I’m a sucker for a good preface
I’ve never read a bill that doesn’t require payment, so you can imagine my apprehension as I click open the formidable Heath Care Bill — available at opencongress.org. (Massive thanks to the incomparable Natalie Yemenidjian for sharing this site.)
Immediately, we have a statement of purpose; “To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes,” O.K., I can get down with that, plus I understand it, save for the “other purposes” part. Could you be more vague, Rep. John Dingell (D-MI)?
Onward.
Furiously typing notes. I'm going to need Botox if I continue to furrow that brow.
The next 14-ish pages are a superzied table of contents, breaking down each division — a fancy way of saying ‘section’ — by title and subtitle.
The first division, officially titled Division A: Affordable Health Care Choices, again promises to improve the quality and affordability of health care so that all Americans are covered, fix the “broken” aspects of the current system, establish a public insurance option — with a sliding sliding scale of affordability credits — while simultaneously vowing that the government will spend less. It doesn’t say how they plan on doing that, and since this is my first foray into the legislative process, I wonder if they eventually will. I am dubious that it is possible to add government-run programs and cut spending, but we’ll see.
The first meat of The Bill is found in Section 101, which sets requirements for reforming the health insurance marketplace. Basically, it states that all private insurance companies must meet federally established standards and regulations for providing care. Insurance agreements ratified before the date these new regulations go into effect are exempt from meeting these standards.
I can’t see anything wrong with that. Current agreements are protected, so it would be your choice to either keep the insurance you have, or shop for something else. I have insurance, but I hardly feel covered. Last summer, I tore my lateral and medial meniscus. My insurance company required me to do four weeks of physical therapy before they would grant permission for an MRI. Even then, they did it under protest. My doctor even had to write a letter to the insurance company detailing why the procedure was necessary. It was a ridiculous waste of time, on my dollar no less. My deductibles are so high that I rarely meet them. I end up paying a lot out of pocket for seemingly erroneous procedures. Like the four superfluous weeks of physical therapy, only to have surgery and need an additional 12.
I am, needless to say, for reform, but The Heath Care Bill promises to protect those who are happy with their current insurance plans. Check back tomorrow-ish when I tackle Section 102: Protecting the Choice to Keep Current Coverage.
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Tags: Botox, Health Care Bill
My Mission
I was watching Monday’s Colbert Report on TiVo last night, and he said something that caught my attention:
Vodpod videos no longer available.
No, it wasn’t his Palin/Gringrich ribbing, but his point that we focus our attentions and efforts in the wrong places.
In total, the Harry Potter books are comprised of 3,930 pages. I’ve read them all… twice. So, perhaps it’s out of sheer guilt that I’ve decided to read H.R. 3200 — otherwise known as The Health Care Bill.
There is so much misinformation floating around the blogosphere, and on cable news networks (I’m talking to you, FOX News) but there doesn’t need to be. The truth regarding the contents of The Health Care Bill is easily accessible.
Personally, I think everyone should want to read The Health Care Bill. I mean, according to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) we can’t expect members of Congress to read it.
Over the next month-ish, I’m going to work my way through the not-so-daunting 1018 pages, and break them down for the rest of you too busy re-reading Twilight to care.
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Tags: Daunting Tasks, Harry Potter, Health Care, Sarah Palin
Confessional
I have a confession to make. I am a pole dancer. A pretty dang good one, too.
About a year ago, I met a girl at a party who’d been an “S Woman” for almost six months. She said that not only was it a crazy workout, but it changed her life.
While I was not in the market for a metamorphoses, I could always use Demi Moore’s body, circa Striptease. I found a studio near me, in Encino, Calif., rallied the troops — my sister — and signed up for the intro class. It was 40 bucks for two hours, and if we decided to sign up, the fee would be applied to tuition.
Our teacher, an intimidating Barbie-type, took us through a class; pilates-ish warm up, a pole trick, followed by a sexy dance. In a darkened, mirror-less room, we were encouraged to explore our bodies — especially the areas we avoid. It was horrifying. But the pole trick… THAT was exhilarating, and enough to convince me to sign up.
Exactly one year later, I’m bringing my mom to her first class. In her weekly email, Sheila Kelley announced that August is Girlfriend’s Month at S Factor. At the Encino studio, intro classes are only 20 bucks on Saturday and I want my mom, one of my closest girlfriends, to experience the S.
The thing is, unwittingly I’ve changed. I think it is natural for women, at some point in our lives, to battle self-loathing. S Factor is the perfect antidote. The absence of mirrors is, not surprisingly, the key to overcoming self awareness. Because I cannot see what I look like, I don’t think about it. Instead, I my attention is turned to the music; how it moves me and makes me feel, and my — gulp — body. I’ve discovered the Rachel who likes the way she looks naked and who no longer giggles when instructed to feel her “power” while in a leg splay. Which is not Demi Moore circa Striptease, by the way.
Plus, I can do some pretty bad-ass pole tricks.
For more information and to find an S Factor near you, visit sfactor.com.
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Tags: Confessional, Mom, Pole dancing, S Factor
77 days and counting
My new favorite iPhone app has rendered me stunned. I input my anticipated move date to Baltimore, which I endearingly refer to as Ba-a-a-a-a-alitmore more often than my boyfriend would like, and I have 77 days.
My favorite is 'My Girl's Day,' which keeps track of my period.
77 days. The realization that 77 days is equivalent to 11 weeks is even more shocking. In less than three months, I will be an official, card-carrying member of the Real World — not to be confused with The Real World.
I’m totally terrified. I don’t have a place to live, or a job to pay for that place. Ultimate dream? Write. I recognize that newspapers and other publications are vanishing faster than we can count, but I’m going to make it happen. College degree be damned — don’t worry, Ma, I’ll finish.
I’m also moving in with my boyfriend. We’ve spent the last year loving long distance — you can read all about it — and it is time to be in the same place.
It’s a lot of change in only 77 days. Ready or not…
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Tags: Love, Play
When the weekend rolls around, it can be difficult to find affordable, fun things to do.
Especially in Los Angeles.
ESPECIALLY when you’re broke.
Regardless of our lack of funds, we still need a break from school, work and anything else that gets in the way of a good time.
Here at Eat.Play.Love I will provide a list of inexpensive ways to spend your weekend because, as the managing editor of the Roundup says; “You’re not cheap, it’s a recession.”
1. CSI: The Experience
Cost: Free
What:Located at the California Science Center, CSI: The experience offers an interactive look at the world of forensic anthropology. For example, you get to use real forensic equipment to solve fake crimes! I’m salivating at the thought.
Where: California Science Center
700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90037
2. Harvey Finklestein’s Sock Puppet Showgirls
Cost: $15
What: If your anything like me, you adored the cult classic Showgirls. How could you not? It was, and remains, deliciously silly. Now, it gets even sillier with Finklestein’s version, starring lewd sock puppets.
Where: The Asylum Theater
6320 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A., CA 90038
3. Disco Fridays at Bardot and Blow Fridays at The Kress
Cost: Free admission, but drink prices vary
What: For those of you who like to get down, and wait in line to do so, Bardot and The Kress are for you.
Where: Bardot
1737 N. Vine St., Los Angeles, CA 90028
The Kress
6608 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca 90028
4. Vanity Fair Portraits: Photographs 1913-2008
Cost: $8 for Students (don’t forget your ID) and $12 for Adults
What: This LACMA exhibit features photos from the magazine’s archives. LACMA is the only museum in the United States that will feature this exhibit, so check it out now! FYI: The last day to see it is March 1.
Where: LA County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
5. Friday Night Wine Tasting
Cost: $15
What: Every Friday the Colorado Wine Company offers wine tasting from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Where: Colorado Wine Company
2114 Colorado Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90041
6. Hot Butter Fridays with DJ Lady Shaw
Cost: Free before 11 p.m. and $5 after
What: Described by the LA Times as “Bringing back the classic Westside house-party vibe,” Hot Butter Fridays at the Dakota Live Music Lounge features a hip hop, reggae, house, rock, soul-fusion soundtrack while surf videos play on flatscreens.
Where: Dakota Live Music Lounge
1026 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401
7. The Completely Different Late Show, Enter the Sunday and Cookin’ With Gas
Cost: $15 for The Completely Different Late show and Enter the Sunday, $16.50 for Cookin’ With Gas.
