"Newt and Bill, as 1960s generation self-promoters, share the same duplicity, ostentatious braininess, a propensity for endless scrapes with propriety and the law. They are tireless hustlers."
American Spectator
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Newt and Bill
"Newt and Bill, as 1960s generation self-promoters, share the same duplicity, ostentatious braininess, a propensity for endless scrapes with propriety and the law. They are tireless hustlers."
American Spectator
The generic candidate
According to a Fox News report this morning, Mitt Romney more closely resembles the "generic candidate" who can beat Barack Obama.
Good.
Dwindling oil supplies
"The impact of dwindling oil supplies on the economy is a persuasive
argument for shifting away from fossil fuels, write James Murray and
David King in a Comment piece in Nature this week."
An e-mail announcement from Nature Magazine
No surprise here. Restrict fossil fuels by not building refineries, don't allow deep water drilling leases and send the business to Brazil and stop pipelines and let Canada sell to China who can restrict our energy, and you have the perfect excuse (dwindling supplies) to dump more money both federal and private into alternative fuels. Thecrazy smart thing is, I think the same mega-conglomerates control both the fossil and the green fuel. Sort of like when the investors in railroads bought up the canal land, and then let the established canal system die.
Siemens Energy which has about 88,000 employees worldwide, generated total revenue of €25.5 billion and profit of €3.6 billion, uses the same phrase in its PR material--"dwindling oil supplies."
http://www.energy.siemens.com/entry/energy/hq/en/
argument for shifting away from fossil fuels, write James Murray and
David King in a Comment piece in Nature this week."
An e-mail announcement from Nature Magazine
No surprise here. Restrict fossil fuels by not building refineries, don't allow deep water drilling leases and send the business to Brazil and stop pipelines and let Canada sell to China who can restrict our energy, and you have the perfect excuse (dwindling supplies) to dump more money both federal and private into alternative fuels. The
Siemens Energy which has about 88,000 employees worldwide, generated total revenue of €25.5 billion and profit of €3.6 billion, uses the same phrase in its PR material--"dwindling oil supplies."
http://www.energy.siemens.com/entry/energy/hq/en/
Don't blame President Obama
1. The law schools were adrift before he was born. Jurists were substituting opinion and passion for knowledge and precedent before he was an implanted embryo in his unmarried, teenage mother's womb. Whether it’s the 9th circuit or the Supremes, don’t blame the President for the mess lawyers have made. He’s a “constitutional lawyer” who’s been taught only what his professors knew.
2. Don’t blame Obama or any of the Presidents since Wilson for the failures of American education. John Dewey who pioneered social outcome, progressive education was born over 100 years before Obama. Progressive education was incubated and thrived at America’s universities, and then was passed on into the general education system to meet social and political goals. That social goals are more important than math or science or even western civilization can‘t even be put at the feet of Presidents Bush, Clinton or Carter, who created the Department of Education, not even Eisenhower who ordered the schools desegregated, so don‘t lay that expensive, overfed turkey on Obama‘s plate.
3. Don’t blame the President for moral and ethical failures of the church and family. The churches, pulpits and Sunday Schools began buying into 19th century scholars at seminaries and universities challenging the truth, history and moral teachings of the Bible well over 100 years before his grandparents who raised him became agnostics and Jim Wallis‘ grandparents were probably still Bible thumpers. And those academicians and theologians were pointing back to theories and challenges centuries before them cooked up by Germans.
4. You can give him credit for the rise of the Tea Party movement--but even most of that credit goes to Glenn Beck and the Libertarians who birthed it and are now struggling over who’s going to raise the mischievous active toddler. With the infusion of the youth of the Libertarian party, the average age of a Tea Party group (there is no actual political party) is dropping a bit. But it did have a lot of appeal for my generation. People raised during the 1950s have a clearer view (although part fairy tale in my opinion) of the 1950s and pre-Vietnam 60s than they do what they had for lunch yesterday. When they heard candidate Obama talk in 2008 about “fundamentally transforming society” or “transferring wealth,” they had enough time in retirement to reflect on just where the trillions on social engineering since LBJ’s War on Poverty went. Younger business people paid attention too, so that after July 2008 they virtually stopped investing and hiring for expansion. Would more never be enough? And it was a recession, those born in the 30s and 40s were retired, and had time to attend town halls, rallies, and participate in social media. The Tea Party is grass roots. It will evolve and become more main stream. But right now it’s the only American political movement with any blood, guts and brains.
