Reuters has a story about the public health care system in Australia. Could this be a glimpse into our own future? The story goes that despite public health care being the answer to all of the world's problems, sometimes it can still be a bit rocky.

As it turns out, there appears to be a shortage of doctors in Australia-I cannot imagine why. The doctors they do have are tired. Okay understatement, they are overworked and exhausted. Ever mindful of footing the bill for free health care for all, management told the doctors to drink more coffee. I kid you not! Their belief is that the extra caffeine will allow them to work the extended hours without the unfortunate side effect of a rise in patient deaths.

Personally, I feel pretty good about the whole thing. I mean coffee does the trick and if it doesn't, don't they have access to all sorts of amphetamines? It seems like a win-win-win!

Allow me to elaborate: the doctor begins his career with a degree from a third world country {as medicine is no longer the prestigious career it once was, schools have moved over seas in an effort to bring down the cost} which also happens to produce terrific coffee.

Our doctor graduates with ease and becomes a professional in our public health care system YIPPEE! He quickly learns that perhaps he wasted the 5 years he spent in college/medical school since he works so many hours and doesn't really make that much money. Fortunately, he bought into the coffee company which now supplies the hospital where he works. Although he is a bit shaky performing neurosurgery, and his  patients are dropping like flies, he is okay with that since he is really raking in the money for the coffee.

After a few months though the luster of the daily coffee buzz has worn off a bit and he finds himself  really dragging. Searching for a solution he recalls a friend in college who had to pull a few all nighters studying for his accounting exams (who knew they were so tough?) He remembers the cocaine used and how productive his roommate became. He also remembers that some of the townies grew and harvested the stuff right there. He gets in touch with them, makes his investment and he's back in business!

Now he shares his little pick me up with not only his fellow doctors, but many of his surviving patients. who, when given satisfaction surveys are more than happy to praise this wonderful system.

It truly is a great day to be in the medical field!

The Washington Post tells the tale of the Redskins Organization (not to be confused with the actual players) suing a 73 year old fan who fell behind on payments to her 10 year contract season tickets. The Redskin's organization was awarded $66,364, forcing this fan into bankruptcy.

No biggie right, I mean she couldn't pay so what. Well I will tell you so what. This 73 year old real estate agent's business tanked when the housing market tanked. She contacted the organization asking if her payments could be deferred until the housing market improved. The did not accept that. (Never mind that DC usually has a strong real estate market and will more than likely improve much quicker than most of the US).  But the part that really makes me want to tomahawk Dan Snyder, is that this woman has had season tickets since the 1960s. Hello.... customer service, loyalty, general human decency...any of this ringing a bell?

Redskin fans have the reputation for being extremely loyal (fanatical?). What do they get for their loyalty? Bankruptcy. (It should also be noted that this woman did not have a lawyer because she could not afford one but also because she subscribes to the notion of paying your debts.)

This is not some lazy ass trying to get a free ride, but a long time, loyal fan (even though the Redskins have been pretty sucky since Dan Snyder took over---way to go there too  DS) who has been hit hard by the economy.
So much for loyalty and fan appreciation.

Truth be told though, Snyder doesn't care about his fans. I imagine that he really just wanted to get the tickets from this woman so that he could turn around and sell them to brokers. That way the opposing teams have more fans at Skins home games than the Skins. It is a win-win for a greedy fool like Snyder. If the Skins have a better than average (not likely despite ridiculous player salaries and an affinity for free agents), then his reputation as an owner may be slightly higher than "He Sucks." If they lose though, he can rest easy because he has made far more money than he would from regular ticket buyers AND he can say Skins are having a tough time because fans have lost interest.

So a little note to Dan Snyder
You are ruining the Redskins. During stressful times, people need something to pin their hopes on. As you have not provided the fans with too much in the way of "winning seasons," they clung to their loyalty and optimism. You show no appreciation for your fans and may just lose them. Stop being so greedy and selfish. Maybe try to remember for 5 minutes what joy you got from being a skin fan when you were growin up. 

The AP reports that an argument between two men at a health care protest ended when Mr. Pro-reform man bit the finger off Mr. Anti-reform. If you are thinking that biter man took of the pointer of middle finger (for obvious reasons) you would be incorrect. It was Mr. Anti-reform's pinky finger.

