While going through all the phone calls and trying to find answers and numbers online, I've come across two video clips from news channels. Both point out that huge Republican Party, Oil-Conglomerates, and multi-millionaire far right conservatives are funding these "Town Hall Storms" that essentially shout out the competition on Healthcare Reform.
Some groups actually bus people around so they can barracade the Town Hall, chase the Congressmen from and to their cars and yell during the meeting. The GOP's stance... these are just run of the mill average Americans voicing their opinion.
Wisconsin Mom or GOP Plant
Plot to Kill Old People
EDITS:
Great new story. Old people don't want government run healthcare. Old people are on Medicare.... which is government run healthcare. However, they think Medicare is OK. They don't want to change it. They don't want government run healthcare like Obama is suggesting....
WAIT? WHAT? (Halfway down, Rep. Gene Green D-Tex)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/opinion/07krugman.html?_r=2&ref=opinion
Friday, August 7, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Finding Healthcare for a Diabetic
I'm a Type I Diabetic (insulin-dependent). For ~14yrs I have given myself insulin injections daily to meet my insulin needs. Throughout these years I have encountered some of the most inane physicians and incredibly few credible doctors. In Wisconsin I met with an great Endocrinologist (Dr. Paul Reber) that told me I was on an archaic regiment. Later - after Dr. Reber had left my clinic - I struggled and had to frequently change my Lantus dosage and timing. Now, after five years of trying to get insurance to help pay for an insulin pump AND to cover a percentage of supplies to USE the pump, I have succeeded. My control is AWESOME! The first 3 months and my HA1C dropped 3.5points.
In truth, the quality Healthcare is what I depend on to keep my quality of life high. I am also well educated in biology of life systems (a Biochemist PhD and now PostDoc at Johns Hopkins Radiation Oncology). I know exactly what is out there and what can really be fundamentally good for my health. Unfortunately, health is another one of the areas where the rich get better "things". Good health has a price and rarely does it depend on 'knowing' whats best. It depends on if you can AFFORD what's best.
That insulin pump... that exact company and model... has been available for a little over 15yrs. I JUST GOT IT. My HA1C has always been high for the past 14yrs(Medtronic Paradigm). My sugars fluctuate daily and throughout the night. With mis-education and out-of-date therapy I was trapped in a circular decline in health and generally being treated as a problem and not a victim. Being able to precisely control injections and the frequency of injections would certainly have helped improve my health and in fact - IT DID IMPROVE MY HEALTH!!! I simply couldn't afford it until now. So my government and country let me rot in my own disease, which I did not cause, because I didn't have the money that others did. Money - unlike my mother's motto - really could buy happiness and it was exactly the kind of happiness I wanted.
So sitting here, I wondered what would happen to me without any insurance at all. Up to this point I complain like a war veteran. Speaking honestly, I have a very cushy stress-free life compared to most. I have job in a nice building, a beautiful wife, a clean and furnished apartment with food and water. And on top of it, I have Healthcare and Dentalcare. I am sitting on a gold toilet and pooping silver... what could I complain about?
Well.... what if I lost my job?
What if my next job didn't have Health Insurance?
What if I die and my job doesn't have Life Insurance?
So I went to find some answers. Just as a precaution. The story with Healthcare in the USA is stereotyped atrocities riddled with horror cases. Is it true or just hype? After watching "Sicko" and listening to the GOP rant about government control, who knew? I wanted to see what an educated, motivated, and technically savvy person could find online and on the phone. I went online first and then to the phones. What I found (our rather didn't find) was actually WORSE than I thought. The maze of confusion and ill-given direction was mystifying and boggling. What's worse was that everyone wanted to know my info (which I refused) and once I said diabetes, they really didn't care... "Oh........... you have diabetes.............. well then...... it really doesn't matter because you'll be declined."
I decided to write this down and to try and find some answers so that others might benefit. For myself, I hope to always have company provided Heath Insurance until I go on Medicare/Medicaide. But the future isn't destined. It just happens.
