Elsewhere in (Medical) Blogtopia*

Two disheartening things from the world of EMS blogging... first, Mark Glencourse, a British paramedic and a leader of the EMS 2.0 movement, announced that he was closing his blog, 999Medic.com. Mark took this action in response to the usual political BS that sometimes arises with blogging about the emergency services community (which is why I don't do it). Mark and San Francisco Firefighter/Paramedic Justin Schorr (who blogs at HappyMedic.com) are also the driving force behind an upcoming reality show, The Chronicles of EMS. He will be sorely missed.

On a less pleasant note, one of the medical bloggers I read on a regular basis, who lives in Massachusetts, admitted today that he was one of 207 MA EMTs who falsified re-certification training records.

Thanks, dude.

Glencourse, Schorr, and countless others are trying to make EMS a profession, not a trade. They're trying to re-educate the public, and convince the masses that EMS personnel are entitled to the respect that 2000+ hours of advanced trauma and medical training should bring.

These guys are trying to make the job better, get us some respect, maybe even livable wages. But you and your lazy-ass buddies down there had to screw around cause you didn't want to sit through continuing education classes.

Now the public looks at all EMS personnel and wonders, "Did he really do his continuing education? Or is he lying, like those Massachusetts losers? Is he gonna save my life or will his rusty skills and outdated knowledge KILL me?"

You may wonder what the big deal is. It's this: we're talking skills and knowledge needed to save lives. We're not talking about missing the latest changes to the Tax Code, or a fast-breaking tech bulletin on Toyota's acceleration issues here. We're talking life or death. How to calculate the appropriate dosage of the appropriate medication for your infant based on size and weight, or remembering how to correctly interpret an ECG strip or perform an endotracheal intubation successfully. You know, the stuff that will keep you alive so you can walk your daughter down the aisle at her wedding and bounce your grand kids on your knee.

The thing is, I don't know if he is truly a lazy bastard, or if he got in with the wrong crowd (as our parents used to say), or what. Whatever the reason, he has made our jobs harder, by violating the trust the public had in us.

What IS it with folks in emergency services these days?!? Have we all lost our friggin' self-respect, our professionalism, our very minds? We have Oath-Keeper cops claiming the right to kill you for disagreeing with them, we have medics lying about training. We have firefighters confessing to arson.

WTF, people?

If we want to be respected, if we want to inspire today's kids to become tomorrow's protectors, hell, if we want a decent paycheck, ...

WE HAVE TO EARN IT.

And we don't earn it by putting on the funky clothes. We earn it by being the very best cop/firefighter/medic we can be, by delivering the level of service and knowledge and skills we would demand for our spouses or our children.

People in my generation went into emergency services inspired -- in part -- by shows like Emergency or Adam-12. What inspired the current crop, The Simpsons? Beavis and Butthead?

* y!sctp (Yes, Skippy coined the phrase).

OMFG. Again. Still.

Via Watertiger...

Instead of placing blame on BP for the massive environmental and economic disaster that it has caused in the Gulf of Mexico, Brogdon claimed that government is “the problem” and that the spill is a “perfect example of why government should never be involved in the private sector”.

As she said, "The stupid, it really does burn."

Retired Justices to Continue to Sit?

There's a movement afoot to create legislation allowing a retired Supreme Court Justice to sit in a case where a current justice has recused himself or herself. The rationale behind the proposal by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is to lessen the likelihood of an evenly-divided court.

"I talked with Justice Stevens, and he raised the question, 'Could we not have a provision in the law for some mechanism that retired Supreme Court justices could be asked to sit on the Court when there is a recusal?' " Leahy said in an interview with The National Law Journal.

This might be a good idea, except for one small problem: the Justices most in favor of this proposal are Rethuglicans, like Scalia and the late William Rehnquist.

In 2000, Chief Justice William Rehnquist decided to hear an antitrust case involving Microsoft Corp., despite his son's work for the company in a separate case. In explaining his decision not to recuse, Rehnquist noted "the negative impact that the unnecessary disqualification of even one Justice" might have.

