Thoughts Before The Alarm Sounds

When one opens one's daily newspaper, one expects to find news , especially on the front page. I realize that sometimes a human interest story or a particularly curious event will be printed, but superstitious fantasy – please! Perhaps an unusual position on a particular subject might get a mention in an otherwise newsworthy story, but as a standalone story such things should be confined to the fantasy page, i.e., Letters to the Editor. An example of an unusual position in an otherwise newsworthy story appeared recently in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era. A group of seismic experts was conducting a survey to determine the extent of any faults under the area, and were touring with equipment which tamped the ground. By measuring the resulting minor earthquakes they were able to get information which would otherwise be unobtainable. Of course, they asked permission of property owners before tamping each area. Some refused to allow it because they didn't wish to...

     Job Titles I Never Grew Up With      While watching the TV show “Jeopardy,” the show which gives us questions to answers of little real interest to most people, I am often intrigued by contestants' occupations, many of which were not in existence during my working years. We all know of the “handyman” who is now the “building superintendent,” and of course the “stenographer” has evolved into the “administrative assistant.” But I am thinking of occupations which have only come into being in the last 20 or so years, such as:      Fulfillment Manager – At first glance this could cover anything from a fairy godmother to the director of the “Make A Wish” foundation, but it's neither. A fulfillment manager is required to have skills and training which, at one time, were expected of several people. The job description calls for inventory and project management skills, familiarity with computerized inventory forecasting and ...

     Words have power only as they elicit a response in those who are aware of them. They have no influence over events that are beyond human control, e.g. if someone is driving too fast, the passenger can control the car only to the extent his words can affect the driver.      Most people realize this, but I am amazed that many, perhaps most, people refuse to discuss certain subjects. It's as if they were afraid that speaking about them would make them happen. It will not.      In particular, discussing final incapacitating illness and death are subjects that most people shy away from, but these are exactly the subjects that people should talk about. It is not only unfair to expect a child, sibling or doctor to make life or death decisions with no knowledge of the patient's wishes – it is extremely irresponsible.      The situation becomes especially acute when there is more than one possible decision-ma...