Sit back, relax, and I will tell you a true story, a story of intrigue, of death.
Okay, intrigue and death may be pushing it a little, but it is most definitely a story of my visit to a haunted sanitarium in the most unlikely place in the world: Louisville, Kentucky.
Louisville has lots to offer in the way of attractions and entertainment. There’s the zoo, museums, historical homes to tour, Churchill Downs, of course, and plenty of shopping arenas. But, Waverly Hills Sanitarium is a must-see for anyone visiting the area who is interested in medical history, local history, architecture, locations where movies have been filmed, locations where television shows have visited, ghost stories, and even official ghost hunting. In other words, Waverly Hills has something for just about everyone.
Hidden behind security gates and a golf course is a huge gothic-looking building, complete with gargoyles, that towers over the parking lot like a fortress one dare not try to penetrate. Although the building may not seem as threatening in the daylight, at night it appears like a king reigning over its kingdom, and none too happy with intruders. Yet, myself and many others braved the concrete beast and took a 10 p.m. tour. It was more than worth the time and ticket price.
Led by a knowledgeable guide through a labyrinth of hallways and staircases, usually only with a single flashlight and, at other times, only in the darkness of the corridors, we were educated on the history of Waverly Hills and informed of the many ghosts that have been encountered. Sitting on the edge of medical advances, Waverly Hills housed and treated tuberculosis patients during an epidemic of the disease in this country. Yet, because of medical knowledge that was not learned until much later, many of the patients at Waverly Hills died, and many of their spirits are said to remain there, including a nurse who hung herself in the hospital.
So that everyone enjoys their visit and has the opportunity to capture potential apparitions, photography is limited at times so that (living) people taking tours are not disturbed. With this in mind, I decided to leave the good camera in the car and just enjoy the tour. In one particular location, however, the guide informed the group that we would be allowed to take photographs with flashes for a brief time. Since my phone has never taken good pictures, I removed my tablet and, after several moments of trying, discovered that no part of the tablet, including the camera, would work. “Apps are down,” the error read. Odd, I thought, since it had worked perfectly the day before. Frustrated, I turned it off as the tour continued on.
At a later part of the tour, the guide explained an experiment conducted for a few minutes during each tour so that visitors have the opportunity to possibly view or hear or have some experience with the apparitions so often caught by ghost hunters who frequent Waverly Hills. Although not in the locations the guide suggested may be hot spots, I did see something move in the darkness and sensed a strange presence nearing me from a former patient room. Repeated glances to the side, however, and a thorough look about the room revealed no physical presence. I blew it off as eerie imagination and continued on the tour.
Around midnight, when the tour ended, I took the good camera out of the car to take some flash-less photographs of the outside of the building which is relatively well-lit with white and red lights. Focusing on the tower and the fourth and fifth floors, I repeatedly tried to take a picture. The camera wouldn’t work. Then, with my finger off the shutter release, the camera took a photo on its own. Thinking it suddenly worked again, I focused again on the tower and the fourth and fifth floors, and again the camera would not work. I released my finger from the shutter release, and after a brief pause that was just long enough for me to think it wouldn’t work, the camera again took a photo on its own. Several times this occurred, and in each photograph there was nothing in the image but what looked like electrical currents of white with patches of red. I called it a night and left. About thirty minutes later, curious as to what was wrong with the camera and the tablet, I tried them both again, and both worked perfectly, properly.
The next day I reviewed the handful of photos from Waverly Hills, zooming in, zooming out, and looking for some resemblance of the gargoyles or the tower. In the midst of some of the red lights, I thought I saw four faces, one of which had something around her throat, but they seemed more like blurs when transferred and reviewed on the computer.
Is Waverly Hills haunted? I can’t say with certainty. I believe it to be haunted. It feels haunted. With certainty, however, I can say that it is a fascinating tour and I hope to return again someday to take another.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Thursday, July 9, 2015
A Tour of a Haunted Asylum
Nestled in the beautiful mountains of Weston, West Virginia, is a tranquil setting rich with history which begs the visitor to sit and stay a while. Beside a quiet fountain, one can sit and enjoy the architecture, the shade trees, and the filtered sounds of the nearby town as the sun beams on the clock tower which stopped keeping accurate time many years ago. It is a place rich with history of society and science, medicine and madness, and colorful stories of ghosts and growth. It is the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.
In operation for over a century and only closing in 1994, the Asylum housed the insane, the unwanted, and anyone who generally went against the grain of acceptable social behavior of their times. Now, it is open to guided tours that share with the general public the changes in the treatment of those considered mentally ill and the stories of former patients who continue to reside at the Asylum in ghostly form.
My tour of the Asylum occurred on a warm afternoon as sunlight poured in through the windows. With a small group of other tourists and a knowledgeable guide we explored four floors of the Asylum, the medical building, and viewed various parts of the grounds. But, instead of finding the Asylum entirely frightening, I found parts of it quite eerie and uncomfortable and other parts rather inviting.
