Things to Know - 4 March

1. On Rush Limbaugh's apology- He did so because his revenue stream of advertising was under stress and falling.  Not because he had a moral re-thinking, no not at all.  I am going to try and find the call-out that Rachel Maddow did on her show the other night (if there is a clip.  It was an Emmy award performance on her part:
http://www.carbonite.com/en/blog/A-Message-from-Carbonite-CEO-David-Friend-Regarding-Ads-on-Limbaugh

2.  Through the wonders of the Internet, here is the above-referenced story by Rachel Maddow on the subject of the lack of sensitivity by the Republican committee Darrel Issa on the subject of contraception, and the rejection of Sandra Fluke (a Georgetown University law student) to testify on the issue of contraception (because she was not "qualified to do so by representative Issa).  This all led to the firestorm created by a talk radio host who referred to Ms. Fluke in very vulgar terms  Ms. Maddow is masterful at her job:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#46610339

3.  Health Care, and why it costs so much here in the USA, than every other place in the world.  If you need a good argument on why we need to reform it, or if you think it is the best system in the world and we should leave it as it is - in either case, you need to read this.  Simply stated, the bottom line is that we have to transition from thinking that health care is a business to that it is the function of prevention and healing.  One not of explanation of an acronym; OCED -  Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/why-an-mri-costs-1080-in-america-and-280-in-france/2011/08/25/gIQAVHztoR_print.html

4.  Once again, we need to revisit the issue of the Keystone Pipeline to restate what is now very obvious.   The USA now produces more oil than it has in the past.  Our consumption oil is less than what we produce, so we are now an exporter of oil.  So, why do we need to take Canada tar shale through a pipeline through America's heartland  to Texas to be refined, so that it will ultimately be shipped to the global market (read China, India, and other petrol-hungry rising countries?).  Makes not sense, and carries the possibility (probability, more likely) of contaminating our drinking water all along the path of the pipeline.  Shoving people off of their lands with eminent domain statutes, and messing up the landscape, and dripping toxic substances into the aquifer - for what?:
http://www.nationalmemo.com/content/keystone-pipeline-means-dearer-gas-few-jobs

5.  Just for the record, the communications company that Rush Limbaugh is employed by is in the line of investments owned by Bain Capitol.  Mitt Romney is known in parts as "the King of Bain".  This is just one more unintended gaffe that Mitt-bot is going to have navigate, and explain all along the future campaign trail:
http://www.nationalmemo.com/article/would-mitt-fire-bain-employee-rush-limbaugh

6.  George Will, is despondent on the prospects of either Romney or Santorum gaining the White House.  So, he tries to put on his best face in urging conservatives to consider the "equipoise" between the congress and "an overreaching executive branch", and the fate of putting in more conservatives on the Supreme Court.  What he is not saying is that nothing that he cherishes or hopes for may happen.  It's probably tough for a pundit like George Will to be optimistic.  This was not a good week for anyone on his side of the center:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/republicans-can-stop-obama-one-way-or-another/2012/03/02/gIQAjq6bmR_print.html

7.  Thomas Friedman, as usual writes about obvious positions.  He does have a following, and this is a pretty good vision for some of his followers.  This may be you.  If he is not one of your go-to guys, then you may pass it up:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/opinion/sunday/friedman-take-the-subway.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

8.  To all my friends who are/were teachers.  Family members who were/are teachers.  To anyone who can remember a great experience with a "teacher".  Did I leave anyone out?- This is for you:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0304-lopez-teacher-20120304,0,6762901,print.column

--
Juan

"The only obstacles to the future are the ignorant and intolerant dispositions of the many who walk among us"
       -- Anonymous

"Marriage is the only adventure open to the cowardly."
       -- Voltaire

"Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought-- particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things."
       -- Woody Allen

"Every journalist has a novel in him, which is an excellent place for it."
       -- Russel Lynes

"It matters not whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose."
       -- Darrin Weinberg