Reflections of Me: Babble, Babble.
Well, here we sit, in the greatest nation in the world ( Okay, the
10th greatest now. Perhaps even the 99th greatest...) and we still
cannot figure out quite how to wipe our own butts properly.
Not that there is a 'proper' way. I just liked how that sounded. Appropriately combative, without being overly aggressive. It astounds me sometimes that some people still think we are great. Certainly, we are a wealthy nation, right?
Oh. Yeah. No. We have some wealthy people, yep! Entertainers, politicians, Wall Street members, athletes, bankers, business investors. Wall Street is experiencing great gains almost daily ( a good thing? Hmmmm. Wonder what has happened in the past when Wall Street made exceptional gains? ) which worries some of the more intelligent Americans. A breed I thought was dying out, but, lately, have seen make a resurgence, activating my pessimistic optimism. Still, there is much going on, nearly hourly in fact. So much that we are getting inundated with some things, to the complete absence of other things. Other things which might be just as, if not more, important. Even the journalistic media with the most integrity falls victim to it.
That being said, I'll take a look at the stories I seem to see most repeated lately.
Steve Bannon, freely ( though questionably accurately ) quoted in the new Michael Wolff book 'FIre and Fury', leaves his post at Breitbart news. This was repeated ad nauseam by numerous news sources. As news, it is the equivalent, to me, of reporting that the town drunk of Moosedung, Saskatchewan had left his job.
Speaking of moosedung, I see President Trump voiced concern in questioning why America had to be the immigration destination for so many people from 'shithole' countries. This from a man whose goal in his new 'job' seems to be turning America into a worse shithole country than the countries he, purportedly, refers to. Apparently, he also questioned why we get so many people from some countries and not others. Like Norway. Now, Norway features a lot of happy, comfortable people, who seem content to live in one of the coldest climates in the World. They have some of the best education, health care, transportation systems, and per capita incomes in the World. They do have some unhappy people, yes. But. Those folks don't seem in a big hurry to move. Gee, wonder why?
I just learned that our Nation's infant mortality rate has improved considerably, but, the mortality rate for birthing mothers is increasing. There are various reasons for this, but it boils down the individual States who declined to participate in the ACA's medicaid expansion closing obstetrics or even entire hospitals that served primarily rural and poor, uninsured people. There is something hinting at criminal about this, but, it does point out that unregulated capitalism and important health care do not play well together. It also points out the fallacy of 'small government' being good government. Yes, some things should be left to the States to decide for themselves, but there should never be a discrepancy between Federal and State Law, nor a discrepancy with how funding is distributed. UHC, while not perfect, might actually correct this. Providing we learn to leave profit hounds out of the equation.
President Trump and possible mental illness. Look, I don't see that there can be any debate about that. Of course he is mentally ill. You needn't even be a Doctor to diagnose it. First off, and most obvious: you HAVE to be mentally ill to even consider running for the office of President. Thankfully, there are numerous types of mental illnesses. One just hopes that whoever gets elected has one of the GOOD kinds. Next: you have be even more disturbed to accept a nomination to run. You have to truly believe you are better at a job you've never done, than anyone else is. Trump exhibits this in spades. If he hits a part of the job he doesn't like, he just throws tantrums and tries to change the job. And he really thinks everyone likes him. If that isn't nuts, I don't know what is. Finally, he comes from money, and he has managed to hang onto some of it. Enough that he has always been the one 'in charge'. Obviously, anyone from wealthy backgrounds who has never had to take orders from anyone else is going to develop mental illness. Living a comfortable life even can lead to mental illness. I was fortunate enough to spend several years living comfortably, and, I am nuttier than a Snickers bar.
I don't taste nearly as good, however.
