Plane blogging

I'm sitting on a plane in atlanta, on the way to memphis, and i'm bored. So i thought i'd share what happens when your eleven year old brother in law gets a hold of your camera phone...

"Free Market Cure"

I recently received a link to this website: freemarketcure.com.

I did some reading, and watched this video:



I guess it sort of got me thinking so I wrote back to my sis who sent it to me and shared my thoughts. Please read below, and then share yours!

"Yes, aren't we all so glad that sex change operations are covered by
our wonderful healthcare system?


I am going to ask my Canadian friends about this--I really believe
that it's the EXCEPTION, not the rule. (If Michael Moore can find
stories to spin propaganda to his side, can't we agree the the other
side can find stories to spin the story their way?)


And let's keep in mind that close to 100 Million US citizens are on
are on Medicare, or Medicaid, and are dealing with a lot more
paperwork and bureaucracy than our Canadian neighbors.


The sad news it that the "free market" system we have now, has become
monopolized by pharmaceutical, medical, and insurance companies that
are incredibly greedy. That business is NOT about caring for people's
well being, it is simply a very lucrative industry, and they have
recently realized that they can charge whatever they want for health
care, because we the people have no choice but to pay it. It's a
collaborative monopoly, and the "free market capitalism" is failing to
keep costs competitive.


Yes, a centralized health care system would be a DOWNGRADE for every
one of us, along with the rest of the richest 20-30% of US citizens
who are lucky enough to have really good medical coverage by their
employer, or otherwise. However, the rest of the nation is dealing
with Medicare, Medicaid, and HMOs, and Public Hospitals that are well
below par!


So yes, I would be willing to accept a health care plan that might not
be as good as my current plan (emphasis on might), so that others who
are currently dealing with a bureacratic and oppressive system can
have better coverage--not to mention my children and grandchildren
being guaranteed reasonable coverage no matter what their
circumstances may be.


Ok, I suppose if Christy opened this door, I've gone and kicked it off
the hinges--what do the rest of you think?"

Craigsta's Paradise (at the Hello Deli)

(verse 1)
As I walked through the valley of the shadow of the Ed Sullivan Theater, I took a look to my right and realized I was hungry.


Cause I'd been walkin and walkin so long that, even the street rats thought that I needed some food.


There was a hole in the wall (by any standards), and Rupert G was taking orders like you've never ever heard of.


You know I watched how he was talking, and he was walkin
I said "Give me some grub, I'm really hung-gree fool!"


(chorus)
I ate "The Letterman" at Rupert G's and got indigestion.
I ate "the Letterman" you know the mayo had turned but I don't question.


(verse 2)

My sandwich came with some chips, think they were lays, but you know that salty shit's gonna make me crave (some)

A bottle of coca-cola, that's how I rolla.
And didn't even finish, I don't need all those calories!

After I had ordered Rupert asked for cash.
I said "Do you take Discover," he said "Kiss my ass, fool."

So than I dropped a couple Lincolns, he must be thinking
"who is this playa in my store? I've never seen him before?"


(chorus)
I ate "The Letterman" at Rupert G's and got indigestions
I ate "the Letterman" you know the mayo had turned but I don't question.

(bridge)
Why would he, a celebraty,
be so hard working, at this hello deli?

(repeat)

(repeat chorus)

Bill Clinton

I got to sit in on a speech by Bill Clinton yesterday--I think it's a rare privilege to be able to sit in an audience with any world leader, and this was truly memorable.

He spoke on many topics, but the one chunk that has stuck out the most was his take on our current administration's foreign policy (I hope my anonymous reader leaves another comment about how I'm a raving liberal). Here's the gist of what he said:

"All nations should work towards interdependence, not "Globalization" because that has a connotation of economic "Americanization." And with that interdependence, we should be acting together in all things, and act alone only when we are forced to. The Bush administration has said to the world "We are going to act alone to do what we think is best, and we will work together with others only when we are forced to."

That pretty much sums it up mates.

And now...just to prove that I did see him, I'm posting a crappy video from my cell phone. It's wasn't any particularly moving moment, just a random 30 seconds when I thought I should record this somehow.

The Today Show

That's me. That's anne curry.

If you want to see me in live action, you can see the video "True Stories of Infidelity" (sweet story huh?) at the todayshow.com

Anatomy of NYC

It's funny because you walk everywhere here, and since it's a concrete jungle, there are a lot of streets to cross. Those who are dressed more casually will usually stop and wait for the light to change. While those who are in business suits (and in the morning will just about surely have Starbucks in hand) just simply walk across and make the cars wait for them. They are obviously are too important, to wait for silly things like traffic lights.

