Wild Card/Saturday — 12.5.09

47 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

• 

  Charlie on December 05 at 8:12 a.m.

  A global warming lecture was postponed at the U. of Texas, Austin, due to ‘cold weather.”

• 

  Stickman on December 05 at 10:12 a.m.

  A few days ago there were just a couple, then a few more two days ago, and then yesterday I went out and I saw over 40, so they are definitely arriving fast. If you haven’t seen the bald eagles in all their glory, make a point of going out to Higgins Point or around to Beauty Bay, as they are truly spectacular.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 10:20 a.m.

  This partially explains why many attorneys are supporting the proposed health care bill. We know that tort reform would limit some of the ridiculous damage awards they strive for but ….

  “Another health care earmark for trial lawyers”

  http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Another-health-care-earmark-for-trial-lawyers-78511282.html

• 

  Sisyphus on December 05 at 10:59 a.m.

  WOW. Yet another fact free opinion from someone’s dreamworld. Unscrupulous attorney’s general? Who would those be? The article alludes to Eliot Spitzer who was one of the best and most active consumer/citizen crusaders in the country. But Lawrence Wasden has used similar provisions and will again on behalf of the citizens of Idaho. That article is laughable.

  Ignorant people bellyache about jury awards they know nothing about. Until they are the victim of a mistake and then they wonder why they can’t get justice. Not sure why people think twelve of their peers can’t achieve justice. Moreover, even if you completely did away with medical malpractice, leaving the entire profession without any consequences for malpractice, it would only amount to around 1% of health care costs. Its this kind of myopic fact free analysis and pointless demonization that removed Republicans from power.

  http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=az9qxQZNmf0o

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 11:23 a.m.

  Sis >> “The article alludes to Eliot Spitzer who was one of the best and most active consumer/citizen crusaders in the country.”

  Nice to see who you look up to and who your role model might be. And, you are simply wrong on your calculation that tort reform would only account for a 1% savings in health care costs. We all know that jury awards are often way out of line and that the jury is simply “trying to teach someone a lesson”. Actual damages and cost recovery is certainly ok. The triple damages for ‘punitive’ measures is where is gets out of control. That, of course, is just my humble opinion. The McDonalds coffee spill is a fine example of how a jury can lose all perspective in these matters.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebeck_v._McDonald’s_Restaurants

• 

  poolman on December 05 at 11:27 a.m.

  Sys - you should NEVER let facts get in the way of a good opinion or theory…

  The entire non-Vandal population of Boise is in major grip mode right now. If Pittsburgh or Nebraska or Clemson win today its Poinsettia city for the Donkeys. Even if one of those teams doesn’t win they are still a long shot to get a BCS bowl bid, regardless of how bad they pummel New Mexico today. The last thing the BCS coalition wants’ is two non-BCS conference teams playing in BCS bowls. And, since TCU is well ahead of BSU in the rankings it’s a long shot at best. Let the whining begin……Now. And enjoy watching Oregon / Ohio St. in the Rose bowl on Jan 1 – should be a good one…

• 

  Phaedrus on December 05 at 11:50 a.m.

  And, you are simply wrong on your calculation that tort reform would only account for a 1% savings in health care costs.

  Okay, so how much do you calculate?

• 

  hhuseland on December 05 at 1:33 p.m.

  Jumping in here just for a moment, this whole tort thing is difficult to qualtify. For instance, Obstetricians are right up there in premiums. Some, actually, many have quit delivering babies on the basis that if birth defect occurr, the doctor, or his carrier supports that child for life.

  Many doctors, especially specialists, are moving toward HMO’s that pay the premiums for them. Also the VA has benefited with some fine specialists such as Urologists and Radiologists, for that reason among others. I would think that for an average, the AMA might be a good source for these stats.

• 

  Sisyphus on December 05 at 1:40 p.m.

  “And, you are simply wrong on your calculation that tort reform would only account for a 1% savings in health care costs.”—says the guys who provides no proof to rebut the evidence on the table. You can lead a Republican to facts but can’t make him think.

