The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good:  On Sept. 23, the first benefits of the new healthcare reform package went into effect.  Specifically, preventive measures are now covered just in time for flu season.  There’s more than enough vaccine to cover the whole U.S. population, so we should all go out and get our flu shots. 

The Bad: The Israeli and Palestinian negotiations that started in early September reached an impasse last week when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allowed the West Bank settlement freeze to expire.  The 22 member Arab League then weighed in to support the Palestinians.  We – the world community – need to work together to solve the problem.  Chas Freeman, Jr. proposes new directions in his new book, “America’s Misadventures in the Middle East.”  Peace between Israel and Palestine seems to me to be one of the penultimate goals for the world.  Let’s hope the leaders can find a way forward. 

The Bummer:  While the game was great, the outcome of the Packer versus Redskins football game was less than sweet.  I love the way pink highlights yellow and green!

The Ugly:  Yet another disappointing report came out last week on the impact of the recession.  The income of New York residents dropped 3.1 percent last year, the first decline in more than 70 years.  The dip in income was almost double that of the rest of the country.  Then, more bad news with the announcement that unemployment continued at 9.6 percent.

In Remembrance:  Happy 70th birthday to John Lennon.  I know it was all over the news but he was at the center of life and the icon of my generation.  Let’s give peace a chance…

Kevin Fickenscher, MD

The views and opinions expressed herein are my own and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Dell Services or its affiliates.