Friends of Epicaricacy

First epicaricacy sighting of 2012!

2012-01-05T20:14:00.000-08:00

Here it is! Just what you've been waiting for, readers! The first "epicaricacy" sighting of 2012.

Holidays

2011-12-24T17:27:00.001-08:00

I wish everyone a Happy New Year, and depending on your religion (or lack thereof), a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa, or whatever.

The below link is for nurses use of social media. I thought others might like it, too.

Social Media Guidelines for Nurses

2011-12-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

A video!

2011-12-14T20:21:00.001-08:00

My Google Alerts is working well. There is now a video out there about epicaricary. It's a little boring, but still!

Speaking of videos, here is one about why nurses should be careful when using social media, and how to use it appropriately.

Life has been busy!

2011-11-22T20:57:00.000-08:00

I haven't been able to Blog in awhile. I couldn't believe this fall. I counted how many presentations I've given since the first of the year, and it's 24, most of them in other cities and one was in Malta. Besides that, I've published 2 articles and 2 book book chapters, with 2 more book chapters at the publishers now. All of this, besides my daily work. No wonder I've neglected my Blog and also Wordcraft.

Finally I have a few days off and am enjoying just doing errands, if you can believe it. And thinking a bit (about something other than work). The holidays are coming. I love Thanksgiving and can't wait to host my family. I go all out! But then there's Christmas. Being Jewish around Christmas in the U.S. is not easy. Everyone assumes you're Christian. Just yesterday at my job they were planning a "Christmas dinner" and then we were going to sing Christmas carols. The dinner would be fine...but carols? Really? Should I sing "Dreidel, Dreidle, Dreidle; I made it out of clay"? I was planning to just skip the dinner, but a colleague said something like "what about people who don't celebrate Christmas?" The planners didn't like it, but they decided to give up on the singing. I of course said nothing, not wanting to be a wet blanket. I can hardly blame them really, but they also don't get it. For us, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are our high holidays. But that definitely isn't considered. We have meetings and conferences during that time. Heck, we even had a major meeting during Passover one year.

For those who are interested in the e-word, here is a link to a site that came up in my Google Alerts.

Rush Limbaugh

2011-09-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

My somewhat conservative (less conservative than he thinks he is!) husband and I were driving across the midwest today. I had NPR on, and he commented that NPR is liberal. I agree it is. So...I turned it off for a bit and found good old Rush Limbaugh. He is not liberal!

I think it is important to read (and listen to) all political sides so I really did want to hear what Rush is up to. My husband wasn't paying much attention, but suddenly my husband, somewhat irritated, said, "who is talking?"

Rush was saying that Obama wanted the country to fail. He said that studies show that our economy is now the 5th largest in the world, and that Obama is happy it is sinking. He said that Obama thinks our country was built on the backs of the minorities, and therefore now, with all the Republican outcries, we should sink.

Rush went on to talk about an interview with a Yale professor...something about the economy. He then referred to, "all the 'young smuts' at Yale..." Young smuts? My husband graduated from Yale! Our daughter graduated from Yale! My husband was annoyed. No end. So, Rush, you are now irritating the conservative section of our population, too. Yes, a few conservatives, unlike you (who attended, but did not graduate from, Southeast Missouri State), are quite well educated!

AT&T

2011-09-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

I received an email that AT&T has contributed $462,739 to Rich Perry's organization. I am not surprised. AT&T is one of the least ethical companies I know. Let me explain.

I used to have a private AT&T account. Now my company pays for one, but I will never, ever have a private one again. Here is what happened. I suddenly received a bill for hundreds of dollars for something I'd never received. I called, wrote letters, but all to no avail. Yet, AT&T kept up the requests for payment, and then the calls came. At first it was a few times a week, but soon it was multiple times a day! For something I didn't owe! Then the bill collectors called, and their bills came.

But, I am savvy. I know that if a company does something to affect your credit, you have a right to dispute it, and I did. Then when AT&T called, I began to say, "I do not owe this bill, and my time, like yours, is valuable. Therefore, I am charging you $100 per hour for each phone call, in 15 minutes increments for $25 each." That surprised them! Some just hung up. Others talked, and I sent AT&T the bills, but unfortunately was not compensated.

But, in the end, the only thing that stopped AT&T was the IL Attorney General's office. I finally reported AT&T (after more than a year of dealing with them), and believe it or not, Lisa Madigan sent them a letter and they stopped harrassing me! Plus, they sent me a letter or apology.

So, Perry, good luck with AT&T. I'd avoid them at all cost!

Having said all this, I have an iPhone from my company that is hosted by AT&T. What a joke that is. I lose calls and service all over the place. I so wish they'd go to Horizon!

When "perfect" isn't perfect...

2011-08-16T20:12:00.000-07:00

One of my friends has moved from Chicago to a small town on in Washington state. It is lovely there. The weather is what she has described as "perfect." There is no humidity and every day it's 80 with clear blue skies and no clouds. No storms. No "big hair" from the humidity.

So, what's the problem? She misses the unpredictability of Chicago's weather. One day it can be 80% humidity and 90 degrees, which feels like 105 (or so). The next it can be 80 with 40% humdity (today), and simply gorgeous. But then...there may be 50 mph winds with a thunderstorm. Thunderstorm! My friend misses them. She misses the humidity. The unpredictability of the weather. I can understand that. I lived in San Francisco for a year. I described it to everyone as 60 degrees all yearlong. The trees stayed the same. No fall. No spring. It was boring. That's the way my friend feels.

Now, when it storms or when it's 105, dripping with humidity, no, we don't love it. But we say, "Ah, that's Chicago. Tomorrow it will be different." We're not worried about "perfect" weather here in Chicago. We love the unpredictability!

Who'd have thunk it? Missing the unpredictability of Chicago's weather?

Is the tea party over?

2011-08-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

Is the tea party over?

Excellent article. I couldn't post it on my Facebook page because there are some conservatives among my "friends" so it goes here where nobody will read it.

Recently a friend suggested that the liberal Democrats need a group similar to the tea partyers. Not a bad idea!

AWAD is discussing the e-word

2011-08-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

AWADers are lucky. They are allowed to discuss "epicaricacy" on their discussion board about words. We can't do that on Wordcraft, and that's why I started this Blog. I recently got this from my "epicaricacy" Google alerts. Little do AWADers know there is a whole Blog dedicated to the word!

And another citation

2011-08-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

I hope John Simpson is reading my blog. I have lots of ammunition for him in support of adding epicaricacy to the OED. Here is another citation (albeit weak!).

From wwftd...

2011-08-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Tsuwm on wwftd (you really should sign up for his words) is just as passionate about epicaricacy as I am, and he is more talented at finding uses of the word. Here is a citation he sent me. Then he also sent me this pronunciation guide for it. It seems that the stress is on the third syllable:

ep-i-CARE-i-ca-see

Not easy for limericks or DDs!

A Nursing Student's Political Observation

2011-05-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

In the Journal of Nursing Education (Vol. 50, No. 5, 2011, p. 239) there is a poem by Joel Weinman, a nursing student who will graduate in August, that really moved me. I'd be interested in what others think. Joel wrote about a patient who died, presumably from H1N1, during the heated health care reform debates that took place in 2009. She was young and healthy, but had no insurance and therefore was reluctant to seek treatment.

My child died today...

My child died today...

She was beautiful and vibrant - her energy was infectious
She was smart; she graduated with a double major
She was kind and responsible - she was growing up

She was sick...and she died.
My child was 22...and she died today.

Kimi had two jobs...
She was poor...
She had no insurance.

She was sick and she didn't go get help - she was scared
She wasn't scared that she was sick, for she only had the flu

Kimi was poor and she had no insurance, and THAT is why she was scared.
She was sick and she had no insurance and she was scared...
and so...
she died.

Kimi had no insurance
She was sick...she got worse...
and so...
she went to the hospital - she had the flu

She had no insurance...
they sent her home....
with medicine...
for pain? Kimi had the flu.

Kimi was at home, sick, scared, poor...
and dying...she had no insurance
Kimi got worse. She went back to the hospital...
it was too late

My child died today...

She died because she had no insurance;
she had two degrees and two jobs
She died because she was scared;
It would cost too much to get better
She died because she had the flu?

But hey,

At least the government didn't get between Kimi and her doctor
She didn't have a doctor...she was poor
She had no insurance...and so...

She died

Every year, in the richest country in the world

40,000 people die
Because they are poor
Because they have no insurance
They were scared too.

Every month, in this richest country in the world, a 9/11 occurs

The towers of the disadvantaged, the poor, and the un-insured - they fall
They stood strong and tall like my Kimi, but...

The powerful planes plow through them with the full force of opposition...
opposition to a fair and just world,
opposition to compassion as Christ championed
opposition to equality...and care...for everyone.

Those planes tear down and destroy:
3500 souls every month,
111 lives every day,
5 human beings every hour...In the richest country in the world

Those wings of death and destruction are piloted by politicians fighting to keep healthcare
a commodity
not a right nor a gift nor an expectation

No,

In the richest country in the world, money is to be made off the sick...
In the richest country in the world, providing care for the ill is an avenue for profit...
In the richest country in the world, politicians bought with blood money fight to keep
the status quo...

In the richest country in the world, one man can make 100 million dollars a year.
All he has to do is deny promises to those who have paid for them.
All he has to do is deny care
to those that have paid for it
And, of course, he must make sure that the laws in the richest country in the world...
allow him to continue to do so...again, and again, and again...

These men and his pilots; they are cowards.
They are not nearly as brave as a suicidal terrorist. They kill from afar. They kill by
remote control.
But they kill nonetheless,
40,000 human souls, every single year...
In the richest country in the world

My Kimi was but one of those 40,000
But she was mine...she was my child
She was sick
She was poor
She had no insurance.

She was sick and she was poor and she had no insurance and she was scared

She had the flu...and she died

Kimi was a victim of the terrorism of ignorance and greed.

Kimi died today...from the flu...

Kimi was 22,
Kimi was my child,
Kimi had the flu...

And she died.

Around and about

2011-05-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

Well heck. I have not been good with this Blog, have I? The fact is, I haven't received any significant Google Alerts (there are some because some websites and usernames use "epicaricacy," but big deal!). If any of my multitude of readers (ha!) sees the word used, please let me know!

I've been around and about, busy with work these days. I've got to get more balance into my life. Even Passover was pushed aside this year. Quite disgusting!

I am on my way to Malta today (for work), but I have brought some books to read. I have been enjoying a book about a good friend's travels, though it's a little anti-American. Maybe it's just how it comes out in his book. Let's face it, Americans are a bit insular when it comes to travel.

Looking forward to telling you about Malta!

Bill Scott's Blog

2011-03-11T20:40:00.000-08:00

My favorite word was used to describe the London School of Economics: Link

In time, I am convinced that "epicaricacy" will be part of an every day vocabulary. Well, likely mine, but not yours?