"Not only is the Court deprived of the participation of one of its nine Members, but the even number of those remaining creates a risk of affirmance of a lower court decision by an equally divided court," Rehnquist wrote.

God forbid anyone shuld ever rule against Microsoft, right?

Justice Antonin Scalia expressed a similar concern in 2004, when he declined to recuse from a case involving Vice President Dick Cheney. The two went on a hunting trip in Louisiana while the case -- related to records from Cheney's energy task force -- was pending.

Scalia simply said, "Darth Cheney must be obeyed. Secrecy must be maintained. Resistance is futile. All must be assimilated."

The unspoken concern, of course, was that the Supreme Court would be unable to support Big Business over the interests of the common man, if the neocons were not allowed to have a majority of the Court.

Face it, if Rehnquist and Scalia support something, you just have to know it's a bad idea. Plus, of course, you didn't hear any concerns about this when the Court was missing one of its liberal Justices.

Surprisingly, Orrin Hatch (R/Neanderthal - Utah) opposed the idea.

Stevens was appointed to the Court by Gerald Ford in 1975, and has generally been one of the more liberal Justices (especially when compared to the likes of Rehnquist, Scalia, and Roberts). So if this idea comes to pass, you can expect the Reich-wing Justices to support the idea, but demand some way to ensure only their guys get called back after retirement.

Interesting Problem Brewing...

... for the South Carolina Rethuglicans...

Retiring US Rep Henry "Bubba" Brown decided he was going to try for the position of County Supervisor in Bubba Berkley County, but lost to Dan "Bubba" Davis.

Meanwhile (with the emphasis on "mean"), Tim "Bubba" Scott won the Rethuglican run-off (run-out?) to replace Brown in Washinton.

One small problem: if Brown wins, he would become the state's first black Rethuglican congresscritter since Reconstruction.

Poor South Carolina Rethuglicans now have to choose between "wunnathem nigras" or "wunnathem demmycrats."

What's a good Bible-thumpin', hooker-humpin', sister-marryin', rifle-rack-in-the-pickmup God-fearin cracker redneck Rethuglican to do?

OOOH, Stop the Press!!!

From the Humongously Big Surprise Department...

US District Martin Feldman, who struck down the six-month ban on deep-water drilling, has investments in:

• Transocean Ltd, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded and sank;
• Ocean Energy
• Prospect Energy
• Peabody Energy
• Parker Drilling, and.... wait for it...
• yup, Halliburton!

This is according to a story listing some of the details in Feldman's financial disclosure statement.

Another big surprise: Feldman was named to the bench by Reagan.

Yet another surprise: he ruled in favor of the oil industry.

Oh, and he hangs with his BFF, Nino Scalia.

The Cereal State Strikes Again

Yes, the land of nuts and flakes has come up with yet another amazing way to showcase their ultimate lack of common sense.

California "is considering a bill that would allow the state to begin researching the use of electronic license plates for vehicles." Yup, those electronic billboards aren't distracting enough, now we'll have to worry about license plates that would switch to digital ads or other messages when it is stopped for more than four seconds, whether in traffic or at a red light.

Your average California driver (I am specifically excluding BadTux) has the attention span of a hyperactive gnat to begin with. Can you imagine the back-ups that will ensue as thousands of California drivers get mesmerized by the pretty, flashing messages on the plates ahead of them at traffic lights?

And just think about the ads you'll see:

• granola-bar-dispensers for your Prius
• Birkenstock tires
• tourism ads from Arizona ("offer void if dark-skinned")

This has to be one of the worst ideas ev--

Ooooh, look, a bunny!

OK, I've Given Up

On my former fellow police officers, that is. I spent 14 years as a cop before leaving the field over 20 years ago. Since then, I continued to believe that American police officers were thinking, feeling, humans.

No more.

