Get Real....... HOW?

Will the younger generation even know what we older folks mean when we say things aren't real anymore?  Have you looked at Toys R Us toy store or other toys being sold to the children recently?  I don't know how to describe it .... something is missing .... really a whole lot is missing .... 

Television, IPODs, electronic books, computer games, model this and model that, and everything that consumes a battery imaginable .... but where are the trips to nature's fishing holes with Dad? The bicycling along back woods country roads? Sledding down the hill?  Tree houses where you are up and above it all? Real puppies and not battery charged ones? Building birdhouses in the tool shed? You can't even find a real sailboat at Toys R US.... they even asked, "What?" How about visits with friends where the fun is in playing with one another and not both playing with some THING! or going to the garden to pick fresh corn, tomatoes, and radishes for lunch time picnic in the yard?  Ice cream socials, barn dances, or neighborhood party skating on the frozen pond? 

Talk about a generation gap .... grandma doesn't even own a computer yet grandson is a wizard at using one. Fresh air, pure water, and birds and bees .... ??? Fresh air now has to come from machines if you happen to have one and if not then you suck the dirt in, pure water is to be found only in bottles for a price, and the birds and bees.... they have almost become extinct (except for pigeons, sparrows, and noisy blackbird caw caws).

For the next generation, it will be cyber, virtual, and outer space voyages while the senior generation, the real ones, the old ones, the past, all gradually pass away without any real sense of loss. Life goes on, real or not. Maybe one day we will be able to know what life is and be able to define it.

My Way's First Christmas

My Way was found and is now back at home ..... thieves tried to sell her for $300 and were caught.

My Way's First Christmas

Tis day before Christmas

And all through the house

My Way is sure squeaking

Her small rubber mouse.

Having My Way back safe and sound is the best Christmas present ever .....!!

Christmas Blessing

Happy Holidays To All,

And To All a Good Life!

May Your Christmas Tree Stand Tall,

Your Love, Safe From Strife.

Human Fulfillment and Popular Poets ....

"There are certain things that are fundamental to human fulfillment. The essence of these needs is captured in the phrase 'to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy'. The need to live is our physical need for such things as food, clothing, shelter, economical well-being, health. The need to love is our social need to relate to other people, to belong, to love and to be loved. The need to learn is our mental need to develop and to grow. And the need to leave a legacy is our spiritual need to have a sense of meaning, purpose, personal congruence, and contribution"

Stephen R. Covey quotes

 

Langston Hughes

Shel Silverstein

Pablo Neruda

Maya Angelou

Edgar Allan Poe

Robert Frost

Emily Dickinson

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

E. E. Cummings

Walt Whitman

William Wordsworth

Allen Ginsberg

Sylvia Plath

Jack Prelutsky

William Butler Yeats

Thomas Hardy

Robert Hayden

Amy Lowell

Oscar Wilde

Theodore Roethke

Question of Good & Bad

Here is a revised/revamped version of the initial poem that received criticism because its meter didn't conform to standards.

Writing poetry with stressed/unstressed syllables and adhering to the 6 types of feet and meter loses spontaneity and is much more difficult ... I don't think it is as enjoyable but it is good to know what others expect in a poem whether Ido it or not ....



Question of Good & Bad



Beggars, cheats, liars, thieves...
Their deficit behavior is sad,
Loss, damages, cause grieves...
Pray they change their life, not be SO bad.

Good, bad, can be unclear,
Sound judgment does decide the clean choice,
Sane work, honest career,
Surely strengthen love, honor, truth’s voice.


(© Yolanda Martin December 2010)


trochee, catalectic trochee, trochee, catalectic trochee ... 4 feet tetrameter

iambic, iambic, iambic, iambic, catalectic trochee .... 5 feet pentameter

iambic, iambic, iambic .... 3 feet

trochee, trochee, catalectic trochee, trochee, trochee ....5 feet pentameter



catalectic trochee, catalectic trochee, iambic, iambic ..... 4 feet tetrameter

iambic, iambic, iambic, iambic, catalectic trochee...... 5 feet pentameter

iambic, iambic, iambic........3 feet

trochee, trochee, catalectic trochee, trochee, trochee .... 5 feet pentameter

**********
Poem in its original form below
************


Question of Good & Bad

Beggars, cheats, liars, thieves...                

