The San Antonian

Long wait times at University Hospital ER

Roddy Stinson has a column discussing long wait times at the ER at University Hospital. You can find it HERE.

I would like to point out that this is exactly what George W. Bush considers "access to health care". Check it out HERE.

The time is now for this country to look seriously at universal health care.

Haven of Hope to offer refuge to homeless

The E-N interviews Bill Greehey about his idea for a huge homeless shelter downtown.

The Link

I think this is a phenomenal idea that should get the support of every downtown business. This city and the media have spent more time and gray matter thinking about the shelter we have for STRAY PETS. What about the homeless? They deserve our compassion and our help. I will support this project and hope Mr. Greehey is successful.

Statewide smoking ban?

If those idiots up in Austin get anything useful done during this session please let it be this proposed statewide smoking ban.

The E-N has an article about how some local smokers and bar owners are voicing opposition.

Cancer is better than sex

Last week Rick Perry announced that all girls would be required to be vaccinated with HPV vaccine Gardasil.

Some legislators would rather women get cervical cancer because to vaccinate them would encourage premarital sex which is the real  complaint.

Much like the crackpots on the religious right view AIDS as punishment, it appears that cervical cancer is Jesus smiting the whores.

AMA head trashes universal healthcare

Speaking to the San Antonio Business and Economics Society, the president of the American Medical Association, William Plested went on a rant trashing the push for universal healthcare.

Gee, what a shock.  A doctor, the head of the doctor's union, wants to preserve the system that creates a monopoly supply of doctors, artificially creates scarcity of care, and results in enormous wealth for physicians. I can't believe he would do that.

What a joke. Your profession's wealth has already taken away the rights of people who are injured by negligent doctors. Now you want to take away health care for everyone now that politicians from both parties are finally getting on board?

"First do no harm". Does that ring any bells, doc?

Put out that fire....no wait, don't!

The Helotes Fire has gotten a reprieve. It seems the people living around the fire have decided they don't want it out after all. Concerns were raised as surrounding residents told tale of smoky smelling water coming from their taps.

One has to wonder how they can tell the water smells smoky since they've been complaining that everything smells smoky since the fire started.

Once again, we see the inequities of life in San Antonio. This space has commented before about the "toxic triangle" around the old Kelly Air Force Base. Nobody cares about a bunch of poor Mexicans dying from liver cancer caused by trichloroethylene contamination more than 20 times the EPA's acceptable limits.

But Helotes residents want to act like this mulch fire is Three Mile Island because of smoky water and their allergies being bothered.

FDA investigates San Antonio embryo firm

The Houston Chronicle details the FDA probe of a local firm that is offering choices on potential characteristics before purchasing embryos.

This isn't exactly news. People have been choosing characteristics of sperm and egg donors for a long time. This is just one-stop shopping.

But, in an emerging theocracy like the United States, such things have to at least be investigated.

Helotes fire fallout

The Northside school district is closing schools because of the Helotes fire.

Nobody cares that people near Kelly are dying of cancer at grossly disproportionate rates but a few people in Helotes get allergy outbreaks and there MUST be action taken immediately.

If this fire weren't north of 1604 (or 410 for that matter) nobody would care. But, some middle class white people get affected and suddenly it's like the plague returned.

Toxic Triangle: What's Causing Deaths Around Old Kelly AFB?

WOAI has a story about the startling cancer death rate around Kelly AFB.

Is there any doubt that if these were whites dying, and not Mexicans, that something would get done. So, what are you going to do about it Congressman Gonzalez?