Posts Tagged “health care”
- President-elect Barack Obama will make his first-ever visit to the White House today when he meets privately with President Bush for the traditional first visit between America’s leader and his predecessor. Security will be particularly tight for the visit, as unconfirmed reports suggest Bush may try to escape and leave Obama in charge…
  One of the things the pair will certainly discuss is the nation’s economic woes, which today includes news of electronics giant Circuit City’s bankruptcy filing and the report of a record aid package to AIG–who already had received $80 million in federal loans. Obama may use the opportunity to press for an additional stimulus package, which Bush may agree to–just as long as it doesn’t mess with Cheney’s golden parachute package…- The newly-revised US-Iraq security pact no longer contains language that authorizes a request for US troops to stay beyond 2011, as well as additionally instituting a ban on cross-border attacks from their soil. My only question–how long will it take for another revision, begging us to stay until 2011…
- Markets in Asia soared in response to the news that China has implemented its own ambitious stiumulus package, boosting government spending on roads and other infrastructure, tax incentives for exporters, more aid for farmers and the poor, as well as greater investments in health and education, environmental protection and high technology. Premier Wen JiabaoW said that their actions, "are not only the needs of the development of ourselves, but also our biggest contribution to the world"–in other words, "maybe you won’t notice us taking Taiwan back"…
- A new study suggests that some headphones, like the earbuds so popular with iPod and other music player users, can interfere with heart pacemakers or implanted defibrulators if placed very close to them–like in a shirt pocket. Researchers caution that the danger is only from the powerful magnetic substance inside the headphones–a Nano in your pocket doesn’t mean you’re really glad to see the Maker…
 The latest update on the census of life under the sea, being compiled by over 2,000 scientists from 82 nations, has included a number of exciting discoveries–both of new varieties of sea life, as well as previously-unknown enviromments for some species. The photo is of a variety of male sea spider that is very possibly a newly discovered creature–and one that has absolutely no chance of landing on your face in the middle of the night…
Tags: AIG, Barack Obama, China, Circuit City, Financial meltdown, health care, Iraq, President Bush, White House
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- The Associated PressW reports that Barack ObamaW is leading in Ohio, Nevada, Colorado and Virginia–all states won by President Bush in 2004–and would assure him of victory if the trend continues. The John McCainW campaign continues to stress that victory is within reach–although they don’t really say by whom…
 Another day, another see-saw ride on Wall Street, as bargain-hunters helped the market to a near-900 point jump Tuesday which was met with gains in most Asian markets as well. This is just like the BOGO at Macy'sW, except that you’re buying a sweater that you don’t actually know if it will ever fit…- The Federal ReserveW is expected to cut a key interest rate a half-point to 1 percent–a near historic low that is seen as necessary to try and keep the nation from falling further into recession. Meanwhile my credit card company is trying to explain to me how, "to serve you better", they’re boosting my interest rate to 43%–a month…
- Reports from inside North KoreaW say that leader Kim Jong Il has suffered "a serious problem" with his health–a charge government officials continue to deny. They know the truth–it’s nothing more than the "serious problem" with his personality he’s had all his life…
- After just the second suspension of play in nearly 80 years of World SeriesW games Monday, the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays will try to finish Game 5 tonight–likely facing windchills around the mid-20 mark. I guess that means we won’t see the end of those adorable ear-flap caps–which I love, since it makes this collection of spoiled-brat multi-millionaires look just like the geeks they made fun of in high school…
 A new university study has found that cold sufferers–carrying a virus that can live as long as two days outside the body–are most likely to spread their germs on refrigerator handles and TV remotes. Obviously, this is the couch potato’s worst nightmare…
Tags: Barack Obama, Federal Reserve, health care, John McCain, Kim Jong Il, North Korea, Wall Street, World Series
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- Better news is coming from world markets that started the new week considerably brighter, with Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, South Korea and China all finishing with healthy increases and Eurpopean indicies showing good gains as well. The early news on Wall Street is encouraging as well–fewer brokers are on the ledges of downtown skyscrapers…
- After one of the worst weeks in Wall Street history, the White House is scrambling to get its unprecedented $700 billion economic recovery program up and running–which primarily means buying the bad assets that are at the heart of the current meltdown. Of course that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for your crappy subprime mortgage–it’s just that if you do default, it’ll be Uncle Sam left holding the bag instead of that sleazy mortgage company…
 The American Academy Of Pediatrics is now recommending that children from infants to teens get double the usually recommended amount of vitamin D–which would mean a daily intake of 4 cups of milk, far less than most kids get. There of course is a solution for this problem–serve ice cream at every meal…- John McCain said Sunday that he plans to "whip" Democratic opponent Barack Obama’s "you-know-what" in Wednesday’s final debate and promised more of his signature "straight talk" about the race. Then he asked when the Early Bird dinner started and if "that one" was gonna try and sneak in…
