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Cause and effect of drug advertisements

In Business, Education, Health, National News, Opinion, television, Uncategorized on June 26, 2014 at 10:37 am

DIH LOGOAccording to a 2008 study by the peer-reviewed medical journal, PLOS Medicine, pharmaceutical companies spend nearly twice as much on marketing than research. In a review of the study, the consumer advocacy website, Consumerist.com, indicates, “Drug companies pour $57.5 billion into marketing, dwarfing the comparably paltry $31.5 billion devoted to research.”

Pharmaceutical manufacturers have rigid guidelines for promoting their products, but the question lingers: should non-over-the-counter drugs be promoted to the general public at all? The short answer is, probably not. The longer answer is more complex. Since, as a rule, Deer In Headlines deals with “fact,” not “truth,” here are some facts about drug advertising. Incidentally, if it is truth you’re interested in, check out a philosophy column (thanks Dr. Jones).

The official website of the United States Food and Drug Administration states, “Prescription drug advertisements can provide useful information for consumers to work with their health care providers to make wise decisions about treatment.” Leading the pack of heavily-marketed drugs are prescription sleep aids, blood thinners, anti-depressants and erectile dysfunction remedies. Most of the television ads for these medications appear during the day, carefully targeting certain markets.

What the general public fails to realize, however, is that these ads are intended to plant an idea in the head of the consumer who, in all their medical wisdom, will take the information to a doctor and insist on a prescription. Mission accomplished; more drugs are sold and the company’s stock goes up a quarter of a point, not to mention the fact there is one more person who simply can’t live without the latest pill. Perhaps a better understanding of how these ads are structured might help.

pillsThe FDA’s Office of Prescription Drug Promotion classifies medication advertisements into three categories: Product Claims, Reminders, and Help-Seeking ads.  The product claim ad names the drug, the treated condition and lists the benefits and risks. A reminder ad shows the name of the drug, but not its use. Finally, the help-seeking advertisement is directed at people with a particular condition for which they are trying to find a remedy. There is, however, no guideline for how much money a drug company can spend on advertising and some consumer advocates argue that it’s wrong for them to be able to spend more on marketing than research.

The fact is that it’s really hard to say exactly how much any one drug company spends on research vs. marketing because reported advertising expenditures are mixed in with the accounting category which also includes other figures, such as executive salaries. Research money is usually accounted for in a separate line item (R&D), even though it technically could be in the same classification with general operation costs.

Another fact is that everyone is a medical expert – yes that’s sarcasm. From the neighbor with every ailment more painful than the last or the relative who insists his doctor is an idiot but goes back every time his prescription runs out, self-diagnosis and treatment are a real epidemic in America.

There is also the concern that these advertisements actually plant the idea of a particular illness in the mind of the viewer who then heads to the doctor with a new problem, and a new prescription demand. Studies show that about 40-percent of all doctor visits are with the intention of getting a prescription. Since people keep going back, it’s safe to assume there are plenty of doctors obliging, and that needs to change as well.

Prescription medication should be marketed to the experts who will be prescribing it to the patient. Drug companies already spend billions on advertising and on-site sales representatives who offer samples and various other motivators to get the doctors to push their products for various ailments. The patient has no business self-prescribing and doctors need to be more responsible.

 

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer based in Jamestown, Ohio. Side effects of reading Deer In Headlines include a more open mind, alternative points of view and a better understanding of the world around you. No prescription necessary.

 

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Too much rides on a credit score

In Business, Economy, Education, Jobs, National News, Opinion, Uncategorized on June 16, 2014 at 11:33 am

DIH LOGOFor all the important numbers in the life of the average American, the credit score seems to wield the most power. It’s hard to imagine how three little digits could determine how an individual will live his or her life, regardless of the circumstances that created it and with the average person having virtually no understanding of what it is or how it’s calculated.

