Indianapolis loses first game of the season

Well, there goes my first prediction for 2010 and it isn't even the new year yet!  The Colts lost to the Jets this past Sunday.  Indy coach Jim Caldwell pulled most of the starters early and the rest of the Colts could not hold of the Jets.  Goes to show you just how important starters are.  I'm sure he did not want Peyton Manning hurt.  But this strategy has not worked for most seems going into the post-season because the starters do not stay as sharp.  I'm still going with my prediction that they will win all, but obviously they will now not be undefeated.

2010 - What will it bring in sports?

Next week at this same time, we'll be into the 2010 year.  Here are some of my sports predictions for the new year:

• Ohio State will beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl.  The Buckeyes have lost their last 3 BCS games so enough is enough.  I think it will be a close game but the score will be 17-14 in favor of the Bucks.  
• Alabama will win the National Championship game.  Alabama will be too much for Texas.  Texas almost lost to Nebraska to squeeze into this game.  TCU should be in this game instead of Texas but until the Mountain West conference is considered as one of the top divisions, no team from there will qualify for the National Championship game.
• TCU  will beat Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl - this is the 2nd National Championship game for 2009.
• The Indianapolis Colts will win the Super Bowl and will go undefeated to finally unseat the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated team.  The Dolphins only won 12 games that year and that included the playoffs and Super Bowl.  I've never thought that comparing the current teams to the teams of old made any sense because you now must win 19 games to be undefeated. 
• Tiger Woods will win the Masters and the British Open in 2010.  He will be back full steam ahead for the Masters and he has yet to be beaten at St. Andrews, the site of the 2010 British Open.  
• The Cleveland Cavaliers will win the NBA Championship.  The Cavs have it all this year and the addition of Shaq has really taken some of the scoring pressure off of LeBron James.  They are a complete team this year with both a great offense and defense.
• Kansas will win the NCAAA National Basketball Championship for men.  Connecticut will with the NCAA Women's basketball championship.
• The Indians will be better in 2010 but will not make the playoffs again.  I think it will be between Boston and the Yankees again for the American League and the Dodgers will come through and win both the National League and the World Series.

We'll see how well I do and I'll post my progress as the year goes on.  

Happy New Year to all and may 2010 be the best year ever!

Tiger - Come on Man!

I have finally decided to give my opinion on the man I consider to be the greatest golfer of all time (even topping Jack Nicklaus despite the fact that he has not won as many majors yet).  In the immortal words of ESPN all I can say is "Tiger, Come On Man!!".  What were you thinking????  It goes to show that all men, including those we think are clean cut, never cause problems and are upstanding role models for our children, think with their johnson. 

I have admired Tiger since his first press conference with Curtis Strange when he turned pro.  He told Curtis that he expected to win the very first pro tournament that he played in.  Curtis thought he was crazy and basically told him so.  Tiger did not win that first tournament but in 2000 he undoubtedly had the greatest golf season of any pro and no one else has had a better season since.  This past year he was phenominal when he came back from ACL surgery and even though he didn't win a major, dominated the tour and won the Fed Ex Cup. 

Then, on Thanksgiving, he and his wife Elin apparantly had words after she found out that he was having an affair.  I don't care what the police reports say, I think she clubbed him and his Escalade.  All I can say is, "Way to go, Elin!".  Another stellar role model down the drain.  What a shame. 

I will still root for him to win in golf tournaments, but now he'll have an asterisk (*) next to his name when it comes to "Name a role model for you to follow".  Up until this year, I thought he was unblemished.  Now, he's just in the same league with all the other duds that cheat. 

Come On Man!!

Among the Unemployed

On September 11, 2009 I was called into my bosses office at about 1:15 p.m. and was told that my job had been eliminated.  I found the fact that he chose this day to tell me to be a rather telling story.  I'm sure we all remember where we were on September 11, 2001.  I was getting ready to fly to Detroit from Jacksonville.  I had an 11:55 a.m. flight but of course by then all of the airplanes were grounded due to the horrendous attacks in New York, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.