What: The Groudlings is an improvisation/sketch comedy troupe. Some of our most beloved “Saturday Night Live” – past and present – and “Mad TV” cast members, as well as other famous comedians have gotten their start on the Groundlings stage. The coolest thing about these hilarious shows is that you never know who will stop by. Kristen Wiig dropped in on a show I saw and it was redonk.
The Completely Different Late Show is Fridays at 11 p.m.
Enter the Sunday is, well, Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
Cooking with Gas is Thursday at 8 p.m.
Where: Groundlings Theater
7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046
8. Black History Month Celebration
Cost: $12 for adults; $7 for children
What: This event is at the LA Zoo and Botanical Gardens on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visitors will experience live music; blues, jazz and gospel, food tastings and arts and crafts. Admission includes Zoo admission.
Where: Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Annnnnd, for those of you who care, this Sunday is Oscar Sunday, the ultimate free event. Stay in, make some dip and root for your favorite movies – Slumdog Millionaire was mine by FAR.
Happy weekending!
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The “no duh” story of the year
Today CNN announced that men see bikini-clad women as objects.
Finally, proof that men are pigs.
But it may not be their fault.
According to the article same area of the male brain that is associated with handling tools and the intention to perform actions light up when viewing images of women in bikinis.
Susan Fiske, a psychology professor at Princeton University, surveyed 21 heterosexual male Princeton undergrads an presented her findings at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Some of what she found wasn’t too shocking. For example: when showed a picture of a fully-clad woman and one in a bikini for a fraction of a second, men remembered the body of the bikini babe over the lady wearing clothes.
I was surprised, however, to learn that men tend to “associate bikini-clad women with first-person action verbs, and associate fully clothed women with the third-person forms.”
Basically, men feel that they can control women wearing skimpy clothing. When they see flesh, they use “I” verbs; I touch, I kiss, I grab. But when a woman is covered, she is in control. They think; she touches, she kisses, she grabs.
Fiske attributes male chauvinism as a “byproduct of human evolution.” She argues that “They’re not fully conscious responses, and so people don’t know the extent to which they’re being influenced.”
Fiske may have a point, but I don’t think it means men get an automatic bye. I don’t think they should be excused for violating a woman – in any way – because the woman may be provocatively dressed.
I do think that women should be smart. A bikini is one thing, but I’ve seen ladies dress in ways that embarrass me. We can’t demand equality, then use our bodies as weapons. I’ve been around women who dress to ensure that evening’s drinks will be taken care of by some poor, dumb guy.
That behavior has to stop for the good of womankind.
As far as more benign male behavior, I’m not quite ready to issue an official pardon, but I will excuse my boyfriend from scopin’ out the honeys at the beach.
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I read an article today in The Sun about a 13-year-old boy, Alfie, and a 15-year-old girl, Chantelle, becoming parents.
Basically, these kids had unprotected sex once -Alfie was only 12 at the time. When they found out Chantelle was pregnant they opted not to tell their parents due to fear. Her mother eventually figured it out when her daughter wore a belly-baring shirt – is it just me, or do you see a pattern of asinine choices on Chantelle’s part? When one tries to hide a pregnancy, one does not usually wear midriffs.
But I digress…
Chantelle’s parents are now supporting their daughter and grandchild. Alfie is allowed to sleep over at his girlfriend’s house – because what other shenanigans can they get into?
As far as I see it there is one, and only one thing to blame for this grossly unfortunate incident; religion.
Oh I wonder, wonder who (ba doo oooh) who? Who wrote the book of lies?
These kids obviously had no clue what sex was or how to have it. In the article Alfie’s father even says; “When I spoke to (Alfie) he started crying. He said it was the first time he’d had sex, that he didn’t know what he was doing and of the complications that could come.”
The father then goes on to add that he will “talk to (his son) again and it will be the birds and the bees talk.”
Umm… a little too late for that one, Pops. My guess – and it is a fairly educated one because the article states that the new mother is is taking a church course – is that religion played some role in the reason these kids were not taught about sex.
It is no secret that the Judeo-Christian view on sex is don’t do it until you’re married. This mindset is unrealistic. According to a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 47.8 percent of high school students have had sex at least once.
An article published in February of 2005 by National Study of Youth and Religion Co-Investigator Mark D. Regnerus states that; “parents who attend religious services on a regular basis are less likely than parents who rarely or never attend religious services to talk to their children about sex and birth control.”
