Archive for June, 2005

2005.06.12

Secret Agenda Revealed

Today at noon KRON hosted me and a bunch of other bloggers at their offices. I had thought there was a hidden agenda and, perhaps, I was correct. It wasn’t KRON, however, that had the hidden agenda. It was the other bloggers who had their own hidden agendas. Everyone I talked to (which wasn’t that many) came for a myriad of reasons. Some in the “power set” were there to meet their peers. Others came just because they were curious about this event. I fall, more or less in this group. I had my own agenda, though, and that was to meet face to face with other Blosxom users.

Read the rest of this entry…

2005.06.11

Business Should Support Universal Health Care

It is no joke that the cost of health care in America is sky rocketing. It is to the point now where big corporations like GM are reducing their workforce because of the rising cost of health care and pensions. If we had universal healthcare, and not the kind TR mentions upon occasion, then while the tax burden might go up a bit, the overall cost of health care would go down.

As most educated people know, Europe has been doing this for a while. There is one very strong criticism of this approach that they suffer: for general medical treatment they are very good but for critical and complex medical treatment they tend to not be nearly as good as the current American system. If this could be addressed, and if it could be shown on a bottom line that American corporations would make more money than they currently do by essentially outsourcing medical coverage to the Federal government, then the only obstacle would be American doctors. They are the ones who stand to lose the most while almost everyone else gains.

I grew up in the military. If we were sick or injured all we did was walk into a hospital and we were treated. I would think that if it’s good enough for our military it must be good enough for the rest of us. Here in the civilian world I still don’t understand how all this insurance crap works. I never know what is or is not covered by how much or at all. It just seems like common sense to me that if I need to see a doctor I shouldn’t have to worry or deal with the stress of our wacky health insurance system on top of whatever ails me. If it helps me and it helps business (reducing their bottom line) then it seems to me we should be doing this thing.

Now if only someone much smarter than me in these issues would bother to do the calculations that show business it’s in their economic self interest we would have a winner.

2005.06.11

Tip Number Two

If you really really want a Coke Float (ice cream, usually vanilla, “floating” in Coca-Cola) but aren’t near anyplace that has them, try this. Go to almost any fast food place and order one Coke and one vanilla shake. Most fast food places have these. Stick a straw in each. Sip from the vanilla shake and, before you swallow, sip from the Coke. Instant Coke Float in your mouth.

This entry is part of the monthly Blogging Challenge for June.

2005.06.11

Mark Morford on BushCo Environmentalism

Here’s a great editorial. The whole thing is an interesting, blatantly biased yet true none-the-less statement on the Bush environmental policy and more.

2005.06.10

NHK Has Left the Building

A sad day for Geek Night and for me personally. NHK moved back to Chicago today for an indeterminate period of time. We will miss his presence for reasons too innumerable to list. At least he should still have a connection to the WWW; I’m looking forward to more caustic and sarcastic comments here and elsewhere on the OOKEE.com network.

Good luck, Buddy, and here’s to hoping I can get out there for a nice long weekend real soon.

2005.06.08

Tip Number One

If you are prone to losing things, especially in your own house, make a habit of putting the thing you lose in the same place every time.

If you are inclined to misplacing your keys or wallet do what I do. As soon as I come home I always empty my pockets on a shelf in my room. Same place every time. I haven’t lost either since then.

The only hard part of this tip is getting into the habit. At first it takes a conscious effort. After a while it just becomes habit.

This entry is part of the monthly Blogging Challenge for June.

2005.06.05

Launching the Hoobe

Maiden Voyage of the HoobeToday Mike launched the boat he built by hand out at Treasure Island. Dubbed, I think, the Hoobe (or perhaps Hoobee?) (pronounced who-bee) I even got to take the first guest ride in the craft.

It’s impressive that Mike built this boat. He researched designs, put together a few that he liked, adapted materials, and put it all together. It took him at least a year, and he did most of it in Sarah’s old back yard (before they moved in together).

Today was my first time out to Treasure Island, too. I have to say it was a bit strange approaching the Naval Station gates and reminding myself that I didn’t have to pull out my ID and flash it to gate guards. It’s funny how these remnants of habit from growing up in the military persist.

Congrats to Mike, and here’s to looking forward to the next, larger ship of the line!