Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that a great NBA player as LeBron James is not worth $31 million dollars a year, it’s what the sport’s world will dictate, amen, however when now we are in a health care crisis with the way of Obamacare being replaced, we are not focusing on what our medical “SuperDocks”. I call my doctors, my solution to have a longer life.

When you reach your seventh decade like had, and pushed out of my mom’s womb six weeks too soon in 1946, I was shoved in one of the first incubators, and guess what, too much oxygen causes cerebral palsy(no need to capitalized it). Over the years I have had so many specialists, I probably have a medical file that probably couldn’t even fit inside two crocodiles. My point is, I need some great medical care over the years, many hip replacements, speech therapy, and oodles of rehabilitation, thus I probably invented the phrase, “High Maintenance”.

Now at seventy, I made it to Medicare, unfortunately my wife has a couple of years ago. Praying that our new Commander-In-Chief, Donald J. Trump can be the Health Care Magician most of us have been waiting for, I feel that we neglecting the real solutions to our health care problem, our doctors. Yes our doctors, some of my Docs have gone to school for a decade and a half, to get certified in respected fields. There are many “Super Jocks” that not even played that long, and still have been able to collect some lucrative pay-checks totaling over 100 million dollars.

It’s time to let our doctors to be our God , Life Saving Super Heros that they were meant to be. Here is my game plan:

A) Doctors have enough to do, then to figure out how are they are going to stay in business, such bull shit as malpractice insurance cost has to be picked up by us and the government.

B) Why in God’s name that our churches and synagogues are tax exempt, why not our medical professionals?

C) Why help the rest of the world, refugees, doctor’s should not have to pay for their education.

D) Let Doctors dictate to the insurance companies what is fair pricing for their services.  I all of our doctors went on strike, the insurance companies, hospitals, drug companies, and all other medical services could go out of business.

E) Let the doctors try to untangle our health care mess. It’s a three trillion dollar a year a mess.

G) Let the doctors be the quarter backs, and the insurance companies and government just be the regular team players.

H) Bernie Sanders is in the right direction, but I think that just asking everybody to pay heir fare share is easier than one might think?

I) to be continued

Yesterday, on the anniversary of Martin Luther King, I never thought  my wife and I selected a movie, “Hidden Figures” that t this movie was “MLK(Martin Luther King Jr)” jewell. A diamond in the rough, that does not need much polishing. However fifty five years ago when the United States was in their infancy of space exploration, and very much trailing the Russians(Sputnik), three Afro-Americans were  finally able now to have their story told.

Katherine Goble Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson were employed at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia in as data processors center in the  early 1960’s. It was a time even at a governmental office, washrooms were segregated for both “Colored” and “Whites”.  However it took Katherine Johnson, a mathematical genius, to not only show our great country, that a woman, but an Afro-American  could  change the course of Space Exploration. She was able to do the much needed mathematical calculations that even at the time when IBM’s first main frame computer couldn’t do, but like Rudolph “the red nose reindeer” , her Santa, a young  thirty-nine year old Astronaut named John Glenn, who was waiting to blast off on the Mercury Capsule in 1963, when “Mission Control” saw that there was an error in the calculations for re-entry back to earth. They asked John Glenn if they should scrap the launch, he said, get Katherine, “The Girl”, if she can confirm the right calculations, then it is a “Go”! What a Go it was, or should I say it was the start of a “Goal”, to someday to step on the Moon, “One Giant Step For Man Kind”.

So as I celebrate this Monday, “Martin Luther King Day”, as a national holiday, I am also celebrating this day to give thanks just three of of Dr. King’s many millions of daughters, of course Mrs. Katherine G. Johnson, who incidently had the the honor of having her name bestowed for The Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia , Mary Jackson(04-09-1921-02-1–2005), spent thirty-four years at NASA, and was Nasa’s first African American female engineer, mathematician and aerospace engineer, and Dorothy Vaughan(September 20,1910-November 10,2008, who was an African-American mathematician, who worked at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics(NACA), the predecessor to NASA. In 1949, she was the first African American to be head of personnel at the NACA. At her twenty-eight career at The Langley Research Center, her specializations were in flight paths, the Scout Project, and FORTRAN computer programming.