Weather is like my dog

2011-02-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

We had a ferocious storm with 70 mile an hour winds, more than 20 inches of snow, and huge snow drifts relentlessly covering the streets, driveways, sidewalks, as soon as we cleared them. The skies were gray and nasty looking and snow was everywhere. Then the day ended, and Thursday greeted us. It was bright, sunny, with glossy white snow. It was calm and clear out and the sun seemed to be smiling at us. 180 degree turnaround.

It reminded me of something.

Then I remembered...just like my dog. She can be so bad, climbing up on the counter, eating everything, and then slinking down to the mudroom, with her tail between her legs. Soon, she brightens up and tries to get me to like her again. She jumps up on me, wagging her tail, as if to say, " I am sorry. Do you still love me?"

Just like the sun!

Life is rather circular

2011-01-27T19:47:00.000-08:00

"Back in the day," as my dad would say, we had more extended families. Grandparents lived with their children and grandchildren. Aunts and Uncles took care of nieces and nephews on a regular basis. Indeed, my grandfather and grandmother lived with us (in a separate part of the house) as we grew up, and my other grandparents were right down the road.

Then I grew up as a baby boomer, and all we heard from the media was how life has changed. Kids move out at 18 never to return. "We have a mobile society," the media worried, "and kids aren't connected to their families!" Psychologists predicted an isolated generation with lack of nurturing, and who knows what that might bring. More violence. Suicides. Divorces. A "me generation" attitude (indeed, baby boomers are often described that way). End of the world?!

Well, folks. What has happened? Now we have complaints of parents who hover too much...the "helicopter generation." Kids are coming back home after graduating from college. We are nurturing our kids too much. They're not gaining the independence they need to get through life. And...as far as "connections," we have way too many. Between Blogs and texts and Facebook, etc., we communicate too much! We baby boomers have, once again, created chaos.

You know what? The "authorities" (and that includes the media, as well as the psychologists, sociologists, and other "scholars") don't know what they're talking about. They just enjoy predicting doom and gloom. I have never agreed with all that generational balderdash. People are individuals...and generations are too. There are many baby boomers who are just like Generation X or Y or Z. And vice versa. We are all different, and that's good!

Changes

2011-01-25T20:35:00.000-08:00

I've been spouting off a bit on my Facebook, not necessarily about words (though sometimes), and certainly not about "epicaricacy." But I decided: 1) Facebook isn't for spouting off. First of all, there's no real place to do it. The whole wall scenario just isn't right, and there's not enough space anyway. I got cut off the other day! 2) I have too many family members there. For example, I wrote about the Bears game, and bam! both my sisters aren't speaking to me now. Heck, one of them posted, "You suck!" on my wall. I couldn't believe it, and, honestly, I don't think she was kidding. I just don't like the Packers. Does that mean I suck?

So...I am going to keep this Blog, but expand it. I've been trying to keep it about "epicaricacy," but let's get real. There's hardly enough about common words to keep a Blog current, much less that one! I am, therefore, going to write about other things here, too. Anything that comes to mind. If I want to complain about the Packers, I will. If I hear a funny joke, I'll write about it. It's a little tougher to keep it about words and language because I also have Wordcraft, but a little redundancy isn't bad, is it? Besides, it might bring some of you wanderers back to Wordcraft.

And, my saving grace here is that nobody reads my Blog so I can rant away without pissing people off!

Is road out of poverty down the aisle? - chicagotribune.com

2010-12-30T08:32:00.000-08:00

Is road out of poverty down the aisle? - chicagotribune.com

This article highlights what is wrong when researchers overplay their results, or, worse yet, when politicians or the media get hold of results and start pontificating. Reports of associations or relationships (correlations) are not reports of cause. But often they are reported as such. In this article, for example, the association between poverty and not being married was interpreted as: If we can get these people to marry, they will no longer be in poverty. There was a relationship, that is all. We can go on all day and try to explain it, but that would only be subjective surmising. We'd have to conduct further research to see what is going on.

I like the author's explanation: "People tend not to marry if they are financially unstable. They tend to break up due to poor relationship skills. Work on both these factors, and we might just see our poverty rate move in the right direction." But we'd have to research it.

This is really weird...

2010-12-18T21:00:00.000-08:00

While I know that I am, by far, not the least Internet savvy person around (some I work with can hardly email, much less use a Wiki or post on a forum), I am not an Internet guru...or geek. Therefore, it is posts like this (which came up on my Google Alerts) that perplex me: Link

Wordcraft and Epea Pteroenta are listed as well.

Very Strange.

We're getting out the word

2010-12-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

We seem to be getting out the word about epicaricacy. They are quoting "Kalleh," and yet the links don't go anywhere. Have you ever heard of that Love to Share Blog?

Similarly, it was used in the comments section of the Huffington Post: Link.

I am thinking it should be the word of the year for 2010!

So clueless

2010-11-28T19:01:00.000-08:00

Ah, some Web sites can be so clueless.

Interestingly, my google alerts for "epicaricacy" are becoming much less frequent these days. Is there anything we can do about this? How about a word of the year designation?!

Not much of a change

2010-11-09T19:27:00.000-08:00

We need some news about "epicaricacy!" Can't Obama or Palin or someone use it in a speech? Not much has changed, though I did find that it's included in that wonderful Urban Dictionary. Maybe it had been, and I've just forgotten.

Sorry. Not much more than that to report...and I did promise not to talk politics for awhile.

Shellacking

2010-11-03T20:13:00.001-07:00

Yep. The Republicans are dancing and feeling epicaricactic (we really do need an adjective for that concept. Neither "epicaricacy" or "Schadenfreude" have one.)

I will give up politics now for awhile. The other side won, but the tide will turn back again. No worries on that.

So...where did the word "shellacking" come from? Interestingly, when looking it up in the OED, it is chiefly U.S. Don't they use it in England? In the OED it was first cited as meaning a "beating" in 1931. I wonder if eventually this citation of "shellacking" will be included in the OED.

Voting day in the U.S.

2010-11-02T18:53:00.001-07:00

Today is the big day. There will be epicaricacy from one side...I hope it's not mine!

Political epicaricacy...again

2010-10-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

I don't know about the rest of the US, but here in Chicago we are experiencing horrible incivility, with both parties, in this campaign. When the elections are over, I am sure both sides will experience epicaricacy. But I hope they also experience severe remorse at how they've handled themselves.

I did find the following comment by a Democrat at a get-out-the-vote rally rather funny...sad, but funny. The politician is a state senator, and I agree the person he was ranting about (a Republican nominee for Governor and an ex-state senator) is to the right of Rush Limbaugh, but still, a little civility is in order, people! Here's what the state senator said at the public rally:

"I've never served served with such an idiotic, racist, sexist, homophobic person in my life. If you think that the minimum wage needs to be three dollars an hour, vote for Bill Brady. If you think that women have no rights whatsoever, except to have his children, vote for Bill Brady. If you think gay and lesbian people need to be locked up and shot in the head, vote for Bill Brady."

He refused to apologize, saying, "If he can show me that he votes differently than what I said, I will apologize. But I know he can't say that. I know he can't." Somehow I don't think Brady said that gay and lesbians should be shot in the head, do you?

For now...the billionaires have their epicaricacy

2010-10-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

There was an insightful article in the NY Times by Frank Rich today: Link

While the Tea Partiers are describing themselves as "grass roots," clearly they aren't. From the article: "In a typical example just three weeks ago, the influential publication National Journal delivered a breathless report on how the Tea Party functions as a “headless” movement where “no one gives orders.” To prove the point, a head of the headless Tea Party Patriots vouched that “75 percent of the group’s funding comes from small donations, $20 or less.” And then: "Last week the same Tea Party Patriots leader who bragged to the National Journal about all those small donations announced a $1 million gift from a man she would identify only as an entrepreneur. The donor’s hidden identity speaks even louder than the size of the check. As long as we don’t know who he is, we won’t know what orders he’s giving either"

Let's face it. These Tea Partiers are a bunch of media savvy Republicans who want Bush's tax cuts to continue and don't want Obama to increase taxes on the miserably rich. They need their billions to live on. To hell with children with no health care or with the homeless elderly. They're taking care of their kids and their relatives. They deserve it all. What self-centered fools they all are. Here's one example, though he doesn't have billions; still, he can't live on more than $250,000 per year with a family of four.

For now, the Tea Partiers and Republicans are laughing epicaricacially. But just wait. When they get in and don't do anything, the tide will turn. This is American politics doubled in spades.

The Transfiguration of the Commonplace

2010-09-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

A friend recommended Arthur Danto's "The Transfiguration of the Commonplace: A Philosophy of Art," which is a scholarly book about the age-old question: What is art? It's a typical philosophy book that gets down to agonizing detail on questions, but I've picked up some insights, such as art being a mirror of reality. Perhaps that's why some of the more ugly or plain contemporary art (like Tracey Emin's Unmade Bed or the plain black canvas surrounded by a frame that I've seen at the Art Institute) have crept into the art scene. So far, and I am not finished with the book, I haven't quite figured out why one piece like that is art, and why another isn't. To be continued...

Art revisited

2010-08-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

At the risk of boring the world, here is yet another conversation, on OEDILF, about the perennial "What is art?" discussion.

Another Epicaricacy Blog

2010-08-16T19:14:00.000-07:00

Well, well. Another similar Blog has just been started: My Epicaricacy Blog. Before long our dear friend, John Simpson, will include the word in the OED. I just know he will. What then? What will I have to complain about? I guess there's always politics. Or the "What is art?" question. Bad beer. My kids/husband. My work. The Cubs. The weather. Oh, yeah. There will be lots of things.

And again...

2010-08-13T21:15:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of touring the Portland Art Museum today, and it is much better than I had ever expected. There were a number of impressionists there, including some pieces from Renoir and Monet that I'd never seen. I had no idea that Renoir had sculptures (one of Rodin). Two Renoirs, two girls reading and one of the Seine, were exceptional. I hadn't realized, until this museum visit, that Sisley is considered to be British. I've always considered him to be French, and he does have a huge French influence in his art. And I was introduced to the American impressionist, Childe Hassam, whom I love! I also saw a great Picasso sculpture and von Gogh's "The Ox Cart," which is fabulous.

However, I also saw a few pieces that were, well, not art in my humble opinion. One was this big painting of large strokes of red and white paint. That's it. I don't know how anyone could ever like that one. Yet, the artist saw it as "art" so I guess Bob's definition holds for it. I do become confused, from time to time, on this question of what art is.

