OK, 6th post to keep the blog every day, kind of.
So Sat. night we headed into Raleigh to see "Who's Bad" a Michael Jackson "tribute band."
And it took us 90 minutes to get there because U2 was in town.
Sunday night we got the chance to see Colin Hay, former front "Men At Work" lead singer.
And the whole weekend, thinking about U2, Michael Jackson and Men at Work was sort a trippy moment of nostalgia. All of these musicians have followed me through my life since I was say, 11 or 12.
What a tale of 3 paths: U2, perhaps more popular now than ever. Michael Jackson, flamed, burned and died and flamed again in death. Colin Hay....well......a slow and steady life where it's clear he's come to terms with falling away from fame but continues because it's clear he loves music.
Here's my favorite song as seen on "Scrubs"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ45xrtNnzk&feature=fvw
OK then! Oct 6th and 6 blog posts!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
So Convenient....
that all the GOPers out of power now are saying they support health reform:
http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/10/02/bill-frist-on-health-bill-id-vote-for-it/
Why weren't they speaking out over the summer and actively trying to address the DemOcrZy town hall meetings?
http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/10/02/bill-frist-on-health-bill-id-vote-for-it/
Why weren't they speaking out over the summer and actively trying to address the DemOcrZy town hall meetings?
Baffled by Olympics
One thing that is so confusing to me right now is how conservative were GLEEFUL that the US didn't get the bid to host the olympics. Now, I don't really give a rats ass about sports. But there is an economic boost and a patriotic surge that goes with this honor. How can you be against it?
http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/10/03/roland-martin-is-a-moron/
Note this quote and it's logic:
"To be clear, I root for America, therefore I root against Barack Obama. "
Now, I agree, I definitely did not like George Bush. I did not like that we started a war in country that was no threat to us, while simultaneously trying to fight a war against a country that *did* attack us.
Not wanting war does not mean not supporting troops. That's something conservatives can't every seem to understand.
Further more:
Opposition to war means: I don't want troops or innocent civilians to have their lives disrupted, harmed or ended.
Opposition to US getting Olympics or the economy improving means: I don't want my country to have the economic prestige and honor of hosting a peaceful international event. I want my fellow Americans to continue to be unemployed, lose their housing and struggle to get food in food pantries.
Seriously?
http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/10/03/roland-martin-is-a-moron/
Note this quote and it's logic:
"To be clear, I root for America, therefore I root against Barack Obama. "
Now, I agree, I definitely did not like George Bush. I did not like that we started a war in country that was no threat to us, while simultaneously trying to fight a war against a country that *did* attack us.
Not wanting war does not mean not supporting troops. That's something conservatives can't every seem to understand.
Further more:
Opposition to war means: I don't want troops or innocent civilians to have their lives disrupted, harmed or ended.
Opposition to US getting Olympics or the economy improving means: I don't want my country to have the economic prestige and honor of hosting a peaceful international event. I want my fellow Americans to continue to be unemployed, lose their housing and struggle to get food in food pantries.
Seriously?
No incentive for disease
Oops! I slipped on the blog everyday front!
Here is the article I was thinking a lot about yesterday......the money quote:
"I can see the conservative argument that welfare undermines the work ethic and dampens moral fiber. Provide sufficient unemployment benefits and people will opt to chill rather than labor. But it’s preposterous to extend this argument to health care. Guaranteeing health coverage doesn’t incentivize anybody to get meningitis."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/opinion/05iht-edcohen.html?_r=1
Here is the article I was thinking a lot about yesterday......the money quote:
"I can see the conservative argument that welfare undermines the work ethic and dampens moral fiber. Provide sufficient unemployment benefits and people will opt to chill rather than labor. But it’s preposterous to extend this argument to health care. Guaranteeing health coverage doesn’t incentivize anybody to get meningitis."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/opinion/05iht-edcohen.html?_r=1
Friday, October 2, 2009
Resources for thinkers....
Man, I love me some Atul Gawande. If you've never read "Better" you should. It's a light read for a lay audience about some of the most interesting health care ethics questions.