This is the first time in my life that I have been laid off from a job.  I was not surprised that it might happen since the company was not having a good year and I would have eliminated my position too (although I would have reorganized the rest of the staff so I could stay but that's another story).  I've been working since I was 16 years old (I'm now 52) and it's a very strange situation to be in.  I received a severance and I'm also hoping to collect unemployment, but it's just not the same to not be going to a job every day.  It's now been two weeks and I'm still job searching but I'm hopeful I will be able to get a job before year's end.  But, since I'm now among the unemployed, I was wondering how many other people are in my same situation.  So, here's the latest:

I'm now one of 6.138M people that are unemployed (seasonally adjusted - whatever that means) as of September 12.  I wonder if I was included in that count????  The unemployment rate at the end of August 2009 was 9.7%  for the U.S. but it was 10.7% for the State of Florida and in the metropolitan area I live in the rate at the end of August was a whopping 11.3%.  Not exactly the news I was hoping for.

The states with the lowest unemployment rates at the end of August were North Dakota (4.3%), South Dakota (4.9%), and Nebraska (5%).  I'm actually applying for a job at Mutual of Omaha (Senior Vice President - Retirement Services).  These are not necessarily the states that I would want to move to because I've become very accustomed to not having to wear a jacket!  But, if push comes to shove, I may need to get all my cold weather outfits out of the mothballs and I 'll be ordering a new pair of boots from L.L. Bean!  I don't think I'll be joining my sister Rose in Michigan since their unemployment rate is 15.2%. And, even though I know how to administered Puerto Rican retirement plans, I don't think I'll be moving to the island since their unemployment rate is 15.1%.  Hawaii's unemployment rate is only 7.2% so maybe there is still hope that I can find something in a warm climate!

I'll keep you apprised of my progress as I move on to this next chapter in my life.  I was watching the show "Dirty Jobs" on the Discovery channel and from what I can tell, there are plenty of "dirty" jobs available that I can try.  But, I'd rather not be the person who works on the Stiped Bass and Tilapia fish farm out in the Mohave desert.  That's just a little too warm of a climate!

Tiger Wins 2009 Fed Ex Cup

Tiger Woods won the 2009 Fed Ex Cup today and he didn't win the Tour Championship.  That honor went to Phil Michelson.  I'm happy for Phil, especially since both his wife and mother were diagnosed earlier this year with breast cancer.

Tiger won 6 tournaments in 2009 and was no worse than second in nine of the seventeen tournaments in which he played.  He also won a $10M bonus!  Too bad he's married with children!  And, he didn't even play until late March due to surgery on his knee last July.  He has won 2 of the 3 Fed Ex Cups and the only reason he didn't win all 3 is because he had major surgery on his knee last year.

Without a doubt, he's the greatest golfer to ever play the game.  I'm confident he'll beat Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors before he's done playing.  It's just a matter of time.

I'll miss watching him play over the next few months but I look forward to January when he can start his run again.  I predict he will win 1 or 2 majors next year and at least 7 tournaments.  What's your prediction?

College Football - How to Stay in the Top 10

We are only 4 weeks into the College football season and already there have been a bazillion upsets.  This past week, 3 top 10 teams went by the wayside.  Although, I have no idea how Miami jumped from virtually no ranking to number 9.  I know they beat some ranked teams but come on...  Ohio State blanked Toledo and we went DOWN in the rankings!  Figure that one out!

Anyway, here's my theory on how to stay in the Top 10:

1. Pretend that your team is as good as Florida because you have a cloned quarterback like Tim Tebow.  This guy is awesome and I can't stand Florida!  He took a pretty bad hit yesterday and has a concussion. Florida doesn't play next weekend so Tebow will be able to rest for two weeks.  It sure does seem that he has a higher power on his side!
2. Paint your field BLUE (like Boise State) or any other color than green.  Perhaps the Bucks could paint their field SCARLET or GRAY!
3. Hire a coach that just follows the money and doesn't have any particular loyalty to a team....say like Nick Saban (Mich State, LSU, Miami Dolphins and now Alabama).  
4. Don't belong to a division that gets an automatic bid to the BSC bowls -- ala, Cincinnati and Boise State, or have a really freaky team mascot -- TCU Horned Frogs!  Get out!
5. Don't play any unranked teams during September.  It's guaranteed that you'll lose and the bottom will drop out!

Ohio State is now ranked #9 and we travel to Indiana for a game on October 3.  Unfortunately, I was at the game where Indiana last beat us at their house...it had been 92 years since they had beaten the BUCKS at home!  Hopefully, it will be another 92 years and I won't be around.

Go BUCKS!  OH.....IO!

President Obama's Speech to Children

Just when I thought that I'd heard everything, now we have people who are complaining that they will not be able to know the text of President Obama's speeach to children, which he plans to give next Tuesday.  Are you kidding me?  From what I've read about the speech the context evolves around encouraging children to stay in school and make sure they get a good education.  Some people are afraid that he is taking a "socialist" approach.  Where do people come up with this stuff?