Canine Epicaricacy

2010-08-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

My daughter has been living with us for a few months...with her cat. KC is half Siamese and really lovable and cute. But, Flirt, our Border Collie, does not like cats. When KC first moved in, they'd go at it...a lot! However, it became less and less, until now they essentially ignore each other and parallel play. Flirt keeps an eye on KC, though KC couldn't give a rip what Flirt does. Similarly, Flirt has a huge guilty conscience, while KC doesn't know the definition of guilt. The stage is set for the following story:

KC loves to get under the covers when I make the bed. At first, when I'd tell KC to "Get off the bed," Flirt, who was watching, would slink away, thinking it was she. That went on for awhile...until Flirt figured out that I was talking to the cat in that stern voice. Aha. Then Flirt's attitude changed. She rather liked my chasing the cat off the bed. She actually had a sort of "dog smile" on her face. I call it canine epicaricacy.

Stieg Larsson

2010-08-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

While there are no citations of "epicaricacy," I have so much enjoyed the Stieg Larrson trilogy. I just hope they publish the fourth one. I am on the second now and of course am looking forward to the third.

The whole intrigue surrounding Larrson's death isn't that different from his books. I wonder if Eva will be able to publish the one that's left in the computer. It's my understanding that they wrote the books together, so it's a travesty that she can't publish them and make money from them. The laws in Sweden seem quite old-fashioned; after all, they lived together for 32 years!

There even has been some "talk" that Larsson's death wasn't really from a heart attack...that there was some foul play. That's probably balderdash, but let's face it, Larrson could have written a book about his own life! Maybe that's all in book four...

What is art?

2010-07-25T18:34:00.001-07:00

This probably caught the eye of a few WC friends because, for some reason, it has caused a venomous dispute on our site. If we talk about "what is art" now, we quietly email/PM each other. I think this Blog is safe of venom because I have no (or very few) readers anyway...and one in particular from WC doesn't read my Blog.

I was listening to NPR as I was driving to the Manchester, NH, airport last Friday and heard an author (I believe he was from Yale) talk about his book where he writes what is essential for art (or other things) to become popular/valuable. We have tried to define art on WC, and the most agreed-upon (though not unanimous) definition is that if the creator considers it art, it is. Therefore, while some think Tracey Emin's "My Bed" is art because she considers it so, there is huge disagreement on our site whether it really is. Venomous disagreement! Strange.

In the interview with this author on NPR, he said that if the art is done by someone who is recognized as an artist, it is "valuable" art. For example, if someone doesn't know a piece has been created by Picasso, he/she might not like it and therefore wouldn't consider it art. That would change if he/she found out who the artist was. That definition was discussed on WC, and I have talked about it privately with one of our members.

However, I don't buy it. First, how does the artist get recognized in the first place? Were Monet's or other artist's pieces not art before he was recognized as an artist? Secondly, there is plenty out there that has been created by a well-known artist that I don't like at all. It's still art; I just don't like it. Tracey Emin's pieces would be examples.

I hope I haven't put words into the mouth of this author because I just heard the report as i was driving and couldn't take notes or find it online. That was how I interpreted his analysis. I do, realize, though that there is a difference between "what is art?" and "what is valuable art?" Maybe he'd call some picture that I painted "art" if I would, but it just wouldn't be "valuable art." I wish I could find his book!

Epicaricacy images

2010-07-24T20:22:00.000-07:00

I received a Google Alert today from a site that linked to epicaricacy images. I hadn't thought about that! A few of my alleged Blog readers just may find their photos or sites among them. I didn't do it!

That made me look for Google images for epicaricacy. Similarly, some of my good buddies are in Google images. I hope you're not mad at me. For the life of me, I can't figure how that happened, but in the first link it said those photos came from this Blog.

Some of the images are funny!

We're being watched

2010-07-10T20:07:00.001-07:00

I was fooling around on the Internet with epicaricacy, and look what I found here. My June 28th post was linked there. We epicaricacy addicts stick together, don't we?

Cavaliers: Open Letter to Fans from Cavaliers Majority Owner Dan Gilbert

2010-07-09T14:57:00.000-07:00

Cavaliers: Open Letter to Fans from Cavaliers Majority Owner Dan Gilbert

I am sure LeBron, and the crew down there in South Beach, are feeling epicaricacy. Congrats to Dan Gilbert for supporting his fans.

How do you do it?

2010-07-08T19:26:00.000-07:00

This is not an epicaricacy, or even a word post. This is just a complaint post...so beware.

I wish I were more like my colleagues on Wordcraft. Many there don't care about sports, and right now I wish that were I. While not overboard at all, I am a true blue Chicago Bulls fan. But now that LeBron James, along with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, have decided to join the Miami Heat, next year in basketball is over. Why is that allowed? Our season is over before it starts?

And don't even get me started on the Dwayne Wade fiasco...what a liar! He said he was interested in Chicago only so that he could see what their pitch was. He then took that information to Pat Riley (with the slicked back hair), and they used it in their pitches. Illegal? Probably not, merely because the NBA is incompetent. But ethical? Clearly not.

I love basketball, and I still want to be a fan. While it's not the Chicago Bulls' fault that there has been such manipulation, I can't watch them lose because of the complete failure of the NBA. I will watch college basketball instead.

I just wish I didn't like basketball so much. I don't know how my Wordcraft friends do it; how are they able to stay free of sports?

With a little help from my friends....

2010-07-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

For all of my readers (at least one!), I'd like to show you how to pass the word about epicaricacy. Read this post from Wordcraft. One of our members passed the word about epicaricacy. In summary, he said, "The point of telling you this is that someone in the office used the word Schadenfreude to describe how she was feeling and I decided to do my good deed for the day and spread the knowledge of Kalleh's favourite word. She even wrote it down."

Wow! If we all did that, we'd soon see the word in the OED.

I have shared the word with my friends and colleagues from time to time. However, one thing I haven't done is to use the word in my presentations. However, I don't think that concept of taking pleasure in another's misery has come it. In health care, let's hope not!

Check Your Facts!

2010-07-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

I always like Leonard Pitts. He is a reasonable columnist who always sees it like it is. In his Tribune's July 1st column, he talks about elusive facts. He says:

"We all know that President Barack Obama was secretly born in Kenya.

And that there will soon be enough Muslims here to take over the country.

And that Presidents Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower collectively deported 15 million illegal immigrants.

We all know these things — if by 'we' you mean certain conservative bloggers and the gullible people who believe them and if by 'know' you mean, 'take as gospel, even in the absence of evidence.' Otherwise, 'we' don't know anything of the sort." Here is a link to his full column.

That rung so true to me because just that day I had driven home from my home state, Wisconsin, as I dropped my niece home in Green Bay. I was shocked at what was available on the radio...Christian stations and Rush Limbaugh. My home state has gone to Hell in a handbasket!

Since I am Jewish, I chose Rush. I thought, "Well, I should hear the other side every so often." He was just like Pitts' column. He made all kinds of assertions that didn't hold up. For example, he ranted on and on about Chicago politics (being sure that Obama will go to jail), forgetting any of the Chicago Republicans who have been convicted...and they're many. The most recent and egregious is probably ex-Governor George Ryan, who is in jail as I write this. But, remember, most listeners aren't from Chicago, so they wouldn't know. He screeched and squealed (by the way, his stumbling on words is very annoying) about the Chicago Democrats being crooked. And it went on from there. He actually seems to think that Richard Nixon was a Democrat! And, you should have heard his tirade about Elena Kagan, Obama's Supreme Court nominee. He made fun of her, using terms from Jackie Gleason, "humina, humina, humina." First of all, how about a little respect? But secondly, has he heard tapes of himself? "Abbbbbout" Etc.

But I worry that Pitts is right. People listen to Rush and believe him because he has publicly made the statement. It must be true, they think. Yet, his entire rant about Chicago was false.

Of course it's not just Rush. People tend to believe what they hear or what they read without checking the facts. Recently a columnist I respect, Steve Chapman, wrote a very misleading article about handgun control, for example. He listed two...TWO...examples of homeowners who successfully deterred intruders by killing them with their guns, and that was his "proof" that handguns make you safer. Forget the accumulation of facts, such as this. But, again, his readers will take home that handguns save lives. Ridiculous!

Be careful when you hear or read something. Check the facts.

Sometimes the Web surprises me...

2010-06-28T19:14:00.001-07:00

Mostly I read mundane Web sites that are informative or fun or that someone links me to. But sometimes I am totally surprised from what I find. Tonight I received a Google Alert from a site that wrote about my husband! Here is a link. Apparently my husband wrote them way back in 2005, but someone recently answered. Funny what will come up in Google Alerts!

And here is what was said:

A friendly person, Ken Spector, sent me an email with additional information about "epicaricacy" after having noticed the discussion in the LEO forum:

You folks have discussed the word 'epicaricacy', at these two spots on the web:
related discussion:epicaricacy - schadenfreude
http://www.hintonnews.net/local/hinchen23.html

One of the comments was, "I almost suspect this word was coined/invented recently." I can give you some more data.

The word appears in most of the editions of Nathaniel Bailey's dictionary. Bailey's dictionary was highly respected, was published and republished for about 50 years starting in 1721, and was Samuel Johnson's basic word-list from which he prepared his dictionary, acknowledged to be the master.

Linguist Joseph T. Shipley included it in his Dictionary of Early English (1963), citing Bailey.

Our bulletin board has discussed this repeatedly over many months, as new information is found. You'll find the most recent discussion here: http://wordcraft.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=441607094&f=756604565&...

The word is not OED as listed term being defined -- but it is in one of there sample quotes for another word. Here's their first quotation for 'shadenfeude', from 1852; the citation also uses 'epicaricacy', spelling it in greek letters.

1852 R. C. TRENCH Study of Words (ed. 3) II. 29 What a fearful thing is it that any language should have a word expressive of the pleasure which men feel at the calamities of others; for the existence of the word bears testimony to the existence of the thing. And yet in more than one such a word is found... In the Greek έπιχαρεκακία, in the German, ‘Schadenfreude’.

Mudita

2010-06-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

Let's face it. The concept of epicaricacy, whether you accept it as a word or not, is not a pleasant one. Taking joy in another's misery? Even if it's your enemy...how mean!

So what's the opposite of it? Probably the best word is mudita, a Buddhist term meaning to find joy in the happiness and success of others. According to this site, it has not been given enough attention. I suppose I could start a Blog on Friends of Mudita, but that's a little lame. Seriously, though, look at the essays on that site. They are inspiring.

Stories

2010-06-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

I just finished a wonderful book about African-American (the book called it "colored") domestic help, during the 60s, in Jackson, Mississippi (by Kathryn Stockett). It made me think how valuable keeping diaries and writing down our stories can be. When I was a girl, I kept diaries for years. Having found them in my attic recently, many entries are lame. I had more crushes on boys than I ever remembered! But they were my stories. When I was a professor, my students once gave me a journal, and every night I wrote. For awhile. Then I got busy. Recently at work we were laughing about all the funny/sad/amazing things that have happened in our field and somebody said, "Someone should write a book!" Absolutely! That's just what Stockett did. More of us should do that.