Off and on, I've been following some of the law enforcement blogs out there. I have come to the conclusion that today's police officer is a racist, bigoted, birther, creationist, talibangelical, neocon, wingnut, Glen Beck-fellating Oath Keeper, who feels perfectly entitled to "support" the Constitution of the United States by claiming for himself the exclusive right to determine guilt or innocence and the appropriate sentence. This amazing ability to be judge, jury and executioner -- in direct contravention of the Constitution -- scares the hell out of me.

We have cops -- police officers who have allegedly sworn "to protect and serve" -- claiming that they and they alone understand the intent of the Framers of the Constitution; that orders originating with our duly-elected President should not be followed, that they are "unconstitutional" because Obama is a "muslim;" that police officers and military members have an obligation to kill anyone with whom they do not agree; that non-fundamentalist-Christianists have no rights whatsoever; that anyone darker than Edgar Winter is some sort of sub-humanoid.

Can we trust these fruitcakes to protect us?

Or do we have to worry that these armed morans who have fallen under the spell of rootin-tootin-make-believe-cowboy bush and little-miss-you-betcha-wasilla-hillbilly will allow their atrophied sense of right and wrong to run hog-wild, killing those from whom they differ?

Please. I'm Beggin' Ya. Secede.

Surprising news from the southern states. Not.

Part I: The Right to Bear Arms

As we all know, the South views the right to bear arms as THE most important aspect of life, bar none. Right behind that is the Southerner's hatred for any law and order that doesn't feature the Stars and Bars. Two "sovereign citizen" types, Jerry Kane and his 16-year-old son (probably named Bubba) shot and killed two police officers. Jerry and his equally dain-bread son tried to hide at a Wal-Mart (of course) and got cornered. They tried to shoot their way out again, but this time, the cops had some advance warning. Jerry and Bubba, dead in the lot at Wally World. At least they won't be locked up with "them niggras."

Part II: "Ah Hates Me Some Feds... Hey, Warshington, Ah needs Me Some He'p"

New Mexico and the "People's Republic of Arizona" -- two states that hate them some Feds cuz we got us a "niggra" President -- are all of a sudden asking for help from... the Feds. Obama (who seems intent on remaining bush-Dark) is sending some National Guard troops -- those who aren't in Iraq or Afghanistan, which means they're scraping the bottom of the barrel -- to help curb illegal immigration. Be interesting to see how many of the Guardsmen get jacked up by Joe Arpiao's "deppities" for being brown without a permit. The two states also want UAVs.

Part III: Family Values, Part Who Knows?

Family Values Rethuglican state rep Nikki Haley in South Carolina wants to be Governor. She should do an excellent job. Even without being elected, she's already displaying those "family values" so beloved by the rethugs. Yup, she was boffing some dude other than the one to whom she is married. And the dude she was screwing around with? A former aid to Governor Mark "Ah'm hikin' the Apple-lickin' trial with mah Brazilian twist" Sanford. Sanford's ex-wife and Sarah "Ah'm all for morality, which is why my daughter got knocked up without a husband" Palin both endorsed Haley.

Part IV: Westboro Baptist, Dallas Division

Forget "who shot JR", now the big question is "who ordained them gays and lesbians?" The Royal Lane Baptist Church ordained gay and lesbian deacons. The church had also been one of the first to accept blacks and ordain women. Of course, to the rest of the Baptist community (which obviously supports Westboro, since they haven't drummed them out) freaked out and have cast Royal Lane into the hellfire and brimstone for allowin' "them people" equal access to the church.

Part V: "What's Wrong With the KKK?"

A Georgia high school teacher was suspended after having four of her students (the entire student body, in other words) dress in KKK robes, allegedly for a "class project" (yeah, buddy, that's some classy project). The project, needless to say, was on racism... how to keep it alive, no doubt. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, in its coverage of the case, asks two questions: "Who has allowed students to dress as Klan members, Nazis or Salem witch burners?" and second, "Who cares?" The AJC is certainly standing firm in their support for the Stars and Bars. The reporter(?) writes: "I would argue that costumes are appropriate if dramatizations of real-life events enrich instruction and if the point is to show the true nature of these hateful acts. I understand how the sight of hooded students would upset classmates, but once the project was explained, I would think that their concerns would be allayed." Of course she'd blow a gasket if the students were dressed in Union blue.



