BY BOB URBAN

burban@tnonline.comThe following was a "letter to the editor" that appeared in August in a Jackson, Ms. newspaper. It's worth sharing with readers of any newspaper.Dear Sirs:"During my last night's shift in the ER, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient with a shiny new gold tooth, multiple elaborate tattoos, a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and a new cellular telephone equipped with her favorite tune for a ringtone. Glancing over the chart, one could not help noticing her payer status:Medicaid.She smokes more than one costly pack of cigarettes every day and, somehow, still has money to buy beer.And ourCongress expects me to pay for this woman's health care? Our nation's health care crisis isnot a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses.It is a crisis of culture a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on vices whilerefusing to take care of one's selfor, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance. A culture that thinks"I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me".Life is really not that hard.Most of us reap what we sow.Don't you agree?DR. STARNER JONES, MDJackson,MSNow, some random thoughts sent to me by a fellow senior:*I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.*Nothing hurts more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.*I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.*There is great need for a sarcasm font.*How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?*Was learning cursive really necessary?*MapQuest really needs to start their directions on No. 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.*Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.*I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.*Bad decisions make good stories.*You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.*I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.*"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.**I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?*I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.*I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.*My 4-year old grandson asked me in the car the other day "Grandpop what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How do I respond to that?**I think the freezer deserves a light as well.*I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.Life is short...... eat dessert first.