CUCAMONGA DAM (2 Hour Walk)

CUCAMONGA DAM (2 Hour Walk)

Beginning at Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave, crossing Mountain and then continuing E on 23rd St, crossing San Antonio and Euclid and turning L on Campus. Go N on Campus to 24th St and TR. Go E on 24th to the cul-de-sac and then continue going E through the gate in the wall that leads to Cucamonga Creek Trail. Turn R and go S on the trail and follow the ramp SE and up on top of Cucamonga Dam and proceed E to the spillway. Return the same way that you came, exiting at the 24th St gate and continue W on 24th, crossing Euclid and turning L on San Antonio. TR and go W on 23rd St, cross Mountain, and go W on Mildura Ave to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

PARC CHATEAU NEIGHBORHOOD (1 Hour Walk)

PARC CHATEAU NEIGHBORHOOD (1 Hour Walk)

Beginning at Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave to Mountain Ave and TR. Go S on Mountain, passing 22nd St and TR through the main gate of Parc Chateau on Cannes Ave. TR on Lorraine Dr and go N and then W to Eiffel Circle and then Paris Circle, continue W to the Mildura gate and then return E past Paris Circle to the first sidewalk going S between the houses. Follow it S to the Y and take the RH fork to the gazebo. Take the LH fork S to Charmaine Dr and TR. Go W to Pinot Circle, follow it around and continue W on the S perimeter sidewalk as it traces the W boundary past the tennis courts and heads N. Go past the gate to where the sidewalk heads E to the gazebo and continue E to the Y. Continue E to the park and follow the sidewalk around to the S side of the pool. Continue S to Charmaine Dr and TR to Malati Circle. Follow it around and then return E on Charmaine past the park and bend N to the main entrance. Exit on Cannes and TL on Mountain. Go N on Mountain to Mildura Ave and TL. Go W on Mildura to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

ASHLEY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD (30 Minute Walk)

ASHLEY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD (30 Minute Walk)

Beginning at Mountain View Park, go S on Mildura Ave on the W side of the street past Carissa St and TR on Amanda Pl, through the gate into Ashley Park. Follow Amanda W, Beverly Way N, Ashley Pl E and Sonya Ave S to the Amanda Pl exit. Go N on Mildura Ave to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

MOUNTAIN VIEW WEST (30 Minute Walk)

MOUNTAIN VIEW WEST (30 Minute Walk)

Beginning at MountainView Park, cross Mildura Ave to the W side and go south to Daylily St. TR and go W on Daylily, past the tennis courts and basketball court. Just before turning L, walk up the hill on the railroad tie steps to Marigold St and TL. Go W on Marigold and turn S on Poppy Ave, pass Ash Ave and TL on Tulip St. Follow Tulip S and TL on Carissa St. TL on Daisy St and follow around the park to Alyssum Ave. Go N on Alyssum, passing the pool, and TR on Wisteria Ave. TR on Daylily St and go E to Mildura Ave. Cross Mildura to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

UPLAND SUMMIT NEIGHBORHOOD (1 Hour Walk)

UPLAND SUMMIT NEIGHBORHOOD (1 Hour Walk)

Beginning from Mountain View Park, cross Mildura Ave and go N on Deakin Ave to 24th St. TL and go W on 24th to the dead-end at San Antonio Creek. Return E on 24th and TR on Parkcrest St. TL on Highpoint St by the pool, go E to the cul-de-sac and return W to Starlight Ave. TL on Starlight and then TR on Panorama St to the cul-de-sac and then return E on Panorama and go S past the basketball court and pool to Lookout Ct. TR and go W on Lookout to the cul-de-sac and return E to Crestview. Continue S on Crestview to Forest St. TR on Forest and go W, exploring Woodcrest Way, Ridgemont Way, Fairfield Way, Skyline Way, the basketball courts and Moonridge Court as Forest becomes Meadow Glen Way and goes N. TR on Grandview St to the cul-de-sac and return W to Birkdale St. TR on Birkdale and go N to Highpoint St. TL on Highpoint to the cul-de-sac, return and go E on Highpoint until you see the pool on the RHS. TL and go N on Parkcrest St, TR and go E on 24th St to Deakin Ave. TR and go S on Deakin to Mildura Ave, cross Mildura to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

MOUNTAIN VIEW EAST (30 Minute Walk)

MOUNTAIN VIEW EAST (30 Minute Walk)

Beginning from Mountain View Park, go S on Jasmine Ave past the playground and tennis courts to Dogwood St and TL. Go E on Dogwood to the park and return to Zinnia. TL on Zinnia and W past the pool to the park. TL on Lobelia Ave, go past the park and TL on Fuchsia St. TL on Hibiscus St, go E to the last park and TL on Oleander Ave. Go N on Oleander to Dogwood and TR to Verbena Ave. TL and go N on Verbena to where Oak St goes L and W to Willow Ave. Go N on Willow to Mildura Ave. TL and go W and S on Mildura and TL on Fuchsia St. TL on Lobelia, cross Zinnia, go past the park and TR on Ajuga, continue S on the E side of the park to Zinnia, TL and go E to Jasmine, TL and go N to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

MALLORCA NEIGHBORHOOD (30 Minute Walk)

MALLORCA NEIGHBORHOOD (30 Minute Walk)

Beginning at Mountain View Park, cross Mildura Ave to Mallorca on Cadiz Ave and TR on Mallorca St. Go E on Mallorca to the cul-de-sac, return W on Mallorca, go past the park and tennis courts on the R and continue W to the cul-de-sac. Return E to Alicante Ave and TL. Follow Alicante N to Granada St and TR. Go E on Granada to the cul-de-sac and then return W, passing Alicante to Naples Ave. TR and go N on Naples past the park, basketball court, picnic area and pool, and don’t miss the beautiful view of the mountains straight ahead. Go to where the street turns L on St Tropez St. Go W on St. Tropez, TR on Barcelona Ave and go N to Malaga St. TR and go E on Malaga to the cul-de-sac, return W, passing Barcelona, to the W cul-de-sac of Malaga. Return to Barcelona and go S to St. Tropez, turn R and follow St. Tropez W to where Palermo Ave goes S on the W side of the pool. TR and go W on Genoa St to Deakin Ave. TL and go S on Deakin to Mildura Ave and cross the street to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

ORCHARD TERRACE NEIGHBORHOOD (30 Minute Walk)

ORCHARD TERRACE NEIGHBORHOOD (30 Minute Walk)


Beginning at Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave to Mountain Ave and TL. Go N on Mountain to the first street before 24th St and TL at the entrance gate to Orchard Park. Pass through the gate and TR on Walnut Ave. Follow Walnut N to the cul-de-sac, return and TR on Chestnut St. TR on Hickory Ave and then TR on Citrus St to the cul-de-sac. Go S on the sidewalk past the pool and TL to Walnut Ave. TR and go S on Walnut to the exit gate. TL and go N on Mountain to 24th St, TL and go W on 24th St to Deakin Ave. TL and go S on Deakin to Mildura Ave. Cross Mildura to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

20th STREET NEIGHBORHOOD (3 Hour Walk)

20TH STREET NEIGHBORHOOD (3 Hour Walk)

Beginning from Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave to Mountain Ave, cross Mountain, turn R and go S on Mountain, cross 22nd, 21st, Peppertree Lane, and TL through the opening in the soundwall that connects to 20th St. Going E on 20th, pass the new development on the RHS and then pass the orchard. TR on Rose Ave and follow S to Kenwood St. TR and go W on Kenwood to the orchard and then return E on Kenwood. Cross San Antonio and follow Kenwood E, next to the 210 soundwall, to where it turns L, becomes Quince Way and goes N to 20th St. TR and go E on 20th, crossing Euclid and then continuing E to the dead end. Turn around and head W on 20th St again, going up the following streets to their cul-de-sacs and then returning to 20th and continuing W: Winston Ct, Flower Ct, 2nd Ave/Muir Ct, Tapia Way, (cross Euclid), Palm Ave, Rita Ct, (return S to 20th), La Palma/Leah Ct, Redding Way, Ukiah Way, (pass McCarthy Park, cross San Antonio), Albright Ave to Rae Ct, return S to 20th and continue W to Coolcrest Ave. TR and go N to Solano St, TL and go W on Solano and follow around on Lucinda Ave and Pineridge St to Coolcrest again, then TL and go N on Coolcrest again, follow W on Driftwood St and then S on Shorewood Ave to rejoin 20th St again. TR and continue W on 20th to O’Malley Way. TR and go N on O’Malley to the interesting cul-de-sac-within-a-cul-de-sac and then return S to 20th. TR and go W on 20th to Kelly Ave. TR on Kelly, go N to explore Rae Ct on the L and then continue N to Peppertree Lane. TL on Peppertree and follow W to Mountain Ave. Go N on Mountain to 23rd St, (Mildura Ave), and TL. Follow Mildura W to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

PERIMETER CLUB 2009

PERIMETER CLUB 2009

This has been a successful year for perimeter walking here in Upland, California. I was able to increase my average mileage from 7 to 8 miles per day, although I walked fewer days per week, averaging 5 days, compared with 6 days last year. I completed several perimeter walks in and around the city this year, and I plan to do even more in 2010. My goals remain similar to those from last year, as I look forward to another year. God bless each of you and may your new year be filled with good health and other blessings.

Mark Overt Skilbred

FOG IN THE UPLAND FOOTHILLS---AND SOME REASONS WE LIKE IT HERE

FOG IN THE UPLAND FOOTHILLS—AND SOME REASONS WE LIKE IT HERE

We live in the foothills of Upland, California, on the southern slope of Mt. San Antonio, commonly referred to as Mt. Baldy, which has an elevation of more than 10,000 feet. This has many health benefits, including cooler temperatures, cleaner air, refreshing breezes, protection from gale winds, above-normal rainfall for this area with the resulting lush vegetation, and occasional snowfall. Our foothill weather is greatly influenced by the giant to the north, whose cooling afternoon breezes are so welcome in the summer heat and help to minimize the use of air conditioning. By driving north on Mt. Baldy Road, those who prefer to be at an even higher elevation are just a short drive from winter snow and the mountain chalet experience. We live at the 2000 foot level, where we have rain, drizzle, occasional fog and heavy dew, which sometimes freezes and delays our morning commute by requiring some windshield de-icing. I have learned to appreciate the benefits of cooler, moist weather, especially when walking. Early morning fog usually gives way to sunshine midway through most winter mornings and provides ideal walking temperatures, even for uphill climbs. The morning and evening zephyrs, combined with spectacular sunrises and sunsets supply ideal hiking conditions for a growing number of enthusiasts. Why not join us and experience the health benefits of Upland walks?

