So, chances are you've heard about the recent Killer Whale at Sea World that killed one of it's trainers. I have mixed feelings about this tragic accident, as I am sure many of you do too. Hearing the stories from various people that knew "Tillicon," the whale now at Sea World Florida, it seems strange that he was even allowed to perform in their shows. A former trainer, from Canada says Tillicon was only supposed to be used for breeding purposes and never to perform. That is a huge red flag right there. Also, "Tilli" is blamed for two additional deaths in the past.
While I do agree that whale trainers are taking a huge risk, and should be aware of the dangerous possibilities....it's an all together sad situation. Fact of the matter is, a whale is a wild animal and unlike some domestic animals, there is no telling how they will behave.
It's amazing to watch the shows that the trainers orchestrate with the Whales and Dolphins at SeaWorld. I'll admit that I do enjoy watching them and am always amazed at how responsive they are to their trainers.
However, it comes to a point when you have to decide, when is enough? It seems trainers will continue risking their life for their passion for performing with the animals. Of course, there would be no letting "Tilli" back into the wild, as he is a captive whale, now but don't you think maybe he's had enough performing? Sounds to me, like he should just be taken care of there and maybe not in the spotlight.
While I clearly feel awful about the innocent life that was lost in a Whale tank, I also don't think you can just hate "Tilli," the whale. But, in addition, I do not think that trainers should continue pushing the whales buttons (for lack of better way to say it). Another huge topic for discussion is that you run the risk of traumatizing people in the audience, little kids even if a tragedy like this happens. They come to watch a show and all of a sudden they witness a death in the whale tank. That is certainly not what they came to see.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Surviving Without A Cellphone
It's amazing how far technology has come that we often forget what it was like without some of our "now" every day necessities. Such as a cellphone, email, facebook, even a car.
Recently, our boss put some of the KRBC team up to the challenge of giving up one piece of technology for a week. If you didn't catch my story, here's a link. I had to give up my cellphone!
No cellphone for a week, is it possible? Initially, I didn't think so. However, keeping so busy with my daily assignments at work, the time went by pretty quickly. Once I got home, I was exhausted so there was no need for phone calls.
The few things that I quickly missed were having my alarm clock set on my cellphone. That might sound sad, because yes I have an alarm clock just never use it. I guess I always assume that the clock won't go off and I'll be late. My cellphone has never failed me, so it's my crutch for waking up in the mornings.
Then there came the winter weather days, which made me paranoid that if I were to get into an accident, I wouldn't be able to call someone immediately for help.
While life did exist without cellphones, I like better with them.
It was a unique challenge though. I am happy to say that I passed the test of living without it too. While, some people doubted me. My competitive nature kicked in and I relied on using a land line and a computer.
The other great thing about having a cellphone is that it holds all your phone numbers for you. Without my cellphone, I didn't know too many numbers by heart (except for Mom, Dad, and Grandparent's). It's kind of sad that I honestly don't even know most of my close friends phone numbers! Fortunately, for this experiment...I planned ahead, and wrote majority of my close friends and people that I thought I couldn't go a week without talking to. So I had that covered.
Some friends and family were probably more frustrated with my assignment, not being able to get a hold of me for a week.
Like I said in my story, plenty of good things came out of the social experiment. I became a better driver...not using my cellphone at all in the phone. It should be that way anyways, unless you use a blue tooth device. But, I am guilty of talking on the cellphone while driving (not through school zones, of course). Now, I don't feel the need to talk on my cell in between each interview of the day. The radio makes the time go by quicker.
Perhaps the most important thing, though that came out of this whole task was that I pay more attention to the people I love and care about! Even when I am not at work, I am glued to my cellphone! Whether it is texting someone or updating my facebook/twitter status. Which really can wait until after dinner or another time then when I should be enjoying quality time with someone. Now while I do have my cellphone back, I am still trying not to be permanently attached to it. And those that are close to me are noticing and liking the difference. : )
Also, a New Year's Resolution of mine was to deactivate email on my phone. I felt it was just consuming too much of me, so now I just frequently log onto the computer to get my email. I am still easily accessible that way, as I check it all the time. But, I figure if it's really important, someone would just call me. It's also nice to not have my phone buzzing and chirping every time I get an email.