President Obama has really received lots of criticism because we are a country that has no patience and wants immediate results.  He's trying to reach out to our children and encourage them to stay in school and make sure that they get a good education.  Isn't that what parent's are supposed to be doing?  I read an article that the school superintendent in the Detroit area is telling parents to not have their children come to school on Tuesday if they object to their children listening to President Obama's speech.  What a way to defeat the whole purpose of the "stay in school" motto!  I would be proud to have my children listen to our President and then I would want to have a discussion with them later that day at the dinner table just to get their impressions and use his speech as a chance for further learning. 

People, wake up!  President Obama is not the problem with this country.  The problem is that many of the parents in this country don't want to take responsibility for their childrens' education and discipline.  This is just another example of too much complacency.  I was very fortunate to have very caring parents when I was growing up.  They are still parenting me today even though I am 52 years old and they are in their upper '80's! 

I support President Obama 100% in his efforts to talk with our children.  Too bad I don't have that same support for many of the adults and parents.

Michael Jackson - Homicide

After reading the news article on Google about Michael Jackson's death being ruled a homicide, I was really shocked at how many drugs his doctor gave to him to help him sleep.  He had 7 different drugs in his system that all contributed to his death.  Unbelievable!  At the very least Jackson's doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray should be stripped of all medical licenses and never allowed to practice medicine again.  The LA Times article that I read indicated that Dr. Murray may not be prosecuted for manslaughter because of Jackson's history of drug usage and other health problems.

Let me get this straight.  Dr. Murray administered 7 different drugs to Jackson on the same day within hours of each other and that's not considered some type of manslaughter or murder?  Wow!  Isn't it the doctor's responsibility to make sure that they know the potential drug interaction consequences before administering any drugs?  I could understand perhaps that Dr. Murray could be off the hook if he had written the prescriptions and then Jackson on his own negligently took the drugs, but that's not what happened here based on what I've read. The doctor physically administered each of the drugs to Jackson over several hours.  I'm actually writing this blog at 1:36 a.m. because I'm having trouble sleeping.  If I called my doctor now and asked her to prescribe something for me (other than the Tylenol PM I've already taken), I sure wouldn't expect that they would keep giving me drug after drug especially the ones Jackson received such as lorazapam, diazapem and propofol all of which have a variety of side affects if misused.

I was a Michael Jackson fan and believe like many that "Thriller" is the best album of all time.  I don't agree with everything that Michael did in his life, but I was saddened to hear about his death.  And now to find out that it was actually a homicide due to his doctor's negligence is a real shame.  Let's hope that Dr. Murray gets what he deserves and that should include some jail time in my humble opinion.

Senator Ted Kennedy Dies at age 77

This morning we lost a great American and the legacy of one of the most powerful families in the history of the U.S. is mostly likely at an end. Senator Ted Kennedy succumbed to the brain tumor he had been fighting since last year. At times of the years I have wished that I lived in Massachusetts so that I too could vote for Senator Kennedy over and over again. He drafted more than 2500 bills in his lifetime in the U.S. Senate. Unfortunately, what he will probably be most know for was the tragic accident at Chappaquiddick. A recent poll this morning on a local news website verifies this. I think he should be remembered more for his work with health care, civil rights and his overall liberal record. Whether or not you agree with the Kennedy's politics there is no denying that the had in shaping many of the issues that have shaped this country for the last 50 years. He was a true bipartisan legislator and he will be missed. Let's hope that someone else in the Democratic party can stand up to fill in where he left off.

Tiger Blows 2 Shot Lead - Loses PGA Championship

For now, Jack Nicklaus' 18 major wins is still safe after Tiger Woods blew a 2-shot lead in the 2009 PGA Championship and lost to Y.E. Yang of South Korea. Yang became the first Asian male to win a major in the history of golf. The Korean women have been winning majors for years so I guess it was about time that one of the men stepped up to the plate. I don't think that Yang beat Tiger so much as Tiger really played lousy both yesterday and today.

This was the first time that Tiger lost a major championship after having the 54-hole lead. His putting over the last two days was very bad and today he was just awful. He kept over-reading the break in the greens and missed about 6 or 7 putts that he should have made and that in the past two weeks he did make. His win at the Buick Invitational and the WGC win at Firestone were awesome (although Padraig Harrington did screw up by triple bogeying the 16th hole).