Last night as I was leaving the "networking party" the group of us who had been chatting (most of them were from Nickolodian/TV land/Nick at Nite/ Nick Jr--and yes, they were all adament that those are different things) and we decided to walk to a pup just outside Time's Square called "The Playwrite (it's on broadway--get it?).

Along with the Nickolodian gang (one of whom looked exactly like John Mayer) were three Russian guys: Ruben, Dennis, and a guy with a name too Russian for me to remember. They work for the Moscow version of Comedy Central, and were a really good time.

I could write more, but you don't really care--you were just reading this far to see if the story went anywhere. What a let down huh?

Times Square

Sorry, no time to be clever...just wanted to post pics.


Times Square


Me, the boss, the other boss.


Those are space ships, floating up and down a spaceship tower.


"Hi I'm a tourist!"

Quickie in NYC.

Provocative title huh? I thought so. So I'm in New York for the Promax Convention. I don't know how much I'll write (not like I write a lot anyway), but there I am. And there's a couple tall buildings.

I really like the city! I want to come back here and spend some time as a "tourist" (I guess). The architecture is amazing, there are people (of all kinds) everywhere, food vendors on the streets (I miss China), and you actually walk to get around!

Hey, anybody have some favorite spots in NYC? Any favorite NY bands? Artists? Writers? Come on...all 5 of you who read. If you've been here before, tell me your favorites. If you haven't been here before, tell me what you imagine would be your favorite (what you've always wanted to see).

Peace and love.
-c

Life Before the Segway

In The Know: Do You Remember Life Before The Segway?

Random Musings on Politics and Mass Email "petitions"...

I got this email today from an Uncle (who I love, but this email made me laugh). My comments are in bold:

Subject: Social Security Changes

It does not matter if you personally like or dislike Bush . You need to sign this petition and flood his e-mail box with e-mails that tell him that, even if the House passes this bill, he needs to veto it.
(this is funny...it doesn't matter how I feel, but I HAVE to sign this "petition???")

It is already impossible to live on Social Security alone. If the government gives benefits to "illegal" aliens who have never contributed, where does that leave those of us who have paid into Social Security all our working lives? (I'm going to try to leave my own political views out of this one)

As stated below, the Senate voted this week to allow "illegal" aliens access to Social Security benefits. Attached is an opportunity to sign a petition that requires citizenship for eligibility to that social service.

You can Agree or Delete. Instructions are below. (dear citizens of the USA, I would like to just go ahead and point out that mass emails have absolutely zero legal pull. Did you really think that the Federal Government would change their course because of 729 "signatures" on your email?

PETITION for President Bush :

Dear Mr. President :

We, the undersigned (ignoramuses), protest the bill that the Senate voted upon recently
which would allow illegal aliens to access our Social Security. We demand (yeah!) that you and all Congressional Representatives require citizenship as a prerequisite for social services in the United States .

We further demand that there not be any amnesty given to illegals (they're not people, they're "illegals"), NO free services, no funding, no payments to and for illegal immigrants. We are fed up with the lack of action about this matter and are tired of "paying" for services to illegals! (and we're fed up with all the low cost produce, labor, and other services that require jobs that we refuse to do ourselves because it's beneath us!)

Agree or Delete (what?): Instructions to sign are at the bottom.

1. Mary Takami , Calif.
2. Connie Dodd Calif.
3. Frank Beirau , Calif.
4. Barbara Murray , Calif.
5. Dody Farha , Okla.
6. Woody Farho , Okla
(for your sake, I deleted the other 723 "signatures," including my aunt, uncle, and cousin)

INSTRUCTIONS: If you don't forward the petition and just stop it, we will lose all these names. If you do not want to sign it, please just forward it to everyone you know (umm..."Hi, I don't believe in this, but I think that you have to sign it, no matter how you feel. Thanks, -Craig"). Thank you!

T o add your name, click on "forward" or better yet, "copy and paste" if you know how (this paste isn't sticking to the screen very well). You will be able to add your name at the bottom of the list and then forward it to your friends.

When the petition hits 1,000, send it to comments@whitehouse.com
(www.whitehouse.com most definately NOT an official government site. But You're close, the actual email address is: comments@whitehouse.gov.)