Although many photographs were taken of both the inside and outside of the facilities, sadly I saw no signs of apparitions in the images….prior to my memory card becoming damaged and erasing them all. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed my tour and I look forward to visiting the Asylum again in the future for another photographic opportunity.
Well worth the time and the reasonable ticket price, the Asylum will educate, enlighten, and entertain all visitors with both eerie tales of ghosts, haunting stories of activities that occurred, and truth about the tortures formally used in the name of medical treatment. But, with the sense of serenity that resides in various parts of the building and along the grounds, will you really want to leave?
In operation for over a century and only closing in 1994, the Asylum housed the insane, the unwanted, and anyone who generally went against the grain of acceptable social behavior of their times. Now, it is open to guided tours that share with the general public the changes in the treatment of those considered mentally ill and the stories of former patients who continue to reside at the Asylum in ghostly form.
My tour of the Asylum occurred on a warm afternoon as sunlight poured in through the windows. With a small group of other tourists and a knowledgeable guide we explored four floors of the Asylum, the medical building, and viewed various parts of the grounds. But, instead of finding the Asylum entirely frightening, I found parts of it quite eerie and uncomfortable and other parts rather inviting.
Although many photographs were taken of both the inside and outside of the facilities, sadly I saw no signs of apparitions in the images….prior to my memory card becoming damaged and erasing them all. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed my tour and I look forward to visiting the Asylum again in the future for another photographic opportunity.
Well worth the time and the reasonable ticket price, the Asylum will educate, enlighten, and entertain all visitors with both eerie tales of ghosts, haunting stories of activities that occurred, and truth about the tortures formally used in the name of medical treatment. But, with the sense of serenity that resides in various parts of the building and along the grounds, will you really want to leave?
Monuments to Life
Cemeteries are intriguing places, filled with sorrow, hope, and a peacefulness not found elsewhere. Yet, as in life, there is a hierarchy here, a need to prove that one existed, that one had a life of importance that has carried on beyond the grave. Just as teens paint “I was here” on notebooks, overpasses, and sidewalks, so here the tombstones beg passersby to notice “I was here” and I was of value, significance.
In life, we display our importance to the world by owning the biggest house, the fastest car; in death we display the significant of our life’s contributions with the tallest or widest monument. In life, we struggle to define our person by our occupation, our family role, our age, or our political beliefs; in death, we are immortalized as a mother, father, or a child, a mason, town founder, scientist, or possibly a soldier, a hero.
The rumors and reputations that others projected on to us in life follow us to our resting places, often exaggerated toward the positive or the negative. The truth of one’s life becomes relative to the person remembering it.
Yet, we are still dead, unable to work on any unfinished business we may have left behind and, possibly, able to feel the unending regret of such. Cemeteries may hold not the ghosts of the deceased but the ghosts of love never found, dreams never chased, chances never taken.
But everyone in every cemetery was alive, was someone of value in their own way, regardless of how high they rose up the corporate ladder or whether or not they saved the town from financial ruin. Each one was a Somebody that was important to another, even if this was unknown, unrecognized, or unacknowledged.
The living have much to learn from the dead, primarily that we should take our chances while we are still alive, though our fear may be great and our fortitude shaky, so that we may overcome our need to prove to others our significance and simply be.
Could it be that the most important lessons the dead have to teach the living is to believe, in the here and now, “I am here,” and “I am worthy.”
In life, we display our importance to the world by owning the biggest house, the fastest car; in death we display the significant of our life’s contributions with the tallest or widest monument. In life, we struggle to define our person by our occupation, our family role, our age, or our political beliefs; in death, we are immortalized as a mother, father, or a child, a mason, town founder, scientist, or possibly a soldier, a hero.
The rumors and reputations that others projected on to us in life follow us to our resting places, often exaggerated toward the positive or the negative. The truth of one’s life becomes relative to the person remembering it.
Yet, we are still dead, unable to work on any unfinished business we may have left behind and, possibly, able to feel the unending regret of such. Cemeteries may hold not the ghosts of the deceased but the ghosts of love never found, dreams never chased, chances never taken.
But everyone in every cemetery was alive, was someone of value in their own way, regardless of how high they rose up the corporate ladder or whether or not they saved the town from financial ruin. Each one was a Somebody that was important to another, even if this was unknown, unrecognized, or unacknowledged.
The living have much to learn from the dead, primarily that we should take our chances while we are still alive, though our fear may be great and our fortitude shaky, so that we may overcome our need to prove to others our significance and simply be.
Could it be that the most important lessons the dead have to teach the living is to believe, in the here and now, “I am here,” and “I am worthy.”
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Road Trip! I-64
Nothing’s better than a road trip, whether you’re traveling fifteen minutes or fifteen hours. It’s along the interstates, the small highways, and the back roads where you truly see America at its best, where you get to learn from motel receptionists and tour guides who are proud of their local history; where you can talk to waiters and waitresses who are working their way through college on a path to pursue their dreams; where you get to speak with small business owners who have already been pursuing their American dream, and are willing to share their successes and failures along the way; where you can chat with, learn from, and observe artists at their craft and be in awe of their talent; and where you begin to realize that anything is possible in The Land of the Free and dreams really can come true. After all, no road exists that didn’t begin as someone’s dream.
