I saw Sicko last night. I thought the movie was going to be about the working class who is caught just above poverty line where they would receive welfare, and earn just low enough to not be able to afford insurance. Spoiler alert! It's about people who have insurance, but whose claims are denied for asinine reasons. One 22-year-old girl had cervical cancer, and was denied treatment because she was "too young" to have cervical cancer. Yeah! She is too young and should be treated.

Do you think it's acceptable that you can't choose which hospital you want to go to? If you go to Akron General, but you have Summa insurance, General cannot treat you. You will have to be transported to a Summa hospital. Two years ago, when I was injured, my husband grabbed the phone book as he ran out the door to make sure we were going to the right hospital. That thought shouldn't even have to cross our minds in the greatest country in the world.

Everyone should see this movie. It's a non-partisan issue. Democrats are just as big of failures on this issue as Republican are.

Bring a tissue.

"I first attempted to read Moby-Dick while I was in 7th grade. We had a huge reading list to choose from where we had to read a certain number of books on the list and pass a ten question computer test. After breezing through many books and acing every test, I decided I was going to challenge myself by reading the hardest book on the list, Moby-Dick. It was a level 12 and was worth over 1200 points towards the "End of the semester, students with the most points gets treated to Pizza Hut by Mrs. Letz" party.

It took the better part of the semester to finish the book, but I read it all cover to cover. When it came time to take the test, I got smoked. 4 out of 10, I didn't even recognize half of the events mentioned on the test questions. It continues to be the only test on a book which I had read that I really remember failing.


The book became my white whale. Over the following years, I continued to read at an impressive pace. Admittedly I am one of those nerds who actually read and enjoyed (for the most part) every book from every English class I've ever taken. I was inspired to read classics after my favorite English professor in university told the class one day that, "I only read dead authors."

From that point on, instead of picking up the latest thing John Grisham regurgitated all over his computer, or whatever story Dan Brown wrote over again claiming to be a new an exciting thriller, I would check out "War and Peace," "Catch-22," "A Tale of Two Cities," "Huckleberry Finn," "Gulliver's Travels," or whichever book I could find that everybody has heard of, but few have probably read without being forced to. After all, they are classics for a reason. They have to be pretty good, right?

Even with my snobbish view of literature, I was still afraid of Moby-Dick. That's the book that took by leg. It showed me that I didn't know everything. I was taken down a few pegs in my literary superiority complex. It was the big reason why, even after picking up a new copy of Melville's classic, I let it sit on my overcrowded bookshelves for close to a year before attempting it again.

After finishing it, once again I am humbled and feel like an idiot. How could I have waited for so long to attempt this great work again? There are some who claim "Moby-Dick" to be "The Great American Novel." I am now one of those people.

I realize that there are people out there who have written their Master's thesis on this novel. I am not going to attempt anything so grand. What I decided to do in the following; is to put down some of my favorite quotes as either talking points or inspiration to pick up a copy and read it for yourself..."

President Bush has decided he will not hand over subpoenaed documents to the Senate regarding the fired federal prosecutors. He is also refusing to allow Harriet Myers and Sara Taylor to testify. So basically, Congress requested something of the President and he just said "no." And that's the end of the story. What are they going to do about it? Keep asking? Our government is not set up to handle an out-of-control power-monger who refuses to abide by the checks and balances the Constitution has established.

One problem I have always had with Bush is that he does not lead by example. What would happen if I decided to say "no" when the government asks me to hand over 1,000 (more) of my hard-earned "documents" every April 15th? There would be punishment for that action. However, the president doesn't feel he should follow the rules. So, if my "leader" doesn't follow the rules, why should I? Why should any American? Should I follow the leader, or be a law-abiding citizen?

This White House has made another interesting anti-Constitution declaration - that the Vice President is not a member of the Executive branch. Do they really think we're that stupid? I mean 1/2 the country did re-elect them after gross failure to protect our country in their first term. Not a bright move, but most of us have at least seen the Constitution. They seem to rely on the idea that if they say it enough, we'll just believe it.

