TIME OUT

A late night college basketball game decided at the last second resulted in it being too late to compose a blog.

As a filler for a future late posting today enjoy this JAMA cover; "Woman with Three Girls" by Jozsef Rippi-Ronai . The explanation of the painting is below. Both can be enlarged by clicking on them

THE PMUA

Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights and privileges of free people and who would preserve what is good and fruitful in our national heritage. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 - 1969), Address recorded for the Republican Lincoln Day dinners, January 28, 1964

In 1995 during Mayor Fury’s administration the PMUA was created because there was indiscriminate dumping of garbage in the city supposedly by outsiders, or residents who did not wish to pay a private contractor.

The promoters for the new Authority were the Director of Public Works, Watson and his Assistant Director Ervin. They and Perry who was also a city employee became the executive staff of the new agency at of course an increased compensation.

The story of their management abuse need not be retold,

Fury had to have the support of the Chair of the local Democrat party but lost it before the next election and thus was a one term Mayor. It is unlikely that he initiated the formation of the OMUA without the tacit approval of the Party Chair.

All the Commissioners appointments were made by the mayor but since almost all had held political; office in the city or had been active in the local party one must entertain the thought that despite denials of intervention in municipal affairs the Chairman had a strong input into the appointees.

The hype to organize the PMUA was that it would be in the best interests of the people. The actuality as history has demonstrated is that it was another cash cow to reward political favors.

This was the same time period when the sale of the Plainfield Area Sewer system for 8.5 million was a gift and the monies received disappeared in “operational” not capital funds.

Harry Truman noted that the “buck” had to stop at the head of the organization; in his case the Federal Government. In the PMUA travesty the perpetual local party boss must be held responsible.

Addendum: When one reads the PMUA Executive Committee minutes it is apparent that both Watson and Ervin said that they wished to leave because of community harassment. The million dollar parachute if they were terminated by the Commissioners without cause. If so they are entitled to no more than what they received.

If any Commissioners voted to pay the additional funds they are guilty of misconduct in office and I doubt if they would be eligible for paid by PMUA insurers defense from suit. Perhaps the sum can ve recovered from those that voted for it.

PRESIDENTIAL DAY POTPOURRI

To day is President's Day an acknowledgement that all great people are born in February. As a Pisces I should know.

In my distant past both Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays were at least school holidays and supposedly national holidays but not federal. Since the South ignored Lincoln's and the politicians wanted a three day weekend the two birthdays were combined to be celebrated on a Monday. Now Banks and Postal workers and most government offices to the lowest political level cam take a day off with pay.

Be it as it may, according to the local? paper Lincoln's birthday was marked in Plainfield with several drug dealer busts.

Once again today Bernice's blog exposes the obvious. Oz's politics at all levels including BOE is a soap opera where the term ethics has been dropped from the vocabulary.

Mahatma Gandhi observed: "There are seven sins in the world: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without There are seven sins in the world: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice and politics without principle".

Addendum 10:53 am; Maria's blog today has more info about the PMUA.

ANONYMOUS

Anonymous 9:12 AM (2/19/12) has left a new comment on your post "A WWII STORY":
Why do you think it will never happen (PMUA)?

Dear Anonymous, It is difficult to make a generalized response to query if the question is submitted to a posting that refers to an entirely different subject. Also few. will read a question and reply to an old blog.

I am not sure what the it that you refer to means. Ifit is a complete reorganization of the PMUA the answer is simply one word "POLITICS". I may devote a blog this 3 day weekend to the PMUA or just spend the time for myself.

HEALTH CARE 2012

I am always amazed when I receive a comment on a posting years that I did years ago.

Today ,this was in my email: Rajesh Attri has left a new comment on your post "HEALTH CARE #1": "Nice post!!"

That is very pleasing but it was in June 2009 that I wrote a series of 5 postings about the changes in Health Care. Going back the easy way by clicking the link I felt the need from a consumers point of view flavored by 50+ years of intimate association with patient care to update a review of today's model.

