Showing posts with label healthcare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthcare. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

The Night Before Healthcare - A Vision - A Retelling of the Tale


Image licensed under Creative Commons by SanFranAnnie


Twas the night before HCR, and all in the language,
Every dealmaker was dealing, even unto outrage,
Pork stockings were hung from the
fasci with great care,
In hopes that OSanta would soon be there.

The pundits weren't all nestled in Snuggies nor in their beds,
With visions of plum projects in their heads,
With Obama on twitter and Blackberry and spending cap,
Had just raised the deficit for a long session nap.

When out in the media there arose a big wind,
I sprang from the mike to see what came in,
Away to the CPU I rebooted my HCR site,
Enabled the cookies and loaded a byte.

The moon shone on the piles of snow,
And gave the shine of HCR on Wolf’s show.
When before my web cam what appears,
To be a mini-limo and 8 tiny beltwayers.




With a hopeful driver, so lively and wary,
I knew in a flash it must be St. Barry.
Faster than 24/7, his voters then came,
And he texted and orated and called them by name.

On Biden, on Boxer, On Byrd, on Baucus
On Nancy, on Alan, On Reid, on DNC Caucus,
(And Dodd…),
To the top of the hill, the top of the hall,
Now speak away, speak away all!

As old bills that before the media flew,
When they meet GOPers, to the rotunda they hew.
To the top of the House (and Senate) they flew,
With a bill of Reform and OSanta, too.

Then in a soundbite, I heard on the tube,
Hemming and hawing, from each little rube.
As I drew back from my tube clicking seek,
On came OSanta, ready to speak.

He looked really tall, as he waved at them all,
And his jaw was aligned with lip and jowl,
A big bag of health care, he had flung to his back,
The GOPers all saw this and all went ack!



His eyes looked all twinkly and merry,
His face like a rosegarden and blooming in cherry,
His droll little chin tightened like doctrine,
And the gape of his mouth roared like a lion.

The tip of a Kool fell from his teeth,
As smoke irked the GOPers wreath.
He with broad face and a flat, healthy belly,
Ticked them off when he laughed at them like a face full of jelly.

He was skinny, and straight as a line,
Of rope when the GOP saw him this time.
One wink of his glad eye and turning his head,
We all knew of nothing to dread.

He spoke no words, applauding this grand work,
And filled all the homes and turned to a jerk,
And pointing his finger at the GOP's nose,
Said ‘Gotcha’ and up the House he rose!

He sprang to his limo, to his team with a wave,
In thanks for the work and bills that they gave.
We heard him call as they flew on the shockwave,
Merry healthcare to all, and to all good health!

(Please note: At this writing, the US Senate is scheduled to vote on Health Care Reform 2009 on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2009, being half the inspiration for this poem. The other half - of course - being 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' attributed mainly to Clement Clarke Moore, but also to Henry Livingston Jr.. No we don't work for Roland Burris...). Link to the 'original text'.


Bit.ly: http://bit.ly/5qPtZK


Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday to all!


P.S. Our editors believe that they have been offered a free ticket to Europe by one of our tweeters. Very generous. Gee...maybe we can meet them halfway there! #NoBribesPlease.


