Interesting how many guys are the ones responsible for the goofy, and dangerous, ways to remove the bottlecaps.
Read the rest of this post...
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Sunday, June 17, 2012
BCBS sued for tricking customers to leave better health insurance plans
Someone should lock all the insurance executives and the airline executives in a room together and watch them try to nickel and dime each other. From the SF Chronicle:
When Blue Shield of California raised the rates for Robert Jeffrey Martin's family insurance policy by 23 percent, the health insurer offered him two options: Stay in his expensive old plan or switch to a policy that offered his family skimpier benefits with a higher deductible.Read the rest of this post...
Martin, 59, knew finding a new insurer would be tough and felt like he had no choice. The Gilroy farmer, who grows olives trees and bottles his own olive oil, switched to the new policy.
But then Blue Shield backed off on the proposed increase on his previous policy. When Martin tried to switch back, the insurer told him that was no longer possible because his old plan was closed to new members.
Is Lance Armstrong innocent or a liar?
John wrote about the seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong's recent troubles with rumors of doping. As he said, I love cycling and I've been following professional cycling since the days of the greatest US cycling champion, Greg LeMond. For years I argued with the French locals who suggested that Armstrong was doping and I used to believe that he was unique and innocent and that the French were jealous of his skills.
Some have pointed out his partnership with the highly controversial trainer Michele Ferrari as well as his strange financial contribution to the testing lab that initially revealed that Armstrong failed a doping test, where the results later changed. Others have pointed out how strange it was for Armstrong to shift his training out of France (where testing is rigorous) across the border to Spain, which is where many cyclists went to avoid strict testings. (Cyclists do have to tell authorities where they are for spot tests, but Spain had a strong reputation as the place to go for dopers.)
On top of that, there has been considerable talk about the extraordinary odds of Lance Armstrong being the only guy on the podium during his seven years who has not either admitted to doping or been found guilty of doping. Long odds, indeed. Then there's the troubling stories of countless teammates who have either admitted to doping or admitted to doping. And now today, four of his former teammates have backed out of the summer Olympics, which has surprised many. Why now?
So no, Lance Armstrong has not been found guilty of doping though there are many athletes that have been suspected but not been found guilty. Maybe he really is telling the truth and the haters are jealous. It's certainly possible that he stands alone as one of the rare (only?) riders in modern cycling history that has never doped. It's certainly possible, but the odds are slim of such a person existing. It wouldn't make it right, but everyone was doing it.
In the big picture, there are plenty of other issues that are more important than yet another obnoxious jerk like Armstrong. To his credit, he does help raise money for a good cause though there are suspicions that he does that more for his own protection than for any other reason. (As someone in a recent Bloomberg article mentioned, to criticize Armstrong is to criticize cancer research.) But if you like cycling as I do, it would be nice to hear the last few suspected dopers admit that they doped like everyone else and put that chapter in the past. Read the rest of this post...
Some have pointed out his partnership with the highly controversial trainer Michele Ferrari as well as his strange financial contribution to the testing lab that initially revealed that Armstrong failed a doping test, where the results later changed. Others have pointed out how strange it was for Armstrong to shift his training out of France (where testing is rigorous) across the border to Spain, which is where many cyclists went to avoid strict testings. (Cyclists do have to tell authorities where they are for spot tests, but Spain had a strong reputation as the place to go for dopers.)
On top of that, there has been considerable talk about the extraordinary odds of Lance Armstrong being the only guy on the podium during his seven years who has not either admitted to doping or been found guilty of doping. Long odds, indeed. Then there's the troubling stories of countless teammates who have either admitted to doping or admitted to doping. And now today, four of his former teammates have backed out of the summer Olympics, which has surprised many. Why now?
So no, Lance Armstrong has not been found guilty of doping though there are many athletes that have been suspected but not been found guilty. Maybe he really is telling the truth and the haters are jealous. It's certainly possible that he stands alone as one of the rare (only?) riders in modern cycling history that has never doped. It's certainly possible, but the odds are slim of such a person existing. It wouldn't make it right, but everyone was doing it.
In the big picture, there are plenty of other issues that are more important than yet another obnoxious jerk like Armstrong. To his credit, he does help raise money for a good cause though there are suspicions that he does that more for his own protection than for any other reason. (As someone in a recent Bloomberg article mentioned, to criticize Armstrong is to criticize cancer research.) But if you like cycling as I do, it would be nice to hear the last few suspected dopers admit that they doped like everyone else and put that chapter in the past. Read the rest of this post...
GOP: Destroy Obamacare, then drag feet and do nothing
There you go! What a plan for America by the brilliant minds that are blinded by hatred and a desire to destroy America. It comes as no surprise that the Republicans don't have a plan to replace Obamacare with anything because really, who out there really knows that there was an exploding healthcare crisis that led to the reform in the first place?
