Aren't you glad we have Obamacare?

 

A few points on Obamacare uncovered by industry analysts:

 

• Cancer patients, according to where they live, will face large increases in costs for drugs -- one widely used drug, Gleevec, could cost the patient more than $2000 a month according to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
• Some of the sickest patients may be unable to afford their prescriptions.
• Insurers are forecasting double-digit premium increases for individual policies as people with health problems flock to buy coverage for pre-existing conditions. That means those of us who have carried insurance for a long time will be picking up the tab for those who have been spending their money on something besides insurance premiums.
• Millions of smokers could be priced out of insurance. They will pay a penalty of up to $4250 a year on top of their standard premiums.

But not to worry. The Obama Administration says industry warnings are overblown, and many consumers will have premium increases offset by tax credits. Again, that means those of us who have paid all along will not only pay higher premiums, we'll also pay higher taxes to pay the premiums for those who've been spending their money on something besides insurance.

 

Aren't you glad we have Obamacare?

 

"Disparities in cancer drug costs feared." The Dallas Morning News; May 14, 2013; p. 5A.

 



No offense, but I thank God for my blessings.

 

It has come to the point that we can't even sincerely thank God for our blessings without someone complaining that we hurt their feelings by doing so. Paul Kirkpatrick takes to task those people who survived the recent tornadoes and other tragedies and crimes and openly expressed their gratitude to almighty God.

 

Paul finds particularly offensive phrases such as "God wrapped his arms around us" and "We prayed for God to save us, and he did." He says people who callously utter such things should think about the people they are hurting by doing so. He says some people will think, "Did God not like my mother" or "Did my brother not pray hard enough."

 

 The Bible tells us that the rain falls on the just and on the unjust. We are not immune from the forces of nature just because we may have lived a good life. I hardly think that people who step unharmed from a pile of rubble following such a disaster are trying to hurt someone else by praising the God who saw them through. Nor do I think most of them feel they've been blessed because they are somehow God's favorites and those who haven't been must be awful sinners. In fact, I imagine those people probably have even more compassion for those who were injured or lost loved ones than someone who's not survived such a tragedy.

 

I am particularly reminded of Job. Perhaps those who, like Paul, are a bit on the egocentric side should read about that great Old Testament saint. After hearing that he's lost all his possessions and his children have been destroyed by a great wind, here is Job's testimony in a nutshell: "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."

 

Maybe instead of finding fault with those who recognize the hand of the Master in their lives, Paul should go out there and see what he can do to help those who are bereaved and those who stand in need as a result of these tragedies. He just might find that if he did that, he wouldn't have time to get his feelings hurt over someone else's heartfelt declaration.

 

"Gratitude with sensitivity." The Dallas Morning News; May 21, 2013; p. 12A.



We didn't mean that equally!

 

Carolyn Compton isn't a happy camper. She left her husband, Josh, in an acrimonious divorce. It seems Carolyn decided she was a lesbian, and she moved in with her "partner."

 

However, her divorce decree had a morality clause in it. The clause is quite common in Texas divorces. It says that an unmarried parent cannot have a romantic partner stay in the home overnight while the children are in that parent's care.

 

The judge is enforcing the clause just as he would if Carolyn's romantic interest were a man. But Carolyn is crying foul. It seems homosexuals want to be treated equally, but they didn't mean that equally!

 

"Lesbian mom's partner told to move." The Dallas Morning News; May 21, 2013; p. 1B.

Here's what you're getting for your money.

 

Mary Baswell took nine years to get her Bachelor's degree. She is now working on her Masters. After that, she wants to get her Doctorate.

 

"I may be one of those students politicians want to get rid of. I got 'free' money for school and basically wasted a number of years and lots of money. . .I will be 35 when I earn my Ph.D. . . I'd rather go to school and be a low-income student than try to find a job as a single mom, live paycheck-to-paycheck and have far less opportunities than I'm creating for myself now."

 

Really???? In the first place, someone with a degree in English should know that it's "far fewer opportunities." I imagine lots of people would rather go to school than get a job, but they don't expect the taxpayers to foot their bills. Low-income? Does that mean she gets food stamps, WIC, Section 8, and Medicaid? I'll just bet it does! And when you get down to it, just who is it that's "creating" Mary's opportunities? I don't think it's Mary! However, I do hope Mary will remember me in her will when she decides what to do with her gall.

 

"State still working on timely graduation rate." The Dallas Morning News; May 20, 2013; p. 1A.

They're going to outlaw your chocolate milk!

 

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is conducting studies on what Americans eat and how many calories they consume. The project began as part of Michelle's obesity obsession when 16 major food companies pledged to reduce the calories they sell to the public by 1.5 trillion. And you know how they did it? Convenience packaging -- 3 pints of ice cream for the price of 4, 4 pudding cups for the price of 6, 14 ounce cans for the price of 16 ounce cans. In case you hadn't noticed, Mars quit packaging any chocolate product to exceed 250 calories. That means your king-size Snickers is now only prince-size and your package of 24 M & M's now has only 15 of the little candy-coated delights.

 

At any rate, the UNC research team hopes their project will break down the data to "find out who is eating what and where they shop." And what will they do with this data? Marion Nestle, a New York University professor says it could be "useful in pressuring companies to make more changes for the better."

 

I don't need Professor Nestle or anybody else to tell me what to eat or what size package to buy. I'm perfectly capable of making those choices myself. I'll decide whether or not it's better for me to pay more for less food.

 

"Data crunchers seek to clarify just what America's eating." The Dallas Morning News; May 20, 2013; p. 5A.

What's good for the goose . . .

 

Naim Rasool Muhammad took his two little sons, ages 3 and 5, and held their heads under the water of a murky, smelly creek until they died. You see, he was afraid that his two little boys would grow up like he did -- abandoned and neglected.

 

This monster's defense attorney claims Naim killed his sons for their own good. Therefore, Naim doesn't deserve the death penalty. But wait . . . if death is the preferred alternative for those little boys, why doesn't Naim deserve to die? Isn't there a contradiction here? Children should be dead rather than grow up like Naim, but it's OK for Naim to still be alive?

 

Anyway, they conveniently omitted the obvious. If Naim were a proper father to begin with, his sons could have lived and grown up without being abandoned and neglected. But it's all our fault, you know. Naim was failed by "the system." Yeah, right.

 

"Dad who drowned 2 awaits his fate." The Dallas Morning News; May 16, 2013; p. 1B.

Those Crazy Scientists!

 

Ahhhh - those crazy scientists. They are certain about evolution. A coming ice age was a fact in the 1970's. Global warming is a fact now. They've also nailed down how old the Grand Canyon is.

 

It's either 6 million years old or 70 million years old -- give or take a couple of million years. What a hoot!

 

"Grand Canyon age debate grows older." The Dallas Morning News; November 30, 2012; p. 3A.