2. Don’t blame Obama or any of the Presidents since Wilson for the failures of American education. John Dewey who pioneered social outcome, progressive education was born over 100 years before Obama. Progressive education was incubated and thrived at America’s universities, and then was passed on into the general education system to meet social and political goals. That social goals are more important than math or science or even western civilization can‘t even be put at the feet of Presidents Bush, Clinton or Carter, who created the Department of Education, not even Eisenhower who ordered the schools desegregated, so don‘t lay that expensive, overfed turkey on Obama‘s plate.
3. Don’t blame the President for moral and ethical failures of the church and family. The churches, pulpits and Sunday Schools began buying into 19th century scholars at seminaries and universities challenging the truth, history and moral teachings of the Bible well over 100 years before his grandparents who raised him became agnostics and Jim Wallis‘ grandparents were probably still Bible thumpers. And those academicians and theologians were pointing back to theories and challenges centuries before them cooked up by Germans.
4. You can give him credit for the rise of the Tea Party movement--but even most of that credit goes to Glenn Beck and the Libertarians who birthed it and are now struggling over who’s going to raise the mischievous active toddler. With the infusion of the youth of the Libertarian party, the average age of a Tea Party group (there is no actual political party) is dropping a bit. But it did have a lot of appeal for my generation. People raised during the 1950s have a clearer view (although part fairy tale in my opinion) of the 1950s and pre-Vietnam 60s than they do what they had for lunch yesterday. When they heard candidate Obama talk in 2008 about “fundamentally transforming society” or “transferring wealth,” they had enough time in retirement to reflect on just where the trillions on social engineering since LBJ’s War on Poverty went. Younger business people paid attention too, so that after July 2008 they virtually stopped investing and hiring for expansion. Would more never be enough? And it was a recession, those born in the 30s and 40s were retired, and had time to attend town halls, rallies, and participate in social media. The Tea Party is grass roots. It will evolve and become more main stream. But right now it’s the only American political movement with any blood, guts and brains.
The cost of the stimulus
"Last week, President Barack Obama refused to allow private citizens to spend $7 billion improving America's energy infrastructure. Three years ago, he insisted that taxpayers spend more than 100 times that amount on an outlay that also addressed the nation's energy needs, among other goals. But while the Keystone XL pipeline that Mr. Obama rejected was certain to deliver a product that people want, the benefits of the president's 2009 stimulus program are harder to discern.
Sold as a way to create jobs while building infrastructure and an environmentally sensitive economy, the stimulus plan was drafted in haste by Democrats in Congress and then signed by Mr. Obama on Feb. 17, 2009. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was priced at $787 billion when enacted; the official estimate is now more than $800 billion."
From the WSJ book review of "Money Well Spent?"
Sold as a way to create jobs while building infrastructure and an environmentally sensitive economy, the stimulus plan was drafted in haste by Democrats in Congress and then signed by Mr. Obama on Feb. 17, 2009. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was priced at $787 billion when enacted; the official estimate is now more than $800 billion."
From the WSJ book review of "Money Well Spent?"
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
This sounds really scary!
Using a person's social network information instead of a resume? Based on the remarks, jokes, and opinions I've seen on blogs, Twitter and Facebook, some people ought to be more cautious about building a different profile! And that list of friends? And family? The future employer just might decide the person is too social, or not social enough and not even know she might be in a book club, or volunteer at a hospital, or belong to a bowling league, and therefore doesn't socialize on-line.
Companies are increasingly relying on social networks such as LinkedIn, video profiles and online quizzes to gauge candidates' suitability for a job. While most still request a résumé as part of the application package, some are bypassing the staid requirement altogether.The world of technology is just getting too strange and scary. I just learned today that even if your cell phone is "off" you are being tracked. Also, if you have any sensitive financial or political data, do not keep it on a computer that is hooked to the internet.
A résumé doesn't provide much depth about a candidate, says Christina Cacioppo, an associate at Union Square Ventures who blogs about the hiring process on the company's website and was herself hired after she compiled a profile comprising her personal blog, Twitter feed, LinkedIn profile, and links to social-media sites Delicious and Dopplr, which showed places where she had traveled.
