Dear Rand Paul

You should be scared. And every single one of your fellow Senators and Congressmen and women.

If you have taken any economics classes, you must have forgotten some of the key tenets:

1. People tend to be rational actors, but markets may not.
2. Printing money does not solve any problems.

To put it simply:

1. If you tell people you will pay them back, you pay them back.
2. If you do not, they send in the collection agency to take anything of value.

I'm sorry, I don't want the Chinese coming to get our national monuments, etc., if we don't pay them back.

I worry about Aunt Mabel, who has T-bills, if she doesn't have the full faith in credit in the U.S. government she will starts sewing money back into the curtains. This has happened in her lifetime, and I've seen money with those holes from the thread of an electric sewing machine.

All 80+% of us Americans who are mad as hell want two things:

1. You do your job and reopen the government.
2. You take care of the debt ceiling so the US Treasury department can pay the U.S. government's bills.

Remember this tomorrow, while you are off and getting paid, and the rest of the government employees are furloughed.

Here's hoping your Christmas presents (an economics lesson, a clue and a pink slip) get delivered early.

Sincerely not,

RehabRN

Inquiring minds...

Want to know if their US Congressman(woman) or Senator is taking their paycheck during the government shutdown.

I do, so I found this list.

Here they are...

Seven senators say they plan to keep their salary. 
Those senators are:
Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma;
Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut;
Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa;
Tom Harkin, D-Iowa;
Roy Blunt, R-Missouri;
Patty Murray, D-Washington.

Nine House members, however, say they're keeping their salary: 
Mike Thompson, D-California;
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida;
Rep. Danny Davis, D-Illinois;
Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Indiana;
Rep. William 'Lacy' Clay, Jr., D-Missouri;
Rep. Howard Coble, R-North Carolina;
Rep. Susan Brooks, R-North Carolina;
Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-North Carolina;
James Clyburn, D-South Carolina.


Some people aren't going to be too happy come the next election. I only have one vote, but I urge all of you out there to use yours, too.

Send these bozos packing. Every.single.one.

If we can't pay research scientists who work on cancer cures, people who take care of little kids, and other "non-essential people" who help veterans get compensation, small businesses run or students like me study (PubMed, my favorite resource, is also under shutdown), then why pay a do-nothing politician.

Remember: nurses (and many other medical personnel) are "essential" and get to show up for work in military and VA hospitals for no pay until legislation is enacted.

Just my $0.02.

More to come...

Yes, it is

This really was the saddest thing I read about the government shutdown.

My cousin's post that both she and her husband got furloughed today was the other sad one. They are both healthy and prepared, so while it's not fun, they will endure.

I just wonder if those kids will, too.

More to come...

Dear Congress

In the immortal words of one oft-quoted Saturday Night Live character played by Dana Carvey, "Isn't that special?"



Special that you might actually have to work late to get something done tonight. Some of my coworkers will work late to make sure patients get taken care of tonight.

Special that you just happen to be exempt from any government shutdown furloughs, pay freezes and the like. Maybe I should send you my smallest bill and so should everyone of your constituents.

That's right, if you get your pay, and some of your constituents are allowed to work for free until you stop fighting amongst yourselves, then you should share.

And yes, I do know that in a mere 18 days, we could have more excrement hit the fan with that lil' old debt ceiling thingy. (I could get more technical--with that business knowledge I have--but I don't think you all get the dismal science stuff).

We have a lot of excrement at the Hotel on the evening shift. I'd sure like to send you some if you don't get your act together. Work on it or I will during the next election.

Hugs, kisses and a bowel program or two. (Hey, you deserve it ALL!)

Sincerely not,

RehabRN

Merry Christmas to me

No it's not a mistake. I still have the Christmas tree in my office, but it is put away. I put away a lot of stuff in the office, since I got my Christmas wishes fulfilled recently. The office that's as old as some of my Generation X coworkers, finally is getting painted. Yes, some of the retirement age painters at the Hotel remember painting offices that "Government Beige" (their words about the color of my office) color in their early careers.

So Rex and Mike, the two former occupants of my office space will be invited to a "officewarming party" as soon as the painters are done.

On top of that, I also got some equipment I need for another project. We have a support person in our area who deserves a medal for what she does. Suzy has been around forever, and really does know where everything is. Thanks to her and a lovely lady in another area named Rose, I got my supplies. I've been trying to get them since I started my work in the SU months ago.

Thank you Santa. It's all just what I wanted...even if it's late. Those elves are the best!

