I didn't know when I'd finally see this, but here it is. Snow in Austin!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Death of Health Care Reform
"Conservatism is the domination of society by an aristocracy ... [it] is incompatible with democracy, prosperity and civilization in general. It is a destructive system of inequality and prejudice that is founded on deception and has no place in the modern world."
-Phil Agre
I've lost faith that there is going to be any meaningful health care reform anytime soon. It's not going to happen. I've got to give President Obama some credit for at least trying to make it happen. He got a lot farther than Bill Clinton did back in the 90's. The opposition was just too extreme. He had no no support from Republicans (naturally), but even some fellow Democrats wouldn't support health care reform.
I can understand the wealthy not supporting health care reform. After all, who is going to pay for it? Well, most likely, they are. Those people lucky enough to have incomes over 250 thousand a year. Most of us don't make this much. Actually, most of us don't even come close to making this. These are the people marching in the street opposing "Obamacare" and holding signs that make Obama look like Adolph Hitler. It's amazing, really, how people in this country continue to vote against their own best-interests.
I've resigned myself to the fact that one major illness in our family will bankrupt us. I remember my mother having a brain aneurysm back in the 1970's. She had to have brain surgery and was hospitalized for over 3 months. Could she have afforded that surgery now? Probably not. Under the current health care system, my mom probably would have died. I've come to accept that that is just the way it is. If you get sick, you'll either die, or go broke. One or the other. The best thing to do is just to try to keep yourself healthy. Some people will say it's our own fault that Americans are so unhealthy. We eat crap. Americans will deep fry virtually anything, including Oreo cookies. I keep seeing commercials for Jack in the Box's "Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger", with two meat patties, three strips of bacon, and bacon bits sprinkled all over the bun. Now...come on...people eating this are just asking for a heart attack.
I've tried to make a few healthier changes in my diet since I moved back to America. I don't drink nearly as much soda as I used to, for fear of getting diabetes. I now...maybe...will drink one can of soda per week. I don't eat red meat very often when I'm at home. We stick to mostly fish and chicken (although on weekends I may occasionally indulge myself with Texas BBQ.) So, my point in all of this is that I am trying to keep myself out of the hospital, because I know the consequences.
But, as unhealthy a country as we are, I will still and always support universal healthcare. It's a system that works and that people are happy with. In Taiwan, which has universal healthcare, over 70% of its population is satisfied with the healthcare system. Most of the world has universal healthcare. Who doesn't have it? The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not have a universal health care system.
I know I've written about this numerous times before on my blog, so I'll stop for now, unless by some miracle Obama succeeds and we actually see change. Until then, I'll just pray that no-one in my family gets sick.
(Picture: one of the many negative ads used to attack Obama's health care reform, using a cartoon from one of my favorite shows, "Futurama")
-Phil Agre
I've lost faith that there is going to be any meaningful health care reform anytime soon. It's not going to happen. I've got to give President Obama some credit for at least trying to make it happen. He got a lot farther than Bill Clinton did back in the 90's. The opposition was just too extreme. He had no no support from Republicans (naturally), but even some fellow Democrats wouldn't support health care reform.
I can understand the wealthy not supporting health care reform. After all, who is going to pay for it? Well, most likely, they are. Those people lucky enough to have incomes over 250 thousand a year. Most of us don't make this much. Actually, most of us don't even come close to making this. These are the people marching in the street opposing "Obamacare" and holding signs that make Obama look like Adolph Hitler. It's amazing, really, how people in this country continue to vote against their own best-interests.
I've resigned myself to the fact that one major illness in our family will bankrupt us. I remember my mother having a brain aneurysm back in the 1970's. She had to have brain surgery and was hospitalized for over 3 months. Could she have afforded that surgery now? Probably not. Under the current health care system, my mom probably would have died. I've come to accept that that is just the way it is. If you get sick, you'll either die, or go broke. One or the other. The best thing to do is just to try to keep yourself healthy. Some people will say it's our own fault that Americans are so unhealthy. We eat crap. Americans will deep fry virtually anything, including Oreo cookies. I keep seeing commercials for Jack in the Box's "Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger", with two meat patties, three strips of bacon, and bacon bits sprinkled all over the bun. Now...come on...people eating this are just asking for a heart attack.
I've tried to make a few healthier changes in my diet since I moved back to America. I don't drink nearly as much soda as I used to, for fear of getting diabetes. I now...maybe...will drink one can of soda per week. I don't eat red meat very often when I'm at home. We stick to mostly fish and chicken (although on weekends I may occasionally indulge myself with Texas BBQ.) So, my point in all of this is that I am trying to keep myself out of the hospital, because I know the consequences.