Then I realized, that's just what Blogs are. People's stories. Some are academically oriented; those are written by our scholars. Others are collections of interesting thoughts and ideas. Many are business-like Blogs that report things. Of course there are the lame ones (like my childhood diaries), but that's okay; they are stories, too. Many have collections of short stories or poems, highlighting our creativity. Heck, look at all the stories on OEDILF! But the point is, these are our stories! Like we do, Blogs change from time to time. For instance, here I started just talking about epicaricacy, but that was too narrow. Our Blog stories might not be as cohesive as Stockett's, but they are part of us. Let's embrace them!

Doctor who?

2010-06-08T19:42:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about this for awhile and have decided...of all the professions, lawyers are the least arrogant. I know, I am hearing a lot of coughing and laughing, but hear me out.

Dentists, optometrists, veterinaries, those with PhDs (me!), podiatrists, pharmacists (pharm Ds), physical therapists (PTDs), nurse practitioners (DPTs)...and most of all physicians, all insist on being called "doctor." Listen to my voice mail at work. I am as bad as anyone. Physicians are actually threatening lawsuits to retain the "doctor" title for themselves. Their argument is...calling others "doctor" might confuse people, and then they couldn't save lives. Forget that many are radiologists or pathologists or others who haven't practiced emergency procedures in years. Balderdash, my physician friends.

In the meantime there are our attorneys. They have a doctorate (Jurist Doctorate or JD) as well, but they don't mind being called Ms., Mr. or Mrs. Think what you will of them. I know there are a lot of lawyer jokes out there. But in my book, they do it right.

Now I need to change my voice mail...

A day late and dollar short

2010-06-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

I've always admired two companies, Apple and Google. They thrive on their creativeness. Yeah, they are copied, but then they move on to more innovations. I must be enamored by the amazing talent in those companies. Too bad!

A citing or two...

2010-05-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

Not really exciting, but my Blog has had a few citings (note the pun?) on the Internet here. An interesting one is here. I had posted a poem here (not about epicaricacy, but about nursing) that he cited. Interestingly, though he is from Australia, I had met him once at a conference. I am 100% certain that he didn't know that when he had cited by Blog.

It really is a small world.

What has happened?

2010-05-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

I am very lucky. I love to travel, and part of my job entails traveling, particularly to state capitols. I enjoy the history and the politics and touring the capitol buildings. They are all very different, and yet quite similar. They are stately and beautiful. Some are well guarded, others allow firearms. And so on.

However, one thing strikes me. They all have pictures and stories about our history and how people worked together to keep this great country intact. It wasn't easy. Think of the Civil War. But Lincoln's goal was to stay the United States. Yes, there has been discord, and particularly with the Civil War. But people were passionate about our country, and it was about how to make it better. People just didn't always have the same ideas about how make it better.

But now? It doesn't seem to be about how to make it better. It seems to be about how to win. For example, unless the senate has 60 members of one party, the other side will filibuster and hold up everything. Look at health care. This was our chance to get it right. We needed regional focus groups for consumer views. We needed committees with physicians, nurses, insurance executives, and lawyers about how to redesign this failing system. We needed to work together. We could have done something really amazing. But no. The Republicans and Democrats alike made it into a game...will the Democrats win? Will the Republicans win? I suspect the Republicans will do everything possible to see that this reform fails because they didn't win. What a bunch of self-centered babies.

When I looked at the photo of senators in the state capitol today, I saw what I often seen. Mostly men. I wonder. Would it be different if women ran our country?

Sense of justice

2010-05-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

I really like Julia Keller's book reviews. Yesterday she wrote about a best seller..."Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War." It's okay, she says, but nothing like the hype. She much prefers O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" or Schaeffer's "Buffalo Afternoon." The best writer advice, she says, comes from none other than Bruce Springsteen: "Keep an ear to the ground and an ear to your heart." When critiquing, listen to what the public likes, sure. But no one would simply want "best sellers" from critics. Listen to your heart. Keller listened to her heart on this one.

So what does this have to do with a sense of justice, you ask. At the end of her review, she quoted the British novelist, Joyce Cary: "Get rid of that sense of justice or you'll be a self-pitier all your life." I am not sure that I am a "self-pitier," but my sense of justice gets in the way much of the time. What I've never got is that others don't have it like I do. Fair is fair, to me, and generally (not always), to me, it's black and white. For example, punishment to criminals can be so disparate, often based on race or socioeconomic status. I suppose I should be quiet since I am on the right side of the status line, but I can't be. The injustice happens in all areas of life, though...from the workplace to referees for the Bulls (though I might be subjective about the latter). I must listen to Joyce Cary!

Lesbian or not, she's a good lady

2010-05-16T18:25:00.001-07:00

Here's the crux of this voice of the people in the Tribune today:

"When I was a second-year law student, my father died suddenly.

Obviously it was a great family tragedy.

My mother was a wreck, and I considered dropping out of school permanently so I could come home to Chicago to be with her.

Though then-Dean Kagan knew me only vaguely, she wrote my mom a handwritten letter of condolence in which she promised that she and the school would do everything possible to support our family during our hardship.

I was subsequently given a financial-aid scholarship and Harvard permitted me to earn some credits at Northwestern Law School so I could spend more time at home.

I am now a lawyer in Chicago, and I recently bumped into Kagan at a conference.

I thanked her profusely for what she and the school had done for my family.

As is her way, she immediately shrugged it off and asked how my mom was doing."

Voice of the People, May 16, 2010 - chicagotribune.com

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Over 50 and not married?

2010-05-14T20:41:00.001-07:00

I can be so naive sometimes. I hadn't heard of the kerfuffle about Kagen being a Lesbian. After all, the thinking apparently goes, she is 50 and not married. In the link below Mary Schmich makes fun of the accusations:

"If you are an unmarried woman over 40 carrying 15 extra pounds, you are totally gay.

If you are a stocky, unmarried woman of whatever age who plays softball — gay, gay, gay.

And if you're that woman who's also smarter than most of the boys? Beyond gay, sweetheart. You are scary."

These gossipy yahoos need to get a life. This lady was a law professor at one of the most prestigious law schools in the world...the U of Chicago...at a very young age (much like our current president). She was the first woman dean of Harvard Law School, again before age 50. What an accomplished lady. I wish the media, the conservatives, and the fools would get off her back.

By the way, so what if she were a Lesbian anyway?

Mary Schmich Elena Kagan gay stereotype - chicagotribune.com

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Do we really understand

2010-05-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

The Arizona immigration law has caused a lot of talk here. This article tells about a high school girls team from Highland Park where the district has cancelled a basketball tournament because of Arizona's new law targeting illegal immigration. Highland Park schools also incorporate Highwood, which has a significant number of Latinos.

People are mad about this. They are calling it hypocritical. However, they are Caucasians who have never experienced profiling. They don't get it. I will never forget my son's high school track coach. He was African-American, teaching in Winnetka. Every single day he had to carry his driver's license on his visor...for easy retrieval. The "North Shore" just doesn't have many African-Americans, and time after time he'd get picked up.

I can't imagine how it must feel, but I support District 113 in Highland Park for not choosing to travel to Arizona. I hope the baseball all-star team pulls out too. That law is a disgrace.

A Snazzola Blog

2010-05-10T20:24:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite made-up words is snazzola. It is snazzy with a bit of an attitude. That's what I want. A snazzola blog would be so excellent that thousands (millions?) would follow it every day. How does one do it? Language Log, for example, works very, very hard at it. But many of my friends work so hard, too, and do magnificent work. What's the difference? A little bit of luck, I think. Look at that little Justin Bieber. Now he doesn't deserve it!

First of all, I can't just write about epicaricacy (which I've just added to my online dictionary to get rid of that wavy red line!). I will continue to touch upon it, from time to time. But I am not going to talk about it every, single day.

Now onto other subjects. Wish me luck in making this a snazzola Blog!

We must never forget...

2010-05-01T20:12:00.000-07:00

I like blogs because you can post almost anything you want without worries about others' responses as you are on discussion boards. Oh, of course you may get comments, but who cares. Only you are annoyed if they're rude or negative. However, as those of us who post on discussion boards well know, you cause a quite a ruckus, of the entire membership, at the drop of a hat.

Here is a link to a memory book about the Holocaust. It made a strong impression on me, and I think it will you too.

Katha hits a homer

2010-04-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

The Catholic church has been in the news these days, and as a non-Catholic I really have no dog in the fight, as one of my colleagues says. Still, I found Katha Pollitt's article right on, particularly this:

"Most Catholics take a flexible view of the church's teachings on sexuality. They use birth control — how else could Italy, Spain and Poland have among the lowest birthrates in the world? They divorce and remarry, use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, undergo in vitro and other banned fertility treatments and even have abortions. Yet there were the bishops, holding the whole health care reform bill hostage to their opposition to abortion rights, advising on the crafting of language right in the halls of Congress."

Or this:

"The difference is, when other professionals who work with children are caught out, justice takes its course. People are fired. Licenses are lost. Reputations are ruined. Sometimes jail is involved. No human institution is perfect, and it would be foolish to suggest that incidents are always investigated and that abusers who don't happen to be priests are never protected by colleagues or superiors. Still, it's probably safe to say that if a principal was accused of overlooking a child molester in his classrooms or recycling him to other schools, nobody would compare his suffering to Christ's."

And this:

"The church has yet to learn that lesson. There is a positively Nixonian smarmy truculence in the response of church hierarchs to the ongoing scandal, which now involves Pope Benedict XVI."

Maybe there's another side to the story, but I can't see it.

April Fool's

2010-04-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

I am in the dog house because of an April Fool's Day joke (literally and figuratively...since my joke was about a dog). I just meant it as a joke, but it wasn't taken that way.

So I was in Wichita for a conference the last couple of days, and their daily newspaper has, on the front page, a prayer for the day. Here was today's

God, on this crazy day of pranks we thank you for the gifts of humor and friendship. Help those who take life too seriously to lighten up and have a laugh. Amen.

Hmmm...

Political ire could turn into epicaricacy

2010-03-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

I'm not "blogged out," so to speak. I've just been massively busy at work...12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Ugh.

One epicaricacy question came up recently. As my daughter was emailing or texting or something, she asked me what the verb form of "epicaricacy" was. First of all, I was pleased that she asked about "epicaricacy" and not "Schadenfreude." But second of all, she raised a question I have been thinking about for awhile. There certainly isn't a verb form of either word, and there isn't an adjective form either. The verb form wouldn't come up that easily, but I'd think the adjective form would. For instance, right now I am feeling epicaricatic about the Republicans.

