Counting clowns. Entertaining wonderings
True clowns, they move fast, so it’s difficult to determine what’s actually happening. (USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)
Well, the circus finally got rid of the elephants. Any hope we can get rid of the clowns next? (That’s all that counts)
Laughable, no? (Newsweek.com)
How is it it’s possible for a company to show glossy, high dollar, emotionally frightening ads on TV and in magazines selling a drug when “The effectiveness of __ against ___ has not been confirmed”?
So, maybe it’ll work or maybe it won’t, although it is expensive. But don’t worry, Affordable Healthcare/insurance will pay for it. (That’s all that counts.)
Now here’s a product that seems to deliver. (USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)
Why, with so much clear and present looming at the front door, is US Secretary of State busy traveling and spouting off about a potential problem that is far far away in a far and distant time?
He doesn’t want you to be cool. And there’s something rotten in the fridge.
Who really knows if anything can be done about it. Photo ops, political coin, and extending hands across borders. Busy. (That’s all that counts.)
Is it one of those “Do as I say, not as I do” situations for baseball player Chris Sales?
He’s certainly cut from a different cloth. Only in this current era are temper tantrums appropriate demonstrations showing strength of convictions…maybe. Concern about uniform decisions? It’s happened before.)
Could be a cutting edge protest knifing big money. Winning. (That’s all that counts.)
Could have been worse. How about real vintage baseball attire in honor of White Sox Robert Ferguson who later became president of the league? (USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)
Only thing better than the circus coming to town is when it leaves – taking all the clowns with them.
Entertaining. On all counts.
Phil, the philosopher Mouse of the Hedge
Wolves in dogs’ clothing herding the distracted clowns down the primrose path. Look out sheep. Could be a party conspiracy.(USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)
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Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 
We could just end circuses all together. Clowns make me angry . . . I’m not afraid of them, per se – I just really, really, really want to hurt them. This tendency made for some awkward situations in college when one of the guys in my dorm block had a picture of his mother displayed in a very prominent position – she was a professional clown.
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Yes, animals are tired of working for peanuts! Bound to turn sooner of later – as soon as their unions OK it.
Anyone remember comedian Red Skelton’s clown paintings? They say he was pretty bitter at one point in his life. Clowning around seems to bring out the meanness…probably caused by tripping over their own feats. Thanks for risking a scary clown comment
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Well, the Republican Party has all the elephants and most of the clowns, so….
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Yep, pretty equal casting. As the old saying goes, “Pick your poison- I mean, entertainment venue.” Animal acts, clowns, comical performances, and soap operas are always good for laughs. Clean-up can be an annoyance. Thanks for partying down
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Not a circus fan at all. In any profession (and they all have them).
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Absolutely
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And sometimes it’s not wise to point and laugh at their antics! They have water blasters and know how to use them!
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😳
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So true! Even expensive clothes don’t competely cover their clownish ways. Thanks for tossing a comment into this ring
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Clowns leaving are the best type of clowns.
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Yes. As Mr Burns says, “Release the hounds!” We’ve had enough! Thanks for tossing a comment into this circus
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“Affordable health care” had me laughing so hard that I almost missed the rest of the post. As for some idiot cutting up uniforms because he didn’t want to wear one and the team outvoted him, you can’t make that kind of things up. How much is he paid? Two unaffordables in one post.
janet
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The human comedy dances on. No uniform decisions on that topic.
Thanks for rolling with the giggles and tossing a comment in
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Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right
Here I am
Stuck in the middle with you
(Courtesy of Stealers Wheel)
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Gold star! I’ve been waiting for that one.
While discussing make-up and party plans, the real elephant in the room is in a church in Normandy – Normandy – where many WW II soldiers died fighting for freedom of religion and individual rights.
