No offense to my dear Laura whom I'll always love, I want to get on with my life.
It's been more than two months since she died, and I'm not getting any younger. I've decided to stick my toe in the ocean to see what other fish are out there (how's that for a metaphor!).
So, I'm sitting at a table of ten the other day at my great-niece's Bat Mitzvah, and three Jewish women who have also been widowed and who are also north of 60 (closer to the North Pole than I am), are giving me some encouragement...
Said one, "You'll be snapped up right away, Burt! After all, you have a car, and you can drive at night!"
Maybe I should put that on my Internet dating site profile - that surely would be bait for an entire school of fish!!! Er... maybe not!
Do you know anyone who's found love on an Internet site? I'm going to try, so stay tuned.
Meanwhile, if anyone out there wants to offer to fix me up, please call or write. As the women at the table told me, I'm "such a catch!"
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
New Year's Wishes
A friend of mine recently wrote on his FaceBook page: "According to the Jewish calendar, the year is 5769. According to the Chinese calendar, the year is 4706. This means that the Jews went without Chinese food for 1,063 years. This period was known as the Dark Ages."
Funny, eh?
Yes, funny, and it reminded me that the Jewish New Year begins tonight. While those who know me know that I'm hardly the religious type, I was brought up Jewish, and the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashonah, always meant to me a new beginning. In fact, I always regarded the Jewish New Year as MY new year what with summer ending; school beginning; and the cycle of life seeming to renew itself at about the same time of year. So indeed, happy New Year to all my friends, whatever your religion, or even if you don't have a religion!
I don't mind seeing the end of the year that just passed; it was a difficult year for me, what with my dear Laura passing away at the end of July. I'd like to forget much of 5769, and who could blame me?
So, I'll look ahead to 5770. It's human nature - or should be - to look ahead, and since I'm human (I know it's disappointing to those who think I'm much more than human!), here are some of the things I'm hoping for in the New Year:
Funny, eh?
Yes, funny, and it reminded me that the Jewish New Year begins tonight. While those who know me know that I'm hardly the religious type, I was brought up Jewish, and the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashonah, always meant to me a new beginning. In fact, I always regarded the Jewish New Year as MY new year what with summer ending; school beginning; and the cycle of life seeming to renew itself at about the same time of year. So indeed, happy New Year to all my friends, whatever your religion, or even if you don't have a religion!
I don't mind seeing the end of the year that just passed; it was a difficult year for me, what with my dear Laura passing away at the end of July. I'd like to forget much of 5769, and who could blame me?
So, I'll look ahead to 5770. It's human nature - or should be - to look ahead, and since I'm human (I know it's disappointing to those who think I'm much more than human!), here are some of the things I'm hoping for in the New Year:
- A break! Can I get a break in the New Year? If it weren't for BAD luck recently, I wouldn't have had any luck!
- A MegaMillions jackpot. Twice a week, I buy two "MegaMillions - Big Game" tickets, knowing that some day I'll be standing at a podium and microphone next to a 15-foot-by-30-foot check made out in my name. And, I'll be lamenting the fact that I shouldn't have "wasted" that second dollar on this particular drawing!
- A phone call from Hollywood super-agent Ari Emanuel -- the kid brother of President Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Ari would be calling me to ask if he could represent me in the sale to HBO of my television mini-series script "Nevada Easy." And, as a bonus, Ari's client Martin Scorsese wants to direct the movie. Oh, before I forget, happy New Year, Ari. You too, Martin!
- A female companion... not to replace Laura, because that's impossible, but just an intelligent, beautiful woman who wants to spoil me - okay, someone like Laura. Hopefully, she'll be wealthy - I married (twice) for love, and while that was great, I'm thinking of choosing the next time for both money AND love. Maybe that'll be the "break" I was talking about, up above!
- A World Series title for the Red Sox, an NBA Championship for the Celts, a Stanley Cup for the Bruins, and a Super Bowl win for the Pats. And, finally...
