Honestly. What is it going to take for the people and/or the government to throw these rich bastards in jail? No, not for being rich, but for, you know, breaking laws and regulations that effect the lives of actual people…. when?!? Case Study Number One: Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn resigned Wednesday as a growing scandal over falsified emissions tests … Read More
Planned Parenthood, the Abortion Debate, and 2016 Elections
There is very little to recommend being over the age of 50, but one of the nice things is that it gives perspective and wisdom — the kind of experience that can’t be taught, but can only come from having lived several decades. There is one thing I have learned – abortion rights are not going away. That wasn’t always … Read More
This Says It All
Obama Derangement Syndrome: Atlanta resident Ted Souris, 62, describes himself as an “arch-conservative” who initially opposed the health law. He said he had mixed feelings about the ruling. He receives what he calls “a pretty hefty subsidy” to buy insurance — he gets $460 and pays $115 a month for insurance. “I’m so against Obama, and I hate that he … Read More
Obamacare Subsidies Upheld By SCOTUS
I’m actually not that surprised at the outcome. The surprising thing was that the Supreme Court ever took this case in the first place. But the US Supreme Court upheld the challenge to Obamacare. The opinion is here. In layman’s terms, the issue surrounded some (arguably) vague language in the Affordable Care Act relating to the federal government providing financial … Read More
Don’t Call ‘Em Crazy
I really have a problem with the second-day opinion that the Charleston shooter was “mentally ill” or “disturbed”. 99% of the time, the person offering that assessment isn’t at all a qualified doctor, and 100% of the time, he hasn’t examined the shooter. There’s a ridiculous circular logic that the shooter’s actions explain his mental state, and his mental state … Read More
Will America’s Uninsured Rate Go To Single Digits?
No major survey has ever found that the uninsured rate in America has hit single digits. Ever. But a new survey from the Urban Institute’s Health Reform Monitoring Survey, a quarterly survey of non-elderly Americans, says that 10.0% of nonelderly adults were uninsured. That’s down from 17.8% in September 2013, before the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges first launched. And in fact, … Read More
Shooting The Mentally Ill
I’ve written about this before — the propensity of the police to open fire on people they know to be mentally ill. Like their current problem with minorities, members of law enforcement seem to have a problem with showing restraint when it comes to the mentally ill. Earlier this week, the US Supreme Court had occasion to address this issue, … Read More
I Feel Bad For The Guy, But….
There are many angles about the story I am about to convey. One might say it is a story about a guy out on his luck. Another might say it is a story about the crappy healthcare system we have. Or maybe it is about how Republicans talk about personal responsibility but then complain when they don’t get government handouts … Read More
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day
This year, National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day will address the needs of children, youth, and young adults with mental health or mental health and substance use challenges and their families. Find out what you can do.
Lead Paint And Inner City Violence
I’m just going to point to this comprehensive and insightful Washington Post article which talks about Freddie Gray (whose death while in Baltimore police hands sparked the recent riots there) and lead paint. Like many inner city kids, Gray lived in sub-standard housing with peeling lead paint, and in his case, it specifically was blamed for ADHD and other problems. It … Read More
CIA to Carrie Matheson: “Good Riddance”
So, this happened: Good Riddance, Carrie Mathison http://t.co/6zNSBK89Eo — CIA (@CIA) April 5, 2015 That’s an official tweet from the official Central Intelligence Agency to a fictional character — Carrie Mathison of the Showtime series, Homeland. Next season, Carrie will no longer be working for the CIA. The CIA tweet references a Sunday New York Times op-ed by Maureen Dowd which … Read More
NAMI On the Germanwings Air Crash
Reprinted in full: NAMI shares the grief of the rest of the world over the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525. We extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this senseless tragedy. As often happens in tragedies, information emerges first through an immediate frenzy of reporting in news media and then through more careful analysis. … Read More
Today Is World Bipolar Day
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 450 million people globally with mental illness; of that number, 5 percent are labeled bipolar, which is three times all cases of diabetes and 10 times all the cases of cancer. Bipolar is the sixth leading cause of disability, according to WHO. “Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness that represents a … Read More