Diagnosis: Necrosis

Dr. Fristenstein spent a whole hour reviewing video tapes of Terri Schaivo and diagnosed that she seem to be "cognitive and aware of her surroundings." He is a shining example of why we need to retain the right to sue medical malpracticing hacks. A.) She was blind and B.) If she could see anything, she wouldn't have a clue of what it was. Sounds pretty much like the same diagnosis for the Republican controlled everything in Washington.

Some Republican Congressmen are beginning to see the light or maybe beginning to sense an election is coming up soon. It's about time we set a timetable for withdrawal of our troops in Iraq. After all, the insurgency is in its "last throes." Really? Now we learn that Iraqi troops may not be ready for another two years to defend themselves. Another "puppet democracy" built by American politicians that cannot sustain itself and can only survive with our continued occupation. Appears that the "Pottery Barn Principle" is working, after all.

Bush is redirecting his efforts to "educate" us about the economy and Iraq. Meaning his poll numbers are way down and his do nothing congress is beginning to push back. Red Dog told you, the party is over. Mr. Bush is the earliest "Lame Duck" President since Richard Nixon.

Republicans in Congress unite with Democrats to change "Library" provision of the "We Are Afraid" Act (aka Patriot Act). Republican Congressional leaders are out of touch with their members. It's good to see Hastert, Delay, and Frist (Curly, Larry, and Moe) sweat for a change.

Where are the Democrats? Most have been missing in action. Now is the time for pushing an agenda if they have one. Just being anti-Bush ain't gonna hack it. The poll numbers for the President and the Congress are down due to their own hands, not by any great platforms from the Democrats. Let's get a real agenda on: Illegal immigration, medical insurance, prescription drug affordability, the economy and jobs, gasoline prices, an energy policy, global warming, funding stem cell research, homeland security, etc. Those things that really matter to the American People. Republicans have already beat up on the average middle class citizen through passage of the "Tort Reform Act" and the "Bankruptcy and Consumer Protection Act", it's time for someone to stand up for the middle class.

Could extremism be over, for both the Right and the Left? Nah, probably not.

Ode to St. Elsewhere

Jennifer Jones writes a good article in the DDT on hospital overload. Take time to look at it see the underlying implications on the future of healthcare in Greenville. Also, I know I'm not on any drugs, but my copy of the "DRMC Update to the Greater Delta Community" on the back page of the front section sure is. I really did try to read the letter from CEO Humphreys but has to give up. Will David Lush have to take over the quality control role at the DDT too? Puhleeez, someone had to know it was unreadable.

Anyhow, I'm straying from Ms. Jones comments. Having been involved in a few mergers. there is this thing called "due dilligence." Apparently none of that was ever done with this merger. KDH apparently called up DRMC one day and said "Do you want to buy a hospital?". DRMC apparently responded with "Yeah, I guess so." I think the gist of Mr. Humphrey's letter is to make excuses for merger related screw ups and "unforeseen circumstances." Excuse me, did we just have an outbreak of Bubonic Plague? Patient care should never be compromised in a hospital setting if it is anything less than a dire emergency like a natural disaster where hundreds of people flood a hospital needing emergency medical attention.

If the current DRMC management cannot handle the patient load of two hospitals, how will it manage three? I think Ms. Jones makes an excellent observation in asking do we really need three hospitals? I think DRMC has blinders on to kill the Burn Center and build a new hospital south of town. I think the focus is somewhere other than on the patient. That's a shot at the administration and politicians, not the DRMC employees, medical and non-medical.

It's kind of like Bush's Iraq plan. We're making progress, but if you don't know where you're going any plan will take you there.

More Table Scraps

Back to the grind. I took a couple of days to celebrate the Michael Jackson case. Not the verdict just celebrate that the damned thing is finally over. And, Please, Santa Barbarans fire that idiot you have as DA. How much did that trial cost the taxpayers?

Arnold is desperate for some PR with his poll numbers crashing, so how about stiffing the taxpayers for a special election in November instead of the one that would be scheduled for June anyway?

Did anyone catch the menu for Gitmo today? The Galloping Gourmet, Duncan Hunter sure made that lemon chicken sound "fingernail pulling good!" This must be California's Week to showcase idiocy.

Republican poll numbers continue to plummet despite efforts by Howard Dean. It seems that Americans finally have had enough of Mr. Bush's Wartime Presidency. Sorry, I never have felt safer due to the invasion of Iraq. Deja Vu all over again..."Waist Deep in the Big Muddy" How many ways can we say "quagmire"?