So follow as I post what I found and what you do if you find yourself without Healthcare. And while you read... consider how you could help relieve the stress by supporting the efforts to have a Public Option available to people who have a tough time finding Health Insurance. So many politicians are against that change because of the vast monies involved. And truly.... maybe we all would do the same! I mean really, the reason I'm pissed is because I can't afford what I need. If I could afford it, maybe I wouldn't care either?
I hope you do care. And I hope you follow, comment, and share your feelings.
In truth, the quality Healthcare is what I depend on to keep my quality of life high. I am also well educated in biology of life systems (a Biochemist PhD and now PostDoc at Johns Hopkins Radiation Oncology). I know exactly what is out there and what can really be fundamentally good for my health. Unfortunately, health is another one of the areas where the rich get better "things". Good health has a price and rarely does it depend on 'knowing' whats best. It depends on if you can AFFORD what's best.
That insulin pump... that exact company and model... has been available for a little over 15yrs. I JUST GOT IT. My HA1C has always been high for the past 14yrs(Medtronic Paradigm). My sugars fluctuate daily and throughout the night. With mis-education and out-of-date therapy I was trapped in a circular decline in health and generally being treated as a problem and not a victim. Being able to precisely control injections and the frequency of injections would certainly have helped improve my health and in fact - IT DID IMPROVE MY HEALTH!!! I simply couldn't afford it until now. So my government and country let me rot in my own disease, which I did not cause, because I didn't have the money that others did. Money - unlike my mother's motto - really could buy happiness and it was exactly the kind of happiness I wanted.
So sitting here, I wondered what would happen to me without any insurance at all. Up to this point I complain like a war veteran. Speaking honestly, I have a very cushy stress-free life compared to most. I have job in a nice building, a beautiful wife, a clean and furnished apartment with food and water. And on top of it, I have Healthcare and Dentalcare. I am sitting on a gold toilet and pooping silver... what could I complain about?
Well.... what if I lost my job?
What if my next job didn't have Health Insurance?
What if I die and my job doesn't have Life Insurance?
So I went to find some answers. Just as a precaution. The story with Healthcare in the USA is stereotyped atrocities riddled with horror cases. Is it true or just hype? After watching "Sicko" and listening to the GOP rant about government control, who knew? I wanted to see what an educated, motivated, and technically savvy person could find online and on the phone. I went online first and then to the phones. What I found (our rather didn't find) was actually WORSE than I thought. The maze of confusion and ill-given direction was mystifying and boggling. What's worse was that everyone wanted to know my info (which I refused) and once I said diabetes, they really didn't care... "Oh........... you have diabetes.............. well then...... it really doesn't matter because you'll be declined."
I decided to write this down and to try and find some answers so that others might benefit. For myself, I hope to always have company provided Heath Insurance until I go on Medicare/Medicaide. But the future isn't destined. It just happens.
So follow as I post what I found and what you do if you find yourself without Healthcare. And while you read... consider how you could help relieve the stress by supporting the efforts to have a Public Option available to people who have a tough time finding Health Insurance. So many politicians are against that change because of the vast monies involved. And truly.... maybe we all would do the same! I mean really, the reason I'm pissed is because I can't afford what I need. If I could afford it, maybe I wouldn't care either?
I hope you do care. And I hope you follow, comment, and share your feelings.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Follow the French
Ok... this is just too good to be true. This is the reason God made the French. There is a simplicity to their mindset, but not their minds, that allows complicated infrastructures and bulking tax laws while at the same time having concise perfectly worded answers to oppositions and conflicts.
Enter Executives that treat their workers like crap.
In the USA, we've taken pain-staking measures to prevent mistreatment by forming Unions, laws prohibiting overworking, minimum wages, workers compensation and the such. Decades of political battles and lengthy discussion have coalesced into a representable image of fair and equal blue collar policy.
Now the French... ahhhh, the simple life. They strike, protest, and take the Exec hostage until they agree to listen. Done. The most recent case is the French 3M Executive whom is currently being held hostage to negotiate better serverance packages.
I'm writing because this is both a mild shock and fast acceptance. I had no idea the French have been doing this on several occasions in the past, and at the same time I could completely visualize the entire event carried out by the French. Car-parts company Exec last year, Sony Exec 2 weeks ago, the 3M Exec yesterday.... I think Americans should take notes and that AIG Execs should really watch their backs. I worry that the Americans though, would take it too far and people WOULD get hurt, like what happened in India.
