Sunday, April 11, 2010

Electronic medical records & new federal bill on health care

One of the right's talking points is that a national electronic database of patient medical records will be created.

Just what is the correct case with this issue? Googling the above pertinent words and "fact check" doesn't help.

Can anyone tell me whether this site's representation of the facts is correct?:
"Politifact missed the boat on “Electronic Health Records” fact check" at "Political Integrity Now" site.

Accchhhhh! 13 toxic foods to avoid

Diet: "Here is a list of the top 13 most toxic foods that you should be buying organic. If on a tight budget, use this guide to buy produce that has the most chemicals when grown conventionally."

These nice foods are toxic, because of the chemicals.

Be sure to buy them only when grown in "organic conditions."
Peaches
Apples
Sweet bell peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Cherries
Potatoes
Pears
Lettuce
Imported grapes
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Spinach

Sally Fallon Morell: healthy food advocate, against the grain of veganism

Sally Fallon Morell was interviewed on WBAI. She is the co-founder and president of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
She spoke on the dangers of a hyper-vegan diet. She criticized the rush to replacement of meats with vegan diets.
She cautioned against this diet. It avoids essential vitamins, especially vitamin B vitamins.
She also spoke of the dangers of too much soy in the diet. I've included the video at the right on the dangers of over-reliance on soy.

The heavy-soy diet dangers raises a new problem. We are avoiding the pantheon of foods that are high fructose corn syrup. But many times one finds soy in the non-high fructose corn syrup foods.

She appears in director Derek Moore's video: "Nourishing Traditional Diets: The Key to Vibrant Health."

Youtube video in which she addresses the essential animal-based oils.

One of her interviews in a podcast.

On a related note:
An intriguing video that I hope to see soon: director Deborah Koons Garcia's "The Future of Food," DVD.

Ron Paul points out: Obama not a socialist, a corporatist

(A qualifier: I am not joining Republican calls for health reform repeal. I am merely reporting and interesting factual correction that the former Texas Congressional representative Ron Paul, a famed libertarian, running as a Republican.)
Evan McMorris-Santoro, "Ron Paul: President Obama Is Not A Socialist", Talking Points Memo, April 10, 2010.
Ron Paul spoke this weekend to a Tea-Partyish Republican crowd, the South Republican Leadership Conference.
-Rather, Paul said, President Barack Obama is a corporatist. Actually, progressives need to exercise critical analysis of the Obama administration. Paul was alluding to the neo-liberal practices of the consensus of presidents in the modern era. The Obama administration actually needs to do moreguidance of the American economy. It needs to initiate legislation and presidentially initiated trade policies that stimulate greater production in the United States.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Nurses United for healthcare

Click to this Grit TV video at democraticunderground.com

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x453231

Nurses United for Healthcare.
--part of National Nurses United:
http://www.nationalnursesunited.org/

The Struggle for the Democratic Party: Eye into caucuses and role of money in party

Great piece in Huffington Post on the struggle for control in the Democratic Party.

Click Here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/08/power-struggle-inside-the_n_529884.html
Ryan Grim and Arthur Delaney, "Power Struggle: Inside The Battle For The Soul Of The Democratic Party" Huffington Post, April 8, 2010
Read about the Blue Dogs and the progressives and the struggle for money in the Democratic Party. A good read for students of politics, the lay student or the budding scholar.

Professional training time and jobs: per Yahoo Jobs

Nurse, financial analyst, and so on:
http://education.yahoo.net/articles/training_times_for_top_jobs.htm?kid=10NKC
Per Yahoo Education and Yahoo Hotjobs.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Oh boy! The armed right wing crazies' commemoration of April 19 across river from Washington, DC

The armed right wing's buzzword is "Oath Keepers."

They are mobilizing for an open carry, which is euphemism speak for openly carrying loaded weapons to assemble in a mob rally.
They are mobilizing for a rally on April 19, 2010 at Fort Hunt National Park, Virginia. This is just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. April 19 is the anniversary of Timothy McVeigh's mass murder terrorism attack on a federal building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Stay tuned to Ed Schultz, Rachel Maddow and Thom Hartmann on what they are up to next.

Many of these people are lower income. I wonder how long until they realize that they and their friends and family will recognize that they will make great gains in health care rights until the "Obamacare" health reform.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Useful site on the vanishing economic base of the United States -w/ daily updates

Discovered from an advertisement in ''The American Prospect:''

(I say vanishing economic base, not just industrial base, as just about everything is getting outsourced. The only economic sector that the Barack Obama administration is concerned with is the financial sector. I'll retract that charge when his administration and Congress takes up the recommendations of Kansas City Federal Reserve chief Thomas Hoenig.)
"Economy in Crisis"
or http://economyincrisis.org

From their "Who We Are" tab:
EconomyInCrisis.org is the website and news blog for Concerned Citizens, an organization dedicated to educating legislators and the American public in regards to the destruction of our country's industrial base, the impact on national and economic security, and the effect on our standard of living. We publish critical but overlooked facts and figures, keeping our readers up-to-date with daily articles regarding the U.S. economy.

We compare what led to American industrial and economic world leadership with current policies and the present crippling of our industries. We then objectively extrapolate the near-term outlook and risks for our country, businesses, and individuals. When possible we offer solutions to our weakening economic condition. Concerned Citizens does not support any political organization or corporate interest.