When George Mallory was asked why he wished to climb Mt. Everest, his famous reply was, “Because it’s there.” I, too, have used this reply on occasion when someone would ask why I wished to visit a particular location. But both on and off the beaten path are treasures waiting to be explored. With this in mind, I set out on a road trip, traveling I-64 from Mt. Vernon, Illinois, to Charleston, West Virginia, and was not disappointed.
It’s easy to relax driving along I-64 through the scenic countryside, including Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky and Hoosier National Forest in Indiana. The rolling hills, particularly in the fall, are colorful and appear to stretch out their limbs, leading travelers toward their destination. Because there is so much forestland along this Interstate, there aren’t as many exits as there are on other interstates and some of the rest stops are closed, so it’s important to plan head for refueling stops and rest breaks. If one is interested in hiking, however, and the weather is agreeable, there are many exits for state parks and for the gamblers there are ample casinos along the way, including Evansville, Indiana, and Charleston, West Virginia.
Due to the rainy, cold, and somewhat unpredictable weather, I chose on this trip to explore indoor activities. If you find yourself in any of these areas, I’d recommend the following locations. If on a schedule, keep in mind that house tours are typically an hour in length and museums usually require a couple of hours to truly examine. But the knowledgeable and friendly people you’ll chat with along the way, well always leave plenty of time for that.
In Morehead, Kentucky, be sure to visit the Kentucky Folk Art Center. Thoughtful and whimsical pieces depicting country life, social issues, and emotional struggles populate the first floor. Currently upstairs at the Center is a civil war retrospective that will be in place only until the end of November, 2014. Containing moving photographs from the George Eastman House, it’s impossible to leave the exhibit untouched by the emotion and turmoil of the era or of the determination and sacrifice of the people. It’s free to visit the museum, but donations are appreciated.
In Milton, West Virginia, The Blenko Glass Company, known for handblown glassware and for having made the actual CMA trophies, is a worthwhile stop. The gift shop and visitor’s center has Blenko glassware for sale and above the sales floor is a museum, free to tour, explaining the history of the Blenko Company and displaying some beautiful stained glass. Tours of the factory and glassblowing demonstrations are available, but call ahead for dates and times. And, if it’s a pretty day, it’s nice to sit beside the pond that is to the back of the factory and watch the many ducks and geese that call it home.
Lexington, Kentucky, has a lot to offer, but for those of us who enjoy touring historical homes there are three beautiful locations to visit: The Mary Todd Lincoln House, the Henry Clay Estate, and the Hunt-Morgan House, each of which has political and social relevance to the local area as well as to the nation. Admission is charged at each site, but it is worth it and, if possible, tour the three houses during the same visit due to information at one being related to information at another. In addition to learning what life was like for these families, the restoration process of each house, and the successes and failures of people associated with the houses, you also view each home as it would have been two centuries ago while listening to stories of how members of each family are connected to other historical figures that helped shape this great nation with political changes, medical advances, and artistic endeavors. If you have time, a stop at Lexington Cemetery will also reveal socially relevant history related to these home tours.
Just a short drive from I-64 up Highway 35 in West Virginia will lead you to Point Pleasant, a small town that sits on the West Virginia-Ohio state line. The Mothman Statue is on Main Street, and it can be seen as you drive down the one-way street to Tu-Endie-Wei Park, the location of the Battle of Point Pleasant. Another incredible (and free) resource for history, Tu-Endie-Wei is located where the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers meet, has monuments and plaques that honor the history and the fallen of that Battle, and the Mansion House (cabin) that serves as a museum. On a pretty day, it’s a wonderful place to sit on one of the many benches overlooking the Rivers and contemplate. For a nice walk, follow the river to view the FloodWall Murals and Riverfront Park, which contains metal statues of local historical significance.
In Charleston, West Virginia, there are two don’t-miss locations. First, no visit to Charleston is complete without a trip to the State Museum and Culture Center. This incredible resource is available for free and contains history on how West Virginia obtained Statehood, the history with coal and glass mines, and prominent figures throughout its history. In addition to a video presentation, there are paintings, displays of artifacts, and an interesting display of the dresses worn by the current and former West Virginia First Ladies. The West Virginia State Capitol and the Governor’s Mansion are also available for free tours. The second don’t-miss location in Charleston is the Capitol Market. Amidst the Interstate, the entrance and exit ramps, and traffic is nestled a wonderful outdoor and indoor farmer’s market, the visitor’s center, and a couple of local eateries, and it’s all in walking distance of the downtown area. From home grown apples to freshly made chocolate goodies, you can find just about anything there.
