Huckleberries Online

Wild Card/Saturday — 8.15.09

Posted by DFO

Aug. 15, 2009 1:08 p.m. • 20 comments

At 5 o’clock this afternoon (EDT), Country Joe McDonald, Tom Constanten, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Canned Heat and other bands of yesterday will present a “Heroes of Woodstock” concert to celebrate the 40th anniversary of that pivotal ‘60s event. Instead of a half million flower children celebrating in a driving rain, organizers expect 15,000 fans to sit in seat to observe the anniversary by listening to the concert of graybeards. We had quite a discussion re: the impact of the ‘60s on Friday. Some thought much harm came out of the ‘60s. Others disagreed. But most would concur the music was great. Today might be a good day to tune in a oldies station that featured music from the ‘60s (not KVNI, which for some reason disses ‘60s music for the doo-wop of the ‘50s). That, or you can start your own threads by playing the Wild Card …

20 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

BethB on August 15 at 8:13 a.m.
This is an excellent, entertaining description of what the proposed health care reform is trying to do (love the analogy at the end, re: how they are not trying to blow up the land that is already there):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2aV6uJGkP0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2F&feature=player_embedded#t=157
raymond_pert on August 15 at 9:35 a.m.
If you subscribe to Sirius/XM radio, channel 40 is the Woodstock Channel this weekend, playing performances from the festival interspersed with interviews and other commentary. I’m enjoying it a lot.
Charles_Dixon on August 15 at 9:37 a.m.
I read this article last night and thought it did a great job of reflecting what one of my fears is with Obamacare, and I’d venture to guess it reflects what a lot of people fear about it. It comes from a Brit, no less.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1206149/STEPHEN-GLOVER-I-deeply-resent-Americans-sneering-health-service–thats-truth-hurts.html

“The President is discovering that people are apt to want to defend and preserve what they have. The same is true of we British and our lumbering health service. The difference, though, is that what the Americans have is, for the most part, better than the NHS.”

I understand that the current health care proposals don’t have anything in them calling for a National Health Service like that which exists the UK. I understand that most Democrats roll their eyes when they see this comparison. But the fact is that if you get government involved in health care by providing a public option that is a cheaper option then sooner or later employers are going to choose the cheaper option because it saves them money. And where most Americans are at the mercy of their employer in terms of their health care plan choice—and we understand that we are—we look at this potential and can reasonably see health care in the US ending up in a fashion similar enough to the NHS that it worries us.

The fact is that people are not trusting Obama and the Democratic Congress to keep this from happening, particularly where Obama and many key Democrats in Congress have said this is exactly their intent for the long haul.
Sisyphus on August 15 at 10:08 a.m.
Lots of fear going around. Most of it baseless as Beth’s link demonstrates. Here’s another perspective to balance.

http://trueslant.com/allisonkilkenny/2009/08/15/british-defend-their-healthcare-system/

Here’s an LA Times article

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-britain-health15-2009aug15,0,2736574.story
Sisyphus on August 15 at 10:16 a.m.
Another fun fact the media never tells you: as a % of GDP, the US has greater public expenditures on health care than the UK does. Not total expenditures, we know that. Public expenditures. More big government health care in the US than the UK.
hhuseland on August 15 at 12:53 p.m.
A huge happy 30th birthday to Deena. I suspect she & John Austin are cruising the waters around Harrison right now. I was going to join them, but tent camping in this weather pattern isn’t my cup of tea. I am though, going to catch the fall version of Blogfest hosted by John in Harrison. Anybody got the date?
Truly on August 15 at 12:58 p.m.
Happy Anniversary Woodstock!!!!!! God I love being raised on the rock n roll from that day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hhuseland on August 15 at 1:13 p.m.
Going back to yesterday’s littering thread, an interesting thing happened to me recently. I went out to the paper box to collect my Spokesman-Review. Much to my surprise and chagrin, instead of my S/R, that day’s issue of the Press was there. Could both papers be using the same contractor/Carrier?
Soaf on August 15 at 1:21 p.m.
Herb Huseland on August 15 at 1:13 p.m.