Out of concern for America's deteriorating economic condition, the Concerned Citizens responsible for EconomyInCrisis.org donate their expertise and time. Concerned Citizens does not support any political organization or corporate interest. Concerned Citizens has recently applied to become government authorized 501(c)(3) tax free organization.
. . .
Questions? Call us - (614) 210-7255

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Kansas City Fed Official Wants To Break Up Megabanks, Stop The Fed From Guaranteeing Wall Street's Profits

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/02/top-fed-official-wants-to_n_521842.html

"Top Fed Official Wants To Break Up Megabanks, Stop The Fed From Guaranteeing Wall Street's Profits"

See the Huffington Post exclusive on Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Thomas M. Hoenig, and his critical statement on banking policies.

The U.S. should bust up its megabanks and impose strict laws curbing the size and complexity of financial institutions, a top Federal Reserve official told the Huffington Post.

In a 45-minute interview this week, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Thomas M. Hoenig, who's emerged as one of the few influential voices calling for a fundamental redesign of a broken U.S. financial system:

* Lambasted the tilted playing field that benefits Wall Street banks over Main Street banks;

* Called the idea that the U.S. needs megabanks to compete globally a "fantasy";

* Said Congress should mandate simple, easily understood and enforceable rules -- rather than guidelines -- so regulators can restrain financial firms and rein in the financial system;

* Prodded the Senate to get tougher on permanently ending Too Big To Fail by enacting laws that would take away much of the discretion currently held by policymakers (who bailed out financial firms when confronted with these decisions in late 2008);

* And criticized the Federal Reserve's ongoing policy to keep the main interest rate near zero because it "guarantee[s] a spread to Wall Street", enabling unearned profits and "encourag[ing] speculation."

Hoenig's criticisms echo those made by reformers pushing to remake a financial system that melted down in 2008 after years of excessive risk-taking and loose regulation finally took its toll, causing the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression and costing the nation more than 8 million jobs.
Click to the above link to the actual "Huffington Post" link for the full story, including audio archive.

Our Worldfocus broadcast will go off the air after April 2 | Worldfocus

Our Worldfocus broadcast will go off the air after April 2 | Worldfocus
(Daljit Dhaliwal explains the expiration of "World Focus" after one and a half years. The news show premiered on October 6, 2008.)
Tragic! Can't WNET (Channel 13) shift some funds from one area to this one?

Friday, April 2, 2010

At DN: Rep. Alan Grayson's (Fla) "Medicare You Can Buy Into Act" Attracts 50 Co-Sponsors

Rep. Alan Grayson's H.R. 4789 "Medicare You Can Buy Into Act" Attracts 50 Co-Sponsors




Watch Frontline video on MBNA's (FIA Card Services) abuse customers

Watch the Frontline video on MBNA / Bank of America / FIA Card Services' abuse of customers.
Click here for the Frontline portal to the video on this credit card company's notorious abuse patterns.

Click here to buy the "FRONTLINE: Secret History of the Credit Card" DVD at PBS' online store.

The section from the wikipedia.org article on this credit card company's abusive practices. Note that the abusive practices continue into 2010, despite the controversies uncovered as far back as 2004.
MBNA was one of the companies mentioned on a 2004 Frontline PBS special about unfair business practices by credit card companies[7]. Some industry practices which MBNA possibly engaged in previously[weasel words] included doubling or tripling of interest rates, shifting billing due dates/payment cycles monthly, and raising rates for customers whose payments were a day or two late which earned it the sobriquet, Misrepresentation Bank of North America. MBNA have been found to be one of the leading implementors of Rate-Jacking or what has also been termed the "Great MBNA Interest Rate Escalator Trick". For further information and links, see Credit Cards.

After the MBNA / Bank of America deal of January 1, 2006, a number of MBNA executives were dismissed from the Bank of America board of directors due to their fears that their unethical practices could result in criminal charges against them under a number of statutes including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.[citation needed]

As of 2009, complaints to regulators by consumers concerning MBNA's unfair and predatory practices have been made with allegations of fraudulent construction of "valid" credit agreements (in the U.K.), abusive and threatening debt collection practices, and a practice of offering attractive balance transfer deals with rate increases that trap customers into debt they can never hope to repay.

If you use your MBNA credit card to pay for good or services and use NOCHEX and the goods or services are not delivered MBNA refuses to allow refunds under section 79.

MBNA records all telephone numbers used to contact them and then those numbers to contact their customers, particularly to chase debts, without regard to the privacy of those customers - for example, if a customer uses a neighbors or work telephone to contact MBNA at some time, that number will remain on MBNA's database and is likely to be used for debt chasing purposes. MBNA call centre staff also reveal the reason for calling to whoever answers the call, which may be the customer's boss, neighbor, friends, and family. A great deal of complaints in US and UK consumer forums has revealed this particular violation of privacy is a common activity of MBNA.

U.K. Trading Standards in the Chester area, where MBNA Europe Bank is based, have been contacted by numerous customers of MBNA, warning of the company's behaviour, but the standards agency, responsible for upholding customer complaints, has so far failed to engage in any meaningful communication with those customers despite being in "regular contact" with MBNA for unknown reasons.[citation needed] MBNA Europe Bank is the largest employer in the Chester area.

In Ireland, MBNA was accused of calling consumers up to eight times a day who are behind in making payments, which prompted the state debt advisory service to publicly state that harassment is outlawed. Affected people were advised to complain to the relevant authorities.[8] The company in December 2009 admitted overcharging 500,000 Irish consumers up to €18 million.[9][10]

MBNA has also been criticised for its practice of having two 0% deals on the same credit card of different lengths which can lead to consumers' balances being 'trapped' and accumulating interest.[11]

RNC rejects joint 'civility' statement - Andy Barr - POLITICO.com

The RP needs to play nice!

Their posture will backfire: The public will find out by November 2, 2010, that there are many irresistible parts in the health care legislation, such as the immediate ban on pre-existing condition bars insurance coverage for children. How will the Repugnicans (a.k.a. Republicans) explain their opposition to that one?