Credit scores determine how much a consumer will have to pay for credit (as interest rates), insurance, and other necessities. For many years, the credit score was a value hidden from the consumer because Fair Isaac and Company, the firm which created the process, decided it would just be too confusing to the general public. (Of course, that’s the usual excuse offered up by big business and government agencies trying to dupe the general public.)

That’s little comfort, however, to those who have been held hostage by the credit reporting companies for decades. Almost since inception, credit data has been full of inaccuracies and misinformation, a problem to which consumers have had little (practical) recourse other than the slow, usually pointless, process required to amend a report.

As of 2012, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was charged with the oversight of personal credit rating companies. With countless rule changes over the years, the Fair Credit Reporting Act finally forced at least some restrictions on the credit rating companies. The FCRA is the legislation that required companies like TransUnion, Experian and Equifax to provide free credit report, limit outside access to personal credit files, initiate identity theft protections and other consumer defense measures. Click here for a downloadable version of the Fair Credit Reporting Act is available.

creditoneRegardless of the current legislation, however, credit monitoring and reporting services still have entirely too much power and control over the general lives of consumers. A credit report (and score) whether accurate or not, can limit access to vital, day-to-day needs like transportation and employment.

Considering how much inaccuracy can exist or the irrelevancy of the information to the situation, it’s bewildering how it is legal for employers to reject applicants based on a credit score. In another example, how is it permitted that credit score can determine whether someone should be provided with car insurance, particularly when coverage is mandated by the government?

Whatever more ignorant people choose to believe a low credit score doesn’t always mean a person is unwilling to pay their bills or is inept at handling money. Sometimes circumstances change, as with the predatory lending practices that contributed to the housing market crash of 2008.

Likewise, although there is a higher risk in lending to people with a sorted credit history, almost no one takes into account how the score got so tarnished. On the heels of the worst recession in U.S. history, the credit rating process seems almost backwards to the average consumer.

If you can afford a higher rate and larger payment, you get a lower one, and vice versa. A person may be in desperate need of a car or renters insurance but, because of a lower credit score, they are charged significantly higher rates and payments. Wouldn’t it make more sense to offer those people lower rates and payments, making it more likely they can pay on time and help shore up the economy in the process?

The consumer should always keep in mind that the credit reporting organizations are private sector businesses, not government agencies. They are not affiliated with the Federal Trade Commission in any way nor any other government office. Credit scores are big business for those companies that calculate and report them.

In the first quarter of 2014, TransUnion, one of the three largest firms, reported earnings just over $303 million. That’s just for one credit reporting company over three months! So, with billions of dollars in revenue at stake, there is little to no motivation for limiting the power of these companies. It’s a sure bet that lobbyists for the credit reporting companies are well-entrenched in Washington, greasing all of the appropriate palms to make sure that the “have nots” never catch up to the 1-percent.

 

The Jamestown Comet.com editor / publisher Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business contributor to WDTN-TV2’s Living Dayton program. More at http://www.gerydeer.com.

 

 

 

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Crafters Lodge to host two-day t-shirt quilt workshop

In Business, Children and Family, Education, Entertainment, Health, Holiday, Local News, Senior Lifestyle, Uncategorized on April 16, 2014 at 1:20 pm

CLLOGOSugarcreek Twp., OH – Nearly every event a student attends as he or she goes through school is commemorated by a t-shirt. Crafters Lodge in Sugarcreek Township, is providing a two-day course on transforming those keepsake tees into a cherished family heirloom – the t-shirt quilt.

On Sunday April 27th and Sunday May 4th, Crafters Lodge, located at 6056 Wilmington Pike, just behind Fazoli’s, will host a t-shirt quilting class. The two-day class will provide complete instruction, from start to finish, for a fee of $35 for both days, not including materials. Participants must purchase their own supplies and costs vary based on the materials chosen.

A t-shirt quilt is made up of the artwork from cherished t-shirts commemorating everything from a student’s first day of school or high school prom to concerts and extracurricular events. The artwork is cut from the fronts and backs of the shirts and sewn together to make a quilt. Jo Beth Bryant is co-owner of Crafters Lodge.

