The Good, the Bad, and the Burning Rage

No one ever accused me of growing old old gracefully. In fact, very seldom has anyone told me I do anything with elegance. Some of us have wonderful gifts of charm and dignified restraint while I usually operate with tempestuous shock and awe. As I age, I have learned to modify my approach to roadblocks with a “kinder, gentler” attitude, yet I remain pretty much on the direct offensive.

I try to keep myself open to change because I believe a creature of habit soon wears a rut that places him at a disadvantageous position in this quickly changing world. But, I, like most other seniors, often kick and scream as I realize I must adapt to some very unwelcome changes. But, these days, I think I am getting much better at barking and not biting the oppositon.

Even though I find it essential to make modifications in my mind, I have a great affinity for old concepts that used to work with such simplicity. Anyone with considerable age will tell you about the “good old days” when things were uncomplicated and seemingly true. Yet, that longing perspective comes with passing time, and distance surely creates ambiguity and embellishment. So, do I reminisce with the purpose of reliving only the good times while preferring to repress the bad? In other words, were the “good old days” really that good?

And, if I accept that today can be the best day of my life, do I give enough effort to elevating the present? I believe the answer to that is “no, certainly not.” Too many old memories of the past hang like treasures in the gallery of my life. I can't destroy these recollections and be true to myself. Therefore, I set about making better art with my soul grounded in the past and my heart hungry for a new future. This present "me" is open to compromise as long as others accept me for the imperfect soul I am.

I don't want someone to force me into a file titled “Old and in the Way.” I want to continue learning and continue experiencing interactions that transform my character and improve my life. I want to remain an active participant in social issues, no matter my age. I am not nearly as intent on getting my way these days; I just want to be heard and be understood. I truly believe that is the respect most of my generation gave to our "old school" compadres.

Neither do I want to project a demeanor that suggests I have great wisdom. I do not. My goal is to keep an open mind that allows me to look at all viewpoints and find some common ground and common good. I often get very discouraged by folks who believe they have unparalleled experience and knowledge. They often try to tell me they understand the only acceptable path in life. Immediately, I question the intent of those who think they know the “true way” because, to me, they represent stagnation, and they usually have very little tolerance of anything that is not within the framework of their beliefs.

My beliefs, my faith, my values, my love – all of the understanding I possess constantly goes through considerable changes. Without transformation, I am a dead man walking. Granted, my age limits many of my cherished physical activities; however, my mind is not bound by time, my voice is not silenced by age, and my pen is not subject to a loss of words. I guess survival could be my first priority as age begins to gnaw at me, but I can withstand most handicaps as long as my mind serves my true being. I would rather live a shorter life well than become a longstanding silent partner to lonely existence.

I admire the graceful people who dance so beautifully through their lives. All I ask of them is that they allow the more oafish louts like me on their dance floor. Allow us to make our mistakes and occasionally fall due to our inexperience and lack of polished form. We indelicate steppers are living with the same rhythms of the more refined, but our response is not always pretty. Pick us up when we do tumble because we will do the same for you. Don't be afraid to touch us as the "ugly" others. We may even be able to comment on a tiny flaw we observe in your fine-grained steps.

I believe it takes all kinds of people to survive, and I believe we must be tolerant of so many different opinions that surface from so many varied backgrounds. We have immeasurable volumes to gain by working together and learning from one another. The quiet and the loud, the meek and the impertinent, the articulate and the misrepresented, the all-knowing and the lowly – we are all made from the same elements, yet we are all unique beings of creation.

Instead of people judging other people by general standards, we should make every effort to grasp the souls of all individuals, no matter their present nature. Can you say you haven't gone through major changes of temperament as you strive to find your own individuality? Can you say for certain you will always remain the same person you are today? Keeping an open mind is paramount to learning, and we must keep educating ourselves unless we declare ourselves worthless.

At 61, I am finally getting the opportunity to consider my past. I have found that self understanding and discovery go hand in hand. I want to look back to comprehend better the things I have done, and I want to look forward to locate some favorable, new shores. I know I am not what I was, but I hope to be something more than I am today. To do this, I have to steer my unique, aging vessel and change with the new prevailing winds. And my boat is not a nimble schooner, friends. But, I surely feel like sailing on.

DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO
THAT GOOD NIGHT

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

--Dylan Thomas

(The poem is addressed it to his octogenarian father who was growing weak and frail with old age. It has been historically stated that Thomas never showed the poem to his father. Was he writing it to face his own fears of losing a loved one or perhaps to record his personal fears of his inevitable demise?)

How Women Flirt: A Non-Verbal Guide For Men

"God created the flirt as soon

as he made the fool."

 -Victor Hugo

We men will never understand feminine mystique and all of the seemingly magical power possessed by women that allows them to transform us into devoted subjects of their affection. Consider non-verbal flirting, for example. Most women are masters of the subtle art of flirting -- making playful, romantic or sexual overtones with careful, measured, suggestive gestures. We need a guidebook to decipher this subtle art.


No doubt, we can and do often misread women's non-verbal signs. We easily misread something meant to be playful for something far more serious, and, of course, then we reciprocate in totally inappropriate or extremely embarrassing, cornball ways. We find ourselves playing the baited fool.


Consider men who grow up playing sports. We are taught to get non-verbal signals from our coaches, be certain of their meaning, and act immediately and directly to accomplish the tasks imparted by the signs. Simple and straightforward. If we miss the coaches' signals or misinterpret the signs, we immediately receive strict reprimand about our ineptitude to take action. In short, we have learned that to miss a signal can lead to total defeat. That “readiness” is why we often spring into action upon any flirtatious female gesture.