Sony Exec Released
3M Exec Held Hostage
The best part is the Police have decided not to interfere. FANTASTIC! For me, I can understand the front that it is a dangerous situation with broad impacts that the police do not want to make worse by going into the buildings armed. But really what I think is going on is that the Execs are overpaid, are never injured, and the French working population doesn't put up with ANY shit whatsoever without a fight. And the Police agree! So, until someone gets hurt, they're staying the hell out of it.
God how I miss France sometimes.
Enter Executives that treat their workers like crap.
In the USA, we've taken pain-staking measures to prevent mistreatment by forming Unions, laws prohibiting overworking, minimum wages, workers compensation and the such. Decades of political battles and lengthy discussion have coalesced into a representable image of fair and equal blue collar policy.
Now the French... ahhhh, the simple life. They strike, protest, and take the Exec hostage until they agree to listen. Done. The most recent case is the French 3M Executive whom is currently being held hostage to negotiate better serverance packages.
I'm writing because this is both a mild shock and fast acceptance. I had no idea the French have been doing this on several occasions in the past, and at the same time I could completely visualize the entire event carried out by the French. Car-parts company Exec last year, Sony Exec 2 weeks ago, the 3M Exec yesterday.... I think Americans should take notes and that AIG Execs should really watch their backs. I worry that the Americans though, would take it too far and people WOULD get hurt, like what happened in India.
Sony Exec Released
3M Exec Held Hostage
The best part is the Police have decided not to interfere. FANTASTIC! For me, I can understand the front that it is a dangerous situation with broad impacts that the police do not want to make worse by going into the buildings armed. But really what I think is going on is that the Execs are overpaid, are never injured, and the French working population doesn't put up with ANY shit whatsoever without a fight. And the Police agree! So, until someone gets hurt, they're staying the hell out of it.
God how I miss France sometimes.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Bob Beck Protocol Scares Patients into Paying!
Another unknown member on the list of "Snake-oil" Salesmen. Dr. Bob Beck (Physics Doctorate from Univ Southern Cali).
His claim to fame is the "Bob Beck Protocol" which has four easy steps to curing one's body of most forms of Cancer, the HIV virus, and many other notable aliments. First and foremost, the major principle behind this famous protocol is that "electrifying the blood" neutralizes the the virus particles by preventing them from adhering to the T-cell surface. This allows the expulsion of virus particles through the normal course of bodily excrement. No details needed at this point.
The second stage involves magnets. Pulsed magnetic fields are applied to "draw out" pathogens tucked away in regions with less circulation that aren't affected by the blood electrification. This added stage ensure the patient will completely rid the body of pathogens.
Ionic/colloidal silver is the third branch in the protocol. Colloidal silver is made using 99.99% pure silver wires, distilled water and an electrical circuit. Its a very simple process that you can do at home with the right equipment. The Colloidal silver was supposedly a great replacement for antibiotics in the past and has been used anecdotally since the 1930's. This would maintain your general health and prevent future infections.
The last step is fairly critical... during the expulsion process, the body will become over-ridden with the dying and dead pathogenic material. The previous three steps are so efficient that your body may not be able to keep up with kill counts! To aid in the destruction, the Beck Protocol has "Freshly Ozonated Water" which, like the silver, is easy to make at home with the right equipment. The Ozone in the water will accelerate the destruction of foreign materials and clench a healthy finish to the Bob Beck Protocol.
With these four steps, most-if not all-aliments, including HIV and Cancer can be cured from the comfort of your home for a small investment in equipment. So simple, its amazing the entire medical field isn't taking the hint.... Hahahahahahah.....
Now some downfalls of Dr. Bob Beck. I read through a biography of Dr. Bob, which written by Jane Stilwell, and I couldn't help but notice how outrageous his claims are. I particularly liked his "boosting IQ" by taking Glutamine (a common amino acid, which btw has many benefits but it won't raise your IQ) and his invention of the first camera flash unit (actual inventor is Dr. H.E. Edgerton of MIT whom died in 1990).
