How Mercury Retrograde Affected Our Politics

            I visited an old friend in Kansas City recently, and while we were chatting about a lot of different topics, we got around to politics and how dirty they have become.  Bill, who is a dyed-in-the-wool, card carrying Democrat, said he thought that our politics all changed when the Supreme Court "gave" George W Bush the election in 2000.

            Well, I respect Bill, and he has at least ten years on me, so I cannot pull seniority on him.  I shut my mouth and swallowed my response, but it was a game changer for the rest of our conversation.      

            We were under a full moon at the time.  It got me thinking about all the troubles we have when the moon is full.  Oh, you don’t believe all that astrology stuff?  Well, I can positively state that there is a very good reason for all the superstition surrounding the full moon.  In my many years in the airline industry, there were always strange happenings when the moon was full. 

            My airline, American, even had a reference page in the computer titled simply “Moons” where all the dates of full moons were listed.  It was common knowledge among ground service people, pilots and flight attendants that when the moon was full there were bound to be some odd things happening.  Customers were more apt to complain, delays were more prominent, baggage was more likely to get misrouted or lost and communications were less reliable, mainly in the form of computer outages. 

            When I worked at the ticket counter—we actually had a staff of people at the counter in those days instead of those machines you encounter nowadays—we always knew that a full moon was imminent, even if it wasn’t visible due to cloud cover.  The behavior of some of our passengers was weird during those times, especially those who were “white knuckle flyers.”  Customers were more demanding and argumentative.  Voices were raised in situations where people normally would be rational and patient.  And there were always problems with reservations being dropped or cancelled for no apparent reason. 

            In that same AA informational page labeled “Moons” there is also reference to another event that seems to screw up communication and travel.  The reference is to times when the planet Mercury is Retrograde.  Three times a year Mercury appears to be moving backwards for periods of about two weeks.  When the planet appears to go forward again, it is said to be Mercury Direct.  It has to do with the fact that the Mercurial year—its trip around the Sun—is 88 days long, while ours is 365 days.  All of the planets exhibit the retrograde effect, but only Mercury does it that often.  Think of two trains on parallel tracks going in the same direction at different speeds.  As the faster train passes the slower one, the slower train appears to be going backwards with respect to the faster one.  Well, that is what the planetary retrograde effect is.  When Mercury is Retrograde it has an effect on activity here on the Earth similar to that of a full moon, or even worse. 

            I didn’t give you this astronomy/astrology lesson for nothing.  While I was doing my research for the column I came across a Web site that gave me a whole new outlook on what went wrong in the Presidential Election of 2000.  We all know there are dozens of theories out there, but this one could be the grand prizewinner.  The real problem with the 2000 election was that we had Mercury retrograde and it was exactly at the end of its cycle (the worst time) on November 7, 2000.  In other words, the election outcome was in the stars—or in this case, the planets.

  

Here is the page I found on the phenomenon.  Note that it hasn’t been updated since it was written on November 9, 2000, but it was pretty accurate in its prediction even then.  You have to agree that it seems to be pretty logical, at least as much so as some of those conspiracy theories we heard—and continue to hear thirteen years later— on both sides.  And if you cannot find some humor in what you are about to read then you are hopelessly lost and really need to “get a life.”  However, it isn’t my fault if it makes you angry; blame it on a full moon Mercury Retrograde . 

 

ELECTION DAY 2000--YES, MERCURY WAS RETROGRADE!

by Rose Murray

(Nov. 9, 2000)A member of the media phoned me today to ask if I thought that the phenomena of Mercury Retrograde on Election Day 2000 contributed to the ballot confusion, the premature media announcements and retractions, and all the recounts that ensued. He was working on a news story that examined that question.

Well, it all couldn't sound more like Mercury Retrograde. Here's why.

                        The planet Mercury moves in apparent retrograde (or backward) motion for a period of several weeks about three times each year. During these periods, Mercury, known as the "messenger of the gods" in classical mythology, often delivers mixed-up messages.

Because Mercury is temporarily moving backward in its orbit (seen from the Earth's perspective), its retrograde influence often spells confusion and the necessity for repeating things a second time. Glitches seem to develop in all types of communication and transportation. Many people don't start a project under Mercury Retrograde, not if they want it to run smoothly.

Well, Mercury turned retrograde on October 18, 2000, at 15 degrees of Scorpio. It slowed way down (making its influence even stronger) to turn direct at 29 degrees of Libra on Nov. 7, 2000--Election Day-- U.S.A.

