Editorial

"In This Corner" - Ron Holdraker

Disappointed at Best

Hillary Clinton is on her last breath as a presidential candidate. Last week, before the Indiana and North Carolina primaries, Clinton was stomping the bush, proclaiming the feds should temporarily repeal the federal gas taxes for the summer in order to give struggling motorists a break on high gas prices. It was nothing more than a showboat attempt at getting votes, but I was surprised by how many gullible people bought into that “pie-in-the-sky” slight of hand.

Hillary knew full well that neither congress nor the senate would really entertain such a fool-hardy move. After all, the gas taxes are what supports highway infrastructure. Besides, Hilary wouldn't even be in the position to repeal the taxes until summer was well over, if she was ever (gasp) elected President. Most people never thought of that, but many voters are knee-jerk, pocket book reactionsists, without any well-thought plans beyond today.

Enough about Hillary. Did you hear the one about the New York State Senate passing legislation to institute the “Gas Tax Holiday”? This insane Hillary-like play was prompted by, you guessed it, state senators wanting to look good before the November elections. Pushed by the Republicans, who knew full well the effort was little more than a political ploy that the State assembly and Governor will readily shoot down as little more than pandering for votes.

Unfortunately, our own assemblyman, Robert Oaks was quick on the fax machine, with a headline reading “Oaks: Senate did the right thing for New York by passing the gas tax holiday.” In his prepared press release Oaks said: “I applaud the New York State Senate for passing legislation to institute the Gas Tax Holiday. There are few options New York State has to help people with the recent explosion in the cost of gasoline but New York's working men and women are in desperate need of tax relief and relief from the high cost of gasoline. I am calling on the Assembly to join the Senate in passing this critical legislation to aid New York 's families with their exorbitant gas costs this summer.”

Now, of course Oaks knows this legislation has absolutely no chance of going anywhere, but, hey, it is an election year for the Assemblyman. Perhaps Bob thinks Hillary is right?

I wonder, when Bob first got elected, if he ever thought he would become “one of them”, one of the very reasons people hate their fast-talking, get re-elected at any cost, politicians. I knew Bob when he first got into office. He thought he could make a difference and probably was ready to fight windmills. What happened to that homegrown kid with high ideals? He has fallen into line, giving us the pablum, the stuff the knee-jerkers want to hear, the Party line.

In that same vein, our State Senator, Mike Nozzolio, sent his own piece of breaking news: “Nozzolio announces plan to bring accountability to government spending.”

What? After all your years in that office, you just now thought this would be a good idea? Yup, people will say this is a great new plan. After all, times are hard and who could argue with such a cost-saving measure?

Political pandering is not new. I like both Bob and Mike and I realize they are working in a system that can overwhelm even the best of intentions. Perhaps this is the reason we should impose term limits on our politicians. Perhaps elected officials with an agenda, beyond simply getting elected, would reinvigorate the old broken system now in place. Perhaps that wide-eyed kid from Wayne County , elected to the assembly many years ago, would have the fortitude to stand up to even the party bullies and say enough is enough. Me, I'm tired of the Hillary-type promises that go nowhere and mean nothing.

Legal

"Legal Briefs" - Cynthia Kukuvka

Acquitted in criminal court, but found “civilly” legal?

Q. I read in the newspaper that actor, Robert Blake, was found ‘civilly' liable for his Wife's death, even after he was acquitted in the criminal court for her murder. How does this happen? Either he killed her or he didn't.

A. I think one of the hardest ideals for an individual to understand is the difference between the criminal justice system, and the civil system. Unless you work with the differences on a regular basis, it can be baffling and confusing. Remember these are really two different worlds with two completely different level of standards, and of proof. Let's look at a comparison of the both to help us out.

When an individual is charged with a crime, it is for an act that was committed and defined by the State legislators under the Penal Law of the State of New York . The definition of the crime is set out in the statute, and each element must be proven at trial by the Prosecutors. The Judge or the Jury (six for misdemeanor level crimes and twelve for felony level crimes) must listen to the evidence and then determine if the Defendant; a) is guilty of each element set forth in the Statute, and b) is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The concept of ‘beyond a reasonable doubt' is difficult to understand. It implies that a Judge or jury can not find the Defendant guilty if there is some tangible doubt that exists in the mind of the Judge or Jury. It is not to be a ‘gut feeling', but must be something that can be explained. Each element of the offense must be tested against this standard. A decision by the jury must be unanimous either way, to find the Defendant guilty or not-guilty. Any hold out by one juror will result in a mis-trial, requiring a new trial for the Defendant.

