Healthcare in the USA

Healthcare in the USA focuses more on big pharmaceutical companies and hospitals making money than on the health of people. Ambulance companies charge too much for taking patients to hospitals, and they will do anything that they can to get money. A person can be unconscious when they are picked up and taken to a hospital, and the ambulance company can force that person to pay hundreds of dollars for being taken there. Medications and medical procedures cost many times more than they do in other countries. I have not been able to have the tests done to see what causes my seizures. Pharmaceutical companies have much too much power in this country. They contribute a lot of money to political campaigns, and those elected do things to benefit these companies while the people they are supposed to represent get fucked over. The healthcare system and the political system need to be completely overhauled.

An Introvert who Needs People

I am currently reading a book about introverts. (I will write more about it when I finish reading it.) I consider myself an introvert. I need to spend some time alone, but I also need to spend time one on one with a friend. If i spend too much time alone I become more depressed. I need to interact with a small number of friends. I do better with one person at a time. I tend to be quiet when I am with a large group of people, but I can speak up if necessary. I get nervous speaking out with in a large group, but I do not let that stop me if I have something that I need to say. Sometimes my words have more impact because of my reputation for being quiet. People know that I do not speak up unless I feel strongly about what I have to say.

"Angry Candy" by Harlan Ellison

Angry Candy, by Harlan Ellison, is a collection of stories that was published in 1988. My favorites are "Laugh Track" and "The Function of Dream Sleep."I wish I could write as powerfully as Harlan Ellison did. There is an interesting touch on the title pages of the stories. Each title page has a drawing of what looks like a candy wrapper. In the first drawing it is unwrinkled. In each successive drawing it becomes progressively more wrinkled until at the end it is a ball of paper. This one of my favorite boos by the author. If you haven't read any of his books this is a good place to start. I cannot recommend his writing strongly enough.

"Deathbird Stories" and "Slippage: Previously Uncollected, Precariously Poised Stories" by Harlan Ellison

Deathbird Stories and Slippage: Previously Uncollected, Precariously Poised Stories, as should be obvious, are collections of stories by Harlan Ellison. The former was first published in 1975, and the latter was published in 1997. Slippage also contains essays and teleplays. There are some powerful stories. "Mephisto in Onyx" is one of my favorite stories by the author. It is powerful and has an unexpected ending. "Keyboard," a story of dark humor has one of the best opening sentences that I have read, "Chris Hudak knew he was in trouble when his computer bit him." "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs, " from Deathbird Stories, is another powerful story that is as pertinent today as it was when it was written. I do not want to give away the plots of the stories. I highly recommend Harlan Ellison's books to all readers.

A Post About my Best Friends

Three of my best friends are in jail or prison. My best friend is in another city. I hope that he will be somewhere closer soon. I need to send him money. I will try to write him more often. I miss him very much. The other two friends are in the local jail. I will visit them soon. Another of my best friends recently got out of jail. He is in recovery from addiction. I would like to see him, but I do not want to hinder his recovery. I know that he has been through a lot lately. I want to be a good friend for all four of these guys. They have all helped me. It helps to have friends who accept me as I am. I would like to be able to help all of them financially, but that is not possible. I can only do that for one of them. I will do as much as I can for each of them. I trust that they will not take advantage of how much I am willing to do for them. They are family. I feel very lonely without them.

T-Shirts that Make the Wearer Look Bad

People who wear t-shirts that insult other people make themselves look bad to me. Yesterday I saw a man who was wearing one that said, "Stand back: I'm allergic to stupid." It would be more effective if it said stupidity instead of stupid. If you are going to insult others lack of intelligence make sure that you do so in correct English or whatever language you use on your t-shirt. I am not fond of trying to make oneself look better by putting others down anyway. I have seen t-shirts that read "Sarcasm: Just one of my many talents." I have been tempted to ask the wearer of that shirt if s/he is being sarcastic and has few talents. I think I will ask the next person I see wearing that shirt. People who wear t-shirts that insult others do not deserve any mercy. Either don't wear clothing that shows your own ignorance while insulting others or be ready pay the consequences.

Timothy Leary and LSD

When I read some essays by Harlan Ellison I was reminded of a misconception held by the majority of people concerning Timothy Leary. In one of the essays Mr. Ellison stated that Dr. Leary had been in favor of the indiscriminate use of LSD. He must not have read Dr. Leary's writings about LSD. He was in favor of the careful use of LSD. He said that not everybody should use it. He also said that one should only do LSD in a safe environment with people that one trusts completely. He warned against those with schizophrenia doing LSD. He was definitely against the indiscriminate use of LSD. I have done LSD twice. The first time was not very pleasant. It seemed like I was stuck in a time loop that was never going to end. The second time was uneventful but pleasant. I would like to do it again, and I plan on remembering the precautions that Dr. Leary advised.