This response is part of the patent design of a man's simple, veracious brain. This is why we don't browse when shopping. Instead, when we see something advertised that matches our desires, we go directly to the store, straight down the appropriate aisle, and eagerly grab the product. We then purchases it and happily exit the store intent on getting back home and using the merchandise. To us, shopping is just like sports -- read the sign, make the commitment, and take the appropriate action.


However, when women flirt, they assume we can interpret their coy intentions, take our time choosing one of a million possible flirting responses, and proceed with extreme caution. Most of us just can't think along those indirect lines. In fact, sometimes women flirt just to enjoy counterfeiting their romantic notions; they love to affirm that they can attract us with absolutely no intent of entertaining any reciprocal provocative response. Women enjoy employing this saucy banter as they control our desires with their powerful feminine voodoo.


We men must beware. Women may enjoy flirting merely as fun. "People can flirt outrageously without intending anything," says independent sex researcher Timothy Perper, who has been researching flirting for 30 years. "Flirting captures the interest of the other person and says 'Would you like to play?'"


And one of the most exhilarating things about the game is that the normal rules of social interaction are rubberized. Clarity is not the point. "Flirting opens a window of potential. Not yes, not no," says Perper. "So we engage ourselves in this complex game of maybe." (Belinda Luscombe, "The Science of Romance: Why We Flirt," Time Magazine, January 17 2008)


I would hate to say how many cases of sexual harassment begin with playful flirting. Because when we hot-blooded, single-minded men believe a woman is flirting with us, we cannot resist turning into testosterone-fueled locomotives and rushing headlong toward what they interpret as merely seductive teasing.


This rush to judgment often leads to conflict. Face it --most males just do not have the cunning wile or the required patience to engage in the flirting game. Like hungry bass, we see the beautiful refection from the lure and swallow it hook, line, and sinker. Many of us will immediately jump right into the boat to accommodate the female fisherman.


Therefore, more often than not, we guys interpret even friendly cues, such as a subtle smile from a woman, as a sexual come-on. Why? Because when it comes to flirting, we are clueless. One common explanation for reports of us taking a friendly gesture as "she wants me," is based on our inherent interest in sex, which is thought to result from our biology as well as our upbringing. After all, one 2012 study in the Journal of Sex Research claims we think about sex 19 times a day vs. 10 times a day for women.



Following this idea, women and men may be aware of the same behavioral cues, but we have a lower threshold for what qualifies as sexual interest. In contrast, women would wait for compelling evidence before labeling a behavior as sexual interest. We, like other primate males, are born aggressors. Socialization, gender roles and gender stereotypes may also contribute to our "blurry vision" of non-verbal cues.

So, How Did This Flirting Thing Ever Begin?


The origin of the word flirt is pretty obscure. The Oxford English Dictionary associates it with such onomatopoeic words as flit and flick, emphasizing a lack of seriousness or moving in quick flights; on the other hand, it has been attributed to the Old French conter fleurette, which means "to (try to) seduce" by the dropping of flower petals, that is, "to speak sweet nothings" diminutive of fleur "flower" and metaphoric of bees skimming from flower to flower.



But soon, the natural honey bee image referred to the conduct of flitting ladies. Flirt (noun) came to mean "a pert young hussey" by the 1560s, and Shakespeare defined a flirt-gill as "a woman of light or loose behavior," while flirtgig was a 17th century Yorkshire dialect word for "a giddy, flighty girl."



All or any of these word histories could have fed into the main modern verbal sense of "play at courtship" (1777).

In Victorian times, overt signs of interest were generally considered unacceptable on the part of both men and women. Yet, even though they had not been properly introduced and courted, Victorian women would show interest in men through very subtle cues. One way was through floriography, or the language of flowers. Different flowers represented different feelings, and they could be very complicated. Dictionaries were published so that everyone could easily understand the meanings.

Here are a few "flower" basics:



Blue violet = faithfulness
Sunflower = lofty thoughts
White Lily = purity
Honeysuckle = devotion
Dahlia = elegance
Lavender = mistrust
Forget-me-not = true love
Ivy = dependence
Red and white roses = unity
Daffodil = unrequited love


Ages ago women also used fans as tools in the art of non-verbal flirting. Since women then didn’t want to be too obvious about their flirting, they started using flirting “props” such as hand fans to send messages of interest…or disinterest. Ladies carried fans wherever they went, so the use of the fan as a communication tool became very popular in the 18th century and carried over into Victorian times.


Here is some Victorian Flirtatious Fan language:


Presenting the fan shut: “Do you love me?”
Putting the fan handle to the lips: “Kiss me”
Placing the fan near the heart: You have won my love.
Hiding the eyes behind an open fan: I love you
Covering the left ear with an open fan: “Do not betray our secret”
Opening a fan wide: “Wait for me”
Opening and closing the fan several times: You are cruel.
Twirling the fan in the left hand: You are being watched.
Twirling the fan I the right hand: “I love another”
Fanning quickly: “I am engaged”
Fanning slowly: I am married.
Half-opened fan pressed to the lips: You may kiss me.
A closed fan touching the right eye: “When may I be allowed to see you?
Drawing the fan across the eyes: “I am sorry”


These elaborate props would have required men to devote quite a bit of studying to reading a woman's true intentions. For most suitors, observing and understanding “fan language" would have taxed their powers of keen observation and would have demanded an aid of an interpretative cheat sheet. And, what if a lady was "fanning" for another man in the same setting. I bet some nasty fights resulted due to this airy communication.


