It's getting to the point that some American kids just simply can not enjoy a full day of outdoors recreation. Now comes to my attention a June 23 article in the Wausau (WI) Daily Herald by reporter D.J. Slater that contends some Wisconsin kids are afraid to attend summer camp because they will not be allowed to use their iPods, email, Twitters and other techno devices.
Slater begins this summer camp story by relating how a 10-year old girl was puzzled by the task of handwriting a letter to her parents and mailing it. She wrote the letter well enough, then had no clue what do next. Hmmm - an elementary school child who has no clue how to produce and mail a simple letter.
Slater then writes in the Daily-Herald story the following:
Most camps in central Wisconsin prohibit modern technology because it distracts campers from daily activities such as kayaking, archery and crafts, said Pat Murphy, the camping service director at the YMCA's Camp Sturtevant in Weston."We focus on recreational activities ... and open their eyes to a world that is beyond the computer or TV screen," Murphy said. "Kids' lives these days are centered around texting and e-mailing."
The story then is concluded on a more upbeat note of how some children seem to enjoy a day of distraction away from their WiFi and other electronic gadgets by enjoying a day full of outdoors activities such as kayaking and swimming.
Now, I could share with you a very lengthy discourse on my feelings and opinions of the subject matter about kids being afraid to go outdoors or to summer camp for fear they will miss their technology. But instead, I will share this thought a good friend of mine shared with me recently, and that is "John, not everyone thinks like you do." It's the only truly decent statement I can recall each day in responding to seemingly endless thoughts about "Boy, how this world of ours has changed in the last thirty or forty years."
I seem to now remember today, at a comfortable mid-life age, that my parents and many others of their generation thought and said precisely the same thing about me and kids of my generation thrity and forty years ago. We weren't hooked then on cellphones, computers, Blackberrys and the like -- no, back then we just sang Beatles songs.
Indeed -- how times have changed.
You may read the full story in the Wausau Daily-Herald online at:
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20090623/WDH0101/906230544
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Camping Is Affordable Summer Vacation Option
One thing the current U.S. economy has done is to get many people again focused back on the basics.
When it comes to choosing an affordable vacation opportunity, many more people this year are looking to camping as their preferred choice for a summer vacation getaway. In Ohio, for example, Ohio State Parks reports its campground stays are up more than 20 percent over last year. And why not? Camping is a family-friendly activity that's not difficult to master for those who don't mind a few inconveniences.
Americans sadly, are not well versed on their recent American history. Part of this history goes back to the 1960s and 1970s when -- you guessed it -- people were suffering from a poor economy. Their preferred vacation option increasingly became summer camping trips as those were most affordable, especially for larger families. In fact, it then was about the only affordable type of vacation for a lot of American families.
Primitive tent camping was in style, but so too was the growing use of pop-up tent campers and travel trailers such as the Airstream. A whole generation of families, along with their children and their grandchildren discovered camping was wholesome and brought families together. One only has to remember some of their family photo slide shows with popcorn (of course) and the slew of guffaws, snickers and outright laughter when old camping photos were shared among family and friends.
Camping creates family memories and they last beyond a lifetime. They are priceless.
Yes, Ohio has a highly rated and much visited state park system. I grew up in Ohio State Parks. Michigan and Ontario also have excellent park systems as well and I grew up in those parks, too. In fact, my family so loved camping that we enjoyed it spring, summer, fall and winter. But again, many families now are coming back to discover the joys of summer camping.
It is summer and your regional park system is calling you. Ohio State Parks offers excellent camping and other recreational opportunities which can be found online at www.ohiodnr.com
And what's more, unlike my camping days of yesteryear, Ohio's state park reservation system today allows you to scout out and select preferred camping sites well ahead of your planned visit.
Camping is affordable and in this modern age of video games, Twitter and mobile communications devices -- camping is back in style.
Take a kid camping. Take a family camping. Invite co-workers, fellow church members, neighbors and others to enjoy a camping experience. For one year -- do something different and do it now this summer. Ohio State Parks does not sell hiking boots, portable grills or tents, but it does sell the camping experience and it's affordable and enjoyable. Summer camping trips -- among the most precious memories to enjoy with your family and friends for generations to come.
When it comes to choosing an affordable vacation opportunity, many more people this year are looking to camping as their preferred choice for a summer vacation getaway. In Ohio, for example, Ohio State Parks reports its campground stays are up more than 20 percent over last year. And why not? Camping is a family-friendly activity that's not difficult to master for those who don't mind a few inconveniences.
Americans sadly, are not well versed on their recent American history. Part of this history goes back to the 1960s and 1970s when -- you guessed it -- people were suffering from a poor economy. Their preferred vacation option increasingly became summer camping trips as those were most affordable, especially for larger families. In fact, it then was about the only affordable type of vacation for a lot of American families.
