New Book By Reclusive Local Author Highlights Judeo Christian Mysticism

Local Literary News

Images Old and New by Sarah Seymour-Winfield

GREENE COUNTY – A Greene County author now shares with readers a similarly controversial book, the result of a twenty-year journey following a deep, personal spiritual awakening. Officially released by Greyden Press in June, Images Old and New by Sarah Seymour-Winfield is described as, “A scholarly book about Christian mysticism.”

The book is a painstakingly referenced mixture of theologically-based studies including literature, philosophy and spiritualism, offering the reader unique insights into the Bible and its origins. The author’s goal is to help readers on a path to their own illumination.

“Long ago on Mount Sinai, Moses, Aaron, and seventy-two privileged men actually saw the God of Israel and with Him actually ate and drank,” recalled Seymour-Winfield. “Likewise, Images Old and New grants the contemporary reader a similar mystical privilege through the readings of Scripture alone – to see God in the contemporary world and live.”

Because of Seymour-Winfield’s notable public absence, the author is being represented by Gery L. Deer, senior publicist and managing copywriter with GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing in Jamestown. “Sarah’s work has received outstanding reviews from theological experts around the country,” Deer said. “Early interest in the book has been surprising, from the devout and the secular alike, particularly in the academic community.”

According to Deer, Images Old and New has been chosen as an accompanying text this fall for one of the religion courses at the University of Dayton. Writers of theologically-based fiction are also showing great interest in Images. The book is to be the focus of several panel sessions during the 2011 Context Alternative Fiction Literary Conference in Columbus, August 28-30.

Currently the book is available in paper and hardback editions online, directly from the publisher or by contacting the author’s publicist, Gery L. Deer by calling (937) 902-4857. Limited copies are available for scholarly review by application to the publicist. Excerpts and a full bibliography, as well as scholarly reviews of the book, are available on the official website http://www.imagesoldandnew.com.

Greene County Safe Communities Coalition Reminds 4th of July Drivers to Plan Ahead

Xenia – July 4th celebrations often include cook-outs, picnics, boating, time
spent with family and friends and, of course, fireworks. But for too many
families, this holiday weekend can be filled with tragedy instead of
celebration. The Fourth of July is one of the deadliest holidays of the year
when it comes to alcohol-impaired-driving crashes on our roadways.

That is why the Greene County Safe Communities Coalition is reminding everyone
that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving and to designate a sober driver before the
celebrations begin.

Statistics gathered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over
the past 25 years show that, on average, nearly half of all deadly traffic
crashes over each year’s July 4th holiday involved some level of alcohol.

In fact, 410 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationally
during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009. Of that number, 40 percent involved
drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or
higher.

“The Fourth of July is a time most Americans spend celebrating with family and
friends, but in order to keep someone you love from becoming another deadly
statistic, each of us can do our part to combat one of America’s deadliest
crimes—drunk driving,” said Laurie Fox, Safe Communities Coordinator. “We hope
each individual will be responsible, designate a sober driver before the parties
begin and will never get behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking.”

All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have made it illegal to
drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.

“Alcohol impairs many of the skills that safe driving requires, including
judgment, concentration, comprehension, coordination, visual acuity and reaction
time,” said Fox. “Even driving ‘buzzed’ is simply not worth the risk to you or
the thousands of innocent victims who are hurt or killed each year by drunk
drivers.”

Impaired driving is one of America’s deadliest problems. In 2009 alone, 10,839
people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, accounting for 32
percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. That’s an average
of one impaired-driving fatality every 48 minutes in 2009.

Ms. Fox said that impaired drivers not only take the risk of hurting or killing
themselves or someone else, the trauma and financial costs of an
alcohol-impaired crash or an arrest can be significant. Violators often face
jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates and dozens
of other unanticipated expenses.

“We want everyone to enjoy their holiday celebrations, but it’s important when
you or a friend are out drinking, to act on that knowledge by putting down your
keys or taking a friend’s keys to not let them drink and drive,” said Fox. “And
folks need to be particularly careful at night, because the rate of alcohol
impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 was four times higher
at night than during the day.”

The Greene County Safe Communities Coalition encourages a few simple precautions
to keep themselves and loved ones safe:

-Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
-Before drinking, designate a sober driver;
-If you’re impaired, don’t get behind the wheel. Call a taxi, use public

transportation or call a sober friend or family member so you are sure to get
home safely.
-If you see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact the local law
enforcement dispatch — because you may just save someone’s life.
-Remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. Take the keys and help them
make other arrangements to get where they are going safely.

“Remember, Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so whether you’ve had way too many,
or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk to yourself or others to get
behind the wheel,” said Fox. “Please plan ahead and designate a sober driver
before the party begins.”

For more information, please visit http://www.StopImpairedDriving.org.

Electric Cars Are Coal Powered

By Gery L. Deer
Deer In Headlines

A few years ago gasoline prices were hovering around the 5-dollar per gallon
mark driving automakers around the world to meet the sweeping demand for
alternatively powered vehicles. Within a year, nearly every company had unveiled
its own version of either a hybrid or fully electric passenger car.