Recently, our boss put some of the KRBC team up to the challenge of giving up one piece of technology for a week. If you didn't catch my story, here's a link. I had to give up my cellphone!
No cellphone for a week, is it possible? Initially, I didn't think so. However, keeping so busy with my daily assignments at work, the time went by pretty quickly. Once I got home, I was exhausted so there was no need for phone calls.
The few things that I quickly missed were having my alarm clock set on my cellphone. That might sound sad, because yes I have an alarm clock just never use it. I guess I always assume that the clock won't go off and I'll be late. My cellphone has never failed me, so it's my crutch for waking up in the mornings.
Then there came the winter weather days, which made me paranoid that if I were to get into an accident, I wouldn't be able to call someone immediately for help.
While life did exist without cellphones, I like better with them.
It was a unique challenge though. I am happy to say that I passed the test of living without it too. While, some people doubted me. My competitive nature kicked in and I relied on using a land line and a computer.
The other great thing about having a cellphone is that it holds all your phone numbers for you. Without my cellphone, I didn't know too many numbers by heart (except for Mom, Dad, and Grandparent's). It's kind of sad that I honestly don't even know most of my close friends phone numbers! Fortunately, for this experiment...I planned ahead, and wrote majority of my close friends and people that I thought I couldn't go a week without talking to. So I had that covered.
Some friends and family were probably more frustrated with my assignment, not being able to get a hold of me for a week.
Like I said in my story, plenty of good things came out of the social experiment. I became a better driver...not using my cellphone at all in the phone. It should be that way anyways, unless you use a blue tooth device. But, I am guilty of talking on the cellphone while driving (not through school zones, of course). Now, I don't feel the need to talk on my cell in between each interview of the day. The radio makes the time go by quicker.
Perhaps the most important thing, though that came out of this whole task was that I pay more attention to the people I love and care about! Even when I am not at work, I am glued to my cellphone! Whether it is texting someone or updating my facebook/twitter status. Which really can wait until after dinner or another time then when I should be enjoying quality time with someone. Now while I do have my cellphone back, I am still trying not to be permanently attached to it. And those that are close to me are noticing and liking the difference. : )
Also, a New Year's Resolution of mine was to deactivate email on my phone. I felt it was just consuming too much of me, so now I just frequently log onto the computer to get my email. I am still easily accessible that way, as I check it all the time. But, I figure if it's really important, someone would just call me. It's also nice to not have my phone buzzing and chirping every time I get an email.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Winter Wonderland in Abilene!
A winter wonderland here in Abilene, and all throughout the Big Country. Are you loving it or hating it?
Since 7 am, the snowflakes starting falling and Chief Meteorologist, Randy Turner tells me that it isn't expected to stop until 7 pm tonight. That's a lot of snow. Here in Abilene, we have seen between 3 to 5 inches of snow, and so far we have heard that Albany has had the most snowfall...reporting 8 inches today!
With the Winter Olympics starting tomorrow here on KRBC...it's funny to hear that Vancouver is having to ship in artificial snow for the games, when it just keeps on coming...here in the Big Country. Clearly, we do not have quite enough for the skiing and snowmobiles in the Olympics, but lots of people have found fun things to do with the Snow.
I found road conditions to be a little slippery this morning, but as more and more drivers traveled them, they weren't so bad. However, it's a little scary how the temperatures are expected to drop overnight and all that pretty white snow is expected to turn to ice.
How are you preparing for this storm? Stocking up on supplies today and calling into work tomorrow?
The KRBC team will be at work in the wee hours of the morning, letting you know about road conditions and what you can expect around town, if you do have to venture out on the Abilene roads. Be sure to watch the KRBC newscast throughout the night and into the morning tomorrow! Be safe everyone!
Since 7 am, the snowflakes starting falling and Chief Meteorologist, Randy Turner tells me that it isn't expected to stop until 7 pm tonight. That's a lot of snow. Here in Abilene, we have seen between 3 to 5 inches of snow, and so far we have heard that Albany has had the most snowfall...reporting 8 inches today!