Going back to yesterday’s littering thread, an interesting thing happened to me recently. I went out to the paper box to collect my Spokesman-Review. Much to my surprise and chagrin, instead of my S/R, that day’s issue of the Press was there. Could both papers be using the same contractor/Carrier?
=================================================

Well Herb, I’m sorry to hear that. Looks like you’re gonna have to de-louse your mail box.
Bent on August 15 at 1:21 p.m.
Herb, we are shooting for Saturday the 19th… John and I need to get some details worked out so we can that baby rolling!
Stickman on August 15 at 1:47 p.m.
Bent: I am assuming you mean the 19th of September.
Stickman on August 15 at 1:52 p.m.
The music was the best. At least for me. Canned Heat and Big Brother were bands I regularly saw when I came back from Vietnam. Right before I left it was the Doors first album, and many G.I.’s played that throughout their tour. So much music and we took it all for granted. It was the times, and that part was the best. It was also the Bay Area, for that was were everything was happening.
marmitetoasty on August 15 at 2:15 p.m.
There is a programme on our telly as I type, its been on since 9pm and its not gonna be finishing untip 12.30am and its just called WoodStock…. and its the old film of many of the main artists and interviews with some of the 500,000 crowd….. LOVE the old footage……. its all original, there is not even a modern day voice presenter :) - its almost like being there for real ;)

oh, if ya wondering what the time is here now, its 10.15pm

ok, back to watch more……..peace out man LOL

x
Frum Helen Back on August 15 at 3:33 p.m.
And I am so glad that KVNI disses 60’s music because I’m stuck in the 50’s.
Kage_Mann on August 15 at 4:01 p.m.
I think that Woodstock was an overblown event,with little importance.Yet, the assassination of JFK was indelibly etched in my mind forever and it changed the course of history.
JohnA on August 15 at 4:48 p.m.
Thanks for the well-wishes, Herb. We’re docked today as well because of the weather but we’ll be out afloating tomorrow.

As for Riverfest, I’m meeting with the property owner today and will secure the site on the CDA river for Sept. 19th. If there are any conflicts I have several other locations that will also work.

We should shoot for mid-day or so on that Saturday. That way people can come by and get back over the pass before nightfall. Should be a blast.
JeanC on August 15 at 4:48 p.m.
Just spent a lovely afternoon at East City Park at Palouse Pride, visiting with friends, listening to the Fabulous Kingpins and watching people smile as Ms Ella Phant made her rounds and rocked to the music.
marmitetoasty on August 15 at 4:53 p.m.
Ok, on reflection and watching this woodstock music programme on our telly….. some of it is bloody rubbish LMFAO

x
Don_Sausser on August 15 at 5:47 p.m.
Herb, the same carrier delivers the Press and Spokesman in the building where I live.
spokelooneh on August 15 at 10:07 p.m.
“I read this article last night and thought it did a great job of reflecting what one of my fears is with Obamacare, and I’d venture to guess it reflects what a lot of people fear about it. It comes from a Brit, no less.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/art…”

You know, unless you’re into superficiality, or you’re middle aged and have a 30 year old trophy wife, you’re really not going to be much impressed, let alone comforted in your health care regimen, by a “pretty nurse”. Me, I couldn’t care less if my nurse is pretty, I just want her to be COMPETENT.

From the article Charles Dixon posted above, and anecdotal story as a basis for slamming universal health care:

“In the United States I was cosseted by a pretty nurse, and subjected to several exhaustive tests by an accommodating doctor, one of which involved me sitting in a sound-proof booth to have my hearing tested. At the end of it all I was presented with a bill for several hundred dollars - and the verdict that I had nothing to worry about.”

I guess the pretty US nurse that blowhard writer of this piece had superseded any concern about the cost he incurred to determine he had NOTHING to worry about. Hypochondria.

Yeah, there’s a great learning moment in medicine. Nurses in England are apparently ugly. Wow. The ridiculous things people will believe. Like your health care isn’t ALREADY rationed.

Keep up the fear mongering, Dixon. It’s what you folks do best.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.