19 Bald Eagles Die After Eating Fish Waste

This is so sad; those birds are incredibly beautiful and already near extinction.

This is sad. Even sadder is that a new Health Affairs report concluded 101,000 Americans died last year simply because they had no access to health care. Those are two sad things...or maybe 101,050 sad things.

You're right spoon, that's just as devastating, if not more, but there's really too many sad things in the world than you or i could count.

Can you name one other domestic issue that kills 101,000 innocent American lives, devastates millions more, disables and bankrupts even more, wastes $600 billions of dollars each and every year, is growing exponentially yet still not being addressed honestly? NO Repubican running, nor Hillary (who already set real health care reform back for eight now going on 16 years), nor Barak (who was instumental and key in setting real health care reform back another eight years here in Illinois) will even point us in the right direction. I like eagles and all, but we need to get a grip on our priorities. John Edwards may be our last best hope. If we do not elect him, there may not be a left left in America, and I guarantee hundreds of thousands more innocent Americans (and maybe some more eagles too) will die senseless, easily preventable deaths while we fiddle. Health insurers make oil barons and Halliburton look like paupers. Maybe if you'll help us fix health care and save 47 million Americans (and growing), we'll have time then to help you save some eagles. They are both important, but one is more than slightly more important that we give it our full and immediate attention than the other. I hate to be angry, but I am and rightfully so. Please don't take it personally. Eagles are great.

That is awesome that you are so passionate about the health care system. (I am not being sarcastic or anything) We need people to care about those problems. Seriously, it is great that there are people out there who are actively trying to change the problems that exist within the health care system. But you shouldn't try to chastise others for showing concern about the other problems out there in the world. This story about the eagles is just one out of an endless amount of sad stories in the world. That was the point i was trying to get across.

I posted this article because I am concerned with the lack of respect shown towards our environment. It's just one of the issues that i tend to follow. I saw the article and decided to share it because no one else had. You should share your concerns as well, and I appreciate your opinion, but at least try to be cordial about it and you know, maybe post up a story that you find that you want to share. There is a reason why everyone is so different, if we all thought the same, there would be too many issues being ignored since we'd all be focusing our energy on one single thing. This website is great because you can bring attention to things that interest you or you feel passionate about. There are no rules saying what you can or cannot talk about. Now, hopefully your still reading this rambling of mine, so truce?

You are right of course. I did try to apologize for being so angry (not at you personally). I guess I should apologize again. Sorry....really. (Truce.)

It's all good. :)

It's not all good. You may be good but 47 million other Americans aren't so hot. People tell me sometimes I'm too "strident", but you have no idea how much self control I actually have to use because I feel like putting my neck around people's throats, squeezing, and asking "What part about 101,000 unnecessarily dead Americans don't you (we) 'GET'?" That's 277 more who will die easily preventable deaths TODAY while we fiddle (in the richest nation on Earth). I got mad once because one person was lamenting that "14 more of our miltary died in Iraq since last Friday". I did the math and found almost 2000 more innocent Americans died in the same period of time for no reason other than lack of access to health care (and didn't even count the eagles). At least the 14 soldiers voluteered unlike the ones terrorized here by insatiable greed. WHERE IS THE DISCONNECT IN OUR NATIONAL PSYCHE ON THE HEALTH CARE ISSUE?? Why are we as a nation so blind and (seemingly but not in reality) immune to it?

whoa, whoa, whoa, spoon, question: How exactly do you, as you say "put your neck around people's throats"? Just asking.

good point; hope you know what I meant....I'm not a great typist to begin with, and sometimes I think mch faster than type...do you see the blindness I'm talking about, and lack of willingness to pay attention to the deadliest, costliest, most ignored, misreported issue? anything small like a neck around a throat, eagles, whatever, and we're easily distracted and onto something (anything) else.....544 more Americans unnecessarily dead since yesterday. If those people died because two (very large) planes crashed, we might be concerned about flying....but it seems nothing can, will or is even trying to show us how to see the naked robes of our health care unsurance industry.

"Health care unsurance IS the economy, Stupid!"

Nothing else wastes more money and kills more Americans...or even comes close.

health care may be important and its sad to see or hear about people dying, but its not a perfect world, there is no such thing as a perfect world and we have to have balance. its sad but there must be sacrifices in order to maintain a balance there are just too many bad issues in the world and we cant fix them all.

Yes health care unsurance is horribly out of balance in this country. Are you saying we should give up trying to fix it?

Are you kidding me?!
I am done with this "arm wrestling" you seem to be trying to do with your ideas. I never said you were right or wrong. I agree something needs to be done to solve a problem like that. But, You need to relax. My point was, yes there are horrible things happening in the world, but stop trying to make one persons life seem more important than another's just because there is a larger number. What about the people starving to death? what about people dying from AIDS? What about people who are murdered everyday? Or children who get kidnapped? We could discuss all these things, the fact is, at the end of the day, they are all sad and horrible things. I find it disrespectful to say that one life doesn't matter as much as another. Yes soldiers may have volunteered to join the armed forces, but how would you feel if you knew someone who died in the war? Would you just shrug it off and say "Well that one person is nothing compared to the 101,000 people dying..." Just stop. You are not helping your cause by arguing about it and telling me I'm wrong for showing some sympathy for the animals that die as a result of our pollution. I am not going to argue with you, because I don't know how to fix it.
Now, go here and you may find some others who would have something more to say on the issue: http://current.com/topics/76763742_health_care

now, good day, Spoon.

