The 9-12 Project

Check out the new web site: http://www.the912project.com/

I support the 9-12 concept:

9 Principles

1. America Is Good.

2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.

God “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the external rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.” from George Washington’s first Inaugural address.

3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.

Honesty “I hope that I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider to be the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” George Washington

4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.

Marriage/Family “It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is know. By a law of our nature, we cannot be happy without the endearing connections of a family.” Thomas Jefferson

5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.

Justice “I deem one of the essential principles of our government… equal and exact justice to all men of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.” Thomas Jefferson

6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.

Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness “Everyone has a natural right to choose that vocation in life which he thinks most likely to give him comfortable subsistence.” Thomas Jefferson

7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.

Charity “It is not everyone who asketh that deserveth charity; all however, are worth of the inquiry or the deserving may suffer.” George Washington

8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.

On your right to disagree “In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude; every man will speak as he thinks, or more properly without thinking.” George Washington

9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

Who works for whom? “I consider the people who constitute a society or a nation as the source of all authority in that nation.” Thomas Jefferson

12 Values

• Honesty
• Reverence
• Hope
• Thrift
• Humility
• Charity
• Sincerity
• Moderation
• Hard Work
• Courage
• Personal Responsibility
• Gratitude

McCain blows

McCain Flashes Temper at Reporter

By LIBBY QUAID – 1 hour ago

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Republican Sen. John McCain, showing a flash of the temper he is known for, repeatedly cut off a reporter Friday when asked whether he had spoken to Democratic Sen. John Kerry about being his vice president in 2004. "Everybody knows that I had a private conversation. Everybody knows that, that I had a conversation," McCain told the reporter. "And you know it, too. No. You know it, too. No. You do know. You do know."

The reporter, Elisabeth Bumiller of The New York Times, was following up on a question McCain had answered at a campaign event Friday morning in Atlanta. Asked if he might consider Kerry as a running mate, since Kerry asked him in 2004, McCain said no.

Afterward, on a campaign flight, Bumiller said she looked in the Times' archives and that McCain had denied talking with Kerry in a May 2004 story. [story]

I saw the video and I didn't think it was that big of a deal. Of course, you have to consider that Ms. Bumiller, who checked the Times' archives also works for the Times. You know, the Times that published unsubstantiated, anonymous sources accusing McCain of having an affair.

Yeah, I would have gotten upset, too. Well, actually I would have kicked the Times' reporter(s) off my campaign airplane after the previous article. I think he was pretty kind to put up with the Times' dirty tricks, back stabbing and untruthfulness.

If the Times was a really responsible in their reporting they would have just a few ethics and apologize to McCain for the the story they printed.

Refinery explosion

There was another refinery explosion; this one was in Big Springs, Texas. And the price of gasoline continues to spiral upward.

Have you wondered why refineries keep exploding? I sure have! It seems to me that over the past few years there have been numerous refineries that have been leveled. However, you don't hear much about new ones being built. As a matter of fact, I have only heard of one being built but I don't remember where it was. I do remember thinking that it was the first time I had ever heard of any being constructed.

We keep hearing of all these record profits the oil companies are experiencing. Why aren't they using some of these profits to build new refineries? Why build refineries when a shortage of gasoline would make the price spiral even higher.

Giants win; we all win

I am not and never have been a NY Giants fan but I am so happy they won the Superbowl last night. I am even less of a fan of the Patriots than I am of the Giants.

I noticed when the Patriots made their last touchdown the announcers started assuming and talking about their "perfect" season. They commented that Tom Brady was the greatest quarterback. They had already wrapped up the game and were just congratulating and patting each other on the back. Once again the media was wrong!

The Patriots started out the season as a loser team by cheating and they ended the season as a loser team. Personally, I don't think they should have been allowed to play in the Superbowl. Sure there were fines paid, but what does this say to our youth... cheat, if you get caught you can pay a fine and all is well. That isn't the message I think our youth should be left with. Cheating is wrong, fine or no fine.

My Chiefs had a losing season, Miami had a losing season but in my book... both teams are bigger and better winners than New England is. As cheaters they are the worst team in the league!

This is why "we all win" because the Giants won without cheating!

Thank You

The link below will take you to an important web site regarding gratitude and and how to say "thank you."

http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/fullmovie.php

Free advertising is never good advertising

Tough calls in transplant case

A Northridge teen dies shortly after her insurer reverses its refusal to pay for a treatment it called experimental.

By Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 22, 2007

The case of a Northridge teenager taken off life support just as her insurance company reversed itself and agreed to pay for a liver transplant is highlighting tensions among physicians, patients and insurers over the definition of experimental procedures.

Nataline Sarkisyan's family blames their insurance company, Cigna HealthCare, for the teenager's death Thursday. A leukemia patient, 17-year-old Nataline had been in intensive care at UCLA Medical Center for about three weeks after suffering complications following a successful bone marrow transplant Nov. 21, relatives said. She was covered under the policy of her mother, a real estate agent.

Doctors treating Nataline told the family and Cigna in a letter that patients in similar situations have a 65% chance of living six months if they receive a liver transplant. Doctors had qualified Nataline for a transplant Dec. 6 and a liver became available four days later, the family said. But the transplant was not performed because Cigna had refused to approve and pay for the procedure, they said. (Complete Article.)

For a long time I have said that "free advertising" is never good advertising. In this case Cigna is getting a lot of national media coverage that I would bet they wish they could avoid.

First, I think the Hospital, in this case, has some liability. The Hospital should have preformed the transplant when the liver became available.

Second, I can sympathize with the family and the hospital from the standpoint of negotiating with Cigna. I experienced a similar situation a few years ago when my doctors were advising a autologous (my own) stem cell transplant.

Kansas City has a cancer clinic that does autologous stem cell transplants but my insurance company (Humana) insisted that I go to another city, like Omaha, St. Louis, Nashville, Houston, etc. Finally, they agreed that I could have it done here but there was going to be a $25,000 annual co-pay. Well, we didn't and don't have that kind of money sitting around even in a life and death situation. Fortunately, the cancer clinic and hospital worked with us so I could have it done locally. In addition, I met people in the hospital that were referred to the Kansas City clinic from the Omaha clinic.

Third, Healthcare insurers have too much power and it takes too long to appeal decisions. Too often the patient can't last long enough, as in the case above, to even hear the results of the appeal. Don't misunderstand my complaint; I'm NOT in favor of government nationalized healthcare and am strongly opposed to every Democratic presidential candidate healthcare plan. While undergoing chemotherapy I met a person who had come here from Australia to escape their national healthcare. Unfortunately, they delayed treatment in Australia long enough to cause the young man (early twenties) to lose one of his legs.

When you have cancer, you learn a lot about cancer. You also learn a lot about medicine, insurance, compassion and most of all you must keep a personal advocate with you at all times to help look out for you!