Mark Overt Skilbred

McCARTHY PARK (1 Hour Walk)

McCARTHY PARK (1 Hour Walk)

Note: This park is furnished with fine outdoor recreational facilities for both children and adults, including state-of-the-art playground equipment, basketball courts, exercise equipment, horseshoe pits, picnic facilities, clean restrooms, drinking fountains and a perimeter sidewalk for pedestrians and bicycles.

Beginning from Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave to Mountain Ave. (Mildura becomes 23rd St at Mountain.) Continue E on 23rd to San Antonio Ave., cross the street, TR and go S on San Antonio, crossing 22nd and 21st St. McCarthy Park begins on the S side of the fire station on the E side of San Antonio and continues to 20th St. After exploring the park, go W on 20th St and pass through the soundwall opening to Mountain Ave. Cross Mountain to the W side of the street and go N on Mountain to Benson Ave/21st St. Cross over to the N side of Benson, TL and go W on Benson, passing Wentworth and turning R on Sunrise. TL and go W on Sunrise Circle South, follow it around and go out the W exit to Mildura Ave. TR and follow Mildura N to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

SAN ANTONIO PARK (30 Minute Walk)

SAN ANTONIO PARK (30 Minute Walk)

Note: This park has two beautiful baseball fields with ample seating, state-of-the-art children’s playground equipment, clean restrooms and drinking fountains.

Beginning from Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave to Mountain Ave. TL and go N on Mountain to the far end of San Antonio Park, TL and go W on the park perimeter sidewalk to where it bends S and continue through the parking lot to 24th St. TR and go W on 24th to Deakin Ave. TL and go S on Deakin to Mildura Ave. Cross over Mildura to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

UPLAND WALKS--THE BEGINNING OF A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE

UPLAND WALKS—THE BEGINNING OF A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE

There are more than 100 different walks I have documented in the Upland area, which I will share with you. Some of these are quite short and ideally suited to beginners and those with limitations caused by joint, back and other health factors. Other walks are more strenuous and much longer and should be undertaken in a methodical fashion.

I realize that there are several schools of thought regarding exercise, so here is the approach that works best for me, which you are free to make use of or disregard, as best suits your needs. Not everyone is athletic, but all of us can benefit from the right kinds of exercise, particularly low-impact routines such as walking. There are many who will testify about the benefits of walking, and I can certainly join my voice with theirs in giving my highest recommendation to this form of exercise!

Two years ago I began walking the length of Mildura Avenue and back, which is about 30 minutes for a beginning walker. Although I was about 50 pounds overweight, more importantly, I was desperately in need of a conditioning program that would steadily increase my endurance, tone-up my muscles, tendons and joints, increase my circulation, lower my blood pressure, improve my energy level, increase my resistance, and generally reverse the processes of aging that are common to all of us.

I am happy to report that two years later I have lost about half of my overweight amount and significantly improved my endurance, overall tone, circulation, blood pressure, energy level and resistance, and I have also begun to have some success in slowing down and, in some ways reversing, the aging process.

Walking has done all of this for me with a small investment of time and a modest amount of money spent for a few decent pairs of walking shoes. This is a spectacular bargain that should not be missed if you can muster the will to begin.

Don’t worry about the discipline—that will come naturally as a result of your training, because as you slowly and methodically increase the difficulty and duration of your walks, your energy level will continue to improve and motivate you to continue. There are some days when I can barely wait to go for my walk, and it seems to be unaffected by the weather and other conditions. There are other days when my energy level is lower, and I settle for a slower and shorter walk of more moderate difficulty.

I try to make it as easy as possible to say yes to my resolve and my body, by giving myself a variety of options to respond to whatever mind and emotions, body dynamics and energy are available to me on any given day. This is easier than it sounds, because there are a great variety of combinations available to me that encourage me to go outside and meet the day.

If the day is unusually busy, with lots of items on my to-do list, I will probably settle for a shorter distance that day. If my energy level is low, I will begin with a shorter-planned walk of a more horizontal nature. This is easily accomplished here in Upland by walking east and west instead of north and south, because of the terrain.

Upland is built on the south slope of Mt. San Antonio, (Mt. Baldy), which is over 10,000 feet above sea level. The height of San Antonio Dam is 2260 feet, and Mountain View Park is located at 2000 feet. The dam is about 3 blocks north of MVP, so you can see there is quite a steep rise when walking north. On a low-energy day, I may choose to walk east and west along the foothills, which has a more gradual ascent, and is level in several places. Knowing that this option is available greatly encourages me to begin, and still offers me the option to turn and go south and then north again, should my energy level improve during my walk.

I mention this because it is often the case that after walking for 30 minutes to 1 hour, my energy level is increased to the extent that I want to continue or even increase my level of activity. This led to the discovery that for me, at least, going uphill goes even faster than downhill and that longer strides are actually easier on the joints, even uphill, than shorter strides. This is just an example of what may work for you to increase your motivation and to work with your mind, body and emotions to increase your activity level and improve your overall energy and health.

What began as a feeble attempt, that was not highly motivated and lasted for only 30 minutes, has developed into a daily routine which typically lasts from 2-4 hours, depending on my energy level. I find that it is no longer as much of an effort to begin and continue my chosen route as it was just 2 years ago.

For most of the past 2 years I have averaged about 3 miles per hour, but after recently discovering that I can lengthen my uphill strides, I have improved my pace to between 3 ½ and 4 mph. When you do the math, I averaged walking about 7 miles per day my first year and about 8 miles per day the second year, with the average increasing rapidly for the last 2 months of 2009, by increasing the length of my uphill stride.

Sometimes I walk 6 days per week, but usually our weekends are busy, so I normally only walk Monday through Friday. Your abilities and needs may be different, and I am not telling you my results to persuade you that only my method is the correct one. Whatever motivates you and best suits your needs is the right routine for you.

I want to mention four interesting observations over the past two years: It is often imagined that it is thoughts and motivation which inspire activity and endurance. I have discovered that the opposite is actually more correct. You begin activity, not knowing the result of your effort, and through persistence discover the thoughts and motivation to continue. Action precedes thought and motivation, and not the reverse. In other words, “Just do it!” and everything else will follow.

A second observation is that exercise has a profound effect on your mood. You may begin your walk in a foul mood, thinking only negative thoughts about yourself and your fellowmen, and some time within the first hour, you will notice that not only are you feeling better, but you may not even remember what caused you to be in a bad mood in the first place. For some of us, this factor alone is worth the whole routine.

Another observation is that diet and exercise are often spoken of in that order, conveying the impression that a healthy diet must precede exercise. In fact, in my experience, when you begin to exercise, it is activity which has the greatest impact on your diet, and not the reverse. When my body begins to respond to exercise in beneficial ways, this creates a hunger and mental motivation for a healthier diet and lifestyle, which had not been there before beginning my exercise program.

Lastly, I cannot say enough about the overwhelming value of being methodical about whichever exercise routine you adopt. Your methodical pursuit of a healthy exercise routine begins slowly and increases daily and weekly, with occasional exceptions, until you are surprised with your progress. It is the good habits we get into that are life-changing, and you will be amazed when you look back in a couple of years at the progress you have made. I wish you the best as you begin whichever exercise program seems to work the best for you. Stay active and enjoy your Upland walks!

Mark Overt Skilbred

SAN ANTONIO DAM (1 Hour Walk)

SAN ANTONIO DAM (1 Hour Walk)

Beginning at Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave to Mountain Ave. TL and go N on Mountain and go past San Antonio Park. Continue N on Mountain Lane instead of curving E on Mountain Ave and within a couple of blocks you will pass through the gate to San Antonio Dam. Go up the ramp to the top and go as far W as you can to the spillway. Return E along the top of the dam the same way you came, go back down the ramp and go back out the gate. Continue S on Mountain Lane to the N side of San Antonio Park and then TR and follow W on the perimeter sidewalk and then S through the parking lot to where it intersects with 24th St. TR and go W on 24th to Deakin Ave. TL and go S on Deakin to Mildura Ave. Cross Mildura to MountainView Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

MOUNTAIN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD (2 Hour Walk)

MOUNTAIN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD (2 Hour Walk)

Beginning at Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave, TL on Mountain Ave and go N to San Antonio Park. At the N end of the park, follow the perimeter sidewalk W and then S through the parking lot to where it intersects 24th St. Go W on 24th to Deakin Ave and go S to Mildura Ave. Turn R, follow Mildura S and turn R on Somerset Way, explore Oakhurst Ct, and Wetherly Ct, return to Somerset and follow to its cul-de-sac and then return to Hillcrest St. TR and follow Hillcrest to its cul-de-sac, return and TR on Morningside Ave. Go S to explore Roxbury Ct and Mansfield Ct and then follow Morningside Ave as it bends L on 21st St to return to Mildura Ave. Go S on Mildura and TR on Elmhurst Way. TR on Redgrove Way, which becomes Oriole Pl, which becomes Windemere Ave. Follow Windemere Ave S to 20th Ave, TR and go W to Birkdale Ave. TR and go N on Birkdale to its cul-de-sac and return S to Benson Ave. Cross over and go E on Benson to Muirfield Ave. TR and go S to Evergreen Dr and TL. Follow Evergreen Dr E through Looking Glass Neighborhood and pass through the gate to Mountain Ave. TL and go N on Mountain, passing Acacia Fountain, basketball and tennis courts on the LHS and crossing Benson Ave/21st St. Continue N on Mountain, TL on Mildura Ave/23rd St and follow W to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

MOUNTAIN VIEW PARK NEIGHBORHOOD (1-3 Hour Walk)

MOUNTAIN VIEW PARK NEIGHBORHOOD (1-3 Hour Walk)

Mountain View Park is the largest residential development in North Upland. It is situated on both sides of Mildura Avenue between Mountain Ave and Benson Ave. and contains many parks and recreational areas within its boundaries. There are several other smaller residential developments adjacent to Mountain View Park, and together they form a beautiful and park-like environment that encompasses the NW area of Upland, which is bounded by 24th St on the N, the 210 freeway on the S, Mountain Ave on the E, and San Antonio Creek on the W. Any who have not yet experienced this remarkably beautiful area are encouraged to make this a part of your daily exercise routine. See if you agree with others that Mountain View Park and the Mildura Avenue neighborhoods are certainly some of the finest in Upland and anywhere in southern California.

