Ferrum orum egretudo and Krugman Says Whew!!! and More for Monday, August 0, 2009

OK, let's take the "analysis" approach used by a certain late-afternoon TV political commentator (TVPC) to some recent ("incoherent") comments by a recent former governor of Alaska on the subject(s) of health care (reform), euthanasia and 'death panel(s)'.

TVPC: OK, so you're against health care reform? In a recent CNN report on PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute, the accounting firm recently found that $ 1.2 Trillion is wasted on American health care every year. Now, the current administration's health plan means to address this waste and reduce or eliminate it. Now, wouldn't you agree that that is a good thing? The Gov: What do you mean by that?

TVPC: OK, moving along, Mr. Obama has come out publicly saying that this health care reform is not about euthanasia. Euthanasia is not provided for in HR 3200, if you read every article in this thousand-plus omnibus bill. Have you read it? The Gov: Oh, you know, I've read all of them.

TVPC: OK, about the only population in the United States that is routinely and legally given euthanasia, are those persons given the death penalty for capital crimes convictions. Would you then agree that HR 3200 provides a similar penalty for our nation's uninsured? The Gov: Oh, I suppose so.

TVPC: Good. Making progress...wouldn't you then say that your extension (of this concept) of a 'death panel' will be a trial-by-jury of the terminally ill and incurable for euthanasia made legal by health care reform? And that such a change of adjudication will give judicial power over all health care decisions in the US? The Gov: Why, whatever do you mean by that?

TVPC: Oh, never mind, just read the talking points while we go to commercial...

You see, it is our position (the editors of this blog...) that this extension of the concept of living will to euthanasia to 'death panels' is just silly and absurd and can be destroyed by philosophical and legal analysis via Reduction ad absurdum. People just need to use logic when provoked by these and other vacuous assumptions by their Right Wing leadership and lobbyists. That the idea that our entire judicial framework can be usurped by health care regulations does not work. The Gov may be suffering a kind of disease that cannot be cured by health care reform, however: Ferrum orum egretudo.

We'll return to a more detailed examination and analysis of this/these arguments as time permits...

'Radical rethink' needed on food

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8189549.stm

Food security

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_security

Nobel Economist: The Worst is Over

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/10/business/main5229830.shtml

Paul Krugman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Krugman

India inspects North Korea ship for nuclear material

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre5791hf-us-india-korea-ship/

Obama says no to euthanasia

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/32357699#32357699

Palin: Obama’s health plan is ‘downright evil’

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32340009/ns/politics-white_house/

Ferrum orum egretudo (High-heel shoe in mouth disease)

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/08/ferrum-orum-egretudo-or-high-heel-shoe.html

Pelosi and Hoyer Speak Out Against Town Hall Disruptions

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/08/10/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5229738.shtml

Senator: Protests 'clearly being orchestrated'

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/09/health.care/index.html

Health care's big money wasters

http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/10/news/economy/healthcare_money_wasters/index.htm?cnn=yes

Healthcare in the United States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States

PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute

http://www.pwc.com/us/en/health-research-institute/index.jhtml

Where did that bank bailout go? Watchdogs aren't entirely sure

http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20090809/pl_mcclatchy/3286769;_ylt=AkQTCKUvIv9RDJ3t1HtfyQCs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFpdTJwaWJhBHBvcwM0MQRzZWMDYWNjb3JkaW9uX21vc3RfcG9wdWxhcgRzbGsDd2hlcmVkaWR0aGF0

Effort to curb Wall St. pay hits new hurdle

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32355776/ns/business-the_new_york_times/

China Keeps 2.75M Eyes on Public

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/10/world/main5229769.shtml

Afghan 'drug lords on US hit list'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8192671.stm

Flu drugs 'unhelpful' in children

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8193012.stm

Bonn hosts climate change talks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8193203.stm

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Wiki Link)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Framework_Convention_on_Climate_Change

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Website)

http://unfccc.int/

Psychological Factors Help Explain Slow Reaction To Global Warming

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090807154404.htm

Israeli jets strike Gaza tunnel

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8193194.stm

Paris's Electric Car Sharing Plan

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/JustOneThing/story?id=8291655&page=1

Malaysia denies it has plan to censor Internet

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32329601/ns/technology_and_science-security/

Sugar price reaches 28-year high

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8193390.stm

When you don't trust your boss

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/08/10/cb.can.not.trust.boss/index.html