Friday, June 9, 2017 at 9:01AM It is amazing what the editing magicians do to interviews. Here is a sample of what NBC left on the cutting room floor with the interview with Putin.
Russia Thursday, June 8, 2017 at 3:00AM The whole subject of Russia is today driven by false narratives.
Russia Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at 3:00AM Clapper said it during last Sunday’s episode of Meet The Press on NBC, during a response to a question about Jared Kushner’s ties to Moscow. The Russians are “typically, almost genetically driven to co-opt, penetrate, gain favor, whatever” — was the exact quote.
There’s great irony in that comment by Clapper, with his own record of perjury, implying that an entire ethnicity can’t be trusted. So, of course, widespread outrage followed the blatantly xenophobic comment.
Nah, I’m only joking. No one actually noticed or cared. Chuck Todd, the interviewer, let the comment slide without even acknowledging.
Just when you thnk the Xenophopia will end, you read something like this.
Russia Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 3:00AM I don't watch much broadcast TV anymore. There are so many choices now. One of the shows highlighted in this montage of shows was one I watched. (Well, I watched several.) Back in the day, the question you asked yourself was not "What is worth watching?", but "What was the least offensive/bad?" Thus the comedy/variety show with two Japanese pop stars that did not speak English, Pink Lady, was certainly better than Dukes of Hazard. You can't imagine how bad comedy banter is with someone who does not speak English.
In retrospect, 20 years from now, what shows that you are watching right now will look this bad?
Friday, March 10, 2017 at 3:00AM The Republican repeal and replace is now available. Read it if you want, I won't bother, but I will give an overview. Naturally I will begin with how it will impact older Americans who are too young for Medicare. As I am 62 that is me. The New York Times tells us:
If the law is repealed, the groups say, people in their 50s and 60s could see premiums rise by $2,000 to $3,000 a year or more: increases of 20 percent to 25 percent or higher.
Under current rules, insurers cannot charge older adults more than three times what they charge young adults for the same coverage. House Republican leaders would allow a ratio of five to one — or more, if states choose.
A 20% increase! I really like the "or higher" part. For me this means a quite different health insurance plan for 2018. I have no choice. Later in the article there is one estimate that rates will double for someone my age. Where do they expect people to get this money?
There is also a reasonable chance that another change will lead to many more insurance companies to abandon the business. There will no longer be a penalty if someone does not buy insurance. Then if they get ill they can then buy insurance and only pay 30% in additional costs for that year. People are going to game the system and this will result in a lot higher costs for insurance companies, which will be passed on.
The first is more of a personal issue, one that I share with anyone over 55 or so. But the second undermines the whole concept of insurance and the whole financial stability of insurance companies. The proposed bill will make things worse.
There will be no reform of the basic health care problems we have. This pseudo-reform will makes things worse.
