Sugar N Spice

Obama Health Plan Decision

A friend of mine sent this to me a couple of days ago and I laughed my ass off. So, if you haven't read it, enjoy.  --SUGAR

The phone rings and the lady of the house answers. 

"Hello?" 

"Mrs. Sanders, please."

"Speaking." 

"Mrs. Sanders, this is Dr. Jones at St. Agnes Laboratory.  When your husband's doctor sent his biopsy to the lab last week, a biopsy from another Mr. Sanders arrived as well.   We are now uncertain which one belongs to your husband.  Frankly, either way the results are not too good." 

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Sanders asks nervously.
 
"Well, one of the specimens tested positive for Alzheimer's and the other one tested positive for HIV.  We can't tell which is which." 

"That's dreadful!  Can you do the test again?" questioned Mrs. Sanders. 

"Normally we can, but the new health care system will only pay for these expensive tests just one time." 

''Well, what am I supposed to do now? " 

"The folks at Obama health care recommend that you drop your husband off somewhere in the middle of town.  If he finds his way home, don't sleep with him."

Do We Really Want Canadian Style Health Care?

Last night, I watched ABC's 20/20 for the first time in probably a year and what did my eyes behold but a package from John Stossel showing exactly what Canadian, "free" health care looks like.  I'd already had my suspicions, but this just really put it all into perspective.  I mean, come on. The government doesn't give anybody a damn thing for free. Are you kidding me? They are taxing us to high hell (some people pay as much as 50 PERCENT in taxes) and you believe they are going to give you something, GOOD, for free? I'm laughing my ass off at that notion.

Anyway, so with that in mind, I want you to take a look at this John Stossel video by clicking the link here (scroll down and click the appropriate video link in the bar) if you haven't seen it yet, or read his commentary on the subject below. I just don't understand how anybody could be so damn stupid as to believe that the government, any government, is going to give EVERYBODY something GOOD for free. It just isn't happening.  The government will cut off FOOD, in the form of foodstamps, to a mother with children saying she's reached the max on her "benefits" and you think they care about whether you get your gotdamn rotten tooth pulled? Hell no!

I agree that it's shameful that some people don't have health insurance and the ability to go to a doctor without having to worry about massive medical bills. But, this entire thing stinks to high heaven.  It's not about health care. It's about Obama want to hoard the coffers of health INSURANCE companies. They don't give a shit about whether your tummy aches. They want more money so that they can have more power to control you from the moment the doctor slaps you on your bloody ass until the moment you cash in your chips. When will that get through your thick skulls?

Here's Stossel's commentary (from www.Townhall.com):

President Obama says government will make health care cheaper and better. But there's no free lunch.

In England, health care is "free" -- as long as you don't mind waiting. People wait so long for dentist appointments that some pull their own teeth. At any one time, half a million people are waiting to get into a British hospital. A British paper reports that one hospital tried to save money by not changing bedsheets. Instead of washing sheets, the staff was encouraged to just turn them over.

Obama insists he is not "trying to bring about government-run healthcare".

"But government management does the same thing," says Sally Pipes of the Pacific Research Institute. "To reduce costs they'll have to ration -- deny -- care."

"People line up for care, some of them die. That's what happens," says Canadian doctor David Gratzer, author of "The Cure". He liked Canada's government health care until he started treating patients.

"The more time I spent in the Canadian system, the more I came across people waiting for radiation therapy, waiting for the knee replacement so they could finally walk up to the second floor of their house." "You want to see your neurologist because of your stress headache? No problem! Just wait six months. You want an MRI? No problem! Free as the air! Just wait six months."

Polls show most Canadians like their free health care, but most people aren't sick when the poll-taker calls. Canadian doctors told us the system is cracking. One complained that he can't get heart-attack victims into the ICU.

In America, people wait in emergency rooms, too, but it's much worse in Canada. If you're sick enough to be admitted, the average wait is 23 hours.

"We can't send these patients to other hospitals. Dr. Eric Letovsky told us. "Every other emergency department in the country is just as packed as we are."

More than a million and a half Canadians say they can't find a family doctor. Some towns hold lotteries to determine who gets a doctor. In Norwood, Ontario, "20/20" videotaped a town clerk pulling the names of the lucky winners out of a lottery box. The losers must wait to see a doctor.

