The blog Newshoggers is a big fan of “health care reform” and occasionally posts a compendium of articles regarding improvements in health care which claim to be a result of that legislation. I, as you know by now, am somewhat less of a fan and never use the term without putting it into quotes. It’s my own private little revolution.
All of the things that John Ballard touts are well and good, but they do not address one fundamental fact: when it was time to address “health care reform” a choice had to be made between changing the manner in which health care is delivered in this nation and expanding health insurance coverage. We took the easier, and less effective path.
When John F. Kennedy challenged this nation to put a man on the moon within a decade he said, “We choose to do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” He believed in a nation that not only could do hard things, but was willing to do them.
Changing the manner of delivery for health care would have been hard or, as President Obama said of “single payer,” it would have been “too disruptive.” We are a nation, today, that is not willing to tackle the hard task; that is not willing to embrace a better way if it is “disruptive.”
And so instead of fundamentally changing a bad system, we merely extended the system to include more people. As a sop to those of us who would be outraged by the choice, it threw in tidbits to tinker around the edges of cost, but it will do nothing whatever about the fundamental cost drivers of health care delivery, and as such will make no substantial inroads into the excessive cost of the system. Doctors will continue to make seven figure incomes, drug companies will continue to be predators, hospital corporations will continue to pillage the economy, and excessive amounts of medical equipment and supplies will continue to be manufactured and sold. "Health care reform" did nothing, nothing, to address any of that.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Oh, This Is Rich
Last week initial jobless claims were 387,000 for the week. This week initial jobless claims are also 387,000 for the week, but last week was revised upward to 389,000 and so they claim that this week is a "slight drop" from last week's 389,000. Our government is simply hilarious. This week's 387,000 is smaller than last week's 387,000 because we magically turned last week's 387,000 into 389,000 so that we could claim a drop this week.
And I have a bridge in Brooklyn on which I can make you such a deal.
And I have a bridge in Brooklyn on which I can make you such a deal.
San Onofre Debacle
The reactors at San Onofre nuclear power plant have been shut down for almost six months now, and it is uncertain when they will be restarted. Sempra Energy is assuring us that even if we have an unusually hot summer there will be no power shortages, but they are also publishing instructions on how to conserve power, so that’s a bit of a mixed message.
At issue are not the reactors themselves, but the steam generators which transfer heat from the “primary cooling loop” of high pressure, high temperature reactor cooling water to the lower pressure and lower temperature system which drives the steam turbines that generate electricity. These steam generators were replaced very recently, are a redesign over the originals that lasted for more than twenty years, and failed after only a few months in service. There are a lot of questions about the need for and the execution of the redesign, which added only a trifling percent to the capacity. My sense is that a lot of stupidity was involved.
The media covering this story really should send people to cover it who have at least some knowledge of nuclear reactors, because they keep spouting nonsense. They say, for instance, that some of the steam generator tubes are “corroded,” and talk about the piping that “carries radioactive water.”
According to sources at San Onofre, the leaks are not caused by corrosion, but by vibration causing tubes to rub against each other and against supports within the structure. It seems this is the result of ill-advised design changes for the purpose of increasing heat exchange capacity.
And there is no “radioactive water” in a nuclear reactor, because water cannot become radioactive. The primary cooling loop in the pressurized water reactor design type is separate and at higher pressure so that the water may be kept at a higher temperature, which allows the reactor core to operate at a higher efficiency and temperature. If there are any impurities in that water, which is inevitable, those impurities will become radioactive, so that water does contain some small traces of radioactivity, but it is not “radioactive water” as such.
The implication of saying it the way the reporters do is that the water is separate because it is radioactive, but if that were so there would not be the “boiling water reactor” type, in which the water which cools the reactor is turned into steam that drives the turbines. There is nothing inherently dangerous in this design from a radioactivity standpoint, although there are other really severe drawbacks to it which should result in it being banned.
I realize this sounds like nitpicking, but when a reporter starts talking about “radioactive water” it creates a sense of danger which is simply not accurate. My support for the NRC and the nuclear industry has taken a bit of a hit from reading about the stupidity involved in the design changes in these steam generators and the NRC’s approval of those changes, but we don’t need to add to the anti-nuclear hype with inaccurate reporting.