  “We all know…”—you using that phrase at the beginning of a sentence is pretty funny. You know next to nothing about lawyers, judges, trials, juries, actual awards or the factual basis for them. Most people don’t.

  But I agree that the Stella case is a fine example of the fairness of the judicial system. If you’d ever get past the hype of your ‘liberal’ media, you might just learn something. For example did you know that Stella Liebeck, a nice 79 year old lady whose grandson stopped at McDonalds on her way to church, suffered third degree blistering, skin killing, burns over 30-40% of her groin requiring eight days of hospitalization, surgery to remove dead tissue, and skin grafts? Did you know that that specific McDonalds served her coffee 27 degrees below the boiling point in the drive through even though they’d had several customers suffering similar injuries in the months preceding this accident, yet they refused to lower their coffee temperature? Did you know that McDonalds corporation had over 700 similar claims in the decade leading up to this case yet insisted on serving coffee at a temperature that will cause third degree burns in 2-7 seconds? Did you know McDonalds’ head of quality service testified he was aware of all these things and that serving coffee at 155 degrees would prevent them, yet McDonalds had no intention of reducing their coffee temperature.

  And as far as the award being excessive did you know the jury found Stella 20% liable for the injuries? Did you know that Stella offered to settle the case for $20,000 prior to trial and McDonalds refused? Did you know the jury was charged with determining an amount of punitive damages which would change McDonald’s wrongful conduct? Did you know that the $2.7 million the jury awarded for punitive damages constitutes only two days of profits for McDonald’s coffee sales? Did you know the judge knocked back the punitive damage award to $480,000 after trial? Even if you wanna argue this was somehow a runaway jury, the system took care of any excessive amounts.

  For most people, accessing the court system is a last resort. And even then the deck is stacked strongly in favor of the wealthy litigant. Most these cases pit David against Goliath in resources. But Americans doing away with this avenue for justice is cutting off their nose to spite their face.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 2:46 p.m.

  Sis. >> “says the guys who provides no proof to rebut the evidence on the table. You can lead a Republican to facts but can’t make him think”

  Really? You can give a Democrat the facts and he will change the subject. And, it should be noted that lawsuits are only a part of the medical liability issue. Ordering tests and more tests simply to eliminate the liability issue is a huge part of the problem. Its called defensive medicine, Sis, and it drives the costs up an unduly amount. Its not all in the courts, but this item addresses that issue.

  http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/10/health-care-tort-reform-a-savings/

• 

  Stickman on December 05 at 3:06 p.m.

  Now I know why I don’t come here much.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 3:13 p.m.

  That is understandable, Stickman. We don’t talk about sticks much. :~)

• 

  mike_s on December 05 at 3:20 p.m.

  Okay, so I’ve given up on getting high speed service out at Upper Twin Lakes and settled on dial-up, kind of looking forward to old-timey feel of AOL again, only to discover that Apple has discontinued their Apple USB modems for the MacBook. Arrrgh!

• 

  Phaedrus on December 05 at 3:29 p.m.

  “it drives the costs up an unduly amount. Its not all in the courts, but this item addresses that issue. ”—Hmoffsuite

  From the article refernced by Hmoffsuite:

  “Such proposals would reduce national health care spending by about 0.5 percent”

  Every little bit helps, but the GOP is willing to do everything they can to stymie all health care reform for the sake of 1/2%?

• 

  JohnA on December 05 at 3:41 p.m.

  I’ve just witnessed why Mark Few will never be considered a big-time coach. Great at recruiting, game planning and motivation, he is a truly lousy game coach.

  Leading by 13, he watched as the team was outscored 16-2 by a good Wake Forest team just before the half to trail by one.

  To make it worse, he should have seen it coming after his star freshman, Elias Harris, was ejected after a (very) flagrant foul. His team was in disarray after that, but instead of taking one timeout after another to settle them down, he just let ‘em go.

