A little thought on a major benefit of the latest health care bill which just was passed by a slim majority in the Congressional House.

Because this bill would change the federal law to require that people not be denied healthcare on the basis of any previous medical condition, the temptation for anyone who needs care to lie to their doctor(s) about any condition will likely be dramatically reduced.

Inspirations of the Day

   Real Angels serve on heavenly warships for the worship of the Lord. Devils tend to worship lesser things rather than warship them, because their armies are fearful, contentious, and chaotic. - Inspiration to Stuart Little

   Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned. A woman scorned hath no fury like that of God scorned. The wrath of God is more than a match for the fury of a woman scorned. - Inspiration to Stuart Little

   Money fuels the world and it's economy. Money itself is not the true evil. Love of money is the true evil. Love of money reduces that economy and enflames everyone. If the money you hold falls through a grate, count that as a blessing, be grateful for that blessing, and do not think of the loss of that money as an embarrassment. Such a situation is much better than being lit up like a torch. Money is better disposed of in the rain, under the reign of God, than disposed of by burning through it. Paper is less flammable in water than in your pocket. - Inspiration to Stuart Little

Spider, Spider Go Away, Live to Hunt Another Prey.

Spider, Spider, on my Wall.

Up in the corner,

Oh, so small,

Walk away while the time is right,

It will be too late for you if you wait all night.

Your dinner's outside.

It's getting cold.

Find a new home.

You need to roam.

See better things and leave my sight.

Your spinning is too rich for me.

Get away from he,

who resides in here.

This is not your house.

Quick Little Gamer Quip

Quick little post of a humorous thought I just had:

Q: How does a modern role-player make plate mail?

A: Hoard dishes after eating, then send them out for cleaning.

'Teachable Moments'

This term tends to irk me in it's usage. When it was used in reference to the case of the Harvard Professor who was arrested for Disorderly Conduct when confronted by Police after breaking into his own home, because he forgot his keys, my first thought in regard to this phrase was, "So now we are going to teach the moment, blame the moment, or otherwise hold the moment responsible for how we, as citizens and neighbors behave toward each other, that we ourselves hold no culpability for our behavior; it's all the moment's fault." To me, this makes the phrase ludicrous in it's very usage and possibly just a tool to distract from the real issue at play: how that man responded to a "white" police officer inquiring as to the situation's true, factual nature. That response by this "black" man happened to imply that the basis for this "harassment" was his race, despite the officer conducting himself in a polite, respectful manner until he had faced repeated disrespect from this man along with hasty movements from this man into the house as he went to find his University ID, which did not show a place of residence for the man pictured, who was consistent with the man in question. This officer had no record of racial bias against minorities and had personally led a program to actually reduce such behavior among officers within his area. He also had reason to be on guard at the man's hasty movements, because he could have been trying to flee the scene by going out the back way or, even worse, could have been going for a weapon to harm the officer.

I don't recall the initial use of this phrase. However, it is obvious to me that the moment bore none of the responsibility for what happened that day, but rather the responsibility seems to fall on a contentious man and the public for assuming that the incident was racially motivated. I don't think the moment actually needs to be taught anything (It probably wouldn't learn anything, anyway.) No, it's the citizenry that needs a bit of education, education in civility and reason. Perhaps a better way of conveying the idea intended by the phrase this post is based on would be 'a teaching moment', meaning 'a moment that can teach us something'.