Rant #155: Read a Book ... A Real One

There is nothing like a good book.

Especially during the winter months on the East Coast, delving into a good book when it is frigid outside is almost like having your own fireplace. It lights you up, warms you, and puts you in a good frame of mind.

That is why, for the life of me, I can't understand the big deal about e-readers.

E-readers are the newest devices that the electronics industry has come up with to bring the book into the electronic age.

Users can download books--and supposedly newspapers, textbooks and other printed matter--from a variety of sources and have them at their fingertips through the e-book reader.

For the college student, this would be a boon to their lives, supposedly, because using an e-reader, they wouldn't be forced to carry around weighty--and pricey--textbooks, as everything would be on the e-reader.

The price might be more cost effective, too. With textbooks costing $100 and up, if you had one on your e-reader for a limited amount of time--say a school semester--you could probably save a lot of money.

But for the casual book reader, or newspaper reader, I just can't see what all the fuss is about.

Sure, it might be nice to store certain things, like newspaper articles, on such a device, but if you just want to read a book, why use an e-reader?

You can curl up with a good book, but can you curl up with a good book on an e-reader?

I don't know.

Personally, I would rather have the book. I like the touch and feel of a book, and reading pages, I think, will produce less strain on the eyes than reading a page off of a screen.

I think the e-reader--and its possibilities--are akin to what has happened to the dispersal of popular music over the past decade or so.

Previous generations wanted to own, to hold, to handle LPs and 45s and have them in a physical collection of recorded music. In today's world, owning, holding, and handling a physical product isn't that important anymore to so many people. The file is the important thing, and people buy files--not actual physical product--that they can use on their various gadgets, including iPods.

I think it is the same thing with the e-readers. Books and printed matter are thought to be disposable, and not that important to physically have anymore.

Personally, I still love to add to my record collection, and if I want a book, I want a real book, not an electronic one.

Maybe I am old fashioned, but a book is a book.

An electronic book is nothing more than a file.

Give me the book anytime.

Rant #154: Peace and Quiet

The House of Representatives voted yesterday to level off the increases in volume that are heard during commercials.

And to that, I say, "Hooray!"--but very softly.

The bill, approved by a voice vote, is aimed at stopping TV ads from playing louder than the programs they run with.

Rep. Anna Esboo (D-Calif.) drafted the measure after she found out that it was a common complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.

I have noticed that the ads on many stations get so much louder that they are probably at twice the sound level of the shows they are supporting.

And during the holiday season, there are more of them.

I guess this is to get your attention, and if that is the intention, then they get mine. However, I don't think that they are achieving the purpose intended, because I just turn the channel.

I guess I don't like being yelled at, whether it is in person or on TV.

And have you noticed that DVDs also increase the volume when they are trying to sell you something?

I have rented and purchased several DVDs where you literally have to adjust the volume during the commercials many of them force you to watch before you get to the film. Once the film comes on, you have to increase the volume.

I am for anything that makes TV viewing quieter, and I can tell you, ads that increase the volume are a complete turn off to me.

And that's exactly what I do with them--turn them off.

Now, if we can only get some legislation to remove annoying personalities from the TV airwaves, that would really be something.

Rant #153: Marriage Really Is Good For You

Well, I just knew it. That's why I did it twice.

According to a Reuters report, a major international study found that marriage reduces the risks of depression and anxiety, but these disorders are more likely to plague people once the relationship is over.

The study was recently published in the British journal Psychological Medicine. It was conducted in association with the World Health Organization (WHO), Harvard University and a number of other international organisations.

The study of 34,493 people across 15 countries was led by New Zealand's University of Otago, and is based on the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) surveys conducted over the past decade.

It found that ending marriage through separation, divorce or death is linked to an increased risk of mental health disorders, with women more likely to resort to substance abuse and men more likely to become depressed.

The study found that getting married, compared to not getting married, was good for the mental health of both genders, not just women, as previous studies had found.