The flu. Okay, this needs to be reported. A lot. Even more than it is being. It is probably better to be sick of hearing about it, than it is to be sick from it. Safer, for sure. If you can, get vaccinated. Granted, there are more strains of flu every year than there are alien worlds contacted by the Enterprise and the TARDIS combined. The vaccination cannot immunize you against them all, and one current strain is proving to be a killer this year. A equal opportunity killer. It doesn't care what age you are, or how rich or poor you are. It doesn't care if you are male or female, gay or straight, or even if you have no gender or preference at all. It doesn't care if you are a gun-totin' 2nd amendment fanatic, or a flower-waving child of peace. It doesn't care how tough you think you are. In fact, it enjoys hitting people like that. It's a nasty little bugger. I bet it even has a evil laugh. It's the biggest terrorist threat in the world. So, if you can, get vaccinated. Now, I haven't, so I am being my standard hypocritical self here. I could. I've done it the past 3 years. And gotten deathly sick each time. My Doctor says it doesn't do that, but each time I have done it, it has flattened me for about 6 to 8 hours with nearly full symptoms. Of course, I am a wussy. I am also a devout, practicing coward. I am a firm believer in, if it hurts to do that, don't do that. I can just see me, getting the shot this year, then being down with the flu for a few hours and having the nasty one ride in on the weakness. I know better, I am just a chicken. Don't be a chicken. Get the damn thing. Even if it doesn't prevent it, it can lessen the effects. Look at it this way--you might not die!
Not that I take my own advice. Besides, I'd have to get off my retired ass and go somewhere to get it. I'm too lazy. Don't be me.
Ok, quick one: just saw the following headline: Married Couple Killed As Amtrak Train Hits SUV in NC, Authorities Say. Via CBS News. Ok, I cannot resist. Tragic, yes...sad...but, is the headline trying to imply that if the couple had not been married, they would have lived? Or, perhaps, they are trying to imply that most couples in NC are not married? Sorry. Had to go there, yes. But, choosing a headline should be a simple, straightforward job. Does anyone even THINK about these? What I am saying is, would the headline be any less informative or newsworthy if simply the word 'married' had been left off? No. Somebody had a agenda. See, I notice stupid shit like that. But, see the earlier paragraph on mental illness. Told ya I was nuts!
OK, enough madness for now. As always, if you have read this far, I thank you. Sincerely. Hopefully, at some point, I managed to bring a smile to your face. If not..well, I won't apologize. Some of it made me smile! I will only apologize for not being a better writer. But then, if I were, you might be paying to read this!! See? At least I'm free!!
Sometimes only reasonable.
Not that there is a 'proper' way. I just liked how that sounded. Appropriately combative, without being overly aggressive. It astounds me sometimes that some people still think we are great. Certainly, we are a wealthy nation, right?
Oh. Yeah. No. We have some wealthy people, yep! Entertainers, politicians, Wall Street members, athletes, bankers, business investors. Wall Street is experiencing great gains almost daily ( a good thing? Hmmmm. Wonder what has happened in the past when Wall Street made exceptional gains? ) which worries some of the more intelligent Americans. A breed I thought was dying out, but, lately, have seen make a resurgence, activating my pessimistic optimism. Still, there is much going on, nearly hourly in fact. So much that we are getting inundated with some things, to the complete absence of other things. Other things which might be just as, if not more, important. Even the journalistic media with the most integrity falls victim to it.
That being said, I'll take a look at the stories I seem to see most repeated lately.
Steve Bannon, freely ( though questionably accurately ) quoted in the new Michael Wolff book 'FIre and Fury', leaves his post at Breitbart news. This was repeated ad nauseam by numerous news sources. As news, it is the equivalent, to me, of reporting that the town drunk of Moosedung, Saskatchewan had left his job.
Speaking of moosedung, I see President Trump voiced concern in questioning why America had to be the immigration destination for so many people from 'shithole' countries. This from a man whose goal in his new 'job' seems to be turning America into a worse shithole country than the countries he, purportedly, refers to. Apparently, he also questioned why we get so many people from some countries and not others. Like Norway. Now, Norway features a lot of happy, comfortable people, who seem content to live in one of the coldest climates in the World. They have some of the best education, health care, transportation systems, and per capita incomes in the World. They do have some unhappy people, yes. But. Those folks don't seem in a big hurry to move. Gee, wonder why?