Insofar as tracking phones, if you believe yourself or the person you are with is a target worth tracking, and that the opponent has the ability, best is to not carry any phone. Smartphone or not. The phone is constantly tracked by the company. Your travel habits can be mapped retroactively or in realtime. Think of the cell phone as a strobe light that's always blinking. We can't see them blinking, but the phone company can.
Insofar as smartphones, iPhones for instance have a battery that cannot be removed. With a BlackBerry you can pop off the back and take out the battery. When I was with certain units on the Iraq/Iran border, everyone with a phone was to take out the battery. An officer said that if you leave the battery in, you can practically watch it drain as the Iranians ping the phone. If they see thirty phones travelling together in a remote area on their border, they likely would take notice. But imagine ten people have phones. If one guy doesn't take out the battery, that's enough to track the unit and even hit you across the border with rockets, artillery or an airstrike. Michael Yon, Iraq war reporter
John Stossel's State of the Union
I watched a replay of Stossel's program of last night while riding my exercyle this afternoon--after the State of the Union. The blueprint idea really resonated--I've got a little experience with that. I know what goes into it before the stamp, and that it can't be changed or products substituted without the architect's approval. An economy can't run by a blueprint (no one uses blue these days, either). . . that called "central planning" in socialist countries.
Has Barack Obama learned nothing in three years? During his State of the Union address, he promised "a blueprint for an economy." But economies are crushed by blueprints. An economy is really nothing more than people participating in an unfathomably complex spontaneous network of exchanges aimed at improving their material circumstances. It can't even be diagrammed, much less planned. And any attempt at it will come to grief.The rest of it here, The real state of the union by John Stossel
Politicians like Obama believe they are the best judges of how we should conduct our lives. Of course a word like "blueprint" would occur to the president. He, like most who want his job, aspires to be the architect of a new society.
But we who love our lives and our freedom say: No, thanks. We need no social architect. We need liberty under law. That's it.
How the left sees the EPA economy killing regulations--it's really Bush's fault
Not only is it Bush's fault, but also Gingrich's--just in case he's the candidate Obama needs to run against.
What’s happened under Obama is that green drift has become a green sprint; his [Environmental Protection Agency] EPA’s schedule is, comparatively speaking, incredibly aggressive. This isn’t because Obama is a government-loving socialist; it’s because of two factors that played out before he even took office.Washington Monthly
First, the Bush administration spent eight years slowwalking scientific review and cranking out rules too weak or ill-formed to withstand judicial scrutiny. In cases where the Bush EPA’s rules were challenged in federal court, the agency’s decisions were rejected in whole or in part eighteen out of twenty-seven times. That left an enormous backlog of court-mandated work for the EPA under Obama—more than any sane president would want, given the choice.
Second, there was a turning point in 2007: the Supreme Court ruled that carbon dioxide, as long as it can be shown to “endanger public health or welfare,” qualifies as a pollutant within the EPA’s purview. The agency then conducted an “endangerment finding,” consulting the latest science, and determined that, yes, climate change is a threat. It e-mailed the results to the Bush administration’s Office of Management and Budget, which promptly … refused to open the e-mail. (Really.) That left the task of developing the first-ever regulations on CO2 to Obama’s EPA chief, Lisa Jackson.
The pace of rule making combined with the extension of the rules to greenhouse gases has given conservatives the “regulatory overreach” story they need to declare war, not only on the individual rules coming out of the EPA, but on the agency’s ability to implement rules at all.
This is not the first time a Congress full of hotheaded freshmen has gone after the EPA. When Newt Gingrich rode to power in the Republican Revolution of 1994, he made the agency one of his first targets. However, as National Journal’s Ron Brownstein recounted in a recent column, Gingrich’s efforts quickly died out as more and more moderate Republicans turned against him. Back then, it was seen as politically dangerous to be pro-pollution.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Obama is lying to you about GM
The Obama administration, and its media backers, have seized upon news that General Motors made a $3.2 billion profit in the first quarter of 2011 as proof positive that its auto bailout is a success. President Obama is so buoyed that he is reportedly planning to make the bailout a major part of his reelection campaign. . .
For starters, included in the $3.2 billion figure is the net $1.5 billion that the company generated from the one-time sale of Delphi, its auto parts supplier, and Ally Financial, its financial arm. Subtract that, and its performance looks much less impressive, especially compared to its rival Ford that really didn’t receive a dime from taxpayers yet made $2.6 billion last quarter—or nearly a billion more than GM. . .
GM got Uncle Sam’s special bankruptcy package that allows it write off up to $45 billion of old losses going forward. That puts its total bailout at up to $75 billion. Even that’s not all. The Treasury gave GM $10 billion of the $60 billion as a loan; the rest was through the purchase of equity.
The equity means two things: 1) GM has zero interest payments. Ford, by contrast, had to pay $251 million in debt-service costs. Despite this, GM’s real per vehicle margin was over $1,000 less than Ford’s, thanks to the heavy incentives it was forced to give buyers. 2) Taxpayers have no guaranteed return as they would have with a loan. Therefore, market valuation of GM’s stock will determine what they will recover. They got back $20 billion when the Treasury sold half of its equity when GM floated its first post-bankruptcy IPO in December. But that still leaves a $30 billion shortfall (excluding the $45 billion tax break). . . GM’s labor costs are still too high . . . But United Auto Workers President Bob King has declared that workers have already sacrificed enough to keep GM solvent and now expect givebacks.
General Motors will never repay taxpayers
For starters, included in the $3.2 billion figure is the net $1.5 billion that the company generated from the one-time sale of Delphi, its auto parts supplier, and Ally Financial, its financial arm. Subtract that, and its performance looks much less impressive, especially compared to its rival Ford that really didn’t receive a dime from taxpayers yet made $2.6 billion last quarter—or nearly a billion more than GM. . .
GM got Uncle Sam’s special bankruptcy package that allows it write off up to $45 billion of old losses going forward. That puts its total bailout at up to $75 billion. Even that’s not all. The Treasury gave GM $10 billion of the $60 billion as a loan; the rest was through the purchase of equity.
The equity means two things: 1) GM has zero interest payments. Ford, by contrast, had to pay $251 million in debt-service costs. Despite this, GM’s real per vehicle margin was over $1,000 less than Ford’s, thanks to the heavy incentives it was forced to give buyers. 2) Taxpayers have no guaranteed return as they would have with a loan. Therefore, market valuation of GM’s stock will determine what they will recover. They got back $20 billion when the Treasury sold half of its equity when GM floated its first post-bankruptcy IPO in December. But that still leaves a $30 billion shortfall (excluding the $45 billion tax break). . . GM’s labor costs are still too high . . . But United Auto Workers President Bob King has declared that workers have already sacrificed enough to keep GM solvent and now expect givebacks.
General Motors will never repay taxpayers
Today's new word--Retrocommission
If the Congress is going to find out about "retro-commissioning" we'd better know what it is because that means it will cost us money, right?
I'd never heard of retro-commissioning, so here's what I found on the internet, but it sure sounds like building maintenance to me.
Commissioning of existing buildings or “retrocommissioning,” is a systematic process applied to existing buildings for identifying and implementing operational and maintenance improvements and for ensuring their continued performance over time. Retrocommissioning assures system functionality. It is an inclusive and systematic process that intends not only to optimize how equipment and systems operate, but also to optimize how the systems function together. Although retrocommissioning may include recommendations for capital improvements, the primary focus is on using O&M tune-up activities and diagnostic testing to optimize the building systems. Retrocommissioning is not a substitute for major repair work. Repairing major problems is a must before retrocommissioning can be fully completed.
“In a climate of escalating utility costs and increasing operating budget pressures, building owners are seeking ways for energy and operational savings to be realized. It is through the process of retro-commissioning that untapped savings potential is achieved while creating a high return-on-investment, and improving building performance.”
Briefing for House of Representatives, March 15, 2011, ASHRAE
I'd never heard of retro-commissioning, so here's what I found on the internet, but it sure sounds like building maintenance to me.
Commissioning of existing buildings or “retrocommissioning,” is a systematic process applied to existing buildings for identifying and implementing operational and maintenance improvements and for ensuring their continued performance over time. Retrocommissioning assures system functionality. It is an inclusive and systematic process that intends not only to optimize how equipment and systems operate, but also to optimize how the systems function together. Although retrocommissioning may include recommendations for capital improvements, the primary focus is on using O&M tune-up activities and diagnostic testing to optimize the building systems. Retrocommissioning is not a substitute for major repair work. Repairing major problems is a must before retrocommissioning can be fully completed.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Hayek on Keynes (1978)
The author of "Road to Serfdom" F. A. Hayek talking about Keynes.