We can all agree that Obamacare didn't solve every problem and yes, it could have been less about benefiting the insurance and pharmaceutical companies but to destroy it for no other reason other than because it was done by Obama is the usual Republican hatred.
Why is it so hard for Republicans to compromise and work for the American people rather than obstruct and destroy? One of these days the GOP is going to have to start negotiating and delivering legislation that benefits someone other than industry. Repeal and then ignore? Really?
We can all agree that Obamacare didn't solve every problem and yes, it could have been less about benefiting the insurance and pharmaceutical companies but to destroy it for no other reason other than because it was done by Obama is the usual Republican hatred.
Why is it so hard for Republicans to compromise and work for the American people rather than obstruct and destroy? One of these days the GOP is going to have to start negotiating and delivering legislation that benefits someone other than industry. Repeal and then ignore? Really?
Instead, GOP lawmakers cite recent announcements that some insurance companies will retain a few of the law's higher-profile provisions as evidence that quick legislative action is not essential. Those are steps that officials say Republicans quietly urged in private conversations with the industry.Read the rest of this post...
Once the Supreme Court issues a ruling, "the goal is to repeal anything that is left standing," said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., a member of the party's leadership.
Beyond that, "we ought to go step by step to lower the cost" of health care, he added, a formula repeated by numerous other Republicans interviewed in recent days.
Senate told drones now patrolling U.S.–Canada border
If you build them, they will be used. First, the story of 64 drone bases on U.S. soil. Now the story of the drones who "man" them. At least the start of that story.
From CTV News in Canada (h/t commenter Hue-man; my emphasis):
Maybe they're just caught up in the testosterone, even the women. If so, wouldn't be the first time we all sang along with the military.
A little more to chew on:
Drones are proliferating like the TSA porno-scanners are proliferating. Testosterone- and fear-fueled Americans (are told to) think we need them; Money is eager to sell them; so now the hapless (and sometimes clueless) TSA has no choice — deploy and use them at will.
(Hint: At the airport, Mr. Natural sez: Always opt out; force them to feel you up. It's the least you can do to return the "this is awkward" favor.)
Some of our earlier drone writing is here, including that "corrupt congressman" angle:
GP
To follow or send links: @Gaius_Publius
Read the rest of this post...
From CTV News in Canada (h/t commenter Hue-man; my emphasis):
SEATTLE—The U.S. government's unmanned drones patrolling the U.S.-Canadian border are venturing into Washington state's airspace.I'm not sure why "force multiplier" language is coming out of Ms. Gray's border patrol mouth. They talk about surveillance, but "force multiplier" has the word "force" in it.
In testimony before a U.S. Senate panel this week, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said northern border surveillance using unmanned aerial aircraft now expands from North Dakota to eastern Washington.
The two 10,000-pound Predator-B unmanned aircrafts based in Grand Forks, N.D., have a 950-mile coverage range and "they do enter Washington airspace, in the vicinity of Spokane," said Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman Gina Gray on Thursday.
The unmanned aircrafts "can stay in the air for up to 20 hours at a time, something no other aircraft in the federal inventory can do," Gray said. "In this manner it is a force multiplier, providing aerial surveillance support for border agents by investigating sensor activity in remote areas to distinguish between real or perceived threats, allowing the boots on the ground force to best allocate their resources and efforts."
Maybe they're just caught up in the testosterone, even the women. If so, wouldn't be the first time we all sang along with the military.
A little more to chew on:
The use of drones has proliferated among federal and local law enforcement agencies nationwide along with civilian hobbyists in recent years. In December, Congress gave the Federal Aviation Administration six months to pick half a dozen sites around the country where the military and others can fly unmanned aircraft in the vicinity of regular air traffic, with the aim of demonstrating they're safe.We wrote about that legislation here. Note that the combo of House Rep. Buck McKeon's brand of personal corruption, plus the eager application of Money by the drone industry and lobbyists, is bringing us this future.
Drones are proliferating like the TSA porno-scanners are proliferating. Testosterone- and fear-fueled Americans (are told to) think we need them; Money is eager to sell them; so now the hapless (and sometimes clueless) TSA has no choice — deploy and use them at will.
(Hint: At the airport, Mr. Natural sez: Always opt out; force them to feel you up. It's the least you can do to return the "this is awkward" favor.)
Some of our earlier drone writing is here, including that "corrupt congressman" angle:
- Congress opens U.S. airspace to drone flights — plus how to buy a congressman
- Drone Industry wrote the legislation governing domestic drone use
- Obama approves drone strikes where identity of target is "unknown"
- Revealed: 64 drone bases on U.S. soil
GP
To follow or send links: @Gaius_Publius
Read the rest of this post...
