Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

fdr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJUMYsrWiCA

"Medical ghetto" sounds like racist code to me.

We could save lots of Federal money simply by not spending any in red states. That should please both pong and paul.

We blue staters could use the savings (which mostly comes from blue states anyway) to revitalize the blue state economies, adopt single payor health coverage, and create the 3d Millenium (non-oil based) transport system.

Who needs those red states. It's like throwing money down a rat hole, giving money to those lazy welfare republicans.

I intended to add a smileyface at the end of that guy, but somehow it got away from me.

for the tmr number crunchers out there, crunch away. all sorts of state by state figures, cassandra wails and jeremiah cries in the wilderness from kaiser foundation's annual rept:

"The Crunch Continues: Medicaid Spending, Coverage and Policy in the Midst of a Recession"

http://www.kff.org/medicaid/7985.cfm

off thread subject, but another useful chart today:

"Where countries stand on Copenhagen"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8345343.stm

New Government-Run Health Proposal Eyed
Democrats, in Search of Compromise, Explore Federal Employee Plan as a Model

by GREG HITT and JANET ADAMY
WASHINGTON -- Democrats wrestled with a new proposal on a government health-insurance plan that would give private entities a central role in running the program, in a bid for compromise on one of the health bill's most divisive issues........

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126004745673278523.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsThird

flatus, here's our chance maybe a viable bill as close to single payer process as we can get.

from wsj link above.

"....empower the government's Office of Personnel Management to run a new national health plan, congressional aides said. The office already oversees the federal employee health plan, and administration officials have pointed to it as an example of how the government can successfully run a health-insurance program.

Under the proposal, the office would negotiate terms of the plan with private insurers, and contract with nonprofit entities set up by the private sector to run the program, aides said. One senior Democratic Senate aide suggested the idea is now the "leading proposal" among Democrats. A key issue remained demands by liberals for additional steps to widen coverage and ease costs for consumers, and one option under consideration was a further expansion of Medicaid, the health program for the poor."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/06/obama-silent-on-public-op_n_381847.html

"Obama Silent On Public Option In Speech To Senators"

"As President Obama finished his speech to the Democratic caucus in the Capitol's Mansfield Room on Sunday afternoon, Joe Lieberman made his way over to Harry Reid.

The independent who still caucuses with Democrats wanted to point something out to the Majority Leader: Obama didn't mention the public option.

Lieberman was beaming as he left the room and happy to re-point it out when HuffPost asked him what Obama had said about the public health insurance option, perhaps the most contentious issue still facing Democrats as they negotiate their way toward a final health care reform bill.

"Well, it was interesting to me -- of course everybody hears with their own ears -- that he didn't say anything about the public option," said Lieberman. "In other words, when he outlined how far we've come on the bill, he talked about the cost-containment provisions; he talked about the insurance market reforms; and he talked about enabling 30 million more people to get insurance. He said these are historic accomplishments, the most significant social legislation, or whatever you call it, in decades, so don't lose it."

Obama spoke for roughly 30 minutes and did not take questions, senators said afterward.

Reid told reporters that Lieberman had approached him after the meeting to note the absence of the public option, but that folks shouldn't read too much into Obama's silence on the issue. "That doesn't mean it's not an issue, because the president didn't talk about it," said Reid."

It's hardly "code" -- pretty blatant. However, unless something is done about the job situation, there will be an increasing number of people who need Medicaid.

And I'd like to add: ROLL TIDE! The Nebraska/Texas game was a heartbreaker. Now I want Alabama to make Colt McCoy cry.

mit wins darpa challenge in 8 hrs 56 mins. well done, do-bees!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/06/AR2009120602558.html?hpid=artslot

blue,

ROLL TIDE, ROLL!!!

I'd love to see my alma mater bring that game to the National Championship Game.

Ghetto - code? In the US? Appatrently Lamar Alexander missed the class on nuance.

I'm not going to offer any support for Mr Alexander's miserable choice of words. But, if what he was suggesting was that we have an inner city population tied to their surroundings because that's where Medicaid is accepted, then what's a polite way of saying what he said? Like a medical parallel to the 'silver handcuffs' tying people to miserable jobs.

Now, EBT cards are universally accepted and the stigma of their use has been eased. Surely something similar can be done with Medicaid.