I state strongly that all of Bob Beck's work involving the study of disease has been unfounded, undocumented, and unvalidated in every aspect. Documentation is anecdotal at best and false at its worse. He makes use of "wives tales" such as the silver suspension, which was used in the early 1900's, but was also followed by medical studies to show the effects. The results showed that silver suspension have no beneficial effects and cannot be used as an antibiotic. In actuality, high doses of silver can result in illness (Argyria). My next comment concerns ozone. Ozone is a free radical and assuming you can create "ozonated" water DO NOT DRINK IT! Ozone interacting with normal tissue is damaging and a great deal of work has shown that ground level ozone is an increasing danger in our cities. The effects of ozone on healthy individuals is well documented, reproducible, validated by a plethora of scientific fields. Its bad for you! ALWAYS!
The blood work... completely unfounded. There are no publications of this technique to work against any pathogen in any peer-review science journal. Check out this guys response (Dr. Frascino).
Please... don't be fooled. This is posted to counteract some of the misinformed people which have been tricked by the hundreds of sites claiming fame to the "Bob Beck Protocol".
His claim to fame is the "Bob Beck Protocol" which has four easy steps to curing one's body of most forms of Cancer, the HIV virus, and many other notable aliments. First and foremost, the major principle behind this famous protocol is that "electrifying the blood" neutralizes the the virus particles by preventing them from adhering to the T-cell surface. This allows the expulsion of virus particles through the normal course of bodily excrement. No details needed at this point.
The second stage involves magnets. Pulsed magnetic fields are applied to "draw out" pathogens tucked away in regions with less circulation that aren't affected by the blood electrification. This added stage ensure the patient will completely rid the body of pathogens.
Ionic/colloidal silver is the third branch in the protocol. Colloidal silver is made using 99.99% pure silver wires, distilled water and an electrical circuit. Its a very simple process that you can do at home with the right equipment. The Colloidal silver was supposedly a great replacement for antibiotics in the past and has been used anecdotally since the 1930's. This would maintain your general health and prevent future infections.
The last step is fairly critical... during the expulsion process, the body will become over-ridden with the dying and dead pathogenic material. The previous three steps are so efficient that your body may not be able to keep up with kill counts! To aid in the destruction, the Beck Protocol has "Freshly Ozonated Water" which, like the silver, is easy to make at home with the right equipment. The Ozone in the water will accelerate the destruction of foreign materials and clench a healthy finish to the Bob Beck Protocol.
With these four steps, most-if not all-aliments, including HIV and Cancer can be cured from the comfort of your home for a small investment in equipment. So simple, its amazing the entire medical field isn't taking the hint.... Hahahahahahah.....
Now some downfalls of Dr. Bob Beck. I read through a biography of Dr. Bob, which written by Jane Stilwell, and I couldn't help but notice how outrageous his claims are. I particularly liked his "boosting IQ" by taking Glutamine (a common amino acid, which btw has many benefits but it won't raise your IQ) and his invention of the first camera flash unit (actual inventor is Dr. H.E. Edgerton of MIT whom died in 1990).
I state strongly that all of Bob Beck's work involving the study of disease has been unfounded, undocumented, and unvalidated in every aspect. Documentation is anecdotal at best and false at its worse. He makes use of "wives tales" such as the silver suspension, which was used in the early 1900's, but was also followed by medical studies to show the effects. The results showed that silver suspension have no beneficial effects and cannot be used as an antibiotic. In actuality, high doses of silver can result in illness (Argyria). My next comment concerns ozone. Ozone is a free radical and assuming you can create "ozonated" water DO NOT DRINK IT! Ozone interacting with normal tissue is damaging and a great deal of work has shown that ground level ozone is an increasing danger in our cities. The effects of ozone on healthy individuals is well documented, reproducible, validated by a plethora of scientific fields. Its bad for you! ALWAYS!
The blood work... completely unfounded. There are no publications of this technique to work against any pathogen in any peer-review science journal. Check out this guys response (Dr. Frascino).
Please... don't be fooled. This is posted to counteract some of the misinformed people which have been tricked by the hundreds of sites claiming fame to the "Bob Beck Protocol".