- Peace on earth. (Hey, why not? I can dream, can't I?)
A hippo gnu deer to all my animal friends, too!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Health Care Reform - For Me, It's Personal!
President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress tonight on the issue of health care reform, and during his speech, he recounted several stories of Americans who suffered, even to the point of death, from inadequate health insurance or from insurance company abuse of or indifference toward Americans needing health care.
Allow me to tell you Laura's story. Laura was my wife. She died on July 27, 2009. Her death certificate says she died from complications of pulmonary fibrosis, a scarring of the lungs. It might also have said that she died because she didn't have health insurance.
When Laura couldn't work any more, she lost health insurance coverage. Yes, she was offered continuing coverage through COBRA, but we couldn't afford the $1000/month premiums, most of which had been paid by her employer while she was working.
Laura had a pre-existing condition - her lung disease - so it would have been impossible to obtain coverage as an individual. I also have a pre-existing condition, type 2 diabetes.
The good news is that, as Massachusetts citizens, we could apply to the state for either the fully funded "MassHealth" insurance, i.e., Medicaid, or for the state-subsidized "Commonwealth Care" private health insurance.
The bad news is that the application process takes a long time, several months in fact, before a determination can be made on whether we'd be eligible. While our applications were pending, Laura and I were covered only for emergency medical care, under the Massachusetts Health Safety Net. Were we to visit a doctor's office or seek any care other than emergency care, we had to pay 60 percent of health care costs.
So, Laura and I were forced to "ration" ourselves when it came to health care. We both canceled doctor's appointments we had previously scheduled. Laura canceled a March appointment that she had with a pulmonologist. Only when her breathing problems became much more acute in mid-July did she finally visit such a specialist.
The pulmonologist, recognizing Laura's serious condition, prescribed a home oxygen regimen for her. And the very next day, a representative of the company that supplies oxygen to patients' homes called us to make arrangements for delivery.
In the course of our phone conversation with the oxygen supplier's rep, he asked us what type of health insurance we had. We told him that Laura's application for MassHealth was pending, as it was at the time. After a short pause, the oxygen company rep said, "You know, I forgot to get some information from the doctor. Let me call him (the doctor was actually a 'her'), and I'll call you right back."
He never called us back, and it was apparent that his company wasn't going to supply oxygen to an uninsured person!
Two days later, on an early Saturday morning, I had to take Laura to the Emergency Room, because she could barely breathe. Eight days later, she died, a victim of delayed medical treatment, no health insurance coverage, and a system that puts profits before medicine.
Bad things like this don't always happen to other people. And bad things like this will continue to happen to people - to you, to me, to others - until our health insurance system is reformed, once and for all.
Last week, I visited Laura's family to mourn with them and to honor Laura's memory. They live in Northern Nevada, and like many folks in that part of the country, they are opposed to Mr. Obama and his proposals for health care reform. One of their arguments: "We don't want the government taking over health care."
They're adamant that if Mr. Obama has his way, some government bureaucrat will be deciding what kind of health care people will get.
As we were having this inter-family debate, my brother-in-law was awaiting a decision from his health insurance company as to whether he could have a CT scan to help diagnose the problem causing his neck pain. His doctor wanted the test, but again, the final go or no-go decision was the insurance company's.
Consider that for a moment, if you will. Here are good people arguing against some government bureaucrat making health decisions for people, but they are content with a system that has a corporate bureaucrat making those same health decisions, a decision that probably depended upon the profit motive.
Somehow or other, I'd feel a lot better knowing that profits don't enter into the health care equation! Wouldn't you?
Look, here's the bottom line...
There's room for discussion in the health care debate, but this is no time to surrender to the status quo.
How many more Lauras need to die?
Allow me to tell you Laura's story. Laura was my wife. She died on July 27, 2009. Her death certificate says she died from complications of pulmonary fibrosis, a scarring of the lungs. It might also have said that she died because she didn't have health insurance.