Yessirree, these good ole boys sure are good Americans, aren't they?

Addition to the Blogroll

I was looking at my Sitemeter stats, and noticed someone had come to my blog from Pride Press, a gay-rights blog. I discovered that they (it's a group blog) have me blogrolled on their site, so I'm adding them here. I have not had a chance to read a lot at Pride Press, but from what I have read, it appears to be a very well-written, thoughtful site.

As you folks know, I'm straight, but both the lovely yet talented Mrs 618 and I have lots of gay friends (oh, sh!t, I'm starting to sound like a rethuglican, aren't I?). If you have someone who makes you happy, who completes and fills your life, all the more power to you. I don't care if your partner is the same gender, the opposite gender, transgender, or purple with green polkadots. If you're happy, that's all that matters.

I don't know when Pride Press added me to their blogroll, but thank you, folks, and I'm sorry for the delay in adding you here.

Arizona - the New Kansas?

Arizona, fresh from the ridicule of the "possession of dark skin" law, now has another claim to infamy: a law banning "ethnic studies" classes "that advocate ethnic solidarity, that are designed primarily for students of a particular race or that promote resentment toward a certain ethnic group."

Of course, the honors KKK program will not be affected.

Coupla Updates...

First, to the post entitled "Republican Family Values: The Gift That Keeps on Giving." This post, written last October, discussed some of the "Family Values®" displayed by the rethugs.

• Ted Alvin Klaudt, in a transparent attempt to keep himself out of the news (after being sentenced to 44 years for raping two of his foster daughters and 10 years for witness tampering) has claimed a "common-law copyright" on his name. Good try, but no. Ted Alvin Klaudt is still a pedophile rapist.
• Mark Sanford, whose hike on the Appalachian Trail turned out to be galavanting with his mistress in Argentina, celebrated being cleared of civil and criminal charges in connection with his adultery by partying in Florida... with his Argentinian squeeze.
• Vito Fossella, caught driving drunk while en route to his mistress' house, finished out his term and did not run for re-election. His Wikipedia article has lots of interesting info on "Ol' Family Values® Hisself."

Second, I have taken the opportunity to remove some dead links from the blogroll. 42, Welcome to the Revolution, and Mike's Column are going to be missed. All three were very good. A couple of others -- Dear Leader's Daily Thought and Cut to the Chase -- were deleted in that they haven't been updated in over two years, but both were good.

Jeez...

Six months since my last post? My, how time flies when one is truly disgusted.

Part I - Obama, Son of bush?

First off, we have President Obama, who seems bent on becoming bush Dark. His administration -- campaign promises to the contrary notwithstanding -- has failed to do anything about Gitmo, has tried to support the bush junta's claims to "zeckative privalige" in dealing with secrecy, and has now proposed weakening -- they call it "adjusting" or "tweaking" -- the Miranda warnings, saying that alleged terrorists should be questioned without being informed of their Constitutionally-guaranteed rights. The last time this horrific idea popped up was during the regime of St Ronnie; back then, everyone -- even the police -- opposed weakening the Miranda ruling.

For those not old enough to remember 1966 (and who have never seen any of the ubiquitous cop shows on TV), the Miranda warnings are a recitation of Constitutional rights that a police officer must give a criminal suspect, under certain circumstances (not, as seen on TV, each and every time a cop arrests someone). The warnings were initially criticized by then-President Richard M Nixon (who certainly knew a bit about criminal behavior) as "handcuffing" the police. Research since then has shown, however, that the conviction rates actually increased post-Miranda, in that cops actually had to, you know, investigate and gather evidence and all that good stuff, instead of relying on a coerced confession.

The far Reich-wing fanatics seem to have found a new ally in their effort to demonize anyone darker than Edgar Winter.