The actual shift occurred at 9:20 p.m. EST, 6:20 p.m. PST. The events of that day and those that ensued were typical of retrograde Mercury at its worst. People made mistakes. Both the media and the candidates announced and retracted, announced and retracted. Ballots were said to be confusing. The vote from the state of Florida had to be recounted. Citizens from Palm Beach County encountered confusing ballots, many of which were punched twice and had to be rejected.

Anyone with planets at the sensitive points in the zodiac where Mercury made its station retrograde--15 degrees of Scorpio--and the degree where it made its station direct--29 degrees of Libra--would have been particularly affected. But countries, states and cities also have horoscopes, as I pointed out in my book, Moving to Success: The Astrology of Location, (Llewellyn, 1999). Their charts are usually based on their incorporation or founding dates.

Well, guess what! When I looked up the horoscope of West Palm Beach, Florida, I discovered why all eyes were on that city that day. No wonder they were demanding a recount because of a confusing ballot and numerous other problems. Mercury made its backward trip right over almost half of their planets. It went retrograde on the planet Uranus in their chart at 15 Scorpio, promising many reversals and surprises ahead. It continued back over the community's Sun and Venus, and ended up directly on West Palm Beach's Saturn. Saturn in its chart, symbolic of restrictions and hardships, is at 29 Libra-- the very degree of the very sign where Mercury sat on Election Day--2000.

How long will all this last before we know whom our new President will be? Well, the Mercury retrograde period is not really over until Mercury goes forward to 15 degrees Scorpio, where it went retrograde. That will be around November 23/24, 2000, on the Thanksgiving Holidays. Hopefully, the confusion, recounts, and inclusion of absentee ballots may begin to be finalized by then, and we'll all have something to be thankful for. 

            I'll let you draw your own conclusions, but I cannot close out the column without also letting you read the poem I wrote shortly after the recounts—three in all—were finally stopped by order of the SCOTUS.  You might not recognize all the players after all these years, but I did try to include every one of them. You may also notice that the poem is written in the meter of a famous poem that is recited at that same time of year, "The Visit From St Nicholas."  That was intentional.

           

                  Ode to Election 2000

©2000 By Harold Kline

T’was the night of election and all through the nation

The voters were gathered with an air of elation.

We had all cast our ballots for the ones we held dear

In hopes that the end of campaign ads was near…

When Decision 2000 was over and done.

We thought that we knew who had lost and who won.

The popular vote belonged to Al Gore

But maybe Bush won, we don’t know anymore.

The early returns down in Florida made

Mr. Gore pure grade O.J., and Bush Gatorade.

But Dan Rather called early and had to use tact.

He did a 180 and called a retract.

Then Gore's team saw victory within their reach

If only they spread some dissent in Palm Beach.

So they called up their voters to sow seeds of doubt.

Soon old fogies called Wexler to scream and to shout.

The Seniors for Gore thought that all of their plannin'

Might have been sabotaged, they had picked Pat Buchanan.

Or their chads might have dimpled or hung by a thread.

They cried, "We don't want Pat, we'd rather be dead!"

It was close, so the votes were then counted once more,

But still there were not quite enough to please Gore.

Jesse Jackson, Christopher and Bill Daley joined forces

As the Democrats sent in their major league horses.

Up Baker and Racicot to scare them away,

On Daschle and Gephardt to help save the day.

When, what to our wondering eyes should appear

But Bob Dole. (dysfunctional loser, we hear)

Then the lawyers got started, an offense to mount,

And the hue and cry was to start a hand count.

Soon the courts got involved and the cases grew rife

While the nation was watching the candidates strife.

The counts were made legal with Kate Harris's approval,

Though some people were calling for her swift removal.

The State Supreme Court tried to keep the race open,

Which, of course, kept the folks down in Palm Beach a'hopin'.

The nine Supreme Judges then joined in the fray,

Overruled everyone, took their ballots away.

Said to keep counting votes would be likened to sin,

That Bush won three times, Gore should throw the towel in.

The Dems are dejected ‘cause Bush was “selected”.

Repubs back the College, claim that’s who they follege.

(Ha!  I slipped some Ogden Nash in there.)

Now half say that Gore won, and half say, "No, Bush!"

But no matter who's right there will be a big push

To get Sunshine State punch ballots off the table

Or make it a colony, if we are able.