I was very impressed with how Y.E. handled himself considering the magnitude of the tournament, since it would have been Tiger's 15th major win and would have put him that much closer to breaking Jack's record. Tiger looked tenative and played way too conservatively over the last 2 days. I think this loss was good for him because everyone thought he was automatically going to win since he held the lead after the first 3 days of the tournament. Tiger is not infallible and he just proved that he too can hit some lousy putts.

I've won a couple of tournaments in my day and it's because I putted well and was not tenative in my play. Tiger could learn a thing or two from me! I think he'll still tie or beat Jack's record but at age 33, things just became a little bit harder and more difficult for the world's best golfer. Maybe he is human after all!

The Express - The Ernie Davis Story

Last night Fig and I watched "The Express", which is the story about Ernie Davis, the first black Heisman Trophy winner. I grew up in a family that did not show any prejudice for black people so whenever I see a movie that has racism included, I get really angry. Ernie Davis was an incredible athlete and put up with the ridiculous notion of racism. He went to Syracuse University and took them to a National Championship title in 1961 by beating The University of Texas in the Cotton Bowl. The team was ranked #1 and received two invites to bowl games. They could have gone to the Cotton Bowl and played #2 Texas or they could have gone to the Orange Bowl and played a lesser team. They decided to play Texas in Dallas. What a challenge. They were booed, a fight broke out and Ernie Davis came back in during the 4th quarter after literally getting the #$#$# knocked out of him, along with a bad hamstring. He caught a long pass and ran the ball in for the winning touchdown. Unfortunately, racism continued throughout the South and it is still alive and well in 2009.

The movie was truly inspirational and makes any of my problems that I experience on a daily basis seem really small in comparison. Ernie Davis was drafted by the Washington Redskins but was traded to the Cleveland Browns so he could be in the backfield with his icon, Jim Brown, who also played at Syracuse. But, Davis never ran a play in the NFL. He contracted leukemia and died at the age of 23. What a loss of a great young man.

The next time you hear someone making a crude remark about another person because of their race, religion, or sexual orientation, you need to call the person on the carpet so that we can stop racism and discrimination in its tracks. We are the only ones that can make a change so all persons are created equal, as described in the Constitution.

Multiple Observations - I'm Back

Sorry I've been gone for so long but I've been traveling to and from Ohio over the last week. Lots has gone on since I've been gone so let me summarize my OBSERVATIONS for you:

1. Delta Airlines actually ran on time for all of my flights through Atlanta both last Thursday, August 6 and yesterday. That's almost a miracle but I think things went so well because there were no weather delays. But, it's ridiculous that I had to pay $15 to have the airline carry my bag back for me yesterday. I'm not going to complain too much since my flight was free (I used mileage) but that's really the only reason I flew Delta. Southwest is a much better airline and they don't charge anything for the first checked bag.
2. My nephew Kyle was married last Saturday and I almost had to go to the wedding in my jeans or shorts! I had brought a nice suit with me but at the hotel I had separated the pants from the coat and shirt so that the pants would not wrinkle. However, when I grabbed the coat and shirt I forgot that the pants were not hanging with them. The wedding was at 6:30 p.m. so at 5:00 p.m. I went to get dressed and came running down the steps saying "I've got a problem". I decided that I had time to go shopping for a pair of pants and all I can say is thank God for Walmart! I found a pair that were a decent match and my embarassing wedding mishap was no more. I even beat my parents, sister and cousin to the wedding! I'm glad that Uncle Jack is no longer roasting people at the family picnic because I would have been a prime candidate!
3. I found out that I'm not as young as I used to be when it comes to roller coaster riding. My best friend Sharon and I went to Kings Island last Sunday and made an attempt to ride all of the roller coasters. I made it through 8 and Sharon hit 9 but let me tell you, I have bunches of bruises in places I didn't even know I could get them! Best ride: a tie between Firehawk and Flight of Fear. Firehawk was quite intriguing since I was able to truly see the earth below as I was inverted upside down and experienced twists and turns at over 50 mph. The lure was that we could be "test pilots". After standing in 92 degree heat for 45 minutes, I was really just looking to get some fresh air. Boy, did I get that and then some! This is not a ride for the faint of heart but I survived and decided that flying to the moon with the new NASA program is not for me. Flight of Fear was great mainly because it was the only ride that was inside an air conditioned building. After waiting almost an hour and having to endure a very young teenage couple trying to determine how many ways they could hug and kiss, I was ready for the 0-60 mph launch ride. It was truly awesome and was glad that the ride was mostly in the dark so I could finally get a break from the kissing freaks. I also road the old wooden roller coasts, the Blue Racer and the Beast, and now know why they make the newer coasters out of steel rails. At 52, I imagine this may be the last time I'll tackle the coasters, but who knows, I may take to the coasters once again, at least before I turn 70!
4. Is Tiger Woods amazing or what? Once again he proved that he is the best golfer in the world by winning the WGC by Bridgestone at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, OH. I did feel a slight pang of angst and sorrow for Padraig Harrington as he triple bogeyed #16 on the South Course, but that only lasted a few seconds. Tiger has now won 70 tournaments and is only behind Jack Nicklaus by 3 for total wins in a career. Sam Snead holds the lead at 82, but I imagine that Tiger will shatter that record since he's only 33! I'm also betting that he'll come through on top for his 15th major this weekend at the PGA Championship. He's in the lead at -5 after his first round today and guess who's on his Tigertail once again? Padraig! I'm hoping for a start to finish lead and win by Tiger and then he and Roger Federer can both be tied again with 15 majors. If Tiger wins he will only need 3 mor major wins to tie Jack at 18 major wins! It's getting very exciting now!
5. Last observation....It's a bitch going back to work after being off for 7 days.
   
