The Hillbilly Philosopher

( This was originally a comment I made in a thread in facebook - and then realized I may as well post it as a note of it's own. - The HP ) I think that the right step has been taken - we agree that there is 1) a broken system in place 2) a need for all people to receive care and 3) going to be some kind of involvement regardless. I do not think the government regulating hospitals and drug companies directly would be effective - they simply could create new fees, or replace a drug every 12 months just to keep the patent and billing process alive. However, I think that the reason costs are as high as they are is because the hospitals and doctors are essentially allowed to charge whatever the insurance is willing to pay - therefor the insurance industry can be directly blames for the way in which health costs have risen. I know of several people who prefer a doctor in Sanford because his fees are discounted if you pay cash - but if you have insurance he will bill them the...

OK, the next questions I asked were : What song do you associate with your first real kiss? and You're having a charity poker event - and you have one religious figure, one dead celebrity, one living celebrity , one politician (living or dead) and one family member at your table. Who are they? So - to answer the first - I think it has to be Welcome to The Jungle, by Guns and Roses. You could not go anywhere that summer and not hear that song. Sad to say, the song means more to me on an emotional level today than that first real kiss did. And you know who you are - hope you are doing well. Been a long time since I have heard of you or your family - hope every one is fine and you have had a prosperous life. Now, on to the really interesting question. First of all, I would have to probably invite King Henry VIII. As head of the Church of England, I would love to just slap him on the back a few times for the way he told the world " Hey - I gotta have religion - but by my r...

What is you favorite snack and drink? This was the first of the "wants to know" questions, and to date it has had 24 comments. First things last, I gotta start with the drink. I love beer. Period. I love the taste of beer. I love the smell of beer. I even love the smell of beer on someone's breath. I love the color of a nice light beer, and I love the deep mystery of a dark beer. I love the feel of a beer can in my hand while fishing, a beer bottle in my hand while standing around a bon fire, or a mug of beer that keeps me company while watching the race. I like beer with pizza. I like beer with a steak. I like beer with hot wings. I like beer with kid's birthday cake. I like beer with hot dogs. I like beer at a cook out. I like a beer in the parking lot of the funeral parlor. I like beer drank in a pickup truck in the shadow of a church on Saturday night. I like a beer in the morning, and when I retire I am going to start every day with a beer. I...

OK, for the past few days, on my Facebook account, I have been asking a series of seemingly random questions. I have tried my best not to get involved the the threads that followed, and some of them have been really interesting to read the responses. Now, I am going to let the cat out of the bag. This is all a multifaceted project. First, I am very happy to see some of the responses made by folks who do not post a lot - their getting involved has really been the most present surprise. Second, it has allowed what I hope to be was a little "getting to know you " space for my friends from different sections of my life to voice in a common area. Lastly, and perhaps the cream on top, these questions will be answered two at a time in my upcoming blog posts here. So if you want to know the answers from my perspective, this is where you will have to come to find them. First post up sometime tonight!

OK, so like all things technological and trendy, mu slow and tired ass is finally getting on the band wagon. I have always tried to write a little here and there, and I have quite a decent amount of followers on a social site, but decided to step away from the comfort of readers who all know me and into the wide open expanse of the Internet proper. So, if you know me, welcome old friends. And if you do not - here I am: I'm the Hillbilly Philosopher. My religion and politics change direction like a reed blowing in the wind. I have my own way to look at things, and a surprising disdain for other folks. I do not like yogurt. I think kids sports without keeping scores are a waste of time. I like to write restaurant reviews, but seldom are they about the food. My grammar and spelling suck. I have little patience for spell check, and lay even less importance on sentence structure so long as my point get across. All this and more in the future. So welcome. And I hope you come back and vis...