Sima Samar, women's rights activist in Afghanistan: "With dogged persistence and at great personal risk, she kept her schools and clinics open in Afghanistan even during the most repressive days of the Taliban regime, whose laws prohibited the education of girls past the age of eight. When the Taliban fell, Samar returned to Kabul and accepted the post of Minister for Women's Affairs."
Ingrid Betancourt: French-Colombian ex-hostage held for six years.
"Dr. Denis Mukwege: Doctor, founder and head of Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. He has dedicated his life to helping Congolese women and girls who are victims of gang rape and brutal sexual violence."
Handicap International and Cluster Munition Coalition: "These organizations are recognized for their consistently serious efforts to clean up cluster bombs, also known as land mines. Innocent civilians are regularly killed worldwide because the unseen bombs explode when stepped upon."
"Hu Jia, a human rights activist and an outspoken critic of the Chinese government, who was sentenced last year to a three-and-a-half-year prison term for 'inciting subversion of state power.'"
"Wei Jingsheng, who spent 17 years in Chinese prisons for urging reforms of China's communist system. He now lives in the United States."
Posted by Mary Katharine Ham on October 9, 2009 10:05 AM Permalink
Email the article "Meet the People Who Were Passed Over for Obama" to a friend.
Comment: Does anyone really think President Obama deserved this award?
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Obama Awarded Nobel Peace Prize. WHAT?
When I heard this I could not believe it. I thought it was a joke. What has he done to deserve it? We are still in Iraq, we have escalated Afghanistan. Iran has not stopped building nukes, nor has North Korea. The Palestinian-Israel conflict continues, and Black kids are still killing Black kids in Chicago. The world is no safer or peaceful after nine months of Obama's time in office than it was before. Was this an affirmative action award? The only reason I can figure out why they awarded President Obama the Peace Price is because he is not George W. Bush.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
White House's botched 'op'
Updated: Tue., Oct. 6, 2009, 12:27 PM, By CHARLES HURT, New York Post
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WASHINGTON -- President Obama yesterday rolled out the red carpet -- and handed out doctors' white coats as well, just so nobody missed his hard-sell health-care message.
In a heavy-handed attempt at reviving support for health-care reform, the White House orchestrated a massive photo op to buttress its claim that front-line physicians support Obama. (link)
In a heavy-handed attempt at reviving support for health-care reform, the White House orchestrated a massive photo op to buttress its claim that front-line physicians support Obama. (link)
Comment: What a Joker! I guess if he is addressing union members he will hand out hard hats and if he is talking to farmers he will hand out pitchforks and straw hats. Will teachers get red apples and little chalk boards? Firemen: red fireman's hats and Dalmatians?
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Black Leaders Ignore Black-on-Black Crime
By E.W. Jackson Sr., American Thinker, Oct. 5, 2009
[Excerpt] Treating poor black people as victims to be "organized" has been an abject failure. They are human beings to be educated, inspired and required to take responsibility for their own lives. The tragedy here is that Derrion was doing just that and it was working, but the malignant pathology of the ghetto spread to him on that unfortunate day and ended his promising life.
[Excerpt] ...there is a deafening silence from some of the biggest mouths in America. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Julian Bond, Louis Farrakhan and the Congressional Black Caucus see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. When Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was arrested by a white police officer, President Barack Obama -- without any facts -- found it necessary to put in his two cents. Here in Chicago, the salient facts are abundantly clear and a heinous murder has been committed in his home town, but the president is silent. (link)
Comment: This is an excellent essay and expresses my views exactly. In addition to the tragedy of the murder of this promising young man, there is also the tragedy of code of silence within the black community that says Blacks will not "snitch" on Blacks who murder other Blacks and the tragedy of the code of silence among Black and liberal leaders who will not address the problems of the Black community unless those problems can be blamed on white racism.
Having said this however, I know that below the level of the national Black and liberal leaders there are many Black leaders and good liberals who do give of themselves to improve the life of those in the Black community. They genuinely care. I may disagree with their politics, but I never doubt their sincere concern for those they serve. They have a passion for what they do. I have known many of these people in my own community of Nashville. They tirelessly raise money, recruit clients, advocate for and provide job training programs, after school tutoring programs, money management classes and home ownership opportunities in the Black community. They operate the Boys and Girls clubs and sponsor Boy Scout Troops and little league softball teams and summer camp programs.