What good can we possibly get from Guantanamo? Another reason for the rest of the world to hate us. Another hypocritical view of American Democracy. Gee, we don't need to go out of our way to make enemies. Mixed messages from this adminsitration sure had me confused until President Cheney put his foot down. "We ain't closing it." I guess W misspoke.

Apologies are what they are. Since the U.S. Senate decided that it was time wrap itself in sack cloth and ashes and flog itself over lynchings, the least our Senators could have done was support it. Do ya think we might could apologize to the Native Americans too, for something?

Did anyone catch the Frontline repeat on PBS tonight? It was on the "Evil Empire," Wal-mart. It seems they aren't always the lowest price, always. :) or (: What you save on that cheap TV made in Korea, you likely make up in taxes to pay for healthcare for Walmart employees. Probably have lost a job or know someone who has lost a job due to Walmart's heavy handed
practices with suppliers that force many companies to outsource their manufacturing overseas, most likely China.

Local Report:
The DDT is doing a fairly decent job muckraking the water and trash issues. Keep it up. The only sensible thing I have seen so far is trying to get federal money to clear up the water. If Greenvillians allow the council to cut trash pickup in half for the same fees, you only have yourselves to blame.

Tickle This, Elmo!

We don't need no edu-ca-shun!

The Republicans in the House have decided to cut funding for PBS and NPR by 25%. You can now have your children watch "Fear Factor - Kids Edition" and tune in to Faux News for daily indoctrinations.

No News is Bad News

A rare twofer from Red Dog.

The press fails to read its own news sometimes, which is not surprising. Americans are overwhelmingly disillusioned with Congress and the President for taking up issues that really aren't even on most people's radar screens. The press takes some delight in reporting that tidbit, however, what they are missing is that Americans are, also, fed up with the media. Let's look at the big stories the past couple of days:

• Michael Jackson, ad nauseum. Does anyone really care? How is this news?
• Howard Dean puts foot in mouth, again, and again. So what? Republicans do all look the same.
• Judges compromise. Stale, that was weeks ago.
• Dubyah on Social Security. It's dead and if George keeps talking the Republicans will be dead in next election.
• Stuck in Lodi, again. Could it be the FBI is cooking this up to get passage of the "Patriot Act?" The charges keep changing. Martha lied to the FBI and got 5 months in the slammer and five months with an ankle bracelet.

Aside..... I love this, wish I had thought of it. Someone referred to the "Patriot Act" and the "We Are Afraid Act." That's what it is, we give up our freedoms because we are afraid. That's not America. Where is your spine! Where is Patrick Henry? "Give Me Liberty,or Give Me Death!" Don't dishonor freedom and patriotism by naming this garbage the "Patriot Act."

Let's follow up on the real stories

• Downing Street memo. There's more to that.
• What's the White House hiding by not releasing the data on the Bolton nomination?
• The attack on health insurance and pension benefits by big business.
• The rising twin deficits and what no one is doing nothing about.
• The sneaking of CAFTA through Congress.
• The crisis in healthcare.
• Our school system is in shambles and failing.
• Illegal Immigrants draining our economy.
• Walmart, the Evil Empire
• What's the real reason for high gasoline prices?
• Mr. Bush's Vietnam, the War in Iraq
• The Battle between the Pentagon and the White House.

Surely someone can find enough information on these topics to report on them with passion and accuracy. That, of course, leaves out Fox News. What this country needs is more "Yellow Dog" journalist. The sad thing is that Congress is doing nothing, but they sure jumped on the Terri Schaivo case with both feet. The media and the people have a responsibility to hold the government accountable. If we won't do it, we deserve the "We Are Afraid Act" (Waaa).

Ya Gotta Love It!

Ah, I love the smell of Greenville garbage in the morning...... News Flash!...... Public Works determines it can save money by charging the same for half the service! Well, Duh! What kind of economic analysis is that?$1 Million Dollar savings...over 5 years. That's all? What if we cut the fee in half, what would the savings be? Just a question for all you to ask who will storm City Hall when the matter is brought up for discussion. At least they are going to discuss it! I'm betting the "people" will kill this one. How many tons of trash was it that the volunteers picked up?

DDT - "Let it go, Louie." It's too late. If DRMC wanted to save the Burn Center, they would have been raising hell with the Legislature and the Guv'ner long before now. If there is to be a Burn Center it will be in Jackson, because DRMC really doesn't want it here. Or, there is some small possibility that DRMC is managed by cretins.

on to the state of Miss'ippi
Lester Spell seeks refuge in the GOP. Has been politico, Lester Spell has turned tail and sought asylum in the Republican Party, a move cheered by Democrats and sent Republicans scurrying around to find out who said anyone was welcome. Will the GOP give Lester the same warm greeting and money that they gave Amy? Stand by, a beef plant may be in your future.