Mark Overt Skilbred

NORTH UPLAND PERIMETER (3 Hour Walk)

NORTH UPLAND PERIMETER (3 Hour Walk)

Beginning at Mountain View Park (MVP), follow Mildura S to where it ends at Benson Ave. Cross over Benson, TR and follow Benson S to the 210 freeway. Return N to the first opening in the wall on the R, go E on Evergreen Drive and pass through the gate to Mountain Ave. Cross Mountain and enter through the opening in the soundwall to 20th St. Go E on 20th to Rose Ave. TR and go S on Rose to Kenwood St. TR on Kenwood to the end, then return and follow E on Kenwood, cross San Antonio and follow Kenwood E behind the 210 soundwall until it turns N on Quince Way and brings you to back to 20th. TR and go E on 20th, cross Euclid and continue E to the deadend. Pass through the fence and make a short, ½ block walk E to Campus Ave. TL and go N on Campus to where it ends at 24th St. TR and go E to the cul-de-sac and then return W on 24th. (24th St forms the northern boundary between Upland and San Antonio Heights.) Cross Euclid and continue W on 24th to San Antonio Ave. TR and go N uphill on San Antonio to where the road divides. Follow the LH fork on San Antonio Crest West to where it intersects Mountain Ave. Turn L and follow Mountain W until it begins to turn S at San Antonio Park. Cross Mountain and go W on the perimeter sidewalk on the N side of the park to where it bends S through the parking lot to 24th St. Turn R and go W on 24th to Deakin Ave. Turn L and go S on Deakin to Mildura Ave. Cross Mildura to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

NORTHEAST UPLAND PERIMETER (3 1/2 Hour Walk)

NORTHEAST UPLAND PERIMETER (3 ½ Hour Walk)

Beginning at Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave to Mountain Ave. Mildura becomes 23rd St at this point, so continue E on 23rd to San Antonio Ave and go S to the S side of 16th St, (Baseline Rd). This is necessary, as there is no sidewalk on the N side of 16th between Campus and Tanglewood. Turn L on 16th and go E to Tanglewood Ave. Go N, crossing 16th, to Hummingbird Lane. Turn R and go E on Hummingbird to where it bends L and goes N on Eastgate Ave. Cross 19th St, where Eastgate becomes Sapphire St and crosses over the 210 freeway. TL immediately behind the 210 soundwall and go W on the bridle path to Cucamonga Creek Trail, turn R and go N, following the drainage canal to Confluence Park Trail Rest on the W side of the bridge. Then continue N alongside Cucamonga Wash until just before the spillway, where you will cross over the wash and continue N on the W side of the spillway to the upramp that takes you onto Cucamonga Dam. Continue NW on top of the dam until it joins back into Cucamonga Creek Trail and goes north to 24th St. TL and exit the trail W through the opening in the wall. Go W on 24th, cross Campus and Euclid and turn R on San Antonio Ave. Go N uphill on San Antonio until it splits and take the lefthand fork on San Antonio Crest West to where it intersects with Mountain Ave. TL and go W on Mountain to where it begins to curve S, cross Mountain to the N side of San Antonio Park, and follow the perimeter sidewalk W and then S through the parking lot to 24th St. TR and go W on 24th to Deakin Ave. Turn L and go S on Deakin to Mildura Ave. Cross Mildura Ave to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

NORTHWEST UPLAND PERIMETER (3 1/2 HOUR WALK)

NORTHWEST UPLAND PERIMETER (3 ½ HOUR WALK)

Beginning at Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave to Mountain Ave. TL and go N on Mountain past San Antonio Park and continue N on Mountain Place to San Antonio Dam, walk up the ramp onto the dam and go W to the downramp just before the spillway. Go down the ramp and go past the spillway to the upramp that leads to the parking lot. Walk across the parking lot, going S on Mt. Baldy Rd to Padua Ave. Turn L and go S on Padua, crossing Baseline, (16th St), and the 210 freeway. Turn R on Shenandoah Dr and follow it around to where it intersects Claremont Blvd. Turn R and go S on Claremont to Foothill Blvd, (Route 66). Retrace your route by going back on Claremont Blvd and turning L on Shenandoah. When you reach Padua/Monte Vista TL and follow N to Baseline, (16th St). TR and go E on 16th to Benson Ave. TL on Benson and go N, crossing over the 210 freeway and then TL on Mildura Ave. Follow Mildura N to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred
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THE NORTH UPLAND AREA (1-4 HOURS)

THE NORTH UPLAND AREA (1-4 HOURS)

Including the North Upland Perimeter, I have listed several walks in the North Upland area with an assortment of walk-times to fit your schedule. Although I show the walks beginning and ending at Mountain View Park, you will want to adapt your own starting and stopping points to suit your needs. My purpose in separating North Upland into various neighborhoods is to offer variety and a comprehensive way to explore all the areas on separate days, depending on your available time. You will find that by completing each of the walks, you will have walked past every home in North Upland. Enjoy your neighborhood walks! Here’s the list:

North Upland Perimeter, San Antonio Dam, Cucamonga Dam and Reservoir, San Antonio Park, McCarthy Park, Mountain View Neighborhood, North Upland Euclid Walk, Fox Ridge Way Neighborhood, Mountain View Park Neighborhood, Mallorca Neighborhood, Upland Summit Neighborhood, Mountain View West, Mountain View East, Ashley Park Neighborhood, Parc Chateau Neighborhood, Lewis Homes North, Lewis Homes South, Evergreen Drive Neighborhood, Looking Glass Neighborhood, Acacia West Neighborhood, Acacia Neighborhood, Wentworth Way Neighborhood, South Mildura Neighborhood, Chelsea Park Neighborhood, Orchard Park Neighborhood, 20th St Neighborhood, 21st St Southside Neighborhood, 21st St Northside Neighborhood, 22nd St Southside Neighborhood, 22nd St Northside Neighborhood, 23rd St Southside Neighborhood, and 23rd St Northside Neighborhood.

Mark Overt Skilbred

UPLAND WESTERN PERIMETER (4 HOUR WALK)

UPLAND WESTERN PERIMETER (4 HOUR WALK)

Begin at Mountain View Park and go E on Mildura Ave, TL and go N on Mountain, pass San Antonio Park and continue N on Mountain Place to San Antonio Dam. Pass through the gate, walk up onto the dam and go W to the downramp just before the spillway. Go down the ramp past the spillway and then up the ramp to the parking lot. Go S on Mt. Baldy Rd to Padua Ave. Go S on Padua, cross Baseline Rd, (16th St), cross over the 210 freeway and TR on Shenandoah Dr. Follow Shenandoah around to Claremont Bl, TR and go S on Claremont, cross Foothill Bl, (Route 66), continue past the Claremont Colleges, RRxing, cross Arrow Hwy, (where Claremont becomes Mills), continue S on Mills to Moreno St. TL and go E on Moreno to Benson Ave. TL on Benson and go N, crossing Arrow Hwy, Foothill Bl, pass Cable Airport, cross 16th St, (Baseline Rd), and continue N on Benson across the 210 freeway and follow Benson as it turns E. Turn L and go N on Mildura Ave until it turns E and brings you back to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

UPLAND COUNTERCLOCKWISE PERIMETER (7 HOUR WALK)

UPLAND COUNTERCLOCKWISE PERIMETER (7 hour walk)

Beginning at Mountain View Park, go E on Mildura Ave to Mountain Ave, TL on Mountain, go N past San Antonio Park and continue N on Mountain Place through the gate and go up the ramp until you are on top of San Antonio Dam. TL and go W until just before the spillway, take the downramp, walk past the spillway and go up the ramp leading to the parking lot. Cross the parking lot, going S on Mt. Baldy Rd to Padua Ave. Go S on Padua, crossing Baseline (16th St) and the 210 freeway and TR on Shenandoah Dr. Follow Shenandoah around to Claremont Blvd and TR. Go S on Claremont, crossing Foothill Bl (Route 66), 6th St (Arrow Route), Huntington Dr, RRxing, Arrow Hwy and Oakdale St and TL on Moreno St. Go E on Moreno, crossing Monte Vista, Central and Benson, (here Moreno becomes 7th St), continue E on 7th to Mountain Ave. Continue E, crossing Mountain and go E through the parking lot and past the locksmith shop and continue E on 7th. Continue E, crossing San Antonio, Euclid and Campus to Grove Ave. TL and go N on Grove, crossing 8th, RRxing, 9th, Arrow Route, San Bernardino Rd and Foothill Bl. Go E on Foothill Bl, (Route 66), turning left on Red Hill. Follow Red Hill uphill past the golf course and TR on Calle Carabe Ave. TL on Valle Vista and continue uphill over the top of Red Hill, passing the school and then passing Cucamonga Creek Trail on the RHS. Continue N to Baseline Rd, (16th St), TL and go W on Baseline to Tanglewood Ave. TR, cross Baseline, go N on Tanglewood to Hummingbird Lane. TR and go E on Hummingbird to where it bends L and goes N on Eastgate Ave. Cross 19th St and follow Sapphire St across the 210 freeway. Turn L behind the 210 soundwall and follow the bridle trail path W to Cucamonga Creek Trail. TR and go N on Cucamonga Creek Trail to Confluence Park Trail Rest. Cross the bridge to the rest area and then go N along the wash until just before the spillway. Cross over the bridge to the W side of the wash and continue N up the ramp onto Cucamonga Dam, and follow NW along the top of the dam until you are on the W side of Cucamonga Reservoir. Follow Cucamonga Creek Trail N to 24th St. TL and go W through the opening in the wall and go W on 24th, crossing Campus and Euclid. TR and go N on San Antonio Ave uphill to where the road divides. Take the LH fork on San Antonio Crest W to where it intersects Mountain Ave. TL and go W on Mountain to where it begins to turn S at the N end of San Antonio Park. Cross Mountain and walk W on the park perimeter sidewalk and then follow the sidewalk S through the parking lot to 24th St. TR and go W on 24th to Deakin Ave. TL and go S on Deakin to Mildura Ave. Cross Mildura to Mountain View Park.

Mark Overt Skilbred

UPLAND CLOCKWISE PERIMETER

UPLAND CLOCKWISE PERIMETER Hours: 7

From Mountain View Park, E Mldura Ave, N Mountain Ave, follow Mountain Ave E to where N Mountain Dr leads you to Euclid Crest W and follow NW to 26th St, follow 26th E to where it curves S and joins with Cucamonga Creek Trail, go SE across the top of Cucamonga Dam and take the last downramp and continue S on Cucamonga Creek Trail to the 210 freeway, follow the bridlepath behind the soundwall E to Sapphire St and go S on Sapphire, cross 19th St, go S on Eastgate, W on Hummingbird Lane, S on Tanglewood Ave, E on 16th St, S Alta Cuesta, S Red Hill, W Foothill Blvd, S Grove Ave, W 7th Ave, through the shopping center, cross Mountain Ave, continue W on 7th Ave until it becomes Moreno St, N Mills Ave, becomes Claremont Blvd, W Shenandoah Drive, N Monte Vista, becomes Padua Ave, NE Mt. Baldy Rd to San Antonio Dam, cross parking lot, enter gate, take downramp to spillway, then upramp to top of W side of dam, walk along top of dam E to the last downramp and S to the gate that leads to Mountain Lane, S to the N side of San Antonio Park, follow the perimeter sidewalk W and then S to 24th St and then go W to Deakin Ave, follow Deakin S to Mildura Ave, cross Mildura to Mountain View Park.

WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT--THANK YOU GOD, AND THANK YOU CHARLES SCHULZ!

WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT—THANK YOU GOD, AND THANK YOU CHARLES SCHULZ!

I was reminded today of how much I like “A Charlie Brown Christmas” while I was running an errand in the van. I was listening to Christmas music on KOST, Los Angeles, and the opening song “Oh Tannenbaum” came on the radio—if you are familiar with that jazz version. Before the musicians really get started, Charlie Brown asks a question, “Can someone tell me what Christmas is all about?” and either Lucy or Charlie’s little sister reads him the Christmas story, which I have repeated for you below, and then tells Charlie, “See Charlie, that’s what Christmas is all about.” If we could just believe this simple, but transformational truth, what a profound effect it would have on our lives. I am sure that those shepherds were never the same after experiencing the heavenly host! I invite you to experience that first Christmas with me this year as we remember the joy and wonder of God’s incredible Gift to mankind!

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them. “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, Who was lying in the manger.” Luke 2:8-16 NIV

So let’s receive this free gift from God! The angel of the Lord says this good news of great joy is for ALL THE PEOPLE, but I wonder how many will truly believe that this really happened, and that this “good news of great joy” is for THEM? Begin today believing this great truth in the depths of your being, and ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2010 to you and all of your families from us and our family.

Mark Overt Skilbred

SATISFACTION WITH MANNA

SATISFACTION WITH MANNA

O Bread of Life from heaven,
To weary pilgrims given,
O Manna from above:
The souls that hunger feed Thou,
The hearts that seek Thee lead Thou,
With Thy most sweet and tender love.

O Fount of Grace redeeming,
O River ever streaming
From Jesus’ holy side:
Come Thou, Thyself bestowing
On thirsting souls, and flowing
Till all their wants are satisfied.

O Lord, this feast receiving,
Thy Word of Truth believing,
We Thee unseen adore:
Grant, when our race is ended,
That we, to heav’n ascended,
May see Thy glory evermore.

--Author unknown, but You, oh Lord, know, and You will reward!


Manna represents our daily needs that are satisfied by God, but as this beautiful hymn points out, Manna also represents God’s unspeakable Gift to us in sending the Bread of Life—His Son Jesus, to earth. Christians celebrate this event at Christmastime as they remember the events leading up to Christ’s coming, His announcement by the angels, His humble birth and the humble witnesses who saw Him lying in a manger. Notice that Jesus has been given to weary pilgrims, hungry souls and hearts that are seeking Him. Notice too that Jesus is called a Fount of Grace for those who will accept it from Him, an unending River ever streaming from Jesus holy side, remembering that He shed His precious blood to pay for our sins and that He is continually giving Himself to thirsty souls, and continues giving of Himself until all their wants are satisfied in Him. Notice too the response of those who receive this unspeakable Gift—they believe this Truth, they adore the One Who is yet unseen, and they ask to live in heaven with Jesus for evermore. May we all diligently seek Christ Jesus, Who forgives our sins and grants us eternal life with Him. Merry Christmas to all of you!

{Note: I wasn’t able to find this hymn in a current hymnal. It is becoming difficult to find hymnals at all, anymore. I did finally manage to find it in an old Concordia hymnal that credits Heinrich Isaac with the melody in 1490, and F. Melius Christiansen with the arrangement in 1907. I hope you agree that these old hymns are too precious to be lost and forgotten and that a united effort should be made not only to preserve them for the present and future, but to increasingly restore them to common usage.}

Mark Overt Skilbred

YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN--YOU WERE BOUGHT AT A PRICE! CHOOSE LIFE--BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS!

YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN—YOU WERE BOUGHT AT A PRICE! CHOOSE LIFE—BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS!

“Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s Mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices—holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s Will is—His Good, Pleasing and Perfect Will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Romans 12:1-3

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God? YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN. YOU WERE BOUGHT AT A PRICE. Therefore honor God with your body.” I Corinthians 6:19-20

“Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave. YOU WERE BOUGHT AT A PRICE; do not become slaves of men.” I Corinthians 7:21-23

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now CHOOSE LIFE, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life, and He will give you many years in the land He swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NIV

With these words, St. Paul introduces us to an entirely new way of relating to the world around us. Instead of being slaves to our own selfish motives and agendas, evil desires and bad habits, Christ invites us to a life of freedom under His Lordship. We are no longer to think of ourselves more highly than we ought, but instead must understand that we have become slaves of Christ through His death on the cross. The price of our redemption is that we give up our freedom to do whatever we choose in order to belong to Christ. “Those who BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” Galations 5:24 NIV This is true liberation! “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36 NIV Instead of making a fruitless attempt to gain what we cannot keep, we are called to gain that which we cannot lose—eternal life with Christ. But in order to receive this free gift from God, we must sacrifice our personal wills and be willing to endure whatever our service to Christ demands. From the world’s perspective, it looks as though Christians are being deprived of their natural freedoms, but from the Christian perspective, we are really giving up that which we cannot hold onto anyway. From a practical and eternal standpoint, we are exchanging the temporal for the eternal. God tells us to choose life, and it is really this choice that is at the heart of the Gospel. We belong to Christ, and therefore have given up our “rights of ownership” in order to follow Christ’s leadership. It is also true that all of creation belongs to Christ, since He made it, and that no part of creation can legitimately claim to be independent of Him at all. But this is especially true of Christians, since by declaring that we are followers of Christ, we have agreed that we no longer answer to ourselves, but to Him. Why act as if we are free to do whatever we please, instead of pleasing God? Since we do not belong to ourselves, but to God through Christ Jesus, we have been set free from the bondage of our own wills, and have become the servants of Christ. Why not ask Jesus to come and live inside of you and transform you completely, from the inside. Ask Him to show you what “His Good, Pleasing and Perfect Will” is for your life, and then move forward, trusting that “He Who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 NIV

Mark Overt Skilbred

IMPROVING BASKETBALL--PROGRESSIVE TEAM-SPORT REGULATIONS

IMPROVING BASKETBALL—PROGRESSIVE TEAM-SPORT REGULATIONS

I mentioned in a previous article that a worthy goal should be a .500 average for every team in the league, because worthy opponents create more competitive and exciting environments for players and fans and generate greater interest and team profits at the box office and concession stands.

Everyone will reap the benefits and rewards of more balanced competition, so why not begin to even the odds by increasing team-size, limiting players to 16 minutes per game, and requiring that every player who is not sick, injured, ejected or serving a suspension play a minimum of 12 mpg? In the NBA, this would mean increasing the average team size from 13 to 15 members, just to accommodate the 48-minute game total, plus the necessary substitutes for injuries, fouls and ejections. Overtime minutes would also need to be rotationally shared and limited. The net effect of these changes will be to level the talent pools available on the floor at any given moment, whether through the rotation of 5-man units or another substitution strategy which suits the coaching staffs’ preference.

This will have the added benefits of increased levels of game-play, morale, and skill- development for substitutes, the ability to include more high-speed offensive game techniques, full-court press defense, and other methods which previously had limited use to avoid player fatigue. By limiting game-time for regulars and increasing minutes for substitutes, more realistic and balanced demands per player will mean lower stress and injury averages and potential career-extensions for players, more options for coaching staffs and management, and an overall increase in fan support and interest. Additionally, rookies will immediately see service, resulting in accelerating their learning curves, to the advantage of both these new players and their teams.

As a team sport, basketball has proven to be highly successful, primarily because of the emphasis placed on offensive and defensive strategies, assists, rapid-response maneuvers and other team-generated efforts. Predictable objections may include those who fear that lowered stats for regulars will result in the inability to compare year-by-year stat totals, but these can be overcome by the increasingly favorable stats compiled by the entire team. Lowering yearly output-per-player may also extend careers which might otherwise be cut short by depending too heavily on massive short-term production by the regulars, and increasing the chances for fatigue-related injury.


More than any other reasons given, this is an idea worth trying in order to boost every team’s chances to make it to the playoffs, the benchmark by which success in the league is measured, and thereby increasing fan interest and support and ultimately benefiting the entire NBA organization.

Mark Overt Skilbred

NBA STANDINGS FOR DECEMBER 2, 2009

NBA STANDINGS FOR DECEMBER 2, 2009

1. Los Angeles Lakers .824
2. Orlando Magic .789
3. Boston Celtics .778
4. Dallas Mavericks .737
5. Phoenix Suns .737
6. Atlanta Hawks .722
7. Cleveland Cavaliers .722
8. Denver Nuggets .722
9. Portland Trail Blazers .600
10. San Antonio Spurs .600
11. Miami Heat .588
12. Utah Jazz .588
13. Houston Rockets .556
14. Oklahoma City Thunder .556
15. Milwaukee Bucks .529
16. Sacramento Kings .529
17. Chicago Bulls .438
18. Los Angeles Clippers .421
19. Charlotte Bobcats .412
20. Washington Wizards .412
21. New Orleans Hornets .389
22. Indiana Pacers .375
23. Memphis Grizzlies .368
24. Golden State Warriors .353
25. Toronto Raptors .350
26. Detroit Pistons .333
27. Philadelphia 76ers .263
28. New York Knicks .211
29. Minnesota Timberwolves .111
30. New Jersey Nets .000

As December begins, the Lakers are all alone on
top of the NBA, followed by Orlando in second,
the Celtics in third, Dallas and Phoenix tied for
fourth, Atlanta-Cleveland-Denver tied for fifth,
Portland and San Antonio tied for sixth, Miami
and Utah tied for seventh, Houston and Oklahoma
City tied for eighth, Milwaukee and Sacramento tied
for ninth and Chicago in tenth. All of these top-level
teams except Chicago are averaging over .500.
There is no real surprise with the first three positions,
but there is still lots of room to maneuver as we get
closer to the first quarter-stop of the season.

