Kelly - I am confused…what do you mean by "what country do you think has the most to report?"

"Most to report"…..what do you mean?   I’m unclear about your reference. 

They use statistics such as number of people in the country who access to health care, quality of health care provided to all residents in the country,  the number of deaths attributed to causes other than natural causes, number of low weight births, child mortality rates, life expectancy of citizens.

The US is low in the listing on life expectancy of citizens as well, because of our lack of available health care services to all residents.  Most people in this country must wait until they become an emergency situation before anyone (hospitals or insurance) will cover their medical costs.  Preventive care is so low on the list in America and so much higher in the economically viable countries of the world that is why the US is not out performing other countries.  

Woodstock…….I had planned to go with my friends, BUT my father had committed me to attend a dinner given by the General running Fort Meyer so I could be the date of a West Point First Classman who was visiting the post. (My mother had visions of me falling in love with the First Classman and marrying into the Army.)

I was furious because the last thing I wanted to do was get dressed up in formal attire and spend an evening with the Army.  My father and I had a huge disagreement and he won.  I went to the dinner, sat next to the West First Classman at a lovely meal in the General’s Quarters, followed by dancing at the Officer’s Club.  

A dream evening, however, the first words we both said to each other when we were introduced were:  (he said) I’m engaged to a wonderful girl in Iowa and I only have eyes for her.  (I said) I don’t want to be here, I want to be at Woodstock.

The West Point First Classman didn’t know what I was talking about.  We made a truce for the evening, performed our roles and shook hands at the end of the evening.  He went back to the barracks to write a long love letter to his fiancee and I went home wishing I had stolen away in my friend’s car to Woodstock.  I knew, even at that time, that I was missing a great party.

Marjorie….I am always suspicious of the intentions of anyone (on television or anywhere else) who tries to motivate and influence my opinions using fear tactics.  

Fear tactics are always used when reason isn’t going to work.  All of these opinions expressed in terms are "left-right", "right-wrong", "Republican-Democrat", are fear-based.  Have you recently checked the motivations of the people who are motivating the public to take such fear stances?

Deber & Marjorie……Yes, imagine that, I agree with you….the Obama Presidency has been a "Designer Bandaid Administration" from the first day he took office…..Now, let’s consider why one needs a bandaid.   It usually means that there is a wound somewhere that needs to be healed.   And if the current President started applying bandaids on the first day on the job, one wonders when the "wound" occurred.  It would have had to occur prior to Obama taking office.   Consequently,    ……..you probably can fill in the details…… 

I have coronary artery disease, which we discovered after I had a heart attack.  Fortunately I walked into the Vail Colorado emergency room at the right time and the ER followed a mandated protocol for 60 year old women that included checking to see if the reason why I wasn’t feeling well was due to a heart attack.  (I thought I had the West Nile Virus.) I had atypical symptoms and it wasn’t until 30 minutes after taking my blood for a test, that they determined I was having a heart attack (much to everyone’s surprise, including me).  

I was so lucky to have enough sense to go to the ER when the pain in my arms wouldn’t stop while I was on vacation in Vail Colorado.  And I thank each morning, all the women who proceeded me, who had the same atypical symptoms and died before the medical establishment figured out (even though it is taught that women came out of the breast bone of men), women typically don’t have chest pain when they are experiencing a heart attack. 

Please take note:  if you have pain in any part of your body that won’t go away and you feel absolutely rotten, including having an up-set stomach and throwing up, you might want to consider having yourself immediately checked out for a heart attack, especially if you are over 60 years old. 

Your comment made me laugh - a big belly laugh!  Thanks!  It was just what I needed this morning.

I have a friend with a shelf of "jars" -  one grandmother, two in-laws, 2 cats and 3 dogs.  Your comment brought up the image of who in her family is going to get all the jars!  And then, I remember that I am the executor of my sister’s estate and she has several jars on her mantel with her beloved cats and dogs.  What will do with them after she dies?   I hadn’t thought about that. 

My 93-year-old father left his body to science, because he didn’t want us to have to spend the money to cremate his remains.  He was adamant and we respected his wishes.  He died in the hospital and the organization picked up his body from the hospital and six months later my sister was contacted by the organization and his ashes were mailed to her.  I must admit it was a rather easy process for his children.  

He was also adamant about not having a funeral.  And my grieving mother couldn’t deal with make any arrangements.  So, we let it go.

When my mother died, (we did not give her body to science but spent the money to have her cremated) we had a memorial service for her, followed by a cocktail party for Dad.  It seemed to sum up who they both were and completed the process for us (the children), the grandchildren and friends.

I have a story…….in the 1970’s when discos were in and we were in our 20’s, we would meet guys at various disco venues.  Our main question to the men were:  what’s your sign (it was "in" in those days), do you ski (we lived in Colorado) and do you cook?  Most men could answer the second question.  

Two of my friends (who, like me, had this checklist for eligible candidates for a future) actually found men who loved to cook and married them. My friends haven’t cooked a meal during their married life and their husbands are absolutely fabulous cooks (and they go to the grocery store and buy the food, too!).  I, on the other hand, didn’t find a man who loved to cook, consequently, I’m still single and I cook for myself.