Shirley Healy, like many sick Canadians, came to America for surgery. Her doctor in British Columbia told her she had only a few weeks to live because a blocked artery kept her from digesting food. Yet Canadian officials called her surgery "elective."

"The only thing elective about this surgery was I elected to live," she said.

It's true that America's partly profit-driven, partly bureaucratic system is expensive, and sometimes wasteful, but the pursuit of profit reduces waste and costs and gives the world the improvements in medicine that ease pain and save lives.

"[America] is the country of medical innovation. This is where people come when they need treatment," Dr. Gratzer says.

"Literally we're surrounded by medical miracles. Death by cardiovascular disease has dropped by two-thirds in the last 50 years. You've got to pay a price for that type of advancement."

Canada and England don't pay the price because they freeload off American innovation. If America adopted their systems, we could worry less about paying for health care, but we'd get 2009-level care -- forever. Government monopolies don't innovate. Profit seekers do.

We saw this in Canada, where we did find one area of medicine that offers easy access to cutting-edge technology -- CT scan, endoscopy, thoracoscopy, laparoscopy, etc. It was open 24/7. Patients didn't have to wait.

But you have to bark or meow to get that kind of treatment. Animal care is the one area of medicine that hasn't been taken over by the government. Dogs can get a CT scan in one day. For people, the waiting list is a month.

Now, let me go for my morning bike ride so that I can maintian my health. I don't want the government to have to decide whether I need to have bypass or whether it's time for me to take one for the team.  --SUGAR

Donating Platelets

I'm on a mission to do my civic duty, Supersized, this year including doing as much volunteer work as I can. I gave blood back in late October and then again on January 1st and today I got a call from the American Red Cross asking me to donate platelets. As I've said here before, my sister was diagnosed with leukemia several years ago and she required a lot of blood products during that time. So, I try to give as often as I can. Blood is one thing, platelets are another...

Apparently, blood is taken out of the body, the platelets separated from it, and then the blood is put back in...all in one sitting. I told the guy that I would do it and I will, but gee whiz, I already have a feeling I'm going to be in for a rough afternoon when I go in to do my duty. Oh well, I guess it doesn't really compare to suffering from a life threatening disease or injury, so I'll roll my sleeves up with a smile on my face. Afterall, God blesses the cheerful giver...or something like that. Visit, www.redcross.org to find out how you can do your part to help those in need of blood products. --SUGAR

Man Cooks Parts of Dead Girlfriend

If you start thinking that your man or woman is crazy,they just might be, so start devising an exit strategy right now. On Saturday, a 25 year old man in Texas called police to tell them he'd killed his girlfriend and that he was boiling parts of her body on his mother's stove. The day before, he had gone to the home of his estranged wife and stabbed her boyfriend who is now in critical condition.

Sadly, I'm not even that shocked by such a horrific act. It happens every.single.year. Some man or woman freaks out and decides that someone will have to die because they have been hurt or wronged--at least in their own eyes. Everyone has a breaking point. True indeed, but everyone's breaking point is not at the "kill zone" level. At least I don't think so. I believe that crimes of passion should be considered differently than crimes that have been plotted and planned, but a crime is a crime nonetheless. In this case, it sounds as if some serious mental illness is a major factor. Heed the message. It takes special people to love and be with the mentally ill on a romantic level. If you know you can't do it, don't try because you will not be able to change them. Either accept them for who they are, taking the bad days with the good after undergoing some counceling yourself on how to do this, or keep it moving.

If you are reading this and you are angry that someone has hurt or wronged you, as you see it, allow yourself the time to be angry, but please get some help if you are even pondering actually physically harming them or someone close to them. No matter that the voice inside your head says they deserve it. Get some help. Check out the full article here. Click here for information on mental illness and find out how to get help. --SUGAR

A Lump of Coal in My Stocking

I was talking to my mother last night when she tells me, "Oh I know what I forgot to tell you. Your grandma told me she has a boyfriend..." Yep, insert needle scratching record sound. My grandmother is eighty-fu#king one years old! I was sick to my stomach. Sick because my 81 year old grandma has a man and I don't and sick because my 81 year old grandma is probably getting her old ass waxed or at least sanded with some sandpaper and I'm not. I mean, can it get any worse than this?

