Derrick Roland: Will his leg surgery break his spirit?

Derrick Roland is staring at life long rehabilitation after a surgery that inserted a metal rod into his broken tibia and fibula of his right leg.

He suffered a freak accident in the second half of a game where he plays as a senior guard for Texas A&M. Texas A&M was leading 32-30 but his injury was so devastating to his team mates that they never fully recovered and eventually lost that game at 73-64.

They were up against no 19 Washington (8-2) and Roland was heavily depended upon to score for his team, being the second leading scorer at 11.1 points. His team mate David Sloan, who was a good friend and senior from his Dallas Seagoville High was the leading scorer at 17.4. Sloan himself was distressed at the injury suffered by his friend Roland.

The injury couldn't have come at a more awkward time as the year is coming to a close with the festive seasons.

For sure, though it might break his bones, but it will surely not break his spirits. Derrick Roland is a fighter all his life. He is optimistic and a diehard positive thinker. He will take this injury in his stride, shrug off the pain for the time being and work hard to reposition himself back to his team.

Health-care bill: Make or Break?

The current health care bill that has come under severe scrutiny from the public and interested parties in the US is on tenterhooks: will it make it through to it passage to glorious history or will it be consigned to the dustbins of US Legislature? We will know on Christmas Eve as the Senate meets to vote on it.

The heath-care bill which was drafted on almost 700 sheets of paper has less than seven days for review and scrutiny by the august members of the Senate before they meet on Thursday to aye or nay the bill.

The import and ramifications of the health-care bill on employers and consumers may be beyond the ken and understanding of the majority of the senators, and they will surely need a lot of feedback from the electorate to help them come to an informed and wise decision for the American health system and economy. Either way, there will be parties that will stand to benefit or lose from the passage of this health-care bill. Will America favor the big time capitalists or will it show compassion for the man in the street who have suffered years of health-care neglect under the Bush administration?

There are legitimate concerns that the bill will add a bludgeoning half a trillion dollars to the federal budget over the next ten years, funded and borne by the middle class. It subsidizes insurance for American families to the tune of 400 percent above the poverty level. This translates to almost $90,000 a year for a family of four.

From the logistics point of view, an additional 15 million Americans stand to benefit from this health-care bill as they will be shoved into Medicaid, the medical welfare system.

Proponents of this bill say that it is high time that America take care of its own people instead of funding expensive wars that do nothing but bring back body bags to grieving families. The money that is used to fund armed conflicts around the world should be better used to take care of medical needs back home.

The conflict and angst in America is whether the money should be better used to prop up and stimulate the economy or to be channeled to the sick that cannot afford expensive health-care.

Latest Update:

The Health Care Bill is Passed by the Senate!

The Almost Break up of an American Airlines Flight

Breaking up of American Airlines in Jamaica injuring 40

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

BREAKING NEWS —

Local eyewitnesses the almost breaking up into two of an American Airlines plane.

It was carrying 154 passengers and crew.

It happened on Tuesday night at the Kingston airport in Jamaica and at least 40 people were said to be hurt in that incident.

Charley Wilson speaking on behalf of AA issued a statement that there were no deaths in that unfortunate accident.

All the injured were quickly ferried to the Kingston Public Hospital for medical attention and to stabilize their trauma. Luckily there were no fatal mishaps or life threatening injuries.

There was a heavy downpour at the time of the accident and this was listed as the probable cause of the break up of the plane. The plane took off from Miami earlier and was due to land in Kingston about 10.20 pm local time in Kingston.

Police said that the aircraft was damaged but fortunately did not break apart. A passenger Naomi Palmer told the Jamaica Observer that she was in pain from the accident and described how the plane almost tore up on landing but did not.