This is hilarious and a must view for all Muppet AND Queen fans as well as Bohemians everywhere! Make sure you watch until the end!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thanks!
Thanksgiving week is greeted with many different emotions throughout this country and it is the official/unofficial start of a traditional holiday season.
In the past we celebrated the day and or weekend by having a Thursday dinner with friends and family and then getting to sleep early so we can get up and bust some doors at a local retailer. Those who eschewed the "Black Friday" crowds in favor of a more restful day off might play with their kids or sit around a fire and talk. (You do remember sitting and talking, right? NO, NOT TEXTING - TALKING!)
The stores start putting out their 'countdown' calendars letting us know in no uncertain terms how many shopping days we have left until Christmas. The pressure builds. I think they chose Christmas because it was always easy to subtract from December 25th instead of having to figure out when Hanukkah was. (I think it's early this year!)
Every year this is a particularly bad time for those among us who are suffering from depression. The sight of others being happy tends to exacerbate their anxiety and the bad thoughts occasionally culminate in tragedy around the end of December.
We should all be on the lookout for anyone we feel might fall prey to feelings such as those because with the economy in the dumps there may be many more than in previous years.
I have suffered through my own year of living dangerously as I was a victim to economic pressures at my old job. Luckily I am not smart enough to get too depressed. But seriously, it is not good and it is important to lend a hand where possible.
Personally I could never consider doing myself harm. As my mother used to say, "I could never commit suicide, I'm way too much of a coward!"
So in the spirit of this post and going against my Eclectic Curmudgeon title allow me to list a few things of which I am thankful for. I hope you will add your own to the list.
I am thankful that:
... I still have my father around as he nears the 92nd anniversary of his birth.
He will be joining my family for Thanksgiving dinner. (I'm driving.)
... I am also picking up my (few years younger) mother-in-law (That's right, I said mother-in-law! Get over it.)
... My wife is a good intelligent woman and she still has her job.
... My two children are healthy and beautiful. (I dream of their bright futures regularly.)
AND they are both finished with the money pit of college - Whew.
... I still have much of my hair although more and more of it finds its way onto the brush every day.
... I have most of my health, 'nuff said.
... I can still see very well. (And it only cost $700 for the glasses!)
... I have some good friends. (Are there truly any other kind?)
... I can still finish the Sunday Times crossword puzzle - usually without too much help.
... I am able to find humor in the strangest of places which is good since more places are strange these days than ever before.
And most of all I am thankful that I can put all these things down on this blog, because maybe, just maybe someone who doesn't think they have anything to be thankful for will find something here that they missed. And if I can save someone from being miserable then I will be even more thankful.
Think of that and these two phrases during this holiday season - 'Save a life; save the world' & 'It is better to give than receive.' You may then have the best of all worlds.
Have a Happy Bird Day! (And a Happy Holiday Season)
In the past we celebrated the day and or weekend by having a Thursday dinner with friends and family and then getting to sleep early so we can get up and bust some doors at a local retailer. Those who eschewed the "Black Friday" crowds in favor of a more restful day off might play with their kids or sit around a fire and talk. (You do remember sitting and talking, right? NO, NOT TEXTING - TALKING!)
The stores start putting out their 'countdown' calendars letting us know in no uncertain terms how many shopping days we have left until Christmas. The pressure builds. I think they chose Christmas because it was always easy to subtract from December 25th instead of having to figure out when Hanukkah was. (I think it's early this year!)
Every year this is a particularly bad time for those among us who are suffering from depression. The sight of others being happy tends to exacerbate their anxiety and the bad thoughts occasionally culminate in tragedy around the end of December.
We should all be on the lookout for anyone we feel might fall prey to feelings such as those because with the economy in the dumps there may be many more than in previous years.
I have suffered through my own year of living dangerously as I was a victim to economic pressures at my old job. Luckily I am not smart enough to get too depressed. But seriously, it is not good and it is important to lend a hand where possible.
Personally I could never consider doing myself harm. As my mother used to say, "I could never commit suicide, I'm way too much of a coward!"
So in the spirit of this post and going against my Eclectic Curmudgeon title allow me to list a few things of which I am thankful for. I hope you will add your own to the list.
I am thankful that:
... I still have my father around as he nears the 92nd anniversary of his birth.
He will be joining my family for Thanksgiving dinner. (I'm driving.)
... I am also picking up my (few years younger) mother-in-law (That's right, I said mother-in-law! Get over it.)
... My wife is a good intelligent woman and she still has her job.
