Squash update. We ate the other half of the acorn squash, but this time I nuked it. It was perfectly done and took only ten minutes. Robb is having health problems (he has no insurance since he retired) so we have been eating a lot of soft vegetables and very little spice. Our doctor gave him ten days worth of antibiotics, which was finished on Friday, but he doesn't feel that much better. He had to have a CAT scan which cost quite a bit, but luckily, he discovered that Florida has some kind of medical payback plan for former government employees, which includes county employees, so he should get most of it back. He also discovered that our doctor charges only half as much if you don't have insurance. That's all very good for those without insurance, but the rest of us are paying for it with higher and higher insurance premiums. As you know, I have Medicare which is basically free. But Medicare only pays 80% of the bill. You must have Medicare Part B to pay the other 20%. Part B is supplied through a private insurance company (I have AvMed) and is NOT free and they just raised the payment for that. I really don't know how much it is, though I think it's a little over a hundred a month now. If you have Social Security, it is taken out of your monthly allowance. I have never received an SS payment without that deduction, so I don't really miss it. But the point is, my Part B deduction is rising because of doctors who charge more for patients with insurance coverage, and if you only have private insurance, your premiums are rising even higher.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Surviving five heart attacks makes former Vice President Dick Cheney pretty unusual - showing that he has good medical care as well as a particularly aggressive form of heart disease. The really important thing to consider here is that this is the exact same health care the government provides for everyone. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Speaking of health care, I think I have a solution. Of course, it will never happen for several reasons, not the least of which is the inability of Americans to get off their collective asses and do something. But, if we were to revolt and tell Congress that they can only have the same health coverage as the rest of us, I guarantee you would see a comprehensive plan passed unanimously within an hour.
The big news today is that Obama wants to pour $900 million into the public school system. He might as well pour it down a toilet or burn it. Florida claims it has poured over $20 billion into the Florida schools and they're just about the worst in the country. Money is NOT the answer to fixing the educational system. You can build the best schools, hire the best teachers, serve the most healthy lunches, but if the kids don't want to learn, you will ultimately fail. The solution doesn't start with money, it starts with motivating the kids to want to learn. This may seem racist, and maybe it is, but the whole educational mess began with the integration of the schools. Because the minority kids were so far behind, some genius came up with the idea of watering down the requirements to get passing grades. It has been a downhill journey since.
And the news just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?
Can you give examples of how the President and Democrats have not been fierce advocates for the civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans?
Deleting his gay civil rights promise from the White House Web site.
Changing his commitment to “repeal” Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, to “changing DADT in a sensible manner.”
Repeatedly defending DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) in court, including just a few weeks ago, even though he didn’t have to.
Making jokes about marriage equality, which President Obama claims he doesn't support, even though he once did.
Comparing gay relationships to incest and pedophilia in a Justice Department brief.
Joking about gay protesters upset about the DOMA brief.
Refusing to provide health care benefits to the partners of gay employees, and then claiming hat DOMA precludes it, when it does not.
Refusing to meet with gay legal groups to discuss how to provide such health benefits within the confines of DOMA.
Claiming that health benefits for partners of federal employees were new, then being caught in a lie.
Here's another chance for Obama to prove he'll implement change: Lawmakers Punt Patriot Act to Obama. Wanna bet on whether or not he signs it? Well, by now you should know that he did indeed sign it. More change we can believe in?
A Virginia man and his wife were driving home one very cold night when the wife asked her husband to stop the car. There was a baby skunk lying at the side of the road, and she got out to see if it was still alive. It was, and she said to her husband, "It's nearly frozen to death. Can we take it with us, to get it warm, and let it go in the morning?" He says, "O.K. Get in the car with it." "Where shall I put it to get it warm?" He says, "Put it in between your legs. It's nice and warm there." "But what about the smell?" "Just hold its little nose."
Three old ladies and their dogs were sitting on a park bench having a quiet conversation when a flasher approached from across the park. The flasher came up to the ladies, stood right in front of them and opened his trench coat. Gertrude immediately had a stroke. Then Maude also had a stroke. But Tillie, being older and more feeble, couldn't reach that far.
What do you call a psychic midget who has escaped from prison? A small medium at large.
À la prochaine, mes amis