I Speak, U Speak, Newspeak!

The World According to George

(Bush, not Orwell)

As Dubyah tries to "disassemble" democracy as we know it by dissembling. The Republican scriptwriter has to be Lewis Carroll. It's hard to imagine that just five years ago we became unglued over what the definition of "is" is and now we can accept that "up" is "down" and "black" is "white." Try it.

• More car bombings and insurgent attacks in Iraq are "good" because they show the terrorists are desperate and on the run.
• Newsweek is responsible for jihad against the United States
• Iraq has WMD's. Er, Iraq attacked us on 9/11. Uh, we wanted to bring freedom and democracy to the Iraqi people. They bought 'yellow cake."
• We have trained 150,000 Iraqi soldiers, would you believe 100,000? 50,000? 5,000?
• Social Security is in a "crisis." It will be bankrupt by 2017.
• An embryo is a potential life. (An apple seed is a potential apple tree too, but something else needs to happen.) It's fine to flush them, just don't use them for research.
• Abu Ghraib was thought up by a few dimwits from West Virginia.
• Drilling in ANWR will solve our dependence on foreign oil.
• "I fulfilled my military obligation."
• Global Warming is a "hoax." Just believe my former oil lobbying editor.
• "I did not have sex with that woman." Oops, wrong President.
• "I can't think of any mistakes."

So, maybe all of these aren't direct quotes from Dubyah, it's hard to pin his quotes down sometimes because of the misspeak. You have to listen hard to determine the difference between "tur-ist" and "ter-ror-ist" and "nu-clar" and "new-klee-er"

According to George, everything is fine. We are winning the "War on Terror" but don't know who is crossing our borders or what is coming into our ports. Private accounts will fix Social Security but doesn't address the solvency issue. Medicare modernization is a fix for Big Pharma. The list goes on and on. But, Hey, I'm sure George knows what the definition of "is" is.

I Didn't Inhale

On an otherwise slow week, those "activist Judges" on the Supreme Court nixed the use of medical marijuana. For years Bush has been trying to prosecute little old ladies who were growing marijuana in their backyards for personal use to manage pain. The Supreme Court has made it official, they're criminals. How would you like to be the police officer that arrested and cuffed Granny or Gramps for "taking a hit" to ease the pain of MS, or some other debilitating disease? It's not that our courts are under worked these days. We have millions of illegal immigrants crossing our borders each year and no telling how many tons of the stuff coming with them and we won't enforce the laws on the books to keep them out. Let's pick on the sick folks who aren't bothering anyone and send them to jail.

For real reform, let's make marijuana legal and empty 1/3 of our prisons for real criminals, like illegal immigrants. Anyhow, the drug of choice today seems to be crystal meth, marijuana is no more dangerous than say three martinis?

Red Dog? Let's just say, "he tried it but he didn't inhale."

Beam me up - no sign of intelligent life

How do you just say, "No" to $50 Million? That's exactly what our legislature and Guv'ner have done to Jim Barksdale's offer. Can you imagine what $50 Million would have done to provide scholarships to Mississippi's students, not to mention their parents? A great investment in higher education for our kids right where it needs to be, with the kids. We don't need any more "facilities." This was a free gift, no taxpayer money involved. Our "dunderheads" in Jackson just said "No."

Of course, Mr. Barksdale offered the $50 Million as an incentive to fully fund the K-12 or MAEP program. Not even the offer of free money could deter our "no new taxes" Guv'ner and our sorry lot of legislators from coming up short on the education funding by $88 Million. In the most ballsy statement I have seen from Guv'ner (quoting the article). "Gov. Haley Barbour said it was a generous offer but public policy should be made without considering such outside plans." This, mind you, is from a guy who made his living as a Lobbyist for the Tobacco Companies! Okay, $50 Million is chump change for the tobacco industry and he didn't recognize it because there were no strings attached, but for the "poor damn people" of Mississippi who are likely seeing a tuition increase for their students, this would have been a great boost.

The Guv'ner thinks nothing of throwing $25 Million for his cronies in Momentum Mississippi and the Legislature thinks nothing of adding $98 Million of "pork", but they won't fund an additional $88 Million to get a free $50 Million for the people of Mississippi to invest in the future.

Red Dog ain't scratching here, he's hiking his leg. Fire the whole damn lot!!