Flirting Today


What about the way women prefer to flirt now? When it comes to flirting today, women are not waiting around for us to make the first move. They are taking the initiative more than ever before. Scientists call all these little acts "contact-readiness" cues because they indicate, non verbally, that women are prepared for physical engagement.


Research has revealed that body language constitutes over fifty percent of communication and the things that people say only represent roughly seven percent. The remainder is represented by intonation (the sound of the voice). Which means that the things that women say actually aren't as meaningful as just how they say it along with the things that their body language is saying. (Mike Francis, “Flirting With Body Language,” sooperarticles, August 9 2012)


Unfortunately, non-verbal flirting is as complicated as ever. Although most of the time women send physical cues to let us know whether they are interested or not, we of little patience refuse to pay attention to all the small details. While any one of these signs may not give us the “green light,” a combination of flirtatious clues may be a direct invitation to advance. We face a tremendous challenge if we want to become masters of reading these promising flirtations. And, we must understand that perfection may be impossible.

Reading Non-Verbal Flirtations

Lips

A recent study by scientists at Manchester University in the UK has shown that our eyes are drawn to a woman's lips within the first 10 seconds of meeting her. Red lips and perceived attractiveness are still inextricably linked, with red lipstick the most powerful attractor, and one that significantly increases our visual fixation. (“Lips Are a Woman's Most Attractive Feature, Study Finds,” Queensland Daily Mail, November 26 2010)

When women have lipstick on, we gaze at their lips for an average of 7 seconds, just 0.95 seconds are spent on looking at eyes and only 0.85 seconds are spent watching their hair.

When women are without makeup, then men only look at their lips for 2.2 seconds and instead 2.77 seconds are spent admiring their nose and 2.97 seconds spent appreciating the beautiful eyes.

Lead researcher, Dr Geoff Beattie, said that this study confirms that lips are the most sensual part of female body and play a major role in sexual attraction. Full lips with red lipstick combined with a pout are the most potent weapon in a woman’s repertoire. Regardless of lip type, a woman can secure greater levels of attraction by just applying lipstick.

When women touch their lips and apply gloss and lipstick, they know we are watching. Lips are flirting tools that are both potent and effective. A flirt may also sensuously employ her lips by using the straw in her cocktail instead of just sipping from the glass. A tremendous amount of flirtatious energy is tied up in a woman’s lips.

Some experts claim there is nothing like the Lower Lip Nibble to subconsciously give us an injection of pure of testosterone. In the nibble, the woman will gently grip her lower lip with her teeth and with sensual slowness, allow it to slip away. Done well and without awareness this can drive us to our knees.
 

A flirt may also wet her lips frequently, or she might try to plump her lips, giving them that "pouty" look to create a more sexy appeal, another positive sign that she's interested in us.

Eyes

MRI scans of the brain have shown that eye contact activates an area of the brain called the ventral striatum, otherwise known as the reward center. Essentially, that means we’re wired to interpret someone gazing into our eyes as the ultimate treat.

So, naturally, the eyes are considered the most important flirting mechanism. For instance, a woman who is interested will often give us a few lingering glances – ones that last longer than usual, about two to three seconds. (That may not sound like long, but it will seem like an eternity; non romantic glances last only 1.18 seconds on average.) Some say the duration of her eye contact is proportional to her level of initial interest. She will then break the eye contact and look down. We may interpret this as a submissive sign. Frequent downward glances suggests demureness which many of us find evocatively appealing.

Some women may use a technique known as the the triangular formation of vision. They may shift their vision from one of our eyes to the other, and to the bridge of the nose. As a woman becomes more interested in us, this triangular formation extends downward. Some say that it’s rude to look at a stranger’s body, but people really can’t help it when they feel attracted.

The strong combination of meeting our gaze, and then looking away, really screams “I want you.” In fact, this flirting behavior is known as the “copulatory gaze.”

Arched eyebrows are one of the top body language signs of flirting. The raised eyebrow in American culture breaks the taboo of sustained eye contact and is used in everyday flirting to signal interest. An inviting eyebrow flash is usually very fast and accompanied with a smile.

Or, a flirt may narrow her eyes slightly just like those sultry femme fatales in the movies. Her pupils will often dilate when she’s interested. Basic biology tells us that when people like something (or someone) their pupils expand (dilate). When they don't like something, they contract. If her pupils are big, it may be a sign that she likes us. On the other hand, if her pupils are small and pointed, it may be a bad sign.

Even a demure sideways glance from a woman who avoids direct eye contact can be a strong sign of flirting. This could be an invitation for us to take initiative and introduce ourselves.

Smile

A woman's smile is said to be the sexiest curve on her body. Her smile, with eye contact, is seen by us as an immediate invitation for much more closeness. That is a signal programmed into our old brain limbic system, and we just can't ignore it. Whether we want to or not, our brain will change our body chemicals to start getting ready for action.

How do we know when a woman's smile is not just a courtesy? A sincere smile is normally slow and not nervous or forced. The Researchers say that in a true smile, the outer corners of the eyes crinkle into "crow's-feet.” These small lines are made by muscles that cannot be consciously controlled; therefore, a fake smile does not have these lines at the eyes.

This true smile is called a "Duchenne smile" and involves contraction of both the zygomatic major muscle to raise the corners of the mouth and the orbicularis oculi muscle to raise the cheeks and form the "crow's feet" at the eyes' outer edges. A non-Duchenne smile uses only the zygomatic major muscle at the mouth.

