Open Thread 2/26/10
February 25th, 2010
Laziness prevails. The winds are already strong. Flights are cancelled. Now we are winded in, rather than snowed in. Be on the look out for changes in attitude changes in lattitude.
Categories: Open
I hope nobody loses their power during this kite-flying weather!
When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.
– Henry Ford
You two both slay me. I am just hoping and praying the trees stay vertical.
Way out west they’ve got a name for rain and wind and fire.
The rain is Tess, the fire’s Joe and they call the wind Mariah.
Coffee Party intro in the WaPo:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/25/AR2010022505517.html
I watched some of the Obama healthcare summit yesterday.
I found that Republicans are opposed to anything Obama proposes. They just want to score political points.
Republicans lie when they say that Obama wants the government to take over healthcare.
Republicans are opposed to Obama healthcare reform because they want to support their insurance company executives. Insurance premiums are rising. Pretty soon nobody will be able to afford healthcare.
Healthcare expenses are what drive the federal budget deficit. Medicare especially is an enormous cost. That’s why we have to work hard to bring down costs. We either have to increase taxes to pay medicare benefits, or reduce benefits.
A euro perspective on yesterday’s HC debate. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8538025.stm Interesting analysis.
Starry, if insurance premiums rise to a point where no one can afford healthcare, won’t those healthcare insurers go out of business? Doesn’t make a lot of sense to have a business model where your writing yourself out of business. So, I beleive your analysis is flawed. But, lets look into that. HCI’s are saying they’re up’ing premiums because costs are going up. Costs include everything from doctor, nurse and hospital staff costs (they get raises and COLA, right?), malpractice insurance, facility costs, supply costs, even the increased costs of food in the cafeteria (farmers need COLAs too, right?) are all reflected in those additional premiums.
Healthcare, as a service, requires either cuts in supply (less things covered) or demand (less people using the service). High deductible plans help that out by shifting the burden of preventative care to the policy holder and only emergency care to the insurer. As a nation whenever we see a child with a sniffle we assume that we should goto a doctor (and not a nurse or nurse practioner), get a diagnosis and get some sort of medication. $600 hit to the insurance company for what a day or two of rest would’ve cleared up without the expense. Do we as a society have the intestinal fortitude to do that?
I know I did my part by not getting an H1N1 shot. Saved my insurance company some scratch and did my part to keep premiums lower.
What about mediCAID? No one ever talks about THOSE entitlements! They just want to take from those who actually pay into the system their entire lives. It’s starting to sound like Logan’s Run.
@starryflights
All kinds of stuff to talk about after that 7 hour exchange. I thought it was fair, even though Oblamo, by himself, talked more than all of the Republicans, and gave a piss poor reason. It was pretty clear that most of the Democrats had to rely on sob stories, and one of those has been proven to be a real joke. It’s pretty obvious that the Botox has leaked into Pelosi’s brain and is taking a hideous toll. Rangel was a clown as usual, and had an ethics violation hearing right after the summit. Reid looked like a bitter old liar (his lies were the most transparent of all). Obama himself didn’t come off too bad, except it’s so obvious he has fantastically thin skin. And at the end, Oblamo delivered the ULTIMATE line. “We think the American people want this (even though it’s obvious they don’t), and we’re going to jam this down the throats of the American people. If we’re wrong, that’s what elections are for.” You said a mouthful, Obumbles.
@starryflights
Oh, and Biden? Totally Awesome! Just think, that drunken Irishman is a heartbeat away from the Presidency! Biden makes Palin look like an absolute genius!
I already had several trees from the HOA common property come down in my back yard the past few weeks. I don’t need any more…. Please! So far as of 5:45 AM this morning no new trees have come down, but I’m fearful of 2 or 3 – one would hit my house. I asked the HOA to look at this one tree back in January the first time we got high winds. Even though it is at a 20 degree angle toward my house, they feel it is “safe”. Well, it’s on them if that tree comes down and hits the side of my house – I have it all documented that I warned them. Some of their trees did come down in my back yard the past 3 weeks – mostly due to being overweight with snow. The wind may have given those a “push” but i think the snow did most of the work, and maybe the ground being soggy helped.
I was not thrilled to find out more winds were coming, and I’ve been nervously watching the trees near the house (but on the HOA common property) last night!
