Author Archives: Jim deMaine

Dust off your copy of Orwell’s “1984” – it’s again a best seller!

From the NY Daily News:  “In the wake of a doublespeak-drenched explanation from White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, the revered British author’s classic book “1984” broke into Amazon’s top 10 list of best-selling books, The Guardian reports. “While appearing on … Continue reading

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The Netherlands Welcomes Trump in His Own Words

Funny, crazy, and sad – a must see parody from the Netherlands.  

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How big was that crowd anyway?

“I’m terrific at estimating crowd size. It looks like a dozen, maybe two dozen women at most.”

Posted in Humor, Politics | 1 Comment

Shared decision making

“Can we talk through a decision that I’ve already made?”

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Do you have questions about hospice?

Next Tuesday in the MBR at 3PM Questions and Answers about Hospice and Palliative Care This is an informal discussion intended to define and clarify what hospice might “look like” if you, a family member, or loved one were interested … Continue reading

Posted in Health, Hospice | 4 Comments

Five-month-old babies know what’s funny

From Aeon: “Before they speak or crawl or walk or achieve many of the other amazing developmental milestones in the first year of life, babies laugh. This simple act makes its debut around the fourth month of life, ushering in … Continue reading

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Lack of direct sunlight may reshape the human eye and impair vision

Sunlight seems to be controversial. Can’t live without it though. Sunlight is good in the morning to help set your sleep cycle. But it’s bad for your skin and causes cataracts. Yet you need it for your bones and vitamin … Continue reading

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How many of your knees hurt?

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Humility and Wisdom

“Wisdom is perceiving that the things in which you are wise are scarcely anything compared with the things in which you are not.” Emanuel Swedenborg 1688-1772

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Bring your extra gear

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Physician Aid in Dying Gains Acceptance in the U.S.

From the NYT: “The number of residents taking advantage of these laws in Oregon and Washington has climbed in the past two years. Still, after nearly 20 years in Oregon and eight in Washington, far fewer than 1 percent of … Continue reading

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Federal Legislation to EXCLUDE Advance Care Planning under Medicare

 Unbelievable – “Death Panel” phobia redux! Yikes! From the Medical Futility Blog: Congressman Steve King has re-introduced a bill to exclude coverage of advance care planning services under the Medicare program.Unfortunately, King fundamentally either misunderstands or deliberately mischaracterizes the current … Continue reading

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“Last Words” – now or later?

Sage advice from a Hospice Chaplain.

Posted in Essays, Hospice | 1 Comment

Going dark

From Dick Dion:

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The arc of the universe

from the New Yorker

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Trump’s feud with John Lewis – a telling story on MLK day

From the NYT: Days before his inauguration, President-elect Donald J. Trump is engaged in a high-profile feud with some of the country’s most prominent African-American leaders, setting off anger in a constituency already wary of him after a contentious presidential … Continue reading

Posted in Essays, History, Race | 1 Comment

A few more thoughts

Character, not circumstances, makes the man. — Booker T. Washington The moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point … a place where the unexpected becomes expected, where radical change is more than possibility. — Definition of “tipping point,” … Continue reading

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Fake news or temper tantrum?

“I don’t know where he got the idea that screaming ‘fake news’ over and over would get him out of doing his homework.”

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Taking Charge: Lessons from Letting Older Adults Self-Direct Their Care

From Investigage: “As the number of care options available for older adults has grown, many older adults and policymakers are championing the concept of self-direction—the idea that even older consumers with severe disabilities could be in charge of their own … Continue reading

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Green side of the grass

From Basil F:  Perhaps a bit too religious for some but funny nonetheless  

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Baseball and life – lessons from Coach John Scolinos and the metaphor of the 17″ home plate

  From Tom Gibbs – this is worth reading: In  Nashville , Tennessee , during the first week of January, 1996, more than 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel for the 52nd annual ABCA’s convention. While I waited … Continue reading

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Putting up with us

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A few more thoughts

Let go of certainty. The opposite isn’t uncertainty. It’s openness, curiosity and a willingness to embrace paradox. — Tony Schwartz The Truth is rarely pure and never Simple  –  Oscar Wilde  You are on Heaven’s Most Wanted List (Church) And … Continue reading

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Spinning Ice Disk – pretty cool

 

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Ruminating on the present from the past

“Once you hear the details of victory, it is hard to distinguish it from a defeat.”— Jean-Paul Sartre  “In politics, stupidity is not a handicap.” — Napoleon Bonaparte  “What’s past is prologue” wrote William Shakespeare “The pessimist sees difficulty in … Continue reading

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