Their deficit behavior is sad,                      

Loss, damages, our grieves...                    

Will they change their life, not be so bad?

Good and bad unclear,

They did not understand the good choice,

They need honest career,

They need to know love and hear truth's voice.

(© Yolanda Martin December 2010)

 **********************
My reply to a reviewer disliking my poem ....
***********************

You obviously are more talented and professional in your writing than I. I
simply write conforming the syllable counts in each line to agree with a
design repetitive pattern for the stanza, but perhaps I need to consider the
accent of those syllables also. I intentionally sometimes change the counts
per line but there is symmetry in the stanza when changed. I do add rhyme
because it is an assist to channeling thought communications ... to present
a thought that is troubling me in some way, whatever I feel compelled to
share via the framework of verse which imposes limitation of words suitable
to use, is my primary reason for writing, and thank goodness I have no need
seek approval from others since it is merely a leisure pursuit (but helpful and kind review critiquing is certainly appreciated for your gift of timeand self).

Mathematics and computers, my life career, uses a different set of skills
than those of creative writing (I never liked or did well in English which should
come as no surprise to you .... but I could improve, as could we all (perfection is rarely attainable)....)

I too dislike post-modern poetry but lack sophistication to do classical.
Walt Whitman among many other America poets are my choice of poetry reading. I especially like Maya Angelou's poetry, and I think if she were to judge my poem she would have different remarks to say than yours and in great contrast ....

My poetry expresses my emotions, thoughts, and present creative writing
skills and most poems result in less than 30 minutes time. I write when I
feel motivated to put something in poetry form limited by time, current
knowledge, and abilities. For me it is a catharsis experience that improves
my thinking about whatever is being expressed in the poem versus other
writing I do, written as narrative prose, essays, and documentations. It is
safe to agree that in your opinion this poem is a flop..... well let's see one of yours or do you just read other's?

I am trying to cope my deep feelings of loss from a recent theft of one my
valuable Pekingese puppies that I have invested much love, care, and time
while a member of my home, feelings of loss are troubling me now. I have
also had my home burglarized more than once, a victim of identity theft more than once, been lied to too many times, and been cheated too many times.

There are always beggars around wanting me to give them something. The city, county, state, and country in which I live is becoming more populated with desperate people and crime is on the increase while budgets for law enforcement, education, and gainful income have decreased.

If poetry and literature arts are viewed as the writer's way of expressing their feelings, thoughts, healing, or improving their own writing where ever that may presently be on the writer's scale towards perfection, then it a positive exercise, a learning exercise, and should also be a satisfying mental exercise. It should be read and received as such if shared.



The Shakespeare quote ...

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be, For loan oft loses both itself and

friend, And borrowing dulleth edge of husbandry."



Could be expressed as " Neither a beggar nor thief be, For act oft loses

both itself and friend, And the taking dulleth edge of humanity...." ?????



************ what the reviewer of the poem wrote ****

From an aesthetic point, I'd urge you to rework this poem with an ear for prosody to accompany your rhyme. You're often flopping between iambic and
trochaic meter, and it's a bit jarring. This piece doesn't have the intense
sensual imagery that might lend it a post-modern intrigue in the absence of
meter, and the post-modern trends that abolished meter in poetry have
disdained didactic, lecturing poetry regardless.

Thematically, doing the right thing is harder than you let on. It's hard, for example, for poor people to balance between their need for transportation& society's demand that they carry auto liability insurance. Plenty of parentswould rather be beggars, cheats, liars, and thieves than see their children go hungry.

I've long thought the primary loss of innocence most of us experience is the
moment when we realize that doing the wrong thing can be fun. Up until that
point, it's hard for the innocent to understand why anyone chooses to be bad. In my recent memory, The Mist is a fantastic film for illustrating how reasonable, good-natured people can fail to see goodness and truth. Nor am I convinced that knowing right from wrong is the key to virtuous behavior. The Apostle Paul lamented that the he does the evil he does not  want to do. I don't think beggars, cheats, liars, and thieves fail to understand what they're doing is wrong. I think it's an essential part of being human that we often understand right from wrong, yet still choose to do evil from time to time.

