Maggie's Farm

I don't want to spend time criticizing doctors.  My father is one, after all.  I also don't want to criticize the VA.  I'm sure many of our readers utilize the VA services and may be happy with the care they receive.  Or perhaps they aren't, I'm not sure.  I don't use the VA and don't have personal experience, but my father did some work there while he was in the Navy years ago, and remains very critical of its administration to this day.

He always told me if I'd like a glimpse at what a government run program for health provision would resemble, take a look at the VA.  My extended family members who have utilized the VA did so mainly because they could, and they lacked any other access to health services.  None were particularly happy with it, except to say it didn't cost them much when they needed it.

I don't want to imply this kind of abuse can't happen in private practice.  Certainly Hollywood stars have managed to find their fair share of enablers.  But when it is the government running things, we're supposed to expect better, and when it's a single payer system, we won't have the range of choice to avoid charlatans.

I received, from the president's emailing spambot, this unsolicited email which explains why the government is shut down.  A quick read tells me exactly how poorly informed this man is.

He uses the purchase of a house as the basis of negotiation, and compares the current shutdown to a potential buyer threatening to burn down the house being negotiated.  This is not only extreme, but wrong.  Clearly, he's never negotiated the purchase of a home.

A better comparison is to picture the potential buyer saying "I don't like the price you're asking, because there is an oil tank buried in the back and it may start seeping and destroying the ground soon.  I would prefer that you have that tank removed.  In the meantime, I'm willing to buy the house at this significantly reduced price."  At that point, Harry Reid (the seller) replies, "No you don't have the right to ask to remove that tank and the alternative offer you've made is not under consideration.  I choose to no longer speak with you.  Come back when you're realistic with a 'clean offer' on the house and just forget about getting rid of that tank.  I've grown to love that tank, and you should too.  I'd rather see the whole thing fall apart than speak with you."

And then he blames the potential buyer for the end of negotiations, when clearly he is the person at fault. 

President Obama Explains the Shutdown

Yesterday, eight days into the Republican government shutdown, President Obama spoke from the White House about the need for Republicans in Congress to stop threatening another recession just to sabotage Obamacare, stop demanding ransom just for doing their jobs, and just vote to reopen the government. He talked about the toll this shutdown is already taking on our country and the economy, and warned against the dire consequences of a default if Congress doesn’t act to prevent an economic shutdown.

Keeping the government running and paying the nation’s bills aren’t bargaining chips or a matter of negotiation – they’re a fundamental part of Congress’s job. Here’s how the President put it yesterday:

"If you're in negotiations around buying somebody's house, you don't get to say, 'Well, let's talk about the price I'm going to pay, and if you don't give the price then I'm going to burn down your house.' That's not how negotiations work.... In the same way, members of Congress -- and the House Republicans in particular -- don't get to demand ransom in exchange for doing their jobs. And two of their very basic jobs are passing a budget and making sure that America is paying its bills."

Watch the President’s statement here, and then pass it on to your friends:

As the President has made clear -- and the press has reported -- the government could be reopened, today, with the votes of reasonable Republicans and Democrats if Tea Party Republicans would allow a simple yes-or-no vote on a Senate-passed compromise bill to fund the United States government. It’s time for Congress to just vote and end this government shutdown now.

Recently, I was invited to join a company seminar on "Reinvigorating the Workday."  You spend a few hours at a desk, and reinvigorating yourself seems like a great idea.  The seminar was very helpful, providing good information, some stretching exercises and mental games to 'loosen up' a bit when things start to get repetitive.

Toward the end, the instructor decided to discuss healthy foods.  She correctly pointed out what you eat can impact how you feel throughout the day.  While I believe this, what I got was a lecture on food 'toxins'.  The minute I hear someone talking about toxins in food, my eyes glaze over.  Another nut talking about their perfect diet.  Which is exactly what we got.  I decided to play along, because being snarky can be fun.

The instructor admitted alcohol is a toxin, but we all need to unwind, so you should be careful about what kinds of wine or beer you choose.  Obviously, fewer preservatives is 'better'.  I told her I brew my own beer, and I prefer craft brews to standard national brands.  I was lauded for being so careful about my food choices.

However, when she moved into chocolate, caffeine, and other standard fare, the word 'toxins' became more common.  I asked her if she ate almonds.  She replied almonds are very good for you, very natural.  I then pointed out wild almonds (and to a significantly lower degree domesticated almonds) contain cyanic acid which can be toxic, since it is the basis of cyanide.  So my question was, how much of my natural diet could be too much?  Unaware of this fact, she stumbled a bit, and mentioned moderation. 

I'm an extremist when it comes to supporting moderation.  It's what I used to lose 30 pounds over the course of the year.  Moderate amounts of the same food I always eat.  I didn't change my diet at all.  Since the instructor had met me before, she asked about my weight loss and what foods I was eating.  I proudly told her I have no problem with genetically modified foods, diet sodas, and a host of other items.  She looked at me in horror.  I told her, as she pointed out, moderation is important.  I'm not opposed to healthy eating and if all-natural is your bag, go for it.  But please don't treat me as if I'm a simpleton because I enjoy what I enjoy.  I'm not killing myself every time I have a Diet Coke or a Big Mac, though to hear her speak I am making a conscious choice to poison myself.

So I did a bit of research, and sent her a list of natural foods which contain toxins (I particularly like this link - the politics of healthy eating - as if politicizing food choices can save us all from ourselves!).  Some I was aware of, others not so much.  I pointed out what she considers 'toxins' (usually preservatives) enable a much larger percentage of the world to eat.  In fact, it allows them to eat good foods and healthy foods, and is part of the reason why the world is a better, healthier place in general.  If we were to move to an all-natural farming structure, eating only natural foods, not only would we likely starve half the world, but we'd be spending far too much time farming.

Toxins are everywhere.  Even water is toxic, in sufficient quantities.  So enjoy the toxins in your foods, whether they are natural or processed.