A true smile lasts a short limited time (up to only 5 seconds) then the face changes to more relaxed. A fake smile is done with different muscles and can stay on the face all day long. A true smile is also symmetrical. The muscles on both sides of the face operate equally in a really true emotional smile. A fake smile is often greatly more evident on only one side of the face.

If a flirt smiles after giving us several glances, it’s a very good sign. It means that she wants us to talk to her. Of course, we must return her smile. One dating expert advises: “Guys, if you lock eyes and smiles with a woman three or more times in an evening, you have received a clear signal that she's interested. Make your move, head on over and start up a conversation. If you don't, somebody else will."

Ambiguous Gestures



Some women bat their eyelashes or run their fingers through their hair. They often flirt like this to test our intentions, using ambiguous gestures. The Social Institute Research Centre has coined a term for these ambiguous flirting gestures, like hair touching. They're protean signals, named for the Greek shape-shifting god Proteus.


Of course, if a woman uses these gestures and learns that we aren't interested, then she can always play them off as not being flirtatious. Make no mistake, we men must know that a woman is in control of the flirting game.

Twirling or flicking hair is a favorite feminine flirting gesture. Why this has such an effect on men is a hotly debated subject. The Definitive Book of Body Language (Allan and Barbara) allegedly claims that it allows a woman to expose her armpit and thus "waft" pheromones to the man. Or, she may be doing this to casually expose her neck.

It is believed that exposure of the neck is one of the most winning flirting techniques a woman can use. This can be done with the classic hair flip, with a head tilt to one side, or the over-the-shoulder glance - the asymmetrical position attracts attention, exposes her neck, and gives her the opportunity to lock eyes.

While flirting, a woman may play with her accessories such as her earrings or her necklace. Or, she may twist her pinky ring. These fidgety behaviors likely mean she is nervously flirting if she combines them with making eye contact.

The position of a woman's hands can also tell a lot about her opinion of us. If she has faced both hands palms up, she is probably interested. Moreover, is she has rested the elbow of one hand into the palm of the other, which is cocked up and facing palm out, she is sending a signal that she is engaged in our conversation.

And how about the shoes? The Show Dangle is a strong but subtle message to us. Translated it says: “By half slipping off my shoe I'm indicating that I am relaxed, comfortable and may be willing to undress further." Also, for many of us (even those that won't admit it), the female foot is strangely attractive. Women worldwide spend Billions of Dollars on footwear and pedicures and they do it for a reason.

Preening

Preening tends to be an important part of how women flirt. Most women will focus on their physical appearance as soon as we catch their eye. A woman may straighten her skirt, fix her coat or check the buttons on her blouse.

A flirt may also toss her hair around, stroke it or comb it slowly. This is her way of trying to make the best first impression she can. Long, flowing hair has always been a sign of feminine health and thus sexuality and child bearing ability. By tossing her hair a woman is essentially saying: “Look at me and my suitability. I am happy, confident and very healthy!”

Feet and Posture

Feet typically point in the direction they want to go, so if someone’s feet are pointed toward us, that’s good. If they’re pointed away from us, that’s bad. If someone’s feet are pointed in toward each other, that “pigeon toes” stance is actually a good sign, since it’s a subconscious attempt to shrink in size and appear harmless, approachable ... which may very well mean someone likes us, a lot.

If a woman is trying to maintain an erect posture it's likely she's trying to make a good impression. Women who tend to slouch have either lower self-esteem about their bodies, and/or, aren't comfortable with the current situation. If her legs are open or crossed and pointed in our direction she is sending us positive signals. If she has crossed her legs and they are down and away from us, perhaps she is not interested in beginning a conversation.

Another positive sign with an open posture would be leaning forward. This is a sign of attentiveness and interest or liking. Also, experiments have shown that females are more likely to tilt their heads to one side when they are interested in us while we are conversing.

Touch

Should we reach out to touch a woman who flirts? Many authorities say we should probably wait for her to touch us. Women are much less open to touching and may take any physical contact as threatening.

But when a woman initiates touching, even if done casually and briefly, it is most often a serious sign of flirting. The slight differences in a “flirty” touch vs. a “friendly” touch are discreet, yet touch connects with a man’s primal instincts almost instantly. After a flirt touches us, we should reciprocate.

If a woman does touch us, she may place her hand on our shoulder or leg or playfully pat us on the back. She may“accidentally” touch our hand when she’s passing us something. If she leaves her hand for more than a few seconds, we should take this as a sign she’s flirting.

Social researchers say that the knee is, perhaps, the most suggestive place a woman may touch us. If a flirt touches our knee just once it could be a fluke. But twice? That probably is an offer to let us touch her knee and well... let's just say that the contact is very suggestive.

A woman may also flirt by touching a part of her own body. For example, she might cross and uncross her legs while slowly stroking her thigh. Or she might slowly stroke an object such as her glass. Subtle or obvious touching -- women are very aware of the way that this subconsciously affects us, and they will do it deliberately. Where it is subconscious it is a truly reliable indicator of a woman's feelings.

Many dating experts feel if a woman touches or rubs her arm, it’s a good sign. And, generally, if she touches any other part of her body, it’s a great sign. Essentially touching means: "I'm stroking and touching myself because I'd really like to be stroked and touched by you.”Also, by touching herself in this way, a woman draws our attention to erogenous zones that she thinks are her best assets and will appeal to us.



When women touch their necks, they are probably feeling sexy. The neck is one of a woman's most sensitive erogenous zones, and we are attracted to soft, smooth female skin. Exposing the neck is socially acceptable, and touching it stimulates a gentle soothing and loving sensation.