***************
My reply to the above point of view which blurs good and bad conduct
****************
Yes .... true good, versus true bad, is sometimes not within the scope of


our ability or right to judge .... it is as difficult as knowing Truth

versus Error/False and sometimes exceeds the span of time interval we limit

it to and in which it can be validly judged... There are laws created, and I

believe they should be obeyed .... Stealing is a crime even if one

rationalizes and commits the crime for a greater good they feel justifies

the crime.... there are alternatives more law abiding than stealing to solve

one's problems. Stealing just happens to be the most expedient one unless

caught and prosecuted.



Good, like truth, has many faces and one must seek the center and soul of

the act first before judging, and then that it is only possible for others

greater than ourselves. Morality, ethics, and cultural customs existing in

a diverse population presents a challenge to government's ability to ensure

our safety and security, personally for self and our dependents within our

community. I live in a state with a high number of illegal immigrants and

what is legal and illegal seems to be ignored.... crime must have

consequences .... one must not choose the criminal (illegal) way.

Finding My Way and MCACC 2009 stats

I visited Maricopa County Animal Care and Control and searched for My Way.... by law, if someone "found" My Way they are legally supposed to turn the animal over to MCACC within 6 days .... but if it is as I suspect theft and malicious intent to harm me by taking my dearest little puppy, then the perpetrators don't care what the law or ethics indicate what they must do. I sense futility at even trying.However, it is psychologically helpful to at least try to find her despite the odds against recovery. By stealing my puppy, I realize the criminals also would laugh and enjoy my attempts to recover my puppy, and I would just be adding to my own injuries while the guilty parties are enjoying the "play" of it all. What a fool I am! Here I am desperately seeking My Way hoping to find her.

I spoke with Supervisor for Adoptions because the Lost and Found door way was now funneling all their persons over to Adoptions line.  I was displeased with the Supervisor's answers and asked to speak to her superior,  Linda Soto, Shelter Division Manager at 2500 South 27th Avenue .... I was angry and she knew it .... "Why can they not take photos of their intake animals which with time also become their animals for adoption , like Arizona Humane Society does", I asked?  I felt I needed to let her know how she is endangering my life, my time and theirs, by requiring me to drive in traffic and adverse weather to come in person every 2 days (forever) to try to find my stolen pet which they prefer to call "lost pet". She replied exactly as I guess... "limited staff and budget just not possible to do that because of the numbers of animals we process daily" .... ??????????? Apparently there is little automated inventory management supporting their intake and holding area also .... I also asked why their isn't more educational programs via their web site and perhaps a newsletter posted there with interesting shelter stories .... again she replied, "would you like to volunteer to help us?" I did volunteer and gave her my web site so she could learn something about me while deciding just what I could do for them.  I told her I was interested in developing their web site with photos of their animals.... I have since learned from Jeri, my friend and Azpekelist member, that someone is currently photographing all intake animals for both the East and West side and posting it to Craigslist to facilitate re-homing or recovery by their owners.  It seems if that person is already doing that then why can't she work with MCACC directly and post the photos on MCACC web site? 

 It seems I smell some animal "shit" even thought the quarters for the animals at MCACC are remarkably clean and comfortable for the duration of animal's stay. Something is not as one would expect. Yes, MCACC does put down their animals despite the goals when their new facility was opened 3 years ago to become a no kill shelter.... and I did not want to inquire more information since I had already knew so many ways MCACC could better serve the county animal owners' needs....  http://www.maricopa.gov/Pets/LostFound/Default.aspx

Taking a tour through their facility guided by "Chris" who has been there 1 year and half, I saw 3/4 were Chihuahuas, lots of them (hundreds)... in fact everywhere I looked there was a little Chihuahua face looking up at me questioningly, the remaining breeds were prime health pit bulls, miscellaneous large dogs, a few poodles and other small mixed breeds, and 1 nice looking parti-colored Pekingese, elderly adult, which Chris said they rarely get Pekingese.

