A New Look at Senior Health Care!!

 

So you're a sick senior citizen and the government says there is  no nursing home available for you, what do you do?

Our plan gives anyone 65 years or older a gun and 4 bullets. You  are allowed to shoot four Congressmen.

Of course, this means you will be sent to prison where you will get three meals a day, a roof over your head, central heating, air conditioning and all the health

care you need! Need new teeth? No problem. Need glasses? That's great. Need a new hip, knees, kidney, lungs or heart? They're all covered. 

And, as an added bonus, your kids can come and visit you as often as they do now.

And who will be paying for all of this? It's the same government that just told you that they cannot afford for you to go into a home.

Plus, because you are a prisoner, you don't have to pay any income taxes anymore. Is this a great country or what?

Oh, yes! And one more thing!

BREAKING NEWS:

The Supreme Court has ruled that there cannot be a Nativity Scene in the United States' Capital this Christmas season. This isn't for any religious reason. They simply have not been able to find Three Wise Men in the Nation's Capitol. The search for a Virgin continues. There was no problem, however, finding enough asses to fill the stable.

 

Examine the Myths

As I got more and more involved in photography and the whole political/economy scene was becoming more and more heated, less and less productive, I took all mention or discussion of them off my blog simply because I didn't want to fight with anyone and because it was taking away the joy I found in blogging. But today for the first time in well over a year I read an article that confirmed what I've been wanting to believe, but was afraid I was just being Ms Pie-in-the-Sky as I've frequently been called. The article is by a favorite of mine, Paul Krugman, New York Times Op-Ed columnist, and while I'm not going to discuss it here, I would like to recommend it to those of you who perhaps have some of the same fears and misgivings that I have had.
And now I shall take up my camera and return to the skies and all the beauty there is to enjoy!

The Perfect Solution for Senior Health Care

This was sent to me by a good friend -- too good not to share! Happy Weekend!

While discussing the upcoming Universal
Health Care Program with my sister-in-law the other day, I
think we have found the solution. I am sure you have heard
the ideas that if you ’re a senior you need to suck it up
and give up the idea that you need any health care. A new
hip? Unheard of. We simply can't afford to take care of
you anymore. You don't need any medications for your
high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, etc. Let’s
take care of the young people. After all, they will be
ruling the world very soon.

So here is the solution. When you turn 70,
you get a gun and 4 bullets. You are allowed to shoot 2
senators and 2 representatives. Of course, you will be sent
to prison where you will get 3 meals a day, a roof over your
head and all the health care you need! Need teeth, great!
Need glasses, no problem. Need hip, knee, kidney, lung,
heart? Well bring it on. And who will be paying for all of
this. The same government that just told you that you are
too old for health care. And, since you are a prisoner, you
don't have to pay any income tax.

I really think we have
found a Perfect Solution!

A New Exercise Program

The older we get the more important it is to incorporate exercise into our daily routine. This is necessary to maintain cardiovascular health and maintain muscle mass.

If you're over 40, you might want to take it easy at first, then do more repetitions as you become more proficient and build stamina. Warning: It may be too strenuous for some.

Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program!

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That's enough for the first day. Great job.

Have a glass of wine.

And What About Our Children?

Speaking of financial crises and how they can expose weak companies and weak countries, Warren Buffett once famously quipped that “only when the tide goes out do you find out who is not wearing a bathing suit.” So true and I agree with NYT Op-Ed columnist Thomas Friedman who said in his column today that what’s really unnerving is that America appears to be one of those countries that has been swimming buck naked – in more ways than one.

He goes on to say that credit bubbles are like the tide. They can cover up a lot of rot. In our case, the excess consumer demand and jobs created by our credit and housing bubbles have masked not only our weaknesses in manufacturing and other economic fundamentals, but something worse: how far we have fallen behind in K-12 education and how much it is now costing us.

In the 1950s and 60s, the U.S. dominated the world in K-12 education. We also dominated economically. In the 1970s and 80s, we still had a lead, albeit smaller, in educating our population through secondary school, and we continued to lead the world economically, albeit with other big economies, like China, closing in. Today, we have fallen behind in both per capita high school graduates and their quality. Consequences to follow.

In the 2006 Program for International Student Assessment that measure the applied learning and problem-solving skills of 15-year-olds in 30 industrialized countries, the US ranked 26th out of the 30 in math, and 24th in science. That put our average youth on par with those from Portugal and the Slovak Republic, rather than with students in countries that are more relevant competitors for service-sector and high-value jobs, like Canada, the Netherlands, Korea and Australia. And while our fourth-graders compare well on such global tests with, say, Singapore, our high school kids really lag, which means that the longer American children are in school, the worse they perform compared to their international peers.

It’s not that we are failing across the board. There are huge numbers of exciting education innovations in America today, but the problem is that they are too scattered around the country leaving all kinds of achievement gaps between whites, African-Americans, Latinos and different income levels.

But it’s not just where education is concerned that we are failing our children. Bob Herbert, also a NYT Op-Ed columnist, wrote yesterday about our “Children in Peril”. There is little doubt that poverty and family homelessness are rising, the quality of public education in many communities is deteriorating and that legions of children are losing access to health care as their parents join the vastly expanded ranks of the unemployed.