   

President Clinton Meets with Kim Jong II

Former President Bill Clinton went to North Korea on Tuesday to talk with Kim Jong II to try and secure the release of two U.S. journalists , Euna Lee and Laura Ling, being held there since March. Recently, the U.S. and the United Nations have enacted sanctions on a wide range of North Korean arms companies, including senior North Korean officeials involved in its nuclear program.

It appears that President Obama did not send former President Clinton to North Korea. But, I think that it helps that President Clinton is married to the current Secretary of State. I think he will have enough clout to bring these young ladies home. I'm glad to see that the U.S. is using more diplomacy in trying to deal with North Korea rather than trying to send more troups.

Let's all say our prayers that he can bring a peaceful end to this dispute and bring the women home safely.

Tiger Wins the Buick Invitational

Well, from almost missing the cut to winning the tournament! Tiger went 20 under par and beat his next competitor by 3 strokes. He took the lead on Saturday and never looked back. He has an incredible record when he is leading a tournament after 54 holes, 36-1. It's his 69th career win and he has to be considered one of the greatest closers of all time. This tournament really didn't showcase the best golfers in the world, except for Tiger, but he still showed that he just cannot be beat when he has the lead on a Sunday morning.

I took this photo of Tiger at the CA Championship at Doral Country Club in Miami, FL a couple of years ago during a practice round. I was also able to get his autograph (one of the few he gives out) and it resides in the Tiger Shrine in our home.

Next week, Tiger plays in the Bridgestone Invitational, which is a World Golf Championship event held in Akron, Ohio at the Firestone South golf course. Since Fig and I will be in Ohio next week for my nephew Kyle's wedding, we are planning to go to the tournament on Sunday with our friend Sharon and get to see Tiger in person! For those of you who may not know, Fig is Tiger's #1 fan, even though she has never played golf. Let's hope he makes the cut and is in contention again. He has now won 4 tournaments this year, more than anyone else and we'd love to be there to see him win #70!

Wyland the Artist

Fig and I started collecting Robert Wyland art in 2000 after a trip to Hawaii. We purchased Spouty and Friends as shown above. We also were able to get a copy of each of the characters in the painting, which we have hanging in our living room. We get lots of great compliments on them when we have visitors. His paintings and sculptures are brilliant but Wyland's biggest accomplishments are his commitment to marine conservation. I want to bring to your attention that you can get a first hand look at Wyland, his art and his conservation efforts. See below from his website at www.wyland.com.

Wyland along with Detroit Public Television bring to you the beginning of an amazing public television series where in each episode Wyland will teach you how to paint his favorite subjects from whales and dolphins to rivers, oceans and wetlands.

Wyland focuses to raise awareness of the beauty of life on our blue planet. He draws and paints in the same motion, blocking in the shape of the animal, keeping everything in perspective with his light source.

Using Ecco friendly nontoxic art materials, now the whole family can paint together. With ecological tips at the end of every show you can't help but be inspired to paint the beauty of the earth with Wyland in his art studio!

