Published: November 11, 2007 12:55 am            

VASICEK: Election and other topics

Let me start by welcoming the new mayor and newly elected or re-elected officials. Since I am composing the column Monday evening (the day before the election), I have no idea who will win.

But – no matter who you are – we, the citizens of the City of Kokomo (who made the effort to vote), have elected you to serve us. We know your job is difficult and you are constantly navigating through unknown and sometimes treacherous waters. Our best wishes and prayers are with you. It is in our best interest for you to be successful in your leadership efforts.

On the lighter side, our community (like many others) has it share of cynics who resent all duly elected officials (and authority in general). They will dislike you right from the start, before they even give you a chance. The worst cynics didn’t even bother to vote. So I have two pieces of advice: drive them nuts by doing a great job, and figure out a way to develop a tax on cynicism!

Healthy sleep

On another front, Americans continue to view sleep with contempt. New studies tie obesity in children with inadequate sleep. Not only do kids stagger into school while in a groggy condition (and fail to reach their intellectual potential), their lack of sleep means a struggle with obesity – and all the health issues that go with being overweight. Carla Johnson of The Associated Press reports:

“‘The less sleep they got, the more likely the children were to be obese in sixth grade, no matter what the child’s weight was in third grade,’ said Dr. Julie Lumeng of the University of Michigan, who led the research.

“‘If there was a magic number for the third-graders, it was nine hours, 45 minutes of sleep. Sleeping more than that lowered the risk significantly.’ The study gives parents one more reason to enforce bedtimes, restrict caffeine and yank the TV from the bedroom. The study appears in the November issue of the journal ‘Pediatrics.’”

Despite repeated research that evidences kids (and adults) are not getting enough sleep, Americans continue to look at sleep as a necessary evil and try to get by with minimal rest. Children need several more hours sleep than adults, but many adults simply do not embrace a reasonable sleep ethic.

On the comeback

Speaking of kids, some children in our nation have not been vaccinated (for a variety of reasons). Because these non-vaccinated children comprise a small percentage of our population, many non-vaccinating parents believe that an epidemic in our society is remote (which may be true). But they also believe there is no danger that their child (or children) might contract one of these nasty diseases (which may not be true).

With recent waves of immigrants, some of those dreaded diseases are making a comeback. WorldNetDaily.com reports, “Alabama health officials have identified 212 workers who have tested positive for tuberculosis at a single poultry plant owned by one of the largest processors in the U.S.

“In two batteries of skin tests last month, given to 765 fresh processing employees at the Decatur, Ala., plant owned by Wayne Farms LLC by the State Department of Public Health’s Tuberculosis Control Division, 28 percent were found to be infected ...” Some parents might consider revisiting the issue and embracing at least some vaccinations.

Violence down

Internationally, things are finally measurably better in Iraq! Fox News reports: “In a dramatic turnaround, more than 3,000 Iraqi families driven out of their Baghdad neighborhoods have returned to their homes in the past three months as sectarian violence has dropped, the government said Saturday.”

The article informs us that the Iraqi casualty rate has dropped from a daily average of 56 to 30 Iraqis. Problems rarely come to a screeching halt, but the evidence seems to indicate that the violence is winding down. We can use some better times!

Ed Vasicek is pastor of Highland Park Church and a weekly contributor to the Kokomo Tribune.

        

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