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neurotwitch

Thursday, July 22, 2010

on the river queen

Kristine posted photos on her Facebook page—had to snag some of them because I love them so much. Jamie, Kristine, and Riley were up in Oscoda (where we’ll be, if all goes well, this time next month!) visiting Dad and on July 16, took a trip on the “River Queen,” a paddle-wheel boat on the Au Sable River.

I’m not sure in this case if “River Queen” refers to the boat or to Riley! At any rate, here are some of the photos—I’m not sure who snapped ‘em.

Jamie, Kristine, and Riley, River Queen, July 16, 2010
Jamie, Kristine, and Riley, River Queen, July 16, 2010

Jim Fleming on the River Queen, July 16, 2010
Papa Jim on the River Queen, July 16, 2010 (click to enlarge)

Jim Fleming and great grandchild Riley Downey
Papa Jim and Riley tell the boat where to go ...  (click to enlarge)

Jamie Skipworth and grandchild Riley Downey
Granny Jamie and Riley (click to enlarge)

Kristine and Riley Downey
Mother and daughter on the River Queen

Jim Fleming and Riley Downey
Papa Jim and Riley (click to enlarge)

posted by lee on 07/22/10 at 08:20 PM

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Tuesday, July 06, 2010

i saw the new hhs find-some-health-insurance website

And I was appalled. It’s here: healthcare.gov  Not that it doesn’t work well or isn’t well on it’s way to completion (in October, apparently, we’ll be able to see the prices). Nope. I was appalled that we even need it.

But William Blum says it better:

Another thing Americans have to be thankful for on July 4

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has a new feature on their website called “Find Insurance Options.” You just provide certain information about your family size, your age, your employment situation, your financial situation, whether you have certain disabilities or diseases, whether you now have Medicare or some other health insurance, or how long you have not had health insurance, whether you have been denied insurance, whether you are someone’s dependent, a veteran? an American Indian? an Alaskan Native? etc., etc., etc. ...  and the site gives you suggestions as to where and how you might find health insurance that might suit your particular needs. The head of HHS, Kathleen Sebelius, tells us “This is an incredibly impressive consumer tool,” adding that the site is capable of providing tailored responses to about 3 billion [sic] individual scenarios. “This information can give folks choices that they just didn’t have any idea they had available to them.” *

Isn’t that remarkable? Where else but in America could one have such choice? Certainly not in Communist Cuba. There it’s only one scenario, one size fits all — you’re sick, you go to a doctor or to a hospital, and you get taken care of to the best of their abilities; no charge; doesn’t matter what your medical problem is, doesn’t matter what your financial situation is, doesn’t matter what your employment situation is, there’s no charge. No one has health insurance. No one needs health insurance. Isn’t that boring? Communist regimentation!
* Washington Post, July 1, 2010

Our rate from Oxford Health Care Small Business went from $890 per month for a couple to $1,129. And that’s for a shitty plan that doesn’t even pay for anything until we’ve kicked in three grand. Aren’t we lucky.

posted by lee on 07/06/10 at 12:23 PM

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