“Registered students should stop by the store at least two or three days prior to the first class for instruction on how to prep the T-shirts,” Bryant says. “Having the shirts prepped prior to class will allow the student to begin the layout and design process sooner and thus finish the quilt in a shorter amount of time.”

Teaching the upcoming class is life-long needleworker, Wendy Crawford. A veteran of 4-H and Girl Scout sewing competitions, Crawford started making baby quilts while in junior high school.  She turned to hand quilting after inheriting a quilter’s estate and is now a certified Gammill (Long Arm) operator with more than 350 quilts under her belt. Today, she enjoys sharing her knowledge with the local community after an absence from teaching.

Crafters Lodge opened in September of 2013 and offers high-end supplies and expertise to the serious crafter. In addition to the t-shirt quilting course, the store also offers classes in fiber arts (knitting, weaving, tatting, etc.), tole painting, stained glass and more.

Registration for the t-shirt quilting class is limited and participants are required to bring their own sewing machines. Crafters Lodge is open Tuesday through Saturday 11:00 am to 8:00pm, Sunday noon to 6:00 pm and closed on Monday. For more information and a schedule of classes, visit the store’s website, http://www.crafterslodge.com or call (937) 470-2649.

 

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Campaign educates drivers about distracted driving

In Children and Family, Education, Environment, Health, Local News, Technology, Uncategorized on April 2, 2014 at 7:19 pm

DDXENIA, OH – In an effort to make our roads safer, the Greene County Safe Communities Coalition announced today that it has joined the “One Text or Call Could Wreck It All” campaign to stop distracted driving.  April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and the Coalition has pledged its support to help spread the message that distracted drivers are not only a danger to themselves, but everyone else on the road.

“We all know that talking on our cell phones while driving is distracting, but that doesn’t stop most people from continuing to do it,” said Laurie Fox, Safe Communities Coordinator.  “This effort is intended to educate our community about the dangers of cell phone use and other distractions while driving.  We hope that once people see the statistics and realize the danger involved, they will change their driving habits to help protect themselves, their families, and others on the road.”

In 2012, 3,328 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver and an estimated additional 421,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver. That same year, eleven percent of fatal crashes were reported as distraction-affected crashes.

While anything that takes your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off the task of driving is a hazard, there is heightened concern about the risks of texting while driving because it combines all three types of distraction – visual, manual and cognitive.

The national distracted driving effort focuses on ways to change the behavior of drivers through legislation, enforcement, public awareness and education – the same activities that have curbed drunk driving and increased seat belt use.

“Every driver in Greene County has a role in this effort,” said Fox.  “However, we especially want to reach out to parents with teen drivers because we know that statistically, the under-20 age group had the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes.”

The Coalition’s goal is simple – save lives by getting drivers to remember that “One Text or Call Could Wreck It All.”  All drivers are encouraged to put down the phone and arrive alive.

For more information about distracted driving, please visit www.distraction.gov, or you can contact Laurie Fox at 937-374-5669 or lfox@gcchd.org.  

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Alas, the plight of the plastic shopping bag

In Business, Economy, Education, Environment, Health, history, National News, Opinion, Politics, Science, Uncategorized on March 31, 2014 at 8:42 am

Deer In Headlines
By Gery L. Deer
The Jamestown Comet Editor

bag_blowingTake a look around outside after a storm and you’ll see them, clinging to the lathe of a garden fence like barnacles to a ship’s hull – those sad, indigent, plastic shopping bags. They’re everywhere, bouncing along the roadside, hung up in the branches of your backyard tree, even melted and tangled around the undercarriage of your car. Once revered for their strength and amazingly useful handles, these marvels of modern shopping are now the scourge of environmental political correctness.

