Central Coast News Mission Dr. Don Regan

A DAY TO PROJECT

2006-01-15T08:22:00.000-08:00

On this most poignant day, within our time, and on behalf of our future, it is perhaps better, while we are considering the pre-eminence of diversity, to give greater emphasis to the necessary ascendancy of Unity.

Happy Martin Luther King Day.

PATIENTS AND PROVIDERS THE VICTIMS AGAIN

2006-01-09T08:24:00.000-08:00

As some of you may or may not know, Medicare reimbursements to Healthcare Providers have just taken another irreversible “Draconian Hit”, again!

Beginning this month, January 2006, reimbursements for patients now drop inexplicably further by 4.4% to healthcare providers.

This is the first of additional reimbursement cuts this year, 2006, planned by Medicare. These cuts come at a time when practice costs are rising 3.1 percent, resulting today in an overall impact of a 7.4% decline in the total value of Medicare physicians payments.

Your neighborhood Docs, already drowning in increasing overall practice costs; employee costs; regulatory suffocation; increased professional insurance premium costs; increasing equipment and supply costs, and a daily increase delay in receiving justified 3rd party Private Insurer reimbursements for services, now up to, in many cases 6 months to a year or even longer, particularly from public agencies connected with the State, and Federal Health care programs.

A truly devastating situation. This is no Chicken Little scenario. This is real and getting worse.

What does this mean to you?

Dramatically less patient service, less patient accessibility, further runaway depletion of healthcare professionals here on our Central Coast, and across our State and Nation.

A healthcare crisis, which has always been bad, and getting worse, is now without question going to get even worse, as physicians and their families seek methods to survive, and sustain their patients and practices in a continuing intentional governmental spiraling down of healthcare in this Nation, State, and to our very local physicians, by our Federal and State Governments.

What to do?

Support your local Doctors, and then write and rise up and tell your Federal and State elected representatives, we have had enough, and we are not going to take it any longer! We deserve better healthcare, and we must insist that we have a system of health care, in which our medical providers, and we, their patients can live.

For further Information ... Please ...

A) Contact your local Physician

B) Otherwise: D.E. Regan, Ph.D.
drdregan@aol.com

RIGHTS AND REALITIES -- WHOSE GUARDING THE HEN HOUSE?

2005-11-13T06:40:00.000-08:00

I just want to take a few moments, of your time, and discuss Voter sovereignty and its implications for our personal futures within a preferred, or at least a perceived representational democracy.

You may not govern me without my consent, reverberated throughout our Founders' keen and deliberate sense of a representational federalist democracy, as they constructed our Constitution. Along with and congruent to, Separation of Powers, it is a firm keystone, and a solid building block built into our Constitution -- against an unlimited and despotic government.

Let’s imagine together for a moment, that like the “Darlings” of J.M. Barrie’s children’s mythos of Peter Pan, that we wake up to a magical world. A world, (like Peter Pan’s) of neither child, nor adult, old or young, and importantly has its social order defined by an immutable rule of independent, well educated voters exercising their legitimate citizens’ choices, and influence, as the basic tenant, on which that magical society is constructed and run.

An imaginative nurturing system deliberately built from the bottom up, the bottom down … left and right sides all equal. A voluminous equilateral 8 sided societal diamond, with each of its four facets with all points out, and all bases faceting on their mutual converging planes.

A polyiamond, or polyhedron. More accurately an octahedron with its eight planes meeting, at each of its vertices.

Such cognitive theories early on, in 325BC as imagined, postulated and proofed in Euclid’s biblically elemental work, “Elements”; further expounded on by Plato, and thereafter philosophized on by his student Aristotle, as embodying four of his five elements, earth wind, fire, and water.

Certainly given these ancient laws, we can only assume it was thereafter and forever intuitively known by Barrie; as it was deified by Picasso and his “Garde”, at the turn of their 20th century; as it was later that same century by Buckminster Fuller, and most certainly earlier, and notably within the 18th century by our Nation’s founders.

It is hard to imagine, that our very imaginations, and our daily modern manifested institutional realities are not all, somehow connected, constrained, and based deeply within such ancient elemental, artistic, and axiomatic evolving truths.

Fast forwarding through this indulgent and evocative cubist collage-like dream state, we see on the approaching irregular horizon, another land of equally yet non arbitrary, and now highly mutable shapes, iconizing pure self interest, and an extorted insularity of and by, a new ruling beaurocracy, known as government “by and for its people”.

A new pseudo fascism constructed of facades of smoke and mirrors, psychologically embracing frustration, apathy and ignorance, as the controlling elements, a mere pretense of the more solid representational democratic federalism intended.

A consolidation of effects so dense, as to squeeze out light -- light of the sun, light of common knowledge, and most importantly the light of common good.

A world in which the people sensing this vacuous palatable absence of light, and omnipresent smells of a rat, march lockstep in impeccable flight, fear and intuitive disgust, impulsively, ever faster and more reliably toward greater distrust, apathy, and disunion.

Propelled by a system in which, no matter the individuals’ earnest desires, seems to cognitively rule them out, spiritually deflate them, while all the while, neutering their palates with the persistent and ever present drumming of electronic pablum, entitlement baiting, and an incomprehensible destruction of any unifying cultural aesthetic.

A society of disequals stridently screaming their equality, marked by ever more deliberately aggressive incivility, and incongruous mind numbing inaction, and unsafe beaurocratic ineffectiveness.

A beaurocracy indulged by and self re-invented by an increasingly constrained voting class, and a deconstructed system that: enthusiastically encourages and intentionally fosters voter and citizen non participation.

A citizenry lauded and taught only the virtues of ingesting, but never digesting, nor allowable or discerning expulsion.

Yet that same system simultaneously insisting that such non participation is completely inexplicable and intolerably immutable given the laws of human nature, as they understand them, and as they are want to proselytize them.

Issues, intentionally made unclear, called ballot summaries, combined with enthusiastically obfuscating perpetually smiling candidates and office holders, committed to the service of self-serve, with a consistency of rare sinister wit and profound unintelligible dullness.

A system unassailable in its absurd and clear use of intentional barriers and burdens to keep the entitled citizen voter from his or her veritable and verifiable civic duty of voting, and voting informed.

A system where a voter can’t get there in a useful or timely manner -- can’t understand the issues confronting them -- and can’t verify if their vote was even counted. Created to make them feel not there. So, when they are not there ... where is this so called statistical surprise?

All this in an age where they can electronically connect voices and images instantly around the world; create life in a Petri dish; steal one’s identity in an eye blink, but yet mysteriously can not enable and verify one vote, one person?

Yes, the axiomatic truths of Plato, et al are inescapably real, as are the correlative artistically distorted representations by the likes and wonders of Picasso.

Within this heritage our job … yea the very soul of our society … is to aggressively define and assertively recapture those civil truths with an unapologetic commitment to assure and insure our verifiable voting rights, as the simple yet basic foundation and corner stone of our sovereignty as a nation, as citizens, and that these rights are protected and equally unassailable.

It is we who elect them, right?

The fruited plane, on which our dreams, prosperity and our very survival is built.

America! America!

We can't lose You.

This right is indeed self evident.

ATTRIBUTION

FINALLY CONGRESS DOES SOMETHING RIGHT

2005-11-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

H.R. 4128

Protects Private Property Rights.

Summary:

Congress’ power to condition the use of federal funds extends to prohibiting states and localities from receiving any federal economic development funds for a specified period of time if such entities abuse their power of eminent domain, even if only state and local funds are used in that abuse of power.

Such a broader penalty is an appropriate use of Congress’ spending power, as the Supreme Court has made clear that Congress may attach conditions to the receipt of any federal funds provided such conditions are related to the “federal interest in particular national projects or programs.” Under this legislation, there is a clear connection between the federal funds that would be denied and the abuse Congress is intending to prevent.

The policy is that states or localities that abuse their eminent domain power by using “economic development” as a rationale for a taking should not be trusted with federal “economic development” funds that could contribute to similarly abusive land grabs.

H.R. 4128 also includes an express private right of action to make certain that those suffering injuries from a violation of the bill will be allowed access to state or federal court to enforce its provisions. It also includes a fee-shifting provision identical to those in other civil rights laws that allows a prevailing property owner attorney and expert fees as part of the costs of bringing the litigation to enforce the bill’s provisions.

Under H.R. 4128, States and localities will have the clear opportunity to cure any violation before they lose any federal economic development funds by either returning or replacing the improperly taken property.

H.R. 4128 also includes carefully crafted refinements of the definition of “economic development” that specifically allow the types of takings that, prior to the Kelo decision ... (On June 23, the Supreme Court, in a 5 to 4 decision in: Kelo v. City of New London, held that “economic development” can be a “public use” under the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause. In doing so, the Supreme Court allowed the government to take private property from one homeowner and give it to a large corporation for a private research facility) ... had achieved a consensus as to their appropriateness. These exceptions include exceptions for the transfer of property to public ownership, to common carriers and public utilities, and for related things like pipelines.

The bill also makes reasonable exceptions for the taking of land that is being used in a way that constitutes an immediate threat to public health and safety. The bill also makes exceptions for the merely incidental use of a public building by a private entity, such as a small privately run gift shop on the ground floor in a public hospital, for the acquisition of abandoned property, and for clearing defective chains of title in which no one can be said to really own the property in the first place.

H.R. 4128 would not become effective until the start of the first fiscal year following the enactment of the legislation, in order to provide states and localities with sufficient lead time within which to prepare to come into compliance with the legislation.

Finally, H.R. 4128 does not apply to any project for which condemnation proceedings had begun prior to enactment.

ATTRIBUTION

TO PERSONAL ... LOS OSOS …

2005-11-06T17:41:00.000-08:00

TIME TO HEAL AND COME TOGETHER IN COMPASSION AND WISE COMPROMISE ON BEHALF OF ALL THE PEOPLE –- ALL YOUR NEIGHBORS -- ALL YOUR FRIENDS.

IN OR OUT OF TOWN, AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY -- ALL OF US WHO WORRY AND WONDER, AND WANT TO HELP.

ALL, WHO SURELY ONLY WANT NOTHING MORE THAN FOR YOU TO ALL BE HAPPY, HEALTHY, SAFE AND PROSPEROUS.

A SOLUTION IS WITHIN YOUR GRASP.

BUT, IT WILL TAKE: UNITY OF PURPOSE, UNITY OF SPIRIT
AND A GREATER UNITY OF WILL POWER AND GRACE TO
OVER COME THE EASIER AND NOW ALL TOO FAMILIAR
ROAD OF VINDICTIVENESS AND ANGRY DIVISIVENESS.