Nothing’s better than a road trip. It’s here where you’ll discover that, at the end of each day, regardless of where we live or what we do, we’re all the same, each of us with our own story to tell and each of us with our own dream to follow. So, why take a road trip? Why go visit someplace most people may never have heard of just to find that it’s not really that different from where we began? “Because it’s there.”
When George Mallory was asked why he wished to climb Mt. Everest, his famous reply was, “Because it’s there.” I, too, have used this reply on occasion when someone would ask why I wished to visit a particular location. But both on and off the beaten path are treasures waiting to be explored. With this in mind, I set out on a road trip, traveling I-64 from Mt. Vernon, Illinois, to Charleston, West Virginia, and was not disappointed.
It’s easy to relax driving along I-64 through the scenic countryside, including Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky and Hoosier National Forest in Indiana. The rolling hills, particularly in the fall, are colorful and appear to stretch out their limbs, leading travelers toward their destination. Because there is so much forestland along this Interstate, there aren’t as many exits as there are on other interstates and some of the rest stops are closed, so it’s important to plan head for refueling stops and rest breaks. If one is interested in hiking, however, and the weather is agreeable, there are many exits for state parks and for the gamblers there are ample casinos along the way, including Evansville, Indiana, and Charleston, West Virginia.
Due to the rainy, cold, and somewhat unpredictable weather, I chose on this trip to explore indoor activities. If you find yourself in any of these areas, I’d recommend the following locations. If on a schedule, keep in mind that house tours are typically an hour in length and museums usually require a couple of hours to truly examine. But the knowledgeable and friendly people you’ll chat with along the way, well always leave plenty of time for that.
In Morehead, Kentucky, be sure to visit the Kentucky Folk Art Center. Thoughtful and whimsical pieces depicting country life, social issues, and emotional struggles populate the first floor. Currently upstairs at the Center is a civil war retrospective that will be in place only until the end of November, 2014. Containing moving photographs from the George Eastman House, it’s impossible to leave the exhibit untouched by the emotion and turmoil of the era or of the determination and sacrifice of the people. It’s free to visit the museum, but donations are appreciated.
In Milton, West Virginia, The Blenko Glass Company, known for handblown glassware and for having made the actual CMA trophies, is a worthwhile stop. The gift shop and visitor’s center has Blenko glassware for sale and above the sales floor is a museum, free to tour, explaining the history of the Blenko Company and displaying some beautiful stained glass. Tours of the factory and glassblowing demonstrations are available, but call ahead for dates and times. And, if it’s a pretty day, it’s nice to sit beside the pond that is to the back of the factory and watch the many ducks and geese that call it home.
Lexington, Kentucky, has a lot to offer, but for those of us who enjoy touring historical homes there are three beautiful locations to visit: The Mary Todd Lincoln House, the Henry Clay Estate, and the Hunt-Morgan House, each of which has political and social relevance to the local area as well as to the nation. Admission is charged at each site, but it is worth it and, if possible, tour the three houses during the same visit due to information at one being related to information at another. In addition to learning what life was like for these families, the restoration process of each house, and the successes and failures of people associated with the houses, you also view each home as it would have been two centuries ago while listening to stories of how members of each family are connected to other historical figures that helped shape this great nation with political changes, medical advances, and artistic endeavors. If you have time, a stop at Lexington Cemetery will also reveal socially relevant history related to these home tours.
Just a short drive from I-64 up Highway 35 in West Virginia will lead you to Point Pleasant, a small town that sits on the West Virginia-Ohio state line. The Mothman Statue is on Main Street, and it can be seen as you drive down the one-way street to Tu-Endie-Wei Park, the location of the Battle of Point Pleasant. Another incredible (and free) resource for history, Tu-Endie-Wei is located where the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers meet, has monuments and plaques that honor the history and the fallen of that Battle, and the Mansion House (cabin) that serves as a museum. On a pretty day, it’s a wonderful place to sit on one of the many benches overlooking the Rivers and contemplate. For a nice walk, follow the river to view the FloodWall Murals and Riverfront Park, which contains metal statues of local historical significance.
In Charleston, West Virginia, there are two don’t-miss locations. First, no visit to Charleston is complete without a trip to the State Museum and Culture Center. This incredible resource is available for free and contains history on how West Virginia obtained Statehood, the history with coal and glass mines, and prominent figures throughout its history. In addition to a video presentation, there are paintings, displays of artifacts, and an interesting display of the dresses worn by the current and former West Virginia First Ladies. The West Virginia State Capitol and the Governor’s Mansion are also available for free tours. The second don’t-miss location in Charleston is the Capitol Market. Amidst the Interstate, the entrance and exit ramps, and traffic is nestled a wonderful outdoor and indoor farmer’s market, the visitor’s center, and a couple of local eateries, and it’s all in walking distance of the downtown area. From home grown apples to freshly made chocolate goodies, you can find just about anything there.
