As we know, John McCain was against offshore drilling, before he actually declared support for it. This is obviously another flip-flop by the presumptive Republican presidential candidate and still another victory for the oil companies and for Dick Cheney’s infamous energy task force.

In May, the Arizona senator has stated that offshore drilling would in fact be a waste of time and money: “[W]ith those resources, which would take years to develop, you would only postpone or temporarily relieve our dependency on fossil fuels,” McCain said. “We are going to have to go to alternative energy, and the exploitation of existing reserves of oil, natural gas, even coal, and we can develop clean coal technology, are all great things. But we also have to devote our efforts, in my view, to alternative energy sources, which is the ultimate answer to our long-term energy needs, and we need it sooner rather than later.”

Quite a different take on the issue – only weeks apart…

Also in May 2008, McCain was quoted as saying that he didn’t “like obscene profits being made anywhere,” and, as such, would be “glad to look” at a windfall profits tax on oil companies. Days ago, however, he criticized Barack Obama for wanting “a windfall profits tax on oil to go along with the new taxes he also plans for coal and natural gas.”

In any case, even after allowing drilling in a number of beautiful places such as Montana and Wyoming, after selling the oil from Alaska’s North Slope for many years mostly to Japan, drilling for and pumping oil all over the Gulf of Mexico, Texas, Pennsylvania, California and in many other places, the price of oil has reached record highs.

Offshore drilling is not going to benefit anybody, except the usual suspects – oil companies, which need to prove that they control large reserves, in order to keep the price of their stock up and of course speculators – those same scumbags, who have already caused the oil prices to reach such high levels. Speculation has always been a part of oil trading, but up until recently it has only added on the average $5 to $10 per barrel. As of late the price differential attributed to speculators is closer to $70. To make a long story short: If oil speculators were eliminated from the equation, a barrel of crude would only cost about $70. At the same time, U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has proposed a clampdown on energy speculation, which he believes is responsible for record-high oil prices.

Senator Obama Sunday announced the proposal, which would close a legal provision that exempts energy commodies from government oversight. Now, that could be a step in the right direction.

We have written about the quality of medical care in the U.S. on previous occasions, but as it turns out, this is one subject, which deserves constant updates.

Both our sitting president, as well as the current Republican presidential candidate have repeatedly referred to our health care system as “the finest in the world”. It is not out of the question that the president of the United States does indeed receive good medical care, and the same possibly goes for a powerful member of the U.S. Senate. How about the tens of millions of Americans who do not have any health insurance? I do believe that this issue is quite obvious, sad and shameful and doesn’t really need very much in the way of further discussion. But just imagine a family, with an income of around $20,000 a year – and there are many of those – having to pay the exorbitant fees that the medical industry charges in the U.S.

Today’s beef is about the much more fortunate segment of our population. Those, who make a decent living and who are fortunate to have health insurance, obtained through their employers. On the surface, those people – myself included – can certainly be considered to be quite a bit more fortunate. But wait! An average of 195,000 people in the USA died due to potentially preventable, in-hospital medical errors in each of the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, according to a study of 37 million patient records that was released by HealthGrades, the health care quality company.

That’s a staggering statistic about supposedly “the best health care system in the world”. In addition to the very real possibility of getting killed by carelessness, stupidity and incompetence, Americans have to pay record amounts for often substandard care.

But let’s not get too excited, or scared for that matter by statistics alone. Let me present a very recent – today’s as a matter of fact – example of how the U.S. health care system really works.

My wife has tripped on the concrete steps of a Metro station, located in the richest county in the whole of the United States. She was lucky to a degree because she has not sustained truly serious injuries, but the fact remains that she did bang up, twist and scrape her knees, front of her leg and face and worst of all, has either twisted, broken, or banged up one of her feet, just below her ankle. Why don’t you know whether her foot was twisted, broken, or banged up, you may ask? Don’t you love your wife enough to find out what is actually wrong with her? Actually I do, but isn’t that the job of the medical establishment?