Much of the changes are the results of the public developing a concept that health care is a commodity which can be obtained as if it were an automobile or dinner in a restaurant. That concept has been encouraged by the politicians and the social reformers.

An essential element is now almost completely absent. That is the personal relationship; the human touch and what was known as bedside manner.

This change is the direct result of the insurance carriers and the government treating it as merchandise. Every aspect has a set value in dollars and time. New Federal Laws insist that every physician's office and facility use electronic records. This is being enforced by penalizing those that do not comply with fines and reduced reimbursement.

To complicate matters; prescriptions must no longer be written but transmitted to the pharmacy electronically. The MD is punished if he/she fails to do so.

Additionally, every office must have a Photo ID of each patient, and included is a drivers license data. All records of residence, insurance etc must be updated per visit. I If any of this is missing the practice is subject to financial penalties, Big Brother is watching; shades of Orwell. I suppose after 90 years I have become a terrorist or a defrauder.

The electronic records idea for sharing information is fine in theory. However, if each different practitioner adds to it much will be of no value an ignored by the next doctor or "Health Care Provider" to see the person.

The Records themselves contain a great deal; of "cook book" information. Such data is worth only the integrity of the entering provider. Some will just check the box.

A further trouble with EDR (electronic data records) is in the fact that there are several vendors of hardware and software programs. Since the software is proprietary; some systems may not speak to others.

Additionally all records will be cloud stored. No matter what the "experts" tell us no server is safe from hackers or potential failure with loss of all data. Even a back up system is not 100% infallible. And don't forget that those who have Medicare in supplying their insurance coverage are including their Social Security number.

The electronic record systems are expensive and software licenses must be renewed annually. The cost is so great that an individual physician practice will have difficulty affording unless it is one of the exotic specialties.

These regulations and rules have caused a major change in both outpatient care and inpatient hospital care. As noted group practice is now the norm. The emphasis is businesslike and on productivity. Much of the patient's visit is conducted by assistants; nurse practitioners, physicians assistant, technicians, social workers. The doctor is now a manager who sees the patient at the end of the visit when all data has been complied. He may or may nor amplify obtaining information but will spend his few minutes with the parent based on what others have collected. The human touch is gone.

I grant that not all practice areas are as bad as above; but with fees dictated and with increased costs of running an office and practice more will fall into the above mode.

In emergency occurring out of office hours the custom now is to refer one to the Emergency Room. Your physician may then be contacted but your initial care will be in the ER doc's hands. When or if your physician or his substitute is notified depends on the ER.

The ER visit itself can be an adventure. If there is a question that may need observation the patient may not be admitted into the hospital itself but held in what is known as a n observation unit which is considered to be outpatient and merits a greater reimbursement from insurance or government carriers.

Increasingly, doctors who have outside practices no longer spend the time seeing patients in the hospital but relegate their care to a hospital employed physician. In some places or services this is required.

Briefly. health care has become a business and must be treated as one.

FILLER

I always voted at my party's call, and I never thought of thinking for myself at all.
William Gilbert.

Unfortunately the seems to be a matter of fact in OZ. This reflects in the annual June Primary and November General elections. It was also applicable to the not to be lamented May School Board Elections

Regarding those BOE elections, today's Courier reported that 78% of the State's School Districts have chosen to hod that election in November. The statements from our BOE members at the Council meeting and John Campbell were false and self serving.

Although it is true that Party Politics may impact on the Board elections, it will be harder for a small cohesive power group to control the Board in the future.

Dan Damon is hospitalized so his Plainfield Today Blog and Clips comments will be missed for a while. We wish him a speedy recovery. Oh those Golden Age years.

This abbreviated blog resulted from the fact that I did not compose my posting as customary last evening. Once written I can schedule it to be posted at any time. usually just before 7AM. If I have not done so it will be later in the day usually before noon. To use the words of very Vendor , Merchant, or Provider; "I am sorry for any inconvenience to you" . That makes it right.

PS I was working on a blog on health care and also PMUA. They will be posted soon, but don't hold your breath.