When Laura couldn't work any more, she lost health insurance coverage. Yes, she was offered continuing coverage through COBRA, but we couldn't afford the $1000/month premiums, most of which had been paid by her employer while she was working.
Laura had a pre-existing condition - her lung disease - so it would have been impossible to obtain coverage as an individual. I also have a pre-existing condition, type 2 diabetes.
The good news is that, as Massachusetts citizens, we could apply to the state for either the fully funded "MassHealth" insurance, i.e., Medicaid, or for the state-subsidized "Commonwealth Care" private health insurance.
The bad news is that the application process takes a long time, several months in fact, before a determination can be made on whether we'd be eligible. While our applications were pending, Laura and I were covered only for emergency medical care, under the Massachusetts Health Safety Net. Were we to visit a doctor's office or seek any care other than emergency care, we had to pay 60 percent of health care costs.
So, Laura and I were forced to "ration" ourselves when it came to health care. We both canceled doctor's appointments we had previously scheduled. Laura canceled a March appointment that she had with a pulmonologist. Only when her breathing problems became much more acute in mid-July did she finally visit such a specialist.
The pulmonologist, recognizing Laura's serious condition, prescribed a home oxygen regimen for her. And the very next day, a representative of the company that supplies oxygen to patients' homes called us to make arrangements for delivery.
In the course of our phone conversation with the oxygen supplier's rep, he asked us what type of health insurance we had. We told him that Laura's application for MassHealth was pending, as it was at the time. After a short pause, the oxygen company rep said, "You know, I forgot to get some information from the doctor. Let me call him (the doctor was actually a 'her'), and I'll call you right back."
He never called us back, and it was apparent that his company wasn't going to supply oxygen to an uninsured person!
Two days later, on an early Saturday morning, I had to take Laura to the Emergency Room, because she could barely breathe. Eight days later, she died, a victim of delayed medical treatment, no health insurance coverage, and a system that puts profits before medicine.
Bad things like this don't always happen to other people. And bad things like this will continue to happen to people - to you, to me, to others - until our health insurance system is reformed, once and for all.
Last week, I visited Laura's family to mourn with them and to honor Laura's memory. They live in Northern Nevada, and like many folks in that part of the country, they are opposed to Mr. Obama and his proposals for health care reform. One of their arguments: "We don't want the government taking over health care."
They're adamant that if Mr. Obama has his way, some government bureaucrat will be deciding what kind of health care people will get.
As we were having this inter-family debate, my brother-in-law was awaiting a decision from his health insurance company as to whether he could have a CT scan to help diagnose the problem causing his neck pain. His doctor wanted the test, but again, the final go or no-go decision was the insurance company's.
Consider that for a moment, if you will. Here are good people arguing against some government bureaucrat making health decisions for people, but they are content with a system that has a corporate bureaucrat making those same health decisions, a decision that probably depended upon the profit motive.
Somehow or other, I'd feel a lot better knowing that profits don't enter into the health care equation! Wouldn't you?
Look, here's the bottom line...
There's room for discussion in the health care debate, but this is no time to surrender to the status quo.
How many more Lauras need to die?
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Lies, Damn Lies!
The right-wing attack machine, pretending to represent the GOP, is in high gear, and if I were a Republican, or even a conservative, I would be very embarrassed.
In recent weeks, they've accused President Obama of being a socialist and a fascist, as if that were simultaneously possible; they've spread the rumor that he was born in Kenya and shouldn't be allowed to sit in the White House; they've said that Mr. Obama wants to create "death panels" to decide whether elderly Americans should receive health care; and they've accused him of trying to indoctrinate our nation's schoolchildren by merely addressing and encouraging them on their first day of the school year. One phony-baloney minister this week even wished publicly that Mr. Obama be stricken with brain cancer and die.
Who are these liars and fearmongers? We all know the answer to that question. We know who they are, because they no longer wear sheets to protect their identities. They are the haters. And they hate everyone who doesn't look or pray like they do.