I did take her to the rather large and prosperous urgent medical care clinic, located (you guessed correctly) in the richest county in the entire United States. After an inordinately long wait and a long and tedious process of filling out the required forms (even though she has been there before), I actually went to my car and brought a first aid kit, so I could clean and disinfect the visible, bleeding wounds on her legs – right in the waiting room, under the impassive stare of the staff. The first aid display might have given them a message, as shortly afterwards a nurse invited her inside. Once inside, my wife was given the standard look-over, asked questions, the usual routine. The nurse cleaned the wounds again, applied an antiseptic and a cheap gauze pad – not as good as the one I was going to use and instead of at once applying an ice pack on the visibly swollen foot, she gave her a heat pack. The south Asian physician came in, looked over the injuries and examined the nurse’s work, declaring: “That foot should be x-rayed, but our x-ray technician is late today. It will be at least an hour”. Some time went by and the doc returned, this time suggesting that my wife walk over across the parking lot to the much larger, multi-story diagnostic complex for the x-rays.

My wife hobbled over there. The place also had the Inova Health System logos prominently displayed. The receptionist (a male this time) once again took his sweet time entering the info from my wife’s insurance card into his computer, even asked her for another form of photo identification and made her fill out another form, although, as in the previous establishment, my wife has been to this facility a few years ago. After the requisite paperwork has been taken care of, the receptionist informed us that the radiologist – the person, who was supposed to examine the x-rays and render a diagnosis as far as the injuries – was not in that day. Could we come back tomorrow?

I said quite loudly and clearly: “And President Bush says that we have the finest health care in the world”, bringing up sympathetic smiles from most of the people sitting around the waiting room and an undisguised scowl from the receptionist.

While all this was going on, I was approached in the parking lot by a shortish, youngish guy in a thoroughly pressed pink (!) shirt and told that he worked for the management company, which owned both of the buildings, between which we were shuttling and that I couldn’t park in that parking lot, unless I was a patient…”Don’t give me any more grief, bud” I hissed.

Needless to say, we hobbled back across the parking lot to the first urgent (????) medical care complex. My wife requested an ice pack for her rapidly swelling foot. It was provided, but only after the staff asked her once more whether she was a patient and what was her name. After only about forty minutes, we were informed that the x-ray technician has arrived! Whoopee!!! The x-rays were taken, but we were told that the results would not be available until the next day. Maybe these twits were using the same radiologist, who didn’t show up for work today at the other place? Considering how lucrative this medical and diagnostic business is, do we really have a shortage of radiologists in this country? Is it any wonder why there are so many malpractice suits in the U.S?

Anyway, this is why we do not know whether my wife’s foot was twisted, broken, or banged up. And this in one of the most prosperous, technically advanced towns, located in the richest county in the entire US of A. Wonder how this kind of “health care” compares to some town in Appalachia, or the deep south, or to health care in some third world country? Frankly, I wouldn’t be at all surprised that Bush’s, Giuliani’s, Clinton’s and McCain’s “finest health care in the world” was well below the standards of care available in all, but the very poorest regions of the world. There is probably just one, single category, in which we do lead everybody. And that is the cost. I rest my case.

Follow-up – next day: The foot and the totally undiagnosed big toe of my wife’s other foot continued to swell. We called the Inova Health System urgent (????) medical care clinic again and were told that the x-rays were sent out to a radiologist and might be available after 1pm. Grrrrrr! I am sure that if this happened 100 years ago, the x-ray results would have been available much, much earlier. Anyway, they also said that they would call only if there was a broken bone. Otherwise -no. I actually drove to the clinic after 1pm. The receptionist said that the x-rays would arrive anytime between 1 and 3pm. I asked to be called when they did. We called them again around 3:30pm, a day and a half after the accident and over 28 hours after the x-rays were finally taken. A woman said “oh yes, the foot is broken, you cannot walk on it, have to get crutches. Do you have crutches?”