Part II - The Watch List and the Second Amendment

Now this one is just too bizarre to believe, yet it is really happening. The NRA's Congressional butt-kissers are fighting a proposal to ban folks on the terrorism watch list from buying firearms. Yup, Lindsey Graham and his gun-nut lunatic friends want to ensure that even though the United States demonizes anyone darker than Edgar Winter (see above), those Allah-lovin' terrists will still be able to pack heat.

And they claim to "love America..."

Part III - Palin & Co

Good God, is this woman still around? Why hasn't she been indicted?!?

And I just LOVE the way Bristol -- who is only 19 years old -- was spotted in a bar after giving one of her patented "let's all be nice and moral now, shall we?" speeches. Even the flippin' Free Republic(!) was annoyed.

I wish the Wasilla Hillbillies would go the hell away.

Part IV - "Family Values" and MC Steele*

Lordy, Lordy, where to start? Yet another "Family Values" Rethuglican has been busted with his boytoy, in this case George Alan Rekers. Rekers, a Baptist minister and anti-gay activist, got caught with a professional rentboy who touts his " 'smooth, sweet, tight ass' and 'perfectly built 8 inch cock (uncut)' and explains he is 'sensual,' 'wild,' and 'up for anything' — as long you ask first. And as long as you pay.' as the Miami New Times put it.

And Mikey Steele asked the party of fiscal responsibility to get him a private plane, like the rest of the rich kids, before he got caught splurging (and perhaps splooging) at a lesbian B&D club.

(* I'm not sure who dubbed him thus, but I first saw it at Dependable Renegade)

Part V - Arizona Wants Me...

...but only if I'm white. The great State of Arizona, the state where Sheriff Joe Arpaio houses inmates in a "tent city" and issues pink underwear, has a new law, allowing the Arizona Schutzstaffel (or ASS) and the Redneck Gestapo to stop anyone darker than Edgar Winter to verify that such "messican bandito" is in the country legally. Now, you just know that only the brown/black/red crowd will be stopped under the provisions of this law since, as one blogger pointed out, there aren't many illegal Canadian or Polish nationals in or around Phoenix.

And what about McCain's adopted daughter Bridget? How many times is she gonna get stopped before Daddy pitches a fit?

__________

And so, in conclusion, let me say that I am disgusted at the current political climate in this country, I am disgusted at the level to which personal responsibility has sunk, and I am disgusted at what has become of our nation of laws.

I wonder if Firestarter 5 will let me crash with him for a few days...

Ya Can't Make This Stuff Up...

Today's "Hint from Heloise" (as seen in the Portland Press-Herald):

Dear Heloise: Twice in two years we have had a skunk move in under our patio enclosure.

Anyway, all I did was put a boombox-type radio on the floor and let it play on an all-night talk-radio station at a loud volume, and in the morning, the skunk was gone.

Was it the volume or the content?

OMFG... Part III

Infectious disease trading cards. Three sets of them.

"Hey, Bobby, I'll trade you my Hantavirus and Anthrax for your Ebola..."

From the CDC.

(Via William the Coroner)

Follow-up to "A Real Hero"

A couple of days ago, I told you about Alex Whitehouse, a Webelos Cub Scout in Turner, Maine. 10 year old Alex saved the life of his younger brother, Drake, when Drake began choking on a piece of candy.

Susan Kimball, of WCSH-TV, Channel 6 in Portland, covered the story today on the noon newscast (yes, I scooped the network affiliate!). Kimball mentioned that, prior to this incident, Alex had been selected to represent Maine at the People To People youth conference in England, and that the townsfolk were sponsoring a spaghetti dinner to raise the $7,000 needed.

I spoke with Ms. Kimball this afternoon, regarding an address for donations from people who can't attend the dinner. If you would like to make a donation to help this young hero get to England, please make your check payable to People To People, and write "Alex Whitehouse" on the memo line. Checks may be sent to this address:

Alex Whitehouse
c/o Claire Bailey
171 Birch Drive
Poland, Maine 04274

I know the economy is tough these days -- I've been unemployed for more than a year -- but I'm sending $10.00.

