Monday, May 23, 2011
Random notes
Most likely the reason I find The Onion's Autistic Reporter so outrageously funny is that I'm way too close to his mindset. I understand what he's thinking entirely too well. For instance, when I see this picture, my first thought is "Wow! Neat car! Looks sort of like a Crosley Hot Shot, but could also be a modified Citroen Deux Chevaux. No, it can't be either of those. What could it be?"
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Have to wonder about the quality of warnings and preparedness in Joplin. Death toll there (so far) is about 116, which is huge. Yet the area of urban destruction is considerably smaller than the 1999 Moore tornado, which had a death toll of 36. Joplin is well within the traditional Tornado Alley, so you'd assume its broadcasters are ready... but I have a feeling they weren't. In recent years most small-market radio and TV stations have fired most of their human staff, relying largely on autopilot computers. It's especially bad on weekends. Storms that happen on Sunday can't be allowed to interrupt football.
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Vermont has enacted a true single-payer health plan. Interestingly, Obama seems willing to grant them exemption from his monstrous gift to Wall Street, so that the Vermont plan can subsume Medicare and Medicaid with existing levels of funding. After all, the entire point of SINGLE-payer is to eliminate the conflicting rules of multiple insurance companies and multiple fed plans. That's the only way to save money. Gov Shumlin's plan sounds generally similar to the French plan, which works well.
Shumlin reminds me of Maury Maverick. A rigorous and broad-ranging thinker, a firm and precise speaker, and a funny-looking man. The sort of man who should be eminently qualified for President, but will never have a chance because of those three qualities in combination.
Polistra salutes Vermont, the first state to GET IT RIGHT. (But not the only state currently making good and difficult decisions. This is a shining moment for states, as the Feds continue their 22-year exploration of unprecedented Circles of Hell.) ¶ 7:34 AM
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Have to wonder about the quality of warnings and preparedness in Joplin. Death toll there (so far) is about 116, which is huge. Yet the area of urban destruction is considerably smaller than the 1999 Moore tornado, which had a death toll of 36. Joplin is well within the traditional Tornado Alley, so you'd assume its broadcasters are ready... but I have a feeling they weren't. In recent years most small-market radio and TV stations have fired most of their human staff, relying largely on autopilot computers. It's especially bad on weekends. Storms that happen on Sunday can't be allowed to interrupt football.
= = = = =
Vermont has enacted a true single-payer health plan. Interestingly, Obama seems willing to grant them exemption from his monstrous gift to Wall Street, so that the Vermont plan can subsume Medicare and Medicaid with existing levels of funding. After all, the entire point of SINGLE-payer is to eliminate the conflicting rules of multiple insurance companies and multiple fed plans. That's the only way to save money. Gov Shumlin's plan sounds generally similar to the French plan, which works well.
Shumlin reminds me of Maury Maverick. A rigorous and broad-ranging thinker, a firm and precise speaker, and a funny-looking man. The sort of man who should be eminently qualified for President, but will never have a chance because of those three qualities in combination.
Polistra salutes Vermont, the first state to GET IT RIGHT. (But not the only state currently making good and difficult decisions. This is a shining moment for states, as the Feds continue their 22-year exploration of unprecedented Circles of Hell.) ¶ 7:34 AM