Yesterday, I found this New England Journal of Medicine video in which Gawande leads a discussion on health care costs with some the country's smartest health care economists. It's 20 minutes long and it includes a fair amount of jargon. But I think it would still be interesting to people outside of the field:
http://www.nejm.org/perspective-roundtable/cost-of-health-care/
One of the three experts, Elliot Fisher, is the brains behind the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care
http://www.dartmouthatlas.org/
If you've never heard of this resource you should check it out. Basically it compares Medicare expenditures and quality of care in different regions of the country. The gist of the findings are basically the central theme of health care reform: Higher costs do not equal better care.....
Yesterday, I found this New England Journal of Medicine video in which Gawande leads a discussion on health care costs with some the country's smartest health care economists. It's 20 minutes long and it includes a fair amount of jargon. But I think it would still be interesting to people outside of the field:
http://www.nejm.org/perspective-roundtable/cost-of-health-care/
One of the three experts, Elliot Fisher, is the brains behind the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care
http://www.dartmouthatlas.org/
If you've never heard of this resource you should check it out. Basically it compares Medicare expenditures and quality of care in different regions of the country. The gist of the findings are basically the central theme of health care reform: Higher costs do not equal better care.....
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Swiss Miss-leading headline
New month, new goal: Blog everyday!
Why? 1) writers block at work 2) health reform!
Today: A really interesting NYT article on the Swiss health care system with a very misleading headline: " Swiss Health Care Thrives Without Public Option"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/health/policy/01swiss.html?em
What I think is misleading is that private health insurers in Switzerland are mandated to sell basic health insurance without making a profit. Sure, if we did this, we would not need a gov't created non-profit "public option"
A better headline would be "Swiss Health Care Thrives With Private, Non-Profit Insurers."
In this country, the government mandating that a private entity cannot make a profit goes against some strong cultural values we have about the right to make money. So the Swiss model would not work here. A public option -- a nationally available non-profit basic health insurance plan -- would allow private companies to continue earning a profit while giving consumers.....CHOICE!
More tomorrow....
Why? 1) writers block at work 2) health reform!
Today: A really interesting NYT article on the Swiss health care system with a very misleading headline: " Swiss Health Care Thrives Without Public Option"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/health/policy/01swiss.html?em
What I think is misleading is that private health insurers in Switzerland are mandated to sell basic health insurance without making a profit. Sure, if we did this, we would not need a gov't created non-profit "public option"
A better headline would be "Swiss Health Care Thrives With Private, Non-Profit Insurers."
In this country, the government mandating that a private entity cannot make a profit goes against some strong cultural values we have about the right to make money. So the Swiss model would not work here. A public option -- a nationally available non-profit basic health insurance plan -- would allow private companies to continue earning a profit while giving consumers.....CHOICE!
More tomorrow....
Monday, July 6, 2009
When to Hire a Speechwriter
Ezra Klein and I had the same reaction to Sarah Palin's resignation speech:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/07/sarah_palin_resigns.html#comments
Which is tangentially related to something I often think about this time of year: Ego, team work, and good writing. Jefferson and Adams.
In the HBO miniseries about John Adams, there is a great scene where Adams asks Jefferson to help author the Declaration of Independence. Adams, who is portrayed as a person of great ego, asks Jefferson to help because he's a better writer and well..... people like him better than Adams. Later, they show the back and forth between Adams, Jefferson and Ben Franklin in drafting the final document.
Two great clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1Txi1687wo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrvpZxMfKaU&feature=related
There are a lot of great moments in American history when people with immense talent and ego recognize their limits and as Palin would say "pass the ball." Or better yet, as Harry Truman said: "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. "
If Palin can't even be bothered to pass the ball to a speechwriter, I think it's highly unlikely she will be part of any future great moments in history!
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/07/sarah_palin_resigns.html#comments
Which is tangentially related to something I often think about this time of year: Ego, team work, and good writing. Jefferson and Adams.
In the HBO miniseries about John Adams, there is a great scene where Adams asks Jefferson to help author the Declaration of Independence. Adams, who is portrayed as a person of great ego, asks Jefferson to help because he's a better writer and well..... people like him better than Adams. Later, they show the back and forth between Adams, Jefferson and Ben Franklin in drafting the final document.
Two great clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1Txi1687wo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrvpZxMfKaU&feature=related
There are a lot of great moments in American history when people with immense talent and ego recognize their limits and as Palin would say "pass the ball." Or better yet, as Harry Truman said: "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. "
If Palin can't even be bothered to pass the ball to a speechwriter, I think it's highly unlikely she will be part of any future great moments in history!
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