Politics: the art of appearing candid and completely open while concealing as much as possible. FRANK HERBERT, Chapterhouse: Dune

PART OF BLACK HISTORY

As part of Black History Month the movie Red Tails tells the remarkable story of the Tuskegee Airmen. See Renata's blog today. Very few presently alive, although they complain of discrimination, have the slightest concept of racial circumstances that still existed in this country long after the great depression.

The “Airmen” were not the only although the most glamorous segregated African-American combat unit ‘

Long forgotten by history is one of the greatest combat units I thankfully saw in action when attached to my battalion in the Bulge. That was a crazy bunch of tankers who were a life saving blessing to a combat unit in the army that had no armor or heavy artillery of its own. That was the 761 Independent Tank Battalion. I have lifted its story from Wikipedia.

The 761st Tank Battalion was an independent tank battalion of the United States Army during World War II. The 761st was made up primarily of African-American soldiers, who by federal law were not permitted to serve alongside white troops; the Army did not officially desegregate until after World War II. They were known as the “Black Panthers” after their unit's distinctive insignia; their motto was “Come out fighting”.

Most of the black tankers had to train in bases located in deep Southern states such as Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas. In the days before the civil rights advances made in the 1960s, black people were still treated harshly in the south and often considered an inferior race. The men of the 761st trained for almost two years, conscious of the fact that white units were being sent overseas after as little as two or three months.

There were many acts of racism against all the black battalions, including deaths of black soldiers from nearby Camp Polk and Camp Livingston who would visit Alexandria, Louisiana on weekend leave. A notable event was in March 1943, when several members of the unit were severely beaten, and another one found dead on the train tracks in Alexandria. After word spread, several members of the 761st commandeered six tanks and a half-track in an attempt to end the intimidation by the town's citizens. Lieutenant Colonel Bates however persuaded them to cease their retaliation, and he would attempt to straighten the situation out.

The most famous member of the 761st was First Lieutenant Jack Robinson. During the 761st's training, a white bus driver told Robinson to move to the back of the bus, and Robinson refused. Although his battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Paul L. Bates, refused to consider the court-martial charges put forward by the arresting Military Policemen, the base commander transferred Robinson to the 758th Tank Battalion, whose commander was willing to sign the insubordination court-martial consent. Robinson would eventually be acquitted of all charges, though he never saw combat. He became famous a few years later when he was instrumental in the desegregation of professional baseball.

General Ben Lear, Commander of the U.S. Second Army rated the unit "superior" after a special review and deemed the unit "combat ready". After a brief deployment to England, the 761st landed in France via Omaha Beach on 10 October 1944. The unit arrived (with six white officers, thirty black officers, and 676 black enlisted men) and was assigned to General George Patton's US Third Army at his request, attached to the 26th Infantry Division.

The unit traveled from Northern France in October 1944, to see action in the Rhineland, in the Battle of the Bulge, and in the final months of the war on German soil.

During the Battle of the Bulge, German soldiers who had raided American warehouses were reported to have disguised themselves as Americans guarding the checkpoints in order to ambush American soldiers. Patton solved this problem by ordering black soldiers, including the 761st, to guard the checkpoints, and gave the order to shoot any white soldiers at the checkpoints who acted suspiciously.

The battalion first saw combat on 7 November 1944, fighting through towns such as Moyenvic, Vic-sur-Seille and Morville, often at the leading edge of the advance. The unit endured 183 days of continuous operational employment.

In November 1944 the unit had suffered 156 casualties; 24 men killed, 88 wounded, and 44 non-battle. The unit also lost 14 tanks and another 20 damaged in combat. In December, the battalion was rushed to the aid of the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne.

After the Battle of the Bulge, the unit opened the way for the U.S. 4th Armored Division into Germany during an action that breached the Siegfried Line. In the final days of the war in Europe, the 761st was one of the first American units to reach the Steyr in Austria, at the Enns River, where they met with Ukrainians of the Soviet Army.

The 761st was deactivated 1 June 1946 in Germany.