I made our most recent purchase while I was in San Diego in May, which is a Chinese Brush Painting, the koala bear that is shown at the top of this post. This series of artworks features some of the world's most threatened species, such as the koala bear, the polar bear, the white tiger, the bald eagle and the panda. Wyland uses only environmentally friendly "green ink" on renewable bamboo. The painting is just gorgeous and we are pleased to have it hanging in our home.

The Wyland Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1993 by environmental marine life artist Wyland, is dedicated to promoting, protecting, and preserving the world’s oceans, waterways, and marine life. The foundation encourages environmental awareness through education programs, life-size public arts projects, and community events.

I encourage you to watch the TV series and to visit a Wyland Gallery if you get a chance. I also encourage you to purchase one of his pieces so you too can be a part of making our world more "green".

Tiger Woods - Buick Open - 2nd Round

Boy, just when you think Tiger is going to have another lousy weekend he comes back with a fantastic second round. Tiger shot -9 for a total of -10! He knew that he would have to get to at least 3 or 4 under to make the cut and I'm sure he did not want to miss his second cut in a row so he went out and shot lights out. Tiger shot a 30 on the his front 9, which started at number 10. He threw in an eagle on the par4 12th for good measure. He started his 2nd round at birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie! That's 6 under in 5 holes! I'd give anything to shoot that!

I think he's just getting warmed up now. He will be at Firestone next weekend and perhaps Fig and I will get a chance to see him on Sunday. He loves that course and he's due to win at another World Championship event. Let's hope his good play now carries him through the weekend for win #4 for the year. Not bad for someone who had ACL surgery last winter.

Buick Open - Following Tiger Woods

I'm not sure what happened to Tiger after winning the week before the British Open, but he's really not playing well now. He shot a 1 under 71 today, but the leader is at 9 under after just the first day. His iron play has been awful (over 39 feet from the pin) so he's not giving himself any chances at putts. He needs to get himself together or he is not going to win again. He's had 3 wins this year and no majors. I predicted he would win 1 major this year so I'm down to the PGA. I think getting the last 4 major wins to tie Jack Nicklaus will be psychologically very difficult, but I think he will do it eventually. He's in the prime of his career so let's get it going Tiger. Plus, when he doesn't win, Figgy is a pain to live with!

The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien

Is it me or does this late night show now suck with Conan O'Brien? I don't find him funny at all. I really enjoyed Jay Leno but nothing will beat Johnny Carson. Do you think that Conan last? I don't think so. Let me hear from you on this one.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I went to see the movie this past weekend and as usual I was not disappointed. The movie doesn't have as much action as the others, but the graphics and special effects were marvelous. I read the entire series and I have enjoyed all of the movies so far. My favorite character is Harry although I really enjoy Ron. He's always eating and that pretty much describes me! I love to eat! I recommend the movie and if you have not read the books, pick them up. They are fantastic.

Health Care Reform

This subject has got to be one of the most controversial in the U.S. today. My observations are the following:

• We need to give the President time to put something together with Congress and then we can give our critiques. He is getting criticized right and left and we don't even have something concrete yet.
• What's wrong with some type of plan that competes with the current health care system, which is just outrageously expensive? I don't hear any comments coming from those that currently have state or federal health insurance available. That's because they have nothing to complain about. The health care that government and state employees have is excellent and I think a similar plan should be available to all. This would help keep the costs down because it will compete with the best private plans.
• There should be no pre-existing conditions and no maximums in any health plan,. Too many people have gone bankrupt because they cannot get coverage or they run out of their coverage because of the type of illness they have. I am lucky enough to be able to afford health insurance but I could easily use the maximum if I had a life threatening illness. That' scares me.
• Medicare and Medicaid need to be more flexible and provide more benefits for our senior citizens that are over the age of 75. Both of my parents are in their late 80's and they are now starting to run through some of their savings because of health issues. My dad is so concerned about running out of money. They have paid for their home and would like to stay their and I think they should be able to get long-term service without having to have a minimum of 3 day stays in the hospital. That's just ludicrous.

That's all for now, but please share with me your thoughts and opinions. I want to hear what you have to say about your "observations".

Welcome!

Welcome all to The Observationist. The goal of this blog is to comment about those things that we observe on an everyday basis. My posts will be about those things that I see each day and I'll give my opinion, which you may or may not agree with. I want to create a forum where basically any topic can be discussed at anytime. I hope you'll join me and post your observations as well.