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The news is all kinds of overwhelming recently, notice that? And still, our little corner of the world muddles on. We wake up, imbibe our morning ritual, head out the door... or not.

If you're outside you may encounter conundrums, like this one: how many people does it take to help a man having heart pains in the street get help?

Seven.

Or at least that's as many as it took on a recent morning. Two to stop on their bikes and inquire why the man was partially reclining in the middle of the somewhat busy street, clutching his chest. Two more to walk up and ask if they should go for help. One to walk up, lift the man by his arm and guide him out of the street, while telling him to lay off the alcohol. That lifting man said he had to go off to work. The two on foot went to call for help as the man was still saying his heart hurt and he needed a doctor. "Heart hurt, doctor..." The two on the bike rode away.

Looking back as we turned into the store that was open (and would hopefully let us use the phone), I noted the bikers were gone and the man, assuming he'd been abandoned, had returned to the middle of the street...

We called for assistance, assistance was dispatched (unusual group of people - no one had a cell phone). We returned to the man who was again on the sidewalk, flanked by two new concerned parties. One had gotten out of his car, the other had been on foot. We let them know that help was on the way (neither of them had a cell phone either). Ume and I stood, debating whether we should stay, or depart - we weren't being any great help by simply standing there... The man who'd gotten out of his car said he was staying, "I'm bringing my kids to school, but I see someone who needs help, I help them - that's what I do, I help people." Feeling ineffectual, we stayed too - as did the other man on foot. The man with the kids in the car told the somewhat bewildered convalescent that he needed to lay off the alcohol, "That stuff will kill you, you have to stop drinking it." The convalescent shook his head adamantly and mumbled, "No, no!" in the most pointed show of emotion during our brief acquaintance with him. "Doctor," he mumbled again, "Heart hurt, pains, doctor."

"Take even breaths," the man said, "try to keep your breathing even." He demonstrated and continued, relentless, "My uncle drank himself to death, he was 57 when he died. You've got to quit it." The convalescent looked at him in wonder, seemed to struggle to focus in on him. "You've got to quit, man, that stuff will kill you."

He was saying all of this while half propping, half holding the guy up. He didn't need to be touching him, but he was - half touching, half holding, as you would a close friend. I kept thinking how thankful I was that he was able to offer something so simple, so essential. Had I tried that, it probably wouldn't have been so effective... The man still clutched his chest, but was notably calmed.

The paramedics arrived, and we departed - stunned at what it takes to get attention and help - and a little compassion. We walked a bit in silence, then Ume said, "That makes you think."

It sure does.

Not a month ago, at a busy intersection, I came upon a man lying on the sidewalk - his pants half down. What to do, I wondered? Being more in my head than in the moment I asked him if he would like some help. Through bleary eyes he looked up at me and mumbled something. I repeated my inquiry. He replied more clearly, and forcefully, "No." And then looked the other way as though he'd misplaced an interest he'd never really had for me. "Are you sure?" I asked him, feeling like a complete idiot - he obviously had no clue what he needed, and me, well, I was fielding my own qualms. "Yes," he slurred. I walked on.

Now, in general, I don't walk on - as today, I usually walk to the nearest responsible party and ask for assistance on behalf of the person in need of it. It doesn't take a great deal of time or emotional investment to do such a thing... but that day, I walked on. You see, it wasn't the first time I'd seen this man on a sidewalk, hereabouts...

I've encountered more of this sort of thing recently, people adorning the street and sidewalk in various degrees of distress or discomfort. We think this may be due to the methadone clinic that's opened along one of our well beaten paths. And so, in order to get about my business, I've adjusted my level of engagement with the folk strewn about the environs. Sigh...

Something is busted societally, something in the system is amiss... It's something ambiguous and unwieldy. It sometimes boils down to these bewildered exchanges between folks on the street. "Shouldn't there be someone else doing this for you? Family? An agency? Someone? Surely not a stranger, and certainly not me." Truth be told, some people with severe mental and addictive illnesses reject or burn through their immediate familial support, and then - the precipitous gap opens - a societal gray space envelopes them. These folks I've been passing - they seem adrift in that space. No one to feel especially responsible for or to them - for whatever reason. Which was why I'm sure that man was so comforted by being touched - seems so simple, but to someone who's in that gray space - I'm guessing it's not.

It's such a complex and distressing issue, it's no wonder people don't want to have to grapple with it and feel resentful about being confronted by it and ignore it as best they can. But if someone asks for assistance, is disoriented and in need of help - even if they're drunk, be safe, of course (especially if you're alone!!!), but help if you can...