Pogo, I watched much of the last half of the UConn-South Florida game on ESPN. It was really exciting football; hard fought in the middle of snow storm.

UConn ended up winning with a last second field goal, but I wasn't disappointed by the performance of my team.

Pat, if Reid doesn't kick Lieberman under the bus, then shame on him. And, if Mr Obama doesn't force a single payer lookalike, shame on him as well.

Flatus, I didn't catch that game, but did see some of the highlights on the weekend recap. USF in the snow? Who could have predicted they could win such a game? Still, even though the International Bowl is in Toronto, it's in a dome. South Florida has been a strong team for the past at least couple of years and should make hash of NIU, and I hope to see them shred Northern Illinois on the 2nd.

flatus, is this new proposal (if it's good enough for gov't workers it's good enough for all) like the dutch model?

Well, I see the season has brought back one of our most cherished holiday traditions - Bill (Pinhead) O'Reilly's war on Christmas.

http://mediamatters.org/research/200601040009

I get so sick of this idiot. Try fact checking, please.

New emoticon - .) - Cyclops.

pogo, cyclops asleep ,)

Newsflash - Billboard names Powter's "Bad Day" one hit wonder of the decade.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/daniel-powter-named-onehi_n_382293.html

It was a good day for him, I'd wager.

All weekend long it's about Ron Paul the racist..... now it's about Lamar Alexander the racist..... ho hum....

after 8 years of a sax playing philanderer and then 8 years of a moron with a vice president who would be king.... who woulda thunk the first black presidency could be so boring.....

Jake Rinehart update: had a rough night in that it took him 5.80 seconds to throw his steer. That time put him in a tie for 13th. It also lowered his overall standing to 6th. He is gonna have to have a few really good runs to overcome this setback.

Patd,

Jake is a big boy (6 foot 7 inches and 265 lbs) He is also pretty young (27, I think). What he is doing is really no more dangerous than playing football. In fact, I think Jake could hold his own in the NFL if he wanted to. Most of what ails him now are just bumps and bruises. His knees and back are likely to be the first to go. The animals themselves (steers are would be bulls except they had an operation some time ago) don't particularly pose any danger to him. Thing could happen like missing the steer and falling off the horse and hitting the ground at about 20 to 25 mph things like that. Where Jake is liable to suffer is later on in life (kinda like we all do).

patd...
I forgot to tell say thank you for that chart on where countries stand on Copenhagen.... I also really liked that map of unemployment county by county throughout the US that you linked to last week..... great finds....

Dooty..... here's to praying that Jake does better in the upcoming days.....

Pat,

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/12/wheres-the-gop-medicaid-outrag.html#comment-273260

This is the way to go imo..the closest to single payer is right. Im on the don't do anything for now. There is so much confusion about what the end result will be about what they are trying to pass now; that it seems to me that the only winners are going to be the ins corps once again.

On Tuesday Obama will be giving a talk about jobs: It will be the first time that I will listen to one of his speeches in quite a while. If he just gives some bs about applying money for training, teachers, cops; and the standard back to work speeches that the two party's always say's ; which is what I expect him to say. He is just wasting time; and will have less of it; when it comes to election time for congress and the senate.

Today is the anniversary of the student in Theron's protest in 1953. wonder how many new outlets will explain it to the public; instead of just showing the violence; what led up to it? and our policies that led them to this decision of taking the embassy hostages..real history for a change.!

Sen. Fienstein was again on the Sunday talk shows pushing the wars....she and her defense contractor husband are making a lot of money. She sounds just like the R's did when they were pushing the wars for Bush..she is pushing them for Obama, and herself.!!

Jack--Thanks for the pics, I will find my fb pass word to go and see them a little later.

Dumb repugs - ghettos (Alexander) gulags (Cornyn) - nice little catch phrases, but c'mon - can't you put up a single idea of your own other than an amendment that would require congress to participate in a public option, that the dems called your bluff on? That had to piss them off.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/gop-would-require-preside_n_380596.html

LOL ") (Cyclops squinting?)

In the spirit of the season - anyone care to weigh in on the funniest Christmas movie of oall time?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/03/funniest-christmas-movies_n_378863.html?slidenumber=wktXdlkyxTo%3D#slide_image

Of the ones Huffpo listed, I'd have to lean toward "A Christmas Story", but "Scrooged" is on my list of movies that I can't click past.