What an appropriate lead-in to what I really want to write about. Let's face it, even though my Google Alerts tell me about uses of "epicaricacy" every day, I simply can't write about that word every day. So here goes my political rant:

Conservatives, do you remember when the Supreme Court decided who our next president would be, rather than the voters? Yes, we Democrats were bummed. We thought the constitution was clear on how presidents are supposed to be elected, but apparently that's not the case, particularly now that even our Supreme Court has become political. Our reaction? To write about how we disagreed on that ridiculous decision. That's all. There were no comments like, "Don't retreat, instead - RELOAD!" or defacing our flag (isn't there a law against that?). Ah, no, we just debated the issue. Yet, the conservatives criticized us for being childish and not simply abiding by the decision. Amazingly, they criticized us for being unpatriotic. Funny, I don't see any criticism like that now by the conservatives. Nope. They all seem to be in support of this riotous, divisive and violent behavior.

To be honest, I wish the Democrats would stand up and fight back more. You deface the flag? Charge them! You make threats? Charge them! Throw the book at these violent, unpatriotic yahoos. We always knew the right extremists were like this, but they've never given us this kind of ammunition.

So how does epicaricacy relate? Maybe more than you'd think. Read Clarence page's analysis. Surely, the far right extremists (the Rush Limbaughs of the world) are a lost cause. I wish they'd just find their own country somewhere because they obviously don't understand ours. But they won't because they have it too good here...and of course they all have their health care so what do they care about the uninsured? However, as Page says, this may backfire on the conservatives. They may lose any moderates they've had and they may be worse off in November. They think they'll gain a lot, but how can reasonable people agree with the violence they are inciting...to which Sarah Palin replies, "We're not inciting violence. Don't get sucked into the lamestream media lies." Now, that's mature. "Lamestream"? She has resorted to making up words because she doesn't have a wide enough vocabulary? Oy vey.

I worry about our country right now. I worry about the welfare of our president and our congressmen. Yet, I was assured recently when I saw the results of a poll. Unlike the conservative messages we're hearing, a good 50% of the public approve the health care bill that was passed. In the end, we have to depend on the character of the American people, and I have faith in my fellow Americans. Not all of them, but the majority of them. Step up, people, and speak out...no matter whom you voted for. This is just wrong. Let them know it. Call the radio stations. Write your newspapers.

A Touch of Irish

2010-03-13T18:17:00.000-08:00

This poem was sent to me, wishing me a Happy St. Patrick's Day. Indeed, in Chicago they color the Chicago River green in honor of all the Irish who live in Chicago.

May you always have work for your hands to do,
May your pockets hold always a coin or two,
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane,
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain,
May the hand of a friend always be near you,
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. May songbirds serenade you every step along the way. May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue. And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.

May the sun shine all day long, everything go right and nothing wrong. May those you love bring love back to you, and may all the wishes you wish come true.

May the friendships you make be those which endure and all of your Grey clouds be small ones for sure. And trusting in Him to Whom we all pray, may a song fill your heart every step of the way.

Wherever you go and whatever you do, May the luck of the Irish be there with you.

A poem that says it all

2010-03-12T14:51:00.000-08:00

Part of my work is developing an evidence-based, standardized model to transition new nurses to practice. I recently came across this poem, written by a nurse, that provides support for my work:

The Dance

~ Linda Harrington, RNC

I am a new grad.

Fear and anxiety are my constant companions.

I am often on the brink of tears: my feelings of inadequacy are

overwhelming at times.

I am positive that I learned nothing in nursing school.

I am filled with doubt.

The nurses around me are moving to music I cannot hear.

Gracefully and efficiently they complete their tasks

I watch this ballet of competency fearing I will never learn to dance.

For now, I will mimic the steps as best I can.

Time passes…

A metamorphosis occurs.

Experience dispels the uncertainty I once felt.

I realize it was not expected that I feel comfortable.

A novice never does.

Mentors emerge; acting as choreographers, they demonstrate the

Intricacies of the dance.

They insist on perfection and practice.

They move aside when they are sure I’ve learned the steps.

Toyota and epicaricacy

2010-02-25T19:10:00.001-08:00

When we bought our Honda Accord, we also had looked at Camrys. Indeed, I liked them better. At the time, the Consumer Reports ratings were better, and I fell in love with the test drive. The car was so smooth and quiet that I felt like I was in a Mercedes. However, we chose the Accord, mostly for price. We spent our money on our kids' educations, and not on cars.

How a few years has changed things. I just saw the Congressional meeting yesterday with Mr. Toyoda. I felt a little sorry for him. He was grilled 9 ways from Sunday (a phrase that nobody knows the origin of), and he remained polite and modest. When a supportive Congressman (I've read that many Congressmen have had political contributions from Toyota) asked Toyoda if he thought Congress was treating him differently from how they would treat American auto makers, he said, "No"...twice. The guy asked him again, in a different way.

Anywho...how does this all relate to epicaricacy? My trusty Google Alerts found this article. Of course, it was a Prius Web site talking about the recent Honda recall, but whatever. Loved this comment from one of their posters: "With the American short attention span, people will soon forget about the Toyota recalls." Sorry or not for Toyoda, I know I'll never buy a Toyota now or in the future.

Snarky

2010-02-20T20:33:00.000-08:00

The beauty of a Blog is you can make a mistake and not have snarky responses. Lately I've been feeling a bit "followed after" on my favorite forum. Yes, I suppose it was quite rude of me to mention epicaricacy in the same breath as with the plane plunging into the IRS building. But those with even the tiniest sense of humor might see how it could relate to epicaricacy. Of course it was a heinous/atrocious/vicious/hateful/evil/horrendous action that caused death and much sorrow. Of course. Not denying that.

Ah, but here it's so free. Heck, I can even say "Oy vey" and not feel guilty. I think I'd like just a free flowing Blog, too, as having a subject can make this one difficult.

One thing, though, I've wondered lately about both epicaricacy and Schadenfreude is that an adjective really is needed. They seem to be words you use to describe how people feel.

A Scourge

2010-02-12T20:35:00.000-08:00

Well, I've just gotten through an Internet scourge on my Blog. Think about it. Even 2 years ago would there have been some Internet outlaws out there using the word epicaricacy? I don't think so. At least I survived.

I found Erin McKean's site discusses epicaricacy, and she is a bigwig in words and language. Yet, the same kind of Internet plagiarism that appears elsewhere also appears on her Wordnik Blog. Pavonine clearly copied my post from a year and a half earlier on the same site (scroll to the bottom). Oh well.

Irish Times

2010-01-13T20:58:00.000-08:00

What is it about the Irish Times? I am getting all sorts of Google alerts about its use of epicaricacy. It's here and here. Then there's this stupid tweet from Ireland where the yahoo thinks he's the only one who knows the word. Hasn't he read Wordcraft or my Blog? Geez!

Anyway, the Irish seem to be the kings of epicaricacy, at least judging from my Google alerts. Perhaps that's why John Simpson refuses to put it in the OED.

And it keeps coming...

2010-01-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

The Irish Times and the Spectator both have figured out that there is an English equivalent to Schadenfreude. From their lips to John Simpson's ears.

I remember that the originator of OEDILF once told me that epicaricacy will be put in the OED soon. He is probably right because I am getting more Google alerts than ever before. It's daily now, and it used to be once or twice a month. I hope they get to the "e"s soon on OEDILF because yours truly will write the first on epicaricacy.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T19:35:00.000-08:00

I know; it's hardly creative or innovative...but happy new year, everyone! May 2010 be healthy and happy, even if Mr. Simpson doesn't put epicaricacy in the OED this year.

Google Alerts

2009-12-31T21:37:00.000-08:00

Here's what I don't get: I have "epicaricacy" on my Google Alerts, just in case something interesting pops up. Often, though, when I am sent links I can't find the word. This is an example. It is particularly intriguing because on the Google Alert it says, "Greek Etymologies - Friends of Epicaricacy: Is it really" so it could mention this Blog. But I can't even find the word "epicaricacy" anywhere.

What is it?

2009-12-19T20:20:00.000-08:00

Oh my God. My Wordcraft friends will chuckle at this one. My daughter and I were watching "Crazy Christmas lights" tonight and were amused by the work people go to in order to produce total dreck. One man (who admitted he is obsessive compulsive) puts up more than 700,000 lights. Talk about gaudy, tacky, and ostentatious! Then the announcer called it "art." My daughter said, "What is art anyway?" Oy vey. I had to laugh...hard!

[For non-Wordcrafters, this has been a contentious discussion on our board and we really can't bring it up any more. 'Tis a pity.]

Is it really a word?

2009-12-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

I had a discussion with a disbeliever (in "epicaricacy") recently and ever since I have been wondering whether it really is an English word. Remember, it has a Greek etymology, and the first (and one of the only) citation in a dictionary is using some of the Greek letters. How then is it any different from "Schadenfreude," which is, to me, a German word. Further, how often is "epicaricacy" used as a word in English...really? It is used, but only to define it, call it a word or used in arrogance (e.g. "Ha! ha! you don't know the word!")

Now, in support of the word, it is becoming more widely known. I have been getting many more Google alerts these days...like this one and this one. In each of them, you have to scroll down to the comments.

While the writers do use the word, as you can see, it's merely in lexacographical manner. So...I am myself beginning to think the OED might be right to not include it.

Here is one of the comments:

I have a fondness for the word "schadenfreude", and the supposedly english version of the word..."epicaricacy".

I have had them posted on my wall for 3 or more years, and have only heard the word "epicaricacy" used once. "Schadenfreude" was the explanation when I looked up "epicaricacy".

And here is the other:

Dude, I just did a whole post on "Schaudenfreude" a couple of weeks ago. Of course, I spelled Schaudenfreude wrong and completely botched the context, but I hardly am ever hard on myself for misspelling things in German. The english equivalent is "epicaricacy." I learned that from one of my smart readers. I was as surprised as anyone when I found out I had one.

alphadictionary

2009-12-11T20:45:00.000-08:00

That Google Alert feature is invaluable to Blogs like mine. Today I found alphadictionary via Google Alert, and the illustrious Tsuwm, from the Worthless Word of the Day, posted this:

"this word, as defined in Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of
Unusual... Words, has caused a lot of discussion
in the past on a couple of forums that discuss these
sorts of things. where in the world did she find
this English word for a concept that isn't supposed
to have a word in English (schadenfreude being German
in origin)? this question has yet to be answered in
full, but I can quote you this from Nathan Bailey's
An Universal Etymological English Dictionary, which
is a very olde dictionary indeed (1721):

Epicharikaky - from the Greek words or roots for 'upon', 'joy', and 'evil': 'A Joy at the Misfortunes of others'."

I am sure one of the forums he was referring to was my beloved Wordcraft.

Lotsa epicaricacies

2009-12-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

Well, today may be my lucky day...or my unlucky day...depending on how you look at it. I received from Google Alerts a bunch of epicaricacy Web alerts. The first one, however, is from my least favorite site in the whole world. I'll be the bigger person and post a link to it: "Schadenfreude, as everyone knows, describes the pleasure some derive from another's personal misfortune. Is there a word to describe the possibly more common feeling of resentment at another's success?" Funny thing is, I asked a similar question on this Blog recently. Down further in the thread someone mentions epicaricacy: "then there's the other complement of epicaricacy..macarism (rare) taking pleasure from another's happiness."

