OK, before anyone points this out, I know from personal experience that cancer is NOT funny. But, it does have its funny moments. This morning while watching the news there was a commercial for a fund raiser for testicular cancer. It is a golf tournament called "Have a Ball". Come on, think about it. It is funny.
While looking this up I found a couple fund raisers for testicular cancer that use the "Have a Ball" name. The NY METs (booo) had a Have a Ball night to raise awareness - RAISE awareness!!! It just does not stop.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Torch Trail
In 1984 I experienced a fantastic once in a lifetime thrill. The Olympics were being held in Los Angeles and the torch actually ran across the country. It ran 24 hours a day and was running thru my neighborhood during the night. I don't remember the exact time, but it was very dark and cold, but their were lots of people lining the streets and cheering as the torch bearer ran by holding the torch high and proud.
Now I can't understand why the Olympic committee even considered granting China the right to hold the 2008 summer Olympics. I can't understand why we as a country are going to the Olympics this year. We are fighting a war on the one hand to bring democracy to Iraq? And yet we are going to an Olympics is a country that is one the worst violators of human rights in the world? A country that actually has a plan to wipe out the Tibetan race by breeding them out of existence?
I feel very sad that the torch run is so controversal. Seeing that torch run by during the cold night so many years ago is a memory I cherish and I am sorry that more people will never have a memory like that.
Now I can't understand why the Olympic committee even considered granting China the right to hold the 2008 summer Olympics. I can't understand why we as a country are going to the Olympics this year. We are fighting a war on the one hand to bring democracy to Iraq? And yet we are going to an Olympics is a country that is one the worst violators of human rights in the world? A country that actually has a plan to wipe out the Tibetan race by breeding them out of existence?
I feel very sad that the torch run is so controversal. Seeing that torch run by during the cold night so many years ago is a memory I cherish and I am sorry that more people will never have a memory like that.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Clean out your ears
The TV is on and I swear I just heard "naked as a circus performer". What circus is that and do I really want to see naked cirus performers? Let's really think about this, naked on the high wire, naked on wheel of death, naked in the tiger cage. None of which I would really want ot see. Hmm, what was that commercial really about?
Naked in a tiger cage
Naked at minimum wage
Naked with an acrobat
Naked would show all my fat
Naked at the circus? Not me!
Not in a seat
Not with a beat
Not even just my feet!
OK, Dr. Seuss has nothing to worry about, but that was fun.
Naked in a tiger cage
Naked at minimum wage
Naked with an acrobat
Naked would show all my fat
Naked at the circus? Not me!
Not in a seat
Not with a beat
Not even just my feet!
OK, Dr. Seuss has nothing to worry about, but that was fun.
Another reason to move to Paris
I get a daily news letter from an ex-pat that has lived in Paris for quite a long time. She gives some helpful tips on surviving in the City of Lights. Today's newletter was about healthcare, I thought a couple of things while reading it - why didn't I know this before and how come we don't have this in the good ole USA? Here is what she says:
My daughter woke up Sunday morning with chills, fever, sore throat, a congested and runny nose and every symptom classic of "La Rhume." A search on the Net said that there are close to 200 types of virus that can cause it, usually lasting four or five days. Ugh...for a 22-year-old not used to sitting still for more than 15 minutes.
Thank goodness, in France, the doctor is always "in" -- at least, when you call "SOS Medicins."
SOS Medicins is a nationwide "house-call" service founded in 1966 by a doctor named Lascar who had a patient die of a heart attack because he couldn't find a doctor on a Saturday afternoon.
The way it works is simple. If you're in Paris, you dial either 01.47.07.77.77 or 08.20.33.24.24 and provide them with your address. Within one hour (usually about 30 minutes), a doctor knocks on your door. He's carrying a bag of goodies, just like doctors used to carry (am I revealing my age?) and he/she does what doctors do...examine you. Then the doc on house call prescribes -- medicine or ambulance or whatever is necessary.
He also filled out a "feuille de soin" (a form attesting to the visit) that allows the visit to be fully reimbursable by social security or private medical insurance. Before the doc leaves, you pay by check or cash -- usually a very reasonable fee. Yesterday's visit was the most I'd ever paid -- 70 'whopping' euros. The whole process took a total of one hour and we were left with a prescription for four drugs and instructions to keep 'miss antsy pants' in bed for three days.