There are those who live in the Black Community who organize local Neighborhood Watch programs and work to improve police-community relations. They view the criminal element as the enemy not the police. They care about the problems of drug abuse and school drop-outs and crime and gangs in their neighborhood. There are many local Black ministers in my city and across America that work tireless ministering to their flock and inspiring them to be the best they can be. Unfortunately, they do not get the support they deserve and too often the recognized national leaders ignore those in the field who are working against incredible odds to change lives. I am sure that in Chicago, just like here in Nashville, there are many local Black leaders who are appalled at what they see happening in their community. It is too bad that the establishment will not support their efforts and prefers to remain silent unless it benefits their political agenda.
[Excerpt] Treating poor black people as victims to be "organized" has been an abject failure. They are human beings to be educated, inspired and required to take responsibility for their own lives. The tragedy here is that Derrion was doing just that and it was working, but the malignant pathology of the ghetto spread to him on that unfortunate day and ended his promising life.
[Excerpt] ...there is a deafening silence from some of the biggest mouths in America. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Julian Bond, Louis Farrakhan and the Congressional Black Caucus see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. When Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was arrested by a white police officer, President Barack Obama -- without any facts -- found it necessary to put in his two cents. Here in Chicago, the salient facts are abundantly clear and a heinous murder has been committed in his home town, but the president is silent. (link)
Comment: This is an excellent essay and expresses my views exactly. In addition to the tragedy of the murder of this promising young man, there is also the tragedy of code of silence within the black community that says Blacks will not "snitch" on Blacks who murder other Blacks and the tragedy of the code of silence among Black and liberal leaders who will not address the problems of the Black community unless those problems can be blamed on white racism.
Having said this however, I know that below the level of the national Black and liberal leaders there are many Black leaders and good liberals who do give of themselves to improve the life of those in the Black community. They genuinely care. I may disagree with their politics, but I never doubt their sincere concern for those they serve. They have a passion for what they do. I have known many of these people in my own community of Nashville. They tirelessly raise money, recruit clients, advocate for and provide job training programs, after school tutoring programs, money management classes and home ownership opportunities in the Black community. They operate the Boys and Girls clubs and sponsor Boy Scout Troops and little league softball teams and summer camp programs.
There are those who live in the Black Community who organize local Neighborhood Watch programs and work to improve police-community relations. They view the criminal element as the enemy not the police. They care about the problems of drug abuse and school drop-outs and crime and gangs in their neighborhood. There are many local Black ministers in my city and across America that work tireless ministering to their flock and inspiring them to be the best they can be. Unfortunately, they do not get the support they deserve and too often the recognized national leaders ignore those in the field who are working against incredible odds to change lives. I am sure that in Chicago, just like here in Nashville, there are many local Black leaders who are appalled at what they see happening in their community. It is too bad that the establishment will not support their efforts and prefers to remain silent unless it benefits their political agenda.
Which insurance company denies the most claims?
An argument for a government health insurance company:
Those evil insurance companies make money by denying people services and there is a lot of red tape in getting claims processed.
Fact:
The government health care company known as Medicare denies claims at almost twice the rate of private insurance companies and the red tape is worse.
Those evil insurance companies make money by denying people services and there is a lot of red tape in getting claims processed.
Fact:
The government health care company known as Medicare denies claims at almost twice the rate of private insurance companies and the red tape is worse.
Are you Living in Denial
By Robert Anthony, Physician Practice
[excerpt] Did you know Medicare denies up to 22 percent of medical services, depending on the specialty? If you're in dermatology (the lowest denial rate, at 5.5 percent) or pediatric medicine (a mere 6.22 percent), then you're one of the lucky ones. But if you're an anesthesiology practice (with a daunting 18.55 percent denial rate) or an obstetrics and gynecology practice (the highest, with a whopping 22.42 percent), then Medicare denials can easily become daily occurrences.
"The problem with Medicare is that you can talk to four different people and get four different answers," says Darlene Helmer, CPC, ANP-C, billing manager for Physician Anesthesia Associates of Towson, Md., and co-chair of the Third Party & Reimbursement committee of the Maryland Medical Group Management Association. "They don't always know their own regulations, so you have to be the expert on [them]." (link)
This article shed light on the red tape problems with Medicare and examines the denial claim problem. Given the high claim denial rate of Medicare and the red tape, why does one think a new government "public option" would perform any better than the current public option known as Medicare? I don't understand it.
