Posted on October 10, 2008 at 6:45 a.m.

How about a poll - if there is a mortgage bailout to help those in trouble, how many of you will quit paying your mortgage every month so's you can get some of that help ? :-)

On Why I think the ecomomy is even scarier than I thought

Posted on October 9, 2008 at 10:37 a.m.

I agree with you. House of cards.

On Why I think the ecomomy is even scarier than I thought

Posted on October 9, 2008 at 6:38 a.m.

Good one Jason :-) As the article says, "People still need to feel good...."

On Economist makes shocking discovery that selling alcohol brings in money

Posted on October 8, 2008 at 5:12 p.m.

In all seriousness, I have always read that the bar business is a good one to be in when the economy is bad.

On Economist makes shocking discovery that selling alcohol brings in money

Posted on October 7, 2008 at 4:51 p.m.

nope, no cover

On Rick Yost and the Sofa Kings

Posted on September 29, 2008 at 1:42 p.m.

ok maybe I really meant to say "(and, vote for the good guys who are less stupid than the bad guys who are really really stupid)" hehe

On Sarah Palin Dallas visit to be the focus of protest

Posted on September 29, 2008 at 1:01 p.m.

PLEASE VOTE on or before Nov. 4th!! (and, vote for the good guys who are smart and not for the bad guys who are stupid !!)

On Sarah Palin Dallas visit to be the focus of protest

Posted on September 29, 2008 at 9:15 a.m.

I was told this weekend that Tin Spirits closed last week. Anyone heard ?

On Tin Spirits (Closed)

Posted on September 27, 2008 at 5:20 p.m.

Rawlins, thanks for sharing - today and every day.

For the rest of ya, here are some numbers that may or may not mean anything. According to the latest UN human development reports, the US ranks as follows on some healthcare measures related to "Committment to Health - Resources, Access and Services" -

+Public expenditure on healthcare as % of gdp - 12th (11 countries spend more)

+Private expenditures on healthcare as % of gdp - 1st (we spend more than any other country)

+Total healthcare expenditures per capita - 1st (we spend more than any other country per capita)

+Life expectancy at birth - 19th (18 other countries have longer life expectancy)

+Physicians per 100k people - 43rd (42 other nations have more physicians per 100k people)

Also, for what it's worth, I went to the ER in Belgium once, was seen immediately and it was free. Until they found out I was not a citizen and then it was $125.

On Mike Herrera, of Dallas restaurant chain Herrera's, dies at Parkland Hospital

Posted on September 25, 2008 at 4:24 p.m.

Not really alluding to full socialization, just saying, if the buying power were in numbers alone, it would seem we could do that and everyone wins (ie the ins. co.s get to keep making lots of money - nobody gets a free ride, everyone must pay a premium).
But anyway I think the real problem is that much of our collective available dollar for healthcare actually goes into a pot of "insurance company profit" and that if it went instead into healthcare proper we might all be surprised how affordable it would become.

On Mike Herrera, of Dallas restaurant chain Herrera's, dies at Parkland Hospital