I never said 277 dead Americans each day every day after day are more valuable than any others, but that 1000 dead is 1000 times worse than one dead, and especially so because they are due to an easily preventable problem. These 101,000 dead Americans each year have been totally devalued to less than nothing now. I do know people personally who have died because they lacked access to health care, and think America is the one shrugging them off as if they mean nothing. They sure don't get their names even mentioned on the evening news, and most people don't even seem to want to address the issue of their deaths (disablings, bankruptcies, living in terror) at all, but prefer to divert attention away instead. I'm here to take people's necks by the throats and make them (if that's what it takes) begin to pay attention. Other people actually helping stop this collossal injustice would be even better, but you can argue against doing both if you like. These people need somebody reminding everybody that they have died and will continue to die today and tomorrow because they are being ignored, not because we couldn't save their lives if we wanted to. All we lack is the political will. Solving this one problem would solve almost every other one (children dieing of hiv-aids for example) in America, including not having enough money left over to deal with other problems. We're wasting almost one billion dollars every day to make sure 277 more will die tomorrow. I'm not going to stop fighting for them. I don't care whether or not you like my approach. If you don't, show me a better way (besides telling me to go away and not bother people any more). 47 million Americans and growing deserve our undivided attention. The health unsurance industry makes the profiteering of our oil barons and Halliburton look like chump change. Naked emperors and misidentified elephants rule, and we need to stop being so blind. LOTS of easily save-able lives depend upon it.

The only thing we lack is the outrage of people like you. Take your anger against me for raising the issue of health care insurance at all, direct half of that against those who are responsible for the real outrages, and maybe something might begin to change.

sylvie this is just one symptom of the "fishing idustries madness".
look into it further and the damage becomes staggering.
species genocides sounds dramatic... no? its true.
check out a movie called "deep sea" by imax for some interesting tidbits.
spoon... i love yer passion.
remember you two... yer the good guys..!

I can't believe how miseducated and uncaring Americans have been and continue to be about the health care unsurance issue. (It's all good; nothing we can do about it; just another one of many, "relax", etc.).... when in real reality and fact, every other national problem pales in comparison (just considering money and lives wasted, let alone moral high ground conceded, etc.). Solving this one problem would solve our current economic crises ($350 Billion redirected to more productive sectors AFTER everyone is covered therefore much healthier and extra productive overall). Solving this one problem saves Medicare, Social Security, every social safety net in place (and there aren't that many, compared to what we're paying), plus at least 101,000 real, innocent lives and $350 billion dollars cash each year. Then we would have plenty left over with which to help the eagles, solve homelessness and end hunger (at least in America). Eagles are great. I'm just saying to everyone, not just the poor person who thinks I'm picking on her here (BTW I pick on everyone without prejudice) "Please let's get our priorities in order". The American lives and dollars wasted here on health insurers makes those wasted in Iraq look like chump change. Health insurers make oil barons and Halliburton CEO's look like chump changers. "Health care unsurance IS the economy, Stupid"(!) It is the misidentified elephant in the room, the naked emperor's robes, and every bad cliche there is. This one humongously greedy Goliath is killing our people, our businesses, our communities, our country and our economy....TODAY (NOW, as I type). I always ask that the essence of the issues be considered above and beyond anything personal. Please hate me but not the cause (if I'm right) just because I personally lack tact and political finesse.

Somefamilylove, thanks, i'll look into that movie. Spoon... I have no idea why you think i'm trying to fight you over this health care issue. I don't think your cause or passion is absurd, i think the fact that this conversation seems to be never ending is absurd. If you actually read carefully to what i've been saying, you'd see that i'm on your side on that issue.
WHen i said "It's all good" i was reffering to the fact that you apologized for being angry. You know kinda like "apology accepted" but i guess i should have been more clear. I'm trying to tell you that we shouldn't try to compare issues saying what's more important, I'm saying that we should all work on solving all the issues at hand. I'm just an art student, working two jobs, I have my own personal responsiblities right now, the only way i can really help any issue I'm concerned with is by bringing awareness to it, and thats what i was doing by posting this article. And the whole environment and wildlife issues aren't even the only things I'm concerned with. Every little thing helps and I'm glad that there are people like you who have passion for a specific cause. Myself, I try to understand every problem going on, from education to the war. What I'm trying to get to is that there is no reason for you to be angry with the fact that other people have other concerns. It doesn't mean that we don't care about the health care crisis. I'm sorry if i wasn't clearer before, I respect your determination, i really do. So please, let's end this conversation.

"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr