Letters to the Editor

Monday, October 26, 2009 at 10:23pm

Flu phobia makes him sick

Seeing crowds outside stores, rivaling another Apple iPhone introduction or maybe Aerosmith’s in town, it seems the government has been successful in scaring the begeezus out of people.

Influenza, or now affectionately known as "swine flu," is an epidemic. Winter is months away, yet people are coming down with all sorts of symptoms and are self-diagnosing.

A sniffle is "swine flu," a cough is "swine flu," a sneeze is "swine flu." Soon, half the population will be wearing surgical masks. Oh, and when 10,000 show up for the vaccination, there usually is only 400 doses available.

I prefer pitching a tent in the parking lot for an iPhone or Xbox than standing around people who will make me sick.

Paul D’Argent, 37209

Send comments via e-mail to editor@nashvillecitypaper.com

Filed under: City Voices
Tagged:

204 Comments on this post:

By: Captain Nemo on 10/27/09 at 1:14

Good morning.

Verbal Cartoon

After day of being closed the broom closet was finally open. The management had out of desperation hired a male Sara Palin impersonator to stay with Rush in the closet for the duration of his depression and it worked. Rush was refreshed and back saying lies about liberals and his new target the NFL.

The broom closet was not in so good shape. New brooms and mops would be replace by the biohazard. The walls and ceiling would be santitized, then repainted. The floor would get sandblasted and new tile.

However the fuzzy chief hand puppet was soiled and all used up. It would never be of use anymore.

By: Captain Nemo on 10/27/09 at 1:41

Verbal Cartoon

An armed citizen shot himself stopping a robber. Witnesses said that robber was holding a gun on the victim, when the victim reached into his pants pocket to retrive his own weapon. The victim then accidently shot himself twice, once in the foot and once in the groin.

The suspect never did get any money. Witness said that he was laughing too hard at what just happen and left the scene. He was found half a block away by the police still laughing.

The victim said from his hospital bed that if he had not had his gun, that the robber would have gotten ten dollars.

By: house_of_pain on 10/27/09 at 5:44

The constant swine flu updates have become tiresome.
I was vaccinated 2 weeks ago, and my employer is still sending me e-mails to let me know they have plenty of flu shots on hand...every...single...day.

By: Loner on 10/27/09 at 5:44

Good morning, Nashville!

True, we were due to hear a boo-hoo, about the flu SNAFU, thank you.

The NCP should re-title this page, this is the Paul D'Argent Catharsis Column. Must be they were out of LTE's from lobbyists. Slim pickin's in Nashville.....again.

By: house_of_pain on 10/27/09 at 5:46

It would appear that you're just too "cutting edge" for the NCP, Loner.

By: Funditto on 10/27/09 at 5:48

Oh, come on Paul! You know us dumb hillbillies need to hear things 10.... 12.... 20 times before we get it. Patience.

By: dargent7 on 10/27/09 at 6:02

Loner: You need my handbook, "How to write a LTE to TCP for Dummies", now out in paperback....
1) Must type the LTE from home, within the state lines....none of this imported stuff from Texas, NY, or Delaware.
2) Must be written at an 8th grade level of comprehension.
3) Must be sarcastic, snappy, and NOT thought provoking.
4) Must appeal to TCP's sense of duty to it's readership, the disenfranchised, and the perpetually pissed-off.
5) The author must accept all hate mail and death threats with a sense of decorum and entitlement.
6) Author has nothinging to win, nothing to loose, nothing to prove.

By: Loner on 10/27/09 at 7:22

Do I detect a note of sarcasm, House? I don't blame you. I get a bit uppity at times.

Thanks Paul, for the six tips to success. You are the man.

How's this for an opener.....Bible scholars have revealed that Jesus packed heat, hated gays and government, and was a death penalty advocate,.Scholars have confirmed that Christ was a virgin heterosexual stud and supported the idea of an apartheid Jewish State in Palestine....would the NCP go for something along those lines?

I could sign it: Pastor Orchitis 37209

By: house_of_pain on 10/27/09 at 7:33

I am feeling a bit sarcastic today...is that a symptom of the swine flu?

By: Loner on 10/27/09 at 7:37

Most swine are naturally sarcastic...you could be coming down with Swine Flu, House. Eat some pork rinds and see if that helps.

By: dargent7 on 10/27/09 at 7:39

If I were a swine, I'd be afraid of everyone wearing a lab coat, pocket protector, and holding a scapel.

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 7:42

Well, I've already had the Swine flu...caught it from my little girl (ironically) the day I was supposed to get my flu shot.

I wasn't any worse than the regular flu, to me. But then I have no preexisting conditions.

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 7:45

Well, looks like CNN isn't fairing too well against their competition in October.

CNN Drops to Last Place Among Cable News Networks
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/cnn-drops-to-last-place-among-cable-news-networks/

By: slacker on 10/27/09 at 7:47

The Saint Vitus Dance, is sometimes mistaken as the swine flu.