  Bad coaching 101, on display for the whole country to see on ESPN. Let’s hope they can regroup in the second half, that their talent will overcome their coach.

• 

  Laughing on December 05 at 3:51 p.m.

  ? was wondering if hmoffsuite has ever been seriously injured, or had a family member seriously injured, and had to go to court to get an insurance company/or self insured company to pay for damages. If not, then ignorance is truly bliss. If so, then it seems a contradictory position to take. So, just wondering…ignorance or contradictory? Anyone who has been forced to go trial, or has a family member who has had to do so, knows that it is not a walk in the park and at the end of the day it is the jury that makes the decision, and award, and not the attorney. If confidential settlements were not the norm in legal cases, the public would be aware what insurance companies actually value liabiity at…for good or for bad. Why does ICRIMP keep settlement amounts secret, from the public even when it involves an Idaho public entity? It is not merely simplicity that caused the legislature to require that lawsuits for damages to only allege damages in excess of the jurisdictional amount or $10,000…and not the actual amount sued for. Every time a suit is published in the paper and claims $10,000 the every day person thinks, “Hmm, $10,000 must be a lot of money. Anyone that has seen a ‘day in the life’ video of an injured person, or who has tried to care for an injured person when there is no money, knows that $10,000 doesn’t go very far. Seems I recall seeing an article in the Cda Press today about a lady who is suffering considerably because of serious injuries and no insurance coverage.

• 

  Stickman on December 05 at 3:56 p.m.

  hmo: I wouldn’t want many to talk about sticks, what a boring subject. But politics is also something I try to avoid, though I know you love to rant and rave.

• 

  spokelooneh on December 05 at 4:04 p.m.

  “And, you are simply wrong on your calculation that tort reform would only account for a 1% savings in health care costs.”
  -HMO

  Then HMO is asked what he thinks the number is and on what basis.

  HMO responds by linking to a story about CBO’s estimate of costs of defensive medicine and frivolous lawsuits.

  .5%

  Really HMO, this is just your pattern time and time again. You spout off some have baked assertion and when challenged, you can’t back up your assertion, or even funnier, as in this case, you provide information which DIRECTLY contradicts your assertion.

  Quite comical.

• 

  spokelooneh on December 05 at 4:14 p.m.

  “Okay, so I’ve given up on getting high speed service out at Upper Twin Lakes and settled on dial-up, kind of looking forward to old-timey feel of AOL again, only to discover that Apple has discontinued their Apple USB modems for the MacBook. Arrrgh!”
  -Mike_s

  Mike did you try Wild Blue?

  You also might want to find a nearby neighbor within WiFi router range and split the cost of a satellite internet connection.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 4:18 p.m.

  Laughing >> “? was wondering if hmoffsuite has ever been seriously injured, or had a family member seriously injured, and had to go to court to get an insurance company/or self insured company to pay for damages.”

  That is a very fair question. And, I must say, I’ve never had to fight over medical insurance claims. I’ve had some big ones and things were taken care of as promised. So, you make a good point. It likely has altered my view of the situation. Truthfully.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 4:30 p.m.

  Spoke >> ” You spout off some have baked assertion and when challenged, you can’t back up your assertion”

  Tort reform is just part of the equation. I had said that the practice of ‘defensive medicine’. Tort reform is part of it. The claims paid. Please consider the liability insurance costs the doctors pay. Millions a year, in some cases. Then the cost of over treating of patients. Six tests instead of the one that would be all that really is needed. There is a lot more to it than just the lawsuits.

• 

  Stickman on December 05 at 4:38 p.m.

  I enjoy the simple things in life. You and the rest can have the best of what intrigues us. I read, but I would never get involved, as it bores me and I find it something I would rather think about when I sleep. Then the important things come out, surely not politics and what you spend most of your day talking about.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 4:47 p.m.

  Stickman. I find the blog to be somewhat of an intellectual exercise for the mind. I’ve read where mind exercise wards off memory problems later in life. Consider it Alzheimers prevention. :~)

• 

  spokelooneh on December 05 at 4:53 p.m.