Mark Overt Skilbred

DETOXING THE SYSTEM--FOCUSING ON CURE INSTEAD OF SYMPTOMS

DETOXING THE SYSTEM—FOCUSING ON CURE INSTEAD OF SYMPTOMS

The problem with many addictions and unhealthy lifestyles is that too often we become so preoccupied with the problem that we lose perspective on the solution. The body is frequently cheated of nutritional and exercise necessities which then leads to unhealthy cravings and contributes to further bodily dysfunction. By focusing on ways in which we are able to contribute to our health rather than continuing in an unhealthy lifestyle, we will make changes in our diet and exercise programs and in our entire mental and social attitudes which will support our goals. If you are one of the many in society who feel powerless to meaningfully change the negatives which directly or indirectly contribute to your addictions, what is needed is a methodical transformation of your customary routine.

The next time you are participating in an unhealthy lifestyle, or reaching for alcohol, nicotine, or any other addictive drug, try eating and drinking some of the many nutritionally-helpful foods which will repair damage done to your system. You will be rewarded with actual improvements in your health, which will lead to further progress in your physical and emotional health. It was a step-by-step process which led to your addiction, and it is step-by-step development that will lead you to good health. It is these small changes in habit that will add up to the winning lifestyle you are seeking.

The world is also full of solutions, just as it has been full of problems, when we are willing to seek help. You know that your attitude affects your health, but did you know that your health affects your attitude? When you make those one-step-at-a-time changes in your lifestyle, you will be amazed at the improvement in your whole outlook on life. There are many who will help you attain your goals when they see that you are willing to make the changes that lead to good health. I recommend seeking those who are already well-on-their-way to a healthy lifestyle, such as nutrition and health spa instructors and mentors, life coaches, and workout partners who will be patient with your development.

As you know, negativity is all around us, and can easily lead to self-doubt and attempts to sabotage all of our efforts to improve. Usually the negativity focuses on large, impossible tasks such as trying to change the past, instant transformations, impossible expectations, and other large and difficult solutions. In order to reclaim your progress and stay focused on the goals which lie ahead, you must always do the little, methodical things which lead to good health, by asking yourself, “What can I do today to help myself to get healthy?” Then simply do those daily diet and exercise routines which support a healthy lifestyle.

Accept the challenge to transform your life by taking the small steps that are needed to bring about this change. Start making the small daily changes which lead to good health, and stop worrying about all the other stuff which has kept you a prisoner of your own self-doubt. You will discover that many of your problems are smaller than they were before and that you are no longer bothered by their solution. Just live your life and be grateful for that day’s accomplishments. I and many others send our best wishes!

Mark Overt Skilbred

BASKETBALL--WHO IS USING THEIR BENCH TO FULLEST ADVANTAGE?

BASKETBALL—WHO IS USING THEIR BENCH TO FULLEST ADVANTAGE?

With nearly 20 % of the season over, the Lakers are in a 4-way tie for 1st place with Atlanta, Orlando and Phoenix, followed by a 4-way tie for 2nd place between Boston, Cleveland, Dallas and Denver. It looks like the season is off to a great start with lots of competition to keep our skills honed. The Lakers are scheduled to play at Golden State Saturday night. Currently, the Lakers regulars are averaging 29.33 mpg, and the subs are averaging 9.72 mpg, compared with an NBA regulars average of 28.37 mpg and NBA subs average of 9.21 mpg. Golden State is averaging 26.16 mpg for regulars and 14.65 mpg for their subs. Since the Lakers regulars average playing over 3 times as many minutes as Lakers subs do, there is plenty of game time to be shared. Now would be a great time to increase playing time for our substitutes, so they have a chance to develop their game early in the season. The playoffs will be here before we know it, and we’ll need all the help we can get.

Mark Overt Skilbred

(Source: NBA team stats from 11-22-09 and available standings from 11-24-09)

OVERHEARD ON C-SPAN ON NOVEMBER 10, 2009: CONGRESSIONAL BICKERING HAS GOTTEN THE WORLD'S ATTENTION

OVERHEARD ON C-SPAN ON NOVEMBER 10, 2009: CONGRESSIONAL BICKERING HAS GOTTEN THE WORLD’S ATTENTION

Senator Kent Conrad, D-ND, and Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee says that we need to appoint a bipartisan “special process” panel if we are to avert an imminent and catastrophic budgetary meltdown. Estimates are that we are currently collecting only 76% of the necessary revenue to maintain our current budget, and if remedial efforts are not begun quickly to reduce spending and raise needed taxes, we will ensure our further decline and inability to respond economically or otherwise as a nation.

There was a recent comment overheard in Chinese government circles to the effect that leadership in the United States is now too dysfunctional to prevent us from becoming a second-class nation. Chairman Conrad acknowledges that there is some truth to that rumor, because there is increasingly less hope for congressional agreement on key issues which affect our current budget and our status as a nation.

Our nearly-insurmountable debt-load now amounts on a per-family basis to over ten times what the average family earns per year, and it strains credibility to believe that we will be able to legislate our way out of this crisis. The suggestion of the Senate Budget Committee is that we grant special emergency powers to a bipartisan panel which is granted the ability to act for and with the full support of the congress to reduce budgets across a full spectrum of government services and to increase taxes as needed.

I applaud Chairman Conrad and the Senate Budget Committee for saying what needs to be said regarding the level of dysfunction in Congress. Do we really need to wait for the world to tell us that it is our inability to agree on important issues which is causing the further collapse of our system of government? I will go one step further and say that if Congress cannot find a way to agree and move towards a workable solution that they should all resign and go home and let a special bipartisan commission be appointed to do the job that they were supposed to do. Further, I suggest that Chairman Conrad and the current Senate Budget Committee BE THAT COMMISSION, and be granted all of the necessary powers to accomplish this task.

Mark Overt Skilbred

BASKETBALL MPG--HOW MINUTES PER GAME CAN IMPROVE AVERAGES

BASKETBALL MPG—HOW MINUTES PER GAME CAN IMPROVE AVERAGES

A quick glance at today’s NBA player statistics for the Lakers shows that Shannon Brown is averaging 16 mpg, which is the perfect average mpg per player for a 15-man team. This roster currently shows only 13 men, but it could show 15, and the 16-minute average would then apply. The starters and regulars who average greater than 16 mpg and the substitutes who average less than 16 mpg have similar stats in many respects, but the one we will concentrate on for the moment will be mpg.

The closer a team gets to an average player mpg of 16 minutes, the more experience that team will be able to present to an opponent, and the entire team will be stronger as an offensive and defensive unit than a team with lopsided player mpg averages. Players who observe their opponent from the sidelines are able to bring that knowledgeable response to the court when given an opportunity to increase their mpg to a more equitable average.

Adam Morrison currently has the lowest mpg for the Lakers, which I believe is going to be increased throughout the season, as he works into the rotation. We expect great things from this young player, as he showed great promise in the Las Vegas summer league as well as a fabulous college career at Gonzaga.

I believe that increasing average mpg for reserve players will greatly improve the ability of the entire team to function as a cohesive unit and present a more formidable offensive and defensive capability to opponents. Some will worry about the effect this will have on individual and divisional standings, but I think this strategy is worth the effort, despite the initial reaction that may result from its implementation.

When fans realize that the goal is building a better team which is more experienced and better prepared to defend our national title, they will enthusiastically support the coaches and team as they increase the average mpg of the reserves, thereby improving the Laker’s chances to repeat as NBA champions in 2010. Let’s all work together to make it happen!

Mark Overt Skilbred

GLOBAL WARMING--LOGICAL CONCERNS AND RESPONSES

GLOBAL WARMING—LOGICAL CONCERNS AND RESPONSES

Scientists, politicians and citizens disagree about many aspects of the current global warming debate, but there seem to be some areas of commonality that allow for a constructive and progressive timetable. There are those who deny that carbon emissions are responsible for polar ice melt and various climate changes, but who support efforts to clean up the environment and various clean air initiatives. Although we may not agree on all of the possible causes, consequences and timeframes of environmental degradation, the world agrees that united efforts to improve overall air quality and the environment as soon as possible are a very good idea. In many ways, regardless of the outcome of current debate, we are all better off because of the attention given to global warming.

In seeking to pinpoint causes of environmental changes and their various consequences, we frequently lose sight of opportunities for meaningful improvement in our ability to cooperate environmentally with each other in all of our various interactions. How can we make meaningful progress which will avoid the unproductive debate over contentious issues that have little to do with real solutions for environmental degradation?

All of us face health risks associated with the quality of the air we breathe, whether or not air pollution ultimately results in catastrophic polar melting. Given the sense of urgency associated with real and perceived dangers from global warming, this is a perfect time to get our environmental houses in order and to focus on the prevention of future pollution through proactive legislation and agreements which call attention to various obstacles to a clean environment for us all.

By calling attention to pollution and environmental issues through various educational programs, we can teach our fellow citizens much that has already been discovered about the prevention of environmental degradation and about the many improvements which are now possible. By working together as citizens and nations of the world, we can pass along a cleaner and environmentally safer world to our grandchildren with much greater authority, by building on the knowledge and experiences we have already encountered.

Mark Overt Skilbred

TECHNIQUES OF BASKETBALL SUBSTITUTION

TECHNIQUES OF BASKETBALL SUBSTITUTION

We are all familiar with typical substitution protocols for fouls, injuries, height and weight matchups, and various other as-need-basis practices. Although there is merit in individual substitution, there are many occasions when the instant-shock factor of unit-substitution will provide the quickest and most stabilizing effect of “righting-the-ship” when facing an unexpected onslaught from an opponent. The preparation of 5-man units who have been prepared to meet various attack-and-response challenges and who are able to mount successful skirmishes appropriate to the occasion can effectively respond to the various offensive and defensive strategies of opponents. Instead of relying on individuals with appropriate tactical-response skills, the use of entire units prepared for immediate response to specific offense and defense tactics will offer a more complete and effective alternative than any single player can provide. Coaching staffs skilled in the recognition of various offensive and defensive strategies combined with three sets of 5-man, alert and prepared tactical units intent on their mission of disrupting any strategy their opponent throws at them will revolutionize the game of basketball as we know it. The element of surprise combined with prepared and fresh units in lock-and-load position can respond and wreak havoc on any line of attack and prevent any meaningful attempts at recovery by staying a step ahead of the opponent. Readiness is the key to a program of this kind, so full-on scrimmages should replace warm-up drills and shoot-around routines as a better method of pregame preparation. Timing rotations effectively will ensure that all units are able to stay in contest-ready condition throughout the game. Dividing game-time minutes equitably among units will allow full-scale warm-up routines without fear of fatigue and pre-game slump. Coaching staff skilled in the identification of unusual offensive and defensive strategies must have the ability to instantly inform units of their detection and appropriate responses. The element of surprise is critical in overcoming the opposition, both in readiness to fully-engage in full-court defensive and offensive strategies from the opening tipoff and in the advantage gained through unannounced rotations of units, timed to keep the opposition off-balance and unable to appropriately respond before the rotation is completed again, assuring that the opposition is unable to recover their equilibrium.

