Time Out For Soul Refreshing

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I relaxed a bit this week, with full intention of catching up on the weekend.  But with a massage Thursday evening, a friend visiting for the weekend, an EMPA09 Potuck, by Sunday night I had to toss out last week’s papers and “let go” all my issues with the media/administration.  No blog on Sunday reviewing my thoughts and current events.

It was so nice to reconnect with old friends, who are becoming new friends as we get to know each other’s families, personal likes and preferences.  We had a lovely afternoon together, with children running around, parents swapping stories, and others catching up with each other.  Terrific food, wonderful turnout.
I blew it this weekend (for a good cause – soul refreshing).  Time to look forward.
I am trying to set my habits such that my sleep is sufficient enough that I don’t oversleep (like I did this morning).  Friday, Saturday and Tuesday nights are set for 9 hours of sleep.  The rest of the week, 6.5 – 8 will work.  Wednesdays are sleep in days (no exercise).
Every weekend in September is busy, so it’s going to take some discipline.  hmmm. Some things in life never change.

What Keeps Me Up At Night

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I am getting lazy in my blogs, replacing them with quick tweets, but the blog is a better historical for me, so will keep at it.  It drives me crazy when I read good material, then click my way through several more, only to find I’ve “lost” my original starting point.  Backtracking, especially days later, can take a lot of time. So I try to park my links here for future reference (sort of like my favorite links at my website).

What keeps me up late at night is the fact that we have a President that is willing to mislead us.  He misspeaks.  How can this be anything but intentional?  It is equally scary if it is not intentional, as this means it is ignorance.  Either way, it is misleading.

Let’s look at his claim that the AARP endorses his plan.  Not true, and AARP put out a statement clarifying this.  Let’s look at his claim that American medicine as it is today does not result in longevity.  Not true – when we remove the number of deaths from murder and accidents, America does beat out other countries in longevity, indicating American healthcare does outperform other systems.  Mortality from Disease and the American HealthCare System    US Health Report, CDC, 2006
How can you conjure this up?  How can a leader, after stating they don’t have all the facts, proceed with a statement that passes judgement?  And the costs for the reform that the leader is proposing …you just can’t keep issuing platitudes – you must present facts/plans/figures/milestones.  I read earlier today that American banks have hundreds of billions of dollars of unrecognized bad debt hidden in loan portfolios.  Why aren’t we hearing about this from our President? Unrecognized bad debt link
Business Week had a good article a few weeks back about banks continuing down the path of risky loans.  Old Banks, New Lending Tricks
For all the rhetoric from the current administration, nothing has changed when it comes to transparency and oversight.  And I expect this to be perpetuated if any Healthcare “reform” passes.
Despite this, Presidential rating falls, I feel like I am watching my country slip away – shift from government being representative of the people, to a government that outwardly caters to special interests.  Can this really be happening?  Yes.  and I am frightened by it.
An update to this post:
First I lament, then I become engaged again.  I love Thomas Sowell, and just saw his 8/21 column,  Bait and Switch, where he asks “Why does it take more than 1,000 pages of legislation to insure people who lack medical insurance?”   His observation:  “Despite incessant repetition of the fact that millions of Americans do not have medical insurance, hardy souls who have actually read the mammoth medical care legislation being rushed through Congress have discovered all sorts of things there that have nothing whatever to do with insuring the uninsured — and everything to do with taking medical decisions out of the hands of doctors and their patients, and transferring those decisions to Washington bureaucrats.”  Read it here.  Bait and Switch

Life Keeps Going By

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I am so busy with work, and just enjoying the heck out of it. I feel sorry for people who don’t have a passion for what they do, OR, their passion is mis-guided (like several politicians who hold tele-townhalls to meet with their constituents – I think these are the ones in it for the entitlement programs)).

My son just bought his first house, but is awaiting the stimulus “first home rebate” check from IRS.  Cash for Clunkers have dealers complaining they are not getting paid in a timely manner (government says problem is in paperwork not being filled out correctly – sounds true -> when has government paperwork EVER been easy to navigate?)

Do you realize I exercise and watch what I eat, but at 55, it is very difficult to keep a waistline?  It is the most depressing thing.  Right now, I’m walking to the gym – 2.5 miles, and then weight train and stretch for 50 minutes, then walk another half mile home.  I still don’t lose weight, and sometimes slide UP a half a pound.  Currently, while still fitting in my clothes, I am  up 5 pounds, and everything is becoming uncomfortable.