Many of the crimes set forth in the Penal law have a requirement of an ‘intentional act'. This must also be proven, and is also sometimes difficult, because it has to be proven, again beyond a reasonable doubt, that the Defendant not only did the action, but intended to do the act, and knew what they were doing when the act was committed. I am sure after the death of the Wife the Defendant probably asserted that he ‘did not mean to kill her' only to scare her, or perhaps was so angry he did not know what he was doing. It is the requirement of the prosecutors to show that the Defendant did know what he was doing, and did intend to act. An example of that is if the Defendant broke a window to break into a building to steal something. It's hard to say that there was no intent to enter the building, when the act of breaking the window was done by the Defendant.

Next week let's look at the civil system.

As always this is a general answer to a general question. Each legal issue may contain other factors that need to be discussed with your own attorney.

If you have a question for Attorney Kukuvka, please mail them to her at P.O. Box 65 , Palmyra, NY 14522.

Chuck Wells

"Digging Wells" - Chuck Wells

V-day for Women?

Feminists just celebrated their 10 year “V-Day” anniversary in New Orleans . “V-Day” is vagina day. No kidding. Even I couldn't make that up. It is a demonstration about violence against women. It was started by Eve Ensler, writer of “The Vagina Monologues,” a play with monologues about the vagina. (I know; I'm squirming in my seat too but bear with me.) Silly me; I thought “V-Day” was some WWII celebration, not about a woman's anatomy but I guess nothing is sacred or private anymore with these feminists.

The Times of London says about Eve Ensler, the founder of V-Day: she “did wild things including roaming the country, drinking, drugs, and having lots of sex with men and women.” Ensler: “I was such a loser.” She divorced her bar owner husband and then dumped her boyfriend, an Israeli artist and psychotherapist.

V-Day, an “unofficial holiday,” was also founded by “Hanoi Jane” Fonda and she was in attendance too. It just gets better and better, folks.

Why did they pick New Orleans for their meeting? “ New Orleans is the vagina of America . It is fertile. It's a delta. And everyone wants to party there.” They set up a giant vagina in the Superdome for their celebration. Really. The meeting climaxes (sorry) with a Native American tribe dancing while a female Buddhist priest looks on.

Now, I was in New Orleans a few days after Hurricane Katrina protecting government officials and I can tell you, I didn't think about that city in V-terms at all. I actually had some other terms I used. I was also there during Mardi Gras a few years before that and it was no Garden of Eden then either. But now I see it in a completely different light since “V-Day.”

So I think that I will start an “unofficial holiday” for men (you knew this was coming). It will be called “P-Day,” of course. It will be a time for men to commiserate their loss of respect and status in American life and how better to elevate their attributes. The toastmaster will be Hugh Heffner and our sponsors will be Viagra, the NRA, and Budweiser beer. We will set up a huge P-Statue in the Superdome to demonstrate our manliness and dominance over women and global warming. Aren't you getting goose-bumps just thinking about this?

We will have seminars on the safe use of steroids to look buff and macho while falling apart by the minute, how to program a remote control so it works with all appliances, hair replacement techniques, how to build an arsenal of guns, and the mental preparation for prostate exams. It will be followed by a Bud beer party with Viagra chasers to cry our troubles away and lift our spirits and will be hosted by Heffner's bunnies on motorcycles.

Only one problem: you can bet the feminists will be outside the Superdome protesting my “P-Day” as being sexist, anti-women, and femaphobic. They will be shouting nasty men-hating slogans and calling me a “P.” I don't like being called a “P” in mixed company. I guess there's only room for one “V” type holiday. See you in New Orleans next year.

