Stuff

Bullets in a box. Yes you may save the pic to somewhere in your computer, caption it if you want to, and upload it to social media. Link back to this blog is not necessary. As usual, copyright monopolist trolls are unwelcome here. I took the photo myself and I can prove that. So go away.

     Measles Outbreak: I noted with interest the measles outbreak, particularly in California. I suppose that the reason is actually "reasons" and therefore multi-factorial. Having said that, I have to admit that my first inclination was to blame the "Vaccines cause autism" crowd in general and Jenny McCarthy in particular. [To be fair, hers is the only name that I associate with this issue]. I was also horrified to discover that one of the Wahlberg brothers married her and that they now have their own show. I remember hearing or reading somewhere long ago something like "Love is blind and marriage is an institution for the blind." On the other hand, politics and mystical false medical beliefs aside, I know nothing about Ms. McCarthy the human being so I will stop myself here. Except to note that I am no fan of the organization that I associate with her-- something about autism squeaking-- and that's all about that.

     I am Charlie Hebdo: I'm not Charlie Hebdo. My take on this as an American is absolute horror that twelve people lost their lives over cartoons in a magazine that regularly publishes satirical cartoons. Seriously, if you don't care for the material that a magazine publishes then quit reading that magazine. To persist is a form of mental masturbation.

     Disability Services: It's a continuing saga which appears to be full of disconnects and non-connects, at least for me. Hey, if you aren't going to help me, then don't hinder me. Get out of my way.

     "Free" Community College: It's a nice thought. I want to know more about how Obummer is planning to have this one paid for. Dad used to tell me that there is no such thing as a free lunch. The other problem is the sense of entitlement that this sort of thing will foster in a society that is already full of people thinking that they are owed that free lunch.

     Guns: I like guns. I think hunting is cool so long as the hunters et. al. actually eat the animals they shoot. It's people that need control, not guns. And not all people either. Just a few people. 

     The Government: Less government, more fun. The government should stay out of healthcare, out of the marriage business altogether, out of spying on the citizens. And now Obummer [once again] is calling for "hackers" to be prosecuted under RICO. The political insanity does not end.

                                      radical sapphoq

     

If You Have a Traumatic Brain Injury...

If you have a traumatic brain injury [and/or other disabilities], be prepared to be royally screwed by your medical insurance. Particularly if you are on Medicare but not yet sixty-two and therefore not qualified to apply for your state pharmacy discount program. And particularly if you are married, have some money in savings for emergencies, and have worked most of your life. More so if you are taking psych drugs and asthma drugs.

The donut hole is coming for YOU.

In May or June. Not in October or November.

Having been told that you absolutely do not qualify for the "help" to pay for your meds necessary for your life and well-being, you understand that you are to magically come up with 4500 or 4800 dollars to pay for the meds during your donut hole experience [the amount that you must pay until your "catastrophic" medicine coverage will kick in].

Death panels? You know they are already here. They are called "medical insurance companies" and sometimes "Big Pharma."

You know that they want you to die.

A Bit on Autism

One summer some years ago, I had the privilege of being a companion to an autistic kid; and also of helping him in his morning summer school sessions.  We had much fun and I often think about him even now.

I dedicate this video to Brett.  Wherever you are Brett, I hope that you are not thinking of yourself as some fractured kind of puzzle piece.

We are who we are and being who we are is both freeing and terrifying.  Yet, I would have it no other way.





I found the video on you tube.  I thought that it gives a radical hopeful expression of things that helping professionals in their ignorance want to change and should not.

Let us celebrate our differences, embrace them.  By doing so, we can lead the way to a better tomorrow.

radical sapphoq

POOR SUFFERING INTERNET ADDICT 2/20/07

Respect is due to any man or woman who serves our country in times of war. Yet, the articles detailing a lawsuit brought on by a guy who had a 65K a year job over at I.B.M. left me shaking my head. He claims to be an internet addict who was self-medicating via a sex talk chat room during downtime. What is at stake is a smooth 5M.

I.B.M. says the guy was warned four months prior to the incident that got him canned, one year before he would have been eligible for full retirement. Guy says there is age discrim at play and of course he should have been offered a chance at treatment via a sex addictions/internet addiction rehab. [Tasteless joke censored about what group therapy at such places must be like.] Guy further states that he was using the sex chatroom that day to treat his P.T.S.D. which was brought on by the death of a buddy in Nam.

radical sapphoq says: The excuse is lame. Guy should get a different lawyer.

MORE MESSING WITH HEALTH CARE SICKNESS 1/26/07

Our politicians are at it again. President Bush wants to re-vamp medical insurance in such a way that would involve tax cuts for those buying into less-comprehensive less-expensive policies. There are perceived advantages for part-timers perhaps. And some threats and fears. Some critics have speculated that employers will not continue to fund most of the expense for health care, for example. Then there is the rising cost of health care coupled with inflation. The insurance companies themselves are not crying "foul" but the proposal has already been sacked in Washington.

As expected, most of the Dems don't want anything to do with the plan proposed by Bush 41. The current three Dem contenders for the 2008 race have different plans. Clinton as in Hill the Pill wants universal health care for all, Obama wants it for all within the next six years, and Edwards is willing to increase our spending deficit to do it.

Ted Kennedy naturally wants to expand the public dole by putting everyone on Medicare. As much as I have my reservations about Bush's idea, I sure don't think Medicare for all is a great thing to do. Folks I know who have been forced onto Medicare due to disabilities are complaining that they are getting large doctor bills. Medicare does not pay the physicians "enough" so instead of writing off the rest to taxes, many physicians are billing their patients for what Medicare will not pay.

Medicare is a busted system and fixing it does not mean opening the doors for everyone to get it. Universal health care was a flop when proposed once before. Focusing on getting health care for all American children has garnered popularity as a feel-good thing to do. Not as "the right thing to do." Unfortunately, the Bush 41 plan would strip some coverage mandates-- preventative care in some cases and treatment to keep people from killing themselves in others.
I believe in preventative care and certainly in treatment for mental health disorders. Yet, I think that the Bush 41 proposal should be the subject for serious study of how to tweak it in order to make it workable.

Once again, radical sapphoq wishes to remind all the universal health care advocates that there will be no universal health care in this country unless it provides as good or better as what the rich folks currently have. No rich folk want to give up what they got. As far as ownership vs. entitlement, radical sapphoq is squarely on the ownership side of things but thinks that the Dems prefer entitlements.

radical sapphoq