... My two children are healthy and beautiful. (I dream of their bright futures regularly.)
AND they are both finished with the money pit of college - Whew.
... I still have much of my hair although more and more of it finds its way onto the brush every day.
... I have most of my health, 'nuff said.
... I can still see very well. (And it only cost $700 for the glasses!)
... I have some good friends. (Are there truly any other kind?)
... I can still finish the Sunday Times crossword puzzle - usually without too much help.
... I am able to find humor in the strangest of places which is good since more places are strange these days than ever before.
And most of all I am thankful that I can put all these things down on this blog, because maybe, just maybe someone who doesn't think they have anything to be thankful for will find something here that they missed. And if I can save someone from being miserable then I will be even more thankful.
Think of that and these two phrases during this holiday season - 'Save a life; save the world' & 'It is better to give than receive.' You may then have the best of all worlds.
Have a Happy Bird Day! (And a Happy Holiday Season)
Monday, November 23, 2009
In & Around the News
Synopsis of news articles from Newsday that should make all of us a bit upset:
1. The Lighthouse Project is still on hold with no credible reason from the greedy group of Hempstead leaders. Now other groups are offering to develop the deteriorating site and some do not include the Islanders as tenants.
Solution - Wang should quietly offer Kate Murray's father a lifetime job and get this project moving.
2. The 911 trials will be taking place in NY. The 5 disgusting pieces of shit on trial will be pleading not guilty. Whether or not this should be the venue for the trial is now moot. But critics complain that it will merely be a platform for hateful rhetoric!
Translation - The trial will sound eerily like a session in Congress! (or on Fox so-called News.)
3. Catholic Bishop doesn't want Rep. Patrick Kennedy to receive communion due to his support of the current law of the land, namely abortion rights. We always knew the Catholic church, like many other religious groups didn't treat women with the equal dignity they deserve as human beings however -
Opinion - WHO GIVES A DAMN? Hey guys, ever hear of separation of church and state? This should not be news outside of the church journal. (Mr. Kennedy will make a donation and receive communion with honors.)
4. Former Hempstead Village Community Development Agency head Glen Spiritis has sued and according to the lower court is due to receive almost ONE MILLION dollars in payment for: 500 sick, personal and vacation days accrued as well as other smaller items. THIS MAN SHOULD BE PAID FOR 500 SICK DAYS??? Who paid for his health care? If this man was really sick that often how did he keep his job and how could he have done his job?
Opinion - He wasn't as sick as the system appears to be! I was laid off because of financial games played by scum like him and received ZERO DOLLARS for my accumulated sick and vacation days. Hey Newsday - Call me and we'll talk.
5. In the midst of a phony debate over health care reform that is meant to deflect Americans from the facts that Congress cannot and will not do anything new guidelines emerged from the medical community. Women should not get screened as often as they do for such non male life threatening diseases as Breast or Cervical cancer.
Opinion - This is the best our leaders can do - their solution to lowering health care costs is to stop giving health care?!? Brilliant!
6. Finally, late last week a computer glitch caused severe airline delays across the country. Officials were quick to point out that airborne flights were not in danger but take-offs and landings would have to be carefully monitored and delayed as the problem was on the ground. First of all airborne flights do generally have to land, right? And when they land they are hopefully landing ON LAND, right? I guess the implications of these facts were ignored. Could terrorists have caused this as a prelude to shutting down our entire system. Hopefully and probably not but -
Newsday's headline and entire front page on that day was devoted to OPRAH who announced a much more pressing issue - she was going to end her TV program IN 2 YEARS!!! Oh, by the way, Newsday covered the computer glitch on page 26!
1. The Lighthouse Project is still on hold with no credible reason from the greedy group of Hempstead leaders. Now other groups are offering to develop the deteriorating site and some do not include the Islanders as tenants.
Solution - Wang should quietly offer Kate Murray's father a lifetime job and get this project moving.
2. The 911 trials will be taking place in NY. The 5 disgusting pieces of shit on trial will be pleading not guilty. Whether or not this should be the venue for the trial is now moot. But critics complain that it will merely be a platform for hateful rhetoric!
Translation - The trial will sound eerily like a session in Congress! (or on Fox so-called News.)
3. Catholic Bishop doesn't want Rep. Patrick Kennedy to receive communion due to his support of the current law of the land, namely abortion rights. We always knew the Catholic church, like many other religious groups didn't treat women with the equal dignity they deserve as human beings however -
Opinion - WHO GIVES A DAMN? Hey guys, ever hear of separation of church and state? This should not be news outside of the church journal. (Mr. Kennedy will make a donation and receive communion with honors.)
