Friday, November 05, 2010

Friday's Odds and Ends

*Everybody says they want a major change in Washington, but for the most part, all we did in Tuesday's election was replace career politicians from one party with career politicians from another. How does that help?

And the Republicans are now saying that their main agenda item is making sure Obama is not re-elected in 2012.

Hello, what about the real job you were sent to Washington to do? We have some serious issues that need attention. What about Afghanistan? What about jobs, mortgages, the financial crisis, the national debt.

* The estimated cost of Medicare fraud each year is $60 billion. Surely there has got to be a way to monitor the process more effectively and verify claims.

*Bizarre News:

Bandits in North Carolina broke into a home, took some items and left a "thank you" note.

A school in Memphis does not have enough cafeteria workers to fill little cups with condiments, and the school board is slow to act on the request for individual packets of mustard and ketchup for students to use.

A jury in Fresno, California, says Janet Orlando should get paid for getting smacked on the bottom in front of co-workers. The woman had a $1.4 million settlement with her former employer, over the so-called team building exercise.

Haitians are ignoring evacuation orders as hurricane Tomas threatens. 

Do these news items make you wonder about the state of humanity, or do you just laugh and forget them?

5 comments:

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Medicare is out of line. I reported 3 charges in 5 years for eye surgery my dad never received. hey were supposedly doing one eye per year. He only had 1 eye done 1 time.
That means even though I reported it to Medicare it took them 2 more "errors" to put a stop to the false charges.

Maryannwrites said...

Good example, Mary. The system is so cumbersome and top-heavy that it takes an act of congress to follow through. If the claims process was streamlined, that would free up people to monitor fraud and respond to reports in a timely manner.

Laura Eno said...

Oh, I wonder - a LOT! But in the end all I can do is shrug...or make up stories about it.

The Words Crafter said...

This is largely why I don't watch the news very much. It's all angry making.

Maryannwrites said...

I'll admit that sometimes I get angry, but I usually end up laughing.