For more evidence of the claim denial rate of the government compared to private insurance companies, see the chart below. Notice that the Medicare denial rate is 6.85%, compared to a range of 2.68 to 6.80 for other listed insurance companies. For a more detailed discussion of the numbers in the chart below follow this link: HSA Benefits Consulting.
Monday, October 05, 2009
BookTV presents Hugh Hewitt
Last night, long after I should have been getting some shut-eye, I found myself watching C-Span's BookTV. BookTV is one of my favorite TV programs. Each weekend, BookTV features 48 hours of nonfiction books from Saturday 8am (ET) to Monday 8am (ET). The interviewer explores the views, opinions, body of work, biography, and writing style of the guest author in a relaxed, unhurried, non-confrontational setting and takes calls from viewers. An interview may last two to three hours. None of us can read all of the books that are published. Book TV allows the viewer to get an in depth exposure to an author and his views. Last nights guest was Hugh Hewitt. I was very impressed and will seek out his books or editorials.
Mr. Hewitt is a constitutional law professor, a blogger, an author and a conservative talk show host, but I had never heard of him. Apparently his talk show is not available in our market. Unlike the Beck's or Limbaugh's that dominate conservative talk radio, Mr. Hewitt seems much more analytical and much less bombastic. Having never heard him on the air, I don't know if that is the same persona he presents on the radio, but I would assume it is. I was impressed.
I was very impressed when a fellow Tennessean called in and lambasted our Senators Alexander and Corker as people who have been co-opted by the liberal establishment. Hewlett said, on the contrary, that he thought they were fine principled conservative Senators. He especially had kind things to say about Senator Corker, touting his leadership on Cap and Trade and the auto bailouts. Here is the three hours broadcast of Hugh on BookTV.
Mr. Hewitt is a constitutional law professor, a blogger, an author and a conservative talk show host, but I had never heard of him. Apparently his talk show is not available in our market. Unlike the Beck's or Limbaugh's that dominate conservative talk radio, Mr. Hewitt seems much more analytical and much less bombastic. Having never heard him on the air, I don't know if that is the same persona he presents on the radio, but I would assume it is. I was impressed.
I was very impressed when a fellow Tennessean called in and lambasted our Senators Alexander and Corker as people who have been co-opted by the liberal establishment. Hewlett said, on the contrary, that he thought they were fine principled conservative Senators. He especially had kind things to say about Senator Corker, touting his leadership on Cap and Trade and the auto bailouts. Here is the three hours broadcast of Hugh on BookTV.
1st Tuesday Meetup: Mayor Karl Dean
Meetup Reminder: 1st TuesdayGuest Speaker: Mayor Karl Dean
When: Tuesday, October 6, 2009 11:30 AM
Where: Waller Lansden, 511 Union St. Floor 27 , Nashville TN 37201
Do you love Karl Dean? Hate Karl Dean? Want to hear what he has to say?
Nashville faces a number of important issues these days. The proposed new Nashville Convention Center will cost $600,000,000 - [and that doesn't even include a hotel] -- but will certainly change the look of our city for generations to come. Our school system continues to make news -- a new Director -- and failing test scores. And like many communities, Nashville has a variety of concerns and opportunities facing our civic leaders. On Tuesday, OCTOBER 6th come hear and these and MANY other important topics first hand from the Nashville's Mayor Karl Dean. Our Q&A session ought to be one of the BEST ever. As usual, we will meet at the Law Offices of Waller/Lansden - 511 Union Street -27th floor. Lunch from Alexander's Catering will be available at 11:30AM and is $15 for members and $20 for guests. I think this lunch to sell out, so please RSVP. 1st Tuesday Meetup.
Do you love Karl Dean? Hate Karl Dean? Want to hear what he has to say?
Nashville faces a number of important issues these days. The proposed new Nashville Convention Center will cost $600,000,000 - [and that doesn't even include a hotel] -- but will certainly change the look of our city for generations to come. Our school system continues to make news -- a new Director -- and failing test scores. And like many communities, Nashville has a variety of concerns and opportunities facing our civic leaders. On Tuesday, OCTOBER 6th come hear and these and MANY other important topics first hand from the Nashville's Mayor Karl Dean. Our Q&A session ought to be one of the BEST ever. As usual, we will meet at the Law Offices of Waller/Lansden - 511 Union Street -27th floor. Lunch from Alexander's Catering will be available at 11:30AM and is $15 for members and $20 for guests. I think this lunch to sell out, so please RSVP. 1st Tuesday Meetup.