Unemployment is expected to continue to rise for the foreseeable future, and with state and local governments staggering beneath the weight of budget deficits, there is no reason to believe that these problems and their profound negative impact on our children will do anything but worsen. States from coast to coast are cutting social service programs that include investigations of abuse and neglect along with socially beneficial and even life-saving programs for children are in the works in many states.

So, when do we stop the petty politics among those in Washington? I believe in Obama’s awareness of these problems as well as his desire to focus on trying to solve them, but what about members of the House and the Senate? When does our country, our people and particularly our children get put at the top of their list? That’s what I’m waiting for, but I’m not holding my breath.

Help Save Lives

The following quote is from my friend, Maithri of The Soaring Impulse.
It is a beautiful story of a heroic little Japanese girl.

"In the name of Sadako Sasaki I would like to ask that everyone reading these words change their internet homepage to the following website:

http://www.thehungersite.com/

I am not affiliated with the 'hungersite' in any way, but each time you click, a bowl of rice is given to someone without food. At no charge to you."

Even if you just put the hungersite in your list of favorites and make a point of going there each day, and clicking, you can make such a difference! It's something we can all do without any cost to us which I know is a big consideration during these times when money is so tight, but there is so much good we can do in this world if we are willing to just take a few moments.

I hope you will join me.

Help Needed Now

With all the other problems this country is facing these days and probably for the next several years, it’s easy to lose sight of the intense struggles of many G.I.’s coming back from overseas deployment in Iraq and Afganistan. Returning to civilian life for those who have been in combat is always difficult at best. Studies have shown that a third or more of the GI’s returning from combat in those countries – more than 300,000 men and women – have endured mental health difficulties. They have experienced the agony of deep depression and alarming numbers have tried or succeeded in committing suicide, according to an article by Bob Herbert, Op-Ed Columnist for the NYT. A CBS News study found that veterans aged 20 to 24 were two to four times as likely to commit suicide as non-veterans of the same age.

Founded in June 2004, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is the nation's first and largest group dedicated to the Troops and Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the civilian supporters of those Troops and Veterans. They have initiated an advertising campaign designed to increase the number of veterans seeking treatment for their mental health difficulties. There are so many who are embarrassed to speak about their problems or are unaware that help is available, or even that they need help.

The site is filled with features and news updates on many topics and information on a wide range of mental health resources. Their ads are powerful and send the message that: “If you’re a veteran of Iraq or Afghanistan, you’re not alone.”

This ad campaign, if disseminated widely enough (it is depending on donated media), will reduce the heartache of G.I.’s and their families and will save lives.

Combat does terrible things to people and there is a tremendous need for more attention. Paul Reickhoff, IAVA’s executive director put it this way: “Nobody can cross this river without getting wet.”

If you know of a G.I. that has recently returned from these tragic war zones and may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome – perhaps not even knowing exactly what it is – and many don’t, let them know that help is available. We may be able to help save these young lives by spreading the word of this organization and the work that it is doing.

Rescuing Our Country

In January we will see a new day dawn not only in Washington but throughout this country and beyond and I’m looking forward to experiencing that “new day”. I know Obama will have so many tugging on his sleeves and coat tails, and he’s not going to be able to satisfy them all – certainly not in his first year in office. I do hope, however, that he will find a way to bring a sense of fairness – we’ve bailed out the pompous fat cats in this country who have wrecked their companies and the economy. We’ve spent trillions of dollars on a war that never should have been. Isn’t it time to start thinking about the working poor and the young people? They have been hurt to the point they’re almost destitute, it seems it’s time to help them now.

With so many brokerage houses and banks, a multinational insurance company all depending on the Treasury for resuscitation, companies like General Motors facing bankruptcy it’s beginning to feel like a supersized recession. This kind of downturn buries the people at the bottom of the economic ladder and we have an obligation to look after them as well as the big cats – after all they are America, too, and make up a much larger portion of the population.

I want to believe that Obama knows what is needed at this point and it’s JOBS! Jobs for those who depend on a weekly or monthly paycheck. Credit cards are maxed, family savings are depleted, home equity is evaporating.

As many of those who are far wiser than I am have said, we can find an answer, but our leaders will have to think big. We’re talking about a program to rebuild the infrastructure of America – and believe me, it does need it! We can help our people and our country at the same time by rebuilding and repairing roads and bridges, decrepit schools and aged sewer systems. And don’t forget more “green” thinking and planning.

Next is universal health insurance – isn’t it time we caught up with the rest of the world by providing all of our people with proper health care?

Let’s stop spending trillions on a useless war that has not only drained us of incredible amounts of money, but has seriously damaged our country in the eyes of the rest of the world. Let’s stop funneling enormous amounts of money with little oversight to banks and Wall Street. Isn’t it time that we not only repair our school systems and provide health care for all, but how about if we stop throwing this country’s resources into the black hole? How about we invest in our country’s future, in our children’s future instead?