Mirroring

While we aren’t usually aware of it, we tend to mirror the actions of people we’re attracted to. So if we want to gauge whether someone’s attracted to us, we could check our watch –then see if she checks hers. Or scratch our arm, then see if she scratches hers. In other words, watch for a flirt to follow our behaviors.

In mirroring, a woman tunes in to our movements and imitates them in some manner. Generally, the mirror actions are done in a natural manner after 10-20 seconds. In effect, the mirror is a subconscious reaction of interest.

Separation

If a woman who is flirting within a pack of friends, she may stray from them after making flirtatious contact with us. A woman knows that the most difficult defense for us to penetrate is her wall of friends and well-wishers. Moving away from them signals that she is lowering her defense barriers to let us into her private space.

How would we approach a woman if we decide she is flirting? Most scientists recommend keeping a space of about four feet between us and the woman as we approach her. Researchers at the Social Issues Research Center report that about four feet is an acceptable social distance to maintain. When the woman crosses that threshold and closes the space between us, then we can be assured that she is flirting with us. If she has no interest in us, she will likely back away and increase the distance.

Conclusion

Most of us men are just easygoing and simple. This is not to say we don't appreciate the complex art of flirting and the women who practice it so well. I think it's safe to say a woman who exhibits a certain playful attitude is more attractive than a stick-in the-mud beauty. Let's just say I believe a woman who knows how to accentuate her positive features attracts my attention. Even if I don't understand exactly what a woman means when she works her magic, I enjoy the show. Just have a little mercy on us, girls because our one-track mind can get us into dumb, embarrassing situations.

Now, let me end this writing by saying that my days of interpreting flirtations are over. I'm married and much too old to reciprocate any advances. I thought this post might help some poor young fellows who are participants in the strange world of decoding feminine follies. Besides, it was fun to research some of the often used signals employed in the game. I do have fond memories of times when my mind went haywire because I thought “she” was flirting with “me.” And no, I never had to read the “fan language” or engage in floriography. I'm a little younger than those flirty Victorians. But, some of that stuff does sound kind of fun.

Georgescu Drinks the "Portsmouth Cocktail"

"Dr. Victor Georgescu told investigators he was scared by goings-on at Greater Medical (Wheelersburg, Ohio) but needed the work because he had been fired from four previous jobs after suffering a stroke, according to a 2010 request for a search warrant during an investigation of more than two years.

"'You don't like what you were doing here?' Kevin Kineer, an investigator with the Ohio Board of Pharmacy, asked the doctor.

"'Right,' Georgescu responded.

"'You know it's wrong?' the agent said.

"'Yes,' the doctor said."

(Andrew Welsh-Huggins, "Documents: Ohio 'Pill Mill' Was Corrupt Drug Den," cnsnews.com)


Dr. Georgescu, the doctor at Greater Medical Advance in Wheelersburg, and the clinic operator, George Adkins, were each charged with engaging in corrupt activity, conspiracy to engage in corrupt activity, funding drug trafficking and permitting drug abuse, for running a "pill mill" out of the clinic.


Dr. Victor Georgescu frequently wrote prescriptions that lasted longer and with higher and stronger dosages than other doctors. During one nine-month stretch more than 14,000 prescriptions were written.

Georgescu was scheduled to go on trial on September 17. He had been free on $150,000 bond and had surrendered his passport

But, Georgescu — the physician who operated out of the last pain clinic in Scioto County — was found dead August 4.

The Liberty, Ohio Police Department received a call from Super 8 Motel on Saturday. The caller advised police a subject in Room No. 122 was lying on the floor and was unresponsive. Liberty Fire as well as two patrolmen responded to the scene, and it was determined the male subject had died.


“Right now we are treating this as a drug related death," Trumbull County Coroner, Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, said. "Drug tests, or toxicology usually takes about eight weeks turn around time. So we’ll know more when the drug testing comes back in about eight weeks."


According to the police report, an empty bottle of 90 proof vodka, and a cup used to mix prescription medication, were found in the room.

According to reports, Georgescu left no suicide note. I am very interested in knowing the actual circumstances concerning Georgescu's death. Why am I interested? This doctor openly admitted his wrongdoing to the press upon his arrest, before the trial ever started. He confessed to his involvement with criminal enterprises while experiencing what he described as his own desperate financial times.

Yet despite his inevitable arrest, the doctor continued to prescribe at the Wheelersburg pill mill while reportedly fearing for his own life. He continued to dispense the area's standard deadly dosage of prescription drugs known as the Portsmouth cocktail, and, in doing so, he became the last target of the DEA and the State of Ohio in the highly publicized fight against ten pill mills in Scioto County.


Georgescu's death leaves many unanswered questions about the operations of illegal prescription drug operations and the involvement of others in the criminal hierarchy. I believe the man may have chosen to end his life because he faced severe consequences by testifying in court. Perhaps threats against his family and friends made him choose suicide.


I believe the doctor, himself, may have been an addict to the poisonous dosages of his practice. If so, had he lost all ability to control his actions? Was the man a human being without a conscience due to years of abuse and loss of self control? After all, he chose prescription drugs and alcohol as the means of ending his miserable life.

I can make no sound conclusions without further evidence. I can only speculate and wonder why even the best can choose to wager their souls for blood money. A troubled Judas, Victor Georgescu became involved in something so sinister that it eventually consumed him. His scapegoat was an unfortunate stroke, but something more surely must have caused him to betray his ethics and continue to practice what he knew was evil. He became an anti-physician who cared nothing about relieving the pain of others. Instead, he willingly dispensed poison that caused untold pain and death.


