August 17, 2004
Sgt. Galvan reported for duty recently. Please take care of him and watch over his family.
Thank you.
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August 16, 2004
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August 15, 2004
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August 14, 2004
Thanks for posting your essay on “Death Of Democracy”. Before I offer my 2 cents I want to point out that the excerpts of the letter you used (which I tried to find unsuccessfully) was based on information that has since been rendered obsolete as a result of new discoveries in the past century. Then there’s that troubling Euro-centric view that was all the rage in those days, which makes me want to respond to the gentleman in question forcefully, but I can’t, since it’s fruitless to argue with a corpse.
more...
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btw, link posted.
http://www.lookingglass.mi.org/web_blog/archives/000222.html
Pienso en umbral donde deje
pasos alegres que ya no llevo,
y en el umbral veo una llaga
llena de musgo y de silencio.
Me busco un verso que he perdido,
que a los siete años me dijeron.
Fue una mujer haciendo el pan
y yo su santa boca veo.
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August 11, 2004
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August 10, 2004
All was fine, until I scrolled down to see the stamp I was honored with. more...
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05:26 PM
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Harvey, himself is on a one man crusade to help save newbie bloggers from cluttering the blogosphere with bad form, content and style. He recently posted some really outstanding suggestions in his guide called 12 STEPS TO BETTER BLOGGING.
I would like to add a few do's and don'ts of my own, which I learned the hard way, during my first few years of online journaling [before it was called blogging]. Included in my list are some of the biggest mistakes I or others made [and paid for in the long run]. more...
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07:21 AM
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August 08, 2004
IÂ’m nervous, because I haven't gone over to my neighbors yet to introduce myself. I mean the reason why I moved here is because itÂ’s a better neighborhood, although sometimes my adopted blog dadÂ’s anticÂ’s worry me and make me wonder what kind of neighborhood IÂ’m moving into.
more...
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11:13 PM
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August 07, 2004
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August 04, 2004
Below is an email response I sent to my best friend, whom I believe is trying to win me back to the left. I've got news for her, I was never part of the left even when I worked in DC during the Clinton era. Anyway, this will be the first in a series of articles "Deconstructing Kerry's" platforms.
Dear Lisa:
Thanks for forwarding Paul Krugman's op-ed piece to me. I'm sure you did so trying to enlighten my moderate/centrist views by trying to prove that the media is biased against Kerry. Unfortunately, you're both way off the mark here. In all fairness, this is one time you really can't blame lack of coverage of Kerry's Health Care platform on a biased media. Nope, you can't even blame it on what Krugman is calling the "Triumph of the Trivial." in the news. The reason Krugman hasn't found any information regarding Kerry's Health Plan is because their isn't any. At least there wasn't anything new in his acceptance speech that he didn't say in the primaries. Nope; no details, no updates, not even fine print.
Oh, on the johnkerry.com website you'll find the following general outline embedded within several pages deep, but there's nothing new since the primaries. Well, except for John Edward's name being added to the site. Here's the general outline:
"The Kerry-Edwards plan will provide $177 billion in tax credits to make health care more affordable for people and businesses that BUY into the new Congressional Health Plan. These credits include:
- A 25 percent credit for seniors aged 55 to 64 whose salaries fall below 300 percent of poverty.
- A 75 percent credit for people between jobs and whose salaries fall below 300 percent of poverty.
- A tax credit of up to 50 percent for small businesses that cover low-to-moderate income workers.
- A tax credit for workers not eligible for other provisions of the Kerry-Edwards plan. This credit would limit premiums to less than 6 percent of income for workers below poverty, then phase out to 12 percent of income for workers at 300 percent of poverty."
Please note, that you have to BUY into his plan in order to be eligible for it. You also have to PAY ALL your premiums and then, only if you file your income tax, and providing you meet the income/deduction qualifications imposed by the IRS, then and only then can you get your money back as a tax credit.
Oh wait, I forgot to mention one very, very important thing: when you fall 300% below the poverty level not only are you eligible for Medicare (another Federal Health Care Program made more robust under Clinton), you're also too freakin' poor to worry about health care. Why? Simple, you're too busy scrounging for food and how to pay for electricity and heat to care if you live or die!
Now in the interest of fair play and objectivity, I will examine what these extremely poor folks options are, other than suicide. Regarding every child being insured.... they already are under a federally funded program, free of cost to low income parents (as a result of Hillary's Health Care Commission). It's also available to middle class parents at a moderate cost. It's been that way since before Clinton left office.
As for the millions of people uncovered by health insurance, the federal gov't currently gives money to states (also done under the Clinton Administration) in which those families that fall through the cracks (not poor enough to be eligible for Medicare and still not financially able to afford health insurance) are able to get insurance at reduced premiums with HMO's. BTW, small businesses are also covered in 16 States under a similar program, where low cost premiums are available to employers and their employees.
