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National Camp School - Boy Scouts of America

2011-03-05T10:32:00.000-07:00

Last month I went to National Camp School.

The purpose of the National Camping School is to provide a learning experience and training for adults related to the operation of council resident camps. The key staff members will in turn have the responsibility of training and supervising other staff personnel in your council camping program. It is a comprehensive training on all aspects of the day camp operation, including methods of day camping, program scheduling and resources, staff organization, recruiting and training, and health and safety protection.

It was a lot of fun to attend with about 30 other adults that have either run a Cub Scout Day Camp and need to be retrained or need to be trained so they can run a Day Camp this summer. I have been helping as the Webelos Director for the Grand Canyon Council Day Camp for 4 years. This year the Camp Director has asked me to assist her in her duties.

For more information about the camp clock here.

Both of my kids have been helping for the past two years and might be taking some key roles at camp this year. I am so proud of them.

Tips for Camping

2010-06-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

My hope is that this will be an expanding topic for me as I find more information about how to better go out camping. Gear, tips and tricks, locations, weather, etc. will "limit" my scope of this post.

Thank you REI for the first link.
Camping Tips: Sleeping Well

Family Camping Checklist

2010-04-07T16:36:00.000-07:00

Just watched this video about water and water bottles. I thought the content was good but I need to see more of the data to really understand it.

Math - what are these people talking about......

2010-02-01T22:28:00.003-07:00

I have kids in school and for the first few years in school I was trying to figure out what they were doing to solve basic math problems.

After watching this video I have a few answers to those questions.

Please take the time to watch this video - it's worth it.

Where did the summer go?

2009-12-12T09:24:00.004-07:00

I've been pretty busy with school for the kids, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and another venture I've been researching.

Found out the Arizona Hemophilia Association(AHA) joined the HFA. That move will definitely give our hemophilia community access to more programs in Arizona. I was asked what the difference between NHF and HFA was. Easy answer - NHF is industry driven and HFA is community driven. Can't wait to see some of HFA's programs in action.....

AHA is hiring a Transition Counselor for our teen population. They want to have the position filled by the end of January 2010 or before. This person will be the most important person for our hemophilia kids in Arizona and how this person starts the program will determine if the program will work (the kids are the jury on this one).

The boy scouts are currently spending all their time at a Christmas Tree Lot. Our troop sell Christmas tree so they can go on their summer adventure trip. If you live in the Phoenix Valley please consider getting you Christmas tree @ 14th St and Northern. Tree lot hours are 3-9 Mon - Friday and 10-9ish Sat and Sun. Tress are reasonably priced and they have Douglas Fir (5' to 8') and Noble Fir (5' to 9').

Poem

2009-08-07T17:10:00.003-07:00

I was given a copy of this poem from my pastor. We had a group dicusion on what each line ment to us and what it says about our society.

What do you think? I'm ready for a dicussion if you are......

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THE INVITATION by Orian Mountain Dreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain! I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it's not pretty, every day, and if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes!"

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

By Oriah Mountain Dreamer

July - the Hottest on Record

2009-08-05T22:42:00.004-07:00

Lucky for me I wasn't in town for most of the HEAT.

Spent for first week of the month in San Diego. Great 4th of July at the beach. Collected Pooka shells, played in the surf, watched many sunsets, watch the fireworks.

Spent the next week in town. Don't remember what I did.....

Spent the next two weeks in the Pacific Northwest with family. Did a lot of work at mom's house. Bottle some wine. Went to the Oregon Brewers Festival - they had 80 different breweries there. Only made it through 28 of the brews. They give 4 ounces per taste. So that's 28x4 oz = 112 ounces. Split that between 3 people still means I didn't drive home. Thank God for lightrail! Went Sport Clay Shooting with my dad and brother. Kind of like golf but with shotguns. A higher score is better. Out of a possible 100 I know I hit at least 25 clays. Picked Blueberries and made jam - bought Marrionberries and made jam. Watched Chicken TV every night I could. Took the family to Detroit Lake with a friend of my dad's and went wake boarding, surfing, and intertubing off their ski boat. New for my kids - they loved it. OH, I almost for got ....... It was darn HOT in Portland while we were there. Not as hot as Phoenix but Portland's humidity made up for it.

Next week the kids go back to school and life returns to "NORMAL"

Cub Scout Day Camp

2009-06-28T16:32:00.005-07:00

Wow. Have I been busy......

Just got finished with Boy Scouts of America, Grand Canyon Council, Heard Scout Pueblo Cub Scout Day Camp. I was the Webelos Director for the camp and taught over 900 Webelos the Scientist pin.

Each year the camp has a theme - this year's theme was Pirates of the Pueblo. I was Captain No-Black Beard. Day camp started on May 28th and finished on June 27th. The sessions are 3 days long and each day starts at 3 pm and finished about 9:30 pm. Total number of cub scouts at camp is set at 300 boys per session.

Want to get more info about Cub Scout Day Camp, click here.

I had a blast!!!

It's a dry heat!!

2009-05-18T22:12:00.003-07:00

Yea, Right! It's May and we hit 107 on Monday.

Very busy weekend.....

Kids were confirmed and baptized. It's Norway's Constitution Day (May 17th). The 138th NRA Annual Meeting was in town. We had 3 separate baseball games to watch. Took the family out to Spaghetti Factory after church. We were going to go to the Desert Botanical Gardens to see Chihuly.

Ooooo - We are going peach picking tomorrow at Schnepf's Farm.

It's going to be a busy summer............

Twinkie - Myth and what is it really made of?

2009-04-09T20:58:00.004-07:00

I ran across an article in the Journal of Clinical Reasearch.

"Twinkie, deconstructed" a book by Steve Ettlinger. The review can be found here. The Author's website can be found here.

The wording under the title will either make you want to read it or put it on your never ever ready list.

Twinkie, Deconstructed: My Journey to Discover How the Ingredients Found in Processed Foods Are Grown, Mined (Yes, Mined), and Manipulated Into What America Eats

Well, will you read it?

Home prices

2009-03-02T17:57:00.003-07:00

Home prices - are they still too high? take a look at the video. I like numbers. How correct are they? watch the 6 minute video

Let's get a show of hands..... Who thought the home prices were out of control in the first place? Now that we have so much invested in these over priced homes, do we need to make sure the air doesn't leave the bubble?

What did "we" do to inflate the housing prices as high as they were? Is it truly every man's right to own a home? Economics is a roller coaster - if you liked the ride up you'll definitely scream on the way down. Supply and demand - I still remember my economics classes (I'm a visual person so I can still see the charts when I close my eyes). Someone in America manipulated the demand curve by lowering the standard of who can get a loan. Who has the ability to tell the banks to make risky loans to people who don't qualify. It's not the banks - bankers are calculating people who don't take chances (I've met too many "Banker" personalities, I know the type).

Most people who work in the housing market their whole lives know this was going to happen. they just thought it was going to happen 5+ years ago. The fact that it didn't is what is going to make this fall so much fun. IMHO the housing market is going to over correct. Unlike what it did in the 80's, it's going to go bellow the 100K mark. Wait an see and be ready when the time come to jump back on the ride we call capitalism.

I'm sorry.

2009-02-23T14:44:00.003-07:00

I told my youngest son just that last week.

I'm sorry our generation is not fixing the financial problem he and his kids will be dealing with.

I'm sorry health insurance is non-functional.

I'm sorry I don't have all the answers.

