Villaphan04 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 This weekend, while the political world descends on Iowa's state fairgrounds, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) will be fixing cataracts 2000 miles away. As he's done every summer recess since joining the Senate, Paul's performing pro bono eye surgery. This year's mission, run and sponsored by the Moran Eye Center from the University of Utah, will take Paul to Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. "We kind of suggested it," said Paul in an interview. "There was talk about Haiti being in great need, and it's fairly close to the United States. Haiti, unfortunately, is famous for a long history of problems." In 2014, Paul joined the Moran center on a similar trip to Guatemala, where he reunited with old patients and broke out his rusty, Texas-tutored Spanish. He has no similar connection to Haiti. "You want to go where the need is greatest," Paul said. "In our country, when you have cataracts, they're relatively easy to fix. The people we will treat in Haiti -- many of them will be completely blind. There's less medical access there. It's closer to the equator. There's more sun, people are outside more, fewer people even have sunglasses. So there's a lot you can do." Paul's 2014 trip was balanced against a small media frenzy. Multiple media outlets traveled with him, filming his journey and surgeries for profiles of a likely presidential contender. David Bossie of the conservative Citizens United even brought a film crew -- complete with aerial drone -- to capture the scene. Citizens United has not yet made use of that footage, and the entourage will be smaller in Haiti. (The Washington Post will be part of it.) "The main thing is for me personally is that it’s one of the most incredible things I get to be involved with," said. "It’s still the most important thing I get to do, even while I'm in the Senate, even running for president. Two hundred people will be better because we are going to be down there. Local surgeons will get some training, and they'll use that training. The goal is not for Americans to keep coming down and doing it, but for Haitians to do more of it themselves." Paul was staying clear of politics, but he was making a point that jibed with his own views of foreign aid. Training people, then trusting them to build their own lives, was always better than constant intervention. Paul cited the example of Sanduk Ruit, a Nepalese doctor who designed a simplified kind of cataract surgery, because he had to work "without sophisticated equipment" -- and in the process, did something a Western doctor would never have thought to do. "In medicine, you’re transferring skills," said Paul. "Even when you train, you’re learning skills. I will continue doing this throughout my life, and at some point I can foresee getting back into medicine full time. It's nice to get away from politics, and do something were you and act there's an immediate result. You take the bandages off, and someone can see." http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/08/14/rand-paul-leaves-the-campaign-trail-for-eye-surgeries-in-haiti/ He seems more genuine than some of the other canadates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 No hard task, that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legov Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) <a href=http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/jun/01/the-counted-police-killings-us-database#> People who've been killed by police gunshot in the US this year.</a> Thought this was interesting. Edited August 18, 2015 by legov Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V01 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 President Deez Nuts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I've been to America several times, I've been a football coach in Florida and I've travelled the country by Greyhound bus. I love visiting the place and the vast majority of the people I met were some of the nicest people I've ever met. But I just can't help feeling disappointed with them as a country, they have the power to make the world a better place but they just seen to do the opposite. Corporate greed and corruption, until recently the lack of effort to do much about global warming and the shit they do around the world with drone strikes. Then there's the shit they do in their own country, ridiculous gun laws, ridiculous health care, police brutality and locking up an atrocious number of poor black people. It just seems a broken system (probably a bit like here as well) where that the so called, most powerful man in the world can't make the real positive changes needed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted August 21, 2015 Author Share Posted August 21, 2015 Because we are the melting pot of the world, when we are at our best, it is the world's best. And when we are at our worst... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) Journalist and cameraman killed during a live broadcast in Virginia. Shooter on the run. Edited August 26, 2015 by CarewsEyebrowDesigner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) Lets play a game of FBI Profiler. Shooter will be a white male. 25-45. Bullied at school. Low level white collar job. Hates women. Gun fascination and owns a shit tonne of them. Edited August 26, 2015 by Eames Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Thought to be a disgruntled employee of the plaza. So, as you do, you get your best 9mm and start unloading on TV people live on air. **** stupid gun laws. "GUNS DOON'T KEELL PEEPLE DOH, OWNLEE THE KNUTTERS DEW!!!! :( " Well unfortunately for the sane people, there are enough nutters in your country to spoil those laws enough to take weapons that can instantly kill people away from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I just watched the video, shocking stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Dammit. "Former employee with grudge" was my next guess. US Gun laws are ridiculous. The right to bear arms is ridiculous. Unfortunately there are enough loonies with legally acquired military hardware to make any attempt to curb firearm ownership impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 "HURR DURRR, IF THEY WERE REEL AMURICANS, DEY CUD HAVE DEFENDID DEMSHELVES WITH MOAR GUNS DOH HURR DURR. DIS IZ Y EVERYONE SHUD HAVE A GUN" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) Is HurrDurr Hodor's US Cousin? "and so its time we handed this AR-15 over to our tame simpleton.....all we know is he's not Hodor, its Hodor's slack-jawed redneck cousin." Edited August 26, 2015 by Eames 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swerbs Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 If Sandy Hook never changed a thing, then nothing ever will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swerbs Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 The suspect posted a point of view video of him shooting them on his Twitter, I actually feel sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 https://www.linkedin.com/pub/bryce-williams/69/2a4/ba7 Looks like this is him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 The suspect posted a point of view video of him shooting them on his Twitter, I actually feel sick. Yeah clicked on that, horrific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Shocking, there are some truly sick **** out there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) Shooter killed himself. Edit: Shot himself but still alive. Edited August 26, 2015 by CarewsEyebrowDesigner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I hope they catch him and torture the a-hole, absolutely sickening Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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