Little Thinkers Quote of the Day: Florence Nightingale

"The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm."

Today is My 41st Freaking Birthday

I should point out that even though my name is Tilly Gokbudak (would it be obnoxious to post myself at the end of this? Oh, it's my birthday, why not!), that I am not a woman.

Secondly, we put in the words 'rain Paris,' 'rain Istanbul,' 'rain New York, 'rain Chicago,''rain Budapest' and 'rain Moscow in the Google search engine. We even tried 'rain Roanoke' since my hometown is Roanoke, Va.

Finally, we found this image after googling 'rain London.' Yes, I'm not Chasity/Chaz Bono (Sonny and Cher's daughter who became a man; he is celebrating his 42nd birthday) in reverse, but we like this image, so by golly, we're sticking with it.

For years, I had assumed the B.J. Thomas song "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" was the Billboard number one song in America the week I was born in 1970. But, as it turns out, it was the Simon and Garfunkel tune "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

Hence, the reason why we are using the image of the English woman getting soaked in the rain. We certainly hope she didn't catch a cold, but if she did as Michael Moore showed us in his documentary film "Sicko" (I am to the right, but to the left of everyone here in Mount Airy, NC)* the Brits do have a better health care system than we do, so even if she got sick assuredly she is ok now!

PS (March 5): In the Ooooopppps Department, we forgot to mention that the star (*) besides Mount Airy, NC, means we don't really live there. But, we gather, it's a very nice town!

Heath Care Voices- Members of Congress

I conclude my health care megablogathon, which includes two entries on "The Daily Vampire" as well with six quotes from six different congressional reps.

Though there were exceptions like Cong. Heath Shuler (D-NC) and Cong. Patrick Lynch (D-Mass), Democratic congressional reps tended to vote for the bill while all Republicans, even some moderates who were first in favor until political pressures mounted from the right, voted against it.

"The bill will undeniably and ultimately lead to the rationing of health care in America," Cong. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.)

"Today marks a victory that has been a long time coming," Cong. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI).

"I am opposed to a government takeover of our health care system and I will continue to be a strong advocate for putting patients first," Cong. Lee Terry (R-Neb.)

"I believe Congress can do better than the over 2,400 page nearly $1 trillion bill," Cong. Frank Wolf (R-Va.)

"For nearly a year now I have listened to my constituents about the need for health care reform, and heard from seniors, students, and small business owners in my district- all of whom are struggling to fund quality and affordable health care," Cong. Jared Polis (D-Colo.)

"This plan is good for America....for too long, health care has been a privilege, not a right in America," Cong. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.)

Songs of Our Youth (7 of 12)- "Doctor, Doctor" by The Thompson Twins

With the on-going health care debacle in Congress, we thought this song might make for an appropriate entry.

I must profess that from living in North Carolina, that I find it ironic that those who whine most about 'personal responsibility' regarding one's health are chain smokers who vote GOP.........(They also seem to eat a lot of Double Whoppers)