Monday, August 10, 2009

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



Thursday, July 23, 2009

More on 'Gating Dr. Gates' & More for Thursday, July 23, 2009

We know we shouldn't be flip, but having viewed TDS too many times, we can't resist. To have kept things interesting (and flip)during Mr. Obama's press conference on health care he just needed to say two words: 'Medical Marijuana'. And the resultant sales tax on the sales of the same would in itself pay for most of healthcare. Of course, most Americans are opposed to legalizing the medicinal use in all 50 states. Which is true, we just can't have half of the population high on medical marijuana half the time - it is just too dangerous. Also, it is too comical. Can you imagine characters like Jay and Silent Bob (from the Kevin Smith movies) on almost every street corner - or storefront - in America. Or worse, Harold and Kumar stereotypes. Or - much worse - Cheech & Chong stereotypes in every college town in America. Gosh, its kind of sad, isn't it? Reducing the nation's health care reform to this kind of ridiculous portrayal. Will the health care reform have to go the way of the medical marijuana sales tax to pay for itself? Probably not. However, the sales tax on beer, wine, liquor, spirits, tobacco, pornography, sugar, fast foods and other pleasures will probably be raised to help pay for the reform. Oh, or raise taxes on the rich to help pay for the reform? Huh? What did you say? You changed your mind to legalizing medical marijuana to pay for the reform? We thought you would give in.
Anyway, regarding the political firestorm growing out of the Gates' arrest (and Obama's outrage), see the links below. Also, see our posting of yesterday (which was published before the press conference...don't worry, our prescience does not make this a 'Blog of Note'...): 'Gating Dr. Gates'.
Oh, and don't panic, but check out the links to the latest on the H1N1 Pandemic. Medical marijuana probably won't be helpful here - except to reduce any levels of panic.
Oh, and check out Arnold wielding a 2-foot knife on the internet.
And the unemployed may have no reason to fear drug testing for medical marijuana, because

Gating Dr. Gates

http://americanpoliticalhandbook.blogspot.com/2009/07/gating-dr-gates-and-more-for-wednesday.html

Obama defends healthcare reforms

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8164177.stm

Obama turns health push into a snoozer

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/07/23/2005548.aspx

Feds bust mayors, others in huge N.J. graft sweep

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32103250/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

The Ann Arbor News hits the streets for last time

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090723/ap_on_re_us/us_ann_arbor_news_goodbye;_ylt=AiYoefTXw.4rJxuFAsBbVhis0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFlNDVqY21sBHBvcwM3MARzZWMDYWNjb3JkaW9uX3Vfc19uZXdzBHNsawN0aGVhbm5hcmJvcm4-

US pessimistic on Iran overtures

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8165265.stm

Iran opposition leader's brother-in-law arrested

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090723/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_election;_ylt=AkFx_E1qo4XB1hkG0uP8J6ys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFicmtxcWtmBHBvcwM1NgRzZWMDYWNjb3JkaW9uX3dvcmxkBHNsawNpcmFub3Bwb3NpdGk-

Bin Laden son 'believed killed'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8164763.stm

Saad Bin Laden

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

Mumbai suspect trial to proceed

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8164279.stm

Ajmal Qasab

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

Wall Street jacks up pay after bailouts

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32099693/ns/business-washington_post/

Schwarzenegger wields knife, touts cuts

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32099641/ns/us_news-life/

Karadzic asks for DNA from graves

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/07/23/karadzic-war-crimes.html

Radovan Karadzic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radovan_Karad%C5%BEi%C4%87

Atleo wins AFN election

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/07/23/afn-national-chief-vote-ballot752.html

Shawn Atleo

http://www.shawnatleo.com/

This Article Will Self-destruct: Tool To Make Online Personal Data Vanish

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090721113309.htm

Vanish Paper & Prototype

http://vanish.cs.washington.edu/

New Statistical Tool Identifies Predictable Economic Variables

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090721091824.htm

How To Maintain The Integrity And Accessibility Of Research Data

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090722120830.htm

Ensuring the Integrity, Accessibility, and Stewardship of Research Data in the Digital Age

http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12615

Artificial Noise Saves Energy For Computer Network Providers

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090624093734.htm

RIM warns Mideast customers of spyware

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/07/23/rim-uae-spyware-blackberry.html

B.C. Taser inquiry to issue report

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/07/23/bc-braidwood023.html

UK space sector 'to double value'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8164776.stm

Tamiflu-resistant swine flu case found in Canada

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090722/ap_on_he_me/cn_canada_swine_flu;_ylt=ApO6b87pQdQjX5BOprQ5Ki.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFkMHNuaTdzBHBvcwMxNTUEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9oZWFsdGgEc2xrA3RhbWlmbHUtcmVzaQ--

Flu infects 100,000 in past week (BBC UK)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8163930.stm

Swine flu fears prompt Hajj curbs

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8164535.stm

Hajj

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

Biodiesel On The Wing: A 'Green' Process For Biodiesel From Feather Meal

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090722110903.htm



Friday, October 24, 2008

Unusual Election: The Politically Anolamous versus the Negatives?




