Today's observations.

When I first started writing this blog, I used to write quite often about the issue of politics. I would read an article, hear a news story on the radio, or see a post on Facebook from a friend, and then proceed to pontificate about it here on my blog. I found that this led to many ugly disagreements, and that it strained some important friendships, so I stopped. Yesterday the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ended listening to three days of arguments on the issue of what has become known as Obamacare. It's purpose is to get everyone access to affordable health care.

I have sat back as an observer of the battle going on, and have become quite amused at how out of touch and totally ignorant arguments from both sides have gotten. Some of the analogies being put forward are so far-fetched that the best hollywood writers could never dream up such things. If it weren't for the fact that this is an important real life issue, this would be great comedy.

Another news item getting a great deal of attention is the Travyon Martin case. I knew it was getting out of hand when celebrities were tweeting the home address of the shooter, and others started tweeting the home address of the celebrity. And then I see on Facebook profile pictures of various people, safe and sound in their own homes, wearing a hoodie. That's all well and good, but some of these folks would NEVER be caught in public wearing one. And I dare say that some of these people, if they were walking down a dark street alone, and encountered someone matching Travyon's description in a hoodie, would cross the street. Or at least that would be their initial instinct. And that's okay, because instinct is natural...it doesn't make you racist.

But alas, I digress. I have decided to focus my creative energies towards my music. I have gotten some very good feedback from the two songs I recorded years ago. With the advances in technology, I can now write and record my songs at home, on this very computer. I am still learning how to use the software, but should be posting some demo versions of my songs soon. My hope is that one of my songs will attract the attention of a national act. In the meantime, please click on the music link to the left. If you like what you hear, please visit my reverbnation store, or look for my music on your favorite download sites like iTunes, eMusic, Zune and many others.

I'll be keeping in touch more regularly, so keep your eyes open.

Take care my friends.

Beware of the re-post...

I promised I wouldn't talk about politics anymore, and I'm not. This is about propaganda being circulated on Facebook.

Some of my Facebook friends have been re-posting a status
that says President Obama wants to cut military pay. This
is totally untrue. A quick Google search reveals the facts
on the matter.

So where did this idea come from? President Obama formed a
bipartisan committee to make recommendations for dealing
with the nation's deficit. A military pay cut was one of
the suggestions. This quote explains:

"The November 2010 circulation of this item was prompted by
a draft report prepared by the National Commission on
Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (NCFRR), a bipartisan body
created by President Obama "to address our nation's fiscal
challenges.""


However, President Obama did not accept this particular
suggestion, and let the troops know personally:

"During his unannounced visit to Afghanistan, the president
said those serving in uniform will not be subject to the
pay freeze he ordered this week for the government's
civilian employees."


To go one step further, instead of a pay cut, the
President's proposed budget includes a RAISE for military
personnel:

"The president’s 2012 bud­get request includes a pro­posal
for a 1.6% mil­i­tary pay raise for 2012."

Lastly, Congress will be not be getting any raise soon. President Obama signed into law a pay freeze.

So please Facebook friends, before re-posting things like
this, check out the facts first. You might be surprised at
how much mis-information is being circulated on Facebook.

Take care my friends.

Dealing with a minor addiction...

Several weeks ago, I wrote on this very blog about the positive effect Facebook has had on my life. The context of that blog was the most important part of my assertion. You see, I was hospitalized recovering from my first heart attack and the subsequent surgery to install two stents in my heart. I can honestly say that it was the support and best wishes from some of my Facebook friends that pulled me through. I've even commented on other blogs about aspects of Facebook that bring me untold joy in my somewhat uneventful (by my standards) life.

So why did I deactivate my Facebook account?

I think the ball may have gotten rolling when Betty White hosted Saturday Night Live. Stay with me....

She thanked Facebook for the campaign that led to her being selected as a host. She made the comment that, once she found out what Facebook was, it seemed like "...a waste of time". I started thinking about the amount of time I spent on Facebook, and the negative aspects of not using that same amount of time for something useful. I have a full-time job, am currently a full-time college student, and since my episode have been spending hours every week in cardiac rehab therapy, not to mention the number of doctor's visits. It began to dawn on me that Facebook was taking up too much time that I could be using for my college studies, for one thing. I looked at my friends list. This is another subject I blogged about, very recently in fact. I hadn't been in contact with most of these people for thirty years!