I got the book "Road to Serfdom" for Christmas, but haven't read it yet.
I got the book "Road to Serfdom" for Christmas, but haven't read it yet.
March for Life--January 23, 2012
This morning I listened to an inspiring Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine in DC on EWTV radio, locally on 820 a.m. where it's packed with Marchers for Life, after an all night prayer vigil. Beautiful music and homily, scripture and liturgy. The reporters said at least half of the marchers they've seen are under 35, with bus loads of junior and senior high school students. Weather was mild in the morning; estimate about 400,000. ABC covered at length a few days ago some Occupiers being evicted from a Presbyterian church in New York because a few were stealing, urinating and trashing the place. Wonder if they'll talk to a Marcher for Life or just a protester standing around?
Mid-morning on the way home from exercise class, I heard the cheering and yelling at Verizon Center where the young people are meeting. A bittersweet moment--commemorating and memorializing their lost peers, but supporting each other in the movement with typical youthful enthusiasm. One girl said she'd been on the bus for 33 hours.
This afternoon I watched a steady stream of Republican Congressmen and women (my husband says he did see at least one Democrat) stand before thousands in the rain in Washington and declare their support for life, each had about 30 seconds and boy did they make it count. No notes or teleprompter. Rep. West of Florida was inspiring--they all were. He read from the Bible, and quoted Reagan. Frankly, I'd never heard a group of politicians speak so inspiringly about God, country and life. If you missed it, I hope it shows up somewhere on YouTube, because it sure won't be on the news. I was in tears when Terry Schaivo's brothers came forward to speak for the dying and disabled.
There was a firey black pastor from Maryland who closed with comments (a sermon, really) and prayer with members of his family and congregation beside him. He got so emotional, I thought he'd have a heart attack. He called for defeating Obama in November, detailed the geneocide of blacks, said the President has spent more time with/on Planned Parenthood than any issue of importance to blacks. "They are lying and we are dying." "They have stolen our children, stolen our future," he screamed using aliteration. He quoted MLK, the Bible, called the present administration "hirelings for murder." I doubt a white man could have gotten away with it. He called out Obama, Jesse Jackson, the Black Caucus, and the entire Democratic party--held them responsible for the deaths of so many children, particularly black children, and the destruction of our country.
Mid-morning on the way home from exercise class, I heard the cheering and yelling at Verizon Center where the young people are meeting. A bittersweet moment--commemorating and memorializing their lost peers, but supporting each other in the movement with typical youthful enthusiasm. One girl said she'd been on the bus for 33 hours.
This afternoon I watched a steady stream of Republican Congressmen and women (my husband says he did see at least one Democrat) stand before thousands in the rain in Washington and declare their support for life, each had about 30 seconds and boy did they make it count. No notes or teleprompter. Rep. West of Florida was inspiring--they all were. He read from the Bible, and quoted Reagan. Frankly, I'd never heard a group of politicians speak so inspiringly about God, country and life. If you missed it, I hope it shows up somewhere on YouTube, because it sure won't be on the news. I was in tears when Terry Schaivo's brothers came forward to speak for the dying and disabled.
There was a firey black pastor from Maryland who closed with comments (a sermon, really) and prayer with members of his family and congregation beside him. He got so emotional, I thought he'd have a heart attack. He called for defeating Obama in November, detailed the geneocide of blacks, said the President has spent more time with/on Planned Parenthood than any issue of importance to blacks. "They are lying and we are dying." "They have stolen our children, stolen our future," he screamed using aliteration. He quoted MLK, the Bible, called the present administration "hirelings for murder." I doubt a white man could have gotten away with it. He called out Obama, Jesse Jackson, the Black Caucus, and the entire Democratic party--held them responsible for the deaths of so many children, particularly black children, and the destruction of our country.
WHFoods: 5-Minute Kale
I can't imagine why you'd need a recipe for steamed kale, but here it is. I just put a little olive oil in a skillet, chop up some onions, and peppers red or yellow if I have them, and drop in washed and chopped or torn kale.