 I saw a lot of animals at MCACC.... but I didn't find My Way. My Way where are you? I know you want to come home if only you could.... I will go back Sunday to search again.

http://www.maricopa.gov/pets/pdf/annualreport.pdf

Maddie's Fund Shelter 2009 statistics .. The 3 sets of numbers are for Dog, Cat, then Total,,, (almost 4 times the number of dogs to number of cats)

NAME OF ORGANIZATION: Maricopa County Animal Care and Control... Dog,    Cat,     Total

DATE OF REPORT: (January 2009 - December 2009)

A BEGINNING SHELTER COUNT (1.1.2009) 1049 506 1555

INTAKE (Live Dogs & Cats Only)

From the Public

Healthy 9063 2721 11784

Treatable – Rehabilitatable 10133 5479 15612

Treatable – Manageable 7639 2180 9819

Unhealthy & Untreatable 14201 3682 17883

B Subtotal Intake from the Public 41036 14062 55098

Incoming Transfers from Organizations within Community/Coalition

Healthy 2 0 2

Treatable – Rehabilitatable 0 0 0

Treatable – Manageable 1 0 1

Unhealthy & Untreatable 1 0 1

C Subtotal Intake from Incoming Transfers from Orgs within Community/Coalition 4 0 4

Incoming Transfers from Organizations outside Community/Coalition

Healthy 0 0 0

Treatable – Rehabilitatable 0 0 0

Treatable – Manageable 0 0 0

Unhealthy & Untreatable 0 0 0

D Subtotal Intake from Incoming Transfers from Orgs outside Community/Coalition 0 0 0

From Owners/Guardians Requesting Euthanasia

Healthy 0 0 0

Treatable – Rehabilitatable 0 0 0

Treatable – Manageable 0 0 0

Unhealthy & Untreatable 0 0 0

E Subtotal Intake from Owners/Guardians Requesting Euthanasia 0 0 0

F Total Intake [B + C + D + E] 41040 14062 55102

G Owner/Guardian Requested Euthanasia (Unhealthy & Untreatable Only) 0 0 0

H ADJUSTED TOTAL INTAKE [F minus G] 41040 14062 55102

ADOPTIONS (only dogs and cats adopted by the public)

Healthy 7037 1900 8937

Treatable – Rehabilitatable 3008 1283 4291

Treatable – Manageable 941 122 1063

Unhealthy & Untreatable 124 20 144

I TOTAL ADOPTIONS 11110 3325 14435

OUTGOING TRANSFERS to Organizations within Community/Coalition

Healthy 1099 551 1650

Treatable – Rehabilitatable 1115 1647 2762

Treatable – Manageable 458 164 622

Unhealthy & Untreatable 119 55 174

J TOTAL OUTGOING TRANSFERS to Orgs within Community/Coalition 2791 2417 5208

OUTGOING TRANSFERS to Organizations outside Community/Coalition

Healthy 768 244 1012

Treatable – Rehabilitatable 1295 577 1872

Treatable – Manageable 1193 124 1317

Unhealthy & Untreatable 458 25 483

K TOTAL OUTGOING TRANSFERS to Orgs outside Community/Coalition 3714 970 4684

L RETURN TO OWNER/GUARDIAN 4758 99 4857

DOGS & CATS EUTHANIZED

M Healthy (Includes Owner/Guardian Requested Euthanasia) 0 0 0

N Treatable – Rehabilitatable (Includes Owner/Guardian Requested Euthanasia) 938 1904 2842

O Treatable – Manageable (Includes Owner/Guardian Requested Euthanasia) 4894 1767 6661

P Unhealthy & Untreatable (Includes Owner/Guardian Requested Euthanasia) 12628 3428 16056

Q Total Euthanasia [M + N + O + P] 18460 7099 25559

R Owner/Guardian Requested Euthanasia (Unhealthy & Untreatable Only) 0 0 0

S ADJUSTED TOTAL EUTHANASIA [Q minus R] 18460 7099 25559

T

SUBTOTAL OUTCOMES [I + J + K + L + S] Excludes Owner/Guardian Requested Euthanasia

(Unhealthy & Untreatable Only) 40833 13910 54743

U DIED OR LOST IN SHELTER/CARE 207 152 359

V

TOTAL OUTCOMES [T + U] Excludes Owner/Guardian Requested Euthanasia (Unhealthy &

Untreatable Only) 41040 14062 55102

W ENDING SHELTER COUNT (12.31.2009) 1049 506 1555

__._,_.___

I really don't know life at all .... Both Sides Now

I have previously posted a blog entry titled "Define Life"

Continuing to ponder life and living it, here is a song that comes to my mind regarding life .... I don't know that I agree with the lyrics to the song on the subject, but it does linger in my mind and surfaces every so often to genuflect its songwriter.....   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DH70wYWsK0

and Joni Mitchell's song has lots of .....