But, as unhealthy a country as we are, I will still and always support universal healthcare. It's a system that works and that people are happy with. In Taiwan, which has universal healthcare, over 70% of its population is satisfied with the healthcare system. Most of the world has universal healthcare. Who doesn't have it? The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not have a universal health care system.
I know I've written about this numerous times before on my blog, so I'll stop for now, unless by some miracle Obama succeeds and we actually see change. Until then, I'll just pray that no-one in my family gets sick.
(Picture: one of the many negative ads used to attack Obama's health care reform, using a cartoon from one of my favorite shows, "Futurama")
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Plane Crash in Austin
Sometime around noon today, as I was making lunch for me and Kyle (Sara was at school), my wife calls to tell me that there's been a plane crash in Austin. I didn't think too much of at first. But then she told me that it crashed right in the area we used to live. Not directly into our apartment complex, but about less than half a mile from there.
So I turn on the news, and sure enough, there's a picture of the plane crash all over the news. Not just the local news, but CNN. I recognize the building on fire as a place we used to drive by all the time.
Apparently, a man by the name of Joseph Stack, angry at the government (and the IRS in particular), committed suicide by deliberately slamming his small plane into the building.
The crash looked pretty bad, and I was prepared for the worst at the hospital. I was expecting a lot of patients to be here. Sure enough, once I got here, there were many patients in the ER, but none directly related to the plane crash. Instead, there were people in the ER who came in because they were "emotionally upset" about the plane crash, or they were complaining about the smoke in the air.
Ok, I can probably understand the smoke issue, but as for the emotionally upset? That's a head scratcher. I figured they must have Medicaid (the free, government insurance), because what rational person would deliberately take themselves to an ER, to be ridiculously overcharged, for what is basically rattled nerves?
On some level, I can empathize with the guy who did it. From his suicide note, it sounded like he had been screwed over by the government in some form or another since the 1980's. But still, killing innocent people isn't really the answer to your problems. Try going public, contact news consumer watchdogs, or even Michael Moore. There's always someone out there willing to stand up for the little guy.
So, for any relative out there reading this. Everyone here is fine. We now live a good 15 miles away from where the plane crashed. Luckily, it seems that no one was killed in the crash (other than the pilot), and hopefully the IRS office that was destroyed wasn't the same one that is holding onto our tax return! :)
So I turn on the news, and sure enough, there's a picture of the plane crash all over the news. Not just the local news, but CNN. I recognize the building on fire as a place we used to drive by all the time.
Apparently, a man by the name of Joseph Stack, angry at the government (and the IRS in particular), committed suicide by deliberately slamming his small plane into the building.
The crash looked pretty bad, and I was prepared for the worst at the hospital. I was expecting a lot of patients to be here. Sure enough, once I got here, there were many patients in the ER, but none directly related to the plane crash. Instead, there were people in the ER who came in because they were "emotionally upset" about the plane crash, or they were complaining about the smoke in the air.
Ok, I can probably understand the smoke issue, but as for the emotionally upset? That's a head scratcher. I figured they must have Medicaid (the free, government insurance), because what rational person would deliberately take themselves to an ER, to be ridiculously overcharged, for what is basically rattled nerves?
On some level, I can empathize with the guy who did it. From his suicide note, it sounded like he had been screwed over by the government in some form or another since the 1980's. But still, killing innocent people isn't really the answer to your problems. Try going public, contact news consumer watchdogs, or even Michael Moore. There's always someone out there willing to stand up for the little guy.
So, for any relative out there reading this. Everyone here is fine. We now live a good 15 miles away from where the plane crashed. Luckily, it seems that no one was killed in the crash (other than the pilot), and hopefully the IRS office that was destroyed wasn't the same one that is holding onto our tax return! :)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Recession Strikes Again
My sister just got laid off recently from her job in Dallas. This now brings the total to 4 people that I know that have been affected by the recession. Larry Fish, my ex-wife Amber, Jerry Yen, and now my sister. Both Amber and Jerry, last time I spoke to them, still have not found a new job. Jerry was studying to be a real estate agent. Amber had mentioned the possibility of getting a government job.
The economy does seem to be getting a little better, but not quickly enough. Everything that I've read lately seems to indicate it will be another two years before we start to see any positive change.
The economy does seem to be getting a little better, but not quickly enough. Everything that I've read lately seems to indicate it will be another two years before we start to see any positive change.
The hospital where I work, oddly enough, is still extremely understaffed. I couldn't understand it. With all the people out looking for work, why was it so difficult to fill positions here? I talked to one of the supervisors about it:
"Are people just not applying here?" I asked.
"Oh, they're applying." she replied. "We get about 1,000 applications a month."
The problem seemed to be the quality of the people applying.
"We get people coming in here wearing jeans and chewing bubble gum." she said. "Or, they just can't pass some basic aptitude tests."
