Death Panels Do Exist

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, better know as the Lockerbie bomber, is dead.  Good riddance some say.  Others say not so fast, we've not yet learned who his accomplices were.  For better or for worse, however, he is dead.

Had he not been released on compassionate terms he'd have been dead three years ago when he was diagnosed as having but three months to live with the latter stages of prostate cancer.  Yet he lived - and lived - and lived.

Why?  Because, as hard as it is to believe, he received better medical care in Libya, his home country, then he did in Scotland.  It had nothing to do with his being in prison or that he had been convicted of a heinous crime.  It was because the medications needed were denied not only to him, but to any man in Scotland by it's National Health Service.  That to my way of thinking is death by committee or a death panel.

According to The Wall Street Journal the Scottish Medicines Consortium, the rationing body of the NHS, decided that although certain drug combinations were known to be effective the cost effectiveness had not been demonstrated.  NHS.  National Health Service.  Health care run by and dispensed by a governmental committee.  Take note.

Upon arriving in Libya Megrahi was given the medical treatment needed to prolong his life and he survived an additional three years.  Today the needed treatments are available to only those qualifying under certain circumstances because this Consortium insists the 3000 pound per month price tag isn't worth it.  Tell that to the man suffering from what doesn't necessarily need to be a death sentence.

You may feel Megrahi got what he deserved and the extended life was certainly undeserved.  I'm wondering if too many will look at his circumstance from that point of view rather than what's really at stake - an individuals ability to obtain life saving drugs is being dictated by a committee who is looking at nothing more than the price tag.

Could it happen here?  You bet it could.

Mob Mentality

All weekend the predominant news on television was the image of police in riot gear pushing back those protesting the NATO conference in Chicago.  Too often we see the mob aftermath of protests when ever and where ever the G8 meets.  There are the the mobs surrounding the Occupy Wall Street movement complete with murder, rape destruction, drugs and filth.  It seems the one I'm going to write about deserves a different name.  Maybe a Flash Celebration rather than a Flash Mob.

It was called a Flash Mob but actually it wasn't.  It was well planned and rehearsed  by students, past and present, parents and teachers rather than spontaneous.  That takes nothing away from the mob of students that showed up at our local mall Sunday to dance their way into the hearts of all who watched.  It was in honor of a very special teacher who was retiring.

It made me stop and consider what really makes this country tick.  It's kids and those who nurture them.  Our government officials, from local on up, are often considered to be acting like children.  I've concluded they give kids a bad name.  At least kids like these.

A couple of months ago Hub and I were shopping at the mall.  As is common, displays lined the aisles.  We looked at a couple and were absolutely spellbound by what we were seeing.  It was the handiwork of students involved in the Invent Idaho program.  These kids were so far ahead of any place I've ever been it was embarrassing.

Invent Idaho's mission is to inspire, encourage and recognize students for their inventions, designs and innovations.  If you think this country has little future in things scientific, think again.

The teacher these youngsters gathered to honor is the North Idaho Region and State coordinator of the program. We noticed when we were witnessing the display how many parents were present.  They obviously were strong supporters of their kids, the program and the teacher.

It's good tonic for my old brain to be exposed to such activities.  It tells me those making an impact aren't the politicians fighting for place and power or the media who pushes the most expedient agendas, but rather those who have little time to follow the "big picture" because they're too busy earning a living as best they can, raising their families and educating their children.  Along with this senior every now and then.  It's enough to make me want to kick up my heels and dance!

I've been aware for some time now that being constantly down is self-fulfilling.  I gave up blogging about local issues long ago because of the animosity among the powers and I wanted no part of it.  I'll hold to that as far as politics are concerned, but every coin has two sides.  This is a not particularly wealthy area except when it comes to it's ordinary, everyday people.  Thanks to them there is no place richer.

Let's all dance!

Sting

My blogging has been a bit sporadic lately.  It happens throughout the year.  Either Hub and I are away for some r&r, nothing in particular has caught my eye or there is so much it's hard to focus, or real life intervenes.

Such is the case today.  I sit at my keyboard typing with one hand because the other is about the size of a boxing glove.

It happened yesterday.  A perfect work-in-the yard Saturday.  The overnight temperatures had moderated to the point I felt safe planting some bedding plants.   The day went well.  I felt mellow from the fresh air, sunshine and exercise and decided to do one more bed before calling it a day.

Oh, well.  I don't know if it was a Bumbler or a Yellow Jacket, but whatever, my messing in the bed was not welcome.  Hence the boxing glove sized hand.  Hub, being the perfect gentleman, fixed the cold compresses, cooked dinner and did the dishes.  He didn't even complain when I hit my own bed ridiculously early.  There was nothing on the tube, I was too uncomfortable to read and my jammies were soaked from spilling ice water on them.

