CT Scans for Early Signs of Lung Cancer

If a person has private healthcare I would say yes, they should definitely be screened annually by being given a CT Scan.  Considering the waste in the healthcare community on people who don't have health insurance , I think its only fair.  Also, reserch suggests that providing these scans for high risk patients, such as smokers reduced deaths from lung cancer by 20%.  Furthermore, with new healthcare laws being implemented and no way to pay for them, keeping smokers alive, who have their OWN insurance,  means they can continue paying the astronomical taxes on cigarettes to offset the costs associated with healtcare reform...I'm being facetious.  In all seriousness, yes they should definitely be screened, they are paying for it. CT scans are very expensive.  If in the future we can find a cheaper, EFFECTIVE, way to screen for lung cancer(which kills more men and women every year than any other cancer) then the issue could come up again for debate.  If we as taxpayers can pay for HIV/AIDS clinics, which most of the time results from poor lifestyle choices, then yes insurance companies can pay for CT scans for their members, regardless of the reasons that the patient might be considered "high risk".

I think the internet is a wonderful tool for gathering information and ideas.  However, you need the ability to THINK to apply the information and ideas otherwise they are useless.  I have to agree with Nicholas Carr.  The internet is a good example of quantity vs. quality.  If one is able to differentiate this shouldn't be an issue.  When individuals just  pick up small blocks of information necessary for a report or paper or just normal curiousity they aren't seeing the entire picture, this could lead to misinformation and it seems very little actual learning would occur.  Reading a Wikipedia article on WWII does give near the in-depth knowledge that they would gain from checking out a few books from the library. The internet typically gives us enough information to reword and tap out a paper, wehereas by reading a couple of books on whatever subject, one is able to immerse their mind in that subject for a little while and hopefully kick off some thought processes that will allow you to retain some of the information. The internet is a very useful though, if I wanted to learn how to make Apple Pie, I wouldn't want to have to buy a thirty dollar cookbook, drive to the store and buy it, bring it back home, go get my ingredients, bring them back home, and finally set about making my pie.  Being able to simply "google" apple pie recipe is ridiculously easier.  But I haven't lost anything, I've actually saved time and money. 

The Wal-Mart Case

Even though I personally HATE Wal Mart, I would have to agree with the ruling in the recent lawsuit regarding sex discrimination bias.  I believe the article I read said that the class action suit would involve 1.6 million women who would recieve billions of dollars in damages.  That just seems ridiculous, I don't understand law, but how would anyone have time to prove that each one of those individuals was discriminated against in some way?  I did note that several of the women are considering individual lawsuits.  I would definitely support this.  Frivolous lawsuits are a huge problem in this country and I believe that a ruling in favor of these women would just fuel that fire.  Were all 1.6 million of them supposed to be promoted to manager?  That is just a ridiculous assumption.  One of the reasons Ido not shop at Wal Mart are the slow, rude and mostly female cashiers that work there.  Personally, if I were Wal Mart i would clean house and start over.  There are so many aspects of this that I just do not have time to get into.  I've been told  that when you are hired on at Wal Mart that you have to watch a video that threatens your termination for even mentioning the word "union".  I don't know if this is true or not, I've never worked there, but it is definitely believable.  So, with that in mind I do believe that the judges decision probably made the corporate giant just a little bit more untouchable.  If there are women who were truely discriminated against by Wal-Mart, I hope they do persue this, and I hope they win.

I'm Tired!

I can't seem to gather my thoughts enough to write on any particular topic this morning because I'm tired.  My husband is taking night classes, and I stay up until he gets home which is usually around 10:30.  After he eats dinner and we catch up on the news it's usually around 11:30.  This makes getting up for a 7:30 am class difficult and I guess it caught up with me today.  He also has to be at work at 6:00 am, so he gets up around 4:00.  He tries to be quiet, but he still wakes me up.  It seems like I'm just dozing back off when my alarm clock goes off and it is time to get up and start my day.  I also made the mistake of taking a class that doesn't end until 7:50 at night.  This makes for super long Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'm much better in this class than that one.  I am really glad the summer semester is only eight weeks.  Suffice it to say I will definitely be taking a nap today!