Made in the USA

I keep receiving a forwarded message from various well-meaning email friends about buying only products made in the USA.  The message always refers to the lack of any inspection or quality control in foreign countries and the ensuing contamination of food and drug products, or substandard and hazardous elements in manufactured goods.

All foreign products are suspect according to the text, and the worst offenders are China and India, though Mexico, Indonesia and Vietnam are secondary targets.

If you happen to be one of those who have forwarded such messages, let me advise you that you needn't bother.  I have always been selective and discriminating in my choice of produce and products--except where I have no choice--and I try not to comply with the ever present request to "...forward this message to everyone you know." 

That said, I do have something I want to relay to you about a new (to me) product that I've been using for about a year that is working out quite nicely for me. 

I do not care much for milk, be it from cows, goats or any other mammalian animal.  It isn't that I have a lactose intolerance or any other problem with dairy products.  In fact, I do like most cheese products, including cottage cheese.  I just don't like milk.

Unfortunately, many prepared foods have milk as one of the ingredients. 

One of my female friends suggested that I try a milk substitute that is equally wholesome, tastes somewhat similar, can be used in place of dairy milk in recipes and is also lactose-free and soy-free with fewer calories than even skim milk. It also contains more calcium than milk.

Wow! you say, what can this miracle product be?

The product is almond milk. It is a little more expensive than dairy, but only marginally so.  It is available in several varieties, sweetened or unsweetened, unflavored, Vanilla and chocolate, and as a blend of almond and coconut milk.  It looks like dairy milk and doesn't taste of either almonds or coconut, though some people say that they detect a nutty flavor. I don't.  In fact, in the vanilla flavor that we use, it really doesn't even taste to me like vanilla. The flavor is very neutral and, I think, quite good.

If you have a taste for chocolate and like chocolate milk, but don't want all the calories and other "bad stuff" associated with that drink, use the chocolate flavored almond milk for a guilt-free beverage with less than half the calories of dairy chocolate milk.

There is another terrific benefit in using almond or coconut milk; it lasts a lot longer than any dairy milk.  The expiration date on cows milk is usually 7-10 days from the date of processing, which can translate into less than a week once it has also been transported and delivered to the store where you buy it.  When it starts to turn, it gets a sour smell and taste that tells you it is time to dispose of it.

(If you have trouble reading these labels, use ctrl and the + keys to enlarge them)

Almond milk is found in the dairy case at your grocery store, but that is only so that it is visible to consumers as an alternative to cow's milk.  In those dairy coolers, it typically has an expiration date about a month from date of processing and carries a suggestion on the carton that it be used within seven days of opening.  However, we have used this milk up to two weeks with no deterioration or telltale taste.  It never seems to sour.

We've also bought almond milk in quart sizes that is not refrigerated and has a shelf life of about six months, but I suspect that could be a lot longer, possibly up to a year.  It only needs to be kept in the refrigerator after opening. I suspect that even the half-gallon sizes in the dairy section are also okay if not kept in the refrigerator until they are unsealed for use.  If you are one of the survivalists, or a Mormon, this is a must have for your long-term food supply. You can find the room temperature, quart-size almond milk in the Dietetic Section of the store.

Another benefit to using almond or coconut milk is that it can be used in cooking and baking just like milk on a one-to-one ratio.  The taste of the food will not be influenced by the substitution, even using the vanilla-flavored almond milk.

I am not a salesman for almond milk, nor do I hope to get any monetary benefit for this promotion of it.  I merely believe that it is a great substitute for the highly perishable and somewhat suspect dairy milk we've been using all our lives.  If you've never tried it, go out and spend a few dollars and buy a half-gallon of it.  Use it just like cows milk and see if you don't agree with me that it is better in all respects.

One last point... It is all made here in the USA!

Myths About Rush

Yes, I have to first admit that I sometimes listen to Limbaugh, but I don't want to lose those of you who wouldn't ever deign to do so yourself.  Stay with me at least long enough to get the flavor of this week's topic.  I promise not to bore you.

One of my good friends recently emailed me and, in the body of the message, admitted that he had listened to Rush Limbaugh that day "...for as long as it took to change the station."  A lot of people are just like that, they change the station because they listen to the myths surrounding Limbaugh instead of listening for even ten minutes to what Rush actually says and does.