Other than begging for the Red Cross back during Hurricane Katrina (at the urging of Skippy the Bush Kangaroo and -- talk about strange bedfellows -- InstaPundit's Glenn Reynolds), I haven't asked readers to part with their hard-earned money.

But now I am asking. Even if it's just a few bucks, could you please contribute and help Alex travel to England?

Many sincere thanks.

Discosure: I am not related to, nor have I ever met, Alex, although I would like to. I am not affiliated in any way with People To People. I have NO connection to any of the people mentioned, other than having spoken to Susan Kimball about donations.

Maine Voters Veto Same-Sex Marriage

By a 53-47 margin, Maine voters vetoed the same-sex marriage law. It is was tough, nasty campaign.

Protect Maine Equality, which supported SSM and opposed the veto move, based their campaign on facts, figures, legal opinions, human rights, and common decency. Stand For Marriage Maine [no link to homophobic fear-mongering idiots], which supported the veto and opposed the law, bravely countered with fear, innuendo, lies, and loathing.

SFFM aired many commercials pointing out that "gay marriage would be taught in Maine schools." State education officials pointed out that local school boards set local curricula, and already have the option to teach about gay issues if they so desire (none have done so). SFFM also claimed that support for the SSM law came from 40 states, implying that it was people "from away," those who "support the gay agenda," who were telling Mainers how to vote. Yet at the same time, SFMM was desperately fighting to keep its donor list secret. A cynic would think that was because the SFMM list would show a vast majority of their support came from outside Maine.

By enacting this citizen's veto, Maine legally relegated a substantial portion of the population to second-class citizenship status. These neo-con "morans" have effectively proven that the old adage, "As Maine goes, so goes the nation" is no longer a beacon of hope, but a harbinger of terror. Now that the mouth-breathers have forced "them damned queers" back into the closet, what's next in their quest for a 16th-century Christianist theocracy? Get rid of other "undesirables" like mixed-race couples, "moozlims", Jews, "nigras", Catholics, and -- eventually -- "libruls"?

Opponents of same-sex marriage sent out a broadcast fax several weeks ago, that I discussed here. It is a prime example of the way the far right amps up their base.

By appealing to the basest instincts of the Bible-thumpin', hooker-humpin', sister-marryin', rifle-rack-in-the-pickmup crowd, these homophobic idiots have once again gotten the "Ah have more toes than teeth... and I stuck mah foot under the mower" single-digit-IQ twits to do their bidding.

On a related matter, it might be time to re-examine the tax-exempt status of the Catholic Diocese of Maine. As a tax-exempt church, the diocese is barred from active participation in partisan politics. Yet the Portland Press-Herald, in its front-page coverage of the vote, ran a large picture of the official spokesman of the diocese, at the campaign headquarters of the SFMM, saying "we fought the good fight" [emphasis added]. That is particularly galling, in that the Catholic Church is setting itself up as a "moral arbiter" [THERE's a laugh], yet tacitly condones and actively protects HOMOSEXUAL PEDOPHILE SERIAL-RAPISTS in the priesthood, and demands bishops conceal these crimes.

If a same-sex relationship between two consenting adults is a sin, why is it okay for Father Flannigan to keep raping little boys?!?

If the Catholic Church is going to function as a political action committee, it should lose its tax-exempt status.

A REAL Hero.

10 year old Alex Whitehouse is a real hero.

Let me say that again:

10 year old Alex Whitehouse is a real hero.

This past Thursday, Whitehouse saved the life of his 4 year old brother, Drake Gibbert, after the youngster began choking on a Tootsie Roll. Drake was bouncing on Alex's bed when the candy lodged in his throat.

As part of his Cub Scout training, Whitehouse learned how to perform the Heimlich maneuver last year. Alex grabbed Drake, wrapped his arms around his brother and squeezed.