allusions (begins with the word all) ....

many have delusions about life and others have exclusions denying what is....

and of course there is  a brain contusion, a bruise of the brain tissue caused by small blood vessel leaks which may interfere...

interesting that illusion begins with the word, ill .....

also interesting is how many are suffering in life from confusion....

and all those that practice elusion, the act or an instance of eluding or escaping; evasion who will one day be caught.....

also the many social and government/business group ways in which individuals practice collusion and exclusion in their midst and in the world .....

and of course the measure of one's life is determined at its conclusion .... and then sometimes remote in time from their actual death.

Words ending in suffix "sion" about life are revealing in their own meaning as it applies to life ...

conclusion...

allusion, contusion, delusion

exclusion, illusion, inclusion, exclusion 

occlusion, suffusion

affusion, collusion, confusion, diffusion, effusion, elusion, extrusion

BOTH SIDES NOW

Bows and flows of angel hair and ice cream castles in the air

And feather canyons everywhere, i've looked at cloud that way.

But now they only block the sun, they rain and snow on everyone.

So many things i would have done but clouds got in my way.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now,

From up and down, and still somehow

It's cloud illusions i recall.

I really don't know clouds at all.

Moons and junes and ferris wheels, the dizzy dancing way you feel

As every fairy tale comes real; i've looked at love that way.

But now it's just another show. you leave 'em laughing when you go

And if you care, don't let them know, don't give yourself away.

I've looked at love from both sides now,

From give and take, and still somehow

It's love's illusions i recall.

I really don't know love at all.

Tears and fears and feeling proud to say "i love you" right out loud,

Dreams and schemes and circus crowds, i've looked at life that way.

But now old friends are acting strange, they shake their heads, they say

I've changed.

Something's lost but something's gained in living every day.

I've looked at life from both sides now,

From win and lose, and still somehow

It's life's illusions i recall.

I really don't know life at all.

 

5 month old femalePekingese puppy, My Way,was stolen from my home yesterday

......I thought before I started this email, that writing about My Way being
stolen was too hurtful and painful and it is..... it is too hurtful and
painful for words, but I am going to post to Azpekelist and to my other
email friends/groups that she was stolen and then get on with my life and
taking care of my other Pekingese pets and do the usual things needed to
keep our home and family going..............

It seems thieves always take what is most valuable in your home and what can
never be replaced ..... There is no such things as petty thieves, and a pet
thief is the worse variety there is! Please pray with me that thieves feel
remorse and change their lives in the future so that they will know the
damage they do to others is not nearly the greater damage they do to their
selves. If they learn how to live to be a blessing to others instead of a
threat causing pain and injuries then I will be satisfied justice has been
served.

******* some have asked if My Way might of accidentally wandered away ***

No she wouldn’t run away and there are 2 gates to come from the street into the inner courtyard outside my front door..... there is frequent pet stealing in Phoenix area ... they steal the dogs and then sell them as a means of getting cash .... and there are a lot of people who know about my Pekingese but don’t have the money to buy one so they probably decided to steal it .. They can even create their own false AKC papers for the dogs they steal. I have all of my Pekingese micro-chipped except this one .... because I ran out of chips and hadn’t purchased another batch.... I was waiting to see how many new puppies from the 2 Mothers I have needed before ordering. I implant the microchips myself .... Also the puppy had a new black halter on it but I hadn’t yet attached the owner ID info . Also, I should never have had the puppy in the front where it could be so easily stolen anyway so I am partially responsible for what has happened to this puppy.

I printed off a copy of the post about the lost pet and gave one to the Alta Vista Elementary School for them to see what they could do and alerting the children who maybe took the puppy, also gave one to the Cortez High School for similar searching, and posted one on the light post at the corner of my property. I have offered $100 reward. I also made a police report to the theft of the puppy this morning. Tomorrow, I will go to our Maricopa Animal Care and Control to see if anyone has turned the dog over to their shelter as lost or stray ....

I did have the opportunity to visit the schools down the street from me this morning and seeing how the children begin their day and see my tax dollars working for a good cause. A lot of children elementary through high school age walk by home daily, and there is also a lot of roofers and other construction workers in the area repairing damages done by the recent hail storm .... AND it is Christmas time ..... what a perfect gift for someone, huh? Except not for me.

