Thank You Doctors Without Borders

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I recently wrote about my family’s tradition of charitable giving.  As an addendum to that article, I’d like to share a letter/ video Doctors Without Borders sent to me via email. It basically covers the impact of their efforts, all made possible by the kindness of others.

It is my hope that we will see less conflict in the coming year, but the prospects for that already appear grim. It is heartening to know that my contributions are helping reduce the pain of those who find themselves in harm’s way.

I count my lucky stars that I am blessed with a supportive network of loving family and terrific friends. The crises I have had to live through are small in comparison to what some people on this Earth face. For this reason, I do not measure my fortune in terms of dollars and cents.  I have won the lottery in my life countless times over.  I have great parents, one really awesome brother and some really great friends and colleagues.

My ultimate lottery winnings, however, center around what I come home to every night.  A loving wife and a beautiful baby boy.  With that in mind, I will always count myself as a member of the fortunate ones.  I will continue to celebrate my terrific luck by loving those I’m with and giving to those who are without.

Here is the thank you message I referred to at the top of the page.  Each doctor, nurse and support staff member who works with the patients in the video are a verifiable blessing to humanity. May God watch over and protect them in the coming year:

Thank you.

In 2013, you helped our doctors, nurses, logisticians and other staff have a powerful impact in the lives of people all over the world, many of whom had nowhere else to turn.

I hope you’ll watch this short video to see just how far your support has gone.

It is only because of independent support from donors like you that we are able to be in so many places where others cannot go – from the most remote islands of the Philippines to the frontlines in Syria and South Sudan. In these places and in more than 70 countries around the world, the medical care you make possible has meant the difference between life and death for hundreds of thousands of people.

I know our teams will be tested by new crises and challenges in the months to come and I couldn’t be more grateful to have you at our side as we do whatever it takes to bring lifesaving care to the people who need it most.

On behalf of our entire staff, I wish you health and happiness in 2014, and thank you once again for everything you do to support our efforts to save lives and end suffering.

Gratefully,

Sophie Delaunay, Executive Director

Sophie Delaunay
Executive Director

Foreverly Everly

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In 1986 the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted 10 of rock’s most influential musicians into its inaugural class: Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Elvis Presley and . . . The Everly Brothers.

everly-brothers

Phil Everly, the younger brother of the influential Everly music duo, passed away yesterday.  The vocal group has had far-reaching influence ranging from other singing duos like Simon and Garfunkel to the harmonizing style of Rock and Roll acts like The Beatles.  The Everlys took the clean instrumentation of Nashville and turned it on its head with teenage themes and early rock arrangements.  Their music has a timeless quality and their greatness can still be heard to this day. While they produced countless hits like “Wake Up Little Susie,” “Bye Bye Love” and “All I Have to Do is Dream,”  they also produced whole albums of brilliant and captivating songs.

ForeverlyI was recently reminded of this brilliance with the surprise re-recording of the Everly classic, Songs Our Daddy Taught Us, by Norah Jones and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong. The new album, Foreverly, manages to please the ear at every turn.  While Jones has long been known to have multi-genre vocal chops, Armstrong’s deviation from the comfort zone of his punk garage-rock scream is a true revelation.  He has a natural croon that blends masterfully with Jones’s smoky feminine sound. The album’s arrangement and instrumentation are different from the Everly’s original recording.  The record does, however, stay true to the Everly’s singing sound. The masterful harmonizing of Jones and Armstrong really sets the record apart from other cover albums. With so much music being overproduced and auto-tuned to death, it is refreshing to hear real singers singing real music, uncompromised. The album serves as a touching coda to The Everly Brothers body of work as yet another generation of musicians discovers their contribution to Rock and Roll.

So if you have time today, give thanks for the songs the Everlys taught us.  Their music is for the ages. From one younger brother to another, thanks Phil!

