr. Hancock's is the largest signature. Mmmmm, trivia is fascinating.

Some of our favorites were a part of the Congress back then: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, to name a few. Much of the phrasing were excerpts from a famous English philosopher named John Locke. Not all the colonists agreed with the precepts and yet it still prevailed.

Many of you are familiar with a famous painting by John Trumbull that has been mistaken for depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence when in fact it actually shows the drafting committee presenting its work to Congress.

The original document was taken to a local press owned by John Dunlap and they made about 150 copies...the first public reading was by John Nixon in the yard of Independence Hall on July 8th (truly a great day...my birthday of course!). One was sent to George Washington who read it to his troops on July 9th. A copy reached London on August 10th...surprise! The original handwritten copy did not survive, and 25 of the "Dunlap" copies are still in existence. On July 19th, an "engrossed" copy was made for all the signatures...a total of 56 eventually signed the document in geographic order of their colonies, north to south.

Oh well, enough of the U.S. Government History lesson! I'm so thankful for those who paid the price for my freedom to this day, God Bless America and have a very safe and refreshing July 2nd (oops) July 4th holiday.

2001 fact, 2008 fiction?

jtaylor — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:36:00 GMT

Came across my notes from a December 2001 conference I attended where various national health policy leaders spoke to members of the California Association of Public Hospitals.

It was the darkly nervous days after 9/11. The conference's most pointed presenter was Dr. David Himmelstein, who is still professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and backer of a single-payer universal coverage health system.

I wondered, were his insights accurate as I jotted them back then, and what about seven years later?

Financial suffering is part of the dying process.
We have de-facto health rationing. One-third of Americans are inadequately insured and die prematurely.
The uninsured don't use more care than anyone else, they just use it in the ER because they can't access it elsewhere.
The death risk for the poor is higher under managed care than under fee-for-service medicine.
Managed care sends stroke patients to nursing homes for warehousing rather than more expensive rehab facilities.
Large numbers of uninsured work for health providers.
80% of time spent at a doctor's office focuses on dismissing a medical problem while 20% is to ascertain the psychosocial problems a patient really has -- that last component is why you really need the physician.
Unnecessary surgery is assault and battery -- going after someone with a knife for financial gain.

One other note caught my eye, coming from Dr. David Lawrence, now retired chair and CEO of Kaiser Foundation Health.

There's still a deep-seated belief, he said, that when you're sick, it's your own damned fault. In reality, he said, it's an accident, genetics or where you walked. And this needs to hit home to the middle class.

Maybe I heard them wrong. Maybe they were accurate then or wrong then. What about now? What do you think?

$15.2 billion for your thoughts

jtaylor — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:57:00 GMT

Respect and ridicule are never dispensed equally. Just ask "The Big Five" who are trying to hash out an already-overdue California budget that has a $15.2 billion hole, and growing.

The Sacramento Bee threw some pretty sharp elbows in its July 1 coverage of the budget huddlers and the potentially disastrous impact they might wreak on state health care.

Reporter Kevin Yamamura called The Big Five "one of the least experienced teams ever." Here a few culls from his assessments:

Gov. Schwarzenegger: This is his 5th budget. He knows that legislators will move at their own pace irrespective of how he tries to muscle them.
Senate Minority Leader Dave Cogdill (Modesto): His first budget. "Some Democrats believe his budget demands have been difficult to pin down, and they may not trust his intentions."
Assembly Minority Leader Mike Villines (Clovis): Second budget. He "is considered politically astute and has coordinated well with Cogdill."
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (Los Angeles): First budget. She's big into consensus building, but because she's so new she may get less wiggle room with fellow Dems.
Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (Oakland): Fourth budget. Lots of experience but is termed out in November so he's got no political fallout to fear.

The Sac Bee's editorial pages took direct aim at Schwarzenegger's 10% cuts in Medi-Cal, under the heading: "The choice is clear: Increase taxes or let the impact fall on children and the elderly."

You can find the entire editorial at http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/1051327.html but here is one very telling segment:

"As senators and Schwarzenegger are well aware, kicking poor people out of the Medi-Cal program will only force them to go to the emergency room, or avoid treatment for diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic diseases.

"While campaigning for health care reform last year, Schwarzenegger often talked about the "hidden tax" that uninsured people impose on hospitals, businesses and local governments. It would be revealing for the governor to calculate the hidden tax he will impose on this state if these Medi-Cal cuts are fully enacted.

"A better option would be a modest, broadly distributed levy – yes, a tax – to prop up this state's health care program for the poor. Consider it a down payment on a once-and-future goal: a more universal system of health coverage."

(For more information about how cutbacks might hit hospital services, the California Hospital Association offers info at http://www.savemyemergencyroom.com/ )

Hello, trans-fat help center?

jtaylor — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:33:00 GMT

Pity -- or praise -- the residents of New York City, my old hometown. As Californians are legally mandated to learn the wonders of "hands free" phone use while driving, the Big Apple is nuking trans fat in nearly all prepared food.

The full T-F ban takes effect July 1, with a 3-month grace period before chefs will be flogged with hefty ($2,000) fines for concocting anything with the tasty, artery-clogging substance.