Things are better this morning though I'm making more typos than usual.  I'm going to trade today's chores for tomorrow's - laundry.  It's not too taxing.  Hopefully the hand will be closer to normal size and the fingers will at least bend.

It's okay.  It will let the G8 and the NATO conferences play out.  I've been cheered to read that former CNN and NBC anchor and reporter, Campbell Brown, has taken the president to task for condescending to women.  And just maybe I'll get the dirt out from under my nails before I have to start again.

If this blogger is to be, I must remember not to Bee!

The FBI And A Skin Game

When a black youth is shot and killed by another it makes the headlines in the hometown newspaper.  When a black youth is shot by someone other than another black must it be considered a hate crime and beaten to death for months on end?

Of course I'm talking about the Trayvon Martin case.  The seventeen year old was shot and killed by a non-black who was on neighborhood watch patrol.  At first it was described as outright murder.  The President even got involved saying that if he had a son he'd look like the young man.  And of course the usual defenders against racial injustice, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, were on site before anyone could catch their breath.  Talk about making a tragedy a hotbed of racial unrest before the facts were even known!

I suspect a lot of it was because of the photos the media used in telling the story.  George Zimmerman was shown in an old mug shot looking like the thug the media was trying to portray.  And Martin was shown as a twelve year old boy, not a seventeen year old young man.  Prejudicial reporting without a word being spoken or written.

This all happened in February.  Facts are still being discovered.  Like Martin had bruised  knuckles which could have come from the fight Zimmerman claimed they had.  And the fact that Zimmerman had abrasions on the back of his head, black eyes and a broken nose.  All of a sudden it isn't so cut and dried.

Neighborhood watch personnel are supposed to watch for suspicious people in their neighborhoods and notify police.  I believe Zimmerman did.  Did he "stalk" Martin?  Did he kill him because he hated blacks or because he truthfully feared for his life?  I think I'd have done the same thing if my head was being pounded into the ground. If he hadn't had the gun would he have been the victim?

Rather than asking for a rational approach until the facts were know, the rabble-rousers were in full voice.  Bounties were put on Zimmerman's head.  Nothing from the President on that one.

Now, the FBI is thinking of involving themselves and charging him with a hate crime.  It's interesting to me that this is evolving, pardon me for using that term, because Martin was black.

Well guess what?  Zimmerman's great grandfather was black and his mother Hispanic.  Just which community do you most want to offend?

Inconsistent statements the police claim Zimmerman made don't surprise me considering the man has been accused of everything from murder to a hate crime while having his address revealed on the Internet, a price put on his head and his own life at risk.

 It makes me wonder just who is guilty of 'hate' in the whole sorry episode.

Ann Romney And Motherhood Can't Seem To Win!

Well, my short hiatus is over.  I'm surprised that the royal dog house isn't full to the brim.  By browsing today's headlines alone I could fill it.

So, what has my blood pressure soaring today?  I'm torn over the fact that Henry Kissinger was made to suffer through a full body pat down by the TSA or the that Michelle Goldman of Newsweek and The Daily Beast compared Ann Romney's praise of motherhood to the actions of Stalin and Hitler.  I chose the latter though it was a tough call.  But then Mother's Day is just past.

Maybe it's because over the years I've seen few women who can do it all well.  The comments that are most offensive seem to be coming from what appear to be women in their mid-thirties or early forties.  I have no idea if they have children or not, but to suggest Mrs. Romney is 'milking' motherhood and calling it 'creepy' makes me hope they do not.

First they criticize Ann Romney for never having worked a day in her life.  They are wrongly equating stay at home Mom's with salaried positions.  If raising five boys was measured to what these women do to earn their livings, Mrs. Romney's salary would be more like her husband's than theirs!

Proud to have been a stay at home Mom, Mrs. Romney referred to it as "the crown of motherhood".  Ms. Goldberg likened the statement to an award that an authoritarian country might bestow on those having large families.  She went on to liken it to Stalin and Hitler, claiming we make up for the lack of social support or economic security for women by giving "insipid condescending praise" for motherhood.

What is insipid and condescending is that a journalist would ever suggest this about motherhood.  Mrs. Romney is talking about what she knows.  Motherhood.  If she tried to address social support or economic security for women she would be criticized for not knowing of what she speaks!

You wonder why we old fogies  worry about the future of our country?  This is a good example.  The supposedly highly trained and professional TSA agents don't recognize a man of Henry Kissinger's stature even with ticket and identification in hand and proceed to humiliate him in public and women, who are the only ones of us who can produce children, find it within themselves to insult those who choose to stay home and raise them.  I suppose they'd rather have more Octomom's out there milking the system just because they want to have kids without the ability to support them nor the desire to raise them.

Ahhh, I'm so glad I'm home.  Subject matter was just sitting there waiting for me!