4. Former Hempstead Village Community Development Agency head Glen Spiritis has sued and according to the lower court is due to receive almost ONE MILLION dollars in payment for: 500 sick, personal and vacation days accrued as well as other smaller items. THIS MAN SHOULD BE PAID FOR 500 SICK DAYS??? Who paid for his health care? If this man was really sick that often how did he keep his job and how could he have done his job?
Opinion - He wasn't as sick as the system appears to be! I was laid off because of financial games played by scum like him and received ZERO DOLLARS for my accumulated sick and vacation days. Hey Newsday - Call me and we'll talk.
5. In the midst of a phony debate over health care reform that is meant to deflect Americans from the facts that Congress cannot and will not do anything new guidelines emerged from the medical community. Women should not get screened as often as they do for such non male life threatening diseases as Breast or Cervical cancer.
Opinion - This is the best our leaders can do - their solution to lowering health care costs is to stop giving health care?!? Brilliant!
6. Finally, late last week a computer glitch caused severe airline delays across the country. Officials were quick to point out that airborne flights were not in danger but take-offs and landings would have to be carefully monitored and delayed as the problem was on the ground. First of all airborne flights do generally have to land, right? And when they land they are hopefully landing ON LAND, right? I guess the implications of these facts were ignored. Could terrorists have caused this as a prelude to shutting down our entire system. Hopefully and probably not but -
Newsday's headline and entire front page on that day was devoted to OPRAH who announced a much more pressing issue - she was going to end her TV program IN 2 YEARS!!! Oh, by the way, Newsday covered the computer glitch on page 26!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Who is in Charge?
New guidelines for old problems are usually good things. After all we are always trying to improve and move forward, right?
I mean when you see an advertisement on television it doesn't say, "Old and unimproved" does it?
So why should we not be embracing the new medical guidelines coming down from high concerning mammograms or cervical cancer screening? These edicts say that women don't need to be screened for possible life threatening diseases as often as they have in the past.
Going to a doctor is an inconvenience, right?
So women should be happy to skip their yearly trek to have their breasts uncomfortably squashed and examined or push back that embarrassing position in the stirrups for the pap smear.
This is a good thing, right?
NO, it's not.
Why?
Because we should not be naive anymore!
In this day and age and certainly in this country big business controls our lives. Insurance companies already tell us what doctor to see when we are sick and limit our intake of necessary drugs to those they get kickbacks on.
The ulterior motive here is not so ulterior! The fewer times women go to the doctor the fewer bills the insurance companies have to reject! Rejection takes time and clerks!
If the number of claims submitted to the scum of the Earth, I'm sorry I mean insurance companies were reduced to a bare few they could lay off thousands and just have a stay at home house wife in India rubber stamp every claim, "Rejected."
And what better way to reduce the number of claims than to push off the expense on the coroners?
The time has come for women to rise up and join the fight against the scourge of life known as big insurance. It is clear that Congress does not have the balls to do so.
But luckily it does not take balls to put these inhuman bastards in their place, only common sense and solidarity. Lech licked the odds in Poland and women should be able to do so in America.
If all the women were to get together and JUST SAY NO to the health insurance companies and their puppets in congress maybe we could get true reform. Even Nancy Reagan would like that slogan!
America was once the greatest nation in the world. Don't allow greedy corporations and special interest groups to continue our current path into third world status.
I mean when you see an advertisement on television it doesn't say, "Old and unimproved" does it?
So why should we not be embracing the new medical guidelines coming down from high concerning mammograms or cervical cancer screening? These edicts say that women don't need to be screened for possible life threatening diseases as often as they have in the past.
Going to a doctor is an inconvenience, right?
So women should be happy to skip their yearly trek to have their breasts uncomfortably squashed and examined or push back that embarrassing position in the stirrups for the pap smear.
This is a good thing, right?
NO, it's not.
Why?
Because we should not be naive anymore!
In this day and age and certainly in this country big business controls our lives. Insurance companies already tell us what doctor to see when we are sick and limit our intake of necessary drugs to those they get kickbacks on.
The ulterior motive here is not so ulterior! The fewer times women go to the doctor the fewer bills the insurance companies have to reject! Rejection takes time and clerks!
If the number of claims submitted to the scum of the Earth, I'm sorry I mean insurance companies were reduced to a bare few they could lay off thousands and just have a stay at home house wife in India rubber stamp every claim, "Rejected."
