Has Mainstream Media Wiped Out Humanity?

Ok, I'll admit it, I'm feeling a little grumpy. But I think there is ample evidence that the major media organizations have their own agendas that have more to do with profit than the longevity of the human species. I have no doubt that they have a cast of the usual suspects to roll out when we get closer to the UN Climate Summit convening in Copenhagen in December, that will be just as opposed to addressing the climate as they are to dealing with health care.
The problem is the planet won't wait while we are uninformed for another 20 years. The planet is going to respond to the pollution, and is going to become less and less inhabitable. Many, many people will be displaced. The outer banks of NC are going to disappear, my grandchildren won't know the beaches I played on - that makes me sad, but also angry at the generations that came before me. Why didn't you protect my world? The Native Americans teach governing that includes thinking seven generations into the future - I am not sure how far our leaders can see, or what world some of them are looking at.
So, U.S. media is dead last on international hard news, and 62% of Americans surveyed didn't even know what the Kyoto Accords were, so there isn't a lot of pressure on anyone, media or politician to get this right. And even if we get it right (by agreeing to the treaty's goals cutting emissions), that is still only 50-50 chance that it will be enough to keep the planet from heating two more degrees which is all it will take to trigger runaway climate change.
I watch British TV and read press from over there, they are light years ahead of us on this issue. We need to be planning to contact our representatives about this, in the glare of whatever may be happening with health care and the rush towards Christmas (Copenhagen is Dec. 6-18) it will be very easy for this whole issue to slide under the radar.
If we don't start to deal with the climate we are going to have some very harsh health implications, so we definitely have to be concerned about both.

Fucking with Reality

I just found out that Newcastle is no longer exporting coal, in fact, they have begun importing coal. So, now if we say 'like taking coal to Newcastle" we may mean a fool's errand, but we will be using a phrase that has detached from it's real world meaning. I love language, and learning origins of expressions, and it is inevitable that things are always changing. "Sold down the river" is one I was noticing recently, it of course having it's roots in slavery.
Newcastle running out of coal though, perhaps because it has to do with finite resources, strikes me as a sad thing to happen. And one more blaring wake up call to us - it is past time to change our ways.

My friend Eric

I'd like to encourage everyone to check out this website that is for single payer health care.
http://www.americanhealthcarereform.org/
I've posted this picture of my friend Eric A. because his story is an example of what we have now. I came to know Eric in the summer of 1990. He was one of my housemates in a latter day hippie house here in Durham. We were part of the first bunch to share the "Burch house" but many of our friends lived there over the years. Eric came to Durham from Tennessee, where he grew up on The Farm, a legendary commune. He told us what it was like to grow up in those primitive and unusual circumstances, and we teased him for his love all things sweet.
Eric was one of the kindest, most generous, most vibrant people I have ever known. And he died before he was 35 years old. He had gone back home to Tennessee, and was having digestive troubles. He went to a clinic repeatedly but they did not do tests on him until when they finally discovered the cancer they told him they must operate right then or he had 2 weeks to live. Amazingly, he did survive for some time after that a year or more. I can't help but think if they had only discovered it sooner he would have had excellent chances to be here today.
Instead we feel his absence, a missing thread in our web of friends, without him perhaps we all fly a little farther apart. He would have some kids by now, be married....
If you take the time to read the stories from people who have experience with what health care is like when profit motive is taken out, it becomes much more humane. There are certain things that just do not need to be driven by money. When they are, bad decisions are made. The system is just set up wrong. We need single payer - medicare for all.
Though a majority of Americans agree, it is disheartening to watch the media defend the status quo as the Senate sells us down the river. Thank goodness for www.firedoglake.com - check out the good work they have been doing over there! They have been whipping the house and have over 60 representatives on board supporting a public option.

Health Care for All

I have been following the health care debate and have some links I'd like to share.
http://www.americanhealthcarereform.org/
has lots of links itself, is for single-payer medicare for all. I'd just like to mention that I have been on medicare for about 14 years and it works just fine. The prescription drug part, part D, has a few problems that could use fixing but overall it is a great program. I'd really like to hear more medicare recipients coming forward to say, this is government run health insurance, and it works for me!
there is going to be a march on Washington for single payer on July 30. Info here:
http://www.democrats.com/node/19877
One of the speakers at the rally will be a favorite author of mine Barbara Ehrenreich, she's most famous in the triangle for her book Nickled and Dimed, because when it was assigned as the reading for the freshman class at UNC a few years ago the conservatives freaked out and had a big ole hissy fit.
We were talking about how the world has changed and in order to keep the population healthy it is important for people to be able to go to the doctor when they aren't well. I just read that McDonald's had a hepatitis scare, that one person may have infected thousands. The people who think that their money and their health insurance and their good jobs have them protected are not thinking about all the unprotected people they come in contact with. The only way for anyone to be healthy is for everyone to be healthy.

