Obama Sets Record Straight on Healcare "Insurance" Reform

As best I can, I've been trying to follow and understand the debate over healthcare insurance reform.  As a marketing professional I find it interesting that the language of the debate has shifted from talking about "healthcare reform" to talking about "healthcare INSURANCE reform."  The American people always love a villain, and who better than insurance companies to play that role.  In fact, it's right out of central casting.

I heard the President speak in Colorado over the weekend.  His grasp of the issues was extremely impressive.  He shows an absolute command of the subject matter.   He reminded me of Bill Clinton, when he has spoken out on any one of a number of issues about which he has an in-depth understanding.

I don't pretend to understand the enormity of the healthcare insurance reform issue, and the subtle and not-so-subtle complexities of efforts by the government to reform the system and provide universal coverage.  But I can tell you this.  I'm listening to arguments on all sides.  I even try and listen to the crazies.  My feeling is, even imbeciles can, at times, make sense.  But for my money, I'm putting my trust in the president on this one.  Not to do that, would just put us back to listening to Republicans blame trial attorneys for everything that's wrong with our current system.  Trial lawyers, like insurance companies, make great scape goats.  But it would be a fools errand to confuse scape goating with what really ails our healthcare  system.

Widow of Swine Flu Victim Taking City to Court

I knew it would only be a matter of time before the swine flu outbreak would lead to negligence law suits.  The New York Times reported today that the widow of flu victim, Mitchell Weiner, an assistant principal at an intermediate school in Queens, has notified the city that she intends to file a wrongful death and negligence claim against the city.  She's charging that the city failed to warn Mr. Weiner that he had been in contact with people who had tested positive for the virus.

She is seeking $40 million in the suit.

It seems to me that should she prevail, a case like this would open the litigious flood gates for countless lawsuits that I would put into a new category and call it: "reckless infection."  For example, last winter I sat next to a guy on the train who was sneezing and coughing.   A day later, I started sneezing and coughing and before you could say hand me the tylenol there I was flat on my back in bed with one whopper of a flu.  If this woman wins her case, I'm going to keep an eye out for my former sniffling ex passenger and if I find him, it's off to court we go.

There Oughta To Be A Law

Is it legal to sue a plastic surgeon for turning an otherwise attractive person into, well, a monster?  If not, there should be.  

The New York Daily News website, www.nydailynews.com, ran a series of photos today featuring celebrities who have gone under the knife, more than once it would appear by the looks on their faces.   And, the results aren't all that flattering.

To my eye, all the lifting, nipping, tucking and sucking hasn't helped.  Instead, some the faces of these once interesting looking people have been transformed into bizarre looking masks, unrecognizable as even being members of the homosapien species.  

There is poor Micky Rouke, who looks like a cross between rocker Steven Tyler and Donatella Versace.  Then there's Donatella Versace, whose ape-like appearance must have been the result of a practical joke played on her by her doctor.  Remember the once lovely face of Lara Flynn Boyle?  It's not that she looks so bad now.   It's just that her doctor has clearly gone overboard.

I didn't know it was her when I looked at the photo.

I would be interested in hearing from a personal injury lawyer.  I'd like to get his or her take on the matter.