TAKE A DEEP, QUIET, AND MUCH DESERVED BREATH ... GRAB THE COMMUNITY ROPE, AND PULL DESERVEDLY TOGETHER.

YOUR POSITIVE FUTURE AWAITS YOU.

ENVISION IT ... THE CHOICE IS ONLY YOURS.

MY PRAYER IS: THAT YOU WILL DO WHAT YOU ALL KNOW IS RIGHT AND BEST ... AND WILL DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND BEST FOR ALL.

ATTRIBUTION

C.T.E. -- Career Technical Education -- IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US

2005-11-06T17:05:00.000-08:00

Our recent, and not so recent, educational history has seemingly been sadly highlighted by the zeal of educators and well meaning parents, who universally appear to believe that all of their children are manifestly destined for college entrance white-collar careers.

School Boards, Administrators, and Teachers for years have been trying to please parents by punching up students’ academic test numbers, while indiscriminately destroying programs that would train carpenters, electricians, auto mechanics, para medical professionals, and other vital workers.

The slow eradication of Career Technical Education Programs (CTE) coupled with the political pressure to raise test scores, surely has had a wrong headed depressive and clearly detrimental effect on California's high school career and employment opportunities. While at the same time contributing to an increasing dropout rate, which already is much too high, by channeling all students into college tracks.

Some - CTE teachers, parents, and other observers believe, that it has been a decades long conspiracy, of sorts, to cleanse the schools of those students who are vocationally, rather than academically, inclined.

Ironically, California has never had a greater need for workers with mechanical and/or technical abilities, a need so vast that employers are raiding each other, and even importing skilled workers from other states to fill vacancies.

Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill, S.B. 70, into law this past September, 2005. This Bill will rightfully expand and finally rebuild California’s Technical Educational (CTE) offerings, while strengthening connections between secondary schools, community colleges, industry, and employers.

He is the first governor, in recent decades, to make CTE a public priority, mentioning it during his State of the State address to the Legislature last January, 2005, and then including $20+ million dollar allocation to improve CTE at high school and community college levels in his 2005-06 budget.

Schwarzenegger described CTE – accurately – as: "a first-class ticket to high-paying jobs and solid careers, and improving California's economy" . He further added, that: "For too long this has been neglected, and has been forgotten, and there is no respect for this kind of education."

But if his and our personal and most necessary support for CTE is to become a long-term and effective commitment, resulting in a permanent change in our State’s Educational trends and provide more and sustained open career opportunities, then a firm change of public attitude is clearly needed.

Those who improperly denigrate job-oriented education, while still powerful in both the education hierarchy and politics, denigrate themselves, as well. These intentional and/or naïve attitudes and their resultant destructive inhibitory actions, towards our children’s opportunities, and California’s economy must stop.

Support Vocational Education, it is our proud future too, and not an educational outcast.

It is an Economic Promise for our children and our families.

ATTRIBUTION

Passing Grace

2005-10-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

Now I look at the years gone by,
and wonder at the powers that be.

I don’t know why fortune smiles on some,
And let’s the rest go free.

Maybe the time has drawn the faces I recall -

But things in this life change very slowly,
If they ever change at all.

There’s no use in asking why,
It just turned out that way.

Attribution

Property Rights Wins Victory in House

2005-10-08T22:10:00.000-07:00

The House recently in late September, approved an overhaul of the 1973 Endangered Species Act, perhaps the nation's most predatory tool for limiting human access, housing, farming, recreation and property rights.

The recent HR 3824 (TESRA), Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005 is a much hoped for relief, for our local homeowners, agriculture, and rancher families, who at times have found their personal property rendered useless, and endangered themselves by the 1973 legislation.

These welcomed changes were pushed through by the Chairman of the House Resources Committee, Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif. This rancher correctly and intuitively contends that the current 32 year old rules unduly burdens landowners, and leads to costly lawsuits while doing too little to save plants and animals.

Pombo said: "You've got to pay when you take away somebody's private property. The only way this is going to work is if we bring in property owners to be part of the solution and to be part of recovering those species".

This was, I thought, already guaranteed by the 7th Amendment: "nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation". That clause alone should have rendered the original 1973 legislative version unconstitutional. But alas, it has not, perhaps now there is hope for the rights of property owners.

Correctly, Yes, we should protect endangered species, but not at the expense of our property owners.

The White House supports this legislation. In the end, 34 Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the measure, and 36 Democrats joined Republicans in voting for it.

One of whom, you might expect voting against it, was Congresswoman Lois Capps. Who appears to have trouble with legislation protecting fellow property owners, but has no problem supporting the killing of our local animals on our Channel Islands, while paying thousands of dollars to New Zealand hunters to do so.

Opponents and Mrs. Capps are expecting Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), who heads the committee that oversees the Endangered Species Act, to hold the bill up in his committee. He has, already voiced his opposition to the bill. The Senate has not taken it up, and is unlikely to accept such revisions in the law, so compromises are likely if the bill is ever to become law.

The bill that passed the House would require the government to compensate property owners, if steps needed to protect species, thwarted development plans. It also would make political appointees responsible for some scientific determinations, and would stop the government from designating areas as "critical habitat," which now is used as a wedge to limit often needed housing, of particular importantance in our difficult and highly priced local real estate market.

A growing critical mass of people are now aware of the problems that the existing Endangered Species Act imposes on land and homeowners and their communities, and understands it is also counter productive to recovering and protecting species.

"It's going to be a 2006 elections issue."

At the heart of the issue is the traditional protection of private property rights versus invasive environmentalist – no-growther concerns.

Preserving endangered species is good, provided it does not put people out of work, or infringe on the rights of property owners.

Some balance is needed, and I believe this legislation goes a long way towards providing it. It is time to protect another endangered species … the individual property owner.

ATTRIBUTION

POSSE COMITATUS

2005-10-02T13:12:00.000-07:00

President Bush the other day (Sept 26th) sought through, as it turns out, a not so unusual request, to modify again, the now historically well modified Posse Comitatus Act, 1878, and/or The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Nov. 23, 1988), in order to federalize future hurricane-relief efforts, by removing governors from the immediate emergency decision-making process.

The embarrassment of watching Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and New Orleans Mayor, Ray Nagin's mutually confusing, debilitating and reprehensible responses to the Katrina Holocaust, was then followed by Governor Blanco's and Governor Haley Barbour's rejection of the President's offer to federalize their State's National Guard troops in the aftermath of Katrina.

So based on that, and what many think is a well deserved bashing resulting from his own apparent confusing response, Mr. Bush now wants Congress to consider empowering the Pentagon with automatic control, in such situations. Thus improving organized and effective response, and resultantly saving lives and property.

As we all saw stabilizing such a crisis, might well require federal troops to intervene in order to more effectively arrest looters and perform other law-enforcement duties, either in co-ordination with, or in lieu of local police functions, which could violate the original intent of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878.

The law originally passed in the nineteenth century, in the wake of the Civil War and its Reconstruction Period, was to prevent the use of federal troops, at that time, from arbitrarily policing in elections and other activities in former Confederate states.

The White House now wants Congress to again consider amending the Posse Comitatus Act, in order to grant the Pentagon greater powers, within the context of the 1988 Stafford Act.

The biggest error is the common assertion that the Posses Comitatus Act was enacted to prevent the military services from acting as a national police force.

To the contrary: The Posse Comitatus Act was actually enacted to prevent the Army from being abused by having its soldiers pressed into service as police officers (a posse) by local officials in the post-Reconstruction South.

During Reconstruction, 1865 to 1877 the then Army exercised police and judicial functions, oversaw the local governments, and dealt with domestic violence. In effect, the Army governed the 11 defeated Confederate States. It didn’t work well, with many American’s at the time growing to dislike it (at least after punishing the Civil War rebels fell from favor).

As a result the Posse Comitatus Act became law to protect the then Army.

The point today, being to expand it once again, in order to rightfully meet the now uniquely necessary and obvious demands and current expectations put on the Federal Government to unhesitantly and unimpededly respond more quickly and effectively in times of such devastating National Natural Emergencies.

?

2005-10-01T08:11:00.000-07:00

HOW MUCH OF WHO WE ARE IS DETERMINED DAILY, BY WHAT SOMEONE THINKS?

CONTINUED: HEALTH CARE AN EVER ESCALATING CRISIS

2005-09-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

HELLO, ONCE AGAIN EVERYONE ...

Below, is a previous posting, for which there were some cogent comments. Understandably, it has taken a bit of time - to find the time – to do their work - to have some medical–legal friend(s), and authorities consider your comments and answer towards them.

They and I respected and appreciated your questions, please respect their answers. This is, and must remain a dialogue between caring people.

Now, from previous blog postings, I know that these answers may not satisfy you the readers, nor answer your heartfelt concerns and questions. Causing you then, to ask more questions. I must say that this is such a complex area, and takes much time, and great knowledge to answer any question, if not to your satisfaction, at least as thoroughly as feasible, from the Respondents' position.

My point is, I hope you appreciate the time the Respondent(s) put into these answers, and with out “streaming”, I ask that you consider them, and reply respectfully, in a constructive dialectic open minded, learning manner.

We all have acutely personal vested interest(s) in the issues of healthcare facing all of us, and some, actually get to work diligently and directly on the solutions and/or the practice of it daily.

Your insights, and questions also can and are more often than not, most helpful, in effecting a positive change. The Respondent(s) I know appreciate hearing your concerns, and time permitting will endeavor to answer your questions.

Remember, we (The Reader(s) and the Respondent(s)) here on this blog, and within this issue are all on the same team.

Thank You for your constructive, non tendentious interactions, and interest.

don
:)

ORIGINAL POSTING: Friday, September 02, 2005
By Don Regan at: 7:50 PM

Health care is in an escalating crisis of historic proportions with the costs of healthcare distribution and insurance skyrocketing to over 1.6 trillion dollars, with no end in sight.

The medical malpractice crisis, although not insignificant, pales in the face of over 45 million uninsured Americans, many who are gainfully employed, and employers unable to meet the healthcare cost demands of their employees.

The time to stop issuing blame is over, and palliative measures must be recognized as only putting a band-aid over a bleeding aorta.

It is a time for real, long-term, solutions and difficult decisions: Centralized specialty care; patient assisted medical care payments; economy of scale treatments; greater attention to end of healthcare decisions; recognition of the human errors associated with medical care with a transition from litigation to remediation; improving communication openness and patient safety.