Oh well, it is a heartache and mental angst to invest one’s love and affection in people or pets or anything that can be stolen or might die or worse.... maybe this is a test of my sanity, yet another test.... LOL .... I have feelings of anger, bewilderment, and loss all mixed together stressing me more than would be expected .... my world is so fragile and held together by anything I could find to mend it to make do and get by.

I presently have (2) 9-10 day old infant Pekingese that I am providing care for. One who I have named My Song Billy Boy had an umbilical cord bleeding problem. I have had to feed him every 3 hours because he lost so much blood he didn’t have the strength to nurse and once you start hand feeding them from an eye dropper or bottle then they don’t realize they still need to nurse and if they do but don’t seem to get much milk that way and he is much smaller than his sister sibling .... I have another blue female who is due to whelp in a big way which I am watching around the clock. There is always risk of loss of life in breeding either the Mother’s or the puppy newborns and no matter how experienced you are or how much you have learned there is always the unexpected and new challenges.

I am hopeful some one will return my puppy I named “My Way”... and if they don’t then I must close her chapter in my life.

Define Life

If Death is the absence of Life and Insanity is the absence of Sanity. Can you define life? Can you define sanity? 

Sanity is as the World Health Organization has defined it .... it is a conceptual, not a absolute, concrete condition, of our state of being alive.  If you are uncomfortable with the meaning of sanity then perhaps there is a concern and need to seek greater sanity in your life.  I also think there is an eqation agreement between the WHO definition and meaning of sanity with that for life itself. The absence of either life or sanity is to know what death is.

Life is a whim of several billion cells to be you for a while.  ~Author Unknown

 

You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of.  You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.  ~Albert Camus

Life may have no meaning.  Or even worse, it may have a meaning of which I disapprove.  ~Ashleigh Brilliant

I say to my child, I will explain to you as much of life as I can, but you must remember that there is a part of life for which you are the explanation.  ~Robert Brault, w.robertbrault.com

The world is a grindstone and life is your nose.  ~Fred Allen

The world is a grindstone and life is your nose.  ~Fred Allen

( and may I conclude...... "you only know what life truly is when it has ended, and it is no more"- Yolanda).

Define Mental Illness

Mental Illness is the absence of mental health, just as death is the absence of life.

The World Health Organization defines mental health as "a being of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community". It was previously stated that there was no one "official" definition of mental health. Cultural differences, subjective assessments, and competing professional theories all affect how "mental health" is defined.

Most recently, the field of Global Mental Health has emerged, which has been defined as 'the area of study, research and practice that places a priority on improving mental health and achieving equity in mental health for all people worldwide.

(By the broad definition of mental health above it seems that many in the world need to improve their mental health ... "a state of well being ....can work productively and fruitfully and able to make a contribution to his or her community, and it is important that they include that the individual realizes his/her abilities...." !! I believe very few alive today are able to realize their abilities to the fullest extent....)

World Health stats on Mental Illness.... The War we Lost ....

I hope no one minds my alerting you to the info about Mental Illness statistics....

 

Our Pekingese and pets, friends, and family help us keep our sanity, but there are many still suffering in silence because Mental Illness is the BIG problem no one wants to discuss openly or admit as a reason for our economy's problems.... When is the last time you heard progress mentioned or research trying to develop preventatives .... If our economy is going down the tubes it is perhaps we are waging war off in foreign countries ignoring our own problems here at home .... The Holiday Season is the worse statistically for tragedy and when Mental Illness seems to flare up ....

