I will post more next week.

I want to calm my pain down a bit and read Palin's book. I've certainly seen enough exerpts. I may put my amature fact-sleuthing skills to work and see what's what. And maybe put in a cocktail recipe or two.

SI Joint injection failed big time.

Trying hypnosis next - it worked with a bone marrow biopsy, so I'm hopeful.

SI-Joint injection tomorrow.

Since Gumby Syndrome (aka Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) has been the bane of my existance lately, posting is going to be haphazard until everything settle down, which should be sometime later this week. Or next.

Gimme Healthcare: Only in America!

Short and sweet tonight, because, forgive my french, my ass hurts. I have a fusion scheduled for February, an until then the pain looks as if it will get to the intolerable level. I could have had the surgery in June, but it would have bankrupted us. Who am I kidding it probably still will.

Only in America!

• Did you know investment banks are buying life insurance policies in lots, and betting on when people will die? Yup. They are.
  
  Only in America!
  
  
• Did you know accepting treatment for a rape is a preexisting
  condition and grounds for insurance denial? Yes, that's true.
  
  Only in America!
  
  
• Did you know an insurance company can ask a woman who has had previous c-sections to be sterilized before they will insure her? Yes, that's true.
  
  Only in America!
  

Big surprise: AHIP doesn't like HCR

Well, duh. What a surprise. Why would "America's Health Insurance Plans" be in favor of reform if it doesn't benefit their bottom line? After all they are an industry trade group.

A good rule of thumb is that when a "pro-reform" group is comprised of groups that are going to be reformed, look deeper. They usually aren't what they seem.

We still need single-payer system, regardless of what reform we end up with now.

Am I dreaming? No. Nobel Peace Prize Winner Barack Hussain Obama? Yes!

I really thought I was sleepwalking and had stumbled onto the Morning Joe set. The Loki mewed and I realized I was in my living room (whew!). Obama had won the Nobel Peace Prize and Loki was not pleased that I had sat down on top of him.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Wait a minute! OUR PRESIDENT WON THE NOBEL F#@KIN' PEACE PRIZE!!!!!!!

To all of you naysayers, look - he was nominated by complete strangers just weeks after his inauguration, but the committee had nine months to evaluate, investigate, prognosticate and deliberate. If they think he should get the Peace Prize, then by-golly, he's gonna get the Peace Prize. He knows he's got a lot to live up to, and he deserves our support because in the duly-elected President of the U.S. of A., and whether you like him or not, as an American, you should support the Office of the President; obviously the rest of the civilized world does.

Later on in the Day Rachel Maddow had a really good taped bit, so I posted hers rather than Morning Joe's.

CRWL 's Center for Reducing Health Disparities

Case Western's Center for Reducing Health Disparities is a site that is worth looking into.

Hear are just of few issues that they cover, which includes links to their source material.

• Breast Reconstruction Varies By Race
  Receipt of breast reconstruction varied significantly by patient race/ethnicity (40.9% of whites, 33.5% of African Americans, 41.2% of highly acculturated Latinas, and only 13.5% of less acculturated Latinas; P < .0001). Nearly 14% of less acculturated Latinas said they did not know how to get breast reconstruction, compared with less than 2% for all other groups (P<.001). The differences in survival by race actually appeared to have more to do with the hospitals than the patients themselves. Potential racial differences in access to care or preferences have been used to explain disparities in treatments and patient outcomes. But these are not likely to influence treatment in cardiac arrests since patients were already in the hospital and care of these patients is pretty clear" states Chan.
• Black Patients Experience Worse In-hospital Cardiac Care, Lower Chances Of Survival Medical News Today highlights a new study published in the September 16th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. This study points to significant disparities in the rates of successful resuscitation for black patients, making them less likely to survive an in-hospital cardiac arrest compared to white patients.
• Race is a factor in the severity of lupus
  Recognizing the early symptoms of lupus and referring to specialists can reduce setbacks in adequate treatment options. Graciela Alarcón, M.D., a professor of epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham explains. Rheumatologists are aware of the differences in severity and outcome of lupus among patients of different racial groups," said Graciela Alarcón, M.D., a professor of epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. However, she said that these differences are not common knowledge among "general practitioners who are the ones more likely to encounter patients at disease onset when disease manifestations may not be so obvious.