And what better way to reduce the number of claims than to push off the expense on the coroners?
The time has come for women to rise up and join the fight against the scourge of life known as big insurance. It is clear that Congress does not have the balls to do so.
But luckily it does not take balls to put these inhuman bastards in their place, only common sense and solidarity. Lech licked the odds in Poland and women should be able to do so in America.
If all the women were to get together and JUST SAY NO to the health insurance companies and their puppets in congress maybe we could get true reform. Even Nancy Reagan would like that slogan!
America was once the greatest nation in the world. Don't allow greedy corporations and special interest groups to continue our current path into third world status.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Help Yourself (And Others)
Help yourself has always been a prevalent phrase in our lives whether it was at the dinner table or as part of a motivational speech. You could even hear it in sermons as in, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” Unfortunately over the years many of us have taken those words and turned them into a license for greed.
While the economy was flying high and money was flowing into our pockets by way of our jobs or our stock market portfolio the greed largely went unnoticed. But greed is addictive and something happened on our way to that cushy retirement we felt entitled to, the economy crashed.
The phrase ‘Help yourself’ suddenly became synonymous with ‘Learn another skill’ and survival meant taking or competing for a lower paying job. Unfortunately for many the route back to school is filled with potholes and not one we will be taking anytime soon. The skills we learned and honed so many years ago are now viewed under the microscope and compared with those of six billion others.
The fact that the World is now considered flat when it comes to business and information does not bode well for those of us in our so-called Golden years. In fact it isn’t that great for those not yet sporting the Golden adjective.
So what happens when, due to no fault of our own we are in danger of losing the home that we worked so hard to gain? How do we cope with the fear of losing our job or livelihood? Naturally each of us must decide for ourselves how long we can exist on our savings and how soon we must chart a new course for our future. The time is as always, now.
I have confidence that our country will eventually stem the tide of bad economic news and we will figure out a way to get back on our feet. After all, haven’t we done it before?
But as we struggle to find new ways to support ourselves and gain back our lost security we are losing sight of an entire community of people who struggle merely for existence.
When I was young we watched public service announcements about children starving in other countries. Perhaps we even made jokes when Sally Struthers told us about Kim Yuk needing one dollar on which to live for a month but it wasn’t funny then and it certainly isn’t now.
While I personally attempt to rejoin my old industry I have also become involved with a charitable organization whose goal is to help those most vulnerable, children with disabilities. Children are our future and while our present is in need of being fixed we cannot lose sight of that. I chose the Bright Steps Forward organization but there are many others that would welcome volunteers.
Why is this so important? Because while another phrase we grew up with was, "Charity begins at home" we must make sure it does not also end there!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Health Care from Maxine
Maxine has a solution to the Health Care problem:
While discussing the upcoming Universal Health Care Program with my sister-in-law the other day, I think we have found the solution.
I am sure you have heard the ideas that if you're a senior you need to suck it up and give up the idea that you need any health care.
A new hip?
Unheard of.
We simply can't afford to take care of you anymore.
You don't need any medications for your high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, etc. Let's take care of the young people. After all, they will be ruling the world very soon.
So here is the solution:
When you turn 70, you get a gun and 3 bullets. You are allowed to shoot one senator and 2 representatives.
Of course, you will be sent to prison where you will get 3 meals a day, a roof over your head and all the health care you need!
New teeth, great!
Need glasses, no problem!
New hip, knee, kidney, lung, heart? Well bring it on.
And who will be paying for all of this?
The same government that just told you that you are too old for health care. And, since you are a prisoner, you don't have to pay any income tax.
"Little Me" wants health care
Pardon me miss
But health care has me pissed
At the high - high cost
I can't afford more
Than what I paid be-fore
My saving's lost
When will our Congress a so-lution find?
Or give us what you have please make up your mind
Don't let insurance take over the world and become so strong
Or we won't live long
Back in the old day
I think that we could say
The system's fine
The thing about health care
Was it was al-ways there
My doctor's mine
Now I must visit some stranger; some man
I do not know him but he's in your plan
I want the freedom of seeing the guy that I know - and knows me
Oh dear Congress hear my plea.
My teeth and body will both surely rot
The health care I need is available - NOT
It costs so much for my family and me
When it all - Should be free!
Oh dear Congress hear my plea!
But health care has me pissed
At the high - high cost
I can't afford more
Than what I paid be-fore
My saving's lost
When will our Congress a so-lution find?