I feel like I'm going to meet someone viable soon, but soon isn't now! We'll see. Nino Brown called a ridiculous number of times this past weekend, switching between numbers in a feeble, retardedish way to throw me off, and each time I hit "ignore" so quickly, he couldn't possibly mistake why I'm not answering. I mean, as soon as I see that number, I smash "ignore" like I'm on "Press Your Luck" trying to avoid a "Whammy". He's pressing his luck because I'm just about ready to cuss him out. I was trying to spare his feelings, but harrassing is not tolerable by any stretch.

I haven't heard from the "new guy" since I turned down the invite to the get together a couple of weekends ago, so I should be completely rid of him soon. He knows how to take a hint. He'll call again for sure, but it's that old, "Let me just see where her head is today," call. Not the begging, acting like a damn idiot calls I get from Nino.

Whatever. I've been really getting some things done since I gave The Iteration the old one two. I'm in better physical shape as a whole than I've been in since 2003 and I feel great. I'm going to apply to grad school in the coming weeks and I think a move could be just over the horizon for me in 2008. Which should prove exciting to say the least.

PLUS, in just a few hours, I'll be scooting on over to Best Buy to pick up my fresh out the box copy of Mary Jane Blige's new cd, "Growing Pains" so that trumps grandma's old dried up prunes for balls man any day. Check out her song from last year's "Reflections" album, "We Ride (I See the Future)". Enjoy. --SUGAR

When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong...At the Movies

On Friday, I was reminded why when it's all said and done, I need a man who is capable of handling his business in the event a "situation" should arise...or in case I get to running my damn mouth with little or no thought to the danger that could accompany said mouth-running. You know, one of my grandfathers was called "Gabby" by some of his friends for his propensity for talking trash. He was a man who could back his up, but still, people knew he liked to run his mouth. I do too and for the most part I can back mine up, except for maybe I wouldn't fare so well with a group of teenaged boys high on weed. Let me set the scene for you.

My plantation job hosted our holiday luncheon on Friday. We were done by 2pm and boy was I excited. I had a ton of things to do in preparation for my trip down South next week, so I set off to get to it. I ran some errands and did some shopping for a few hours and then decided to go catch the 7pm screening of "Beowulf". Which is freaking awesome by the way. I was very impressed. I saw it in 3-D and they even gave us the little glasses to get that in you face effect. Very cool. Anyway, I figured it wouldn't be too crowded because the movie has been out for a few weeks and I was catching a relatively early show. So, I walk into the theater, not feeling all that great anyway because a cold was starting to set in, but I figured slowing down a couple of hours to enjoy a film should help me feel a little better.

There was a white couple sitting on the bottom row of the stadium seating and a family sitting down on the floor seats. As I made my way up the stadium seating to get my favorite spot in the middle, I spotted a group of four or five teenaged boys of maybe about 15, 16 years old. One of them was about 12, probably the younger brother of one of the boys. So, they are just chatting it up and you know how teenaged boys love attention, so they really got loud when I sat down. Just trying to be funny and whitty [translation: sounding like some obnoxious little assholes] and carrying on really badly. But, the movie hadn't started, so I didn't really think much of it. I figured, I'm not exactly in the hood, so they'll "simmer down" when the movie starts. When the previews started and they were still going at it, I realized two things. They probably weren't going to get quiet and they had probably shared a blunt before they came into the theater. Dayum! If I know one thing, it's that you can't really talk reason to a high individual.

Anyway, so the movie starts and I have my little glasses on all "oohing and awing" as the visuals took stabs at me through the screen. I'm telling you, if you haven't seen the movie, go see it, but make sure you see it in either 3-D or iMAX. The jackasses were still making noise. Getting on my damn nerves more and more by the second and the fact that my Aunt Flo was on the way only made my fuse even shorter.

