I wish I were a turtle

I'm not a declensionist, but it sure feels like I am sometimes. I currently would like to run away to some pristine island, and start over again. Wait, I think that people did that in the 19th century and the fact that none of those utopian communities are still surviving is a testament to the fact that even if I could run away, nothing would change in the long run. I get pretty discouraged by the health care system sometimes. We have been battling our insurance company for 4 months, since our son was born to get them to pay our bill. The two hospitals administered by Tenet (our Tier 1 providers) in our area do not do OB. Ergo, you have to go to another hospital. For some reason, the other hospital doesn't realize they are my tier 1 OB provider, and bills me accordingly. Now, all of the University's OB cases go here, but somehow they think that, as a medical student, I'm somehow not affiliated with the University. Fortunately, last week, I got the Dean who administers the university health plan on my side, so hopefully he'll lay the smack down on the Hospital.

I would also like to move away to avoid a government that is pissing money away so fast it's like the US Treasury is on fire. I feel like it's 1864 and Jefferson Davis is busy administering my fiscal affairs. Of course we haven't gotten to the point where we're printing worthless money, but I worry. I don't usually wax political on here, but man I am tired of these trillion dollar packages being ram-rodded down my throat. For a government that promised greater transparency, why was the full 1200 page text of the latest debt-fest not published for public viewing until 18 hours before the final vote? Thank you Jefferson and Madison, but there are a few common citizens with grey matter who would like to know just what those bozos in washington are doing now that we've elected them.

Can we please, please, stop the hemorrhaging of money into companies that aren't viable to begin with? If the American automobile industry can't be bothered to understand the market enough to make a car I want to buy, then why should my tax dollars be used to bail them out? If you won't support us by choice, then we'll make you support us by taxation! whee! The trouble is, right now I don't even get the joy of owning a Chevy that will die in 3 years, I just get to pay for them to be made. Yeah, yeah, I should be patriotic and 'Buy American'. Trouble is, american cars suck. I'd rather own a Toyota made in mexico than some crapper from Detroit. Why is the Camry the best selling sedan? hmm. I think it's because it's reliable. And let me reiterate, it's reliable.



For your information, things could be worse. The picture above is a bona fide picture of a 100 Billion zimbabwe dollar bill. That's right folks, $10^11. That currency is worth more as an eBay novelty than it is as a piece of money.


OK, I'm done. You don't have to agree with me, and I promise, it will be a while before I indulge in another street corner rant. Speaking of which, my wife and I saw a street corner prophet on our way to church today. He was wearing white leggings (or whatever you call those close fitting pants) and a matching white smock, I guess you'd call it. My question was this, where do you get those kinds of clothes? I assume you have to either be handy with a sewing machine, or know someone who is, because when I was last at Old Navy, I didn't see a "raving lunatic" section.

Ok, now I'm really done, I promise.