Scrubs

Almost any clinic you go to you will find the staff dressed in uniform scrubs. They look neat and clean and give the impression that everything is sanitary and professional. I've always had the mental image that all these folks went through a "George Jetson" type decontamination process each morning that ended with those tidy scrubs being applied without them even being touched by human hands. So you can imagine my frustration when I see scrubs in the grocery store, tables full of scrubs in the restaurant at noon, scrubs at the gym and even folks in scrubs walking the dog picking up a bag of poop in a tidy little bag. The magic of the scrubs has been lost. And now I tend to look closely at those scrubs that are in the clinic. I notice little stains, the occasional loose hair, the smell of cologne or even ground in dirt that didn't come out in the last home wash. Then I look around at the floor and I'm guessing that wasn't automatically steam cleaned just before I arrived either. Ignorance is bliss they say. I am by no means a germaphobe, but I think I was happier when I imagined scrubs where only worn once and destroyed by incineration.

Variety - a Suggestion Not a Rule

I am not a picky eater and have always believed that variety is the spice of life. Several years ago I started eating yoghourt for desert instead of ice cream thinking it was possibly a healthier choice. I'd go to the store and pick 2 blueberry ones, 2 strawberry ones, maybe a vanilla or I'd try some other fun flavors. But when I went to enjoy one I always got a little disappointed when I realized the blueberry ones were gone. Or I'd see the blueberry one but figure I should try one of the others instead. Oh I enjoyed the other flavors too but just not as much. I did this for quite a while before I finally said to myself "Denny (I call myself Denny sometimes) - why don't you just by the blueberry ones?". I've never been happier.

Another One Way Contract

I'm one year into a 2 year contract with my satellite TV service and suddenly my bill just increased $8 a month. How is it that they can raise the price but I can't go somewhere else without paying an early termination fee?! These service contracts are totally unfair and in no way reflect a free market system.

I Will Always Love you

This TV Character is one of the main reasons I knew for certain I was gay. I was head-over-heals in love with Mike Seaver on Growing Pains when I was a teen. Now I find out the real life person behind the character has a big problem with homosexuality. Sorry Kirk - that doesn't make me any less gay and I still think you are just as handsome as an adult. I can't change you - you can't change me.

Lover the hater - hate the hate.

Election Gas (part 2)

Republicans believe they are the party of business yet they seem to have a big problem understanding the concept of supply and demand. I'm listening to another round of pompous acceptance speeches where they all think they won the primary and there is one theme they all agree on. That common theme is that Obama has caused this price hike by not allowing drilling in the gulf after the oil spill and requiring a proper environmental study for the pipeline. Their supporters are eating it up and cheering away! But there is a big problem with that lie. It's a lie. There is no shortage of oil right now (yet) and according to several articles I read the projections for demand are being downgraded slightly. That means that there is plenty of supply and not as much demand. Any economist would agree that should mean dropping prices. I'll cover the real reason for the high prices in a bit but my question is how can these candidates for President of the United States of America get away with telling lies like that?! And sadly, it is not the only lie they are telling. Their entire campaigns are based on lies and misinformation that is twisted to please their cheering fans. And it is all supported by gigantic Super PAC funds. Is this how we want our country run?! No thank-you.

So why are gas prices so high? The real answer is speculation (which I think should be illegal) and politics. There is no doubt that high gas prices will reflect badly on President Obama because typical Americans believe the President has control over those prices. The truth is that presidents don't have that kind of control over gas prices. However, political parties do. It is a common fact that most American oil companies are owned by Republicans and those oil companies are members of OPEC and OPEC does have control over the price of oil. OPEC has the power to override the rules of supply and demand - at least temporarily - and you better believe they will use that power to affect a very crucial election. If you don't believe me - take a look at gas prices over the course of the Bush administration. The prices raised considerably (for no apparent reason) during the middle parts of political terms and then dropped suddenly at critical election times. Then rose again after the election and dropped again for the next one. It was amazingly obvious for those of us paying attention (http://denbec.blogspot.com/2008/08/election-gas.html). Well I'm still paying attention and this current rise is completely political in my opinion.