Wall to wall media coverage of an elaborate staged fete, while real news and current events happening world wide are ignored. “Free college. Free citizenship. Free internet. Free charging stations for free electric cars. Freeeeee until it isn’t. Add more lipstick. Buy more shoes. Don’t worry about learning anything in school – you can go to freeee college anyway with remedial classes and be freeely given grades! It’ll be fine. Gads.
The middle should be much more crowded
Thanks for catching the music in the wind.
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Couldn’t believe no one else had done it. Hey, maybe didn’t like Gerry Rafferty or Reservoir Dogs. Gone to the dogs, no less?
Free. Everything is free.
‘I want to be free’ (Who? I think) many musical free quotes ad lib.
But youth, should be a time of busting your arse and learning. And earning. Old age is wishing you knew to do that back then. And trying for free, as the money runs out. Old people aren’t totally stupid. And they even remember old lyrics (although normally I am crap at those – has to be good to stick in
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Quality, with words and much else, endures. But you have to be selective and pay attention, right?
Free often has costs not realized until much later…that’s what Molly says. Best to find a comfortable haven. A simple back porch with a view sounds pretty good right now. Maybe a little garden dirt to dig in, too…without this darn roasting heat and humidity, please.
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Haha said the clown (even older, provided by partner). Summer is at it is. Oh, In the summertime when the weather is fine …
Unlikely to get anything but lyrics out of me today. Lazing on a Tuesday afternoon …
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Life is music…we are just too busy to notice unless very young or old. Best ages to be. (You don’t have to wear clown shoes at those times either. HA HA)
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I don’t think there is any question about which circus has the best act and which has the most clowns – though that’s a rather nice term for the bozos. BTW, my daughter and her husband were unable to get insurance until the Affordable Care Act. Is it perfect? No. But it’s a step. Way better than standing still and doing nothing. More steps to follow…
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There are bozos and con artists in both. Terribly sad situation.
My sister in law, a cancer survivor lost her job with that act as the company downsized and scrapped expansion plans to stay under the limit of employees, then her professional group (her back-up insurance) had to stop offering their plans as they could not meet all of the mandates. We have multiple cancer cases in our families – do not ask about the battles we have been fighting. I am tired of insurance companies playing doctor and trying to force this treatment/medication for “cost effectiveness” over doc recommended ones.
SOmething had to be done ( for a start how about forcing drug companies to reduce costs by not advertising with those high dollar ads – or charging so much for very old drugs? And about those Pharm and insurance lobbies…and campaign funds. Allowing insturance companies to sell across state lines would also benefit as competition forces lower costs. People should be allowed to purchase drugs in Canada and Mexico without being thrown in jail by the feds..)
I think the insurance rtoubles varied widely state by state. Our state already had state funded insurance for children (parents had to remember sign up yearly and keep contact info up to date), children in school or college could remain on parents’ insurance as long as they were in school, and there was a state insurance pool for those people with existing conditions or ones no for-high-profit insurance company wanted to take. So here pretty much everyone could be covered if they wanted to be. We do have a lot of undocumented ( from all countries) people, but the many local/state free clinics – some even in schools for parents and kids – plus the ERs and hospitals who are required to treat served as a safety net. ALL of that was ripped away by the Healthcare Act mandates – even the school free clinics. It has not been a good thing for our state. The ERS are worse than ever. Sometimes a one size fits all approach isn’t the best. Personally I resent paying for those who are drunks, smokers and any who choose risky behaviors and expect me and society to take care of them when the expected happens….while my own care and treatment gets more and more difficult…until it is no longer “cost effective” to treat as decided by some fed dullard and insurance clerk who has had no medical training…only counting pennies.