Five Questions: Tom Tomorrow at Netroots Nation 2012
I was delighted to find the eminent Tom Tomorrow at Netroots Nation last week, and he agreed to sit down for a chat.
For the two or three of you who may not know, Tom Tomorrow is the nationally syndicated political cartoonist and author of This Modern World.
He's the guy who does this great stuff (click to see the whole strip):
He also curates the Comics section at Daily Kos. Feel free to visit some time; there are a number of good cartoonists displayed there.
You can find more about Tom Tomorrow here — he's quite an accomplished fellow.
For the interview, I asked Tom our standard four questions, plus a fifth specific to him and his profession: Given the state of print media, how are cartoonists like himself making a living? He gave an interesting answer.
We started talking in what was at first a quiet hallway — until it wasn't. I think the interview is listenable, but please forgive the poor choice of location. At one point a group of talkers noticed us and apologized; I thank them for that but I'm not sure it did much good.
Five Questions: Tom Tomorrow with Gaius Publius, recorded at Netroots Nation 2012. Enjoy:
Tom Tomorrow occupies an interesting space and offered answers that surprised me. "There's a fundamental tension between advocacy and satire" he noted at one point.
Nonetheless, he's for applying greater pressure to Democrats and is not at all blind to what we all see. "If it's wrong under Bush, it's wrong under Obama," he said later, a reference to assassination lists. I found this interview fascinating.
If you wish to support This Modern World, here's that Sparky's List link — one good way to help a brother.
The full list of "Five Questions" interviews includes the following. Links to names will take you to previously-published interviews.
(If you have trouble with this audio, please let me know in the comments and I'll address it as quickly as I can. Thanks.)
GP
To follow or send links: @Gaius_Publius
Read the rest of this post...
For the two or three of you who may not know, Tom Tomorrow is the nationally syndicated political cartoonist and author of This Modern World.
He's the guy who does this great stuff (click to see the whole strip):
He also curates the Comics section at Daily Kos. Feel free to visit some time; there are a number of good cartoonists displayed there.
You can find more about Tom Tomorrow here — he's quite an accomplished fellow.
For the interview, I asked Tom our standard four questions, plus a fifth specific to him and his profession: Given the state of print media, how are cartoonists like himself making a living? He gave an interesting answer.
We started talking in what was at first a quiet hallway — until it wasn't. I think the interview is listenable, but please forgive the poor choice of location. At one point a group of talkers noticed us and apologized; I thank them for that but I'm not sure it did much good.
Five Questions: Tom Tomorrow with Gaius Publius, recorded at Netroots Nation 2012. Enjoy:
Tom Tomorrow occupies an interesting space and offered answers that surprised me. "There's a fundamental tension between advocacy and satire" he noted at one point.
Nonetheless, he's for applying greater pressure to Democrats and is not at all blind to what we all see. "If it's wrong under Bush, it's wrong under Obama," he said later, a reference to assassination lists. I found this interview fascinating.
If you wish to support This Modern World, here's that Sparky's List link — one good way to help a brother.
The full list of "Five Questions" interviews includes the following. Links to names will take you to previously-published interviews.
- Alan Grayson, former (and perhaps future) U.S. Congressman
- Marcy Wheeler, of emptywheel.net
- Cliff Schecter, who comments regularly with Sam Seder at Majority.fm among many other places
- Tom Tomorrow, cartoonist with DailyKos and This Modern World
- Alex Lawson of StrengthenSocialSecurity.org
- Josh Orton, with Russ Feingold's Progressives United
- Frances Causey, producer–director of Heist, the documentary
- Chris Pearson, a Progressive Party Vermont state legislator
- Susan Smith, Progressive Caucus chair of the Florida Democratic Party
- Sarah Burris, labor activist and progressive youth organizer
(If you have trouble with this audio, please let me know in the comments and I'll address it as quickly as I can. Thanks.)
GP
To follow or send links: @Gaius_Publius
Read the rest of this post...
The Clash - The Equiliser
My quick trip to the US for Netroots Nation and my nephew's graduation is over and I'm back home in Paris. Fortunately the weather cooperated with my travel and rained a lot on my garden. Sunny skies are in the forecast which should mean nice flowers soon.
Sushi is back home after his radio iodine treatment for his thyroid issues but he's a bit skinny. He should be picking up the lost weight soon but now I'm tasked with managing the food bowls. Our little (8 kilo) cat-girl Nasdaq has a taste for Sushi's food (well, all food, really) and she's determined to eat as much of his food as she can find.
It was a long night of travel, so it's time for some actual sleep. Read the rest of this post...
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