I thought about going to the front desk to tell on them, but thought, "Gosh, have I gotten so old that I will now go and rat out the "noisy" people in the theater?" Then, I thought about just leaving, getting a pass at the front desk and coming back another day, but Aunt Flo whispered in my ear, "Hell no! You paid your $12 damn dollars and this movie is damn good! You shouldn't have to leave! They need to shut the fu$k up!" So, in a moment that can only be counted among the times I must have had a semi-conscious blackout, I turned my head to the right and yelled, "Shut.UP!!!!" in what must have been my most white girl sounding voice [in hindsight]. Bad, bad move. Had I been thinking, I would have put a little grit in my voice and said something like, "Would ya'll shut the fuck up!!!?" That would have really gotten their attention and we could have just dealt with the situation head on. Security would have come after the white folks went and told on us and the jackasses would have been escorted out, all of the rest of us law-abiding, socially conscious folks given passes to see the film another day and all's well that ends well. Instead, it went like this...

They kept making noise and in fact, got more and more obnoxious. I'm talking about, these little shits talked the whole.entire.time. I had horrible flashbacks to my days of babysitting teaching in Baltimore. I was furious because I really couldn't leave then. I didn't want to face the fact that I'd become "one of them" [a real tattle-taling adult] and I didn't know whether a well thrown box of Raisinettes was going to smack me upside the damn head as I walked out. I was taking a big risk sitting down below them with my back turned, but I had a feeling they were some geeks who were trying to show off, so they weren't going to do anything too crazy. So, I sat there and suffered--pissed at The Iteration, mad at the white boy who was with the sister down in front of me because he didn't have the balls to tell them to shut up and mad that at that point in my life, if I needed for my own big strong man to come and crack some skulls, it wouldn't happen because I didn't have one.

I did my best to tune the assholes out and ten minutes before the movie ended, they left. I'd like to think they left because they thought I was going to get all up in their asses once the movie was over, but one of my friends said they probably left because they were going to sneak into another movie. She doesn't know what the hell she's talking about. They knew what was going to happen. When the film was over, I went to the guest services desk and made them give me a pass for a return visit. I'm not going to see "Beowulf" again because I was able to enjoy it well enough, so I'll probably check out "Atonement" or whatever is out by the time I get back from down South next week.

At least I didn't catch a beat down. How was your weekend? --SUGAR

When Women Act Like Junkyard Dogs

If you should find yourself asking a man, or even pondering asking, to smell his dick to verify whether he's been faithful....You my sister have lost it. Fellow blogger, Ebonne [see Renaissance Black Woman in the blogroll to the left], deserves all credit for hipping me to this little jewel in the ether. A cracked out, Sims style video on YouTube set to the tune of some chicks singing "Let Me Smell Yo Dick". I must admit, it is absolutely hilarious. Especially when the cartoon chick bends down in front of her man's zipper to get a whiff, but it is also very sad. Somewhere, as I type this, some woman is all up in her man's grill, slapping him, scratching him and hitting him all the while screaming, "Where in the hell have you been!!?"  Thank God I've never had it that bad. And, for you sophisticated women reading this, don't think for a minute that it can't happen to you. I'm very well aware that it could happen to me. By the "it", I mean, the mojo...and I'll leave it at that.

Now, this is what we must all face and deal with head on. When we allow ourselves to stoop to a level so low that we are willing to smell a man's penis for verification's sake? We have essentially become no better than the run of the mill junkyard dog. Just guarding and protecting and trying to hold and keep--a piece of junk, shit, trash, whatever you want to call it. But, when you are trying to hold on to a no good man, which he must be as evidenced by the fact that you feel the need to smell his dick [that or, you are psycho, which case we can talk about on another day], it is what it is!

Check this, from eHow.com on How to Breed a Junkyard Dog:

1. Decide what kind of a dog you want and the attributes the dog should possess. The dog should probably be balanced, in that it will be easily trained, perform its duty of guarding the junkyard after hours, yet not be uncontrollable by its owners, thus putting the public at risk. The dog should also be loyal to its owner, as well as naturally protective of its territory.
2. Research the breeds and learn which breed of dog closely matches the attributes listed in the above.
3. Search for a sire and a dam in the chosen breed, being careful to observe the dogs in action and with their owners. Dogs that come from a kennel where their owners treat them well, yet require balanced behavior from their animals, are among the best candidates.
4. Pick from the litters of the sire and dam you have chosen. The puppy should be confident and not too timid. A dog that is excessively dominant or timid would not be a good candidate for a junkyard dog.
5. Start training the dog when it is still young. When the puppy is old enough, enroll it in obedience class.

