Our Montville

Friday Commentary: Doctors Quit Medicine

Some physicians, fed up with the costs of their practice, are ready to hang up their stethoscopes and shift careers. - Some 5,000 patients suddenly found themselves without an ob/gyn last November when Dr. Tara Wah closed her practice in Tallahassee, Fla.  Wah, 55, informed her patients in a letter that she could "no longer afford to make ends meet."

After 24 years, "I'm working longer hours than ever," she wrote. "Insurance payments for patient care have stayed virtually the same for the last 15 years, while the cost of doing business, including health insurance, staff salaries and supplies have risen."

The rising cost of malpractice insurance, particularly for her specialty, was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"My malpractice insurance was $125,000 a year, and going up," said Wah. "The only way to get the extra money was to cut back on my salary."  See CNN.

"Joe, American" Challenges the Presidential Candidates

Gas prices bad in NJ?

We pay a far smaller percentage of our incomes on gasoline than other parts of the country.

See New York Times.  Discuss on OurMontville.com blog.

Hat tip:  Shelley

Dear Barack

What energy policy?

Farmers abused - Savings gone with stroke of pen

I am not a developer, I am a farmer. My farmland is my safety net. The Highlands Act has left me hanging and one day, if I have to let go, I have nowhere to land. I'm finished.

Still, environmentalists tell me to just move on and forget about the loss of lifetime savings in my land, which should never have been in the Preservation Area, because no scientific study put it there. The environmentalists want me to farm as usual, following unrealistic restrictions, and do so until I drop dead.  See Daily Record.

Cold water on global warming

It has almost become something of a joke when some "global warming"  conference has to be cancelled because of a snowstorm or bitterly cold weather. But stampedes and hysteria are no joke -- and creating stampedes and hysteria has become a major activity of those hyping a global warming "crisis."

They mobilize like-minded people from a variety of occupations, call them all "scientists" and then claim that "all" the experts agree on a global warming crisis.

But a new and very different conference on global warming will be held in New York City, under the sponsorship of the Heartland Institute, on March 2nd to March 4th -- weather permitting.

See Cold water on global warming and The More You Know, The Less You Care. 

Weather Channel Founder: Sue Al Gore for Fraud.

Discuss on The Great Global Warming Swindle.

Should Congress focus on steroids, baseball?

Why is Congress spending time and money dealing with steroids in baseball when there are so many other things that need doing?

See Video.  Read Editorial.  Discuss on OurMontville.com blog..

Cheers to "Meanest Mom on Planet"

Jane Hambleton has dubbed herself the "meanest mom on the planet."

After finding alcohol in her son's car, the mother decided to sell the car and share her 19-year-old's goof with everyone -- by placing an ad in the local newspaper.

The ad reads: "OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."   See Chicago Tribune.

Hat tip:  Lisa S.

The World Should Give Thanks for America

Three hundred and 14 years ago, the Pilgrims gave thanks because there was a place for them in this land, and it was indeed grand. The land is grander today, and that, too, is remarkable.  The U.S. Constitution is not only older than France's, Germany's, Italy's or Spain's constitution, it's older than all of them put together.

Americans should, as always, be thankful this Thanksgiving, but they should also understand just how rare in human history their blessings are.    Read it all.    Discuss on OurMontville blog.