Do Take It Personal » 2008

Devil Docs.

April 30th, 2008 | No Comments | Posted in General

A few years ago, we came across a very inspiring program on CNN. It was a feature presentation on the ‘Devil Docs‘, a group of Navy medical professionals assisting on the front lines of combat.

The amazing part of the story revolves around a CNN reporter/medical correspondent by the name of Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He was in Iraq to report the news, but instead found himself in the surgery tent. Dr. Gupta is a neuro-surgeon and graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School. It is therefore no doubt that this man has the knowledge and experience to get the job done.

In the end, Dr. Gupta performed as many as 5 surgeries beyond the call of duty as an embedded reporter. He was saving Iraqi lives, especially seriously injured Iraqi children at that.

Frankly, that is a sense of generosity, selflessness and humanity not taught in the best of medical schools. Dr. Gupta should be a role model for many, particularly young doctors heading into the medical profession. On top of that, he is also a role model for immigrants in America wondering how they could contribute to society. It doesn’t get any better than to contribute to the American society by saving lives of American soldiers.

Share & Tell Others

More »

Is CPS helping or hurting children and families?

April 29th, 2008 | No Comments | Posted in General

Child Protective Services (CPS) - sounds like a government agency worthy of huge budget using tax dollars to protect the well-being and health of children in abusive and harmful households. Or so it seems?

This 7-year-old Ann Arbor, Michigan, kid and his parents are mentally and emotionally scarred for life from an intervention that is unnecessary and completely uncalled for.

Link to Detroit Free Press article

It is important for us as a modern society to re-evaluate the extent of power granted to such an agency, especially amidst the bigger situation out in Eldorado, Texas, where almost 500 children were removed from a Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) compound.

Keep in mind that all these children are put into a new environment that may very well be worse off. CPS needs to use more common sense and forward planning, BEFORE making the lives of children a living nightmare for absolutely no long-term valid reasons whatsoever.

Share & Tell Others

More »

‘Tickets for Overtime’ racket betraying Metro Detroiters.

April 28th, 2008 | No Comments | Posted in General

In Warren, a suburb of the greater Detroit region, life is already difficult for many. The automotive industry has been laying off workers aggressively across the board and the credit crisis has resulted in many families losing their homes to foreclosure. Residents in Warren, along with other communities in Metro Detroit such as Roseville, Fraser, Hazel Park, Madison Heights and etc., really do not need to become victims to those whom they trust to protect and to serve.

Kanapsky of Warren

Unfortunately, that was the case when Channel 7 WXYZ, an ABC affiliate, conducted an investigative report into the rampant traffic violations being handed out to drivers in the neighborhood. According to the news report, Officer David Kanapsky took home more than $86,000 in 2007 after adding the $21,000 of overtime pay for court appearances. This is absolutely appalling seeing as how the district court could even allowed such a scheme to carry on right under their nose. Do the judges and magistrates have anything to gain too?

Link to WXYZ’s Article and Video Clip

Again, unfortunately and sadly - the answer is ‘Yes’. Judges, magistrates, court employees and the entire district courts system are generally funded by Traffic and Ordinance Violations. This fact essentially tells us that before someone even walks into traffic court to fight a ticket, he/she is already at a disadvantage due to the ‘money trail’. Think about it for a moment ….. in this economically challenging times, a city like Warren is losing residents, losing businesses, losing their tax base, and basically desperate for money.

However, every single day that goes by without putting a stop to such ‘Tickets for Overtime’ schemes, is another day of betraying the voters, taxpayers and citizens who are probably thinking of joining the exodus to greener pastures with honest, caring, responsible and better leadership who actually works for its constituents.

Share & Tell Others