Needless to say, we never again intend to visit this particular Inova Health Systems facility, except to collect the x-rays, which we have already paid for, before we visit a qualified physician. I just hope they give us the correct ones. I also wonder if suing the heartless, incompetent, arrogant “health care professionals” and their corporation might be a good idea – if only to force then to provide better service in the future…

The third day: After finally finding out that there was a broken bone, we did make an appointment – unfortunately for the third day – with an orthopedic specialist. Although it is patently obvious that this sort of injuries should be treated as soon as possible, thanks to the performance of the “urgent” medical care establishment we were still at square one, getting ready to see the specialist. I drove over to the Inova Health System urgent (????) medical care clinic in order to retrieve the x-rays, so there wouldn’t be any delays later. After a brief scramble through the envelopes, the receptionist told me that the x-ray tech was busy at the moment and that he would need to make copies of them first. “These are my x-rays, not yours, I paid for them, please give them to me,” I said. “No, we cannot, sir, the law requires us to keep the originals,” said a staff member. “So you actually do abide by the law,” I observed. Good to hear that. I’m sure that my lawyer and the courts will be very happy to hear that as well. You have provided us with the x-ray results some 30 ours after the x-rays were taken, didn’t even call us on your own, to inform us that there was a broken bone and you are telling me that you are following the dictates of a law? What a joke!”

On the way to the orthopedist we did finally pick up the x-rays and a pair of as it turned out unnecessary crutches. The doc looked at the x-rays, examined the foot AND the ankle and said: “They x-rayed the wrong part. This is an x-ray of your foot, but the damage is in the ankle”.

Another x-ray was taken and within less than 10 minutes two pictures were displayed in the computer in the examining room. This is after all 2008. “A bad sprain,” said the doc “with a crack in one of the ankle bones. I will put you in a boot. Recovery will take at least three weeks”. I guess we were lucky that the ankle, or foot bones were not shattered, requiring reconstructive surgery. At least part of our seriously shaken faith in “the best health care system in the world” was restored to a degree, which doesn’t of course mean that it isn’t in need of a serious overhaul.

I just know that most of you have missed Jenny; the cute waitress at our local sports bar, with whom I have became friendly over the past few months.

To tell you the truth, for a variety of reasons I haven’t gone back to the bar for a while. Mainly because I am not really much of a bar fly and really couldn’t give it a hoot, which of the professional teams is winning, or losing, or whatever. As far as I am concerned the NBA, the NFL, the MLB, or even the NHL, or NASCAR for that matter could disappear overnight and I wouldn’t miss them one bit.

The World Cup, the Euro, or the Olympics – I do plan to totally boycott the Beijing opening circus completely, but do plan to watch most of the competition – are another story. These events I am actually interested in watching and although I am not a total maniac, I do consider this to be much better entertainment than the shows that the U.S. sports franchises have to offer.

But enough of this non-stop digressing. On a recent really hot and really humid June day, shortly after some really violent thunderstorms, tornadoes and downpours, I pulled up in front of the now famous (just kidding) sports bar – which has already been the setting of three earlier stories – and gasped at the heat and humidity after getting out of my car. Wouldn’t it be nice if our weather came from Canada, instead of the Gulf of Mexico? You bet! Anyway, walked over to the drinking/professional sports-watching establishment and quickly moved inside, into the blessed coolness of the air conditioning. It wasn’t quite as cool as I hoped it would be, but bearable. I guess their AC unit, just like the one in my car and at home, simply couldn’t cope with the 95 degree Fahrenheit temperatures and the over 90 percent humidity.

Got seated in one of my usual booths in the smoking half of the bar and before I even managed to take out my tobacco, rolling machine, papers and the brass Zippo, Jenny hovered over the table. “Long time no see,” she said. I looked up and smiled. She was just too pretty not to smile at and I wondered why I haven’t been visiting more regularly. After all, really cute, short and fit, little blondes, with a good sense of humor and a warm disposition are not that easy to find and this one seemed to kind of like me. I made a mental note not to let this one get away. “Sorry, ” I said. “I was really busy, but I hope that you might find time again to join me. I really enjoy our conversations,” I winked at her and she smiled. “Sure, but you got to make me one of those great tasting cigarettes again.” I nodded, already getting a couple of papers out of their package and unrolling the tobacco pouch. “I suppose you’ll be wanting a large Sam Adams, with this heat and all and a well done Angus steak and mushroom burger, like last time,” she asked. Once again I was flattered by the fact that she remembered. “Yes, please”.