Article in the Lewiston (Maine) Sun-Journal is here.

Right-Wing HATE Comes Back to Maine... Again.

Yesterday, the lovely yet talented Mrs 618 showed me a broadcast fax that had been received at her office. It's from some batch of far-right-wing whackjobs out in Draper, UT, calling themselves "America Forever," and is chockablock full of the hate-filled, spurious accusations we've come to expect from wingnuttia. Capitalization and emphasis from the original.

The looney diatribe starts "You! Citizen of Maine who VOTED IN Senators Olympia Snowe & Susan Collins YOU WILL BE AS RESPONSIBLE AS THEY ARE FOR BRINGING DOWN THIS NATION INTO DESTRUCTION!" That almost sounds like a threat, not only against Collins and Snowe, but against the thinking people of Maine.

It continues, "The day that America socially recognizes, validates, and condones the stimulation of homosexuality to the children; GOD WILL REMOVE HIS HAND FROM THIS NATION." Oh, goody. The sooner the "Christianists" get the hell out of here, the better off we'll all be.

The hysterical screed goes on to claim that Snowe and Collins are "now part of President Obama's team, that continues to use the 20 year homosexual "power wheel" [whatever the hell that is; I couldn't find anything on "teh Google"] to bring down this nation as a nation under God" and that he would "give all rights to homosexuals." [Of course, under the photograph in the center of the fax, it says, "This is not about HATE or CIVIL RIGHTS."]

Some other gems from this paranoid, delusional piece of crap:

• Both Senators have a "100% voting record with the homosexual agenda and [co-sponsor] their major legislation"
• "HATE CRIMES LAW is the Back door to advance the entire homosexual agenda"
• "[...] the URGENCY of HEALTHCARE REFORM is also about the homosexual, transgender, bisexual, and lesbian movement."
• "Moreover, they [apparently referring to Snowe and Collins, or perhaps to thinking people as a whole] are intolerant and do not emulate any Christian Ethics"
• The photo in the middle of the page shows a big black guy kissing a white guy... no racist feeling there, right?

The fax also urges readers -- in bold type -- to "check out the OBAMA KILLER SONG"

This piece of putrid trash ranks up there with the "manifestos" of various fringe-group terrorist cells, rife with all the delusional, paranoid, "black FEMA helicopter" garbage that passes for discourse with these idiots.

Jesus, what a hideous, hate-mongering message. And these assholes, these neo-Nazi/KKK thugs, these Bible-thumpin', hooker-humpin', sister-marryin', rifle-rack-in-the-pickmup slack-jawed drooling IDIOTS, dare to profess their "Christianity"?!?

How DARE they? Have any of these asshats realized that there is more to their precious Bible than the Old Testament? Have they completely overlooked the REAL message of Jesus, which is love and peace?

On the other hand, something good came of this execrable fax... many of the people in the town supported the "people's veto" of the state law recognizing gay marriage... but after this fax made its way around, they are now saying "where do these folks from away get off telling us how to vote? They're telling us how to be good Christians? Screw 'em, if this is the way they're gonna be, I'm going to vote against the veto!"

These frickin' "morans" need to go the hell away.

Since they seem to be in favor of stifling free speech, let's stifle theirs.

Hey, "America Forever"... SCREW YOU!

Republican Family Values: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Senator John Ensign (R-NV) has been in the news a lot lately. He is, of course, one of those "family values" Republicans... the kind that violates his deeply-held Biblical principles by fornicating with a woman to whom he is not married, and not to propagate the species, but simply because it's fun. In a half-assed attempt to atone for his egregious sin, Ensign used his political influence to find a job for the husband of his girlfriend, and to line up clients for the aforementioned husband of the aforementioned girlfriend of the aforementioned "family values" Republican.

In doing so, Ensign has joined the ranks of other "family values" Republican fornicators like Gov Mark Sanford (R-SC) who was cheating on his wife by boffing some babe in Buenos Aires; he is now also asking the SC Supreme Court to block the release of a state ethics report on his behavior, claiming it would be used for political purposes. He also lied to his constituents, but to a "family values" Republican, that's merely business as usual.

