Save the world; learn CPR

Just about everyone has an opinion about the Terri Schindler Schiavo case. But this post isn't about any opinion; it's about who could have prevented Mrs. Schiavo's health problems in the first place -- someone just like you but with a knowledge of CPR, Cardio Pulmonary Resusitation.

It's been reported that Mrs. Schiavo's heart stopped and her brain was deprived of life-giving oxygen for 10 minutes before paramedics arrived to begin CPR and get Mrs. Schiavo's heart working. As you must know now, 10 minutes is a lifetime to the human brain deprived of oxygen rich blood.

But had someone been standing by who knew how to perform CPR, Mrs. Schiavo would be vibrantly alive today. They would have been able to keep the oxygenated life-giving blood flowing to her major organs. CPR should be a prime topic of conversation among the pundits who have an opinion on Mrs. Schiavo, and it's not.

Anyone aged 11 years or older is eligible to take a CPR class. These classes normally will instruct you how to perform CPR on an adult, a child and an infant. You'll learn techniques how to stop someone from choking, including the Heimlich maneuver. And you'll also learn how to use an Automated External Defibrillator, AED. These are machines you see on tv where the EMT, nurse or physician yells "Clear!" It won't start a non-beating heart, but it will use electricity to shock a rapidly beating heart pumping no blood and return it to a normal rhythm that is able to pump blood.

Classes are usually only a few hours long and are relatively inexpensive. The American Red Cross chapter here in Baton Rouge offers a basic first aid and CPR course for $45. You may find a less expensive class if you call around. You can also call your local chapter of the American Heart Association, your local hospital, or your state Department of Emergency Services. All firefighters know CPR, and you can stop by a fire station and ask them where you can learn the skills.

If you think you can't spare the time, think of how much time you'd spend mourning, knowing that you could have saved someone's life. How can you claim to want to save the world if you don't know the first thing about saving just one person in that world, or care about obtaining those skills?

You may never use these skills but maybe you will. And you can mean the difference between someone's life or death. Make it a mother's day present to your wife, mother, daughter or grandmother, or a father's day present to your husband, father, son, grandfather. Make it a "Family, I love you" Day present. Find any excuse you need to shell out the cash and spend the time. As the poker players say: Put up or shut up.

(In case you're wondering, yes, I know CPR. I learned CPR first, wanted to learn more and then took several months of classes part-time to become a Registered EMT-Basic. I took the class in 2000-01 when I was 46 years old. You are eligible to take an EMT class if you're as young as 17. Taking the class was one of the neatest things I've ever done in my life. And I know that if someone needs basic emergency medical help, I can provide it. Talk about empowerment! If you're reading this, thanks Miss Barbara for teaching this old dog those new tricks and skills! You're aces!)

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Bright idea: I've been toying with an idea to help alleviate traffic congestion and reduce fuel costs. Suprisingly enough, it came from a child's toy, a toy train. It was a pre-schooler's toy train set. The little cars on the train set were made of wood. They hooked to the car in front of them and in back of them with a magnet. What if an automaker designed a car that had an electro-magnet in the front and one in back. Currently, you get caught in a traffic jam and the car's moving slowly, it's wasting a lot of fuel just sitting there or creeping along inch-by-inch, as well as sending a lot of pollutants in the air. Many scratch and dent bumper-thumpers occur in traffic jams because people get bored and don't pay attention, and that slows things down even more. Or there's a breakdown because a car overheats sitting so long in traffic. There's always a delay between the time the drivers in front of you start moving and you start moving, and that millisecond hiccup for each car in the jam turns into minutes overall when there are hundreds of vehicles backed up. The electro-magnet, I believe, would allow all the cars to move along at the same speed with no hesitation and no accidents. I think this would reduce fuel consumption as well. Probably better suited to a hybrid or electric vehicle, it's something to think about anyway until my George Jetson air car is available or Paul Gilster gets us to Alpha Centauri.

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That might help explain things: Just got some startling information from some folk at National Defense Committee in the mail. About 25 percent of military personnel who try to vote are unable to do so because they receive their absentee ballots too late or not at all. This might explain why veterans, reservists and active duty military personnel have been getting the short end of the stick from politicians who've never served this country. Believe me, I know firsthand the negative attitude that some companies and organizations have toward veterans and reservists. Let me digest the info and I'll post some more on this in a separate post later. Sounds like a call to arms!

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Great videos on the street: Maybe you're old enough to remember the old CBS television show, "You Are There." Maybe not. It doesn't matter, because these shows are starting to show up on DVD and everyone now has a chance to see this wonderful series from the golden age of television. And you'll see many young actors who later made it big. Imagine if the Boston Tea Party were held today how it might be reported on the evening news, interviews with participants on both sides, etc. That's the concept of "You Are There." Each show was a black-and-white historical docudrama of a real historical event, reported by CBS's correspondents and anchored by Walter Cronkite. I don't care how old you are, buy these DVDs!! They're inexpensive and worth every cent you spend. (I found them for $6 each at DeepDiscountDVD.com -- and shipping's free.) You won't regret it! (And if you buy them, I'll be happy because they'll make more episodes. The only drawback is that the manufacturer didn't spend the extra money to have the programs closed-captioned or subtitled ... yet. One of their employees told me cost is the primary issue. Their toll free number is 800-356-0944. You might want to call and voice your opinion if you'd like to see their videos closed-captioned. A third volume of shows is planned for release around June/July.)

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The Voice of NEWS4A2, blood-sucking journalist: If you think I sound like Bela Lugosi but weren't sure, tonight you're in luck. If you want to hear what I sound like, listen to Marketplace tonight on your public radio station. I e-mailed them a comment about their recent report on closed-captioning and they called and asked me to record my comments for national broadcast. They didn't know when they asked me that I wrote this blog or wrote a post in the blog about their report. Hmmm ... I've told them and now they know ... wonder if they'll run the comments anyway? Why not? All the world loves a fool, right? We'll see ... or hear as the case may be. In case you miss it, not to worry. If they run it, I'll find a link on their website once the program has aired and on the web, and post it as an update to my original commentary of March 30, 2005. I'll make sure there's a transcription of it as well, at least of my words of wisdom.

I have updated my post: Here's my report on clo*(*($@#$%^@#

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Porn spam Easter egg of the day:

A child is a person who can dismantle in 5 minutes the toy it took you 5 hours to put together