She went away and I busied myself making cigarettes for both of us. Looked around. There weren’t that many people at the bar this time around. The TVs were showing still another NBA game, somewhere and the walls were as usual decorated with the typical assortment of old sports gear and posters. I finished my cigarette and as lit if with the Zippo, Jenny plunked a large mug of beer in front of me. “I’ll join you in a few minutes, when I bring you the burger,” she said. “Just don’t smoke the one you’re making there for me”. I thanked her and took a sip of the cold beer. The mug was streaked with condensation and the coaster really made a lot of sense today. Good! That first sip is always the best, I thought. Had another drag of my hand-rolled cigarette and looked around, waiting for Jenny to come back. Noticed that one of the large, flat screen TVs was displaying a soccer game. ‘Why am I saying ‘soccer’,” I thought ‘ this is the REAL football, not the NFL variety, with the ridiculous uniforms, the crappy half time shows and the cheerleaders’, although I must say that the cheerleaders do tend to be one of the most interesting parts of American football. It was Euro 2008, played this year in Austria and Switzerland. I looked closer. It was almost the end of the Poland-Germany game in group B and with a few minutes left in the game Poland was losing 2-0. It should be noted that Lukas Podolski, the German superstar was actually born in Poland, along with three other “German” players. As a matter of fact, there were very few “real” Germans on the German national team. And Poland had a newly acquired Brazilian and a Nigerian. I guess this is another example of globalization…

“Hey! Are you there?” I haven’t even noticed that Jenny placed a good looking hamburger plate, with large home fries in front of me and that she was already sitting across, pouring a Sapporo beer from a large can into her glass, with the hand rolled cigarette dangling from her shapely mouth. I rushed over with the Zippo. She held my hand in hers as I lit the cig, inhaled deeply, held it for a bit and gushed out:”Oh yeah! I love the taste of these. Sooo much better then any of the commercial brands”. I smiled an ‘I told you’ smile and opened up the burger, to smother if with the ever present Ball Park mustard and the Heinz ketchup, reassembled the buns and took a bite. Nice! Jenny was watching me, with that slight, but oh so telling grin. ‘I think we got something going here,’ I thought. At least I hoped so. She was probably about 20 years younger than me and in really good shape. She must be over 30, but her bare arms were showing none of the flab that women her age tend to accumulate by this time and having taken a good look at her butt and legs both in pants and in a shortish skirt during previous visits I KNEW she had a great body. And that pretty, beguiling face…I was definitely interested!

“So, tell me,” she said. “How do you feel about Hillary finally throwing in the towel? Isn’t it time that she would finally get the message?” “Yep! About time. Maybe Obama will finally be able to start working his campaign against McCain,” I answered. “Isn’t it amazing that some people will even consider voting for someone, who voted for and is still supporting the war?” she said. “And that Lieberman creep, hovering around McCain. Wonder whose interest he has at heart. Certainly not ours.” Jenny added. I nodded. It is just too hard to believe that anyone in his right mind would support that political and military disaster. I took another bite of the Angus burger, followed by a couple of French fries and a bite of pickle. “Remember when those pig fuckers in Congress have renamed these the ‘freedom fries’?” Her smile wasn’t strained at all and this was the first time I have used a four-letter word when talking to her. Just as I thought. A normal girl, with a normal, healthy sense of humor. “At least most of the really nasty pig fuckers, as you call them, have resigned, retired, or been thoroughly disgraced by their homosexual affairs,” she added with a very, very mischievous smirk. I couldn’t help grinning, remembering Republican Senator Larry Craig and his tapping encounter at the Minneapolis Airport and his ‘wide stance’ crapping habits. Lets not forget California’s Rep. David Dreier, Mark Foley and others. “I guess there must be something about republicanism that brings about these flaming assholes and speaking of that, I wonder who the Republican running mate is going to be?” I said. “If it is Lieberman, McCain has lost already,” said Jenny.” He would be much better off with Condie. That might give him at least some of the black vote.” “I suppose,” I agreed between bites. “But I still cannot believe that anyone would even consider voting for someone, who has committed an act as treasonous as voting for the Iraq war, or for the Patriot Act, for that matter”. “Honey, lets not get too fired up over all of this. It’s not that busy today. I could get off early today, if you’re interested.” I looked at her. The expression was warm and more than inviting. Yes! I think we got something here! “Absolutely! Just let me pay for this and point the way!”