I'm sorry I can't always spend all the time I can with you.

I'm sorry you rights are being slowly taken from us.

What would you say to your child?

comments are welcome.

Government HELP

2009-02-13T12:17:00.002-07:00

This entire article is taken word for word from the link at the bottom of the post. I didn't feel like add or changing one word - It's information I wanted to pass of for discussions sake. I am concerned that we are doing too much too fast and all I see is a TV show where the "boss" is signing a mountain of paper and not looking at what is being signed and someone slipped in their own agenda in the pile. I know it's a daunting task to know what we are going, but I can't give. I won't let myself give up on my rights to know what my government is doing to "HELP" me. If I want universal healthcare why does it have to be stuck in a stimulus plan? Seems fishy to me.....

Another health care note of concern is something buried deep into the House version of the stimulus bill (you can view that text here). On pages 445, 454 and 479 the economic stimulus package will create a National Coordinator of Health Information to look into your health care. Yes, the federal government will be taking over. And it’s attached to the stimulus bill. This has former Senator and one time front runner to head the Department of Health and Human Services Tom Daschle’s foot prints all over it. Wow. This is scary. Daschle wrote a book called Critical: What we Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis. The Senate is trying to sneak this through without the public knowledge. It doesn’t surprise me, but it is still amazing. Daschle wrote in his book, “the issue (of health care) is too important to be stalled by Senate protocol.” Thanks for the consideration Tom. Once again, it looks like the elected to serve “We The People” are screwing us.
In another part of Critical, Daschle admits his solution will create some pain. For instance, the health care system shouldn’t always pay for care for the elderly. No. I’m serious. Page 464 of the stimulus bill would change Medicare from paying for “treatments deemed safe and effective” to “apply a cost-effectiveness standard set by the Federal Code.” This means health care among seniors could be rationed. Are we sure we want to rush and pass this bill? For more read this story from Bloomberg.

Taken from: http://ktar.net/blogs/dankarlo/category/on-air-log/ February 10, 2009

Had a job? Lost a job!

2008-12-19T15:09:00.000-07:00

I was called on December 5th just after I finished a conference call with the education department. It was my boss - TODAY was my last day working for the company. Boss even asked me if I would have rather been let know on Monday or Friday? Who cares, I was being canned!

WOW, not what I expected! I've seen a few people get fired. Here is what I thought would happen if I ever got let go.....

Boss calls and tells you he is going to come by and see you tomorrow. When boss gets there he is accompanied by another person if employee being let go is female. The visit always happens on a Monday or a Friday. Boss would have some paperwork for me to fill out for the termination.

Now that I am unemployed, what am I suposed to do with all the organizations they sugested I volunteer for? I am going to finish the tasks I said I would do with the organizations I am volunteer for. It's my name on the line and the organizations are worthwhile.

Does it suck that I lost my job? Yes
Do I wonder what I am going to do next? YES
Am I lost and wondering how I am going to make ends meet? No
What am I going to do next? I don't know - Find a job.
What is the biggest concern of mine? Health Insurance!

Best part, they are transfering someone from another part of the country into Arizona. I'll have to meet the new guy sometime.

NFH Denver 2008

2008-11-19T16:11:00.003-07:00

What an event! Our family had a great time. The factor company evening events were well attended and fun. The best in my mind was The CSL Game Face event. CSL had 11 Wiis they were giving away to the winner of 5 Wii games. The games were: swimming, golf, basketball, baseball, and bowling. The kids were separated by age (12 and under, and 13 to 18) and only kids with bleeding disorders were able to win. Once the event was started all the kids played the Wii games and the CSL reps kept track of high scores. At the end of the GAMES all the kids that played received a "gold" medal. Then, the winners of the individual Wii games were called up on the stage and awarded a Wii console. The 11th Wii was drawn from the attendants and given away.

I tried my feet at Dance Dance Revolution that evening. I don't know how they do it. I got boo-ed of the stage for missing too many steps.

Val Bias is our new CEO. I think it's a good pick. He has a vested interest in the betterment of our cause. I did hear a few things that concern me. Is he going to champion hemophilia or broaden the umbrella of our "cause" to include all blood disorders. He did comment of the safety of our blood supply. We have an interest in the blood supply being clean, but should "we" take on that cause? I don't know!? I also don't know about the joining of the local chapters. What's in it for me? What is in it for us? Do all the chapters need the same thing? the only thing I know for sure is.....
I don't want to be like the American Liver Foundation
The ALF is not much more than a money making local chapters for the national organization. They have a lot of national clout but what do they do for the local community. I haven't seen much and I don't want our Local Hemophilia Chapter to be money making chapters with no programming for the community.

I'll take a wait and see approach with Val - I've seen him in person before NHF Denver and I like what I hear. What is his slant? What is he going to do shake things up to validate him being appointed to CEO?

WOW that was a deviation from the topic...... back on point. I didn't see HFA at one of the booths. Anyone know why the Hemophilia Federation of America was not there?

The morning symposiums were great. The Wyeth breakfast on "It Takes A Village" was excellent. It was great to hear how some HTC use families to support other new families. Our HTC does not do this - I've asked. I wish we could have had a mentor family we could have called for the little challenges in life. Wyeth had two families come and describe what they did to help each other through life with hemophilia. I'd like my son to have a mentor and one day to be a mentor.

I love going to these national events. WHY? I learn so much about other communities and families. What they do and How they do it? An informed consumer is better for the community than an uniformed one. We can be more of a pain in the ass to the Association and HTC. I understand that they, the Association and HTC, want to do things the way they always have done it, but if it doesn't work, why not change how your doing it.

That last paragraph was crude and not well thought out. The overall idea is there.

What an I putting on my body?

2008-10-17T06:40:00.003-07:00

Ever want to know what those long words we can't pronounce on the back our shampoo, toothpaste, makeup, soap, or other consumer products we use every day?

Here is a site that ranks the chemicals from 0(low hazard) to 10(high hazard). I don't know how they have done the ranking but it's a tool to discover what we are using on and in our bodies.

Click here - SKIN DEEP then type the ingredient you want to know more about or you can type the product name.

For example:
Water has a score of 0.
Barbasol Shaving Cream W/ Aloe Vera has a score of 5.
Jason natural cosmetics satin soap has a score of 5.
Benzene has a score of 10.

Thanks to Miryam (mama o' the matrices) for showing me this website.

Bottled Water is contaminated!??

2008-10-16T14:56:00.007-07:00

In a two year study, a lab tests detected 38 chemicals in only 10 sampled brands. An average of 8 contaminants were found in each kind of bottled water. Contaminants include: coliform, bacteria, caffeine, acetaminophen, fertilizer, solvents, a radioactive element (strontium), chlorine byproducts, and plastic-making chemicals.

Other chemicals also found were arsenic, toluene, trihalomethanes. Go ahead and look up the ones you don't know anything about.

ARSENIC - A poison. TOLUENE - Cannot be excreted by regular means, so it must be metabolized by the body. 5% of the product is made into products that severely damage cells. TRIHALOMETHANES(THM) - Garbage term for chemical compounds in which three of the four hydrogen atoms of methane (CH4) are replaced by halogen atoms, like fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine. Chloroform is the best known. Many THMs are carcinogenic - cause cancer.