It is a time that healthcare providers and patients take responsibility for their tasks and situations, and remember that it is disease, not ourselves who we are fighting as a team. Attribution

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Lompoc Lamb said...
Disposing of all of those lawyers would be a healthy start.A doctor can't afford to open a simple family practice without a fear of being litigated out of town by a lawyer in a cheap suit.Remember the character of the doctor on "Northern Exposure"? We need more of those in real life, but those times are long gone.
8:12 PM

- Lompoc lamb … Please keep in mind that although med mal is a major concern, it is less than 1% of the total health care expenditures (2002 - 110 billion for med mal out of 1.6 trillion for overall healthcare costs). It is true, however, that this impacts a small number of individuals, ~500,000 docs, and leads to expensive defensive medicine, but it is still not the lion's share of costs.

- In addition, lawyers do not, for the most part, chase after pt plaintiffs. In fact, only 1 out of 10 potential cases are accepted and there is an over 75% attrition rate of those taken by plaintiff attorneys. The literature and the IOM report point toward the fact that, because of legal defense costs and our anachronistic legal system, that many individuals who have suffered malpractice damage do not have cases that can support the costs of legal defense.

- Finally, the literature is clear that over 95% of all mal practice suits are based on communication and relational failures, not outcome! It becomes evident that we need to address physician communication (unrealistic expectations, misinformation, failure to apologize and take responsibility, etc) and dispute management skills, if we truly wish to reduce the malpractice suit frequency.

- Although it is internally satisfying, we must stop blaming attorneys, who simply represent clients who have contracted them for such services, for the ills of the healthcare world. Keep in mind that early conflict intervention programs and apology programs have reduced suits and increased patient safety overwhelmingly, but are rarely implemented, and do not exist in our county.

- One last thing, patients must understand that being ill creates a risk, and the more ill one is, and the higher the need for complicated care, the more likely they will experience medical error - this is a fact. Patient safety programs are being introduced to help reduce the error rates and improve outcome, but it is a team effort, an effort that directly involves the patient's input.

There are docs like in northern exposure, they are just buried in paper and beaurocracy. It is unfortunate that docs wear their frustrations on their sleeves, but make no mistake, they remain dedicated to their patients and steadfast to their oath to heal the sick.

******************************

NewsstandGreg said...
Doc,Great topic...but a two questions:What are the numbers in SLO county for medical malpractice suits? Somebody has the info for you as close as a phone call.How many people in SLO county are estimated to have no health insurance? Likewise, someone in the County government offices has that number for you also.If we keep some focus on the "local," we'll be more informative to our readers.
9:22 PM

- Newstandgreg … As for the stats, it is true that local figures are available, however, the impact of the uninsured and malpractice costs are not, in my mind, locally driven costs. As such I deal with healthcare distribution and conflict at the national level, but will gather that information for you, if you wish, or you could retrieve it and share it with us all.

- My reality is that even if our local uninsured rate is lower than the national average, we are still impacted by the costs expended nationally. The bottom line is this, we have spiraling premium rates with progressively larger numbers of uninsured, including the working uninsured. I know of no local action that will materially modify this trend nationally, and if available would only slow the tide of change for us in the central coast.

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Spectator said...
I was listening to a speach by Newt the other day. He estimates that the amount of medicare fraud in New York, if stopped, would cut the cost to the population there by 50%. Have you looked at the statistics?

He also feels that a national database of patients and their medications would do a great deal to reduce expenses and death from perscription error. It would also wipe out multiple billing from fraudulent doctors. I agree with him on the database.

For replacement of medications, consider the refugees from New Orleans.

The time has come to hold the AMA accountable for policing the members of their own union. How do you feel about this union? Is it like the teachers union?It is time that unions went back to the time of guilds, where excellence was rewarded, and poor work was rewarded with expulsion.It is the socialistic nature of unions that is killing them.

I hear that one has a far better chance of being killed by a doctor or nurse mistake in a hospital than by gunshot or stabbing.

Blame is good! It contributes to discourse. Team? When you go to most doctors, you are in the hands of the Phillistines. Doctors through the AMA limit the amount of students going to medical schools to produce a shortage, and thus insure higher rewards because of lack of competition.

The government allows foreign trained Doctors to come to the US to counter this shortage. It is hard in many cases to communicate with them in English. Not to say that they are not good doctors.

Doctor is a respected word, but any PHD is a doctor. A lot of ignorant people do not know the difference between a PHD and a MD. And that is why we have people in turbans waving hands over people taking money for cures.Not that I do not believe in witch doctors. If they make you feel better, you are on the way towards recovery.

And then there is the question of the bloodsucking lawyers. Put a cap on their percentages above costs, and stop them from grossly inflating their office costs. 75 cents a copy? And boy, do they like to send copies!

It gives me great joy to see that lawyers have to buy malpractice insurance also.

But how do you find a lawyer to sue another lawyer when the judges are lawyers bound to protect lawyers and the whole "good old boy" legal system?
11:23 PM

- Spectator… Wow, lots of thoughts.

- I did not hear Newt's rendition of Medicare fraud, but I sense that he is a bit overstated. in addition, there is a huge difference between the allegation of Medicare fraud and that which is proven to be fraud. However, no doubt it exists and should not.

I am also not certain how another data base would be helpful in reducing rx costs and adverse outcomes, but I do support 100% the institution of computerized prescription software that checks for errors, creates a common data base for patients so that their medical information could be acquired by hospitals and healthcare providers. Such a system will markedly improve patient care and safety and is a major focus nationally, especially after the 1999 IOM (Inst of Medicine) study, To Err Is Human.

- I am unclear about your reference to the New Orleans crisis?

- The AMA is simply a trade and lobbying organization and has no authority over the practice of clinical medicine. However, the boards of specialties do set standards and guidelines and certainly the state medical board closely follows patient safety and quality management concerns. The AMA, like the state med societies, acts to lobby for physician rights and needs, along with being very proactive for patient treatment advances and safety protection. I have worked closely with the Calif Med Assoc, and can tell you without hesitation that these folks are true patient advocates, as well as physician advocates.

- The members are highly motivated and are dedicated to the improvement of not only physician interests, but the protection of patient care availability and quality. The problem is not the "union" in this case, but the falling membership that leads to less influence on the state and federal legislature. Docs see that things are getting worse, and attribute that partially to inaction of the medical societies. However, if if were not for the tireless work of these individuals the system that provides patients care, would be imploding at an even greater rate. Unfortunately, damage control is the best that they can do, at the present time.

-As for being "killed" by a doctor, I suggest that you read the IOM report and the Chaudry study of medical error. Docs are not murderers, nor are they the enemy. It is true that mistakes occur and, institutionally, at a level greater than we should experience. However, it must be understood that many of these errors are termed organizational errors, and are the product of patients with multi-system failures, undergoing complex treatment, with multiple healthcare providers (nurses, docs, resp. therapists, pharmacist, technicians, etc). Even at average care standards, the variables in such cases are so varied that mistakes are common.

Blame is not the answer, but acceptance of responsibility certainly is part of the solution. hence, there is a national movement to improve patient safety which includes computerized patient data bases and prescription programs, team based medical care, confidential reporting of errors and remedial care programs. I am very optimistic that

Blame is non-productive. I do not know any doc that purposely goes out to hurt his/her patient, but know many whose hearts have holes burnt into them when preventable harm does occur.

The culture of medicine is a complex study of behavior and exists as a zero tolerance for error community - tough gig!!! Punishment is not a good mechanism to broaden another's scope of practice, instead it intimidates one from admissions and corrections and creates an unhealthy attitude about facing responsibility. There is no question that the public must be protected from incompetent physicians, but there are not as many of them as there are good docs afraid to admit a mistake based on the impact on their career through the existing punitive systems, if they so acknowledge their shortfalls.

If you feel that you are in the hands of the philistines, then change hands - you are in charge of who cares for you, don't be a victim of your own indecision.

The AMA has no power to limit medical school numbers or admissions. There is no covert or insidious scheme to harm patients by setting up a false shortage of medical professionals.

In fact, medical such applications are falling because being a doc is becoming less and less appealing to young people and the "rewards" are certainly not $$$.

I will tell you factually, that my son elected to become a doc (after living with both my wife and myself, both docs, I am uncertain what was so attractive). He is now a 3rd resident out of a 6 yr program, is $250,000 in educational debt and although federal guidelines limit his work week to 85 hrs, is working well in excess of this. Yeh!, great life and lots of rewards - make no mistake on this either - it is dedication to people, and desire to be an aid to others that drive us, not the $$ which is, for the hours spent, quite modest in comparison.

- Yes, it is difficult to communicate with some FMG (Foreign Medical Graduates), and cultural differences occasionally become a barrier - and - yes they are often very good docs, but it is not a scheme to limit docs that bring them to the U.S., and the government does not actively recruit them. FMG's are more common in areas of lower reimbursement (rural), like our county, believe it or not (didn't think of us a rural, huh??) Want more docs here, no problem, convince your legislators to pay them like they get paid in Santa Barbara, and they will come. Like the movie "Field Of Dreams" - If you build it they will come - well here it is "if you pay them, they will come!"

I am a bit befuddled over the PhD, turban, hand waving commentary, but if it is in reference to alternative medicine, I have two things to say:

- 1. There are many methods to healing and although Alipathic methods are most favored and successful, you should not discount reputable alternative treatments that have been with us for centuries.

- 2. There are charlatans out there for sure, so, be smart and be aware - choose wisely.

As to the "blood-sucking" lawyers, please refer to my comments about med mal to lompoc lamb, above. Caps, although helpful and appropriate in reducing malpractice awards and subsequent insurance premiums, etc do not reduce the frequency of law suits.

People sue because they are unhappy or angry, not, in general, to make money - it is retribution not restitution that most often drives people to sue and an inability to get satisfaction outside of the litigated arena for their sensed injustice (some docs just don't do all that well at dealing with conflict). If you want to put the blood-sucking lawyers out of business? Remove the source of the suits: communication and personality dissatisfaction with medical care providers.

Most lawyers do have E&O insurance for professional negligence claims. There is a fundamental difference in medical and legal malpractice suits - in the latter, you must prove not only duty, breach, causation, and damage, but that the damage would not have otherwise occurred.

In other words … That but for the negligent action of the attorney … You would have won your case. And yes - it is unfair - you bet - so don't complain about it - help to change it.

Lawyers are not only, not bound to protect each other, but are serious competitors, and if contracted to sue another attorney for negligence will do so with full effort under the law. Judges, I can tell you, are not a part of any lawyer "good old boy" club. In fact, judges may no longer belong to the Bar Association as practicing attorneys. I may not always agree with their decisions, but they are not protectionists of their "own kind."