As the movie “Hidden Figures” came to its ending, a few welcomed tears made me realize that Doctor King new his calling whether it was in life or well after  his death, why not he had no doubt especially on his birthday, his “Hidden Figures”. Black and Lives do matter, you can count on it.

With the inauguration almost a week coming up, I think that I better accept the fact that Donald Trump could my last president. Like many seniors I have been out spoken,  and criticized him on many issues, from making fun of the handicap to his stand on banning Muslims. However I see something I am looking forward to. I found myself with nearly twenty million other Twitter members who are wondering on what President Donald is either pissed off, or just wants to tell his fellow Americans how his day is going. Being an only child, I think this is pretty exciting.

Being retired, and doing my projects

——to be continued

It looks like the Republicans are going to get their way to repeal Obamacare. For seven years I had to listen to these politicians battered what was our only attempt to give some twenty million of Americans there chance to ever get proper health care. The dodos who care more about bashing President Obama also don’t realize, unless he take care of the health of of their fellow Americans, there is the fat chance, that we will have a problem in the United States that will have a far more consequence than climate control, the air that we presume is clean, will be infected with many more diseases that not only can wipe out the United States, but the whole planet.

I am not a scientist, o a doctor, just a scared sent year old man, who is trying to figure how is his wife going to retire and be able to afford decent health care. Once my wife leaves her work force, the source of our income will be our social security, and the interests off our investments. After doing all the calculations, I figured that health insurance for both of us will take fifty per-cent of our total income.

I think now is the time that Donald Trump gets on his white horse and announce that he wants a HEALTHY America. Everyone has to pitch in to make it a reality. No more collecting three to four life time pensions by our elected officials, to all the cheaters on welfare. He needs to look at all of his departments. Instead of lowering corporate taxes, use these taxes for having a Healthier America.

Everyone needs to contribute. Our foundations do not need to worry about the rest of the world, they will need to redirect heir mission of taking care of their Fellow Americans.

President Trump and his fellow Republicans are not going to find a solution of taking care of America. Their solution will probably be three-fold, eliminate pre-existing conditions, Fixing a life time cap that a person can have for coverage, and thirdly, EUTHANASIA!

Ar first I was very hurt that you President Trump made fun of a handicapped person. Having been born with cerebral palsy, it really hit home. However reaching my seventh decade, I realize that I am the one ho feels hurt, I don’t live in a perfect world with perfect people. I have to accept the fact that Donald Trump will probably be my last president, and I can only pray that I saved my last POTUS as my best. Welcome President Trump to the New Frontier. As my teenage president orated in his inaugural address, John Fritzgerald Kennedy(My 35th president.),  on Friday, January 20, 1961, ended “And so , my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” mmmh NOT HIS Words!

How can this be, our beloved President, our crusader from Camelot. Nope, after fifty five years, I feel cheated that my teenage excitement has been SHATTERED.

On January 6, 1883, Jubran Khalil Jubran was born Bsharri, Mount Lebanon, and died on April, 10, 1931 in New York, City, USA., he was a  poet, painter, writer philosopher, theologian, and my John F. Kennedy, “Painster”.  It’s like I don’t have enough pain in my life trying to figure out with our upcoming President Donald J. Trump. Later his name was changed to Kahlil Gibran, he was also born into a Catholic family, and settled in Boston’s South End(A large Syrian-Lebanese American community). Gibran published first in Arabic, in “”,The New Frontier(1925), which was also translated as “The New Deal” There are in the Middle East today two challenging ideas, old and new. The old ideas will vanish because they are weak and exhausted. There is in the Middle East, which has been a large burial ground, stand the youth of Spring calling the occupants of the sepulchers to rise and march towards the new frontiers.” He goes on and tells of two men, one of the past and one from the future. “Come and tell me who and what are you?

Could have John F. Kennedy ever glanced on these words?

“Are you a politician asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one asking what you can do for your country?”  Gibran goes on, and would tell you President Trump, “If you are the first, then you are a parasite, if the second then you are an oasis in a desert.”