 

Wildcard Weekend Predictions

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After half-watching a bunch of meaningless bowl games, I am truly thankful that the NFL’s Wild Card Weekend is upon us.  I will be posting game predictions leading up to the Super Bowl.  If you are a betting person, you can trust my analysis because my lowly Redskins made an early exit from professional football this year.  Our local team, the Carolina Panthers, are looking good, too.  They are off this week but they make a great dark horse candidate for a victory on Super Bowl Sunday.

coltschiefs1Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts (Saturday 4:35PM)

The weekend’s first NFL game features a week 16 rematch.  The Chiefs, a hometown loser in that game, find their fortunes reversed after starting the season with 9 straight wins. They have lost 2 straight games while the Colts are on a roll with three consecutive wins. The playoffs, however, are a whole different ball game as the regular season is all but forgotten.

Jamaal-CharlesI am picking the Chiefs to win this game because they will be featuring the best player on the field, Jamaal Charles.  He averages 5.0 yards per carry and has been a touchdown machine in the last half of the season.  If he performs the way he should and Dwayne Bowe manages to only drop half his passes the Chiefs will be victorious. The Colts’s Andrew Luck , however, will have to contend with a pesky Chiefs defense that can punish when healthy.  I expect that defense to show up to this game even though it has been inconsistent at best in the second half of the season. QBs Alex Smith and Luck have very similar stats. It’s too bad the Colts’s Reggie Wayne is down for the count.  T.Y. Hilton has come on strong as the Colts’s leading receiver. He and running back Donald Brown will have to get things going early to have a shot.

Final Score: Chiefs 24-Colts 17

Nick foles vs Drew BreeseNew Orleans Saints @ Philadelphia Eagles (Saturday 8:10PM)

Saturday’s night-cap promises to result in a scoring extravaganza.  The Saint’s Drew Breese has been here before but I can’t help but think that the Eagles’s Nick Foles and Coach Chip Kelley are the ones with something to prove.  The Eagles are 7-1 going down the stretch and had to win last week to make the playoffs.  The Saints, however, have lost 3 out of their last five.  This game will most likely come down to who wants it more and the Eagles are the team with the hot hand.

rob ryanI am picking the Eagles to edge out the Saints in this match-up.  The big secret to this game will be LeSean McCoy and the Eagles’s NFL-leading rushing attack.  The Saints are horrible against the run and I will pick any team that can hand wild-man defensive coordinator Rob Ryan a loss. Why the media chooses to focus on this guy during every game he coaches is beyond me. If you want to start a drinking game based on how many times he shows up on camera you better make sure you have a safe way home.  You should also prepare to watch Sunday’s games with a hangover because you will be toast! Here’s hoping we will be free of Rob Ryan’s Captain Caveman antics after Saturday night.

Final Score: Eagles 28-Saints 21

bengals-chargers-football-philip-rivers-andy-dalton_pg_600San Diego Chargers @ Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday 1:05PM)

No one will be rushing back from church to watch this game. In fact, I will be picking this time slot if my wife mentions running errands or going to the grocery store.  There’s just not a lot here to get excited about. This could be Phillip Rivers’s last chance to make a playoff run but the Chargers have a long history of wasting these type of opportunities (2009 team, I’m looking at you!).  Both teams have won of late and the Bengals have scored a mind-numbing 76 points in their last two ballgames.

AJ-Green-hardship-superstarI am picking the Bengals because I expect the Chargers to turn in another low expectations affirming letdown.  The Chargers do have the NFL’s fifth ranked offense but I believe the Bengals third ranked defense will put a lid on their passing and running attacks. The one player that excites me in this game is Wide Receiver AJ Green.  He has led a team that has scored 209 points in their last 5 home games.  If Andy Dalton can keep the mistakes to a minimum, then the Bengals are a lock.  He’s only thrown 20 interceptions this year so there’s nothing to worry about, right?