***************************************************************

http://www.myasha.org/node/1

Startling Statistics About Mental Illness 

1. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in every 4 people, or 25% per cent of individuals, develops one or more mental disorders at some stage in life.  Today, 450 million people globally suffer from mental disorders in both developed and developing countries.   Of these, 154 million suffer from depression, 25 million from schizophrenia, 91 million from alcohol use disorder and 15 million drug use disorder.
2. Mental illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.
3. Mental disorders can now be diagnosed reliably and accurately as the most common physical disorders; some can be prevented, all can be successfully managed and treated.
4. Treatment works.  Yet, as many as two-thirds of all people with a diagnosable mental disorder do not seek treatment, whether for fear of being stigmatized, fear that the treatment may be worse than the illness itself, or lack of awareness, access and affordability of care.
5. Mental illnesses do not discriminate – they can affect anyone, men, women and children regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status.
6. Mental health problems represent 5 out of 10 leading causes of disability worldwide; amounting to nearly one-third of the disability in the world.  Leading contributors include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse, and dementia.
7. Mental illnesses rank first among illnesses that cause disability in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe.
8. It is predicted that by 2010, depression will be the leading cause of disability worldwide, not cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or AIDS (WHO).
9. Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time, and also with co-morbid chronic diseases such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cancer, heart disease, etc.
10. Mental illness is a serious public health challenge that is under-recognized as a public burden.  The toll of mental illness is tragic: 

Human Cost:  Suicide claims a life every 30 seconds.

• According to the World Health Organization almost 3,000 people commit suicide every day in the world.
• For every person that succeeds in taking their own life there are at least 20 more who try.
• The global suicide rate is up 60% over the last 50 years with an even more marked increase in the developed world.
• Suicide is among the top three causes of death among people between 15 and 34 years old, but most suicide victims are found among the elderly, those aged 60 and above.
• Suicide worldwide causes more deaths every year than homicide or war.  Suicide is a huge but largely preventable public health problem, causing almost half of all violent deaths and resulting in almost one million fatalities every year. Estimates suggest fatalities could rise to 1.5 million by 2020. 
• In 90% of suicides, mental illness is the attributing cause. 

Economic Cost:  Mental disorders cost billions of dollars.

• Mental disorders have clear economic costs. While numbers cannot convey the distress accompanying mental disorders, the economic impact can be calculated. Sufferers and their families or caregivers often experience reduced productivity at home and in the workplace. Lost wages, combined with the possibility of catastrophic health care costs, can seriously affect patients and their families' financial situation, creating or worsening poverty.
• Wherever economic costs of mental disorders have been studied, the figures are staggering.  The most comprehensive set of estimates comes from the Unites states.  Mental disorders cost the United States more than $150 billion each year for treatment, for the costs of social service and disability payments made to patients, and for lost productivity and premature mortality.

Social Cost:  Mental disorders can lead to unemployment, homelessness, incarceration, and poverty.

• Although obviously substantial, this burden has not been efficiently measured. This is because of the lack of quantitative data and difficulties in measuring and evaluating. 
• However, in America, fewer than 55,000 Americans currently receive treatment in psychiatric hospitals. Meanwhile, almost 10 times that number -- nearly 500,000 -- mentally ill men and women are serving time in U.S. jails and prisons.   (The New Asylums – A PBS Frontline Documentary). 
• An alarming 65% of boys and 75% of girls in juvenile detention have at least one psychiatric diagnosis. (Teplin, L. Archives of General Psychiatry, Vol. 59, December 2002). 
• Approximately 40% of the people who re homeless in America suffer from serious and persistent mental illnesses.  Many of these individuals also suffer from co-occurring substance abuse disorders. (U.S. Conference of Mayors)

(c) ASHA International, 2007

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Mental Disorders, Global Chart...

 

Mental Illness is a widespread global problem and U.S has highest rate...  WHY?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5111202/ns/health-mental_health/

Mental illnesses including anxiety disorders and depression are common and under-treated in many developed and developing countries, with the highest rate found in the United States, according to a study of 14 countries.

Based on face-to-face diagnostic surveys in the homes of 60,463 adults, the study found that mental ailments affect more than 10 percent of people queried in more than half the countries surveyed.

Rates ranged from 26.4 percent of people in the United States to 8.2 percent of people in Italy. While Nigerians appeared to have the lowest prevalence of mental illness — 4.7 percent — the researchers think the actual number is likely much higher since residents of the violence-prone West African nation may be hesitant to confide in strangers.

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I found the URL Catholic definition of insanity interesting reading .... it might also lead to an interesting discussion ... Catholicism is the only religion that I know of that defines insanity as such and does not use the more apt term mental illness. Catholicism withholds spiritual benefits from those so afflicted denying them Extreme Unction ?? ... In all of my Protestant background, it practices that mental illness is no different than any other physical illness with regard to eligibility for spiritual benefits as extended by it....

