November is not just the month of Thanksgiving, it’s also what I consider election month. That being the case, here is my political commentary. In recent weeks and months there have been unreasonable national attention given to the birthplace of our current president, Barack Obama. No matter what is said or done to quash or even appease the critics it’s an issue that has morphed into something ugly. Americans are curious people. We often don’t hesitate in asking questions or even slinging accusations. However, we’re also guilty of distrusting our government and breathing life into ridiculous conspiracy theories. If the President didn’t meet the basic criteria in becoming President would it have taken this long to come out?
Category Archives: The Union-Recorder
Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, anyone?
There has been a change in the air, the leaves have gone from green to orange, trick or treaters have gathered their treats, and now it’s time for…Christmas! But wait, isn’t there supposed to be another holiday somewhere in there?! Indeed, it’s Thanksgiving, the holiday that in recent years seems to come and go with very little attention. The stores seem to go from Halloween to Christmas with barely a mention of the great holiday that falls in between.
The Trials of Patient-ly Waiting
It’s been an hour since my scheduled appointment time and I sit staring at walls. I’m listening to conversations, kids playing/crying, cell phones obnoxiously ringing, and if I could watch paint dry on those very walls, I’d be doing that as well. I often wonder what the point is in having a 2:45 appointment if you’re not going to see the doctor until after 5? And why then only see me for 5 to 10 minutes? My time is just as valuable as the next person and I assure you, I’d much rather be doing something more productive and entertaining than sitting around seeing soap operas on the television or counting the many patients waiting ahead of me. Plenty of time, I suppose, to read a magazine or book.
I realize that a doctor’s office is much like any other ‘public’ service. However, it’s no wonder why people become disgruntled with patient care and often resort to simply not going to the doctor’s office. I’m in a fortunate position where I have benefit time and so I don’t lose any pay while waiting for hours. But others aren’t so lucky. The fact is, no one likes to wait (more so when they’re ill) and while the sign stating that patiently waiting is appreciated, it also makes me think that it’s so commonplace it’s to be accepted and expected. With all that waiting it’s no wonder people bring meals with them, conduct business, and do any number of things that in years gone by would have been more taboo.
Workaholics: Living the American Way
I know that it may be a bit in poor taste to complain about a job during times like these. With Georgia’s unemployment rate as of July at 10.1%, having a job, let alone a well-paying job, is something to covet. But working or having some sort of job doesn’t necessarily mean that your standard of living is being improved or even that you can pay the bills. Many of us realize that the American way often means living paycheck to paycheck and sacrificing those few off days just to remain caught up at work.
I write this as a general observation of Americans and our society as well as a way to put our life and lifestyles into perspective. Compared to other countries, we are certifiable workaholics. In a 2010 article by G.E. Miller titled, The U.S. is the Most Overworked Developed Nation in the World – When do we Draw the Line? he reminds us to not let “life pass you by in the name of fear, circumstance, greed, or misguided hopes.” Just think, when it comes to work-life balance, the U.S. is the only industrialized nation without a national paid parental leave benefit. “The average is over 12 weeks of paid leave anywhere other than Europe and over 20 weeks in Europe.” As many of you already know, what that means is that if you have a child and you want to be off from work for an extended period, unless you have benefit time, you’ll be doing so without a paycheck.
Why Don’t You Have a Mac?
In less than twenty years the personal computer has evolved so much so that there are now three major competitors in the marketplace. Most are aware of Windows computers. Commonly and synonymously known as PCs, they’ve been the most widely used and recognized computer operating system for as long as the personal computer has been around. Many of us can remember Windows 3.0, the marvel of Windows 95, and the disappointment of Windows Vista. I also remember being among only a very small handful of people in my childhood neighborhood with a computer. This was the early 90s and computers were still very much a luxury. I typed stories at home on my own computer (my dad built computers from the late 80s) and would print them out on my nifty dot-matrix printer. How the computer has changed.
LaToya M. Davidson-Perez 