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 7:51

Well, according to Gallup, Americans are becoming more conservative than they were in 2008.

Conservatives Maintain Edge as Top Ideological GroupCompared with 2008, more Americans “conservative” in general, and on issues

http://www.gallup.com/poll/123854/Conservatives-Maintain-Edge-Top-Ideological-Group.aspx

By: Dragon on 10/27/09 at 7:57

All -

To repeat a previous question on the Opt-out Option - since Obama said the public option would be fully self-funded from the members' premiums, what is the state opting out of? Does this mean I would have to buy what TN decides (federal vs state public option)? Does this mean all the CoverTN would be dumped onto the federal insurance?

By: Blanketnazi2 on 10/27/09 at 8:03

Hey, Funditto. How's the rookie this morning? 8~P

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 8:13

Dragon,

Out of curiosity, if a state opts out of the federal option, would the people who lived in that state but still didn't want to buy health insurance still have to pay the federal penalty for not having health insurance?

If so, then opting out means nothing becuase those who don't want to buy health insurance will still have to pay a federal tax NOT to have health insurance.

By: dargent7 on 10/27/09 at 8:15

Chief: You definitely have a "pre-existing" condition: "GOP-itius"...highly contagious especially in the south, (no known cases in California).
Symptoms include:
.the belief the USA "won" in Iraq and we'll "win" in Afghanistan.
.GW Bush was an honorable, great President, and VP Cheney was "Christ like" in his vision.
.Hussein WAS responsible for 9/11 and was going to blow up the world.
.Obama wasn't born in Hawaii, (hell, it wasn't even a State in 1962).
.Military force and might is the ONLY way to deal with all these recalcitrant despot world leaders who just can't get on board with America's "program".
. "You got to destroy it in order to save it".
.Christianity is the ONLY way, believe it...or else.
Amen

By: Dragon on 10/27/09 at 8:20

My question is more basic. I thought anyone could buy a policy from the federal public option. Opting out implies a mandate that states buy policies but could replace that mandate with its own equivalent policy (ala CoverTN).

Can I buy my insurance from the federal option? Do I need Tn's permission?

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 8:34

Dargent,

If that is a pre-existing condition, then I don't want the cure.

As for "no known cases in California", I beg to differ and can show a lot of people do tend to bend in that direction. Case in point is the fact that even in California, Pelosi's favorable poll numbers have dropped to 34% - of course this was as of August.

California voters souring on Democratic Congress, Field Poll finds (Pelosi tumbles to 39%)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1654435

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 8:36

Dragon,

Apparently you would if you lived in Tennessee and the state's governor decided to opt out of the federal option...at least that's how I understand it would work.

Of course you could always move to a state that does have the public option.

My question was more along the lines of, if your state opted out of the public option, would you still have to pay the TAX associated with not having health insurance? As far as I can ascertain, you would.

By: house_of_pain on 10/27/09 at 8:41

TN should opt in & ditch TennCare(or whatever they're calling it now).

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 8:44

House,

Bigger puddle, same mud!

By: Dragon on 10/27/09 at 8:45

Chief, I agree that the fine for not having insurance would still be assessed by the IRS. I guess that means the IRS would (should) return that money to the state to help pay for the state's "public option".

It gives me a bad feeling when the IRS will be the organization to enforce your buying of insurance. Another tax form to give them your policy number and provider so they can determine if it qualifies? Will all insurance companies have to provide details on all their policies to the IRS? All employers to provide the same information? Will they have to change the W-2?

By: Dragon on 10/27/09 at 8:47

House, the state can not ditch TennCare, that is the replacement for Medicare/Medicaid. They could (and would) ditch CoverTN and CoverRx. I guess they would still have to provide CoverKids (SCHIP).

By: dargent7 on 10/27/09 at 8:51

Chief...if you agree with all those tenets, "swine flu" and influenza, are the very least of your problems.
I forgot one:
.Bring back "Conservative Values". One's like; no pre-marital sex, no teaching of sex-ed. in schools, no birth control provided, no teaching of 'Evolution" in science class, no abortion allowed even in the cases of rape or incest.
I cannot wait to hear your rationale when Obama crushes whomever the GOP props up against him, Palin? Romney? Huckabee? Jindal? in 2012.

By: Blanketnazi2 on 10/27/09 at 8:52

Jindal the exorcist - lol!

By: Loner on 10/27/09 at 9:04

I'm no Slackerdamus, but here's my prophecy....Limbaugh-Palin in 2012 - a third party bid....guaranteed to get 30% of the popular vote and insure Biden's election and the final torpedoeing of the Republican Party....that's what my crystal balls are indicating. Obama, won't be on the ticket in 2012, for reasons unclear...stay tuned.

By: Funditto on 10/27/09 at 9:11

By: Blanketnazi2 on 10/27/09 at 9:03

Hey, Funditto. How's the rookie this morning? 8~P"

I do wish he would work out in the rain. He'd be extra shiny.

I had swine - confirmed. Started as a sniffle, went to a cough, then fever. Not so bad with Tamifle.