WHFoods: 5-Minute Kale
Kale is increasingly gaining notoriety as a superfood — and for good reason. It's packed with pro-vitamin A & C, is also rich in potassium, calcium, and phytonutrients, and is bursting with antioxidant properties . . . A one cup serving of cooked kale contains a whopping 192% of the daily value (DV) for provitamin A, 89% DV for vitamin C and 27% DV for manganese — and all of this for only 34 calories!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Who will employ these college graduates?
These numbers don't look good. Apparently a lot of students go to college just to keep the professors employed, because they aren't finding jobs in their fields. According to Alexander Tabbarok we are graduating too many in the humanities and not enough in the sciences to maintain a sound economy. Hmm. Maybe this is an area where "free markets" and "choice" aren't working?
In 2009 the U.S. graduated 37,994 students with bachelor’s degrees in computer and information science, less than 25 years ago; 2,480 students with bachelor’s degrees in microbiology—about the same number as 25 years ago; 5,036 chemical engineers in 2009, no more than we did 25 years ago. In mathematics and statistics there were 15,496 graduates in 2009, slightly more than the 15,009 graduates of 1985.
In 2009 the U.S. graduated 89,140 students in the visual and performing arts, more than in computer science, math and chemical engineering combined and more than double the number of visual and performing arts graduates in 1985, and 95,000 students a year in psychology, more than double the number of 25 years ago and far in excess of the number of available jobs. And everyone knows what is happening with the print media, but journalism and communications graduates have doubled since 1985!
In 2009 the U.S. graduated 37,994 students with bachelor’s degrees in computer and information science, less than 25 years ago; 2,480 students with bachelor’s degrees in microbiology—about the same number as 25 years ago; 5,036 chemical engineers in 2009, no more than we did 25 years ago. In mathematics and statistics there were 15,496 graduates in 2009, slightly more than the 15,009 graduates of 1985.
In 2009 the U.S. graduated 89,140 students in the visual and performing arts, more than in computer science, math and chemical engineering combined and more than double the number of visual and performing arts graduates in 1985, and 95,000 students a year in psychology, more than double the number of 25 years ago and far in excess of the number of available jobs. And everyone knows what is happening with the print media, but journalism and communications graduates have doubled since 1985!
Debbie Wasserman Schultz blames the Tea Party, but denies it
What do you think? She mentions incivility, Gabby Gifford, and the Tea Party all in one statement. And this is what she calls "toning down" the rhetoric? Yes, Misinformation, you did it very cleverly. She doesn't blame the Occupiers for being uncivil in hundreds of cities even though they confiscated private property, assaulted people, burned neighborhoods and screamed at the press. When did this happen with the Tea Party, Misinformation? The Tea Party is grass roots, and in fact, it isn't even a party in the sense of the Republicans or Democrats. They are, however, a threat to the power structure of both parties, so her method of incivility is to demean their behavior and patriotism. Everyone knows the political climate had nothing to do with the Gifford shooting, but Obama did use the memorial/funeral event for the other victims to launch his 2012 campaign.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: The American people are losing faith in Congress. [inaudible] because of the lack of civility. What do you think can be done to bring that faith back and then we can start thinking that they're doing their job instead of just fighting with each other?Actually, Congress isn't showing a lack of civility--the members go out and have a beer together or attend parties together. The Democrats didn't approve Obama's budget buster. Is that uncivil? Republicans wanted the pipeline, and so did the Democrat unions. Are they being uncivil, or are the DOING THEIR JOB?
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Well, as someone who spent 19 years as a member of a legislative body, I really agree with you, that we need to make sure that we tone things down, particularly in light of the Tucson tragedy from a year ago where my very good friend, Gabby Giffords, who is doing really well by the way, and I know everybody is so thrilled, as I am, to hear that, making tremendous progress.
But the discourse in America, the discourse in Congress in particular, to answer your question, very specifically, has really changed.
And I'll tell you, I hesitate to place blame, but I have noticed it take a very precipitous turn towards edginess and a lack of civility with the growth of the Tea Party movement.
After the 2010 elections, when you had the Tea Party elect a whole lot of their supporters to the United States House of Representatives and you had town hall meetings that they tried to take over and you saw some of their conduct at those town hall meetings, you know, in the time that I've been in my state legislature and in Congress, I've never seen a time that was more divisive or where discourse was less civil.