The choice of Two Presidents,

As I listened to President Obama’s farewell speech last night, I was shaken that I cannot think of one thing to say good about our upcoming President of The United States, Donald Trump. Yesterday his Vice President, Mike Pense stated that Obamacare has to be replaced, and I can only wonder, how? I am trying to justify my upcoming costs of health insurance for my wife Teresita. So far it about $600.00 a month with a $7000.00 deductible, thats practically what I am getting for my Social Security. I think President Trump, want his fellow Americans to live in a tent, and just have enough money for food(amo and seeds), a good dog, a sturdy tent, a little money for the traveling doctor, a dime for the church, and the majority of what’s left money for the tent rent space. I think a cemetery lot will look like a mansion.

I know I seem “Paranoic”, but the stress of seeing Every thing that I have struggled for go down the tube, I know that at seventy years of age, I should accept the fact that I should be lucky to even think about having another decade. Let’s face it, Donald Trump has certainly decided America, and has not really told us of what “The United States of Trump” has to offer. What it has given me a list of things that I saw what went wrong with his fellow Americans.

A) Our country was founded on the belief that all Americans are created equal. We are a great country because we are composed of many religions, races, and cultures. I grew up on the southwest side of Chicago, Marquette Park, and witnessed the name callings, “Niggers” to be exact, to Martin Luther King and his protesters for equality, yet I wonder if any of the Trump racists would dare to face Michael Jordan and call him a “Nigger.”

B) It’s just possible that in ninety days that up to ten million Americans will get premium notices for there new privatized health insurance will have hefty increases, and for us Seniors, that there will be an additional $500.00 a month for our supplemental coverage. Insurance companies, doctors, and the drug companies will dictate the final cost if most of us are entitle to live a couple of years more. Forget about pre-existing conditions, and coverage for those under the age of twenty-six, insurance will start at twenty-one. The amount of children that a family can have will probably be two like in China, any more will have to be paid by the family. Drug rehabilitation will be out of the question. Under President Trump, the health care industry is a money making corporation. Sure there will be more competition through other states, but you can be sure, that the subsidies will be eliminated.

C) When I saw our new President Trump make fun of a disabled reporter, I was heartened, but I can see that this was his first indication that he will not give a shit for any of us disabled people. He in essence will be embracing the belief of Nietzsche’s super-race, the belief of Adolph Hitler, remember that a profitable corporation has to be productive and efficient.

D) I will not hate anyone because of their religion. Instead of banning Muslims, President Trump should seek out the goodness and spirituality of all of the wold’s religions. Wasn’t Jesus a Rabbi, the King of the Jews? Has Donald Trump ever discuss his religious beliefs with the American people? He has communicated with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and I am sure they were not talking about the bingo prizes that Putin’s church were giving away. President Trump, you have built many hotels, condos, and golf courses, have you ever thought of  build any churches or synagogues? I will let my readers answer this one.

E) Instead of building a wall around our borders, why not allowing the likes of Mexico work and support American factories. If there was prosperity in India, Mexico, and the Philippines, there would be no reason for most of these people to want to sneak into America. In the long run, everybody will win, automobiles, and air conditioners would be a lot cheaper, With President Trump’s plan, lets dissolve Mexico’s economy, we will just take over Mexico’s tourist business. What the developing countries need are just more than employment, they need a higher quality of life. one way to lower the cost of health care, is to build nursing homes, hospitals and medical schools, in these developing countries, so we can have more doctors,and lower medical costs. Health care in the United States is around three trillion dollars, this would be only way to  money.

F) Climate change, get real, unless we work with the rest of the world and take carte of our planet, then there will be no need to care about our future generation. Giving in to our big oil companies to jeopardize our water supplies is playing Russian(Putin) Roulette. President Trump, please visit Flint Michigan, and the Dakota Pipe line in South Dakota, and open your eyes, to these fellow Americans.

G) Nuclear Expansion, Nuclear Power is not a video game, it is real and it will lead to the finality of our planet. There is no place for it. Once someone decides to Nuke us, we are no longer a living entity.

H) Defense, lets work together with our allies, and get rid of the likes of Isis. Lets not have anymore Wars. With all the talk about going to Mars, do you think that there could be another specie that would like us for their deserts. “Trump Ala-mode”?

I) Polution-President Trump, lets protect all of our living species in and on our planet, no more big game hunters. God’s creatures are not trophies.