Friday, March 6, 2009
Lisa Hannigan caught my attention
Thanks to an LA friend, I was introduced to a fabulous singer/song writer named Lisa Hannigan. She used to sing with Damien Rice, but has since started her solo career which seems to be doing very well. The video posted here is my favorite, but there are others. I listened to the album version of "I don't know" and then this one in the Live video.... the live version simply dwarfs the album version. I'm hoping she releases a "LIVE" collection at some point.
I think I would group Lisa Hannigan with Regina Spektor and Feist. I just find that the words and thoughts from these artists register to me. I'm trying to find the words to describe Lisa's album "Sea Sew", but I can't figure out how... I'VE GOT IT!
I don't need to define it... Sea Sew is available to listen to on her website. Available to buy on iTunes. Check out the videos and the music.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
PNAU - Baby
I came across this video on http://dekku.blogspot.com/ ... he always has such an awesome collection of videos. I just thought I'd share it. Pete Mayes and Nick Littlemore make the band PNAU from Australia. This is from their self-titled album "PNAU", the song is "Baby". I hope you enjoy it.
Check out more of PNAU:
http://www.pnau.net/biotext.html
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=85315961
http://www.pnaupnau.com/
PS. The ".com" site has a "Snood-like" game you can play to your heart's content.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
OBAMA IN BALTIMORE!
On January 17th, 2009 President-elect Barack Obama came to Baltimore!
The coldest day I’ve spent outside in Baltimore may very well have been the warmest welcome. In temperatures well below freezing thousands of people gathered to greet and listen to President-elect Barack Obama give a brief speech at the War Memorial in downtown. It was the Inaugural Whistle-Stop Tour to Baltimore.
I had to go. I had to see and be apart of the event firsthand. After muddling through crowds and metal detectors for two hours, I spent another two and a half hours standing in my spot to hear Obama speak. Bitter winds kept people’s shoulders tensed to the point of aching and strangers huddled together to get the children and older women warm. Foreign students came out completely unprepared for the cold but said how they couldn’t have missed a day like today.
The crowds were overwhelmingly Black and African-American, but you wouldn’t have seen the color of crowd at a glance. You would have seen the smiles and high spirits. I went by myself and had many short but meaningful conversations with strangers. Women from Wilmington, a man from NYC, many people from Baltimore, a student from Russia, and a young Black man behind me who couldn’t help himself from crying when Obama delivered his speech.
 |
| From Obama stops in Baltimore |
I had to go. I had to see and be apart of the event firsthand. After muddling through crowds and metal detectors for two hours, I spent another two and a half hours standing in my spot to hear Obama speak. Bitter winds kept people’s shoulders tensed to the point of aching and strangers huddled together to get the children and older women warm. Foreign students came out completely unprepared for the cold but said how they couldn’t have missed a day like today.
The crowds were overwhelmingly Black and African-American, but you wouldn’t have seen the color of crowd at a glance. You would have seen the smiles and high spirits. I went by myself and had many short but meaningful conversations with strangers. Women from Wilmington, a man from NYC, many people from Baltimore, a student from Russia, and a young Black man behind me who couldn’t help himself from crying when Obama delivered his speech.
 |
| From Obama stops in Baltimore |
We laughed with stiff cheeks at the “fake-out” introductions when people other than Obama came out. The Oriole bird mascot... what were they thinking! It was hilarious. Followed by a fitness trainer trying to us warm up with exercise, which really did help. City Councilmen, Governor O’Malley, Elijah Cummings, and the Morgan State Choir came beforehand.
 |
| From Obama stops in Baltimore |
 |
| From Obama stops in Baltimore |
 |
| From Obama stops in Baltimore |
Around 4:30pm, the crowd comfortably pushed forward when Obama came out. Michele, Joe and Jill Biden were close behind. His speech was short and succinct. A message that America is constantly under a Revolution that all Americans need to be willing fight for... a fight to change for the better. He said,
“...the American Revolution did not end when British guns fell silent. It was never something to be won only on a battlefield or fulfilled only in our founding documents. It was not simply a struggle to break free from empire and declare independence. The American Revolution was - and remains - an ongoing struggle "in the minds and hearts of the people" to live up to our founding creed”
“...the American Revolution did not end when British guns fell silent. It was never something to be won only on a battlefield or fulfilled only in our founding documents. It was not simply a struggle to break free from empire and declare independence. The American Revolution was - and remains - an ongoing struggle "in the minds and hearts of the people" to live up to our founding creed”
After six hours in the cold, I was back in my apartment drinking my third cup of hot tea and looking at my pictures. They aren’t spectacular, but they are the only pictures from that exact point of view... and I’m happy to have them.