With humble beginnings in 1950s Sweden, the modern plastic shopping bag was the creation of engineer Sten Gustaf Thulin who developed the simple, one-piece bag for Celloplast, the company which patented the design in 1965. Popularity of the product grew rapidly, for a time even knocking paper bags into relative obscurity.

Never again would husbands need worry about earning a night in the doghouse after losing a gallon of milk to the pavement when it crashed through the bottom of a wet paper sack. But, it was that set of wonderfully brilliant handles that really endeared the bags to shoppers. Since the dawn of time, mothers everywhere have struggled on shopping trips to juggle groceries and family.

With plastic bags, Mom now had the ability to carry half a dozen fully loaded bags on her arms while clutching Junior in one hand and the dog’s leash in the other. Her world now under complete control, at least for one brief moment, thanks to a simple pair of parallel holes in a plastic tube. Once the groceries were put away, she could even re-use them to line the bathroom wastebasket with a water-proof bag that fit both the can and her household budget.

PBThere was no doubt the plastic shopping bag was truly a miracle of modern commerce. By 1982, most major grocery chains, including Kroger, began replacing paper shopping bags with plastic citing cost savings and customer preference. Sadly, however, as with most other success stories, rival jealousy led to ridicule and scrutiny, mostly from operatives of the paper bag industry determined to unseat the plastic bag from its world-wide fame.

By the 1990s, world ecologists became increasingly vocal about plastic’s potentially destructive effects on the environment. Soon, the plastic shopping bag became an innocent by-stander, caught up in the ever increasing fight between good and evil, liberal and conservative, environmentalist and capitalist – or whoever was paying the most lobbyists. More than ever, environmental groups were touting the need for more extensive use of recyclable materials in consumer goods.

Almost overnight, the plastic shopping bag became the poster child for everything wrong with the environment as pundits heatedly debated their recyclability on cable news and in fiercely negative op-eds.  As usual, the critics had it all wrong because plastic shopping bags were every bit as recyclable as their paper counterparts, but were, in a way, victims of their own success.

As it turned out, the very innovations that made plastic shopping bags so powerful in the supermarket were like Kryptonite to the sorting machines used in recycling. When put through, they bound up the machinery and left it jammed and inert, and the cost to overcome that problem outweighed the benefits.

For years, rumors of a plastic bag uprising have permeated the media, suggesting that millions of these poor, trodden-down bags were massing a resistance in landfills all over America. There, they waited silently, collectively preparing to strike back against their opposition by refusing to decompose, even over thousands of years.

Sadly, an empty threat, since the structure of a landfill is meant to keep the refuse dry and stable, limiting degradation. Nothing is intended to fully decompose; not paper, not food, not plastic … nothing. In fact, newspapers buried in the 1960s have recently been exhumed intact and readable.

Perhaps one day, the full truth of their story will be exposed and plastic shopping bags will regain their once proud position at the end of the checkout. But for now, these bags exist as second-class totes, drifting like tumbleweeds on the wind, dancing their lament of a time when they were kings of the market.
Deer In Headlines is available for syndication. Contact GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing – http://www.gldenterprises.net.

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It takes a maverick to make a difference

In Education, National News, Opinion, Politics, psychology, Religion, Science, sociology, State News, Uncategorized, World News on March 24, 2014 at 7:59 am

DIH LOGOAccording to one definition, a maverick is, “an unorthodox or independent-minded person.” But a maverick is also someone who chooses not to give in to the pressures of society, breaking ranks, not for personal gain, but in an effort to improve conditions or expand knowledge for everyone.

In the 16th Century, the now revered scientist Galileo Galilei would certainly have fit the definition of maverick. At a time when the church kept tight control over the public’s understanding of the world around them, Galileo’s challenge that the earth was not actually the center of the universe but instead part of a solar system with our sun at its center was controversial.

Of course he was eventually proven right, but standing against such a powerful entity as the Catholic Church sent Galileo to be tried for heresy. There are countless cases like this throughout history, most related to individuals who chose to challenge long-standing beliefs in politics or religion.