You see, most women who lash out in the way the Sims sister did in the video below are doing it, guarding that piece of shit, because they don't feel they have a hope of finding anything better. That, and "the mojo". But, I implore you my sister, to really take a step back and try to picture the last time you had to ask him to smell his dick. Do this when you are alone so that you can really think about this. Is that how you really want to carry things? Smelling some man's hot dick and nuts [Bygbaby?] to find out whether it's been in his boxers all day other than catching some air while he relieves himself?

If so, oh well. You know what they say. One woman's junk is another woman's treasure. --SUGAR

NBC Series on Black Women to Tackle Tough Issues

I received an email a short while ago announcing that starting next Monday, NBC will begin a five-part series entitled, "Afrian-American Women: Where They Stand". Since I can't seem to find the information anywhere else on line to validate this information, I'm just going to include what's in the release and you can confirm it for yourself as the week goes along, or I'll post something here. I'm pretty sure it's authentic. I'm usually at the gym around the time the network nightly news airs, thus my fixation on Lou Dobbs, because my gym only play CNN and some sports channels--which is fine with me, but I'm just making a point. I will be recording the news for the week.

Anyway, the week's topics include:

Monday’s installment will discuss African-American women's progress in the education field. Nearly two-thirds of African-American undergraduates are women. At black colleges, the ratio of women to men is 7 to 1. And that is leading to a disparity in the number of African-American women who go on to own their own businesses. Rehema Ellis will talk to educators, students and businesswomen about why this disparity exists. 

Tuesday, Ellis will look at relationships within the African-American female community. Many agree the gender disparity in education and business among African-Americans is having an effect on relationships that African American women have. Some even say the implications could redefine "Black America's family and social structure." In the past fifty years, the percentage of African-American women between 25-54 who have never been married has doubled from 20% to 40%. (Compared to just 16% of white women who have never been married today). Ellis sits down with the members of a Chicagobook club and talk about this difference and how it impacts them.
 
Dr. Nancy Snyderman will discuss the increases risks for breast cancer for African-American women on Wednesday. Mortality rates for African-American women are higher than any other racial or ethnic group for nearly every major cause of death, including breast cancer. Black women with breast cancer are nearly 30% more likely to die from it than white women. Premenopausal black women are more than twice as likely to get a more aggressive form of the disease. And, not only are African-American women more likely to die from breast cancer, but they're less likely to get life-saving treatments. Dr. Snyderman will profile one of the only oncologists in the world who specializes in the treatment of African-American women with breast cancer.
 
On Thursday, Ron Allen will take viewers to South Carolina -- the first southern primary state -- and ask the question: Will race trump gender or gender trump race? In South Carolina, black women made up nearly 30 percent of all democratic primary voters in 2004. This year, polls show a significant number are undecided, torn between choosing the first African-American or first female Presidential candidate. Allen talks with the undecided, as well the state directors for the Clinton and Obama campaigns, who happen to be African-American women.
 
To close the series on Friday, Dr. Snyderman will raise the frightening statistic that African-American women are 85% more likely to get diabetes, a major complication for heart disease. And, like breast cancer, more black women die from heart disease than white women. Dr. Snyderman will profile a leading expert and a unique church-based outreach program in South Carolina that seeks to spread the word about heart disease risks to black women congregants.
 
Mara Schiavocampo, Digital Correspondent for "Nightly News," will address two hot topics in the African - American community: interracial dating and the impact of hip hop music on black women. Interracial dating is a growing trend in the African - American community. An Essence.com poll found that 81% of participants approved of black women dating non- black men. According to a U.S. Census Bureau report in 2000, 95,000 black women were married to white men. In 2005, that number increased to 134,000. Schiavocampo will talk to experts about the trend and discuss how this defines the "Black family" of the future.

Schiavocampo will convene a panel of leading black men and women from the hip-hop industry for an engaging discussion on whether hip hop lyrics and videos positively or negatively affect black women. The roundtable also will address how these portrayals are affecting relationships between black women and black men.