Another "family values" Republican lecher is Vito Fossella, who got bagged for drunk driving. He was on his way to visit his illegitimate daughter by the woman with whom he was committing adultery.

Ted Alvin Klaudt, a former state representative from South Dakota -- "family values" Republican, of course -- was charged with eight counts of second-degree rape, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of witness tampering, one count of sexual contact with a person under 16, and one count of stalking.

And of course, who could forget Mark Foley, disgraced former representative from Florida, who was hitting on underage pages?

In looking back through my previous posts on this never-ending topic, I found this link to ArmchairSubversive, which has a list of 82 instances of Republican pedophilia. And that's just child molesting (or child rape). There probably isn't enough room in the whole damn Internet for all the moral lapses by the "family values" Republicans.

My Take on Healthcare Reform

Like many others, I listened to President Obama's speech last night. And, I hope, like many others, I was disgusted when South Carolina Representative Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson III -- a member of the "Sons of Confederate Veterans" -- shouted out "You lie" when Obama said his plan would not provide insurance to illegal aliens. But this is exactly the behavior we have come to expect from the GOP: completely obstreperous, completely devoid of logic, and completely lacking in sympathy for those less well-off than they. It was, after all, Representative Zach Wamp (R-TN, of course) who said, "Health care is a privilege... it's not necessarily a right." I wonder how Zach Wamp (what a perfect name for a redneck) would feel if his Congressional (i.e., taxpayer-paid) healthcare were suddenly eliminated.

BadTux has written extensively about the healthcare crisis, both the economic factors involved and the political implications. For a snarky penguin, he has a remarkable grasp of all the variables involved, and -- more importantly -- can impart them without sounding pedantic or condescending. I don't plan on duplicating his efforts; I don't have the knowledge he has, nor do I have his flair. I will instead give you my take on this mess.

I'm unemployed, and I have been for more than a year. Yes, some of it is my fault: my profession is safety and security, and a state as safe and secure as Maine has little need for safety and security professionals. Those facilities that do have such a need are (a) a two- or three-hour drive away, (b) Defense Department facilities (Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Brunswick Naval Air Station [which is closing next year anyway], or Bath Iron Works), or (c) correctional facilities.

I did not move to Maine simply because I got tired of a reasonably good job, with reasonably good benefits, I moved because my parents are in their 80s and can no longer care for themselves.

I found a job for a while, but the contract ended unexpectedly, and I was laid off. I had not worked enough quarters in Maine to qualify for unemployment, and of course Michigan's unemployment wouldn't pay me in Maine. I was fortunate in that my wife and I had housing, and that she works part-time, so we had food and lights and all those other neat things.

But, I didn't have medical insurance. And Mrs 618's part-time job paid just enough to make us ineligible for MaineCare, the state version of Medicare/Medicaid. So, of course, I had to tear up my back and pinch my sciatic nerve* working around the house. No medical insurance meant no visit to the doctor until I couldn't bear the pain any longer. None of the few local doctors are accepting new patients, so Mrs 618 hauled me off to the local ER, where the doctor gave me a couple of prescriptions (I was just barely able to scrape up the money for two, the other two had to wait), and instructions for physical therapy. PT here runs about $300 an hour, more money that we don't have, so that had to wait.

Guess what? I'm not getting any better. I'm still in excruciating pain (since I ran out of pain-killers), I still can't walk, I still can't find a job... and now I can't even keep up with the chores around the house. Oh, and I explained to the hospital that I would need to make payments arrangements; when they heard my situation, we agreed on $20 per week (which means about 100 weeks of payments; meanwhile, other patients' payments are taking up the slack).

Do we need a "public option", the one the Republicans are screaming about?

Hell, yes.



*If you have never dealt with sciatica, consider yourself blessed. If you have, you know just how wonderful it feels....