Thought for the day :
" Whatever advice you give, be brief. "

Solar - that time....

http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=774&cat=4

There are over 1.2 million people in Sen Alexander's ghetto in Tennessee, and that was in 2008. Must be more now.

Dang it --Pogo, where did you come from...I thought that you were on the road.?

Dooty,

Jake is 6 ft 7, now I know why your not afraid of that little 6 ft 3, guy: Jack. cept that Jack is a big teddy bear like..but still wouldn't want to get him mad

I remember trying to sit on a calf when we had a farm in Mexico. My scheming cousins that double dog dared me. said that "they didn't know that i could bounce so good" That was just before they thought me how to swim: They threw me in a river, lots of snakes and I did get out fast. Ha.! My mom said that it was my fault cos i never left them alone..always in the older guys way. Mom way an Annie Oakley type, rode, guns, and all of it. told me that should make me mind my own biz...she was wrong..:-)

Jake is so big tho...poor little critters haha

Bait and Switch in Afghanistan? Def Sec says there won't be but a handful of troops coming out of Afghanistan by July 2011. 30,000 in a handful out in spite of what the president said just five days ago. And, by the way, Gates said we should be prepared for more GI's dying in this war now and maybe the death totals will go down once the "surge" works next year and into the unforseeable future. WTF?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/12/wheres-the-gop-medicaid-outrag.html#comment-273285

eprof2, I don't think it is 'bait and switch,' it is, in my recollection, what Obama said in his speech, that after the surge period that troops would begin to be withdrawn in 18 months. He didn't say how many. It was, I believe, intended to be a message to the Afghans, that there would be neither an endless commitment, nor a next phase of buildup -- that they need to get serious about dealing with their own national issues.

You, or I, may not like the strategy, but I think it's pretty much what he said.

Our role in Iran.

How we made Iran, into what it is today; and the men that we love to hate:

We make men-tyrants like Ahmadinejad; he did not get there by himself.! Irans' a country that has 85% literacy rate; 70& of the population is under age 35; 23 million use the internet, and there are over 1000,000 bloggers

we have played a role in a long list of making Iran's tyrants, and now want to exterminate them; with the BOMB. that Israel want us to use. Hitler would do something like that, I'm sure.! We prevented them from moving rapidly on a democratic path.

they have been the first tot try to be a Democratic system; the first ones in Asia. They first tried in the constitutional revolt of 1905-1908.

After ww11-the U. S. helped Iran; and forced Russia to evacuated Iran in 1946. This was the positive things that we did in Iran. Since t hen the history of our interventions in Iran's international affairs has been depressing; resulting in tyranny, blood shed, and revolution.

In 1953 the CIA sponsored the coup that over threw Iran's Democratically elected government of Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh. It went down hill every since then; we have kept influencing their governance and way of life until now; and have created what the country that Israel wants us to exterminate imo.

Our influence over the Shaw of Iran ( a amongst others, creating the monsters thru the secret service service. We helped create the dreaded monster Secrete Service called the SAVAK.

Some say the this was the reason that the students had when they overthrew the U. S. Embassy in Tehran, and took 53 American Diplomats hostages: They were still bitter of the 1953 CIA coup.

Then when Reagan was elected; in 83 he imposed economic sanctions against Iran, ( which most are still in effect) This was done by breaking the agreement called "T he Algiers Agreement that freed the hostages (we break all agreements and treaties no?)

Madeline Albright finally acknowledged the 1953 coup in 2000.

It seems to me that our only goal about Iran has been to hamper their economic development and contain it's military.!! This why the Radicals that we hate so much...have the power in Iran now.!!!

They use our meddling (the radicals) against the politicians that want to advance Democratic Ideals. We are the problem...always.!!

Iran's reform movements started in the 1990's have been hurt by us or our ...Allies...Israel.!!!

Mohammed Katami; a moderate, was elected in 1997; he won by a landslide. The Clinton administration then continued the containment policy. Same thing we did in Iraq, similar story.

Even when the moderate Iran leader wanted , and called for Dialogues...the U. S. did not respond favorably.!!