As warm and fuzzy as that story may leave you, it actually gets better. Mr. Biter Pro-reform ran before police arrived and Mr. A.R. proudly supplied his medicare information to hospital personnel. If you feel the need to tell him your thoughts, he should be easily identifiable as his pinky could not be reattached.

Think twice before you speak, and then you may be able to say something more insulting than if you spoke right out at once.
  - Evan Esar

I had no idea that Lloyd Christmas was pastor now.
Too bad some other lucky guy got on the Hawaiian Tropic bus.


 "Man, you are one pathetic loser." Lloyd

                                           

                                                                                                                                               

 










Seriously can you believe this guy? His ignorance is only surpassed by his boorish ideations.

Despite his claims of being a christian pastor, his actions clearly show he is a pastor for the king of hell. 

 Daddy Jackson says:



 Yes, you read that correctly, Joe Jackson said on the Today show that someone should pay for Michael's death. Actually not just someone but all of them. I find the operative word here being them. Certainly he shouldn't pay right? I mean the fact that he abused the hell out of his kids and robbed them of a childhood wouldn't have contributed in any way to Michael growing up to be an addict. 

Clearly the link between abuse in childhood with addiction in adulthood is irrelevant here. It is so obvious that Michael was a perfectly well adjusted man right up to the point where the door to door doctor/prescription pusher knocked on his door. I mean what has the world come to? Is that the "new" health care? "We come to you with signed RX pads And act now for this "universal" health care bonus, just kick back in front of the tele while we administer iv meds, once only available in hospitals and prison restrooms.



In truth, the doctors in this case were unscrupulous however, Michael Jackson sought them out. He was friends with doctors who would not prescribe him these meds so he went looking for those who would. But wake the hell up big Daddy Jackson your son was a very sick man, he refused help and interventions. Ultimately he was a grown man and made some very poor decisions. I loved Michael Jackson and I think this is a tremendous loss. I would like to believe that Mr. Joe Jackson is saying someone should pay meaning lose their medical license but sadly, it looks to me like he is trying to get more money from his son. 

As an aside, his children have paid the ultimate price and to fire their nanny when she was the only continuity they had is unforgivable. In this matter, you people seriously SUCK!!!

Enjoy this historic video and the very serious tone of the announcer. BTW they troops were given LSD. Ya know with Gitmo on the way out, I imagine it would be hard to organize terrorist acts with this "medicine"
I'm just saying.

So there are reports about suicidal cows and scientists cannot figure out why they do it. I am pretty sure they listened to some of the ridiculous commentary during Senator Kennedy's funeral and they decided they could not take anymore. Seriously, the newscasters were ridiculous. It started the night he died. The clip they played was the same one they played for JFKJ but then another minute added to the end referring to Teddy. The man had brain cancer for 14 months, you could not have thrown a little something together in that amount of time? Then during the funeral the commentary was pathetic at best. Perhaps henceforth news reporters should refer to themselves as "Not original All of the time." Case in point...as Mrs. Kennedy returns to the limo, "The Kennedy's are truly eloquent with these things, funerals. pause ......(I know what is coming, I know you do too but no they couldn't really....yup they could) "Sadly, because they have had to do it so often" (eloquent? The woman took a seat in a limo) or there was this insightful one "Ahh how many times have we seen the Kennedy procession coming down Constitution avenue to their final resting place?" I mean sure 3 Kennedy's have been buried there (4 now) but this guy makes it sound like he is reminiscing his childhood "How many times have I seen the good humor truck."  And then the endless commentary about how people were there because of a love of politics, yeah all 10 of those guys. The rest, the vast majority were there because it was history, the end of an era.

Truthfully, it is sad. Rest in peace.

Sad but true.

My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by. Today I read his obituary. Please join me for a moment of silence in remembrance. For Common Sense has served us all so well for so many generations.

 Obituary Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student; but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't legally defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

 The news reports that a five year old kindergarten student was left alone at the wrong bus stop.  The story in and of itself is upsetting, just imagining that poor little guy scared and alone and his Mom frantic with worry is sickening. A straight story of what happened and what will be done to prevent it in the future would suffice here. But is that good for ratings? Probably not. 