  HMO, words mean something.

  You asserted that tort reform was much more than 1% of health care costs.

  When challenged, you cited a report by CBO that said this, covering both tort reform AND reducing the cost of defensive medicine:

  “The Congressional Budget Office - in an analysis that projects a nearly10-fold increase in savings over its findings last year - said tort reform would cut costs by limiting the use of diagnostic tests and other services health care providers and doctors use to reduce exposure to lawsuits.
  …
  Such proposals would reduce national health care spending by about 0.5 percent, or $11 billion in 2009. That includes the reduction in malpractice premiums as well as a 0.3 percent reduction in health care services spending from providers ordering procedures out of concern for being sued. ”

  So the CBO is covering both cost issues here, the cost of malpractice insurance, and the cost of defensive medicine, and that TOTAL savings would be .5%.

  You have provided no data whatsover to back up your assertion that doing tort reform and limiting defensive medicine is larger than 1%. In fact, quite the opposite.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 5:07 p.m.

  Spoke. To tell you the truth, the information I was working on came from an interview I had listened to on Bloomberg or somewhere. I don’t have a link. So, from an academic point of view, you win this one for my lack of proof of my claim. When I come across it, I may revisit this question. So, I concede the argument (for the time being), ok? Now, what do you think about having the ability to purchase insurance across state lines?

• 

  mike_s on December 05 at 5:25 p.m.

  Thanks Spoke, at this point I may end up going the satellite route.

• 

  mike_s on December 05 at 5:26 p.m.

  Hmo, physical exercise sharpens the mind as well.

• 

  Phaedrus on December 05 at 5:41 p.m.

  “Okay, so I’ve given up on getting high speed service out at Upper Twin Lakes —mike_s

  try here:

  http://www.intermaxnetworks.com/

• 

  Cindy_H on December 05 at 5:54 p.m.

  Poolman, ejs etc: I finished The Road today. Beautifully written.
  I don’t agree that it’s a “man’s book,” it was a very human book and I was sorry to reach the last page.
  Also, if avoiding apostrophes would help me write like McCarthy than im not using them any more.

• 

  Phaedrus on December 05 at 6:04 p.m.

  I find the blog to be somewhat of an intellectual exercise for the mind.

  But just like physical exercise you have to break a sweat before it has any benefit, just lazily going through motions, without any vigor, is of no benefit. It is disappointing to see that you steadfastly refuse to apply any intellectual rigor to your arguments, instead continually falling back on a habit that has been pointed out by Spoke, nic and OTV (as well as me) of making a claim, not providing any evidence to support your claim (or in this case providing evidence that supports your opponents argument) and then moving on to another topic. At least this time you conceded (although in a rather weak back door way). I should just walk away from this type of fabricated argument, but it does a disservice to others who may stumble upon the malformed opinions that you spew and actually believe them. Why do you find it so easy to blurt out your opinion (which upon much observation appears to be neither considered or seemingly based upon anything but your own prejudices, facts be damned), yet so difficult to defend and support it? You are beginning to sound like the Sarah Palin of HBO.

  I’m sure you can do better than this, why not put some effort into your exercise?

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 6:20 p.m.

  Phaedrus. I have used intermax for several years. They are a great group. I met Morris right when he was getting it started. They have treated me very well and I would give my highest recommendation to anyone regarding them. And, their stuff is fast. If one can see Canfield Mtn, one should be able to get their service.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 6:22 p.m.

  mike-s. You are very correct. I have a workout routine I follow rather religiously.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 6:35 p.m.