Mark Overt Skilbred

BASKETBALL---WHEN SUBSTITUTES BECOME THE MAIN ATTRACTION

BASKETBALL---WHEN SUBSTITUTES BECOME THE MAIN ATTRACTION

Basketball team excellence has always depended on bench strength and depth. It has long been understood that organizations wishing to develop their franchises most effectively must recruit the strongest and most talented offensive and defensive players which are available at the high school and college level. Once this has been accomplished, the long process begins of improving their chances to play through scrimmaging each other and with the “regulars” in practice and throughout the season, by being substituted for those with injuries or foul trouble, to gain height or weight advantage, or to take advantage of certain offensive and defensive skills which become necessary as conditions demand. This often becomes a long development process, with occasional exceptions for those with superstar talents, or for those with the necessary skill-sets who are fortunate enough to be acquired at just the right time.

This can be a delicate balancing act for owners and management, who are pressured to attract and keep the most talented veterans and at the same time offer recruits opportunity for advancement within their organizations. Often talented players run out of the patience needed to endure delays caused perhaps by management, but also by various other factors including the inability to fit neatly into the rotation pattern which has been established. It may be that coaching staffs intend to eventually make use of certain individuals, but that day just doesn’t arrive quickly enough to satisfy everyone. Injuries may cause a coaching staff to temporarily substitute players whose talents are then given proper recognition.

At the high school level, B-teams allow players to develop their talents within a game setting, serving to enhance the skills of younger players, increase their endurance, and assist in the development of coaching staffs. When B-team players are allowed to play on a regular and consistent basis, their skill levels increase rapidly through exposure brought about by the regular number of minutes played, the opportunity to fit into a regular rotational flow with players whose skills match their own, and through experiencing the level of intensity which only an actual game provides. Although scrimmaging is the next-best thing to playing, it is no substitute for regular seasonal play, and especially playoff experience, where pressure is greatly increased.

How can owners, management and coaching staffs optimize the use of their teams so that everyone benefits through the development of skilled players, increased fan-support, and the resulting financial advantages which result from a more competitive environment? The rotation of 5-man units which are used to strategically impact the game through the pony-express ability to increase speed and endurance and reduce fatigue and injury will not only add the element of surprise, but will increase player-skills, scores, fan-interest, coaching options, and ultimately player and team health and attitude. When all players equitably share minutes, mental and physical abilities are enhanced. Realizing that on a systematic and strategic basis, their full attention and participation is required will have the effect of greater involvement. The endurance which is currently demanded of players on an individual basis can be shared as 5-man units more efficiently, resulting in higher scores, more productive rotations, greater fan interest and increased revenues.

Options which now depend on endurance factors, such as full-court press, run-and-gun, fast-break, various isolation and interception techniques, as well as every offensive and defensive weapon in the coaching arsenal will be improved when 5-man rotation units share available minutes and strategies on a more equitable basis and when player-usage is maximized rather than minimized. Consider which team will prevail season-by-season—one which is optimized through the use of all of its players, or one which makes ruthless demands on 7 or 8 players, to the virtual exclusion and ultimately the lack of consistent development of the balance of the team. Teams which consistently depend on the same few players unwittingly are developing themselves into desperate, needy and dependent organizations lacking the necessary options for the long haul. I know which team I would rather be a part of, and I think I know which team will win more championships.

Initial objections to a more balanced 5-man-unit rotational approach may include those who feel that individual scoring results will suffer as a result of balancing efforts, but the increase in stamina, reduction in injuries, and the increase in overall team performance and fan support will eventually overcome these objections. Careers may actually be extended by making more reasonable seasonal demands on players. Concerns that win-loss percentages and their divisional standings may suffer while these changes are being implemented can be offset ultimately by overall team improvement in skills and attitude.

Consider the following scenario: Superstar X on Team A is carrying the team because they have no other current option available to them, through lack of development. Superstar X sustains a season-altering injury or condition, forcing the substitution of a player who has limited game-exposure and rotational experience. Now begins the long process of development which may or may not lead to limited, but ineffective results for the team. Contrast this with Team B, which has consistently developed 5-man rotational units: A fresh rotational unit is immediately exchanged for the disabled unit and the game continues with minimal impact. Efforts to immediately replace or retrain a substitute have been greatly reduced. Which team option seems better for owner, management, coaching staff, players and fans? Consider well your options and plan appropriately.

Mark Overt Skilbred

SOME BASKETBALL SUGGESTIONS REGARDING 5-MAN ROTATIONS

SOME BASKETBALL SUGGESTIONS REGARDING 5-MAN ROTATIONS

1. Three 5-man units per 15-member team.
2. 16 minutes average per player per game.
3. Full-court press for 48 minutes.
4. Ideal rules for the NBA, WNBA, NCAA, NAIA, HS, YMCA, YWCA, Junior High, Grade School & Intramural Basketball, both nationally and internationally, etc.
5. Everyone has the same number of minutes to improve their game averages, players can play harder and faster, knowing that they will only play 1/3 as much as usual. Playing for fewer minutes will also reduce chances for injuries caused by fatigue. Chances are that fewer fouls will be committed per player, reducing necessary substitutions and lowering stress levels for players and coaching staffs. Players can play for more years, realizing less stress per year. As the three 5-man teams interchange within their rotation, their performance statistics will aid coaches in evaluating which of the three performance units per team maintains the strongest offensive and defensive presence, and can adjust rotations accordingly.
6. Rotating 5-man units simultaneously will save time and improve player readiness to hit-the-floor running.
7. Teams which effectively manage their 5-man rotations to optimize their attack and response times will eventually lead their conferences and ultimately prevail in the playoffs.

As you know, the ideal leagues strive for team-equality regarding talent-level, which leads to loyal fan-base support at the box office and concession windows as well as on television, video-gaming and various other fan-support mechanisms and products. This technique has the potential to increase fan interest by offering a faster-paced game with fewer potential hazards and game-delays, by increasing the profiles and game-time averages of typical bench-warmers and offering fans a wider base of player-recognition, rather than the usual level of player-familiarity established by longer play-time practices. By promoting a more equitable usage of minutes-per-player, the long-term effect is to increase overall team-performance, energy level, speed and accuracy, fan-interest and support. Rather than relying on 7 or 8 key players per team, by using all 15 players, everyone profits—management, coaches, players and fans. Ideally, we should strive to have every team in each conference win 50% of their games and have every playoff series go 7 games. The closer we get to achieving this goal, the more interest we will generate and the more profits will be realized for everyone. Have a great season!

Mark Overt Skilbred

IT'S TIME TO LEAVE AFGHANISTAN

ACCORDING TO MATTHEW HOH, IT IS TIME TO LEAVE AFGHANISTAN

According to a riveting Washington Post article published Tuesday, October 27, 2009, by Karen DeYoung, Matthew Hoh just became the first U.S. official to resign his post in protest over the Afghan war. A 36-year-old foreign service officer in Afghanistan and former Marine captain who served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hoh received citations for uncommon bravery and respectful words of praise from his fellow foreign service officers, even as he tendered his resignation. In his own words, Matthew Hoh said, "but the truth is that the majority" [of insurgents] are residents with "loyalties to their families, villages, valleys and to their financial supporters.” Hoh's doubts increased with Afghanistan's Aug. 20 presidential election, marked by low turnout and widespread fraud. He concluded, he said in his resignation letter, that the war "has violently and savagely pitted the urban, secular, educated and modern of Afghanistan against the rural, religious, illiterate and traditional. It is this latter group that composes and supports the Pashtun insurgency." With "multiple, seemingly infinite, local groups," he wrote, the insurgency "is fed by what is perceived by the Pashtun people as a continued and sustained assault, going back centuries, on Pashtun land, culture, traditions and religion by internal and external enemies. The U.S. and NATO presence in Pashtun valleys and villages, as well as Afghan army and police units that are led and composed of non-Pashtun soldiers and police, provide an occupation force against which the insurgency is justified." American families, he said at the end of the letter, "must be reassured their dead have sacrificed for a purpose worthy of futures lost, love vanished, and promised dreams unkept. I have lost confidence such assurances can be made any more." You can now add my name to the list of Americans who have profound respect and admiration for the courage and dedication shown by Matthew Hoh in calling attention to the intractable issues involved in sustaining an armed conflict in Afghanistan. If it is patriotism that you want, look no further than this man who unselfishly proclaims that "I have lost understanding of and confidence in the strategic purposes of the United States' presence in Afghanistan." Hear, Hear, Matthew! May you live long and prosper! Thank you for saying what needed to be said with a credible, precise and wise voice.

Mark Overt Skilbred

THE V.A.--AN AMERICAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THAT WORKS

THE V.A.--AN AMERICAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THAT WORKS

I just finished watching the video “Health, Money and Fear” that was made by members of the U.S. healthcare system who are presenting some viable alternatives to the notion that the solution to our healthcare crisis is to simply throw more money at the system we already have in place. They quite rightly point out that this would only reward a failing system and ensure that conditions will go from bad to worse. I was especially intrigued with the high praise that is given to the Veterans Administration, as presenting a viable alternative to the current healthcare system. As the video points out, the VA gets much higher marks than our current healthcare system in several areas—quality of primary care, medical-record-keeping, affordability, accessibility, patient satisfaction, and other areas. This flies in the face of those who assure us that only our current system can provide the level of care demanded by our citizens, and offers credible evidence that existing government-administered VA care is far better and more affordable than what currently passes for healthcare among the civilian population. Those who claim that government cannot properly administer or provide a high quality healthcare alternative to our current healthcare system should carefully study the VA model and acquaint themselves with the reality of VA healthcare across this country. Certainly, if Medicare were to require all of its recipients to seek care in VA-provided healthcare facilities, it would strain that system beyond its current abilities. However, a government healthcare option which patterned itself after the VA system and made use of VA administrative models and parameters would certainly present a better and more viable alternative than our current system provides. Let’s encourage our government to pursue efforts to model our healthcare system after a system which has proven its ability to provide better and higher-quality care at a more reasonable cost than its counterparts in the civilian-administered and profit-driven healthcare system. Any who doubt that government is capable of providing high-quality healthcare should ask friends in the military which system they prefer—the VA, or ours—and listen carefully to their responses. You will be amazed by their answers and better-able to dialogue with government-detractors. Give government-administered healthcare a chance—it deserves a chance, based on its record with the VA system, as so many of our veterans will gladly testify.

