Open Thread.

Alex Pareene:

[T[his is a dumb way to give people health insurance. This is a program that, by design, is going to annoy literally millions of Americans immediately. It will improve most of those people’s lives, but it will do so in a way that feels as coercive as possible. It didn’t have to be that way! No one is ever annoyed that they qualify for Medicare or Medicaid. People may hate paying the taxes that fund those programs, but people always appreciate direct benefits.

The way the ACA deals with people [...] illustrates nearly every problem with attempting to design conservative, “market-based” ways to do things best done by straightforward government programs. It exposes the flaws in both the technocratic wing of the Democratic Party — a too-clever solution to a very simple problem — and the centrist third-way wing — making legislation intentionally worse to shield Democrats from increasingly ineffective accusations of liberalism, or to pick up Republican support that, in this environment, is never coming. So we end up with a program that hides many of its best and most important features, and loudly advertises its most coercive element.

More . .

I'm still catching up with work and life, so here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

I might write again in 2013, but not today.

Open Thread.

Sad news. Lou Reed has died of liver disease at age 71.

I remember him more from the days of the Velvet Underground than his later solo work. In addition to Heroin("I don't know just where I'm going, But I'm goin' to try for the kingdom if I can") I still listen to "Sweet Jane" and "I'm Just Waiting for the Man."

R.I.P. Lou Reed.

The New York Times has an article about DOJ notifying a criminal defendant in Colorado that it intends to use warrantless surveillance obtained under FISA in its case against him.From the Notice:

...the government intends to offer into evidence or otherwise use or disclose in proceedings in the above-captioned matter information obtained or derived from acquisition of foreign intelligence information conducted pursuant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, as amended, 50 U.S.C. 1881a.

The case is an interesting one. I wrote about it here. [More...]

John Amato and I finally got back together to talk sports, specifically NFL and World Series (Go Cards! Beat the whiny Sox!):

Here are our picks (disagreement in BOLD (A for Armando, J for John)): Washington Redskins +12 (A), Denver Broncos -12 (J), San Francisco 49ers -15 over Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers -10 (J), Minnesota Vikings (+10) (A), Detroit Lions -3 over Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals -7 (J), New York Jets +7 (A), New York Giants +6 over Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns +9 (A), Kansas City Chiefs (-9) (J), Pittsburgh Steelers -3 over Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins +7 over New England Patriots, NEw Orleans Saints -11 over Buffalo Bills (A, J no pick), Arizona Cards -3 (A), Atlanta Falcons +3 (J), Seattle Seahawks -11 (J), St Louis Rams +11 (A).

Open Thread.

I think Michael Skakel should get bail.

I think the JonBenet Ramsey grand jury indictment is a non-story -- previously covered many times. The DA knew better than to go forward on it.

Regular blogging resumes Monday. This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

I've got my cable and internet, but no phones yet. I've unpacked more than 100 boxes, and have 40 left to unpack. GotJunk has already removed 2 truckfuls of stuff and my 10 × 10 storage locker is full. This has been my most expensive move yet -- $3,500. for the movers (here and to storage) and $800 and still rising for GotJunk. And this is after having donated or thrown away at least one third of my stuff the last few days at the old house. Since I've also lost a week of work, it will be a few days before I'm back to blogging.

On the up side, I really like the new place and downsizing is really liberating.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

NFL picks: Detroit Lions -3 over Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles -3 over Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers -1 over Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers -10 over Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons -7 over Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs -7 over Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers -4 over Tennessee Titans, St. Louis Rams +6 over Carolina Panthers, New York Giants -3 over Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears Pick over Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers -9 over Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots -4 over New York Jets, Denver Broncos -7 over Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins (-7) over Buffalo Bills.

Open Thread.

Via phone - J tells me she has moved in but has no internet or cable yet.

Come back soon J!

Open thread.