It's amazing, really. With the economy the way it is, why the hell are people coming in for interviews chewing gum? Are people insane?
I wrote to my sister and told her she could apply here if she wanted, and I would do what I can to help her. My sister and I aren't on the greatest of terms, but it's not as bad as my relationship with my brother. We do actually still communicate with each other once or twice a year (usually on birthdays and Christmas.) I'm not sure she'd like working in the E.R. (pretty much the only department constantly hiring). She'd be around the homeless, the sick, the diseased, the mentally challenged, the bloody, and the vomit soaked masses. Quite a change of scenery from what she's used to. But you know, when times are tough, and you're desperate, anything is better than nothing.
Monday, February 15, 2010
The Water Trolls
Ever since we moved into our new house, we've been bombarded with salesmen trying to sell us a water softener. They call us. They come to the house. On Saturday, for example, we ran into one as we were leaving for the day. We told the guy we were busy right now, but would call him if we were interested. Once we came back later that day, the doorbell rings, and there's the salesman again. He was obviously trolling the area, and as soon as he saw our car in the driveway, his eyes probably lit up.
Reluctantly, we decided to let him come inside and test the water. The test, after all, was free, so we weren't obligated to buy anything.
Now, I'm quite aware of the fact that the water isn't good. We don't drink water from the tap. We buy bottled water, and we also use the Brita filter. So I knew, without a doubt, that this guy would say our water was bad. I mean, really, what are the chances of a water softener salesman coming to your house and saying "Your water is great! You don't need me at all! Bye!" I'd say the chances are zero.
So, the guy comes into the house, puts the water into these small vials, and starts dropping random chemicals into them. The guy looks like he's doing a chemistry experiment in our kitchen. The water changes color. Blue = good. Purple = bad. Of course it comes out purple. What a show! The kids are entertained, but I'm not. I'm just waiting for the hard sell, which comes shortly after.
He tells us that our water is too hard, and we need to buy an expensive softener. We can either pay $100 a month, for 5 years, or just buy the thing outright for around $5800. While he's talking to my wife, I go into the bedroom and start doing some research. One of the first things I find online is this, from an article called "Do you really need soft water?":
"How do you decide if you need soft water? Ask an expert. (By expert, however, I don’t mean the guy trolling your neighborhood hoping to sell you a purification system or a softener on high-interest payment plans. He will always tell you that your water is too hard to live with.)"
I go on to read that most water softeners should only cost between $800 and $1200. So $5800 seems a bit extreme to me.
So, for now, I'm just going to keep my hard water. It might not be the best water for our laundry and the dishwasher, but it seems like a luxury I can do without right now.
Reluctantly, we decided to let him come inside and test the water. The test, after all, was free, so we weren't obligated to buy anything.
Now, I'm quite aware of the fact that the water isn't good. We don't drink water from the tap. We buy bottled water, and we also use the Brita filter. So I knew, without a doubt, that this guy would say our water was bad. I mean, really, what are the chances of a water softener salesman coming to your house and saying "Your water is great! You don't need me at all! Bye!" I'd say the chances are zero.
So, the guy comes into the house, puts the water into these small vials, and starts dropping random chemicals into them. The guy looks like he's doing a chemistry experiment in our kitchen. The water changes color. Blue = good. Purple = bad. Of course it comes out purple. What a show! The kids are entertained, but I'm not. I'm just waiting for the hard sell, which comes shortly after.
He tells us that our water is too hard, and we need to buy an expensive softener. We can either pay $100 a month, for 5 years, or just buy the thing outright for around $5800. While he's talking to my wife, I go into the bedroom and start doing some research. One of the first things I find online is this, from an article called "Do you really need soft water?":
"How do you decide if you need soft water? Ask an expert. (By expert, however, I don’t mean the guy trolling your neighborhood hoping to sell you a purification system or a softener on high-interest payment plans. He will always tell you that your water is too hard to live with.)"
I go on to read that most water softeners should only cost between $800 and $1200. So $5800 seems a bit extreme to me.
So, for now, I'm just going to keep my hard water. It might not be the best water for our laundry and the dishwasher, but it seems like a luxury I can do without right now.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Week 2: The Death Car, Obama, & Oscar
Back in August, Christy and I bought a new car. A 2010 Toyota Corolla. This is just one of the many Toyota models that has been recalled for having a pedal that might possibly get stuck and cause sudden acceleration. I'm happy to report that we're all still alive after driving this car of death. We recently crossed the 5,000 mile mark, so we took the car in to get an oil change, and I asked them about a possible fix on our car. They didn't seem to have a clue what to do at this point. They informed me that we would "eventually" get a letter in the mail advising us to come in.