Ocean Breezes

We have returned from a lovely few days in Myrtle Beach, SC. Or as one of our friends so charmingly called it - the Redneck Riviera. I did a lot of research before we went, and I think we were fairly satisfied with where we stayed - The Breakers hotel right on the grand strand. It had a water park with a lazy river that was a big hit. We really enjoyed the ocean too - we had some nice calm water. We were also close to the Broadway on the Beach which is shops and restaurants. We enjoyed drinks and nachos outside at the bar at the Hard Rock Cafe. We were able to take in the live band and still make the fireworks at 10 pm.
The pyramid design reminded us of the coliseum in Memphis,TN where we saw the Grateful Dead in the spring of 1995. No trip to Myrtle Beach would be complete without a game of putt putt golf. This time we tried out Mount Atlanticus, which has to be the climbingest putt putt ever! It was pretty cool - I am just out of shape for all the steps - and when you get to the top there is a good view.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

I've been having some technical difficulties here lately, and I haven't posted in a while. I need to catch up on some things. Not only did the nation have a birthday, but we had a family one too - though we still haven't celebrated it. Happy Birthday to my Auntie - we will get together soon! We have been feeling pretty celebratory (and relieved) that my husband passed his Big Test - he is now CCNA certified - so he can apply for better jobs. Congratulations honey.
We have been considering a beach vacation and have been doing a lot of comparing on NC beaches to Myrtle Beach which is just over the line in SC. I really don't want to take our money to SC, in light of Sanford, but when you compare what the regions have to offer for a 12 year old, it is pretty overwhelming. I have been wondering why no one is trying to compete at all- I mean the only putt putt at Atlantic Beach just closed last year. As far as I know there aren't any hotels with water park features in NC, they are all the rage in Myrtle. I suppose one thing is that you just get the glomming effect - development breeds development. Still I think it is weird that no one is trying to draw away any of the people who go there with a little boost in development here.
Not that I don't like our undeveloped, natural beaches, I'm talking small in comparison to Myrtle.
Just Something More for kids, maybe a little more classy night life. Anyone?
These thoughts are the result of an exhaustive search of the Myrtle Beach hotels to determine where would be best to stay. We have a lot of criteria: affordability, beachfront, water park, good reviews, and strangely difficult to find: internet. And in our price range you have to check for amenities like fridge, microwave, even coffeemaker. I think it would be very easy to end up disappointed, we had to really examine places to feel like we knew what we were getting - and of course, we haven't gotten there yet! We were left wondering how people did this before the internet. However it was, it was probably faster!

The Lessons of Chronic Illness

This is something I have been meaning to write about for a while, but it is a tough topic because these are things I'm still working on. Particularly the first thing, which is, listen to your body. In order to take care of our bodies we have to understand what they need. We have to stop pushing our bodies to do what we are willing them to do, but do what they need - eat well, exercise, rest when we are tired.
Learning about your condition may seem obvious, but sometimes it is easier to research other people's ailments than your own. It is important though, because otherwise you are dealing with a big scary blob - you need to understand so you can fully participate in your health care decisions. Which leads me to the next extremely important thing. Put together a really good team of Doctors - and talk to them. I cannot stress enough how vital it is to have doctors you feel good about. Once you have these people in place you have to remember to tell them the problems you are having. A good thing to do is to keep a notebook where you can write down any questions you have before appointments, and also take notes at appointments. Another helpful thing can be a symptom diary.
Returning to the internet, there are some great blogs out there that offer support - I find that it doesn't matter really if we share the same illness, it is the experience of illness. Some of my favorites are on the right side.
Find something you enjoy, that you can do even if you aren't feeling well. I used to do a lot of coloring back when I was taking a lot of pain meds and I wasn't reading much. (Very Adult designs with watercolor markers - no crayons, thank you!) Then I got into collage because I could do it in bits and pieces while Marley napped....The point is there is something you can do that will give you pleasure you just need to figure out what and do it - because you deserve some pleasure.