Attacks on Surgeon General are 'No Holds Barred'!

So much talk about obesity in America,as if once we correct our overweight image,all will be well again? How about more talk about what a RUDE America we are?

I find it shameful not that our society as a whole is overweight,but that our society as a whole would unabashedly and ruthlessly attack Obama's new pick for Surgeon General,Dr. Regina Benjamin because of her weight!

Are you kidding? This is a joke right? Who does that? Apparently a lot of people. Fox News has gone so far as to have guests on their show remarking that she "doesn't say no to the M&M's or Twinkies." I am astounded. On top of that,she has been called,'unfit' to be a Surgeon General.

This is unreal to me. First of all, insinuating that the only way a person can become overweight is by being inactive or over-eating is grossly ignorant. The fact is,there are many factors behind our physical make-up,genetics being one of the biggest and other health concerns such as a dysfunctional thyroid also play a role.

Aside from this,what does being overweight have to do with ones ability to full fill the qualifications of their position. I personally do not recall any of our past Surgeon Generals looking like bodybuilders do you?

The truth is,we know nothing about her lifestyle and to make such over-the-top assumptions is downright dirty. To me,this indicates nothing more than,the Republican Party is getting low on ammunition,so low that they would resort to attacking someone for their weight?

And,C'mon,she's not that overweight.She is actually very well proportioned,I think her large chest makes her look bigger than she is.

I am tired of others picking on what they can see externally. Everyone has something going on that others don't necessarily know about,maybe a porn addiction or an alcohol addiction or maybe they are abusive to their spouses,but the point is you never know what goes on behing closed doors,including what the contents of their refridgerator is. It disheartening to me that some would attack others for flaws that they wear on their sleeve,while the ones with flaws UP their sleeve's,simply get off scott-free,no criticisms,only praise for what we can see (which is the image they present.)
Let's start being more realistic here and as my Grand Dad used to say "First pluck the log from your own eye,before trying to remove a splinter from someone Else's!"
Anyone else have a take on this?

Deficit Woes...linked to Illegal Immigrants?

California is singin' the Deficit Blues right now as their debt plunges into the $26 Billion Dollar range.This is a huge crisis for the state,I mean they house roughly 36.5 million people. When the most populated state in the nation can't afford to pay their bills,we are in serious trouble.

The problem has exploded so far out of control that the state has actually been forced to issue I.O.U's to their vendors and as a consequence,vendors such as medical supply companies are now shying away from doing business with California. As you can imagine, many of these vendors supply very basic needs to the state that are really essential to keep it in functional operation.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has had enough and recently during a press conference that while legislature has had the opportunity to scale back State positions,as Arnold put it, "They care more about their seats than they do you."

So,while scaling back on Government in California would've helped,it was thrown out by legislature.

As a part of their new budget proposal,they have really only been left with one viable option,as legislatures' refusal to not only not cut back on State Employees,but also Arnold's vow to not raise taxes,the result? Deep gouges into State Funded Programs. Personally,I think one of the smartest slices out of the Budget pie is the cut-back on assistance to illegal aliens.I know..big meany that I am.(which only makes up a tiny fraction of the new budget,around a billion dollars (which also covers U.S. citizens and really only represents the Health Care trimmings as a whole.).

You know,so many people have sympathy for illegal immigrants. I personally do not. Do we feel sorry for a Bank robber because of his financial situation or that he desperately needed to take care of his family?? No. Point in case. The law is the law and the fact is, "officials estimate $4 billion to $6 billion of the state's roughly $105 billion budget is spent on California's roughly 2.7 million illegal residents." (Times Report).

That is alot of money and the thing is, while so many are down on Gov.Schwarzenegger right now for the decisions he has made,the fact is,he has to to get the money from somewhere. And honestly? Illegal immigrants have been one of the largest burdens financially to the State over the last decade and the problem is only growing. I honestly wish the new budget would've have included more cut-backs on illegal assistance than it did. Perhaps,if they weren't being dished out so many hand-outs,the incentive to come here would be less than it currently is.

Let's face it,while so many want to take on the 'Good Samaritan' role,there comes a time when we must realize that we HAVE ALREADY given the shirts off our backs,and our pants,and our socks,and...well,you get it. We have to take care of ourselves too and our Nation is practically Bankrupt.I mean,if Arnold was Jesus and could make a few fish in a basket enough to feed an entire State,that would be swell,but since he does lacks the ability to produce such miracles,perhaps Budget Reform is not such a bad idea.

Is this a sign of of overzealous and irresponsible spending? Or is it a valuable lesson to be learned from the Immigration crisis and how it can affect our economy? It's my personal and unprofessional opinion that it's how California got into this mess in the first place.I hope we can use California as a helpful example in preventing this sort of crisis elsewhere. Pretty simply put "don't bite off more than you can chew." (As the perfect hypocrite that I am, I found it fitting to end with a motto,that I, myself have never been able to follow.) ;)

Who has the right to Sue? Warning: This blog is not for the controversially faint of heart!

