Enough Already!

For the sweet love of the Baby Jesus, I wish Sarah Palin would shut her neck hole and fade into obscurity. It isn't enough that she botched McCain's presidential bid, and quit as governor of Alaska, but she is criticizing the duly elected president of the United States, and inciting violence and sedition. Sarah Palin criticizing Barack Obama on nuclear policy issues is like me, your Clownstain criticizing NASA on how they are launching space shuttles. Sure, we can do it, but in all honesty, we do not have the fundamental grasp of the nuances or the raw brain power to make it feasible under any sort of illumination.

Aside from lambasting someone with more brains in their left asscheek than in her head, Sarah Palin is a terrible role model for young women. Her rise to stardom in the ranks of the Tea Klan shows young women that, even if you are ignorant and a quitter, people will still hand you things if you are pretty and popular. This is a sad fact in today's society.

Another lesson we can learn from Sarah Palin is fairly simple. Leadership requires brains, ambition, diligence and judgement. Palin has ambition and a pretty face. Great for a "public persona" or "celebrity" or even as a marionette for big business; but terrible as a person ordained to show others the way. Fundamentally, she is George W. Bush with a 36C. Now that she is out from under the adult supervision of the Straight Talk Express, she is free to run her yap and stir the pot. Sooner or later, she is going to incite some reactionary Tim McVeigh wannabe to do something rash. She has nothing to fear though. She will just deny responsibility and walk away. Just like she did with the State of Alaska.

Rest In Peace

A small victory/taking the edge off the loss.

In the Land of The Free and the Home of the Brave, we have some gangsters controlling some really important things. One of them is health care. The insurance giants and pill producers have a stranglehold on Americans, and the grip does not seem to be loosening. They are the massive army, and it is a lopsided fight due to their ownership of DC and State Government. The only way to fight a battle like that is with the insurgency. The lessons we learn from the Jihadis can influence the way we interact with the insurance companies.

On my way to the pharmacy, I was listening to NPR, and Washington State's Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler was featured on one of the local news shows. This was interesting in the fact that Mr. Kreidler stated that, in the state of Washington, insurance complaints are handled very aggressively. In addition to handling complaints, the Washington State Insurance Commission's agents can help with questions regarding policies, and help the consumer get the most from their product.

Another lesson I learned was regarding the composition of medicine and patents. I spoke with my brother, who knows a thing or two regarding patent law, and drug companies can patent certain drugs that are concentrated in certain amounts based on "novelty" which means basically, that although something has been around for a while, if you cook it a certain way, you can patent it.

This is relevant for one main reason. The brand name drug costs a pile of cash, and if the drug is a common drug it can be COMPOUNDED to a similar strength. Thats right. Your 1% lotions and potions can be compounded at 1.01% and purchased for less than a third of the cost. Chances are your doctor will play ball when you ask for it. You have to go to a compounding pharmacy, but that is just a trip to the google machine to find one. So, if you get an exorbitant prescription, check on it. It might be available at a lower price.

Sometimes the right things happen in sports.

Sometimes the right things happen in professional sports. Sunday night that was true. The New Orleans Saints won the Superbowl. No questions asked. It was a good game.

The New Orleans Saints have never won a Superbowl, and winning this one was a good start to a possible dynasty.

In addition to the impact this has on a team, their is a significant impact on the city of New Orleans. Thousands of tourists came to the city of New Orleans to watch the Superbowl. It kicked off an extended Mardi Gras Season, and will bring millions of dollars into the city.

Lots of sportswriters and other people associated with public commentary have issued statements about the healing of NOLA, and how this is an integral step, but I think that is kind of a half truth. Indianapolis is also the capitol of a region in crisis, and that victory would have meant a lot to the citizens of that particular area. Yeah, the Superbowl was a big step for the Saints, but it is going to take a lot more to get that city back on its feet.

Truth.

"US Health Insurers Enter Earnings Season With Changed Climate"

Yeah, thats it. Thank god that the health insurance companies are making money. That is the tagline of a Wall Street Journal article. Thanks to Martha Coakley punting Ted Kennedy's senate seat into the hands of the republicans, Joe Lieberman's ol' lady will be getting that bonus, and health care reform will be getting the shaft.

Ted Kennedy's Senate seat is a consecrated institution, something held dear to the hearts of progressives all across our lands, now it belongs to some lock step, empty suit douche bag with impeccable republican credentials who plans to spit on Uncle Ted's grave.

Martha Coakley really Al Gored this one. She could have kept things on track to America's recovery, but instead, she fumbled the ball on the 5 yard line. Now Mr. Scott Brown is going to take Kennedy's hallowed seat and use it as a toilet for the neocon fascist agenda. She let down Massachusetts and let down America. Ted Kennedy would make sure she was wearing her seatbelt when he drove her home after a party.

Here We Go!

in 17 hours it will be the first anniversary of the most life changing experience I have had. I still feel guilty about it, and I have not recovered from the event. I have not recovered financially, or professionally.

On January 5th, 2009 I was at the wheel when the F/V Independence ran aground in the inside passage of British Columbia. I was very lucky that morning, the vessel was only capable of around 7 knots, and that particular body of water is very deep all the way to the shore. The damage was relatively superficial, and everyone thought I was going to keep my job. They were wrong. The company cut me loose after promising to keep me employed, and the Coast Guard suspended my license for 4 months.

I am writing this in hopes that it helps me get over the event, and that it helps me move on. People keep telling me that no one got hurt, the hull did not rupture, no oil got spilled, and the only people that were scared were myself and the captain. I still feel bad about it, and I would like to be back where I was financially and professionally.

It did make me appreciate a lot of things. I have an awesome wife who stood by my side through the whole kerfluffle, and I have great friends who helped me as well. Yeah, I am not making big money, and yeah, the job I had since then was utterly terrible, but I am alive, well, and I have learned something. Any trace of hubris has vanished, and I think I am a better person.