Thursday, November 02, 2006

November Shout-Outs

Think November is all about Thanksgiving?

Say ‘hello’ to National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, National American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month (the Native American bloodline in me celebrates this one), COPD Awareness Month (don’t smoke…quit if you do), American Diabetes Month, National Epilepsy Awareness Month, National Family Caregiver Month, Flu and Pneumonia Campaign month (get your flu shot), the Great American Smokeout (don’t smoke…quit if you do), National Healthy Skin Month (wear sunscreen), Lung Cancer Awareness Month (don’t smoke…quit if you do), Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and, finally, Radiologic Technology Week (Nov. 5-11.)

All those ribbons and bright-colored bracelets to wear, donation checks to write and fundraisers to attend; you’d better get started. And get your flu shot on the way.

What I’m reading: “The Future of Ideas: The Fate of the Commons in a Connected World” by Lawrence Lessig. Napster’s lawyer surveys the bleakness of a world of ideas and intellectual property controlled by distant bureaucrats, global corporations and their toady lawyers. Kill the bastards. Content wants to be free. (Just kidding about the ‘kill’ part. Maybe. OK, Blog the bastards. That’s better.)

iPod Shuffle: “Red Sky” by Jeanne Newhall, from “Wild Blue.” A talented singer/songwriter and pianist, an album of rare simplicity and emotion.

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