Health Care Reform

As a follow up to yesterday's post, I am going to be pointing out some of the blog chatter regarding health care reform.

You can join the conversation on twitter by following @chriscoppola.

I am interested in hearing your feedback, either on twitter or commenting on this blog. Also, if you know of any great health care blogs, make sure to point them out.

A lot of people have asked my opinion on the recent round of health care reform, and I have to admit I don't have much confidence that we are going to get much done. The way I see it, everyone debating health care has made up their mind before coming to the table, and is shouting their opinion so loudly, they can't hear the other side. I see images of people on Medicare, a government health plan saying that government health plans would be an abomination and should not be allowed to exist. http://www.nj.com/ledgerlive/index.ssf/2009/08/health_care_reform_town_hall_n.html

I see citizens holding vigils and protests, and opponents pay no heed or accuse them of greed. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/sep/03/supporters-hold-vigil-health-care-reform/

At one protest, an Obama supporter actually bit off a man's finger! http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hAkLGsyNutX4LzUQhcc2zUSHXqYgD9AG37B80 Fortunately, the man's health care was paid for by Medicare.

I honestly don't think all of the shouting will amount to anything, but the truth remains, that is our American way. We debate our country's business in public, and every voice, no matter how stubborn or ornery has an equal right to be heard. I bet we would have a plan in place already if we were in a country where policy could be enacted in secret, but that is not our way. For my part, what I think we need to decide is if we believe that we citizens have a right to the benefits of health care, or if it is a privilege for those who can afford it. Day after day I take care of children regardless of whether they have insurance or not. Everyone who works in an ER in this country does the same. It's kind of hard to achieve the inalienable right to pursue happiness for ourselves and our children without health. I'll bet most Americans feel this way about themselves and their families. It isn't too much of a leap to listen for a moment and realize that our neighbors feel the same way we do, and we should pull together to make sure no one gets left behind.

A view into Afghanistan

A friend sent this interesting address to me:

http://blog.freerangeinternational.com/

Free Range International is the blog of a security firm operating in Afghanistan. Their commentary and photos offer a country-wide view and I found them to be very educational. The authors come from US military and other global communities. They are not afraid to offer honest, critical opinion.

My favorite fact I learned today:

Nickname for Bagram AB = "Pogadishu" .
I think that beats "Mortaritaville" !

I had not heard of them before. Has anyone out there worked with them?

No Limits of Indecency

I have had the same email address since 1994. That's quite a long stretch for some people to keep the same physical address, much less email address. At the time, I was actually using POL.COM (physicians online) as my Internet service provider, buzzing, clicking dial-up and all. Because I've had the same address so long, I think that I have ended up on every spam and Internet scam list possible. I'm pretty used to deleting about three quarters of my email. This week I got an email scam that was particularly odious. It was a variation of the Nigerian scheme. Here is the text:

"United States Marine in Iraq. We have some amount of Funds that we want to move out of the country. Can you receive this funds on our behalf? Once the funds get to you, you take your 30% out and keep our own 70%. Your own part of this deal is to find a safe place where the funds can be sent to. Regards, Sgt. Phillip Newman"

It didn't take long to discover that Sgt Phillip Newman was a British soldier killed in Afghanistan in 2007.

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/ColourSergeantPhillipNewmanPrivateBrianTunnicliffeKilledInAfghanistan.htm

From what I've learned on anti-fraud sites, it is common to use the names of military members in scams, this is just the first time I've seen it.

So be careful out there and don't get taken.