NCP has printed several letter from folks outside Tennessee lately. Loner, perhaps you should try a different name? Mr. Dargent's letters make no sense. Unless you know him from here, they read poorly and are very disjointed. I've seen no "crowds" in stores due to swine flu. On what does he base these letters?

By: dargent7 on 10/27/09 at 9:14

Loner: I've got nothing against your balls, mind you, but you're wrong.
Biden is a looser. Too old. Hair plugs are one thing, but the guy's eyes are too shut when he talks.
America need 45 year olds or candidates who know what e-mail is and Blackberry's.
I hope the GOP will put in Jindal (when he arrives back from the planet Vulcan) or that silver haired guy from Florida, Crist.
Obama will smoke 'em.

By: Blanketnazi2 on 10/27/09 at 9:14

extra shiny - lol!

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 9:16

Dargent,

WHEN "Obama crushes whomever the GOP props up against him"? Well now, I would have assumed you'd want to hedge your bets and as least say IF.

After all, you really DON'T know who the GOP is going to run against Obama in 2012. Matter of fact, you really don't know if he'll even be the DNC nominee.

But at any rate, if it makes you feel any better, I can't wait for 2012 either. And, given his approval rating drop, it appears Obama isn't doing too well now.

By: BenDover on 10/27/09 at 9:17

I've sent in a few letters over the past year with none published. In my estimation TCP just takes itself too seriously. It certainly lilts hard to port on it's editorial staff since the little Napoleon left.

By: dargent7 on 10/27/09 at 9:18

Fund-O: Either you're the resident genius or the editors at TCP like whatever I write.
Do you have cable or satellite TV? Or rabbit ears w/ aluminum foil?
Seen the long lines at all the vaccination places? Hear how many have to be turned away due to lack?
Maybe you don't know how long lines are formed for Aerosmith tickets or iPhones intros.
Dumb-ass.

By: dargent7 on 10/27/09 at 9:20

Chief: Besides LBJ's dropping out after one term, NO US President didn't run for a second.

By: Funditto on 10/27/09 at 9:23

D'arge, there are long lines and flu scares every year. Swine flu is different and people should be alarmed. Just 'cause you don't think so, doesn't mean everyone is a dumbass.

By: Loner on 10/27/09 at 9:25

The out-of-state LTE's are usually from lobbyists - the tire lobby, the anti-gun lobby, the Liberty lobby etc. have all appeared here. Thanks, Funditto, but I'll keep the name and play the game.

I tried to get my opinion on the US "NO" vote on the Goldstone Report published as an LTE...it didn't make it. I suspect that when the NCP accepted the cash for those Israeli ads denouncing Goldstone they struck a bargain with the perps. Israel spent millions on those ads which appeared in every major newspaper...right on down to the NCP.

Who can compete with forces like that? I feel like a gentile David opposing a Zionist Gioliath....with my trusty sling, I slung the Goldstone...apparently it went wide right.

I posted the LTE on my blog.

By: slacker on 10/27/09 at 9:25

The dems. will run obama again, the repubs. will run Tim Pawlenty.

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 9:26

Dargent,

Whether or not Obama will "smoke 'em" depends on what he does in the next 4 years. Right now, his first year is NOT working out well for him.

By: BenDover on 10/27/09 at 9:29

Ted Kennedy almost unseated Carter in the 1980 primary. If Obama keeps up the downward Carter-esque spiral, Hillary or somone else could trounce him in the 2012 primaries; thus forcing him out.

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 9:29

Dargent

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I didn't say he wouldn't run for a second term...just that he might not get the DNC nomination...depending on how his Presidency goes. Right now, it's not good. But we'll see.

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 9:33

Ben,

That's my point.

By: Loner on 10/27/09 at 9:35

It's hard to "smoke 'em", when you've been snuffed. I fear for the president's safety. Dammit, my crystal balls won't shed any more light on the mystery...I'll try again later, after dark.

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 9:40

Loner,

I really don't think any assassination attempt would be tried or if tried would be successful. There's too many people that protect the man.

Seriously, I don't see it happening. I really don't.

By: Blanketnazi2 on 10/27/09 at 9:41

slackerdomas may be right. a 53% approval rating doesn't exactly suck.

By: chiefpayne568 on 10/27/09 at 9:44

Blanket,

True. But considering how far and how fast his approval ratings have dropped, it's not great either.

By: BenDover on 10/27/09 at 9:44

Yeah... we crossed posts, Chief.

Loner, I'm surprised they have not offed Roberts or Thomas yet. That would give the hard left a complete trifecta of government control over us.

By: slacker on 10/27/09 at 9:47

Ben, Obama gave Hillary the SOS position to neutralize her, but they are using her to fetch coffee and such, and she is no doubt pissed. She might resign, and run again.
If she's smart she'll demand a Supreme Court appointment, and Obama will give it to her. We will finally get to she her not wearing a pantsuit.

By: house_of_pain on 10/27/09 at 9:49

Hillary's legs should remain covered at all times.