At issue are not the reactors themselves, but the steam generators which transfer heat from the “primary cooling loop” of high pressure, high temperature reactor cooling water to the lower pressure and lower temperature system which drives the steam turbines that generate electricity. These steam generators were replaced very recently, are a redesign over the originals that lasted for more than twenty years, and failed after only a few months in service. There are a lot of questions about the need for and the execution of the redesign, which added only a trifling percent to the capacity. My sense is that a lot of stupidity was involved.
The media covering this story really should send people to cover it who have at least some knowledge of nuclear reactors, because they keep spouting nonsense. They say, for instance, that some of the steam generator tubes are “corroded,” and talk about the piping that “carries radioactive water.”
According to sources at San Onofre, the leaks are not caused by corrosion, but by vibration causing tubes to rub against each other and against supports within the structure. It seems this is the result of ill-advised design changes for the purpose of increasing heat exchange capacity.
And there is no “radioactive water” in a nuclear reactor, because water cannot become radioactive. The primary cooling loop in the pressurized water reactor design type is separate and at higher pressure so that the water may be kept at a higher temperature, which allows the reactor core to operate at a higher efficiency and temperature. If there are any impurities in that water, which is inevitable, those impurities will become radioactive, so that water does contain some small traces of radioactivity, but it is not “radioactive water” as such.
The implication of saying it the way the reporters do is that the water is separate because it is radioactive, but if that were so there would not be the “boiling water reactor” type, in which the water which cools the reactor is turned into steam that drives the turbines. There is nothing inherently dangerous in this design from a radioactivity standpoint, although there are other really severe drawbacks to it which should result in it being banned.
I realize this sounds like nitpicking, but when a reporter starts talking about “radioactive water” it creates a sense of danger which is simply not accurate. My support for the NRC and the nuclear industry has taken a bit of a hit from reading about the stupidity involved in the design changes in these steam generators and the NRC’s approval of those changes, but we don’t need to add to the anti-nuclear hype with inaccurate reporting.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
American Exceptionalism
Glenn Greenwald is considered by some to be, shall we say, a bit “shrill”
in his condemnation of some of the practices of the US justice system. I would say that passion in the pursuit of restoring the constitution is not a vice, but that's just me.
In discussing the plea that Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, is making to Ecuador for asylum, he says that Assange is not trying to avoid justice, he is trying to avoid the United States, and he makes some rather telling points. He speaks of having talked with numerous individuals who were once associated with WikiLeaks or who still are, and says that “many have said that they stopped even though they believe as much as ever in WikiLeaks’ transparency cause,” and continues that their reason was “fear: not fear that they would be charged with a crime by their own government, but out of fear that they would be turned over to the United States.”
He has pointed out the inhumane solitary confinement of Bradley Manning for over a year without any actual charges being brought, let alone conviction, which makes a person’s fear of being turned over to the United States seem like a pretty reasonable fear. It also does not really fill me with pride at being a citizen of the nation in question.
Can’t say it makes me want to rush to the polls and vote for Obama, either.
in his condemnation of some of the practices of the US justice system. I would say that passion in the pursuit of restoring the constitution is not a vice, but that's just me.
In discussing the plea that Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, is making to Ecuador for asylum, he says that Assange is not trying to avoid justice, he is trying to avoid the United States, and he makes some rather telling points. He speaks of having talked with numerous individuals who were once associated with WikiLeaks or who still are, and says that “many have said that they stopped even though they believe as much as ever in WikiLeaks’ transparency cause,” and continues that their reason was “fear: not fear that they would be charged with a crime by their own government, but out of fear that they would be turned over to the United States.”
He has pointed out the inhumane solitary confinement of Bradley Manning for over a year without any actual charges being brought, let alone conviction, which makes a person’s fear of being turned over to the United States seem like a pretty reasonable fear. It also does not really fill me with pride at being a citizen of the nation in question.
Can’t say it makes me want to rush to the polls and vote for Obama, either.
Full Circle
And so now we have come full circle, as President Obama cites executive priveledge in refusing to provide documents regarding a Justice Department foul up to a Congressional committee investigating that debacle. More and more this President is morphing from "Bush Light" to "Bush redux."
Economic Nonsense
Paul Krugman was on Rachel Maddow on Monday. She spoke for five minutes first, giving her own expert opinion on the economy, then she had Krugman on for four minutes and allowed him to talk for two minutes about his expertise on the economy. Her questions were longer than his answers and it was, to say the least, not very illuminating.