Final Score: Bengals 34-Chargers 13

kaepernick vs rodgersSan Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers (Sunday 4:40PM)

Of all the weekend’s match-ups, you would think Packers versus 49ers would attract the most fans and be a huge ratings win for the NFL.  The only problem is that Green Bay barely averted a hometown blackout and needed extra time to sell tickets. Maybe fans are still wincing from the 181 rushing yards Colin Kaepernick pasted the Packers with during last year’s playoff game.  It’s been a tough season for the Packers but they have reason for optimism.  They have Aaron Rogers back, they just beat their arch-rival Chicago Bears to make the playoffs and they just secured the Lambeau ice-field advantage for the first round.

Frank GoreI am picking the 49ers in this matchup, however, because the Packers do have a lot to worry about.  It mostly comes in the form of the quick-cut running style of Frank Gore.  He should have a field day against the Packers’s less than impressive defense.  This will help negate the Lambeau advantage and keep Aaron Rogers off the field.  The 49ers also have the 5th best defense in the NFL. They will give Aaron Rogers, Eddie Lacy and company plenty to think about from the sidelines. Green Bay needs their own defense to come up big and opportunities will be scarce because Kaepernick has only thrown 9 picks this season.

Final Score: 49ers 24-Packers 17

peace love

One Last Gift . . .

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With our Christmas travels now over, my wife and I are ready to give our last gifts before the start of the New Year.  

Charitable giving is very important to both our families. From a very early age I learned to help others in need. From participating in Greensboro’s annual March of Dimes walk to building houses for Habit for Humanity, my mother ensured my brother and I learned the value of giving back to one’s community.  My mom’s active approach to giving is best exemplified by her participation in the annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. She has raised thousands of dollars in memory of her sister Tommy and marched in a variety of cities including Charlotte, New York and Santa Barbara.  Her and my Aunt’s resiliency against breast cancer has always been a source of inspiration. I will never forget the fight my mother took up against her own cancer scares.

My Dad’s charitable giving focuses on helping the homeless.  He feels that this is the best way to remember my Uncle Dave.  My uncle was a generous and caring spirit.  Unfortunately, our family lost him too soon. Every Christmas we light a candle in his memory and my Dad honors him by giving to Urban Ministry.  My dad and his girlfriend also volunteer their time to feeding the homeless during the holidays.  For my part, I try to keep my Uncle Dave’s memory alive by giving to the Union County Community Shelter.  I also try to spend as much time as possible with my brother and dad. Brotherly love is important and our annual camping trip together has always been my favorite way of celebrating the special bond we share with one another.

My wife’s side of the family is very active in the Catholic church  and they support a variety of causes throughout the year.  It is very heartening to see Pope Francis refocusing the church on the needs of the sick and poor. While this has always been important to the church, I think the rise in income inequality and other social ills makes the Pope’s message especially well-suited for our times. Our favorite volunteer effort sponsored by St. Matthew Catholic Church is the Muffin Ministry.  My wife bakes 24 muffins every quarter to feed the homeless at local shelters.  Her efforts combine with hundreds of other like-minded parishioners.

I share all of this because it allows me to link to some really great organizations that are willing to help fund research and help people in need. Telling the story of other people’s giving can inspire others to do the same.

As the year draws to a close, my wife and I will make one last donation to Goodwill and then we will choose two organizations to help in the coming year.  While our giving isn’t large by any means, I do believe that doing a little can help a lot.

This year our two chosen organizations are Doctor’s Without Borders and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. With the birth of our new baby boy I am constantly reminded how lucky we are.  Having a supportive and caring network of family and friends will go a long way in helping us successfully raise our sweet baby boy.  Not everyone has access to such support and we like these two charities because they give help in situations where there often is nowhere else to turn.

With that said, here’s hoping that everyone gets the help they need in the coming New Year.  We are all a part of the global village and we can combine our small efforts to make a lasting impact on countless lives in need.

Happy New Year!