2005-09-18T19:27:00.000-07:00

STREAMING – OR VERBAL STALKING IN THE AGE OF MILLENIUM MODERNISM

The above title might suggest that all this is new in the history of communication, art, business and or politics. But, we know sadly, that it is not, and as it perniciously persists into our current day, it seemed a not so inappropriate title, to me.

I’ve been attempting to understand its style and usage for many a moon now. I am (like, I believe so many of you) available to and victimized by Streaming, and have been for many years as a child; a student in training; a working professional, and now more recently in a larger public forum.

I have become more recently impressed with it’s increasing frequent commonality, on all fronts – on television; on the radio; in hallowed halls of governance, and between all sorts of people, their agencies, as a seeming preferred method of non-communicative communication.

Mercifully, I have not personally experienced it in the day to day vernacular of the rancher or farmer, or those vocations of the hand. But it is truly pathological in the vocations of the trite mind and parroting mouth, drawn ever more confuscatingly to the forefront by volitional defensive over thinking and paranoia.

The most obvious example being that of the media’s newest witless permutation of this mental flogging and sheer drivel, as promoted by their continuous cable news coverage’s ever increasing magnified thirst for what passes as their effluent river of “news”.

It not only seems sadly more common, but paralytically endemic to our way of life, as divisive polarization, rather than unifying symbiosis seems to be the encroaching idealized desirable mass communicative hallmark of our day.

A day in which background noise and clatter overcomes dialogue, dialectic, and common sense solutions. It now seems the rule, rather than the exception. The very thing to do? It is the verbal analogy to doing nothing – saying nothing – helping nothing. Our modern day equivalent of politically correct Nietzsche-esk infantile nihilsms (Aren’t they all?).

I even think I remember, that as far back as 1968, when I was living in San Antonio Texas, the halting personal realization, that local and national news was just then beginning to use percussive classical music to highlight and emphasize the ugliness of any particular car accident, and that ever more similar negative information, and close up “in your face” bloody visuals were increasingly being presented and defined as … “The News”.

Streaming may have been around before, but I find myself today, escaping back to more austere linguistically simpler days, as memorialized in the silent and then classical noir movies of the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s for more encouraging examples of direct and realistic interpersonal relationships, problem solving, and just good ole dialogue between open minded considerate people.

Now, before I get criticized roundly for this comment, let me just say, ok, not all, but many, and regardless, I find such movies enlightening and enheartening, rather than stupefying, as so many of today’s movies seem to me personally.

And, yes … you are correct this posting is not intended as a critique of movies now or then, but just as personal reflections offered as back ground on today’s increasing use of Streaming, as an excuse and inferior destructive substitute for the more laudable and constructively hopeful communication between and among folks.

What is Streaming:

Repetitive restatements, banal, childish, unsupportive, non sequitur re-questioning, and positioning, regardless of any facts for, or to the contrary. Substantiative arguments are always conveniently and carefully avoided. Bromidic self indulgent sermons guided by clinically and clearly culturally conditioned passive aggressive behavior.

When:

Any time, by anyone seeking to ignore one or another’s vision, words, or actions directly. The design apparently to state and restate the insinuated obvious, while avoiding any rationale or logical argument to the contrary. The point being the intentional belittlement through the lessening of authority, dignity, or reputation of one’s peers, competitors, or colleagues.

Why:

Not sure why, exactly, perhaps it embarrassingly boils down to it simply and sadly being the only tool available in the questionably cognitive toolbox of the noncreative thinker, and their need for what has now become the ever ageless and hapless indiscriminant flogging of the proverbial and now perpetually well dead horse?

Streaming is seemingly often used for any purpose instead of stating a simple Yes, or No, or defining a position, which might otherwise by indefensible, or at best subject to rationale criticism or challenge by the self professed loyal and unyielding opposition.

Those who do Streaming, emphatically denying it (sometimes unconsciously), while simultaneously accusing the other of yielding to its illogic illusory and cowardice like strategies.

Results:

Unanswerable unfounded aspersions, assertions, and accusations, which defiantly challenge the very nature, humanity, and personal motivations of the respondent, while intentionally diverting from any authentic answer to the actual question(s) posed, or offering any mutually constructive solutions.

This destructive and serpentine tactic resulting in mutual distrust, and fear, while further exacerbating the problem confronting both, or all parties, as well as jeopardizing all parties by the increased time necessary to move through this highly charged emotional mind field toward a mutually desirable constructive outcome.

Lord Tennyson, in his “… The Charge of the Light Brigade”, perhaps said it best:

"Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do & die"

AND I COULDN’T RESIST: From our once very own, briefly local, Nobel Laureate:

… Every man, wherever he goes, is encompassed by a cloud of comforting convictions, which move with him like flies on a summer day. …
Bertrand Russell
Skeptical Essays - 1938

All Put More Simply:

Streaming is what we do -- on our falsely self constructed indefensible and shallow cognitive islands, habitated by only one other person, when we offer no solutions to the survival challenges confronting us, and instead of solving the problems constructively together, one finds irrational differences -- attacks and kills the otherwise willing collaborator, leaving the one to die slowly, and inconsolably alone.

APRECIATIVELY TO DAWN, ALL PUNS AND AFFECTION INTENDED

2005-09-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

9-10-05
6:57PM

First, I want to say again, thank you Dawn, for your non-tendentious, gracious, encouraging and motivating reply to my Reply, regarding your initial article in the Pac Biz Times, and your resultant excellent observations.

I have had the great enjoyment of checking out the websites you have discussed in your reply to me on 9-8-05.

Let me begin by saying, that I too am a big fan of George Lakoff, and found his book, “Moral Politics” to be quite insightful, albeit equally quite long and cumbersome, and transparently partisan, despite his personal denials of that, throughout his book.

I was given his book, by a dear and respected friend.

Never-the-less, even though one could not say he was without his biases (like all of us), I thought it was a most informative and enlightening book, and that his philosphical stands, helped me understand his political points, and did not get in my way of understanding. In great part I agree with most of what he wrote there.

I only hope that CalPoly and other educational institutions of higher learning provide equally informative books either with a different political bent, or no personal political conclusions needed to be drawn. But, if not, “Moral Politics” is indeed a landmark book.

As to his article on Katrina, I also found it to be wonderfully worded, informative and emotionally powerful. I wish I could write like that. (As you have see from my critics, I am long from that.)

One cannot arguably disagree with Lakoff’s Katrina-esk observations, nor his words, as to the apparent causative factors. Yes, I too believe, along with seemingly most others, that at this point a case could be well made for fault being laid unquestionably at the feet of almost everyone, who made no effective plans or preparations prior to the event, and those responsible for the abysmal ineffective, humanely inexplicable response during and after the hurricane.

Be cause of what we saw, which sadly fulfills what we expected, we all now live in fear, that we are all equally vulnerable, and that the old saw … “Hi, I am from government and here to help”, is indeed sadly no joke, but a telling bell, which rings warning truth for all of u s.

And One would hope that indeed its reverberation does change the political messaging, and social imperative throughout our country, and even the world from that/this day forth.

I too had hopes for the same effect after 9-11, sadly we did not see it as definitively, nor as permanently as we would want and deserve. Katrina, is a deadly testament to that, as well as to the devastating institutional poverty on whose heads we daily tread.

What greater and more lasting memorial would there be (rather than always and only granite), than if we as a society became more actively responsible to/for all of us, especially the weak, the unrepresentative and the vulnerable among us. We all deserve to feel secure and necessary, in a caring national family.

The real problem, to me seems to be, that otherwise, there is a indeed a huge quaking price to be paid for this type of social disregard, and it is always and inevitably paid more permanently and destructively by our Nation, our society and our culture.

I agree also with your conclusive implications, that we as a nation, and as a democratically caring society seem to have our expenditure priorities fully screwed up.

I do believe you are correct that it is because of bad decisions made by questionably scrupulous, morally bereft, and seeming solely self-interest oriented people, whom we call our elected representatives, not to be confused with the totality of our government.

By this I mean, we have an Executive Branch, a Legislative Branch and a Judicial Branch. But this government is not intended as a Triangle with the President’s executive branch at the top, or wherever you might put it, but rather it is to me, a square formed by 4 equally important foci, to include most importantly and prominently “We the People”. The fourth foci in any government that would hope to call itself democratically representative.

So, when we complain of the three branches, so common in all political communication, we must realize that they conveniently leave us out, as it is to their everlasting benefit to do so. We can not and must not let them do that, nor let that happen. Otherwise we get the kind of government we deserve. We deserve much more.

So much of our lives are handed off as pablum, and our rights as citizens can not be, and is in fact not pablum , but the core responsibility we have, and must daily act on, if we are to maintain ourselves, as the great representational nation we want to be,

It is the US in U.S. that we must not leave out, and in fact can not in truth ever be really left out, otherwise the words anarchist and anarchy would not be so readily on the mouths of so many frustrated souls. A no better solution, by the way, than any other injurious and destructive forms of governmental experimentation so inhuman to the human condition, such as socialism, nazism, fascism, etc..

But when representational government and the moral imperatives of we the people are not acted on, in an efficient and effective manner reflective of we the people’s mass moral imperatives, then inevitably strife results, and sadly the pendulum swings badly, and we begin spiraling uncontrollably in the slow and desperate process of humanitarian re-enlightenment, all over again. It is pain we should/must avoid, at all costs, but can not, if we do not respect our preeminent rights as citizens to be heard, not just to have a titular voice.

So for me, my answer to you, does not lie in eloquent (or in my case not so eloquent) expressions of support or denials of the efficacy of tax cut economics, or no tax cut, because the problem you address, seems to me bigger than that, and outside of a general malaise regarding government as a whole.

The problem you address isn’t only how we get the money, but importantly what we do with it? Again not speaking at this moment in economic terms, but in moral and civil representational terms.

So, putting aside, for the moment, how government’s money is gotten (…And as you can see from the comments, many have many ideas and suggestions …), I think the bigger issue is: Who decides what we spend it on, and how. That to me is of equally great concern, and perhaps greater, within the context of my understanding of your, and others’ observations.

I suggest we as a nation have a new additional TAX Day entitled: National Personal Tax Disbursement Day, where simply phrased, we go on-line, and determine where and who gets our individually taxed money. Yes, we each would get to determine who gets what, and whoever gets it has to be accountable to us, each individually specifically, as to how our individual money sent, is spent.

The technology is available, and whatever tweaks it might need are certainly achievable to make it equitable and accountable. Then with a process including secure social, environmental and defense “Safety Nets”, we have then re-included we the people in a permanent and undeniable way. Now we are fully represented in the representational square, of Legislative, Executive, Judicial and Citizen.