J) Human rights of life, until you get an implanted Vagina, recognize that woman have the right  to bear children, perhaps we need better counseling to help the mothers, make a better transition for adoptions.

K) Lowering corporate taxes, is not the solution for a better economy, it will encourage more stock buybacks, investments in technologies to replace workers, and more corporate perks, higher taxes will the incentive to either pay the government or make more investments in America.

I hope we can add to more to this  list, please help me, thus help our United States, help the planet,  SAVE THE UNIVERSE!

I was feeling depressed today after hearing about the first action that our newly elected president, Donald Trump will do is replace The Affordable Care Act, threatening some sixteen million Americans health care coverage. However wit a sigh of relief my wife, Teresita called me into the bedroom to watch President  farewell speech being televised at Chicago’s McCormick Place. All of a sudden I was struck with an acceptance of goodness, that I had a president did practically the impossible,  that gave me eight wonderful years of my life.

The crowd was hardly as large when when he won his first term in office, but the laughing and cheering reminded me as then that only time will tell if we can get out one of the financial times in our country, 2008. We had a plunging stock market, 401k’s had thirty to forty negative swings, gasoline was a little over four dollars a gallon, there was one time during my every three day fill up  gas, that I did not even have twenty dollars of credit on  my credit card. Luckily I had some extra cash in my wallet. It seems that practically every one of my co-workers were worry if they had a job to go back to. Being in my early sixties, I had no idea if I ever will be able to retire, yet be able to ever have access to health care insurance. Every day I would read about so many Americans being kicked out of their homes. I am embarrassed to admit that not only was I living paycheck to paycheck, but I also had a wallet o credit cards that I could barely make my minimum monthly payments.

It seems that the country needed a miracle, and a miracle we got, Barack Obama, and his beautiful wife Michele. The United States that I thought was invincible, was still seeing the after effects of September 11, 2001. We had different enemies then, and it was like Viet Nam. Who would ever think that an Afro-Americanm who was a social worker, lawyer from Chicago, did the impossible. As I stirred at the TV, I noticed his increasing gray hair, I see that perhaps he could hardly believe what as he would so humbly admit, you see what you the American people could do.

No Mister President, you gave me my life back. You showed me what the great folk singer, Josh White sang to me when we were were both patients at Chicago’s Michael Reese Hospital, we are all alike when we got our skins off. We can work together as one great country, not only helping one another, but making a difference for a better world. You made me feel that no matter what I as well as hundred of millions of Americans could ever imagine, we  can create a better life for ourselves through technology and of course by spirituality.

I am grateful that just three years, while you were in office, that I was able double my wealth, and through  lower interest rates, I was able to get a handle on my debt. You made me a   proud, and stronger American again. Bin Laden was executed and you showed the rest of the world that you don’t mess with America no more.

Sorry to say, I wish you were my last president. In ten days Donald Trump will try to replace you. Fat chance, you appealed to so many, you showed the importance of good  family values, the need of getting a higher grade of education, the importance of climax change, the recognition what the forefathers of our country gave us, the foundation to live in an everlasting America ,  a county that gives every one the chance to have their own pursuit of happiness, and the realization that we are a country of many races and religions, a lesson that our next POTUS needs, that all the walls around the world will not make us blessed Americans.

I personally want to wish you, Michelle and your family a well deserved, healthy retirement. God Bless You, and God Bless America.

I guess most of you are quite aware of Meryl Streep’s speech at The Golden Globes awards last night. She referenced the mockery of a handicap reporter as a despicable action to be portrayed by all people, our newly elected president, Donald Trump. This was the the prime reason I did not vote him. I know at the age of seventy, that I should have the maturity that ten year olds can be very cruel, however to have a seventy year President of The United States remind people like myself that inside you think you are normal, but the reality is that on your outside, you still are viewed  as a Spastic.

It wasn’t enough being called a Kike at my Chicago public grammar school, and when I transferred  to a Jewish parochial school where I first was called a Spastic, (at least not a dirty Jew),  and my parents were fighting so much, that as a teenager after twenty four years of marriage, they filed for divorce. I got counseling when I was in college, I was very fortunate to have a great therapist,he hit the nail on the head, it’s ok to have a sick mother, and having my cerebral palsy, I am cope with it very well with it,(Photography Degree), but he made me realize only I can make myself feel like Shit.

