I found this story about something I really wish they had back in my "wilder days" (you're right, that was most of my adult life...). It seems they now have a "Hangover Heaven" medical bus fleet in Las Vegas, offering revelers a faster, clinically proper recovery from their night of excess drinking -for a $90 to $150 fee, of course. After giving their medical history, "patients" receive intravenous saline, with B and C vitamins and whatever prescription or over-the-counter drugs are appropriate, says Burke (a licensed anesthesiologist). They will not serve drunks and the patient must be in the "hangover" stage. One M.D., who hosts a radio show, told CBS News, "I think many doctors are kicking themselves because they didn't think of this first." [CBS News, 4-23-2012]
What is society coming too? The Taiwan tabloid Apple Daily profiled a 27-year-old man who said he has tripled his previous salary by becoming a public snitch, turning in videos of litterers and spitters. It turns out that Taipei law rewards informants a fee of one-fourth the amount of any fines. In the last two years, the man ("Chou") said he has had 5,000 cases result in fines, for which he has been paid the equivalent of $50,000. He said he now teaches classes in snitching (and I'll just bet he's one hell of a popular guy these days). Wow, think about it, what a great job for the disabled and for senior citizens. Of course, under the current Administration in this country, first you'd probably have to go get a license to do this, then pay a filing fee for making the reports and a signed consent for video taping the people....[Deutsche Presse-Agentur (Hamburg) via MonstersandCritics.com, 4-18-2012]
Here is a story about a little abuse of our laws requiring emergency medical care. Two homeless and penniless men in Fresno, California, are setting a high bar for frequency, and expense, of ambulance trips to the hospital. A 41-year-old who says he has "a major problem with my liver" and a 51-year-old allegedly seizure-prone man called for a combined 1,363 trips in 2011, which at the market rate would have cost them $545,000 (apart from evaluations by the hospital, which would have additionally cost more than $500,000). Taxpayers and the insured foot the bills (reduced somewhat because the ambulance company and the hospital now take lower fees for these two). Under the law, neither the ambulance company nor the hospital can refuse to serve the men, and attempts to talk the men out of the trips have not worked....
And last for today here is one from the 'dumb crooks' category: A South Carolina burglar died in a fall down a flight of stairs in the home he had broken into. The home, undergoing extensive renovations, was empty. When a painter arrived at the home at about 8:30 a.m. the worker found signs of a break-in and broken glass inside the home, so he backed out and called the homeowner, who called 911. Deputies found the man’s body at the foot of the basement stairs. Vacant homes are frequently targeted by burglars looking to steal fixtures, appliances or copper wire. The house had no appliances but copper was found in the man’s back pocket. The way things are today, I would not be surprised if, when they finally identify the would-be thief, his relatives file a law suit against the home owner and construction company for not having the staircase properly lit...
Don't Forget: Today is Flag Day So, hang out your American Flags and show your love of this great country we are so privileged to be living in...
OK, I promised, that's it for today. Ya'll take care now, hear?
Live Long and Prosper....
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