Rush Limbaugh has been on syndicated talk radio for just a little over 25 years, and though there are many who wish for his show's demise, if not his own, and many more who continually predict the end of Limbaugh, he just keeps on broadcasting and gaining audience.

A while back, Limbaugh was 'outed' by his competition in the main-stream-media for his use of painkillers, specifically, Oxycontin or Oxycodone.  He lost some listeners for a few months, but was at a higher rating than ever a year after the scandal.

More recently, Rush got involved in the Sandra Fluke controversy over birth control, and he lost several sponsors.  However, not only did he gain new ones to replace the quitters, but some of the quitters came back begging to be reinstated.  In addition, the Fluke blip opened some ad spots and helped to launch Limbaugh's newest business, Two if by Tea, which has done fabulously well for him.

Now, for those of you who have never heard Rush Limbaugh for whatever reason you choose, here are some 'myth versus facts' points that might convince you otherwise.

Myth: Rush would be off the air if Romney had won the election.

Fact: Rush has been on the air nationally since 1988, and every time a Republican wins the White House, he is supposed to lose his audience. Yet, he has had an unbroken string of increases in audience every year.  His present day increase is mostly due to new converts, many of whom voted for Obama.  Time and again, callers relate that they discovered Rush by accident, or radio roulette (dial twisting) and have never quit listening since.

Recently, the main-stream-media has been salivating over their own predictions that a major player in radio station ownership has failed to renew his contracts with Limbaugh at hundreds of radio stations across the country.  This rumored decapitation of listening audience from the EIB Network is supposed to sink Rush and end his broadcast career. Fortunately, the rumor is false, and the new contracts were never in doubt.  Limbaugh will continue to frustrate and infuriate the likes of Chris Matthews, Wolf Blitzer and, yes, even President Obama, who publicly designated Rush Limbaugh his worst obstruction.

Myth: Rush is just a know-nothing clown who mocks Democrats and liberals without any factual evidence to support his wild claims.

Fact: Limbaugh is usually dead serious, and sometimes displays his anger, but he tries to illustrate the absurdity of politics through being absurd himself.  Yes, we laugh at the cute parodies and songs of Paul Shanklin that Rush plays, but we also gain a lot of truth that is never available on NPR or CNN or and of the Big Three networks. He always has good documentation to back up what he says, and cites his sources so that you can also research them.

Limbaugh is also an "equal opportunity jester."  He mocks not only Democrats and liberals, but also Republicans and conservatives. His continued use of words such as strategery and nucular and resignate are gentle jibes at "W" still in use almost five years after President Bush left office. 

Myth: The names Rush makes up for his hated politicos are disgusting and disrespectful. For that alone, he should be banned from broadcasting as a right-wing racist.

Fact: Most of the names and sobriquets that Rush uses have been gleaned from liberal news outlets, both networks and newspapers.  For instance, his reference to President Obama as "Barack the Magic Negro" was first applied to presidential candidate Obama by movie and culture critic David Ehrenstein in a Los Angeles Times op ed column of March 19, 2007.  Paul Shanklin was able to produce a funny song from the term to the tune of Puff, the Magic Dragon.  (Ehrenstein is a professed liberal and Democrat) 

Regarding name-calling, Limbaugh is often accused of calling people names when he disagrees with their opinions and politics; to wit: Dingy Harry for Senator Harry Reid.  Rush also makes up names for Republicans, by the way, (Lindsay Grahamnesty, for instance) so he is apolitical in his use of sarcasm and name-calling.  However, most of the name-calling on the show is done by callers whom have lost their debate points and need to leave with some dignity.  They usually revert to calling Rush and his faithful listeners names to end the call.

Myth: Limbaugh doesn't have anything new, he just parrots the same old stuff with his biased political twist.

Fact: Limbaugh has, in fact, broken many of the scandals in Washington and elsewhere.  He was one of the first to report on Monica Lewinsky, Dan Rostenkowski's mail fraud, and, more recently, the Benghazi Massacre cover-up.  Others have also opened the door on the Washington scandals, but Limbaugh has a way of putting them in perspective that shines the spotlight on them.

Now, I don't expect all of you to tune in to the EIB Network on Monday and join the millions of fans, but I do wish you would give the show that "ten minutes" I referenced in the opening paragraphs.  You just might be surprised at what you learn.