How we got HITECH folded into the Stimulus Bill
Abstract from New England Journal of Medicine, Dec. 15, 2011, "Wiring the Health System--Origins and Provisions of a new federal Program, pt. 1, David Blumental, MD
According to the article, which goes on for pages and has voluminous footnotes, there were only TWO arguments in favor of this program:
1) the conviction (i.e., no facts, no data, no research) that information technology could improve health and health care
2) a need for the government to remedy the perceived but unproven problems inhibiting the spread of health information technology
Looking further for statistics on why this was needed, I found in Blumenthal's puff piece a number of additional arguments for HITECH based on nothing more than intuition, lack of statistics, and a hunger of government officials for more or more.
3) it was “intuitive.” How’s that for hard evidence?
4) the lack of what they wanted--only 17% of physicians and 12% of hospitals had fully functioning electronic health records. (Wow! what a bonanza for the IT industry and its lobbyists!)
5) We already had the most expensive system without IT, and Europe had health IT, so if we heaped this cost on top of that, we could have a “fundamental technological breakthrough.”
6) It would be a benefit to “policy makers” (that means DC law makers) and
7) the “implied” need could improve care if information were shared, and paper records are difficult to share.
8) There was some empirical evidence from the Veterans Administration System and the Kaiser Permanent Health Plan (a tiny puddle in the overall sea of health records) for treating chronic illnesses.
9) The National Institutes of Health (a government agency) wanted it.
Just as the reasons HITECH was necessary to rush through in the stimulus bill in 2009 (to help the economy) were as fragile as a butterfly's wings and its movement of air, so the reasons not to do it were much more substantial.
1) economic--no reward for improved efficiency in medicine--except to patients and insurers--which in government talk means the markets have failed.
2) logistical and technical--it is so complex, that obviously the government needs to step in to help overcome this barrier.
3) the ability to do this is "underdeveloped," so therefore this huge challenge requires something even more huge--the federal government
4) privacy and security of records--no solution is even offered for this one except noting the health record industry is not currently regulated, so you know where they're going with that one.
Wiring the Health System — Origins and Provisions of a New Federal Program
Clever terms only a doctor on the government payroll (Blumenthal was national coordinator) could use:
In February 2009, the U.S. government launched an unprecedented effort to reengineer the way the country collects, stores, and uses health information. This effort was embodied in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which was part of a much larger piece of legislation, the so-called stimulus bill. The purpose of the stimulus bill, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), was to stimulate the economy and prevent one of the worst economic recessions in modern history from becoming a full-fledged depression. Congress and the Obama administration took advantage of the crisis to enact programs that might spur short-term economic growth as well as promote scientific and technical advances with potential long-term benefits for the American people. In the health field, one such program involved a commitment to digitizing the U.S. health information system. The HITECH Act set aside up to $29 billion over 10 years to support the adoption and “meaningful use” of electronic health records (EHRs) (i.e., use intended to improve health and health care) and other types of health information technology.
According to the article, which goes on for pages and has voluminous footnotes, there were only TWO arguments in favor of this program:
1) the conviction (i.e., no facts, no data, no research) that information technology could improve health and health care
2) a need for the government to remedy the perceived but unproven problems inhibiting the spread of health information technology
Looking further for statistics on why this was needed, I found in Blumenthal's puff piece a number of additional arguments for HITECH based on nothing more than intuition, lack of statistics, and a hunger of government officials for more or more.
3) it was “intuitive.” How’s that for hard evidence?
4) the lack of what they wanted--only 17% of physicians and 12% of hospitals had fully functioning electronic health records. (Wow! what a bonanza for the IT industry and its lobbyists!)
5) We already had the most expensive system without IT, and Europe had health IT, so if we heaped this cost on top of that, we could have a “fundamental technological breakthrough.”
6) It would be a benefit to “policy makers” (that means DC law makers) and
7) the “implied” need could improve care if information were shared, and paper records are difficult to share.
8) There was some empirical evidence from the Veterans Administration System and the Kaiser Permanent Health Plan (a tiny puddle in the overall sea of health records) for treating chronic illnesses.
9) The National Institutes of Health (a government agency) wanted it.
Just as the reasons HITECH was necessary to rush through in the stimulus bill in 2009 (to help the economy) were as fragile as a butterfly's wings and its movement of air, so the reasons not to do it were much more substantial.