Then our elected representatives indeed become the permanent bureaucratic set, that they so ardently and seemingly strive to become.

With that having been done, or at least proposed, we can then actively control spending by government, and as a nation we the people can then, by being included directly, be talked with, respected, and included in the discussion of what direction this country must take, to remain morally viable, and the type of moral and economically viable leader in the world, which we wan it to be.

Now, having done that we can then look at how we take our money from us, and what is right or wrong and equitable for the workers/laborers and businesses, in this country that create the capital power that drives this country.

Because we citizens would then be sitting at the table, we now indeed would have a voice, the most powerful voice, our economic voice, individually expressed, and nationally manifested.

The implications are potentially staggering, and I believe until we do something in this manner, we will continue to see the frustration, and pain of our fellow neighbors and citizens, and wonder about the true viability of our representational government, as we move forward in this still newest millennium.

I agree with you, Dawn, it is indeed time for the dawning of a more representational process, that assures that “we the voters”, are not excluded from the process of representational democratic self government.

Then we will be secure an independent. We need to fear ourselves more than those from outside, because until we unify and fix ourselves we can not prevent, nor effectively defend ourselves from any threat internally, or externally.

It is never to late to begin. I certainly think we have seen enough tragedy and war, to finally begin asking the tough and real questions, and insisting on leadership that will get us there. The time is ripely now.

Another More Reasoned View

2005-09-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

The following is a reply I felt compelled to construct afer reading a reader's views in a recent edition of the much respected Pacific Coast Business Times, read throughout our Central Coast.

I read in its August 19th edition, a readers reply, entitled: … “A Reader’s view of Federal Tax Cuts” … with bemused confounded curiosity.

Other than as another Pollyanna manifesto of destructive partisanship, I could find no other way of understanding such incongruous incredulity.

The point of it appearing to be, once again, the ill conceived retro ratcheting up of the now vacuous and most wearisome endless partisan blame game, so often insipidly offered up as nurturing pablum for the masses.

Followed then, by the usual inexplicable old baseless justifications of making that old saw of: soak the rich - again, ever inanely more palatable to that very same and otherwise very discriminating and savvy audience, who are the very ones burdened with paying those taxes.

How tired are we of seeing this, and hearing this? Few discriminating citizens, any longer are fooled, by such foolhardy ill advised strident partisan commentary.

The old maxim, credited to the late Louisiana Senator Russell Long so many years ago, that so many Americans seem still to favor when considering taxation, particularly their own, seems a fitting summary reply to such innocuous commentary.
"Don't tax you, don't tax me. Tax that fellow behind the tree."

If those rich trees tank, the governments’ coffers dry up as well. People, who don’t like to be taxed (many, if not most of us.) have figured out that the more undesirable alternative to taxing the rich, is to tax everybody else, i.e. themselves.

To be clear, there is a complete absence of any credible evidence or research to back up laying out a damning scenario where tax breaks to the “rich”, are not justified, and resultantly economically productive.

Moreover … If to, how much to, and how to … tax the “rich” also manifestly depends on how they will respond to attempts to being taxed further. All things being equal, it seems prudent to me to limit the extent to which any taxpayer may be induced to pursue less socially productive pursuits, in order to avoid those very taxes, upon which we all so depend.

If half or more of all American families pay little or no income taxes, who does pay income taxes? Why the "rich," of course. Nationally, they pay on average about 96% of the total taxes levied. Here in California, that lopsided statistic is not much better.

I would dare say, that very few of us would consider ourselves “rich”, by any stretch. Hard working, Yes. … Rich, No.

Consequently, if I hear that intentionally misdirecting and guilt damning term of “rich” applied to we over burdened taxpayers again, in order to obscure and distort the truths of our tax system, in some absurd attempt to falsely redistribute hard earned dollars from very deserving citizens, I may just hyperventilate, and pass out. A result, even if minuscule, can only serve to yet further reduce the tax coffers.

Most, are not “rich”, but rather small business owners, who by their own fortitude, sweat and perseverance put the larger majority of people to work, statewide and nationally, who then also pay taxes.

All the Bush legislation did was to provide obvious productive economic tax incentives from historically and well hewn proven economic principles, in order to provide: real tax breaks for people, who actually pay Federal and State income taxes, and also, then provided an additional further tax break for people, who do not pay income taxes.

Did it work, Yes. Is it perfect? No, but it beats mind boggling bashing and whining.

Is it correct then to tie California’s abysmal record on business and economic incentives and growth to the Federal government, or Bush in particular? No.

That is a stretch of illogical disconnect, that only a truly committed Bush Basher could attempt to make. And like swimming the Bering Sea in a Speedo, it doesn’t work.

So, please … “Don’t Keep Getting Stuck on Stupid.”

Having said all that, is there a need for practical changes in our debilitating progressive Federal and State tax codes (supplanted by preferred rationale protocols of economic incentives and applied pragmatic earned distribution); economic fairness; moral dictums, and effective, consistent operationally efficient management?

A system where we as citizens can elect, determine, and not unimportantly account for: who gets what, why, and where our tax dollars go?

ABSOLUTELY, without any question!

Is it realistically going to happen? Sadly, absolutely no … in the near term, at least. Certainly not tomorrow. But that doesn’t mean we can not, nor should not, push for such much needed change. Hope springs eternal.

After all without someone taking the reins to truly bring leadership and common sense to the business and economic environment here in California, we will soon become yet another third world nation, but one with a current estimated annual output of about $1.3 trillion. Sadly, quite an economic potential, to be so disabled, and threatened by poor legislative management.

The problem is not, nor ever has been, any desperate need for increasing income brought in by over burdensome taxes, nor how to squeeze more out of some partisan fallacy, of distorted Nimbyism.

But, rather, it is how to stop our elected representatives (local, state, and/or federal) from spending money they don’t have, on schemes for which they have no citizen mandate, nor personal responsibility for, seemingly beyond their egos, presumptuous legacies, and re-election schemes.

In the meantime, we citizens and taxpayers can only be actively vigilante to be sure, that we as a Nation and as a State, do not tie our horses solely to the vagaries of the rich, as was done here in California, and its recent Ponzi schemes of dot com wealth, nor then to contrastively bite the very hands that feed us.

We must also not succumb to mindless Bush bashing schemes of dalliers and dilettantes, no less unproductive than old Mr. Ponzi’s shell games. Games of personal convenience, which serve only to otherwise distract us from more practical solutions of inducing our now oft felt tyrannical tax system (as it distressfully continues to be irresponsibly propelled by unrestrained government spending), to become more responsive to we citizens, and our most necessary economic incentives. Our wallets, our hearts and our lives.

We must have an economic engine which unhesitantly employs productive economically symbiotic tax codes; constrained and responsibly reduced regulatory environments; and mandated unqualified rules of restrained spending, in order to maintain and sustain a well forged and economically independent and secure Nation, and State.

Overwhelmed Yet Spiritually Uplifted--It Ain't Easy

2005-09-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

I continue holding my breath, over the last days and nights, as I remain completely overwhelmed with a persistent deep sense, and mix of compassion, sadness, dread and hopeful promise for the people of the Gulf Coast, and New Orleans in particular.

I wanted to write on local issues and ideas of concern, and talk to solutions for so many challenges facing us locally, here on our Central Coast.

As everyday, there are so many, so many to consider, not the least of which is Los Osos, and it’s current deeply divisive, persistent and painful battle -- emotionally, physically, personally and politically, to do what is right for all the people in that otherwise wonderful local neighboring Community.

But daily, so blatant and deeply personally painful and overwhelming are the sights and sounds coming across our television screens and radios, from our Gulf, that I am profoundly, genuinely, mentally, and spiritually immobilized, from commenting today on anything else.

I thought today I would say something on Labor, but the very embodiment of Labor I see, is the grateful self sacrificing Labor of so many volunteers, and our incredible spiritually and literally uplifting military personnel.

I am even surprisingly proud of many in the media, for their persistent and consistent self sacrificing respectful representation to us of the deeply moving conditions there on the ground, and their obvious passionate commitment to making it better for all the people, so unfortunately now laid out in front of them.

There are certainly no words, and have been no words for the abject destruction and justifiable disgust seen throughout these last few days from the inexplicable confusion, and lack of leadership, further exacerbating the incremental added suffering of so many people in so many communities and neighborhoods, as well as, all our friends, family, and fellow citizens left so utterly and mind boggling devastated in Katrina’s annihilating wake, throughout the entire Gulf coast region.

For many days and months to come, there will be much said about what was worse, the worst Hurricane and natural disaster in our Nation’s history, or the indefensible, vacuous absence of any apparent or effective life giving leadership in those first few and most critical days?

It is good not to forget this. Never forget. Nor point fingers and join in the blame game. As the one gratefully emergent leader, General Honore said: “Don’t Get Stuck on Stupid” .

But, please do remember … “But for the grace of God go I.” We must be sure that this man’s inhumanity to man does not happen here, on our exquisite Central Coast. That will not happen here, if we are about good planning, and security. Planning and First Responders will indeed save your life, and that of your dear families, as well as importantly your very human dignity.

There seems to me no greater priority or justifiable lesson from this vast wasteland of personal devastation, unfolding on our television screens, and so deeply and pervasively felt within our very hearts and souls.

We must assure our public safety personnel, First Responders, and ourselves, that they/we have unequivocally the fullest financial support necessary to assure the best proper planning; training; recovery, and care to the citizens we so depend upon and entrust to their care. This must happen here, so that the Gulf Fiasco, does not happen here. We must not take them, or us for granted.

Most certainly of comparable importance, and for which equally there are no words of praise or gratitude sufficient to embrace the wondrous, god gifting work of our Military in particular; volunteer organizations such as: Salvation Army; American Red Cross; Neighboring States and Cities; individual volunteers, and First and Always Responders -- our Doctors, Nurses, drivers, police, fire, all too many to itemize here.

Literally thousands of giving people doing what is right and necessary to save lives; rebuild lives and lifes; a sense of nurturing community, and human dignity again -- in one of the pre-eminent spiritual hearts, and life giving industrial and agricultural arteries of our Southern neighbors, and that of our Nation.

So, for today, it is that Labor I want to acknowledge, and hold up as our goal, as their Labors indeed represents the best of what we are about as: humans, citizens, and as the great united Nation we are, and must always be. A Nation admired, envied, and looked up to and emulated around and throughout the world.

And in a coincidently timely manner to my words here, is today’s announcement, just moments ago by Secretary Elaine Chao of $62 million dollars in Grants to provide assistance through the immediate establishment of temporary jobs, Business Disaster Unemployment Assistance, and other time honored unemployment insurance programs. Temporary jobs now to create regular income in a most irregular time, getting us through and to our well deserved dreams of tomorrow.

