Review- "The Reluctant Communist"

First, let me say, I have a morbid fascination with North Korea. I can barely comprehend the whole concept of how these people live. I've seen the documentaries that show government "minders" living in every home to ensure the family is paying proper respect to "Dear Leader" Kim Il Sung. It's total control, and it's almost like it's out of a science fiction book or something. Well, what makes it even more stupifying is that some idiots are dumb enough to go over there VOLUNTARILY. And one of those idiots is Richard "Super" Jenkins. A loser on multiple counts, not the least of which the unit from whom he deserted (he actually fell down a literal slippery slope and couldn't come back to South Korea, which he interpreted as a sign he should go to North Korea), didn't actually go to Vietnam to do the mission he originally thought. This fear of being in a first responding, barnstorming unit being shipped to Vietnam is what drove Mr.Jenkins to cross the line. Then he finds out there are three more idiots who are there for even less comprehensible reasons than he was. When reading the stories of the corn cob cigarettes, or the lack of food, and general comforts that we take for granted, I had to keep reminding myself this was a true story. It offers great insight and detail into living in the "Hermit Kingdom". The story actually has a happy ending as, the abducted Japanese woman he was forced to marry actually liked him too, and they had three children and were ultimately released to live in Japan. Jenkins will be the first to admit, and he does so numerous times, that going to North Korea was a huge, stupid mistake. I agree with him, and I also feel sorry that 40 years of his life were wasted in such a tragic kingdom.

It's a gritty, amateurish book, but it tells a fascinating story. I also believe everything in it, because Mr.Jenkins is so self-depreciating, he'd have no reason to lie about anything, or at least it wouldn't appear so.

Healthcare Revisited

I was in the hospital recently discussing our plans for IUI with my wife's OB/GYN provider. When discussing the cost, I mentioned that it would have been cheaper if we had socialized medecine like so many other countries have. He scoffed at the idea. I was curious why, and he told me that the only way socialized medecine would work here is if they stopped people from sueing doctors. I had never thought from that perspective. He then told me that it costs him $75K a year, just for insurance. That might explain why medical costs are so expensive, and also why the insurance companies would be big losers if we ever did go to socialized medecine. It also reminded me that we are indeed a litigious society, probably too much for our own good. I would think that for even the very worst medical accidents or true malpractices, $1 million would be the very most anyone should receive, and I mean that's if they cut off limbs accidentally, or because of their negligence, kill a family member. In other words, unless we just have a corps of incompetent physicians, most people probably won't be suing for anything. It comes down to tort reform, common sense, and getting back to the decency and values we grew up with, or are at least aware of.

Decision Points

Decision Points by George W. Bush was much better than I anticipated. Being the orator he is, I had very low expectations of how he'd convey his story in print. What I was most surprised at was his candidness about himself, and events that transpired during his Presidency. It's old news now, but he claimed that the Kanye West episode was the low point of his Presidency. I think he meant the fact that for the first time in his life, he was basically called a racist in front of the world, really. I don't think he meant it was the WORST thing that happened during his tenure. There were so many more to choose from. If I was having to pick the worst moment from 2001-2008, the top of the list would by 9-11, closely followed by Katrina, closely followed by the non-discovery of WMD in Iraq. I came away from this book feeling like maybe I misjudged him, but you have to remember, the guy is so responsible and accountable, that he never blamed anything on Cheney, which he probably should have and what Cheney probably deserved. He bore the brunt of the entire 8 years, and takes full responsibility in this book. One of my favorite lines was when (in his 30's) he asks a woman at a formal dinner party what sex is like after 50...then as President, she returns and asks him the same thing....

Obama the Socialist

The right, the Tea Partiers and others have taken fancy to calling Obama a socialist or a communist over the past year. This is especially hillarious when even Billy Wharton, the leader of the Socialist Party of America said he wasn't. That's the label they give to anyone who disagrees with them. Kind of like McArthyism, when everyone was a communist, and that sort of thing. If Obama was a socialist, he would have nationalized some of those failing banks, and they'd still own them...moreso than just a few bailouts.