Genius bar appointment? Seriously?

I had the same experience - and reaction - as Instapundit.

Never

forget...

Personal liberty

 ... larger government not only means less personal freedom but more corruption, influence peddling, and "rent seeking" as interest groups and industries inevitably must seek to sway government representatives and bureaucrats who would hold enormous power over their economic destiny.

 Let's avoid all that. (from here)

Best health care in America at the VA?

I was reading Paul Krugman's piece in the NYTimes about various approaches to universal coverage. He mentioned that "our own Veterans Health Administration, which is run somewhat like the British health service, also manages to combine quality care with low costs."

I had thought that there were a lot of problems with VA care, but apparently that's not the case these days. This piece talks about an article singing the praises - deservedly so, it seems - of the care provided by the VHA. 

I think Krugman downplays valid concerns about following the English or Canadian models - particularly since he got burned recently polling Canadians about their thoughts on their health service.

Still, the fact that the VA manages to provide superlative care definitely gives me food for thought. 

more whole foods fun

The agitator sees irony in the proposed whole foods boycott.

Why does health care cost so much in the US?

That's the question I typed into Google. About halfway down the results page I found this article from the NYTimes Bizness section.

Compared to other countries, health care is more expensive here. We knew that. Health care expenditures per capita seem to be closely related to GDP per capita - so countries with more money spend more on health care - makes sense. 

But that doesn't account for the discrepancy in the US. We pay more here for 

" factors other than G.D.P. per capita. Prominent among these other factors are:

1. higher prices for the same health care goods and services than are paid in other countries for the same goods and services;

2. significantly higher administrative overhead costs than are incurred in other countries with simpler health-insurance systems;

3. more widespread use of high-cost, high-tech equipment and procedures than are used in other countries;

4. higher treatment costs triggered by our uniquely American tort laws, which in the context of medicine can lead to "defensive medicine" — that is, the application of tests and procedures mainly as a defense against possible malpractice litigation, rather than as a clinical imperative."

Any real reform needs to address all those factors.  

Health care reform

The president's op-ed sounds reasonable. He usually sounds reasonable until he gets off message or off prompter - which is understandable, he doesn't actually have much experience after all. It's charming, really, the glimpses into his real attitudes and ideas.

I liked that he wrote so much about reforming Medicare. That's a great idea and since that's already a government program they should get started on that right away. For the rest I think we should wait and see how that part goes.

And for a look at what's ACTUALLY in one of the bills under consideration - so, to be clear, what the actual law would be as opposed to what the op-ed says - here are answers to a few questions like - 

df

WILL THE PLAN RATION MEDICAL CARE?

um ... yeah

WILL THE PLAN PUNISH AMERICANS WHO TRY TO OPT OUT?

un hunh - well, it imposes a tax penalty, so it would only actually punish the 60% or so who actually pay taxes ...

WILL THE PLAN DESTROY PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE?

yes - it doesn't outlaw it, but it creates a situation that is so disfavorable to private plans that they will be quickly marginalized if not completely eliminated.

DOES THE PLAN ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO SET FEES FOR SERVICES?

of course - as with medicare. 

There's more, please follow the link and read it all for yourself.

Underage drinking considered

Prof proposes teaching kids to drink Here. Well, kinda.

This should make some people happy

Chevron's profit plunges 71%

But maybe not since they did still make a profit.

Really?

Really? This is something the leader of the free world needs to do? A "Beer Summit"? Seems like the government is being run by PR flacks. I see a new reality TV show in the offing. Move over Judge Judy. President Barry's in the house.

Gadgets circa 1979

This is kind of fun

I was in 8th grade in 1979.

I had this. And I played it a fair amount. It was basically just trying to move one dot of light through others. 

Saw this in theaters. I was a huge Steve Martin fan - had two or three of his albums.

No internet. 

No cell phones. 

VHS players were still a pretty big deal. 

No CDs.

No PCs. 

No Macs.

hard to imagine...

That was 30 years ago.

30 years from now expect to look back with the same sort of amazement at how primitive things were.

It's good to be the government

Social Security Administration spends $700,000 on conference. Good thing the government's got plenty of money ...

"Nearly all my professors are Democrats. Isn't that a problem?"

Diversity! But not for you.

Separation of economy and state

Makes sense to me.

"Patrick Henry did not say "Give me a small rollback in government or give me death." He said: give meliberty. So should we."

Pilot Green Energy Program Looking Green Around the Gills

Austin Energy officials say that times have changed and that the nation's most successful (by volume of sales) green-energy program, which offers the renewable energy only to those who select it, might no longer be the best way to carry out the city's goals. It now costs almost three times more than the standard electricity rate.

Sounds like a good concept - customers who opted in were guaranteed a fixed rate for 10 years. The program started in 2000 and went well up until this year when costs have risen. Now 99 percent of the current offering is unsold.

All they need to do is tax the standard electricity at a 200% rate and the green energy becomes competitive. Duh.

Responding to the president's op-ed.

Medicare - the future of medical coverage?

One doctor's choice.

I have faith, courage, and enthusiasm!

Positive self-talk may actually have opposite effect. Who knew?

If democracy and human rights are high values, then all societies are not morally equal.

President Obama hasn't shown much interest in promoting democracy according to this piece in the Wall Street Journal. I think it's evident not only in his foreign policy and his speeches which are the focus of the article, but also in his governance. He seems to have taken to heart the adage that the most efficient form of government is a benign dictatorship. Congress and the media have shown little interest in balancing or pointing out his power grabs - placing the administration of the Census under direct control of the White House, strong-arming and firing independent Inspectors general to help out political allies. I'm not much of an alarmist, generally, and I expect the pendulum will eventually swing back, but I'm a little nervous about the direction we're heading.

*grin*