FYI, this money is given by the federal gov't, in a lump sum to each state earmarked specifically for health insurance programs for it's citizens not institutions. In NYS, Pataki used the state's surplus to match federal money and created the Small Business Health Insurance Program, the first of it's kind in the nation, which was quickly adopted by other states.
Now my question is, how does Kerry actually intend to cut "government" waste and "bloatedness" if he's adding layers to the federal health care programs already in existence. Oh, wait, I just got it! Maybe he plans to do away with Medicare. Wow, why didn't I think of that. That's a really effective cut in waste. Then my financial calculations on how Kerry's programs will be paid, that is without "increasing taxes". The math will finally jive and balance out without increasing the deficit too much. Hmmmm, that's an interesting concept. If you only insure the abject poor, then those that are only struggling financially will eventually fall into a hole and thus meet the financial requirements to be eligible for his programs, and so then everyone is insured. I must say, itÂ’s a clever plan.
So as you can see, the reason there's nothing out there for Kruger to read, is because there is nothing out there for anyone to read. God forbid they publish something and put the fine print in print. Then of course there's the campaign, the road trip and all. They've been to busy to flesh things out and update their site. Oh and there's the complexity thing. You and I both know Health Care is sooooooo COMPLEX, we really can't be trusted to understand it all. They really want us to leave it to the John's.
I wonder how Krugman would feel once he discovers that Kerry's $650 billion health insurance plan DOES NOT cover lower and middle-income families (as Kerry alleged in his speech). Well at least it won't until they fall 300% below the poverty line. Yep, too bad I don't have Krugman's address, otherwise IÂ’d share a link and a thought or two with him.
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August 02, 2004
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August 01, 2004
The people are like those you would find anywhere where there's starvation - grateful for any help given. Their gratitude, humility, and genuine friendship are with me still today. I don't need to see video or pictures of that time because each face, each smile and every tear is indelibly recorded in my mind as if it just happened; instead of the 12 years that it's been. There are so many wonderful stories I could share with you from that time, but one in particular funny one stands out. It happened just a few hours after my arrival while I was awaiting to meet the men I would act as interpreter for. I would be sharing these duties with 2 others interpreters (also men) who were coming from Europe.
I was a bit nervous as my French and Portuguese were very rusty and my knowledge of Italian was limited. But this is where I was needed most, not in vaccination tents with children or in a kitchen cooking over a hot stove. This is where my God given skills were needed.
My flight arrived at the airport purposefully before everyone elses. That way I would be able to ensure the team of DrÂ’s. and scientists I was to work with would have an easy walk through customs.
Four hours later, after everyone had arrived, I was the only woman amongst 15 staff workers, all men. I was trying to be more of an observer than a participant, trying to figure out culture and dynamics so as to gain an understanding of those I would interpret for. However, that didnÂ’t last long as a number of the guys, being the usual testosterone loaded European/South American males they were, were trying to draw me out by asking questions about my personal life. Soon the double entendre and flirting began on their part. You see, in that culture, an unescorted woman, scratch than, an unescorted American woman meant to them that she was both a free spirit and uninhibited. What they didnÂ’t realize was that I had been sent there by a Christian organization.
As the conversation continued I was asked what kind of food I preferred, and how I liked it prepared. Being that vegetarianism was an unfamiliar concept to them, I had to explain in a way they would understand. At one point I responded to a question by saying that "I don't like preservatives. I'm not able to use them because I'm allergic, so I do everything naturally and without preservatives".
At this their eyes sparkled and their subdued smiles broke into wide eager grins. As they repeatedly began exchanging glances with each other (a few started smacking their lips as if staring at prime ribs - Me). By the look on their faces I knew I had said something terribly wrong. I just stood there with a stupid grin on my face, trying to figure out what it was that I had just said. Finally, one of the interpreters whispered in my ear the literal translation:
"I don't like condoms. I'm not able to use them because I'm allergic, so I have to do everything naturally and without condoms".
Needless to say I was mortified. Surrounded by men I wanted the earth to swallow me whole. I turned beet red before I even had a chance to cover my face with my hands. Since it was nighttime and we were standing outdoors in very dim light no one noticed.
However, some of the men were so entertained by what had just happened they said nothing waiting to see what I would say next. I still shudder from the memory as I could almost hear their thoughts. Turning to my fellow interpreter I asked that he please explain to them what I really meant to say, to which all responded with laughter. Afterwards I promptly asked what was the correct word used for food preservative. It turns out I had used an incorrect vowel the "o" instead of an "a". Having been made aware of this, I committed the word to memory so I wouldn't have the same experience at restaurants.
Since Michele was a difficult name for South Americans to pronounce in spanish, thereafter I was referred to as "La Natural" when I wasn't present. I still shudder at the memory of that embarassing moment.
[originally posted on blogspot on 8/1/04]
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