Religious Freedom

Since when did the definition of religious freedom become "You must agree with my religion"?

In this world of global communication it has become painfully obvious that the world is filled with different cultures and beliefs. None can be proved right - or proved wrong.

We MUST peacefully co-exist. It is our only option.

Economy saved by Super PACs

I find it sweetly ironic that the huge amount of money flowing through the political Super PACs is very likely affecting the overall economic picture in a positive way. They are spending all that money to try to illustrate that President Obama has failed the economy - meanwhile, all that money is actually helping improve the overall economic picture making the President look even more successful.

It is the ONLY good thing I have to say about Super PACs - but it is kinda fun isn't it?!

Nationalized Health Care Applies to Only You

Over the last several weeks the Catholic Church has been concerned that the new health care mandates will force them to pay for things for which they are morally opposed. It has become a hot topic amongst presidential candidates including President Obama. The administration has revised the mandate to try to accommodate the concerns of the Church but they refuse to be satisfied with any compromise. I believe their objections - along with many of their claims on what the mandate covers - are false and I'll explain why.

For any insurance policy to work, it needs to cover a large group of people to balance the risk. Not everyone will get sick but they still pay in to cover the unfortunate that do have health issues. However, just because all the money goes into the big pot doesn't mean that you agree with - or are associated with - where the money is spent. I pay my part - and my part covers me. You pay your part and your part covers you. Therefore, if the Catholic Church - and it's associated employees - pay into the system - it covers them. If the Church is successful in it's teaching of abstinence before marriage (or whatever their moral teachings are) then their own congregants will not be paying for contraception, sterilization or any other procedures they are morally against. They are only paying for their own part.

Meanwhile the person who takes advantage of the provided contraception has paid for their own coverage of that benefit. If they do not belong to the Catholic Church - then the Church did not pay for that benefit. However, if they are an active member of the Church and the Church fails in it's teachings of reproductive behavior, then the Church may in fact be paying for this contraception. In that case it is a failure of Church teachings that is the cause of the payment and not the mandate itself.

In order for the health care plan to work properly - the mandates need to be left in place. If the Catholic Church has a problem with their congregation not following their teachings, then they need to deal with that internally. The Catholic Church is only the first to object, but mark my words - more will try. Allowing exemptions to the mandates weakens the entire system. Perhaps that is the real goal of their objection.

Another point. The Catholic Church is a world wide organization and many other countries already have nationalized health care that likely includes mandates covering things the Church is opposed to. America is not the first to propose such mandates and the Church has been involved for many years already. Their objection now seems more political than simple moral accountability.

13,000 not really good news.

Today the stock market briefly went over 13,000. While I am very thankful that the economy seems to be - ever so slowly - recovering from the massive crash of 2008, I think this level of stock activity is unrealistic and sign that the economy is still very much broken. Especially when your Basic Average Dude is still struggling to get my finances in the black. I also think the stock market will be poised for another crash if this fake level continues. I first wrote about it here in 2009:

http://denbec.blogspot.com/2009/10/over-priced-again.html

"Ever so slowly" is actually a better sign of real recovery in my opinion.

Alien Newt

I was watching the original Men In Black (MIB) this weekend. I had to chuckle when they showed the aliens most closely monitored. And this was way back in 1997!

Ones and Zeros

I do not understand why my printer is having difficulty installing under Windows 7 when it worked so perfectly under XP. It's all ones and zero's folks - this isn't rocket science!

The Big Lie (One Of Many)

I saw this today in the parking lot of the Firestone station that was fixing my tire. Someone has been duped - big time. This idea that companies are moving their operations overseas because of excessive taxes is a big lie. And apparently it is working (on those that don't think for themselves). The truth is that American companies are moving their operations overseas because they can get cheap labor there - very cheap. Corporations can pay people in these 3rd world nations a few dollars a day to work 12 hour days - 6 days a week and maybe even more. These countries have few labor laws and extreme poverty and American corporations are taking advantage of this desperation in the name of higher profits. It has nothing to do with taxes. Even if these corporations had zero taxes - they would still be operating in these countries and simply add their tax savings on to their profit margin.