Some of these contaminants came from pollutants often found in tap water. The Federal legal limit for THM is 80 parts per million(ppm), California has a limit of 10 ppm. Both Wal-Mart and Giant Food exceeded the International Bottled Water Association limit of 10 ppm. Wal-Mart's Sam's Choice water and Acadia of Giant Food supermarkets were over 35 ppm for THM. Wal-Mart also exceeded California's standard for a second chlorine byproduct, bromodichloromethane by five times.

Since chlorine is used as a disinfectant for tap water and bottled water is nothing more that tap water in a bottle, chlorine byproducts in bottled tap water should be expected. There are no better regulations on bottled water than that of tap water. Why are we are just willing to pay 1,900 times the cost for bottled tap water than we would pay for tap water.

My suggestion: Buy a filter for your sink or your house.

Just remember:

BUY a filter or BE a filter.

I'd rather buy a filter.

Bedbug Infestations on the Rise, Tough to Kill

2008-10-02T20:50:00.008-07:00

This is nothing more that a direct copy and past - no credit is taken for a single word in this post. The phrase "don't let the bedbugs bite." takes on new meaning to me. After reading this article I have lots of questions.

The Columbus Dispatch By Elizabeth Gibson October 01, 2008

The red splotches and scabs along his arms make Colton Oser look like he's suffered a nasty case of chicken pox, but the itchy 3-year-old in Whitehall actually has been attacked by an infamous nighttime monster.

Bedbugs are on the rise across the country, and experts warn that central Ohio needs to start looking into a comprehensive control program before infestations spiral out of control.

"If you bury your head in the sand, you're going to get bitten, and it's just going to get worse and worse," said Susan Jones, an entomology professor at Ohio State University.

With a bedbug-awareness bill in the Ohio House and Cincinnati still recovering from infestation, Franklin County officials say they're just starting to look beyond case-by-case management.

"We need to step it up," said Charlie Broschart, supervisor for Franklin County community environmental health.

After a co-worker attended a conference on bedbugs in Cincinnati, Broschart said, they spent Monday morning brainstorming ways to make people more aware of the problem.

Bedbugs had been nearly eliminated from the U.S. in the 1950s, but they've sneaked back thanks to international travel and a ban on harsher pesticides such as DDT.

The county started counting bedbug complaints about a year ago as calls increased, but Broschart said there has yet to be a comprehensive effort to collect and analyze information on bedbugs in central Ohio.

There's also the matter of who is responsible.

"The question is: Is it a public-health issue or not?" Columbus Health Department spokesman Jose Rodriguez said. "Bedbugs are really looked upon as a nuisance issue."

OSU's Jones, however, said scabbing, secondary infections and the anxiety caused by fearing your own bed are serious health concerns.

Code enforcement handles individual complaints, but Jones recommends a centralized master plan.

She suggested a task force that combines the expertise of pest-control, health, code-enforcement and housing agencies. Trends would be easier to spot with all the complaints and treatment numbers in one place, and a task force also could coordinate a publicity campaign to tell people how to stop the spread of bedbugs.

People should seal infested furniture in plastic before disposing of it; travelers ought to check hotel beds for pests; and exterminators need to know that bedbugs are harder to kill than most insects, experts said.

Jones works with a similar task force in Hamilton County. The group was launched after the Cincinnati Health Department received 737 bedbug complaints in 2007 -- the same number as for mice, rats and roaches combined.

The Cincinnati department is requesting $348,000 for bedbug education and inspections for 2009, Assistant Health Commissioner Camille Jones said.

The agency's home page is crawling with bedbug videos, warning labels for furniture and the number for a bedbug hot line.

Columbus's health department released its own tip list in March as bedbug calls started coming in.

Ohio State University emptied 114 rooms in Jones Graduate Tower last year for bedbug control, and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority has identified 124 infested residences so far this year. It also treated 500 surrounding housing units to keep the bugs from spreading, Director of Public Housing Claude Nesbit said.

He said his agency needs to double its extermination budget.

Regular pest control in one apartment costs about $60, but bedbug treatments cost $300, he said. Bedbugs require repeat visits and thorough spraying because the pests hitchhike on humans, rapidly reproduce and fit into the smallest cracks.

Clutter makes it difficult to find the bugs, so it's hard to contain infestations in areas where people don't have the resources to clear out their homes, experts said.

The problem isn't limited to low-income apartment complexes, but complaints are more likely to reach officials in those cases because they take the form of landlord-tenant disputes.

The county, for instance, identified two bedbug infestations at an apartment building at 4218 Rickenbacker Ave. in November.

Broschart said it seemed to get better with a little pest control, but calls picked up again this summer.

After an order from the board of health, the landlord hired Orkin to start a new round of treatment Monday. By this point, Colton Oser's mother, who has an apartment there, had started collecting the bugs in a bottle and naming them.

Who attends Bedbug conferences? I missed it on 8/14/08 @ 8AM at the Duke Energy Center, but more than 400 people showed up - Camille Jones and Chirley Clauss did. Click here to see the video! Who wants to be on the Bedbug Task Force(BTF)?Dale Mallory and Coroner O’dell Owens, to name a few Who is the expert on Bedbugs? Tiffaney Hardy What is the Bedbug hot line number? (513) 591-6000

Want to go to the website dedicated to bedbugs? click here for disturbing photos and facts about bedbugs. Want to find out if you have them or want a trap to get rid of them? Click here

Hemophilia Walk Arizona 2008

2008-10-02T14:55:00.011-07:00

ARIZONA RAISE OVER $37,000

Chaparral Park is a 100-acre park constructed in the Indian Bend Wash, providing a lush greenbelt with a 10-acre lake for urban fishing and boating. The park is located in Scottsdale Arizona and shares recreation path system that is ideal for running, walking, biking, and rollerblading. For a map of Chaparral Park, click here. The walk started at the Central Ramada just South of the Jackrabbit Road enterance. The walk continued around to the West side of the lake. The course circled the lake path counterclockwise twice and finished just north of the Multi-use Court.

The event was Nationally sponsored by Baxter, Bayer HealthCare, CSL Behring, Grifols, and Wyeth. The local Sponsors were CSL Behring, Valley of the Sun United Way, Wells Fargo, AZVerveVending, and VitaminWater.

The goals of our team was to raise awareness of Hemophilia within our community and city. Our goal was to get 100 people on our team, we came up a little short. We didn't have the most colorful shirts, see picture. Our team was easy to find in a croud.

We all had fun and were invited to a post walk party at Firesky Resort. It is a beautiful resort in central Scottsdale.

I would like to thank all the sponsors and participants for helping raise the awareness of Hemophilia in Arizona. Next YEAR - 100.

Chickenpox Parties and Fluoride

2008-09-17T17:43:00.016-07:00

Not that these two things have anything in common with each other. They do to me. I have an opinion on both of them.

Chickenpox Parties

Questions: Do you trust what "everyone" says about vaccines? Do you ask what are the motives behind what people and companies say? Do you do any research on what others have told you?

Statements:

immunity the old-fashioned way, by catching the disease from an infected child and muddling through weeks of itchiness. Such chickenpox parties were also held in the pre-vaccine era because some experts argued it was safest for kids to get the disease early in life, when the effects tend to be relatively mild.

Getting kids infected can be harder than parents assume, experts said. Chickenpox is most contagious during a period of slightly more than one week, beginning a few days before lesions appear and lasting until scabs form on the chickenpox sores.

One recent study found that 70 percent of people hospitalized for chickenpox complications were otherwise healthy.