With the Winter Olympics starting tomorrow here on KRBC...it's funny to hear that Vancouver is having to ship in artificial snow for the games, when it just keeps on coming...here in the Big Country. Clearly, we do not have quite enough for the skiing and snowmobiles in the Olympics, but lots of people have found fun things to do with the Snow.
I found road conditions to be a little slippery this morning, but as more and more drivers traveled them, they weren't so bad. However, it's a little scary how the temperatures are expected to drop overnight and all that pretty white snow is expected to turn to ice.
How are you preparing for this storm? Stocking up on supplies today and calling into work tomorrow?
The KRBC team will be at work in the wee hours of the morning, letting you know about road conditions and what you can expect around town, if you do have to venture out on the Abilene roads. Be sure to watch the KRBC newscast throughout the night and into the morning tomorrow! Be safe everyone!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Do Nightmares haunt you???
So, from as far back as I can remember, I've never really had a good night's sleep. I'm not complaining or blaming anyone but myself for that. I think I just constantly have too much on my mind, all the time and I never allow my brain to have a rest...which could explain why I have had terrible nightmares for years.
I used to have this reoccurring nightmare when my parents were in the midst of a divorce, and after talking to some dream analyst, that could have played a roll. After the officially divorced, the nightmare did go away but several years later, I had the same exact one...always with the same ending. Waking up in the middle before something really bad happens.
I've always been fascinated by what goes on when you're asleep, such as dreaming and nightmares, which is why I found a story that centers around abnormal sleep disorders.
At first, I called some places in town that held sleep studies...but after talking to a local doctor that specializes in Sleep medicine, Dr. Amelia Yeh...she told me about an interesting yet scary sleep disorder, called Rem Behavior Disorder.
She started explaining that this type of disorder runs the risk of the person sleeping injury themselves and/or others. Then she mentioned she had a patient who had seen significant improvements since he started seeking treatment, but initially he almost killed his wife in his sleep.
I thought, wow...that is really interesting but more scary than anything. Fortunately, he was willing to share his story with me, hoping to help others (who might be suffering from Rem Behavior Disorder as well...without even knowing it) which Dr. Yeh says is common. One thing I thought was especially interesting was that many people notice other problems while sleeping and it isn't until talking with her that they realize that they have RBD (which can be very serious).
I want to say thank you to C.W. "Charlie" Chandler for his willingness to share something personal in his life. I hope that his story will raise awareness and get others that suffer similar things the help that they need.
Since I am so interested in dreams or nightmares, feel free to share some of yours! Also, if anyone has their dreams analyzed or knows what certain dreams mean...I'd love to hear about it. Here's a link to my story on Rem Behavior Disorder!
I used to have this reoccurring nightmare when my parents were in the midst of a divorce, and after talking to some dream analyst, that could have played a roll. After the officially divorced, the nightmare did go away but several years later, I had the same exact one...always with the same ending. Waking up in the middle before something really bad happens.
I've always been fascinated by what goes on when you're asleep, such as dreaming and nightmares, which is why I found a story that centers around abnormal sleep disorders.
At first, I called some places in town that held sleep studies...but after talking to a local doctor that specializes in Sleep medicine, Dr. Amelia Yeh...she told me about an interesting yet scary sleep disorder, called Rem Behavior Disorder.
She started explaining that this type of disorder runs the risk of the person sleeping injury themselves and/or others. Then she mentioned she had a patient who had seen significant improvements since he started seeking treatment, but initially he almost killed his wife in his sleep.
I thought, wow...that is really interesting but more scary than anything. Fortunately, he was willing to share his story with me, hoping to help others (who might be suffering from Rem Behavior Disorder as well...without even knowing it) which Dr. Yeh says is common. One thing I thought was especially interesting was that many people notice other problems while sleeping and it isn't until talking with her that they realize that they have RBD (which can be very serious).
I want to say thank you to C.W. "Charlie" Chandler for his willingness to share something personal in his life. I hope that his story will raise awareness and get others that suffer similar things the help that they need.