However, the study found that men are less likely to become depressed in their first marriage than women, a factor Scott said was probably linked to the traditional gender roles at home, as other WMH surveys have shown that as women get better educated, depression rates tend to fall.

The other gender difference the study found is that getting married reduces risk of substance use disorders more for women than for men. This may be explained by the fact that women are usually the primary caregivers for young children.

However, the downside of marriage, the University of Otago study shows, is that ending it has a negative impact on both genders.

I guess the Tiger Woods of the world should pay great attention to this study. Fooling around like he did can not only harm his marriage, but it could lead to other problems for his wife and for himself.

My experience was that once I got it through my head that my marriage was over--and it took some time--I was ready to move on, and I did.

I met the greatest woman in the world, and she stuck by me though thick and thin. We have now been married for more than 16 years, have a great son (to go along with my great daughter from my first marriage), and our union is rock solid.

We have a mutual love and respect for one another that makes our marriage a terrific one. Whenever I see her after a day of work, or on the weekend, I just glow. I know how lucky I am to have this person as my wife.

Again, the Tiger Woods of the world, and all the other philanderers of both sexes, should really examine what they are doing when they get involved with another person, because when you say "I Do," it really means that.

Rant #152: It's Hanukkah! (Part 2)

Yes, it is Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. Tonight is the fourth night, so by tonight, the eight-day holiday is half over.

Unfortunately for some, the holiday was over a long time ago because it really never began, doesn't exist, and doesn't need to be celebrated.

I am talking about the vandals who routinely desecrate menorahs around the country. It seems a hotbed of this type of behavior is found in my own backyard in Suffolk County, New York.

Yes, the neighboring county to mine (I live in Nassau) routinely has a number of desecrations each year, and this year is no different. Several were reported over the weekend, and I know that before the holiday is out, there will be several more.

Beyond anti-Semitism, I believe this type of vandalism is perpetuated by the belief by many ignorant people that Hanukkah is a second- or third-rate event, simply Jewish Christmas. Why should these symbols be up when there are symbols of Christmas that will cover all of these bases?

This is perpetuated by the media, who cover Hanukkah barely, and when they do report about the holiday, it is as if it were an alternate celebration. I, personally, have taken to task a local columnist for Newsday who last year actually characterized the holiday using those words, and she does it ever year with no reprisal. I didn't bother this year. Why should I waste my time?

Also, famous Jewish personalities are torn during the time of year. Many refuse to exhibit their Jewishness and would rather show how "homogenized" they are into the mainstream. This is particularly prevalent with musicians and singers, including Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow and the like, who record Christmas albums but do not acknowledge the fact that they are Jews.

This year, Bob Dylan has joined that group. He wavers between being Jewish and not being Jewish on almost a yearly basis, so this LP is really no surprise, but it is disappointing nonetheless.

Yes, I know that Irving Berlin and Mel Torme set the tone for this type of "from the outside looking in" behavior, but heck, these are celebrated singer/songwriters--if they can write songs about Christmas, couldn't they do the same for Hanukkah?

The major TV networks really don't even mention Hanukkah in their programming--when was the last time you saw a Hanukkah special on a major network?

Several department stores--including Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer--used to have an all-inclusive "holiday" atmosphere in their stores and in their advertising this time of year. A year or two ago, under mounting public pressure, they went back to a wholly Christmas program.

You can look at this two ways. The major holiday this time of year is Christmas, and just like Hanukkah isn't the Jewish Christmas, well, Christmas is not the Christian Hanukkah. I understand that. Majority rules, and certainly, more people are non-Jews than they are Jews.

But I feel that there is a bit of anti-Semitism involved here too. Why even bother with Hanukkah? It doesn't count, especially in relation with Christmas.

And don't get me started on Kwanzaa. To link Hanukkah and Kwanzaa together on the same plane is like linking the Yankees with a sandlot team. Sure, they both play the same game, but on way different levels.