Come on, you members of the Republican party... come on, you legitimate conservatives! Speak up about these jerks! Don't let them represent you with their lies. As the loyal opposition, you - and our country - have too much to lose!
In recent weeks, they've accused President Obama of being a socialist and a fascist, as if that were simultaneously possible; they've spread the rumor that he was born in Kenya and shouldn't be allowed to sit in the White House; they've said that Mr. Obama wants to create "death panels" to decide whether elderly Americans should receive health care; and they've accused him of trying to indoctrinate our nation's schoolchildren by merely addressing and encouraging them on their first day of the school year. One phony-baloney minister this week even wished publicly that Mr. Obama be stricken with brain cancer and die.
Who are these liars and fearmongers? We all know the answer to that question. We know who they are, because they no longer wear sheets to protect their identities. They are the haters. And they hate everyone who doesn't look or pray like they do.
Come on, you members of the Republican party... come on, you legitimate conservatives! Speak up about these jerks! Don't let them represent you with their lies. As the loyal opposition, you - and our country - have too much to lose!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Political civility - Ah! What a concept!
Was there ever a time in America when political debate was civil? When ad hominem attacks on political opponents were off limits and respect for those fairly elected ruled the day? If there was such a time, I don't remember it.
Today's health care reform debate, for instance, which should be helping us understand a complex issue, often sounds like a vitriolic screaming match between two bitterly opposed enemies. Our President, and I emphasize "our" President, has been villified as both a socialist and a fascist by those opposed to his policies. And name-calling isn't the worst of what's happening...
Fueled by agitators on the radical right, encouraged by fearmongers like Sarah Palin who promote fantasy tales such as "death panels," and funded by deep-pocket corporate interests, mere political opposition to the President has risen - or should I say has "sunk" - to levels well beneath the expected dignity of a sophisticated democracy. The crazies are out there in force - they bring guns with them to tea parties and town meetings; they sport signs that morph Mr. Obama's face into that of Hitler; and they make implicit, if not explicit, threats against anyone with whom they disagree!
It's disgusting!
Whatever our differences, why can't we have civility as we discuss politics? With very few exceptions, our Presidents, our Congressmen, and our Senators are, and have always been, good people who are fiercely loyal to our republic and to American democracy and ideals. Democrat or Republican, they generally believe they are doing the right thing for their constituents and for our country. Sure, you or I might differ with them on policy or tactics, but let's conduct ourselves and our political discourse with dignity. In short, let's act like responsible adults!
Today's health care reform debate, for instance, which should be helping us understand a complex issue, often sounds like a vitriolic screaming match between two bitterly opposed enemies. Our President, and I emphasize "our" President, has been villified as both a socialist and a fascist by those opposed to his policies. And name-calling isn't the worst of what's happening...
Fueled by agitators on the radical right, encouraged by fearmongers like Sarah Palin who promote fantasy tales such as "death panels," and funded by deep-pocket corporate interests, mere political opposition to the President has risen - or should I say has "sunk" - to levels well beneath the expected dignity of a sophisticated democracy. The crazies are out there in force - they bring guns with them to tea parties and town meetings; they sport signs that morph Mr. Obama's face into that of Hitler; and they make implicit, if not explicit, threats against anyone with whom they disagree!
It's disgusting!
Whatever our differences, why can't we have civility as we discuss politics? With very few exceptions, our Presidents, our Congressmen, and our Senators are, and have always been, good people who are fiercely loyal to our republic and to American democracy and ideals. Democrat or Republican, they generally believe they are doing the right thing for their constituents and for our country. Sure, you or I might differ with them on policy or tactics, but let's conduct ourselves and our political discourse with dignity. In short, let's act like responsible adults!
Friday, September 4, 2009
A Time for Political and Personal Tolerance
A nasty trend has infected American political discourse. It's a mean-spiritedness is pervading American politics, and it has
"Can't We All Just Get Along?" The year was 1992. Rioting had ripped the City of Los Angeles in the wake It was the aftermath the speaker was Rodney King.
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