I knew it was time when I started noticing I was having emotional reactions to comments on some of my friend's statuses. That is when I decided I had to do something about this problem. So I deactivated my Facebook account. It has been 24 hours now. So far, I have found myself resisting the urge to log back in. I am now developing an understanding of people with addiction issues.

There is only one thing that really bothers me about not being on Facebook. What's that, you ask?

Alas, I no,longer get the vicarious thrill of receiving that e-mail "You have been Poked by _______ on Facebook."

Oh well. Maybe someone can text or e-mail me a "Poke". That will ease my Facebook withdrawal. Or at least I hope it does.

Until next time, take care my friends.

Facebook to the rescue

On June 3rd, 2010, a new chapter in the story of my life unfolded. I can't say that I never expected it to happen, but I never thought I would be dealing with it before I turned 50. Because on June 3rd, I had chest pain, shortness of breath, and pain shooting down my arm. I went to the emergency room at my local hospital, and, after a cardiac catheterization, I was told I had an artery in my heart that was 95% blocked, and I needed to have a stent implanted. I was transferred to Boston Medical Center, one of the top cardiac care hospitals going.

There was little or no warning. I was doing some housework (that'll teach me) when the shortness of breath started. It was a muggy day, so I attributed that to a "bad air day". But when the chest pain hit, I felt something was wrong. I sat down, and it went away. Almost as soon as I resumed my activity it returned, now with the arm pain. I ended up in the hospital for five days. In addition to all the medical stuff, something else very interesting happened to me. An epiphany of sorts. I learned that there are actually people out there who care about me. I never imagined that was possible.

I've mentioned many times on this blog that I am on Facebook. Through this network, I have gotten reacquainted with many people from my past. But while I was in the hospital, I had my smart phone with me, and had access to Facebook with it. I posted that I was hospitalized. The wishes started flowing in. While some were the token "Get well soon" type, some were paragraphs being written by people I would never have expected. Daily, I was getting several comments encouraging me, wishing me well, and offering support and assistance to me. I was overwhelmed.

Normally, a hospital stay is endless hours of hoping someone will visit. But my Facebook friends did something for me I never imagined a social network site could do.

It made me feel loved.

That, my friends, is a feeling I have little experience with. But, for the first time in a very long time, I felt as though, if something bad happened, I would be missed. When that dawned on me, I was overcome with emotion. My Facebook friends reached out their virtual arms to me, and enveloped me in one, big, cyber hug.

The 2 stents they put in my heart are meant to heal the physical pump in my body.

My friends on Facebook helped heal a wounded, broken heart.

You tell me which is more important.

Thanks for reading, and take care.

An Urgent plea from PetePedia...

There used to be a television commercial where a woman said a friend told her about a shampoo, and she liked it, so she told two friends, and they told two friends, and etc.. Soon, the screen was full of women all telling two friends. I am hoping that this blog has the same effect.

A woman I went to high school with recently got on Facebook, and we contacted each other. She told me about her daughter, Caitlyn, who isn't quite two yet, and has a disease known as XP. Basically, this darling little child cannot be outside exposed to UV rays, as she is extremely reactive to them. I cannot imagine the amount of care raising a child with this condition would take.

Also living in the same house, is an elderly relative with Parkinson's Disease. He also requires special equipment, and much attention. The house this family lives in is much too small, and ill-equipped for the challenges that they face, yet they struggle daily to take care of their loved ones.

The woman, when she is not at home taking care of her family members, is a Nurse Practitioner in a facility where she cares for elderly patients. The size of this woman's heart and her spirit of giving knows no bounds.

There is currently a campaign on Facebook to nominate this family for Extreme Home Makeover, in hopes that the show will pick them to receive a home that suits the needs they have. In my opinion, this is exactly the kind of family the show was designed for.

So I am asking all the readers of this blog to click on the link, and nominate the McCabe family. Feel free to copy and paste the link in your social network status.

I've told two friends. I hope they tell two friends, and so on, and so on.

Thanks.

Click here to nominate the McCabe Family

My Reflections on 2009 (and preview of 2010)

2009 is at it's end. Another year has passed me by. But this year was different. This year, I started living again.

My friends who have kept in touch over the years, or have gotten back in touch after a long absence, know my story.After high school, I got married, had two sons,and got divorced in 2005. I refer to the years from 1993-2008 as my "coma" years;I wandered through life unconscious of my surroundings. It took a speeding ticket in 2008 to change the path my life was heading down.