Using the D-Word

It never fails to amuse me when someone refers to a person who is no longer with us as "passed."  I try to avoid the use of that word, but I also decline to use "passed away," "deceased," "demised" or any other gentle terms for one who has left this mortal plane.

Of course, I do sometimes use the more comical slang phrases, "kicked the bucket," "finished off" or "gave up the ghost."  But never in the actual presence of the corpse, or at the memorial service.

Why is it that we are so sensitive to the final act of life that we all must some day experience, I wonder.  We invent words to substitute for the D-word–some of them beginning with that letter–to avoid at all costs the reference to it in brutal terms.

Here is a partial list of more of those words and terms: expire, perish, succumb, conk, croak, depart, be taken, breathe one's last. cease to exist, drop off, go the way of all flesh, rest in peace, relinquish life, bite the dust, left the building and is no more.  I'm sure there are others, as well, but I want to focus on a few of these.

Pass should be an antonym, because nobody passes–they fail!

Deceased is also suspect because it is the opposite of cease.  If you de-cease, you must come back to life.

Croak (I think) refers to the last gasp of the expiring person, also called the death rattle.

Kick the bucket refers to an old custom of hanging, wherein the condemned was made to stand on a bucket while the noose was placed around the neck.  Then the bucket was kicked out from under him or her. (Gallows are costly to build, after all)

Bite the dust is a good one, and speaks for itself, as does its counterpart, feed the worms.

Left the building is always associated with Elvis, and may have originated in 1977.

You might notice that, up till now, I haven't use the D-word* one time, but I will do so now to finish my little treatise...

My barbershop quartet, Acoemeti, has a song in our repertoire that is very popular at church socials and other quasi-religious affairs.  The title is, Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven, and it is a parody.  The song tells of all the acts people perform to get into heaven, but the last phrase is, "...everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die!"  I think that sums it up quite nicely.

*You probably thought it was that other D-word that got your mouth washed out with soap in the old days.

******************************************
I received so many responses to this column that I have to include an addendum.  These are some other colorful phrases that people use to keep from saying the D-word:  Pushing up daisies, $h!t the bed, Took a dirt nap, Found the wrong side of the grass, Toast, Zombie material, Donated organs, Assumed room temperature, Discovered Kryptonite, Hung up the spurs (cowboy), and Gone to Jesus.

Tips For Road Trippers - Part 2

In my prior column I gave tips on how to plan for a road trip and how to save money on accommodations, hotels and such.  In this follow up edition, I will expand on the first one and advise how you can save on admission fees, meals and gas.  This one starts the tips with number 6, so be sure you read the other column for the first 5 tips.

Tips for Road Trippers

6. Estimate the cost for fuel: With the fast-rising prices of gas or diesel, you should estimate the cost based on today’s prices, but add at least 25-50 cents per gallon if you are traveling a month or more from your planning date.  Anticipate a rise in price, but don’t let the fear of it shorten or cancel your trip.  If you average 25mpg and you plan to drive 2,000 miles, a rise of 50 cents per gallon will only add $40 to the cost of your trip.                                                                              

Hint: Go online every night while on the trip to search for the best fuel prices along your route.  Websites like Gasbuddy.com will help you find the best prices and could save you several dollars per fill-up.                                          

I've experimented with the use of mid-grade gasoline on road trips to improve gas mileage. However, I learned on one of those automotive shows that it is best to follow the recommendations in the car's manual for the gas grade. Higher octane can harm your engine.  That said, if mid-grade is okay and you do get better mileage, it could save you money on the trip. You want to see about 3-5 mpg improvement to make it worthwhile.                                                         

You might think that a difference of 3-5 mpg isn't enough to warrant using the higher cost gasoline, so let me do the math for you.  Ten cents difference at $3.50 is about 3%, but 3-miles-per-gallon more from 25 mpg is an increase of about 12%.  You're getting a lot for that change, so continue to use the higher octane gas. If you don't get any increase, you've only spent a few extra dollars on the test. 

7. Purchase a good cooler to take along:  Try to plan on eating at least one meal each day at a rest area along the road.  You can purchase sandwich items and salads at any super market along the route.  It is economical and usually you’ll select meals that are healthier than the fast foods you would opt for otherwise.  If your hotel has a free breakfast bar, you’ll only be purchasing one restaurant meal each day, and that will save you money and calories.