Pretty heavy stuff right? Should be interesting. However, most of the "packages" that air in a 30 minute newscast are only about 2-4, maybe 5 minutes long. It will interesting to see how they cram all of that information in. Should make for a great week of blogging next week! Hostess, Babs, iamnostarjones and all the lot of you! Are you ladies listening!!!!? Tivo my dears! Tivo. --SUGAR

50 Million LB Challenge Sending Scales to the Left

Great news in the African-American health front. Dr. Ian Smith, of VH-1's Celebrity Fit Club fame launched the 50 Million Pound Challenge in April of this year to encourage African-Americans to skip that extra helping of collard greens and corn bread (shut up! you know it's true!) and start exercising! The goal is for each state to collectively lose 1,000,000 pounds, which in turn would translate to a grand total of 50,000,000 pounds. Recently, organizers announced that the challenge had reached the 1,000,000 pounds mark which is truly something to celebrate.

A number of events are planned for this Thursday (15th) to celebrate taking off the first 1,000,000 pounds and to give people a gentle reminder about this wonderful effort. “It is really gratifying to reach the first million in seven months,” Dr. Ian said.   “The 14-city kick-off tour is bringing much needed attention to the issue.  The Challenge will continue to spread the word and encourage people to make healthier lifestyle choices and give up the pounds, not the fight.  Collectively, we can reverse deadly weight-related trends, one small step at a time. Take The Challenge. It’s free, thanks to sponsor State Farm®. It’s fun. And, the reward is worth the weight—it can save your life!”

Check out the 50 Million Pound Challenge Blog for more details on the effort and to join the challenge. --SUGAR

Having a Baby All By Yourself

After reading a post over at Aly Cat's ["Written With Love" see blogroll on the left] blog on Monday in which she detailed the travails of being a married stay at home mom of four beautiful little girls, I knew this was the perfect time to blow the dust off of this oldie but goodie [For Single Women Who Want Babies, Jan. 29 2007]. I saw a heading for an article on MSN or Newsweek or one of those sites the other day that was touching on this issue, but I didn't even read it because I already have strong enough feelings about it.

So, to that end, take a look at the post below from January of this year and let us know your thoughts on the matter of women who decide to go it alone in the baby-making process.

_____________________________________

Statistics claim that there are more and more spouseless women out there, fewer women who are getting married and subsequently, there is a growing phenomenon...single, successful women, who feel as though their child bearing years are waning, are purposely getting pregnant, whether the dad will be around or not. They are being artificially inseminated, they are poking holes in condoms (trust me on this one), they are skipping birth control pills, they are requesting that these guys "donate" their sperm and other such methods that I won't divulge here.

I love children, especially little babies. They are so sweet and innocent. They look into your eyes and you know that they love you unconditionally, but I want to offer a word of caution to my single sisters in this struggle. I know how it is to feel as though your biological clock sounds like a gong, forget ticking, but here are some things to consider before you walk down the aisle to single motherhood. BABIES GROW UP.....

They become teenagers and for any of you who have ever been around one, they can be some of the most unpleasant creatures known to man. They are moody, disrespectful, rebellious, worrisome and sometimes they are smelly! I'm sure the parents of teenagers can attest to all of these claims. Hell, we've all BEEN teenagers! You know what you were like! Do you really want to deal with that all by yourself? Sure, many single women successfully raise children, but not without many struggles. It takes a special kind of woman to navigate the waters of single motherhood without coming out weatherbeaten and torn.

Let me also say, I'm not trying to discourage any woman from having a baby. If that's what you want to do, go for it, but please truly consider what this will mean for your life.  I believe women who have families close by or really good friends have an easier time going through single motherhood than women who don't. I mean, if you have a child on your own, just going to the movies will be damn near out of the question if you should meet the man of your dreams well after that little sweetness is born, if you don't have family or friends who are willing to help out. 

I used to say that if I wasn't married by a certain age, I would just have a baby or adopt, but now I'm not so sure. I have two beautiful nieces and right now, they are my babies. My sister, is in fact a single mother, but she lives with my parents, so she gets a lot of support, but even that sometimes is not a guarantee. Sometimes my parents have things they have to do. So, she has to cancel her plans or whatever it is she hoped to do. Having a baby is more than a notion. It's tough enough for women who get pregnant by mistake, walking into single motherhood willingly might just be insane. --SUGAR