I want to see how Health Care reform will affect these disparities. Whether we are rich or poor, black or white, we should all have the same high level of health care.

More Republican dog and pony show.

Right now (as in live), there is a resolution being introduced to remove Charlie Rangel (D-NY) from his chair of the Ways and Means committee. Lots of allegations, lots of media references (now the Republicans like the New York Times and the Washington Post), no actual charges, no actual trial. I'm not a fan of Charlie Rangel, but this is ridiculous. Did he do bad things? So why not investigate and try him?

There is a double standard in Washington. It seems to be OK to buy off a mistress's family and arrange for her husband and son to get cushy jobs. Also it seems to be OK to visit prostitutes if you are a Louisiana Republican, but not if you are a New York Democrat.

Whereas, let those without sin, cast the first stone.

It's a rainy, rainy day!

Step 1: find comfortable position setting for the chair: done
Step 2: find computer desk that is right height: seeking, seeking, seeking...

In the meantime,

Still sending those cards and letters to congresscritters in favor of a strong public option, with no triggers.

What have you been doing?

Sorry I've been rarely posting

Cervical radiculopathy is a real bummer, but is an opportunity to redecorate. I hope the cats like the new computer table.

Wage Theft in America

Every once in a while, things conspire to toss something into my life from several directions at once. This time it's a book, Wage Theft in America by Kim Bobo. Within the past twenty-four hours I've had two emails from two different people (who don't know each other) and come across a diary on Daily Kos about this book.

Kim Bobo is the the founder and executive director of Interfaith Worker Justice, an organization founded in 1996 to protect worker rights and encourage faith organizations to become involved in worker rights issues.

I haven't read this book yet, but it is definitely going on my "must read" list.

Crossposted at Bovina Sancta.

"Specter for the Cure" website changed

Apparently there have been complaints about the way the site played down Specter's plea for fundraising and up the "Cure Awareness Network" aspect of "Specter for the Cure". Some complaints are being directed at the FCC, so my gut feeling is the site could be a goner and might be taken down within the week.


The text on the first page has changed since yesterday afternoon. It now begins with


"In 2010, Arlen Specter will seek re-election to the United States Senate. With his unsurpassed record of support for medical research, helping to return Senator Specter to the Senate is a powerful statement on behalf of those suffering with disease. The purpose of this web site is to encourage support for Senator Specter's mission to improve America's health by helping assure Senator Specter's re-election."


(snip)


On Specter for the Cure, you, and every American who cares about someone who is ill, can take the giant leap for progress...Without Arlen Specter back in the Senate to see it through, Specter for the Cure could be lost to the ordinary politics of Washington that kills real change.


OK, that's still a FAIL because it comes across as "re-elect Specter or people will die".


Google Specter for the Cure and you won't find much support for site, but a lot of "hey, this thing is fraud" type entries. Which is a shame because CAN, the Cures Acceleration Network is a bill Specter intends to introduce, one that could do a great deal of good in promoting research to treat and hopefully cure many diseases.


Maybe it's just me, but I think he takes his reelection more serious than curing my lupus.

Arlen Specter, this is just fraud.

I voted for Arlen Specter when I lived in PA. To me it seemed he listened to his constituents views and actually took them into consideration. I didn't agree with some of his views - I'm a liberal pro-choice Democrat - but I also realized that there would never be any person whose views would match mine 100%. So I voted for the person I thought would be the best for my state.

I didn't expect Specter to change his views when he joined the Democratic party. But I did expect him to stay the fundamentally honest person he always was. Until I saw this ad for Specter for the Cure. If one were to judge by the title one would think that is an advocacy group of some sort.

Scrolling down the page, comes the answer to what Specter for the Cure really is: a fundraising site for Arlen Specter. Here's the blurb on page one that gives up what the site is really about, in down near the bottom:

Specter for the Cure - Cures Acceleration Network (CAN) Act Turning Research into Cures

(snip)

Senator Specter has launched “Specter for the Cure”, a bold new initiative to reform our government’s medical research efforts, cut red tape and unstrangle the hope for accelerated cures.