Doctor’s Without Borders 2013 Highlights: This year MSF responded to major emergencies all over the world, including: running six hospitals and two clinics inside Syria; delivering surgery and treating malnourished children as one of the few organizations working in Central African Republic; reaching people completely cut off from medical care due to violence in Afghanistan; searching for people needing aid by helicopter after they fled violence in their villages in South Sudan; treating and vaccinating hundreds of thousands of children against measles in Democratic Republic of Congo.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 2013 Highlights: St. Jude recently completed an extensive expansion program that bolstered the hospital’s research and treatment efforts, more than doubling the size of its original campus. The expansion included the Children’s GMP, LLC, currently the nation’s only pediatric research center on-site facility for production of highly specialized treatments and vaccines; an expanded Department of Immunology; and a new Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics for discovery of new drugs. St. Jude now has 2.5 million square feet of research, clinical and administrative space dedicated to finding cures and saving children.

The new Chili’s Care Center integrates patient care and research where rapidly evolving CT (computerized tomography) and MR (magnetic resonance) technology keep St. Jude at the cutting edge for radiation therapy in a pediatric / adolescent setting. Additionally, a state-of-the-art cyclotron enables St. Jude researchers to undertake many important new PET (positron emission tomography) radiochemistry studies. These imaging techniques facilitate the rapid evaluation of new therapeutic approaches and help choose those most likely to be successful.

Music to Rock Your Christmas Eve

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As promised, I am posting my favorite Christmas albums.  Hopefully this music will help you rock your Christmas Eve parties and holiday gatherings. At the very least the list can serve as a reminder of your favorite albums of holidays past. Merry Christmas everyone!

A Very She & Him ChristmasA Very She & Him Christmas is by far my favorite holiday album.  There is nothing better than hearing M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel sing the classics.  The production is timeless and will liven up any Christmas themed playlist. The album is also special to me because I gave it as a gift to my wife.  To my delight, Lunchbox Records had cool album themed wrapping paper and a Christmas pen to go with it.  What a great record store! Anyways, this made the gift more special. My wife loves the album and we play it during many special Christmas occasions.  This year the record comes with an a Yule Log app. Crazy!

The GatheringFor some North Carolina flavor, look no further than The Gathering. The Wall Street Journal featured the project as one of six holiday albums worth picking up last year, writing: “Five established folk-roots artists gathered in a Greensboro,N.C., house to record this unusual album. The first six songs by singer-guitarist Laurelyn Dossett were commissioned by the North Carolina Symphony and tell the tale of a wandering daughter’s return to her family home on a winter’s night. The next seven tracks are a mix of traditional and old-time holiday folk songs. Three voices work in harmony backed by banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar and bass. What the season must have sounded like before shopping and Irving Berlin.” And The Chicago Sun-Times hailed the album: “Collections of Appalachian holiday tunes have come along before, but one of the finest is now ‘The Gathering.’” Needless to say, the record is great!

Christmas with the Rat PackAnother one of my all time favorite albums for gift giving and holiday celebration is Christmas with the Rat Pack.  There’s nothing quite like hearing Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra swoon over the very best holiday standards.  The songs on this album set a very high mark and very few artists have ever met it.  The record has everything from “White Christmas” to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” While Sammy and Frank deliver the goods, Dean Martin outperforms them all.  If you want to know what Christmas sounds like, listen to the Rat Pack.

A Very Special ChristmasLast but not least is a A Very Special Christmas. This compilation album of Christmas songs has everything: Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Whitney Houston, U2, Sting. If an artist had any traction in the 1980s they are on this benefit album.  While all the songs are great, my Brother and I were floored that our mom had actually bought a CD with a RUN DMC track on it. And she liked it! Another special album highlight is Stevie Nix’s “Silent Night.” There’s nothing like having the witchy woman herself sing about the birth of the Saviour. in addition, the record is still very popular and continues to help raise money and awareness for the Special Olympics.