Jobs to rebuild personal and regional economies, so that the South like the winged Pegasus, or ancient Egyptian mythical Phoenix, as historically it has always been, shall indeed rise again, ever more beautiful, and more prepared for its promised future, and destiny, as a leader and cornerstone of our great Nation.

I leave you with these hallmarking words … Faith, Hope, Compassion and Dignity, as people return to their lives of healthful and mutually helpful living. I am, and shall remain, in awe of their faith, and their incomprehensible epic making resilience.

HEALTH CARE AN EVER ESCALATING CRISIS

2005-09-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

Health care is in an escalating crisis of historic proportions with the costs of healthcare distribution and insurance skyrocketing to over 1.6 trillion dollars, with no end in sight.

The medical malpractice crisis, although not insignificant, pales in the face of over 45 million uninsured Americans, many who are gainfully employed, and employers unable to meet the healthcare cost demands of their employees.

The time to stop issuing blame is over, and palliative measures must be recognized as only putting a band-aid over a bleeding aorta.

It is a time for real, long-term, solutions and difficult decisions: Centralized specialty care; patient assisted medical care payments; economy of scale treatments; greater attention to end of healthcare decisions; recognition of the human errors associated with medical care with a transition from litigation to remediation; improving communication openness and patient safety.

It is a time that healthcare providers and patients take responsibility for their tasks and situations, and remember that it is disease, not ourselves who we are fighting as a team. Attribution

FOR THE VICTIMS OF KATRINA, PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYER & ACTION

2005-08-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

PRAY FOR OUR FELLOW AMERICANS ... AS KATRINA's DEVASTATING IMPACT CONTINUES TO BE SO DRASTICALLY AND DEVASTATINGLY SEVERE. TRULY BEYOND WORDS -- A HUMAN CATASTROPHE.

DO WHAT YOU CAN. NOTHING BUT TIME, IS TOO LITTLE.

AMEN ...

And I also want to encourage you to help out in what I to0 believe is clearly the biggest disaster in US history, and will probably be the biggest disaster we will see in our lifetimes.

If you live in SB County and/or want to Volunteer ...

Call Julie Jeakle at SB County headquarters.

Her number is: (805) 687-1331 ext. 15.

BELOW: CONTRIBUTE, AND PROTECT YOUR MILEAGE WALLET.

http://www.fema.gov/

http://www.redcross.org/
1(800) HELP-NOW

WWW.salvationarmy.org

The Lompoc City website: http://www.ci.lompoc.ca.us/ also has several honest charities listed.

http://gaswatch.energy.gov/

AND ...
Gary Ray said...
Dr. Don
To My fellow Bloggers at News Mission
I am posting a comment to your blog today to ask that you do something positive in helping the victims of the Katrina disaster. The one group in this disaster that has had more disruption and death is people with disabilities. People are calling for help with the pets that were left and that is a good thing. But…

I am calling for help for people with disabilities. I have been posting a number of articles in my blog http://ccaccessibility.blogspot.com/that deal directly with Katrina and people with disabilities. I ask that you go to the site and have a look. I also ask that you give money, time, what ever you can to help people with disabilities that have been affected by this disaster.

I also ask that you do your own disaster preparation for your own family.

Your Fellow News Mission Blogger
Gary Ray Rogers
http://ccaccessibility.blogspot.com/

11:08 AM

Please Stay the Course

2005-08-30T00:24:00.000-07:00

Less we forget ... It took us some initial twenty years to hewn out our very own constitution, our federation, our representational democracy, and our governance.

Our In God We Trust.

We did it with very much loss of life, and many tears from within and without of our embryonic and then growing infant Country.

During those formidable climactic times, how many a mother, father, wives, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles -- from Europe, Boston, New York, Virginia, and elsewhere, must have thought with deeply painful emotion, the same, as we are now so indelibly feeling and thinking.

Please give the Iraqi's the continuing support; the time, and the understanding that they so very much need, in order that the sacrifices here at home, at our hearths, and in our beds, are worth the death, injury, broken hearts, dreams and tears of all the families, Iraqi, and American, who have sacrificed all, and invested all for the birth of this now newest of nations.

We are, for better or for worse, well into it; and deeply and intimately involved; and the responsible agent of change; and as such we can not, and must not leave their sides now.

It is good and necessary work, but not easy, nor nice or neat, that we stay this current course. It is therefore imperative that we, as Americans clearly understand the course we are on. Clarity is not unpatriotic, nor is a desire for peace. But peace has never come without enduring sacrifice, eternal vigilance, and clarity of purpose.

History has shown that this course to Liberty and Peace can not be achieved by a hidden strategy of serendipity and surprise, yet at the same time we obviously can not give the enemy due dates to make their sustaining counter-productive dispassionate plans. While we can therefore not ask for days and dates yet, we can ask for, and must insist on clear goals, and transparent measures of what success is.

“When they stand up, we will stand down”… is indeed a good sound bite, but it is not a meal. While we must, and do, and will, continue to fully support our troops winning in Iraq, and elsewhere, as they too, stand and die for liberty, we owe them a true measure of accountability, and a common picture of understanding of what it is we are now seeking. In this way we will all recognize it when we see it, and cheer it in unison and relief, when we have achieved it.

There is seemingly this current ever permeating and pervasive, yet quietly held suspicion by the citizens, that our leaders may be less that of admirable prophets and strategists of success on any issue, but rather suffering from, as Ralph Waldo Emerson so succinctly stated, way back in 1841, that: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.”

This burdensome ubiquitous social sense of impending doom, while increasing our anxiety, and permeating every aspect of the new millennium, is sadly never addressed by our current leaders, who have appropriated it, while simultaneously it is intentionally, destructively and unhesitantly used, or at minimum implied, by their philosphical oppositions, at every convenient or inconvenient opportunity.

Both sides appearing to care more about their Puckish personal winning and positioning, at any cost, rather than they do, about our winning and sacred unity and progress as a nation.

Their mutual illusory personal mistakes of not respectfully speaking to/with us, nor therefore contributing to our necessary sense of social confidence, and moral purpose, is what makes them increasingly less believable, less trustworthy, and more outside of us, as everyday folks, just trying to get by.

This is not a time to destructively divide on blood red emotions and suspicious motivations, but rather to unify our hearts, as a country of citizens, who support both their troops, and ourselves, as a nation, here at home.

Both in battle and in unifying plan, the glue of our American society, and our most intimate well being as individuals, is clearly at stake.

Together we can, we must, help a nation of people up another hard scrabble path to democracy and destiny. A well hewn path, we feel that we well know, and believe in with every bone in our constitutional bodies.

In so doing they, again, like so many before them, will teach us ... their teachers, the atmospheric importance of the gift of voting for one's personal and national destinies, that we have so sacrificed to give them, and ourselves, yet again.

For this is also about us, and not just about them. We are all brothers/sisters here in will. We will all be better for this -- there is little other choice -- we must insist, and be constant to achieve that promise of betterment, both here and abroad.

Then perhaps after this, for at least awhile, perhaps forever – we will not need to again draw guns, bullets and blood of our children for peace? It seems unlikely, but a worthy prayer. The prayer of a soldier, a citizen.

This struggle is not new to history, nor is the need for clear goals, and measures of success, and finality.

In God We Trust.

ADOPTION A PERSONAL GIFT

2005-08-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

NOTHING MORE GRACIOUS AND GIVING THAN ADOPTIVE PARENTS.

AND NOTHING MORE SPECIAL THAN AN ADOPTIVE CHILD.

OFF OF THE FRONT PAGE, AND OUT OF THE EDITORIAL SECTION, THE TRUTH IS …

That adoption for me, in my blessed life has been the second most miraculous gift, following that of birth.

Affirming first that of my own birth, of course, followed then in some mandatory naturally occurring expected chronological order, by my wife, and then of course my blessed children, and now their gift to me and we again, our grandchildren – their children.

This ride called life, and its start as an adoptive child, is so spectacularly special to me, I can not truly find the words, to express to the reader in words, feelings, or thoughts, just how magical and essential it is to this child’s life’s -- very journey.

Without my adoption, and life commitment by both my amazing blood and mutually nurturing parent pairs, I would not only … not be here, but would not have the gift of the wondrous quality of life, that I so now cherish, daily.

I realize, this divine gift, which at least two parents typically give, or possibly more, and a loving family sustains, in order that a child, such as I, could not only be given life, but be given a life time of living, is a gift beyond words, such as sacrifice, investment, or parenting.

It is a very special gift, that we who are lucky enough to be well adopted children know well. Yes, sadly, as is true in all things, sometimes bad things happen to good people. A circumstance for which I wish I had a magic wand, so that I could erase all such unfortunate happenstances, for everyone, always.

Life does not promise happiness, but … if one is lucky enough to have joy in one’s heart, bliss in one’s soul, and periodic laughter ringing from one’s tummy to and out of your lips, then it is indeed a very good day, and possibly in context, a very good and hopeful life.

The reality of adoption comes up in those unexpected serendipitous counter pointed moments in time, such as when you are feeling down, being disciplined, or disciplining, and a fleeting
nano-thought of “only being adopted”, and not really a part of this family, inexplicably pops up.

Different yet related to that same feeling of that oft childhood adventurous, perhaps necessary imperative -- of wanting to run away from home -- but with the added threat/promise of running to your fantasy of your real home.

All parenting, all births, all families, are of course incomparably essential, and authentic. My point here is only to say, without any sense of diminishment anywhere, or to anyone, that adoptive parents are quite extra special, and sing to a different siren’s verse within that same nurturing parental song. A theme once sung … resonating throughout one’s life, and that of your child, and their children, in a most positive, unexpected and unique way.

In my mind such a unique way, that in a time of today filled with the usual dribble and drab of this and that, similar to that, as is grandly familiar across all time in perpetuity, that adoption is indeed a preeminent celestial gift to the adoptee, and the family of adopters.

So, please … well away from the rhetorical flourish and the spiritually immobilizing moral blather of the charge and counter charge, from the polarized rights and lefts, it is good to remember, that out there, and in here, there are actual children, growing and now grown, who without the investment of self sacrificing adoptive parents, would not have our life, or the lives of our children.

I’m just trying to say: Thank You … Thank You Marion; Thank You Johnny; Thank You Ernest; Thank You Rita, as well as, my dearest Jeni, and Justin, and of course my resultant and now deeply extended families, whether deceased or alive ... I Love You …

THANK YOU!

Who Said It, And When??

