Haiku 101809
fallen leaves
i smell meat cooking
over coal
Showing posts with label grilling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grilling. Show all posts
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Haiku 092009
as I grill
plates line up --
a stray cat
as I grill
plates line up --
a stray cat
***************
“A Taiwanese court sentenced former president Chen Shui-bian to life in prison after convicting him on graft charges Friday, a spectacular fall from grace for a man who rode to power on promises to end decades of corruption and expand the island's de facto independence…
“With the 58-year-old Chen absent from the courtroom -- he chose to stay in the suburban
“Chen had been charged with embezzling $3.15 million from a special presidential fund during his 2000-2008 tenure, receiving bribes worth at least $9 million in connection with a government land deal, laundering some of the money through Swiss bank accounts and forging documents.
“The court convicted Chen's wife, Wu Shu-chen, on related graft offenses and sentenced her to life in prison, as well. The two were also fined $15.2 million, a Taipei District Court spokesman said…”
***************
And we thought:
Fast forward to 2010, sometime after the Philippine presidential elections: Would the former Philippine President, Gloria Arroyo, be finally charged with graft and corruption and held accountable? Unfortunately, it seems like a tall order. The Filipino people can be so maddeningly forgiving. Remember what happened – or did not happen – to the Marcos family after their 20-year plunder of the
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Haiku 081309
diners hover
while he grills ribeyes
lake mosquitos
***************
Recently, we read the following:
Star Tribune: “Health insurers fighting overhaul plan with cash” by Pat Doyle
“As the nation faces a political showdown over health insurance reform, insurers worried that an overhaul could hurt their bottom line are funneling a wave of cash to members of Congress…
“Health and accident insurers and HMOs have spent more than $40 million on current members of Congress over the past 10 years, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which analyzed Federal Election Commission data.
“They've also spent an additional half-billion dollars lobbying during the decade.
“Health insurers worry that a ‘public option’ favored by President Obama and House Democrats could hurt private competitors and even drive some out of business.
“Insurers find themselves ever more isolated in the national health care debate since their former allies -- the pharmaceutical and hospital industries -- have struck their own partial and tentative agreements with the White House and some Democratic members of Congress.
“U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday labeled health insurers 'villains,' saying that 'they have been a part of the problem in a major way. They are doing everything in their power to stop a public option from happening….'
“That status is deserved, said Eleanor Kinney, an Indiana University professor who has tracked health care reform and testified before Congress. Kinney said private insurers benefit hugely from tax policies that subsidize employer insurance costs and shield the insurers from often expensive claims by the elderly and poor paid by Medicaid and Medicare…”
***************
And we thought:
…Private health insurers -- especially the giants like UnitedHealth Group, Aetna and Wellpoint -- are getting the best deals. They generally have a captive market. They can virtually dictate premium levels. When forced to pay big claims, they get back at the insureds by simply raising premiums the next time around. They can refuse applications of folks whom they decide to be potentially unprofitable. They can refuse continued coverage. Etc.
Acting in concert and with the resources they’re able to pool, these private health insurers have been able to heavily lobby members of Congress over the years to conveniently see things their way. More insidiously, they have been able to spin issues so well to make themselves appear the Luke Skywalkers, and the health care reformers, the Darth Vaders.
"Death panels"? Isn't that what the private health insurers have right now in their organizations -- groups of reviewers who decide who's going to be approved, or not, for a potentially life-saving procedure or medication regimen? What these private health insurers are doing in their current agitation-propaganda efforts is to impute to the health care reform bill all the bad stuff that they themselves are actually guilty of and have been practicing with impunity all these years.
There must be a way to break up this de facto monopoly, similar to how Ma Bell was once broken up – to allow genuine market competition at this time and hopefully bring about lower premiums and better service. How much longer can they virtually force the government and non-profits to take care of the less profitable demographic groups? How much longer will they be allowed to bleed dry the insureds and, in many cases, their employer-sponsors -- without being accountable for certain levels of service?…
diners hover
while he grills ribeyes
lake mosquitos
***************
Recently, we read the following:
Star Tribune: “Health insurers fighting overhaul plan with cash” by Pat Doyle
“As the nation faces a political showdown over health insurance reform, insurers worried that an overhaul could hurt their bottom line are funneling a wave of cash to members of Congress…
“Health and accident insurers and HMOs have spent more than $40 million on current members of Congress over the past 10 years, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which analyzed Federal Election Commission data.
“They've also spent an additional half-billion dollars lobbying during the decade.
“Health insurers worry that a ‘public option’ favored by President Obama and House Democrats could hurt private competitors and even drive some out of business.
“Insurers find themselves ever more isolated in the national health care debate since their former allies -- the pharmaceutical and hospital industries -- have struck their own partial and tentative agreements with the White House and some Democratic members of Congress.
“U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday labeled health insurers 'villains,' saying that 'they have been a part of the problem in a major way. They are doing everything in their power to stop a public option from happening….'