Today, as in Galileo’s time, society is taught and expected, from an early age, to keep quiet; never to upset the status quo for fear of retribution. Those willing to stand up and be heard shape the most change in the world, but often pay a high price for their contribution to progress. Much of what society deems acceptable is dependent on one’s position and the sphere of influence there encompassed.

whatsrightFor example, it is unacceptable in many religious groups for a married couple to divorce. They are expected to remain together indefinitely for the good of the church, their families and so on, regardless of the situation, even in cases of physical abuse. It stands to reason, therefore, that the first few individuals who challenged these rules were certainly dealt with harshly. Fortunately, over time, this type of censure has eased somewhat, at least publically.

On the whole, it is difficult to greatly influence public perception and alter the behavior of a society or to get people to remove the blinders of ideology and accept the possibility that there are other ways of thinking. Ignorance, prejudice and misunderstanding usually lead to fear and resistance.

It should also be made clear that religious groups are certainly not alone in such ridiculously judgmental behavior. Anyone who challenges established norms can find themselves on the receiving end of some pretty unpleasant retribution, particularly in the workplace.

Often employees are never to question authority or decisions made by their superiors, otherwise face reprisal. But what does one do when superiors are actually breaking the law? In 1989, Congress passed the Whistleblower Protection Act. The law is designed to shield workers against retaliatory personnel action – meaning, essentially, it keeps them from being fired – for “blowing the whistle” on illegal activities perpetrated by their employers.

Unfortunately, there is no such protection for the everyday person who simply wants to do the right thing. From Moses and Lady Godiva to Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, taking a stand to alter deeply engrained social beliefs has never been a task for the weak-hearted.

Most people are discouraged by how much retribution might be taken out on them for going against the grain. Sometimes, however, just standing up for the little things can help to affect larger changes. Making a difference in the boardroom, at school or even in the hallowed halls of church might ruffle some feathers, but if the purpose is worthwhile, it would be wrong not to do something.

So, what about those by-standers who agree with the maverick but are afraid to stand with her? If only one other person supported the cause then another would as well, then another, and another. That’s how revolutions are started in the face of resistance. So the next time you see an injustice being done and you have the opportunity to act, what will it be: Maverick or conformist?  Ω

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business contributor to the WDTN-TV2 program, “Living Dayton.” More at www.gerydeer.com.

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Crime can happen to anyone, anywhere

In Children and Family, Crime, Education, Local News, Opinion, Uncategorized on March 10, 2014 at 9:48 am

DIH LOGOIn the early morning hours of Thursday, March 6, in the close-knit, rural resort lake community of Shawnee Hills in Jamestown, Ohio, the unheard-of happened – a home invasion. According to reports, four adult males and one juvenile broke into an occupied home, stealing electronics and video games adding up to less than $500.

All five were arrested in Xenia later the same day. The four adult suspects were charged with one count of aggravated burglary, which is a first-degree felony. At the time of this publication, there was no information available on the status of the juvenile.

Incidents like this happen all over the country, nearly every minute of each day. Burglary and home invasion are more common in the inner city regions, but they can occur anywhere. As urban development spreads into suburban and rural communities, the likelihood of crime increases, probably more because of a rise in concentrated population than most other factors. Suburban and clustered rural developments tend to be inhabited by people with more money and, thus, become an attractive target for various kinds of crime from robbery to drug trafficking.

Many people still believe this kind of thing does not happen in sleepy, country communities. It does, it’s just not as common and often it’s an inside job. That is, the person who commits the crime has some connection with the residents of the home so they are privy to the money or property situation.

The false sense of safety offered by country life encourages people to leave windows open, entrances unlocked and garage doors up, essentially painting a big sign on the house saying, “Come on in and take our stuff.” Robbery, burglary or home invasion, armed or otherwise, can happen anywhere – to anyone. In fact, people might be surprised at the statistics related to who is committing crime and against whom.