2005-08-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

Coulda / shoulda been said today...and should be said every day, by every elected public servant and fourth estaters.

Meeting in you a new congress, I deem it proper to present this view of public affairs in greater detail than might otherwise be necessary.

The people being with us exclusively the sovereign, it is indispensable that full information be laid before them on all important subjects, to enable them to exercise that high power with complete effect.

If kept in the dark, they must be incompetent to it.

We are liable to error, and those who are engaged in the management of public affairs are more subject to excitement, and to be led astray by their particular interests and passions, than the great body of our constituents, who living at home in the pursuit of their ordinary avocations, are calm but deeply interested of events, and of the conduct of those who are parties to them.

To the people, every Department of Government, and every individual in each, are responsible, and the more full their information, the better they can judge of the wisdom of the policy pursued, and of the conduct of each in regard to it.

From their dispassionate judgment, much aid may always be obtained, while their approbation will form the greatest incentive, and most gratifying reward for virtuous actions, and the dread of their censure the best security against the abuse of their confidence.

Their interests, in all vital questions, are the same, and the bond by sentiment, as well as by interest, will be proportionably strengthened as they are better informed of real state of public affairs, especially in difficult conjectures.

It is by such knowledge that local prejudices and jealousies are surmounted, and that a national policy, extending its fostering care and protection to all the great interests of our Union, is formed and steadily adhered to.

Don't hesitate to offer names of the individual responsible for these words.

On Any Given Day

2005-08-23T12:03:00.000-07:00

... It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. --the opening sentence of A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens (1859)

There is so much one might comment on, daily.

Given all of that there is to choose from, I thought the following article on “Fetal Skin Cells, Healing Burns” might be of the greatest interest? At least today for me, it caught my eye.

Wondering if this area of study will generate the same "heat" that the furor over Embryonic Stem Cell research fostered, and continues to do so, today?

These grafted fetal skin cells seem to confer restorative powers to the burnt skin, allowing the damaged tissue to heal itself. Eight child and infant patients underwent this grafting process. They have not apparently yet tested this healing process in older patients, but there is no reason to think otherwise, they say.

The treated wounds took an average of 15 days to heal, as opposed to other forms of treating similar burns frequently taking up to six times as long.

The remarkable flexibility of the skin mended with the fetal cells meant that the patients recovered full movement of their hands and fingers, the authors said.

Furthermore, the result not only gave the patients nearly perfect skin, but also spared them the trauma of having a graft taken from elsewhere on their body.

Tis a Brave New World

Screwed Blue And Tattooed

2005-08-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

How many of us would be teachers, or for that matter could even aspire to be teachers?

How is it that good people, dedicated people, talented, educated people have become our favorite institutional punching bag?

Our favorite professionals to pick on.

Who else has done so much and gotten so little public respect?

Who else takes care of our children, our grandchildren, not for just an hour, but 4 to 6 to 8 hours, 5 days a week, and then keeps them motivated and enthused in many an afternoon, and after-school program, sports, recreation, art or music? Taking their personal weekends to be a mentor to your son, your daughter.

Who but the teacher is the savior of the classic "7" Liberal arts?

Who else strives and struggles to defend and teach the equally endowed 3 R's?

Since long before Jane and Dick, to now "Whole English," one thing never changes and that is the forthright, honest sacrifices and dedication, daily put up in front of all us, on behalf of our single greatest and enduring resource--Our Children.

You can talk about your firemen, with their image of selfless sacrifice, danger, and full on commitment, but so too our teachers. These teachers too, no less strong, present, and productive, and all-the-while with safe and nurturing care, as they (sometimes, if lucky, with parental help and guidance) move our precious ones, into a future of promise and optimism, as we all so intend.

It is in the hands of the teacher that our Nation's tomorrow is cradled.

Is it any wonder then, that in an environment of persistent public criticism, and lowest of earned living wages, combined and hallmarked by a vacuous lack of respect, that they feel like they must always defend themselves, against the belittling "us."

What is it, that in our society we feel like those we expect the most from, we can disrespect and pay the least to? Our teachers, doctors, nurses, and public safety personnel--all those that we depend on when it truly becomes a matter of acute and personal life or death issues. The first, and always truly there, responders.

I say stop beating on them and pay your teachers well, for what they truly do, because more likely than not, they are doing more for your child today and their future, than you are.

And even if you feel a need to be inappropriately defensive about that, and indefensibly argue that point--then I ask, when was the last time a stranger did so much for so many, and you and yours in particular?

Be nice to a teacher. We can’t do it without them. Our future depends upon it.

A Great Article On Judging

2005-08-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

Please consider reading this, and then any observations or comments will be answered. Imprimus, the magazine of Hilldale College, Michigan.

Prop 77 Is Back On!!!

2005-08-16T23:06:00.000-07:00

As of August 12th, the Court of Appeal, 3rd Appelate District, re-instated Prop. 77 on the Special Election Ballot, this November 8th, 2005.

There is seemingly judicial sanity out there, after all, at least for the time being.

Now it is up to us, to do what we think is right.

I enthusiastically encourage everyone to vote YES, on this November Ballot Proposal,

Please!!

It is the last hope we have of keeping the sanctity and meaning of our treasured vote.

But, of course, as we well know from prior experiences, with other Propositions, we the people may well vote for it, only to find out that the Court nullifies it, by the actions of one judge overruling it, thereby again disenfranchising 1+ million fellow California voters.

We can only do, what we can do, and in this, that means ... WE VOTE!

If the results are overwhelming, then perhaps, more probably than not, the Courts will not defeat us.

I live in hope and optimism.

Fix It And We Can All Become More Safe

2005-08-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

"This country has lost control of its borders. And no country can sustain that kind of position." --Ronald Reagan

In an epic and critical time of ongoing runaway immigration, of both legal and illegal migration, the tumultuous waves of undocumented people/workers are exploding and blowing off the charts. We soar upward to 1.1 million immigrant people per year, and growing exponentially.

Legal immigration is so oppressive, costly, and personally threatening, it is a wonderment to me that more émigrés don’t just give up, and become "overstayers," and "absconders." It makes a bad immigration situation even worse.

Our obviously deeply flawed immigration policy has consequential overwhelming destructive impacts on our National Security, healthcare, education, crime, jobs and wages. That's not all: it has a deeply personal enveloping history of misfortune and abject murderous loss of life, most particularly within the very ranks of the undocumented coming here, as well as to our loyal sworn officers unsupportedly poised to stop them.

All of these unfortunately well known, unchecked persistent and sobering problems, in and directly resulting from our callous immigration system, and more, were devastatingly and well exposed again as a result of 9-11. The inconceivable systemic overload, bureaucratic negligence, and dangerous loopholes -- still, even now, have inexplicably not been addressed. Bandaids, where reconstructive life saving surgery is desperately needed. We the patient, our very democracy is dying.

In the absence of any constructive change, combined with nature’s oft ill perceived abhorrence of a vacuum, we are left with -- in the place of an: orderly; organized; safe; secure; efficient, and humanistic Immigration System -- a befuddled, confused, complicitous, dangerous and utterly indefensible antiquated, unfair system. Persisting inexplicably, in the face of societal common sense.

… And make no mistake, we are all involved.

Sadly filling this vacuum of beaurocratic unwillingness and ineptness, are the not so unfamiliar corrosive, self serving, strident misguided xenophobic voices further driving this already self destructive anarchistic fury, further into useless and dangerous ruin.

So … We have to begin somewhere.

Why then, not adopt ideas that are already working elsewhere?

What is the matter with beginning with and instituting a National law, similar to that which was passed by voters in Arizona, and upheld recently by our very own San Francisco based activist 9th Circuit Court of Appeals?

Why can’t we have a National Arizona Proposition 200, as a cornerstone of rebuilding a rational fair, and secure immigration policy, and a just and equitable derivative system?

Why not also put expansive and enforceable teeth into our already existing and proven US-VISITBorder-Screening Program . So that we can actually Authenticate, Screen and Record immigrants coming into this country.

It is clear that we have needed legitimate controls that work, and that are enforcibly and economically workable for our Country, now for decades.

There is no longer, nor has there ever been, an excuse for this abysmal absence of permanently remedying this destructive and most inhumane condition, and National embarrassment.

This is about sanctifying everything we supposedly stand for: Human rights; Property rights; Voting rights; Economic rights; Civil rights, and more, the very foundations of our Country, our Constitution, and moral human judgment.

What’s wrong here? Can we keep putting this off? What must we do to fix this NOW?

Just a Citizen, Aka J.A.C.

2005-08-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

HOWDY ...

Just sitting here staring out into the not unusual foggy blanket of a Central Coast day, minding my own business, when my grandson runs up, and in his 3 year old voice, says: Granpa ... What are doing?

And being the good Grandpa ... thinking long and deeply about my answer, I say: "Huhh"??

Before I can regain my focus, he's gone like the wind, invisibly darting around the corner to play with his cousin (the true Princess of the family), my equally beloved younger granddaughter.

As I think about his fleeting curiousness, and the innocent audacity of such a question ... so what am I doing?

On a lazy snugly bug Sunday afternoon here I sit, entranced with the sheer pleasure of the nothingness of my mind, except for the oft familiar, intentional walls and electrified mental fences erected momentarily to keep reality out.

His question, for no good reason blasting through this momentarily self induced Ozone protective mental sheath. I find it wickedly difficult to return to my previous luxurious pastime of nothing sitting.

Perhaps it isn't the question, but the messenger? After all I would stop all things to share a minute of life with he or the magnetic granddaughter.

But he was gone, and the question was left like the sweet perfume of Jasmine wafting through my mind like a drunken brass bell staggering persistently from side to side echoing between my ears.

What are I doing? Hmmm ... I guess just considering how a life of service to people matters? How it reverberates through my life and into that of my family, and now into my ever growing extended family.

Such purity, such innocence at his age. Such hope at my youngest granddaughter's age. A prayerful joy shared by all of us lucky enough to enjoy the love of our families, and wonder at the miracle of life. Our legacy lies with the cherished them.

I think, what a special life to have had, and then after all that to have been given them too. It gives one grand pause, and then you find yourself sitting on a quiet fogged soaked day companioned only by the random and wondrous ponderings of such questions. As opposed to the more rude questions and daily mindless turmoils of how to pay the bills, buy the food, and just get thru the day.

Allowing one's mind therefore to thread aimlessly in the pleasure of such questions is a gift in itself. A worthy escape one must give to oneself, as often as one can legitimately get away with it. Sundays are good for this type of thing.