 The world of competitive eating has a new superstar–24-year-old Joey Chestnut, who claimed the hot-dog eating crown the last 2 years running, grabbed the pizza-eating crown Sunday in Times Square by gobbling 45 slices in just 10 minutes. Then if was off to a friend’s home for a delicious dinner–Joey downed 3 roasts, 15 pounds of potatoes, 4 apple pies and his hosts’ pet dog Ralphie in a half-hour…- Now that the Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex couples have the right to wed, opponents are counting on a ballot measure to force a constitutional convention–such a vote can only happen once every 20 years–as a means of rewriting the state’s charter to ban the unions. Of course, it runs the risk of further altering the constitution–such as forcing Fairfield County to pay a 90% income tax…
Tags: American Academy of Pediatrics, Barack Obama, Children, competitive eating, Connecticut, financial bailout, Financial meltdown, gay marriage, health care, John McCain, Wall Street, White House
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- As America’s credit crunch persists, the Federal Reserve announced Tuesday a plan to buy "commercial paper"–short-term financing used by many companies to fund their day-to-day operations for expenses like payrolls and office supplies–directly from eligible companies. I’m just hoping those "short-term" needs don’t include quick escapes by CEO’s who’s companies they’ve put in the tank…
- Tuesday’s second presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama could give McCain the edge, since the debate’s town-hall format favors him. The "town hall" approach, allowing questions from the audience as well as from viewers via the Internet, has played into McCain’s "Straight Talk" approach with potential voters–just as long as they don’t ask him to explain what "The Keating Five" and "Iran-Contra" mean…
 A Congressional hearing on the reasons for the nation’s recent financial crisis learned that the now-bankrupt Lehman Brothers was scrambling to arrange millions in bonuses for its top executives even while it was begging for federal help. But Lehman got no taxpayer money–maybe CEO Richard Fuld could have poinied up some of the almost $400 million the company had paid him since 2000…- New research has found that using a fan to circulate air in a baby’s room can reduce the risk of SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome–the still-mysterious condition that is fatal to otherwise healthy babies. Experts believe it relates to providing the right environment–keeping the infant on their back on a firm mattress, keeping toys and pillows out of the crib, making sure the room temperature isn’t too warm–and of course, avoiding any deliberate suffocation…
 John McCain’s campaign is feeling the heat from a report that links him to a key organization involved in the Reagan administration’s Iran-Contra fiasco–where arms were illegally sold to Iran to raise money for the ultra-conservative Contra rebellion in Nicaragua. McCain claims he left the group prior to Iran-Contra, but no one there remembers it happening. On top of the Obama campaign’s release of details of McCain’s involvement with The Keating Five during the savings-and-loan collapse 20 years ago, McCain may find that "Straight Talk" may do more harm than good…- Ford says it will introduce a new feature on several 2010 model cars that will permit parents to limit the speed a teen can drive to 80 mph. The company said they arrived at that number after taking into consideration freeway speeds from different states–but it does me no good in trying to keep my driveway limit under 50, does it?
Tags: Barack Obama, debate, Federal Reserve, Financial meltdown, Ford, health care, John McCain
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- With Senate passage late Wednesday of an expanded financial rescue package that includes tax breaks for both businesses and the middle class as well as added federal protection on bank deposits, the House will tackle a bill that may be more appealing to many members but is actually about $110 billion more costly. How many times have you decided that popular model was overpriced–until they added a bunch of goodies to it that you decided were "essential"?
 Tonight’s vice-presidential debate couldn’t be more crucial for Sarah Palin, who recent polls say is facing greater doubt from voters that she has the right experience to be president. Luckily for Joe Biden, it’s much simpler–he has to remember that this is a debate, not a filibuster…- Pediatricians are urging the FDA to ask for a voluntary recall of over-the-counter children’s cold medicines, saying there are too few benefits and too many risks not to seek more traditional remedies–rest and plenty of fluids. And I’m certain that all those manufacturers, with millions of dollars in now-worthless inventory, would wholeheartedly agree…
- A new AP poll shows that Barack Obama has increased his lead over John McCain to a 48-41 percent advantage, and some Republican strategists close to his campaign are privately worried that his chances for victory are fading. At this point, they see only two possibilities for a McCain win–either discover evidence that Obama is a KKK member, or we actually won the Vietnam War…
 The trial of OJ Simpson is nearly in the hands of the jury, as both sides have rested–without the testimony of Simpson, who faces armed robbery and kidnapping charges. His attorney knows that no matter what The Juice says, the jury will just hear, "I’m a murdering SOB who got away with it–ain’t it great?"
Tags: Barack Obama, Children, debate, FDA, financial bailout, health care, Joe Biden, John McCain, OJ Simpson, Sarah Palin
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