Now - about those taxes. American corporations use a lot of government services. It is their big trucks that are tearing up our roads. They use our ports, airports, and many other government run transportation for delivery of their goods. They also enlist the services of the fire department, police and other government agencies. I dare any corporation - even if they are operating overseas - to run their business without using any government resources. They can't! Therefore they must pay taxes to support this infrastructure. It cannot be the sole responsibility of the working poor to pay for our countries shared services. Those who profit from this infrastructure should be the first ones to help pay.

Corporations won't bring their operations back to the USA until American workers agree to work for the same wages as those overseas. No thank you! I'm strongly against turning America into a 3rd world country. In my opinion, corporations that move their operations overseas to take advantage of cheap labor or lower taxes are un-American. Not only should they be taxed - they should be fined!

I'd like to be known for who I am and what I do rather than what I have or some tattoo.

The Perfect Evangelical Candidate for President

For Evangelical voters who are looking for a Presidential candidate who has strong family and Christian values - they needn't look any further than the White House. President and Mrs. Obama are a shining example of what the Christian right thinks families should be. Liberal voters know that families come in many different forms, including single parents and gay parents. For liberal voters - those families are just as perfect. But if a "perfect two parent family" is all you can accept, then I urge you to watch this 20/20 Barbara Walters Special on the First Family. You would be hard pressed to find a better example on the Republican ticket.

Jesus was born naked in the sand - and that is how I intend to honor him today.

The Spenders

We have heard a lot over the last several years regarding the "Job Creators" ie rich folks. We've heard how they must be swooned, coddled and protected from any financial inconvenience so they can continue to create jobs. But the so called "job creators" are only one piece of the complicated puzzle we call economics. Another giant piece of that puzzle is the working middle class - those normal families trying to get by paycheck to paycheck. I call them "The Spenders". Without the commerce of day to day life of normal working folks - there simply is no economy. So, to improve the economy we must help the spenders spend. How? Easy. Get them more money. Not more credit - more money. There are really only two ways to do that - lower prices and/or higher wages.

Prices just continue to rise. And the only raise I've gotten in the last 5 years is from the Federal Government in the form of a payroll tax break that saved me over $1000 this year. Believe me when I say that made a significant impact in my very tight budget. Yes, I spent it - I had to. But while the job creators are clinging to their own multi-million dollar tax breaks, they want to take away my $1000 break that was supposed to be extended for another year. Somehow it doesn't seem fair.

The point is that the job creators do hold the reigns on economic recovery through job creation and government policies that affect the working middle class. Right now - quite on purpose I believe - they are pulling on those reigns and slowing the economy. The economy will not recover until they let go of the reigns and give the spenders the power to spend. But why would they purposefully slow the economy?

It is the one dollar question that is so easy to answer you surely don't need my help.

Magic in 3D

Awesome! I finally got to see a great movie on my new 3D TV. Last night I watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2. I had seen it in the theaters this summer and really enjoyed it - it is the best movie of the series. In fact you could watch just that one and get a short version of the entire saga. My "at home" experience was just as good as the theater version - maybe even better in some ways. I have to admit that 3D magic is better enjoyed with a glass of wine, a pause button for a bathroom break, a rewind button to thoroughly enjoy the great 3D scenes and a furry companion curled up next to me. Perfection.

Lots of Stupid Stuff

Well I just can't get enough of watching this reality TV show called the GOP Primaries! It is truly very entertaining. The funniest part is that none of the candidates are Tea Party enough for the Tea Party. But of course none of them would be unless Reagan or Jesus were on the ticket. But wait - both of them were pretty liberal compared to the Tea Party - especially Jesus so that wouldn't work. Today alone on CNN I heard 3 or 4 Tea Party folks tearing apart all the various candidates - and they had some pretty serious gripes! But - all can agree that no matter who the nominee finally is - they will all vote for that person instead of President Obama. Isn't that just a little sad, funny and scary all at the same time?! Meanwhile the sane folks are shaking our heads in disbelief that these people would vote for a terrible candidate - who would likely do terrible things for this country - just because they don't like the President. No TV writer could do a better job of writing a situation comedy.

