First Looks category archive
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
Just like my neighbor.
There may be some signs of improvement that it could have been much worse.
This dovetailed well into a Federal Reserve report on manufacturing in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic area, where activity contracted in June for the ninth consecutive month but much less severely than anticipated and far less than the previous month.
Surprise, Surprise. 0
Racism turns a lot of persons off:
Twice this week Republican activists have apologized for racist humor.
What astounds me is that, after over half a century of the Civil Rights struggle, some white folks still haven’t figured out what kinds of words hurt other persons.
This is not an issue of “political correctness.” This is an issue of rude and bigoted behavior.
Bigotry is evil. Rudeness is, well, rude.
I say, “Keep it up, Republicans.” The better persons of good will know you, the less they like you.
Break Time 0
Off to drink liberally.
Flag Day 0
The local rag had an interesting article on a local man who collects old American flags. Very old American flags.
It makes good Flag Day reading. A nugget:
The result, in an age before mass communication and mass production, was that seamstresses and flag-makers invented their own odd, often outlandish interpretations.
Some covered half the flag in blue. Others set the stripes vertically. Some put the stars on the stripes. Some added eagles, shields, or political slogans, because, after all, there was no rule against it – and no efficient means to compare one design to another.
Words Have Meaning 0
Winston Pickett, writing at the Guardian, on myths about those who commit crimes of hate.
A nugget:
End the politics of hate. Disavow those who feed the hate.
Twits on Twitter 0
Details here. A couple of days old, but still relevant.
Traditional Marriage Reprise 0
Dick Polman (emphasis added):
New Hampshire became the sixth state to legalize gay marriage, but we should at least pause to note the significance of this news. New Hampshire is a former Republican bastion – or, as we used to say a generation ago, “a rock-ribbed” Republican bastion – that has now become a swing state dominated by its burgeoning population of independent voters. Increasingly, New Hampshire’s elected leaders act in ways that mirror the mood of those independent voters.
Like I said, “Done deal.”
Historiography 0
DougJ asks for readers to explain to him the conservative view of the Renaissance.
Follow the link. Read the responses.
We Need Single Payer 0
The chain, which also operates as Happy Harry’s in Delaware, said it will drop out of the state-federal health insurance program for low-income people as of July 6. The chain has 66 Delaware locations, the most of any pharmacy chain in the state.
Not taking a stand on this particular contretemps–follow the link for an article that sets out the arguments of both the state and Walgreens, the issue here is really something else.
Both federal and state governments have been attacking their budgetary costs for medical aid at the wrong end, by limiting payments to doctors, hospitals, drugstores, and other providers.
The issue is at the other end, where the care starts, not where it ends, with a system that pushes the costs for doctors and drugstores and nurses and so on much higher than it needs to be. The University of Maine reports the following (PDF–click on the excerpt for the full report; it’s chock full of facts):
It’s not the cost of doctors and nurses and pharmicists that’s outrageous. It’s the cost of admininistrators, particularly “insurance” administrators, and prescription drugs (PDF) that are out of control. Reducing payments to doctors, nurses, and pharmacists mops up the blood without stopping the bleeding.
Scary 0
Fanaticism is a frightening thing, for it clothes itself in righteousness.
And, armed, it is even more frightening.
Twits on Twitter 0
Tony LaRussa sues Twitter.
From ESPN:
The account bearing La Russa’s name is no longer active. The lawsuit includes a screen shot of three tweets. One posted on April 19 said: “Lost 2 out of 3, but we made it out of Chicago without one drunk driving incident or dead pitcher.”