I just learned that our Nation's infant mortality rate has improved considerably, but, the mortality rate for birthing mothers is increasing. There are various reasons for this, but it boils down the individual States who declined to participate in the ACA's medicaid expansion closing obstetrics or even entire hospitals that served primarily rural and poor, uninsured people. There is something hinting at criminal about this, but, it does point out that unregulated capitalism and important health care do not play well together. It also points out the fallacy of 'small government' being good government. Yes, some things should be left to the States to decide for themselves, but there should never be a discrepancy between Federal and State Law, nor a discrepancy with how funding is distributed. UHC, while not perfect, might actually correct this. Providing we learn to leave profit hounds out of the equation.
President Trump and possible mental illness. Look, I don't see that there can be any debate about that. Of course he is mentally ill. You needn't even be a Doctor to diagnose it. First off, and most obvious: you HAVE to be mentally ill to even consider running for the office of President. Thankfully, there are numerous types of mental illnesses. One just hopes that whoever gets elected has one of the GOOD kinds. Next: you have be even more disturbed to accept a nomination to run. You have to truly believe you are better at a job you've never done, than anyone else is. Trump exhibits this in spades. If he hits a part of the job he doesn't like, he just throws tantrums and tries to change the job. And he really thinks everyone likes him. If that isn't nuts, I don't know what is. Finally, he comes from money, and he has managed to hang onto some of it. Enough that he has always been the one 'in charge'. Obviously, anyone from wealthy backgrounds who has never had to take orders from anyone else is going to develop mental illness. Living a comfortable life even can lead to mental illness. I was fortunate enough to spend several years living comfortably, and, I am nuttier than a Snickers bar.
I don't taste nearly as good, however.
The flu. Okay, this needs to be reported. A lot. Even more than it is being. It is probably better to be sick of hearing about it, than it is to be sick from it. Safer, for sure. If you can, get vaccinated. Granted, there are more strains of flu every year than there are alien worlds contacted by the Enterprise and the TARDIS combined. The vaccination cannot immunize you against them all, and one current strain is proving to be a killer this year. A equal opportunity killer. It doesn't care what age you are, or how rich or poor you are. It doesn't care if you are male or female, gay or straight, or even if you have no gender or preference at all. It doesn't care if you are a gun-totin' 2nd amendment fanatic, or a flower-waving child of peace. It doesn't care how tough you think you are. In fact, it enjoys hitting people like that. It's a nasty little bugger. I bet it even has a evil laugh. It's the biggest terrorist threat in the world. So, if you can, get vaccinated. Now, I haven't, so I am being my standard hypocritical self here. I could. I've done it the past 3 years. And gotten deathly sick each time. My Doctor says it doesn't do that, but each time I have done it, it has flattened me for about 6 to 8 hours with nearly full symptoms. Of course, I am a wussy. I am also a devout, practicing coward. I am a firm believer in, if it hurts to do that, don't do that. I can just see me, getting the shot this year, then being down with the flu for a few hours and having the nasty one ride in on the weakness. I know better, I am just a chicken. Don't be a chicken. Get the damn thing. Even if it doesn't prevent it, it can lessen the effects. Look at it this way--you might not die!
Not that I take my own advice. Besides, I'd have to get off my retired ass and go somewhere to get it. I'm too lazy. Don't be me.
Ok, quick one: just saw the following headline: Married Couple Killed As Amtrak Train Hits SUV in NC, Authorities Say. Via CBS News. Ok, I cannot resist. Tragic, yes...sad...but, is the headline trying to imply that if the couple had not been married, they would have lived? Or, perhaps, they are trying to imply that most couples in NC are not married? Sorry. Had to go there, yes. But, choosing a headline should be a simple, straightforward job. Does anyone even THINK about these? What I am saying is, would the headline be any less informative or newsworthy if simply the word 'married' had been left off? No. Somebody had a agenda. See, I notice stupid shit like that. But, see the earlier paragraph on mental illness. Told ya I was nuts!
OK, enough madness for now. As always, if you have read this far, I thank you. Sincerely. Hopefully, at some point, I managed to bring a smile to your face. If not..well, I won't apologize. Some of it made me smile! I will only apologize for not being a better writer. But then, if I were, you might be paying to read this!! See? At least I'm free!!
Sometimes only reasonable.
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