A Harvard Professor,Cass Sunstein and Obama's candidate pick for Office of Information and Regulation believes that "animals should be permitted to bring suit, with human beings as their representatives, to prevent violations of current law.”
Sen. Chambliss (R.,Ga.)has opposed his candidacy believing that his far left views could lead to farmers needing to defend themselves in court against a suit filed on behalf of his chickens or pigs.

Now,I am all for cracking down on animal cruelty,however,I feel that "What's good for the Goose,is good for the Gander". In other words I am fine with us heading in this direction so long as the rules apply across the board; in other words,I would like to see fetuses have the right to sue on behalf of a human representative as well. (I know,I know...the sleeping Giant of Politics,the biggest taboo discussion of all right?) Well,the truth is I am not here to appease the masses,I am here to speak my solid,blunt opinion,albeit,I'll do my best to do it in a respectful manner.

So my question is,why do some seem to be so eager to support animal rights but not a fetuses...where they not a fetus once themselves? Is a fetus not alive?

This issue hits close to home with me for, I'll admit,some very personal reasons and experiences. But I would just like to open thought to why some murderers of human beings await their death on death row, while others run free? Is it because the life is smaller and therefore has less value?

I am positive I will get some very fired up comments on this one,but that's okay, we are awakening a sleeping giant. I believe everyone ought to have their right to express their point of view,so fire away... What do you think on this issue? Do you believe animals ought to have the right to sue or is it ridiculous? Do you think fetuses ought to have the right to sue as well?

For Love of Water

For those of you whom have not heard or had the chance to see FLOW(For Love of Water), I am here to tell you it could be one of the single-most important and eye-opening Documentary Films of the last decade!

A 2008 Sundance Film Festival Selection,FLOW,focuses on the current Global Water Crisis. (yes in case you didn't know...we are in one.) It raises awarness on issues that seem to have been under rug swept and sheds light on some very scary information.

Here are some morsels to sample and savor for your 'movie-buds';

-Water is a $400 Billion Dollar a year industry. While some would claim that charging for water would have the likness to that of charging for the use of air or the sun, you wouldn't believe it,but I'm here to tell you...IT'S HAPPENING!

-A handful of Corporations control a massive (and growing) portion of our fresh water supplies,meaning they have privatized water that was previously considered public. They are marketing and selling it without any real "ownership" rights, which is win,win for them...they don't have to buy it, they only have to sell it,but for us it means those who can't afford it, simply go with out, which is lose,lose for us.

-Water is a Commodity,third in fact behind Oil and Electricity.

-Some 2 million people die every day due to water born illness because they do not have access to clean water. (much of the clean water in 3rd world countries is now privatized,meaning you have to pay for it), forcing many of the locals to fetch dirty water from nearby rivers.

-Atrazine-the biggest pollutant in water effects endocrine function and has been found to demasculinize frogs, actually causing them to grow ovaries and produce female hormones.(Atrazine has been banned in all European countries,but the U.S.? Nope, we are one of the biggests users.)

-Our fish are changing sex,to female!

-Chemicals that were designed for warfare are now in our water supplies,along with Pharmaceuticals and often times parasites among other pollutants and pathogens. Most people just turn on the faucet assuming that it's clean and that we have plenty of it.

Please watch the movie you won't regret it. It's not all hum-drum-glum,just so you know,many scientist provide simple solutions to our crisis,and many of the solutions are already being put into effect and with a growing number of water activists (like me),I believe we will put this to rest for once and for all providing clean water as a community resource to all,but that means we need to work together.

Thirsty now?

Just Curious about North Korea...

Why all the concentration on Iran when North Korea is the country blasting missiles off as a blatant, in-your-face "Happy Birthday America"? On Saturday,the North Korean armed forces launched seven ballistic missiles into the South Sea,SEVEN!It seems launching ballistic missiles on or near our day of Independence has become a habit for them and quite the way to make a statement.

Now,granted Hawaii is unscathed and harm-free,(so far) but the fact is we didn't know what the outcome would be two weeks ago. President Obama may as well have asked Kim Jong-Il "Pretty please with sugar on top,do not launch any more missiles despite U.N. sanctions?" I mean,this is not a sound-of-mind individual we are dealing with here and I just feel that President Obama's approach is only enforcing the idea that we are no longer the strong nation we used to be. President Obama is presenting himself as weak when he refuses to take more serious measures to prevent any more threats or attacks from North Korea.He is being 'tested' and there are people out there whom see kindness as weakness and prey upon it.