8. Take frequent rest breaks:  Try to stop at least once every one hundred miles on your long legs of the journey.  If there are two or more drivers, switch positions at these stops.  Get out and walk around, or at least stretch your legs and arms. There is no excuse for sitting cramped up in the vehicle and possibly suffering deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition that could be fatal. 

9. Keep an open mind and explore:  Some of the best sights are those you didn’t even plan for.  If you see a sign for what looks like an interesting attraction, and it isn’t too far off route, go for it!  Some of the best memories are of places and sights that were completely unexpected along the route. Even the best-laid plans do not include everything that is available to visit.                            

 Also, if you plan on visiting national or state parks, be sure to take advantage of any seasonal or annual pass discounts, such as the America the Beautiful Pass, or the Senior Access Pass offered by the US Park Service. Most states also offer discounted passes for in-state residents.

10. Use your GPS system, but don’t think of it as fail-safe:  Program addresses into the GPS each day to keep you on track.  In general, the GPS will calculate the most economical and fastest routes for you, but not always.  If you used a map or online mapping guide to plot your route and the GPS doesn’t seem to follow that route, override it and let it recalculate.  For instance, GPS systems will usually take you through the center of a city, while the better route is a beltway or outer loop that avoids all the traffic.

You now have all the tools to save on accommodations, food and fuel on your road trip. The only additional advice is given in one of my former columns on road trip safety. I provided a link for you and I recommend that you read that column, too.

Tips for Road Trippers

Since I've been a "roadie" for over twenty years, I decided to share with you some of the tips I've learned and practiced since I began in 1991.  If you don't ever plan to drive from point A to point B with a distance of over 300 miles between them, then I guess you can skip the next couple of columns.  Otherwise, here are some ways to make your trip a lot more enjoyable and inclusive.

Tips for Road Trippers

1. Start planning early: It is never too soon to start planning for a road trip.  Choose a preferred route, but don’t be too specific about it. List all the major attractions you want to see along the way (cities, parks, natural wonders, people) and try to put all of them in a sequence to get the most efficient and least expensive itinerary.

2. Use a map and an online mapping service:  Use state maps for your trip and use a highlight pen to mark your route once you have a good idea of how you want to travel the roads.  Whoever is your navigator will have a good guide to follow. Use online mapping to plan the route, but then copy it onto a physical paper map for reference.  You’ll probably use a GPS too, so you can use both references to crosscheck the route.  Mapquest or GoogleMap are both good free online aids.

3. Check for accommodations along the route: If you are going to stay in hotels, choose a chain of hotels with a good rewards program. Sign up online to join the program if you aren’t already a member, and try to choose their properties.  You should try to join at least two rewards programs for two different chains to expand your choices.  Membership alone doesn’t provide price discounts, but the discounted rooms for AAA, AARP, seniors, etc., do qualify for rewards points. Most hotel chains have seasonal promotions that award extra points for multiple stays to get reward nights (free) for every two paid nights.  Some also offer gas cards for multi-stays.  Hint: Once you get a good number of reward points, you can use the points instead of dollars and save the cost of hotel rooms for some of the nights you’re on the trip. Some hotel chains will allow you to convert from dollars to rewards points en route if you give a few days notice, but don’t attempt to convert at the hotel desk when you check in.  All such conversions must be handled at the reservation center via phone.  If you are a camper, your goal is to locate campsites on your route, and depending on the season, many good ones fill up early, which is another reason to start planning in advance (see step 1 above). 

4. Look for possible attractions along your route:  First, use your favorite search engine entering the search term “road trip attractions.” You will get a huge number of sites, but some will narrow the search down to a particular country, state, province or region.  If the Continental United States is your playground, two good sites you can visit directly are Road Trip America and Roadside America. Choose a radius, say 20 miles, from your main route of travel to stay generally along the route while still meandering a little to take in the sights.  The second way is to use Google Maps in the "Earth" mode, with the "photos" label checked.  In the upper right-hand corner of the map is a square that says "Satellite."  Place your cursor over it and it will open a new "Earth" square alongside. Below that will be a menu showing a "photos" option. Click on that and then on the "Earth" picture and the map will change to a contour map with lots of little squares on it.  Each is a picture that someone has placed on the map indicating some sight they saw and photographed.  If you zoom in with either the sliding scale on the left of the map or your scroll mouse, you will see even more photos. Some of my best attractions have come from seeking out those sites on my trips.             