I wonder what he thought during his last minutes of consciousness on earth. Did he believe suicide would condemn him to eternal suffering in hell? Did he believe going to hell was a proper fate for the wrongs he had done? Did he confess his sins and ask God for forgiveness? Did he even care about anything other than escaping his horrible life? Was he defiant and bold to the end or was he frightened and seeking desperate refuge?

It might be easy to bury a man like Victor Georgescu and attempt to forget he ever existed. Still, I believe there is much to be learned from his demise. I pray more information will come to light.

Richard Cory

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
'Good-morning,' and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich - yes, richer than a king -
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

By Edwin Arlington Robinson

        
Luke 22:3-6

"Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him (Jesus) to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd."

Matthew 27:3-5

"When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 'I have sinned,' he said, 'for I have betrayed innocent blood.'

“'What is that to us?' they replied. 'That’s your responsibility.'

"So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself."

Sodapopped In Schools

More than one-third of U.S. children

are overweight or obese —

a proportion that has tripled

over the last 30 years,

according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Public health experts point to all sugar-sweetened beverages as a key source of excess calories that can cause childhood obesity. In schools, children's access to soda is a major concern. Many officials believe such drinks should be banned in schools in favor of water, low-fat or nonfat milk and 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices with no added sugar.

Half as many U.S. adolescents as in 2006 can still buy high-calorie sodas in schools, but other sugary beverages such as fruit drinks and sports drinks with added sugar and calories remain easily available onsite.


University of Michigan Ann Arbor researchers (2012) found the trend in a survey of more than 1,900 public schools, which has grown as the institutions banish sodas from vending machines, school stores and cafeterias.

Older students who could buy soda in high school fell to 25 percent in 2011 from 54 percent in 2006, while access by younger middle school students fell to 13 percent from 27 percent, according to the study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. (Susan Heavey, "Sodas Banned From Many Schools But Not Sports Drinks," Reuters, August 7 2012)

The Institute of Medicine,

part of the National Academies of Sciences

which advises the U.S. government on related issues,

has already called for the elimination of regular sodas,

allowing sports drinks only for certain student athletes,

and limiting other diet or caffeine-free drinks to high schools students.

Pediatricians and nutritionists look skeptically at sports drinks, which typically have about half as much sugar per ounce as a Coke. And servings are big; a 32-ounce bottle of Gatorade has 224 calories, all from sugar, while a 12-ounce can of Coke has 162 calories.


According to a study in Pediatrics, teens who opt for sports drinks tend to eat better and exercise a bit more than their soda-slurping peers. But that difference wasn't huge, and these kids are slurping up lots of sugar: Twenty-eight percent of the teens said they drank three or more sports drinks daily. Drinking just one soda or one sports drink daily can, in a year's time, cause a gain of 15 pounds, unless people compensate by cutting back on calories elsewhere or exercising more.

My Bottom Line

I hate the fact that so many American children are obese. As a retired high school teacher, I can attest to the large numbers of teens who eat snack food for their school lunch. During lunch period, many line up at the vending machines and purchase items that are not nutritious. Of course, much has been written about the poor quality and unhealthy content of school lunches also.


For instance, according to the 2004-2005 School Nutrition Dietary Assessment, around 42 percent of schools surveyed offered no fresh fruits or vegetables. "USA Today" reported in December 2009 that the meats schools receive for their lunch programs from the USDA are often of lesser quality and are rejected by large corporations such as Campbell's Soup.
(http://www.livestrong.com/article/401521-are-school-lunches-really-healthy/)


To me, the interesting outcome of research on childhood obesity is the finger-pointing at public schools (government supported) and the suggested mandates to help relieve the problem. It seems as if more and more people rely on schools not only to educate their children but also to raise their children.


Any loving father or mother realizes the tremendous responsibilities inherent in parenthood. They understand their obligation to nurture a child and to provide support and guidelines that help a child grow up in good health. Of course, schools must provide proper loco parentis protection for students; however, to expect schools to be overly concerned about limiting any potentially fattening or unhealthy food raises questions about the future extent of such a policy.


For example, will soda, candy, popcorn, and other traditional ballgame fare be banned from school activities? Will school lunches become increasingly more vegetarian? Will schools ban sack lunches that contain cookies, chips, and other snack foods? Since authorities claim milk contains 59 active hormones, scores of allergens, fat and cholesterol, herbicides, pesticides, and dioxins, will dairy products be banned?

And how about the dangers of bread?




Most grains or grain products (like breads, pastas and the like) are high-glycemic. And to the horror of all, even some of the “whole grain” products on the market are too. These high-glycemic carbs are the ones many nutritionists claim causes coronary heart disease, so you should avoid them in your diet. They’re the processed carbs and the carbs with high sugar content. My goodnesss, rice is also high-glycemic (both white and brown), as are most cereals.
Bread is a loaded gun in the hands of our youth!


Consider the following bread dangers:

• More than 98 percent of convicted felons are bread eaters.
  
• More than 90 percent of violent crimes are committed within 24 hours of eating bread.
  
• Bread is often a "gateway" food item, leading the user to "harder" items such as butter, jelly, peanut butter and even cold cuts.
  
• Bread has been proven to absorb water. Since the human body is more than 90 percent water, it follows that eating bread could lead to your body being taken over by this absorptive food product, turning you into a soggy, gooey bread-pudding person.
  
• Bread has been proven to be addictive. Subjects deprived of bread and given only water to eat begged for bread after only two days.