 |
| From Obama stops in Baltimore |
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Baltimore Metro is Puke
I have maybe half a dozen other topics I need/what to write about. Either sad, informative, blissful, encouraging, amusing... AHHHHHHHHH! All I have is animosity for Baltimore's Metro system tonight.
ONE metro line.
FOURTEEN stops.
MILLIONS of problems.
I went to Target at Mondawmin Mall to buy a water kettle and on the way back, the metro line had stopped dead in the tracks. No announcement, no indication of repair. I went up and asked when would it be running and the nasty woman told me it wasn't, and that I just have to pay attention to the train direction b/c they're only running on one track. After 30minutes, a train finally meanders by. The entire way to Lexington stop (I think 4 stops) this miserable conductor kept slamming on the brakes and stopping for only God knows what.
I swear to Heaven, Earth, and all that there is that Baltimore is completely incompetent with the issues in front of them. On a daily basis, at least 3 escalators are malfunctioning. Trains break-down or don't show for extended periods of time. The gates for tickets are in a constant state of disrepair and display a "Touch and Go" system that I recently found out was supposed to be turned on three years ago. THREE YEARS!
I know this is ranting, but as a person lacking a vehicle, Baltimore is really turning out to be a pithole. I came in really wanting to love this tiny city... "Charm City". But everyday I walk down the alternating, sometimes broken, escalators. Then its a lottery as to whether I'll pick the functional gate or not and push in my ticket which can only be paid for with cash. And then I wait for a train which may or may not be working and watch as the conductor ducks his head out the side of the train to "check and make sure e'rytings awe-right."
Good morning Bmore! Cities around the globe have intensely more difficult systems to contend with and manage them well... Paris, Madrid, NYC, Chicago, Seoul. They have less than half the problems throughout their entire grid. Bmore... can't handle one single ridiculous metro line.
There is nothing beautiful about it. Esthetically stale, mechanically disabled, actively declining. Unfortunately, I feel the same way about this city.
ONE metro line.
FOURTEEN stops.
MILLIONS of problems.
I went to Target at Mondawmin Mall to buy a water kettle and on the way back, the metro line had stopped dead in the tracks. No announcement, no indication of repair. I went up and asked when would it be running and the nasty woman told me it wasn't, and that I just have to pay attention to the train direction b/c they're only running on one track. After 30minutes, a train finally meanders by. The entire way to Lexington stop (I think 4 stops) this miserable conductor kept slamming on the brakes and stopping for only God knows what.
I swear to Heaven, Earth, and all that there is that Baltimore is completely incompetent with the issues in front of them. On a daily basis, at least 3 escalators are malfunctioning. Trains break-down or don't show for extended periods of time. The gates for tickets are in a constant state of disrepair and display a "Touch and Go" system that I recently found out was supposed to be turned on three years ago. THREE YEARS!
I know this is ranting, but as a person lacking a vehicle, Baltimore is really turning out to be a pithole. I came in really wanting to love this tiny city... "Charm City". But everyday I walk down the alternating, sometimes broken, escalators. Then its a lottery as to whether I'll pick the functional gate or not and push in my ticket which can only be paid for with cash. And then I wait for a train which may or may not be working and watch as the conductor ducks his head out the side of the train to "check and make sure e'rytings awe-right."
Good morning Bmore! Cities around the globe have intensely more difficult systems to contend with and manage them well... Paris, Madrid, NYC, Chicago, Seoul. They have less than half the problems throughout their entire grid. Bmore... can't handle one single ridiculous metro line.
There is nothing beautiful about it. Esthetically stale, mechanically disabled, actively declining. Unfortunately, I feel the same way about this city.
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