For example, according to the National Center for Victims of Crime, overall, crime is disproportionately committed by males. Although it tends to have a greater affect on minorities (both as victims and offenders), most crimes are committed by whites against whites.

The Center’s website states that, “Certain populations are disproportionately affected by crime, not necessarily because of the sheer numbers of victims but as a result of crime’s greater impact on these.” It goes on to point out that young people, for example, aged 16-24, are the population group most victimized by crime and this is also the age group that commits the most crime. Not surprising in the case of the Shawnee Hills incident, since all of the men involved incident were 19 years old and younger.

Additionally, as one might expect, there are some types of crimes such as stalking, domestic violence, and sexual assault that are predominantly committed by males against females. It also seems, as was the case in Jamestown, many home invasions and robberies are committed by someone acquainted with one of the residents. People can help minimize the potential for these kinds of incidents, however, with a few basic precautions.

Always keep doors and windows locked, particularly at night or when leaving the house. Close and lock garage doors and don’t hide spare keys in obvious places. Don’t flaunt expensive possessions, guns, tools or electronics. These are the top of the list for burglary targets, and it only takes a word from a friend to someone you don’t know to set the wheels in motion to have your home robbed.

Wait until you return home to post vacation photos and other information on social media. Broadcasting to the world that the whole household is out of town begs for an unwanted visitor.

Be sure to include the whole family on crime prevention education. Parents need to teach kids everything possible to help keep them safe in and out of the home. Make it a point to get to know the people that kids bring into the house, particularly high-school agers, including names, addresses and parent contact information. If they are unwilling to provide that information, then they don’t get to be there, plain and simple.

Some simple prevention and common sense can keep you from becoming the next statistic.

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The Jamestown Comet Editor, Gery L. Deer, is an independent columnist and business contributor to the WDTN-TV2 program, “Living Dayton.”

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GCCOA upcoming events for seniors; Artisans and Workshops

In Charities, Education, Health, Local News, News Media, Senior Lifestyle, Uncategorized on March 7, 2014 at 8:29 pm

Greene County Senior Artisan Show

March 2 through March 19, 2014
Grand Opening: Sunday, March 2nd ~ 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Sundays, March 9th and March 16th ~ 1:00pm to 3:30pm
Wednesday, March 19th ~ 11:00am to 2:00pm

gcsasFairborn Art Association Rear of Fairborn Senior Housing 221 North Central Avenue Fairborn, Ohio

Age is not a factor for artists, especially those in Greene County! Please bring a friend and enjoy the amazing work of senior citizens ~ from 60 to 90 something. This event showcases some of this talent and reinforces the importance of promoting our own creativity and activity as we age.

The show will include a variety of mediums, including oil and acrylic, watercolor, pastel, charcoal,
pencil, pen and ink, woodcarvings, hand-thrown pottery and ceramics, and photography.

Refreshments provided by the Fairborn Senior Center

The Senior Artisan Show is co-sponsored by the Fairborn Art Association and the Greene County Council on Aging.

HEALTHY U WORKSHOPS 

healthyuHealthy U is a free, six week, community-based workshop offered by the Area Agency on Aging and the Greene County Council on Aging that helps participants learn proven strategies to manage chronic
conditions.
 Live with long-term health conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, lung disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and more;
 Feel limited in your daily activities
 Feel tired, alone, or fearful because of your health; or
 Are looking for better ways to manage your symptoms.

Healthy U workshops are conducted in your community by two trained facilitators who have learned to take control of their health and want to help others do the same. They are held in six weekly, interactive, small-group sessions that focus on ways to better manage your own conditions.

 Strategies to deal with stress, fatigue, pain, weight management, and depression
 Using physical activity to maintain and improve strength,flexibility, and endurance
 How to use medications safely and appropriately
 Better ways to talk with your doctor and family about your health
 Using good nutrition to improve health and control symptoms
 Setting and achieving personal health goals

For more information, please call 376-5486 or 1-888-795-8600 or e-mail carol@gccoa.org

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Going off the mobile grid.

