Yes, I know that Memorial Day has come and gone, and I didn't intend to write about it this year. But I'm going to – and I'm going to ask those of you who send me e-mails to send your thoughts on what you think (and think that other think) about exactly what we commemorate in late May. Especially, how do you think it differs from November 11? The intent of the 4th of July is clear, but other holidays have gotten muddled in their meaning. Read More
Doris writes a weekly column for LaGaceta, the nation's only trilingual newspaper, which has pages in English, Spanish, and Italian. Begun in 1922 for Tampa's immigrant community, it continues to thrive more than a century later. Her column is titled "In Context," as it aims to put contemporary issues in the context of the past.
Pets, Paper, and Plastic
May 20, 2019
Valeria, my longtime cat, follows a strict procedure policy for eating.
· Step 1 – Sit by the broom closet until Mom notices that she is hungry, even if the scary vacuum cleaner is in sight.
· Step 2 – Run out of the pet door to the garage as soon as Mom gets a can of cat food.
· Step 3 – Sniff it to make sure Mom isn't trying to poison her.
· Step 4 – Stare out the garage door for potential thieves on the deck.
· Step 5 – Eat.
A Little Riff Off of Gene
May 13, 2019
My colleague Gene Siudut titled his column last week "Another Day, Another Shooting," and he made the point that guns in public places have become the new normal. Sad to say, I think he's right. We have succeeded in banning tobacco in public, but much more dangerous guns are more prevalent than ever. And Gene didn't even mention the recent shooting that I found most appalling. You doubtless have heard about the 66-year-old woman checking out of a suburban Publix: her purse fell to the floor; the gun in it went off; and her husband collapsed with a bullet that went in and out of his leg. Read More
The Good Health Care News
May 6, 2019
For four of the past five days, I've been in and out of Tampa General, USF Health at TGH, and USF Morsani, which actually is at the University of South Florida. I've been a patient at USF's clinic since the medical school began back in the seventies, so I've watched it (and TGH) grow. And grow. And grow. Sometimes I think of transferring to a less busy and closer medical practice here in East Hillsborough, but I don't think I ever will. I go to USF Med because its doctors are on the cutting edge of research, and along with TGH, they perform procedures that can't be done elsewhere. Read More