Sunday, July 15, 2007

Out Healthcare System is SICKO

I recently saw Michael Moore's new film, SICKO. It is a film I've been waiting for for many years. During college I came to realize that the only way we are going to improve health and care for our fellow human beings was to establish Medicare for All.

I found Moore's film interesting because it really did not go into the fact that we are leaving over 40 million of our fellow Americans with no health insurance, no care for them when they get cancer, and no prevention from developing lifestyle-crippling heart disease.

He focused on those of us who are insured, in a complicated insurance system that denies people care and does not support people having healthy productive lives. It is key that he focused on these people, like my family, who are doing well, until something happens and our insurance company denies us.

It is not until regular-insured Americans, like my parents, realize that they are at the mercy of these careless companies that things will change. Until we realize we are all in this mess together and do something to improve the health of all Americans, we will be stick in this SICKO system.

So, Mom and Dad, and all your friends, I'm waiting for you to see SICKO, and then do something about it. My patients and your country needs you:
href="http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/what-can-i-do/">'What can I do?' - SiCKO

P.S. My favorite action item from Mr.Moore's website is: Eat fruits and vegetables and walk around. Congrats Michael for advocating this and for losing some weight.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Live Earth Misses Tip to Reduce Global Warming

The Live Earth Concert was a great concert series to raise awareness on global warming. It had lots of tips for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

However, it forgot one big tip, as pointed out by the Integrity in Science Watch:
Absent from the discussion surrounding the event were the findings, reported in the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization’s 2006 report, Livestock’s Long Shadow, that the livestock sector is responsible for fully 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions – more than the automotive industry, air travel, and all other forms of transport combined.

So eat less meat and save the planet!