Whoa There Wal-Mart!

Those who have read this blog for any amount of time know how I feel about Wal-Mart. Just in case you dont, here's an old post to refresh your memory.

So you can imagine my mild horror upon reading this headline:

Wal-Mart Plans to Market Digital Health Records System

I think even those who shop at Wal-Mart would agree that the discount-store/price-cutting-giant/basic-human-rights-obliterator/propaganda-machine perhaps shouldn't be trusted with some of our most sensitive personal information?

While I appreciate their professed desire to provide a valuable service at a low cost the medical care provider, what guarantees do I have that my medical information isn't accessible to those in the Walmart/Sam's higherarchy? Would I as a consumer even know that my MD is using this software? According to this article, the retail giant-in-the-playground would be providing support for the software...would they be connected to the database?

I wholeheartedly agree that this type of technology is helpful and in some cases necessary. About 2 years ago I switched to a medical provider who (fortunately for me) is all electronic with their records and it's been amazingly helpful for treatment when I bounce from one specialist to another - but do I really want the same company that treats their workers and women like crap having access to the results of my anual PAP? I sure as hell think not!

Girl Adresses UN

This woman is swiftly becoming my hero. The speech below is old news - it's from 1992 - but when I heard it I thought it was recent. Still, she's awesome...Severn Cullis-Suzuki:

TMZ = Legit Lournalism? I'm so confused...

So by now everyone's heard of the Northern Trust and their whole hot mess of stupidity and excess; but I have only heard in a few places knowledge of where the story originally broke - and to me it's kinda the best part. Maybe I'm disappointing you by sharing this knowledge, but I read TMZ. Not a lot, just enough.

Well, who'd ever expect legit journalism from people who specialize in the movements of BrAngelina? Honestly, not I - but I have to admit that I'm impressed.

Best of all? The story they broke this morning about Northern Trust giving $1.6 Billion back to the government. I feel bad for the people who either invested in this bank or have other money tied up with them - I doubt they know the kind of jerks they were putting their faith in... but still.

Our President

I was Twittering my way through the presidents address and I thought it was fantastic. The intros felt like a rock concert and it felt so good to feel the excitement. When's the last time you were excited for a session of Congress?

One thing about this that felt really good? He knows he has difficult things to tackle and he's not scared! He WANTS that challenge.

If we're going to fix the economy why not do it while fixing society and infrastructure? It seems like everyone's second guessing how much he's trying to do at once - but if we're going to spend money to stimulate jobs why not create jobs that help fix things we need to fix anyway? Not just green tech; not just energy - why not health care and schools and energy and the financial system and social security? If it's on the list lets freakin' do it.

I'm so tired of hearing the why-not-me crowd. Seriously - want you to shut up now! One of my favorite parts of the speech was the Pres. talking about finishing High School or College and dropping out not being an option - not just because you short change yourself and your family but also because you're short changing your country. A few years ago I heard the tail end of my generation being labeled the "Look At Me" generation...no more! It's no longer about narcissism, because that's getting us no where. Lets look at what WE can do - because right now if you let yourself down you're just making it easier for us all to fail.

We're in this together.

Guest Spot

Please see our first guest post from John last night:

Obama's first press conference.

I just finished watching President Obama's first press conference. It didn't stand out to me as particularly good or bad. I was disappointed that he dodged the question about barring reporters from viewing our fallen soldiers' remains being returned to the US, but I think he also made some sound arguments about how (and why) to proceed with the Economic Recovery Package.

I have yet to see any change to believe in. I'm hopeful, and I'm glad we aren't stuck with McCain, but when will we see this new Washington? Obama has stood by his tax-dodging nominees (I don't believe for a second they were simple errors); Gibbs dodges questions and gives non-answers as well as any of Bush's cronies; congress is just as polarized as before.

I'm worried that the next four years will be filled with half-measures and compromises that not only waste the incredible opportunity we have now to change the direction our country is going, but will further reduce the confidence of the American people in our congress.

We have an opportunity now, and an obligation, to really examine our national priorities. It will not be enough to add a couple of oversight committees and shuffle money between failing and ineffective government programs. This is a time for sweeping change.

We must not only examine how we can fight and win the wars we are currently mired in. We must rethink our foreign policy that depends upon the threat of violence to secure cooperation from other nations. We must refuse to use our military might to prop up dictators and tyrants, simply because they are willing to play ball with American corporate interests. We spend more money on 'defense' than the next 45 countries combined, and that doesn't even include all of the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of the total Federal discretionary budget, just under half is spent on the military, while our schools, roads, bridges, dams, levies and electrical infrastructure are crumbling, or at best stagnating.

And that's just the beginning. Tax and campaign finance reform are long overdue. We need a congress that is willing to pass laws in the public interest, instead of in the corporate interest. We need to make information available to the press and to the general public that will allow them to make informed and meaningful decisions about their representatives.

Obama promises change we can believe in, but so far all I've seen is good intentions. I hope he sticks to his guns after this Economic Recovery Package is through, and can get down to some real reform work.

How Far We've Come

The momentous occasion of this day has caused me pause for reflection on where I was 4 years ago. I felt so defeated on Jan 20th, 2005; I couldn't look at the TV all day and I had a terrible taste in my mouth. I was close to believing that it was the beginning of the end for our country; that a 2nd term for Bush would begin a downward spiral that we couldn't pull out of. 3 and 1/2 years ago I started Sausy Blue because I was so full of responses to what was happening around me that I felt I would burst.

And today I feel a renewed hope. Bush has started a spiral, and I don't know if Obama can right us all again - but there's a part of me that thinks maybe he doesn't have to. Maybe he only needs to be a parachute so we can survive; survive and build a new vessel. One that's better equipped for the journey - wherever it is that we're all going. If the last 4 (8?) years of fear and hate have given me anything it's the seed of the idea that the way we're going and that path we're on isn't the right one.

Obama is the hope and dream of a better path. I'm walking down it with him; and I'm elated to see so much of this country ready to come too...

Close to home

So often what I blog about is theoretical or removed from my life...today's post is a bit closer to home.

I live in New Haven, CT; the home of Yale University. It's a city with plenty of beautiful buildings, great restaurants, fabulous museums and theatres, and lots of crime. New Haven is a case study in class tensions, and it seems the worse the economy gets the worse the crime and the braver the criminals. Smash-and-grab break ins have been on the rise, and it seems the safer places in the city are getting smaller and smaller (one of my friends in the "good" part of the city has had her car broken into twice in the last 3 weeks).

So - how close to home are we talkin'? Well, last night someone tried to mug me. First, let me say that I'm physically fine and nothing was taken. He was a young guy and he was brandishing his hammer poorly and I managed to scare him off.

After a poor nights sleep and the initial shock wearing off, I started thinking "why?". Maybe I'm a "bleeding heart" like they say, maybe I'm a humanist, (I like to think of it more as a re-defined Realism) but I don't believe in the idea that some people are "just bad" or that anything "just happens". I want to know WHY. What would drive a 17 year old kid to wander the streets on a cold night and try to attack someone 3" taller than him? Is it really the economy, or am I making up trends?

They didn't catch him, so I guess I'll never know; and while I'm angry at him for what he did I can't help but wonder about his motivations and just how bad this city is going to get.