I wonder about this statistic. What percentage of people who get chickenpox are hospitalized and how old are they?

Read the entire article here.

Fluoride

Questions: Is Fluoride good for you? How is it made? Are there any side effects? What is a TOXIC dose? Why aren't all cities putting Fluoride in their water? Do all dentist recommend Fluoride for their patients?

Statements:

Fluoride in higher concentrations is a potent poison. In 1952, the Alcoa (AMEX:AA.PR) (NYSE:AA) aluminum plant in Vancouver, Washington was found to have illegally dumped up to 7,000 pounds of fluoride compound wastes into the Columbia River each month. The chemical contaminated the surrounding grass and forage and resulted in injury and death to cattle, according to a report in the Seattle Times.

Vancouver, Washington uses pure granular sodium fluoride to treat its water supply.

But the fluoride added to most public drinking water supplies, a compound called hydrofluorosilic acid, comes from phosphate fertilizer plants, where it is stripped from smokestack scrubbers that also capture trace amounts of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and radium. If it weren't put into drinking water, it would be treated as toxic waste.

O.K. picture this one........ Hydrophuorosilic acid is a by product of a fertilizer plant. They collect it by scraping it from smokestacks along with lead, arsenic and radium. Great picture - now let's put that in our water, otherwise it will just go to waste. RECYCLE!

Employees who work with fluoride must wear protective clothing and respirators. A 1998 study by the International Society for Fluoride Research, published in the journal Brain Research, found that laboratory rats given fluoridated drinking water at the same concentrations used in public water systems suffered brain and kidney damage.

In 1999, a union representing 1,500 scientists, lawyers, engineers and other professional employees of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called for an end to fluoridation of drinking water, saying the practice "borders on a criminal act" on the part of government. EPA scientists cited scientific literature documenting "the increasingly out-of-control exposures to fluoride," the lack of benefits from ingesting fluoride and the potential hazards to human health, including the risk of kidney damage, gene mutations, cancer, reproductive effects, damage to bones and the nervous system, and dental fluorosis.

In 2006, Harvard researchers published a multiyear study reporting that exposure to fluoride at levels considered optimum by the American Dental Association increased the risk of bone cancer in boys by more than 500 percent.

Also in 2006, a report from the National Research Council recommended that the EPA lower its standard for naturally occurring fluoride, which is currently 4 parts per million per liter of water. The council cited adverse impacts including increased bone fractures and damage to neurological, immune and reproductive systems. Based on that report, the American Dental Association issued a new warning against the use of fluoridated water in infant formula, which was echoed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Melody Scheer, oral health coordinator for Clark County, said "If a child swallows toothpaste, or takes too many vitamin pills, that is where you can get an overdose."

Read the entire article here. I don' know if this is an argument for Fluoride or against it. Does that mean if my kids are drinking the water and using Fluoride toothpaste at the same time they can get an overdose. What is the dosage needed for a 50 pound kid? WANT THE ANSWER - scroll down.

Sodium Fluoride: The LD50 for a rat is 75 MG/KG if given orally. LD 50 means the amount of a substance needed to be a lethal dose for 50% of the test population. For a 50 pound rat one would need 1.7 grams or 0.059 ounces.

The LDL for a human is 71 mg/kg in given orally. LDL mean lowest lethal dose. Sodium Fluoride is class 6.1 Poisonous Material for the DOT (Department of Transportation). Looking for the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).

Hydrofluorosilic Acid:M There is no LD50 for this chemical. The DOT marks it as a Class 8 Corrosive liquid. Looking for the MSDS. We can use this chemical to etch glass!

The toxic dose of fluoride for a 2-year-old child weighing 22 pounds is 320 milligrams. Toxic fluoride doses are based on weight, and a toxic dose of fluoride for an 8-year-old child weighing 45 pounds is 655 milligrams. In comparison, an 8-ounce glass of water fluoridated to 1 part per million contains 0.25 milligrams of fluoride.

Taken from Colgate.

Potential Presidential Leaders’ Views on Health Care System

2008-09-16T15:31:00.007-07:00

I don't know the bend of the Kaiser Family Foundation, but it's information. My problem: there is so much information to sift throught. If you find a bias let me know.

For more information and videos go here. Another site with side by side information is the Kaiser Health08 website.

Next Year's Flu Vacines are already here!

2008-08-13T07:05:00.002-07:00

The FDA has predicted what flu bugs will be out next year already. For the press release go here. Did you know - "Currently, only 40 percent of health care workers in the United States are vaccinated against influenza." says Department of Health and Human Services' Assistant Secretary of Health Joxel Garcia, M.D., M.B.A.

If healthcare workers are the front lines of this battle why aren't they all being vacinated? Oh, nevermind, I forgot we mostly lived in a society of free choice. If the flu vacine worked maybe more Healthcare workers would be vacinated for the flu. So the FDA, WHO, and CDC get together every year and analyze data on virus patterns to identlfy virus strains that MAY cause the most illness in the upcoming season. These regulators didn't make the decision this month, or even last month. These influenza vacines were selected on February 14, 2008 by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Regulators will hope to maintain a higher protection rate than in 2007/08, when the vaccine success rate was just 44%. So this year to make the regulators feel better about their selection please only come in contact with these influenza strains:
* an A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like virus;
* an A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus;
* a B/Florida/4/2006-like virus.

Now, why would they have to make the selection so far in advance of the next season? So the drug companies will be able to get approval and manufacture more than 100 million doses of a 'flu vaccine usually requires a lead time of about eight months, with a potential rise in procurement as the winter months set in.

Where does the money end? Manufacturers are: CSL Limited, Afluria; GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Fluarix; ID Biomedical Corporation of Quebec, FluLaval; MedImmune Vaccines Inc., FluMist; Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited, Fluvirin; and Sanofi Pasteur Inc., Fluzone.

Health Insurance Coverage Protection Act (S. 2706)

2008-07-21T16:50:00.004-07:00

I know this is a 180 degree change from the previous 6/24 post .....
It's time to step up and let your elected officials know what is in our best interest. Healthcare costs have gone through the roof on the last 10 years. Back in the day I called up my HR department and asked them if they were going to raise the lifetime cap for our health insurance. Their response, "Why would we raise it? No one has reached it yet." Yet, being the operative word! I asked the person to write down my name cause I will reach each! I didn't tell her why or when but back then you could see the writing on the wall. Given I don't work for that company anymore but it would be interesting to see if they have raised it....
Now back on point.... The Senate and House both have bills to increase the lifetime cap on health insurance. The link below is from the National Hemophilia Association and for all of our benefit I urge you to take action and fill out the forn to send to your Senators and Representatives.

Health Insurance Coverage Protection Act (S. 2706)

Health Insurance Coverage Protection Act (H.R. 6528)

Thank you - It may not effect you now but that's always how it starts.