In Dayton Ohio News, Education, Local News, Opinion, Technology, Uncategorized on January 16, 2014 at 5:48 pm

dih-logo-SEAlmost a century ago, American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) considered the prospect of a wireless telephone but quickly abandoned the idea. Today, that move certainly seems at the very least shortsighted. But with a total U.S. population at that time of 180 million, the idea of a future with more than 320 million wireless subscribers was unimaginable.

The information superhighway (Do people even use that phrase anymore?) is truly at our fingertips and it’s also in our pockets or purses and on our hips.  It’s everywhere and it’s with everyone! At the grocery, at the mall, at work, stuck in traffic, at a boring neighbor’s barbecue; and it is only getting better and faster.

GERY_GRIDBut, like the song says, every rose has its thorn and there is an ugly downside of the mobile frenzy – constant connectivity. In the blink of an eye, we were unable to escape the beep, buzz, and ringtone of our smartphones and iPads. It was hard enough to get away from the daily grind when we weren’t carrying the office around in a hip pocket, but now it’s nearly impossible.

The constant mobile distraction is certainly not limited to business professionals, or even adults. School districts have now begun to ban smartphones from classrooms and even entire school grounds just to keep the students’ attention. We are so connected that we’re even missing out on some of life’s most amazing events.

A friend recently shared an anecdote about a man who was in the delivery room for the birth of his first child. Amidst all the breathing and pushing, he was preoccupied with his cell phone, texting with someone about work. Before he realized it, the baby had been born and he totally missed it. I don’t know how true that story is, but it’s not impossible to imagine.

Watch the Living Dayton tie-in segment with Gery Deer and Shaun Kraisman. Click the photo to watch.

Watch the Living Dayton tie-in segment with Gery Deer and Shaun Kraisman. Click the photo to watch.

And then there’s me. Since my first Commodore VIC-20 computer appeared under the Christmas tree in 1981, I’ve been immersed in technology. I’ve been a programmer, a database developer and a systems administrator. I’ve designed websites and developed social media marketing campaigns. Suffice to say, I know my stuff. But nothing prepared me for how mobile technology was going to grab my life and shake it like a rag in a dog’s mouth!

As a self-employed freelance writer, my day is spent connected to some kind of technology from the time I wake up until I pass out from exhaustion 20 hours later. From my iPhone to my Kindle Fire, I’m constantly surrounded by WiFi gadgets and mobile broadband receivers of all kinds.

For some people, the ability to disconnect from that level of techno-submersion is a serious challenge. But, with a little trial and error, I found easy ways to disconnect without being totally out of touch.

One of the biggest problems with all of this mobility is a lack of personal boundaries, with yourself and others. Back when there were only a couple of phone extensions in the house, many families would not allow calls to be made or received past a certain time of day. A level of courtesy long since gone prevented people from calling during the dinner hour or on a holiday. With a little self discipline, the restrictions can be set regarding cell phone, email and social media time.

When you work for yourself, you don’t have the luxury of watching the clock and a home office keeps the job on your mind almost continually. Fortunately, my office is not in my home, but I’m still connected, even after I lock up for the day. Over time, it was necessary for me to impose what I call “black out” hours; when I don’t answer the phone, I don’t return emails and I don’t post on social media.

I had a particularly hard time sticking to the black outs because, at first, I was always worried about missing that one all-important call that could make or break my career. Trust me, nothing is that important. And, if it is, modern caller ID technology helps you to screen calls so you get to decide whether or not to answer.

Other people need to understand and respect your boundaries as well. Unfortunately, however, it’s up to you to educate them about your availability. Remember if you train people that you answer email, texts and phone calls at all hours, they’re likely to take advantage of that.

Here are some other suggestions that might help you keep your real and cyber lives in better harmony.