There is nothing wrong with Kwanzaa, and for those that celebrate it, I wish them a happy holiday. However, don't equate a holiday that has been on the books since the 1960s with one that has been in existence for thousands of years.

Anyway, in this politically correct world, we supposedly accept all creeds, colors and beliefs, but do we really?

I feel this more during this time of year than any other. When my son was little, he always asked me why they didn't have any Hanukkah shows on TV, and it was really hard to provide him with an answer that he could understand.

Heck, even as an adult I don't understand it.

When I have relatives--Jewish relatives--who send our family Christmas cards, I know that something is very wrong ... very, very wrong.

This type of behavior only feeds into the vandalism, making it OK to desecrate symbols of other religions, because, heck, Hanukkah doesn't count.

And the wishy washy attitude of public officials on this is particularly disarming.

I look forward to the rest of Hanukkah, and also to Christmas. Both holidays have co-existed for thousands of years, but it is time that the ignorant became enlightened.

Tolerance is golden during this time of year. Let's all practice it.

Rant #151: It's Hanukkah!

This has been a bizarre week, to say the least.

We have the continuing Tiger Woods saga, which shows no signs of stopping. It seems that every day, a new revelation comes out. The latest is that among his “harem” of lovers were several porn stars. And how come every woman that he allegedly slept with wants to talk about it?

And then comes my personal saga, with my doctor making national headlines for selling painkillers to undercover cops at his practice, which is a few yards away from the high school. You just don’t know who to trust nowadays, and this is a person I certainly put a lot of trust in. I am still flabbergasted about his entire mess.

And then we have those two female teachers who decided to get conjugal at the school that they teach in. If this didn't satisfy every young male fantasy, I don't know what could! And yes, both have tenure, so I wonder what New York City Schools are going to do with these two over-sexed educators?

Well, I am wondering what else can happen this week—but I am heartened by the fact that one of my most beloved holidays starts tonight.

At sundown, the celebration of Hanukkah begins. To those who don’t know or don’t realize it, Hanukkah is not the Jewish Christmas—it just falls out nearby to the Christmas celebration in December (most of the time; sometimes it is in November based on the Jewish calendar).

Like Christmas, Hanukkah has its roots in religion--we sometimes forget that, don't we?-- and the history of that religion, which goes back thousands of years. It's not just geared to gift giving, although that is part of it.

The most popular religious symbol of the holiday is the menorah. It contains nine candles. Eight of the candles signify the number of days that the original candelabra burned in the Old Temple. The story is that there was only a thimble-full of oil in this original lamp after the Temple was destroyed, and based on this lack of burning fluid available, the menorah could not have burned for eight days—but it did.

This signifies something of a miracle, and it also symbolizes the hope and belief in God that Jews have.

The ninth candle is to light the other candles during the eight-day celebration.

We give out gifts, one a day, and we eat delicious foods like potato latkes during this holiday. We spin the dreidel, which is something of a minor betting game where participants pick the symbol that the dreidel, or top, will land on. The winner gets whatever was bet.

The gifts are supposed to be small, like a couple of pieces of chocolate, some minor cash, or an apple. But like many Jews, we go all out during this holiday, and yes, I bought my son Beatles Rock Band this year.

So with all the nonsense going on, my touchstone this week is Hanukkah. Christmas is a great holiday, but for me, it is simply a day off.

Hanukkah is my holiday, and with a week like this, I personally need some nice things to happen to my family and I.

And the gifts are nice, even if my mother still buys me some dress shirts and pants for the holiday, just like she did when I was five years old.

Oh well, tradition does not change, and neither does Hanukkah.

Rant #150: Is There a Doctor In the House?

Yesterday, a doctor was picked up on Long Island for selling prescription painkillers without medical examination for a price. Each of these phony prescriptions netted the doctor several hundred dollars, and during a six-month investigation, "Dr. Frank" was caught on surveillance video making such deals to undercover policemen.