Nothing’s better than a road trip. It’s here where you’ll discover that, at the end of each day, regardless of where we live or what we do, we’re all the same, each of us with our own story to tell and each of us with our own dream to follow. So, why take a road trip? Why go visit someplace most people may never have heard of just to find that it’s not really that different from where we began? “Because it’s there.”
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Timeless Must-reads
People of the Lie by Dr. Scott Peck
I’m a reader. I love the evolution of a story or the explanation of new ideas, the flow of the phrases, and the choice of the words; the way a book feels in my hands and the sound of the pages gently swishing against one another as they’re turned. I love curling up with a book in a comfortable chair near a window through which the rays of the Sun come in to the room, gently landing on the pages as if the Sun, too, wants to read.
The library has been a good friend over the decades, although I’ll admit to having purchased books over the years to add to my own amateur collection of paperbacks, textbooks, and bestsellers. We readers are like that; we always like to have a book near at hand.
And, readers know that books are worth reading more than once. Between the covers may rest words of history, of romance, of scientific theory, or of a life similar to or completely different than our own. There are some books that are timeless, books that contain questions or answers or perspectives that seem relevant regardless of the era or the changes in pop culture.
People of the Lie is one of them. Though a bestseller in the eighties, the words, the theories, the questions and possible solutions are still as relevant today. With the troubles facing our country, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, the economy, and a growing sense of dissatisfaction amongst the public, perhaps it is even more so.
The book attempts and succeeds in carefully holding up a mirror to our selves as individuals, as communities, and as a country. Delicately, though the sharing of stories and the explanation of theories, Dr. Peck helps us each to acknowledge the evil in each of us, how this evil typically manifests, and the responsibility that we hold in an interdependent world.
But, if creating an explanation, a definition, of human evil wasn’t enough of a task, Dr. Peck vividly examines how we are all interconnected, relating to one another in manners that, for better or worse, will have an effect on someone.
For those who have not yet read the book, it is a valuable resource, an aide in self-inspection and a path towards insight. Evil, as defined by Dr. Peck, is not what one might typically consider when they first hear the word: Satanic, Criminal, Insane. Rather, evil as defined by Dr. Peck is a much more common, though equally as destructive, series of behaviors that can govern someone’s relations with others.
Are you a parent? A child? A teacher? A student? A therapist? A patient? A human? This book applies to everyone and it has a great deal to offer the reader who is willing to do some deep psychological work. The true price may be, however, not the cost of the book but, rather, the willingness to look into that painful mirror that Dr. Peck so graciously holds up to our eyes.
Peck, Scott. People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil. New York. Simon and Schuster, 1983.
Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools by Jonathan Kozol
Although the words flow gracefully, Savage Inequalities is a difficult book to read. Written upon the pages is the truth, a substance that can sometimes be bitter to learn. However, it is truly a timeless book that should neither be discarded nor dismissed.
Jonathan Kozol placed a bright light on the inequalities between American schools when this book was published in the early nineties, and it is a light that reveals the disgrace that we, as citizens, have allowed to go on for far too long. Unfortunately, if one listened to President Obama’s speeches over the past year on the need for education reform, it was clear that some of these horrible conditions continue to exist.
So clearly, Kozol shows the talent, the brilliance we have wasted throughout time by not nurturing the minds of the youth who could have grown to be doctors or scientists or teachers. Without doubt, he describes how entire areas of families and children have been simply ignored, pushed aside, and forgotten as if they were unimportant; how attempts have been made to educate children in unsafe, unsanitary, and unsatisfactory conditions.
Although apathy appears present in some of the regions, it is an apathy born of having cries for help ignored for generations. Yet, apathy does not prevail; rather, there are still many crying out, fighting for the improvements to the schools, the equality guaranteed under the law, and an intent to try to educate all of the youth of tomorrow and encourage their potential.
Changes to the public school system, however, can only come when the public-at-large understands and knows of the crises in the public school system and the gross inequalities between the individual schools. By sharing with us his first-hand accounts of having visited some of these schools, of the research he uncovered on the issues, and of his conversations with school personnel, students, families, and leaders, Jonathan Kozol has pulled back the curtain to reveal to us these truly Savage Inequalities.
Kozol, Jonathan. Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools. New York. HarperPerennial, 1992.
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Common Sense may have again found fame, in part, due to a copy of the book being a prop in the hit movie, National Treasure. But, this book contains timeless arguments, arguments that Paine originally authored anonymously, that are an important part of our national history.
Thomas Paine wrote an emotional publication that argued for our independence from Britain, and he punctuated the argument with stories, reminders of harsh British invasions and of the British military controlling the colonists on certain occasions.
As a written work, it is a legendary; as a photograph of our past, it is a timeless reminder of where our country once was, what many earlier people battled on the road to freedom, and all that has been won and lost along the way. Between the lines on the pages, there are quiet reminders of the souls that have been lost in wars past and wars still raging; there are the whispers of those who fought for and designed the historical documents that guarantee us our freedoms as well as the rights and responsibilities that come with that freedom; and there are gentle yet silent nudges to remind us that the freedoms that we have can be taken away if we ignore their value and, apathetically, allow them to slip from our grasp.
