Yes

Sometimes a little silliness and corniness - is just what is needed.

The Weekly Muse

I've been staring at this blank space for ... oh too long.

I am at the end of my allergy tether.  Back on monster cough meds, not sleeping well, feeling like I've been run over by a tanker truck - several times.

More ... staring.

When in doubt, when the soul is troubled or when your body has betrayed you - turn to Mozart.

Instant relief washes over me, like waves.

It might not make me feel physically better, but mentally I am already relaxing.

Stupidity Reigns Supreme

Being an asthmatic who has had several asthma attacks I know how frightening the feeling is.  Your entire body nearly seizes with panic; you can't swallow because you can't breathe.

Like a herd of elephants is sitting on your chest and adding more beasts with each passing second.  It's like you've taken a deep breath and are now trying to breathe thru a blocked straw.

The human desire to breathe is one of our strongest reflexes and when your own body betrays that reflex, the terror that ensues consumes you.

The only thing that will rescue you is your inhaler; go too long without it and you will pass out and your brain will immediately begin being deprived of oxygen.  Death ... follows pretty quickly.

Which are the thoughts that went thru the mind of Michael Rudi, a 17 year old high school senior in Deltona, FL ... when the school nurse refused to give him the rescue inhaler that he desperately needed:

In order for students to carry their prescribed drugs with them in school, parents must sign a medical release form each year. The school had no such form for Michael to have his inhaler at school. Michael’s mother says that even so, her son has been at the school for years and they have a record of her son’s asthma.

While it may be true that the mother bears some responsibility for not ensuring that the all-important medical record was up-to-date with signatures...

...the nurse is a monster.

Sue Rudi got a call from her son’s school letting her know that her son was having trouble breathing. When she arrived and was taken back to the nurse’s office, they found her son, Michael Rudi, on the floor.

“As soon as we opened up the door, we saw my son collapsing against the wall on the floor of the nurse’s office while she was standing in the window of the locked door looking down at my son, who was in full-blown asthma attack,” Rudi said. [emphasis mine]

This chilled me to the marrow.  A nurse is supposed to be there - particularly in a school environment - to ensure the safety and well-being of the students.

Bad enough she refused to give Michael Rudi his inhaler - but to lock the boy inside the office while he was in a full-blown asthma attack shows a depraved indifference to human suffering.  He indicated that when his eyes started closing, he assumed he was going to die.

That's not teenage melodrama; that was real fear that he never had to experience.

For this incident she should be fired and have her State of Florida nursing license revoked - permanently.

Which brings us to what could be the worst part of this horror story.  The Volusia County School Board is supporting the nurse's actions.

So they would be totally OK with the death of one of their students - while their nurse watched - all because some stupid piece of paperwork was not up-to-date, despite the fact that they had years of similar paperwork already on file for Michael Rudi.

As Sue Rudi pointed out so eloquently:

“I mean its common sense if I saw an animal on the street in distress I would probably stop to help, why wouldn’t she help a child,”

Which is a damn good question.  No form signed? OK.  Call 911 for god's sake.  Don't stand there like a worthless pile of shit - DO. YOUR. JOB.  If you don't feel like you have the fortitude to defend your actions to your superiors in saving the life of a student by giving him the medication he needs, call 911.

That's what it's there for and schools get priority service.

I have written a very strongly worded e-mail to the Volusia County School Board.  For your convenience I have provided names and e-mail addresses below, if you feel properly motivated:

• Dr. Al Williams, Chairman Volusia County Schools: acwillia@volusia.k12.fl.us
• Judy Conten, Vice Chairman Volusia County Schools: jconte@volusia.k12.fl.us

I attempted to find the appropriate channel with the Florida Department of Health to file a complaint about the nurse.  As you would expect their process is onerous and in fact can't be done without the medical records related to the incident.  So much as I'd like to rake this nurse over some very hot coals in her state - their process prohibits it.  Surprise, surprise.

The nurse should be fired and never allowed to treat patients ever again.  The members of the School Board should be forced to watch a video that depicts what it's like to suffer an asthma attack.  Or better yet, they should go thru a medical simulation that mimics the experience - personally.

Assholes.

Each and every one of them.

Go Home

Just who is out of touch with what is going on in this country?

