Brian On _______

If you're going to do a "get out and vote for Obama" video, THIS is how it's done.

This, is not.

What do you mean socialism doesn't work?

(Via FoxNews) HONOLULU — Hawaii is dropping the only state universal child health care program in the country just seven months after it launched.

Gov. Linda Lingle's administration cited budget shortfalls and other available health care options for eliminating funding for the program. A state official said families were dropping private coverage so their children would be eligible for the subsidized plan.

"People who were already able to afford health care began to stop paying for it so they could get it for free," said Dr. Kenny Fink, the administrator for Med-QUEST at the Department of Human Services. "I don't believe that was the intent of the program."

State officials said Thursday they will stop giving health coverage to the 2,000 children enrolled by Nov. 1, but private partner Hawaii Medical Service Association will pay to extend their coverage through the end of the year without government support.

"We're very disappointed in the state's decision, and it came as a complete surprise to us," said Jennifer Diesman, a spokeswoman for HMSA, the state's largest health care provider. "We believe the program is working, and given Hawaii's economic uncertainty, we don't think now is the time to cut all funding for this kind of program."

Hawaii lawmakers approved the health plan in 2007 as a way to ensure every child can get basic medical help. The Keiki (child) Care program aimed to cover every child from birth to 18 years old who didn't already have health insurance — mostly immigrants and members of lower-income families.

It costs the state about $50,000 per month, or $25.50 per child — an amount that was more than matched by HMSA.

State health officials argued that most of the children enrolled in the universal child care program previously had private health insurance, indicating that it was helping those who didn't need it.

The Republican governor signed Keiki Care into law in 2007, but it and many other government services are facing cuts as the state deals with a projected $900 million general fund shortfall by 2011.

While it's difficult to determine how many children lack health coverage in the islands, estimates range from 3,500 to 16,000 in a state of about 1.3 million people. All were eligible for the program.

"Children are a lot more vulnerable in terms of needing care," said Democratic Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland. "It's not very good to try to be a leader and then renege on that commitment."

The universal health care system was free except for copays of $7 per office visit.

Instead of obsessing over the latest polls or pontificating on "Joe the Plumber," it's nice to see that there are still some journalists who are willing to tackle the real issues and bring them to bear on our lives. There's even a Queen shout out! Some day, if I'm lucky I'll get to write a story about CPR with a line as awesome as "Gilbert said he's not really a disco fan."

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- "Stayin' Alive" might be more true to its name than the Bee Gees ever could have guessed: At 103 beats per minute, the old disco song has almost the perfect rhythm to help jump-start a stopped heart.

In a small but intriguing study from the University of Illinois medical school, doctors and students maintained close to the ideal number of chest compressions doing CPR while listening to the catchy, sung-in-falsetto tune from the 1977 movie "Saturday Night Fever."

The American Heart Association recommends 100 chest compressions per minute, far more than most people realize, study author Dr. David Matlock of the school's Peoria, Illinois, campus said Thursday.

And while CPR can triple cardiac arrest survival rates when properly performed, many people hesitate to do it because they're not sure about keeping the proper rhythm, Matlock said.

He found that "Stayin' Alive," which has a way of getting stuck in your head anyway, can help with that.

His study involved 15 students and doctors and had two parts. First they did CPR on mannequins while listening to the song on iPods. They were asked to time chest compressions with the song's beat.

Five weeks later, they did the same drill without the music but were told to think of the song while doing compressions.

The average number of compressions the first time was 109 per minute; the second time it was 113. That's more than recommended, but Matlock said that when it comes to trying to revive a stopped heart, a few extra compressions per minute is better than too few.

"It drove them and motivated them to keep up the rate, which is the most important thing," he said.

The study showed the song helped people who already know how to do CPR, and the results were promising enough to warrant larger, more definitive studies with real patients or untrained people, Matlock said.

He plans to present his findings at an American College of Emergency Physicians meeting in Chicago this month.

It turns out the American Heart Association has been using the song as a training tip for CPR instructors for about two years.

They learned of it from a physician "who sort of hit upon this as a training tool," said association spokesman Dr. Vinay Nadkarni of the University of Pennsylvania.

He said he was not aware of any previous studies that tested the song.

But Nadkarni said he has seen "Stayin' Alive" work wonders in classes where students were having trouble keeping the right beat while practicing on mannequins. When he turned on the song, "all of a sudden, within just a few seconds, they get it right on the dot."

"I don't know how the Bee Gees knew this," Nadkarni said. "They probably didn't. But they just hit upon this natural rhythm that was very catchy, very popular, that helps us do the right thing."

Dr. Matthew Gilbert, a 28-year-old medical resident, was among participants in the University of Illinois study this past spring. Since then, he said, he has revived real patients by keeping the song in his head while doing CPR.