Although the book was primarily written about the need for America to be free of British rule, it could, with only a few slight changes, be an argument that would appropriately apply in any era to any situation in which the ruling power impeded progress, individual freedom, and national independence.
Although Common Sense can be found in hardback and paperback, it can be read on-line here:
http://www.ushistory.org/paine/commonsense/index.htm
People who enjoy reading the horror genre may enjoy any of the selections mentioned at
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1084088/frightening_tales.html?cat=38
For an additional 15 selections of both fiction and non-fiction in multiple genres with brief descriptions of the books, try
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/984972/15_mustread_books_you_may_have_overlooked.html?cat=38
I’m a reader. I love the evolution of a story or the explanation of new ideas, the flow of the phrases, and the choice of the words; the way a book feels in my hands and the sound of the pages gently swishing against one another as they’re turned. I love curling up with a book in a comfortable chair near a window through which the rays of the Sun come in to the room, gently landing on the pages as if the Sun, too, wants to read.
The library has been a good friend over the decades, although I’ll admit to having purchased books over the years to add to my own amateur collection of paperbacks, textbooks, and bestsellers. We readers are like that; we always like to have a book near at hand.
And, readers know that books are worth reading more than once. Between the covers may rest words of history, of romance, of scientific theory, or of a life similar to or completely different than our own. There are some books that are timeless, books that contain questions or answers or perspectives that seem relevant regardless of the era or the changes in pop culture.
People of the Lie is one of them. Though a bestseller in the eighties, the words, the theories, the questions and possible solutions are still as relevant today. With the troubles facing our country, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, the economy, and a growing sense of dissatisfaction amongst the public, perhaps it is even more so.
The book attempts and succeeds in carefully holding up a mirror to our selves as individuals, as communities, and as a country. Delicately, though the sharing of stories and the explanation of theories, Dr. Peck helps us each to acknowledge the evil in each of us, how this evil typically manifests, and the responsibility that we hold in an interdependent world.
But, if creating an explanation, a definition, of human evil wasn’t enough of a task, Dr. Peck vividly examines how we are all interconnected, relating to one another in manners that, for better or worse, will have an effect on someone.
For those who have not yet read the book, it is a valuable resource, an aide in self-inspection and a path towards insight. Evil, as defined by Dr. Peck, is not what one might typically consider when they first hear the word: Satanic, Criminal, Insane. Rather, evil as defined by Dr. Peck is a much more common, though equally as destructive, series of behaviors that can govern someone’s relations with others.
Are you a parent? A child? A teacher? A student? A therapist? A patient? A human? This book applies to everyone and it has a great deal to offer the reader who is willing to do some deep psychological work. The true price may be, however, not the cost of the book but, rather, the willingness to look into that painful mirror that Dr. Peck so graciously holds up to our eyes.
Peck, Scott. People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil. New York. Simon and Schuster, 1983.
Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools by Jonathan Kozol
Although the words flow gracefully, Savage Inequalities is a difficult book to read. Written upon the pages is the truth, a substance that can sometimes be bitter to learn. However, it is truly a timeless book that should neither be discarded nor dismissed.
Jonathan Kozol placed a bright light on the inequalities between American schools when this book was published in the early nineties, and it is a light that reveals the disgrace that we, as citizens, have allowed to go on for far too long. Unfortunately, if one listened to President Obama’s speeches over the past year on the need for education reform, it was clear that some of these horrible conditions continue to exist.
So clearly, Kozol shows the talent, the brilliance we have wasted throughout time by not nurturing the minds of the youth who could have grown to be doctors or scientists or teachers. Without doubt, he describes how entire areas of families and children have been simply ignored, pushed aside, and forgotten as if they were unimportant; how attempts have been made to educate children in unsafe, unsanitary, and unsatisfactory conditions.
Although apathy appears present in some of the regions, it is an apathy born of having cries for help ignored for generations. Yet, apathy does not prevail; rather, there are still many crying out, fighting for the improvements to the schools, the equality guaranteed under the law, and an intent to try to educate all of the youth of tomorrow and encourage their potential.
Changes to the public school system, however, can only come when the public-at-large understands and knows of the crises in the public school system and the gross inequalities between the individual schools. By sharing with us his first-hand accounts of having visited some of these schools, of the research he uncovered on the issues, and of his conversations with school personnel, students, families, and leaders, Jonathan Kozol has pulled back the curtain to reveal to us these truly Savage Inequalities.
Kozol, Jonathan. Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools. New York. HarperPerennial, 1992.
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Common Sense may have again found fame, in part, due to a copy of the book being a prop in the hit movie, National Treasure. But, this book contains timeless arguments, arguments that Paine originally authored anonymously, that are an important part of our national history.
Thomas Paine wrote an emotional publication that argued for our independence from Britain, and he punctuated the argument with stories, reminders of harsh British invasions and of the British military controlling the colonists on certain occasions.