I don't know about you,but at least for Hawaii's sake,I would not like to wait and hope that Kim Jong-Il is only bluffing when he makes threats like he recently did in response to U.N. sanctions stating "“Our revolutionary armed forces will deal an annihilating blow that is unpredictable and unavoidable, to any ‘sanctions’ or provocations by the U.S.,”

In addition,a recent rally was held in North Korea,during which about 100,000 people attended and was accompanied by a banner which had a picture of a rifle with an affixed bayonet over hills of graves and read "If you attack,only death will await you." During the rally the North Korean media(the Communist state's official media outlet) reported the governments threat to "fire a shower of nuclear retaliation against the United States and South Korea."

This is only a fraction of the threats and hateful rhetoric taking place in North Korea right now. I feel safe to say that it's time to step up our game. I am not pro-war by any means, however we cannot allow this escalate any further than it already has. There is speculation and rumors that Kim Jong-il (knowing he is going to die soon) wants to go out with a big bang and down in the History books.Personally,I don't need the rumors,the facts are frightening enough.

What do you think about this? How do you feel President Obama has done handling Kim Jong-il's threats?

Universal Health Care or Bust?...or Universal Health Care AND Bust!

As a newly-admitted-into-remission,previous Breast Cancer Patient, I can tell you that I am heavily eyeballing the proposed Health Care Reform Act(s). I am concerned, not just for how this will or could affect my own survival,but how it will affect my children,our National defect and the current framework of America's Health care System as we know it.

I see the benefits,absolutely,but the repercussions,as well,could be far more grandiose than many of us would've ever fathomed.

As I reflect back on my diagnosis,I have to share with you this ever-relevant story. When I was first told that I had Stage 3 Inflammatory Breast Cancer(the most aggressive form),I was desperate,a single mother of 3 children and without any kind of insurance.

I had watched the Documentary 'Sicko' and knew exactly what to do! I'll just go to Canada I thought! That's a brilliant idea! They have Free Health care!
Life has a funny way of letting you know when you're dead wrong. It was at my biopsy that I mustered up the courage to ask my previously-Canadian Radiologist why she would choose to practice in America,when Canada's system is so much better..?

With an expression of wide-eyed sobriety mixed with a tinge of disdain she expressed "You don't have a clue what it's like there do you!"

"Um..no? What is it like?" I inquired.

"Well,for one, the system is completely Bankrupt and another? Many people don't make it to their surgeries,they die waiting. I flew my Father here to have surgery on his knee because there,he would've waited many months." "Do you want the Government to tell you if you are ill enough or young enough receive care? Do you want to wait at the back of the line and risk your disease progressing in the mean time? Because that's what happens!"

I was stunned and totally and completely put in my place but mostly?, I was soooo glad that I talked to her before making the hasty decision to fly the coupe to Canada. (as if I would've anyway...big talker,little walker.)

In short(okay,in long), we have already seen the blemishes with other Universal Health care Systems (Britain and Canada are an example.) Britain is now denying women with Secondary Breast Cancer from receiving Herceptin,a ground-breaking drug that has thus far,undoubtedly saved my life and thousands of women's lives,I am sure. Depriving these women the "right to life" or at least a "Chancee at life" is sadistic. We should be in control of the care we get! We all know how Socialized systems work,and all we have to do is take a look around...has it worked in other countries? First,we will be standing in line for Medical Care,next will it be Bread?

President Obama resonates loud and clear with citizens all over America when he alerts us of the alarming figures of under-insured and uninsured Americans. What he is NOT heard expressing is the fact that wealreadyhave systems in place for these people (including myself). I was blessed enough to be fully covered for my Cancer Treatment costs by the Utah Cancer Control Program. (I didn't have $500,000 in my back pocket to cover the costs....the national average to treat Cancer.) My point is that they covered the cost of my treatment due to my lack of insurance and income level and their limit is actually somewhat liberal.

What is Medicaid? It is for uninsured,pregnant womem,low-income families and disabled individuals. What about CHIPP? To insure our children,who's families cannot afford standard insurance premiums and PCN? (which is essentially an 'affordable Government-Funded Insurance Program', and not to mention the VA Hospital for our Veterans and Medicare for the Elderly. We already have these systems,and many more than I mentioned, they may only need a slightly broader eligibility scale,more funding(mostly more staff) and better organization.I say we work on improving the programs we have!

While I agree that we are being "taken" by Big Pharma and the Insurance Companies, I do not want to risk what we already have by trading it for something that could be far worse in the long run. I am completely in favor of some of the reform ideas brought to the table,such as prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating,or as President Obama has called it,"cherry picking" based on an individuals pre-existing conditions.

On the larger scale,however,I have to disagree. I could write volumes just on the impact of the influx of new patients into our already bogged down system,alone.Our doctor/nurse ratios are already struggling to keep up with the patients they already have in a highly understaffed industry. How will they do it when millions more come flooding through the doors? I'll tell you how..."Please take a number ma'am." I do not want to take a number, I want to take control of my health.