Ron Paul’s Health Ideas

2008-07-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

On health care, Paul was quoted as saying: “Health care should not be left up to HMOs, big drug companies and government bureaucrats. It is time to take back our health care. Congressman Paul is a medical doctor by profession. That alone should make him worth listening to because he has real world experience with the health care process. On a side note, his nickname in congress is Dr. No, because he votes against so many governmental programs. Paul starts by proposing to make all medical expenses tax deductible by doing away with the current 7.5 percent IRS deduction. Simply put that means that you wouldn’t have to get to some IRS number to deduct your expenses, they would be immediately and totally cut from your taxes. Next, Paul proposes eliminating federal regulations that discourage small businesses from providing coverage. He then moves onto the supply side of the problem by proposing to give doctors the right to collectively negotiate with insurance companies and drive down the cost of medical care.Excellent! Paul goes on to propose changing the rules to make every American eligible for a Health Savings Account, or HSA, and removing the requirement that individuals must obtain a high-deductible insurance policy before opening an HSA. That means that we could pay ourselves (a tax deductible amount), put it into an account that we have control of and immediate access to and not have the insurance execs carving out their percentage from our money. Paul also proposes reforming licensure requirements so that pharmacists and nurses can perform some basic medical functions to increase access to care and lower costs. Excellent again! He also proposes reforms to end the lawsuits that cost us so much money, because, as with everything else, the doctors don’t pay for their malpractice insurance, we do. They just tack it onto the cost of an office visit and we end up paying the lawyers a cut every time we go to the doctor! Ron Paul has already introduced legislation on all these issues, -so we know he is for real. He has been working as a Congressman for years to provide real workable solutions to the crisis. Sadly, they have largely failed because the majority of our “representatives” in Washington, D.C., need the bucks from the drug and insurance lobbies to maintain their seats in Congress. So, no reform. Paul has been quoted as saying: “Our free market health care system that was once the envy of the world has become a federally-managed disaster.” And: “The federal government decided long ago that it knew how to manage your health care better than you and replaced personal responsibility and accountability with a system that puts corporate interests first.” He also said: “Few people realize that Congress forced Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) on us. HMOs rose to prominence through federal legislation, incentives, and coercion. Now, the Food and Drug Administration’s bias toward large pharmaceutical companies enlarges their power, limits treatment options and drives consumers to seek Canadian medicines.” Taken from Mountain Mail, written by Rick Coddington, SOCORRO, New Mexico

No one tunes in at the Government.

2008-06-24T07:51:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile...

I've been at camp - twice. I've been in Florida for training. I've been working.
I haven't been reading info on the internet like I usually do. I did find this article about Medicare and Social Security Numbers. Agency Sees Theft Risk for ID Card in Medicare from The New York Times by Robert Pear.

There are times when state and private industry has the jump of the federal gov't. I don't give my social to anyone who 1) isn't paying me and has to report my earnings or 2) giving me a loan or line of credit. I guess I'm glad I'm not on Medicare.
If you have Medicare, who could you complain to that would listen and be able to do something about it? No one. Social security officials know it's a problem but the Medicare officials say it would cost too much. Hello - let's steal their identity and see how much it would cost them to get it fixed!

Dumb SH_TS!

Google and Medical Records

2008-05-20T13:39:00.010-07:00

I don't know. I just don't know.

Don't know what?

I don't know if I can give medical information to Google. Medical Identity theft is worse than Financial Identity theft.

Here is the Google Health Terms of Service statement and here is the Google Health Sharing Authorization statement.

Overall you don't have to put in info you don't want to. All fields are optional. Google Health has tabs for Age, Weight, Height, Conditions, Medications, Allergies, Procedures, Test results, Immunizations. Google Health allows link to Personal Health Services - Longs Drugs, Walgreen's Pharmacy, Medco, CVS Caremark, RxAmerica, Quest Diagnostics and a few others.

If you are bold enough to fill out all the fields, Google Health will update drug interactions and any notices they feel you need to be aware of.

Google Health also allows to input your own Medical Contacts. Name, address, phone, e-mail, and any notes.

Google Health also allows to search for Doctors by using combinations of location and specialty or name. Examples:

Dr. Johnson, Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Miller, Boston, Massachusetts
Cardiology, Chicago
Orthopedic Surgery, New York, NY
Family practice, 94131

Camp Honor finalized

2008-05-18T21:04:00.003-07:00

Well it looks like it might finally be decided...
The Camper Committee made a decision to allow the three campers to go to camp that went last year but are not yet 8. They will be able to go if the camp does not fill up in their age group.
Since the camp changed the age from 7 to 8 and "most" of the 7 year olds are now 8 and the 17 year olds are now 18, shouldn't we know there will be room. No new kids were added to camp and the only ones who left are the older kids. There should be room. The cutoff date was today at 5 PM, so we should know by tomorrow if the three kids can go.
I'm looking at the bright side - the Camper Committee changed their ruling.

Oh, I got interviewed by the Executive Director and Camp Director to be a staff member. I was asked what volunteer experience I have? My reply was as follows "How far back did you want me to go? I can go all the way back to when I was 9." The next question was to explain my camping experience. "I've been camping since I was 11 with the Boy Scouts. Where did you want me to start?", I asked. I think I passed the interview.

Camp Honor revisited

2008-05-15T11:34:00.008-07:00

Today is the day.....

On May 10th we appealed to the Board of Directors and gave our case. The camper sub-committee also wrote a 3 page letter detailing their decision. Who won?

We did. At least in theory. The Board of Directors was not going to tell the camper sub-committee to change the policies but the Board of Directors unanimously recommended the committee "grandfather" in those children who attended camp last year but will not be 8 this year by the cut-off date. The caveat is conditional on availible space for all three campers affected by the new age policy. So if the camp fills up they still won't be able to go to camp.

I'm one of those people that need to understand why rules are made, when they were made, and what had to have happened for rules to be made. YES, I touched the hot stove.

The Board also recomended 2 other changes:

1. A standard date be used to determine eligibility instead of the first day of camp they currently use.
2. The Camp Committee put its policies in writing re: its responsibilities and authority and that of its sub-committees.

..... So why is today the day? The Board put it back on the Camper Committee to decide to grandfather in these three kids. The Camper Committee is meeting today to discuss if they want to follow the recomemdations of the Arizona Hemophilia Association's Board of Directors or to ignore the Board's recomendations and continue with their current policies.

Now that all the lights are on, I'm ready to accept what happens next. I might not like the decision, but at least it is out in the open.

Universal Health Care Saves $$ By…

2008-05-07T16:17:00.003-07:00

These are condensed comments from here.

There are basically four ways a single-payer system could save money. Each is related to simplification. Complexity is very expensive – in time, people, resources, and opportunity costs.

Downsizing Bureaucracy
Information Sharing
Tort Reform
Rationing (or whatever politically acceptable term you want)

Bottom line:
Universal health care funded through some form of a single payer-type system could save huge sums of money if and only if:
• The new system is uncharacteristically simple, not overlaid with complexities, extraneous issues and separate agendas;
• We are willing to give pink slips to tens of thousands of US workers;
• We implement an effective national health information sharing system;
• We scrap the present medical negligence tort system and create something that actually works;
• We accept some form of care rationing; and most important,
• We are prepared for the backlash from numerous special interests.

Are you ready to accept all the necessary consequences in order to have true universal health care?

Other sites I found insightfull are listed below:
"Universal Health Care" Is None Of The Above from "Huffington Post"
No Patient Left behind from "Huffington Post"
Canada's Health System Draws Mixed Reviews From Psychiatrists from "pschiatryonline.org"

Health care comparison

2008-04-29T06:57:00.003-07:00

I'm always in search of sites that compares candidates plans with as little bias as possible.

PBS's show NOW did such a comparison along with help from the Kaiser Family Foundation. It includes many related links.

Kaiser Family Foundation also posts a side-by-side summary of all the candidates.

Not that anyone would change their mind on a candidate but at least you'll know where he/she stands on the issue. Then we can have a stronger conversation on the topic.