On yesterday’s healthcare meeting – if you ask me both sides are equally dug in and equally not wanting to give an inch. The Democrats are just as guilty as the Republicans of lies and deceptions. Neither side has anything to brag about.
And Obama made it clear he is opposed to anything the Republicans want. It isn’t just one sided. Both sides are taking ridiculous positions and unwilling to compromise. To paint that one-sided picture is really slanting things to fit a message that the Democrats would like to put out there. I saw what Obama said, and he was absolutely not willing to compromise, or listen to the Republicans. It was kind of “the public option needs to be in, and too bad if you dont’ like it”. Not only that, he basically said the “campaign was over”. Can’t prove it by me – he’s been in campaign mode in the past few weeks, doing his best to paint anyone who doesn’t fall in step with him as obstructionist, and just doing this whole “healthcare summit” for “show”. It is all a stage act, he never intended to listen to anyone who had different views from him – and it was a no-brainer that nothing would be accomplished. Talk about a waste of everyone’s time, on BOTH sides of the aisle, as well as a waste of Obama’s time. When I see people waste time and you know in ADVANCE it is guaranteed they are going to do so – that is not how I like to see my gov’t run efficiently!
That whole thing was a show for the press, and for anyone who was naive enough to believe anything real would be accomplished yesterday. Obama made it clear he really wanted everyone to fall in line, and with that as a goal – it wasted EVERYONE’s time, Republican and Democrat alike.
Just a political show for the press, nothing more, nothing less.
And by the way – you think Obama doesn’t want to score political points? That was the WHOLE PURPOSE of yesterday’s event. If you don’t believe that, you have blinders on. BOTH SIDES wanted to score political points. They should have entitled yesterday’s event:
Press Photo Op for Political Point Scoring.
They could have set up separate areas for the Dems and the Repubs, and just let them make their speeches, etc. Would have accomplished the very same thing. ‘
Both sides are dug in. The Dems need to face reality that either they are going to have to do some unpopular things like use special rules to ram the thing through the Senate, OR they are going to have to work with some Republicans to get a few over to their side, and be willing to compromise a bit.
Otherwise, we’ll still be here come November – with no progress made.
“The Richmond area dodged a snow storm yesterday, but a bigger
one could be on the way.
National Weather Service meterolologist Mike Montefusco said a
‘pretty significant’ storm could hit Virginia in the middle of next week.”
Richmond Times-Dispatch (2-25-2010)
May not want to put those snow shovels away yet.
Not good news PR. But I figured we haven’t seen the last snow of the winter yet, given the way this winter has been going – it’s only 2/26.
@Poor Richard
Thanks for crapping on my Friday. Man, Really? I’m about finished with this snow garbage. Ugh.
Marin, there are people who will borrow against their house or go without paying their bills to have health insurance. They know that a good heart attack could throw them into bankruptcy court faster than greased lightning.
Second Alamo, welcome back. You have been missed. Ah, medicaid. Well, I have mixed feelings about it. I do resent having to pony up nearly 500 bux a month while someone else doesn’t. But ….what is the alternative? You can’t let people die outside on the sidewalk. Not in America. If there is no medicaid, then the hospitals must absorb the cost and pass them along to us…those of us with insurance. So I figure that my premium would be $1000 or $1500 or worse if there were no medicaid.
So what’s the answer? I don’t know. I suppose it is an entitlement. So is Medicare if you look at it that way. Interesting thing about medicare. My family member on medicare pays well over $300 for A, B, D. As of Monday doctors will get 21% less for Medicare payments. Some doctors are refusing to treat senior patients. Those costs will be passed on.
Who won the healthcare debate – that I cannot answer, but I can answer this – We lose! Healthcare reform is needed is this country, and the only thing that is known is that we have not done anything reform it. Does the Dem plan over reach, yes, probably, if the R’s truly wanted reform, what was stopping them a few years ago? What the R’s have managed to do, is to get their talking points out – tort reform, yes, we need tort reform, but remember, tort reform means that if a Dr or Hospital screws up, your legal remedies are limited. Insurance across state lines – well, get the states on board first, and have a minimum standard.
THey all say we need to pay for this – what is the cost of doing nothing? Much more than trying to do something. I wish all of them would stand up everytime they are voting for something that we do not have the funds to pay for it. Trouble is, they (all of them) do not want to make the hard decisions, as that could cost them the next election.
Actually, I just took a gander at the pressure gradients associated with the Low off the shore right now. Ooof!