A Chief Source Call To Action!!!

I got an email today from the Obama for President campaign and I made my first contribution because of it. The campaign is at just under 245,000 donors and are trying to hit 250,000 by June 30th, which is just two more days. I would ask that if you support Obama for President like we do that you go here and make a small contribution in the next 48 hours to help put his campaign over the top. Go Obama Go!

*The Obama Campaign hit their goal of 250,000! Tell your friends.

[The following is a letter sent today to Barack Obama's Campaign Manager]

Fellow Obama supporter,

The bloggers are itching for change.

I've been a political blogger since before the Kerry debacle. One thing I've learned is that the Blogsphere is a more fanatical, well read and unforgiving group than you find almost anywhere else. Being such, it only serves certain masters. Despite being up in the polls, Hillary is getting slammed online. Her "moderate" pandering and early support for the war continue to win her nothing but scorn amongst liberal bloggers. Obama on the other hand is being quietly, haphazardly championed by hometown blogs like ours. With a little effort, the Obama camp could take these mismatched bands of bloggers and pull them together into a virtual army...

...but, I missed his stop because I was at work. Finley is challenging incumbent Don Plusquellic in the Democratic Primary to be the Mayor of Akron. I did receive a piece of literature (pictured) signed by Joe with a nice hand written "sorry I missed you." I respect candidates going door to door. Even though I'm not going to vote for Joe Finley, I would have listened to what he had to say had I been home. Then, I'd have probably asked him about what it means to be 100% pro-life and why that position needs to be qualified with a percentage? After telling him about the Keeler Report, I would wish him well. I live in a heavily Democratic and very walkable district so I'm not surprised when I find lit on my door step.

As I was doing some Googling on the Democratic Primary for Mayor, I came across a great quote from University of Akron political science guru Dr. Stephen Brooks from the Plain Dealer this past May 10th. The article is in response to the 2-1 defeat of the Mayor's proposed tax increase. I post this because I think it summarizes well why Mayor Plusquellic will win the primary:

"Both the low turnout and the rejection of [the tax levy] might be a perception of people that things are good in Akron," Brooks said. "That actually gives the mayor an edge in terms of his re-election campaign. He can certainly take credit for some of the reasons Akron is good."

Akron is good and that is why I want to keep Mayor Plusquellic.

I have blogged before about the growing orange community here in Northeast Ohio. Today, their children face a new challenge.

I heard on WKSU that six Ohio House members think that teens should be banned from tanning beds unless they have a doctor's permission. They site rising rates of skin cancer and the sensitivity of a child's skin as reasons for the ban. The American Academy of Dermatology says "no minor should be permitted to use tanning devices." Dr. Spencer of the AADA added: "Dr. Spencer. "Research has shown that indoor tanning is dangerous, and there should be laws to protect children from engaging in this activity as there are from other unhealthy behaviors such as drinking or smoking. We urge all states to take immediate action to prohibit indoor tanning for minors." Ohio may take action.

Question: Do you think Ohio should ban teen tanning?

Here is a portion of Pat Buchanan's comments from yesterday's Meet The Press opposing the immigration bill:

MR. BUCHANAN: You begin by enforcing the border, prosecuting businesses hiring illegals. And you go after, in deportation, the 600,000 who've been ordered deported who are now criminal felons who have stayed in this country. Many of them are child molesters, they're drunk drivers, they're rapists, they're robbers.

Many of them? Wow. Insane. I'm amazed that you can just say something like that without having to back it up at all. Isn't that just racist? From what I have read and watched, this bill is going to die in the Senate this week and nothing is going to be done. My problem is that this kind of inflammatory rhetoric generated by this debate is here to stay. Conservatives have found a new boogie man.

One positive of this immigration debate is watching Republicans go after each other, particularly the President. Newsweek's most recent poll has President Bush at 26% approval. I can't help but think about what will happen when pollsters start to reach Republicans who are opposed to this immigration bill. Who is going to be left to support the President?