Camp Honor Revisited

2008-04-25T17:51:00.004-07:00

Just an Update... After we brought our disagreements over the policy to the camp committee, and after the meeting the Association sent us a letter informing us that the Camp Committee are not making any exceptions to the policy.

Horse Puckey!

So we know a few people on the Board of Directors. So we called them, since they were the ones that approved the policy. We wanted to inform them how the new policy will harm people in the community. Would you believe they were not aware of our situation???? People are not communicating here.....

Let's see where it goes from here. So far all is quiet. TOO QUIET! It's CYA time.

Camp Honor

2008-04-03T13:57:00.004-07:00

Found out this week that my youngest will not be able to attend camp due to a change in the rules for camp. He has to be 8 to go. Last year camp was later in the year andthe cutoff was 7, so he went. This year they decided too break his heart and not allow him to attend.

What BS. They are not making any exceptions to the rule. If they make an exception to mine they would have to make it for everyone. Just let him go - he's a child. Who do I have to bribe?

My youngest loves camp. The nurses know it, the Assocation knows it, the camp director knows it. Who made the new rule - why not put a grandfather clause in it. Since he went last year what is the problem. He wasn't home sick, he didn't cause fights, he doesn't eat "that much". LOL

Why can't I just go to the powers that be and request this. "It would show favoratism." Explain that to my kid......! What does he know about politics? He just wants to go to camp, meet up with his friends and HAVE FUN!

Tithe to the Government and the Church

2008-04-03T08:15:00.004-07:00

I think Wikipedia will have to update their page on tithing. They say, "A tithe (from Old English teogoþa "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a (usually) voluntary contribution or as a tax or levy, usually to support a Jewish or Christian religious organization. Today, tithes (or tithing) are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes could be paid in kind, such as agricultural products." The United States has never collected a mandatory tithe on its citizens, under the principle of separation of church and state - until next year - IF Hillary Clinton is elected president!

Former President Bill Clinton recently said on the campaign trail that his wife was the only presidential candidate "helping" to get healthcare costs under control. The Clinton's claim that the Hillary Clinton's plan would cap health insurance premiums at 5 to 10 percent of Americans' income. How is that going to bring down cost? How is Hillary going to make sure I only Tithe to the health insurance company 10%? Where would 10% come from in the first place?

The healthcare reform experts note the average price of a family policy offered through the workplace is $12,000 a year. So to afford that type of coverage under Clinton, each of us would have to make a yearly wage of $120,000, on average. Would taxes would be raised to make up any shortfall or should Clinton's plan require more than 10 percent of one's income? I find it hard to believe Clinton's universal healthcare plan is the kind of healthcare reform Americans are talking about when we say we want the system to be "fixed." At least it is my choice to tithe to the church.

An 800 Pound Gorilla

2008-03-26T12:15:00.004-07:00

"Everybody knows that there are a couple of 800-pound gorillas under the rug, but nobody wants to talk about them because that is not the route to the Oval Office," said economist Robert D. Reischauer, president of the Urban Institute public policy center. "The situation is unsustainable in the long run, but the long run is in the future, and our political system operates very much in the present."
Quote taken from LA Times.

I agree. If we know it's there and everyone is tripping over it why not acknowledge the beast and tell us what you are going to do. If you don't have an extermination plan let us know you don't. We know you don't just be a politician that tells the truth. Medicare and Social Security is not sustainable - I knew that in high school. The numbers back then told me that. Yes we could count that high back then!

I'm OK with the idea - I'll be paying into a system that I will never benefit from. I knew it was going to happen when my first paycheck arrived with all the deductions I gave to the Government. Some has to end the torture and I don't want it to be my kids. Do I like it? NO! Do I want someone else to bear the burden? Yes, but that is wrong. Social Security was not meant as a retirement plan. Do some research!

Spiritual Advisor

2008-03-20T07:16:00.003-07:00

What does your spiritual advisor say?

If I have to listen to someone spew rhetoric again my core beliefs (or values), I'd leave the room, the church, the classroom, or the meeting. If there was no way to defend my beliefs, I'd walk. I'm all for challenging my beliefs - that's why this blog is here - To challenge myself and others who read this. What are your core beliefs and can they be challenged?

I've noticed in my life certain beleifs I hold closer to me than others. Think of it like a spider's web. If a belief is proven wrong close to the edge of the web I won't have to fix the entire structure of the web - just a little cosmetic work will do. If a belief closer to the center gets proven incorrect - that's where it get more troublesom. I have used that belief to form other beliefs and now those beleifs are in doubt also. Think about it?

Could you imagine the earth being flat! Would that change other beliefs or values.
What if global warming is wrong? What were all those scientists doing for so long? Is their life's work for nothing?
What if money had no value? . . . . . . Wait that one is true, sorry.
Think about the movie "The Matrix" what if this was all a dream and you woke up attached to a machine?

I'm all for having my beliefs(values) challenged. I've even been wrong on some of the ones very close to me. I survived and have become stronger because of the challenge. what about you?

Are you in Favor of Universal Healthcare

2008-03-10T15:18:00.010-07:00

Loved this article from: www.nolanchart.com/article3083.html
The article is pasted below so you don't have to leave the blog. It was worth the cut and paste.

Healthcare-an open letter to my friend, Theresa
---------------------------------------------------------------
Theresa believes that she is in favor of universal healthcare. But is she?
---------------------------------------------------------------
by Fred (Libertarian)
Health Care--an open letter to my friend, Theresa
O.K., so you are telling me you are going to vote for Hilary Clinton or Barack Obama. You tell me that the reason that you are doing this is because you want everyone to be able to have good health care. I know that you were shocked when I told you that I, also, want everyone to be able to have good health care. You didn't believe me because you know that I (like almost all libertarians) oppose government health care.
"Why?" you asked me, "Why do you not support universal health care?"
"Forget about me," I replied, "I'll tell you why YOU don't support government health care."
Now I know that this is confusing, because you believe that you want universal health care, but you don't.
Stick with me for a few minutes and I'll show you why I believe that you are against government health care.
"Do you like our current president?" I ask.
"George Bush?" you respond (somewhat offended), "God NO! He is the worst president ever."
"So, what is it you don't like about him?" I ask
"The WAR, his terrible economic plan, his desire to drill for oil in Alaska, his connections with the oil and military supply companies, and of course FEMA's response to Katrina" You say.
"Good, how do you feel about Bill Clinton" I ask.
"I think he was pretty good," you say, "I didn't like the bombing of Kosovo, and the economy kind of tanked at the end of his 2nd term, but mostly I liked him."
"George Bush (the elder)? I asked.
"Another war president!" You asserted, "He broke his promises, cut social programs for the handicapped, mismanaged the LA riots, and also made the economy worse."
"Ronald Reagan?" I probed.
"The man wanted ketchup to be considered a vegetable for our school lunch programs!" you told me, "He took away social programs and left mentally unstable people homeless. And then there was his cabinet. James Watt, the secretary of the interior, who seemed to hate the environment..."
I know you wanted to continue, but I interrupted. "How about Jimmy Carter?"
"I liked Carter." You said, "He was a good man. He didn't get us into any wars."
"Ford?" I asked.
"I don't have much to say about him. All I remember is that he pardoned Nixon."
"What about Nixon?" I asked.
"Do I even need to tell you?" You questioned, "He was very bad."
O.K. So what did we learn about you. Over the course of your lifetime we have had seven different presidents. You have liked the president 12 out of 40 years or about 30% of the time. Let me ask you another question. "You didn't like the way FEMA handled the Katrina disaster, do you think that the Red Cross handled it better"
"Yes, they did a much better job." You replied.
"If you could have," I continued, "would you have given your tax dollars to the Red Cross instead of FEMA?"
"Of course." You replied.
"If," I asked, "You were doing business with a company and they gave you bad service would you want to be forced to keep doing business with that company or would you like to switch to a different company?"
"I would want to switch, Duh." You said.
"That is why YOU are against government sponsored healthcare." I stated.
"But I want universal healthcare!" you claimed.
"Do you?" I asked. "If you, or your child, or your mother needed an operation who do you trust to make that decision? Do you want the availability of that procedure to be in the hands of someone appointed by the president (remember you disapproved of the president 70% of the years you were alive)? Do you think a new government agency (like FEMA) could handle the situation better than a non-profit organization? Do you think you should be denied choices because the government controls all of the options?"
"No," you said, "I just want people to be able to have good health care."
So do I.