Gilbert said he was surprised the song worked as well as it did.

"I was a little worried because I've been told that I have a complete lack of rhythm," he said. Also, Gilbert said he's not really a disco fan.

He does happen to like a certain Queen song with a similar beat.

"I heard a rumor that 'Another One Bites the Dust' works also, but it didn't seem quite as appropriate," Gilbert said.

Hilarious! But does anyone else think McCain looks like a Bond villain?

You have no idea how cool I think this is. ADULT FOOTIE PAJAMAS! To answer your question, yes, a "drop the seat" version is totally available. It's a darn good thing they don't make my size.

(via the Omaha World-Herald)

I don’t even know where to begin on this one.

God is officially off the hook: A judge recently through out a lawsuit by former state senator from Omaha, Neb. who was suing God. Yes, that God.

Ernie Chambers, the senator for Nebraska’s 11th district, filed the suit last September. What did God ever do to Ernie? No, He didn’t steal his rubber duckie. Mr. Chambers is seeking a “permanent injunction ordering Defendant to cease certain harmful activities and the making of terroristic threats.” The plaintiff further alleges that God “directly and proximately has caused fearsome floods, horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornados, pestilential plagues” and more. I will pause here to point out that the plural of "tornado" is "tornadoes" and I'm not sure "terroristic" is a real word. I'm not the best when it comes to proofreading (this blog is living, breathing proof), but for the love of The Defendant, get a second pair of eyes on your legal proceedings. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. At least he didn't call God the "Master of Mayhem" or "Doctor of Destruction."

God has countersued the extremely liberal 38-year legislative veteran (Don't take my word for it, ask Mother Jones... I will give them credit for a great title), accusing Chamber of, among other things, absolutely absurd and abominable alliteration.

No seriously. Apparently God has actually responded to the suit. The Douglas County Court clerk told the local newspaper that two court filings from God appeared a week or so after the initial request for injunction was filed. In one, “God” apparently refutes Chamber’s thinking: “I created man and woman with free will, and next to the promise of immortal life, free will is my greatest gift to you.” Seriously. I’m not making this up. There was no contact information on the filing, although St. Michael the Archangel is listed as a witness. Again, I’m dead serious. Notice how God deviousoly skirts the issue of His culpability regarding the afformentioned horrendous hurricanes and falls back on the old "free will" song and dance. Who does God think He's fooling? Answer the question, God!

Finally, after what was I’m sure a very stressful year for God, a court has thrown out the case. Apparently, Chamber had “failed to serve proper legal notice to God” and added that the “defendant has an unlisted address.” Again, I’m totally serious. Chambers responded by arguing the Almighty shouldn't need notice because God already knows everything. Actually, that's a pretty good point. God responded to that, I'm guessing here, by giggling so hard He started squirting milk out His nose and thus He couldn’t hit the SMITE button.

Here’s where it gets REALLY interesting: Chambers isn’t suing God because of the hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. In fact, he’s a very proud and public agnostic who doesn't believe for a second that God is responsible for anything, let alone alliterative atrocities. No, he told the press that his goal was to fight legislation that would restrict the filing of frivolous lawsuits.

“The Constitution requires that the courthouse doors be open, so you cannot prohibit the filing of suits,” he told the local newspaper. “Anyone can sue anyone they choose, even God.”

Yeah… let’s defend frivolous lawsuits by wasting the Courts' time and money on the most frivolous suit we can think of. We need to hook Mr. Chambers up with this chick. Plus, as a good liberal, shouldn’t he be concerned that this would be a severe overlapping of church and state? Even if the court ruled in his favor and granted the injunction, that would mean the court and Nebraska law, would be officially recognizing God’s existence. Pure genius.

Stay with it through at least the 25-second mark.



Hmmph.



Kind of haunting. Why is Katy Perry so big with ukulelists?



Yes, you are crazy.



Home skillet got talent.



Joey Ramone would be so proud.



"Is that a ukulele, or are you just pleased to see me?"



Wow!



Get a long, little doggies!



It's hard to picture Johnny Cash with a uke.



It's getting easier.



Come to think of it, why do you build me up? Nice dream catcher, by the way.



So much better than the original.




Toodle loo!




Queen + Ukulele = Not as awesome as you'd think.



A little better.



I just can't look. It's killing me.



It's raining ukuleles.



Under my ukulele -lele -lele eh eh eh.



If you ever suffer from low self-esteem, this is the prescription.



One of my favorite Beach Boys songs.



I like small guitars and I cannot lie...




I saved the best for last: She's a survivor (What - What - What). "Julia" actually tours around the northeast and recently opened for Ben Folds. Awe.some.