Then there's this little mention of it in: Epicaricacy does not own glee.

The next is from a Blog; comment #1: "I must admit I've picked up on epicaricacy and keep trying to use it. This is probably more showing off than anything else."

The next was here, but I have no idea what to do with it.

Here's another Blog comment [Were I so lucky!]: "THAT’S what makes the Schadenfreuders rub their hands with glee and delight. And the English equivalent of this word is epicaricacy."

And, lastly, here's one: "If you feel particularly pretentious, or if you're talking to Frasier, use the term 'epicaricacy' instead of lulz."

Yeah, yeah. The top one is the best. Ugh.

Thanks

2009-11-27T20:12:00.000-08:00

Mary Schmich wrote about a Zen parable:

A wealthy merchant heard about a school that needed larger quarters, so he went to see the schoolteacher. He offered the teacher a sack of gold. The teacher said he'd take it.

The wealthy man was dissatisfied with the teacher's response. His sack contained a lot of gold, he said. A person could live for a whole year on a fraction of this sum. Even for a rich person, such a large gift was a big deal.

The teacher heard the hint. "Do you want me to thank you for it?" he asked.

"You ought to," said his benefactor.

"Why should I?" asked the teacher. "The giver should be thankful."

It made me think. Recently I had sent someone a gift because his wife had been in an accident. I was surprised that they didn't even acknowledge receipt of the gift...with a 30 second email or something. After reading Schmich's column, I suppose I should be thankful because I was the giver and giving makes me happy.

In real life, though, a simple thank you is not out of line (from the receiver, of course!). I am not talking about thank you note, but a quick email, phone call or even text message should be expected. After all, when you send something, you are not even sure the person received it. When I was in South Africa in June, I sent someone something as a gift and still don't know if she received it. I'd feel rude asking, so I've let it go.

I'm wondering if these people who don't send their thanks are remembering the parable...or if they're just lazy.

Sarcasm backfired

2009-11-21T19:01:00.000-08:00

One of the things I hate about Jonah Goldberg is that I fear that he might be Jewish, and that would be so embarrassing for the rest of us.

Jonah is an extreme conservative. If anything is proposed by even a moderate Republican, he's against it. One can only imagine his hatred for Obama. In his recent column he said, "Sarah Palin is neither savior (that job has been taken by the current president, or didn't you know?) nor is she satanic."

But one thing that he does, and I am sure it happens on both sides of the aisle, is ridicule sarcasm...with his own sarcasm. It strikes me as not only being anti-intellectual, but also disingenuous. For example, he says, "Other readers pounced like wolf-size Dobermans on an intruder. One guffawed, 'That sentence by Sarah Palin could be entered into the annual Bulwer-Lytton bad writing contest. It could have a chance at winning a (sic) honorable mention, at any rate.'" "Wolf-size Dobermans?" "Annual Bulwer-lytton bad writing contest?" And yet, what about his "sic?" Gotcha!

And then, of course the "horrible" sentence was written by Obama. Wasn't that convenient for his point?

Then there's: "My all-time favorite response to John McCain's selection of Palin as his running mate was from Wendy Doniger, a feminist professor of religion at the University of Chicago. Doniger wrote of the exceedingly feminine 'hockey mom' with five children: 'Her greatest hypocrisy is in her pretense that she is a woman.' The best part about that sentence: Doniger uses the pronoun 'her' -- twice." Now, that's telling her! (And I only used it once!)

He then complains about the "one-birther conspiracy theory," about Palin's youngest child. Yes, it's vicious, I agree. But then what about the birthing conspiracy out there about Obama? You see, what goes around comes around.

Why can't we just argue with facts? Why all the inuendoes and sarcasm. Just speak the truth, Goldberg.

An opposite word?

2009-11-14T18:51:00.000-08:00

There has been a murder case in the Chicago area where a prosecutor got up in court, during his closing argument, and arrogantly claimed, " "We got it right! We got it right, Brian! You raped and killed Jeanine Nicarico!" What a jerk. The fact is that more than 20 years ago he prosecuted 2 other men, put them on death row, hiding evidence to do so. It took many good people, including the journalism school at Northwestern University, to put the puzzle together and finally free the wrongly accused men. The prosecutor, Joe Birkett, wouldn't even believe DNA evidence! Now, that the real murderer and rapist has come forward, admitted his guilt, and this is corroborated by DNA evidence and other facts (including 2 witnesses), Mr. Birkett unbelievably stands up in court and takes the credit.

As I thought about all of this, I realized that I am taking misery in his joy. Is there a word that means the opposite of epicaricacy or Schadenfreude?

Back to epicaricacy

2009-11-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

Well, I should get back to the subject of this blog. I do like blogs, though, because I can say what I want without worrying about irritating others, as sometimes happens on Wordcraft. I suppose if I had more readers, I'd have more to worry about!

Tonight I checked the word epicaricacy. First, I am happy to say that my blog is on the first page when you Google the word. Secondly, I had posted on April 8, 2008, that there were 6,230 hits for epicaricacy. Today there are 42,000 results. I wonder if my blog had anything to do with that increase. Hope so!

P.S.

2009-11-08T20:52:00.000-08:00

Ah...more on health care. I have been at a meeting in Orlando and always enjoy reading the local papers. Here is what one reader of the Orlando Sentinel had to say, and I couldn't agree with him more:

"Jesus said such left-wing liberal things as 'turn the other cheek,' 'love your enemies,' 'blessed are the poor and downtrodden,' 'the meek shall inherit the Earth,' 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you,' etc.

I, therefore, find it rather ironic and somewhat hypocritical that so many people who consider themselves ardent Christians have no problem at all with the trillions of dollars that have been spent and the many tens of thousands of lives that have been lost due to our unjustified invasion of Iraq. They have nothing but contempt for President Obama's trying to reach out to other nations, and they have a fit at the thought of their tax dollars being spent to help the poor and downtrodden obtain needed medical help."

Amen. Plus, isn't it believable with this huge health care bill, worth a trillion dollars, that one part became such a point of discussion: people might get abortions with federal funds. Those religious fanatics who meet with legislators and become politically active moving forward their religious agendas absolutely have a right to do so. However, I think a good argument needs to be made that when they do that, there no longer is a separation of church and state, a principle upon which our government is based. Therefore, they absolutely need to be paying property taxes. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Health Care

2009-11-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

This is a blog about words, and particularly one of my favorite one. However, it's time to step back for awhile (and I have been doing that much too much recently on my blog...because of my travels), take a deep breath, and say "whew!" The House passed a health care bill. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. But I am glad that we've got something. Had it been my way, we would have convened a group of legislators, doctors, nurses, allied health care workers, consumers, insurers, business people, innovators, etc., and created something transformative, and that didn't happen. You know that simply because the AMA supported it. However, it's done, and let's go from here. It's a beginning, and surely it's better than the way things are. Way to go!

Now for the senate...

Cops

2009-10-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

I am driving a l-o-n-g w-a-y (Chicago to Phoenix) with my daughter and father, so we have the sky to talk about. As my dad and daughter were talking about some episodes of Cops, I was thinking those shows about people being arrested or getting traffic tickets are forms of epicaricacy, or for the Germans, Schadenfreude. Why would people watch those shows if they didn't enjoy them? They are getting enjoyment out of others' misfortunes. How sad.

Schadenfreude isn't understood?

2009-10-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

Rick Morrissey writes on the Sports pages of the Tribune and today wrote about 2 football players who were traded to other teams and now are doing well. He said, "Going into the season, the situation was ripe for schadenfreude - the enjoyment of other people's misfortune - but Orton and Favre have gone and spoiled it by succeeding." First of all, you have to explain its definition??? I can see it for epicaricacy, but not for Schadenfreude. Secondly, is there a word for when you expect to enjoy others' misfortune, but it's foiled? There should be! We've all felt it (or most of us). Some arrogant jerk is about to lose at something...and you're ready to be so happy...then BAM! He wins! Ugh! [I've also been using "ugh" a lot lately!]

Limericks and Poetry

2009-10-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

Oh why do those lim'ricks affect me?
They bullyrag, plague and dissect me.
When writing for fun,
I can't be outdone!
Oh please don't you say they reflect me!

Oh, well.

Here's a nice link from WC on a poem, "The Death of a Toad." The author's description of why he wrote it, and what was on his mind, is really elucidating. I like the poem much better now. Here it is:

The Death of a Toad
Richard Wilbur

A toad the power mower caught,
Chewed and clipped of a leg, with a hobbling hop has got
To the garden verge, and sanctuaried him
Under the cineraria leaves, in the shade
Of the ashen and heartshaped leaves, in a dim,
Low, and a final glade.

The rare original heartsbleed goes,
Spends in the earthen hide, in the folds and wizenings, flows
In the gutters of the banked and staring eyes. He lies
As still as if he would return to stone,
And soundlessly attending, dies
Toward some deep monotone,

Toward misted and ebullient seas
And cooling shores, toward lost Amphibia's emperies.
Day dwindles, drowning and at length is gone
In the wide and antique eyes, which still appear
To watch, across the castrate lawn,
The haggard daylight steer.

Internet Anonymity

2009-10-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

There has been a case in Illinois about a local (very local!) politician who was involved in a particularly vicious campaign. In the heat of the moment, someone posted a "deeply disturbing" comment about this politician's 15-year-old son. The culprit (the court described the poster as "he") has remained anonymous and is sending his attorney to the courts. So far the judge knows the identity of the poster, and on November 9th will decide whether to give it to the complainant.

Clearly I don't support that kind of thing, nor do I support or even care about the poster. However, should people be able to be anonymous on the Internet? I think so. Yes, there are kooks. We all know that. So, who cares? One can choose to, or not to, read those kinds of discussion boards. Besides, there are idiots everywhere...in every walk of life. You show me a discipline or occupation where jerks don't exist. I have always said there are fairly equal percentages of miscreants in every walk of life. Lawyers are not more crooked than nurses, for example. Nor are teachers any more or less trustworthy than car salespeople. And so on. We're all created equal when it comes to professions and jobs.

The problem with people identifying themselves online is that the kooks can take advantage of them. They can find out contact information and harrass...or stalk...or worse. That would limit the good (but scared) people from participating on good discussion boards or Web sites. For example, it would compromise our Wordcraft, OEDILF, and other good online sites.

Yet, I think, eventually, there will be no anonymity on the Internet, and then things will change. A lot, I fear. Why is it that the few ruin it for the rest of us?

Presidential Derangement Syndrome

2009-10-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

Eric Zorn is becoming one of my favorite columnists. He used to be a light-weight in the Tribune, posting about things like where to buy the best sno-cones. However, he has been promoted to the Op Ed page of the Tribune, and always writes an interesting, factual, and thoughtful column. In today's column he was wrote about "Presidential Derangement Syndrome."