I could be a Libertarian?

No.. I wanted that without cheese!

2008-03-04T14:39:00.005-07:00

Ever notice even fast food restaurants don't charge you when they make a mistake on your order. Read the following notce posted on www.oahhs.org
----------------------------------------------
Oregon's hospital trade group issued guidelines this week under which the state's 57 hospitals would not charge for care related to serious, preventable mistakes. Qualifying events include "never events" like wrong-site operations, wrong operations, leaving foreign objects inside surgery patients and giving patients the wrong blood type. In general, hospitals won't charge if an event was "preventable and was in control of the hospital," according to a statement from the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. The group is abiding by standards set by the Oregon Patient Safety Commission.
The trade group's announcement follows a string of similar announcements by other state hospital associations, including hospitals in Massachusetts, Washington and Minnesota. It also follows on Medicare's decision not to pay for care resulting from never events and other errors that cause serious adverse results.
----------------------------------------------
Glad to see they're comming on board. What was their polocy before?

Poligraphy on Healthcare reform

2008-02-29T07:30:00.003-07:00

Ever wanted to see on a graph what the presidential candidates thought about the issues.

Click here to find out. Are there any other issues?

Maybe. A poll came out at the end of the 2007 that listed important issues in the following order of importance.

IRAQ - 35%

HEATHCARE - 30%

ECONOMY - 21%

IMMIGRATION - 17%

This Poll came from a Health Care Organization. Want to see poll, look here.

Heathcare Cost.... mandates and regulations

2008-02-28T16:43:00.001-07:00

Here are two opinions that are worth the cut-and-paste.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Gary Andres, Washington Times: Improvement of the U.S. health care system "requires several significant steps -- maybe not taken all at once -- and it demands more citizen education, consumer transparency, cost containment and personal responsibility, not just bigger government programs," Andres, vice chair of research and policy for Dutko Worldwide and a former White House senior lobbyist, writes in a Times opinion piece. According to Andres, presidential candidates "need to debate a broader menu of health care reforms beyond just how to cover the uninsured." He adds, "The real problem is health care costs -- a dimension of the issue" that likely Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) "emphasizes a lot more than do Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton." However, the "media's preoccupation with the universal coverage fight limits the dialogue," Andres writes (Andres, Washington Times, 2/28).

Deroy Murdock, Washington Times: "Before American voters embrace" health care proposals by Clinton or Obama, "they should consider the avoidable deaths that plague the mother of all state-run medical programs: Great Britain's big-government National Health Service," Murdock, a Scripps Howard columnist and a media fellow with the Hoover Institution, writes in a Times opinion piece. According to Murdock, the number of preventable deaths that occur in Britain "rebuff the notion that America's imperfect health care industry needs a booster shot of mandates and regulations." He concludes that "McCain's ideas -- among them, expanded health savings accounts; individually owned, portable health insurance policies available across state lines; and medical lawsuit reform -- are the antidote to the 'health care with a British accent' that Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama would import, unless American voters stop them" (Murdock, Washington Times, 2/28).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I love it when anyone bring us the words "media preoccupation", bacause they decide what is more important for us to know. I don't know anything about Great Britian's National Health Service - but it doesn't sound good so far. Any new thoughts?

Healthcare Reform . . Reform What?

2008-02-26T16:54:00.000-07:00

I like opinions. But it you want to argue about issues please have some facts to support them. Your opinion is just that, an opinion, not a fact. Opinions cannot be argued and true facts can't be argued either. Opinions are touchy feely, play to your heart string stuff. Facts are cold, hard, difficult to change - unless your running for political office. ;)

Here are the healthcare plans for 3 of the presidential candidates. They are in order of length. Shortest to longest.

Sen. John McCain

Sen. Barack Obama Click here for a summary of the 15 page plan.

Sen. Hillary Clinton Click here or here for a summary of the 16 page plan.

Do these plans seem to be missing something?

I don't know if I want Government in my healthcare. If you have any doubts, go down to DES (department of economic security) and grab a number - OH, be sure to have all day planned for this. There is no customer service - no reason to get to the next person (I dare not call you a customer) - If they didn't get to you, come back tomorrow, 'cause you need them more than they need you - they work for the government not for us.

Evere been there? Had a different experience?

Premiums would start low...... just like the Gov't Budget

2008-02-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Let's say there would be a minimum benefits package for Mandated Health Insurance. What would be excluded - Not Covered - under this new Universal Healthcare?

Would it include Dental benefits? Chiropractic? Holistic? Hair Restoration? Restless Leg Syndrome? Erectile Dysfunction? If it didn't cover what you wanted would you still have to have purchase insurance if it was mandated? What about my choice? Could I lobby the Government to get my condition or medical specialty added to the minimum benefit package? Probably not.... I don't have enough money to lobby for myself or to pay for a professional lobbyist.

BUT drug companies and each medical specialty, from acupuncture to urology, will pressure the legislature to include their services in the minimum package. Now as the benefits package grows, so will the premiums. I've got to change careers!!

Wage garnishment - automatic enrollment

2008-02-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Have you heard how they are going to MAKE US have healthcare. What happened to my choice!! I am in America right? I can't drive without a seatbelt, without a driver’s license or proof of car insurance and registration, my kids loose in the back of my pickup with a six-pack on the seat next to me. Now, I can't go without health insurance!!! Let's have the government take care of us, how they want us to live. Hell, I'd move to Korea if I wanted that. Too strong - probably.

Below: By CHARLES BABINGTON - ASSOCIATED PRESS on Feb 3, 2008

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday she might be willing to have workers' wages garnisheed if they refuse to buy health insurance to achieve coverage for all Americans.

The New York senator has criticized presidential rival Barack Obama for pushing a health plan that would not require universal coverage. Clinton has not always specified the enforcement measures she would embrace, but when pressed during a television interview, she said: "I think there are a number of mechanisms" that are possible, including "going after people's wages, automatic enrollment."

Clinton said such measures would apply only to workers who can afford health coverage but refuse to buy it, which puts undue pressure on hospitals and emergency rooms. Under her plan, she said, health care "will be affordable for everyone" because she would limit premium payments "to a low percent of your income."

Superbowl commercials (Last Half)

2008-02-03T20:07:00.000-07:00

Superbowl ads I like for the 2nd half of the game.