Let's get back to Jesus for just a bit since it Tis the Season. Next time you see one of these GOP buffoons talking - just ask yourself "what would Jesus do?" I'll bet you dollars to donuts it wouldn't be what the presidential candidates are suggesting. Ask yourself the same thing when you hear President Obama talking. Hmmmmmm. Interesting

In other stupidity - are we really having a debate on whether to extend the payroll tax break?! Seriously?! This is so much of a no-brainer that you wouldn't even think they would need to meet to approve it. Yet it is a big topic of debate this week. Why? Because the GOP wants to attach a very controversial oil pipeline bill to to it. What?! You heard right. They can't hold Americans hostage unless they have something they want. So there you have it folks - the terrorists are back again - just in time for Christmas.

If the payroll tax cut doesn't get extended I wouldn't call it a tax increase - that is just silly word play. This would return taxes back to their previous rates - just like if the Bush tax cuts were to expire they would return rates to a previous level. It's not a tax increase. But it is fun to hear the President use the GOP word play back on them. But seriously folks - this is really important! That tax break was significant for me this year - it helped me and a lot of other people too. So GOP - put down the gun - er, I mean pipeline and pass the payroll tax break extension. It's the right thing to do.

Oh I could go on and on - so much stupidity - so little time.

The Right Answers

In my seemingly never ending search for the cause of a lingering abdominal pain, I had a colonoscopy done this week. I've had one before so I knew what to expect, but I will mention to anyone reading this that it's not a terrible operation and if you are scheduled for one - don't worry. However, I wouldn't plan any intimate dates for the previous day - the "prep" is not entirely pleasant.

ANYWAY.........

Prior to my procedure the very busy nursing staff buzzed around doing what they do best. It was like an assembly line in there with at least 10 patients queued up and when one went out another replaced them. It was really amazing to see the process. One nurse took to the computer and began asking me a long string of questions:

(Lots of questions prior to this then)

When was the last time I had solid food? Tuesday

What time? 11:30pm

Did you void before you came in today? Yes

Do you have any infectious diseases (and listed a few)? No

Do you have a living will? Yes

Are you an organ donor? Yes

At this point she turned to me and smiled and said - you have all the right answers! The questions continued.

That kind of made my day. :)

I wanted to take this opportunity to give my props out to the nursing staff at this hospital and to nurses everywhere. These are the true unsung heroes in our society. They deal with an insane amount of pressure, work long hard hours, all the while treating patients like people. And they do all this while making an average working person's salary. Doctors make all the money and have an ego to match, but it's the nurses who are the real champions in health care.

GOP Gripes Without Answers

I was just about to write on this exact subject - but this dude at CNN beat me to it and did a better job I'm sure. This is so relevant to me right now as I am being bounced from Doctor to Doctor trying to find an answer to a nagging pain in my abdomen. Nobody can seem to diagnose the pain in 6 months of being poked and prodded (literally) and the insurance co-pays and deductibles have seriously cut into my food budget. I've been prescribed antibiotics three times yet I have not tested positive for any infection. All this while listening to the GOP debates where every candidate yells to repeal "Obamacare" without any mention of an alternative.

This sentence best describes the article - please read the whole thing - it is important.

"The question is: What are GOP candidates saying when they promise to repeal health care reform but are silent on health care and poverty?"

The article is: Don't Take Away America's Healthcare Lifeline.

Health Care reform has only just begun. We don't need to step back - we need to move forward and quickly. Steps have been put into place to address insurance coverage for most Americans - next we need to address costs. It really should have been done the other way around by addressing costs first - but people die while debates take place. Let's not repeal "Obamacare" - let's revise it. Let's take a good thing and make it better.