Obama Health Care: Good or Bad?

I am one of the very few people in America who is truly on the fence about President Obama's proposed health care overhaul. On the one hand, health care is broken and desperately needs to be fixed. There are many people who simply can't afford health care or have decent jobs that just don't offer health benefits. Rather than pay outrageous health care premiums, some go without any insurance and just "cross their fingers" that they will never need it.

However, there is also the school of thought that wonders if Obama-Care will turn into the New Jersey DMV with long waiting lines to see doctors, countless forms to fill out, and a general degredation in service for all. If given the choice between the two, I would take the former every time. United States health care is the best in the world and it seems like people are always coming here from socialized countries to get better care.

Is there a common ground compromise? Well I for one, like most Americans unfamiliar with the intricacies of health care, have no idea! I would be hesistant to create a "tiered" system of health care because there would be a tendency for substandard care at the lower levels. It seems at the moment, the status quo will continue to prevail as far as this issue is concerned.

Twitter: The Website Nobody Is On

If you were an alien from outer space and your first desire upon coming to earth was to turn into CNN's morning program with John Roberts and Kiran Chetry, you would get quite the wrong idea about earthlings. CNN seems to be obsessed about Twitter, tweeting and all other associated verbs and nouns one can make in conjunction with the website.

However, how many people do you know that actually tweet? I could probably count on one hand, the people who are on it and have advertised that fact. In my opinion, Twitter is the most popular website, nobody is on. I would recommend a huge buyer beware for any company thinking about using Twitter in any marketing campaign. It will definitely be going the route of the furby and crocs once people realize nobody is on it!

I also think Twitter doesn't add any value to the current lineup of social networking options. In my mind, tweeting is just a glorified Facebook status update. Thus, I will not be joining the (soon to end) craze of tweeting, and when it's all over just remember, I told you so!

A Petition For A Mouse

There is a poem that sums up how I approach the world and all of it's treasures. Why do people help ducks cross the road? Why do people care about the environment so much? I believe it lies in the deeply held knowledge that all of creation is a beautiful thing and even if an action does not benefit a human, it is still worthwhile because it's the right thing to do. If there was an all-powerful force out there (god anyone?) that had the power to assist you with a small exertion of its energy, you would want it to.

I often think about a story where a girl is throwing many starfish that have washed up onto the shore back into the sea, there are hundreds of them and an old man walking by tells her that there are too many starfish for her to make a difference. She picks another one up, throws it back into the sea and tells the old man: "It made a difference to that one". And with that, A Mouse's Petition by Anna Barbauld:

Oh! Hear a pensive captive's prayer,
For liberty that sighs;
And never let thine heart be shut
Against the prisoner's cries.

For here forlorn and sad I sit,
Within the wiry grate;
And tremble at th' approaching morn,
Which brings impending fate.

If e'er thy breast with freedom glow'd,
And spurn'd a tyrant's chain,
Let not thy strong oppressive force
A free-born mouse detain.

Oh! do not stain with guiltless blood
Thy hospitable heart;
Nor triumph that thy wiles betray'd
A prize so little worth

The scatter'd gleanings of a feast
My scanty meals supply;
But if thine unrelenting heart
Theat slender boon deny.

The cheerful light, the vital air,
Are blessings widely given;
Let nature's commoners enjoy
The common gifts of heaven.

The well taught philosophic mind
To all compassion gives;
Casts round the world an equal eye,
And feels for all that lives.

If mind, as ancient sages taught,
A never dying flame,
Still shifts tho' matter's varying forms,
In every form the same.

Beware, lest in the worm you crush
A brother's soul you find,
And tremble lest thy luckless hand
Dislodge a kindred mind.

Or, if this transient gleam of day
Be all of life we share,
Let pity plead within thy breast,
That little all to spare.

So may thy hospitable board
With health and peace be crown'd;
And every charm of heartfelt ease
Beneath thy roof be found.

So when unseen destruction lurks,
Which men like mice may share,
May some kind angel clear thy path,
And break the hidden snare.

An Endeavor Of Plastic Proportions

Anyone who knows me knows I hate fast food with a passion. Every now and then I will indulge in a Wendy's Homestyle Chicken Fillet but that is it! However this was before Burger King introduced the Star Trek toy in its Kid's Meals. I went to the local Burger King and stepped foot in the establishment which I hadn't visited for at least five years prior. I ordered a hamburger, apple fries and a fat-free milk (this seemed to be the healthiest Kid's Meal option I could get).

My joy at receiving my Star Trek joy was quickly replaced my several points of chagrin. First off, I wanted either Kirk or Original Spock but would have settled for a Enterprise Ship or a Warbird. Instead I got ****ing Sulu! WTF! Sulu's voice is a mubled and irrelevant "Warp Three Sir". I wanted to just throw it out, but I kept it because it was the whole point of me going there.

I plan to go to B.K. several times this week and hope to add to my current collection of Scotty (gift from a friend) and Sulu. Lets hope I get something decent!

My Thoughts On: Black Holes

I've always been the nerdy type, especially when it comes to science and space and matters of that sort. I love telling people my "crazy" theories on the inner workings of the universe and black holes do fall in that category. I take a revolutionary theory on exactly where the "stuff" goes when it is sucked into the black hole.

If you reference my picture above (clickable) you will notice the flow of matter going down into the cone, the cone represents the black hole itself, but you must picture the cone in 3-D for it to be truly representative. Notice I label two universes, no this is not a typo. I truly believe there are more universes than one we are aware of. Our universe consists of all the galaxies we can see and things we can't see.

My theory is that these universes border each other much like cells border each other in the human body. If you picture the selective permeable membrane of the cell than it should be easier to understand the diagram. The black hole "rips" and fuses the barriers between the two universes creating a pathway for matter to travel from one universe to another. The force of the creation of the black hole is the driving force behind the "pushing" of matter into the secondary universe.

However the "Red Shift" theory of space would seem to refute the theory of multiple universes or at least, cloud it. Perhaps this universe is expanding while others are contracting, perhaps some light is able to travel between the universes, who knows! Call me crazy, but it seems you won't be able to prove me wrong for a very long time.

RIP Harry Kalas

I'll never forget the moment the Phillies captured the World Series, and I can still hear the call from Harry Kalas. Although he will be "Outta Here" forever, he will always be in the memories of true Phillies Fans.

Browny The Cat

This is Browny, she is quite an interesting cat. She acts indifferent to the family I would say 90% of the time or so, but when she thinks you are not paying attention or are asleep, she likes to curl up beside you, especially between your legs at night when you are sleeping. She is also an excellent hunter and likes to bring the family "gifts" on occasion that include mice, rabbits, squirrels, birds, butterflies, frogs and etc.