Black Gold and Texas Tea!

Black Gold and Texas Tea made ole Jed a millionaire. Today it is destroying the ecosystem, the coastal economy, and the way of life for many. It is sad to see the destruction this whole mess is making in the U.S.

I hear the blame game going around. I've heard names like Bush, Obama, BP, and Transocean. Perhaps the most ludicrous is blaming you and me for using oil. I have heard that we should not criticize Bush or Obama until we take a look at how much oil we are using. Well, I admit it. I use oil. I don't use as much as I use to since I got rid of my gas guzzling SUV but I do use it as does everyone else in this country. We should definitely use less and find other energy alternatives to take us into the future. But blaming the consumer on the problem is just plain silly. When drug companies push a drug to market and all of a sudden complications arise and the drug is recalled. I do not hear anyone blaming the person who took the drug. In fact, they get some silk stocking law firm to sue the pants off of the drug company. So why does our use of oil make this any different. It does not matter whether I use one gallon of oil or a thousand, it is the responsibility of the oil companies to provide that to me safely and effectively.

Blaming presidents is easy as well. George W. Bush and Barack Obama supported offshore drilling. They have both received more than their fair share of criticism in this regard. George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton opposed offshore drilling out of fear that just this scenario would happen. I long for the days of sensible politicians who will stand up to the "Drill Baby Drill" mentality until we can come up with a way to safely extract oil from the gulf. We have the oil, we need the oil, but we need to get it safely.

As for the response by BP and the government, I find it appalling. This I can blame on Barack Obama just as I blamed the response to Katrina on George W. Bush. They are two separate events but the lack of presidential leadership is very similar in both cases.

I am afraid that the people of the gulf coast may indeed hear the kinfolks say "move away from there" but it won't be because of "swimming pools and movie stars".

If Healthcare Passes, I'm Going To...Well, Uh, Stay Here And Do What I Love

Rush Limbaugh has said he is going to leave America and go to Costa Rica for healthcare should the U.S. pass healthcare reform. Click here.

Well, go right ahead. I'm sick and tired of everyone talking about where they are going if one thing or another happens in the U.S. I heard people say they were going to leave the U.S. if Barack Obama got elected. And, guess what? They are still here. I hear all these old docs say they will just retire if healthcare reform is passed. Well, guess what? Most of them won't.

I say, "Let em retire, let em go to other countries, and let em follow through on their threats." I am too young and enjoy what I do way too much to quit being a healthcare provider. And unless I am going to Brazil for mid rif liposuction, calf inserts, and pec reconstruction, I will be staying in the good ole U. S. of A. for all my routine medical care. While I have my doubts about healthcare reform and how we are going to pay for it, I have no doubt that America is a place where doctors will continue to care for their patients no matter what comes out of this debate. Why, you ask, because caring for patients is what we do!

When Was The Last Time You Had Your Eyes Checked?

No, I don't mean checked with that little machine that they use at the elementary schools or the chart at the end of the hall in the office of the local pediatrician or internist. I am talking about a full fledged eye exam. Everyone knows we should have our teeth cleaned and checked every six months. Most of us know we should get a physical every year even if we don't. But how many of you know you should have your eyes checked annually?

Living Life the Brazilian Way

Recently, I had the pleasure of traveling to the city of Porto Alegre in Brazil with my best friend who happens to be from there. When I returned home, I proceeded with excitement to tell anyone who would listen the tales of my travels.

What intrigued me most was the differences between our countries and our cultures. Here are a few of my observations.

First, the cars were small much like the ones we all owned in the seventies. No gas guzzling SUV's. One day we traveled nearly 200 miles and the gas guage in our very small car barely moved. The biggest vehicle I was in all week was a Honda CRV. The largest vehicle seen was a Toyota 4 Runner. People had a choice of gas, ethanol, and natural gas for their vehicles depending on the model of their vehicle. And when one goes to fill up their tank, there is an attendant at every pump to fill er up as we use to say in the south. They take full service to another level.

Second, service at restaurants is second to none. Whether one is at a restaurant or in the mall, the people of Brazil take service to another level compared to the U.S.A. Even in the mall, they bring the fast food to you on glass plates and give you glass cups when you order coffee. None of the paper cups that we are so addicted to at Starbucks.

Third, is the people of Brazil enjoy life. They have a saying, "If you want to make money, go to the U.S., if you want to live life, stay in Brazil." I think they may be right. The people of Brazil were as friendly as anyone I have met in my travels to Costa Rica, France, Italy or anywhere in the United States. The people seem to enjoy and value fellowship and friendship in a different way from the way we do in America. Don't get me wrong. I love the U.S.A. but the sense of hospitality and inclusiveness felt in Brazil is second to none here in the states. I think they may be on to something and the saying may just be true.

