Monday, December 28, 2009

The Blame Game...

President Obama comes out with some strong words today... Perhaps this is to make up for his Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano mis speaking and acting so dismissive when she said "the system worked". Yes, the passengers did their jobs, but I can hardly think this "system" did it's job. This is especially true because the suspects father walked into the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria to report on his son. This is almost as inexcusable as those guys with box cutters being able to fly planes into the WTC.

Call this one a training mission. It will either help our people make flights more secure, or it will help Al Qaeda become better at terror.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas luck!

The device, which failed to explode on that flight to Detroit, gave us a little luck for Christmas. Also, though the Pope was knocked down by a deranged lady in another incident, he was O.K. and able to give Christmas Mass.

For me, this season is fucking depressing enough, without the horror of a terrorist attack or harm coming to Papa. The terror attempt made me a little glad I have the van for my trips. Airline security is bound to be a hassle for some time, until they figure out what it was that got smuggled aboard that airliner. If I had someplace real to go, like overseas, I'd fly. Otherwise, I'm driving. I just have to watch out for those Texas sherrifs who seize people's belongings to pay for trips to Hawaii.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

No glee here!

The U.S. Senate is ready to pass it's Health Care bill. Then comes the reconciliation with the House bill. What can I do? I have little faith this will improve things. But hopefully, I will fall into a sweet spot of those who benefit from the plan. Just like I don't think Nebraska should get special Medicaid breaks for Ben Nelson's vote, I feel that this bill should attempt to improve health care for all people, rich or poor.

The Left is mad because there is no public option and the right is mad because of new taxes and costs.

What should I do? Call Senator Bennett or Udall? Call Dianna Degette? Fat chance on them changing their minds.

What can I do? I can do what I can to improve my health! So far, I've pretty much stopped eating meat and a lot of fatty foods, so as to give my arteries a chance. So far, no weight loss and a lot of farting from all the plant fiber. But I feel my brain is sharper. I know there are some genetic and congenital diseases that simply require a lot of medical care. But for those of us who have problems caused by our lifestyle, we must change. I predict our government will fail us in Health Care...

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Press the reset button please

Obama heads off on his dubious trip to Copenhagen. This is not to say that I wish they could develop more clean energy sources, but it is difficult to get all these countries to agree on anything which will really cut greenhouse emissions. I believe that the problems will only get solved when new technologies become economical. Otherwise, big investments in the middle of a world recession will hamper recovery for the short term. I betcha the Chinese come out ahead of the technology race in the beginning.

Then there is Healthcare.... Yuck! Press the reset button, please! Whenever Senator Nelson faces re-election, he will face fierce opposition in his conservative state if he signs this monstrous bill. However I have more serious concerns than abortion - which is his sticking point.

Nobody wants some progress in health care more than chronically ill people like me. Don't get me wrong. I really wanted something to be crafted, which would solve problems. But I'm afraid this bill is too large, complex and contains too many compromises to please various groups. Plus, it will cost too much.

Just passing a bill to pass a bill or reaching an agreement on climate change in order to give people a false sense of progress is no good. It's got to be the right bill and the right pact on the climate. Otherwise, it will ruin us!


Tuesday, December 08, 2009

'Broad agreement' reached on Senate health care bill, says Reid

Hmmm.... Well I tell ya one thing, I could care less about abortion. I think it's fine for the bill to NOT pay for abortions. At least not any more than they do now. I'm amazed that this red herring (abortion) rears it's ugly head once again. Let them put this aside.

Well, I'm not so sure I will be happy if this passes anyway. I would really like for them to tackle components of healthcare separately. Like leave Medicare alone! The component I hope for most is exchanges for small business to be able to buy into insurance plans. And give hefty tax breaks to small business for insurance, too. And please, don't expand Medicare until the current system is fiscally solvent. Geez, I think I can wait 9 years for Medicare...

Well, if it passes, I will hope for the best, but am trying to get healthier just in case they screw it up.

Monday, December 07, 2009

The furror over global warming...

Now we hear about revealing e-mails from scientists urging each other to make their data support the P.C. view of global warming. This is not good as Obama heads to Copenhagen to work on a climate deal with other world leaders.

My view? Pollution and carbon dioxide emissions are not good, but they are not provable in terms of an impending catastrophe. I'd rather have Obama humiliated and discredited and the planet turn out to be O.K. in the long run. Ah, but some of those photos of melting glaciers and sinking islands are kind of convincing! And then, could the planet have some self correcting cooling mechanisms built into it? Certainly, in the past the planet has had large scale emissions from volcanoes and such.

What I'd hate to see is them stop working on alternative energy. I believe it is out there waiting to be harnessed and even if global warming proves to be a hoax, saving energy will eventually strengthen our economy. Alternatives to oil can only mean a more secure nation.

Where I have some questions is this cap and trade stuff. I'm not sure that it isn't just smoke and mirrors. When I save energy, I do it to save money! So far the only thing that has worked are these flourescent bulbs which are supposed to have mercury in them. Ah, but I think my energy efficient windows are saving energy, though my condo association pays the heat. But they do feel more cozy and I am hoping for the tax credit on them.

Ultimately, any alternative energy projects that can produce employment are a good thing. That's the way to look at it...