Monday, April 19, 2010

Joe wants to "Keep Your Team Out of My Book"

I usually enjoy Joe Queenan's columns and essays wherever I encounter them, as well as his rare appearances on TV shows such as Bill Maher's Real Time on HBO. His essay in last Sunday's (April 18, 2010) New York Times Book Review is exceptionally funny, especially for baseball fans. Yankee-haters will laugh out loud love it. I have to say that even I laughed out loud several times; it is just a wonderful piece about cultural realities. A link to the essay is provided here. Enjoy!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Doctor Who?

So the country has a new health care law in place. Note that I did not write that the "nation" has a new "health care reform" law. First, I submit to you that the USA is NOT a nation, especially if you consider the animosity we direct to each other as recently exhibited by the so-called patriots of the Tea Party ilk. The USA does not support the classic definition of a nation as is taught in political science and political geography courses (except in Texas, but that is another story for another tirade). Nor has health care been "reformed." A single-payer or universal health care law would be health care reform; the new law reforms only certain aspects of health care coverage and insurance company policy. Much more has yet to be done.

I read this morning in that drearily middle-of-the-road rag known as the New York Times that some doctor in Florida placed signage on his door demanding that Obama supporters go elsewhere for their health care. Not so unusual here in Corvallis, OR where a much respected physician has refused to provide health care to me because I am too ill and take too many medications (I'll give you his name if you ask offline). Health care in this country must be really reformed so that people in Florida and Oregon (and the other 48 states, also - assuming that Rick Perry hasn't led Texas to secede this weekend) can be treated by any and all physicians. No physician should be allowed to practice if she/he chooses to refuse care based upon politics and disease!