Returning to thoughts of Service ... If that is accurate? Service To, For, and On Behalf of the people, who for no apparent reason seemingly come to you for help/assistance. Believing and trusting that you can and will provide such support for them as your objective primary motivation. The intention of helping, giving unconditionally.

After all that's what you told your mother you were doing? For no other reason, other than by giving so, you make their lives better.

But as is true with all paradoxical conundrums, there is the persistent influence of misdirection, as there can be no giving without getting. Ahh yes, there it is the inevitable Ying and Yang of it ... the Pushme -- Pullme ... that magical seesaw of moral balance.

What does one get for giving? The unintentional, but warmly received natural reciprocation of the reflective joy of their success. In their success comes the very light by which you might see your own, and thus guide yourself to your next step in the mysterious darkness of life's twist and turns. Seemingly this circle just keeps spiraling up into greater self investment and personal growth in happiness; healthfulness; fulfillment, and light.

Of course no one, sadly these days, seems to believe as much, in the long term benefits of this innate struggle. If we ever really did? So we are wantonly left with the sadder and more vacuous skepticism, social disbelief and societal disappointment. Eroding our cultural group self esteem.

What we have become more use to seeing plastered and clanging across our print, radio, T.V., and computer media is the seeming inevitable dizzying nauseating spiraling down of officious self-celebratory destruction, taking a bit of all of us, with each one of them, as they hit us -- left and right -- front and back. They and their media savvy agents remaining incorrigibly and blythefully unaware of their intemperate effects.

At times it seems as if our society doesn't believe in giving, virtue, and integrity. Then by contrast, daily we live for it and by it in our own families. Our interpersonal rule of life. Our lifegiving, life affirming glue holding our families together. It's here within me and it is what I protect. But where is it out there?

Our very cultural life's blood? When we don't get this same sense of judicious selfless giving, in our elected and corporate institutions we are left with the tarnished reality of what we can only conclude to be the more egregious sin of perceived selfishness. We feel that uncomfortable, yet familiar sick sense of societal and personal betrayal.

We worry, see and think it will infect our friends, our families, and our children corrupting and erode our interpersonal relationships. We start questioning what does matter? What do we live for and by? Are there no rules? What happened to the Ten Commandments?

Are there no rules for the elected? Lately even the process of selection seems contaminated. Another big bite of trust. Like all resources you can't keep eating, taking and consuming trust without losing it too, altogether. Fortunately it can be a renewable resource for some. Hopefully for us, our envisioned democratic selves.

Perhaps there is a sadder new rule for our modern millennium? "What's good for me Shall forcibly be good for thee." Not a very warm fuzzy.

This may explain why we all feel so let down by our politicians... and perhaps others as well, who appear as a whole, to have determined that it is better to have the light shine on them, rather than to shine it ahead of them for others.

Sadly their naive destructive gift to us is darkness, often enveloping all of us like a heavy wet rag. Suffocating the very air out of our struggling hearts.

So here I are on a rainy Sunday, and that is what I am doing. Waxing poetically on such things? Such that perhaps by envisioning understanding it, I might then help hold a light with my neighbors, friends, and family. So that together we can all find our way to the benefits of service to and for the Bigger Good of helping each other.

Rather than the road we seem to be going down, if we are to believe what we see out there? There must be a road we can go up. Where what is best for Thee, is best for Me.

We ride the same track in the same boxcar, only denial keeps us from seeing ourselves in our neighbors, friends, and family. We rise and fall on the same tide.

Never-the-less, thru our children and with our Grandchildren, there is always hope! Our legacies of hope and promise to future generations.

That is the intention and promise of service ... To give back ... not to monopolize the light, but rather, to help light our way together to a better tomorrow.

That is: what I are doing

Con Carinos ...

If You So Disagree With The Minimum Wage View, Then?

2005-08-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

As some of you have, both here and privately …

What then would you directly suggest/offer to Business in order that such unfortunate mandated disincentive wage proposals might be a bit more palatable and viable?

Practical and Workable Ideas that might create a Win-Win for both employers and employees?

What are the incentives to make it viable for both sides of the economic formula.

Given that the major concerns for such proposals are generally: the very real morbid financial drag on Business; the subsequent fear of disemployment of Workers, and the apparent resultant drain on our Economy, what then do YOU suggest to make Work, work, and be economically invigorating?

Increases in Minimum Wage Hurt Small Business and Employees

2005-08-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

The growing concentration of wealth in America and the deterioration of living standards for most people are emerging as a most important part of the political debate in our cities, States, and nationally.

It's a topic with plenty to debate, and consider. But certainly the solutions for improving one’s quality of life is not to be found in partisan political bickering, nor the language of the self serving, whose nauseating conflicting sounds only serve to lock us into the perpetual nothingness that continues to disgust us about Washington and Sacramento.

It seems from a fair reading of the many opposing views relative to Minimal wage and Living wage that opposition to any increase in, or institution of these wage formulas, is not only reasonable, but the more prudent of public policy.

As a “Safety Net” a minimum might be a reasonable protection for all of us? At the most, perhaps a place to begin, from which to earn a self generated market driven living earned income.

Mandatory wage increases hurt not only small businesses, but their employees as well. The pervasive and destructive effect of minimum-wage legislation on employment has been continually sorely misrepresented, and underestimated.

Big corporations do not have to absorb the cost because most minimum-wage jobs are offered by small businesses.

Government manipulation of the starting wage has consistently failed as a tool of social and/or economic justice. It has repeatedly been shown to be a job killer, and a universal disincentive to small business, as just one more onerous unfunded mandate and irrational regulatory tax burden further suffocating small business.

The proponents argue for a "fair" minimum wage, as if government could actually legislate wealth into existence. Laws don’t make jobs, people make their jobs.

Minimum wage laws discriminate against the less productive (Those who can still profitably be employed at a lower wages.), such as: teenagers, the retired, minorities, the disabled, and the less skilled.

The very job growth desired by such dangerous Pollyanna entitlement thinking is prohibitive in its ability to create any real personal financial incentive or help.

Such laws succeed only in redistributing the existing wealth of a society. The distortions caused by fixing the price of labor produce definite losers and winners; it is the least employable, the truly needy, who are the losers -- who lose their jobs. The winners either earn above the new fixed price or have protected jobs.

Furthermore, some people don't need a "living wage", as they are simply supplementing retirement income, and may prefer a mix of money income and other kinds of compensation.

Such unfunded mandated formulations have not been proven to reduce poverty nor narrow the income gap and puts a stranglehold on America's top job creators: small businesses.

It seems to make good press and photo OP’s, but not good public policy.

Interestingly most of the people who support such efforts, don’t live on, and never have lived on minimal wages, fixed wages, or living wage limitations themselves. But they want you to.

The overwhelming majority of economists and social scientists continue to affirm the job-killing nature and societal immobility of such mandatory wage increases.

Mandatory minimum or living wage increases end up reducing employment levels and their intended resultant life style for those people with the lowest skills, who need the work and increased income the most. There is no arguing that sad fact.

The question then seemingly is, in the face of that truth, what can be done to improve the real job opportunities, income levels and lifestyles of our fellow citizens and neighbors?

LNG Why? Or Why Not?

2005-08-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

WHAT IS IT WITH LNG PRO AND CON?

Hope Springs Eternal

2005-07-29T04:01:00.000-07:00

Seems that Proposition 80, the initiative that would roll back provisions of California's deregulated electricity market, is back on the November 2006 special election ballot. (LA Times, 7/28/05)

The state Supreme Court on Wednesday reversed a Friday decision by a state appeals court that would have removed the proposition from the ballot.

While we hold our breath that the same outcome is in store for the singularly more important Prop 77.

Keep your fingers crossed. Mine are.

Don

Voters Cheated Again!

2005-07-23T15:40:00.000-07:00

There are many things wrong in this world. We hear about them everyday. But recently this past Thursday, the 21st, the worst assault occurred to the rights of we the California voter.

As a representational democracy, this latest of voter atrocities is the single biggest blow to free elections, since civil rights legislation.

Proposition 77, The Redistricting Reform/Anti-Gerrymandering Initiative, was the single most important initiative on the ballot to reduce voter and governmental fraud, waste, and abuse by California state government.

This is the Redistricting Reform measure supported by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and intended to be on the November 8th special election ballot.

Yet again an activist judge in collusion with Attorney General Bill Lockyer has managed to unilaterally protect legislators at the State and Federal levels from being outed by their rightful constituency.

He and Sacramento Judge Gail D. Ohanesian's have managed to do the unthinkable, and obstruct and deny us from our constitutional elective rights.

The reason cited by Lockyer was a violation of the California Constitution by using two different versions of the Initiative 77 in the qualifying process. That is, two different versions of the initiative appeared on different signature petition forms used to gather signatures of registered voters.

These differences although only stylistic and not substantive, were enough of an excuse to wrongly disenfranchise we voters. A compromise so cowardice and self serving, it can not be believed.

This arbitrary Judicial Revocation is perhaps the single worst action taken against “We the People” in the history of our great Nation.

The measure deserved an up-or-down decision by we the voters. The drawing of new district lines after the 2000 census was so politically biased — with Republicans and Democrats in collusion — that not a single seat in the Assembly, the state Senate or in California's 53 congressional districts changed parties in the 2004 election.

The situation is so intolerable that this measure gathered considerable support from a public that usually yawns at such inside political matters.

We here in the 23rd Congressional District, know only too well the voter imprisonment we suffer in the world’s now best known and most infamous gerrymandered “Ribbon Of Shame District.”

This cannot stand if we are to survive as a Democracy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Edited summary of a posting on: FraudFactor.com, 07/21/2005 5:53:08 PM PDT

Judge Removes Redistricting Reform Initiative from California Ballot

This is a major blow to California voters and tax payers who need relief from the massive political corruption and waste of tax dollars resulting from safe, non-competitive gerrymandered election districts that result when the incumbent politicians redraw their election district boundary lines.

The outcomes of the general election for most of California's 80 State Assembly seats, 20 of the 40 State Senate seats, and 53 Congressional seats are determined by the Primary Election, before the General Election, due to gerrymandered election district boundary lines. Also, the Democrat majority party ensures itself an artificially large super-majority due to gerrymandering.

Thus, California has suffered election theft every two years for many decades, and all voters of all parties suffer from nonresponsive entrenched politicians who instead cater to lobbyists and other special interests.

Safe gerrymandered election districts have allowed the Democrat super-majority in the California Legislature to maintain its majority grip on California. While safeguarding the minority Republican legislators, as well.

The money and time spent to qualify the initiative is lost.

For more information, click on these links: Proposition 77, gerrymandering, the text of initiative 77 as a web page and as a downloadable pdf file.