BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE
RED FOXX AND LAWANDA PAGE ARE TWO COMEDIC PIONEERS WHO LEFT A MARK ON POP CULTURE AND THE COUNTRY. BOTH ARE NOW DEAD BUT SOMEHOW BACK IN THE NEWS.
A LONG ISLAND WEEKLY HAS GOTTEN THE TWO BACK IN THE NEWS BY USING A STILL FROM SANFORD & SON TO ILLUSTRATE CELEBRITY IN CHIEF BARRY O AND SHE-HULK AFTER THEY LEAVE THE WHITE HOUSE.
WHAT WAS INTENDED AS A VISUAL GAG IS EITHER FUNNY TO YOU OR NOT.
SOMEHOW A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE OVER THINKING IT.
THAT INCLUDES THE REACTIONARY AND SHAMEFUL STATE CHAPTER OF THE NAACP WHICH IS SCREAMING "RACISM!" AS ARE MANY OTHER (IN HONOR OF REDD FOXX) DUMMIES.
SANFORD & SON WAS A SUCCESSFUL SITCOM NOMINATED FOR MULTIPLE EMMYS AND REDD FOXX WON A GOLDEN GLOBE FOR HIS PORTRAYAL.
SO IF IT WERE THE HUXTABLES, IT WOULD BE OKAY? IS THAT IT? SO RACISM IS NOW "ANY PORTRAYAL THAT'S NOT FAVORABLE TO THE CHRIST CHILD"? IS THAT HOW IT WORKS OUT?
BARRY O SHOULD HOPE TO HAVE THE LASTING IMPACT REDD FOXX HAS HAD AND SHE HULK COULD USE SOME OF LAWANDA PAGE'S INDEPENDENCE.
WE COULD ALL USE SOME COMMON SENSE. INSTEAD WE GOT THE LIBBY.
SARA LIBBY, ASSHOLE SUPREME, WITH A NOSE LIKE A CAN OPENER (YEAH, WE SAID IT) PROVES HER MIND IS AS BLUNT AS HER FEATURES BY SCRIBBLING THE FOLLOWING AT TRUE/SLANT:
With so many tense racial incidents making the news seemingly every five minutes, there are of course situations or quotes that get blown out of proportion, or simply fall into gray areas. Depicting the president as a monkey or an overweight, elderly white man, though, is blatantly over the line. To pretend otherwise is ludicrous.
DID YOU REALLY MEAN TO SAY "OVERWEIGHT, ELDERLY WHITE MAN," LIBBY?
AND IS REDD FOXX'S WEIGHT (WHICH ISN'T THAT MUCH) AND AGE REALLY THE ISSUE? BARRY O'S GOING TO GET OLD, LIBBY, JUST LIKE YOU GOING TO GET UGLIER.
FROM THE TCI WIRE:
"Much is made how Traumatic Brain Injury is the signature wound of Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts," declared Senator Jon Tester at today's Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing. "By now, many of us know the statistics and the challenges facing the doctors and nurses in the DoD facilities and VA hospitals who have been tasked with treating hundreds of thousands of men and women. These are gut wrenching, life changing challenges and it is critical that the spouses and the parents are a meaningful voice in patient care and treatment. But all too often, I hear about folks who have a loved one that comes into a DoD health system or the VA with serious TBI, the parents and the spouses of these service members then have to wage battle against the bureaucracy when someone that they care about is not getting the treatment that they deserve. I met with a number of folks from Montana who have come through Walter Reed and Bethesda. Most of them are fortunate enough to have a spouse or a parent who has been able to drop everything and fight full time for their soldier or marine. One of the things I've heard frequently was that the individual care from doctors and nurses was outstanding but fighting with the bureaucracy to schedule an appointment with a doctor or have medications changed is nothing short of a full time job. What happens to a soldier or a veteran when he does not have a full time advocate? What happens when a young person from rural Montana is brought to Seattle or Minneapolis with serious TBI? Who's looking out for that young woman or man? This is the area where we need to do better."
The hearing, chaired by Senator Daniel Akaka, heard from two panels, the first was made up of officials -- Dr. Lucille Beck of the VA and Dr. Michael Jaffee of DoD -- and the second by veterans advocates.
Committee Chair Daniel Akaka: Colonel, one Marine who returned from Afghanistan in December 2009 was in a lightly armored vehicle that struck an IED. The incident was fatal for other occupants of the vehicle and amputated the legs of the turret gunner. The marine in question was knocked unconscious. After seeking treatment from his Corpsman, having the incident documented in his medical records and making the proper indication on his PDHA. He has since received no follow up care, he has not been contacted by anyone about his PDHA. He has even sought care from several different medical military sites and has been turned away. Can you comment on what the Department is doing to ensure that service members actually receive the treatment that is outlined in the policy?
