“All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”

The health care system in Animal Farm Canada is touted as “the envy of the world“, according to former U.S. president Bill Clinton.

Well, perhaps most of the world envies it. But not Labrador/Newfoundland premier Danny Williams. When one of his cardiac valves started to leak, he beelined it for Miami’s Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he underwent a minimally-invasive surgical repair.

I sorta buy Williams’ argument that

“I did not sign away my right to get the best possible health care for myself when I entered politics.”

The theory in Canadian health care is that rich and poor are treated alike. Granted, Williams sought out the best privilege his money could buy, which happened to be  private medical care in the United States. However, his attitude rings a very shrill hypocritical bell:

“This is not a unique phenomenon to me [referring to Canadians going south for health care]…this is something that happens with lots of families throughout this country, so I make no apologies for that.”

Tell that to an working-class stiff in Quebec Province with a spouse, three kids, and overdue bills.

Published in: on 3 March 2010 at 14:29  Comments (2)  
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Religious wingnuts on parade

The American Family Association is an organization based (as so many like them are) upon following some Biblical scripture literally, some figuratively, and many of them not at all. (I wonder how many female members of the AFA take heed of 1 Timothy 2:12.)

Now this mob of wackadoodles are calling for Tilly, the orca that recently killed a trainer in Seaworld, be killed–preferably by stoning.

This insane demand is prompted by–you guessed it–biblical scripture!

“If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit [held guiltless].” (Exodus 21:28)

Moreover (and stupifyingly so), the AFA also calls for the death of Chuck Thompson, Seaworld’s curator of animal behavior. Tilly has a history of violent behavior (something the trainers knew and looked out for), and because of this, the scofulous toads of the AFA use scripture again:

“But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.” (Exodus 21:29)

The AFA blog adds:

“SeaWorld is apparently, however, unrepentant. Chuck Thompson, its curator in charge of animal behavior, says Tilly continues to be ‘a valuable asset not only from a breeding standpoint but from a behavior standpoint, too.’ Chuck might want to ask Dawn’s Mom what she thinks about that. Thompson did add, helpfully, ‘I think we need to evaluate his behavior and everything that’s happened up to this point.’ You’re about 19 years too late, Chuck, and the blood of Dawn Brancheau is on your hands.”

Sounds a little…threaten-ish, doesn’t it?

Published in: on 3 March 2010 at 11:59  Comments (2)  
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“Live from New York!”

Funny or Die (usually the latter) has an exclusive video made by former Saturday Night Live actors who have performed as U.S. presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and Shrub. They’re proselytizing for creation of a federal consumer protection agency to curb the aggrandizing behaviors of banks and financial institutions, which was allowed by a number of the very men who created the problems in the first place.

Msrs. Ackroyd, Chase, Carvey, Carrey, Farrell, and company do a relatively funny job, even if Chase does one of his old, tired pratfall pieces, and Jim Carrey (filling in for Phil Hartman as Reagan) goes a little over the top as usual.

Published in: on 3 March 2010 at 11:26  Leave a Comment  
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