One of the most compelling findings of Regnerus’ study is that when religious parents talk to their children about sex and birth control their focus is morality and not the issue at hand: the reality and ramifications of being a sexually active teenager.
Another point of contention I have is Michaela Aston’s, from the anti-abortion Christian charity LIFE, statement on Alife and Chantelle’s situation. She says; “We commend these teenagers for their courage in bringing their child into the world.”
First of all, who the heck do you think you are Ms. Michaela Aston? These “teenagers” made a monumentally poor choice when they decided to keep their baby. Not only can they not afford the massive expense of raising a child, but neither can their parents. Secondly, they have no idea how to raise a child because they are still children themselves! I am willing to bet money that all three of them will grow to become dysfunctional adults.
If teens are going to have sex, and almost half of them are, they need to be armed with knowledge. They need to be educated on the facts; implications, forms of contraception and abortion – yeah I said it. I strongly believe that not everyone should be a parent.
I feel for Alfie and Chantelle. They are forced to forgo their adolescence and all that goes with it because they made a mistake, one that could have been prevented altogether had their parents decided to teach… instead of preach.
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Top 10 Valentine’s Day Songs
I can’t call myself Eat.Play.Love. and not blog on Valentine’s Day. SO, in honor of my Movie of the Moment: “Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist,” here are the 10 love songs I can’t live without… at the moment.
In no particular order:
1. “Fallng Slowly” by Glen Hansard and Maketa Irglova
2. “Lay Lady Lay” by Bob Dylan
3. “Fixing Her Hair” by Ani Difranco
4. “Passenger Seat” by Death Cab for Cutie
5. “Chasing Pavements” by Adele
6. “Romeo and Juliet” the Indigo Girls version
7. “Kate” by Ben Folds Five
8. “What it Takes” by Aerosmith
9. “Better Man” by James Morrison
10. “Stay” by Sugarland
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Let’s talk about safe sex
For me, sex education began early in life. My mother worked at Planned Parenthood and, due to her experience working in a home for pregnant teenagers, believed strongly that an informed child grows into a responsible adult. She always used to say; “If you can’t talk about sex, you aren’t mature enough to have it.”
Going into high school I was armed with knowledge and viewed my sex life under these terms: get tested, make sure your partner gets tested and use protection. My first boyfriend used to call me the “Safe Sex Nazi.”
What my mother failed to mention was how difficult birth control, of any form, can be.
Now, I KNOW all of you ladies out there have heard how “terrible” condoms are. Guys haaaaate them. I’ve heard every complaint from condom use reduces sensitivity to “I don’t like the way it smells.”
It seems as though ever since the inception of the Pill in 1960, women have been responsible for providing contraception. And you know what? I haaaaaaate the Pill!
First of all, the hormones from the Pill make me crazy. Literally. A few weeks ago I was with my boyfriend, James, and started weeping for no apparent reason. I was an inconsolable mess for a good 15 minutes. Then, as abruptly as it began, it ended.
If random, overwhelming sadness were the only side-effect, I think I could handle it. But, as many of you know, it isn’t. It seems as though my patinence and the Pill are related. I’ve had to lock myself in the bathroom to prevent myself from beating my dog within an inch of his life. Let me just EMPHATICALLY state that I’ve NEVER hit ANYTHING, but the Pill makes me crazy!
I think the worst part is that I am aware that I am behaving erratically. As I sat on the toilet seat, shaking from anger, I knew that that I was overreacting. Dogs bark at other dogs. There was no reason to get so angry, but I couldn’t stop. Sometimes I feel like there is a war raging inside of me: the rational part untouched by the Pill and the part the Pill controls… which always wins. Hatred has spewed from my lips at anyone who crosses me. As the words fly from my mouth, I literally wish that I could pull them back in.
The Pill also has physical side-effects. I become so bloated that I not only hate the way I act but hate the way I look. Yaz, which promises clear skin, caused massive breakouts. It was also responsible for debilitating cramps.
Ladies, we’ve been responsible for the safety of our sex for far too long. As I move into my late twenties, I have a new mantra: “If you want it, than you should put a condom on it.”
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Addicted to Blog 