Mostly they talked about providing jobs for school teachers. I had the rather foolish impression that schools were for the purpose of educating children, but apparently I am behind the times, because these days schools have the primary purpose of providing jobs for teachers.
San Diego is facing budget cuts in the education system, and all of the talk is about “teachers facing layoffs.” When some funding was salvaged the headline was about how many “teachers’ jobs were saved.” There was never any discussion regarding the effect on the children attending the schools.
Anyway, Paul Krugman talked about 600,000 teachers being laid off and the effect on unemployment, and that if we could have saved those jobs, or if we could return those 600,000 teachers to work that “unemployment would be down around 7% and we would not have this depression.”
Seriously? We lost 14 million jobs since the beginning of this depression. The recovery, according to Obama, of 4.3 million jobs brought unemployment down just under two points, and 600,000 jobs is going to bring it down more than another full point?
Krugman and Maddow agreed that we should be adding more government jobs because “they are real jobs” and because government workers spend money and that “consumer spending” helps the overall economy. What neither of them considers is that the money that government workers are spending comes out of the pockets of non-government workers, which reduces those people’s ability to spend. If you take money out of one pocket and put it in a different pocket you have not increased your wealth.
But that’s the way modern economic theory works today. The solution to an economy which crashed due to excess debt is to borrow more money. Moving money from one place to another place creates wealth. Labeling bad debt as good debt restores a balance sheet to health. Endless bullshit and insanity.
Mostly they talked about providing jobs for school teachers. I had the rather foolish impression that schools were for the purpose of educating children, but apparently I am behind the times, because these days schools have the primary purpose of providing jobs for teachers.
San Diego is facing budget cuts in the education system, and all of the talk is about “teachers facing layoffs.” When some funding was salvaged the headline was about how many “teachers’ jobs were saved.” There was never any discussion regarding the effect on the children attending the schools.
Anyway, Paul Krugman talked about 600,000 teachers being laid off and the effect on unemployment, and that if we could have saved those jobs, or if we could return those 600,000 teachers to work that “unemployment would be down around 7% and we would not have this depression.”
Seriously? We lost 14 million jobs since the beginning of this depression. The recovery, according to Obama, of 4.3 million jobs brought unemployment down just under two points, and 600,000 jobs is going to bring it down more than another full point?
Krugman and Maddow agreed that we should be adding more government jobs because “they are real jobs” and because government workers spend money and that “consumer spending” helps the overall economy. What neither of them considers is that the money that government workers are spending comes out of the pockets of non-government workers, which reduces those people’s ability to spend. If you take money out of one pocket and put it in a different pocket you have not increased your wealth.
But that’s the way modern economic theory works today. The solution to an economy which crashed due to excess debt is to borrow more money. Moving money from one place to another place creates wealth. Labeling bad debt as good debt restores a balance sheet to health. Endless bullshit and insanity.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
4th of July Wreath
After seeing Landee's awesome wreath last year I just knew that I had to have one for myself! Check Landee's out at her blog Landee See, Landee Do. It was super simple to make and has endless possibilities! My sister and I both made one with the same supplies and used our own personal style and they both came out entirely different. We used styrofoam wreaths and small pins to hold the ribbon on so nothing is permanent, if you get sick of it you can remove everything and change it up! I'm thinkin I may have to make a similar one for Halloween. Luv it!
Now it's time for some inspiration!!
Of course I had to show of Landee's wreath!
Don't these look yummy! Check them out at Tidy Mom
I found these at An Altered State of Mind, these would be cute party favors.
Uh, yum. Theses are from the Noble Pig
I'm kinda thinkin I might be hungry right now because I'm posting all food pictures.
It's just that everything looks so yummy!
Check these strawberries out at Cupcakes Kisses 'n' Crumbs
My sister made these strawberries last year and they were really good!
Living Locurto, My kids would love these
I made these last year and they were a big hit! My advise to you is start looking for
blue jello before the 4th of July. I ended up going to 6 different stores last year on
a blue jello hunt. Check out Brown Eyed Baker for the recipe.
4th of July chalk at From Glitter to Gum Drops
she has a link where you can vote at the top of the blog post.
This list could just go on and on, there are so many creative idea's out there. I hope
you enjoy these few.
Happy 4th of July everyone!!
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