The Bar B Q is awesome. Meat, meat, and more meat. All cooked on churrasco grills which cook the meat over wood coals but heat the meat as if in an oven. The taste is very different than here and the seasoning consists primarily of salt.

The worst part of Brazil is the divide. The great divide between the haves and the have nots. Don't get me wrong. The poor in the United States enjoy many things and take for granted a lot of things that come with being middle class in Brazil. Many of the poor in the U.S. have cars, air conditioning, and several tvs in their homes. Many of the middle class in Brazil have one car, no air conditioning, and no hot water. But the poor in Brazil are very poor compared to the U.S. Many live in shacks and conditions which would be unacceptable to anyone in the United States.

When visiting other countries and cultures, I have learned one thing. You can either complain about the difference between the U.S. and other cultures or you can embrace the differences and enjoy them. I have always chose the latter.

While expressing what I viewed as the differences between Brazil and America, someone said, "Wow, Brazil must make you really appreciate all that you have here in America." I paused and thought for a second, and then responded, "No, it makes me realize that a lot of the things we have and love here in America, we really don't need."

TOURIST SEASON IS HERE!

The beaches may be empty but the gyms are full. It's the time of year better known as "Tourist Season" at fitness clubs and YMCA's. It happens every year on January 2nd and lasts until around February 28th. Fitness clubs across America fill up with people getting a start on their New Year's resolution to lose weight or become more fit.

It is always funny to watch people as they rush to the cardio machines. A few of them will head to the weight machines. That leaves free weights and kettlebells to the year round obsessive compulsive exercisers like me. I always love listening to the excitement in their voices as they talk about the latest diet craze. There has been Atkins, Body for Life, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, and this years latest fad, P90X. Thousands if not millions of dollars are spent on books, food, gym memberships, and excercise equipment. Trust me treadmills and Nordictracks sound good when your in the store. In two months, they will be collecting dust like any other piece of furniture in your house. And all these food systems seem great, but can not replace healthy eating. Besides have you ever tasted some of that garbage?

I love listening to the experts who appear in the gym during tourist season. It's not uncommon to hear, "I'm not interested in bulking up so I am only doing cardio." As if someone is going to lift weights for two months in January and February and suddenly transform into the "Incredible Hulk". Doesn't happen! The other thing you hear is you have to lift heavy weights to get big and build mass. Well, my theory is you have to be big to lift heavy weights.

So if this is your first time to experience tourist season or if this is your annual two month treck to the gym, stick around this year. You just might be glad you did.

New Year's Resolutions

Every year, most of us come up with a list of resolutions that set us up for failure. Most of them are unrealistic and repeats of previous unfulfilled resolutions. In 2010, I want to accomplish some of my resolutions. Therefore, I have compiled a list of things I know I can achieve.

1. Enjoy family
2. Cherish friends
3. Learn something new
4. Visit somewhere different this year
5. Eat a little less
6. Exercise a little more

Now that's a list even I can handle.

Need I Say More?

There Is A Little Truth In Everything!

Polar ice caps are melting faster than we thought. Scientists are doctoring data and we have emails to prove it. All of the news over the Copenhagen Climate Conference has made me wonder, "What if both sides are right?" What if climate change is really happening and we can do something about part of it? What if climate change is really cyclical as well and there is not much any of us can do about other parts of it?

There are motives for many to stake out positions on each side of this issue. One of my favorite quotations by Aristotle is "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Most of us would be better served on many of our hot button political issues if we listened to the advice of this great philosopher.

I'm not sure which side is correct. Could the truth be in the middle? Maybe both sides are correct in some aspects of this debate. In that case it would go to show that there really is a little truth in everything.

The Future of Soccer in Italy

On a recent trip to Rome, I could not help but observe the children in the photo above playing soccer. The were having a blast running back and forth on the cobblestone area in front of the restaurant. If you look closely you will not see a soccer ball but a little white object which is the cap to a water bottle.

In the soccer world, countries like Italy and Brazil dominate. I do not see that changing anytime soon. If children growing up in these countries can kick a cap to a water bottle with efficiency, I think they will be kicking a soccer ball better than other countries for years to come. Kind of reminded me of the line in the movie, Dodgeball, "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball."

Memphis Basketball Rebounds for 2010

Today was a great day for University of Memphis basketball fans like me. After going through losing a head coach and five of the best basketball recruits in the country this year, many were writing the University of Memphis basketball program off as dead. I must confess, as a fan I was in this camp. I worried about Memphis not being in a BCS conference.

All of these worries began to fade when they took a chance on Josh Pastner. His reputation as a relentless recruiter quickly calmed the nerves of fans like me. The first year coach has put to together the #1 recruiting class in the country for 2010. His recruiting class of 2010 is the best recruiting class of any first year coach in the history of NCAA basketball. All I have to say is, "GO TIGERS GO".