Thanks to "The Dangers of Bread"

(http://www.failedsuccess.com/index.php?/weblog/comments/the_dangers_of_bread/)

And what about the suggestions of the Institute of Medicine? If sports drinks contain sugar, why not eliminate them from schools along with soda? Bottled water is available on campus.

This has got me totally confused: “Allow sports drinks for only certain student atheletes”? What the hell is a certain student athlete? I've coached quite a few high school teams, and I've never been asked to quantify the number of certain student athletes on the teams.

Why “limit other diet or caffeine-free drinks to high school students”? If they are bad for children in general, why not ban them from high schools?

According to another report in the medical journal Pediatrics, energy drinks are under-studied, overused and can be dangerous for children and teens. “We would discourage the routine use" by children and teens, said Dr. Steven Lipshultz, pediatrics chairman at the University of Miami's medical school.

Energy drinks often contain ingredients that can enhance the jittery effects of caffeine or that can have other side effects including nausea and diarrhea. It says they should be regulated as stringently as tobacco, alcohol and prescription medicines.

"For most children, adolescents, and young adults, safe levels of consumption have not been established," the report said.

Forget it, kid. Just listen to the doctors and the government. Soon you will be lunching on delicious tofu, yogurt, broccoli sprout sandwiches sans deadly bread, and soy milk. You will lose weight, and I'm sure you won't be a bit hungry come the last period of the day.
 

Awakening Sleeping Beauty

Beautiful times are fleeting moments we too seldom appreciate for what they are. Many resplendent occasions occur naturally and waft through our lives like elusive butterflies. And so they should. If we attempt to capture and hold them forever, they would only die by our inappropriate and awkward intrusion. As English novelist and poet Thomas Hardy once said, “The beautiful things of the earth become more dear as they elude pursuit.”


The exotic, the truly wondrous times seldom reveal their making. Mystery increases their alluring nature, and people inevitable seek to duplicate beautiful feelings, which is next to impossible. Painters and sculptures may capture symbols of beauty on canvas or stone, but these works of art are merely reproductions. Beauty may be as easily produced by the works of gardeners or careworkers, so many beautiful moments are often such byproducts of everyday people's lives.


The essence of beauty is crystalline yet evanescent. Like diamonds, genuinely beautiful moments are rare wonders, yet unlike precious, palpable gems, beautiful times are intangible. Poet Jeanette Winterson says, "Whatever it is that pulls the pin, that hurls you past the boundaries of your own life into a brief and total beauty, even for a moment, it is enough."


The rarity of beautiful experiences in life requires one to be attentive in order to savor the reality of such moments. Creating stunning attacks on the senses, beauty can numb people and render them unable to reason. Beauty slips into human souls and permeates centers of control, and with intoxicating admiration, people often believe they can somehow control it. Others believe they can cultivate it in their lives. They foolishly wish to perpetuate peerless beauty of the body or of the mind which nature, itself, strictly prohibits.


A chuckle of a happy child, a kiss of tender love, a smile from a close friend, a warming touch of consolation, a fragrance from a rose, a rush of intense anticipation, an unexpected pleasure – beautiful moments are precious and too few. They do not require intense preparation for their arrival or demand money for their services. They release their pure, simple joy and then depart. They quickly escape free to come and go at will.


In truth, beautiful times touch us daily in our waking sleep. We must learn to identify them with open, discerning eyes and to acknowledge them with gracious minds. Perhaps we crowd them out unintentionally: We become too busy or too close-minded to feel their presence. Or, maybe elders have instructed us to be too cautious or too judgmental about signs of beauty and love. We fear opening ourselves up to the potential imprint of beauty upon our lives. Maybe many of us are just too reluctant to accept beautiful times for what they are – rare treasures for our needy senses.


At times we should realize our ability to return to innocence and to rediscover the joy felt by our younger, softer souls. Where passion and tenderness and imagination meet, beautiful times dwell.


When Beauty and Beauty Meet

   

When Beauty and Beauty meet
All naked, fair to fair,
The earth is crying-sweet,
And scattering-bright the air,
Eddying, dizzying, closing round,
With soft and drunken laughter;
Veiling all that may befall
After -- after --

Where Beauty and Beauty met,
Earth's still a-tremble there,
And winds are scented yet,
And memory-soft the air,
Bosoming, folding glints of light,
And shreds of shadowy laughter;
Not the tears that fill the years
After -- after --

Rupert Brooke, 1912

Dr. Georgescu: Prescription For His Own Demise

"Dr. Victor Georgescu — the physician who operated out of the last pain clinic in Scioto County — was found dead over the weekend, authorities said on Monday.

"The Liberty, Ohio Police Department received a call from Super 8 Motel on Saturday. The caller advised police a subject in Room No. 122 was lying on the floor and was unresponsive. Liberty Fire as well as two patrolmen responded the scene, and it was determined the male subject had died. The Trumbull County Coroners office was notified by officers, and responded to the scene.

“'Right now we are treating this as a drug related death,' Trumbull County Coroner, Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, said. 'Drug tests, or toxicology usually takes about eight weeks turn around time. So we’ll know more when the drug testing comes back in about eight weeks.'


"According to the police report, an empty bottle of 90 proof vodka, and a cup used to mix prescription medication, were found in the room."


(Frank Lewis, "Alleged Pain Clinic Doctor Found Dead," Portsmouth Daily Times, August 6 2012)


Georgescu was scheduled to go on trial on September 17. He had been free on $150,000 bond and had surrendered his passport. In many ways, he was trapped and, most likely, tortured by his memories. What a sad, lonely end for a doctor of medicine.