Life, in it's very form, is like a flow chart. When you encounter a situation that requires a decision, your choice will alter the possible consequences. Kierkegaard said to choose one thing or another, either way you will have regrets. So true, as I have discovered.

The speeding ticket was quite expensive, so I chose to go to court. This gave me time to save up for the fine. In court, I actually did real well. I ended up with a bunch of unexpected spending money in my pocket, and, as luck would have it, I needed a new cell phone. The phone I purchased literally changed my life going forward.

You see, it was on this phone I started my Facebook account. In short time, I found myself reconnected with some great people from my past. It was this contact that started me thinking about all the bad choices I had made, and my lack of action in improving my life. Basically, it was the kick in the ass I so badly needed.

I started reading again. I started paying attention to current events again. I started wanting to learn again. I started wondering how I could become a better person. I started by changing some lifestyle habits to help improve my health. I enrolled in college online. I started this very blog. I started becoming more socially active. My circle of friends expanded. I started writing music again. I even experimented with a little poetry. For the first time in many years, I was living life, instead of watching it pass me by.

2010 looks like it could be a fantastic year for me. I know there will be some hurdles, but they wouldn't call them hurdles if you couldn't get over them. I am hoping to reconnect to even more friends this coming year. I find great benefits from being in touch with my old friends. I find laughter. I find encouragement. I find different perspectives on things. I find joy. I find comfort. I guess you could say that I have found contentment, and most importantly, I have found love.

I guess, after all is said and done, 2009 will be remembered as the year of my personal renaissance.

I hope your 2009 was as good as mine, and I hope 2010 exceeds your hopes and dreams.

Take care my friends.

Thanksgiving Day Thoughts

Here it is, Thanksgiving Day, 2009. On Facebook, all my friends are posting their Happy Thanksgiving wishes and commenting on the things they are thankful for. I tend to be a bit cynical by nature, and, for the last couple of weeks, have been quite ill physically. That is why I haven't been posting as often as usual. So, it's little wonder that my first reaction was that I don't have anything to be thankful for today, as I am still very much in pain from my current ailment. Then it occurred to me just how selfish my attitude today is.

You see, the other day, I saw a neighbor of mine I hadn't seen in a couple of months. He only stopped by his apartment to pick up a couple of things. I'll call him "Papa Jim". I've been a neighbor of his for over thirty years. We have both watched our children grow up and leave, but other than that, we had little in common. Papa Jim is currently in a "rehab" hospital. You see, after years of heavy drinking, his liver finally became diseased and he had most of it removed. The man I saw the other day was a ghost of the man I knew. Thin, pale, crackling frail voice. The hollow look in his eyes was that of a man readying to meet his maker. It was then that I remembered Papa Jim's Thanksgiving Tradition. One that will not be occurring this year.

Every Thanksgiving, at about 1 in the afternoon, I would hear the sounds of Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" through the ceiling of my apartment. In a few moments, the unmistakable scent of a joint would drift down the stairwell, and I knew Papa Jim was enjoying his Thanksgiving Day.It was the only day of the year he would smoke in his apartment. It was tradition.

Papa Jim is not here today. Nor may he ever be again, as the "rehab" facility he is in is for terminally ill patients, the ones who never go home. I am waiting to hear Arlo's voice coming from Papa Jim's. I am waiting to smell the weed in the hallway. But it isn't going to be. The tradition has ended.

Today I am in pain. But I am getting into my car, going to my ex-wife's house house for Dinner with her, my two sons, and whoever else drops in while I'm there. Afterwards, I have an invitation for dessert at a Facebook friend's house. As I recently changed jobs, I haven't been into my normal breakfast spot for a few weeks. When I walked in today, a bunch of smiling faces said how glad they were to see me. People commented that they missed me. It is only now that that I am beginning to realize the things I am thankful for. So here is my Thanksgiving list, 2009.

I am thankful that I have the ability to smile, no matter how bad things may seem.

I am thankful that I have two jobs that give me the opportunity to help those less fortunate than myself. Seeing their lives keeps me humble.

I am thankful that my ex and I still care about each other, and still get along.

I am thankful that I found Facebook, for it has reunited me with the people from the best part of my life.

I am thankful I found one very special person, who is a constant inspiration to me, and who motivates me to try to be a better human being.