Must have been that single slice of pizza I had two nights ago, along with some wine.  EMBA Team came over, and it was just great to see everyone and enjoy them for themselves – NOT for the current assignment deliverables.

I had a 90 minute massage tonight.  It was wonderful.  Not in the touchy feel-ly side of things, because it was rather painful due to lactic acid buildup from all my weight training.  But she really got in there and worked the muscles good. I have been delinquent in getting these, and it is definitely time to return to regularly scheduled massages.

Honestly, the current political and economic landscapes have me feeling just sick as I watch Obama try to reinvent America.  It’s simply outrageous, and I feel as though I am witnessing a horrendous miscarriage of justice.  I know people are speaking out, but when you have MSNBC cropping video to imply that white people are uncomfortable with a black man as President.

I have never, ever heard one white person say ANYTHING to imply Obama’s race is an issue for them.  I feel as though we are back in the 50’s and we have MacCarthyism all over again. See the MSNBC manipulated footage, followed by the actual (unedited) footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYKQJ4-N7LI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7syx26QtQIM&feature=related

US Chamber of Commerce Site

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http://www.voteforbusiness.com

A project by the US Chamber of Commerce, and at a glance looks to be a good site.  Although I am not particularly happy with the US CoC’s project of taking their message on the road and dumbing it down a bit because people have negative reactions to words such as “capitalism”.  Hopefully, the article I read in Business Week didn’t have room to include information suggesting the US Chamber of Commerce will also work to eductate the public on such verbiage, such that public becomes aware of their own climate, better than they are aware of Kate and ? (can’t remember the guy’s name)’s TV reality / divorce debacle.  I can only hope that is the case.

Accountability Site for Rhetoric

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http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/

There appears to be extensive research back each rating.  Click on the links. 51 pages, maybe 20 entries per page, of quotes from various politicians, media, and entertainment industry, and rates the accuracy, with links to back up the rating.  Nicely done, and fairly good reference tool.

August 12th: Aug. 7th’s Tele-Townhall Question

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I know this is futile, but here is the question I sent  in to White House for the “Tele-Townhall”.  Since I didn’t watch it, I have no idea if it was addressed, but since no one contacted me, I presume not.

 

From: Jane Terry
Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 9:53 AM
To: ‘[email protected]’
Subject: First, show us you know how to be efficient.

 Let’s go with your numbers of  millions people not having insurance, for whatever reason.  When you add these millions to the current system (number of hospitals, doctors, nurses), it appears to me that you will have a larger demand for services than you can supply – creating the dreaded long-line syndrome that government processes are renowned for.  Add to this lack of supply the consumer’s inconvenience and costly time wasted by such a system, the fact that people are in pain and in need of immediate attention, and you have an unbearable situation.  I do not believe you can manage these kinds of demands.  Particularly when you cannot even manage to finance a basic rebate program  (cash for clunkers), or run an efficient DMV/IRS system.

 Worse, the sense of entitlement that comes from Government programs (the workers) creates a lackadaisical work environment, leaving the consumer uncared for.  It is one thing when you are only talking about our time and inconvenience at the DMV, DEQ, etc., but it is a much larger problem when you are talking about our health, our bodies, the vessels that host our very existence.

 Frankly, based on the government’s historical performance, I do not believe the government is capable of handling this. A new enthusiastic (and well-meaning) president is not going to change how this trickles down to reality.  It is foolish to entrust our health with an entity (government) that has such a losing track record when it comes to efficient systems.   Congress knows this, which is why they voted against the amendment that would require they get their health insurance through the government-run plan.

 What information (not rhetoric) can you possibly offer me as to how your healthcare reform is going to be different from your current inefficient systems? And if you actually believe you have an answer to this, why not first apply that answer/theory to your existing processes as a beta test, and if/when you are successful at rooting out waste and inefficiencies, THEN apply the process to something as large as healthcare reform?

 In my opinion, you are exhibiting the classic errors of new management – come in and change everything, asking questions later.     

August 12th – Camille Paglia says it best

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Well written piece about the “administration’s grotesque mishandling of healthcare reform”, while remaining loyal to Obama’s competencies.  An added plus: observations that in the Gates/Crowley episode, it was not a problem of race, but a problem of class.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/paglia/2009/08/12/town_halls/index.html

August 10th: Catching Up With Myself

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Need to do these blogs more regularly so they aren’t so long…apologize in advance for the length of this one.