In 2003 one of my least favorite columnists, Charles Krauthammer, wrote about "Bush Derangement Syndrome." The problem with Krauthhammer is that he has conservative blinders on. Whatever Bush did was wonderful, and whatever Obama does is awful. Never mind if they each do the same thing; Bush is right, and Obama is wrong. Talk about knee jerk...

Zorn says he first found the phrase "Presidential Derangement Syndrome" in 2005. I suspect it was coined well before that time, but with 165,000 Google hits, I am not about to go through each one. The Obama Derangement Syndrome was first mentioned by PoliGazette.com Managing Editor, Jason Arvak, in June of 2008.

So what is it? Krauthhammer defined Bush Derangement Syndrome as "the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency -- nay -- the very existence of George W. Bush." One can extrapolate from there the general definition and the Obama definition.

Surely one can see the Republicans now doing just what they had accused the Democrats of. When Bush was president, the Republicans complained that the Democrats weren't "patriotic." Ahhh, it's different now, though. Suddenly all over the place they're criticizing Obama, saying he shouldn't have won the Nobel Peace Prize and that he doesn't have a legitimate birth certificate, etc.

I am not letting the Dems off the hook. They also ranted against war, ranted against nominees, just because the Republicans were supportive. Come on, people. We have to change our political nature in the U.S. or all will be lost. When one side gets it right, support it. When they don't, collaborate with them to make things better. The way we're going, we'll only have bickering and nothing will improve.

Epicaricacy and the Chicago Olympics

2009-10-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

Well, as I suspected, Chicago is settling down and accepting the IOC decision. Of course there have been a lot of articles about it in our newspapers, from being really angry to saying it's for the best. I like Mary Schmich, but sometimes she can be a little too schmaltzy, as I thought she was about the Olympics. Generally, Chicago is miffed, but moving on.

Still, there are those who didn't want the Olympics. They are pretending to feel bad for us who did want them. However, I suspect what they really are feeling is epicaricacy. I told my daughter that today (and she was an anti-Olympics person), and she said, "I hate it when you use words like that!" Funny!

It's a sad day in Chicago

2009-10-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

Chicagoans are so disappointed about not only being eliminated from the 2016 Olympics, but being eliminated first. I'd not feel as bad if I thought the decision had been based on Chicago not being able to deliver. However, all evidence seems to indicate it was a political decision, partly because Europe has so many more people on the Olympics Committee than other areas in the world; indeed close to half are from Europe! Further, there have been reports that a "deal" was made between Rio and Madrid voters. Perhaps. Makes sense. Moreover, there are indications that Chicago wasn't supported because the American delegation isn't "liked" (sounds a bit sophomoric, doesn't it?). Another problem seemed to be the extended security that Obama needed, and the "brevity" of his appearance. [Puleeze! There are more important things in this world. Just ask the family of a dying child.]

This is an interesting take on the Olympics. I am not that jaded, but then again I don't know that I'll ever watch the Olympics again.

But we Chicagoans are resilient. We know bad weather, political corruption, lousy sports teams, horrible traffic, etc., and yet we smile and go on with our days, always trying to make things better. That is surely more important than some bid for the Olympics.

Epicaricacy in the news

2009-09-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

Well, finally my Google Alerts paid off. Not only did I receive an alert for "epicaricacy," but it was in the sporting news! Let's face it, that has to convince John Simpson that it is becoming a mainstream word:

"Onward to October and the Terrible Ten, let the warm glow of epicaricacy fill your football mind.

Lets do the schadenfreude swing!"

g'mar chatimah tovah

2009-09-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

Yom Kippur is the holiest of holidays for Jews. Please read this post I wrote about it on Wordcraft.

Reflection

2009-09-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

We had a speaker this morning who spoke on "reflection." She went into the etymology, from its Latin roots "reflexio," and said that it comes from a word meaning "bending back" or "a wave motion or energy." She then cited some authors who have written about reflection, including Dewey, Shon, Johns and Socrates. At the end the speaker tearfully reflected upon her own mother's teachings at age 2:

Arrive with a flare
"Can't" doesn't exist
Take a fried along (not misspelled)
Ask for a push
Swing higher
Reach for the clouds
Feel the music
Use your imagination
Laugh/play/learn

Nice advice. But..."tearfully?" Therein lies my problem in nursing. Too many women. Would a major player (man) in medicine or law or business give an address to over 1,000 attendees tearfully? I think not. In reflecting, I think that nursing is where it is because it is run by women. Every so often I say it outloud to my colleagues, and I get grief. But would legislators ask men to lower the standards of their faculty? They do it all the time to nurses. In Florida, for example, the legislators took the Board of Nursing out of regulating nursing education, and the legislators (mostly men and certainly non-nurses) are regulating nursing programs. Do you know what their required faculty qualifications are? 50% need a master's in nursing. That's it. What about the other 50%, you ask? There are no qualifications for them! So, in a Florida nursing program, you could have a faculty member who also flipped hamburgers. What is nursing doing about it? Absolutely nothing. Why? I think it's because we are women. Let me ask you: What if this were medicine? Or if it were a profession that has a larger percentage of men?

I am sorry to be disparaging to my own gender, but we must learn to step up to the plate, like men have. It is embarrassing sometimes.

By the way, do not get sick in Florida!

Computer Savvy

2009-09-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

One of my first posts on Wordcraft was about not being "computer savvy", and while I have improved since 2002, I still can have my challenges with computer settings or other technical computer questions. And, yet, I am fairly active on Web sites, from Wordcraft to my LinkedIn to Facebook, and I have a Twitter account where, while I rarely use it, I do tweat every so often. I am at a conference with educators, and I can see that I am way ahead of many of them...even some of the so-called experts. So maybe I am computer savvy. Or does that mean something more technical, while my knowledge is in informatics? I was in two sessions today that discussed informatics, and clearly there is a misunderstanding of that word. Some, indeed, think it is using sites like Ning or Delicious or Connotea or Second Life. Others see informatics, at least in health care, as using electronic medical records (EMRs) or other medical databases.

The dictionary defines informatics as: "the study of information processing; computer science." And yet the Institute of Medicine (IOM), which is calling for the integration of informatics in the curricula of all health care students, defines it as: "Communicate, manage knowledge, and support decision making using information technology." That's a lot different from pure "computer science." Clearly with those disparate definitions, one can see why educators are confused about integrating informatics into their curricula.

Scintillating Discussions

2009-09-21T20:39:00.000-07:00

It's interesting how people's feelings sometimes get in the way of having an excellent discussion. This article , by a very conservative columnist, addressed the ongoing Wordcraft question of "what is art." We don't seem to be able to delve into it because feelings get in the way. However, here there are no discussants, so I can reflect for a moment. George Will, in the article cited, says:

Under the last Democratic administration, the NEA said art is ... almost everything. The NEA democratically decreed that "art includes the expressive behaviors of ordinary people," including "dinner-table arrangements." The head of the National Endowment for the Humanities believed, "Today the lives of ordinary American people have assumed a place beside volumes of European classics in the humanities."

According to some, art is in the eyes of the beholder. I surely can see how a floral arrangement could be considered art. It is art to me. Art is present in "ordinary" life. Yet, there is a difference from the gorgeous deep purple gladiola arrangement in my family room, and a Monet. I think the question isn't what is art, but instead the relative significance (?) of art (fair, good, etc.). Yet, that's all subjective, too. Some don't even like Monet, for example.

Here is my favorite. I so love the National Gallery of Art, and I haven't been there for a few years now.

Finally...epicaricacy in the news

2009-09-19T20:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I've dithered a lot about many different subjects, mostly because there is nothing new on epicaricacy. Indeed, I was about to post tonight that I have begun to question the veracity of the word. Yes, it is cited on Google, but too often only in dictionaries or in comments like, "Did you know that epicaricacy is the English word for Schadenfreude?"

However, I was given a reprieve tonight. Vandit's Web-zine has this post. The incident was a good example (though the writing was a bit stilted), and the author reminded me of the biblical quote about epicaricacy.

An insight into racism

2009-09-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

All the hullabaloo these days about Obama has made me speculate if it's racist. One doesn't want to jump to conclusions, but I've been wondering. However, the recent joewilsoning during Obama's speech clinched it for me. Today, Clarence Page wrote about racism with Obama. This struck a chord with me:

"For example, my column-writing colleague Maureen Dowd of The New York Times arched many eyebrows with this bit of mind-reading after Rep. Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, rudely blurted out "You lie!" during Obama's health-care address to Congress: "Wilson clearly did not like being lectured and even rebuked by the brainy black president presiding over the majestic chamber. ... Wilson's shocking disrespect for the office of the president -- no Democrat ever shouted "liar" at W. when he was hawking a fake case for war in Iraq -- convinced me: Some people just can't believe a black man is president and will never accept it."

My response: Welcome to my world. Judging by the polls, about 15 percent or so of the country was in shock and even ran to gun shops to stock up, according to news reports, when they heard Obama won the presidential race. Some of them naturally show up at protests like the 9/12 march and buy "I'm with Joe Wilson" T-shirts. I just hope Wilson's new fans are still happy when they have to go dig up their birth certificates and prove their citizenship just to get some health care."

"Welcome to my world," he says. White people are shocked, but Black people get it. I know what he means. I was Christian before I married my husband when I converted to Judaism. Before that, I never much thought about anti-Semitism, and when people complained of it, I thought they were being paranoid. But...welcome to my world now. I see it all the time. Our highest holidays are coming up, Rosh Hoshanah and Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, particularly, is like Christmas to the Christians. Now, I get it that you might have to take a precious "vacation day" for the holiday because otherwise you are opening up all religious holidays to everyone. But I do sometimes wonder why people don't need "vacation days" at Christmas time. Many workplaces give both Christmas and Christmas eve off. However, what really aggravates me is that often major meetings or other workplace events are planned for Yom Kippur. I remember once a major conference starting on Passover. Can you imagine it starting on Easter? I suspect the Christians just don't get it. But is that an excuse? Similarly, it's no excuse for what's happening now to our presidency.

Once again we have political epicaricacy

2009-09-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

Oh, those Republicans are loving it now. Obama can't even get the Democrats on board with healthcare change, much less the Republicans. "If the USPS can't deliver the mail, how can we expect the government to be in charge of healthcare?" Or "They're going to convene death panels to kill the sick, elderly and vulnerable." And so on. This is the epitome of epicaricacy.

Don Wycliff (who used to be on the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune) wrote an op ed today that says it all. My feelings completely. Those who don't trust the federal government to take part in healthcare are disingenuous, and most of them know it (though some of the dullards really don't understand, I think). Here is Don's article; he details all the areas in healthcare where the U.S. government is already involved. So...do you want to cut them all? Go ahead. Do it. You can't have it both ways, people; that's called having your cake and eating it too.