The first electrically-powered cars were introduced in the U.S. and Europe
around the mid-nineteenth century. Though it is unclear who actually invented
the concept back in those days, today there is every reason to believe that the
electric car is no better of a solution than its gasoline ancestors; at least
not yet.

According to the United States Energy Information Administration, almost half
(45 percent) of America’s electrical power is currently generated by burning
coal. Natural gas and nuclear power come in second and third, 23-percent and
20-percent, respectively. Wind and hydroelectric power providers barely even
register on the scale.

With these facts in mind, it may as well be said that an electric car being
operated in the United States is essentially powered by coal. Yes, coal; and
environmentally-minded drivers need to know that there’s nearly nothing green
about driving an electric car.

Coal mining requires the excavation of substantial areas of land and poses a
host of environmental hazards including soil erosion, excessive noise and
pollution of the air and water. In an effort to appear more environmentally
friendly over the years, mining companies have done a better job at covering
their tracks. However, backfilling and tree planting will ever undo the overall
destruction caused by the extraction process.

Mining also takes a toll in human life. In 2010, for example, 48 people died
working in American coal mines. At the same time, China lost more than 2,400
workers to mining accidents.

Once mined, coal is burned to boil water for immense steam turbines which
generate electricity. Burning coal is a dirty process; a statement that cannot
be easily disputed. Burning coal gives off a mixture of sulfur dioxide, carbon
dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

Any ideas that so-called clean coal technologies will help to curtail
environmental damage is idealistic but finally erroneous. Adding
chemical-filtering scrubbers to the chimneys of power plants will only slightly
reduce the amount of toxins released into the atmosphere over time because of
the increasing number of plants needed to meet power demands.

And what happens to the contaminants when reusable scrubbers are cleaned? Some
scientists claim that the filtered toxic waste ends up in the soil and water
supplies in close proximity to the power plants. There is no consensus on an
answer to this question.

Eventually, the world’s coal supply will be exhausted, just as petroleum stores
will be and vehicle designers will be back to square one. But the immediate
issue rests in how to limit America’s dependence on foreign fuel supplies. For
the moment, electricity seems to be the go-to technology, but even the cars
themselves pose an environmental threat.

While they may not directly create a pollution problem, electric cars have some
particularly toxic components, particularly the lithium-ion batteries which
power the motors. Currently, the federal government says these batteries can be
freely disposed of in normal municipal landfills.

Toyota, on the other hand, recently stated that lithium-ion batteries were far
too hazardous to be used in passenger cars at all. If sold en mass, these
batteries could create a significant amount of solid waste, with no
predetermined plan for their complete disposal or breakdown.

Trading one problem for another is not a solution. For now, the amount of
petroleum needed to generate wind and solar power prevents either from becoming
immediately affordable or practical. There is no perfect answer but until there
is a viable option, not just for gasoline but also for coal, the electric car is
not going to help the environmental problem.

In the end, using more electricity to run the millions of automobiles in the
United States will, at least in the short term, generate more pollution and
waste. Anyone looking down their environmentally-friendly noses from behind the
wheel of an electric car should remember just how much damage they may still be
doing.

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer based in Jamestown,
Ohio. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.

Local IT Firm Warns Of Slow PC Repair Scams

JAMESTOWN – Over the past several months Miami Valley residents have been exposed to a barrage of ads from websites and software companies who claim that they will clean up a computer’s programming and make it run faster. These firms then take credit card information, remote into the PC and install invasive software that, at best, turns off some of the Windows maintenance features.

Local writer and entrepreneur, Gery L. Deer, is the owner of Deer Computer Consulting, Ltd., an on-site computer support firm based in Jamestown. Deer said his company has been inundated with calls relating to consumers who have been taken advantage of by companies offering so-called optimization packages to speed up slow computers.

“Computers become slower over time for a multitude of reasons ranging from overloaded startup cues to excessive maintenance software,” Deer said. “These companies use scare tactics and offer an online program that they claim will clean up your computer and make it run faster. Usually, they install expensive, highly invasive programs that conflict with your machine’s built-in maintenance software.”

Deer added that he’s had to go so far as to issue confirmation of repair letters to credit card companies on behalf his clients to help them recover payments when refund requests were ignored by the online service providers.

“One of the ways we diagnose computer problems is to find out how the ailing machine is used and who uses it,” Deer said. “That’s something that cannot be done over the phone and an on-site check of the computer is far less costly.”

Deer also noted that there is rarely a need to install third-party software to speed up a computer. Additional programs running in the background only add an operational burden to the processor and would just serve to slow the machine down even more.

Security is also an issue here. Deer cautions people about letting any third-party have access or remote control over your computer. “Most of these companies use the Windows remote access program to go into your computer and manipulate its operation, load software and even extract information,” Deer said.

“Because you’ve given them access, these individuals, most of which are out of state and often out of the country, now have the ability to see any information stored on your computer, no matter how private.”

In response to these calls, Deer Computer Consulting, Ltd., has initiated a flat-rated computer check. Priced between $49 and $79 per hour, depending on the type of service and the location, a technician will perform a check on the computer to look for malware, viruses and the presence of any unwanted software.