A fun little pick me up

Of 'A Million Ways' to Be Popular, OK Go Finds One (audio, and video)

And a little humor, because we could all use it... Three Minute Management Course

In the news

Republicans spent the week tripping over themselves to usher in lobbying reforms (thank you Jack Abramoff) with loopholes just small enough for large trucks of money to squeeze through... And Bin Laden wants a truce? Me thinks not...
Week in Review: Bin Laden, Iran, Iraq Vote (01.21.06)

Signs of a Wider, Deeper Scandal in Congress (NPR, 01.06)

Maryland Judge Rejects Ban on Same-Sex Unions (NPR, 01.20.06)

Thugocracy alert:
Group Offers Money for Reports on Left-Wing Faculty (Morning Edition, 01.19.06)

The Valerie Plame case rolls on...
News Catch-Up: Stories Off the Radar (Day to Day, 01.19.06)

Ooh-la - you GO girl!:
Liberia's Johnson-Sirleaf sworn in, to fight graft (Reuters, 01.16.06)

An utterly depressing and thorough review:
What I heard about Iraq in 2005 by Eliot Weinberger (London Review of Books, 01.05.06)

Ira Flatow on Science: The Power of a Pretty Face (Day to Day, 01.19.06)

Sad, and given our present "leadership" inevitable... this is a good discussion:
Internet Censorship and Surveillance (OnPoint Radio, 01.20.06)

See above (who can argue with protecting children from pornography? only the truly wicked (read: liberal)... of course, once they've got that access to search engine databases to protect children (who, last I heard, had parents that were supposed to do that), what's to stop them from collecting information on, say, whatever the hell they want?):
Privacy experts condemn subpoena of Google (Reuters, 01.20.06)

Nigerian militants say will resume attacks shortly (Reuters, 01.20.06)

Now this, we would never have guessed...
A difference between men and women (Reuters, 01.19.06)

Gore's Challenge to Congress and the Media (The Nation, 01.17.06)

Yay, Ang Lee!
'Brokeback' wins top Golden Globes (01.17.06)

Ciao!
Nikon reels in film cameras to focus on digital (Reuters, 01.12.06)

A new year... hmm... how's it feel? Not sure yet, kinda like last year so far, only warmer - it was 60 degrees (15C) here today! In New England! In January! It's been in the fifties for a half a week! So me? I'm pretty pleased - big ol' smile plastered on my face. Oh sure, it'll be frigid tomorrow, around twenty degrees (-6C) - but for a few days in the middle of winter, it was balmy. Sigh.

Attitude is key

I was walking down the street yesterday and a man offered to sell me a copy of "Spare Change". For those not in the know, this is a newspaper sold by the homeless, or those at risk of homelessness, to make money. (It's a cool enterprise, you can read about it here.) I wasn't in need of a copy, so I did what I do when people on the street offer to sell me something that I'm not in need of, I looked him in the eye, smiled, and said, "No thank you." He smiled back and said, "You have a good day, and may I say, your hair looks beautiful today." I thanked him for the complement and moved on, wondering how often people paid him for the compliments, and not the paper. Still, it was a pleasant sentiment and nice to have, as I was on my way to a meeting that I wasn't excited about - not in the positive sense.

The meeting went fine, as I guess they usually do (I just hate them so much...). The most unpleasant part of it was the receptionist. It's been a while since I've had to deal with one with so little charm... Where do these brats come from? Shouldn't she be working in a coffee shop with that attitude? Look, I'm sorry you landed what you apparently feel is a crap job, in a crap place, but you don't look like anyone's been hitting you, or denying you food - so save the attitude for your pals back at Starbucks. Ya little snipe.

Receptionists are a funny lot. I mean, who grows up saying, "When I grow up, I'm going to answer phones and greet people!" I sure didn't, and yet, at the ripe young age of something just north of twenty, I found myself doing just that - again. You see, I'd done it once before, just south of twenty as well. Near killed me (dealing with the public gives me a rash). So I've been one, a receptionist. And since then, I've dealt with a few. I've dealt with one's who were true gatekeepers - and one's who thought they were, but were in fact the meet and greet kind. For me, being a meet and greet kind of receptionist meant smiling (or at least not baring my teeth and foaming at the mouth), greeting - and facilitating the person's getting out of my face asap so I could get back to the book I had tucked under the desk. Pleasant and efficient, that was me. Okay, not everyone can be born with a southern mother (primes you for superficial social interactions), but come on! Try a little.

Leaving the building after the meeting (having passed and ignored her ill-manneredness), the man on the street offered me a copy of "Spare Change" again (forgotten so soon!). I smiled and said, "Sorry, no thank you." He smiled back and said, "You've got beautiful hair." And even though I'd passed him, he asked, "Did you say you were 'sorry'?" I looked back and said yes. "Don't be," he said. "A woman as beautiful as you are should never be sorry." I gave him a smile and a wave and wondered if I shouldn't recommend him to the office I'd just been visiting - he'd make a way better receptionist.

Sing Jack! Sing!

Abramoff Makes a Deal (OnPoint Radio, 01.04.06)

Breach of Contract (American Progress, 1.13.06)

Other doings...

Texas court denies DeLay bid to quash criminal case (Reuters, 01.09.06)

Great update (try to ignore the host...):
Bird Flu Moves West (OnPoint, 01.11.06, audio file)

Good talk:
Economic Growth and the Good Society (OnPoint, 01.11.06, audio file)

Clinton announces Aids drugs deal (BBC, 1.13.06)

Boggles the mind...
S.Korean clone scandal is a tragedy: scientists (Reuters, 1.12.06)

You needed to know this:
Taiwan breeds transgenic, fluorescent, green pig (Reuters, 1.12.06)

New Orleans unveils controversial rebuilding plan (Reuters, 1.11.06)

Ooh - E-ink is here!
Sony Reader targets book lovers (BBC, 01.06.06)

Ya think?
2005: A Year of Challenges for President Bush (NPR, 12.27.05)

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