Just to make you really jealous, private health care insurance for those without the French Social Security is so inexpensive it's going to shock you. The annual premium of the "Jefferson Health Care Plan" private insurance offered by "Adinas" insurance brokers for those my age (50 to 64) is the 'break-the-bank' sum of 1,692€ (141€ per month). Add dental coverage and it's a 'painful' 393€ more. Believe it or not, the policy reimburses 100% of billings up to 100% of the French Social Security tariffs, plus 80% of billings up to three times the cost of the French Social Security tariffs (20% co-insurance), plus 40% reimbursement of billings between up to six times the cost of the French Social Security tariffs (60% co-insurance). Uh oh. There's no reimbursement of billings above six times the cost of the French Social Security tariff! (Adinas Insurance, email advantage@adinas.net, 17 rue de Chateaudun, 75009 Paris, Tel: 01.44.63.53.82)
I trekked down to boulevard de Sébastopol and within a few moments, the four items of medication were in a bag (paracetamol, antibiotics for 10 days, cough syrup and a prednisone), the pharmacist was explaining how to take the drugs and all for a total charge of 20€!
Okay, guess how much the same drugs would have been in the U.S.? My guess -- maybe more than 10 times that!
My daughter woke up Sunday morning with chills, fever, sore throat, a congested and runny nose and every symptom classic of "La Rhume." A search on the Net said that there are close to 200 types of virus that can cause it, usually lasting four or five days. Ugh...for a 22-year-old not used to sitting still for more than 15 minutes.
Thank goodness, in France, the doctor is always "in" -- at least, when you call "SOS Medicins."
SOS Medicins is a nationwide "house-call" service founded in 1966 by a doctor named Lascar who had a patient die of a heart attack because he couldn't find a doctor on a Saturday afternoon.
The way it works is simple. If you're in Paris, you dial either 01.47.07.77.77 or 08.20.33.24.24 and provide them with your address. Within one hour (usually about 30 minutes), a doctor knocks on your door. He's carrying a bag of goodies, just like doctors used to carry (am I revealing my age?) and he/she does what doctors do...examine you. Then the doc on house call prescribes -- medicine or ambulance or whatever is necessary.
He also filled out a "feuille de soin" (a form attesting to the visit) that allows the visit to be fully reimbursable by social security or private medical insurance. Before the doc leaves, you pay by check or cash -- usually a very reasonable fee. Yesterday's visit was the most I'd ever paid -- 70 'whopping' euros. The whole process took a total of one hour and we were left with a prescription for four drugs and instructions to keep 'miss antsy pants' in bed for three days.
Just to make you really jealous, private health care insurance for those without the French Social Security is so inexpensive it's going to shock you. The annual premium of the "Jefferson Health Care Plan" private insurance offered by "Adinas" insurance brokers for those my age (50 to 64) is the 'break-the-bank' sum of 1,692€ (141€ per month). Add dental coverage and it's a 'painful' 393€ more. Believe it or not, the policy reimburses 100% of billings up to 100% of the French Social Security tariffs, plus 80% of billings up to three times the cost of the French Social Security tariffs (20% co-insurance), plus 40% reimbursement of billings between up to six times the cost of the French Social Security tariffs (60% co-insurance). Uh oh. There's no reimbursement of billings above six times the cost of the French Social Security tariff! (Adinas Insurance, email advantage@adinas.net, 17 rue de Chateaudun, 75009 Paris, Tel: 01.44.63.53.82)
I trekked down to boulevard de Sébastopol and within a few moments, the four items of medication were in a bag (paracetamol, antibiotics for 10 days, cough syrup and a prednisone), the pharmacist was explaining how to take the drugs and all for a total charge of 20€!
Okay, guess how much the same drugs would have been in the U.S.? My guess -- maybe more than 10 times that!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Still casted
Well I am still in a cast. Eight weeks and I am still not healed. According to my research (yes, the internet) most fractures (95-98%) heal in four to twelve weeks. Those that do not heal are known as nonunion fractures. If a fracture becomes nonunion intervention (surgery) is required. Geez, how come I can't just have some kind of election to become nonunion? So I go back to the doctor in 4 weeks to get x-rays to see if I have unionized yet. OK, that is an inside joke, I do work at a union law firm you know.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Who in their right mind?
Barbara Walters is doing a special tonight - Living to be 150! Who in their right mind would want to live to 150? One guy says life doesn't start until 80. For Peet's sake, I rather be run over by a Lark!
Three Sisters, Two Casts - So Far
Got a call from Mommy Dearest yesterday. You know how you can just tell something is wrong by the sound of a voice? So, I could tell something was wrong. It seems that RI sister was painting the ceiling of her kitchen and fell off the ladder. She seems to have broken her left tibia in two places and may have broken her knee cap. She is currently in a temporary restraining cast, that goes from hip to ankle with steel rods keeping her leg from bending and waiting to see the surgeon tomorrow.
So I called RI sister and she is hopped up on goof balls - she got some good drugs!
Then I called XXX-XXXXXX telling her to avoid ladders and bridges in Paris, in fact don't do anything. Sit in a chair away from windows and electrical outlets, since things like this seem to happen in threes.
So I called RI sister and she is hopped up on goof balls - she got some good drugs!
Then I called XXX-XXXXXX telling her to avoid ladders and bridges in Paris, in fact don't do anything. Sit in a chair away from windows and electrical outlets, since things like this seem to happen in threes.
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