Since I am so interested in dreams or nightmares, feel free to share some of yours! Also, if anyone has their dreams analyzed or knows what certain dreams mean...I'd love to hear about it. Here's a link to my story on Rem Behavior Disorder!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
A Gloomy Day in Abilene
A gloomy Thursday for the City of Abilene...for those of us that ventured outside, that was easy to see. However, for 1200 Abilenians, it was a "gloomy" day aside from the weather.
Three days without pay for all city personnel. While some employees may have seen something, like today's news coming for some time now, it's still not what anyone wanted to hear.
City Management says they hope to save $600,000 from the furlough days, only problem being that $600,000 can only be saved if ALL 1200 employees actually have those days off. City Manager, Larry Gilley implied today that some City positions might not be able to have those days off because the City of Abilene is focused on providing the Citizens of Abilene with the highest quality of service. As the City states in its mission statement,"We work together to build a community of the highest quality for present and future generations."
While, we say 1200 employees are affected by the City's financial situation, it's really much more than that. It's 1200 people plus all of their family members. It's hard to imagine just how many people will feel an impact from the pay cuts. It's unfortunate to know that for so long, we said Abilene was safe from the state of the nation's economy, but as City Councilman, Robert Briley said in my interview earlier today, it was basically just a matter of time until we felt the effects here in the Abilene community.
It's easy to speculate being an outsider, not a City employee but I also got to thinking how difficult it must be to be on the City Management end. I cannot imagine having to tell 1200 people that they'll have to take three days off this year and they won't be getting paid for it. It couldn't have been easy, and while it's been described as a "bump in the road by some," it does make you wonder if things can get worst.
When I read about other cities throughout the country, many have already had to fire City employees to put a dent in their communities debt. In that sense, it sounds like we are still pretty lucky here in Abilene. But, at the same time because it doesn't sound too likely that the City will save the hopeful $600,000 (because some employees will have to work) on those furlough days, the City could be facing some future problems.
City Management says that a reduction in force would only be a last resort for the City of Abilene, as they've expressed before. However, it wasn't too long ago that the City of Abilene issued a "hiring freeze," where some retiring positions were not filled by new personnel. Instead, other employees were forced to step in to fill the job requirements. And we can't forget the Abilene Police Department and Abilene Fire Department, who agreed to postpone their pay raises for six months.
What do you have to say about everything?
Three days without pay for all city personnel. While some employees may have seen something, like today's news coming for some time now, it's still not what anyone wanted to hear.
City Management says they hope to save $600,000 from the furlough days, only problem being that $600,000 can only be saved if ALL 1200 employees actually have those days off. City Manager, Larry Gilley implied today that some City positions might not be able to have those days off because the City of Abilene is focused on providing the Citizens of Abilene with the highest quality of service. As the City states in its mission statement,"We work together to build a community of the highest quality for present and future generations."
While, we say 1200 employees are affected by the City's financial situation, it's really much more than that. It's 1200 people plus all of their family members. It's hard to imagine just how many people will feel an impact from the pay cuts. It's unfortunate to know that for so long, we said Abilene was safe from the state of the nation's economy, but as City Councilman, Robert Briley said in my interview earlier today, it was basically just a matter of time until we felt the effects here in the Abilene community.
It's easy to speculate being an outsider, not a City employee but I also got to thinking how difficult it must be to be on the City Management end. I cannot imagine having to tell 1200 people that they'll have to take three days off this year and they won't be getting paid for it. It couldn't have been easy, and while it's been described as a "bump in the road by some," it does make you wonder if things can get worst.
When I read about other cities throughout the country, many have already had to fire City employees to put a dent in their communities debt. In that sense, it sounds like we are still pretty lucky here in Abilene. But, at the same time because it doesn't sound too likely that the City will save the hopeful $600,000 (because some employees will have to work) on those furlough days, the City could be facing some future problems.
City Management says that a reduction in force would only be a last resort for the City of Abilene, as they've expressed before. However, it wasn't too long ago that the City of Abilene issued a "hiring freeze," where some retiring positions were not filled by new personnel. Instead, other employees were forced to step in to fill the job requirements. And we can't forget the Abilene Police Department and Abilene Fire Department, who agreed to postpone their pay raises for six months.
What do you have to say about everything?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)