Mark Overt Skilbred

GOD AND MORALITY

GOD AND MORALITY

We all desire a moral code because ultimately we want others to treat us fairly and not take advantage of us. Those who tend to favor anarchy usually change their mind when they become the victim of someone else’s freedom. There are various ways of expressing this desire for moral order—laws, justice, karma, etc. Those who faithfully adhere to moral codes become good examples for others who may have doubted the values of morality or had basic misunderstandings about freedom. Maturity brings wisdom and reconciliation to chaotic, dissipative and retributive patterns of life. Repentance and forgiveness lead to acceptance of responsibility and changes which reform our thoughts and actions and conform us to morality. It has been said that if there were no God, that it would be necessary to invent Him, because of our more-or-less intense desires for leadership, accountability, order and progressive existence. When we believe in God, we accept His moral order, follow His Leadership, and look forward to being His servants in the perfect Kingdom which He is creating for us. There are many who are already participating in this Kingdom and have realized it, and there are others who are becoming aware of its existence and being drawn towards it. God is always planting Godly seeds which will ultimately result in a bountiful harvest. God’s servants will share in the labor and fruit of the harvest when they diligently perform God’s work. Let us seek to know God’s Will for our lives and conform our wills and efforts toward the development of God’s Kingdom.

Mark Overt Skilbred

SOLUTIONS FOR CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

SOLUTIONS FOR CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

California needs to solicit companies and individuals willing to terrace and place under agricultural development those areas which form the perimeter around the metro areas in California. In exchange for providing this service to California, those willing to assume the cultivation and care of these perimeter areas should be granted 99-year renewable and performance-based leases, access to all perimeter areas, land for the development of rain and runoff catch-basins and irrigation, cooperation from all governmental entities to include expertise, planning, permitting and conflict-resolution.

These greenbelt areas will help to relocate wildfire concentrations to remoter locations where aerial and ground-based efforts of containment will be more effectively managed without the expenditure of such high percentages of manpower and resources within and adjacent to our population centers.

Even in Southern California, where rainfall is the lowest, we allow millions of gallons of precious water to drain into the ocean with minimal attempts to catch and store it for our immediate and future use. Combinations of wind and solar power used in conjunction with terracing, catch-basins, reservoirs, irrigation and drip-irrigation technologies can turn acres of highly combustible chaparral into safe, productive and manageable orchards and cropland.

Even in the heart of the recession, green expenditures on our agricultural infrastructure in California are justified, particularly when opportunities exist for both agri-business and private individuals to develop local cropland acreage in the heart of some of the nation’s largest population centers.

Let’s encourage our government to take the necessary steps to ensure the development of our metro perimeters. This will reduce risks from wildfires, develop valuable agricultural resources and help us to beautify our California landscapes.

Mark Overt Skilbred

THOUGHTS FROM ROMANS 12

THOUGHTS FROM ROMANS 12

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s Mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s Will Is—His Good, Pleasing and Perfect Will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one Body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s Wrath, for it is written: ‘It Is Mine to avenge; I Will repay,’(Deut.32:35) says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’(Prov. 25: 21-22) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12—NIV


Paul describes for us a four-step transformational process: First we offer ourselves as a sacrificial gift to God, releasing control of our minds and bodies to Him; then we stop conforming to the world’s pattern; then being transformed by the renewing of our minds, we are able to test and approve God’s Good, Pleasing and Perfect Will. Paul reminds us that we are to remember our position as servants in the Body of Christ, by not acting like the world around us, and not thinking of ourselves as more important than our fellow members in Christ’s Church, but rather with understanding that is consistent with the faith that God has given to us, we are to use God’s gifts to the best of our ability. We are to love sincerely, hate evil, hold onto the good, be committed to each other in brotherly love, show more respect for each other than we do towards ourselves, be enthusiastic, maintain our religious passion in serving the Lord, have joyful expectations, be patient in our troubles, be faithful in our prayers, share with God’s needy people, make a habit of being hospitable, bless rather than curse those who mistreat us, express joy with those who are celebrating, grieve with those who are in sorrow, live agreeably with each other, be humble and willing to fellowship with those who have a lower position or status in life, choose not to be snobs, decide not to retaliate, be certain to follow the rule of law, live peacefully with everyone, refuse to settle our own scores, but instead allow God to dispense His Justice, because that’s His job, and not ours. Instead, God wants us to give food and drink to our enemies just like He does, because that will really get their attention. In conclusion, Paul says that we can defeat evil by doing and by being good. This is a tall order, to say the least, and none of us are able to accomplish all of this by ourselves. But with the help of the Holy Spirit Who lives within us, all of these things are possible. So don’t give up, because God is ready, willing and able to help us!

Mark Overt Skilbred

HIPPOCRATES, MECHANICS AND YOU--A HEALTHCARE REBUTTAL

HIPPOCRATES, MECHANICS AND YOU—A HEALTHCARE REBUTTAL

Humans are not like automobiles, which only need oil changes and occasional tune-ups and repairs, and we definitely should not wait until we break down before consulting our doctors. We also are not helped much by policies which offer limited assistance, since often what is needed are major repairs which may exhaust our resources and force us into an early retirement. Enter national healthcare, whose proponents offer all-of-the-above, including the pound-of-cure, but then forgetting all about the ounce of prevention.

Hippocrates, a successful herbologist and the father of modern medicine, told us that we should make food our medicine. By doing this, we avoid many health problems before they begin by providing our bodies what they require for optimum function without the burden of excess. If our government and citizens would pay closer attention to the kinds of foods that we consume, we would eliminate most of our healthcare problems.

Fitness gurus tell us that healthy exercise programs add many years to the average lifespan, revitalize and increase energy, metabolism and endurance, improve overall body and brain function, keep joints supple and improve overall quality of life. So why is it that we have allowed ourselves to get so out-of-shape as a nation? Have we and our government failed to consider our physical exercise and conditioning a national priority? Is this why we look to science and technology for our healthcare solutions?

We are expecting insurance to solve our healthcare crisis, which is something it cannot do! Even if every man, woman and child has insurance and access to affordable health care, we are still left with the ongoing dilemma of how to maintain our daily quality of life. Healthcare needs to be more than a facility where you have scheduled maintenance and repairs. If healthcare peace of mind could be purchased like roadside assistance policies, we would still have everyday maintenance to consider.

Money can fix our cars, but can it buy us good health? It can buy us good food, but we still must eat it. Money can buy us gym memberships, but we must still use them on a regular basis. Healthcare workers can often provide temporary relief and needed repairs, but they rely on us to do our part to aid in our own recovery. In fact, our daily diet and exercise routines are the most important areas affecting our overall health and wellbeing, because as any mechanic and doctor will tell you, it is our daily maintenance habits that will ultimately determine how long our vehicles and our good health will last.

National health indicators show that we are slipping fast into decline and are no longer considered a healthy nation, when compared with other nations of the West. Obesity and diabetes have joined the ranks of heart disease and cancer as leading indicators of the low priority with which we regard our personal healthcare. Why not begin today to evaluate your diet and exercise program to see if you are doing everything you can to optimize your health and wellbeing? Stop expecting someone else to fix and improve your health for you. That’s YOUR job, and it is time that YOU begin to take charge of it. Don’t expect your government, doctor, insurance company, family or someone else to take the responsibility for what belongs to YOU—your health!

So alright, you are already broken and need repairs, and you need someone to help you because you cannot do it on your own. I do understand that not everyone is in a position to solve their own problems and that government does have a role in protecting those of us who need temporary or permanent assistance. I also know that some of us are victims of diseases and conditions beyond our control, and that governmental intervention is there to help facilitate healthcare that is warranted. I really do believe that safety nets serve a necessary and commendable role in every society, and I consider them indispensible in helping to safeguard the healthcare of civilization generally.

But what about the rest of us that are still able to affect the quality of our lives through our daily programs of diet and exercise? This includes by far the majority of us who are still able to change our patterns of life to include healthy alternatives to our diet and exercise programs, avoid the national malaise and dysfunction and get restarted in a new direction. Can’t we have enough consideration for our own health, the health of our families and the healthy future of our nation to do our part in helping to make prevention the largest and most important part of our national healthcare program? Begin today to improve your diet and exercise program and encourage others to do the same!

Mark Overt Skilbred

HEALTHCARE FOR A NATION

HEALTHCARE FOR A NATION

There are those who feel that the best way to approach healthcare is from the top down, rather than from the bottom up. Using money to solve our healthcare problems is like using a band-aid to cure cancer. It creates the impression that we are doing something about it, while enabling the cancer to go untreated. The healthcare crisis in this nation will not go away because we fund another program and create another bureaucracy.

By focusing on the fire, we ignore its main cause—bad dietary and exercise habits. If we approach healthcare proactively in the first place and change our diets and our exercise efforts to include much healthier eating habits and physical conditioning which lasts for our entire lifetimes instead of just the formative years, we can greatly improve the length and quality of our lives.

Some will suggest that reversing a nation’s habits will take several lifetimes and cost more than it is worth, but this is to ignore plain facts which suggest otherwise. Our government’s anti-smoking campaign has been highly successful in a very short time, has been worth every penny spent, saved trillions of dollars in present and future healthcare costs and improved the environmental quality of life immeasurably for every citizen.

When there is a healthcare concern, such as the swine flu outbreak, which threatens to become a worldwide pandemic unless we proactively introduce preventive measures and safeguards to immediately thwart its advance, we find that we are quite capable of addressing the issues in a timely and effective manner. Why should a healthcare plan be perceived as any less urgent when it involves the health and safety of our entire nation?

When a salmonella outbreak is perceived, there is an immediate response focused on the discovery and quarantine of the offending source, and these guidelines have well-known and established protocols familiar to the general public. We expect our government to respond aggressively to threats to our health and safety and correctly assume that these proactive guidelines to safeguard the nation’s health and food supply are properly within the jurisdiction of government.

Government has a vital role in the establishment of healthcare guidelines because the public has increasingly demanded that publicly funded programs assume the collection, distribution and supervision of the associated costs of such a system. If the government assumes a more active role in healthcare, it must also mandate guidelines that increase health and reduce disease. The government must supervise this critical area holistically by demanding that proactive health education, diet and exercise programs be established nationwide before increasing levels of tax-and-spend programs which mistakenly focus on damage-control and post-disease response. Prioritizing the cure rather than the prevention of disease can only lead to the financial collapse of our healthcare system, because it becomes infinitely more expensive to cure than to prevent disease.

Our government has learned expensive lessons about delayed-response to emergencies and disease, and it is clearly in our best interest to be certain that we establish correct wellness priorities focused on improved and sustainable health. This issue presents twin opportunities for the advancement or decline of national healthcare, with the associated benefits and disadvantages, both for the improvement and further deterioration of our national culture.