Online, the doctor lists his specialties as anesthesiology and pain medicine. Georgescu has been practicing for 22 years. He completed his studies at Universitatea De Medicina Si, Farmacie Carol Davila, Facultatea, De Medicina in 1986.


An Internet site claims he has made the Honor Roll as a HealthGrades Recognized Doctor. It also states Georgescu has no history of malpractice; no history of sanctions by a state medical board, professional medical licensing organization, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and no complaints filed my a patient or by a medical colleague. His overall patient rating was 2.5 stars of a possible 5 stars.


Online information gave his six hospital affiliations as the following:

UPMC Saint Margaret
815 Freeport Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15215

UPMC Presbyterian/Shadyside
200 Lothrop St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

UPMC Horizon
110 N Main St, Greenville, PA 16125

Jordan Hospital Inc
275 Sandwich St, Plymouth, MA 02360

St Joseph Health Center
667 Eastland Ave SE, Warren, OH 44484

Bradford Regional Medical Center
116 Interstate Pkwy, Bradford, PA 16701

Dr. Georgescu's online addresses include the following:

Doctors Pain Clinic
1070 E State St
Salem, OH 44460
   

Doctors Pain Center LLC
2120 Likens Ln Ste 102
Farrell, PA 16121

 

 

 

Anesthesiologists Do Inc.
1011 Boardman Canfield Rd
Youngstown, OH 44512

Unnamed

201 5th St NE Ste 11
Barberton, OH 44203

Unnamed

667 Eastland Ave SE
Warren, OH 44484


Unnamed
 275 Sandwich St
Plymouth, MA 02360

According to an online site, some of the insurance plans accepted at his “pain clinics” include Medicare, Signa, Evercare, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, and Medical Mutual of Ohio.

Online Information: http://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Victor_Georgescu

                                 http://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-victor-georgescu-y3hpb

I am sure when Greater Medical Advance at 8744 Ohio River Road, in Wheelersburg was raided on December 20, 2011, some of the online information above about sanctions, complaints, and malpractice should have been amended. Georgescu was the doctor there and was arrested that same day at his home in Centerville, Ohio. Greater Medical Advance was the last of 10 pill mills closed in Scioto County.

I believe no one should celebrate death. I think Dr. Georgescu was a very troubled man. Although unconfirmed, it appears the doctor committed suicide. We will never know the real reason why this man chose to take his life, nor will we ever know why he chose to live a great part of it on the dark side as a doctor of pill mills.


We could speculate that the doctor, himself, was an addict. We could say that his love of money drove him to practice illegally. We could say some terrible event in his life damaged his conscious and caused him to betray his sacred medical oath. Now, the courts will never hear the real “story” of Dr. Victor Georgescu. He is gone, and he has taken with him any insight into his motivations. Some will surely call him a coward for ending his own life before the trial.

In some ways the doctor's death represents closure for people like Barbara Howard, whose daughter Leslie Dawn Cooper died at the age of 34 on October 3, 2009, as a result of a drug overdose, she says was caused by Georgescu, who wrote her daughter’s prescriptions. Yet, nothing can ever really heal the pain Barbara feels each day.

How ironic is Georgescu's apparent death by overdose? It is almost as if the demon monster was driven to devour the creator of the horror – something one might view in the last scene of a Gothic film. Why would a person who believed in pain management choose this method to commit suicide? Perhaps the doctor wanted to sacrifice his own life with the deadly cocktail that has consumed so many as some symbol or warning. Or, maybe he just didn't want to face agonizing withdrawal and certain imprisonment.


Whatever the case, he chose his time to expire. When he was living and practicing medicine, he should have chosen to make the health of his patients his first priority, but instead he willingly and recklessly distributed deadly doses of drugs and chose to live with the consequences of his actions. Those who died and suffered permanent damage at his hands never wanted to expire. He contributed to their addiction and overdose. Many, like Leslie, never knew the end was coming. Georgescu did not allow them to have any say in their demise.


I know forgiveness is the ultimate gift anyone can give. What a shame Dr. Georgescu did not choose to live to ask for forgiveness of the living who continue to suffer from his sins. Perhaps he never would have chosen to do so. And, I don't know if any of those damaged souls will forgive him in order to lighten their own burdens.

I am sure, however, in his last hours, the doctor did have to answer a question from the Maker. It's the question that someone who chooses evil must always answer: “Why?”


I'm going to try to follow the good lives of my Christian friends and pray for Dr. Georgescu's soul. I think if he is truly sorry, in some way, in heaven or in hell, he may decide to make amends and advance the cause to defeat drug abuse. If anyone should confess his sins, I believe he should. If he is offered a clean slate, what do you think he would chose to do now?

77 Times

77 Times


Who will rejoice
The rebirth
Of a loving heart?

Embrace

The waking

With wide open arms?

Affirm

The rebound

With genuine grace?

Support

The return

With infinite love?

The bright torch of recovery
Burns in cold, dark nights


The straight walk of recovery
Derails the mainline


The anchor of recovery
Moors the blessed faith


The balm of recovery
Heals broken spirits


The mender of recovery
Saves lost wretched souls

Celebrate the redemption

Of God's creations

Sons and daughters

Brothers and sisters

Husbands and wives

Lovers and friends

For they once were dead

But now they are alive

Frank R. Thompson

"Ask not to be forgiven, for this has already been accomplished. Ask, rather, to learn how to forgive, and to restore what always was to your unforgiving mind."

-A course in miracles