Consider what's against the law in Nu Yawk City and/or Nu Yawk State -- the city in 1978 imposed a fine on dog owners who don't clean up after the pets' "public posturing"; in 2001, the state became the first in the nation to impose a "hands free" phone law; and in 2003 banned smoking in nearly all businesses. Now Nu Yawk City is the nation's first big city to take a crack at making heart-disease, obesity and, some might say, gourmet cooking and freedom of expression -- illegal.

If that totally fries your cannoli, be of good cheer. The New York College of Technology, one of the region's top culinary schools, has established "Trans Fat Help Center" and a telephone help line for depressed food professionals for whom patience may be shortening as their once-delicious donuts droop.

You can learn more at www.notransfatnyc.org (Best grab a hot dog and a beer while you can at Yankee and Shea stadiums. Who knows what'll be illegal next year when the baseball teams move into their new digs.)

Interesting Laws

wholderman — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:21:00 GMT

Amazing laws that are still on the books in various states that do not make much sense:

Must be intelligent to go to College (mmmm, whomever wrote this apparently wasn't), a man's female companion must call him "master" while out on a date (does not apply to married couples), no horse shall be ridden on any street in the city at a speed in excess of 10 miles/hour, servers are forbidden to serve wine in teacups, it is illegal to take a lion to the movies, a license must be purchased before hanging clothes on a clothesline, no person can wear a mask or disguise on a public street without a permit from the local sheriff, it's not legal to bathe two babies at the same time in the same tub, it's against the local ordinance to kiss on the lips unless you have wiped the lips with carbonated rose water, a man cannot be seen with a jacket and pants that do not match, state code allows only 5 minutes to vote, and my favorite...no smoking allowed within 100 feet of a public entrance.

Will we look back a few years from now and be amazed at the new law that goes into effect July 1st that will disallow cell phone use while driving unless you have a handsfree option? Is it the use of the cell phone that is a distraction or is it the focus on the conversation? Many have a strong opinion about this either way...in the meantime, many companies are cashing in on a variety of devices to allow us to be legal...as for me, I'm just going to resort to a respite while I'm on the road and not take any calls while I'm in my car driving (well, we'll see how long that lasts!).

In healthcare, we're certainly highly regulated and have a plethora of ordinances, laws, and regulations that guide us and many times amaze us...we question their pertinence or if they make any sense...most of the time they do, but then there are times that I wonder. Oh well, in the meantime, our responsibility is to cross every "t" and dot every "i" and work with those who make these guidelines so we can collaboratively administer and monitor the ones that really make a difference and promote quality, service, and the best of outcomes.

Shape Up!

wholderman — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:57:00 GMT

Well, it's time to get serious about cooling off and for many of us that means the challenge of selecting just the right bathing suit! Never fear, there's the Skineez "shapewear" that apparently has a moisturizing and trimming feature to it. Macy's began carrying them this week (6/23/08).

This undergarment has a slimming skincare characteristic that is gaining (no pun intended) popularity. For only $68, this article of clothing is made of fabric that contains microcapsules of retinol, caffiene and other ingredients that tout the ability to moisturize the skin and reduce the appearance of the dreaded cellulite. Oh, and they come with a spray used to add capsules after approximately ten washings!

Folks, I'm pretty vain, but I'm not going to spend almost seventy bucks on this novelty item...but what I suppose I could do, is take my cycling shorts, smear a concoction of my favorite Peet's coffee, Preparation H, and moisturizing cream into the material, and walla-same effect don't you agree?!

Oh boy, I better stick with wearing my bathing suit with some shorts, and leave it at that!

Try to stay cool...heat-exhaustion is a serious condition and in the very worst case, can be lethal. Keep a good balance of the proper fluids for hydration, work out early AM if possible, avoid extremes in temperatures, and load up on the sunblock.

What if? You better ask

jtaylor — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:29:00 GMT

The grass has turned to straw. The darkened building has a foreclosure sign taped to the door. Past-due notices are scrunched into the jamb.

That describes houses in my Clovis neighborhood. It soon may well describe some California hospitals.

Members of the California State Rural Health Association gathered recently in Reedley, and one take-away from the panel discussion was what might be called a Doomsday scenario should the 10% proposed reductions in Medi-Cal be converted into law.

The recap document uses Sierra Kings District Hospital as a "what if?" example:

"If" the cuts go ahead -- particularly the delays in Medi-Cal payments -- a cash-flow issue may imperil the $1 million Sierra Kings monthly payroll and other operating expenses.
"If" those outlays can't be met, the hospital might consider closing for a period of time.
"If" the hospital closes however briefly, it might be unable to retain its nurses and other skilled professionals, particularly if there is no guarantee that the problem of a broken state budget won't recur.
"If" the hospital can't provide services, emergency patients would likely be transported to crowded Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. The cost to the Medi-Cal program of that ambulance transport alone is estimated at $18.7 million. No word on what it might cost Community.
"If" any of the frayed safety-net care system closes, illnesses will magnify and costs of care will rise for everyone.

"If" that synopsis isn't enough, just Google what's happening to ambulance companies around the country as gas and diesel prices go stratospheric. In some locales, well, the whirring lights and sirens of smaller ambulance companies are being silenced.

A Hollywood writer couldn't infuse more "what if" pathos into California's draft health-care disaster script.