1) economic--no reward for improved efficiency in medicine--except to patients and insurers--which in government talk means the markets have failed.
2) logistical and technical--it is so complex, that obviously the government needs to step in to help overcome this barrier.
3) the ability to do this is "underdeveloped," so therefore this huge challenge requires something even more huge--the federal government
4) privacy and security of records--no solution is even offered for this one except noting the health record industry is not currently regulated, so you know where they're going with that one.
Wiring the Health System — Origins and Provisions of a New Federal Program
Clever terms only a doctor on the government payroll (Blumenthal was national coordinator) could use:
- "meaningful use" of electronic health records
- meaningful use was a new idea with no precedent in law, policy, or the health care literature
- multiple major new regulations with far-reaching impact with a short deadline
- new programs had to be created from whole cloth (his exact words, folks!)
- targeted public investments
- encourage millions of health professionals and institutions to adopt and use
- justified intervention
- create the need for government remedies
- intuitive rationale
- experts agreed
- policy makers need
- bunches of vague statistics about quality, doctors, sharing information
making available $27 billion
- federal government is correcting market failures
- EHR can create huge databases for local, national and international research
- If left to their own choices/devices providers would "never use them efficiently"
- Congress incentivized, with secretary of HHS allowed to define "meaningful use"
create an opportunity
- the gov't dept charged with all the regulations for HITECH had never drafted a regulation or run a technical assistance or training program and had only 35 employees, so obviously the first job creation of ARRA was to add government staff!
Rabid news reporters
Last night in clicking through the channels I paused long enough to hear a female black (probably Democrat) commentator refer to the “rabid Tea Party.” No bias there. The audience had probably cheered a candidate as they are inclined to do at political events. Were Democrats "rabid" when they cheered Obama for singing 7 words of an Al Green song the other day? It's gone viral.
Tea Party members assemble peacefully, maybe they sing a hymn or patriotic song, listen to an Old Testament scripture or say the Pledge of Allegiance. They pay rent for the space they use (they don't just occupy it illegally) and clean it up. They invite candidates to speak on local and national issues--library, schools, water rights, zoning--they sponsor workshops, book clubs, and discussion groups. They are, in my opinion, the grass roots, town hall example of how to be an informed voter and good citizen. On the other hand, both political parties have arcane, obscure rules for even getting on a committee—no newcomer can hope to break through or have an influence.
So who is being rabid—that woman or the Tea Party?
Tea Party members assemble peacefully, maybe they sing a hymn or patriotic song, listen to an Old Testament scripture or say the Pledge of Allegiance. They pay rent for the space they use (they don't just occupy it illegally) and clean it up. They invite candidates to speak on local and national issues--library, schools, water rights, zoning--they sponsor workshops, book clubs, and discussion groups. They are, in my opinion, the grass roots, town hall example of how to be an informed voter and good citizen. On the other hand, both political parties have arcane, obscure rules for even getting on a committee—no newcomer can hope to break through or have an influence.
So who is being rabid—that woman or the Tea Party?
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Botswana style.
I've mentioned Lutheran Bible Translators before. We've supported them financially for many years. I really enjoy following the activities and accomplishments of the missionaries. Guess I never thought that they might get hungry for pizza, Chicago style. Eshinee is Canadian born, but grew up in Seattle, and got hungry for pizza while serving in Botswana. She created a sauce, dropped dumplings into it, and covered it with cheese. Found it very satisfying!
Her recipe for Botswana/Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.
I've mentioned Lutheran Bible Translators before. We've supported them financially for many years. I really enjoy following the activities and accomplishments of the missionaries. Guess I never thought that they might get hungry for pizza, Chicago style. Eshinee is Canadian born, but grew up in Seattle, and got hungry for pizza while serving in Botswana. She created a sauce, dropped dumplings into it, and covered it with cheese. Found it very satisfying!
Her recipe for Botswana/Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Pot calls the Kettle black
"I think the disruptive, vicious, negative nature of the news media makes it harder to govern this country," Gingrich fumed at the debate moderator, John King of CNN. "I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that." (South Carolina debate in which Newt's smarmy behavior was the first question). Reminds me of Obama blaming Bush for his bad governing. Sorry, Newt, you can't deflect the adultery of your and Callista by criticizing a reporter doing his job.
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