Self-portrait with car and lizard

At Starbucks today, I got a cup of coffee on the house for reasons I could not fully understand, although I did catch the descriptor "nasty-tasting" as a full pot was drained into the sink. I idled as instructed for four minutes, and in casually checking out the surroundings I discovered, attached to the back of the bar, a broadsheet called "Good," or rather "GOOD" that Starbucks has begun either to publish or distribute (I couldn't tell which) that is intended to educate the American electorate on issues pertinent, I gather, to choosing a president.

Volume two of this series, now on espresso stands, treats of health care. I understood about as much of it as I did of the explanation of my free coffee. Mind you, I am fairly well equipped for understanding explanations. Or I thought I was. Perhaps the dumbing-down of America begins closer to home than I thought. But really, it would have helped if the chart and diagram labels had been placed near the charts and diagrams to which they referred. I couldn't follow the comic-book layout. Or, actually, the three-intersecting-comic-strips layout.

The business end of the paper would occupy a page in the New York Times. I'm sure there's a name for this paper size. I herewith attempt a summary of the information presented. 1. The U.S. Spends more on health care than any other nation. 2. Despite this, the U.S. has high infant mortality rates and low life expectancies, and about 1 in 6 Americans 3. There are four ways to reorganize the system. Each approach has pros and cons.

There are some interesting details thrown in. For example this line: "The United States spends $2 trillion on health care annually. That means more than $6,700 is spend annually on each American's health care." I did a little math and learned that someone is apparently spending $550 a month on my health care. I don't know who, though. Or this line: "In 2005, the most frequently prescribed therapeutic drug class was antidepressants ... Currently, 70% of the money spent on health goes to treat chronic conditions."

Later this evening, that there is an ad on the flip side of half this page. It is an ad for Saturn, the car company that likes to remind us how innovative it is. The headline is "Rethink."

On another note, I really like the geckos that routinely scamper across the sidewalk in Miami. Oh, and did I mention that I've moved to South Beach? Thus I interact much more with the sidewalk. Much happier here. I guess I'll rethink taking Wellbutrin.