  Phaedrus >> “it does a disservice to others who may stumble upon the malformed opinions that you spew and actually believe them. Why do you find it so easy to blurt out your opinion (which upon much observation appears to be neither considered or seemingly based upon anything but your own prejudices, facts be damned),”

  My opinions are just that and they are hardly malformed. In your way of viewing the world, you may not accept them, but your being the judge of my thinking is hardly a substantial criticism. You are quick to crtiticize and judge, but seem to never expose a unique opinion of your own. After your having run on and on about the tragedy of sending troops to Afghanistan, I asked a couple of times for your opinion as to best how to deal with the situation. You failed to answer a simple question and put you thinking out for analysis. You take the easy road. At least I have the courage to voice my opinions whether you agree with them or not. Don’t patronize me. For the record, you lasted what, 3 days, with our truce? Not very adult.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 05 at 6:59 p.m.

  Incidentally, Phaedrus, I found you last post to be hightly insulting. It reveals your true character, I should imagine.

• 

  Laughing on December 05 at 7:04 p.m.

  hmoffsuite…that was a very thoughtful response. Having seen the other side, I must likewise state that my view is slanted too.

• 

  sue on December 05 at 7:05 p.m.

  I don’t remember where I read it, and I don’t have a link, but what I read rang true to me. That is, our political preferences have a genetic component. I think that must be true. So often, I look at how people vote, and I honestly can’t understand in the least how they could choose to vote that way. It’s gotta be something bigger than we know.

• 

  Me on December 05 at 7:13 p.m.

  Sue - so so true - I am amazed all the time at the audacity of people - they say that you must have a link in order to have an opinion and then say things like “the people of north idaho are poor and uneducated” and ‘like apalachia” and yet no link to show us how us North Idaho people are so dumb….. I’m still waiting for that.

  And I am too so amazed how people vote. I mean really??? How could they possibly think that way?

• 

  hhuseland on December 05 at 7:57 p.m.

  Well, one NW sports team did well today. Washington bullied Cal today with a 42-13 or some such score. It wasn’t even that close, as Washington went to subs and a running game that was so predictable that Cal got the ball back when actually Washington didn’t really have to give it.

  If Locker and other key players return next year, it could be awesome. Maybe even a Rose Bowl. Sarkasian is a master recruiter, as are his fellow asst coaches. The difference that I see between this year in UW and this year in USC is the coaches that left USC and came to UW. This bodes well for the future of the Huskies. Not since Don James left have we had such a solid hope for the future.

• 

  Phaedrus on December 05 at 9:12 p.m.

  I found you last post to be hightly insulting.—

  Sorry, but sometimes the truth hurts.Seriously, doesn’t it bother you that you post a somewhat snarky reply to Sisyphus impugning his facts regarding the significance of tort reform as a component of health care costs and yet the article you link to disproves your very contention? That is a malformed opinion, one you are certainly entitled to hold, but not one other should be subjected to without some clarification. And lest you think I am opposed to all conservative opinions, let me point out that although my political beliefs are rarely aligned with OfCoffee, I rarely, if ever, engage in heated exchanges with him because he is smart, well-thought and well expressed in all his opinions. On the other hand, your opinions, and the arguments you use to support them, align much more closely the missing Kage_Mann. Without the bad punctuation.

  As for the truce, hey, I’m not perfect, but three days the first time out of the gate isn’t too bad.

• 

  Phaedrus on December 05 at 9:18 p.m.

  After your having run on and on about the tragedy of sending troops to Afghanistan, I asked a couple of times for your opinion as to best how to deal with the situation.—Hmoffsuite

  1- I did see that question the other day but was only near a computer for short periods of time,, I’ll work on a response.

  2- I need to go back and find the posts where I ran “on and on about the tragedy of sending troops to Afghanistan” I don’t really remember doing that.

• 

  spokelooneh on December 05 at 10:19 p.m.

  Wow, just wow, Me.

  My comparison of Mica Flats to Appalachia was based on driving through the area and noticing quite a few trailers and dilapidated properties that looked like mini-junkyards. As I noted, same as I have seen in parts of the Spokane Valley.

  I didn’t say a damn thing about North Idaho people being “poor and undereducated”. That’s your hang-up, apparently.

  However, since you asked, I did some RESEARCH on the web, and while I can’t find anything specific for North Idaho, Idaho as a whole is lacking in educational achievement I highly doubt that North Idaho fares better than the rest of the state, especially with the many high-skill, high technology jobs around Boise.

  Those conservative-hating dolts at the US Chamber of Commerce rate Idaho a solid C rating on academic achievement.

  http://www.uschamber.com/icw/reportcard/default

  The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education rates Idaho (at best) at C-.

  “A fairly small percentage (43%) of high school students in Idaho are enrolled in upper-level math, and a small percentage (24%) are enrolled in upper-level science.

  Ninth graders are not very likely to enroll in college by age 19. Over the past decade, Idaho has declined on this measure by 11%, more than the nation as a whole (2%), primarily because the percentage of 9th graders graduating from high school in four years and the percentage of graduates going directly on to college have both dropped.
  …
  The proportion of residents who have a bachelor’s degree is fairly low (25%), and this substantially weakens the state economy. … ”

  http://measuringup.highereducation.org/newsroom/statedir.cfm?myyear=2006&stateName=Idaho

  Opinion are like the lower intestine, everybody has one.

  Informed opinions, and actual facts, appear to be in short supply, for some people anyway.

• 

  Phaedrus on December 05 at 10:31 p.m.

  Hmoffsuite, I’ve read back on threads till Thursday and no where did I find anywhere where I “run on and on about the tragedy of sending troops to Afghanistan,” so if you can find those comments of mine I’d be more than happy to eat crow. Barring that I’ll just ignore your mistaken recollection of my comments and get to the original point: What to do with Afghanistan.

  If I knew, I’d be sitting in the White House, or the Pentagon. :-)

  I don’t think we can do nothing, but Afghanistan is not Iraq and the Taliban are not foreign fighters, so I have reservations that the same clear and hold strategies that worked in Iraq will work in Afghanistan. And the lack of a significant, central government with a strong military also make any long term success doubtful.
  Allowing Pakistan to deteriorate into a failed state that would permit the Taliban gain control of a nuclear state is unacceptable which means we will probably be propping up whoever is in power. Forever.

• 

  florined on December 05 at 10:52 p.m.

  For now, I’ll leave the controversy to others and just recommend to all a movie I saw tonight…”Stranger Than Fiction” with Will Ferrell, Annette Benning, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Lateefa, and others. Trust me, this is not a slapstick Will Ferrell. Intriguing, thoughtful, and well done. I think it’s from 2006 or 07. I always seem to be behind.

• 

  Cindy_H on December 06 at 9:23 a.m.

  One of my favorite movies, Florine!

• 

  Stickman on December 06 at 10:56 a.m.

  hmo: sorry for the implication that the blog is boring. It’s not, and I do enjoy coming here each day. Sometimes certain subjects can go on and on and I find that too much for me. I think it can be very intellectual and some discussions can be very informative, I guess I used the wrong words earlier. I do like the simple things in life and some subjects just don’t do it for me, like most politics and discussions that go back and forth. When I read the wild card and it goes on forever about who’s right and who’s doing things wrong, I usually just move on. Yesterday I found myself saying something I shouldn’t have. We all come for different reasons, and if politics and such is something that excites you, then so be it. I will stick with sticks and things like the eagles that are here for a while and leave the rest to the ones that come here for other reasons.

• 

  hmoffsuite on December 06 at 4:41 p.m.

  Stickman. I understand your meaning with no offense being taken. I kinda know where you are coming from and appreciate your lifestyle demeanor. In fact, I envy it. I am too much type A and it would serve me well to start making sticks myself. Hope you had a good weekend. :~)

• 

  Arch_Druid on December 06 at 9:40 p.m.

  We had that debate about tort reform and etc. way back in the early 2000s. Here I thought that tort reform got settled by a GOP controlled Congress and a GOP President! So, why does it suddenly come up in this discussion today? If it’s already past history, then eliminating what remains of tort as it would affect malpractice claims would change little in actual health care costs. As confirmed by above posts.

  Sounds like someone here has a short term memory loss.

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