More to come...

WTF, part 67

Dear Congress:

I'm getting really steamed about this "ending earmark" crap on TV. You know, those commercials that  most of you (who aren't in Iowa campaigning) are making to "protest" this, that and the other thing. The part that is most annoying is that lil' ol' government shutdown thing. Yes, you millionaires are fine and dandy, but some of us at the Hotel have bills to pay and no Uncle Mitt to pay them if we get furloughed (which is really a dream, since nurses are essential personnel).

I'm really thinking about telling some of our patients (and their cohorts) to leave you some naughty children surprises, and while it might be dark, it ain't coal.

Here's hoping you, as the Brits so eloquently say, "Get a finger out" and get back to work and solve all this budget shenanigans.

Remember, Santa is watching.

Sincerely not,

RehabRN

Some reruns

Are just classics, so if you haven't already seen Dr. Grumpy's latest Sunday Rerun, you just better run right on over and check out this week's version about insurance companies and bureaucracy.

It makes the Govermint look tame in comparison. Who'd have thought office folks would love Medicare?

Stay tuned...I'm relaxing and enjoying the weekend while it lasts.

The story of the numbers

I read in the paper today that if the debt ceiling is not raised by August 2, there will be lots of trouble, according to economists. As a Govermint employee, I'm thinking I may need to beef up the emergency fund and plan a staycation for this summer, instead of that cross-country trek for Bubba to see Uncle Ray and his kids out East.

Ahem...back to the interesting numbers. As an escaped business person, I'm always looking at numbers, and as a rehab nurse, too. We got labs, input, output, pressure ulcer sizes, TED hose sizes, you name it.

For fun, I always read the stats of this blog. Some of them are not entirely numeric.
Since this lil' blog has kept stats (about 6 months after I started) here are the numbers:

Total    33,273     
Average Per Day    35     
Average Visit Length    1:19     
Last Hour    1     
Today    13     
This Week    245    

I am also fascinated by the places my visitors come from. Here's a recent sample:

State of Ohio (state.oh.us)

Federal Aviation Administration in beautiful downtown Atlantic City, NJ (www.faa.gov)
No wiseguys...looks like they just came over from my friend Maha's place (pakazoid.blogspot.com)

Kuwait National Petroleum Company (www.knpc.net)
Did my bro-in-law tell them about me? He's a FOBbit now, so maybe he did that while waiting for his food at TGI Fridays.

Last but not least...
Some nice person in Adelaide, South Australia using on.net found this blog on google by typing in label bubbling.

No matter the numbers, no matter where you are, thank you for stopping by. Come on back whenever...you never know what I'll serve up next!

Stay tuned...

Pulling the race card

Yes, I had the misfortune of having one of the nursing staff doing this recently, so here's how I would have addressed it if I could have written a letter.

Dear Mr. Veteran Employee:

Yes, I am distinctly aware that you are a male and a minority here at the Hotel. I am also aware that you have many years of seniority. I think you have many good qualities, but one keeps rearing it's ugly head. You keep pulling the race card.

As a woman, you offend me because you think when I am not busy, I'm here to serve you. Well, guess what. I am not. As one famous singer said, "I'm not gonna spend my life being a color."

Since you are not wearing a patient armband, you are not entitled to free meals and beverages just because you figure you deserve them for your service. No, you sir, are an employee, and the cafeteria is that way. Open the wallet, remove cash and in exchange, they'll give you whatever you pay for. Novel concept, no?

Years of slavery did not cause the mess you, others and our management has got us into on the floor, in our local, state and federal governments or with your credit card statement. And please, when you're done trashing my sex, my job (because I make more than you since I bothered to get a degree), and the fact I buy "expensive" coffee, which I just so happen to share with you ('cause you're too cheap to buy any of your own coffee), please go and actually do your work.

Your female coworkers, sistahs and non-sistahs alike, will appreciate it.

Sincerely (only if you actually listen...),

RehabRN

Nuggets for October 23

Here are the latest nuggets from the internet this week:

Disaboom
This new site, launched this month and founded by an MD who has C7 tetraplegia, has a discussion board and resources for people with disabilities.

DisabilityInfo.gov
A one-stop shop for disability information from the US federal government.

National Council for Support of Disability Issues
According to their mission statement, this organization "help advance public attitudes, awareness, respect, consideration and advance the success of people with all types of disabilities."

The Able Crew
A site for kids which discusses disabilities.

NCIL.org
The home page for the National Council on Independent Living.