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08041a.htm

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EINSTEIN'S Definition of Insanity

July 1st, 2010
by Editor

The genius Albert Einstein said that the definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". By this definition, I am concerned that our intellectual elites have become insane.

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Islam and Insanity....

(termed Mental Illness) .... Insanity in Islam is a legal term .... and used in legal proceedings and is different than Mental Illness

http://www.smilecan.org/mental-illness-and-islam/comment-page-1 (one of the more enlightened definitions I have discovered in my research on the subject)

......Mental illness is broadly defined as a disorder that affects a person's cognitive, social, emotional and/or behavioural state or abilities (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Islam views mental illness as a condition that results from an unbalanced lifestyle (diet, sleeping patterns, spiritual activities, and remembrance of God) or an unbalanced body (Rahman, 1998). Many prevalent definitions of mental illness are related to the culture of geographic areas. Popular beliefs in Middle Eastern, African and Asian cultures view mental illness as: a punishment from God; a result of possession of evil spirits (Jinn); the effects of evil eye; and the effects of evil in objects that are transferred to the individual (the evil is put into the object by someone with malicious intent) (Stein, 2000; Pridmore & Pasha, 2004). Traditionally, Islam does not link all mental illnesses to supernatural causes (Rahman). Furthermore, one of the early Muslim scholars in psychiatric health care, Ibn Sina, rejected the popular notion that mental illnesses originated from evil spirits (Pridmore & Pasha). It is important to note that supernatural causes to illnesses are widely acknowledged and are considered very real within Islam. However, as a Muslim community, we need to recognize mental illness as a legitimate medical condition that is distinct from illnesses of a supernatural nature. In this way, individuals can acknowledge or accept their mental illness and seek treatment with more community support and less stigma associated with their diagnoses.

The Gift

A friend recently gave me a pair of Australian fire opal earrings and when I opened the box, I said to her (even though I ceased wearing jewelry a long time ago), “but my ears aren’t pierced...” she replied, “Oh, I thought they were, I could see you with those earrings”. I realized she was able to perceive not only the present me, but the past and maybe the future as well. I replied, “Oh, I did wear earrings about 10 years ago, but then when my jewelry was stolen, I never opted to buy any more”. She said well, if your ears are pierced they probably still are open. I asked her to try to see if she could put the earrings in my ears and she did so carefully. I was amazed! I thought my pierced ears had closed. I haven’t taken the earrings off and probably never will. A thoughtful gift from a friend or a loved one can override all objections, prior thoughts, and decisions previously in mind regarding the item.

What may seem closed forever, a friend may open with love and thoughtfulness

Do the Martin Mango ...

 THE MARTIN MANGO

 

Something nourishing today,

Needing to up the vitamin C,

to chase cold and flu away,

Yo created this for you to see,

Martin's Mango, U.S.A.

Try it, maybe like it, and agree.

1. In blender ......
2. Cut up minus the core ...3 red ripe mangos leaving the red skin on the fruit
3. add 1 peeled banana
4. 1 520 ml (17.6 oz) can of Goya Coconut water (with young pulp if possible)
5. 1/4 cup lemon juice
6. (blend of and on, then on high speed until the red peel in now tiny specks and the drink is smooth)...
7. serve over ice or as is, room temperature (my preference)... (also good over cake slices, etc

 

 

4 Simple Great Truths ???

 

4 SIMPLE GREAT TRUTHS

 

Believe in yourself,

others may assist you ...

 

Don't believe in yourself,

others may dismiss you ...

 

Believe in your God,

others may not harm you...

 

Don't believe in your God,

others may alarm you...

 

(yeshiva, Yolanda Martin ©)

 

 

Mega Truths

Mega Truths....

• Truth has many faces, see its soul.
• If truth can be told, it must be told.
• If there is a better truth, progress finds it.
• Truths like time, expire. 
• What is true today, may not be true tomorrow.
• Let go of old truths accepting new truths with all related changes.
•  
• Truths have limits of accuracy.
• If truth's valid domain enlarges or shrinks reevaluate validity.
• Truths create sane social systems, destroys those not.
• Truth reigns supreme.
• Truth surpasses corruption and confusion.
• Truth has value and integrity.
• Truth today creates a better tomorrow.

• ---

Cleaning up the messy consequences of dishonesty and incompetency is costly but necessary for everyone's sense and sanity.