5. Set daily mileage goals and make reservations: Travel only 200-300 miles each day unless you are traveling to get into position for your active sightseeing.  Then you could travel 500-miles-per day on interstate highways to reach your "starting point."  Once you feel comfortable with your planned route, even though you might make some changes to it, go ahead and reserve your hotel/motel rooms or campsites.  Campsites and lodges at National Parks always fill up early, so it is reasonable to reserve during the winter for summer trips.  If you reserve hotel rooms, there is a possibility that the rates you get will be reduced before you travel, so keep in touch with the reservation center to take advantage of seasonal specials.  Hint: Some hotels will give a better rate if you call direct rather than booking online or by calling the reservation center. Just make sure to have them enter your rewards number so you get points for the stay.

This is only the start of your planning.  There will be more tips in a following column.

I recently received a message from one of you concerning a “new” method of performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and while I am already familiar with the technique, it is apparently still unknown to some people. 

If you wish to skip this week’s column and get right to the “heart” of the matter, here is a new video that accompanied the message. I hope, however, that you will take the time to read through the column and gain the motivation to administer CPR in an emergency.

(Actually, I am not a candidate for CPR, because I now have an implanted cardiac device, called an ICD.  It will kick in whenever my heart has several irregular beats, or when the natural pacemaker in my heart quits or fails to work properly.  My condition is so critical that I cannot wait for lifesaving techniques to be applied.)

For those who are at less known risk, or those who have no medical history of cardiac problems, the chance of a cardiac event requiring CPR is currently about thirty percent. In other words, one out of every three of you will probably require CPR. That also means that another thirty percent will have occasion to administer it to someone else.  And that someone else is quite likely to be someone you know and love, a family member.   That being the case, it pays to know how and when to do it.

There has always been some aversion to performing CPR.  The main reason is that it has always required both chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing.  Aside from the possibility of same sex administration, we all seem to have some reluctance to get up close and personal with strangers.  That has lead to a lot of missed opportunity and delays in performing CPR.

When I learned CPR and became qualified in the 1970s, the procedure called for a 10-to-2 ratio of compressions to breaths if performing one-on-one.  If two people were present, the ratio changed to 5-to-2, but either way, there was no way to keep an even rhythm.  The one-on-one ratio was changed in the 1990s to 20-to-2, but it still wasted about 10-15 seconds to change positions and do the mouth-to-mouth.  Those seconds were critical.

In actual experience, it was found that the stricken person tended to gasp during chest compressions, so some air was being inhaled even without mouth-to-mouth.  Also, the lungs are never completely collapsed, so oxygenation of blood was not really an issue.

The hands-only CPR not only keeps a steady rhythm to the compressions, but it also removes the objectionable part of the procedures that has frequently prevented CPR from being performed. In my opinion, it will likely cause a much higher incidence of recovery from sudden cardiac events.

The new hands-only CPR requires the rescuer to perform continuous chest compressions at a rate of 100 per minute.  That compares to a rate of 30-40 compressions per minute with an irregular rhythm in the former CPR technique.  The survival rate is likely to go up with the new guidelines. That rapid and steady rate of chest compressions ca be maintained if you think of the Bee-Gees' song titled, "Stayin' Alive" while you perform hands-only CPR.  It is perfectly paced to keep the beat.

Hands-only CPR

If someone collapses, stops normal breathing and is unresponsive to shaking, here are the steps you should take:

• First, have someone call 911 and summon help, if a phone is handy.
• Put the person on the floor face up.
• Place one hand atop the other in the center of the person’s chest.
• Lock your elbows so that your arms are straight from shoulders to hands
• Push hard and fast, 100 compressions a minute.
• If there is another person with you, take turns.  It is hard work.
• Continue compressions until paramedics arrive to take over.

(Source – American Heart Association)

If the person on whom you are performing CPR regains consciousness or shows signs of a return of heartbeat and breathing, you may quit your efforts, but do not move them and stay ready to begin again.  Do not allow the victim to sit up, but make them as comfortable as possible.

There is a Website where you can learn more about hands-only CPR and even get some online training.  Just click on the link here for the American Heart Association.  Then be sure to read the links within that page.  Other links can be found at the following sites, and the last among them actually provides some step-by-step training.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/01/BAJ8VTF35.DTL

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/01/health/main3984803.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_3984803

http://www.heartrescuenow.com/

http://medicine.arizona.edu/spotlight/learn-sarver-heart-centers-continuous-chest-compression-cpr