E-Mail Chuck at: cwells@wellsinsagency.com

Chuck's hilarious new book (great gift for only $18), “What Middle-Aged Men Want From Women,” is now available at Wise Guy's Book Shop(Downtown Williamson), Village Bookmarket (Downtown Palmyra), Borders (Eastview), Lift Bridge Books (Brockport), www.amazon.com , or www.cbrucewells.com

For Your Health

Stress Disorder treatable if recognized

By the faculty of Harvard Medical School

Q: After returning from combat in Iraq , my nephew was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. His symptoms remind me of my problems after a messy divorce, though his experiences were certainly more traumatic. Could I have had PTSD, too?

A: War is one of the leading causes of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But the severe traumas of everyday life -- perhaps even divorce -- can trigger the same symptoms. Although no one doubts the seriousness of PTSD, experts have long debated exactly what it is and how to diagnose it.

People have known for thousands of years that terrifying events can have lasting consequences on the psyche. After World War I, the syndrome was called shell shock; after World War II, combat neurosis; and after the Korean War, combat fatigue. In 1980, PTSD got its present name and classification as a specific psychiatric disorder.

The disorder is defined today by three kinds of symptoms:

-- Hyperarousal. This includes irritability, startling easily, being constantly on guard, sleeping poorly and having difficulty concentrating.

-- Re-experiencing or intrusion. You recall the traumatic event involuntarily through vivid memories, nightmares and flashbacks. You may feel or even act as though it is happening again. Any object, situation or feeling that reminds you of the trauma may cause intense distress.

-- Avoidance and emotional numbing. You try to avoid feelings, thoughts, people, places and situations that remind you of the trauma. You lose interest in usual activities and feel disconnected from other people and even from your own feelings.

These three sets of symptoms have a common theme -- fixation on the trauma. The traumatic event dominates and controls the lives of people with PTSD. They have not gotten over the event, so they repeatedly re-experience it. They are both emotionally numb and constantly on guard against a danger that no longer exists.

PTSD is more likely to arise in someone with a history of traumatic experiences. Intentional injury -- physical or sexual assault -- creates a greater risk of PTSD than a natural disaster or an accident. Victims who feel guilty because they believe that they bear some responsibility for the event have an even greater risk of PTSD.

Over the years, the American Psychiatric Association's definition of a traumatic experience has focused less on the event itself and more on its effect. Today, a traumatic experience is defined as one that involves a threat of death or serious injury, or provokes mental distress, such as intense fear, helplessness or horror. The victim may experience the event directly, witness it or be confronted with it in some other way, even by just hearing about it.

By these standards, many kinds of events can be deemed traumatic. Some research suggests that people who experience common stressors like illness, divorce, bereavement or job loss develop such symptoms at the same rate as those who undergo traumatic stress. One study found that more than half of Americans have had such an experience. But most people who have had a traumatic experience do not develop PTSD -- only 3 percent of men and 10 percent of women, according to a large German study.

Several factors account for why some people get PTSD and some don't. Women seem to be two to three times as vulnerable to PTSD as men, perhaps due to genetic, hormonal or social reasons. Women tend to suffer different types of trauma than men, such as rape and molestation. The trauma may also be more prolonged, as in the case of a battered wife. Long-term stress can have a more profound effect than a single event.

Brain chemistry might play a role. New Zealand researchers looked at two genes that produce chemicals essential for brain function. They found that abused boys who had changes in one of the genes were more likely to commit violent crimes as adults. Those with variations in another gene were less likely to get depressed as a result of stress.

Brain imaging suggests that in patients with PTSD, the hippocampus, a center for storing memories, is smaller than average. Someone born with a larger hippocampus might thus be better equipped to handle a trauma. High IQ may blunt the impact of a traumatic experience, and low IQ may worsen it.

No two people are the same, and neither are their reactions to a trauma. There's no shame in being overwhelmed by a horrible event, be it combat or divorce or an accident. If your days and nights are haunted by a scarring event, no matter how long ago it happened, seek help from a mental-health professional. Counseling and medication, if necessary, can offer tremendous relief.

No one is immune to trauma or its emotional aftermath. But PTSD is a treatable disorder; the sooner you recognize it and seek help, the sooner you'll get relief.

Copyright 2008 the President and Fellows of Harvard College . Developed by Harvard Health Publications (www.health.harvard.edu). Distributed by UFS. Submit questions to harvard_adviser@hms.harvard.edu.

