To the Congress of the United States regarding your health care benefits: Over the weekend with the Senate's narrow but passing vote to "debate" health care legislation, it's become crystal clear that some members of Congress don't care about the health care crisis. With a few exceptions, the Republican leadership is unwilling to debate the legislation passed by the House. Worse yet, you have no alternative proposals to reduce the high costs of medical care or save the 38 million Americans … [Read more...]
Health Care Reform Stifled by Drug Companies
The Washington Post reported two unrelated stories that, considered together, demonstrate a concerted effort by large drug companies and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to kill health care reform. The reports are disturbing and reveal two major challenges to controlling health care costs in the U.S. First--and most disturbing--the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in concert with other unidentified business groups, are funding an "economic study" showing that health care reform would destroy jobs and … [Read more...]
California Broke: Clip & Mail Your Coupons to Sacramento
(Updated October 7, 2012) California broke? Around two years ago I proposed in a blog post that citizens and non-citizens of the State of California donate their unused gift cards to balance California's budget. Yes, I know others have claimed they were the first to come up with this cost-saving idea but, I hasten to remind everyone, it was me. I have since called the effort the "California Broke Solution" or CBS, not to be confused with CBS, the media company. Well, guess … [Read more...]
Great White Sharks Return to Golden Gate Bridge
Great White Sharks Return to Bay Area Californian's are a strange lot, no doubt, but neither earthquakes nor floods nor swine flu nor collapsing bridges bring us to our knees. And that goes for sharks too. We're a hardy bunch here in the Bay Area and we treat recent reports of great whites poking around the Golden Gate Bridge like water off a duck's (shark's?) back. Stanford University Tags Great White Sharks Around ten years ago, researchers at Stanford University and UC Davis started … [Read more...]
Living in Silicon Valley: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Something is terribly, terribly wrong in Silicon Valley. Probably the rest of the nation too. But, as they say, everything starts in California then heads east. So whatever's happening here will soon hit your home town if it hasn't already. Yes, living in Silicon Valley takes its toll on incomes and your patience. This morning's paper is filled with new and continuing stories related to the economy: our Valley Transportation Agency is nearly 100 million in the hole, impacting mass … [Read more...]
Bridges Connect People in the Bay Area? Drain the Bay
Residents in the San Francisco Bay Area awoke again today not knowing how to quickly commutel from one side of the Bay to the other. The Bay Bridge, connecting Oakland/East Bay with San Francisco, was shut down again due to safety issues. (On Labor Day, the bridge was also closed to fix a dangerous section of the span.) The Bay Bridge is becoming a thorn in the sides of Bay Area residents--too old, not hip. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area is like living on multiple islands. Tthe Pacific … [Read more...]