Class Topic 14 June

My education prior to college was adequate or more than adequate to prepare me for the academic demands of my classes.  DISAGREE!  I actually dropped out of school when I was in ninth grade...the third time I was in ninth grade.  I was failing all my classes and though I tried, I could not catch up.  I spent the next few years thinking I was a moron.  I got married and had kids and spent the next few years at home taking care of them.  When my husband got out of the Navy I decided to join the Army and this required me to get my GED.  Without studying or practicing I passed the GED with outstanding marks, I think I even got a letter in the mail stating that if I wanted to atttend graduation ceremonies my attire would be paid for and I would receive a special braid or rope to wear.  After getteing my GED I had to take the ASVAB, this a test the military uses to decide if one may enter the military and if one can what jobs their elligible, I again scored in the 90th percentile.  I did absolutely nothing between high school and taking these tests.  So, I would lay the blame on the teachers I had.  I DID try in high school.  I wanted to graduate with my class.  Unfortunately, where I went to school the focus of students and faculty alike was not on academics, but on sports.  I can also say that I personally sat in classes in high school where the teachers gave football players A's in the class for sitting and grading papers for the teacher throughout the period.  This was done so that no low marks could hurt their chances of getting a football scholarship.  Now I'm in college, obviously, where I'm supposed to kind of float around on my own with little guidance.  However, the professors here make themselves available and are very approachable.  So if I did need help I would not be afraid to ask for guidance.  Three semesters in and I've still got my 4.0.  *fingers crossed*

What I Like to Read.

  I used to enjoy reading crime dramas or "whodunnits" by popular authors.  Lately, however, I have really enjoyed reading true crime books.  I haven't quite figured out why.  I know I'm getteing  more factual knowledge from these books.  I learn about places I've never been and I learn more about places I have.  For  instance, I love the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans.  The New Orleans Saints wear the Fleur Di Lis on their jerseys.  After reading a recent book about a murder that took place in New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Kartrina I learned that New Orleans raised their population by bringing in jailed women, mostly prostitutes, who were branded with the fleur di lis.  I found this very interesting.  You also learn laws and the way real police investigations go (not quite as easy as Shaggy, Scooby and the gang made it look  when I was a kid). After reading the story of John Walsh's(host of America's Most Wanted) son, I learned how corrupt some police organizations can be and get away with it.  I still do enjoy my favorite authors in between and I mix things up with a good novel sometimes.  A novel is nice because there isn't alot of brain work involved, you just read the story follow the characters lives, get to know them, and then put them away.  Though sometimes after finishing a longer novel I almost feel like I've lost a good friend.

What Happened to Customer Service?

Last night after returning home from a weekend trip to Hilton Head with my husband and four young children, I was too exhausted to eat, much less cook.  Because time was also an issue I did something I swore I'd never do again. I went to....McDonald's.  I was reminded very quickly why I swore to my self and anyone else who would listen why I would never purchase so much as an ice water from Micky D's EVER again. I understand that this is FAST food and mistakes do occur.  But EVERY time I go through the drive-thru is ridiculous.  It should also be noted that I'm not the person who goes in and orders six meals and has to have each one slightly altered to my specifications, nope, not me.  I just tell my kids to scrape the onions off and "no , Michael, don't throw your tomato away, give it to your sister" and "it's okay, we have BBQ sauce at home."  Last night I ordered three chicken nugget kids meals, one cheeseburger kids meal, and two 10 pc. chicken nugget meals. All with diet Dr. Pepper. Easy? Nope. Thirty something dollars for chicken nuggets and guess how many BBQ sauces I get  for 38 chicken nuggets?  Two.  It's 100 degrees in Georgia and they also felt that I only needed 5 pieces of ice in my drink. Thanks. Also, you aren't doing me a favor by getting my order in a bag workers at McDonald's, I am however, doing you a favor by keeping you in a job.Don't be so rude! I have to give them credit though, no big mistakes, just half empty fry boxes of cold fries a warm drink and no dip.  That is why these positions are called McJobs.  If they can't get the basics of FAST food, I definitely don't want these people handling my money or my children's education or my health care. Duh.