riddler

They look cute now, but wait until they start asking for quarters. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

My personal feeling is that hope and hopelessness for the working-class have a lot to do with their job situation. Unemployment is at an all-time high, and unless we do something about jobs, or the market "corrects" for jobs sharply, then the gains that the economy is making will not last. The problem started with markets, but now it's about jobs. I think the Obama administration talked about jobs in January, but his focus seems to be on providing stimulus, and stimulus, in and of itself, is starting to wane. He'll need to make job creation his highest economic goal in order to push the recovery ahead. The Dow is almost at 10,000 again. There will be a brief surge when it breaks that level, but sustained growth is only going to happen when the consumers, as a whole, have money to spend. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

There's always going to be the issue of questioning the source of data, and no, none of it is going to be perfect. So you have to look at who did it, where their funding came from, and what the range of data is. On one hand, you have a consortium of three different, respected universities, sharing information and concluding results. It's unlikely there is a profit motive in making the statement that so many people die every year from a lack of health insurance, and it's unlikely that one private source contributed money to fund this study. Also, we're talking about a 10-year period, with massive numbers of people, with a wide statistical range, tempered by normalization factors help show a pretty clear and definite pattern (just my opinion). On the other hand, there is one guy, who doesn't appear to be a doctor at all, reading the study and concluding that it's false because ... why exactly? I didn't see any actual statistics to back his claims. He just stated "that kind of stuff is junk science" - I guess we should trust him because he knows about that kind of stuff. Another guy said "we need a more careful study". But where is he providing any single datum to back up his belief? And who exactly funds the site junk science? As far as appeals to authority go, I'm gonna side with the people that provide data, not the people that question it with no data of their own. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

That's about right. When state governments mandated seat belt use, was it an outrage with conservatives? It did save lives, but it also cost money. What about when speed limits were adopted? It saved fuel and lives. Where were the cries of "socialism"? How about requiring better safety features from auto manufacturers? They protested, and said it would drive up costs. It did, and car buyers are paying for the increased safety. Does that mean it was wrong? The government has a good reason to protect the lives of it's people. Just as it has requirements for automobiles, roads and drivers. If it can provide government-option healthcare, and save tens of thousands of lives, then it's doing it's job. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Well, I tried to underline it Just goes to show that the people that have already made up their minds are not going to be bothered with comprehending data. additional adjustment for race/ethnicity - this means that it trancends race, uninsured people of every color are dying at the adjusted same rate. income - so much for the "rich people get better healthcare" argument. Remember that JK Rowling and Oprah Winfrey were dirt-poor when they started out as well - did they deserve less healthcare when they were poor? education - can't blame it on stupid people either. self- and physician-rated health status - this removes the "pre-existing condition" argument. body mass index - probably the number one indicator of unhealthy lifestyle. So it doesn't matter how "fit" you are - you are still more likely to die without insurance. leisure exercise - see above. smoking - again, see above and regular alcohol use - once more. Everyone is welcome to question how they came up with the numbers all they want. But remember that we're talking about 45,000 people every year, about the number of people that fill a professional sports stadium. All because of insurance. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

So, the 40 million Americans that don't have insurance are drug dealers, gang members or drunk drivers? Now I know why you don't want to help insure them - I wouldn't insure that unsavory lot, either. To me it seems like the majority of uninsured deaths are likely due to people's fear of the cost of seeking healthcare. We all know what it takes financially to go to an emergency room, or ride in an ambulance. What we don't know is if we are going to live or die from our ailments. Uninsured Americans have to gamble their lives vs. their financial security every time they get sick. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

So your conclusion is that people who can't afford health insurance also choose to live unhealthy lifestyles? Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazard_ratio Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

This from the Washington School of Medicine, and the Harvard/Cambridge medical alliance. In 1993, uninsured Americans were 25% more likely to die, and today, that figure is 40% more likely to die, than insured Americans. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Cool and congratulations! Hope to see you soon. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

No, but ABC has officially apologized .... AFTER tweeting it to a million+ people http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h4Sh14_0zK5jI_uUQ96Kaka0PgUw Seriously, the media is apologizing for what will probably be the biggest news story tomorrow? Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

How about four or five years from now? That seems to be about the cycle. Then after the market gains all the way back to full strength, piddles, then dies in four or five years, you can stand up and say "see, I told you so". And the liberals will blame the conservatives, and vice-versa. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

If the government doesn't manage it well, then simply having a government option shouldn't worry conservatives, should it? I mean, since the competing private health insurance companies will be so much better, then everyone will choose that, instead, right? Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

And now, the House has officially admonished Wilson. I'm not even sure what that means, but I doubt it means anything. But it seems significant for two reasons: 1. It's the first time in the history of the House (according to CNN) that this has been done. 2. It's clear that party politics have dug in, and we can expect all future votes to be D vs. R. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I have two friends with last name Patel. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Eating pot brownies: Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Yep. It's much, much cooler

Swayze had an undeniable charisma. Point Break did get me excited about skydiving. I feel a little silly admitting that, but it's true. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xu9mx_patrick-swayze-chippendale_dating Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

All fun and games until someone gets hurt. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. (born March 31, 1948) Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947) John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19, 1946) Howard Brush Dean III (born November 17, 1948) Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi (born March 26, 1940) Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein (born June 22, 1933) Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer (born November 23, 1950) Barbara Levy Boxer (born November 11, 1940) 0 of 9. I was hoping at least one would be correct. We could use some alien intelligence around here on Earth. Additionally, the gestation period of mules and sheep is not nine months. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

We'll have to have a GOP representative stand in front of every hospital to use their superpowers of detecting true-blooded Americans. I suspect white people will get in the quickest. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Chuck is one of the coolest people that ever posted here - I hope he comes back. Happy birthday! Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

It does change, however, depending on the circumstances. Hypothetical WMD that didn't exist, vs. retaliation for 9/11. Those are exactly the wrong and correct reasons for going to war, respectively. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Joe Kittinger started his historic balloon flight to become the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean by balloon. In the 106,000 cubic foot Rosie O'Grady's Balloon of Peace, Colonel Joe would spend the next four days, covering 5,703 kilometers. As an official FAI world aerospace record, it is (as of December 2008) the longest gas balloon distance flight in AA-10 size category. Most of us know Colonel Joe as the man that made the longest parachute drop, from 102,800 feet, and breaking the sound barrier in freefall. Congratulations, Colonel Joe Kittinger. I was honored to meet you! Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Dodge City is a place right here in the US, not in the middle-east. What you meant to say is that we are going half-way 'round the world, running women and children out of their own lands, under the premise that the men are terrorists that may someday, fly back here, halfway 'round the world and kill some US citizens. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD