Maybe.  It’s a nice thought and one I’d like to believe. I don’t want the guy who is supposed to make me feel better also simultaneously jacking me up for his own, personal gain. I want to believe my doctor is just another hapless victim of the corruption of greed.

But here’s the thing: I find it hard to believe that doctors are unable to do anything about it. If they are truly that outraged, I don’t understand why things don’t change. I fully admit there’s a lot I don’t understand and I could be missing something really obvious, but if I am, feel free to set me straight. I don’t get it. The whole thing hinges on doctors. If doctors won’t give the diagnosis or prescribe the pill or order the x-ray — then everything stops. Does it not? If they refuse to cooperate until insurance companies start playing fair then wouldn’t the insurance companies at least have to make a half-assed attempt at being decent? As it is now they are just brazenly bending us over and sticking it up our backsides. They’re not even sorry. They don’t even have the decency to look away while they do it.

So, I entreat Dr. Fischer: prove it. Put your collective money where your mouth is. If you and your medical brethren are so outraged about the way things are going in the insurance industry then fight back. Help us. We can’t do it on our own. What are you doing to fix it?

However, it did leave me to an interesting thought and I think maybe I’m on to something. Just hear me out. Humor me.

WHAT IF…what if Tiger is like some kind of super hero whose super power was playing AMAZING golf but a lack of sex with strange women is his kryptonite and now that he’s been busted and no longer has a different partner every five minutes, all his power is gone?

What if that’s the case?? I think this should be looked into. Studies should be done.

Nobody had to buy a license from Tim Berners-Lee to use HTML or transmit information using HTTP. Nobody had to pay Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn to use TCP/IP. Nobody had to license Javascript from Brendan Eich or pay Håkon Wium Lie to use CSS in web pages. Their contributions were free and open, and the entire world benefited.

It reminds me of this passage from my favorite Hempel story:

” I think of the chimp, the one with the talking hands.
In the course of the experiment, that chimp had a baby. Imagine how her trainers must have thrilled when the mother, without prompting, began to sign her newborn.
Baby, drink milk.
Baby, play ball.
And when the baby died, the mother stood over the body, her wrinkled hands moving with animal grace, forming again and again the words: Baby, come hug, Baby come hug, fluent now in the language of grief.”
— Amy Hempel (The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel)

And I respond thusly, “Pfffffthhh.”

Vegas isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s loud and dirty and crowded and people act like they are the only living thing on the planet and woe be unto you if you get in their way or impede their desires in even the most minute way. I’ve seen multiple car accidents and one pedestrian struck by a car. The other cars were honking – HONKING – at this man who was fallen in the crosswalk. How dare he not to continue to walk right on out of their way after being struck in a crosswalk? How dare he stand in their way? He should have crawled on hands and knees the rest of the way through the crosswalk, so as to not delay them even one minute. I despair for the human race, I tell you. My fingers to God’s ears, we’re a sorry lot sometimes.

The stench of cigarettes, booze and desperation hangs thick in the air. The con artists and smut peddlers are out in full force. It is most definitely a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah. Brimstone. Sulfur. Burning. Ash. What’s NOT to envy?

But it’s a living and it was only a week and  I get to leave Sunday. So I won’t complain about that anymore.

Instead, I’ll show you this article entitled The Art of Giving Up by Dyske Suematsu because it’s a good article and you should read it and then tell me what you think.

Thank you and I hope you are well and good night. Be home soon!

The importance of nurturing has been shown again and again. In the 1960s, psychologist Harry Harlow put groups of infant rhesus monkeys in a room with two artificial mothers. One, made of wire, dispensed food. The other, of terrycloth, extended cradled arms. Though they were starving, the baby monkeys all climbed into the warm cloth arms.

Those people. Not the ones who did this to her, but the ones who took her in, they’re better people than I could ever hope to be. The ones who did this to her? Well, there isn’t a punishment adequate enough. There just isn’t.

And also? Florida Department of Children and Families? Fuck you. You’re a bunch of apathetic idiots and you’re every bit as much to blame as her mother.

Anyway, it’s a new thing I’m trying. Just a place to store recipes and talk about cooking junk. Check it out if you want: http://www.shuckbeans.com/

And, I don’t know, you might find something you like. Maybe. Perhaps. I hope.