“That status is deserved, said Eleanor Kinney, an Indiana University professor who has tracked health care reform and testified before Congress. Kinney said private insurers benefit hugely from tax policies that subsidize employer insurance costs and shield the insurers from often expensive claims by the elderly and poor paid by Medicaid and Medicare…”
***************
And we thought:
…Private health insurers -- especially the giants like UnitedHealth Group, Aetna and Wellpoint -- are getting the best deals. They generally have a captive market. They can virtually dictate premium levels. When forced to pay big claims, they get back at the insureds by simply raising premiums the next time around. They can refuse applications of folks whom they decide to be potentially unprofitable. They can refuse continued coverage. Etc.
Acting in concert and with the resources they’re able to pool, these private health insurers have been able to heavily lobby members of Congress over the years to conveniently see things their way. More insidiously, they have been able to spin issues so well to make themselves appear the Luke Skywalkers, and the health care reformers, the Darth Vaders.
"Death panels"? Isn't that what the private health insurers have right now in their organizations -- groups of reviewers who decide who's going to be approved, or not, for a potentially life-saving procedure or medication regimen? What these private health insurers are doing in their current agitation-propaganda efforts is to impute to the health care reform bill all the bad stuff that they themselves are actually guilty of and have been practicing with impunity all these years.
There must be a way to break up this de facto monopoly, similar to how Ma Bell was once broken up – to allow genuine market competition at this time and hopefully bring about lower premiums and better service. How much longer can they virtually force the government and non-profits to take care of the less profitable demographic groups? How much longer will they be allowed to bleed dry the insureds and, in many cases, their employer-sponsors -- without being accountable for certain levels of service?…
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Haiku 070209
summer winds
skim the treetops...
the grill below
***************
Recently, we read the following:
Washington Post: “Madoff Sentenced to Maximum 150 Years in Prison” By Tomoeh Murakami Tse
"Bernard Madoff was sentenced Monday morning to 150 years in prison for conducting Wall Street's biggest Ponzi scheme, whose victims numbered in the thousands and spanned the globe.
"... When U.S. District Judge Denny Chin announced his decision inside a packed federal courtroom in lower Manhattan, some of the victims let out a loud cheer….
"Madoff's attorney, Ira Lee Sorkin, had asked the judge for a 12-year sentence ... saying that that his client was cooperating with authorities and that he had willingly given himself up when he informed his sons of a $50 billion scheme last December.
"But Chin, who described Madoff's crimes as 'evil,' 'staggering' and 'massive' over a 20-year period, said a message had to be sent that he was being punished accordingly. The magnitude of the fraud, Chin said, was 'off the charts' -- federal sentencing guidelines are for losses up to $400 million dollars. Chin also noted that Madoff's confession had come only after he knew his scheme was within days of collapse.
"In a prepared statement that showed slightly more emotion than his guilty allocution in March, Madoff apologized for his actions, turning around to briefly face his victims in the audience….
"Madoff also said that while he and his wife have been accused of being silent and unsympathetic, 'my wife cries herself to sleep every night....' "
***************
And we thought:
….The apologies and tears are really utterly empty gestures; the 150 years in prison, not nearly long enough. Madoff and his ring of thieves -- wife, children, friends and close business associates who profited from the giant Ponzi scheme – should have all their money and possessions forfeited.
The proceeds should go to a trust that would serve, first, to help meet the basic needs of the Madoffs’ most devastated victims – the retirees and their families who lost life savings. Second, to help restore the victimized pension funds and school endowments to viable levels. And, next, to help re-fund the charitable foundations and non-profits involved in social services and humanitarian work, so that they may continue their programs….
summer winds
skim the treetops...
the grill below
***************
Recently, we read the following:
Washington Post: “Madoff Sentenced to Maximum 150 Years in Prison” By Tomoeh Murakami Tse"Bernard Madoff was sentenced Monday morning to 150 years in prison for conducting Wall Street's biggest Ponzi scheme, whose victims numbered in the thousands and spanned the globe.
"... When U.S. District Judge Denny Chin announced his decision inside a packed federal courtroom in lower Manhattan, some of the victims let out a loud cheer….
"Madoff's attorney, Ira Lee Sorkin, had asked the judge for a 12-year sentence ... saying that that his client was cooperating with authorities and that he had willingly given himself up when he informed his sons of a $50 billion scheme last December.
"But Chin, who described Madoff's crimes as 'evil,' 'staggering' and 'massive' over a 20-year period, said a message had to be sent that he was being punished accordingly. The magnitude of the fraud, Chin said, was 'off the charts' -- federal sentencing guidelines are for losses up to $400 million dollars. Chin also noted that Madoff's confession had come only after he knew his scheme was within days of collapse.
"In a prepared statement that showed slightly more emotion than his guilty allocution in March, Madoff apologized for his actions, turning around to briefly face his victims in the audience….
"Madoff also said that while he and his wife have been accused of being silent and unsympathetic, 'my wife cries herself to sleep every night....' "
***************
And we thought:
….The apologies and tears are really utterly empty gestures; the 150 years in prison, not nearly long enough. Madoff and his ring of thieves -- wife, children, friends and close business associates who profited from the giant Ponzi scheme – should have all their money and possessions forfeited.
The proceeds should go to a trust that would serve, first, to help meet the basic needs of the Madoffs’ most devastated victims – the retirees and their families who lost life savings. Second, to help restore the victimized pension funds and school endowments to viable levels. And, next, to help re-fund the charitable foundations and non-profits involved in social services and humanitarian work, so that they may continue their programs….
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