What can be done while this transformational healthcare is being implemented? How will we continue to provide efficient healthcare to those whose habits are ingrained, so that the maximum benefit can be derived? There is no better time than now to improve our diet and exercise plans. Those with ingrained habits will discover how much better they will feel by participating in major positive changes to their lifestyles.

By improving our health first, we will be able to think more clearly about priorities in healthcare, be able to redirect trillions of dollars of disease-response treatment into much- less expensive pre-disease prevention programs and be able to fund necessary research and treatment for those diseases which have no present cure. Improvements in diet and exercise have a profound effect on everyone, regardless of age or circumstances.

Let us devote our limited healthcare budget to the development of advanced education, superior diet and exercise programs which will effectively reverse the effects of our bad habits and drastically improve the health of our nation. Age and condition-sensitive wellness programs which mandate dramatic improvements in lifestyle and establish higher health standards will raise the bar on expectations and results.

Incentives which offer equal opportunities for verifiable progress must be instituted for students, employees, self-employed and retirees whose healthcare rates are lowered and raised to correspond with the degree of compliance which is commensurate with positive and negative results. Those whose health is compromised by circumstances beyond their control must receive the full resources of a sympathetic nation whose stated goal is the elimination of those diseases for which, as yet, there is no cure.

Those who continue to make unhealthy lifestyle choices will soon discover that the costs of preserving the health of poorly maintained bodies becomes unmanageable when those costs are passed along to the perpetrators and enablers by way of increased premiums and denied coverage. Healthy lifestyle programs will attract an ever-increasing majority when undeniable wellness advantages are coupled with lowered premiums.

Ultimately, the costs of treating diseases which have no cure are far less than the costs of treatment for diseases brought on by poor habits of nutrition and exercise. Members of the inactive public who are waiting for the government to rescue them and assume the supervision of their healthcare consciousness, responses, discipline and self-enabled disease-prone routines will discover an ever-increasing majority who oppose funding cures for self-inflicted illnesses. Ignorance and laziness are not easy problems to solve, but they can be addressed and cured once they are recognized, with educational programs and monetary incentives which enable verifiable results, financial benefits and improved health in appropriate doses.

Over the years governmental agencies and businesses working together have helped to lower rates of work-related injuries, disease and death through accountability and employee education programs, inspections and various requirements which encourage and reward safety reform and innovation and punish non-compliance. This shared relationship between government and businesses invites a closer association focused on improved health and lowered costs through managed-care and wellness programs that reward proactive and verifiable healthy lifestyle choices by employees with reduced rates and bonus incentives. These same incentive programs can be adapted to fit the improved lifestyles of the self-employed and retired by offering similar rate reductions and incentives.

Victims of legitimately contracted disease will receive the empathetic treatment and priority status which their conditions demand, and their care will be fully-funded from those ample capital reserves which result from a proactively-preventive approach to health and wellness. We must all bear the burden of increased vigilance, research, safety, prevention and cures for those diseases which are the result of unforeseen circumstance and unpreventable illness.

Rather than devising plans for raising revenues to combat rising healthcare costs, we should concentrate on a healthcare plan which will reduce costs by focusing efforts on prevention, health-improvement and wellness programs that raise the bar on existing standards and offer sustainable and improved healthcare for the present and future generations of our nation. Responding in a suitable way to our healthcare crisis in the midst of the worst global recession since the Great Depression requires that we both implement a program which can realistically address the challenges and respond with a budget-sensitive program which considers our financial hardship and plans appropriately.

Mark Overt Skilbred

NATIONAL HEALTHCARE--A BETTER WAY TO HEAL THE NATION

NATIONAL HEALTHCARE--A BETTER WAY TO HEAL THE NATION

(Our efforts toward improving our national healthcare system are often misguided—focusing on financial solutions rather than concentrating on the improvement of our diets and our exercise programs, we have essentially placed the cart before the horse, and then are perplexed and amazed when the horse refuses to budge, or worse yet, responds by pushing the cart into the ditch. If the object in healthcare is to provide adequate coverage for our citizenry while keeping costs at a reasonable level, our focus must be toward the development of newer/older dietary and exercise programs which can holistically be improved, modified and sustained for our lifetimes. Attempting financial solutions for what are essentially health-based problems only encourages unnecessary bickering, inaction and dysfunction within a system already burdened with inconsistencies.)

Healthcare seeks to promote healthier lifestyles for people of all ages because the quality of our lives can be drastically improved and lengthened when we live according to principles which enhance our ability to resist disease and increase our vitality. A proactive approach that builds a proper foundation through a healthy diet and regular exercise program has been shown to provide the best health results and avoid premature aging and disease. It is in the interest of individuals, healthcare providers, insurers, taxpayers and governments to promote our physical welfare, because in doing this we greatly improve our health, reduce costs, and prolong the length and quality of our lives. Throughout the 20th Century, healthcare workers increased our ability to resist disease with scientific breakthroughs which greatly reduced the effects of epidemics and helped to prevent their occurrence, yet our lifestyles during this same period tended to become much more leisurely and undisciplined. We seem to have improved our health in some key areas, only to fall short in other ways. Obesity and diabetes have increased to levels of epidemic proportion and seem especially to afflict wealthier nations. Careers in the military and law enforcement which generally require strict physical fitness standards set good examples for the rest of society, which we would do well to emulate, but have failed to replicate. Exercise programs which are well-begun during school years, unfortunately often fall victim to leisure and entertainment pursuits which have negligible long-term benefits in sustaining our health. The cost of maintaining physical conditioning is relatively inexpensive and the outlay for a healthy diet is often less-costly than for unhealthy diets which are linked to even more costly healthcare later on. What appears to be lacking is the establishment of good discipline in the formative years, followed by strict dietary guidelines and physical exercise standards throughout the educational process and continuing all the way through life. Those habits of diet and exercise which are established in early life often set the stage for our success or failure during the course of our lives. Maintaining good habits is far easier than attempting to regain a healthy lifestyle which has been forgotten or allowed to lapse. What roles can be undertaken by the government, businesses and the family which would encourage us to persevere in our efforts to achieve and maintain healthy lifestyles? Perhaps by increasing the quality, variety and duration of our diet and exercise programs, and by requiring the achievement and verification of high standards of excellence in our homes, schools, businesses, and workplaces, which can be established and maintained throughout life, we can accomplish an increase in overall health and productivity, reduce healthcare expense and improve quality of life as well as lifespan. Rather than focusing on creative financial solutions for this healthcare crisis, we should concentrate our attention on the prevention of disease and its costly treatment by proactively pursuing a unified plan of diet and exercise improvement. It has been shown that even at an advanced age, improvements in diet and exercise can have a profound impact on overall health and longevity. Instead of throwing money at the problem, we should concentrate our efforts on creative ways to encourage all age-groups to improve their quality of diet and exercise, thereby improving our health and reducing our expense. Some would argue that there are perpetually those diseases and conditions which resist our best efforts to find a solution and that inevitably there is a financial burden which must be passed-along to the taxpayers—essentially, the healthy paying for the unhealthy and the younger paying for the older. Admittedly, this is true, but virtually everyone’s health can be greatly improved through the development of healthier lifestyles. Instead of conducting studies based on current and projected costs of healthcare based on inherently flawed information which is outdated before the ink dries, our research efforts should concentrate on the collaborative examination of various methods of improving diet, exercise and wellness programs. The unavoidable costs resulting from diseases which have no cure are diminutive when compared with costs for diseases which have preventable causes. Succumbing to preventable diseases prematurely and for no other reasons than ignorance and poor discipline, in a wealthy and educated society is not only bad stewardship of our national health resource, but a waste of taxpayer dollars as well. Sometimes it takes a crisis to make us realize that another type of solution will provide better long term results. Perhaps this economic depression will force us to take healthcare action in a direction that will ultimately change the way we approach the prevention and treatment of disease. Some will say that people are just too lazy to implement a prevention plan and that it is too late for some to see any benefit from a formalized health program. I have never met a healthcare professional who will say it is too late to begin the improvement of our diet and exercise. Even those in their “declining years” are helped greatly by these improvements. There is still inertia that must be overcome, primarily by those who haven’t yet experienced the benefits of these improvements in their own lives. We must not settle for easy transitional changes that allow hard-core skeptics to ignore the benefits experienced by those who participate. Although we can immediately improve the health of our children, both now while they are still in school and later when they work in businesses which provide incentives for maintaining healthy standards throughout their careers by assisting in the improvement of their diet and exercise habits, we must offer further incentives for the self-employed and retirees who maintain healthy lifestyles. By actively encouraging citizens to participate in wellness programs by providing inducements which motivate a positive response, we can improve the health of the entire nation. In so doing, our healthcare costs will be drastically reduced, allowing further incentives and available funding for still more improvements. I have been greatly encouraged by the success of advertising campaigns which discourage smoking. Who would have envisioned that smoking could be so drastically reduced across all segments of society through the implementation of this program? Funding for these health-based programs can be funded by those who reap the benefits of good health, as well as by those who are penalized by non-compliance. There will always be those who argue that their freedoms include the right to choose an unhealthy lifestyle. Often they seek to blame others for their poor choices and still more often demand that the rest of us pay to fix the diseases which result from these same choices. These same people are not as willing to pay the individual costs of their so-called freedom-to-choose an unhealthy lifestyle. These individuals will be more likely to comply with healthy lifestyle choices when they realize that unhealthy lifestyle choices carry financial penalties which they must bear. Perhaps those protesting loudest anticipate that the growing majority are no longer willing to absorb the increased costs associated with the treatment of unhealthy lifestyle diseases. When various healthcare warnings are frequently ignored and deliberately disregarded, there must be consequences which affect the individual financially and deter further non-compliance. Employer-based programs which reward employees for maintaining and improving overall fitness markers and that penalize non-compliant workers by deducting larger portions for healthcare benefits can influence large segments of the population to take supervision of their health. Those who are self-employed and retired can qualify for programs which similarly reward diligence with low rates. Those who are non-compliant and couldn’t be bothered with maintaining and improving their health will face steeper rates and coverage limitations. Those who are truly victims of misfortune and diseases beyond their control will be eligible for the appropriate benefits which government services provide. There is no substitute for health which is sustained by proper diet, exercise and rest. Those who make a habit of practices that improve and maintain healthy lifestyles over the generations will reap physical and financial rewards for themselves and their families which raise the bar on acceptable healthcare standards. We should be satisfied with no less than our best proactive efforts to increase the health-portion of our standard of living quotient. Improving our standard of national health will result in greater financial ability to fund research and prevent disease for our nation and the world.

Mark Overt Skilbred