Pigs might not fly...

...but they definitely Flu

Obama

Today Obama has to convince people in his country to adopt some kind of Public Health option for those who are most vulnerable, most disadvantaged in society. It seems to attack a basic premise prevalent in America (and to a certain extent here too) that you must never offer too great an incentive to people who are in a position of disadvantage to remain in that state. An essential founding tenet of the The American Dream is that you have chosen to be there to better yourself.

Whilst to a certain extent this is understandable, it has created a number of dynamics. It amounts to a kind of social 'darwin-ism'. It has allowed big business to come into that space and commodify health. That does not seem entirely right to me. Here we have a culture which has allowed itself to drift into strange paradoxes. For example the State vehemently upholds the right of a person to own and carry a gun (the ultimate symbol of personal power and self determination) and yet holds good health as a privilege to be attained only by those who can afford it.

That is a culture which would appear to despise weakness and celebrate power. It is not a very compassionate position to hold.

Beginnings.

This morning,

walking up the hill back home.

I had just resolved in my mind to come home and open this: box 18.

My eyes fixed on the newly resurfaced pavement in front of me. Nice job.

"Excuse me, is this the way to psychology?"

I look up. Brand new Uggboots, young, bewildered, bleach-blonde, redolant in fake bake for the start of term.

"I've no idea" I say, equally bewildered. "That's a bit too profound a question to be asking this early in the morning." I add.

She walks off, bemused.

Didn't think I looked like a psycho.