“The goal here is to help people keep from being ripped off by these companies,” Deer acknowledges, adding that regular maintenance is just as important to a computer as it is to a car. “If you’ve already used one of these companies, with negative results, we may be able to help recover your money. We want to try to help our community be aware of these problems, provide solutions and offer steps consumers can take to prevent them.”

From now until July 21st, Deer Computer Consulting, Ltd., will be offering free phone or email consultations to help local consumers determine whether they need further help with slow, lagging computers.. For more information call (937) 902-4857, or visit http://www.deercomputerconsulting.com.

New Local home Care Business To Hold Job Fair July 8

SPRINGBORO – Miami Valley Golden Heart Senior Care, LLC, has opened a new office in Centerville to serve seniors in Warren, Prebble, Butler, and Warren Counties. In order to fill non-medical homecare staff vacancies the company will be holding a job fair from 9:00AM until 2:00PM on Friday, July 8 at the Springboro Dorothy Lane Market Upstairs Community Room, 740 N. Main St. in Springboro.

Miami Valley Golden Heart Senior Care, LLC, will be filling numerous positions in anticipation of rapid client growth over the next several months. Those selected for these jobs will work as in-home companions, home helpers, and provide other non-medical personal care. All Applicants will need a copy of current Driver’s License, proof of car insurance, proof of eligibility to work in the USA such as birth certificate, passport, or social security card. Background checks and drug screening will be required of new hires at employee expense.

Applicants should be prepared to complete application, provide resume, and speak with a Company representative during this process. Those meeting all requirements will be called back for a second interview and completion of employee paperwork, drug screening and background check. Inquiries many be directed to Kim Bromagen at 937-985-4911.

Miami Valley Golden Heart Senior Care, LLC, offers 24-hour, 7-day services to help elderly clients remain in their homes longer while still living full, productive lives free of some daily tasks that may have become more difficult as time passed. They can assist with personal care needs like bathing, meal preparation and mobility as well as grocery shopping, managing bills and keeping up with medications and appointments.

Assisted Suicides: Compassion or Murder?

By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

Do the terminally ill have the right to choose when and how they die? Or, should those patients be forcibly subjected to the pain and horror of suffering a slow, agonizing death as a result of their disease and the effects of its treatment? Who, but the patient, should have the right to decide when they’ve had enough?

One might assume in a free society that an individual who was so inclined would have the right to end his or her life, at the time, place and method of their own choice. On the contrary, for those who wish to avoid what awaits them towards the end of their days, there are few options available, none of which are dignified or 100 percent successful.

In the United States, suicide, in and of itself, is not a crime. After all, someone who has taken his or her own life has pretty much outrun the long arm of the law, so what would be the point? What most people forget, though, is that society already has a variety of accepted “assisted suicide” methods already in place, but no one thinks of these options in the same way.

When a person is being kept alive artificially due to an accident or illness they are usually in some kind of unconscious state. In these cases, a living will can be used to inform the doctors of precisely how and when to end treatment.

Many proponents see assisted suicide as the same set of choices. The only difference is that the patient is capable of making their wishes known at the time.

Here’s another example. Hospice organizations do what they can to address complications from illness and provide comfort care to terminal patients while making every effort to preserve their dignity; even if doing so means withholding treatment and allowing a patient to pass away. None of these procedures are ever attacked as immoral nor are those responsible prosecuted.

In 1990, Dr. Jack Kavorkian supervised the suicide of a 54-year-old Michigan woman who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Immediately following the incident, he was arrested for murder. Since no laws were in place specifically listing assisted suicide as a crime, Kavorkian was released and the charges dropped.

Kavorkian eventually served eight years for second-degree murder after admitting to assisting with the suicides of 130 terminally ill patients and died earlier, at the age of 83. Though even proponents of assisted suicides had reservations about his methods, it was hard to deny that the so called “doctor death” had set a precedent that could not be ignored.

Keep in mind that the majority of non-assisted suicides are the result of mental breakdown or emotional impairment. Any widespread sanction of assisted suicide would most likely require that the medical community agree to guidelines relating to the mental status of the patient and a specially trained physician would be required to administer the procedure.

Since the legality of such a practice is based on a society’s cultural beliefs, there are also moral issues to consider. Most religions view suicide as a type of murder – the murder of oneself – which is, of course, a sin. In the case of assisted suicide the person who helps the patient to die would also be guilty of murder.

Ultimately, however, the moral and spiritual consequences of assisted suicide rest with the terminally ill patient and their attending physician. For those who make the choice to end their own suffering, they should have the right to do so medically and painlessly, under the care of a doctor. Physicians with the courage to honor a dying patient’s final wishes with dignity and care should be commended, not prosecuted.

On death row, lethal injection is used to painlessly and humanely execute the condemned prisoner who is attended by a physician and supervised by someone who makes sure the procedure is done with dignity and care. It is somewhat ironic and shameful, however, that Americans, in all their moral superiority, have yet to bestow that level of dignity and compassion to free citizens who are suffering the horrific ravages of terminal disease.

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer based in Jamestown. More at http://www.gerydeer.com.