  • Time your activity. Keep track of your computing time. You might be surprised how much time you actually spend with your mobile devices.
  • Out of sight, out of mind. Remove your phone and other gadgets from convenient access so you won’t be continuously tempted to check texts or Facebook.
  • No tech at the table. Parents who want better communication with kids should restrict technology use at the dinner table. Of course, that means you have to rule by example. Relationships are better when people talk while sharing a meal.
  • Put down the phone and drive. Besides being safer, listening to music or just some quiet time on your commute might help ease a stressful day.
  • Resurrect an old hobby. For some people, mobile computing has overtaken time once spent on more relaxing pursuits.

Finally, my best piece of advice is to just hit the off button. Shut down the laptop, eReader, and smartphone and do something with family or friends. Go for a walk, visit a museum, read a newspaper or a book – yes, they still make paper ones – just disconnect. Going off the grid a few hours a day can really help you – psychologically, emotionally and professionally.

Click to watch the television interview tie-in that goes with this supplement.

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Are you happy, or just think so?

In Education, Opinion, psychology, sociology on January 15, 2014 at 9:22 am

DIH LOGOThey say … and I admit I’m not totally certain who “they” are in this context. But they say, happiness is just a state of mind. In fact, the same, “they” also believe all reality is just in your head; that your own thoughts create the authenticity of the world around you. Yes, I know, that’s too much heavy thought for such a short column, but it offers an interesting concept.

If everything we know as reality is determined, not by the people and things around us, but, instead, from our own thoughts then how real is it, really? OK, that’s a bit much to take in, even for me. But suffice to say emotions are created and altered by thoughts. So, are you happy? Or, do you just think you are? In the end, if “they” are correct, it doesn’t even matter.

Most people can change how they feel simply by altering their thoughts or, at least, their perception of a situation. That is, unless you suffer from some type of chemical issue in the brain that causes your feelings to spin out of control no matter what you’re thinking. And we’re not going to get into any of that because I am simply not qualified to talk about the subject.

But for most, it is entirely possible to alter your state of emotion and change how you react to outside influences just by shifting your thoughts. For example, many people get upset when a child breaks or spills something. Unless someone is done physical harm, what is there to get upset about? Have you ever heard the saying, “don’t cry over spilt milk?” It’s a bit of good advice telling you not to whine about the accident, just clean it up and move on.

GDEER-BLUE_SHIRT_FROM_ABOVEIn my opinion, sometimes it’s really hard to get that one, nagging negative thought out of your head. So, I think that altering your way of thinking is more about prioritizing than anything else. In other words, pick your battles.

If you drop a dish or your child dumps Kool-Aid all over that new white rug, does it, in the grand scheme, really matter? Assuming, of course, there is no malicious intent involved. After all, regardless of the political incorrectness of the idea, kids really are just bad sometimes. Either way, getting angry and blowing your top at yourself or the child isn’t going to put the dish back together or “unspill” the drink.

Now what if your husband decided to fire up the new grill he got for Christmas inside the garage? No, I don’t know why someone would even … never mind, just go with me here. In this situation, there is a potential danger to your family so it’s worth getting a bit more upset, but you have to control your thoughts to keep from becoming hysterical.

It will serve you better and help you remain calm if you focus on preventing a potentially devastating situation than to immediately punish your idiot husband. Take the proper steps, ensure everyone’s safety and solve the problem. That’s what I mean by changing the way you think.

Needless to say, altering lifelong behavior, good or bad, doesn’t happen overnight and it’s certainly not easy. It takes practice and diligence. Whenever something happens that throws your day into an uproar, try not to get upset. Try hard to focus on a solution to whatever’s gone wrong and look forward to the positive outcome.

I’ve often argued that people make some of the most important decisions in life based solely on emotion rather than rational thought. Even the faithful are guided almost entirely by pure emotion. Making decisions actually becomes easier, and more productive when done from a logical perspective.

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer based in Jamestown, Ohio. More at www.gerydeer.com.