Filed under: What the heck is going on? | Tags: Chimpanzee, Congress, Experiments, Grace Slick, Great Ape Protection Act, Invasive procedures, Legislation, Military, PCRM
More than 1,000 chimpanzees still live in research and testing laboratories in the United States. These laboratories are permitted to keep chimpanzees in metal cages about the size of a kitchen table, deprive them of normal social interaction, and repeatedly subject them to invasive procedures.
The United States is the only nation that still makes large-scale use of chimpanzees in invasive research. But legislation recently introduced in Congress could help chimpanzees held in U.S. laboratories. The Great Ape Protection Act (GAPA) would phase out all invasive research on chimpanzees and release federally owned chimpanzees to permanent sanctuaries.
Many other countries have already banned or severely restricted experiments on chimpanzees and other great apes because of a growing awareness of the serious scientific problems with these experiments. But the movement to end chimpanzee experiments is also based on our expanding knowledge of their rich social and emotional lives—and the suffering caused by life in a laboratory. READ MORE…
PCRM Good Medicine Magazine Ready for Retirement: Will Congress Release Chimpanzees Used in Experiments? Summer 2009.
Filed under: What the heck is going on? | Tags: Doctor, Government, Government Employees, Health Care, Health Care Debate, Hospital, Insurance, Insurance Companies, Neurosurgeon, Public Option
The current health care debate is really getting confusing. So much stuff is flying around on the internet…its hard to figure out what’s really what. I will say this: I’m hesitant about the gov’t handling health care, since most other gov’t-run programs are a big mess and riddled with excessive waste. And considering that gov’t employees are almost never fired (from what I hear), I’d hate to think that my health care would be handled by someone who could run amuck with no consequences. This leaves me on the fence about the whole deal.
Health care is TOO expensive, we all agree. A blatant rip-off might be a more accurate description. I once had a doctor tell me in confidence that he bills the insurance company for more than he expects to get, since they all adjust the amount downward to reflect what some bureaucrat feels should be paid. This is, most likely, the norm among physicians of all specialties. Mine just happened to be a neurosurgeon. He was kind enough to knock $1000 off my bill, by the way (thanks again, doc!). And has anyone ever scrutinized a hospital bill? Holy smokes! Talk about overcharging for services!!! Ten years ago, when I had back surgery, the hospital billed me $275 for a feminine item and a little kit of sample products….totally outrageous, and the tip of the iceberg!
There’s no easy answer – that much is clear. So I’ll reserve my opinion for now. Can’t wait to hear what happens next..
Filed under: What the heck is going on? | Tags: $700 Billion, Appropriated, Democrats, Dirt Farmer, Financial, Jon Tester, Montana, Senator
Recently, Montana Senator John Tester apparently asked Bernanke and Paulson:
“I’m a dirt farmer,” said Senator Jon Tester, the Montana Democrat who still lives on his family homestead. “Why do we have one week to determine that $700 billion has to be appropriated or this country’s financial system goes down the pipes?”
(ya’ got that right, Jon!)
Filed under: What the heck is going on? | Tags: 100% Tax, AIG, AIG bonuses, AIG Outrage, AIG Scandal, Bailout, Bonuses, Montana, Montana Senator, Senator Jon Tester, Taxpayers
I vote that the bonuses (and other taxpayer rip-offs) be taxed at 100% !!