The sufferers of cancer, autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and too many other afflictions have waited long enough. It’s time we unleashed the cure.

The centerpiece of Specter for the Cure is legislation to transform medical research by creating the Cures Acceleration Network (“CAN”) – a new institution, answering to the President of the United States, the sole mission of which is to turn medical research into disease cures.

(snip)

In 2010, Arlen Specter will seek re-election to the United States Senate. Without Arlen Specter back in the Senate to see it through, Specter for the Cure could be lost to the ordinary politics of Washington that kills real change.

(snip)

Become a member, today, of Specter for the Cure. Please contribute to Senator Specter’s re-election Committee – Citizens for Arlen Specter. All contributions, of any amount, will be gratefully welcomed. Those who sign up to donate $10 each month for ten months, will receive members only information on the Senator’s effort to transform medical research and accelerate cures.

Tell the Congress, the President, and the world, that the time to accelerate cures has come.

Together, we “CAN” do it

This is a screenshot of the contact page. There is no way to tell that this site is a fundraising site for Arlen Specter, just a contact for "Specter for the Cure".

This is a deceptive way to raise money for a 2009 run. The group running this website is "Citizens for Specter", the same fundraising group that raised money for Specter in 2008. Most people don't read the fine print on fundraising ads, but this is a prime example of why people should.

Shame on you, Arlen Specter.

Dear Senator Specter

Welcome to the Democratic Party! I lived in Philadelphia for many years and you were the only Republican candidate I ever voted for. You always seemed to listen to your constituants and overall, we (Democrats and Republicans) were pleased, otherwise we wouldn't not have reelected you so many times. You actually served your constituants, which somepeople might consider a novelty in this hyperpartisan age.

I know you are now what is considered a center right Democrat and there is one issue I want to nudge you on: EFCA. I know you don't like it, but Americans need EFCA to ensure they have a real choice when it come to union membership. Having the Republicans lie about the fact no secret ballet elections will be allowed is a fallacy that needs to go away. Even if you are opposed to EFCA, if you could present the facts, that would be a good thing.

Health care reform or smoke and mirrors?

This is going to be short since I have to get to PT.

I received an email from Healthcare-Now! this morning. I have bolded the bits that I think are important.

We need your help getting a single-payer supporter into Senate Finance Committee roundtable discussions on healthcare reform. The Finance Committee (Led by Sen. Max Baucus - MT) is holding three roundtable discussions on healthcare reform in the coming weeks.

The first discussion, titled “Reforming America’s Health Care Delivery System,” on April 21st, had thirteen witnesses. Aetna was there. Blue Cross Blue Shield was there. But not one single-payer supporter was invited.

This is unacceptable. We need to make sure our representatives respond to the demands of the people. Together, let’s put the Senate Finance Committee to the test and demand they include single-payer experts at the upcoming Roundtable discussions on health reform.

The next two discussions are on May 5th(”Increasing access to health care coverage”) and May 14th (”Financing comprehensive health care reform”.

Here is the link for Healthcare-NOW! that includes more information. If your congressperson is on this committee, please write them and let them know you support Single-Payer healthcare for the American people. Americans deserve no less.

Good Monday!

It's been awhile due to a biceps tendon causing lots of pain. I had a biceps tenodesis performed on March 6th so I am on the road to recovery.

It's been fun (and frightening) to watch the economy these days. Could the Republicans and Conservadems (thanks Rachel Maddow for that great word) possibly be more obstructionist? The seem so intent on being the contrarians that they are forgetting their slowing down what the administration wants to do is slowing down the recovery for their constituents. I'm not sure they are know the meaning of the word constituent, but it means the people who vote them in (and OUT) every so often. These people are losing their jobs, their homes, their medical care, and you are playing politics?

Here a hint: start playing nice with others and solve this economic mess that was caused years of deregulation and people being downright greedy.

Things I read in the paper, 02/18/09

New Tolkien book is due

It's about time! I mean, how often can a person reread the Trilogy? The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun predates Rings. My guess is , judging by the names, there's a little Norse influence here. Tolkien wrote it in the 1920's and '30. Now the hard part: we have to wait until May. It's just like waiting for the Star Wars opening, but I don't know if people will wear costumes for this.