People view things through the eyes of their own experiences. So we must respect others’ thoughts and feelings. A walk in their shoes kinda thing. We all stumble along doing the best we can while trying not to harm others in the parade
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That sounds like it was/is a mess. The “for profit” aspects of our healthcare system (including insurance and pharmaceuticals) drives me crazy. Since when is profit more important than life? (No need to answer – A rhetorical question). I used to have lots of medicaid clients in Vermont, where the system was well-run and the care comprehensive. Even though some people disagree with the idea of “government-run healthcare” I’d rather have that than insurance-company-run health care. In my previous to my previous life, my clients were insurance companies and they were ALL about profits. I hope the mess in your area sees some improvement sooner rather than later. 😀
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Sometimes as systems/things scale up to jumbo sizing, things fall apart. That seems to be what is happening. Usually, on the actual ground affected/local control works better.
One really great thing we’ve seen recently is that now if an “elderly person” is in the hospital, a “healthcare team” goes in (social worker, medicare/insurance representative, hospital system coordinator) to talk to the patient – without family/advocate present-about their “treatment choices” talking about “quality of life” at an advanced age, “do you have your directives written and what are they and do you really want all this”___(insert negative info about possible pain, results, the costs bankrupting family, and downward medical spiral – all the really really scary stuff). They only stop when if the patient agrees to halting/limiting treatment and “they are ready to go” (affirmative nodding as smuggly, “Kindly” compassionately said by the “panel”) THIS IS HAPPENING. What are the guide line for “elderly? Who decides – who has the right?
“Elderly” varies in families – my family routinely lives over 100 in pretty good condition if left alone. They talked one of my 92yrs uncles (who was in for bronchitis and about ready to go back home/assisted living apt) into refusing food – and “letting nature take its course” – totally depressing him and it was real work for his daughters who ended up spoon feeding him and coaxing him to eat as tears ran down his face. And it happened again with an aunt. We have found it is happening to others, too, so beware.
It’s discrimination. It’s witholding treatment because, well, they are old and won’t live forever, and it’s more profitable if we can get them into refusing treatment. All about the bottom line. Who’s/what treatment is to be refused next to keep the overall costs down?
I see no justice if I make healthy life choices, eat carefully, exercize and do all I can to stay healthy if the ones across over there choose to eat into obesity, live a sedementary lifestyle, and choose to do unhealthy things. It is their choice, fine, but why should I have to pay for their resulting problems? Totally unfair. Even more important: Why should I bother trying to stay healthy or teach my kids to be healthy – pass the McDonald’s french fries…Why should anyone bother? That’s human behavior – how it works.
Yeah, there’s a problem with healthcare, but it’s gotten much worse in my view.
One thing that would bring immediate change would be if elected officials, congress and their staffers, and the president all had to use the same healthcare that the citizens are forced into.
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So interesting the different perspectives. I used to work in hospice and I never saw anyone pushed into choosing death over treatment. My parents are in their 80’s and they are “dead” set against having their lives extended if they are within months of dying: insensible, bedridden,and/or in constant pain. My mother has an aneurism on her heart and is trying to decide whether to have surgery (which may shorten rather than extend her life). The decision is hers, no one elses. I completely agree with you that our lawmakers should have the same healthcare as the rest of us, or the other way around. Thanks for the discussion. You’re right that we each have our stories and perspectives and an open mind goes a long way. 🙂
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Directives and discussions ahead of time are smart and necessary. My family tends to be in great health until around 103-104 then to suddenly drop over without warning. Not such a bad thing.
We have friends who work in hospice – and know those who have passed peacefully in their hands (including an adult niece whose battle with brain /assorted related cancers became too much and she chose to go with hospice care at home about 6 months ago.)
This new “healthcare team consultation” with certain patients has been implemented in the last 18 months and is part of the Healthcare Act. Life is hard enough, why must it be made more of a combat situation at every turn.
(I do wish Bernie could stop by. He’d be a fun guest – gotta like the guy. Gotta like anyone with strength of convictions and the will to fight. We need gusty underdogs more than ever). Cheers and thanks for the lovely discussion
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😀 My heart goes out to everyone who is struggling with health concerns and finding the system a hinderance. ❤
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ditto for sure!
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