Bill Maher Panel Highlights - June 19, 2009

HEALTHCARE is the main focus of much of this (followed by a great quotation by Paul Begala about 7 minutes in re Catholics and sex.) Why is the US spending so much more than everyone else to be #37 in healthcare? Blame the health INDUSTRY, including the AMA, which is only 25% of the doctors, mind you. SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE NOW -- the public option is the COMPROMISE -- and it must be affordable and comprehensive. NOTE: We should accept NOTHING LESS.

IRAN PROTEST 2009 MOVIE 0001

This Iran protest movie is haunting, with beautiful music adding to the message. Do give it a watch. The poster SURVIVORSofEVIL says, "This is a video i made for the Iranian people. I am very proud of you. Thank you for being real freedom fighters. This is dedicated to all of those that have lost their lives and all of those that risked losing their life. RIP NEDA AGHA SULTAN and the many others"

The Mexie and Bumble Bee Diet

There hasn't been a tasty tidbit in a while, but instead let's document the Mexie and Bumble Bee Diet. Went into the store to pick up Hershey miniatures and horror of horrors they are now made in MEXICO. Back on the shelf they went. Down with non-Hershey PA Hershey miniatures! Gotta call and/or write and complain! Join me: 800-468-1714 and The Hershey Company, Hershey Pennsylvania 17093-0815, USA. As for the Mexie Chocolates, let 'em rot on the shelves! Calorie count: ZERO.

Then went to make cold Catholic Special and found that Bumble Bee tuna now comes in 5 oz. cans, not six. That'll save a few calories! Though in truth in cold Catholic special the amount is not critical but NOTICED. Did they think we wouldn't?!?!

FYI, make Cold Catholic Special by tossing together your favorite cooked pasta (I used tri-color 100% semolina this time), the tuna, some chopped celery, some chopped (red) onion, Hellman's mayonnaise, some salt and pepper. Sprinkle with paprika and top with some hard boiled egg slices and some celery leaf to make it pretty if you are taking it somewhere: Not diet food but YUMMY and a Tasty Tidbit -- I haven't forgotten you, my foodie friends (Yes, YUMMY, as is HOT Catholic Special, but that's another post.)

Whip It Day 1 for Affordable Comprehensive Healthcare

HEALTHCARE ACTION NOW -- Call Congress (both houses) and tell them You want Single Payer, and if that isn't possible THEN the Public Option Effective Day One IS the COMPROMISE -- NOT a co-op plan. This video is 3 and a half minutes long. Congressional Switchboard Phone: 202-224-3121

Thanks!

Relaxing Music - Nature Scenes

The nature clips are from India, the music is ambient and peace-full, "Still" from Lunar Khandro by Jai Larkan, through Astronomy Records: breathe, release, relax.....

Family 2

Family 2
Originally uploaded by Kate Anne

Gina, MD, Aunt Betty Murphy, cousin Pat Coyne, Kate Anne

Family 1

Family 1
Originally uploaded by Kate Anne

Aunt Betty Murphy, Barbara Pfister Miles, Uncle John Pfister, Pat Coyne in Erie.

Countdown-Dr. Howard Dean: On Healhcare

Dr. Howard Dean says the public should absolutely be allowed to have their choice of a public option, even Single Payer, if that is what the public demands. Single Payer would be based on an expanded improved Medicare. Any public option in the Healthcare bill should be as well -- and not some watered down insurance industry approved destined to fail "choice". (Healthcare should be about healing people, not profit!)

Countdown-Still Bushed!: tortured prisoner Lakhdar Boumediene of Red Crescent speaks

Keith Olbermann reflects on Lakhdar Boumediene statement's to ABC news and asks an important question on who should be imprisoned -- an innocent man or a man who started a war to start a war -- and make money for all those military contractors.

Lakhdar Boumediene statement on Torture to ABC news

An innocent man, Lakhdar Boumediene was held for over seven years in Guantanamo and subjected to various torture methods. Glenn Greenwald on Salon.com writes about how such treatment reflects on the state of our US policies.

Dennis Kucinich: It's Time To End This War! No More Funding!

Rep. Kucinich points out in this short video that the War Funding Supplemental bill does not address the concern of peace activists: withdrawing troops, transparency, and a stated exit plan (these additions to the bill were rebuffed). There is nothing in this funding bill to make it palatable to those who care abut peace. Let's tell our Congressmembers, "No more funding. Bring the troops home now."

American SiCKO Donna Smith and Bill Moyers Give Max Baucus a One-Two Punch

One protestor aptly said to Senator Baucus, "Healthcare should be for Patients, NOT for Profits." We don't need to throw more money into the same broken system. We need Single Payer Healthcare, an expanded and improved Medicare. Thanks to Michael Moore for posting this Bill Moyers' segment. (17:35 min.)

Dr. Marcia Angell: Single Payer is the ONLY Option

WATCH THIS. Dr. Marcia Angell has the high regard of Senator Bernie Sanders, who recently said, "I think we will try to get a hearing in the HELP Committee. I think the importance of the hearing is not that it will change minds but that the American people -- and Congress -- should hear the facts about the enormous waste and bureaucracy and profiteering associated with private health insurance. Not to deal with that is mind-blowing."

Senator Bernie Sanders for Single Payer

Senator Bernie Sanders: "How does it happen that after we spend twice as much per capita on healthcare as any other nation we end up being the only major country in the world that does not guarantee healthcare to every man woman and child in a comprehensive way? ...

"The way that we [should] move is to say:

• Every American is entitled to healthcare
  
• It has got to be comprehensive healthcare
  
• The function of healthcare is not to make money for private health insurance company but to provide cost effective healthcare to all Americans....

"The only conclusion that you reach is that a Single Payer system is where we need to go as a nation....The function of health insurance companies is not to provide healthcare, it is to deny healthcare because every dollar they don't spend on healthcare is another dollar that they are making in profits."

-- [As heard on Ring of Fire Radio, May 30 and 31st, Air America Radio, available by podcast via iTunes, but current show playable here.]