Tech Notes

TECH NOTES BY TIM COLDFELTER

Is Blu-ray’s win over HD-DVD a blue day for viewers?

The high-definition format war is over. Blu-ray is the winner.

Warner Home Entertainment recently delivered a crippling blow to rival HD-DVD, saying that it would no longer release high-definition discs in both formats. Then shortly after, three of the biggest companies in DVD distribution — Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Netflix — all threw their support behind Blu-ray and announced that they would stop carrying HD-DVD.

Finally, Toshiba — the company behind HD-DVD — announced that it would stop producing HD-DVD players.

So what becomes of the estimated 1 million people worldwide who have already invested in an HD-DVD player?

Well, they still have a very good player that can enhance the quality of DVDs to near-high definition.

And there are still quite a few video releases from Paramount and Universal Studios — including such hits as Transformers and Batman Begins and the digitally-enhanced first seasons of Star Trek and Heroes — that are currently only available on HD-DVD. But that exclusivity won't last long. According to a report in CE Pro, a consumer-electronics trade publication, both studios will be “immediately released from their commitments” to release only titles in HD-DVD if Toshiba drops the format. This could mean that within the next few months those titles will be re-released in Blu-ray.

But now that Blu-ray has won, a question arises: Will people be willing to buy into a new technology at all when their old DVDs still work pretty well? Or will they wait for the growing trend of streaming video, as connectivity between televisions and computers becomes more common?

Only time will tell.

****************************

Activision, the company behind the hit Guitar Hero franchise, is planning a spinoff of the video game. It will focus on a single band.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, scheduled for release this June, will let players take the roles of guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, or bass player Tom Hamilton as they play alongside computerized renditions of lead singer Steven Tyler and drummer Joey Kramer. The game will allow players to follow Aerosmith through its career, which has lasted more than 30 years and shows no sign of stopping. The game will be available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and Wii.

This isn't the first time a video game has been devoted to a rock band. In 1982, Atari released a perfectly dreadful little game called Journey Escape, in which players took on the roles of members of Journey trying to evade “love-crazed groupies, sneaky photographers and shifty-eyed promoters” to make it to their next concert in time. Of course, games being what they were at that time, the characters looked a lot more like stick figures than the spectacular graphics of Guitar Hero.

And then there have been game versions of such acts as Spice Girls, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Devo. And Aerosmith was in an earlier video game, the 1994 arcade game Revolution X.

An episode of the sarcastic game-review video series Playback looks at some of these games, complete with clips of game play. Check it out at

www.youtube.com/watch?v=X13QKY4OiDg.

Tim Clodfelter is a staff writer for the Winston-Salem Journal in North Carolina .

Senior News Line

Family Reunions

With travel so difficult these days, it's hard to visit extended family, especially those who live a few states away. I found a solution, though, while walking through the park: a family reunion. Taking over a whole quarter of the park was the happiest, liveliest bunch of 200 people I've seen in a long time. I found someone who was "in charge," and despite the hubbub, she gave me the basics on how to host a family reunion:

* Invitations: Pool your resources to locate long-lost family members.

* When: Plan for a weekend when there's no holiday. You'll get better motel rates for those coming from out of town.

* Location: Pick a flexible site, because the number of attendees can change. Parks with covered shelters are perfect.

* Commandeer help: Ask others to take over specific duties.

* Easy communication: Put up a family reunion Web site. Post the date and time, a list of events, RSVP contact, motel reservation information, area attractions and links to maps and local weather sites.

* Photography: Arrange for someone to take photos of the event, or even videos. Encourage families to bring photo albums.

Name tags: For fun, color code them by branch of the family.

Activities: Eating contests, sports, filling in the family-tree board, get acquainted games, family history trivia, Red Rover, tug-of-war ... the possibilities are endless.

Food: Potluck is always a good way to feed a crowd, especially if there are grills available for hamburgers and hot dogs.

See www.family-reunion.com for lots of good ideas on hosting a family reunion.

If you can't go visit family, bring the family to you. Maybe this summer?

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475 , Orlando , FL 32853-6475 , or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.

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