The hard liners in Iran pointed out that the U.S. was non-responsive-another sign of us hampering Iran's development...that we still had unfair economic sanctions.

The hard liners rebuked Khatami, and his government for wanting to resolve the differences between the nations.

To President Clinton's favor, he did lift some of them and made at least a mild gesture in 2000 after (TOO LATE) the reformists had swept the elections for the Iranian par lament. ..too late, Clinton was on the way out.

then came Sept 11th 2001. both Parties are at fault for what Iran is today; and like I said before ; they helped us after 9/11: They opened up Iran's air space, provided crucial intelligence on the Taliban. Iran's Northern Alliance was the first to help us when we invaded Afghanistan ( is this what enemy's do..they help us? wtf) and over threw the Taliban in the Capital of Afghanistan. Now b/c Israel want us to kill them all now.....or get the ok for them to do it.!!

For all of the help that they gave us after 9/11 the Cheney/Bush administration made them a part of the Axis of evil...and almost all of Americans don't know the truth of it.....Where was the News Media..they did nothing but help us.!!

the invasion of Iraq; was just one reason to go after Iran..Oil, and Iran's Oil has always been the reasons to be there... if not we could care less, how they run their governments...just like we don't give two poops about Africa.

The U.S. then invaded and occupied Iraq in 2003. The Shiite groups that had spent their exile years in Iran, and had been supported, trained, and funded by it, were put in power in Iraq, and were considered allies of the U.S........ Bush administration accused Iran of meddling in Iraq, and continued to threaten it with military attacks. The threats helped Iran’s hardliners to further suppress dissent in Iran.

In late April 2003 the Khatami administration presented a comprehensive proposal to the U.S., whereby it agreed to recognize Israel, help transform the Lebanese Hezbollah to a purely political group, and limit its nuclear program. Not only was the proposal spurned by the U.S., but it also admonished the Swiss ambassador to Iran for delivering the proposal to it (Switzerland represents the U.S. interests in Iran). Instead, the U.S. continued to threaten Iran militarily. Once again, Iran’s reformists were sacrificed by the militarist policy of the U.S. toward Iran and the Middle East.

..... at the same time, the confrontation between Washington and Tehran began over Iran’s nuclear program. Although every report by the International Atomic Energy Agency indicated that, aside from some minor non-compliance cases, Iran had abided by its obligations towards Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and its Safeguards Agreement; the Bush administration threatened Iran with military attacks more strongly than ever.

The U.S. threats helped Iran’s hardliners to crackdown on the reformists...... First, the press that had enjoyed relative freedom during the first few years of Khatami’s presidency, was suppressed, partly because the hardliners accused it of being an agent of foreign powers. The reformists were then purged from the Iranian parliament during the 2004 elections. Then, on the eve of Iran’s 2005 presidential election, George W. Bush basically said that the Iranian people should not vote, which actually provoked the conservatives and even some nationalists to vote in large numbers and help elect Ahmadinejad.

Once Ahmadinejad was elected in 2005, and began using harsh... but inconsequential, talks..... against Israel, the U.S. ratcheted up its military threats against Iran. In a show of force, and in addition to surrounding Iran with the U.S. forces on three sides.... the Bush administration dispatched two carrier battle groups to the Persian Gulf in May 2007, in order to frighten Iran. Dick Cheney used the deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis to threaten Iran, "We’ll stand with others to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons and dominating the region. We’ll stand with our friends in opposing extremism and strategic threats."

Solar,
I think we can acknowledge that our relations with Iran have not always been benign, were at times misbegotten, sometimes just plain wrong headed, and so on...however, time passes. We did a lot more damage in Viet Nam, and now our relations with them are far better than they are with Iran. While our relations with Iran are complicated (including, they did, after all, invade our embassy, take our diplomats hostage, are run by a holocaust denier, have a government that is committed to the destruction of Israel, etc) they need to get over the 1953 coup. As you point out, few Iranians were even alive then. We would all be much better off if they just started acting now in their own interests rather than living in the bitter past.

Last one. I decided to post this b/c of all the war talk that goes on; and typed all of these.

All these type of threats were used by Ahmadinejad and his hard-line supporters to further suppress dissent in Iran, shut down independent and reformist newspapers and other publications, and accuse the reformist and democratic groups of being agents of the U.S. and other foreign powers. The constant pressure on the reformists and their oppression by the hardliners prevented them from organizing and confronting Ahmadinejad and his supporters more effectively.