Or give us what you have please make up your mind
Don't let insurance take over the world and become so strong
Or we won't live long
Back in the old day
I think that we could say
The system's fine
The thing about health care
Was it was al-ways there
My doctor's mine
Now I must visit some stranger; some man
I do not know him but he's in your plan
I want the freedom of seeing the guy that I know - and knows me
Oh dear Congress hear my plea.
My teeth and body will both surely rot
The health care I need is available - NOT
It costs so much for my family and me
When it all - Should be free!
Oh dear Congress hear my plea!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Is Everything Up To Date in Health Care City
Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote many great musicals with messages for the ages as in South Pacific's controversial song, "You've Got to be Taught." But a different song title has come to mind when thinking of the 'not so loyal' opposition to Health Care Reform these days; "All er Nothin'"
Ever since President Obama and the Democrats have started the ball rolling on reform the Republicans; Conservatives and the so-called 'Blue Dog' conservatives of the Democratic Party have been going nuts trying to derail the thing. They have gone off the deep end with nonsensical "Tea Party" rallies with paid participants carrying offensive posters and photos.
These pro insurance groups have spouted lies such as, "Reform is going to kill Grandma" and "Reform will exclude Republicans." But every time they come up with another stupid slogan or ridiculous reason as to why we should continue shoveling money into the pockets of Big Insurance they fail to prove their point and the argument disappears in the light of truth.
So now they are changing their tactics by saying that they cannot vote or support any of the reform measures because they don't go far enough!!! In other words if you are going to institute real health care reform you must get it right immediately or go back to the drawing board.
Not surprisingly this all or nothing tactic has been picked up and run with like a loose ball on the three yard line. It is the same type of hard to refute argument as the age old question, "When did you stop beating your wife?"
Please sing to yourself the following refrain from Oklahoma but change the word Romance to Reform:
(With me it's all er nuthin'.
Is it all er nuthin' with you?
It cain't be "in between"
It cain't be "now and then"
No half and half romance will do!)
If we were to use this same logic with every law that came up for discussion in front of our dysfunctional Congress we might never get anything done.
Oh wait, Um, right! WE DON'T!
Since the Party of NO believes that the 'farmer and the cowman' can not be friends then I say they've 'got to be taught.' The way they have treated the citizens of America, well 'it's a scandal, it's an outrage.'
And like Jud before 'poor health reform is dead' we must act now. If we are ever to get true affordable universal health care to come 'out of my dreams' and into the arms of all Americans then we need 'many a new day' where the opposition will finally change their tune to, 'I can't say no!'
And when and if that ever happens - 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning' that will truly be!!!
Ever since President Obama and the Democrats have started the ball rolling on reform the Republicans; Conservatives and the so-called 'Blue Dog' conservatives of the Democratic Party have been going nuts trying to derail the thing. They have gone off the deep end with nonsensical "Tea Party" rallies with paid participants carrying offensive posters and photos.
These pro insurance groups have spouted lies such as, "Reform is going to kill Grandma" and "Reform will exclude Republicans." But every time they come up with another stupid slogan or ridiculous reason as to why we should continue shoveling money into the pockets of Big Insurance they fail to prove their point and the argument disappears in the light of truth.
So now they are changing their tactics by saying that they cannot vote or support any of the reform measures because they don't go far enough!!! In other words if you are going to institute real health care reform you must get it right immediately or go back to the drawing board.
Not surprisingly this all or nothing tactic has been picked up and run with like a loose ball on the three yard line. It is the same type of hard to refute argument as the age old question, "When did you stop beating your wife?"
Please sing to yourself the following refrain from Oklahoma but change the word Romance to Reform:
(With me it's all er nuthin'.
Is it all er nuthin' with you?
It cain't be "in between"
It cain't be "now and then"
No half and half romance will do!)
If we were to use this same logic with every law that came up for discussion in front of our dysfunctional Congress we might never get anything done.
Oh wait, Um, right! WE DON'T!
Since the Party of NO believes that the 'farmer and the cowman' can not be friends then I say they've 'got to be taught.' The way they have treated the citizens of America, well 'it's a scandal, it's an outrage.'
And like Jud before 'poor health reform is dead' we must act now. If we are ever to get true affordable universal health care to come 'out of my dreams' and into the arms of all Americans then we need 'many a new day' where the opposition will finally change their tune to, 'I can't say no!'
And when and if that ever happens - 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning' that will truly be!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)