Obama says he can’t figure out where all this “misinformation” is coming from.  Hmmmm…. maybe if he actually read the Healthcare reform bill, he’d understand the confusion and concern.  Instead, he attempts to malign those who are (rightly so) hypersensitive to having the billed rammed through, by creating an illusion that “extremists” who have “nothing better to do” are doing dirty deeds by coercing people to stage rallies – despite the fact that his own words were “go out and talk with your neighbors about this, get in their face”…. And the absolute lunacy of the Orwellian-type snitch site -flag@white house.gov.  Big Brother is watching YOU!  Really, how does the man look himself in the mirror each day?  (couldn’t resist – snitched on the gov-blog Facts-Are-Stubborn-Things, in which Linda Douglass tries to minimize the concerns expressed by ordinary but outraged everyday citizens.  I found the site inflammatory, and baseless, peddling cobbled thoughts together in an effort to present more misinformation.)

Healthcare needs reform, no doubt, but expecting the Government to run an efficient operation is like expecting me to drink the Pacific Ocean in one sitting.  Put aside the entitlements that government employees have, let’s just look at supply and demand, and you have to conclude that there will be rationing.  There HAS to be rationing because there is not enough supply to meet the additional 47 M demand that is coming into the system.

You want reform?  Go after Tort reform.  Talking with NAM (Natl Assoc Mfg) the other day – discussed Obama’s now famous gaffe about how doctors will order extra tests and do medical procedures just because they make more money at it is ludicrous.  It is because the good Doctors are fearful that if they don’t cover all the bases, they will get sued.  TORT REFORM!

As a manufacturer of boilers and water heaters, we get sued almost daily for asbestos.  My products have never contained asbestos, we have affidavits from our suppliers testifying to this fact, yet we continue to get sued.  So we have to bear the expense of discoveries, interrogatories etc, right up to the time of trial, when the plaintiff offers to drop their claim against us IF WE DO NOT pursue them for filing a frivolous lawsuit.. We see all our competition named in these lawsuits – the plaintiff’s attorneys go after anyone and everyone.  Over half the time, the plaintiff cannot even prove our product was involved!  Go figure!

Just in – check this out: http://www.redstate.com/absentee/2009/08/09/lets-talk-astroturf/  Advertisements seeking healthcare activists in SUPPORT of the bill, not in opposition to bill.  As seen on Craigslist. (courtesy RedState).  And don’t miss this one:http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2009/08/10/congresss_business_model_makes_me_cry_97352.html about the failing of Congress’ own business model.

Praise to the folks at Drudge and Naked Emperor News, for compiling clipshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-bY92mcOdk of Obama pre-presidency stating he supports, envisions, a single-pay system.  This is contrary to his words today, which, from what I have seen thus far, is not unusual:  http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/aug/09080502.html

Another good clip from drudge, is Obama’s reversal on signature power.  Although this is dated August 8 (compared to my July 22 twitter on this), see for yourself.  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/us/politics/09signing.html?_r=1&hp

Just checked Twitter, and see I twittered another great link on July 23.  If you go to this link (For the Record) , you’ll have to scroll to the video dated July 22, titled Barney Frank…. http://www.wnd.com/index.php?src=em&fa=PAGE.view&pageId=104618  While you are there, check out July 15th  primer on the Honduras.  Sums it up nicely.

Of course, now that I’ve checked Twitter, I findhttp://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=104716 which is about how the Democrats voted against being required to use Obama care.  Here’s the tally sheet for how they voted:http://republicans.waysandmeans.house.gov/tallysheet/heller2.htm

If your read this July 31, 2009 op-ed, skip to bottom of first page to get to meat of Obama healthcare out-years being outed by non-partisan CBO folks. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/30/AR2009073002819.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

Finally, getting a bit more current, in the IBD editorials this past Friday (August 7th) Ellen Goodman makes an attempt to defend the healthcare plan.  Unfortunately, she yacks on and on (like I’m one to talk about yacking on and on at this point) and doesn’t get to her point until the very end.  She actually makes a good point at the end ( her point being that counseling about death choices is not such a bad thing – that when in the throes of life-threatening scenarios, we will be better equipped to make informed decisions).    Unfortunately, it was difficult to stomach her arrogance along the way to her point.

Finally finally –  It was bad enough when US Senator Harry Reid (Nevada) said  he was going to do a tele-townhall so he wouldn’t have to be faced with all the outraged citizenry (over the healthcare bill), but this is really creepy:http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/officevisit?office=436&source=20090809

Done.  Caught up with my thinking…and hereby commit to post at least once a week so it doesn’t build up.