As a written work, it is a legendary; as a photograph of our past, it is a timeless reminder of where our country once was, what many earlier people battled on the road to freedom, and all that has been won and lost along the way. Between the lines on the pages, there are quiet reminders of the souls that have been lost in wars past and wars still raging; there are the whispers of those who fought for and designed the historical documents that guarantee us our freedoms as well as the rights and responsibilities that come with that freedom; and there are gentle yet silent nudges to remind us that the freedoms that we have can be taken away if we ignore their value and, apathetically, allow them to slip from our grasp.
Although the book was primarily written about the need for America to be free of British rule, it could, with only a few slight changes, be an argument that would appropriately apply in any era to any situation in which the ruling power impeded progress, individual freedom, and national independence.
Although Common Sense can be found in hardback and paperback, it can be read on-line here:
http://www.ushistory.org/paine/commonsense/index.htm
People who enjoy reading the horror genre may enjoy any of the selections mentioned at
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1084088/frightening_tales.html?cat=38
For an additional 15 selections of both fiction and non-fiction in multiple genres with brief descriptions of the books, try
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/984972/15_mustread_books_you_may_have_overlooked.html?cat=38
Friday, July 24, 2009
An Alternative to Mashed Potatoes
Many people loved mashed potatoes, but are not in love with the amount of starch or carbohydrates in a serving. However, there is an alternative that is as tasty as mashed potatoes; in fact, it’s difficult to tell the difference between the two.
Mashed cauliflower. It’s simple. It’s tasty. And, it has the taste and consistency of mashed potatoes, but with some additional nutrients.
First, boil some fresh or frozen cauliflower in salted water until fork tender. Then, drain the water from the pan. Place the cauliflower in a food processor and blend until smooth. It only takes a moment. You may need to scrape down the sides of the processor to make certain all of the cauliflower has been processed into a smooth consistency.
That’s it. All that’s left is to flavor the mashed cauliflower to meet the individual taste preferences and enjoy. Add more salt, if you’d like. Or, add some butter, a bit of extra virgin olive oil, or a bit of extra virgin coconut oil. Add some cheese, some chives, some parsley, or some Cheyenne pepper. Simply add whatever flavors you would normally enjoy in your mashed potatoes.
Mashed cauliflower. It’s simple. It’s tasty. And, it has the taste and consistency of mashed potatoes, but with some additional nutrients.
First, boil some fresh or frozen cauliflower in salted water until fork tender. Then, drain the water from the pan. Place the cauliflower in a food processor and blend until smooth. It only takes a moment. You may need to scrape down the sides of the processor to make certain all of the cauliflower has been processed into a smooth consistency.
That’s it. All that’s left is to flavor the mashed cauliflower to meet the individual taste preferences and enjoy. Add more salt, if you’d like. Or, add some butter, a bit of extra virgin olive oil, or a bit of extra virgin coconut oil. Add some cheese, some chives, some parsley, or some Cheyenne pepper. Simply add whatever flavors you would normally enjoy in your mashed potatoes.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Comparing Prices for Medical Care
Yet another presidential press conference is over and America still has no information on exactly what the health care reform plan is, how much it will cost, or how the cost will be paid. We, as a nation, know nothing more about health care reform after the press conference than we did before it began.
Perhaps, however, President Obama was giving us a clue when he spoke about health care reform being necessary to control medical services and medical costs. Could he have meant that the government will, in part, control the services offered and the pricing—and therefore, the entire health care industry--of the medical professionals, the medical facilities, and the medical insurance companies?
It suggests a question: Isn’t there a much more economical manner by which to increase competition in the medical field and, therefore reduce medical expenses without the government purchasing and controlling the health care industry?
We diligently review the sale ads in the Sunday paper, comparing the price of paper towels, frozen vegetables, or the price per pound of ground beef. Before purchasing a home or a vehicle, we spend months comparing prices and locations and the options available.
Yet, we do not compare the cost-per-visit of one doctor to that of another. Why? Why do we not compare the cost of an x-ray or a CAT Scan, or a blood draw at a particular location verses nearby competitors. Perhaps it has been, in part, because the doctors send us to one particular location and we never question why. Perhaps it has been because the insurance companies dictate which medical facilities can be used by policyholders or patients of a particular doctor. Perhaps, it is simply because the pricing information has never been made public.
When was the last time you saw a piece of paper or an overhead neon sign stating the cost of any particular visit or medical test prior to being billed? We wouldn’t buy a meal at a restaurant without first knowing the price; we wouldn’t buy a new pair of jeans without knowing about how much we would spend at the register; we wouldn’t purchase gasoline not knowing the cost-per-gallon; so, why do we purchase medical care, visits and testing and hospital stays, without first learning of the cost and comparing that cost to that of the competitors during our non-emergencies?
Perhaps health care costs are so expensive not because of the insurance companies or the new technology, but because we, as medical consumers, have not been diligent in demanding to know the costs, and then comparison shopping when there is no emergency to make the decision for us.