In the MSNBC story, "Palin's Unlikely Path to Political Big Time" we got the notion that somebody there (and perhaps the whole world) has the feeling that she is not just a political liability but a political anomaly. Though not a completely new term, political anomaly has been used in the book titled "American Indian Treaties - The History of a Political Anomaly " - By Francis Paul Prucha. Our definition refers to the observation (we agree with MSNBC) on the unlikely rise of this one political "star". Though, she could claim the "star" title for celebrity - if only through ignominy and infamy with her concurrent political scandals. Note that we seem to always be able to include up to three scandalous links to stories regarding McPalin - even more. Which is gold to us, too bad it will be ending in a few days.








So what makes this election event truly odd is the battle between the political anomaly of McPalin and their negative attack adds on the Obama campaign. Particularly troubling is the use of Joe Biden's own words against his own future(?) President-cum-running-mate. He seems to be incapable of avoiding the "Biden moment" - also known derisively as the "Dole moment". Mr. McCain, too, has had his "Dole moments" in this campaign just a couple of days ago. Is it fatigue? Or dementia? Hard to tell sometimes. Okay, Mr. McCain doesn't seem demented, if his campaign doesn't seem not to be? (How's that for a "McCain moment"?)








We have these political anomalies and the negative attack ads using words like "Terrorist" and "Anti-American" and "Pro-American". What an oddly epic American political battle. This is one for the "Weird News Collected Tales 2008" ($ 28.95 coming to a publisher near you). Not only that, we had Brad Blakeman, Republican Yip-dog nipping viciously at Obama's heels for visiting his sick, dying grandmother during the campaign. That crossed the line from anomalous, to negative, to disgusting and beyond the pale. It is a sad and terrifying spectacle.








Stock markets plunge across world

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7688202.stm

Dow Sinks but Were Worst Fears Averted?

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=6103163&page=1

Recession looms as UK slows

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7686552.stm

Iceland asks IMF for $2bn

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7689633.stm

Recession fears hit Asian markets

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7687998.stm

Despite slump, Yahoo plans new operations in Neb.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081024/ap_on_hi_te/yahoo_plans;_ylt=AjoXE5O6tleGhoJtx2GuyNOs0NUE

High price may thwart tax cut plans

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27311863/

Health care battle a big issue for voting families

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27343202/

Partisan Doctors: The Wrong Prescription?

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=6099254&page=1

Doctor estimates McCain's cancer death risk


http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn15026-doctor-estimates-mccains-cancer-death-risk.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news9_head_dn15026

McCain faces hurdle as economy sours

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27357863/

Palin's unlikely path to political big time

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27355719/

Palin denies spending $150K

http://www.yahoo.com/s/975934

In campaign pause, Palin to testify on controversy

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081024/ap_on_el_pr/palin_troopergate;_ylt=AmEjCt3wjrmx8oHiPvX_W6is0NUE

Obama: Grandmother may not see Nov. 4

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27357561/

Former Bush press secretary backs Obama

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081024/ap_on_en_tv/mcclellan_obama;_ylt=AmBo_S9pmEcXwcKJw2XhtFADW7oF

McCain ad uses Biden to attack Obama

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/24/campaign.wrap/index.html

Ticker: Biden comment draws new fire

http://www.cnn.com/linkto/ticker.html

Voters Like Candidates Who Share Their Looks

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081023004653.htm

Will the forgotten presidential candidates affect the race?

http://www.yahoo.com/s/975943

Police: McCain volunteer changes ATM attack story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081024/ap_on_re_us/attack_mccain_sticker;_ylt=AvjGxTy9OWmmtb7H1hjUnm.s0NUE

Newsweek: Wal-Mart tries to 'green' China

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/chinacalling/archive/2008/10/24/wal-mart-s-new-push-to-green-china.aspx

China's toy factories empty as economy falters

javascript:vPlayer('27343234','2f328dcc-07d4-45a6-bb29-d0d31de3b233')


Users urged to report abuse sites

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7689241.stm

International Watch Foundation

http://www.iwf.org.uk/