Medicare, 43 Years Ago Today

President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Social Security Act Amendments (SSA) on this day in 1965 establishing health insurance for the elderly - Medicare - and the poor - Medicaid.

It included supplementary medical benefits for the Disability Insurance System. Read the history of the SSA during the Johnson years to see how it became law.

technorati tags: lyndonjohnson, medicare, downthemspath

Family Wedding Anniversary

On this day in 1938 Les Jenkin and Alma King were wed in Marinette, Wisconsin.

View pictures of their 60th Wedding Anniversary party. Then check out the 65th anniversary display and their story.

Alma passed in 2005, shortly before their 67th anniversary.

technorati tags: wedding, longmarriage, vicki'sblog

We Renounce War!

President Herbert Hoover signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact on this day in 1928. The pact was a "renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy." Sixty-one nations eventually signed the agreement.

Yea! No more war! But this was 1928 and Germany, Italy and Japan were among the original signatories. The Nuremberg Trials served to prosecute those who violated the crimes against peace as outlined in this pact.

The Kellogg-Briand Pact did not contribute to international peace, it did not end war, and it is still in effect!

technorati tags: herberthoover, kellogg-briandpact, internationalpeace, nurembergtrials, vicki'sblog

Politics and Puppies

Regardless of your politics, help a homeless dog find a new family. It has been reported that Barack Obama will add a dog to his family -- whether he wins or loses the presidential election.

What kind of dog? Help him decide to rescue a homeless dog. Sign the petition to urge the Obama family to rescue their new family member. The newly adopted dog will thank you for providing him (or her) with a new home.

It takes only a minute to make a dog wag her (or his) tail.

technorati tags: barackobama, homelessdogs, rescueanimals, vicki'sblog

I Would Rather Be Dead

A survey asked: 'Which would you choose: Living with a severe disability that forever alters your ability to live an independent life, or death?'

Middle-aged people chose death.
Higher income people chose death.
People living in the West chose death.
People with higher education chose death.

Even Superman chose death initially. When Christopher Reeve awoke after the accident that left him severely disabled, he said he wanted to die. It wasn't until his wife Dana expressed her love and support that he returned to living, advocating stem cell research, starring in films like Rear Window, writing a book Still Me , establishing a foundation, loving and being loved.

I have read many stories by people who respond to their disability by embracing life with a new attitude, appreciating new priorities, and a new understanding of what really is important.

I wonder about those middle-aged, educated, rich Westerners who opt for their own death rather than living with a disability. What is their attitude toward the more than 54 million American adults whose daily lives include a disability?

The survey was commissioned by Disaboom, the premiere online community for people touched by disability.

technorati tags: disability, disaboom, ablebodiedattitudetowarddisability, christopherreeve, surveyresults

Crazy and Naked

Absolute chaos, bedlam, confusion! What could be happening? Anything, because today is Pandemonium Day.

Unexpected things happen today. Perhaps Pandemonium broke out because someone unexpectedly came across a group of people wearing no clothes. It is after all summer, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, and sometimes it gets hot enough to encourage people to disrobe. Besides, today is also National Nude Day.

The nation in the name of this day is New Zealand where it was created by Marc Ellis. This is a day to appreciate your body. Maybe you can combine these two special days by doing something wild and crazy in the nude!

technorati tags: pandemoniumday, nudeday, newzealand, marcellis, Vicki'sblog

The Bikini Remembered

The bikini is 60 today.

The bikini, a women's swimsuit composed of two pieces, was introduced in Paris on this date in 1946. It took two to design the bikini: Louis Réard, engineer, and Jacques Heim, designer. It was named after Bikini Atoll where a nuclear test was performed July 1 because this suit would cause a "burst of excitement."

The bikini was accepted in France, but it took America years to decide to wear such a scandalous suit, as evidenced by Ester Williams' quote.

"A bikini is a thoughtless act." ~ Esther Williams

To see Magnum Photos collection of pictures of bikinis designed 60 years ago, click here.

technorati tags: bikinibathingsuit, vicki'sblog

Omnibus Vehicle

It started July 4 in 1824. A London newspaper reported a new vehicle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus

Ground Zero and Freedom Towers

"To honor and remember those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001 and as a tribute to the enduring spirit of freedom -- July Fourth 2004."

Beautiful pictures show the groundbreaking ceremony and laying the 20-ton cornerstone for the Freedom Towers planned to replace the World Trade Center Towers at ground zero. Click a picture to see the panoramic view.

Plans for the Freedom Towers changed and the garnet-flecked granite stone was deemed to be in the way. How sad. The cornerstone set that July 4 now sits in the work lot of the stone company where it was created.

technorati tags: worldtradetowers, freedomtowers, groundzero, vicki'sblog