Well, speaking from the moderate camp, I don’t think yesterday was about winners or losers (we already know who loses…..we do). I think yesterday was about letting each side state their case so the voters can decide where they’re going to fall on this thing, before we begin the final act. In that respect, I think it was a good thing, since sunlight is the great antiseptic. I must praise Obama for putting yesterday’s public forum together (even if his reasons were selfish). At least both sides got to make their points. And in the end, Obama was quite correct when said “That’s what elections are for.”
@Slowpoke@Work
Agree with the idea that sunlight is a great antiseptic.
Moon, I’m in the same situation (sort of). I have something I need that isn’t covered by medical insurance because I met my lifetime limit. So, $20K for the next treatment.
I’d rather be in that position (I’m still saving my pennies) than accept the notion that my neighbor has to pay for what I need. I cannot fathom the idea of a govt program providing me my healthcare.
Found two articles of special interest in today’s WaPo.
– “Brewing a progressive alternative to the Tea Party” Style (C1).
Annabel Park (yes, that Annabel Park) coordinates the Coffee Party,
which “seeks inclusive political discourse”.
- “Va. moves to limit special-ed test’s use” Metro (B1)
A chart of (B-5) indicates Manassas Park has used the special test far
more than any other jurisdiction in Northern Virginia.
“Manassas Park Associate Sup. Bruce McDade said the higher rate of
students using portfolios could result from the high concentration
of students with disabilities who are also learning English as
a second language.”
Hummm.
Good for Annabel.
Let’s be honest. If a ‘counter’ group forms up to protest something that means that the TEA party has caught the attention of the many. By having a group protest them this only brings more attention to the TEA party and I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.
What’s interesting in the WPost story is the idea that both are about getting rid of or fixing corrupt government (the same government some people would trust to make healthcare decisions for them, oddly). If both groups could come together and storm the Capitol and march the legislators to the gallows; might be a good start.
The way I see it the more people realize how badly politicians treat both the Constitution and the governed; the better. So, hats off to Annabel and I wish her well on the task before her.
Mariah blows the stars around, And sends the clouds a-flying
Mariah makes the mountain sounds, Like folks were up there dying
My trees already came down – two hit by lightening, six pine trees that toppled like dominos in a nor’easter a few years ago. However, I can hear the wind in my house. What does that tell you?
I made coffee this morning in my kitchen for a woman I saw walking down the road carting all her worldly possessions with her. I gave her what money I had (not much – my clients are now taking twice as long to pay me!) and gave her a ride to a meeting with, hopefully, her next employer. If the Coffee Party is for action and common sense, right here in my community, then I’m all for it. If its for t-shirts and catchy slogans and coffee in fancy bistros then I don’t have time for it. I’m glad, thanks to the Washington Post story, to finally get a sense of how it originated and where it hopes to go (grow…).
Mariah! Mariah! They call the wind Mariah!
Cindy..that you need to put in more insulation and seal up gaps?
An older Kingston Trio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8e9F8PV-m4&feature=fvw
My wind chimes are going nuts out on the front porch.
The other article referenced by Poor Richard is a fairly important article. The special ed portfolio section of the SOL tests in math and English is a fairly significant change.
Maybe the Republicans and the Democrats both need to be redirected. Don’t most people feel disenfranchised from the political parties?
The question in Manassas City for several years is why Manassas
Park Schools, even with more challenging numbers of ESL and
free/reduced lunch students, were often posting better SOL scores
than MCPS. Now we know.
PR, I am not so sure….I don’t think that when they first whipped the City and the county’s bee- hinds the state was doing portfolios. If that is the case, then they were smarter than we were. The 6, 7 grade math test which are the problem areas began in 2005-2006 if I am not mistaken. Not sure when portfolios came into being.
I hope you will be joining us on http://www.Moonhowlings.net
If the Manassas Park numbers are correct and not due to testing
procedure differences, then I applaud them and hope the
state will send a study team to find out what they doing better
than everyone else and share that information across Virginia.
(The WaPo article notes the state education department
“moves stem from concerns raised by parents and news reports,
including the Washington Post, about the rapidly increasing use
of alternative test and the corresponding rise in test scores”.
A quick look at the numbers indicate MP is using the easier
alternative test far more than any other school district in
Northern Virginia. For example in Science: MP 30.1., PWC 1.1
and MCPS 2.2.)