But mostly, I am thankful that, despite my current discomfort, I know I will get better in a while, with the proper treatment.

Papa Jim has no such thing to be thankful for. So today, in his honor, I will play "Alice's Restaurant", spark one up, and dwell on the good things in my life.

Life is just too short, and too precious, to dwell on the negative.

Thank you for reading, and Happy Thanksgiving.

The media and credibility

The purpose of this blog is to encourage people to think for themselves, and not to accept as fact everything they see and hear. I use the word lemmings to describe these people; they follow blindly without questioning. I see articles, videos, and news items daily that spout alleged facts. I hear, or participate in, conversations where I hear unfounded assertions. This blog’s purpose is not to persuade you one way or another; it is to encourage you to research things for yourself. I sincerely hope you enjoy my blog.-Pete

My Facebook friends run the gamut from right-wing conservatives to left-wing liberals with a few fundamentalist Christians thrown in for good measure. As a result, my news feed page can sometimes look like a battlefield. Of course, this is a treasure trove of inspiration for my blog. Here is the latest subject- Credibility in the media.

One Facebook friend posted this headline with a link to the article: “ Iran: More accomplished in one day of negotiations than in 8 years of threats”. I clicked on the link and I find myself at a blog. The blog then directs me to the
actual website from which the story originated. I started reading with great interest about all the concessions Iran made to the western diplomats, including President Obama, in this seven and a half hour meeting. Then I noticed something. I noticed that there were not many quotes in the story. There were certainly many statements, but few quotes. As I looked for the quoted parts, I found that one quote came from “… a senior U.S. official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity”. While the meeting took place in Geneva, the article used a quote from President Obama in Washington. The skeptic in me started wondering about how accurate the story was.

It took me all of thirty seconds to find another article with this headline:
"Iran's leader: Obama wrong to say nuke site hidden". I started reading this article, looking for corroboration of the first article. Here is what I found. There were many points in both stories that were very similar. However, I found one glaring difference; cited quotes. The second story had quotes from people actually at the meeting, and named them. One such statement went like this: “But Mehdi Saffare, Iran's ambassador to Britain and a member of the Iranian delegation at the talks, said Iran had not yet agreed to such a plan”. Now there is a problem. We have two articles on the exact same meeting, both talking about an agreement where “Western officials” claim that Iran had made concessions on the matter. However, one article names an Iranian official who was at the meeting that says no such agreement took place. This claim seems to get reinforcement from the quotes from Iran’s President himself blasting President Obama’s mistakes on the matter. Which story should you believe?

Pardon me while I express an opinion here. As I was growing up, I learned that the news was where we were supposed to discover about world events. Journalists were “reporters”; they saw things and reported them. That was all. In today’s world, true journalism no longer exists, at least not in the main stream. How many times have you heard a comment from someone you know who said something like this: I do not watch/listen to that station because it leans to the right/left? I hear it daily. I have had friendly discussions with intelligent people who flat out said that a news channel’s coverage was invalid because of their political leanings. It appears as though there is no such thing as unbiased reporting; news outlets have become marketing tools to promote agendas. That is my opinion. Now back to the blog.

This is a perfect example of my blog’s purpose. This is a tale of two stories. Both are very similar, until you get to the headlines. One story lacks properly cited quotes or references, and the few quotes in the story are unnamed or outdated. The other story names of the sources of the quotes from participants in the event. News reporting is supposed to be about gathering facts. Use the links to read both stories and then decide which you think is more credible. I will not say what I believe. My belief is irrelevant. I am just trying to encourage you to question and research things for yourself. That is the purpose of my blog. Remember, the truth is out there…you just have to look for it.

References

Akbar Dareini, A. (2009, October 2). Iran's leader- Obama wrong. Retrieved October 3, 2009, from Yahoo.com: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091004/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_nuclear;_ylt=Aq_4yz3T9AU37o8SIbQCirys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJ0amtpZjdlBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkxMDA0L21sX2lyYW5fbnVjbGVhcgRjcG9zAzEEcG9zAzMEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2Z1bGxuYnNwc3Rvcg--

Greenwald, G. (2009, October 1). Iran:More accomplished. Retrieved October 3, 2009, from salon.com: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/10/02/iran/index.html?source=newsletter>

Strobel, W., & Talev, M. (2009, October 2). Iran agrees . Retrieved October 3, 2009, from mcclatchydc.com: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/76369.html