I can assure you it's not Mitt Romney.  When speaking about the impact of the NATO conference on the commuters of Chicago, Obama had this to say:

... And if it makes those folks feel any better, despite being 15 minutes away from my house, nobody would let me go home. I was thinking I would be able to sleep in my own bed tonight. They said I would cause even worse traffic so I ended up staying at a hotel, which contributes to the Chicago economy," Obama said on Monday afternoon.

Oh poor baby. Had to stay in what was certainly a 5-star hotel with his every need and desire catered to, indeed to the detriment of the other guests.

Because the President of the United States staying at a hotel causes no disruption to the other guests.

No ... Not at all.

Fool.

By all means, Mister President, go home.  Go home and stay there.

Your Tax Dollars At Work

The 9th Circuit Court is holding its annual conference in August of this year. Why is this bloggable you ask?

This is why.

Saturday, August 11
12:00 p.m. – Conference Registration desk opens

Sunday, August 12
5:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Sport Fishing
12:00 p.m. – Golf Tournament

Monday, August 13
9:00 a.m. – Yoga
9:00 a.m. – Surfing Lessons
9:00 a.m. – Stand-up Paddle Board Lessons
12:00 p.m. – Welcome Luncheon & Book Review for Spouses & Guests
2:00 p.m. – Zumba
4:30 p.m. – Opening Program
6:00 p.m. – No-host Cocktail Reception
7:00 p.m. – Maui Dine Around

Tuesday, August 14
9:00 a.m. – Yoga
9:00 a.m. – Surfing Lessons
9:00 a.m. – Stand-up Paddle Board Lessons
1:00 p.m. – Tennis Tournament
2:00 p.m. – Floral Design Workshop (includes flowers & supplies)
7:00 p.m. – District Dinners

Wednesday, August 15
9:00 a.m. – Yoga
9:00 a.m. – Surfing Lessons
9:00 a.m. – Stand-up Paddle Board Lessons
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Day Trip and Tour of Upcountry Maui
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Gemini Catamaran Snorkel Trip (includes gear & lunch)
2:45 p.m. – A special treat! Ice Cream Social
6:00 p.m. – The Aloha Experience

Thursday, August 16
9:00 a.m. – Yoga
9:00 a.m. – Stand-up Paddle Board Lessons

Note the bolded words - they give you the clue to where this conference is being held.

Hawaii.

The 9th Circuit Court is located in - California.  But we'll get back to that.

When called on the carpet for this egregious level of spending, the Court responded thusly:

The conference is authorized by law “for the purpose of considering the business of the courts and advising means of improving the administration of justice within the circuit.” [§ 28 U.S.C. Sec. 333] The conference fully adheres to these goals, providing an exceptional educational program and the opportunity to conduct numerous business meetings that further circuit governance. Judges and other attendees take seriously their obligation to participate fully in the conference. Costs for lodging and air travel to attend the conference are comparative to those found at mainland venues. Any sporting and recreational activities are paid for by individuals and are not reimbursable.

I have no problem with a large conference being held at a desireable location.  I do have to wonder, however, at those opportunities to conduct numerous business meetings when you look at the activities itinerary above.  I'd like to see the companion business agenda because I'm betting that there are far fewer actual business hours planned that one would expect from a 4-day conference.

And to the location - really, costs to go to Hawaii - even from California - are comparable to going to Seattle or San Diego or even Las Vegas?

They are cozying up at the Hyatt Regency in Maui.  According to Expedia this will set you back about $400 per night after taxes and fees are applied.

Yes, that is totally comparable to what is found in San Diego or Seattle where the Grand Hyatt Seattle will charge you $210 per night.

Even in light of the GSA's scandalous trip to Las Vegas, it would be a better destination than what the taxpayers will shell out to send the 9th Circuit Court to Maui for 4 days.  You would think that the 9th Circuit Court would have learned valuable lessons from the public spectacle of the GSA's meltdown and the jobs that were lost as a result.

These people just don't get it.  Which is evident in the statement above, excerpted again here:

Any sporting and recreational activities are paid for by individuals and are not reimbursable.

The per diem for these people is in excess of $200; given that meals are likely provided as part of the conference this leaves quite a bit of free money for them to spend.  Per diems like these rarely require an accounting of the expense after the conference is over.

These people just don't get it and they make me sick.  And you can be sure that the MSM won't cover it and that Obama will call it a distraction.

And yet this is about the economy and this kind of frivolous play with taxpayer dollars is starting to cause most of us to chafe a bit - to say the very least.