In Case You Missed It!

Part of a skull from a 2-million-year-old baboon has been found in a cave in South Africa, the site where remains of our early ancestors have been found.  This is the first non-human primate found at this site.  So the question is: how come so many humans and so few baboons?  And should I care?

Another should I care item: the NY Times today describes the mechanism that moves growing nails forward.  Definitely more than I need to know about this subject.

The click-speaking Khoe-San people of southern Africa carry a genetic mutation that reduces pregnancy complications.  That’s a good thing.

A new study has found that certain gun laws lead to lower rates of firearm suicide.  Specifically, waiting periods for gun purchases, background checks, gun locks and open carry restrictions yield less suicides.  The author of the study says, “When you make a highly lethal method of suicide harder to access, you’re going to lower the suicide rate.”  Duhhh!

There is growing evidence that steroid shots commonly used for back pain work no better than placebos.  There may be short-term pain relief, but the injections don’t have long-lasting results nor do they reduce the need for surgery.  I wonder if the anti-steroid lobby is behind these new studies.

Finally, another question: Is there an effective treatment for dark under-eye circles?  Answer: It depends on what caused them.  An expert, the president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, opines: “The earlier you do the correct thing (for your skin), the better it is for the long term.”  That definitely qualifies as another Duhhh!

On Gratitude!

Gratitude places you in the energy field of plentitude.  Perceiving life in a consciousness of gratitude is literally stepping into another dimension of living.  Suddenly the seeming ordinariness of your days takes on a divine sparkle.

n  Michael Beckwith

The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see.

n  Dr. Robert Holden

One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, “What if I had never seen this before?  What if I knew I would never see it again?”

n  Rachel Carson

One of life’s most fulfilling moments occurs in the split-second when the familiar is suddenly transformed into the dazzling aura of the profoundly new.

n  Edward B. Lindaman

While we cry ourselves to sleep, gratitude waits patiently to console and reassure us; there is a landscape larger than the one we can see.

n  Sarah Ban Breathnach

When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.

n  Willie Nelson

To be continued . . .

Being Grateful!

Bad news gets the headlines.  They bombard me every day.  Murders, wars, indiscriminate killings, floods, accidents, refugees – it never ends.  To steal from Peggy Lee’s song I could say,  “Is that all there is?”  Especially as I grow older and am a little weary, even cynical, good news does indeed seem to be in short supply.

But really, is that all there is?  In “The Little Prince,” St. Exupery tells me: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”  So, to conclude that’s all there is before I’ve given myself a chance to discover other gifts that will enrich my life is a tragic missed opportunity. 

These gifts belong to me, but I keep them stored away in the closet, unwrapped.  Failing to acknowledge them costs me, and it doesn’t have to be this way.  I can be aware of and grateful for the gifts that I sometimes don’t see, take for granted, or ignore.  How?  By being aware of and grateful for them.

To be continued . . .

From San Francisco!

News from San Francisco you may have missed:

Indicted Chinatown gang leader Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow has accused the mayor of taking bribes.  Mayor Lee says Shrimp Boy is blowing smoke – or words to that effect.

To reduce public urination, the city has begun painting walls upon which the public urination is likely to take place with a substance that in effect pees back at the pee-er.  How does this work?  I haven’t a clue.  Will it reduce peeing in public?  I doubt it.

Activists in the pro-nudity movement staged a demonstration at City Hall yesterday.  In what attire, you ask?  Let’s just say they were walking their talk.  Tourists from the Midwest were said to be interested in this added attraction offered by our fair city.

They say El Niño is on the way.  With El Niño comes rain.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is that Southern California will likely get most of it.  A pox on the evil southland.

The Outside Lands Festival will take place in Golden Gate Park this weekend.  A chance for people to listen to music, drink beer and engage in other mood-altering activities.  And a chance for others to fight massive traffic jams and spillover partying.  Best advice:  Go by foot or on a bike.

On the San Francisco ballot this November:  housing, lobbying, development, airbnb, energy, and more.

Sports Report!

Good news:  In Boston, ex-Giant and not missed Pablo Sandoval is taking some heat.  His batting average is at a career low, he is making errors in the field, and while he won’t admit it, his blubbery weight has skyrocketed.  Couldn’t happen to a more deserving jerk.

More Boston uproar (and who cares elsewhere):  Tom Brady’s four-game suspension is upheld and deflate-gate continues.  Now the player’s union is going to court to argue their case for more leniency.  Boring.

Good news:  The English Premier League season begins in a week.  Now we can have some real football to watch.

Miracle on grass:  Tiger Woods made the cut at this weekend’s PGA tournament.  No piling on Tiger.  His fall has been painful to watch.

Possible bad judgment:  San Francisco, don’t even think about wanting the 2024 Olympics now that Boston has had the good sense to drop out.  Hosting is a waste of time and money.

FIFA scandal:  More people in court and out on bail.  We haven’t even scratched the surface of what has been going on for decades in this cesspool of corruption.

Cricket (in case you care):  Australia is in trouble in the Ashes, behind 2-1 to the English.  Well, a lot of the old colonials care even if you don’t.

Go Giants!