Even after the supposedly realist Obama administration took over in January just a few months before Iran’s presidential election, and the President began looking for Iran’s unclenched fist.... the threats against Iran did not stop, nor did their nature change. Asked if the military option was still on the table with regard to Iran, the White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said on Wednesday January 28 that, "The President hasn’t changed his viewpoint that he should preserve all his options. We must use all elements of our national power to protect our interests as it relates to Iran."

So; decades of U.S. hostility toward Iran; and sanctions and military threats and attacks have had a net result: the efforts by the courageous people of Iran in establishing a democratic political system has been thwarted by undemocratic and even neo-fascist groups, who have used the militarist policy of the U.S. toward Iran as their excuse to suppress freedom.

I would defend our country no matter what...but we need to come home and stop meddling in other people governments; then make out like they are the only ones to blame. Come home; and stop giving other countries money that are just bribes for us to get to the oil fields, for the big Corps.

It is all a bait and switch..we will escalate the wars to Pakistan, and to their south..this will make Iran surrounded, and ripe for the new shock and awe...from all four sides..imo? Will consider this my posting quota for a while..thanks

Joe,

Thanks, and yes we should all try to forget the past, and go on into the future. Im not bitter, and thats what im not trying to do, is to show bitterness; just that we should stop repeating what the politicians tell us to say. That we do have a history of meddling that not more than just a few % of our population know about: This makes it easier for us to go into yet another war..and my little contribution against doing it...but yes I do agree with your sentiment...

Solar, good, you can't defend yourself no that you've reached your posting quota. :-) I was a road warrior last week and will be later this week, but for now, Roll Tide.

As you are well aware, I agree with youon our approach to Iran - we need to stop the BS and stop listening to Imadinnerjacket as if he is saying anything that should cause us any concern whatsoever. If we can believe any of what we hear, Israel is not theatened by Iran being able to build one or two nucs - if the rumors are correct, Israel has its own deterrents in the form of nucs. From us a simple, "Shut up or talk to Israel, AH" should suffice. I'm pretty confident we are in fairly constant behind the scenes strategizing with Israel anyway.

And with respect to the Afghan draw down in 18 months, Obama didn't say it would be rapid... he was just suggesting that it would begin then and ramp down as conditions on the ground warranted. I don't think that is enouf, but it is what he said.

MIT team to find Osama:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/dec/07/darpa-challenge

When I was young LaMar was code at a local bar to find out if they had pot for sale I wonder if LarMar Alexander's parents were hip.

David Shuster just tweeted a new health care idea:

Gang of 10" meeting 4pm to discuss likely deal. Govt run option will be OPM proposal. medicare age lowered to 55 to satisfy progressives

Waves reaching 30 to 40 feet are expected to pound Kauai, Molokai and Maui, as well as Oahu through midweek. The islands remained under a high surf warning, as did the Big Island.

"Surf along north-facing shores will reach heights of 30 to 40 feet at the coast, and 50 feet on the outer reefs today. Surf along west-facing shores will rise to 20 to 30 feet," National Weather Service forecasters said today. "The high surf, combined with a two-foot high tide this morning, will increase the chance of waves washing onto roads and property along the immediate coast."

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/breaking/78699307.html

Surfin' USA?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPwgDDwb_w8

Saturday was Stinky's birthday. Every year it get's more difficult finding something she'll appreciate. So guess what I bought for her this year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxbhvhBtTwU&feature=related

oh, that was really bad--get's = gets

Flatus,

I hope those lollypops were in the pocket of something expensive. :-)

solar, the brits and others did some questionable dealing regarding persia and mesopotamia (what's now known as iran and iraq) when they made the agreements linked below. you'll find them interesting. these came about way before we opened and got into our can of worms there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Russian_Convention_of_1907

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sykes-Picot_Agreement

friend of mine sent this email today on a very serious subject for many of us tmrs to consider, a living will:

Last night, my kids and I were sitting in the living room and I said to them, 'I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.'
They got up, unplugged the Computer, and threw out my wine.

craig sneaked a new thread in on us at 4:30

see ya there.

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