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Showing posts from December, 2013

Awakened Intelligence

We human beings accord intelligence to our abilities to communicate, remember, reason, intend, plan, exercise free will, and to know.   Some scientific investigators of today are discovering that plants and communities of plants exhibit just such human-like brainy behaviors, including memory, decision-making, and other survival skills.   Since plants are rooted to their spots, they have highly sophisticated systems of sensations, food gathering, and protection.   Plants exhibit fifteen to twenty specific senses beyond our simple five.[2]   From root to leaf, they respond to chemicals, light, gravity, moisture, touch and other environmental stimuli, even collectively responding, communicating, and sharing resources.   Plants can change their molecules to disarm threats, can emit chemicals to repel predators and attract allies. Some plant scientists maintain “no brain; no intelligence, no abstract thought, judgment, or reason.” In contrast, Social scientists, philosophe

Creating More Efficient Care for U.S. Health

The overall well-being of the USA is tied to how we care for our health—individually and collectively. It’s a daunting challenge given our environment, our systems, and our willingness to overcome so many obstacles for the betterment of all. Today’s stresses, financial pressures and evolving trends do not make wellness advocacy and healthcare efficiency a paramount priority.  A large part of my father’s life was devoted to bettering the healthcare system in the U.S. and it was indeed a challenge.   For the past three years, I have been primarily responsible for my father’s care. At the age of 90, I find it of great interest and benefit to reflect upon his efforts in this area during the major part of his life.  Self-care is hard if you don’t care for yourself and so many neglect their own well-being. Helping others to best maintain their health requires wisdom, knowledge, compassion and determination. Many years ago, the Washington Post referred to my Dad as “the unobtrusive s