Dr. Michael Jaffee: Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. There's a couple of ways that we are trying to uhuh increase the penetration and ensure that people get the appropriate treatments. One of which is we are in the process of transitioning our system for evaluations from a subjective volunteer approach --where a service member would have to raise their hand and say that they had a problem in access care -- to one in theater which is more of a mandatory. If you've been involved in an incident associated with the blast, even if you are being stoic and denying that you have symptoms, you would still receive a mandatory evaluation. And the current protocol for that also includes that that gets appropriately documented in theater which can help facilitate further follow up. And your particular case meant ensuring more robust care and follow up in the post-deployment aspects throughout all of the facilities. And one of the things that's very important to the Department of Defense is providing the appropriate education and resources to all of our primary care providers in military health care system, on the system and resources and guidelines that are in place to deal with this very important population. To that end we have been investing a lot of resources in providing appropriate education to all members of our military health care system. This includes having instituted for the past three years annual training events which have trained more than 800 DoD and VA providers to make them aware of these newer developments and guidelines. We've put in a system -- a network of education coordinators throughout the country. We have 14 of these people through the country whose job is to outreach to make sure that they are providing appropriate education and resources to our primary care providers at all of our military facilities.. And we recently were very pleased by the collaboration with our line commanders so that the medical community does not feel like we're doing this alone in the military -- we have the unqualif -- unmitigated support of our line commanders who want to assure that we -- and help us get the appropriate education out to all of our service members and part of that education campaign includes not just education to patients, not just the providers and the family members but actually involves the commanders in the line so that they are aware that one of their service men or women under their command is not getting the appropriate services. They'll have an awareness of the types of resources available and can also assure that they will get the appropriate referrals and treatments. The other aspect that we have is often times when people come back, we have that immediate screening, that post deployment health assessment. But we are aware that some people may not have problems that develop until several months after they return home. To address that challenge, we've implemented the post-deployment re-assessment which occurs 90 to 100 days after they return home. And we have found that that system can sometimes identify individual problems that were not identified initially which also helps expedite getting them transitioned to the appropriate care network.
Senator Daniel Akaka: In the case of this particular case, where this person has claimed that he's been turned away, what alternative does this person have?
Dr. Michael Jaffee: There's a numbe -- we have a network of those regional care coordinators who can certainly reach out and help facilitate getting -- assuring that that individual can get to a facility that can provide the appropriate resources -- be it a federal facility or a local facility within the TriCare network and that's the purpose of that program to try and reach out to individuals like that because the goal is to keep anyone from falling through the cracks.
Committee Chair Daniel Akaka: Thank you. Dr. Beck, as you know Congress recently passed legislation I introduced that would create a comprehensive program of care giver support services. If you could make any changes you wanted, how would you implement this program for veterans with TBI?
Dr. Lucille Beck: Thank you. We at the VA are very pleased that Congress has recognized the significant sacrifices that are made by caregivers and that there is support and legislation for the expansion of veteran services to meet their needs. The additional benefits outlined in the legislation have great value to families and to veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury who require a primary care giver in the home. VA looks forward to working with Congress and other key stakeholders on the implementation of the plan. We think the legislation is comprehensive and will address the needs that our caregivers have.
Senator Akaka was at the White House today for the signing of the legislation he initiated, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Service Act. Along with Akaka and President Barack Obama, others present included Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. Click here for video, here for transcript.
US President Barack Obama: As Michelle and Dr. Biden have reminded us in all their visits to military bases and communities, our obligations must include a national commitment to inspiring military families -- the spouses and children who sacrifice as well. We have a responsibility to veterans like Ted Wade, who joins us here today with his wonderful wife Sarah. We are so proud of both of them. Six years ago, Sergeant Wade was serving in the 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq when his Humvee was struck by an IED, an improvised explosive device. He lost much of his right arm and suffered multiple injuries, including severe traumatic brain injury. He was in a coma for more than two months, and doctors said it was doubtful that he would survive. But he did survive -- thanks to the care he received over many months and years, thanks to Ted's indomitable spirit, and thanks to the incredible support from Sarah, who has been at his side during every step of a long and very difficult recovery. As I've said many times, our nation's commitment to our veterans and their families -- to patriots like Ted and Sarah -- is a sacred trust, and upholding that trust is a moral obligation.