Watching the news clip left me feeling a bit uneasy. As I continued to ponder it I understood that the clips had probably been edited in order to skew the story a bit. It seems obvious from the clip that the counties first response was to apologize. A very appropriate response. However this was thrown in at the end of the video. The clip before shows the woman from the county saying that when the child was asked he gave his home address. Was this purposely edited this way to make it seem that the county was blaming a 5 year old for their mistake? I think it was.  I am not naive nor do I wear rose colored glasses, but I am quite certain that this intelligent, well educated woman with a wealth of educational experience would not even imply this was the child's fault. 


Perhaps the edited part we could not be trusted with was when the reporter said how does something like this happen? The response probably went something like this "Well first off let me say that we are very sorry. We have talked to the people involved......blah blah blah. It seems that the student was on the correct bus to begin with an older student said he did not belong on that bus (?) so the bus driver asked the child where he lived. Perhaps that driver then said to an adult at the school 'This kid doesn't ride this bus, he should be on bus....' The adult then whisked him to the bus which took him to his home neighborhood but not his after school address. We believe this is how it transpired." That sounds a bit different. The child isn't being blamed, and the responsibility is clearly with the school. This simply details how the boy was put on the wrong bus to begin with. After all, without knowing your history you are destined to repeat it.
 

With that said, clearly in a court of law the county would be held responsible had anything else transpired. I think we cannot for one moment overlook the part the bus driver played in this fiasco. Ultimately, minor mistakes were made at the school which could easily have been corrected had the driver done his job. The idea of the driver dropping this little guy off, closing the bus doors, kicking up gravel as he pulls onto the street and leaving a 5 year old crying and unsupervised leaves an indelible image in my mind of how the moments before this went. Imagine if you will........

 

A small child sitting on the bus crying softly and clearly scared  A burly person (man or woman? yes) spitting "tabaccy" by-product into a once clear bottle, and hitting the steering wheel of the bus s/he is operating.  The kids are quiet on this bus and the child wonders why until the driver says "boy yew betta suck it up cuz I cain't oporate no big bus with all that wailing an lessin yew want ta b gater cweeezine yew bitter shutty."The boy tells the driver this is not my bus. The driver looks up to the rearview mirror, locking his yellow sclera glare on the little boy. "Yors teacher dun put you on this heaahh bus. Do yew recon sheze ignert? No shay ain't ." 

As the driver returns his attention to the road his mullet gets caught in the seat and he screeches a blue streak. Hot, angry, (smelly) and irritated he continues leaving the kids at their appointed stops. When the little boy remains in his seat at his wrong stop, the driver turns an angry, beady, yellow eye and with baccy in his teeth he says "This heaaahhh isn yors stop so git on." The boy says "I want my mommy." "Shay ain't heaahh, an I ain't paid to babysit so yew hafta git cause I gots to git  on home ta mine double wide so I cin see my brother/cousin, Eustice and his baby mama Amaleen on Cops. Again.  Now git on afore I cutta switch." Now sobbing, the child cries "but this isn't where my mommy picks me up." The driver scratches the yellow underbelly of his formerly white tshirt and says "Boy, stop assasin me and git on off this cheer bus. I got me a cold bud in a can awaitin for me."

The Times Union reports that former Rep. John Sweeney is fighting against his second DWI. Apparently, he received his second DWI which in Saratoga county is a felony. Well his lawyer feels it is disproportionate to the crime and therefore unfair to him because he is a lawyer and with a felony he would lose his license to practice. I believe this is a "bitter" moment for me and so here I go......

In some countries he would have been put to death, in some instances that may be seen as disproportionate. He could certainly have afforded a cab or had his chauffer drive him. What is his excuse for driving? (He doesn't sound like a very bright lawyer).

However, ruining his career would probably lead him to drown his sorrows over losing his career and his chauffeur to boot. By this time, he probably couldn't afford a cab so he would drive drunk which apparently he does not do well, that would most likely lead to an accident and to someone being hurt, (hopefully just him) he would probably wrap his car around a tree but the only injury suffered would be a dislocated knuckle.

Yeah only too bad for the judge and jury who gave him a felony conviction. All because of them he became a raging alcoholic just as he was about to make it big in hand modeling. With his disfigured knuckle he can kiss that lucrative career goodbye, most likely forcing him to sue the judge and everyone else in the US for making him more of an alcoholic than he already was. He would go to trial before some "fair and just" judge and a jury of his peers (straight off the wagon as it were) and bam he gets awarded 2.8 billion dollars for the loss of his perfect hand and the discrimination against the "libationally challenged"