Primitive tent camping was in style, but so too was the growing use of pop-up tent campers and travel trailers such as the Airstream. A whole generation of families, along with their children and their grandchildren discovered camping was wholesome and brought families together. One only has to remember some of their family photo slide shows with popcorn (of course) and the slew of guffaws, snickers and outright laughter when old camping photos were shared among family and friends.
Camping creates family memories and they last beyond a lifetime. They are priceless.
Yes, Ohio has a highly rated and much visited state park system. I grew up in Ohio State Parks. Michigan and Ontario also have excellent park systems as well and I grew up in those parks, too. In fact, my family so loved camping that we enjoyed it spring, summer, fall and winter. But again, many families now are coming back to discover the joys of summer camping.
It is summer and your regional park system is calling you. Ohio State Parks offers excellent camping and other recreational opportunities which can be found online at www.ohiodnr.com
And what's more, unlike my camping days of yesteryear, Ohio's state park reservation system today allows you to scout out and select preferred camping sites well ahead of your planned visit.
Camping is affordable and in this modern age of video games, Twitter and mobile communications devices -- camping is back in style.
Take a kid camping. Take a family camping. Invite co-workers, fellow church members, neighbors and others to enjoy a camping experience. For one year -- do something different and do it now this summer. Ohio State Parks does not sell hiking boots, portable grills or tents, but it does sell the camping experience and it's affordable and enjoyable. Summer camping trips -- among the most precious memories to enjoy with your family and friends for generations to come.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
What An Idea: Overhaul The U.S. Health Care System
I've been obviously away from my blog way too long.
In a rather stunning announcement, the U.S. President has declared that now is time to work on overhauling the American health care system. What an idea. Why didn't any of us other 306 million Americans ever think of such an idea?
Well sadly, political leaders in the 1990s failed to tackle this issue, which IS the number one family issue in the U.S. Even more sadly, once many of these same leaders failed at their earlier attempts to adopt health care reform measures, they simply quit and walked away from the table. Guess what? The health care issue in the U.S. did not go away and it grew to become worse. Today, an estimated 45 million Americans do not have health care coverage. Many more can not afford their prescription medication.
The lack of effective health care reform is killing Americans.
Despite the President's suggestion for an overhaul, there are very few families who have not been negatively impacted by the sorry state of health care affairs in the U.S.
Yes Mr. President, the system needs to be fixed. Yes Mr. President, there virtually will be little consensus in this nation on how to accomplish this seemingly impossible task. And yes Mr. President, the successful pursuit of effective health care reform in this nation CAN NOT be based solely upon the potential outcome of future elections.
So when I read such statements that the U.S. President is calling for health care reform, I quietly laugh to myself with extreme cynicism. And when I think of the sheer number of American lives, families and yes, even voters, who have unfairly suffered because the health care reform issue was never very highly regarded as much of a priority say as --- defense spending, tax cuts for the rich and now climate change -- well then who among us does not cry a little every day?
I alone do not have the answer. I do agree health care reform is needed and long overdue. But without a viable plan and without an effective process, the idea that now is the time for health care reform is about like saying let's just voluntarily cut our U.S. oil imports by 50 percent or more and we all walk or ride a bicycle to get where we want to go.....for the rest of our lives.
In a rather stunning announcement, the U.S. President has declared that now is time to work on overhauling the American health care system. What an idea. Why didn't any of us other 306 million Americans ever think of such an idea?
Well sadly, political leaders in the 1990s failed to tackle this issue, which IS the number one family issue in the U.S. Even more sadly, once many of these same leaders failed at their earlier attempts to adopt health care reform measures, they simply quit and walked away from the table. Guess what? The health care issue in the U.S. did not go away and it grew to become worse. Today, an estimated 45 million Americans do not have health care coverage. Many more can not afford their prescription medication.
The lack of effective health care reform is killing Americans.
Despite the President's suggestion for an overhaul, there are very few families who have not been negatively impacted by the sorry state of health care affairs in the U.S.
Yes Mr. President, the system needs to be fixed. Yes Mr. President, there virtually will be little consensus in this nation on how to accomplish this seemingly impossible task. And yes Mr. President, the successful pursuit of effective health care reform in this nation CAN NOT be based solely upon the potential outcome of future elections.
So when I read such statements that the U.S. President is calling for health care reform, I quietly laugh to myself with extreme cynicism. And when I think of the sheer number of American lives, families and yes, even voters, who have unfairly suffered because the health care reform issue was never very highly regarded as much of a priority say as --- defense spending, tax cuts for the rich and now climate change -- well then who among us does not cry a little every day?
I alone do not have the answer. I do agree health care reform is needed and long overdue. But without a viable plan and without an effective process, the idea that now is the time for health care reform is about like saying let's just voluntarily cut our U.S. oil imports by 50 percent or more and we all walk or ride a bicycle to get where we want to go.....for the rest of our lives.
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