May 2015 Archives

Prison Surgery should have limits

          If past experience is any sort of guide, we can conclude that any time the Federal Government gets involved in California affairs, it costs the taxpayer a ton of money.

          In 2011 the "Feds" claimed California's medical care of prisoners was sub-standard.  A subsequent State Controller's report (July 5, 2011) revealed doctors, dentists and psychiatrists with the federal receiver's office were, at that time,  the highest paid state employees in California.  Two prison doctors made more than $700,000 a year with several dozen topping $300,000 per year.

According to Jack Dolan (LA Times - March 4, 2011 news article) there is a semi-paralyzed inmate (Edward Ortiz) hospitalized in a S.F. bay area room with a breathing tube in his throat - tethered to a ventilator and steel shackles on his ankles with two round the clock guards to prevent his escape and a sergeant to supervise.  Even if he could, why would this prisoner decide to flee?  And yet California taxpayers are shelling out $800,000 per year for guard duty.  But he is not alone, there are 25 "permanent" medically incapacitated inmates being treated at outside hospitals at a cost greater than $50 million and, of that, some $19 to $21million is for guards' salaries, benefits and overtime.

          Recently, U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar ruled the California prison system ought not delay in providing "Transgender surgery" for a 51 year old male inmate Jeffrey Bryan Norsworthy because this medical procedure is urgent and critical to "her" health.

          Even though transgender surgery might be considered routine, why should the State of California Prison system pay for it?  But more to the point, if there are no limits placed on "elective" surgery, will others be tempted toward criminal behavior in order to have the prison system pay for their medical alteration?

Roundabouts on a 4-lane Blvd - really?

Imjin Parkway has become an alternative route for commuters between Salinas and the Monterey peninsula because of massive traffic congestion on the Monterey-Salinas highway.

 The Transportation Agency of Monterey County (TAMC) recently awarded Marina funds to design and complete an environmental review (EIR) of improvements to Imjin Parkway.  Without question the remaining short section of  this boulevard should properly be widened to four lanes.

But there's more.  Incredibly, part of this EIR request includes replacing signal intersections with roundabouts.  Why? 

Considering the main object of multi-lane boulevards and/or "free-ways" is to expeditiously move traffic, why would any responsible planner recommend a roundabout on a boulevard designed to accommodate 45-to-60 MPH traffic! 

          One might recall that TAMC is the same organization recommending a sales tax increase of .38 percent for unidentified road projects with no definite sunset date and are willing to pay as much as $135,000 for a consultant to get this measure on the June or November 2016 ballot.

I have to ask "Is this the kind of road improvements we can expect if this tax is passed?"

"De-flate-gate" whose fault is it?

          Why is it that all these professional sports writers are making accusations and pointing fingers at poor ole Tom Brady when they should be asking why the National Football league allows each team to provide its' own set of footballs?  The National Football League is a multi-billion dollar so-called "Non-profit,"  why can't they provide the official game balls to be used by both teams and eliminate any possible "de-flate gate?"

          As everyone knows, in professional baseball, the home team provides the balls which must be authenticated and marked as official MLB game balls.  Both teams use the same set of balls and, if there is some sort of flaw both teams will share in the problem.

Professional football is the only game where players are allowed to perform in sub-human conditions of bone-chilling cold weather complicated by wind, rain and snow.  If a deflated football offers better control - thus creating a better quality game under these adverse conditions, why doesn't the NFL amend its rules to allow teams to deflate the football when weather conditions warrant that kind of adjustment?

            It's time for these professional sports writers to retreat from their short sighted and prejudicial treatment of Brady and place the blame for this mess at the doorstep of the NFL where it properly belongs!