For the dullards who really don't get it, here are some of the federal programs that he specifies:

Eliminate Medicare
Eliminate Medicaid
Eliminate tax deductions for employer payments of health insurance
Eliminate all veteran healthcare
Eliminate all military hospitals; only treat those on the battlefield to stabilize them
Eliminate the Indian Health Service
Eliminate the office of the Surgeon General
Eliminate the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Eliminate the National Institutes of Health

Go for it, U.S. citizens. See where that gets you.

True friendship is abiding, not fleeting

2009-08-31T19:42:00.000-07:00

There was a wonderful story in the Chicago Tribune today about how poetry is pulling a former English teacher out of the depths of depression.

A clergyman's English teacher of many years ago had a stroke, and the reverend has been spending time reading poetry to him. In his sermon the pastor told his congregants: "True friendship is abiding, not fleeting; it is deep, not shallow. It includes giving of one's self to another and receiving what another has to give." The latter concept is particularly important. Sometimes we do quite well at giving, but not at receiving. Friendship is a two-way street.

The ex-student, who had been turned onto poetry by his teacher, is spending time reading Matthew Arnold, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Milton, Gerald Manley Hopkins, Robert Browning and Dylan to his former teacher. Indeed, "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" seemed particularly appropriate:

Do not go gentle into that
good night,
Old age should burn and
rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dy-
ing of the light.

Now the teacher is beginning to eat and even to communicate. What an amazing turnaround the reading of poetry has caused. I look below (in my Blog) at that post where a reader said nobody reads poetry anyway, and I really hope he read this amazing article.

And yet...

2009-08-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

I know people who always think they are right. Even if you prove them wrong on one thing, they will take the conversation in a different direction so that they won't have to admit they're wrong. I don't think I am like that, though sometimes we come across differently than we think.

Anyway, pertaining to yesterday's post, I think I came on too strong. Firstly, I don't know all the facts, and that can be dangerous. I particularly know very little about what happened in Switzerland. Secondly, did I look at both sides of the situation? I think not. When cooler heads prevail, we have more reasoned thinking. I still think that Scotland made a mistake. And yet, when I considered the other side written here, I saw his point. Leave it to Garrison Keillor to balance me. He says this about Scotland:

"Standing in stark contrast was the simple humane decision of the Scottish government to release the Libyan Abdel Baset al-Megrahi from prison on compassionate grounds, a man near death from prostate cancer, who was convicted in 2001 on the basis of thin circumstantial evidence and the testimony of a paid witness for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. A shaky conviction of a man for a crime that had to have involved many others who, it would seem, Britain and the U.S. have little interest in finding, what with Libyan oil in the balance. Al-Megrahi had 'patsy' written all over him. The Scots did the right thing. And caused a public uproar, and so what? Right is right."

He also says this about our sweet Brits:

"Justice is what makes a great city like London bustle and thrive, a polyglot metropolis full of minorities and escapees from authoritarian lands -- it isn't the excellent underground or the plays of Shakespeare so much as it is the expectation of justice. If you come here, this society will go to some length to do the right thing by you. You will not be snatched up and thrown in a hole and forgotten. If you're sick, you'll be cared for. Right is right."

Do I agree with him about what happened in Scotland? No. Yet, am I willing to listen? Absolutely.

What were they thinking?

2009-08-25T19:39:00.001-07:00

The following two columns make me ask, loudly, what were they thinking? Have we lost our way in this world? Where are our values? One begins to wonder what might have happened during WWII had these cowardly attitudes existed. I suspect we'd all be speaking German.

I can't say that I am proud of my Scottish ancestry.

When Hannibal met Heidi -- chicagotribune.com

and

Oil-for-terrorist? -- chicagotribune.com

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Healthy Debate

2009-08-20T20:26:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that in nursing we don't like debates. One always must come to "consensus." But what happens when there clearly are two sides? How do you come to consensus on that? I've wondered if it's because they are nurses...after all, in the scheme of health care nurses are not that high on the totem pole. Or is it women? About 92% of nurses in the U.S. are women. Or is it a combination?

Whatever it is, I think a well-argued, cogent debate with passion on both sides can be invigorating...exciting even! Yet, so often nurses (and others) think you are attacking them personally if you don't agree with them. What a shame.

To me, it is those with the highest intellect who will thrive on debates without feeling threatened. I truly admire those who present brilliant arguments. Further, those who passionately present their case, and listen to the other side...and then change their minds based on the data/facts are even more admirable. It doesn't happen much, but I've seen it. I suppose it all comes down to listening, when you think about it.

Massacre or battle?

2009-08-18T18:48:00.001-07:00

As you know, I love quotes. Unfortunately I lost the quote mentioned in an earlier post that I "couldn't wait" to use. It referred to transition to practice (an initiative I am working on), but I don't remember much else about it. I had written it in a notebook (therefore I didn't commit it to memory) that I have since lost. Darn!

The following is a great quote by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (link to article below). It refers to the landscape around him, which was a marshy area between Lake Michigan and the Des Plaines River: "This will be the gate of empire, this the seat of commerce. Everything invites to action." And he was right...it is now Chicago!

Massacre or battle? -- chicagotribune.com

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Google Scholar

2009-08-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

When I have to do some research but am not able to get to a medical library, I try Google Scholar. I am sure some academic snobs think it's too much of a short-cut, but I rather like it. It's also nice to see how many others have cited the piece of work you are reading. So, I looked up "epicaricacy" in Google Scholar tonight, and found it here and here. The latter is a research paper at Cleveland State University, and here is the quote (in a footnote):

"159 “Schadenfreude” is a German word, usually capitalized, signifying a malicious or perverse pleasure in the misfortune of others. 16 Oxford English Dictionary 611 (2d ed. 1989). It has been imported to English directly in its German form, as it is often said to have no true English equivalent. But see Peter Novobatzky & Ammon Shea, Insulting English 51 (2001) (defining “epicaricacy,” an English word of apparently similar mean-ing, but appearing in few modern dictionaries). In some of its earliest scholarly usage, Schadenfreude focused upon considerations of interpersonal relations. See generally Fritz Heider, The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations (1958); Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals 127 (Walter Kaufmann ed., Walter Kaufmann & R. J. Holl-ingdale trans., Vintage Books 1989) (1887). In more recent scholarly usage, it has moved beyond the interpersonal to the broader context of intergroup relations, particularly where there are feelings of scorn or superiority held by one group towards another, and for this reason, it has a particular piquancy in the context of some mainstream white atti-tudes held about poor, black Katrina victims. See Russell Spears & Colin Wayne Leach, In-tergroup Schadenfreude: Conditions and Consequences, in The Social Life of Emotions 336, 336–38 (Larissa Z. Tiedens & Colin Wayne Leach eds., 2004). Spears and Leach argue that Schadenfreude is an important aspect of group social identity because of the way that it implies both “psychological distance” from and “emotional divergence” between one..."

The former cite has this quote:
"When a theoretician conflates the axes of intentionality and rationality is ignored, it is expected for him or her to conflate malevolence (spite) with selfishness. To wit, the sociobiological [e.g., Wilson, 1975] and the economics literature [e.g., Hirshleifer, 1987; Levine, 1998] uses the terms “spite” and “selfishness” more-or-less interchangeably. In light of the TAE hypothesis, we should be able to distinguish them. Spite or malevolence is probably a more complex form of “schadenfreude” (from German) or “epicaricacy” (from Greek). Schadenfreude is probably the basic element of “class envy” or, what is called in Australasia slang, the “tall poppy syndrome” 43 [Feather & Nairn, 2005].12 Evil is probably the most extreme form of schadenfreude [Khalil, 2007d]. An evil act is defined as the “joy” experienced by the principal at the sight of the misery of others, when the principal need not have benefited from the act. In contrast, selfishness is an act that the spectator can understand because the intention is to enhance the wellbeing of current self, but when the optimal choice is to take care more of the interest of future self or of the interest of important other. As such, the spectator, or judge within, expresses unsympathy towards selfish actions—while still empathetic with them. This differs from the spectator’s expression of rejection towards schadenfreude—where the spectator cannot even understand (i.e., cannot empathize with) the principal’s action. Schadenfreude or, its more extreme forms, envy, spite, and malevolence are emotions/acts that the spectator find revolting."

I need to read more about the "tall poppy syndrome."

Time to get serious

2009-08-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

One of my readers keeps me on the up and up sometimes, and I'll probably hear from that person.

I am thinking of not writing limericks anymore if I don't win at least a mention in the WPSI. After all, I've been entering those lousy contests since 2004 for heaven's sake. I've seen some pretty mediocre ones getting mentioned. The Empress doesn't have perfect taste in limericks. So how about letting one teeny tinsy limerick of mine slip right by?

If I don't get a mention, I am thinking of pulling out of limerick writing altogether. There are still haiku and DDs, after all. Heck, Shu has been challenging me with "dipsomaniacal" which is a great DD word.

I hate to say "never" so I won't. But I really want a mention!!!!

What good is peanut butter?

2009-08-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

Someone commented on my Blog about the title of the entry "What good is poetry?" That title came from a rather funny family story. I was in church with my family one Sunday, a long time ago. Suddenly my younger brother looked up at my dad and, big as you please, asked in a rather loud voice that could be heard all over the church, "Daddy, what good is peanut butter?" It was out of the blue, and of course everyone started laughing. "What good is peanut butter?" has become a family phrase we use when we're don't know something and are trying to be funny. Try it sometime!

William Carlos Williams

2009-08-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

So I looked up Williams and I like his work. I particularly like this one:

First Praise

Lady of dusk-wood fastnesses,
Thou art my Lady.
I have known the crisp, splintering leaf-tread with thee on before,
White, slender through green saplings;
I have lain by thee on the brown forest floor
Beside thee, my Lady.

Lady of rivers strewn with stones,
Only thou art my Lady.
Where thousand the freshets are crowded like peasants to a fair;
Clear-skinned, wild from seclusion
They jostle white-armed down the tent-bordered thoroughfare
Praising my Lady.

What good is poetry?

2009-08-09T21:10:00.000-07:00

This question, from a reader, appeared in Parade Magazine today:

"Why are my tax dollars going to pay a poet laureate when nobody reads poetry?" (emphasis mine)

What??? Nobody reads poetry? Why is it that people generalize their preferences to others? I bet, being from Nebraska, he thinks everyone loves a good beef steak. I sure don't.

Here was Parade's answer, which I thought was far too kind to him:

"'It is difficult
to get the news from poems
yet men die miserably every day
for lack
of what is found there'

wrote the great American poet William Carlos Williams. (We hope you'll look him up!) While it's true that not many people read poetry, they'd probably get a lot out of it if they gave it a try. The current U.S. Poet Laureate, Californian Kay Ryan, earns all of $35,000. But fret not. Her stipend is funded from a private endowment, not tax revenues."

I might have been harsher in my reply.

I need to look up William Carlos Williams...