POLITICS:
I don't suppose that there will be a post completely devoid of some political commentary, what with the Presidential election season in full swing. Well, this morning, a super-conservative co-worker was talking to another co-worker about his admiration for right wing screed Ann Coulter and how at least she does her research and fills her books with facts as opposed to liberal writers who weren't doing anything of the kind. Example? Did you know that Barack Obama was raised a radical Muslim? Why, it can be found on the Internet, and if it's on the Internet, it must be true!
I find it so utterly ridiculous that there are people who still believe this kind of drivel. It's not hard to disprove this ridiculous rumor. All you have to do is to go to Snopes.com, a non-partisan web site that separates fact from fantasy, to find out that this is nothing more than rumor put forth by a bunch of conservatives meant to smear Obama's name (did you know that his middle name is "Hussein"? See, that proves he's a Muslim!) and reputation and nothing else. But there are still people who believe anything they want to believe, and if Ann Coulter says it, why, it must be true.....good God, save us from people like this.......they're the same people who elected Bush, and look where that got us.
HEALTH CARE:
Why is it that most insurance companies refuse to pay for preventive care? Wouldn't it make more sense to encourage preventive medicine as opposed to waiting until people are so sick that they need advanced, expensive, life prolonging care that costs the insurance companies even more money than if they'd paid for preventive care in the first place? You'd think that they'd see the sense in how this would affect their bottom line, but it seems that they can't see the forest for the trees, I guess. I don't think that our health care system is going to be fixed anytime soon, sadly, even though polls seem to indicate that most folks are in favor of single payer, not-for-profit health care. The next administration will probably cobble together some compromise program that keeps Big Pharma and Big Insurance in the picture and doesn't really cover everyone or save people like me any money.
And anyway, a single payer system would save companies tons of money because right now, their bottom line is being affected by paying for health care benefits for their active and retired employees. A lot of companies spend a shockingly huge amount of money on health care, and it's cutting into their ability to be competitive in the increasingly expanding global marketplace. So it's a win-win proposal to create a single payer, not-for-profit health care system in this country. But people won't buy into anything that's labeled "socialism", as it's been bandied about lately. Well, for their information, Social Security and the GI Bill are "socialism", as are many of the things that FDR created. And he saved the US from the ravages of the Depression and in so doing, made the US a better place for future generations like me to live.
BOOKS:
The 2008 Newbery Award is "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village" by Laura Amy Schlitz. The 2008 Caldecott Award is "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick. Both of these are very cool books and are well worth a look to lovers of kids books. I always look forward to the announcements of these two awards to see what has been chosen as the winners. I may be an adult but I still love a good children's book. I suppose this is largely in part to have been fortunate enough to have been raised in a book loving household.
I still remember fondly the books that I loved as a child and why I liked them so much. Each one has a special memory for me, from "Pippity's Unlucky Day" to "The Little Fur Family" to "Thidwick, the Big Hearted Moose" and many others I loved growing up. I just wonder what kids of today will remember when they're my age: a favorite video game? A favorite web site? DVD? Will they, like me, have any beloved remembered book that held their attention growing up? I doubt it, and it makes me sad to think that they won't have these special memories to share with their children and grandchildren.
I don't suppose that there will be a post completely devoid of some political commentary, what with the Presidential election season in full swing. Well, this morning, a super-conservative co-worker was talking to another co-worker about his admiration for right wing screed Ann Coulter and how at least she does her research and fills her books with facts as opposed to liberal writers who weren't doing anything of the kind. Example? Did you know that Barack Obama was raised a radical Muslim? Why, it can be found on the Internet, and if it's on the Internet, it must be true!
I find it so utterly ridiculous that there are people who still believe this kind of drivel. It's not hard to disprove this ridiculous rumor. All you have to do is to go to Snopes.com, a non-partisan web site that separates fact from fantasy, to find out that this is nothing more than rumor put forth by a bunch of conservatives meant to smear Obama's name (did you know that his middle name is "Hussein"? See, that proves he's a Muslim!) and reputation and nothing else. But there are still people who believe anything they want to believe, and if Ann Coulter says it, why, it must be true.....good God, save us from people like this.......they're the same people who elected Bush, and look where that got us.
HEALTH CARE:Why is it that most insurance companies refuse to pay for preventive care? Wouldn't it make more sense to encourage preventive medicine as opposed to waiting until people are so sick that they need advanced, expensive, life prolonging care that costs the insurance companies even more money than if they'd paid for preventive care in the first place? You'd think that they'd see the sense in how this would affect their bottom line, but it seems that they can't see the forest for the trees, I guess. I don't think that our health care system is going to be fixed anytime soon, sadly, even though polls seem to indicate that most folks are in favor of single payer, not-for-profit health care. The next administration will probably cobble together some compromise program that keeps Big Pharma and Big Insurance in the picture and doesn't really cover everyone or save people like me any money.
And anyway, a single payer system would save companies tons of money because right now, their bottom line is being affected by paying for health care benefits for their active and retired employees. A lot of companies spend a shockingly huge amount of money on health care, and it's cutting into their ability to be competitive in the increasingly expanding global marketplace. So it's a win-win proposal to create a single payer, not-for-profit health care system in this country. But people won't buy into anything that's labeled "socialism", as it's been bandied about lately. Well, for their information, Social Security and the GI Bill are "socialism", as are many of the things that FDR created. And he saved the US from the ravages of the Depression and in so doing, made the US a better place for future generations like me to live.
BOOKS:
The 2008 Newbery Award is "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village" by Laura Amy Schlitz. The 2008 Caldecott Award is "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick. Both of these are very cool books and are well worth a look to lovers of kids books. I always look forward to the announcements of these two awards to see what has been chosen as the winners. I may be an adult but I still love a good children's book. I suppose this is largely in part to have been fortunate enough to have been raised in a book loving household.
I still remember fondly the books that I loved as a child and why I liked them so much. Each one has a special memory for me, from "Pippity's Unlucky Day" to "The Little Fur Family" to "Thidwick, the Big Hearted Moose" and many others I loved growing up. I just wonder what kids of today will remember when they're my age: a favorite video game? A favorite web site? DVD? Will they, like me, have any beloved remembered book that held their attention growing up? I doubt it, and it makes me sad to think that they won't have these special memories to share with their children and grandchildren.
2 comments:
As a kid, I loved anything by Noel Streatfield. Wonder if you ever read those. Starting with "Ballet Shoes."
n, np
Sally,
I am looking to find a copy of "Pippity's Unlucky Day" do you know how I can get a copy. Older of age, I am now the proud Father of a 5 month old and would love a copy.
Tim O'Co toc@pobox.com
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