Trivial bits

The exploration of Scottish and Irish roots and the complicated histories of the countries and other groups (like clans) has paused, to return with a look at the penal laws and the "ascendency" in Ireland in the late 1600's which made not only Catholics but Presbyterians second class citizens, resulting in the sort of persecution that lead many to leave.  But that is for later.

I've got a rotator cuff injury and am getting physical therapy.  We do not know if there is a tear in the top muscle.  Only an MRI would show that and it is very expensive.  Similary, when we were looking at my heart condition we were looking at cholesterol and triglyceride levels.  There is a carotid artery scan that can actually show the amount of plaque in your arteries, but it is very expensive.  Bottom line is that as a society we cannot afford to give everyone what they want in health care.  But in the health care debate it was never addressed what sort of basic health care which people should be entitled.  Rather, it appeared to be a choice between all or none.  But mostly it was ignorant blather.  And conservative seniors complaining about their benefits being examined is about as hypocritical as you can get, especially if they also complain about welfere.  Medicare is welfare.

I have similar feelings about the immigration debate.  If you are going to have a law like Arizona's, then everyone should be checked for their citizenship papers all the time, and that includes white people.  You will probably need to establish some sort of national i.d. program first.  Of course, a lot of the backlash by white people is rascist.  But that does not mean that we must allow anyone who wants to sneak into the U.S. to stay.  We clearly need a guest worker program unless we are willing to see food prices jump 1000%.  And I am all for granting immigrants citizenship, but I don't see why being here illegally should put you at the front of the line.

A friend chided me for having a land phone line the other day.  I do need one to get updates on my satellite tv, but something else has struck me...all those people yacking on or staring at their cell phones everywhere.  I can understand the need for some business people to be accessible all the time, but for most people it is completely trivial.  Yacking on the phone is not particularly something I enjoy anyway.  You miss the nonverbal cues of real conversation.  If you want to send information, use e-mail.  I will continue to only have my cell-phone on in certain situations.  It is just not that important usually for people to easily reach me.

I was greatly irritated when the news broke that Goldman Sachs announced that they agreed to the largest settlement in history with the SEC for their derivative wrong-doing.  I turned on the NBC nightly news and it was not even mentioned as a major story.  The Banksters almost blew up the world economy and everyone has now moved on (or didn't really understand it in the first place).  How can a democracy work when so many of its citizens are not only uninformed but are emotionally resistant to questioning their own beliefs?  That is a question that has been swirling backstage for some time.  So I am checking out my brother-in-law's book:  Critical Masses and Critical Choices (by Kerry Herron and Hank Jenkins-Smith).  Had to skip most of the first part.  Too dry and technical.  But I think that there might be some hints there.