Monday, May 23, 2011

A Notice

This post is difficult to write.  I will be out of touch for over two weeks.  I intended to go to California to attend my granddaughter, Rachel's graduation and had planned on leaving  June 4.  Plans suddenly changed last night.  I called my daughter and found out that she has a crisis and I need to go be with her.  I will be leaving in a few days and won't return until June 12.  

My daughter's computer died so I will be without access during the time I am there.  I would take my laptop, but I have to take my cameras and equipment for the graduation ceremony.  I just can't miss filming that special event.  Therefore, I do not have the strength to lug two pieces of heavy equipment on the plane.  Beside you are only allowed 2 pieces of carry-on luggage and I have to take one small suitcase to put my medicine and CI equipment in.  

Traveling when you are old is a real pain.  (pun intended).  When I was young I could throw in a few T-shirts, jeans and toothbrush and get by.  Now I pack like I am moving to the Arctic.  The layered look works for me as I am cold when others are hot.  But that means taking clothes for all temperatures. Lots of clothes.  Sigh!

I deeply regret not being with my blogging friends when I may need them the most.  But my daughter's needs come first.  I hope you have a nice rest over the Memorial Day weekend.  I will be thinking of all of you.

If a miracle occurs and I have access to a computer I will check my e-mail and blog.  If not, I hope to be back blogging by the middle of June.  Don't forget me and please check back in then.  

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

An Exctinng Three Days






A storm moved in as you can see on the above photo on the right.

Are you tired of my nagging you to take action?  I think you must be, so for a change of pace here are a few of my recent photos. 

Now you know what I have been up to.  On a Saturday I had out of town company.  It was such an exciting weekend because  I reconnected with my cousin's youngest daughter, Sandy.  I had not seen her for approximately 30 years and it was such a delight to meet her again and discover what a wonderful person she is.  My regular followers will recall that her older sister, Judy, visited me earlier in the year.  Sandy brought her artist friend, David, and he was just delightful.  You can see their pictures with me at the bottom of this post.
  
David gave me a charcoal drawing that I just love.  The photo of my Indian Chief is at the top of the post.  (When I tried to move the pictures around Blog Spot would delete another photo so I gave up and am leaving them the way they were downloaded.)

Then after Sandy and David left I had an exciting afternoon with my blog friend, Rain, (Who writes the blog, Rainy Day Thoughts) and her husband, Paul, at their charming Tucson house.  They treated me to a delicious lunch.  We were on their patio where we could watch the birds come and go.  It was quite a floor show.  The rest of the photos were taken there. 













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Saturday, May 14, 2011

Single Payer Insurance Once More

Although I have been busy recently I know I must get back up on my soapbox once more.  (More about what I have been up to in a future post).

While the Insurance companies pile up record profits the uninformed continue to think that privatizing Medicare and Medicaid is the answer.  Pleeeze!    Because Bernie Sanders in the Senate and James McDermott in the House have introduced Single payer legislation that would deny the bloated Insurance companies their obscene profits I am  pleading with everyone, young and old, to make a ruckus.  

The Bernie Sander's bill is  S011 and the McDermott bill is HIR 2011.   Contact your representatives repeatedly and let them know you strongly support these bills.  Call, write letters, send e-mails and let them know we are tired of being at the mercy of the insurance and pharmaceutical industries.   And if you think your representative won't listen to you just remember what the people of Wisconsin did.  The insurance and pharmaceutical industries will spend billions to insure that these bills never see the light of day UNLESS we, the people, make it known to our representatives that they will be defeated in the next election if they ignore the will of the people.  All the money in the world can't influence the Congress and Senate if the electorate let them know we are watching and acting. 

California isn't waiting for the Federal Government to act.  They have introduced legislation that is similar to Medicare for all.  Here is a brief summary of comments from Sen. Mark Leno, Scaremento, CA.
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Universal Health Care Act, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco). Senate Bill 810 guarantees all Californians comprehensive, universal health care while containing ballooning health care costs and improving the quality of care and delivery of health services statewide. 

“Our single payer plan not only guarantees universal coverage for all Californians, but also contains health care costs, which is essential to solving our state budget crisis in the long term.”

SB 810 creates a private-public partnership to provide every California resident medical, dental, vision, hospitalization and prescription drug benefits and allows patients to choose their own doctors and hospitals. This single payer, “Medicare for All” type of program works by pooling together the money that government, employers and individuals already spend on health care and putting it to better use by cutting out the for-profit middle man.

California currently spends $200 billion annually on a fragmented, inefficient health care system that wastes 30% of every dollar on administration. Under Senate Bill 810, that wasteful spending is eliminated. The bill creates no new spending, and in fact, studies show that the state would save $8 billion in the first year under this single-payer health care plan.
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2000 years ago the great Jewish scholar,Hillel, said:
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
If I am only for myself, what am I?

           And, if not now, when?
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Wisconsin and California are showing what a populist movement can achieve.  Are we all ready to take back our Democracy or are we going to remain passive thinking it will do no good to write our legislators?   Talk to your family, your neighbors, your blogging friends and your e-mail buddies.  Spread the word that action will get results.  Inaction will get us 'screwed'.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Very Important - Act Now

 Congress will soon be voting on the budget.  It is vital that they hear from their constituents before the vote.  Whether you are 6 years old or 96, the budget will impact on your lives in ways you can only imagine.  The Ryan budget would be a total disaster for everyone except the very wealthy.  It would destroy the already shaky economy.  The president's budget is better, but would still add taxes to the low and middle income people.

The best plan is not up for a vote as yet.  I can't stress how important it is for every one to contact their representatives quickly and urge them to vote for this plan.  It is The People's Budget.  You can learn all about it by following the two links I have provided.  After looking at the video and reading about it, please act on it.  Send the information to everyone on your e-mail list. 

One of the sponsors of this plan is Representative Raul Grijalva, from my state of Arizona.  Not all Arizonans are right wing dimwits.

I know it takes time and people are busy, but this is very important.  Time is of the essence.





Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Slip of the tongue?

Is it laughable or is it just disgusting that the FOX sycophants are deliberately mispronouncing Osama's name by saying "Obama has been killed".  Or is it a Freudian slip?  Whatever the reason, it's really telling.

It's one thing to be a poor sport (as was Donald Trump at the Correspondant's dinner), but this goes beyond the pale.  It really shows the racial prejudice and hatred of our president.  They are such losers.