So...we're still driving our potential ticking time-bomb of a car. What else can we do? We don't have a second car yet. Honestly, though, I'm not overly concerned about it. It seems to be a very rare occurrence. Since my commute to work is mostly driving through farmland, I just tell myself that if my car won't stop, I'll just stick the car in neutral, and drive through the farms, trying to avoid cows and horses until I stop. Luckily, I'm not navigating the lethal freeways of Los Angeles anymore.
In other news, I've been encouraging Christy to take a second job working for the US census. She'd only have to do it part time, and she'd get some experience working a US "government" job. 10 years ago, the population of Manor was only around 1,300. This is the reason why Manor doesn't have a damn thing in this town. There is no major grocery store here. "Downtown" (if you can even call it that), consists of a couple of restaurants, a police station and courthouse, and a post office. That's it. I know, with all the development in the last few years, that the population here is much, much larger than 1,300. Hopefully, the census will show the actual number, and maybe we'll get some decent stores here.
I caught most of President Obama's "State of the Union" address last week. I found it rather funny when the Republicans didn't applaud when Obama stated he had cut taxes for 95% of working families. The Republicans are so freakin' stubborn in opposing everything that Obama wants to do, even though it seems to be the morally right thing to do. Why is the healthcare bill dying? The public option seems to be DOA, but they can't seem to even pass some basic healthcare reform, like allowing people with pre-existing conditions to get healthcare. I really, really hope that the two parties can get together and pass at least some sort of healthcare reform. For now, a little is better than nothing at all.
I also found it kind of sad that the only thing that John McCain found to complain about after the speech was the "gays in the military" policy. So what if gays want to join the military? Let them! Last I heard, the military was finding it hard to recruit people as it is. If gay people want to risk getting their heads blown off in Afghanistan, more power to them!
A lot of people have given up home on Obama after his first year in office. I haven't. Not yet, anyway. I knew he had a monumental mess to clean up once he came into office. When the national debt is in the billions (or trillions) of dollars, it takes some time.
Finally, I was a little more pleased this year with the Academy Award nominations. Last year, I hadn't seen any of the nominated movies, and this year I've seen 5 out of 10. "Avatar" seems to be a strong contender to win. Does it deserve it? Not really. "Avatar" is a good movie, but not Oscar-worthy. After I saw it, I told Christy that I liked "Titanic" better. If I were voting, I'd give the directing award to James Cameron, but vote for "Inglorious Basterds" as best picture.
So...we're still driving our potential ticking time-bomb of a car. What else can we do? We don't have a second car yet. Honestly, though, I'm not overly concerned about it. It seems to be a very rare occurrence. Since my commute to work is mostly driving through farmland, I just tell myself that if my car won't stop, I'll just stick the car in neutral, and drive through the farms, trying to avoid cows and horses until I stop. Luckily, I'm not navigating the lethal freeways of Los Angeles anymore.
In other news, I've been encouraging Christy to take a second job working for the US census. She'd only have to do it part time, and she'd get some experience working a US "government" job. 10 years ago, the population of Manor was only around 1,300. This is the reason why Manor doesn't have a damn thing in this town. There is no major grocery store here. "Downtown" (if you can even call it that), consists of a couple of restaurants, a police station and courthouse, and a post office. That's it. I know, with all the development in the last few years, that the population here is much, much larger than 1,300. Hopefully, the census will show the actual number, and maybe we'll get some decent stores here.
I caught most of President Obama's "State of the Union" address last week. I found it rather funny when the Republicans didn't applaud when Obama stated he had cut taxes for 95% of working families. The Republicans are so freakin' stubborn in opposing everything that Obama wants to do, even though it seems to be the morally right thing to do. Why is the healthcare bill dying? The public option seems to be DOA, but they can't seem to even pass some basic healthcare reform, like allowing people with pre-existing conditions to get healthcare. I really, really hope that the two parties can get together and pass at least some sort of healthcare reform. For now, a little is better than nothing at all.
I also found it kind of sad that the only thing that John McCain found to complain about after the speech was the "gays in the military" policy. So what if gays want to join the military? Let them! Last I heard, the military was finding it hard to recruit people as it is. If gay people want to risk getting their heads blown off in Afghanistan, more power to them!
A lot of people have given up home on Obama after his first year in office. I haven't. Not yet, anyway. I knew he had a monumental mess to clean up once he came into office. When the national debt is in the billions (or trillions) of dollars, it takes some time.
Finally, I was a little more pleased this year with the Academy Award nominations. Last year, I hadn't seen any of the nominated movies, and this year I've seen 5 out of 10. "Avatar" seems to be a strong contender to win. Does it deserve it? Not really. "Avatar" is a good movie, but not Oscar-worthy. After I saw it, I told Christy that I liked "Titanic" better. If I were voting, I'd give the directing award to James Cameron, but vote for "Inglorious Basterds" as best picture.
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