I’m taking the day off from blogging to just to pay more attention to what I’m doing here at Bennington, which thankfully has gotten a lot warmer (meaning the temperature’s in the perfectly reasonable 30’s and 40’s, as opposed to the -9 it was last week).
But, in the meantime it’s worth checking out these stories:
1. It looks as if the Supremes are going to shoot down the challenge to the Photo ID for Voters in a big way. Here’s what the NY Times says. And McClatchy talks about the justices splitting along partisan lines.
2. Jon Stewart’s back and not a moment too soon. Here’s what he says about the press coverage over Hillary’s tears (or tear). It was taped before the results from New Hampshire came in, but the silliness factor Stewart flags still holds.
3. And lest we think for a minute that we’re safe in ANY hospital, there is this and this story about a report describing how Cedars Sinai—arguably one of LA’s very best hospitals—has been putting pediatric patients at risk, including Dennis Quaid’s infant twins.
However Justice Ginsburg leans is more apt to be wrong, especially after she once cast her vote and justified it by claiming that our constitution should be interpreted consistent with “international laws.” She’s part of the Clinton legacy that we’ll endure for years, and it can get worse when Rodham-Clinton is elected and nominates her once barred from the Supreme Court husband for a seat on that bench.
The Indiana Law requires a certified birth certificate that costs money. The poor can get an exemption but it requires multiple trips to obtain the document. Plus, of course, they have to get to the place that has the certificate. More than fifty years ago we eliminated the poll tax. That is where this modern court is. Any bets on how they would have voted in BROWN v. BOARD?
For what its worth, Robert Bork – sort of a guru for judicial reactionaries – has written retrospectively that Brown was the “constitutional” decision, and even the ultra-ideological fringie Clarence Thomas(!) has endorsed it. But I doubt, without the social stigma and burden of attempting to rewrite history to no effect if the Federalist Society crowd argues against Brown, that they would have – back in the day – moved Brown forward.
Thousands of people die from hospital-induced infections every year, and upto 2 million more all ill. These are people who were otherwise “healthy” except for whatever they went in for, often “routine” surgeries where they were supposed to be home in a a day or two, safe and sound… Besides the staff infections that have received a lot of recent attention, this problem has gone on for decades, incl. at Cedars, my hospital, where doctors and nurses routinely examine patients then tough unsanitary objects around the room, go back to the patient… Vulnerable patients: the elderly, those on certain meds, small children/babies and pregnant women are especially vulnerable. I know from experience, should have sued the hospital twice. Besides that there’s incompetence: a woman I know went in to Cedars for a radical mastectomy for breast cancer, and while recovering, the nurse made her get up and move around contrary to specific Dr. orders, saying she was getting lazy — she had a hemmorhage and almost died. As my kid’s pediatrician says: Get out of that (or any) hospital as soon as you can, because it’s full of seriously sick people and people who treat them, so it’s the WORST place to be.
The fact that people assume “top” places like Cedars will be the safest also makes them let down their guard vs. a place like USC/County, whereas Cedars staff and Admin. may just be more complacent and smug about their superiority, I’ve found. (I also had one more positive experience in the ER, due to the resident who happened to be there — but as soon as I was stablized I left “against doctor’s orders” and am really, really glad I did.) But these are universal problems.
The press: yes, pathetic how quick they were to call the election based on 17 voters in the tiny N H town that voted first. Meanwhile, I love how Hollywood was already planning to dump Hillary and dumpto Obama (they’d “always liked his story” but thought Hillary would win, so, you know, whoever butters your bread) , and I love that some of them are on record, now that they’re back to being her loyal best friends again — what stalwart friends Hollywood types are.
The “expert pundits” all just talk to earn their overpayed salaries, especially Wolf Blitzer. They blame their idiotic babblings on “The Bradley effect,” the “tearful, sincere moment,” the backlash from the way the media has annointed Obama the Messiah and dumped on Hillary, the way Obama and Edwards ganged up on her, the fact that more upmarket Dems liked to sound high-minded by saying they’ll back Obama while the blue collar voted pragmatically, even the type of polling equipment used.
Fact is, because Hillary is more moderate than Obama she got a lot of the indie vote, as did McCain. She and Rudy will do well in states with urban populations and problems, except maybe Obama’s home state of Illinois: but now that he’s coming out slinging as a “street fighter,” no more Mr. Nice Guy (which started to disappear at the ganging-up with Edwards at the debates) her “negatives” as cold will become a lot less negative and be seen as more just preservation.
So the left and right on this blog, from woody to hysterical reg, will both have to bite it and live with Hillary as Pres.
That woman who’s challenging Indiana’s voter ID law? Registered to vote in two states.
Getting sick in a hospital is old news. After the simple operation on my torn Achilles tendon, I contracted pneumonia in the hospital. I had to spend three weeks in the hospital recovering from pneumonia. And I spent an additional three months in a daze, from “who knows what†medication, luckily the daze went away on its own. I have heard many similar stories from hospital patients, where they become infected with something else in the hospital.
Hillary’s “comeback†is an interesting story, I enjoy/laugh while listening to all the theories about how and why she pulled off a “comebackâ€Â. I guess news people forgot she was the front runner and probable next president just a few weeks ago. All the silly comments from political pundits about Hillary’s emotional “breakdownâ€Â, reminds me of one week before the Super Bowl. We have too many experts analyzing every minute detail of a game instead of just watching the results.
“she got a lot of the indie vote”
LOL…
“Why Bother to Comment” indeed !!!
(Her response will not be anything evidentiary because the original assertion about Hillary’s “indie vote” is clearly counterfactual, but the hysterical ad hominem will flow. Just watch.)
Funny that this blog knows that the woman is fraudlently voting since the Indiana AG was asked for examples and provided NONE. But I guess he didn’t have the crack resources of the people aptly called “Hot Air.”
My fave Stewart was his comment on “Tweety” Chris Matthews on Hillary: “The guy is insane!”
Matthews strikes me as a guy who’s on drugs. I’m not saying he is, but he seems to be hyperventilating even more than bloviating.
May I use this site to announce the death of Johnny Grant “The Mayor of Hollywood” at 89.
This is for all LA residents. RIP Johnny!