What makes it worse is that the community that he serves has a rampant heroin epidemic among its youngsters, and these painkillers were being used by druggies to feed their habit. The pills could be sold on the street individually for a huge profit, which then could be used to buy heroin.

What makes it even worse is that the doctor was selling the pain killers out of his own office, which is a few yards away from the local high school.

The accused doctor is my doctor, and I am absolutely astonished.

When I read the accounts yesterday, and as the story spread nationally, I couldn't think straight. This was the doctor I entrusted my body to for the past 10 years. In fact, I have actually been going to this office for the past 37-plus years, but the first 27 was with another doctor.

Anyway, I have entrusted my body to this doctor. He was personable, very professional, and gave me no cause for concern. He was always there when I need a physical, or when I was sick, or when I received my monthly allergy shots.

But, as we have learned from the Tiger Woods saga, people can live double lives. They can be one way in certain circumstances, and another way in other situations.

Evidently, this doctor--a family man with several children, some of them very young--led some type of double life. When his trial comes up, I am sure we will find out more about this and the reasons he did what he did.

But, in the meantime, I feel that he let me, my family, and the entire community down.

A doctor is someone you trust with your life. He never did me wrong, or my wife wrong, or other extended family members wrong, but when someone you trust gets tied up in something this heinous, you have to ask yourself if there were any instances when you thought something was awry.

A few months ago, the doctor decided to go the "holistic" route, I suppose, using this term because I really don't know what route he was taking. He seemed to forsake medicine for awhile. He was more into new-age theories and such.

But just when I was going to look for another doctor, he seemingly came back to earth. Later, he took a trip with his family back to his native India, and that seemed to give him his old verve back.

But something was certainly amiss, but I, and probably all of his "real" patients, did not know it.

Now, I really have to search for another doctor, which is a painstaking process linked up with my health insurance and my personal needs.

I still am in shock, and that shock won't wear off for some time. For a doctor to stoop this low ... well, I just can't believe that something like this could happen to not only me, but my community.

If you can't trust your doctor, who can you trust?

Rant #149: I Never Had Teachers Like This

Were you ever "hot for teacher" when you were in school?

Well, in a school in Brooklyn, New York, "hot for teacher" was another teacher-and both were female!

The New York Daily News reports that two female Romance language instructors were tossed out of their Brooklyn high school after being caught "undressed" in an empty classroom.

Students at James Madison High School in Midwood were watching a talent show in the auditorium while the two teachers engaged in extra-curricular activities, according to sources.

A janitor stumbled on French teacher and a married Spanish instructor, and told school officials about the incident on November 20.

Both tenured teachers were removed from the classroom while they are being investigated for misconduct.

The episode is the talk of the school. Students even set up a Facebook group to discuss the shenanigans, and it already has logged more than 500 fans.

Students said both teachers were popular, and the photos the newspaper had of the two females show that yes, they are probably Playboy Magazine worthy, if that is a barometer of beauty that once can use.

What happens to these two lovebirds will be decided by the Department of Education, but what a male fantasy: two beautiful teachers engaged in a tryst at the local high school!

I don't know, I never had a teacher that I fell in love with. I had female teachers-and male teachers, for that matter--that I liked, but I liked them for their personalities and their abilities as a teacher. No fantasies here.

I had a teacher in college that I really liked--she was young, pretty and was a good teacher to boot--but a sexual thought never entered my head.

The only teachers I may have "lusted after" in my adolescent mind were on TV--the characters played by Denise Nicholas and Karen Valentine on "Room 222" come to mind.

Now, these two young teachers have lived the ultimate fantasy I guess--and they are probably going to pay for it with their jobs.

Why they did this in the classroom is anyone's guess. They should have carried on somewhere else, but one is married, so I guess their locales are limited.

But so be it. At least for one day, male fantasies have been fulfilled.

And I am sure if they need it, Playboy or some porn maker will not leave them on the unemployment line too long.