Everyone would rather have good medical care as compared to simply the cheapest care available, but isn’t it feasible that if medical professionals and medical facilities were forced to publicize the costs of their services that this new knowledge for the consumer would, through competition, drive down medical costs? Facilities and medical professionals providing poor service will, in time, be weeded out and passed over like a fad diet plan that people realize does not work. So, there seems to be no risk in the patients being allowed to compare prices for health care and taking this information into consideration when choosing a personal physician or a location for surgery, etc.
After all, if there were two local physicians, equal in the quality of care they provide, why become the patient of one who charges $100 for an office visit as opposed to $50? If two hospitals provide equally comfortable and appropriate care to the patients, why stay at the one that charges $100 for an aspirin or $40 for a pillow when the other may offer more economical prices for the same care?
In emergencies, a patient wants knowledgeable professionals to do what needs to be done, regardless of the cost. But, most medical visits and treatments are not emergencies, providing us with time to make a decision based on our experiences with a particular medical facility or professional, our location in reference to a medical professional, our particular medical needs, and our finances—if we were only provided with the information.
And, it could all be done without a multi-trillion dollar health care reform bill that would unfairly tax the rich and remove basic American freedoms by controlling the individual health care choices of doctors and patients. What if the government decided that a particular medical test or a particular medical treatment was simply too expensive to allow even though the treating physician felt it necessary? Or, that you or your loved one was unworthy of receiving medical treatment?
Being able to compare the costs of medical services and make our own decisions regarding medical care instead of having the government make those decisions for us sounds like an alternative path that, when working with additional necessary health care reforms, might be a positive change.
Perhaps, however, President Obama was giving us a clue when he spoke about health care reform being necessary to control medical services and medical costs. Could he have meant that the government will, in part, control the services offered and the pricing—and therefore, the entire health care industry--of the medical professionals, the medical facilities, and the medical insurance companies?
It suggests a question: Isn’t there a much more economical manner by which to increase competition in the medical field and, therefore reduce medical expenses without the government purchasing and controlling the health care industry?
We diligently review the sale ads in the Sunday paper, comparing the price of paper towels, frozen vegetables, or the price per pound of ground beef. Before purchasing a home or a vehicle, we spend months comparing prices and locations and the options available.
Yet, we do not compare the cost-per-visit of one doctor to that of another. Why? Why do we not compare the cost of an x-ray or a CAT Scan, or a blood draw at a particular location verses nearby competitors. Perhaps it has been, in part, because the doctors send us to one particular location and we never question why. Perhaps it has been because the insurance companies dictate which medical facilities can be used by policyholders or patients of a particular doctor. Perhaps, it is simply because the pricing information has never been made public.
When was the last time you saw a piece of paper or an overhead neon sign stating the cost of any particular visit or medical test prior to being billed? We wouldn’t buy a meal at a restaurant without first knowing the price; we wouldn’t buy a new pair of jeans without knowing about how much we would spend at the register; we wouldn’t purchase gasoline not knowing the cost-per-gallon; so, why do we purchase medical care, visits and testing and hospital stays, without first learning of the cost and comparing that cost to that of the competitors during our non-emergencies?
Perhaps health care costs are so expensive not because of the insurance companies or the new technology, but because we, as medical consumers, have not been diligent in demanding to know the costs, and then comparison shopping when there is no emergency to make the decision for us.
Everyone would rather have good medical care as compared to simply the cheapest care available, but isn’t it feasible that if medical professionals and medical facilities were forced to publicize the costs of their services that this new knowledge for the consumer would, through competition, drive down medical costs? Facilities and medical professionals providing poor service will, in time, be weeded out and passed over like a fad diet plan that people realize does not work. So, there seems to be no risk in the patients being allowed to compare prices for health care and taking this information into consideration when choosing a personal physician or a location for surgery, etc.
After all, if there were two local physicians, equal in the quality of care they provide, why become the patient of one who charges $100 for an office visit as opposed to $50? If two hospitals provide equally comfortable and appropriate care to the patients, why stay at the one that charges $100 for an aspirin or $40 for a pillow when the other may offer more economical prices for the same care?
In emergencies, a patient wants knowledgeable professionals to do what needs to be done, regardless of the cost. But, most medical visits and treatments are not emergencies, providing us with time to make a decision based on our experiences with a particular medical facility or professional, our location in reference to a medical professional, our particular medical needs, and our finances—if we were only provided with the information.
And, it could all be done without a multi-trillion dollar health care reform bill that would unfairly tax the rich and remove basic American freedoms by controlling the individual health care choices of doctors and patients. What if the government decided that a particular medical test or a particular medical treatment was simply too expensive to allow even though the treating physician felt it necessary? Or, that you or your loved one was unworthy of receiving medical treatment?
Being able to compare the costs of medical services and make our own decisions regarding medical care instead of having the government make those decisions for us sounds like an alternative path that, when working with additional necessary health care reforms, might be a positive change.
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