Barack used eight pens to sign the legislation (the pens are handed out as keepsakes so he would sign a letter a letter or two and then grab another pen). Senator Akaka's office issued the following today:
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) joined President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki, and others at the White House today for the signing of S. 1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act.
This landmark bill authored by Chairman Akaka will establish an unprecedented permanent program to support the caregivers of wounded warriors, improve health care for veterans in rural areas, help VA adapt to the needs of women veterans, and expand supportive services for homeless veterans. S. 1963 passed the House and Senate unanimously last month.
"With his signature, President Obama has taken the last step in what has been a long struggle for wounded warriors, their caregivers, and others who have called for a law to strengthen the partnership between VA and veterans' families. Today belongs to the family caregivers who sacrificed so much with too little support, and never gave up on their wounded loved ones. VA, veterans' families, and disabled veterans will all be better off thanks to this important law. I am also pleased about provisions in the new law to help disabled veterans, women veterans, homeless veterans, those who live in rural and remote areas, and others," said Akaka.
Akaka held a series of hearings as Chairman, bringing in the families of seriously injured servicemembers to discuss how VA might better help those caring for severely disabled veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Akaka then developed legislation to establish a program to certify, train, and financially support veterans' caregivers. When this bipartisan bill was blocked in the Senate, Akaka led a successful floor fight to secure floor passage. A longtime supporter of veterans' caregivers, Akaka also introduced legislation in 2006, later enacted as part of an omnibus bill (Public Law 109-461), establishing a pilot program to assist caregivers.
The bill's caregiver support provisions will:
Fulfill VA's obligation to care for the nation's wounded veterans by providing their caregivers with training, counseling, supportive services, and a living stipend
Provide health care to the family caregivers of injured veterans under CHAMPVA
Require independent oversight of the caregiver program
The bill will also provide numerous other improvements for veterans, by:
Expanding health care services for women veterans
Reaching out to veterans living in rural areas
Improving VA's mental health care programs
Removing barriers to care for catastrophically disabled veterans
Enhancing a variety of VA medical services
Strengthening VA's ability to recruit and retain a first-class health-care workforce
Improving and increasing services to homeless veterans
For an in-depth summary of the bill as passed by Congress, click here: LINK.
CNN Wire notes, "Among other things, the new law expands resources available for veterans' mental health counseling, provides expanded access to hospitals and clinics outside of the traditional Veterans Affairs system and provides stronger transportation and housing assistance for veterans living in rural areas." "The bill will begin a pilot child-care program for veterans receiving intensive medical care and expand support for homeless veterans," adds Scott Wilson (Washington Post). In various ways, the multitude of reports filed all note the same. One exception to the pack is Laura Fitzpatrick (Time magazine) who zooms in on what the bill is supposed to do for female service members:
The bill also authorizes research on the effects of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on women's physical, mental and reproductive health. U.S. soldiers have to carry a lot of heavy gear -- duffel bags, bulletproof vests, thick boots -- through Iraq's dry, 120-degree heat. A reluctance to add to the load by hauling water may lead more female soldiers to become dehydrated in the desert, according to Dr. Samina Iqbal, a member of the VA's national Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group, who notes that some 34% of women return home with genitourinary issues -- reproductive system disorders, urinary tract infections, and the like -- compared to just 8% of men.
The legislation also requires a comprehensive assessment of the unique barriers to care that women face. Veterans' advocates speculate that limited access to childcare and the perception that VA hospitals are geared toward old men are among the reasons that female veterans are less likely than males to use veterans' hospitals, even for such gender-neutral care as colon cancer screenings and flu shots.
The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs issued the following today:
Washington, D.C. -- House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) released the following statement in response to President Obama signing S. 1963 into law: "Today I join the many proud veterans and their families in celebrating the enactment of a new law to provide much needed support for the care network of America's wounded warriors. Our Nation stands together to honor those who sacrifice by ensuring critical support as they recover from combat injuries. The new law creates an unprecedented support program for veteran caregivers that will provide training, financial assistance, and improved respite service. The new law also improves health care services for America's women veterans, expands the mental health services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and expands supportive services for homeless veterans. "President Obama promised a new direction for veterans -- and once again lived up to that promise by signing a significant bill into law today. Congress will continue to ensure that the cost of war includes the cost of the warrior by listening to veterans and better understanding the concerns of their families, communities, and advocates. Only together as a Nation are we able to show veterans that we appreciate their courageous sacrifice." ###Details of the legislation can be found here: Speaker's bill summary Speaker's blogHVAC Committee release
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"THIS JUST IN! THE BIG RAFFLE!"