Careerbuilder: Spider

wall-E

Makeajacksandwich - This a great site!!!

E*Trade: Baby

Gatorade: Thirsty DOG - This was an inexpensive commericial to make - Loved IT!

AMP: Jumpstart

Not as many good commercials here. They only had 52 national commericials - 30 were in the first half, and they only had 5 or 6 in the 4th quarter.

I'm not a HUGE football fan - the first quarter and the last 3 minutes of the 4th quarter were all I needed to see. :}

Who did you want to win and why?

Good Commercials (First Half)

2008-02-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

These were a few of my favorite superbowl commericals for the first half. Go here to see all the commericals.

Which is your favorite for the first half?

BudLight: Breathing Fire

BudLight: Wine & Cheese Party

Tide Talking Stain

Cars: Death Match

Planters: Unibrow

Other Holorable mentions are:

Doritos: Mouse Trap

Pepsi: Justin Timberlake - 'cause they hit him with so many thing!

Why go without? (2)

2008-01-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

Here is an article I fould with a different demographic swing.....

According to estimates by the Pew Hispanic Center, 59% of the undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are uninsured, compared with 25% of documented immigrants and 14% of U.S. citizens. Undocumented immigrants account for about 15% of the nation's uninsured population, as well as for about 30% of the increase since 1980, USA Today reports. According to USA Today, proposals by leading Democratic presidential candidates likely would "mean little change in undocumented immigrants' health care status" because the proposals would not provide coverage for them (Wolf, USA Today, 1/22)..

WOW...

Why go without?

2008-01-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

I was in Florida last week and ran across an USA TODAY Shapshot.

The percentage of people without health insurance by age group:

Under 18 = 9%

18 to 24 = 28%

25 to 34 = 26%

35 to 44 = 19%

45 to 64 = 13%

With these kind of numbers what does it mean?

As you get older you need insurance?

As you get older you have more money and can buy insurance?

One thing for sure - a lot of people under 18 have insurance!!

Who has a new idea?

2008-01-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

I was wander in space and ran across this link. It may be biased, it may not be, all I know is that it is an opinion of NPR and it got me thinking. NPR AUDIO Click here for Transcript.

I'm still for fixing a system that does not fit everyone, but I don't want to go down the path of the "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" education model. No child left behind only helps the slowest kids in the class. The brightest are left wondering when the next lesson will start but are left waiting for the least common demoinator to catch up. I've had many conversations with many school district personnel about this and most agree - the bright kids are suffering so the others can catch up. I don't want healthcare that will punish (lower quality service, less choice in coverage options) the ones with coverage in order to get everyone covered. There has to be a solution to get the lagging population within the covered circle.

I enjoy going to my chiropractor and paying him out of pocket because my insurace won't cover his services. Really I do, no sarcasm. It's my choice and I like him - he treats me and I feel better that before the treatment. I know a MD would take an X-ray or give me Pain Pills for the soreness I feel after a good run. I little manipulation and muscle stimulation and I am good to go. I have gotten recipes from him for soup, stretching exercises, saturday walk-ins, etc. If you live in Phoenix and are looking for an honest Chiropractor click here.

FactorHealth Management

2007-12-14T19:06:00.000-07:00

FactorHealth Management

Found out I could send links from websites to my blog page. Kind of helpfull but I found out I need to edit, otherwise it just sends the link with no content.

Anyway this is the website of the company I work for. It is specific to the bleeding disorder community. We don't just ship factor and supplies, we provide comprehensive services: medical, social, and education, to each patient we care for. I call it "LifeCare". Please check out the site if you have any questions. That's what it's there for.

Universal Healthcare at what cost?

2007-12-12T14:15:00.000-07:00

Have you heard all the noise from the "Presidential Hopefuls" on healthcare? Who has the best plan? Who will cover more people? Who will make it affordable? Who is asking all these questions? Are you?

These are not my questions. I have only one question. Maybe two.

I understand that not having health insurance is worse than not have choice. But why should we lower that standard of care by removing choice in order to accommodate everyone.

From information I have been gathering about Universal Healthcare I hear a lot about a "one payer" system. If you have never heard of this please look it up. In a nutshell, everyone pays into this system and the system pays the healthcare providers. This also assume there is one healthcare agency and one pot that all the money goes into and one place for the healthcare industry to request money for services performed. Canada, Norway, and Sweden have this style of healthcare.

Healthcare companies exist to make a profit. Why else are they there? I doubt it is for the feelgood they get at the end of the day. For example: If the service of a company is below the standard of service we go elsewhere. If your favorite restaurant has "new management" and the service goes down below your standards we eat elsewhere. If enough people leave the restaurant they have a few choices to make; lower prices, increase service, or go out of business. If they can't lover prices and refuse to increase service they will not make money and will go out of business. Business exist to make money. If they can't pay the bills to keep the business open, who will? Our society is supply and demand.

Most of us work for profit. I love my job but if they didn't pay me I'd have to look elsewhere. I volunteer to give back. I volunteer a lot, for many of different reasons, none of them involve making money.

What are the monetary downsides of Universal Healthcare? How much am I going to have to pay to have this coverage. Do I have to wait in even longer lines to see my doctor, nurse, social worker. Will I be seen in a reasonable time frame? I'd rather not have to wait in an ER for 6 to 8 hours if I don't have to. I have heard some people have to wait months for an appointment. THAT IS NOT SERVICE TO ME. We already have a shortage of Doctors, what will Universal Healthcare do to this problem? Doctors are leaving practice because they can't make enough money to pay their own bills.

Mal-practice insurance is a whole topic I won't go into here, but it's still a question I might dip into later.

I'm not sold on Universal Healthcare. I have other questions!!!!! I know the current system is flawed. I don't want to do something else that doesn't work just because what we currently have doesn't work either.

Are we sheep?

2007-11-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

Industry is a double edged sword. Both sides are sharp....

Side One- We NEED THEM! If it weren't for industry we would still be using whole blood or nothing at all when we bleed. Can we imagine only being able to watch as a target joint swells beyond recognition and being able to do nothing about it, or waiting for the donated blood from a relative to be processed before it is ready for an infusion? We would see a lot more of each other in the ER without industry. We would not have Home Health Care. The community had a need and industry filled it. Safer products! Less ER visits! More choices! Less joint damage! More convienance! Less pain!

Side Two- They NEED US to Exist! They are here to serve our community. They will provide the community what we ask for. If we don't tell them what education we need, or support we desire, they will make the decisions for us. I'm all for choice! If we don't give them our opinions how can we hold them accountable for not listening? They can provide us the information that they want us to hear. They provide funding for events that we attend. They want our information..... Our Business..... Our Thoughts..... Our Money.... They have discussion groups, lecture series, educational series, retreats, focus groups, etc to get this information out of us. Most of us are all for a free meal or a few more light-up pens. However we need to be diligent.... Questions that need to be asked by us (consumers) - What is their motivation? Do they want to listen? What do we need from them? How can they help our community?

We would have a hard time existing without each other. Where would all the programs be without industry? Camp Honor? NHF annual meeting? PSI (Patient Services Incorporated)? Where would some of our kids work without Industry? Ladybugs (women with bleeding disorders)? Project Red Flag? Mums(Mothers United Mission for Sons)? Community Advocacy? Dad's in Action?

If consumers all walk in one direction industry will follow or perish. Comsumers are not penned in like sheep. If you don't know the history of bleeding disorder and HIV click here.

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