Boy did I take a lot of shit, lets say medical shit, many hip surgeries, pain killers for my broken hips. All in all, I never made the big money, but I had good health insurance. It was working at a camera store that one of my customers introduce me to a beautiful Filipina, who also had a disability, Polio, after a year and a half of dating we got married. She has a wonderful religious conviction, and would not even give Donald Trump a nod of her attention, for whatever I know she probably voted for him.

I want to make it clear, that I am not looking for sympathy. I felt kind of sad that the whole world couldn’t celebrate our eighty two year old Elvis Presley together. However every time I get reminded that President Trump made fun of me and the hundreds of thousands of us Spastics just make me feel like a piece of shit. I am trying to think positive about the new administration. Maybe running the United States as a business and slowing down the money printing presses might be the answers we need for a better America, hopefully more affordable health care for everyone.

Donald Trump Tweeted that Meryl Streep is an over rated actress, not in my book. She had the nerve to remind “The Donald” that media, and our performing artists care about our great country, something that you have not proven to this seventy year old spastic.

The King Died much too soon. At age forty two you had so much to give us. At the age of twelve you were my inspiration to grow sideburns, a lot of Vaseline to slick down my hair, and a reason to tighten to the belt around my pants, I think a million of us guys all wanted to be an Elvis, and you stuck with our patriotic duty and served two years in the Army. It was a good thing, my sideburns were getting to begin to itch, and I could hardly breathe with my belt needing to give in three notches. I so much wanted to be like Elvis, he had a twin brother like me that died at birth. When I sang your songs I felt I was like the King, he  had no pimples on his face like me, he had dimples, all I could sing, I have pimples and Elvis haves dimples, pretty catchy? He had money, I could only hope I could score on my upcoming Bar Mitzvah,nope the five hundred dollars I thought I had went to pay our household pills. Hopefully I could save enough money for a tube of Clearasil! Yet he made me feel good to be alive,

I went on with my life in photography, watch many of his movies, and surrendered much of my paychecks to The Columbia Record Club for his vinyl and later for his audio cassettes. The day he died, on August 16, 1977, like many I was “All Shook Up.”

I am just a seventy year old man, wishing he could spend tonight with a Grand Pa, The King of Rock N’ Roll.

Happy Birthday Elvis, and Thank You for all the music and movies I was able to listen and watch.

I am not an economist, nor do I want to be one, but with all the talk about closing American factories abroad and lowering corporate taxes, are we forgetting that in any economy people have to spend money. Even at seventy years old, I find myself very complacent either listening to newspapers or books either on audible.com or scribd.com, socializing on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin  In my younger days I would go gang out with my buddies at our local drinking hole, or maybe meet at a bowling alley. Now my bowling activities is in the for of Candy Saga Crunch, no bowling shoes, no sixteen pound bowling ball, and don’t have to but a round of beers if I finally bowled a great game. Sure playing video games aren’t cheap and are addicted, but it takes no driving, thus spending no gas and no wear and tear on my car. You can put me anywhere that has air condition, something to eat, a toilet of course with toilet paper and I am very happy. As long I can use my electronics, I don’t even care about our freezing weather. I guess I have become a very slow turtle.

It just occurred to me that their could be hundreds of millions turtles like me, using less gas, not going to shopping malls, or restaurants, in essence not spending money like we use to. Less spending by us turtles, could really hamper the job market. It isn’t enough that automation is starting tp put many people out of work, now us turtles are spending more time at home, don’t need to travel, and probably going to live as long as most turtle, and because we are putting ourselves out of harms way of not getting into an automobile accident or s disaster.

Just think of all the venders we are taking a bite of their pay check and if this keeps up we hundred year old turtles will no longer be able to even see, and hear what are once the sources of our complacency, cell phones, computers, and tablets. There goes our economy, nursing homes, and baby food, I doubt that they can support everyone. Most likely my nursing home will be in the Philippines.

I don’t know about you, I am starting a kick starter campaign so in thirty years I will have enough money to pay for the sixty five pills a day I will need to live my next hundred years.

Have fun, and don’t worry, turtles have no teeth.