Kudos for week of 4-30-08

Happy Birthday Tracy (bestfriend from gradeschool)

Shelby Steele- Author
Ryan Dobson - son of Dr. James Dobson and Shirley Dobson for his book Be Intolerant because some things are just stupid.
Trace Atkins dealing with the BSB (Backstreet Boys) on The Apprentice.
Jeanette Murphy - mother to 28 children, 24 of whom are adopted, many with special needs.
Marcia Richardson - For visiting Lewis & Clark gradeschool to discuss Organic foods.

Socialized Medicine

-The difference between taxing and owning our own health care.. The difference is choice. If we go universalized or socialized healthcare we will HAVE to pay for it. We will have to pay for it for others also. We will not have a choice of what do use that money for.

I do agree something needs to change.
A couple ideas-
1- Limits on malpractice suits would cause dr's to be able to pay less for their insurance and charge less to the patrons. No I do not think someone's life is worth over 1mill. If they are dead, and it is proved purposeful it is the DR's fault not their insurance company, nor ours. as we (the patrons) are ultimately paying. SO they should loose their license and face possible incarceration. Accidental is different, and yes I think malpractice insurance is good for these instances. But if it is an accident why does the dr get penalized, and in turn us? I agree with the insurance paying the medical costs, but so much is blurry when it comes to pain and suffering. Same goes for all insurance, if someone is following all traffic laws and slips on the ice hitting someone, causing an accident. Should the person that got hit try and get all they can, or get medical paid for, or somewhere in between? By medical I would include paying for longterm care if needed.

One needs to keep in mind.. Where is the money REALLY coming from.

2- Strengthen the Family. Think back to a time before nursing homes. Elderly were taken into their childrens' homes or children came to live and care for them. Family lived closer over the course of their lives.

3- Strengthen the community/Church. Those who are without family their community/church should step in to help.

4- Create lower benefit packages for lower prices. Not sure how low the price could get, but the benefits would be ONLY emergency care, and a deductible of 5k or so. Nothing else. Bare bone it. Ideally 50$ or less per month per family. Then allow us to go in like a smorgusboard and pick and choose what else we want added. If we want Prenatal care we pay X amount, if we want wellbaby checks we pay X amount per kid. etc. Same for Chiropractic or acupuncture etc.

5- All dr's take all insurances.

6- Make it so ALL hospitals/drs take payments of some reasonable amount. I do realize they need to earn a living, and are in charge of life and death. But everyone should be able to access a payment plan of sorts. Reversely we should be able to prepay this amount.


I really like the idea of Health Care spending accounts, as far as I can tell I think it would be a great choice for a lot of people.

Kudos for the week of 3-23-08

Giant microwave turns plastic back to oil

http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn12141-giant-microwave-turns-plastic-back-to-oil.html

Bible Events Proven -ongoing_

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a009.html
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a008.html
http://www.suite101.com/lesson.cfm/18327/1589
http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v22/i1/creation.asp
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab/does-archaeology-support-the-bible
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/nab/does-archaeology-support-the-bible
http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/historical-and-scientific-proof-of-jesus-faq.htm
http://www.kingsolomonsgate.com/
http://www.pacinst.com/
http://www.ichthus.info/Creation-Evidence/Polonium-Halos/intro.html
http://www.creationists.org/Robert_Gentry.html

Legalizing Drugs.. What would our forefathers think?

TO BE CONTINUED :)

First what did they think about using substances themselves, and secondly what did they think that government should do about it.
Benjamin Franklin-

"Be temperate in wine, in eating, girls, and cloth, or the Gout will seize you and plague you both."

Believed adhering to temperance in food and drink would aid in making adhering to the other virtues easier.


Other notable figures in History-
I like whiskey. I always did, and that is why I never drink it. ~ Robert E. Lee
http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/2s.htm - Aristotle



Government control of Temperance-

There is some rumor about what Abe Lincoln actually thought about Temperance.
So lets find out what our Forefathers really thought.

  "Prohibition...goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to
  control a man's appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things
  that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very
  principles upon which our government was founded."

     -- Abraham Lincoln
           December, 1840

This quote is said to be false.
Instead this is true
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/LincolnQuote/LPQ006.jpg

As far as I can find this is a legitimate quote
The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts as are only injurious to others. But it does no injury for my neighbor to say there are 20 gods or no God. It neither picks my pockets nor breaks my leg. Thomas Jefferson Notes on Virginia (1782)
(It is often used to support the Democratic Party. HOWEVER who is the party that wants more taxes. Are not taxes just legalized stealing? Especially if one has voted against the tax?)


Some interesting websites
http://artofmanliness.com/2008/03/02/the-virtuous-life-temperance/
http://www.all-creatures.org/murti/next-28.html
http://www.school-for-champions.com/character/franklin_virtues.htm
http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/samuel-adams/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founding_Fathers_of_the_United_States

Horton Hears a Who!

Love it love it love it. Go see it.
"A person's a person no matter how small." (though his widow disclaims it should be used for prolifers, it is a valid point and I love it anyway. And will take it as a pro-life message, regardless of what Seuss meant. He was right and didn't even know it ;))
http://www.answers.com/topic/horton-hears-a-who?cat=entertainment

"Even if you can't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

Thanks fox!

Kudos for week of 3-16-08

Regina Solominto - Spelling Bee winner

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080316/LOCAL18/803160393/1304/LOCAL

Bernie Karl - For his innovations in thermal energy
http://www.chenahotsprings.com/index.php?id=proprietors